Patents by Inventor Shinichi Takata
Shinichi Takata 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: 7639958Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2007Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20090175638Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2009Publication date: July 9, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7546045Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus whereby waiting time (downtime), which is required for forming an image by automatic adjustment relating to image formation density or image formation position, is made shorter than in the prior art. When an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed is formed in this apparatus, the image to be formed is placed on an image carrier in such a manner that a vacant area for forming an adjustment pattern can be reserved on the image carrier. As a result, automatic adjustment relating to image formation density or image formation position can be executed while an image is formed.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2006Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Junichi Noguchi, Takashi Kanno, Takashi Soya, Shinichi Takata, Shigemichi Hamano, Kiyoshi Okamoto, Katsuyuki Yamazaki, Tomoichiro Ohta
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Patent number: 7495683Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of forming an excellent image while suppressing reduction in productivity to a minimum even when an abnormality occurs in detection of an HP mark on an intermediate transfer member. When there occurs abnormality in detection of any of HP marks, an alternate signal is generated in place of a signal associated with a mark the detection of which is determined to be abnormal, and image formation is carried out with reference to the time of normal HP mark detection and the alternate signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2006Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinichi Takata, Akihiko Sakai, Takuya Kawamura, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7471908Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can improve image formation capability to a satisfactory degree while curbing the rise in running cost. An image forming device forms adjustment images having different densities on an image support member having a higher optical reflectivity than an optical reflectivity of the adjustment images. A reading reads the adjustment images. An output from the reading device is read at a predetermined number of readings or time interval between readings based on the densities of the adjustment images susceptible to the optical reflectivity of the image support member.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Soya, Junichi Noguchi, Takashi Kanno, Shinichi Takata, Shigemichi Hamano, Kiyoshi Okamoto, Katsuyuki Yamazaki, Tomoichiro Ohta
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Patent number: 7471912Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transfer device transferring a toner image from an intermediate transfer member to a sheet, a sheet feeder feeding the sheet to the transfer device, a sheet re-feeder, which reverses the front side and back side of the sheet to re-feed the sheet to the transfer device, and a controller, which controls the execution of a two-side copying mode, wherein when a feeding of the sheet from the sheet feeder is interrupted with a first toner image to be transferred to another sheet fed from the sheet re-feeder and a second toner image to be transferred to the sheet fed from the sheet feeder being on the intermediate transfer member, the controller controls the transfer device to perform a transfer of the first toner image and inhibit a transfer of the second toner image.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2006Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Takuya Kawamura, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20080316541Abstract: An image forming apparatus having improved installability and operability. The image forming apparatus has an operation unit thereof disposed on an arm extending from the apparatus and pivotable around a support member in substantially the horizontal direction, and has sensors for detecting the pivot position of the operation unit. An initial-screen setting screen determined based on the pivot position of the operation unit detected by the sensors is displayed on the operation unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2008Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinichi Takata, Takashi Fujimori, Hiroaki Tomiyasu, Yuichi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7376368Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a water content determination apparatus that can precisely determining a water content in a medium regardless of an environment where the image forming apparatus is installed. The water content determination apparatus has a detection device that outputs a first signal while the medium is absent in an electrostatic capacitance region formed in a path where the medium is conveyed and outputs a second signal while the medium is present in the electrostatic capacitance region. The temperature in the image forming apparatus is determined based on the first signal. The water content in the medium is determined based on the second signal and the temperature determined by the temperature determination device.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2006Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayoshi Taira, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takashi Sugiura, Shinichi Takata, Yushi Oka, Fumitaka Sobue, Naohisa Nagata
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Publication number: 20080075496Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7283262Abstract: A sub-CPU copes with a status obtaining request from a network in a sleep mode. Further, necessary least power control for updating a status in an image forming apparatus in the sleep mode is realized by the sub-CPU.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2003Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Takeda, Kazuki Miyamoto, Shigeo Miura, Takeharu Uchizono, Takahiro Ushiro, Shinichi Takata
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Patent number: 7277113Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which the intensity of a light beam used to form a latent image is switched in response to a change in resolution. A laser emits a light beam for forming a latent image on a photosensitive drum. A polygon mirror scans the emitted light beam. BD sensors detect the scanned beam. A timing controller selects the preferable timing from a storage device table according to the intensity of the light beam or the resolution when controlling the light emission timing of the lasers in response to a detection of timing of the detected light beam.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumitaka Sobue, Masayoshi Taira, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takashi Sugiura, Shinichi Takata, Yushi Oka, Naohisa Nagata
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Publication number: 20070144362Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of forming an excellent image while suppressing reduction in productivity to a minimum even when an abnormality occurs in detection of an HP mark on an intermediate transfer member. When there occurs abnormality in detection of any of HP marks, an alternate signal is generated in place of a signal associated with a mark the detection of which is determined to be abnormal, and image formation is carried out with reference to the time of normal HP mark detection and the alternate signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2006Publication date: June 28, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinichi TAKATA, Akihiko SAKAI, Takuya KAWAMURA, Yuichiro MAEDA
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Publication number: 20070134013Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can improve image formation capability to a satisfactory degree while curbing the rise in running cost. An image forming device forms adjustment images having different densities on an image support member having a higher optical reflectivity than an optical reflectivity of the adjustment images. A reading reads the adjustment images. An output from the reading device is read at a predetermined number of readings or time interval between readings based on the densities of the adjustment images susceptible to the optical reflectivity of the image support member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2006Publication date: June 14, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi SOYA, Junichi NOGUCHI, Takashi KANNO, Shinichi TAKATA, Shigemichi HAMANO, Kiyoshi OKAMOTO, Katsuyuki YAMAZAKI, Tomoichiro OHTA
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Publication number: 20070048032Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transfer device transferring a toner image from an intermediate transfer member to a sheet, a sheet feeder feeding the sheet to the transfer device, a sheet re-feeder, which reverses the front side and back side of the sheet to re-feed the sheet to the transfer device, and a controller, which controls the execution of a two-side copying mode, wherein when a feeding of the sheet from the sheet feeder is interrupted with a first toner image to be transferred to another sheet fed from the sheet re-feeder and a second toner image to be transferred to the sheet fed from the sheet feeder being on the intermediate transfer member, the controller controls the transfer device to perform a transfer of the first toner image and inhibit a transfer of the second toner image.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: March 1, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiko SAKAI, Shinichi TAKATA, Takuya KAWAMURA, Yuichiro MAEDA
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Publication number: 20070036575Abstract: A technique for reducing downtime that accompanies the execution independently of adjustment processing for maintaining image quality and the execution of finishing processing relating to a printing medium. In order to apply the finishing processing to the printing medium in a finishing processing unit, an image forming apparatus to which this technique is applied sets a time between sheets that extends from end of image formation regarding a first sheet of the printing medium to start of image formation regarding a second sheet of the printing medium transported following the first sheet of the printing medium in the image forming unit, and executes adjustment processing, which is for maintaining image quality in the image forming unit, within the set time between sheets.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2006Publication date: February 15, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shigemichi HAMANO, Junichi NOGUCHI, Takashi KANNO, Takashi SOYA, Shinichi TAKATA, Kiyoshi OKAMOTO, Katsuyuki YAMAZAKI, Tomoichiro OHTA
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Publication number: 20060285863Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus whereby waiting time (downtime), which is required for forming an image by automatic adjustment relating to image formation density or image formation position, is made shorter than in the prior art. When an image having a size equal to or less than a prescribed size is formed is formed in this apparatus, the image to be formed is placed on an image carrier in such a manner that a vacant area for forming an adjustment pattern can be reserved on the image carrier. As a result, automatic adjustment relating to image formation density or image formation position can be executed while an image is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2006Publication date: December 21, 2006Applicant: Cannon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Junichi Noguchi, Takashi Kanno, Takashi Soya, Shinichi Takata, Shigemichi Hamano, Kiyoshi Okamoto, Katsuyuki Yamazaki, Tomoichiro Ohta
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Publication number: 20060201236Abstract: A water content determination apparatus which are capable of precisely determining water content contained in a medium regardless of an environment where an image forming apparatus is installed. The water content determination apparatus. A signal in accordance with presence or absence of a medium in an electrostatic capacitance region formed on a paper path is outputted where the medium for image forming is conveyed. Temperature in the water content determination apparatus is determined based on an output signal of the detection device in absence of the medium passing in the electrostatic capacitance region. Water content contained in the medium is determined based on the output signal of the detection device in absence of the medium passing in the electrostatic capacitance region, the output signal of the detection device in presence of the medium passing in the electrostatic capacitance region, and the temperature determined by the temperature determination device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2006Publication date: September 14, 2006Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayoshi Taira, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takashi Sugiura, Shinichi Takata, Yushi Oka, Fumitaka Sobue, Naohisa Nagata
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Patent number: 7095965Abstract: When a plurality of toner containers mounted on a developing rotary unit are simultaneously determined as toner-absent toner containers, toner container replacement may not be efficient because toner containers are replaced at a replacement position. Therefore, when the toner containers mounted on the developing rotary unit are simultaneously determined as toner-absent toner containers, a toner container to be preferentially replaced is selected so as to be able to be placed at a replacement position by considering the usability of the toner containers.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2004Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigemichi Hamano, Akihiko Sato, Shinichi Takata, Toru Ono, Yushi Oka
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Publication number: 20060100724Abstract: When the image forming apparatus shifts to the reduced power consumption mode, the image forming apparatus transmits an agency request command for requesting the server apparatus to respond to a status request, on behalf of the image forming apparatus, and the latest status thereof to the server apparatus. When there is a change in the status of the image forming apparatus in the reduced power consumption mode, the image forming apparatus transmits a changed status thereof to the server apparatus. The server apparatus receives a status request sent from an information processing apparatus connected to the network to the image forming apparatus, on behalf of the image forming apparatus. The server apparatus responds to the information processing apparatus in response to the status request, based on the status received beforehand from the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2003Publication date: May 11, 2006Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shigeo Miura, Kazuki Miyamoto, Takeharu Uchizono, Takahiro Ushiro, Tomoyuki Takeda, Shinichi Takata
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Patent number: 7043170Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a rotatable photoreceptor carrying a toner image thereon, a rotatable intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer device facilitating primary transfer of the toner image from the photoreceptor onto the intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer device facilitating secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a sheet, and a controller controlling rotation speed of the intermediate transfer member. The controller sets the rotation speed at a first speed during primary transfer. After primary transfer and a delay period, the controller changes the rotation speed to a second speed. The controller determines which rotation of the intermediate transfer member to change the speed.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2004Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toru Ono, Shinichi Takata, Shigemichi Hamano, Akihiko Sato, Kenji Morita, Yushi Oka