Patents by Inventor Masaya Asakawa

Masaya Asakawa 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: 10805485
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet tray; a sheet detection sensor that detects that a sheet is placed on the sheet tray; a display unit; and a control unit. In a case where the sheet detection sensor detects the sheet on the sheet tray, the control unit determines whether or not to cause the display unit to display a confirmation screen for sheet setting. In a case where a predetermined inappropriate confirmation condition is satisfied, the control unit causes the display unit not to display the confirmation screen. In a case where the inappropriate confirmation condition is not satisfied, the control unit causes the display unit to display the confirmation screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Yamada, Takashi Nakagawa, Nobuyuki Ueda, Yuki Watanabe, Masaya Asakawa, Takashi Sawano, Kumiko Ogino
  • Patent number: 10666829
    Abstract: An image scanning device includes a platen, an image scanning unit that scans at a single time documents placed on the platen and generates pieces of image data, and an image data processing unit that performs processing of the pieces of image data. When the image scanning unit generates pieces of first image data by scanning first surfaces of the documents, each of which is placed in one of predetermined areas on the platen, and generates pieces of second image data by scanning surfaces opposite to the first surfaces of the documents, each of which is turned over and placed again in the one of the predetermined areas, the image data processing unit associates one of the pieces of the first image data with a corresponding one of the pieces of the second image data for each of the predetermined areas, as image data of the front and back surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Yohichi Tomota, Yuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20200106916
    Abstract: An image scanning device includes a platen, an image scanning unit that scans at a single time documents placed on the platen and generates pieces of image data, and an image data processing unit that performs processing of the pieces of image data. When the image scanning unit generates pieces of first image data by scanning first surfaces of the documents, each of which is placed in one of predetermined areas on the platen, and generates pieces of second image data by scanning surfaces opposite to the first surfaces of the documents, each of which is turned over and placed again in the one of the predetermined areas, the image data processing unit associates one of the pieces of the first image data with a corresponding one of the pieces of the second image data for each of the predetermined areas, as image data of the front and back surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Masaya ASAKAWA, Yohichi TOMOTA, Yuki WATANABE
  • Patent number: 10606201
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a display unit; a storage unit in which sheet setting information for specifying a sheet to be printed is stored in advance; a sheet accommodating unit in which the sheet to be printed is accommodated; a sheet detection unit that detects whether or not there is a sheet in the sheet accommodating unit; and a confirmation display control unit that causes the display unit to display a sheet setting confirmation screen that includes the sheet setting information stored in the storage unit, in which in a case where the sheet detection unit detects that a sheet is supplied to the sheet accommodating unit, the confirmation display control unit causes the display unit to display the sheet setting confirmation screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Watanabe, Masaya Asakawa, Takashi Sawano, Kumiko Ogino
  • Patent number: 10523838
    Abstract: An image scanning device includes a platen, an image scanning unit that scans at a single time documents placed on the platen and generates pieces of image data, and an image data processing unit that performs processing of the pieces of image data. When the image scanning unit generates pieces of first image data by scanning first surfaces of the documents, each of which is placed in one of predetermined areas on the platen, and generates pieces of second image data by scanning surfaces opposite to the first surfaces of the documents, each of which is turned over and placed again in the one of the predetermined areas, the image data processing unit associates one of the pieces of the first image data with a corresponding one of the pieces of the second image data for each of the predetermined areas, as image data of the front and back surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Yohichi Tomota, Yuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20190212684
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a display unit; a storage unit in which sheet setting information for specifying a sheet to be printed is stored in advance; a sheet accommodating unit in which the sheet to be printed is accommodated; a sheet detection unit that detects whether or not there is a sheet in the sheet accommodating unit; and a confirmation display control unit that causes the display unit to display a sheet setting confirmation screen that includes the sheet setting information stored in the storage unit, in which in a case where the sheet detection unit detects that a sheet is supplied to the sheet accommodating unit, the confirmation display control unit causes the display unit to display the sheet setting confirmation screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: YUKI WATANABE, MASAYA ASAKAWA, TAKASHI SAWANO, KUMIKO OGINO
  • Publication number: 20190199871
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet tray; a sheet detection sensor that detects that a sheet is placed on the sheet tray; a display unit; and a control unit. In a case where the sheet detection sensor detects the sheet on the sheet tray, the control unit determines whether or not to cause the display unit to display a confirmation screen for sheet setting. In a case where a predetermined inappropriate confirmation condition is satisfied, the control unit causes the display unit not to display the confirmation screen. In a case where the inappropriate confirmation condition is not satisfied, the control unit causes the display unit to display the confirmation screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: NOBUYASU YAMADA, TAKASHI NAKAGAWA, NOBUYUKI UEDA, YUKI WATANABE, MASAYA ASAKAWA, TAKASHI SAWANO, KUMIKO OGINO
  • Publication number: 20180367694
    Abstract: An image scanning device includes a platen, an image scanning unit that scans at a single time documents placed on the platen and generates pieces of image data, and an image data processing unit that performs processing of the pieces of image data. When the image scanning unit generates pieces of first image data by scanning first surfaces of the documents, each of which is placed in one of predetermined areas on the platen, and generates pieces of second image data by scanning surfaces opposite to the first surfaces of the documents, each of which is turned over and placed again in the one of the predetermined areas, the image data processing unit associates one of the pieces of the first image data with a corresponding one of the pieces of the second image data for each of the predetermined areas, as image data of the front and back surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Masaya ASAKAWA, Yohichi TOMOTA, Yuki WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9170536
    Abstract: A fixing device is configured to move the pressure release member in predetermined movement directions relative to the support member such that the biasing member can function. The support member has a first retaining part. The pressure release member has a retention element to be held in the first retaining part of the support member. When the retention element is held in the first retaining part of the support member, the pressure release member is configured to apply a biasing force of the biasing member to the support member and thereby to cause the second fixing member to be pressed against the first fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouta Yoshikawa, Masaya Asakawa
  • Patent number: 9164434
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a fixing rotation member, a rotation drive portion that rotates the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet that cleans a circumferential surface of the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet roller that takes up or feeds out the cleaning web sheet, a swing cam rotationally driven by the rotation drive portion, a rotation transmission portion that transmits a rotation drive force to the cleaning web sheet roller, a one way clutch provided on an input shaft of the rotation transmission portion, and a swing lever connected to the one way clutch and biased so as to be brought into slide contact with the swing cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nakamura, Masatsugu Ohishi, Noriko Inoue, Masaki Amemiya, Masaya Asakawa, Takashi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9110436
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (100) includes: a side cover (201) mounted on a side part of an apparatus body to be freely opened and closed; a fixing portion (80) mounted inside the apparatus body and close to the side cover (201) and fixing an image to a paper sheet P fed in a direction from a bottom to a top of the apparatus body; and a document platen (130) mounted at an upper part of the apparatus body and supporting a document placed thereon. The document platen (130) includes a cutout portion (130K) formed in a manner such that a portion opposed to an upper part of the side cover (201) is cut out inside; and the fixing portion (80) includes a nip (85) that, when the side cover (201) is opened, can be viewed obliquely from a lateral upper side of the apparatus body through the cutout portion (130K).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Yasuhiro Suto
  • Publication number: 20150093135
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a fixing rotation member, a rotation drive portion that rotates the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet that cleans a circumferential surface of the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet roller that takes up or feeds out the cleaning web sheet, a swing cam rotationally driven by the rotation drive portion, a rotation transmission portion that transmits a rotation drive force to the cleaning web sheet roller, a one way clutch provided on an input shaft of the rotation transmission portion, and a swing lever connected to the one way clutch and biased so as to be brought into slide contact with the swing cam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu NAKAMURA, Masatsugu OHISHI, Noriko INOUE, Masaki AMEMIYA, Masaya ASAKAWA, Takashi YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 8977175
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus of the invention includes a pressure roller 6 and a fixing roller 7 that make press-contact with each other and an oil roller 8 that makes press-contact with either the pressure roller 6 or the fixing roller 7, and passes a recording sheet through a nip area between the pressure roller 6 and the fixing roller 7 to fix toner on the recording sheet. The fixing apparatus also includes: a pressure roller gear 21 and an oil roller gear 22 that transmit a rotation of a shaft of the pressure roller 6 that makes press-contact with the oil roller 8 to a shaft of the oil roller 8; and a one-way clutch 23 that causes the oil roller 8 to idly rotate in a direction of a driven rotation when the oil roller 8 is driven to rotate by pressing against the pressure roller 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Hirokazu Nakamura, Takashi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8948670
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a fixing rotation member, a rotation drive portion that rotates the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet that cleans a circumferential surface of the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet roller that takes up or feeds out the cleaning web sheet, a swing cam rotationally driven by the rotation drive portion, a rotation transmission portion that transmits a rotation drive force to the cleaning web sheet roller, a one way clutch provided on an input shaft of the rotation transmission portion, and a swing lever connected to the one way clutch and biased so as to be brought into slide contact with the swing cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nakamura, Masatsugu Ohishi, Noriko Inoue, Masaki Amemiya, Masaya Asakawa, Takashi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140341611
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (100) includes: a side cover (201) mounted on a side part of an apparatus body to be freely opened and closed; a fixing portion (80) mounted inside the apparatus body and close to the side cover (201) and fixing an image to a paper sheet P fed in a direction from a bottom to a top of the apparatus body; and a document platen (130) mounted at an upper part of the apparatus body and supporting a document placed thereon. The document platen (130) includes a cutout portion (130K) formed in a manner such that a portion opposed to an upper part of the side cover (201) is cut out inside; and the fixing portion (80) includes a nip (85) that, when the side cover (201) is opened, can be viewed obliquely from a lateral upper side of the apparatus body through the cutout portion (130K).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Yasuhiro Suto
  • Publication number: 20140294442
    Abstract: A fixing device is configured to move the pressure release member in predetermined movement directions relative to the support member such that the biasing member can function. The support member has a first retaining part. The pressure release member has a retention element to be held in the first retaining part of the support member. When the retention element is held in the first retaining part of the support member, the pressure release member is configured to apply a biasing force of the biasing member to the support member and thereby to cause the second fixing member to be pressed against the first fixing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouta YOSHIKAWA, Masaya ASAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20130336688
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus of the invention includes a pressure roller 6 and a fixing roller 7 that make press-contact with each other and an oil roller 8 that makes press-contact with either the pressure roller 6 or the fixing roller 7, and passes a recording sheet through a nip area between the pressure roller 6 and the fixing roller 7 to fix toner on the recording sheet. The fixing apparatus also includes: a pressure roller gear 21 and an oil roller gear 22 that transmit a rotation of a shaft of the pressure roller 6 that makes press-contact with the oil roller 8 to a shaft of the oil roller 8; and a one-way clutch 23 that causes the oil roller 8 to idly rotate in a direction of a driven rotation when the oil roller 8 is driven to rotate by pressing against the pressure roller 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Hirokazu Nakamura, Takashi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8554122
    Abstract: A fixing device is provided in which a rotation member and a roller are caused to rotate pressing against each other, a recording paper is sandwiched and transported in a nip region between the rotation member and the roller, a leading edge of a peeling plate is positioned with respect to a peripheral surface of the rotation member, and the recording paper is separated from the rotation member by the peeling plate. In this fixing device, a surface of the peeling plate faces a transport route of the recording paper. Furthermore, in this fixing device, a contact member is provided that contacts a rear surface of the peeling plate displaced in a direction in which the leading edge of the peeling plate approaches the peripheral surface of the rotation member and prohibits displacement of the peeling plate after contact of the peeling plate to the contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Takashi Yamanaka, Hirokazu Nakamura, Noriko Inoue, Masaki Amemiya
  • Patent number: 8444143
    Abstract: In a sheet transport apparatus, coiled springs 82 are fitted in and supported by recess portions 81b at a bottom face 81a of a support frame 81 and recess portions 73c at an upper face 73b of an inner guide 73. In other words, most of the portions of the coiled spring 82 are enclosed inside the recess portions 81b of the support frame 81 and the recess portions 73c of the inner guide 73, and covered and hidden by side walls 81f of the recess portions 81b and side walls 73d of the recess portions 73c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norichika Katsura, Tadasu Taniguchi, Masahiko Fujita, Masaya Asakawa
  • Patent number: 8293355
    Abstract: In the present glossy paper, an opposite surface of a glossed and smooth image formation surface is rough-surfaced. Therefore, the glossy paper do not adhere together even under the high-temperature and high-humidity environment. In fact, the present invention provides glossy paper which can advantageously achieve a continuous paper feeding in the image forming apparatus regardless of the use environment conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kimura, Masatsugu Ohishi, Yasuaki Fukada, Masaya Asakawa