Patents by Inventor Takahiro Okubo

Takahiro Okubo 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: 11977795
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a first discharge unit to discharge a printing medium on which printing has been performed, and a second discharge unit to discharge a printing medium on which printing has been performed. A determination unit, in a case where the first discharge unit is instructed to be a discharge destination of a printing medium, determines whether to discharge the printing medium from the first discharge unit based on a predetermined condition. An identification unit, in a case where the determination unit determines not to discharge the printing medium from the first discharge unit, identifies alternative processing previously instructed by a user. An execution unit executes the alternative processing identified by the identification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20240142891
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, a development voltage power supply, and a control section. The developing device includes a development container which contains a non-magnetic one-component developer and a developer carrying member which includes a rotary shaft and a roller portion stacked on the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft, and the resistance value of the roller portion is 9 to 11 [Log ?], and when the amount of toner conveyed on the developer carrying member is Md [g/m2], the amount of toner adhered on the image carrying member in a solid image is Mp [g/m2], the peripheral speed of the developer carrying member and the image carrying member are Sd [mm/sec] and Sp [mm/sec], 0.8×Sd/Sp<Mp/Md and 0.8?Sd/Sp?1.2 are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Minoru WADA, Takahiro OKUBO, Takeru NAGAMOTO
  • Patent number: 11972947
    Abstract: A semiconductor laminate film includes a silicon substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the silicon substrate and containing silicon and germanium. The semiconductor layer having a surface roughness Rms of 1 nm or less. Further, the semiconductor layer satisfies the following relationship t?0.881×x?4.79 where t represents a thickness (nm) of the semiconductor layer, and x represents a ratio of the number of germanium atoms to a sum of the number of silicon atoms and the number of germanium atoms in the semiconductor layer. Also, the semiconductor layer being a mixed crystal semiconductor layer containing silicon and germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tokyo University Of Agriculture And Technology, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Suda, Takahiro Tsukamoto, Akira Motohashi, Kyohei Degura, Katsumi Okubo, Takuma Yagi, Akifumi Kasamatsu, Nobumitsu Hirose, Toshiaki Matsui
  • Patent number: 11938728
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: head chips including a first-head-chip and a second-head-chip; a holder holding the head chips; and a heater along a direction parallel to a nozzle surface. The first-head-chip and the second-head-chip are disposed to be offset from each other in both a first-direction and a second-direction parallel to the nozzle surface and intersecting with each other. When a first-side is one of the four sides of a virtual rectangle circumscribing the aggregate of the head chips and a second-side and a third-side are coupled to both ends of the first-side, the first-head-chip is in contact with the first-side and the third-side and the second-head chip is in contact with the second-side. The heater overlaps the head chips. A first-region surrounded by the first-side, the second-side, the first-head-chip, and the second-head-chip includes a first-outside-part positioned outside the outer edge of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kanegae, Katsuhiro Okubo, Kentaro Murakami, Shingo Tomimatsu, Hiroki Kobayashi, Haruhisa Uezawa
  • Patent number: 11938732
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head supported by a support body includes: a first head chip; a holder having a holding portion holding the first head chip and a flange portion; and a heater heating the holding portion, in which the holding portion has a heat receiving portion receiving heat from the heater, and a shortest path of heat transferred through the holder from the heat receiving portion to the flange portion is bent or curved at two or more points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Okubo, Takahiro Kanegae, Kentaro Murakami, Shingo Tomimatsu, Hiroki Kobayashi, Haruhisa Uezawa
  • Patent number: 11913208
    Abstract: A flush toilet includes a toilet main body made of ceramics, a control unit, a supply source that enables water supply or power supply to the control unit, and a flexible elongated member connecting the supply source and the control unit. The toilet main body includes a rear storage configured to store at least a part of the control unit. The rear storage includes an upper storage region, a lower region, and a lower communication region. The flexible elongated member extends from an upper connecting end portion toward a lower connecting end portion, to be inserted from the upper storage region into the lower communication region, and then extends from inside of the lower communication region to outside of the toilet main body, without extending through the lower region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Eto, Takahiro Maruyama, Wataru Ishimi, Taketo Okubo, Seiya Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11802015
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: as a conveyance to convey an object formed with an image, an upstream-side conveyance path; an intermediate conveyance path connected to a downstream end part of the upstream-side conveyance path via a first bent part; and a downstream-side conveyance path connected to the intermediate conveyance path via a second bent part, wherein the second bent part is bent to a side opposite to the first bent part, on an inner side of a bend of the first bent part, a friction reducing part capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part is provided, and the intermediate conveyance path includes: a pair of guide parts forming the intermediate conveyance path; and a friction reducing part that is provided on both a pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Takahiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20230342093
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a first discharge unit configured to discharge a printing medium on which printing has been performed; and a second discharge unit configured to discharge a printing medium on which printing has been performed. A determination unit is configured to, in a case where the first discharge unit is instructed to be a discharge destination of a printing medium, determine whether to discharge the printing medium from the first discharge unit based on a predetermined condition. An identification unit is configured to, in a case where the determination unit determines not to discharge the printing medium from the first discharge unit, identify alternative processing previously instructed by a user. An execution unit is configured to execute the alternative processing identified by the identification unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventor: Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 11307513
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a toner detection sensor, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit includes an image carrier, a charging device, an exposure device, and a developing device. The toner detection sensor detects toner in the developing device. The control unit predicts transition of the toner deterioration degree in the developing device using the toner consumption amount and the cumulative operating time stored in the storage unit, and a predetermined toner deterioration model. The control unit is capable of measuring the toner deterioration degree based on amplitude of an output value of the toner detection sensor, and corrects the toner deterioration model, if the measured value of the toner deterioration degree is apart from the predicted value of the toner deterioration degree by a predetermined value or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 11249415
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a simple configuration capable of measuring a toner current included in a developing current and accurately calculating a toner charge amount based on the measurement result. The developing device has a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and toner. The density detecting device detects the density of the toner image. The current detecting unit detects a DC component of a developing current that flows when a developing voltage is applied to the developer carrier. The control unit, in a state in which the image carrier is rotated at two or more different linear speeds during non-image formation, forms the same reference image on the image carrier by the developing device, and estimates the toner charge amount based on the developing current when the reference image is formed and the density of the reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Takahiro Okubo, Yohei Wakasa, Kazuhiro Nakachi
  • Publication number: 20220011708
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: as a conveyance to convey an object formed with an image, an upstream-side conveyance path; an intermediate conveyance path connected to a downstream end part of the upstream-side conveyance path via a first bent part; and a downstream-side conveyance path connected to the intermediate conveyance path via a second bent part, wherein the second bent part is bent to a side opposite to the first bent part, on an inner side of a bend of the first bent part, a friction reducing part capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part is provided, and the intermediate conveyance path includes: a pair of guide parts forming the intermediate conveyance path; and a friction reducing part that is provided on both a pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Takahiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 11144002
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a transfer section that transfers an image to a sheet; a sheet conveying member that is provided on an upstream side of the transfer section in a conveying direction of the sheet and that conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member such that the sheet is displaced in a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor causes a detector that detects an edge of the sheet in the width direction to detect the edge of the sheet after displacement of the sheet conveying member has been started, and causes the displacement to be terminated on the basis of the detected result such that the edge of the sheet reaches a target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 11143979
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a simple configuration capable of measuring a toner current included in a developing current and accurately calculating a toner charge amount based on the measurement result. A developing device has a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and toner. A developing voltage power supply applies a developing voltage obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage on the developer carrier. A control unit estimates a toner charge amount based on a toner current calculated by subtracting a carrier current from a developing current detected by a current detecting unit when a reference image is formed during non-image formation, and a toner developing amount calculated from the density of a reference image detected by a density detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Mitsuhiro Hashimoto, Takahiro Okubo, Yohei Wakasa, Kazuhiro Nakachi
  • Publication number: 20210286288
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a toner detection sensor, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit includes an image carrier, a charging device, an exposure device, and a developing device. The toner detection sensor detects toner in the developing device. The control unit predicts transition of the toner deterioration degree in the developing device using the toner consumption amount and the cumulative operating time stored in the storage unit, and a predetermined toner deterioration model. The control unit is capable of measuring the toner deterioration degree based on amplitude of an output value of the toner detection sensor, and corrects the toner deterioration model, if the measured value of the toner deterioration degree is apart from the predicted value of the toner deterioration degree by a predetermined value or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takahiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 11092913
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a sway roller pair constituted of a pair of rollers, a first detector and a hardware processor. The transfer unit transfers an image onto paper. The fixing unit fixes, to the paper, the image transferred onto the paper by the transfer unit. The sway roller pair conveys the paper to the transfer unit, the paper being conveyed to the sway roller pair. The first detector is provided on a downstream side of the transfer unit but on an upstream side of the fixing unit and detects a position of a side edge of the paper. The hardware processor performs sway control of the sway roller pair based on a detection result of the detection by the first detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 11067923
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a high-voltage generation circuit, a current detection portion and a control portion. The image forming portion includes an image carrying member, a charging device, an exposure device and a developing device which includes a developer carrying member for carrying a two-component developer. The control portion can perform a transfer memory prediction mode that includes a step of estimating, when a first reference image is formed, the level of occurrence of transfer memory based on the direct-current component of a development current flowing through the developer carrying member and a step of measuring, when the measured direct-current component of the development current is larger than a predetermined value, the amount of charge of the toner within the developing device and estimating the cause of occurrence of the transfer memory based on the measured amount of charge of the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Takahiro Okubo, Mitsuhiro Hashimoto, Kazuhiro Nakachi, Shiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20210149321
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a simple configuration capable of measuring a toner current included in a developing current and accurately calculating a toner charge amount based on the measurement result. A developing device has a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and toner. A developing voltage power supply applies a developing voltage obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage on the developer carrier. A control unit estimates a toner charge amount based on a toner current calculated by subtracting a carrier current from a developing current detected by a current detecting unit when a reference image is formed during non-image formation, and a toner developing amount calculated from the density of a reference image detected by a density detecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Mitsuhiro Hashimoto, Takahiro Okubo, Yohei Wakasa, Kazuhiro Nakachi
  • Publication number: 20210149320
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a simple configuration capable of measuring a toner current included in a developing current and accurately calculating a toner charge amount based on the measurement result. The developing device has a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and toner. The density detecting device detects the density of the toner image. The current detecting unit detects a DC component of a developing current that flows when a developing voltage is applied to the developer carrier. The control unit, in a state in which the image carrier is rotated at two or more different linear speeds during non-image formation, forms the same reference image on the image carrier by the developing device, and estimates the toner charge amount based on the developing current when the reference image is formed and the density of the reference image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Takahiro OKUBO, Yohei WAKASA, Kazuhiro NAKACHI
  • Patent number: 10996585
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a high-voltage generation circuit, a current detection portion and a control portion. The image forming portion includes an image carrying member, a charging device, an exposure device and a developing device which includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer including a carrier and a toner. The control portion can perform a development ghost prediction mode that includes a step of measuring the amount of charge of the toner within the developing device at the time of non-image formation, a step of measuring, as a carrier current, the direct-current component of a development current when the amount of development of the toner is 0 [mg/cm2] and a step of estimating the level of occurrence of development ghost and the cause of occurrence based on the amount of charge of the toner and the carrier current which are measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Mitsuhiro Hashimoto, Takahiro Okubo, Kazuhiro Nakachi, Shiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20210041808
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a high-voltage generation circuit, a current detection portion and a control portion. The image forming portion includes an image carrying member, a charging device, an exposure device and a developing device which includes a developer carrying member for carrying a two-component developer. The control portion can perform a transfer memory prediction mode that includes a step of estimating, when a first reference image is formed, the level of occurrence of transfer memory based on the direct-current component of a development current flowing through the developer carrying member and a step of measuring, when the measured direct-current component of the development current is larger than a predetermined value, the amount of charge of the toner within the developing device and estimating the cause of occurrence of the transfer memory based on the measured amount of charge of the toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Takahiro OKUBO, Mitsuhiro HASHIMOTO, Kazuhiro NAKACHI, Shiro KANEKO