Patents by Inventor Shota SAKURAI

Shota SAKURAI 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).

  • Publication number: 20240131848
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection head to eject liquid, a recovery unit, a housing, a discharge unit, a casing including the discharge unit and the housing, and a liquid receptacle. The recovery unit maintains liquid ejecting performance of the liquid ejection head. The housing houses a container that accommodates liquid received by the recovery unit. The discharge unit discharges the liquid received by the recovery unit to the container. The liquid receptacle is disposed below the discharge unit in a direction of gravity in the casing and includes a first groove extending in a first direction crossing the direction of gravity and a second groove extending in a second direction crossing the direction of gravity and the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: HIROMASA TSUTSUMI, HIDEAKI MATSUMURA, TSUYOSHI SAEKI, NORIO SAKURAI, DAIJU TAKEDA, SHOTA ASADA, TAIJI MARUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240109330
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a liquid tank unit, a printing head, and a supply tube unit. The liquid tank unit includes first and second liquid tanks that store liquid and are arranged in parallel to each other. The printing head ejects liquid from the first and second tanks while moving in a main scanning direction. The supply tube unit includes a first supply tube connecting the first liquid tank to the printing head and includes a second supply tube coupled in parallel to the first supply tube and connecting the second liquid tank to the printing head. The second supply tube transitions from a connected tube state in which the second and first supply tubes are coupled in parallel to a single tube state by being separated from the first supply tube, passes across the first supply tube, and is connected to a connection port of the second liquid tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Dauu TAKEDA, Hideaki MATSUMURA, Tsuyoshi SAEKI, Norio SAKURAI, Hiromasa TSUTSUMI, Shota ASADA, Taiji MARUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240109333
    Abstract: A liquid storage container includes a storage portion configured to store liquid, an opening portion provided on a first surface and configured to allow injection of the liquid into the storage portion, a receiving portion consisting of the first surface and a wall disposed around the opening portion on the first surface, and a liquid holding unit configured to hold the liquid guided by a guiding portion from the liquid receiving portion to outside of the liquid receiving portion. The liquid holding unit includes a second surface different from the first surface of the liquid storage container and a flexible member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: TAIJI MARUYAMA, HIDEAKI MATSUMURA, TSUYOSHI SAEKI, NORIO SAKURAI, DAIJU TAKEDA, SHOTA ASADA, HIROMASA TSUTSUMI
  • Patent number: 11500330
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image carrier, an exposure device, a developing device that supplies a developer to form a toner image, and a hardware processor that controls the image carrier, the exposure device, and the developing device. The image forming apparatus further includes a fume prevention plate that covers a part of an internal space of the developing device where the developing roller is disposed and the developer is stored and that prevents the developer from scattering outside from the internal space, a suction duct, and an air suction device. One end of the suction duct is connected to the internal space and another end of the suction duct is connected to the air suction device. The fume prevention plate includes a movable portion. A position of the movable portion can be changed between a first position and a second position different from the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shota Sakurai, Kei Yuasa, Takenobu Kimura, Tetsuya Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220121151
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image carrier, an exposure device, a developing device that supplies a developer to form a toner image, and a hardware processor that controls the image carrier, the exposure device, and the developing device. The image forming apparatus further includes a fume prevention plate that covers a part of an internal space of the developing device where the developing roller is disposed and the developer is stored and that prevents the developer from scattering outside from the internal space, a suction duct, and an air suction device. One end of the suction duct is connected to the internal space and another end of the suction duct is connected to the air suction device. The fume prevention plate includes a movable portion. A position of the movable portion can be changed between a first position and a second position different from the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shota SAKURAI, Kei YUASA, Takenobu KIMURA, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20200192240
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer casing, a developer detector, and a hardware processor that performs control to set a developer amount range to either a first detection condition or a second detection condition. The hardware processor determines whether or not a developer amount within the developer casing has exceeded an acceptable value, based on a detection result in the developer detector under the second detection condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Shota SAKURAI, Hiroyuki SAITO, Yuji KAMODA, Tatsuya FURUTA
  • Patent number: 10649365
    Abstract: A developing device for forming an image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with a developer, includes: a developing container that accommodates the developer; a developing roller that faces the image carrier, is disposed adjacent to the developing container, and conveys the developer accommodated in the developing container to the image carrier, and a developer discharging part that is provided in the developing container and discharges a part of the developer, wherein a discharge amount of the developer discharged by the developer discharging part is controlled on the basis of a charge amount of a toner included in the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Wataru Watanabe, Shota Sakurai, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Takenobu Kimura, Ryoei Ikari
  • Patent number: 10642202
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier rotatably supported; a lubricant supplier that supplies lubricant to a surface of the image carrier; a blade that levels the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supplier in a film-like form on the surface of the image carrier; and a controller that controls image formation, wherein the controller has a lubricant removal mode to remove the lubricant accumulated on the blade, the lubricant removal mode includes a plurality of displacement modes each of which imparts different displacement to the blade, in each of the displacement modes, one of a displacement amount, a displacement speed, a displacement period, a displacement angle, and a displacement position of the blade is different, and the controller performs switching between the displacement modes dining execution of the lubricant removal mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kamoda, Shota Sakurai, Hiroyuki Saito, Tatsuya Furuta
  • Publication number: 20200073297
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier rotatably supported; a lubricant supplier that supplies lubricant to a surface of the image carrier, a blade that levels the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supplier in a film-like form on the surface of the image carrier, and a controller that controls image formation, wherein the controller has a lubricant removal mode to remove the lubricant accumulated on the blade, the lubricant removal mode includes a plurality of displacement modes each of which imparts different displacement to the blade, in each of the displacement modes, one of a displacement amount, a displacement speed, a displacement period, a displacement angle, and a displacement position of the blade is different, and the controller performs switching between the displacement modes during execution of the lubricant removal mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Yuji KAMODA, Shota SAKURAI, Hiroyuki SAITO, Tatsuya FURUTA
  • Patent number: 10459392
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a toner image; a developing part that accommodates two-component developer containing toner and a carrier, and supplies the toner to the image carrier; a transferor that transfers the toner image on the image carrier onto paper; a cleaning member that removes the toner remaining on the image carrier; and a hardware processor that controls toner discharge operation in the developing part according to a toner discharge condition, in which the hardware processor sets the toner discharge condition so that a replacement time of the cleaning member overlaps with a replacement time of another consumable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takenobu Kimura, Shota Sakurai, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Wataru Watanabe, Ryoei Ikari
  • Patent number: 10437173
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing agent carrier body that carries a developing agent; a supplier that has a plurality of movement areas for moving the developing agent and that supplies the developing agent to the developing agent carrier body; a confluence path that combines the developing agent moving in each of the plurality of movement areas and thereafter returns the developing agent to the plurality of movement areas; and a mixing member that mixes the developing agent entered in the confluence path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuteru Ishizuka, Hideaki Tanaka, Shunichi Takaya, Shota Sakurai, Kei Okamura, Kei Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20190286037
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a toner image; a developing part that accommodates two-component developer containing toner and a carrier, and supplies the toner to the image carrier; a transferor that transfers the toner image on the image carrier onto paper; a cleaning member that removes the toner remaining on the image carrier; and a hardware processor that controls toner discharge operation in the developing part according to a toner discharge condition, in which the hardware processor sets the toner discharge condition so that a replacement time of the cleaning member overlaps with a replacement time of another consumable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: TAKENOBU KIMURA, SHOTA SAKURAI, TOMOHIRO KAWASAKI, WATARU WATANABE, RYOEI IKARI
  • Patent number: 10401761
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing roller that carries a developer; a developing tank that supplies the developing roller with the developer replenished from a replenishing port; a discharger that has a discharge port connecting to the developing tank and discharges the developer from the developing tank; a supply amount acquirer that acquires a supply amount of the developer to be supplied to the developing tank; a discharge amount acquirer that acquires a discharge amount of the developer to be discharged through the discharge port; a developer amount adjuster that adjusts an amount of the developer in the developing tank; and a hardware processor that controls the developer amount adjuster to adjust the amount of the developer in the developing tank to a value within a predetermined range, in accordance with the acquired supply amount and the acquired discharge amount of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shota Sakurai, Takenobu Kimura, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Wataru Watanabe, Ryoei Ikari
  • Patent number: 10338494
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrier that carries a developer, and a developer casing that contains the developer to be supplied to the developer carrier. An opening/closing part is capable of controlling a moving amount of the developer between a first region on one side in an axial direction of the developer carrier and a second region on the other side in the axial direction of the developer carrier by opening or closing the first region and the second region. A hardware processor controls an open/closed state of the opening/closing part in accordance with the state of the developer in the first region and the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shunichi Takaya, Hideaki Tanaka, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Shota Sakurai, Kei Okamura, Kei Yuasa
  • Patent number: 10296271
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a determination section configured to determine whether there is a possibility of generation of an image defect during a printing job for image formation on a plurality of pages based on image data included in the printing job; and a changing section configured to change an order of the pages to be subjected to image formation such that an image defect is not generated when the determination section determines that there is a possibility of generation of the image defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Wataru Watanabe, Shota Sakurai, Tatsuya Furuta, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Hiroshi Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20190129328
    Abstract: A developing device for forming an image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with a developer, includes: a developing container that accommodates the developer, a developing roller that faces the image carrier, is disposed adjacent to the developing container, and conveys the developer accommodated in the developing container to the image carrier, and a developer discharging part that is provided in the developing container and discharges a part of the developer, wherein a discharge amount of the developer discharged by the developer discharging part is controlled on the basis of a charge amount of a toner included in the developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Wataru Watanabe, Shota Sakurai, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Takenobu Kimura, Ryoei Ikari
  • Patent number: 10241444
    Abstract: A developing device includes a hardware processor that performs control in which a developer circulation state is switched between a first state and a second state depending on states of the developer in the first and the second regions. The first state is a state in which a developer circulation path is formed in each of the first and the second regions, and the second state is a state in which a single developer circulation path is formed all through the first and the second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kei Okamura, Shunichi Takaya, Hideaki Tanaka, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Shota Sakurai, Kei Yuasa
  • Patent number: 10203630
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a developer carrying member carrying a developer; a plurality of developer feeders accommodating the developer carried by the developer carrying member and being arranged in an axial direction of the developer carrying member; and a collecting part that collects the developer from the developer carrying member and feeds the developer to a second developer feeder different from a first developer feeder located at a position where the developer is collected from the developer carrying member in the axial direction, among the plurality of developer feeders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kei Yuasa, Shunichi Takaya, Hideaki Tanaka, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Shota Sakurai, Kei Okamura
  • Patent number: 10197951
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance section configured to convey a sheet in a direction opposite to a first conveyance direction during image formation, the direction being a second conveyance direction; and a distortion correction section disposed on an upstream side of a transfer nip in the first conveyance direction and configured to correct, when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance section in the second conveyance direction, distortion of the sheet generated when the sheet passes through a fixing nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shota Sakurai, Hiroshi Morimoto, Wataru Watanabe, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Tatsuya Furuta
  • Publication number: 20190033750
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing roller that carries a developer; a developing tank that supplies the developing roller with the developer replenished from a replenishing port; a discharger that has a discharge port connecting to the developing tank and discharges the developer from the developing tank; a supply amount acquirer that acquires a supply amount of the developer to be supplied to the developing tank; a discharge amount acquirer that acquires a discharge amount of the developer to be discharged through the discharge port; a developer amount adjuster that adjusts an amount of the developer in the developing tank; and a hardware processor that controls the developer amount adjuster to adjust the amount of the developer in the developing tank to a value within a predetermined range, in accordance with the acquired supply amount and the acquired discharge amount of the developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Shota Sakurai, Takenobu Kimura, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Wataru Watanabe, Ryoei Ikari