Patents by Inventor Seiji Obata
Seiji Obata 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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Publication number: 20240085832Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Hideki Ohta, Terutaka Endo, Seiji Obata, Jiro Moriya, Takayuki Mizuta
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Patent number: 11846902Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2022Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideki Ohta, Terutaka Endo, Seiji Obata, Jiro Moriya, Takayuki Mizuta
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Publication number: 20230393507Abstract: In a fixing device, a connection portion of a first power supply terminal is at a position closer to one end portion of a heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater than a contact portion of the first power supply terminal, and a connection portion of a second power supply terminal is at a position closer to the other end portion of the heater in the longitudinal direction than a contact portion of the second power supply terminal. A power supply cable connected to the connection portion of the first power supply terminal extends toward the one end portion of the heater, and a power supply cable connected to the connection portion of the second power supply terminal is bent from extending toward the other end portion of the heater to extend toward the one end portion of the heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventor: SEIJI OBATA
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Patent number: 11747756Abstract: At least an electrode of a first electrode group and at least an electrode of a second electrode group are formed in a region nearer to one edge portion of a substrate than to a center of the substrate in a longer-side direction of the substrate, and the electrode that is nearest to the second electrode group in the longer-side direction among the first electrode group formed in the region nearer to the one edge portion and the second electrode group are provided with a space between the electrode and the second electrode group.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Ryota Ogura, Takafumi Suzuki, Seiji Obata, Koichi Yamada
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Patent number: 11662679Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member to form a nip portion which sandwiches a recording material between the first rotating member and the second rotating member, a heater unit provided inside the first rotating member and having a heater for heating an image on the recording material sandwiched by the nip portion, and a sheet member provided to overlap a part of the heater and electrically connected to the heater. The sheet member includes a first sheet member connected to one end of the heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater and a second sheet member connected to the other end of the heater, the first sheet member extends from the one end of the heater in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, and the second sheet member extends from the other end of the heater in the longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Seiji Obata
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Patent number: 11634292Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a guide member disposed to define a conveyance path, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element configured to output a detection signal that changes in accordance with an amount of received light, a first light-passing portion disposed to define an optical path from the light-emitting element to the conveyance path, and a second light-passing portion disposed to define an optical path from the conveyance path to the light-receiving element. The light-receiving element is configured such that the detection signal changes in accordance with whether or not a sheet is present in the conveyance path. Reflectance of each of the first light-passing portion and the second light-passing portion to the light emitted from the light-emitting element is higher than reflectance of the guide member to the light emitted from the light-emitting element.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Emi Machii, Takafumi Suzuki, Seiji Obata, Koichi Sekimizu
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Publication number: 20230027168Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus comprising: a first rotating member; a second rotating member that forms a nip with the first rotating member so as to nip the recording material therebetween; a heater that heats the nip; a conductive sheet member that is disposed so as to overlap with a part of the heater; and a restricting member that restricts relative positions between the sheet member and the heater. The restricting member is configured so as to restrict a relative movement between the sheet member and the heater in a first direction, which is a direction where the sheet member overlaps with a part of the heater, and to allow the relative movement in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. A reinforcing land, that joins the heater and the sheet member, is disposed in a position that is electrically isolated.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Koichi Sekimizu, Koichi Yamada, Seiji Obata, Teruhiko Namiki
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Publication number: 20220382198Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a stack portion, a reversing unit configured to reverse a reversing sheet, a support member configured to support a lower surface of the reversing sheet, a discharging unit configured to discharge a discharging sheet from the apparatus body, a pivotable member arranged above the stack portion, and a detector configured to output a detection signal that changes according to a pivot angle of the pivotable member. When viewed in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the first conveyance direction, a pivoting locus in which the pivotable member pivots overlaps the support member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Koichi Sekimizu, Seiji Obata, Hideki Ohta, Takehito Osada
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Patent number: 11487230Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus comprising: a first rotating member; a second rotating member that forms a nip with the first rotating member so as to nip the recording material therebetween; a heater that heats the nip; a conductive sheet member that is disposed so as to overlap with a part of the heater; and a restricting member that restricts relative positions between the sheet member and the heater. The restricting member is configured so as to restrict a relative movement between the sheet member and the heater in a first direction, which is a direction where the sheet member overlaps with a part of the heater, and to allow the relative movement in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. A reinforcing land, that joins the heater and the sheet member, is disposed in a position that is electrically isolated.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koichi Sekimizu, Koichi Yamada, Seiji Obata, Teruhiko Namiki
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Publication number: 20220244666Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Inventors: Hideki Ohta, Terutaka Endo, Seiji Obata, Jiro Moriya, Takayuki Mizuta
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Patent number: 11320770Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideki Ohta, Terutaka Endo, Seiji Obata, Jiro Moriya, Takayuki Mizuta
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Publication number: 20220017319Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a guide member disposed to define a conveyance path, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element configured to output a detection signal that changes in accordance with an amount of received light, a first light-passing portion disposed to define an optical path from the light-emitting element to the conveyance path, and a second light-passing portion disposed to define an optical path from the conveyance path to the light-receiving element. The light-receiving element is configured such that the detection signal changes in accordance with whether or not a sheet is present in the conveyance path. Reflectance of each of the first light-passing portion and the second light-passing portion to the light emitted from the light-emitting element is higher than reflectance of the guide member to the light emitted from the light-emitting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Emi Machii, Takafumi Suzuki, Seiji Obata, Koichi Sekimizu
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Publication number: 20210333735Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member to form a nip portion which sandwiches a recording material between the first rotating member and the second rotating member, a heater unit provided inside the first rotating member and having a heater for heating an image on the recording material at the nip portion, and a sheet member provided to overlap a part of the heater and electrically connected to the heater. The sheet member includes a first sheet member connected to one end of the heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater and a second sheet member connected to the other end of the heater, the first sheet member extends from the one end of the heater in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, and the second sheet member extends from the other end of the heater in the longitudinal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2021Publication date: October 28, 2021Inventor: Seiji Obata
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Patent number: 11073779Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: a first rotating member; a second rotating member which forms a nip portion between the first rotating member and the second rotating member; a frame member which supports the second rotating member; a biasing member which biases the first rotating member toward the second rotating member; a moving member which supports the biasing member at an end portion of the biasing member on an opposite side to a side of an end portion where the first rotating member is arranged; and an adjustment member which comes into contact with the moving member and which adjusts a position of the moving member with respect to the frame member, wherein a contact portion between the moving member and the adjustment member in the biasing direction regulates relative movement of the moving member and the adjustment member in a direction perpendicular to the biasing direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2020Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji Obata, Takafumi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20210223728Abstract: At least an electrode of a first electrode group and at least an electrode of a second electrode group are formed in a region nearer to one edge portion of a substrate than to a center of the substrate in a longer-side direction of the substrate, and the electrode that is nearest to the second electrode group in the longer-side direction among the first electrode group formed in the region nearer to the one edge portion and the second electrode group are provided with a space between the electrode and the second electrode group.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Ryota Ogura, Takafumi Suzuki, Seiji Obata, Koichi Yamada
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Patent number: 10996598Abstract: At least an electrode of a first electrode group and at least an electrode of a second electrode group are formed in a region nearer to one edge portion of a substrate than to a center of the substrate in a longer-side direction of the substrate, and the electrode that is nearest to the second electrode group in the longer-side direction among the first electrode group formed in the region nearer to the one edge portion and the second electrode group are provided with a space between the electrode and the second electrode group.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2019Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Ryota Ogura, Takafumi Suzuki, Seiji Obata, Koichi Yamada
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Patent number: 10928764Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a cylindrical rotatable member, an exciting coil, a magnetic core, and a resin material layer provided between the exciting coil and the magnetic core. The exciting coil is a metal wire coated with heat-resistant resin. The resin material layer is provided between the exciting coil and the magnetic core and is a layer that is different from the heat-resistant resin of the metal wire. The resin material layer is provided on a surface of the magnetic core in a helical shape along the exciting coil. As viewed in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the rotatable member, the exciting coil enters the resin material layer in a radial direction of the exciting coil.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Seiji Obata, Kazuhiko Shinoda, Mitsugu Owada
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Publication number: 20210011405Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Hideki Ohta, Terutaka Endo, Seiji Obata, Jiro Moriya, Takayuki Mizuta
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Publication number: 20200401070Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus comprising: a first rotating member; a second rotating member that forms a nip with the first rotating member so as to nip the recording material therebetween; a heater that heats the nip; a conductive sheet member that is disposed so as to overlap with a part of the heater; and a restricting member that restricts relative positions between the sheet member and the heater. The restricting member is configured so as to restrict a relative movement between the sheet member and the heater in a first direction, which is a direction where the sheet member overlaps with a part of the heater, and to allow the relative movement in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. A reinforcing land, that joins the heater and the sheet member, is disposed in a position that is electrically isolated.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Koichi Sekimizu, Koichi Yamada, Seiji Obata, Teruhiko Namiki
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Publication number: 20200387097Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: a first rotating member; a second rotating member which forms a nip portion between the first rotating member and the second rotating member; a frame member which supports the second rotating member; a biasing member which biases the first rotating member toward the second rotating member; a moving member which supports the biasing member at an end portion of the biasing member on an opposite side to a side of an end portion where the first rotating member is arranged; and an adjustment member which comes into contact with the moving member and which adjusts a position of the moving member with respect to the frame member, wherein a contact portion between the moving member and the adjustment member in the biasing direction regulates relative movement of the moving member and the adjustment member in a direction perpendicular to the biasing direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Seiji Obata, Takafumi Suzuki