Patents by Inventor Norio Joichi

Norio Joichi 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: 9459582
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a voltage application unit, a target device, a voltage application line, and an electric-current return line. The voltage application unit applies a voltage to the target device through the voltage application line made of a conductor. The electric-current return line made of a conductor connects the target device to the voltage application unit. An electric current that flows upon application of the voltage from the voltage application unit to the target device returns to the voltage application unit through the electric-current return line. The electric-current return line has a length shorter than a path by way of the casing of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hamano, Norio Joichi
  • Publication number: 20160124373
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a voltage application unit, a target device, a voltage application line, and an electric-current return line. The voltage application unit applies a voltage to the target device through the voltage application line made of a conductor. The electric-current return line made of a conductor connects the target device to the voltage application unit. An electric current that flows upon application of the voltage from the voltage application unit to the target device returns to the voltage application unit through the electric-current return line. The electric-current return line has a length shorter than a path by way of the casing of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshihiro HAMANO, Norio JOICHI
  • Patent number: 7880756
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor member; a LED head that includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arrayed in a line along a rotating axial direction of said photoreceptor member and that is modulated in response to image signals, so as to expose said photoreceptor member while said photoreceptor member is rotating; a deviation detecting sensor to detect deviations on a circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a filter to extract low frequency components including a rotational frequency component of said photoreceptor member from deviation signals detected by said deviation detecting sensor, so as to acquire deviation information with respect to said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a driving section to move said LED head back and forth against said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; and a position controlling section to control said driving section, based on said deviation information acquired by said filter, so as to keep a distance
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Atsushi Takahashi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7646516
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading a document image includes: a document feeding tray for placing the document thereon; a first document reading position for reading the first face of the document ejected and conveyed each from the document feeding tray; a document reverse tray for storing the document so that the document having passed through the first document reading position is reversed and conveyed; a stationary document reading position wherein the document having passed through the document reverse tray and having been reversed and conveyed is conveyed to a platen and the stationary document is read; and an image reading unit for reading the document image. The image reading unit stops at the first document reading position to read the first face of the document, and performs scanning movement at the stationary document reading position to read the second face of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Katayama, Atsushi Takahashi, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7502045
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor member; a LED head that includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arrayed in a line along a rotating axial direction of said photoreceptor member and that is modulated in response to image signals, so as to expose said photoreceptor member while said photoreceptor member is rotating; a deviation detecting sensor to detect deviations on a circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a filter to extract low frequency components including a rotational frequency component of said photoreceptor member from deviation signals detected by said deviation detecting sensor, so as to acquire deviation information with respect to said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a driving section to move said LED head back and forth against said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; and a position controlling section to control said driving section, based on said deviation information acquired by said filter, so as to keep a distance
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Atsushi Takahashi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Takashi Nara
  • Publication number: 20080285992
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor member; a LED head that includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arrayed in a line along a rotating axial direction of said photoreceptor member and that is modulated in response to image signals, so as to expose said photoreceptor member while said photoreceptor member is rotating; a deviation detecting sensor to detect deviations on a circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a filter to extract low frequency components including a rotational frequency component of said photoreceptor member from deviation signals detected by said deviation detecting sensor, so as to acquire deviation information with respect to said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a driving section to move said LED head back and forth against said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; and a position controlling section to control said driving section, based on said deviation information acquired by said filter, so as to keep a distance
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Atsushi Takahashi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7310485
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing thermal fixing of toner images, including a fixing section, a heating section, a power supply section and a control section. The control section controls the power supplying section to start supplying electric power to the heating section, and the control section controls the power supplying section to stop supplying electric power to the heating section after a lapse of a predetermined time interval, based on a thermal response characteristic of a temperature detecting section, even when the temperature of the heating section has not yet reached a target fixing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Youbao Peng, Norio Joichi, Yoshiki Katayama, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7289745
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention may comprises a power supply system which supplies powers to an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a general control unit in such a manner that as much power as possible can be supplied to the fixing unit within a limit of a current supplied from an alternating-current power supply, before load fluctuation on a secondary side of a direct-current power supply influences a primary side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Nara, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Yoshiki Katayama, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshihito Sasamoto
  • Patent number: 7206527
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed having a fixing unit having a heating device, for heat fixing, a heating power supply section which is connected to the fixing unit to supply electric power supplied from a commercial power supply to the heating device, a voltage detecting section for detecting a value of voltage supplied to the heating power supply section from the commercial power supply, and a control section that stops a supply of electric power to the heating device from the heating power supply section if a first voltage value is smaller than a standard voltage value, while, compares a second voltage value detected by the voltage detecting section after the lapse of the standard time with the standard voltage value, and conducts control to stop operations for image forming if the second voltage value is smaller than the standard voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Sasamoto, Atsushi Takahashi, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Akifumi Isobe, Yoshiki Katayama
  • Patent number: 7193170
    Abstract: A push button includes a button main body portion which is provided between a packaging substrate placed under it and a casing portion located above it, a light source placed on the packaging substrate, and a light-guide portion which guides light from the light source to an outer periphery of the button main body portion by reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihiki Katayama, Hiroomi Miyaki, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7181149
    Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, in which the influence of the overall controlling section startup time is reduced, thereby cutting down the time from turning on of power to enabling of image formation. The image forming apparatus includes: a main power switch to turn ON/OFF an AC power source to be supplied into the image forming apparatus; a DC power current generating section to convert AC power current, fed from the AC power source, to DC power current; an overall-controlling section to control overall operations of the image forming apparatus; an engine-controlling section to conduct a predetermined controlling operation among from controlling operations to be conducted in the image forming apparatus; a first power-controlling section, included in the overall-controlling section and/or controlled by the overall-controlling section; and a second power-controlling section, having a starting time shorter than that of the first power-controlling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Tadashi Matsudaira, Youbao Peng, Hiroshi Oyama, Katsunori Takahashi, Masayuki Watanabe, Yoshiki Katayama, Shinpei Kawasaki, Takashi Nara
  • Publication number: 20060291012
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading a document image includes: a document feeding tray for placing the document thereon; a first document reading position for reading the first face of the document ejected and conveyed each from the document feeding tray; a document reverse tray for storing the document so that the document having passed through the first document reading position is reversed and conveyed; a stationary document reading position wherein the document having passed through the document reverse tray and having been reversed and conveyed is conveyed to a platen and the stationary document is read; and an image reading unit for reading the document image. The image reading unit stops at the first document reading position to read the first face of the document, and performs scanning movement at the stationary document reading position to read the second face of the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Yoshiki Katayama, Atsushi Takahashi, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Takashi Nara
  • Publication number: 20060146120
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor member; a LED head that includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arrayed in a line along a rotating axial direction of said photoreceptor member and that is modulated in response to image signals, so as to expose said photoreceptor member while said photoreceptor member is rotating; a deviation detecting sensor to detect deviations on a circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a filter to extract low frequency components including a rotational frequency component of said photoreceptor member from deviation signals detected by said deviation detecting sensor, so as to acquire deviation information with respect to said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a driving section to move said LED head back and forth against said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; and a position controlling section to control said driving section, based on said deviation information acquired by said filter, so as to keep a distance
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Atsushi Takahashi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7072595
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet feeding section for conveying a sheet for image formation, a stepping motor for driving the sheet feeding section, and a controller for controlling operation of the stepping motor. The controller includes a current value setting section. The current value setting section sets a current value that actuates the stepping motor based on sheet information obtained through at least one section selected from a thickness detecting section, size detecting section, and paper quality detecting section. The thickness detecting section detects a thickness of the sheet. The size detecting section detects a size of the sheet. The paper quality detecting section detects a paper quality of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Atsushi Takahashi, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Akifumi Isobe, Yoshiki Katayama
  • Patent number: 7062187
    Abstract: In a fixing device of an image forming apparatus including a heating roller and a temperature detecting device spaced apart from the roller, having a first sensor for detecting the surface temperature of the roller, and a second sensor for detecting the ambient temperature, the first sensor being placed at a first position in a casing having an opening through which the heat radiation of the roller is directly incident and the second sensor being enclosed by the casing and placed at a second position to which the heat radiation of the roller is not directly incident, the temperature is calculated on the basis of the outputs of the two sensors, and the opening is disposed so as not to enter a region between the vertical plane containing the central axis of the roller and a tangential plane to the circumferential surface of the roller parallel to the vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Youbao Peng, Atsushi Takahashi, Norio Joichi, Shinobu Kishi, Akifumi Isobe, Yoshiki Katayama, Yoshihito Sasamoto
  • Publication number: 20060108210
    Abstract: A push button includes a button main body portion which is provided between a packaging substrate placed under it and a casing portion located above it, a light source placed on the packaging substrate, and a light-guide portion which guides light from the light source to an outer periphery of the button main body portion by reflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Katayama, Hiroomi Miyaki, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Takashi Nara
  • Patent number: 7035565
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an image printing apparatus having a fixing control section which controls a fixing unit for fixing a toner image on a paper sheet by applying pressure and heat. The image printing apparatus of this invention includes, in the fixing control section, an interface which can receive data from an external data input device so as to shorten the warmup time of the fixing unit and perform direct instructing operation from the data input device to the fixing-unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Takahashi, Norio Joichi, Yuhou Bou, Yoshihito Sasamoto, Akifumi Isobe, Yoshiki Katayama
  • Publication number: 20050231126
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention may comprise a power supply system which supplies powers to an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a general control unit in such a manner that as much power as possible can be supplied to the fixing unit within a limit of a current supplied from an alternating-current power supply, before load fluctuation on a secondary side of a direct-current power supply influences a primary side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Takashi Nara, Norio Joichi, Youbao Peng, Yoshiki Katayama, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshihito Sasamoto
  • Publication number: 20050201767
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing thermal fixing of toner images, including a fixing section, a heating section, a power supply section and a control section, wherein when the control section controls the power supplying section to start supply of the electric power to the heating section, the control section controls the power supplying section to stop the electric power to the heating section, after a lapse of a predetermined time interval, based on the thermal response characteristic of the temperature detecting section, even when the temperature of the heating section has not yet reached the target fixing temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Youbao Peng, Norio Joichi, Yoshiki Katayama, Takashi Nara
  • Publication number: 20050135828
    Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, in which the influence of the overall controlling section startup time is reduced, thereby cutting down the time from turning on of power to enabling of image formation. The image forming apparatus includes: a main power switch to turn ON/OFF an AC power source to be supplied into the image forming apparatus; a DC power current generating section to convert AC power current, fed from the AC power source, to DC power current; an overall-controlling section to control overall operations of the image forming apparatus; an engine-controlling section to conduct a predetermined controlling operation among from controlling operations to be conducted in the image forming apparatus; a first power-controlling section, included in the overall-controlling section and/or controlled by the overall-controlling section; and a second power-controlling section, having a starting time shorter than that of the first power-controlling section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Norio Joichi, Tadashi Matsudaira, Youbao Peng, Hiroshi Oyama, Katsunori Takahashi, Masayuki Watanabe, Yoshiki Katayama, Shinpei Kawasaki, Takashi Nara