Patents by Inventor Takashi KAWANAGO

Takashi KAWANAGO 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: 20240122247
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device includes a power supply, a heater connector connected to a heater, a voltage conversion IC, a circuit board, a capacitor, a first ground provided inside the circuit board and connected to the other end of the capacitor, a second ground provided inside the circuit board, insulated from the first ground inside the circuit board, and connected to the detection terminal, and a common ground configured to electrically connect the first ground and the second ground. On the second surface, no electronic component is provided in a common ground projection region overlapping with the common ground when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240118658
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forming an image on a recording medium, includes: a developing device that forms a toner image on an image carrier, a transfer device that transfers the toner image formed by the developing device to a recording medium at a transfer position, and a charge eliminator that is arranged upstream of the transfer position in a conveyance direction of the recording medium and eliminates charges of the recording medium in a non-contact manner, wherein the charge eliminator is an ionizer and is arranged at a position which is away by a predetermined distance from a conductor for moving ionic particles generated at the time of charge elimination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi KAWANAGO
  • Publication number: 20240090590
    Abstract: This inhalation device is provided with: a power source unit for supplying power; a heating unit for using power supplied from the power source unit to heat a substrate containing an aerosol source; a measurement unit for measuring a measurement value corresponding to the temperature of the heating unit; an operation unit, which is different from the heating unit, that runs on power supplied from the power source unit; and a control unit for controlling operation of the heating unit on the basis of heating settings stipulating a time series transition in a target temperature that is a target value for the temperature of the heating unit. The control unit implements correction processing to correct the measurement value in response to the start of power supply to the operation unit from the power source unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Toru NAGAHAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Ryo YOSHIDA, Tatsunari AOYAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Junji MINATO
  • Publication number: 20240074495
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device, includes a power supply, a heater connector connected to a heater configured to heat an aerosol source by consuming power supplied from the power supply, a case which constitutes a surface of the power supply unit, and a sensor which is disposed in the vicinity of the case and is configured to output a value related to a temperature of the case. Protection control for prohibiting one or both of charging of the power supply and discharging from the power supply to the heater is executed based on an output value of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Manabu YAMADA, Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Hiroki NAKAAE, Toru NAGAHAMA, Yuki NISHIMURA, Takashi FUJIKI, Yuki MASUDA, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240074515
    Abstract: A power supply unit of an aerosol generation device which a heating unit is attachable to and detachable from includes: a secondary battery; a case forming a surface of the power supply unit; a chassis accommodated in an internal space of the case and made of an insulating resin; a plurality of magnets held by the chassis with a gap therebetween; an inner member covering a side surface of the chassis; and an outer member covering an outer surface of the inner member. The inner member includes a plurality of through holes exposing the plurality of magnets, and the outer member is replaceably fixed by the plurality of magnets exposed from the plurality of through holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240079893
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an aerosol generation device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol source, the power supply unit including: a power supply; a connector electrically connectable to an external power supply; a first load; a charging IC including an input terminal connected to the connector, a charging terminal connected to the power supply, and an output terminal connected to the first load, and configured to convert electric power input to the input terminal and output the converted electric power from the charging terminal; and a discharge path configured to connect the power supply and a second load without passing through the charging IC, in which the charging IC is configured to supply electric power input from the power supply to the charging terminal to the first load via the output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240074496
    Abstract: A power supply unit of an aerosol generation device includes: a power supply; a heater connector to which a heater is connected; a controller configured to control supply of power from the power supply to the heater connector, a charging IC including an input terminal and a charging terminal connected to the power supply and configured to convert power input to the input terminal and output the power from the charging terminal; a receptacle including a power supply terminal and a data terminal and electrically connected to an external power supply; a power supply line connecting the power supply terminal and the input terminal; a data line connecting the data terminal and the controller; first protective components on the power supply line; and a second protective component on the data line. The number of the first protective components is larger than the number of the second protective component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi FUJIKI, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Tatsunari AOYAMA, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240065344
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an aerosol generating device includes a power supply, a heater connector connected to a heater configured to heat an aerosol source by consuming power supplied from the power supply, a connector electrically connectable to an external power supply, a charging IC which includes an input terminal connected to the connector and a charging terminal connected to the power supply, and is configured to convert power input to the input terminal and output power which is converted from the charging terminal, and a first load having one end connected in parallel with the input terminal. The charging IC is configured to supply power input from the power supply to the charging terminal to the first load via the input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240065335
    Abstract: A circuit for an aerosol generation device includes: a heater connector to which is connected a heater that consumes power supplied from a power supply and heats an aerosol source; a controller that includes a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal for serial communication, and controls supply of power from the power supply to the heater; a first IC that is a separate entity from the controller and that includes a third communication terminal for serial communication; a second IC that is a separate entity from the controller and the first IC, and that includes a fourth communication terminal for serial communication; a first communication line that connects the first communication terminal and the third communication terminal; and a second communication line that connects the second communication terminal and the fourth communication terminal and that does not have an electrical contact with the first communication line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240065336
    Abstract: A power supply unit of an aerosol generation device includes: a power supply; a heater connector to which a heater configured to heat an aerosol source by consuming power supplied from the power supply is connected; a first sensor disposed in the vicinity of the heater or the power supply and configured to output a value related to a temperature of the heater or a value related to a temperature of the power supply; and a second sensor provided at a position separated from the first sensor and configured to output a value related to a temperature at the position. At least one of the output value of the first sensor and the output value of the second sensor is abnormal, at least one or both of charging of the power supply and discharging from the power supply to the heater are temporarily prohibited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsunari AOYAMA, Hiroshi KAWANAGO, Toru NAGAHAMA, Takashi FUJIKI, Ryo YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 11874621
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus that includes a transfer device that transfers a toner image onto a sheet and a fixing device that fixes the toner image; a sheet heating device that heats the sheet on an upstream of the fixing device in a sheet conveyance direction; a first detector that detects a temperature inside the image forming apparatus; a second detector that detects a temperature of the sheet before the sheet heating device heats the sheet; and a controller that causes the sheet heating device to heat the sheet based on a detection result by the second detector and a sheet passing condition of the sheet, and corrects at least one of a transfer current and a transfer voltage in the transfer device based on a detection result by the first detector in a case where the sheet heating device heats the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawanago
  • Publication number: 20230069003
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus that includes a transfer device that transfers a toner image onto a sheet and a fixing device that fixes the toner image; a sheet heating device that heats the sheet on an upstream of the fixing device in a sheet conveyance direction; a first detector that detects a temperature inside the image forming apparatus; a second detector that detects a temperature of the sheet before the sheet heating device heats the sheet; and a controller that causes the sheet heating device to heat the sheet based on a detection result by the second detector and a sheet passing condition of the sheet, and corrects at least one of a transfer current and a transfer voltage in the transfer device based on a detection result by the first detector in a case where the sheet heating device heats the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawanago
  • Publication number: 20200249594
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holder, an intermediate transfer body, a transfer member, a pressing force changer, and a hardware processor. The intermediate transfer body includes a base layer and a coating layer provided on the base layer. The image forming apparatus transfers a toner image formed on the image holder to a sheet via the intermediate transfer body, thereby forming an image on the sheet. The transfer member is provided so as to face the image holder with the intermediate transfer body in between and forms a nip part with the image holder. The pressing force changer changes pressing force of the transfer member against the image holder. The hardware processor controls, with the pressing force changer, the pressing force of the transfer member against the image holder based on information on a surface profile of the sheet on which the image is to be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Toshiki HAYAMI, Takeshi MAEYAMA, Tomo KITADA, Takashi KAWANAGO, Daisuke MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 10627762
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms a toner image on an image carrier based on image formation data, and transfers the toner image onto a sheet having an unevenness on a surface and forms an image, the image forming apparatus including a hardware processor which detects a parameter value regarding a charging amount of a toner that forms the toner image, sets a size of a dot of the toner image according to the detected parameter value, and generates the image formation data of the dot of the set size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Kawanago, Satoshi Nishida, Takeshi Maeyama, Toshiki Hayami, Tomo Kitada, Daisuke Murakami
  • Patent number: 10379485
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which transfers, onto paper, a toner image formed on a belt-shaped image carrier including an elastic layer on a surface thereof, and forms an image includes a rigid blade which cleans the surface of the image carrier in contact with the image carrier which has transferred the toner image onto the paper; a roller which is upstream of the rigid blade in a rotation direction of the image carrier, and cleans the surface of the image carrier upstream of the rigid blade by coming in contact with the image carrier which has transferred the toner image onto the paper; a rigid blade holder which holds the rigid blade; and a roller holder which holds the roller. The rigid blade holder and the roller holder are installed with a gap therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawanago
  • Publication number: 20190146396
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms a toner image on an image carrier based on image formation data, and transfers the toner image onto a sheet having an unevenness on a surface and forms an image, the image forming apparatus including a hardware processor which detects a parameter value regarding a charging amount of a toner that forms the toner image, sets a size of a dot of the toner image according to the detected parameter value, and generates the image formation data of the dot of the set size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takashi KAWANAGO, Satoshi NISHIDA, Takeshi MAEYAMA, Toshiki HAYAMI, Tomo KITADA, Daisuke MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 10289034
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus cleans an image carrier including an elastic layer after a toner image formed on the image carrier is transferred to a transfer material. The cleaning apparatus includes a rigid blade that cleans a residue attached on a surface of the image carrier by contacting the image carrier from which the toner image has been transferred to the transfer material. The rigid blade includes a metal base and a coating layer formed on a surface of the metal base. The coating layer is disposed at least at an edge portion of the base that contacts the image carrier. An upstream part of the edge portion has a rounded shape with a radius of curvature that is less than an average radius of toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawanago
  • Publication number: 20180356752
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus cleans an image carrier including an elastic layer after a toner image formed on the image carrier is transferred to a transfer material. The cleaning apparatus includes a rigid blade that cleans a residue attached on a surface of the image carrier by contacting the image carrier from which the toner image has been transferred to the transfer material. The rigid blade includes a metal base and a coating layer formed on a surface of the metal base. The coating layer is disposed at least at an edge portion of the base that contacts the image carrier. An upstream part of the edge portion has a rounded shape with a radius of curvature that is less than an average radius of toner particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventor: Takashi KAWANAGO
  • Patent number: 10152014
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus which cleans an image carrier that has an elastic layer after a toner image formed on the image carrier is transferred onto a transfer object, the cleaning apparatus including: a cleaning blade which contacts the image carrier and removes a residue attached to the image carrier; a change section which changes a cleaning condition of cleaning by the cleaning blade; and a hardware processor which controls the change section to change the cleaning condition in accordance with deterioration of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawanago
  • Patent number: 10108132
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which transfers a toner image formed on an image carrier onto a transfer object and forms an image, the apparatus including: a cleaner which has a rigid blade made of metal that contacts the image carrier after transferring of the toner image onto the transfer object and cleans a residue attached to a surface of the image carrier, wherein the image carrier has a base layer and an elastic layer, and a surface hardness of the elastic layer measured by a nanoindentation method is 70 MPa or more and 150 MPa or less, and a thickness of the rigid blade is 100 ?m or more and 300 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kawanago