Patents by Inventor Shuji Nishitani

Shuji Nishitani 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).

  • Patent number: 8985571
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus that can prevent changes at the time of mounting a sheet cassette, and deformation and changes of the sheets after the sheet cassette is mounted regardless of a sheet size are provided. A movable side regulating plate provided in a frame, regulates positions of width direction side ends of sheets is provided with sheet pressing portions and that press the side ends of the sheets to press the sheets against a fixed side regulating plate in a biasing manner. An indented configuration against which, when short sheets are pressed by the sheet pressing portion are stacked on a sheet stacking plate, upstream ends of the sheets do not abut is formed upward from a bottom end of the sheet pressing portion to a predetermined dimension at a sheet feeding direction center of the sheet pressing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Masato Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8448940
    Abstract: A movable side regulating plate is provided on a frame body. The movable side regulating plate regulates side edges in a width direction of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking plate, and is movable in the width direction. A sheet pressing portion configured to press the side edges of the sheets and press the sheets onto a stationary side regulating plate is provided on the movable side regulating plate. The sheet pressing portion has a relief shape for reducing a pressing force exerted on the sheets when an amount of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The relief shape is formed so that a downstream edge in a sheet feeding direction of a lower surface is located higher than an upstream edge in the sheet feeding direction of an upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Kazushi Nishikata, Masato Tanabe, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 8317189
    Abstract: A movable side regulating plate is provided on a frame body. The movable side regulating plate regulates side edges in a width direction of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking plate, and is movable in the width direction. A sheet pressing portion configured to press the side edges of the sheets and press the sheets onto a stationary side regulating plate is provided on the movable side regulating plate. The sheet pressing portion has a relief shape for reducing a pressing force exerted on the sheets when an amount of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The relief shape is formed so that a downstream edge in a sheet feeding direction of a lower surface is located higher than an upstream edge in the sheet feeding direction of an upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Kazushi Nishitaka, Masato Tanabe, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 8267400
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an opening/closing member which is turnably supported by an apparatus body and through which a user accesses the apparatus, and a conveying guide which is movably supported by a user access door and which includes a sheet conveying surface. When the opening/closing member is opened in a state where a sheet remains on the sheet conveying surface, the conveying guide is separated from the opening/closing member by the remaining sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Shuji Nishitani
  • Patent number: 8246044
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device that feeds sheets by a sheet feeding unit from a sheet feeding cassette storing the sheets, in which positions of rotation centers of a lifting plate and a lifting plate pressing member are varied from each other in such a manner that a rotation track of an edge of an opening of the lifting plate pressing member and a rotation track of a vertical surface of an engaging member provided on the lifting plate intersect with each other, so that the edge is engaged with the vertical surface at the intersection position of the rotation tracks to restrict rotation of the lifting plate when the lifting plate moves upward before a lifting operation of the lifting plate pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Nishitani, Shinichi Ueda
  • Publication number: 20120119434
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus that can prevent changes at the time of mounting a sheet cassette, and deformation and changes of the sheets after the sheet cassette is mounted regardless of a sheet size are provided. A movable side regulating plate provided in a frame, regulates positions of width direction side ends of sheets is provided with sheet pressing portions and that press the side ends of the sheets to press the sheets against a fixed side regulating plate in a biasing manner. An indented configuration against which, when short sheets are pressed by the sheet pressing portion are stacked on a sheet stacking plate, upstream ends of the sheets do not abut is formed upward from a bottom end of the sheet pressing portion to a predetermined dimension at a sheet feeding direction center of the sheet pressing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Masato Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20120061908
    Abstract: A movable side regulating plate is provided on a frame body. The movable side regulating plate regulates side edges in a width direction of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking plate, and is movable in the width direction. A sheet pressing portion configured to press the side edges of the sheets and press the sheets onto a stationary side regulating plate is provided on the movable side regulating plate. The sheet pressing portion has a relief shape for reducing a pressing force exerted on the sheets when an amount of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The relief shape is formed so that a downstream edge in a sheet feeding direction of a lower surface is located higher than an upstream edge in the sheet feeding direction of an upper surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Kazushi Nishikata, Masato Tanabe, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Publication number: 20110227274
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an opening/closing member which is turnably supported by an apparatus body and through which a user accesses the apparatus, and a conveying guide which is movably supported by a user access door and which includes a sheet conveying surface. When the opening/closing member is opened in a state where a sheet remains on the sheet conveying surface, the conveying guide is separated from the opening/closing member by the remaining sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: KAZUSHI NISHIKATA, SHUJI NISHITANI
  • Patent number: 8023837
    Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet, a stack portion for stacking a sheet, a discharge portion for discharging the sheet, on which an image is formed by the image forming portion, to the stack portion, a sheet detection portion for detecting a conveying condition of the sheet on which an image is formed, a fully stacked condition detection portion for detecting whether the sheets stacked in the stack portion are in a fully stacked condition, and a determining portion for determining an abnormal condition of the sheet in the stack portion, based, after the detection of a sheet passing by the sheet detection portion, on a result of detection by the fully stacked condition detection portion as to whether the sheets stacked in the stack portion are in a fully stacked condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Nishitani, Takateru Okubo
  • Patent number: 7979002
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an opening/closing member which is turnably supported by an apparatus body and through which a user accesses the apparatus, and a conveying guide which is movably supported by a user access door and which includes a sheet conveying surface. When the opening/closing member is opened in a state where a sheet remains on the sheet conveying surface, the conveying guide is separated from the opening/closing member by the remaining sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Shuji Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20110140347
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device that feeds sheets by a sheet feeding unit from a sheet feeding cassette storing the sheets, in which positions of rotation centers of a lifting plate and a lifting plate pressing member are varied from each other in such a manner that a rotation track of an edge of an opening of the lifting plate pressing member and a rotation track of a vertical surface of an engaging member provided on the lifting plate intersect with each other, so that the edge is engaged with the vertical surface at the intersection position of the rotation tracks to restrict rotation of the lifting plate when the lifting plate moves upward before a lifting operation of the lifting plate pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Nishitani, Shinichi Ueda
  • Patent number: 7853170
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a cartridge that has a photosensitive drum and can be attached to and detached from a main body of the image forming apparatus, an optical device that has a cover glass through which light emitted toward the photosensitive drum passes, a cleaning member that can move from a cleaning start position to a cleaning end position for cleaning the cover glass, and a lock member that prevents the cleaning member from moving. Before the cartridge is attached, the lock member prevents the cleaning member from moving in the longitudinal direction of the cover glass. During the attachment of the cartridge, the cartridge engages with the lock member and unlocks the cleaning member and enables the cleaning member to move from the cleaning start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Naonori Kayama, Masaki Sato, Hiroshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7630680
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus controls an image forming device on the basis of outputs from a detecting device for detecting a recording material accommodated in a storage device. The detecting device faces a recording material supporting member, and is able to come in contact with the recording material supported on the recording material supporting member. A supporting portion that supports the detecting device so as to be rotatable and a holding portion that holds the supporting portion so as to be movable allow for reliable and stable detection of the recording material by the detecting device even when the position of the recording material supporting member is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Nishitani, Kazuhiro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20090245866
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a cartridge that has a photosensitive drum and can be attached to and detached from a main body of the image forming apparatus, an optical device that has a cover glass through which light emitted toward the photosensitive drum passes, a cleaning member that can move from a cleaning start position to a cleaning end position for cleaning the cover glass, and a lock member that prevents the cleaning member from moving. Before the cartridge is attached, the lock member prevents the cleaning member from moving in the longitudinal direction of the cover glass. During the attachment of the cartridge, the cartridge engages with the lock member and unlocks the cleaning member and enables the cleaning member to move from the cleaning start position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Naonori Kayama, Masaki Sato, Hiroshi Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20090166966
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an opening/closing member which is turnably supported by an apparatus body and through which a user accesses the apparatus, and a conveying guide which is movably supported by a user access door and which includes a sheet conveying surface. When the opening/closing member is opened in a state where a sheet remains on the sheet conveying surface, the conveying guide is separated from the opening/closing member by the remaining sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Shuji Nishitani
  • Patent number: 7466939
    Abstract: A plurality of process cartridges, each including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a process device actable on the photosensitive drum, are detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image of a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an opening and closing member; an intermediate transfer member or a recording medium bearing member provided in the opening and closing member such that the intermediate transfer member can face the process cartridges under a condition in which the opening and closing member is closed, and the intermediate transfer member can be separated from the process cartridges under a condition in which the opening and closing member is open; and a moving guide for holding the process cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakashima, Takeshi Setoriyama, Shuji Nishitani, Hidetoshi Yamashita, Kazunari Murayama, Nobuharu Hoshi, Tatsuya Suzuki, Hideki Maeshima
  • Publication number: 20080095545
    Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet, a stack portion for stacking a sheet, a discharge portion for discharging the sheet, on which an image is formed by the image forming portion, to the stack portion, a sheet detection portion for detecting a conveying condition of the sheet on which an image is formed, a fully stacked condition detection portion for detecting whether the sheets stacked in the stack portion are in a fully stacked condition, and a determining portion for determining an abnormal condition of the sheet in the stack portion, based, after the detection of a sheet passing by the sheet detection portion, on a result of detection by the fully stacked condition detection portion as to whether the sheets stacked in the stack portion are in a fully stacked condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Nishitani, Takateru Okubo
  • Publication number: 20070127963
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus controls an image forming device on the basis of outputs from a detecting device for detecting a recording material accommodated in a storage device. The detecting device faces a recording material supporting member, and is able to come in contact with the recording material supported on the recording material supporting member. A supporting portion that supports the detecting device so as to be rotatable and a holding portion that holds the supporting portion so as to be movable allow for reliable and stable detection of the recording material by the detecting device even when the position of the recording material supporting member is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Nishitani, Kazuhiro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20060210304
    Abstract: A plurality of process cartridges, each including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a process device actable on the photosensitive drum, are detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image of a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an opening and closing member; an intermediate transfer member or a recording medium bearing member provided in the opening and closing member such that the intermediate transfer member can face the process cartridges under a condition in which the opening and closing member is closed, and the intermediate transfer member can be separated from the process cartridges under a condition in which the opening and closing member is open; and a moving guide for holding the process cartridges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakashima, Takeshi Setoriyama, Shuji Nishitani, Hidetoshi Yamashita, Kazunari Murayama, Nobuharu Hoshi, Tatsuya Suzuki, Hideki Maeshima
  • Patent number: 7092657
    Abstract: A plurality of process cartridges, each including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a process device actable on the photosensitive drum, are detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image of a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an opening and closing member; an intermediate transfer member or a recording medium bearing member provided in the opening and closing member such that the intermediate transfer member can face the process cartridges under a condition in which the opening and closing member is closed, and the intermediate transfer member can be separated from the process cartridges under a condition in which the opening and closing member is open; and a moving guide for holding the process cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakashima, Takeshi Setoriyama, Shuji Nishitani, Hidetoshi Yamashita, Kazunari Murayama, Nobuharu Hoshi, Tatsuya Suzuki, Hideki Maeshima