Patents by Inventor Masahiro Ikuta

Masahiro Ikuta 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: 20170052467
    Abstract: A reversibly allochroic toner contains a binder resin and a colorant. The colorant reversibly switches between first and second color states in response to temperature changes. The colorant exhibits a hysteresis in a temperature-color state curve thereof in which the following relationships are satisfied. Tr<TL2<TL1<TH1<TH2<Tg TH2?50° C. 20° C.?Tr?30° C. where, TH1 is a temperature at which the colorant starts to change from the first color state to the second color state, TH2 is a temperature at which the colorant completely changes to the second color state, TL1 is a temperature at which the colorant starts to change from the second color state to the first color state, TL2 is a temperature at which the colorant completely changes to the first color state, and Tg is a glass transition temperature of the binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi HARA, Masahiro IKUTA, Tsuyoshi ITOU, Yasuhito NODA, Kazuhisa TAKEDA, Takayasu AOKI
  • Patent number: 9555657
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus comprises a conveyance path, a color erasing section and a control section. The conveyance path conveys a sheet. The color erasing section erases the color of an image formed with color erasable recording agent serving as recording agent containing coloring agent the color of which can be erased by heating. The control section carries out a control, in a case where the image formed on the sheet is not an image formed with the color erasable recording agent, so that the sheet is not subjected to a color erasing processing by the color erasing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Masahiro Ikuta, Takafumi Hara, Motonari Udo, Takayasu Aoki, Yasuhito Noda
  • Patent number: 9539843
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit configured to form a first image to be transferred to a sheet with a non-decolorizable material, and a second image forming unit configured to form a second image to be transferred to the sheet with a decolorizable material. At least a part of the second image transferred to the sheet is formed on the first image transferred to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motonari Udo, Masahiro Ikuta, Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara
  • Patent number: 9519236
    Abstract: A reversibly allochroic toner contains a binder resin and a colorant. The colorant reversibly switches between first and second color states in response to temperature changes. The colorant exhibits a hysteresis in a temperature-color state curve thereof in which the following relationships are satisfied. Tr<TL2<TL1<TH1<TH2<Tg TH2?50° C. 20° C.?Tr?30° C. where, TH1 is a temperature at which the colorant starts to change from the first color state to the second color state, TH2 is a temperature at which the colorant completely changes to the second color state, TL1 is a temperature at which the colorant starts to change from the second color state to the first color state, TL2 is a temperature at which the colorant completely changes to the first color state, and Tg is a glass transition temperature of the binder resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi Hara, Masahiro Ikuta, Tsuyoshi Itou, Yasuhito Noda, Kazuhisa Takeda, Takayasu Aoki
  • Patent number: 9500969
    Abstract: Disclosed here is a method for producing a decolorizable electrophotographic toner, comprising mixing a first dispersion liquid in which a colorant is dispersed in an amount such that the content of the colorant in the toner is from 5% to 35% by weight, with a second dispersion liquid in which particles containing at least a binder resin and having a volume average particle diameter of 500 nm or less are dispersed, aggregating the colorant and the particles containing at least the binder resin, thereby obtaining aggregated particles, fusing the aggregated particles at a temperature lower than a completely decolorizing temperature of the colorant to obtain the toner, and measuring the number ratio of particles having an equivalent circle diameter of 0.6 ?m or more and 2.5 ?m or less of the toner using a flow particle image analyzer after the toner is subjected to a stirring treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Pilot Corporation, The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ikuta, Takahito Kabai, Takayasu Aoki, Tsuyoshi Itou
  • Publication number: 20160231662
    Abstract: Provided is a decolorizable toner including a binder resin and colorant particles which contain a color developable compound, a color developing agent, and a decolorizing agent, and have a capsule structure coated with an outer shell, wherein the binder resin is contained in an amount of 60 to 80% by mass with respect to the total amount of the toner components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: TAKAFUMI HARA, Masahiro Ikuta, Tsuyoshi Itou, Motonari Udo, Kazuhisa Takeda
  • Patent number: 9366983
    Abstract: Provided is a decolorizable toner including a binder resin and colorant particles which contain a color developable compound, a color developing agent, and a decolorizing agent, and have a capsule structure coated with an outer shell, wherein the binder resin is contained in an amount of 60 to 80% by mass with respect to the total amount of the toner components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takafumi Hara, Masahiro Ikuta, Tsuyoshi Itou, Motonari Udo, Kazuhisa Takeda
  • Publication number: 20160159131
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit configured to form a first image to be transferred to a sheet with a non-decolorizable material, and a second image forming unit configured to form a second image to be transferred to the sheet with a decolorizable material. At least a part of the second image transferred to the sheet is formed on the first image transferred to the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motonari UDO, Masahiro IKUTA, Kazuhisa TAKEDA, Tsuyoshi ITOU, Takayasu AOKI, Takafumi HARA
  • Patent number: 9360781
    Abstract: A toner set is used in a printing system that is capable of recycling a print medium and includes a first image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a decolorable toner which is decolored by being heated at a temperature Te (° C.) or higher, a second image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a non-decolorable toner and forms an image on the medium with at least one of the toners, and a decoloring apparatus provided with a heating portion which heats the medium on which a toner image is formed by the image forming apparatus at the temperature Te (° C.) or higher. When heated by the decoloring apparatus, the decolorable toner may be decolored without causing hot offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara, Masahiro Ikuta, Tsuyoshi Itou, Kazuhisa Takeda, Yasuhito Noda
  • Publication number: 20160152061
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus comprises a conveyance path, a color erasing section and a control section. The conveyance path conveys a sheet. The color erasing section erases the color of an image formed with color erasable recording agent serving as recording agent containing coloring agent the color of which can be erased by heating. The control section carries out a control, in a case where the image formed on the sheet is not an image formed with the color erasable recording agent, so that the sheet is not subjected to a color erasing processing by the color erasing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Masahiro Ikuta, Takafumi Hara, Motonari Udo, Takayasu Aoki, Yasuhito Noda
  • Patent number: 9348249
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an image forming apparatus which forms an decolorable image and an non-decolorable image by fixing a toner image including a decolorable toner and a toner image including a non-decolorable toner or a medium. The decolorable toner has a first peak of a loss tangent tan ? at a temperature TE1, and the non-decolorable toner has a first peak of a loss tangent tan ? at a temperature TU1. A difference between the temperature TE1 and the temperature TU1 is within 20° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Ikuta, Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Yasuhito Noda, Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara
  • Publication number: 20160131987
    Abstract: A toner set is used in a printing system that is capable of recycling a print medium and includes a first image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a decolorable toner which is decolored by being heated at a temperature Te (° C.) or higher, a second image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a non-decolorable toner and forms an image on the medium with at least one of the toners, and a decoloring apparatus provided with a heating portion which heats the medium on which a toner image is formed by the image forming apparatus at the temperature Te (° C.) or higher. When heated by the decoloring apparatus, the decolorable toner may be decolored without causing hot offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayasu AOKI, Takafumi HARA, Masahiro IKUTA, Tsuyoshi ITOU, Kazuhisa TAKEDA, Yasuhito NODA
  • Publication number: 20160116855
    Abstract: Disclosed is a decolorizable electrophotographic toner, including: a binder resin; and a colorant which contains at least a color developable compound and a color developing agent and is covered with an outer shell so as to have a capsule structure, wherein the number ratio of particles having an equivalent circle diameter of 0.6 ?m or more and 2.5 ?m or less of the toner when measured using a flow particle image analyzer after the toner is dispersed in an aqueous medium at a ratio of 0.08% by weight and the resulting dispersion is subjected to a stirring treatment in which stirring is performed at 5000 rpm for 30 minutes using a homogenizer (T-25 digital ULTRA-TURRAX (manufactured by IKA Japan K.K., provided with a shaft generator S25N-10G)) is 30% by number or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA PILOT CORPORATION, THE PILOT INK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro IKUTA, Takahito KABA!, Takayasu AOKI, Tsuyoshi ITOU
  • Patent number: 9291950
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit configured to form a first image to be transferred to a sheet with a non-decolorizable material, and a second image forming unit configured to form a second image to be transferred to the sheet with a decolorizable material. At least a part of the second image transferred to the sheet is formed on the first image transferred to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motonari Udo, Masahiro Ikuta, Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara
  • Publication number: 20160077454
    Abstract: A developer according to an embodiment includes a toner having a color erasable by heating and a carrier. The carrier includes a core portion and a coating portion covering at least 50% of the core portion. The coating portion includes an additive agent which suppresses an increase in electrification due to friction between the toner and the carrier. The additive agent has a white color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Sunao TAKENAKA, Masahiro IKUTA
  • Patent number: 9277075
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus comprises a conveyance path, a color erasing section and a control section. The conveyance path conveys a sheet. The color erasing section erases the color of an image formed with color erasable recording agent serving as recording agent containing coloring agent the color of which can be erased by heating. The control section carries out a control, in a case where the image formed on the sheet is not an image formed with the color erasable recording agent, so that the sheet is not subjected to a color erasing processing by the color erasing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Masahiro Ikuta, Takafumi Hara, Motonari Udo, Takayasu Aoki, Yasuhito Noda
  • Patent number: 9261805
    Abstract: A toner set is used in a printing system that is capable of recycling a print medium and includes a first image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a decolorable toner which is decolored by being heated at a temperature Te (° C.) or higher, a second image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a non-decolorable toner and forms an image on the medium with at least one of the toners, and a decoloring apparatus provided with a heating portion which heats the medium on which a toner image is formed by the image forming apparatus at the temperature Te (° C.) or higher. When heated by the decoloring apparatus, the decolorable toner may be decolored without causing hot offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara, Masahiro Ikuta, Tsuyoshi Itou, Kazuhisa Takeda, Yasuhito Noda
  • Publication number: 20160041486
    Abstract: A reversibly allochroic toner contains a binder resin and a colorant. The colorant reversibly switches between first and second color states in response to temperature changes. The colorant exhibits a hysteresis in a temperature-color state curve thereof in which the following relationships are satisfied. Tr<TL2<TL1<TH1<TH2<Tg TH2?50° C. 20° C.?Tr?30° C. where, TH1 is a temperature at which the colorant starts to change from the first color state to the second color state, TH2 is a temperature at which the colorant completely changes to the second color state, TL1 is a temperature at which the colorant starts to change from the second color state to the first color state, TL2 is a temperature at which the colorant completely changes to the first color state, and Tg is a glass transition temperature of the binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Takafumi HARA, Masahiro IKUTA, Tsuyoshi ITOU, Yasuhito NODA, Kazuhisa TAKEDA, Takayasu AOKI
  • Publication number: 20160033886
    Abstract: A toner set is used in a printing system that is capable of recycling a print medium and includes a first image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a decolorable toner which is decolored by being heated at a temperature Te (° C.) or higher, a second image forming portion which forms a toner image on the medium with a non-decolorable toner and forms an image on the medium with at least one of the toners, and a decoloring apparatus provided with a heating portion which heats the medium on which a toner image is formed by the image forming apparatus at the temperature Te (° C.) or higher. When heated by the decoloring apparatus, the decolorable toner may be decolored without causing hot offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: TAKAYASU AOKI, Takafumi Hara, Masahiro Ikuta, Tsuyoshi Itou, Kazuhisa Takeda, Yasuhito Noda
  • Publication number: 20160026108
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an image forming apparatus which forms an decolorable image and an non-decolorable image by fixing a toner image including a decolorable toner and a toner image including a non-decolorable toner or a medium. The decolorable toner has a first peak of a loss tangent tan ? at a temperature TE1, and the non-decolorable toner has a first peak of a loss tangent tan ? at a temperature TU1. A difference between the temperature TE1 and the temperature TU1 is within 20° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro Ikuta, Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Yasuhito Noda, Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara