Patents by Inventor Takashi Harashima
Takashi Harashima 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).
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Publication number: 20130258367Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a storage unit, an image processing unit and a control unit. The image processing unit (i) calculates a summed height of a color toner image formed on a sheet by summing up a height of the color toner image on the basis of input image data, (ii) calculates, on the basis of a target value for glossiness stored in the storage unit, a target total height of the color toner image and a clear toner image to realize the target value for glossiness, and (iii) calculates a height of the clear toner image by subtracting the summed height from the target total height. On the basis of the calculated height of the clear toner image, the control unit adjusts the height of the clear toner image formed on the sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kazuhiro SAITO, Hideaki TANAKA, Katsuyuki HIRATA, Takashi HARASHIMA
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Publication number: 20130148138Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a gradation correction method for the same are provided. An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section that forms a plurality of patch bands in a plurality of positions in a main scanning direction on an image bearing member, each of the plurality of patch bands having a plurality of gradation patches disposed in a sub-scanning direction; a density detection section that detects densities of the plurality of patch bands; and a control section that performs gradation correction based on detection results from the density detection section. The plurality of patch bands differs from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2012Publication date: June 13, 2013Inventors: Hideaki TANAKA, Takashi HARASHIMA, Katsuyuki HIRATA, Daiki YAMANAKA, Kazuhiro SAITO
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Patent number: 8412063Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member that moves at a specified speed; a toner pattern forming section for forming toner patterns of a specified type on the image bearing member under specified image forming conditions; a toner pattern detection member for detecting the toner patterns formed on the image bearing member; a toner amount varying section for varying a target amount of toner to adhere to the toner patterns; and a control section that calculates a toner adherence amount and a toner adherence position from detection results outputted from the toner pattern detection member and that performs image stabilization control to adjust the image forming conditions based on the calculation results. In the image stabilization control, the control section uses detection results of the same toner patterns both to calculate the toner adherence amount and to calculate the toner adherence position.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Techologies, Inc.Inventors: Mitsuru Obara, Soh Hirota, Hironori Akashi, Takashi Harashima, Kanako Kibihara
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Publication number: 20130061557Abstract: Disclosed is an aseptic filling system which is disposed in an aseptic environment and with which preforming, bottle formation, and filling of bottles with a beverage are performed in an aseptic state. The aseptic filling system includes a preform molding machine, a blowing machine for forming bottles by blowing up the preforms molded by the preform molding machine, and a filling machine integrated with the blowing machine by a specific coupling structure and filling the bottles formed by the blowing machine with the beverage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2011Publication date: March 14, 2013Inventors: Koji Kitano, Takashi Harashima, Haruhiko Kondo, Yoshihiro Akiyama
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Publication number: 20120301163Abstract: Provided are an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of easily forming an output image having desired gradation characteristics and capable of reducing running cost. In an intermediate transfer-type image forming apparatus, an image forming section is configured by including a first image forming section which forms a color toner image on a photoconductor, and a second image forming section which is located on the upstream side of the first image forming section and forms a transparent toner image on the photoconductor. Further, after the transparent toner image is formed on an intermediate transfer member by the second image forming section, the first image forming section forms, on the basis of image data (correction gradation values) corrected by a gradation correcting section, a color toner image so that the color toner image is superimposed on the transparent toner image.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2012Publication date: November 29, 2012Inventors: Katsuyuki Hirata, Hideaki Tanaka, Toru Yamaguchi, Takashi Harashima, Takaaki Kooriya
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Publication number: 20120274986Abstract: Image forming apparatus (100) creates a toner pattern on intermediate transfer belt (11) as a preprocessing of gradation correction, and calculates a cycle at which density unevenness is largest. Then, a toner image for gradation correction is formed so as to cancel cyclic unevenness at a cycle at which the largest density unevenness occurs. As a result of this, it becomes possible to suppress the deterioration of density detection accuracy and perform a highly accurate gradation correction even if density unevenness of any cycle occurs.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2012Publication date: November 1, 2012Inventors: Takashi HARASHIMA, Hideaki TANAKA, Katsuyuki HIRATA, Toru YAMAGUCHI, Takaaki KOORIYA
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Patent number: 8260160Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having photosensitive members; developing devices for developing electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive members into toner images with developers comprising toner and carriers; toner concentration sensors for detecting toner concentrations of the developers in the respective developing devices; a toner image bearing member for bearing the toner images temporarily; a toner adherence amount sensor for detecting toner adherence amounts of the toner images held on the image bearing member; and a controller for calculating, with respect to the developing devices, individual optimal developing bias voltage ranges within which a target toner adherence amount can be achieved while the toner concentrations of the developers are within a predetermined toner concentration range from a lower limit to an upper limit, so as to specify a common optimal developing bias voltage range that are commonly suitable for all the developing devices to achieve the target toner adherencType: GrantFiled: July 23, 2010Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hironori Akashi, Soh Hirota, Mitsuru Obara, Takashi Harashima, Kanako Kibihara
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Patent number: 8233016Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the invention includes an image carrier, an exposure device performing exposure for forming a toner image on a surface of the image carrier and having at least a first exposure light source and a second exposure light source, a sensor for detecting specified patterns, which are formed on the image carrier at a specified time with use of the first and second exposure light sources, a storing unit for storing a correlation, which is attained from a detection result by the sensor, between the first and second exposure light sources, and a controller for controlling the first and second exposure light sources based on the correlation.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2006Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Tetsuya Sakai, Katsuyuki Hirata, Tatsuya Isono, Takashi Harashima, Toshio Tsuboi
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Patent number: 8112007Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an image forming apparatus and the like that perform a highly-accurate tone correction in a relatively short time and includes the following: a pattern former, with use of each image forming unit, on a sheet, forming tone patches in the main or sub scanning direction (41k,c,y,m) and aligning markers, which indicate positions of the tone patches, in the same direction as the tone patches (42k,c,y,m); a pattern reader reading the sheet with the tone patches and markers formed thereon; a coordinate determiner determining coordinates of the tone patches in the direction of the aligned tone patches based on the read markers (42k,c,y,m); a density determiner determining densities of the tone patches (41k,c,y,m) read based on the determined coordinates; and an updating part updating the tone correction table based on relationships between the determined densities and tone levels.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Tetsuya Sakai, Soh Hirota, Masahiro Kouzaki, Takashi Harashima, Kazuomi Sakatani
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Patent number: 8090281Abstract: A tandem-type color image forming apparatus forms a toner pattern and toner markers on an intermediate transfer member. Tone levels in the toner pattern vary in a sub scanning direction, and the toner markers which are a same color with the tone pattern each oppose, in a main scanning direction, a different one of the tone level portions in the toner pattern, each tone level portion representing a different one of the tone levels. Positions of the toner markers in the sub scanning direction are determined to detect densities in the toner pattern corresponding to the determined positions. Tone of image data is corrected in an image formation based on a relationship between the densities and the tone levels corresponding to the determined positions.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Soh Hirota, Tetsuya Sakai, Takashi Harashima, Kazuomi Sakatani, Masahiro Kouzaki
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Patent number: 8035333Abstract: A fan motor speed control circuit includes: a driving circuit configured to drive a fan motor so as to run at a rotation speed corresponding to a drive signal; a comparison circuit configured to output a comparison signal for matching a rotation speed of the fan motor with a target rotation speed, based on a reference signal corresponding to the target rotation speed of the fan motor and a speed signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the fan motor; and a selection circuit configured to output to the driving circuit the drive signal corresponding to one signal out of the reference signal and the comparison signal, the one signal being a signal by which the fan motor is driven at a higher rotation speed.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLCInventors: Tetsuya Yoshitomi, Takashi Harashima
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Patent number: 8005379Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a control section which stores detection results of a toner sensor regarding detection patterns. When forming a plurality of detection patterns on an intermediate transfer belt, the control section determines circumference-directional lengths of the detection patterns formed this time, based on the detection results of the toner sensor regarding the detection patterns formed immediately before. Thereby, the waste toner amount and toner consumption are not only decreased but also the time taken to detect the density of a detection pattern is reduced, while maintaining the detecting accuracy thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2009Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Takashi Harashima, Osamu Yamada
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Patent number: 7983507Abstract: An image forming device for forming an image on an image carrier using a different grayscale reproduction method for each of two or more different attributes contained in portions of the image. The image forming device forms a different standard pattern in one-to-one correspondence with each different attribute contained in the image portions, using a grayscale reproduction method used for reproducing image portions containing the attribute, detects density of each standard pattern formed by the standard pattern forming unit, sets, for each different attribute, a condition for correcting grayscale of the image portions containing the attribute, in accordance with the detected density, and corrects grayscale of the image portions in accordance with each condition set by the correction condition setting unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2007Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Masahiro Kouzaki, Tetsuya Sakai, Kazuomi Sakatani, Soh Hirota, Takashi Harashima
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Patent number: 7949234Abstract: A motor speed control circuit includes: a voltage generating circuit configured to change either a reference voltage corresponding to a target rotation speed of a motor or a speed voltage corresponding to a rotation speed of the motor, according to a temperature, and output the reference voltage and the speed voltage, either one of which is changed; a comparison circuit configured to compare the speed voltage output from the voltage generating circuit with the reference voltage output from the voltage generating circuit; and a driving circuit configured to drive the motor so as to match a level of the speed voltage to a level of the reference voltage, based on a comparison result from the comparison circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2008Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Harashima, Koichiro Ogino
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Publication number: 20110044705Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having photosensitive members; developing devices for developing electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive members into toner images with developers comprising toner and carriers; toner concentration sensors for detecting toner concentrations of the developers in the respective developing devices; a toner image bearing member for bearing the toner images temporarily; a toner adherence amount sensor for detecting toner adherence amounts of the toner images held on the image bearing member; and a controller for calculating, with respect to the developing devices, individual optimal developing bias voltage ranges within which a target toner adherence amount can be achieved while the toner concentrations of the developers are within a predetermined toner concentration range from a lower limit to an upper limit, so as to specify a common optimal developing bias voltage range that are commonly suitable for all the developing devices to achieve the target toner adherencType: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2010Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: Konica Minolta Business TechnologiesInventors: Hironori AKASHI, Soh Hirota, Mitsuru Obara, Takashi Harashima, Kanako Kibihara
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Publication number: 20110020022Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member that moves at a specified speed; a toner pattern forming section for forming toner patterns of a specified type on the image bearing member under specified image forming conditions; a toner pattern detection member for detecting the toner patterns formed on the image bearing member; a toner amount varying section for varying a target amount of toner to adhere to the toner patterns; and a control section that calculates a toner adherence amount and a toner adherence position from detection results outputted from the toner pattern detection member and that performs image stabilization control to adjust the image forming conditions based on the calculation results. In the image stabilization control, the control section uses detection results of the same toner patterns both to calculate the toner adherence amount and to calculate the toner adherence position.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2010Publication date: January 27, 2011Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mitsuru OBARA, Soh Hirota, Hironori Akashi, Takashi Harashima, Kanako Kibihara
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Publication number: 20090310994Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a control section which stores detection results of a toner sensor regarding detection patterns. When forming a plurality of detection patterns on an intermediate transfer belt, the control section determines circumference-directional lengths of the detection patterns formed this time, based on the detection results of the toner sensor regarding the detection patterns formed immediately before. Thereby, the waste toner amount and toner consumption are not only decreased but also the time taken to detect the density of a detection pattern is reduced, while maintaining the detecting accuracy thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2009Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Takashi HARASHIMA, Osamu YAMADA
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Patent number: 7564204Abstract: A motor speed control circuit which controls a rotational speed of a motor by controlling an amount of current flowing through a drive coil of the motor. The control circuit comprises a reference voltage circuit that generates a reference voltage corresponding to a speed-specifying signal inputted to specify the rotational speed of the motor; a speed voltage circuit that generates a speed voltage corresponding to an actual rotational speed of the motor; a clamp circuit that limits the level of the speed voltage generated by the speed voltage circuit; a comparator that has the reference voltage generated by the reference voltage circuit and the speed voltage limited in level by the clamp circuit applied thereto and compares the two; and a control signal generator that generates and outputs a control signal for controlling the amount of current flowing through the drive coil based on the comparing result of the comparator.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichiro Ogino, Takashi Harashima
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Publication number: 20090067860Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an image forming apparatus and the like that perform a highly-accurate tone correction in a relatively short time and includes the following: a pattern former, with use of each image forming unit, on a sheet, forming tone patches in the main or sub scanning direction (41k,c,y,m) and aligning markers, which indicate positions of the tone patches, in the same direction as the tone patches (42k,c,y,m); a pattern reader reading the sheet with the tone patches and markers formed thereon; a coordinate determiner determining coordinates of the tone patches in the direction of the aligned tone patches based on the read markers (42k,c,y,m); a density determiner determining densities of the tone patches (41k,c,y,m) read based on the determined coordinates; and an updating part updating the tone correction table based on relationships between the determined densities and tone levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Tetsuya SAKAI, Soh Hirota, Masahiro Kouzaki, Takashi Harashima, Kazuomi Sakatani
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Publication number: 20090067857Abstract: A tandem-type color image forming apparatus forms a toner pattern and toner markers on an intermediate transfer member. Tone levels in the toner pattern vary in a sub scanning direction, and the toner markers which are a same color with the tone pattern each oppose, in a main scanning direction, a different one of the tone level portions in the toner pattern, each tone level portion representing a different one of the tone levels. Positions of the toner markers in the sub scanning direction are determined to detect densities in the toner pattern corresponding to the determined positions. Tone of image data is corrected in an image formation based on a relationship between the densities and the tone levels corresponding to the determined positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Soh HIROTA, Tetsuya SAKAI, Takashi HARASHIMA, Kazuomi SAKATANI, Masahiro KOUZAKI