Patents by Inventor Takaki Kato

Takaki Kato 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: 10776934
    Abstract: A movement amount detecting device performs discrete Fourier transform onto N-th image data and N+1-th image data, thereby generating N-th wave number space data and N+1-th wave number space data. The movement amount detecting device obtains a target speed of a sheet, and determines a cutoff value based on the obtained target speed and an exposure time in an image sensor. The movement amount detecting device calculates an amount of movement of the sheet based on a phase difference between the N-th wave number space data and the N+1-th wave number space data in a wave number component smaller than the cutoff value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takaki Kato, Yuji Kobayashi, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 10474085
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a moving element on which an image is formed, a generator configured to generate a first image and a second image by shooting the conveyed moving element at different timing, a detector configured to sense a first distance between the generator and the moving element at the time of shooting of the first image and sense a second distance between the generator and the moving element at the time of shooting of the second image, and a hardware processor configured to calculate a speed of conveyance of the moving element based on the first image, the second image, the first distance, and the second distance, and output the speed of conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 10250767
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying path on which a recording medium is conveyed; an image capturer that includes a light source and radiates light from the light source to capture the recording medium being conveyed at different timings to generate at least two images including a first image and a second image; and a movement amount calculator that calculates a movement amount of the recording medium between capturing timings of the first and second images, wherein the movement amount calculator: calculates an index distance which is a distance in a conveying direction of a pattern formed by reflected light from the recording medium; calculates a ratio between the index distance and a reference distance used for comparison with the index distance; and calculates a movement amount of the recording medium between the capturing timings of the first and second images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Publication number: 20190004320
    Abstract: To provide an information display device that can be worn inside protective equipment covering the face and an information display method that achieves the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Musashi SHIGEYAMA, Kenji OSAKI, Takaki KATO
  • Patent number: 10139767
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that transfers an image from an image carrier onto a sheet passing between the image carrier rotating and a transfer member includes a fixing unit configured to thermally fix the image on the sheet while nipping and conveying the sheet with a pair of fixing members after the transfer, at least one of the fixing members rotating; a measuring unit configured to measure surface movement speed of the sheet in a non-contact manner while the sheet is being conveyed by the fixing members; and a control unit configured to control rotation speed of the fixing members in accordance with a result of the measurement, to adjust speed of conveyance of the sheet to a target speed determined beforehand for peripheral speed of the image carrier, the control being performed while the sheet being conveyed is in contact with the transfer member and the fixing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Harumitsu Fujimori, Hiroshi Hiraguchi, Satoshi Chikazawa, Takaki Kato
  • Patent number: 10116808
    Abstract: A moving amount detector that sets a movable member included in a device of a mounting destination or an object conveyed by the device as a detection target and detects a moving amount of the detection target includes: an imaging unit that repeatedly captures images of the detection target at a constant sampling period while the detection target moves; and a moving amount calculating unit that selects two images to be compared with each other among a series of images of the detection target captured by the imaging unit such that an imaging time difference between the two images is increased as a difference due to moving of the detection target is further generated between the two images and calculates a moving amount of the detection target based on the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga, Yuji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10081508
    Abstract: A sheet feeder picking up and transporting sheets includes a transport unit transporting sheets along a sheet transport path one by one, a gap occurrence detection unit detecting, within a predetermined section of the sheet transport path, occurrence of a gap between sheets, and a controller controlling a timing of the transport of sheets according to a result of the detection. The gap occurrence detection unit includes a first detection unit and a second detection unit. The first detection unit is configured to detect light that is emitted toward the predetermined section, reaches a converging surface thereof across the predetermined section, and converged on a receiving element thereof. The second detection unit is configured to detect light reflected by a sheet passing through the predetermined section. The occurrence of the gap is detected based on outputs from the first detection unit and the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takaki Kato, Yuji Kobayashi, Yuta Tachibana, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Satoshi Teshima
  • Patent number: 10054888
    Abstract: A device for detecting a travel distance of a sheet is provided. The device includes a light source for irradiating the sheet surface; an imaging sensor for capturing an image of a pattern of the sheet surface by light reflected from the sheet; a discrete Fourier transformation portion for performing discrete Fourier transformation on two patterns obtained by image capturing at a time interval by the imaging sensor; a high wave number component removal portion for using a threshold determined based on a cycle of concave-convex of the sheet surface to remove a high wave number component from the two patterns having been subjected to the discrete Fourier transformation; and a travel distance calculation portion for determining a travel distance of the sheet based on a phase relationship between the two patterns from which the high wave number component removal portion has removed the high wave number component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Publication number: 20180157941
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying path on which a recording medium is conveyed; an image capturer that includes a light source and radiates light from the light source to capture the recording medium being conveyed at different timings to generate at least two images including a first image and a second image; and a movement amount calculator that calculates a movement amount of the recording medium between capturing timings of the first and second images, wherein the movement amount calculator: calculates an index distance which is a distance in a conveying direction of a pattern formed by reflected light from the recording medium; calculates a ratio between the index distance and a reference distance used for comparison with the index distance; and calculates a movement amount of the recording medium between the capturing timings of the first and second images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Publication number: 20180144484
    Abstract: A movement amount detecting device performs discrete Fourier transform onto N-th image data and N+1-th image data, thereby generating N-th wave number space data and N+1 -th wave number space data. The movement amount detecting device obtains a target speed of a sheet, and determines a cutoff value based on the obtained target speed and an exposure time in an image sensor. The movement amount detecting device calculates an amount of movement of the sheet based on a phase difference between the N-th wave number space data and the N+1-th wave number space data in a wave number component smaller than the cutoff value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takaki KATO, Yuji KOBAYASHI, Masayuki FUKUNAGA
  • Patent number: 9851674
    Abstract: An emission unit of a displacement detector emits laser light to a range in a space in which a target moves. A detection unit detects a distribution of amounts of light reflected from a capture region in the predefined range. Based on a shift of speckle pattern indicated by a difference between the distributions of amounts of reflected light that the detection unit detects at different times, a calculation unit calculates a displacement of the target. A correction unit measures a speckle contrast from the distribution of amounts of reflected light, and based on an error between the measured value and a reference value, corrects the amount of laser light. The reference value is set to the value of a speckle contrast in a case in which the amounts of reflected light fall within the detectable range of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takaki Kato, Yuji Kobayashi, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Publication number: 20170235267
    Abstract: A device for detecting a travel distance of a sheet is provided. The device includes a light source for irradiating the sheet surface; an imaging sensor for capturing an image of a pattern of the sheet surface by light reflected from the sheet; a discrete Fourier transformation portion for performing discrete Fourier transformation on two patterns obtained by image capturing at a time interval by the imaging sensor; a high wave number component removal portion for using a threshold determined based on a cycle of concave-convex of the sheet surface to remove a high wave number component from the two patterns having been subjected to the discrete Fourier transformation; and a travel distance calculation portion for determining a travel distance of the sheet based on a phase relationship between the two patterns from which the high wave number component removal portion has removed the high wave number component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuji KOBAYASHI, Takaki KATO, Masayuki FUKUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20170227906
    Abstract: An emission unit of a displacement detector emits laser light to a range in a space in which a target moves. A detection unit detects a distribution of amounts of light reflected from a capture region in the predefined range. Based on a shift of speckle pattern indicated by a difference between the distributions of amounts of reflected light that the detection unit detects at different times, a calculation unit calculates a displacement of the target. A correction unit measures a speckle contrast from the distribution of amounts of reflected light, and based on an error between the measured value and a reference value, corrects the amount of laser light. The reference value is set to the value of a speckle contrast in a case in which the amounts of reflected light fall within the detectable range of the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takaki KATO, Yuji KOBAYASHI, Masayuki FUKUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20170168444
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a moving element on which an image is formed, a generator configured to generate a first image and a second image by shooting the conveyed moving element at different timing, a detector configured to sense a first distance between the generator and the moving element at the time of shooting of the first image and sense a second distance between the generator and the moving element at the time of shooting of the second image, and a hardware processor configured to calculate a speed of conveyance of the moving element based on the first image, the second image, the first distance, and the second distance, and output the speed of conveyance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 9656821
    Abstract: A multi-feed detection apparatus for detecting multi-feed of a sheet conveyed along a paper path is provided. The apparatus includes a first movement amount sensor disposed on the paper path to face a first surface of the sheet to detect a movement amount of the sheet; a second movement amount sensor disposed, on the paper path, in a position at which the first movement amount sensor is disposed to face a second surface of the sheet to detect a movement amount of the sheet; and a determination portion configured to determine that a conveyance state of the sheet is multi-feed when a difference between the movement amount of the sheet detected by the first movement amount sensor and the movement amount of the sheet detected by the second movement amount sensor is equal to or greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takaki Kato, Toshinori Inomoto, Masayuki Fukunaga, Isao Watanabe, Toshiaki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20170094071
    Abstract: A moving amount detector that sets a movable member included in a device of a mounting destination or an object conveyed by the device as a detection target and detects a moving amount of the detection target includes: an imaging unit that repeatedly captures images of the detection target at a constant sampling period while the detection target moves; and a moving amount calculating unit that selects two images to be compared with each other among a series of images of the detection target captured by the imaging unit such that an imaging time difference between the two images is increased as a difference due to moving of the detection target is further generated between the two images and calculates a moving amount of the detection target based on the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga, Yuji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9533850
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance sensor disposed near a pair of conveyance rollers so as to accurately detect an amount of movement of the recording paper, a conveyance delay determination unit to determine a conveyance delay of the recording paper, and a conveyance control unit to control drive for rollers. The conveyance delay determination unit obtains conveyance delay information from among information detected with the conveyance sensor, or the like, and accelerates a rotational velocity of the pair of paper feed rollers when the conveyance delay quantity exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Yuta Tachibana, Takaki Kato, Daichi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20160370740
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that transfers an image from an image carrier onto a sheet passing between the image carrier rotating and a transfer member includes a fixing unit configured to thermally fix the image on the sheet while nipping and conveying the sheet with a pair of fixing members after the transfer, at least one of the fixing members rotating; a measuring unit configured to measure surface movement speed of the sheet in a non-contact manner while the sheet is being conveyed by the fixing members; and a control unit configured to control rotation speed of the fixing members in accordance with a result of the measurement, to adjust speed of conveyance of the sheet to a target speed determined beforehand for peripheral speed of the image carrier, the control being performed while the sheet being conveyed is in contact with the transfer member and the fixing members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: YUJI KOBAYASHI, HARUMITSU FUJIMORI, HIROSHI HIRAGUCHI, SATOSHI CHIKAZAWA, TAKAKI KATO
  • Publication number: 20160194168
    Abstract: A multi-feed detection apparatus for detecting multi-feed of a sheet conveyed along a paper path is provided. The apparatus includes a first movement amount sensor disposed on the paper path to face a first surface of the sheet to detect a movement amount of the sheet; a second movement amount sensor disposed, on the paper path, in a position at which the first movement amount sensor is disposed to face a second surface of the sheet to detect a movement amount of the sheet; and a determination portion configured to determine that a conveyance state of the sheet is multi-feed when a difference between the movement amount of the sheet detected by the first movement amount sensor and the movement amount of the sheet detected by the second movement amount sensor is equal to or greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Takaki KATO, Toshinori INOMOTO, Masayuki FUKUNAGA, Isao WATANABE, Toshiaki TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20150301491
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance sensor disposed near a pair of conveyance rollers so as to accurately detect an amount of movement of the recording paper, a conveyance delay determination unit to determine a conveyance delay of the recording paper, and a conveyance control unit to control drive for rollers. The conveyance delay determination unit obtains conveyance delay information from among information detected with the conveyance sensor, or the like, and accelerates a rotational velocity of the pair of paper feed rollers when the conveyance delay quantity exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki YOSHIKAWA, Yuta TACHIBANA, Takaki KATO, Daichi SUZUKI