Patents by Inventor Shuji Yokoyama

Shuji Yokoyama 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: 20170371280
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a fixation device has a fixation belt, a coil, and a heat-generation auxiliary plate. The coil is opposed to the fixation belt and the heat-generation auxiliary plate and generates magnetic flux. The heat-generation auxiliary plate assists heating of a recording medium by the fixation belt. The heat-generation auxiliary plate has a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer formed on the magnetic layer and contacting a base layer of the fixation belt. The non-magnetic layer is harder than the base layer of the fixation belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventor: Shuji YOKOYAMA
  • Patent number: 9851665
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a fixation device has a fixation belt, a coil, and a heat-generation auxiliary plate. The coil is opposed to the fixation belt and the heat-generation auxiliary plate and generates magnetic flux. The heat-generation auxiliary plate assists heating of a recording medium by the fixation belt. The heat-generation auxiliary plate has a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer formed on the magnetic layer and contacting a base layer of the fixation belt. The non-magnetic layer is harder than the base layer of the fixation belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20170139356
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a fixing apparatus comprises a belt which is equipped with a conductive layer; an induction current generator which faces the belt and heats the conductive layer through an electromagnetic induction system; a magnetic material which faces the induction current generator across the belt; a measurement section which measures a state of the magnetic material; and a controller which controls a frequency applied to the induction current generator based on a measurement result of the measurement section in a case in which at least a print request is not received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20170045847
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt including a ferromagnetic layer. A ferromagnetic plate is disposed inside the belt and has a Curie point that is lower than a Curie point of the ferromagnetic layer. An induction heater causes heat generation in the ferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic plate. The induction heater includes a coil. A driving circuit outputs a high frequency current to the coil, and changes the high frequency current. A temperature sensor measures a temperature of the coil. A controller controls the driving circuit to decrease the high frequency current if the temperature of the coil measured by the temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Shuji YOKOYAMA, Yuki KAWASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9501014
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt including a ferromagnetic layer, a roller facing the belt, a ferromagnetic plate disposed inside the belt and having a Curie point that is lower than a Curie point of the ferromagnetic layer, an induction heater configured to cause heat generation in the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic plate, a driving circuit configured to output a high frequency current to the induction heater by switching on and off switching elements thereof, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether or not a temperature of the ferromagnetic plate is higher than the Curie point thereof, and control the driving circuit to reduce a level of the high frequency current when the temperature of the ferromagnetic plate is determined to be higher than the Curie point thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Yokoyama, Yuki Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20160313682
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a fixing belt, an induction current generating part and an auxiliary heat generation part. The fixing belt includes a conductive layer. The induction current generating part faces the fixing belt in a thickness direction. The induction current generating part heats the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction. The auxiliary heat generation part faces the induction current generating part through the fixing belt. The auxiliary heat generation part includes a magnetic member. The magnetic member includes a mesh part. The mesh part has a mesh shape when viewed from the thickness direction of the fixing belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9395663
    Abstract: A fixing device of an exemplary embodiment includes a fixing belt, an induced current generation section, an auxiliary heat generation section, a temperature detection section, and a control section. The fixing belt includes a conductive layer. The induced current generation section opposes the fixing belt in a thickness direction. The induced current generation section performs electromagnetic induction heating on the conductive layer. The auxiliary heat generation section opposes the induced current generation section with the fixing belt interposed therebetween. The temperature detection section detects a temperature of the auxiliary heat generation section. The control section reduces an output from the induced current generation section on the basis of a detection result from the temperature detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20160154352
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt including a ferromagnetic layer, a roller facing the belt, a ferromagnetic plate disposed inside the belt and having a Curie point that is lower than a Curie point of the ferromagnetic layer, an induction heater configured to cause heat generation in the magnetic layer and the ferromagnetic plate, a driving circuit configured to output a high frequency current to the induction heater by switching on and off switching elements thereof, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether or not a temperature of the ferromagnetic plate is higher than the Curie point thereof, and control the driving circuit to reduce a level of the high frequency current when the temperature of the ferromagnetic plate is determined to be higher than the Curie point thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Shuji YOKOYAMA, Yuki KAWASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9316976
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a fixing belt, an induction current generating part and an auxiliary heat generation part. The fixing belt includes a conductive layer. The induction current generating part faces the fixing belt in a thickness direction. The induction current generating part heats the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction. The auxiliary heat generation part faces the induction current generating part through the fixing belt. The auxiliary heat generation part includes a magnetic member. The magnetic member includes a mesh part. The mesh part has a mesh shape when viewed from the thickness direction of the fixing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9158247
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiro Doi, Toshihiro Sone, Shuji Yokoyama, Tadashi Noguchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Ryota Saeki, Shigeru Fujiwara, Shoko Shimmura, Kazutoshi Takahashi, Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9063492
    Abstract: A fuser includes a fixing belt that is endless and includes a heat generating layer and circulates, an end restraining member that supports an end of the fixing belt, a heat generating source that is disposed around the fixing belt and heats the heat generating layer, an opposite part that contacts an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, a pressure part that is disposed inside the fixing belt and located at a position opposite to the opposite part, and presses the fixing belt to the opposite part side to form a nip between the fixing belt and the opposite part, and a rotation part that contacts an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt at a position opposite to the heat generating source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20140341600
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Kazuhiko KIKUCHI, Masahiro DOI, Toshihiro SONE, Shuji YOKOYAMA, Tadashi NOGUCHI, Satoshi KINOUCHI, Ryota SAEKI, Shigeru FUJIWARA, Shoko SHIMMURA, Kazutoshi TAKAHASHI, Takafumi AMANO
  • Patent number: 8892014
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes: an image-side rotating section to come into contact with an unfixed image on a recording medium; a pressing section to form a nip between the pressing section and the image-side rotating section; a pressing adjusting section to adjust pressing force between the image-side rotating section and the pressing section; and a peeling plate to move to a position during jam treatment if the pressing force is pressing force during the jam treatment and peel the recording medium off the image-side rotating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8855542
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a fuser including a cylindrical fixing belt, a heating member, an auxiliary heat generating member, a plurality of heat pipes, a pressurizing pad, and a pressurizing roller. The heating member heats the fixing belt. The auxiliary heat generating member auxiliary heats the fixing belt. The plural heat pipes are sparsely arranged in the center in the longitudinal direction of the auxiliary heat generating member and more densely arranged at the ends in the longitudinal direction of the auxiliary heat generating member than in the center. The pressurizing pad is arranged on the inside of the fixing belt. The pressurizing roller is arranged in contact with the outer circumference of the fixing belt. The pressurizing roller presses the fixing belt against the pressurizing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sone, Tadashi Noguchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Masahiro Doi, Shuji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8855540
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiro Doi, Toshihiro Sone, Shuji Yokoyama, Tadashi Noguchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Ryota Saeki, Shigeru Fujiwara, Shoko Shimmura, Kazutoshi Takahashi, Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 8855539
    Abstract: A fuser includes: a heat generating section including a heat generating layer and configured to rotationally travel; an induction-current generating section provided around the exterior of the heat generating section and including an exciting coil and an external ferrite core that covers the outer circumference of the exciting coil; an opposing section set in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the heat generating section; and an internal ferrite core arranged inside of the heat generating section in a position opposed to the exciting coil, a first center angle connecting both edges of the internal ferrite core and a rotation center of the heat generating section being larger than a second center angle connecting both edges of the external ferrite core and the rotation center of the heat generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Mita, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiro Doi, Shuji Yokoyama, Toshihiro Sone
  • Patent number: 8831497
    Abstract: A fuser includes a fixing belt that is endless and includes a heat generating layer and circulates, an end restraining member that supports an end of the fixing belt, a heat generating source that is disposed around the fixing belt and heats the heat generating layer, an opposite part that contacts an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, a pressure part that is disposed inside the fixing belt and located at a position opposite to the opposite part, and presses the fixing belt to the opposite part side to form a nip between the fixing belt and the opposite part, and a rotation part that contacts an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt at a position opposite to the heat generating source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuji Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20140169847
    Abstract: A fuser includes a fixing belt that is endless and includes a heat generating layer and circulates, an end restraining member that supports an end of the fixing belt, a heat generating source that is disposed around the fixing belt and heats the heat generating layer, an opposite part that contacts an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, a pressure part that is disposed inside the fixing belt and located at a position opposite to the opposite part, and presses the fixing belt to the opposite part side to form a nip between the fixing belt and the opposite part, and a rotation part that contacts an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt at a position opposite to the heat generating source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Shuji YOKOYAMA
  • Patent number: 8521065
    Abstract: A fuser includes: a rotational member configured to rotate; a press member configured to press the rotational member; an induction-current generator configured to generate induction current in the rotational member; and a separator configured to separate a leading end of a recording medium that passes through a nip from the rotational member, when a distal end is in a separating position, and move to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Shuji Yokoyama, Hiroshi Nakayama, Hiroaki Yamauchi, Satoshi Kinouchi
  • Publication number: 20130051877
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a fuser including a cylindrical fixing belt, a heating member, an auxiliary heat generating member, a plurality of heat pipes, a pressurizing pad, and a pressurizing roller. The heating member heats the fixing belt. The auxiliary heat generating member auxiliary heats the fixing belt. The plural heat pipes are sparsely arranged in the center in the longitudinal direction of the auxiliary heat generating member and more densely arranged at the ends in the longitudinal direction of the auxiliary heat generating member than in the center. The pressurizing pad is arranged on the inside of the fixing belt. The pressurizing roller is arranged in contact with the outer circumference of the fixing belt. The pressurizing roller presses the fixing belt against the pressurizing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshihiro SONE, Tadashi Noguchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Masahiro Doi, Shuji Yokoyama