Patents by Inventor Tatsuro Arata

Tatsuro Arata 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: 11573511
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixing device, a fixing temperature sensor, a drive device, a printed sheet number counting part, a fixing voltage power supply, a controller, and an apparatus external temperature sensor. The controller can perform a cooling mode in which, when a number of continuous printed sheets at a reference speed exceeds an upper limit number, a number of printed sheets per unit time is gradually decreased to suppress an increase of an apparatus internal temperature. The controller sets the upper limit number based on a temperature difference between the fixing temperature detected by the fixing temperature sensor and the apparatus external temperature detected by the apparatus external temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Arata, Satoshi Ando
  • Patent number: 11537067
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, a tension roller, and a roller supporting frame. The roller supporting frame includes first and second supporting frames, and has a coupling portion formed on it. The coupling portion includes a rotary shaft and a shaft hole. The roller supporting frame shifts from a first state to a second state by rotating the first supporting frame in the forward direction to have the intermediate transfer belt wound around it. The rotary shaft includes a projection. A shaft hole has a restricting wall portion. As the first supporting frame in the second state rotates in the forward direction, the projection makes contact with the restricting wall portion to restrict rotation of the first supporting frame in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20220342350
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, a. driving roller, a. tension roller, and a roller supporting frame. The roller supporting frame includes first and second supporting frames, and has a coupling portion formed on it. The coupling portion includes a rotary shaft and a. shall hole. The roller supporting frame shifts from a first state to a second state by rotating the first supporting frame in the forward direction to have the intermediate transfer belt wound around it. The rotary shaft includes a projection. A shaft hole has a restricting wall portion. As the first supporting frame in the second state rotates in the forward direction, the projection makes contact with the restricting wall portion to restrict rotation of the first supporting frame in the forward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro ARATA
  • Publication number: 20220179340
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixing device, a fixing temperature sensor, a drive device, a printed sheet number counting part, a fixing voltage power supply, a controller, and an apparatus external temperature sensor. The controller can perform a cooling mode in which, when a number of continuous printed sheets at a reference speed exceeds an upper limit number, a number of printed sheets per unit time is gradually decreased to suppress an increase of an apparatus internal temperature. The controller sets the upper limit number based on a temperature difference between the fixing temperature detected by the fixing temperature sensor and the apparatus external temperature detected by the apparatus external temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuro ARATA, Satoshi ANDO
  • Patent number: 10589955
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a discharging roller pair, a plurality of trays, a guide member, and a controller. The image forming section forms an image on each of a plurality of sheets. The discharging roller pair discharges each of the sheets. The sheets discharged by the discharging roller pair are to be stacked on the trays (first through third trays). The guide member guides each of the sheets from the discharging roller pair toward a discharge destination tray among the plurality of trays. Every time the discharging roller pair discharges one of the sheets, the controller controls the guide member to change the discharge destination tray. The trays are configured such that leading ends of the sheets are superposed on one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20190077626
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a discharging roller pair, a plurality of trays, a guide member, and a controller. The image forming section forms an image on each of a plurality of sheets. The discharging roller pair discharges each of the sheets. The sheets discharged by the discharging roller pair are to be stacked on the trays (first through third trays). The guide member guides each of the sheets from the discharging roller pair toward a discharge destination tray among the plurality of trays. Every time the discharging roller pair discharges one of the sheets, the controller controls the guide member to change the discharge destination tray. The trays are configured such that leading ends of the sheets are superposed on one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro ARATA
  • Patent number: 10180657
    Abstract: A sheet discharge port is provided with a guide piece extending obliquely downward in a discharge direction from an upper edge of the sheet discharge port to oppose an outlet port. The guide piece blocks flow of cooling air, which has been blown out from the outlet port, into the sheet discharge port and also abuts the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to guide the sheet obliquely downward in the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20180210391
    Abstract: A toner case includes a case main body, a rotator, a transmitter and a mover. The transmitter is arranged outside the case main body and transmits rotation to the rotator. The transmitter moves along a rotation axis direction of the rotator between a first position and a second position arranged at an outside of the first position in the rotation axis direction. The mover attached to the transmitter moves along the rotation axis direction between a first moved position and a second moved position arranged at an outside of the first moved position in the rotation axis direction. As the mover moves from the second moved position to the first moved position, the transmitter moves from the second position to the first position. As the mover moves from the first moved position to the second moved position, the transmitter moves from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro ARATA
  • Patent number: 10031471
    Abstract: A toner case includes a case main body, a rotator, a transmitter and a mover. The transmitter is arranged outside the case main body and transmits rotation to the rotator. The transmitter moves along a rotation axis direction of the rotator between a first position and a second position arranged at an outside of the first position in the rotation axis direction. The mover attached to the transmitter moves along the rotation axis direction between a first moved position and a second moved position arranged at an outside of the first moved position in the rotation axis direction. As the mover moves from the second moved position to the first moved position, the transmitter moves from the second position to the first position. As the mover moves from the first moved position to the second moved position, the transmitter moves from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20170315505
    Abstract: A sheet discharge port is provided with a guide piece extending obliquely downward in a discharge direction from an upper edge of the sheet discharge port to oppose an outlet port. The guide piece blocks flow of cooling air, which has been blown out from the outlet port, into the sheet discharge port and also abuts the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to guide the sheet obliquely downward in the discharge direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro ARATA
  • Patent number: 9804562
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a duct member, and a board. The housing has a support plate extending in a vertical direction. The duct member is attached to the support plate and has a first air duct through which air sent by a blower passes. The board has an element that is mounted thereon and generates heat when energized, and has a part supported by the duct member so as to cover an outer surface of the first air duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Patent number: 9715211
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a laser scanning unit, an upper guide member, a plurality of reinforcing ribs, and an air blower. The upper guide member is provided below the laser scanning unit and forms an upper guide surface of a sheet conveyance path extending in a direction along a bottom surface of the laser scanning unit. The plurality of reinforcing ribs are provided on an upper surface of the upper guide member and extend in a predetermined direction. The air blower is configured to send air to a space between the plurality of adjacent reinforcing ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Patent number: 9684280
    Abstract: A cooling device includes an air blower, a first support frame, and a second support frame. The first support frame supports the air blower and has a first groove portion extending from a blowing port of the air blower to a predetermined discharge port. The second support frame supports a driving portion for transmitting a driving force to a portion to be driven of an image forming apparatus, and is configured such that the first support frame is connectable thereto. The second support frame has a second groove portion. The second groove portion is engaged with the first groove portion, in a state where the first support frame is connected to the second support frame, to form an air duct configured to guide air blown from the air blower, to the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20170090416
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a duct member, and a board. The housing has a support plate extending in a vertical direction. The duct member is attached to the support plate and has a first air duct through which air sent by a blower passes. The board has an element that is mounted thereon and generates heat when energized, and has a part supported by the duct member so as to cover an outer surface of the first air duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20170003648
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a laser scanning unit, an upper guide member, a plurality of reinforcing ribs, and an air blower. The upper guide member is provided below the laser scanning unit and forms an upper guide surface of a sheet conveyance path extending in a direction along a bottom surface of the laser scanning unit. The plurality of reinforcing ribs are provided on an upper surface of the upper guide member and extend in a predetermined direction. The air blower is configured to send air to a space between the plurality of adjacent reinforcing ribs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata
  • Publication number: 20160378059
    Abstract: A cooling device includes an air blower, a first support frame, and a second support frame. The first support frame supports the air blower and has a first groove portion extending from a blowing port of the air blower to a predetermined discharge port. The second support frame supports a driving portion for transmitting a driving force to a portion to be driven of the image forming apparatus, and is configured such that the first support frame is connectable thereto. The second support frame has a second groove portion. The second groove portion is engaged with the first groove portion, in a state where the first support frame is connected to the second support frame, to form an air duct configured to guide air blown from the air blower, to the discharge port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventor: Tatsuro Arata