Patents by Inventor Tatsuya Furuta

Tatsuya Furuta 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: 9964897
    Abstract: A developing device includes a first developing roller, a second developing roller, a first end portion configured to restrict the amount of developer on the second developing roller, a restriction member, and a collecting roller configured to collect developer on the first developing roller. The second end portion is located at a position where magnetic force interference with a magnetic force generated by the second developing roller and the collecting roller is not caused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuteru Ishizuka, Hiroshi Morimoto, Wataru Watanabe, Tatsuya Furuta, Shota Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20180113401
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms on a recording material a toner image based on input image information; a fixer that fixes a toner image formed on the recording material; and a hardware processor that controls the image former and the fixer in which the hardware processor controls the image former to supply, to a region where no toner is provided between toner images based on the input image information, complementing toner having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of toner for forming the toner image based on input image information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomohiro KAWASAKI, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA, Hiroyuki SAITO, Ryoei IKARI, Tatsuya FURUTA, Aiko KUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20180004127
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller which includes: a magnet roller having a plurality of magnetic poles in a circumferential direction; and a developing sleeve rotatably supported along an outer peripheral surface of the magnet roller, and which is configured to supply a toner to an image bearing member. The magnet roller is configured so that the relative position thereof to the developing sleeve is changeable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuteru ISHIZUKA, Tatsuya FURUTA, Hiroshi MORIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170357188
    Abstract: A developing device includes a first developing roller, a second developing roller, a first end portion configured to restrict the amount of developer on the second developing roller, a restriction member, and a collecting roller configured to collect developer on the first developing roller. The second end portion is located at a position where magnetic force interference with a magnetic force generated by the second developing roller and the collecting roller is not caused.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuteru ISHIZUKA, Hiroshi MORIMOTO, Wataru WATANABE, Tatsuya FURUTA, Shota SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20170337017
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a determination section configured to determine whether there is a possibility of generation of an image defect during a printing job for image formation on a plurality of pages based on image data included in the printing job; and a changing section configured to change an order of the pages to be subjected to image formation such that an image defect is not generated when the determination section determines that there is a possibility of generation of the image defect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Wataru WATANABE, Shota SAKURAI, Tatsuya FURUTA, Kazuteru ISHIZUKA, Hiroshi MORIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9796555
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section configured to form a toner image on a sheet having a paste component; and an end pressing section provided on an upstream side of the image forming section in a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to exert a pressure on an end portion of the sheet while moving from a center toward an end of the sheet in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Furuta, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Shota Sakurai, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Natsuko Kawai
  • Patent number: 9696664
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a second cleaning section, an image formation control section configured to control an image forming section to form a high-coverage patch on a transfer belt, and a cleaning control section configured to control the second cleaning section to perform cleaning of the patch on the transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shota Sakurai, Tatsuya Furuta, Natsuko Kawai, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Tomohiro Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9696680
    Abstract: A transfer-section contamination prevention device includes: a powder housing section that is disposed on an upstream side relative to a transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction, and is capable of holding powder at a position near an end portion of a sheet in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction or capable of guiding the powder to the position near the end portion of the sheet, the sheet including a base material layer, a release layer and an adhesive layer containing adhesive agent disposed between the base material layer and the release layer, the transfer section being configured to transfer a toner image to the sheet; and a powder adhesion facilitation section configured to facilitate adhesion of the powder to the lateral end portion of the sheet from the powder housing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kawasaki, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Natsuko Kawai, Tatsuya Furuta, Shota Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20170160679
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance section configured to convey a sheet in a direction opposite to a first conveyance direction during image formation, the direction being a second conveyance direction; and a distortion correction section disposed on an upstream side of a transfer nip in the first conveyance direction and configured to correct, when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance section in the second conveyance direction, distortion of the sheet generated when the sheet passes through a fixing nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Shota SAKURAI, Hiroshi MORIMOTO, Wataru WATANABE, Kazuteru ISHIZUKA, Tatsuya FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20170001323
    Abstract: A blade cartridge includes a blade member provided with blades, a blade base member located on the back side of the blade cartridge, and a top member located on the front side of the blade cartridge. The blade member is arranged between the blade base member and the top member. The cutting edge of each blade is exposed through the top member. A blade supporting portion provided in the blade member has a plurality of step plates arranged in a blade arrangement direction, which is orthogonal to the direction in which the cutting edge extends. A reinforcement plate portion, which increases the rigidity of the step plate, is provided while being bent from the step plate. The blade supporting portion is also provided with a bridge portion for mutual coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: KAI R&D CENTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TATSUYA FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20160342113
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a second cleaning section, an image formation control section configured to control an image forming section to form a high-coverage patch on a transfer belt, and a cleaning control section configured to control the second cleaning section to perform cleaning of the patch on the transfer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Shota SAKURAI, Tatsuya FURUTA, Natsuko KAWAI, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA, Tomohiro KAWASAKI
  • Patent number: 9488946
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form a plurality of divided patch images, which is obtained by dividing a patch image for detecting a concentration of an image in a rotation direction of the image carrier, on the image carrier at regular intervals and form an image to be formed on a paper sheet on the image carrier; a concentration detecting unit configured to detect the concentration of the plurality of divided patch images formed by the image forming unit; and a controller configured to combine the concentration of divided patch images detected by the concentration detecting unit in chronological order and detect concentration unevenness of the image in the vertical scanning direction which is a paper sheet conveying direction of the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Shota Sakurai, Tatsuya Furuta, Kazuhiro Saito, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Tomohiro Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20160259292
    Abstract: A transfer-section contamination prevention device includes: a powder housing section that is disposed on an upstream side relative to a transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction, and is capable of holding powder at a position near an end portion of a sheet in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction or capable of guiding the powder to the position near the end portion of the sheet, the sheet including a base material layer, a release layer and an adhesive layer containing adhesive agent disposed between the base material layer and the release layer, the transfer section being configured to transfer a toner image to the sheet; and a powder adhesion facilitation section configured to facilitate adhesion of the powder to the lateral end portion of the sheet from the powder housing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro KAWASAKI, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA, Natsuko KAWAI, Tatsuya FURUTA, Shota SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20160257521
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section configured to form a toner image on a sheet having a paste component; and an end pressing section provided on an upstream side of the image forming section in a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to exert a pressure on an end portion of the sheet while moving from a center toward an end of the sheet in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Tatsuya FURUTA, Tomohiro KAWASAKI, Shota SAKURAI, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA, Natsuko KAWAI
  • Patent number: 9432547
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section including a rotational member and configured to form an image on the long sheet; a density unevenness cycle acquiring section configured to acquire a cycle of a density profile that represents density variation in a sub scanning direction; a cycle control section configured to operate such that, in a case where a same image is continuously formed on the long sheet, a length of the image in the sub scanning direction is an integer multiple of a cycle length that corresponds to one cycle of the density profile; and a density correction section configured to form a patch image for correction that has a size greater than the cycle length of the density profile on the image bearing member, and perform density correction using correction data created based on a detection result regarding the patch image for correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Furuta, Shota Sakurai, Kazuhiro Saito, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 9372440
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer container section configured to contain therein a two-component developer composed of toner and magnetic carrier; a developer bearing member configured to supply the developer to an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a toner supplying section configured to supply the toner to the developer container section via the toner supply port; a carrier supplying section provided separately from the toner supplying section, the carrier supplying section being configured to supply the carrier to the developer container section via the carrier supply port; and a carrier detection section disposed at a position near the carrier supply port and at a same level as a powder surface of the developer contained in the developer container section, the carrier detection section being configured to detect carrier supplied from the carrier supplying section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Furuta, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Kazuhiro Saito
  • Publication number: 20160150117
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section including a rotational member and configured to form an image on the long sheet; a density unevenness cycle acquiring section configured to acquire a cycle of a density profile that represents density variation in a sub scanning direction; a cycle control section configured to operate such that, in a case where a same image is continuously formed on the long sheet, a length of the image in the sub scanning direction is an integer multiple of a cycle length that corresponds to one cycle of the density profile; and a density correction section configured to form a patch image for correction that has a size greater than the cycle length of the density profile on the image bearing member, and perform density correction using correction data created based on a detection result regarding the patch image for correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Tatsuya FURUTA, Shota Sakurai, Kazuhiro Saito, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20160124343
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form a plurality of divided patch images, which is obtained by dividing a patch image for detecting a concentration of an image in a rotation direction of the image carrier, on the image carrier at regular intervals and form an image to be formed on a paper sheet on the image carrier; a concentration detecting unit configured to detect the concentration of the plurality of divided patch images formed by the image forming unit; and a controller configured to combine the concentration of divided patch images detected by the concentration detecting unit in chronological order and detect concentration unevenness of the image in the vertical scanning direction which is a paper sheet conveying direction of the paper sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shota SAKURAI, Tatsuya FURUTA, Kazuhiro SAITO, Kazuteru ISHIZUKA, Tomohiro KAWASAKI
  • Patent number: 9223243
    Abstract: A charging device has a charging member to charge an object, an applying unit to apply a voltage to the charging member for generating an electric discharge from the charging member, so that the object is discharged by the charging member, a detecting unit to detect an emission of light of the electric discharge, an output unit to output a detection result by the detecting unit, a cleaning unit to clean the charging member, and a controller to control the cleaning unit to clean the charging member when the detection result is out of a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shintaro Sone, Hiroyuki Saito, Hisayoshi Nagase, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Tatsuya Furuta, Kazutoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9134650
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a developing device including: a developer housing section configured to house a developer including toner and carrier; a carrier replenishing section configured to supply the carrier to the developer housing section; a carrier concentration detecting section provided at a position near a carrier replenishment position at which the carrier is received from the carrier replenishing section in the developer housing section, the carrier concentration detecting section being configured to detect a carrier concentration in the developer housing section; and a carrier replenishment determination section configured to determine whether the carrier is properly supplied to the developer housing section on the basis of a result of detecting by the carrier concentration detecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Saito, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Tatsuya Furuta, Seiko Itagaki