Patents by Inventor Makoto Egi

Makoto Egi 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).

  • Patent number: 10838346
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer portion, a fixing portion, a recording medium conveying passage, and a static eliminating member. The image carrier carries a toner image. The transfer portion transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to a recording medium. The fixing portion fixes the toner image transferred by the transfer portion to the recording medium. Through the recording medium conveying passage, the recording medium conveyed from the transfer portion to the fixing portion passes. A plurality of static eliminating members are arranged in the recording medium conveying passage along the conveying direction of the recording medium in a non-contact state with the recording medium. The static eliminating member arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording medium has a larger electric charge capacity than that of the static eliminating member arranged on the upstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Egi
  • Publication number: 20190196385
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer portion, a fixing portion, a recording medium conveying passage, and a static eliminating member. The image carrier carries a toner image. The transfer portion transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to a recording medium. The fixing portion fixes the toner image transferred by the transfer portion to the recording medium. Through the recording medium conveying passage, the recording medium conveyed from the transfer portion to the fixing portion passes. A plurality of static eliminating members are arranged in the recording medium conveying passage along the conveying direction of the recording medium in a non-contact state with the recording medium. The static eliminating member arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording medium has a larger electric charge capacity than that of the static eliminating member arranged on the upstream side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto EGI
  • Patent number: 10146178
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing device forming a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer section arranged at downstream from the developing device in a rotation direction of the image carrier and transfers the toner image onto a recording sheet; a fixing section arranged at downstream from the transfer section in a conveyance direction of the recording sheet and fixes the toner image transferred to the recording sheet on the recording sheet; an air path guiding air taken from an outside of the image forming apparatus to the developing device; and a control section that, when operating the developing device under a cooling mode for cooling the developing device, controls the developing device and causes the developing device to reduce an amount of developer on a developing roller so as to be smaller than that of under image forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takahiko Murata, Makoto Egi
  • Patent number: 10133237
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing device; a transfer section; a fixing section; a conveyance path through which a recording sheet is conveyed; an air path guiding air taken from an outside of the apparatus to the conveyance path and the developing device; an adjustment member arranged at an outlet port of the air path, branching the air flowing through the air path into directions toward the conveyance path and the developing device, and adjusting volume of the air flowing toward each direction; and a control section controlling the adjustment member in accordance with conveyance status of the recording sheet in the conveyance path, and when no recording sheet exists in the conveyance path, causing the adjustment member to branch the air flowing through the air path so that more air flows toward the developing device than the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Egi, Takahiko Murata
  • Publication number: 20180150025
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing device; a transfer section; a fixing section; a conveyance path through which a recording sheet is conveyed; an air path guiding air taken from an outside of the apparatus to the conveyance path and the developing device; an adjustment member arranged at an outlet port of the air path, branching the air flowing through the air path into directions toward the conveyance path and the developing device, and adjusting volume of the air flowing toward each direction; and a control section controlling the adjustment member in accordance with conveyance status of the recording sheet in the conveyance path, and when no recording sheet exists in the conveyance path, causing the adjustment member to branch the air flowing through the air path so that more air flows toward the developing device than the conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto EGI, Takahiko MURATA
  • Publication number: 20180150026
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing device forming a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer section arranged at downstream from the developing device in a rotation direction of the image carrier and transfers the toner image onto a recording sheet; a fixing section arranged at downstream from the transfer section in a conveyance direction of the recording sheet and fixes the toner image transferred to the recording sheet on the recording sheet; an air path guiding air taken from an outside of the image forming apparatus to the developing device; and a control section that, when operating the developing device under a cooling mode for cooling the developing device, controls the developing device and causes the developing device to reduce an amount of developer on a developing roller so as to be smaller than that of under image forming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takahiko MURATA, Makoto EGI
  • Patent number: 9983519
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transferring belt, photosensitive drums along the belt, primary transferring parts transferring images from the drums to the belt, voltage applying parts applying transfer voltages to the respective transferring parts when each transferring part carries out transfer, a current detecting part and a resistance value measuring part. When the measuring part carries out resistance value measurement, if one transferring part is a measurement subject of the measuring part, the applying part applies zero or weak voltage to the one transferring part and applies the transfer voltage to other transferring parts at measurement timing when the one transferring part is between sheets. At the measurement timing, the detecting part detects a first total current value of currents flowing thorough the transferring parts and the measuring part measures the subject resistance value of the one transferring part based on the first total current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Egi
  • Publication number: 20170371274
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transferring belt, photosensitive drums along the belt, primary transferring parts transferring images from the drums to the belt, voltage applying parts applying transfer voltages to the respective transferring parts when each transferring part carries out transfer, a current detecting part and a resistance value measuring part. When the measuring part carries out resistance value measurement, if one transferring part is a measurement subject of the measuring part, the applying part applies zero or weak voltage to the one transferring part and applies the transfer voltage to other transferring parts at measurement timing when the one transferring part is between sheets. At the measurement timing, the detecting part detects a first total current value of currents flowing thorough the transferring parts and the measuring part measures the subject resistance value of the one transferring part based on the first total current value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto EGI
  • Patent number: 9304463
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a fixing device includes a heating member, a rotatable pressure roller, and a metal pattern. The heating member includes a heating rotary body configured to be heated by a heating device. The pressure roller is pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the heating rotary body. The metal pattern is disposed facing the heating member so as to extend in a sheet width direction which is equal to an axial direction of the pressure roller, and the metal pattern is formed of a metal wire of which a resistance varies according to variations in temperature of the heating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhito Okajima, Makoto Egi
  • Publication number: 20160033919
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a guiding part, a discharge flow path and an airflow control mechanism. The guiding part is configured to form a sheet conveying path from a sheet feeding part to a transferring device between a development unit and the transferring device. The discharge flow path formed between the development unit and the guiding part communicates with a sheet feeding part-side space where the sheet conveying path faces the sheet feeding part and an image carrier-side space where the sheet conveying path faces the image carrier. The airflow control mechanism is configured to guide airflow generated in the sheet feeding part-side space when a rear end of the sheet is separated from the sheet feeding part in a direction spaced away from a developing nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Makoto EGI
  • Patent number: 9239556
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotator, a pressing member, a heat source, a supporting member, and an end cap. The fixing belt is rotatably provided. The pressuring rotator is rotatably provided, and comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressuring rotator. The pressing member presses the fixing belt from inside toward the pressuring rotator. The heat source is disposed outside of the fixing belt, and heats the fixing belt. The supporting member faces the heat source across the fixing belt, and supports the fixing belt from inside. The end cap is mounted to an end part in the direction of a rotation axis of the fixing belt, and is rotatably supported by the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Egi
  • Patent number: 9235181
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a drive source, a heat source, detected members, rotation detecting parts, a storing part and a controlling part. The storing part stores standard condition for occurrence difficulty of a slip between the fixing belt and detected members co-rotated with rotation of the fixing belt. The controlling part stops heating of the fixing belt by the heat source on a condition that both rotation detecting parts do not detect the rotation of the detected members within a first time when the drive source rotates the fixing belt in a situation unsatisfying the standard condition. The controlling part stops the heating on a condition that at least one of the rotation detecting parts does not detect the rotation of the detected members within a second time when the drive source rotates the fixing belt in a situation satisfying the standard condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Egi, Ryohei Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 9229390
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a drive transmission member, a detected member, and a rotation detecting part. The fixing belt rotates around a rotation axis. The pressuring rotation body comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The drive transmission member is held by one end part of the fixing belt. The detected member is held by another end part of the fixing belt. The rotation detecting part detects the rotation of the detected member. The fixing belt is configured to co-rotate with the rotation of the drive transmission member by friction force between the one end part of the fixing belt and drive transmission member. The detected member is configured to co-rotate with the rotation of the fixing belt by friction force between the other end part of the fixing belt and detected member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Egi, Yasuhito Okajima
  • Publication number: 20150301487
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a fixing device includes a heating member, a rotatable pressure roller, and a metal pattern. The heating member includes a heating rotary body configured to be heated by a heating device. The pressure roller is pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the heating rotary body. The metal pattern is disposed facing the heating member so as to extend in a sheet width direction which is equal to an axial direction of the pressure roller, and the metal pattern is formed of a metal wire of which a resistance varies according to variations in temperature of the heating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhito OKAJIMA, Makoto EGI
  • Patent number: 9091980
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a cap member and an elastic member. The cap member includes a main body part covering an outside of an end part of the fixing belt and a flange part covering an external diameter side of the end part. The elastic member includes a belt insertion part into which the end part is inserted, a cap insertion part into which the flange part is inserted and a contact part coming into contact with an internal side face of the main body part. When the fixing belt is deformed to an internal diameter side, the elastic member is elastically deformed to make the belt insertion part moved to the internal diameter side, and then, a gap is formed in at least a part between the internal side face of the main body part and the contact part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Egi
  • Patent number: 9046834
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotator, a pressing member, a holding member, and an end cap. The fixing belt is rotatably provided. The pressuring rotator is rotatably provided, and comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressuring rotator. The pressing member presses the fixing belt from inside toward the pressuring rotator. The holding member holds the pressing member. The end cap is mounted to an end part in a direction of a rotation axis of the fixing belt, and is movable in a radial direction of the fixing belt with respect to the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Egi
  • Patent number: 9026023
    Abstract: A fixing device 5 includes a belt drive assist mechanism 70 configured to rotationally drive a fixing belt 26. The belt drive assist mechanism 70 is in contact with an inner surface of the fixing belt 26 and an outer diameter of an outer circumferential surface 71a is smaller than an inner diameter of the fixing belt 26 when the fixing belt 26 is in a circular shape. In addition, the belt drive assist mechanism 70 includes a cylindrical rotation member 71 and a pressing roller 72. The cylindrical rotation member 71 is rotationally driven by a motor 79. The pressing roller 72 is in pressure contact with the cylindrical rotation member 71 while interposing the fixing belt 26 therebetween and rotates following rotation of the fixing belt 26 rotationally driven by the cylindrical rotation member 71 or the pressure applying roller 19.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Syoko Gon, Makoto Egi
  • Publication number: 20140376935
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a drive transmission member, a detected member, and a rotation detecting part. The fixing belt rotates around a rotation axis. The pressuring rotation body comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The drive transmission member is held by one end part of the fixing belt. The detected member is held by another end part of the fixing belt. The rotation detecting part detects the rotation of the detected member. The fixing belt is configured to co-rotate with the rotation of the drive transmission member by friction force between the one end part of the fixing belt and drive transmission member. The detected member is configured to co-rotate with the rotation of the fixing belt by friction force between the other end part of the fixing belt and detected member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Makoto EGI, Yasuhito OKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20140376934
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a drive source, a heat source, detected members, rotation detecting parts, a storing part and a controlling part. The storing part stores standard condition for occurrence difficulty of a slip between the fixing belt and detected members co-rotated with rotation of the fixing belt. The controlling part stops heating of the fixing belt by the heat source on a condition that both rotation detecting parts do not detect the rotation of the detected members within a first time when the drive source rotates the fixing belt in a situation unsatisfying the standard condition. The controlling part stops the heating on a condition that at least one of the rotation detecting parts does not detect the rotation of the detected members within a second time when the drive source rotates the fixing belt in a situation satisfying the standard condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto EGI, Ryohei TOKUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20140376979
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotation body, a cap member and an elastic member. The cap member includes a main body part covering an outside of an end part of the fixing belt and a flange part covering an external diameter side of the end part. The elastic member includes a belt insertion part into which the end part is inserted, a cap insertion part into which the flange part is inserted and a contact part coming into contact with an internal side face of the main body part. When the fixing belt is deformed to an internal diameter side, the elastic member is elastically deformed to make the belt insertion part moved to the internal diameter side, and then, a gap is formed in at least a part between the internal side face of the main body part and the contact part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto EGI