Patents by Inventor Naoaki Kurimoto
Naoaki Kurimoto 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).
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Patent number: 9389542Abstract: A unit assembly (10) includes an image forming unit (20) and an intermediate transfer unit (40), and is configured insertably/removably with respect to an apparatus main body. The image forming unit (20) includes a plurality of process units (200A to 200D) and a joint member (80) that joints the plurality of process units (200A to 200D). The intermediate transfer unit (40) is held by the image forming unit (20). The intermediate transfer unit (40) and the joint member (80) have a first positioning section (611, 612) for mutually relative positioning.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2013Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Naoaki Kurimoto
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Patent number: 9342043Abstract: A unit assembly (10) is provided with an image forming unit (20) and an intermediate transfer unit (40), and is configured to be capable of being inserted into and removed from an apparatus body (110). The image forming unit (20) has first processing units (200A to 200D), developing units (4A to 4D), a positioning portion, and a link member (80). The positioning portion is provided in each of the developing units (4A to 4D) and determines the mutual relative positions of the developing units (4A to 4D). The link member (80) links the developing units (4A to 4D) to each other. The intermediate transfer unit (40) is held by the image forming unit (20).Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2013Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoaki Kurimoto, Kuniaki Nakano, Hiroshi Kubota
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Patent number: 9250604Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes, as working sections, a paper output tray (16), a paper feeding cassette (13), and attachment sections to which toner cartridges (71) through (74), a waste toner container (69), and a unit assembly (11) are attached. Out of the working sections, a high-frequency working section with a high working frequency is provided on a front surface of the image forming apparatus, and a low-frequency working section with a low working frequency is provided on a side surface of the image forming apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoaki Kurimoto, Kuniaki Nakano, Hiroshi Kubota
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Publication number: 20150253695Abstract: A unit assembly (10) includes an image forming unit (20) and an intermediate transfer unit (40), and is configured insertably/removably with respect to an apparatus main body. The image forming unit (20) includes a plurality of process units (200A to 200D) and a joint member (80) that joints the plurality of process units (200A to 200D). The intermediate transfer unit (40) is held by the image forming unit (20). The intermediate transfer unit (40) and the joint member (80) have a first positioning section (611, 612) for mutually relative positioning.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2013Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Naoaki Kurimoto
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Publication number: 20150205249Abstract: A unit assembly (10) is provided with an image forming unit (20) and an intermediate transfer unit (40), and is configured to be capable of being inserted into and removed from an apparatus body (110). The image forming unit (20) has first processing units (200A to 200D), developing units (4A to 4D), a positioning portion, and a link member (80). The positioning portion is provided in each of the developing units (4A to 4D) and determines the mutual relative positions of the developing units (4A to 4D). The link member (80) links the developing units (4A to 4D) to each other. The intermediate transfer unit (40) is held by the image forming unit (20).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2013Publication date: July 23, 2015Inventors: Naoaki Kurimoto, Kuniaki Nakano, Hiroshi Kubota
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Publication number: 20150185692Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes, as working sections, a paper output tray (16), a paper feeding cassette (13), and attachment sections to which toner cartridges (71) through (74), a waste toner container (69), and a unit assembly (11) are attached. Out of the working sections, a high-frequency working section with a high working frequency is provided on a front surface of the image forming apparatus, and a low-frequency working section with a low working frequency is provided on a side surface of the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2013Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Naoaki Kurimoto, Kuniaki Nakano, Hiroshi Kubota
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Patent number: 8600246Abstract: A developer recovery device is provided with a recovery container that receives and accommodates developer recovered from an image carrier, an agitator member that agitates the developer inside the recovery container, two shafts, to which mutually engageable cams are respectively provided, transmit rotational force to the agitator member, a spring that biases and causes to move one of the cams such that the two cams mutually engage and that causes a shaft connection between the two shafts to join, a torque limiter that carries out joining of the shaft connection, and disjoining of the shaft connection, in which the two cams are caused to move apart to disjoin the shaft connection, and a full-state determination portion that detects a shaft connection disjoined state and, based on the detected disjoined state, determines that the recovery container has become full of developer.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Naoaki Kurimoto
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Publication number: 20110318026Abstract: A developer recovery device is provided with a recovery container that receives and accommodates a developer recovered from an image carrier, an agitator member that agitates the developer inside the recovery container, two shafts to which mutually engageable cams are respectively provided and that transmit rotational force to the agitator member, a spring that biases and causes to move one of the cams such that the two cams mutually engage and that causes a shaft connection between the two shafts to be joined, a torque limiter that carries out joining of the shaft connection, in which the two cams are caused to mutually engage to join the shaft connection, and disjoining of the shaft connection, in which the two cams are caused to move apart to disjoin the shaft connection, and a full-state determination portion that detects a disjoined state of the shaft connection and, based on the detected disjoined state, determines that the recovery container has become full of developer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2011Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Naoaki KURIMOTO
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Patent number: 8027600Abstract: An apparatus for image formation comprises a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating member, a sensor, and a controller. The heating member heats at least one of the fixing and pressing members during a heating operation. The sensor senses the surface temperature of at least one of the fixing and pressing members. If the surface temperature sensed by the sensor exceeds a threshold temperature, the controller stops the heating operation of the heating member. If the sensed temperature drops below the threshold temperature, the controller starts the heating operation of the heating member. The controller includes a period measuring unit for measuring the switching period at which the controller switches the starting and stopping of the heating operation of the heating member. The controller restrains the heating of the fixing and pressing members if the switching period exceeds a reference time.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2009Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiharu Yoneda, Yoshiaki Hiramoto, Naoaki Kurimoto
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Publication number: 20090279908Abstract: An apparatus for image formation comprises a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating member, a sensor, and a controller. The heating member heats at least one of the fixing and pressing members during a heating operation. The sensor senses the surface temperature of at least one of the fixing and pressing members. If the surface temperature sensed by the sensor exceeds a threshold temperature, the controller stops the heating operation of the heating member. If the sensed temperature drops below the threshold temperature, the controller starts the heating operation of the heating member. The controller includes a period measuring unit for measuring the switching period at which the controller switches the starting and stopping of the heating operation of the heating member. The controller restrains the heating of the fixing and pressing members if the switching period exceeds a reference time.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2009Publication date: November 12, 2009Inventors: Yoshiharu YONEDA, Yoshiaki HIRAMOTO, Naoaki KURIMOTO