Patents by Inventor Satoru Torimaru
Satoru Torimaru 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: 8714848Abstract: A conveyance mechanism includes a first conveyed material storage section and a second conveyed material storage section that respectively store a first conveyed material and a second conveyed material. When a position of the first conveyed material storage section is changed to a conveyed position where the first conveyed material is to be conveyed, a discharge destination of a discharge member is switched to a first conveyed material discharge section. When the position of the first conveyed material storage section is changed to an evacuation position evacuated from the conveyed position, the discharge destination of the discharge member is switched to a second conveyed material discharge section.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2010Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Torimaru, Atsuyuki Kitamura
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Patent number: 8538315Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body, an image forming unit that is provided in the image forming apparatus main body and forms an image on a recording medium, and a transport unit transporting the recording medium, wherein the image forming apparatus main body has a forward port for forwarding the recording medium having the image thereon by the image forming unit to outside of the image forming apparatus main body, and further has a guide unit by which the recording medium forwarded to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body is guided to be retrieved into the image forming apparatus main body, and to be led to the transport unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2009Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuji Okamoto, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Atsushi Ogihara, Satoru Torimaru, Junichi Murakami, Shuichi Nishide
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Patent number: 8213847Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit that develops an electrostatic latent image present on the image carrier with a developer; a transfer member that transfers a developer image developed by the development unit from the image carrier to a recording medium by transporting while nipping the recording medium in a transfer position in contact with the image carrier; a corrective guide member that contacts the recording medium which is simultaneously caught by the transfer member for a period and that corrects placement of the recording medium with respect to the transfer member, thus guiding the recording medium toward the transport position; and a transport unit that transports the recording medium toward the transfer position while exerting a force on the recording medium in a direction causing a side edge of the recording medium along a transport direction to abut the corrective guide member.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Murakami, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Satoru Torimaru, Atsushi Ogihara, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Patent number: 8180248Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first unit including at least a development unit that develops an electrostatic latent image and a first developer container containing a developer; an image carrier that holds an electrostatic latent image to be developed by the development unit; a transfer unit that transfers a developer image developed by the development unit onto a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes a developer image transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit onto a recording medium; and an image forming apparatus main body in which the first unit is installed, the image forming apparatus main body being configured such that a second unit including at least plural second developer containers respectively containing developers of different colors and development units for respective colors is installable instead of the first unit and, when the second unit is installed, a loop transport path is provided to allow the recording medium having the developer image fixed thereon by thType: GrantFiled: July 28, 2009Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Sato, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Junichi Murakami, Satoru Torimaru, Atsushi Ogihara, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Patent number: 8134757Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a document loading tray that loads a document; a document transport path that transports the document; an image reading unit that is disposed in the document transport path and reads an image of the document; a document output tray into which the document that has been transported on the document transport path is ejected; a recording medium loading tray into which a recording medium is loaded; a recording medium transport path on which the recording medium is transported; an image recording unit that is disposed in the recording medium transport path and records an image on the recording medium; and a recording medium output tray into which the recording medium that has been transported on the recording medium transport path is output. The recording medium loading tray is disposed between the document loading tray and the document output tray.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2008Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Torimaru, Atsuyuki Kitamura
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Patent number: 7978994Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the image formed on the recording medium by the image forming unit by applying heat; a first detector unit that detects a length of the recording medium in a transport direction, the first detector unit being disposed upstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction; and a second detector unit that detects the length of the recording medium in the transport direction, the second detector unit being disposed downstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2009Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Ogihara, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Junichi Murakami, Satoru Torimaru, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Patent number: 7965974Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; plural developing devices that store respective developers of different colors and visualize the electrostatic latent image with the developers; a developing device switching mechanism that switches among the developing devices; a transfer unit that transfers a developer image visualized by the one of the developing devices to a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes the developer image transferred by the transfer unit onto the recording medium; a first transporter that transports in a first direction the recording medium with the developer image fixed thereon; a second transporter that transports in a second direction the recording medium with the developer image fixed thereon; and a transporter switching mechanism that switches between the first transporter and the second transporter in conjunction with an operation of the developing device switching mechanism for switching among the developing devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2009Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Torimaru, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Atsushi Ogihara, Junichi Murakami, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Patent number: 7917072Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image carrier that holds an image; an endless transfer belt that is rotated while sandwiching a recording medium therebetween, and transfers the image on the image carrier to the recording medium; a first roll member that holds the transfer belt and brings that into contact with the image carrier; a second and third roll members that hold the transfer belt together with the first roll member; and a moving member that makes the second roll member movable so as to make a center distance between the first and second roll members on one end side of the transfer belt larger than one on the other end side, and makes the third roll member movable so as to make a center distance between the first and third roll members on the one end side smaller than one on the other end side.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2008Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Satoru Torimaru
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Publication number: 20110013961Abstract: A conveyance mechanism includes a first conveyed material storage section and a second conveyed material storage section that respectively store a first conveyed material and a second conveyed material. When a position of the first conveyed material storage section is changed to a conveyed position where the first conveyed material is to be conveyed, a discharge destination of a discharge member is switched to a first conveyed material discharge section. When the position of the first conveyed material storage section is changed to an evacuation position evacuated from the conveyed position, the discharge destination of the discharge member is switched to a second conveyed material discharge section.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoru TORIMARU, Atsuyuki Kitamura
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Publication number: 20100247177Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit that develops an electrostatic latent image present on the image carrier with a developer; a transfer member that transfers a developer image developed by the development unit from the image carrier to a recording medium by transporting while nipping the recording medium in a transfer position in contact with the image carrier; a corrective guide member that contacts the recording medium which is simultaneously caught by the transfer member for a period and that corrects placement of the recording medium with respect to the transfer member, thus guiding the recording medium toward the transport position; and a transport unit that transports the recording medium toward the transfer position while exerting a force on the recording medium in a direction causing a side edge of the recording medium along a transport direction to abut the corrective guide member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Junichi Murakami, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Satoru Torimaru, Atsushi Ogihara, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Publication number: 20100247197Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body, an image forming unit that is provided in the image forming apparatus main body and forms an image on a recording medium, and a transport unit transporting the recording medium, wherein the image forming apparatus main body has a forward port for forwarding the recording medium having the image thereon by the image forming unit to outside of the image forming apparatus main body, and further has a guide unit by which the recording medium forwarded to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body is guided to be retrieved into the image forming apparatus main body, and to be led to the transport unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Tetsuji Okamoto, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Atsushi Ogihara, Satoru Torimaru, Junichi Murakami, Shuichi Nishide
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Publication number: 20100226667Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the image formed on the recording medium by the image forming unit by applying heat; a first detector unit that detects a length of the recording medium in a transport direction, the first detector unit being disposed upstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction; and a second detector unit that detects the length of the recording medium in the transport direction, the second detector unit being disposed downstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2009Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Atsushi Ogihara, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Junichi Murakami, Satoru Torimaru, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Publication number: 20100209135Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first unit including at least a development unit that develops an electrostatic latent image and a first developer container containing a developer; an image carrier that holds an electrostatic latent image to be developed by the development unit; a transfer unit that transfers a developer image developed by the development unit onto a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes a developer image transferred to the recording medium by the transfer unit onto a recording medium; and an image forming apparatus main body in which the first unit is installed, the image forming apparatus main body being configured such that a second unit including at least plural second developer containers respectively containing developers of different colors and development units for respective colors is installable instead of the first unit and, when the second unit is installed, a loop transport path is provided to allow the recording medium having the developer image fixed thereon by thType: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2009Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Masahiro Sato, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Junichi Murakami, Satoru Torimaru, Atsushi Ogihara, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Publication number: 20100183339Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; plural developing devices that store respective developers of different colors and visualize the electrostatic latent image with the developers; a developing device switching mechanism that switches among the developing devices to allow one of the developing devices to visualize the electrostatic latent image carried by the image carrier; a transfer unit that transfers a developer image visualized by the one of the developing devices to a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes the developer image transferred by the transfer unit onto the recording medium; a first transporter that transports in a first direction the recording medium with the developer image fixed thereon by the fixing device; a second transporter that transports in a second direction the recording medium with the developer image fixed thereon by the fixing device; and a transporter switching mechanism that switches between the first transporType: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoru Torimaru, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Atsushi Ogihara, Junichi Murakami, Tetsuji Okamoto, Shuichi Nishide
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Publication number: 20090231642Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a document loading tray that loads a document; a document transport path that transports the document; an image reading unit that is disposed in the document transport path and reads an image of the document; a document output tray into which the document that has been transported on the document transport path is ejected; a recording medium loading tray into which a recording medium is loaded; a recording medium transport path on which the recording medium is transported; an image recording unit that is disposed in the recording medium transport path and records an image on the recording medium; and a recording medium output tray into which the recording medium that has been transported on the recording medium transport path is output. The recording medium loading tray is disposed between the document loading tray and the document output tray.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2008Publication date: September 17, 2009Inventors: Satoru Torimaru, Atsuyuki Kitamura
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Publication number: 20090087232Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image carrier that holds an image; an endless transfer belt that is rotated while sandwiching a recording medium therebetween, and transfers the image on the image carrier to the recording medium; a first roll member that holds the transfer belt and brings that into contact with the image carrier; a second and third roll members that hold the transfer belt together with the first roll member; and a moving member that makes the second roll member movable so as to make a center distance between the first and second roll members on one end side of the transfer belt larger than one on the other end side, and makes the third roll member movable so as to make a center distance between the first and third roll members on the one end side smaller than one on the other end side.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2008Publication date: April 2, 2009Inventor: Satoru Torimaru
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Patent number: 7177585Abstract: An image forming apparatus registers both sides of sheets with great precision in a sheet transportation direction in both-side image formation. The image forming apparatus includes: photoconductive drums holding toner images; an intermediate transfer belt temporarily holding the toner images; a secondary transfer roll that transfers the toner images to a sheet in a transfer unit; a registration roll rotating toward the transfer unit being in sheet feeding timing; a fixing unit fixing the toner images transferred to a first side of the sheet; reversion transportation paths reversing the sheet and again transporting the sheet to the transfer unit; a first sensor detecting the image of the first side of the sheet; and a second sensor that detects the toner images held in the intermediate transfer belt.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2003Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Matsuzaka, Keiji Yamamoto, Satoru Torimaru, Takashi Kawabata, Masaaki Takahashi, Yoko Miyamoto, Kiyotoshi Kaneyama, Katsunori Kikuchihara
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Patent number: 7003237Abstract: Image formation condition is available, which hardly causes imperfections of the image quality. A full-color image formation system selects plural secondary transfer conditions in a secondary transfer unit within a specific range, forms test charts according to each of the secondary transfer conditions selected, and prints them out. A user checks by viewing the test charts printed on each recording sheet, and selects a page number of the sheet where the user evaluated an image quality as the best; and the image formation system sets the secondary transfer condition for the sheet as a standard secondary transfer condition thereafter.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoko Miyamoto, Takashi Kawabata, Keiji Yamamoto, Satoru Torimaru, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsunori Kikuchihara, Kiyotoshi Kaneyama, Satoshi Matsuzaka
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Patent number: 6973272Abstract: The present invention enables registration adjustments during actual use of an image forming apparatus. A test pattern is formed on a sheet in a full-color image forming apparatus and the test pattern formed on the sheet is read in an image read unit. From the result of reading the test pattern, misregistrations of vertical and horizontal scaling factors, parallelism, squareness, skew, side registration, and lead registration in the test pattern are determined, and mounting positions, drive timings, drive speeds, and the like of constituent members are adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2003Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keiji Yamamoto, Ryo Ando, Toshiyuki Kazama, Satoru Torimaru, Takashi Kawabata, Katsunori Kikuchihara, Masaaki Takahashi, Yoko Miyamoto, Satoshi Matsuzaka, Kiyotoshi Kaneyama
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Patent number: 6904262Abstract: The invention provides a double-faced image formation system that prevents transfer and adhesion of a lubricant to an image retaining conveyer and an intermediate transfer part. The system is provided with, on a return path for reversing and conveying a sheet having toner images fixed on one side thereof, a front face electrifying unit and a rear face electrifying unit. Oil adhered on the rear face of the sheet in a fixation unit by the rear face electrifying unit is electrified to a negative polarity, and the oil adhered on the rear face is made impossible to transfer to an intermediate transfer belt. The oil adhered on the front face of the sheet in the fixation unit by the front face electrifying unit is electrified to a positive polarity, and the oil adhered on the front face is made impossible to transfer to a secondary transfer conveyance belt.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2003Date of Patent: June 7, 2005Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Takahashi, Keiji Yamamoto, Satoru Torimaru, Katsunori Kikuchihara, Yoko Miyamoto, Kiyotoshi Kaneyama, Satoshi Matsuzaka, Takashi Kawabata