Patents by Inventor Tadashi Horikawa

Tadashi Horikawa 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: 10901366
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cartridge and an image forming apparatus main assembly. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes a drive output member for transmitting the driving force to the cartridge. The drive output member is movable between an advanced position and a retracted position. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes an inclination imparting portion for inclining the drive output member as the drive output member moves from the advanced position to the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Murakami, Naoki Matsumaru, Tadashi Horikawa, Tetsuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20200301352
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, the movable member movable relative to the photosensitive drum to control an inclination angle of a drive transmission member. The movable member is movable between a first position for reducing an inclination angle of the drive transmission member relative to the photosensitive drum and a second position retracted from the first position. By this, driving connection can be smoothly carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Tadashi Horikawa, Akihiro Fujiwara, Akinobu Hirayama, Daisuke Makiguchi, Hiroaki Nosho, Takuro Kanno, Goshi Ozaki, Tachio Kawai, Daisuke Abe
  • Publication number: 20200257242
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cartridge and an image forming apparatus main assembly. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes a drive output member for transmitting the driving force to the cartridge. The drive output member is movable between an advanced position and a retracted position. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes an inclination imparting portion for inclining the drive output member as the drive output member moves from the advanced position to the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Ryuta Murakami, Naoki Matsumaru, Tadashi Horikawa, Tetsuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10678184
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cartridge and an image forming apparatus main assembly. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes a drive output member for transmitting the driving force to the cartridge. The drive output member is movable between an advanced position and a retracted position. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes an inclination imparting portion for inclining the drive output member as the drive output member moves from the advanced position to the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Murakami, Naoki Matsumaru, Tadashi Horikawa, Tetsuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10649394
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a frame unit from a first unit. The first unit includes a first image carrying member, a supporting member supporting the first image carrying member, and a frame to which the supporting member is adhered. The first image carrying member includes a first edge portion member, and the first edge portion member includes a first restricted portion. The supporting member includes a bearing engaging with the first edge portion member so that the first image carrying member is rotatable about a rotational axis. The frame includes a first restricting portion restricting movement of the first image carrying member. The method includes separating in which the first image carrying member is separated from the supporting member while in a state in which the supporting member is adhered to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Makiguchi, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Tetsuya Numata
  • Patent number: 10627780
    Abstract: A cartridge mountable to and dismountable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a memory, a guide configured to guide a portion-to-be-guided provided in the main assembly and to guide a main assembly contact provided in the main assembly to a memory contact of the memory when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, and a grip portion. The guide is provided at a bottom of the cartridge when the cartridge is hung by gripping the grip portion and constitutes a part of a supporting portion configured to support the cartridge when the cartridge is placed on a horizontal placement surface. The guide has a chamfered surface formed by being chamfered. When the cartridge is supported at the supporting portion, the chamfered surface opposes the horizontal placement surface, and a surface of the memory contact is inclined with respect to the horizontal placement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Fujiwara, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi
  • Publication number: 20200081396
    Abstract: A cartridge mountable to and dismountable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a memory, a guide configured to guide a portion-to-be-guided provided in the main assembly and to guide a main assembly contact provided in the main assembly to a memory contact of the memory when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, and a grip portion. The guide is provided at a bottom of the cartridge when the cartridge is hung by gripping the grip portion and constitutes a part of a supporting portion configured to support the cartridge when the cartridge is placed on a horizontal placement surface. The guide has a chamfered surface formed by being chamfered. When the cartridge is supported at the supporting portion, the chamfered surface opposes the horizontal placement surface, and a surface of the memory contact is inclined with respect to the horizontal placement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Akihiro Fujiwara, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguichi
  • Patent number: 10564597
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes a dividing step for dividing a supporting member into a first divided portion including a fixed portion to a frame and a second divided portion including a second engaged portion, a divided-portion detaching step for detaching the second divided portion from the frame, and a separating step for detaching an engaging portion from a first engaged portion and separating a developing unit from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Numata, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi, Naoki Matsumaru, Tadashi Horikawa
  • Patent number: 10520883
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes a removing step for removing at least a part of a contact portion of a cover portion from a supporting member, the cover portion being configured to come into contact with a projecting portion included in a frame when the supporting member is deformed to allow a second engaged portion to be detached from an engaging portion in a state in which a fixed portion of the supporting member is fixed to the frame, a deforming step for deforming the supporting member to allow the second engaged portion to be detached from the engaging portion in the state in which the fixed portion is fixed to the frame, and a separating step for detaching an engaging portion from a first engaged portion and separating a developing unit from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadashi Horikawa, Ryuta Murakami, Tetsuya Numata, Daisuke Makiguchi, Naoki Matsumaru
  • Patent number: 10488817
    Abstract: A cartridge mountable to and dismountable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a memory, a guide configured to guide a portion-to-be-guided provided in the main assembly and to guide a main assembly contact provided in the main assembly to a memory contact of the memory when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, and a grip portion. The guide is provided at a bottom of the cartridge when the cartridge is hung by gripping the grip portion and constitutes a part of a supporting portion configured to support the cartridge when the cartridge is placed on a horizontal placement surface. The guide has a chamfered surface formed by being chamfered. When the cartridge is supported at the supporting portion, the chamfered surface opposes the horizontal placement surface, and a surface of the memory contact is inclined with respect to the horizontal placement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Fujiwara, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi
  • Publication number: 20190302684
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes a dividing step for dividing a supporting member into a first divided portion including a fixed portion to a frame and a second divided portion including a second engaged portion, a divided-portion detaching step for detaching the second divided portion from the frame, and a separating step for detaching an engaging portion from a first engaged portion and separating a developing unit from the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Tetsuya Numata, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi, Naoki Matsumaru, Tadashi Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20190302678
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a frame unit from a first unit. The first unit includes a first image carrying member, a supporting member supporting the first image carrying member, and a frame to which the supporting member is adhered. The first image carrying member includes a first edge portion member, and the first edge portion member includes a first restricted portion. The supporting member includes a bearing engaging with the first edge portion member so that the first image carrying member is rotatable about a rotational axis. The frame includes a first restricting portion restricting movement of the first image carrying member. The method includes separating in which the first image carrying member is separated from the supporting member while in a state in which the supporting member is adhered to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Daisuke Makiguchi, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Tetsuya Numata
  • Publication number: 20190302683
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes a removing step for removing at least a part of a contact portion of a cover portion from a supporting member, the cover portion being configured to come into contact with a projecting portion included in a frame when the supporting member is deformed to allow a second engaged portion to be detached from an engaging portion in a state in which a fixed portion of the supporting member is fixed to the frame, a deforming step for deforming the supporting member to allow the second engaged portion to be detached from the engaging portion in the state in which the fixed portion is fixed to the frame, and a separating step for detaching an engaging portion from a first engaged portion and separating a developing unit from the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Tadashi Horikawa, Ryuta Murakami, Tetsuya Numata, Daisuke Makiguchi, Naoki Matsumaru
  • Publication number: 20190227480
    Abstract: A cartridge mountable to and dismountable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a memory, a guide configured to guide a portion-to-be-guided provided in the main assembly and to guide a main assembly contact provided in the main assembly to a memory contact of the memory when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, and a grip portion. The guide is provided at a bottom of the cartridge when the cartridge is hung by gripping the grip portion and constitutes a part of a supporting portion configured to support the cartridge when the cartridge is placed on a horizontal placement surface. The guide has a chamfered surface formed by being chamfered. When the cartridge is supported at the supporting portion, the chamfered surface opposes the horizontal placement surface, and a surface of the memory contact is inclined with respect to the horizontal placement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Akihiro Fujiwara, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi
  • Publication number: 20190179257
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cartridge and an image forming apparatus main assembly. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes a drive output member for transmitting the driving force to the cartridge. The drive output member is movable between an advanced position and a retracted position. An image forming apparatus main assembly includes an inclination imparting portion for inclining the drive output member as the drive output member moves from the advanced position to the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Ryuta Murakami, Naoki Matsumaru, Tadashi Horikawa, Tetsuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20190129356
    Abstract: To provide a structure for the process cartridge for receiving input of driving force from outside thereof. The main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a driving output member provided with an output gear portion and an output coupling portion. The process cartridge that can be mounted to and dismounted from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an input coupling portion provided at the end of the photosensitive member and capable of coupling with the output coupling portion, and an input gear portion capable of meshing with the output gear portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Ryuta Murakami, Tadashi Horikawa, Shunsuke Uratani, Yuichiro Inaba
  • Patent number: 9946195
    Abstract: A developer container or a developing device including a sheet member having a plurality of holes and a plurality of protruded portions to be inserted into the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Takasaka, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoya Asanuma, Go Torii
  • Publication number: 20180067421
    Abstract: A developer container or a developing device including a sheet member having a plurality of holes and a plurality of protruded portions to be inserted into the holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Atsushi Takasaka, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoya Asanuma, Go Torii
  • Patent number: 9846386
    Abstract: A developer container or a developing device including a sheet member having a plurality of holes and a plurality of protruded portions to be inserted into the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Takasaka, Tadashi Horikawa, Naoya Asanuma, Go Torii
  • Patent number: D873341
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Horikawa, Noriyuki Komatsu, Naoki Matsumaru, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi, Akihiro Fujiwara, Naoki Maeda, Go Torii