Patents by Inventor Munenori Nakano

Munenori Nakano 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: 20220155714
    Abstract: An image forming device including a forming unit, an adhesion amount detector, a correction coefficient determiner, and a correction unit. The forming unit forms line images each having a different line width. The adhesion amount detector detects a toner adhesion amount for each of the line images. The correction coefficient determiner determines, according to the toner adhesion amounts detected for each line width, correction coefficients for a gradation value of the line images of each line width. The correction unit corrects a gradation value of a line image using a correction coefficient corresponding to the line width of the line image when forming the line image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Munenori NAKANO, Soh HIROTA, Yoshinori TSUTSUMI
  • Patent number: 11204569
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus fixes a toner image onto a sheet by a fixer, and includes: a re-feeding path that normally conveys the sheet having passed through the fixer and guides the sheet toward the fixer; and a hardware processor that switches between first control to discharge the sheet having passed through the fixer toward a discharge destination and second control to re-feed the sheet having passed through the fixer to the fixer through the re-feeding path, depending on a type of an image which is a source of formation of the toner image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sakai, Yoshinori Tsutsumi, Kenji Tsuru, Munenori Nakano
  • Publication number: 20210008921
    Abstract: An image forming device comprises: a receiving part that receives image data containing first image data relating to a black and white image and second image data relating to a foil image; a carrying path along which a recording medium is carried in a predetermined direction; an inkjet printing part, arranged on the carrying path, injects an ink based on the first image data to the recording medium, and forms the black and white image or the color image on the recording medium; a toner image printing part, arranged on the carrying path, forms the toner image for adhesion based on the second image data, and transfers the toner image to the recording medium; and a foil image forming part, arranged on the carrying path, enables the toner image transferred to the recording medium to melt and attaches the foil to the melted toner image to form the foil image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Tetsuya SAKAI, Yoshinori TSUTSUMI, Kenji TSURU, Munenori NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20200333739
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus fixes a toner image onto a sheet by a fixer, and includes: a re-feeding path that normally conveys the sheet having passed through the fixer and guides the sheet toward the fixer; and a hardware processor that switches between first control to discharge the sheet having passed through the fixer toward a discharge destination and second control to re-feed the sheet having passed through the fixer to the fixer through the re-feeding path, depending on a type of an image which is a source of formation of the toner image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: TETSUYA SAKAI, YOSHINORI TSUTSUMI, KENJI TSURU, MUNENORI NAKANO
  • Patent number: 10795313
    Abstract: An image forming device that prints a first image using first toner and prints a second image using foil on a sheet of paper, includes: a former that forms a first toner image by the first toner of the first image on the paper and forms a second toner image by second toner different from the first toner of the second image on the paper; a fixer that fixes the first toner image and the second toner image formed on the paper; a melter that melts the second toner out of the first toner and the second toner fixed to the paper; and a foil printer that prints the second image by bonding the foil to the melted second toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sakai, Yoshinori Tsutsumi, Kenji Tsuru, Munenori Nakano
  • Publication number: 20200073326
    Abstract: An image forming device that prints a first image using first toner and prints a second image using foil on a sheet of paper, includes: a former that forms a first toner image by the first toner of the first image on the paper and forms a second toner image by second toner different from the first toner of the second image on the paper; a fixer that fixes the first toner image and the second toner image formed on the paper; a melter that melts the second toner out of the first toner and the second toner fixed to the paper; and a foil printer that prints the second image by bonding the foil to the melted second toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuya SAKAI, Yoshinori TSUTSUMI, Kenji TSURU, Munenori NAKANO
  • Patent number: 10386765
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus provided with an image forming unit and a server unit in a single housing includes a power supply unit that supplies the image forming unit and the server unit with power and a fan that sends external air into the server unit, and when supplying the image forming unit with power from the power supply unit is stopped the fan is still driven and sending external air into the server unit is thus not stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Teppei Kunihisa, Munenori Nakano
  • Publication number: 20180231927
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus provided with an image forming unit and a server unit in a single housing includes a power supply unit that supplies the image forming unit and the server unit with power and a fan that sends external air into the server unit, and when supplying the image forming unit with power from the power supply unit is stopped the fan is still driven and sending external air into the server unit is thus not stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Teppei KUNIHISA, Munenori NAKANO
  • Patent number: 9880487
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for electrifying a surface of a photoreceptor with the use of an electrification member includes: a first output unit configured to output a first AC voltage; a second output unit configured to output a second AC voltage having the same frequency as a frequency of the first AC voltage and having a phase different from a phase of the first AC voltage; a superimposition unit configured to superimpose, on a DC component, an AC component containing at least one of the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage; and an application unit configured to apply a voltage that has been subjected to superimposition by the superimposition unit to the electrification member, wherein the superimposition unit changes the AC component to be superimposed on the DC component at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kouzaki, Munenori Nakano, Hironori Akashi, Kenji Tsuru, Yoshinori Tsutsumi
  • Publication number: 20170168411
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for electrifying a surface of a photoreceptor with the use of an electrification member includes: a first output unit configured to output a first AC voltage; a second output unit configured to output a second AC voltage having the same frequency as a frequency of the first AC voltage and having a phase different from a phase of the first AC voltage; a superimposition unit configured to superimpose, on a DC component, an AC component containing at least one of the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage; and an application unit configured to apply a voltage that has been subjected to superimposition by the superimposition unit to the electrification member, wherein the superimposition unit changes the AC component to be superimposed on the DC component at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kouzaki, Munenori Nakano, Hironori Akashi, Kenji Tsuru, Yoshinori Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 9253367
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a charging device that uniformly charges the image carrying member, an exposure device that forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrying member, a development device that applies a development bias voltage to form a visible image in which toner is adhered to the electrostatic latent image, a control portion that controls an exposure amount in the exposure device and the development bias voltage and a storage portion that stores an exposure condition and a development condition. The resolution of image data can be switched to at least two types, a standard resolution and a high resolution higher than the standard resolution, and when the resolution of the image data is set at the high resolution, the control portion controls the exposure amount in the exposure device to perform thinning processing on the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Obara, Tetsuya Sakai, Munenori Nakano, Hironori Akashi, Tomoyuki Saito
  • Publication number: 20150264221
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a charging device that uniformly charges the image carrying member, an exposure device that forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrying member, a development device that applies a development bias voltage to form a visible image in which toner is adhered to the electrostatic latent image, a control portion that controls an exposure amount in the exposure device and the development bias voltage and a storage portion that stores an exposure condition and a development condition. The resolution of image data can be switched to at least two types, a standard resolution and a high resolution higher than the standard resolution, and when the resolution of the image data is set at the high resolution, the control portion controls the exposure amount in the exposure device to perform thinning processing on the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Mitsuru OBARA, Tetsuya SAKAI, Munenori NAKANO, Hironori AKASHI, Tomoyuki SAITO
  • Publication number: 20140010560
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrier, including: a patch former that forms a solid and a non-solid patch on the image carrier under different image formation conditions; a measurer that measures amounts of toner adhering to the solid and the non-solid patch; a determiner that determines image density properties indicating a relationship between an image formation condition and an amount of adhering toner, based on both (i) a relationship between an image formation condition applied to the solid patch and the amount of toner adhering to the solid patch, and (ii) a relationship between an image formation condition applied to the non-solid patch and the amount of toner adhering to the non-solid patch; and a setter that sets an appropriate image formation condition for forming a toner image having a desired density on the image carrier according to the image density properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Mitsuru OBARA, Shigeki NAIKI, Masahiro KOUZAKI, Munenori NAKANO
  • Patent number: 8041251
    Abstract: A developing device used for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier in an image forming device, comprises a developer carrier roller which is rotationally driven, and a toner thin layer forming member which is brought into contact with the developer carrier roller, wherein the developer carrier roller is formed in the shape of an inverted crown which is concave at the central portion in the direction of the rotation axis, and a starting point of the shape of the inverted crown is positioned further outside in the direction of the rotation axis than toner thin layer region formed by the toner thin layer forming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayuki Nishi, Munenori Nakano
  • Patent number: 7773926
    Abstract: One of aspects of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member rotating at a first circumferential speed, and an image carrier capable of having a plurality of toner images formed thereon in turn, each of the toner images having a color different from one another, for transferring the toner images onto the intermediate transfer member, the image carrier rotating at a second circumferential speed. At least one of the first and second circumferential speeds are adjustable in accordance with a driving mode selected from a group consisting of a monochrome mode and a color mode. Also, a first difference between the first and second circumferential speeds in the monochrome mode is greater than a second difference between the first and second circumferential speeds in the color mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsugihito Yoshiyama, Munenori Nakano
  • Publication number: 20100092205
    Abstract: A developing device used for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier in an image forming device, comprises a developer carrier roller which is rotationally driven, and a toner thin layer forming member which is brought into contact with the developer carrier roller, wherein the developer carrier roller is formed in the shape of an inverted crown which is concave at the central portion in the direction of the rotation axis, and a starting point of the shape of the inverted crown is positioned further outside in the direction of the rotation axis than toner thin layer region formed by the toner thin layer forming member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masayuki NISHI, Munenori NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20070212127
    Abstract: One of aspects of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member rotating at a first circumferential speed, and an image carrier capable of having a plurality of toner images formed thereon in turn, each of the toner images having a color different from one another, for transferring the toner images onto the intermediate transfer member, the image carrier rotating at a second circumferential speed. At least one of the first and second circumferential speeds are adjustable in accordance with a driving mode selected from a group consisting of a monochrome mode and a color mode. Also, a first difference between the first and second circumferential speeds in the monochrome mode is greater than a second difference between the first and second circumferential speeds in the color mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsugihito Yoshiyama, Munenori Nakano
  • Patent number: 5968418
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a conductive contact material, the contents of which do not generate soil on a charged body not only during initial use but also after repeated use. A conductive contact material consists of thermoset urethane material containing an antioxidant within a range from 0.1 to 0.3% by weight, and an inorganic ion electrically conducting agent with in a range form 0.01 to 2.00% by weight. After ozone exposure or the like, molecule chain scission of the base material and antioxidant leads generation of active monomers and origomers. However, the conductive contact material containing the above specified proportion of an antioxidant and an inorganic ion electrically conducting agent prevents generation of active monomers and origomers which are soiling source for a charged body. The conductive contact material also prevents antioxidant itself from being a soiling source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Inoac Corporation, Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Matsushita, Ikuro Chimoto, Munenori Nakano, Takeshi Suzuki, Koichiro Higashiguchi
  • Patent number: 5918086
    Abstract: Image density is detected by a B/W ratio detection integrator 30 via a video signal 11 from a video controller 40 when an image signal is inputted. When a latent image formed on a photosensitive body 7 in accordance with the image signal is transferred to a transfer material 12 by a transfer charging device 8, a transfer current of the transfer charging device 8 is controlled in a timely fashion by a CPU 20 in accordance with the image density detected from this image signal, thus ensuring optimum transfer efficiency. Even when the environment and printing pattern change for each part of a single-page image, this makes it possible to deal accurately with these changes to ensure stable transfer efficiency and good imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munenori Nakano, Kouji Matsushita, Tomohiko Teranishi, Tetsuya Okashita, Mineo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5717980
    Abstract: An image forming device having a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier onto transfer paper, such that the toner image can be transferred with good results regardless of fluctuations in the environment, by (a) returning to the feedback side of the power source, via a constant voltage element, part of the electric current that flows to (i) the transfer unit, to which a prescribed voltage is applied by the power source, and (ii) the guide member that supports the transfer paper, said electric current flowing to said guide member via said transfer paper, and by (b) controlling the voltage of the power source such that the voltage on the feedback side of the power source will be constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeki Oka, Makoto Shimazoe, Munenori Nakano, Hirohisa Shirai