Patents by Inventor Shigeru SAWANO
Shigeru SAWANO 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: 11117769Abstract: A sheet conveyance device correcting skew of a sheet being conveyed includes: a rotational shaft extending perpendicularly to a sheet conveyance direction; conveyance rollers disposed at predefined intervals and into which the rotational shaft is inserted; gate members being coaxial with the conveyance rollers and disposed between the conveyance rollers along the rotational shaft, the gate members each having an arc-shaped part partially surrounding the rotational shaft and a stopper protruding radially outwards from the arc-shaped part; and a mounting plate elongated along the rotational shaft and being supported rotatably around the rotational shaft and holding the gate members in a same orientation. After the sheet abuts against at least one of the stoppers, the stoppers are pushed out of the conveyance path by the sheet. When the stoppers are positioned on the conveyance path, openings of the arc-shaped parts face toward a downstream side in the conveyance direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2019Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Fumiaki Murakami, Katsumi Kuroyanagi, Shigeru Sawano
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Patent number: 10730710Abstract: In a paper cassette, a guide slides on a tray to place a sheet at a proper position. A lift mechanism uses a restoring force of an elastic member to push up the tray and make the sheet on the tray approach a pickup roller. When the paper cassette is pushed by a user from an opened position, which is out of the housing of a printer, to a closed position, which is in the housing, an adjuster mechanism mechanically converts a force of the user pushing the paper cassette to the restoring force of the elastic member from a time the guide reaches a specific point on a trajectory along which the guide travels together with the paper cassette, thus adjusting the strength of the restoring force continuously to a distance by which the guide overruns the specific point.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Yuki Doshida, Masanobu Tomiyasu, Shigeru Sawano
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Publication number: 20200115178Abstract: A sheet conveyance device correcting skew of a sheet being conveyed includes: a rotational shaft extending perpendicularly to a sheet conveyance direction; conveyance rollers disposed at predefined intervals and into which the rotational shaft is inserted; gate members being coaxial with the conveyance rollers and disposed between the conveyance rollers along the rotational shaft, the gate members each having an arc-shaped part partially surrounding the rotational shaft and a stopper protruding radially outwards from the arc-shaped part; and a mounting plate elongated along the rotational shaft and being supported rotatably around the rotational shaft and holding the gate members in a same orientation. After the sheet abuts against at least one of the stoppers, the stoppers are pushed out of the conveyance path by the sheet. When the stoppers are positioned on the conveyance path, openings of the arc-shaped parts face toward a downstream side in the conveyance direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Fumiaki MURAKAMI, Katsumi KUROYANAGI, Shigeru SAWANO
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Patent number: 10534289Abstract: A toner container attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming device and including: a first chamber containing toner; a second chamber adjacent to the first chamber through a partition wall and downstream of the first chamber in a toner supply direction; and a switching member in the second chamber that is movable or rotatable and has a shell structure. The partition wall has a first aperture. A bottom wall of the second chamber opposing the partition wall has a second aperture and sits on the main body. The shell has third and fourth apertures. The fourth aperture coincides with the second aperture when the third aperture coincides with the first aperture, and the first aperture is closed by the shell when the third aperture faces an inner wall surface of the second chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Shuan Yang, Naoki Nonoyama, Shigeru Sawano
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Publication number: 20190121257Abstract: A toner container attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming device and including: a first chamber containing toner; a second chamber adjacent to the first chamber through a partition wall and downstream of the first chamber in a toner supply direction; and a switching member in the second chamber that is movable or rotatable and has a shell structure. The partition wall has a first aperture. A bottom wall of the second chamber opposing the partition wall has a second aperture and sits on the main body. The shell has third and fourth apertures. The fourth aperture coincides with the second aperture when the third aperture coincides with the first aperture, and the first aperture is closed by the shell when the third aperture faces an inner wall surface of the second chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2018Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventors: Shuan Yang, Naoki Nonoyama, Shigeru Sawano
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Publication number: 20180265315Abstract: In a paper cassette, a guide slides on a tray to place a sheet at a proper position. A lift mechanism uses a restoring force of an elastic member to push up the tray and make the sheet on the tray approach a pickup roller. When the paper cassette is pushed by a user from an opened position, which is out of the housing of a printer, to a closed position, which is in the housing, an adjuster mechanism mechanically converts a force of the user pushing the paper cassette to the restoring force of the elastic member from a time the guide reaches a specific point on a trajectory along which the guide travels together with the paper cassette, thus adjusting the strength of the restoring force continuously to a distance by which the guide overruns the specific point.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Yuki DOSHIDA, Masanobu TOMIYASU, Shigeru SAWANO
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Patent number: 9946222Abstract: An air flow sensor includes a case, a to-be-detected object, and a detector. The case includes an intake port and an exit port through which air is to flow. The to-be-detected object is located at a first position in the case when the air flowing from the intake port to the exit port has lower than a predetermined level of pressure, and is movable from the first position receiving the air when the air has equal to or higher than the predetermined level of pressure. The detector is disposed outside the case and is configured to detect a movement of the to-be-detected object and output an electrical signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2016Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Sho Karakama, Katsumi Kuroyanagi, Shigeru Sawano, Isao Kawakami, Shuan Yang
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Patent number: 9933752Abstract: An electrical machine includes an exhaust fan and an exhaust port on which an optional device is mounted. The optional device includes a duct, an electric fan, and an air flow sensor. Through the duct, an exhaust gas from the exhaust port is guided. The electric fan draws in the exhaust gas flowing through the duct and discharges the exhaust gas into an atmosphere. The air flow sensor detects presence or absence of the exhaust gas flowing from the electrical machine. The air flow sensor includes an air path partitioned from an inside of the duct by a partition wall. The air path includes an exhaust gas and an exit port. The exhaust gas intake port includes an opening facing the exhaust gas. The exit port communicates with the atmosphere at a position outside the duct.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Shogo Asaoka, Katsumi Kuroyanagi, Shigeru Sawano, Hideki Narahashi, Sho Karakama
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Publication number: 20160282157Abstract: An air flow sensor includes a case, a to-be-detected object, and a detector. The case includes an intake port and an exit port through which air is to flow. The to-be-detected object is located at a first position in the case when the air flowing from the intake port to the exit port has lower than a predetermined level of pressure, and is movable from the first position receiving the air when the air has equal to or higher than the predetermined level of pressure. The detector is disposed outside the case and is configured to detect a movement of the to-be-detected object and output an electrical signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Sho KARAKAMA, Katsumi KUROYANAGI, Shigeru SAWANO, Isao KAWAKAMI, Shuan YANG
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Publication number: 20160282806Abstract: An optional device is for an electrical machine. The electrical machine includes an exhaust fan and an exhaust port on which the optional device is mounted. The optional device includes a duct, an electric fan, and an air flow sensor. Through the duct, an exhaust gas from the exhaust port is guided. The electric fan draws in the exhaust gas flowing through the duct and discharges the exhaust gas into an atmosphere. The air flow sensor detects presence or absence of the exhaust gas flowing from the electrical machine. The air flow sensor includes an air path partitioned from an inside of the duct by a partition wall. The air path includes an exhaust gas and an exit port. The exhaust gas intake port includes an opening facing the exhaust gas. The exit port communicates with the atmosphere at a position outside the duct.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Shogo ASAOKA, Katsumi KUROYANAGI, Shigeru SAWANO, Hideki NARAHASHI, Sho KARAKAMA
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Patent number: 8913946Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is orientatable in either a first position or a second position, the second position being different from the first position in inclination with respect to a horizontal plane, comprising: a platform configured to be stacked with a plurality of recording sheets used for image formation; a pickup roller in contact with the recording sheets and configured to pick up the recording sheets one at a time; a pressing member applying pressure to the platform against the pick-up roller; and a pressure changer causing the pressing member to change an amount of the pressure according to whether the image forming apparatus is in the first position or in the second position.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Shigeru Sawano, Masashi Kawai, Naoki Nonoyama
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Publication number: 20130259554Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is orientatable in either a first position or a second position, the second position being different from the first position in inclination with respect to a horizontal plane, comprising: a platform configured to be stacked with a plurality of recording sheets used for image formation; a pickup roller in contact with the recording sheets and configured to pick up the recording sheets one at a time; a pressing member applying pressure to the platform against the pick-up roller; and a pressure changer causing the pressing member to change an amount of the pressure according to whether the image forming apparatus is in the first position or in the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Shigeru SAWANO, Masashi Kawai, Naoki Nonoyama
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Patent number: D987716Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Shigeru Sawano, Naoki Nonoyama