Patents by Inventor Takafumi Amano

Takafumi Amano 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: 20240238848
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a support unit, a supply unit, an annular member, a rotation unit, a cover member, and an annular flow regulation member disposed above the cover member. The annular member includes an inclined surface inclined downward toward a center of the annular member in a radial direction. The flow regulation member includes a base portion and a protrusion which faces a circumferential portion of the substrate supported on the support unit and protrudes from the base portion toward the circumferential portion of the substrate. The protrusion overlaps the support unit when viewed in a vertical direction. A lower surface of the protrusion is positioned above an upper surface of the substrate supported on the support unit and positioned below an upper surface of the annular member. An inner circumferential surface of the protrusion is inclined radially outward from an upper side to a lower side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Takafumi KINOSHITA, Yuki ITO, Daisuke SAIKI, Tomoyuki HASHIMOTO, Yoshifumi AMANO, Kazuhiro AIURA, Akira FUJITA, Shuhei TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20230056979
    Abstract: A first conveying unit is allowed to be in contact with a print medium loaded on an uppermost portion of the one or more print media loaded on a print medium loading unit to convey the print medium from the uppermost portion. The first moving unit moves at least one of the one or more print media and the first conveying unit in each of directions in which the uppermost portion and the first conveying unit are close to each other and directions in which the uppermost portion and the first conveying unit are far away from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 10520854
    Abstract: A cartridge for mounting in an image forming apparatus includes a developer storage chamber, a discharge port fluidly connected to the developer storage chamber, a toner storage chamber, a fluid communication path extending in a first direction and fluidly connecting the toner storage chamber to the developer storage chamber, an auger disposed in the fluid communication path, rotatable inside the fluid communication path about a rotation axis extending in the first direction, and configured to transport the toner from the toner storage chamber along the fluid communication path toward the developer storage chamber when rotated about the rotation axis, and a sealing member disposed on the auger and configured to seal a gap between the auger and an inner surface of the fluid communication path when the sealing member is inside the fluid communication path and move along the first direction when the auger is rotated about the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20190294079
    Abstract: A cartridge for mounting in an image forming apparatus includes a developer storage chamber, a discharge port fluidly connected to the developer storage chamber, a toner storage chamber, a fluid communication path extending in a first direction and fluidly connecting the toner storage chamber to the developer storage chamber, an auger disposed in the fluid communication path, rotatable inside the fluid communication path about a rotation axis extending in the first direction, and configured to transport the toner from the toner storage chamber along the fluid communication path toward the developer storage chamber when rotated about the rotation axis, and a sealing member disposed on the auger and configured to seal a gap between the auger and an inner surface of the fluid communication path when the sealing member is inside the fluid communication path and move along the first direction when the auger is rotated about the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventor: Takafumi AMANO
  • Patent number: 10310409
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cartridge is provided with a case and a transportation member. The case includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a passage. The first chamber communicates with a discharging port and accommodates a developing agent. The second chamber is positioned distant from the discharging port compared to the first chamber and accommodates a toner. The passage allows the discharging port to communicate with the second chamber. The transportation member transports the toner, which is supplied to the passage from the second chamber, toward the discharging port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 10180638
    Abstract: A cartridge for mounting in an image forming apparatus includes a developer storage chamber, a discharge port fluidly connected to the developer storage chamber, a toner storage chamber, a fluid communication path extending in a first direction and fluidly connecting the toner storage chamber to the developer storage chamber, an auger disposed in the fluid communication path, rotatable inside the fluid communication path about a rotation axis extending in the first direction, and configured to transport the toner from the toner storage chamber along the fluid communication path toward the developer storage chamber when rotated about the rotation axis, and a sealing member disposed on the auger and configured to seal a gap between the auger and an inner surface of the fluid communication path when the sealing member is inside the fluid communication path and move along the first direction when the auger is rotated about the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20180253029
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cartridge is provided with a case and a transportation member. The case includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a passage. The first chamber communicates with a discharging port and accommodates a developing agent. The second chamber is positioned distant from the discharging port compared to the first chamber and accommodates a toner. The passage allows the discharging port to communicate with the second chamber. The transportation member transports the toner, which is supplied to the passage from the second chamber, toward the discharging port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 10036999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge which is detachably mounted from a first direction to store a toner; and a processing unit which is detachably mounted from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is provided with a photoconductor, a developing section for supplying a toner fed from the toner cartridge to the surface of the photoconductor to convert an electrostatic latent image to a toner image and a cleaning section for collecting the toner adhered on the surface of the photoconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9996025
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cartridge is provided with a case and a transportation member. The case includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a passage. The first chamber communicates with a discharging port and accommodates a developing agent. The second chamber is positioned distant from the discharging port compared to the first chamber and accommodates a toner. The passage allows the discharging port to communicate with the second chamber. The transportation member transports the toner, which is supplied to the passage from the second chamber, toward the discharging port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9970827
    Abstract: A fuel temperature estimation device that can improve the estimation accuracy of a fuel temperature in each part of a fuel channel, is provided. In the invention, the fuel temperature estimation device estimates the fuel temperature of each part of the fuel channel in a vehicle (for example, an injection nozzle, a pressure accumulator, a high-pressure pump), and includes a flow rate measuring device that measures a fuel flow rate of a fuel return system of the fuel channel and a controller. The controller includes a fuel temperature correction unit that corrects an estimated fuel temperature in a fuel injection system based on the fuel flow rate of the fuel return system, and has a function of estimating the fuel temperature using the fuel flow rate of the fuel return system as a parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigemi Kobayashi, Kazuhiro Kujirai, Masahiro Misawa, Takafumi Amano, Yousuke Aoyama
  • Patent number: 9910385
    Abstract: A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Kimura, Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20170255127
    Abstract: A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi KIMURA, Takafumi AMANO
  • Patent number: 9684264
    Abstract: A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Kimura, Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9593616
    Abstract: An exhaust pipe fuel injector capable of preventing fuel from remaining in a fuel supply system and thus capable of preventing the fuel supply system from being blocked due to carbonization of the fuel, is provided. The exhaust pipe fuel injector includes: a fuel injection nozzle that injects the fuel into an exhaust pipe; a supply pipe through which a mixed fluid of the fuel and air is supplied into the fuel injection nozzle; and a control unit. The control unit has a function of continuing combustion until no fuel remains in the inside of the supply pipe during regeneration of a diesel particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20170045858
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge which is detachably mounted from a first direction to store a toner; and a processing unit which is detachably mounted from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is provided with a photoconductor, a developing section for supplying a toner fed from the toner cartridge to the surface of the photoconductor to convert an electrostatic latent image to a toner image and a cleaning section for collecting the toner adhered on the surface of the photoconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20160378022
    Abstract: A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi KIMURA, Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9513597
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge which is detachably mounted from a first direction to store a toner; and a processing unit which is detachably mounted from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is provided with a photoconductor, a developing section for supplying a toner fed from the toner cartridge to the surface of the photoconductor to convert an electrostatic latent image to a toner image and a cleaning section for collecting the toner adhered on the surface of the photoconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9465319
    Abstract: A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Kimura, Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20160161910
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge which is detachably mounted from a first direction to store a toner; and a processing unit which is detachably mounted from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is provided with a photoconductor, a developing section for supplying a toner fed from the toner cartridge to the surface of the photoconductor to convert an electrostatic latent image to a toner image and a cleaning section for collecting the toner adhered on the surface of the photoconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Publication number: 20160154340
    Abstract: A toner container installed in an image forming apparatus includes a toner container main body having a predetermined length and in which toner is accommodated, a discharge port through which the toner is discharged from the toner container main body, a shutter which opens and closes the discharge port, a handle provided on the toner container main body, and a pressed portion provided on the toner container main body and which is pressed by the image forming apparatus to project the handle out from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi KIMURA, Takafumi AMANO