Patents by Inventor Masataka Muratani

Masataka Muratani 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: 8200141
    Abstract: An interlock switch is switched according to the movement of a relay reversal unit rather than the movement of a front cover. The relay reversal unit is connected to a driver substrate by a drawer connector. The change-over of the interlock switch according to the movement of the relay reversal unit is turned off when margin time elapses after a cover detection switch is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsushima, Kazumasa Yasui, Masataka Muratani
  • Patent number: 8123422
    Abstract: An ADU is turned around a first hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a first angle relative to the lateral side of an apparatus main body when dissolving a jam. The lateral side cover is temporarily taken away from a stationary side plate when maintenance the inside of a color copying machine. Then, a second engaging pin is put into a second hole section to engage the lateral side cover with the stationary side plate. The ADU is turned around the second hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a second angle greater than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsushima, Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20110298175
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a paper feeding apparatus arranged along the left-right direction on one side of an image forming apparatus and configured to feed stacked sheets one by one in order from a top sheet to the image forming apparatus from a paper feeding side adjacent to the image forming apparatus includes: a base plate; a tray on which plural sheets are stacked; a front-side guide member; a rear-side guide member; a paper-feeding-side guide member; an opened section formed by opening one side opposite to the paper-feeding-side guide member; and an auxiliary front guide member configured to regulate a position on the front end side of the sheets. The auxiliary front guide member has a sheet guiding section configured to come into contact with a corner on the front side of the sheets placed deviating from a proper placing state and guide the corner to the auxiliary guide section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masataka MURATANI
  • Publication number: 20110180988
    Abstract: A technique in an image forming apparatus in which the front and back sides of a sheet are reversed by using a reversal conveyance path is provided for causing the sheet to wait such that the sheet is not damaged when a unit for conveying the sheet to the reversal conveyance path is pulled out for the purpose of clearing a jam or the like. A roller for conveying the sheet is controlled such that the sheet to be turned back and directed into the reversal conveyance path is caused to wait until the sheet can be conveyed into the reversal conveyance path. As a standby position of the sheet while the sheet is caused to wait, a position is set such that an upstream end portion in the second conveying direction of the sheet to be directed into the reversal conveyance path does not extend for a predetermined length or longer into another conveyance unit adjacent to the intermediate conveyance unit upstream from the intermediate conveyance unit in the second conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka MURATANI, Kazumasa Yasui, Masaya Arakawa
  • Patent number: 7942416
    Abstract: A technique in an image forming apparatus in which the front and back sides of a sheet are reversed by using a reversal conveyance path is provided for causing the sheet to wait such that the sheet is not damaged when a unit for conveying the sheet to the reversal conveyance path is pulled out for the purpose of clearing a jam or the like. A roller for conveying the sheet is controlled such that the sheet to be turned back and directed into the reversal conveyance path is caused to wait until the sheet can be conveyed into the reversal conveyance path. As a standby position of the sheet while the sheet is caused to wait, a position is set such that an upstream end portion in the second conveying direction of the sheet to be directed into the reversal conveyance path does not extend for a predetermined length or longer into another conveyance unit adjacent to the intermediate conveyance unit upstream from the intermediate conveyance unit in the second conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Muratani, Kazumasa Yasui, Masaya Arakawa
  • Publication number: 20100301550
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first sensor lever which rotates between a standby position where the first sensor lever crosses a sheet conveyance path obliquely from a first rotation shaft to a sheet conveyance direction downstream side of the first rotation shaft and a first sensor is turned one of ON and OFF and a retract position where the first sensor lever is retracted from the sheet conveyance path and the first sensor is turned the other of ON and OFF, and a second sensor lever which rotates between a standby position where the second sensor lever crosses the sheet conveyance path obliquely from a second rotation shaft to the sheet conveyance direction downstream side of the second rotation shaft and a second sensor is turned one of ON and OFF and a retract position where the second sensor lever is retracted from the sheet conveyance path and the second sensor is turned the other of ON and OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masataka MURATANI
  • Patent number: 7828290
    Abstract: An ADU transport roller driving device, an image forming apparatus and an ADU transport roller driving method, in which a phenomenon of a warp does not occur on a succeeding sheet, are provided. There are included one drive motor that drives plural transport rollers to transport sheets in an ADU, a first one-way clutch that transmits only rotation force of the drive motor in a forward direction to an entrance side transport roller disposed at an ADU entrance side in a sheet transport direction among the plural transport rollers, a second one-way clutch that transmits only rotation force of the drive motor in a reverse direction of an opposite direction to the forward direction to an exit side transport roller disposed at an ADU exit side in the sheet transport direction among the plural transport rollers, and an electromagnetic clutch capable of transmitting only the rotation force of the drive motor in the forward direction to the exit side transport roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20100178077
    Abstract: An ADU is turned around a first hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a first angle relative to the lateral side of an apparatus main body when dissolving a jam. The lateral side cover is temporarily taken away from a stationary side plate when maintenance the inside of a color copying machine. Then, a second engaging pin is put into a second hole section to engage the lateral side cover with the stationary side plate. The ADU is turned around the second hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a second angle greater than the first angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsushima, Masataka Muratani
  • Patent number: 7682096
    Abstract: An ADU is turned around a first hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a first angle relative to the lateral side of an apparatus main body when dissolving a jam. The lateral side cover is temporarily taken away from a stationary side plate when maintenance the inside of a color copying machine. Then, a second engaging pin is put into a second hole section to engage the lateral side cover with the stationary side plate. The ADU is turned around the second hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a second angle greater than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsushima, Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20100061784
    Abstract: An interlock switch is switched according to the movement of a relay reversal unit rather than the movement of a front cover. The relay reversal unit is connected to a driver substrate by a drawer connector. The change-over of the interlock switch according to the movement of the relay reversal unit is turned off when margin time elapses after a cover detection switch is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro MATSUSHIMA, Kazumasa YASUI, Masataka MURATANI
  • Publication number: 20090224458
    Abstract: A technique in an image forming apparatus in which the front and back sides of a sheet are reversed by using a reversal conveyance path is provided for causing the sheet to wait such that the sheet is not damaged when a unit for conveying the sheet to the reversal conveyance path is pulled out for the purpose of clearing a jam or the like. A roller for conveying the sheet is controlled such that the sheet to be turned back and directed into the reversal conveyance path is caused to wait until the sheet can be conveyed into the reversal conveyance path. As a standby position of the sheet while the sheet is caused to wait, a position is set such that an upstream end portion in the second conveying direction of the sheet to be directed into the reversal conveyance path does not extend for a predetermined length or longer into another conveyance unit adjacent to the intermediate conveyance unit upstream from the intermediate conveyance unit in the second conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka MURATANI, Kazumasa Yasui, Masaya Arakawa
  • Publication number: 20090226193
    Abstract: To provide, in an image forming apparatus in which a part of a sheet conveying path for reversing a sheet is formed as a unit to be extractable to the outside of the apparatus, a technique for preventing damage to the sheet involved in extracting operation for the extractable unit. In an image forming apparatus that reverses a sheet conveyed in a first conveying direction for leading the sheet to a predetermined discharge tray side by switching back the sheet in a second conveying direction for leading the sheet into a reversing and conveying path, if a sheet is simultaneously detected by both a first sensor that detects a sheet present in an intermediate conveying unit and a second sensor that detects a sheet present in another sheet conveying unit adjacent to an upstream side in the second conveying direction of the intermediate conveying unit, it is determined that the sheet is present across a boundary between the intermediate conveying unit and the other sheet conveying unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka MURATANI, Kazumasa Yasui, Masaya Arakawa
  • Patent number: 7542162
    Abstract: When an image is to be formed on a second surface of a paper sheet in a double-side printing operation, a main CPU corrects a main-scan magnification and a sub-scan magnification for printing on the second surface, by using correction data relating to the main-scan magnification and sub-scan magnification on the second surface, which is prestored in a RAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20090067908
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, an image forming apparatus includes, an image forming section which forms an image on a sheet-like recording medium, a conveying path through which the recording medium passes, a conveying section which conveys the recording medium along the path in a conveying direction and has a reverse conveying portion which reversely conveys the recording medium in a direction opposite to the conveying direction, a main body, a first medium holding section which is disposed on the main body to hold the recording medium discharged from a first discharge port, a second medium holding section which holds the recording medium discharged from a second discharge port disposed above the first discharge port of the main body, and a third medium holding section which is disposed below the second medium holding section to hold the recording medium reversely conveyed by the conveying section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kbushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka MURATANI, Kazumasa Yasui, Kenichiro Shishikura, Shinya Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20090051107
    Abstract: An ADU transport roller driving device, an image forming apparatus and an ADU transport roller driving method, in which a phenomenon of a warp does not occur on a succeeding sheet, are provided. There are included one drive motor that drives plural transport rollers to transport sheets in an ADU, a first one-way clutch that transmits only rotation force of the drive motor in a forward direction to an entrance side transport roller disposed at an ADU entrance side in a sheet transport direction among the plural transport rollers, a second one-way clutch that transmits only rotation force of the drive motor in a reverse direction of an opposite direction to the forward direction to an exit side transport roller disposed at an ADU exit side in the sheet transport direction among the plural transport rollers, and an electromagnetic clutch capable of transmitting only the rotation force of the drive motor in the forward direction to the exit side transport roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20080219685
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a storing unit configured to store an identification code of an image recording medium and an image forming condition in association with each other, a setting unit configured to set the identification code, and an image forming unit configured to form an image on the basis of the image forming condition associated with the identification code set by the setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20070196157
    Abstract: An ADU is turned around a first hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a first angle relative to the lateral side of an apparatus main body when dissolving a jam. The lateral side cover is temporarily taken away from a stationary side plate when maintenance the inside of a color copying machine. Then, a second engaging pin is put into a second hole section to engage the lateral side cover with the stationary side plate. The ADU is turned around the second hole section that operates as fulcrum and opened by a second angle greater than the first angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsushima, Masataka Muratani
  • Patent number: 6965750
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of this invention is provided with a conveying guide that is curved in the direction reverse to the curved shape of a nip portion of a fixing unit in order for leading sheet paper that is vertically conveyed at the time of fixing in the horizontal direction and the top of the curved portion of the conveying guide is constructed with a guide belt. The contacting force of the curl correction unit with the guide belt of the curl correction unit is adjusted according to amount of curl of sheet paper produced at the time of fixing and corrects the curve of sheet paper properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani
  • Patent number: 6941083
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus having an image deviation correction function of the present invention measures passing waveforms of correction patterns on a transfer belt printed in the main scanning direction in a relationship of a reflected image and correction patterns thermally fixed on a sheet of paper by detection sensors and from measured results, obtains main scanning magnification Sp2 and center position deviation amount ZCR for double-side horizontal deviation correction with high accuracy. During double-side image forming, a toner image on the first side is printed at a main scanning magnification of 100%, while a toner image on the second side is printed using a correction signal to which main scanning magnification Sp2 and center position deviation amount ZCR are applied, thus horizontal deviation of double-side image forming is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani
  • Publication number: 20050117174
    Abstract: When an image is to be formed on a second surface of a paper sheet in a double-side printing operation, a main CPU corrects a main-scan magnification and a sub-scan magnification for printing on the second surface, by using correction data relating to the main-scan magnification and sub-scan magnification on the second surface, which is prestored in a RAM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventor: Masataka Muratani