Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Inoue

Kunihiro Inoue has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240094671
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to heat a recording material at a use position, an opening and closing member, and a drawer unit. In a state where the fixing device is at the use position, part of the fixing device is located in a space for the drawer unit to pass through when moved from a first inner position to a first outer position so that movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is restricted. The fixing device is retracted from the use position to a retracted position so that the movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is allowed. Part of the fixing device at the retracted position is at a position higher than a position of an upper cover portion of the opening and closing member at a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240085825
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes an apparatus main body having a first end provided with an opening and having a second end, a fixing device to heat the recording material, an opening and closing member, a drawer unit having a first photosensitive drum, and a transfer device. When being moved from a first inner position inside the apparatus main body to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body through the main body opening, the drawer unit is to be moved in a moving direction intersecting with a rotation axis of the first photosensitive drum, and is to be moved away from the second end. When being moved from a second inner position inside the apparatus main body to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body, the transfer device is moved away from the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240085824
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device a including a belt. When image formation on a recording material is performed, the drawer unit is at a first apparatus main body inner position and the transfer device is at a second apparatus main body inner position. In this drawer unit state, (a) a part of the transfer device is disposed downstream of the drawer unit in a moving direction in which the drawer unit moves from the first inner position to a first apparatus main body outer position, and (b) in a vertical direction, an area where the part of the transfer device is positioned overlaps, at least in part, with an area where the drawer unit is positioned. The transfer device includes a cleaning member to clean the belt and is accommodated in the part of the transfer device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240085849
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device including a belt. The drawer unit includes a first cartridge, a support member to which the first cartridge is detachably attached, and a first photosensitive drum disposed on the support member or the first cartridge. The drawer unit is moved to a first inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body. The transfer device is moved to a second inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body. The belt contacts the first photosensitive drum with the transfer device at the second inner position. The transfer device is moved from the second inner to the second outer position when the drawer unit is moved from the first inner to the first outer position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Patent number: 5489967
    Abstract: In a magnetic printing apparatus wherein a demagnetizer 2 as a latent image eraser, a magnetic head 3 constituting a latent image former, a developer 4, a transfer roller 5, a fixer 6, and a cleaner 7 are disposed in this order around a latent image carrier 1, a recording paper 15 including a stack of plural sheets of carbonless paper is fed, transported, and discharged, a single-component dry toner 8 is used, and pressure transfer is made by a transfer roller 5 at a load per unit roller length of 5 kgf/cm or more, thereby achieving printing and copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Sakagami, Kunihiro Inoue, Tadashi Shimizu, Tetsushi Takahashi, Tadaaki Hagata, Kazuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 5027077
    Abstract: A humidity sensing apparatus which includes a humidity sensor which detects humidity as a function of impedance is provided. A reference resistor has a predetermined resistance value. A charge switching circuit selectively couples one of the reference resistor or the humidity sensor in series with a reference capacitor which has a predetermined capacitance. A voltage judging circuit determines whether the terminal voltage of the reference capacitor is high or low. A charge/discharge switch selectively charges and discharges the reference capacitor in accordance with the output of the voltage judging circuit. A sensor direction switching circuit inverts the direction of current flowing through the humidity sensor during charging of the reference capacitor. An oscillation frequency counter counts the number of charge/discharge cycles which are repeated during a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Yanagisawa, Masahisa Ikejiri, Hajime Miyazaki, Tsukasa Muranaka, Kunihiro Inoue, Shouichi Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 4086003
    Abstract: An electrochromic display cell has a first transparent plate for viewing said display therethrough and a second plate having thereon a reflective metal coating, said coating being inert to electrochemical oxidation under the conditions of operation of said display. Conductive leads are covered, at least in part, by an insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1978
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventors: Akihiko Kouchi, Tsutomu Otake, Hiroshi Takeshita, Kunihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4019809
    Abstract: A display device includes a layer of photoconductive material and a layer of electrochromic material between electrodes. The device is useful as an image converter for the spectrum from X-rays to infra-red and as a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1977
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Otake, Hiroshi Takeshita, Akihiko Kouchi, Kunihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 4006969
    Abstract: In an electro-chromic display device having a display field, provision is made for showing a plurality of indicia in the same or overlapping regions, thereby increasing the range of indicia which can be displayed in a given area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1977
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventors: Akihiko Kouchi, Kunihiro Inoue, Hiroshi Takeshita, Kuniharu Yamada, Tsutomu Otake
  • Patent number: D836142
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: IRO CO., LTD., HITACHI SYSTEMS, LTD., MORI MACHINERY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunihiro Inoue, Shigeru Yamauchi, Masaaki Saruyama, Kenji Arima