Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Niwa

Kunihiro Niwa 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
  • Publication number: 20230393519
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, and an opening/closing cover configured to expose an opening portion of the apparatus body by being opened. The apparatus body includes a main body frame, a plurality of conveyance units being detachably attached to the main body frame through the opening portion, a control board configured to control the plurality of conveyance units, and a relay board configured to be electrically connected to the control board. The plurality of conveyance units respectively include a plurality of first connectors. The relay board includes a plurality of second connectors that are arranged to face the opening portion and that are configured to be connected to the plurality of first connectors, the relay board being arranged at a position not interfering with attachment/detachment loci in which the plurality of conveyance units are attached to and detached from the main body frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: SEIJI INADA, KUNIHIRO NIWA
  • Publication number: 20210255579
    Abstract: A sheet supporting apparatus includes a first casing, a sheet supporting portion configured to be drawn out in a first direction, a first lock member pivotably supported around a first pivot shaft by the first casing between a first lock position and a first non-lock position, a second lock member pivotably supported around a second pivot shaft by the first casing between a second lock position and a second non-lock position, and a third lock member pivotably supported around a third pivot shaft by the first casing between a third lock position and a third non-lock position. The third lock member is disposed at a position different from the first lock member and the second lock member in the first direction and a second direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction and a gravity direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Kunihiro Niwa, Yasuhiko Fuse
  • Patent number: 10884256
    Abstract: A collimator lens to be held by a holder member, includes a lens portion including an area through which light passes, and a protruding portion protruding from the lens portion. The lens portion is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the collimator lens and includes a bonded portion to be bonded and fixed onto a bonding portion, which is formed on the holder member, through an adhesive. The protruding portion includes a plane formed on an outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion. The plane is formed at a position where a normal line to the plane intersects with the bonded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Niwa, Junya Azami
  • Publication number: 20190033611
    Abstract: A collimator lens to be held by a holder member, includes a lens portion including an area through which light passes, and a protruding portion protruding from the lens portion. The lens portion is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the collimator lens and includes a bonded portion to be bonded and fixed onto a bonding portion, which is formed on the holder member, through an adhesive. The protruding portion includes a plane formed on an outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion. The plane is formed at a position where a normal line to the plane intersects with the bonded portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Kunihiro Niwa, Junya Azami
  • Patent number: 9571688
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes first and second light source units including respective light sources; a rotating polygon mirror that performs deflection scanning of laser beams emitted from the light sources included in the first and second light source units; and a positioning member including a first abutting portion on which the first light source unit abuts and a second abutting portion on which the second light source unit abuts, the positioning member positioning the first and second light source units. The first and second light source units are positioned by the positioning member and arranged next to each other in a rotation axis direction of the rotating polygon mirror. The positioning member is a single member disposed between the first and second light source units in the rotation axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taku Murotani, Kunihiro Niwa, Junya Azami, Tetsuya Nishiguchi, Hisanori Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20160309053
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes first and second light source units including respective light sources; a rotating polygon mirror that performs deflection scanning of laser beams emitted from the light sources included in the first and second light source units; and a positioning member including a first abutting portion on which the first light source unit abuts and a second abutting portion on which the second light source unit abuts, the positioning member positioning the first and second light source units. The first and second light source units are positioned by the positioning member and arranged next to each other in a rotation axis direction of the rotating polygon mirror. The positioning member is a single member disposed between the first and second light source units in the rotation axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Taku Murotani, Kunihiro Niwa, Junya Azami, Tetsuya Nishiguchi, Hisanori Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9405117
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes first and second light source units including respective light sources; a rotating polygon mirror that performs deflection scanning of laser beams emitted from the light sources included in the first and second light source units; and a positioning member including a first abutting portion on which the first light source unit abuts and a second abutting portion on which the second light source unit abuts, the positioning member positioning the first and second light source units. The first and second light source units are positioned by the positioning member and arranged next to each other in a rotation axis direction of the rotating polygon mirror. The positioning member is a single member disposed between the first and second light source units in the rotation axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taku Murotani, Kunihiro Niwa, Junya Azami, Tetsuya Nishiguchi, Hisanori Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140168737
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes first and second light source units including respective light sources; a rotating polygon mirror that performs deflection scanning of laser beams emitted from the light sources included in the first and second light source units; and a positioning member including a first abutting portion on which the first light source unit abuts and a second abutting portion on which the second light source unit abuts, the positioning member positioning the first and second light source units. The first and second light source units are positioned by the positioning member and arranged next to each other in a rotation axis direction of the rotating polygon mirror. The positioning member is a single member disposed between the first and second light source units in the rotation axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Taku Murotani, Kunihiro Niwa, Junya Azami, Tetsuya Nishiguchi, Hisanori Kobayashi