Patents by Inventor Teruo Soeda

Teruo Soeda 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: 11397403
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment may include: an apparatus housing including a stacker and an opening provided at the stacker; a fixation device removably attached to the apparatus housing through the opening and including a handle rotatable between an upright position and a laid-flat position; and a laid-flat position-keeping detent mechanism. In a state where the fixation device is attached to the apparatus housing, a portion of the fixation device that is exposed from the opening provided at the stacker forms a portion of the stacker and a connector of the fixation device is mated to a connector of the apparatus housing. By at least a predetermined force being applied to the handle to transition the handle from the upright position to the laid-flat position, the laid-flat position-keeping detent mechanism allows the handle to transition to the laid-flat position and keeps the handle in the laid-flat position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Uehashi, Teruo Soeda
  • Publication number: 20220128945
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment may include: an apparatus housing including a stacker and an opening provided at the stacker; a fixation device removably attached to the apparatus housing through the opening and including a handle rotatable between an upright position and a laid-flat position; and a laid-flat position-keeping detent mechanism. In a state where the fixation device is attached to the apparatus housing, a portion of the fixation device that is exposed from the opening provided at the stacker forms a portion of the stacker and a connector of the fixation device is mated to a connector of the apparatus housing. By at least a predetermined force being applied to the handle to transition the handle from the upright position to the laid-flat position, the laid-flat position-keeping detent mechanism allows the handle to transition to the laid-flat position and keeps the handle in the laid-flat position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya UEHASHI, Teruo SOEDA
  • Publication number: 20210132530
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, a heating section, a supporting member, a connector, and a holder. The first rotating member extends in a first direction. The second rotating member extends in the first direction and applies pressure to the first rotating member approximately in a second direction. The second direction is orthogonal to the first direction. The heating section extends in the first direction and heats the first rotating member. The supporting member supports the heating section. The connector is coupled to the heating section and supplies electric power to the heating section. The holder holds the connector. The holder is supported by the supporting member in a state of being movable in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Patent number: 10921735
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt unit and an opposite member. The belt unit and opposite member are configured to, when a recording medium with a developer image transferred thereon passes through a nip region formed by the belt unit and opposite member, fix the developer image to the recording medium. The belt unit includes an endless belt, a heater group including a plurality of stacked heaters, and a holder that holds the heater group inside the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Publication number: 20200301325
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt unit and an opposite member. The belt unit and opposite member are configured to, when a recording medium with a developer image transferred thereon passes through a nip region formed by the belt unit and opposite member, fix the developer image to the recording medium. The belt unit includes an endless belt, a heater group including a plurality of stacked heaters, and a holder that holds the heater group inside the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Patent number: 10168650
    Abstract: A fixation device according to an embodiment includes: a belt member having a tubular shape with an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, and provided to be rotatable; a heating member arranged to face the inner circumferential surface of the belt member; a lubricant supply device including a lubricant holding member that includes a lubricant holding portion that holds a lubricant, an outer surface, and at least one passage extending from the lubricant holding portion to the outer surface, and a lubricant pressurizing member that pressurizes the lubricant held in the lubricant holding portion; and a rotational member provided to be capable of contacting and rotating with the outer circumferential surface of the belt member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Patent number: 10025241
    Abstract: A fixation device includes: an endless fixation belt an outer surface of which comes into contact with a printing medium at a fixation position; a contact member which includes a contact surface in contact with an inner surface of the fixation belt at the fixation position, the contact surface being displaceable, in a region corresponding to an end portion in the width direction of the printing medium; and a support member which includes a support surface supporting the contact member. A second distance from a reference passage surface of the printing medium to a widthwise end position on the support surface is larger than a first distance from the reference passage surface of the printing medium to a widthwise center position on the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Publication number: 20180150002
    Abstract: A fixation device according to an embodiment includes: a belt member having a tubular shape with an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, and provided to be rotatable; a heating member arranged to face the inner circumferential surface of the belt member; a lubricant supply device including a lubricant holding member that includes a lubricant holding portion that holds a lubricant, an outer surface, and at least one passage extending from the lubricant holding portion to the outer surface, and a lubricant pressurizing member that pressurizes the lubricant held in the lubricant holding portion; and a rotational member provided to be capable of contacting and rotating with the outer circumferential surface of the belt member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Publication number: 20170242377
    Abstract: A fixation device includes: an endless fixation belt an outer surface of which comes into contact with a printing medium at a fixation position; a contact member which includes a contact surface in contact with an inner surface of the fixation belt at the fixation position, the contact surface being displaceable, in a region corresponding to an end portion in the width direction of the printing medium; and a support member which includes a support surface supporting the contact member. A second distance from a reference passage surface of the printing medium to a widthwise end position on the support surface is larger than a first distance from the reference passage surface of the printing medium to a widthwise center position on the support surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Patent number: 9547263
    Abstract: A fixing device including a belt having an endless shape, a heater provided on an inner surface side of the belt, and a pressing portion provided so as to contact the belt and form a nip portion. A groove-forming portion is provided so as to contact the belt. The groove-forming portion has a surface and a groove formed on the surface. The groove extends in a direction crossing a rotating direction of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Patent number: 9086665
    Abstract: A fixation apparatus for fixing a developer image to a recording medium includes: a fixation belt; a heater member configured to generate heat by a resistance heating element and heat the fixation belt; and a pressurization member provided at a position opposed to the fixation belt with the heater member interposed in between and configured to press the heater member against the fixation belt while being in contact with the heater member. The pressurization member includes a temperature adjustment part provided near an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the pressurization member and designed to control an amount of heat transmitted from the heater member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Patent number: 9075359
    Abstract: A fusion device includes a heating member that includes a heating part and a heat transmission member that faces the heating member. The heat transmission member includes a first member that is configured to transmit heat from the heating part by facing the heating part and a second member that is configured to regulate a position of the heating member. And the second member includes an opening part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Publication number: 20140369726
    Abstract: A fixing device including a belt having an endless shape, a heater provided on an inner surface side of the belt, and a pressing portion provided so as to contact the belt and form a nip portion. A groove-forming portion is provided so as to contact the belt. The groove-forming portion has a surface and a groove formed on the surface. The groove extends in a direction crossing a rotating direction of the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Patent number: 8874011
    Abstract: A developer container includes a developer containing member that contains developer; an opening part through which the developer is externally supplied, and a pressure absorbing mechanism that is provided on an external portion of the developer containing member. The pressure absorbing mechanism is configured to deform in an inward direction toward the developer container when an external force is applied to the developer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Takemasa Ishikuro, Tatsuya Murakami, Takuya Goto, Teruo Soeda
  • Patent number: 8781379
    Abstract: A fusing device includes a belt, a first stretching member contacting an inner circumference of the belt and stretching the belt tightly, a heating member having a heating element on the surface, a second stretching member having a heating member facing part that faces the heating member and a curved surface part that faces the belt, and stretching the belt tightly with the first stretching member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Oishi, Teruo Soeda
  • Publication number: 20140093290
    Abstract: A fixation apparatus for fixing a developer image to a recording medium includes: a fixation belt; a heater member configured to generate heat by a resistance heating element and heat the fixation belt; and a pressurization member provided at a position opposed to the fixation belt with the heater member interposed in between and configured to press the heater member against the fixation belt while being in contact with the heater member. The pressurization member includes a temperature adjustment part provided near an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the pressurization member and designed to control an amount of heat transmitted from the heater member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Publication number: 20130322941
    Abstract: A fusion device includes a heating member that includes a heating part and a heat transmission member that faces the heating member. The heat transmission member includes a first member that is configured to transmit heat from the heating part by facing the heating part and a second member that is configured to regulate a position of the heating member. And the second member includes an opening part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventor: Teruo SOEDA
  • Patent number: 8494423
    Abstract: A fuser device includes: a fuser member that heats developer on a print medium; a pressure member that presses the fuser member so as to provide a contact region therebetween; and a separation member that separates the print medium, which is ejected from the contact region, from either the fuser member or the pressure member. The separation member includes a separator in a plate-like shape and a support member that supports the separator such that the separator is disposed in the vicinity of the fuser member. The separator includes a planar part in a plate-like shape that is sustained by the support member; a tip part that is a tip of the separator, an inclined surface part that is inclined toward the tip part in a thickness direction of the separator, a border part that is defined as a boundary between the planar part and the inclined surface part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruo Soeda
  • Publication number: 20120301187
    Abstract: A developer container includes a developer containing member that contains developer; an opening part through which the developer is externally supplied, and a pressure absorbing mechanism that is provided on an external portion of the developer containing member. The pressure absorbing mechanism is configured to deform in an inward direction toward the developer container when an external force is applied to the developer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Takemasa ISHIKURO, Tatsuya MURAKAMI, Takuya GOTO, Teruo SOEDA
  • Publication number: 20110299904
    Abstract: A fusing device includes a belt, a first stretching member contacting an inner circumference of the belt and stretching the belt tightly, a heating member having a heating element on the surface, a second stretching member having a heating member facing part that faces the heating member and a curved surface part that faces the belt, and stretching the belt tightly with the first stretching member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru OISHI, Teruo SOEDA