Patents by Inventor Tomohisa Sano

Tomohisa Sano 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: 20160086873
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module, a cooling pipe, a pressing member and a supporting member. A pair of supporting wall portions is disposed so as to sandwich the semiconductor module, the cooling pipe, and the pressing member in an overlapping direction. A semiconductor element includes a small-sized semiconductor element, and a large-sized semiconductor element of which an outer shape is larger than that of the small-sized semiconductor element when projected onto a plane parallel to the overlapping direction. Within the semiconductor module, the large-sized semiconductor element is disposed closer to a connecting end portion side where a connecting portion of the pair of supporting wall portions are disposed than the small-sized semiconductor elements is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohisa SANO, Yuu YAMAHIRA
  • Patent number: 9235151
    Abstract: A magnetic toner containing: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles, as described in the specification, present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles. A coverage ratio A of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles, as described in the specification, and a coverage ratio B of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles each of which is fixed to the magnetic toner particles' surface, as described in the specification, have prescribed values and a prescribed relationship in the magnetic toner. The alumina fine particles and/or titania fine particles are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles as described in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Tanaka, Michihisa Magome, Yusuke Hasegawa, Tomohisa Sano
  • Patent number: 9219425
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module that has a semiconductor element therein, a cooler that cools the semiconductor module, a circuit board provided with a semiconductor control circuit that controls the semiconductor module, a capacitor electrically connected to the semiconductor module, and a quick discharge resistor for discharging an electric charge accumulated in the capacitor. The circuit board is provided with a discharge control circuit that controls a current that flows into the quick discharge resistor. The semiconductor module, the cooler, the capacitor, and the quick discharge resistor are disposed on one major surface of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohisa Sano, Takahisa Kaneko, Kenshiro Hida, Kenji Funahashi
  • Patent number: 9152065
    Abstract: A magnetic toner includes: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles that are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles and are not a magnetic iron oxide and magnetic iron oxide particles that are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles, wherein the inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles contain metal oxide fine particles, the metal oxide fine particles containing silica fine particles, and optionally containing titania fine particles and alumina fine particles, and a content of the silica fine particles being at least 85 mass % with respect to a total mass of the silica fine particles, the titania fine particles and the alumina fine particles; when a coverage ratio A (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles and a coverage ratio B (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa Sano, Michihisa Magome, Yusuke Hasegawa, Atsuhiko Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20150227067
    Abstract: A magnetic toner containing a magnetic toner particle having a binder resin and a magnetic body, and inorganic fine particles, wherein when the inorganic fine particles are classified as first inorganic fine particles, second inorganic fine particles, and third inorganic fine particles in accordance with fixing strength thereof to the magnetic toner particle and in the sequence of the weakness of the fixing strength, the content of the first inorganic fine particles, the ratio of the second inorganic fine particles to the first inorganic fine particles, and the coverage ratio X of coverage of the magnetic toner surface by the third inorganic fine particles are in prescribed ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Yusuke Hasegawa, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150227068
    Abstract: The magnetic toner contains a magnetic toner particle having a binder resin and a magnetic body, and inorganic fine particles, wherein the average circularity of the magnetic toner is at least 0.955 and, when classifying the inorganic fine particles, in accordance with the fixing strength thereof to the magnetic toner particle and in the sequence of the weakness of the fixing strength, as first inorganic fine particles, second inorganic fine particles, and third inorganic fine particles, the content of the first inorganic fine particles, the ratio of the second inorganic fine particles to the first inorganic fine particles, and the coverage ratio X are in prescribed ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Tomohisa Sano, Yusuke Hasegawa, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150064617
    Abstract: A toner has toner particles including a binder resin, a colorant, an ester wax and a hydrocarbon wax; and inorganic fine particles. The ester wax includes an ester compound having a structure represented by formula (1): R1—CO—O—(CH2)x—O—OC—R2; or formula (2): R3—O—OC—(CH2)x—CO—O—R4. The ester wax includes an ester compound having a highest abundance rate in an amount of 40% to 80% by mass with respect to a total amount of the ester wax in a composition distribution. The ester wax has, in differential scanning calorimetry, a peak top temperature of an endothermic peak of 65° C. to 80° C. In differential scanning calorimetry, the toner has only one endothermic peak derived from the waxes. A relationship: 3.0?(Tw?Tt)?8.0 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Tomohisa Sano, Kozue Uratani
  • Publication number: 20140342278
    Abstract: A magnetic toner includes: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles that are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles and are not a magnetic iron oxide and magnetic iron oxide particles that are present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles, wherein the inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles contain metal oxide fine particles, the metal oxide fine particles containing silica fine particles, and optionally containing titania fine particles and alumina fine particles, and a content of the silica fine particles being at least 85 mass % with respect to a total mass of the silica fine particles, the titania fine particles and the alumina fine particles; when a coverage ratio A (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles and a coverage ratio B (%) is a coverage ratio of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles th
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Tomohisa Sano, Michihisa Magome, Yusuke Hasegawa, Atsuhiko Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20140322640
    Abstract: A magnetic toner containing: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles, wherein the inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles contain silica fine particles and alumina fine particles and/or titania fine particles; a coverage ratio A of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles each of which has a particle diameter of from 5 nm to not more than 50 nm and a coverage ratio B of the magnetic toner particles' surface by the inorganic fine particles each of which has a particle diameter of from at least 5 nm to not more than 50 nm and is fixed to the magnetic toner particles' surface, have prescribed values and a prescribed relationship in the magnetic toner; and alumina fine particles and/or titania fine particles each of which has a particle diameter of from at least 100 nm to not more than 800 nm is present on the surface of the magnet
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Tanaka, Michihisa Magome, Yusuke Hasegawa, Tomohisa Sano
  • Patent number: 8841054
    Abstract: An image-forming method is provided which can provide stable image density irrespective of use environments and does not cause image defects such as fogging, tailing, or transfer voids, even when being applied to a developing sleeve with a reduced diameter. In the image-forming method, a latent image bearing member and a toner bearing member bearing a magnetic toner on its surface and having inside a unit for generating a magnetic field are placed with a predetermined interval, and an alternating field is applied between the latent image bearing member and the toner bearing member, and an electrostatic latent image borne by the latent image bearing member is developed with the magnetic toner. The toner bearing member has a specific diameter, and the magnetic toner has a specific circularity and a specific compressibility. The total energy of the toner measured with a powder flowability measuring apparatus satisfies a specific value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Dojo, Michihisa Magome, Eriko Yanase, Takashi Matsui, Tomohisa Sano, Akira Sakakibara, Shuichi Hiroko
  • Patent number: 8778585
    Abstract: A toner with good low-temperature fixability even in light-pressure type fixing units, which causes no contamination of fixing films and provides images having stable image densities and excellent image quality after long-term use. The toner includes a toner particle containing a binder resin, a coloring agent, a release agents (a) and (b) The release agent (a) is a monofunctional or bifunctional ester wax; the release agent (b) is a hydrocarbon wax; a solubility of the release agent (a) into the binder resin is higher than that of the release agent (b). When tetrahydrofuran-soluble components of the toner are subjected to GPC, a proportion of components having a molecular weight of 500 or less is 2.5 area % or less. When the tetrahydrofuran-soluble components at 25° C. are subjected to SEC-MALLS, a weight-average molecular weight Mw thereof is 5,000-100,000, and the Mw and the radius of gyration Rw thereof satisfy 5.0×10?4?Rw/Mw?1.0×10?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Michihisa Magome, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Shotaro Nomura
  • Patent number: 8614044
    Abstract: To provide a toner which can achieve both low-temperature fixing performance and dot reproducibility and further can obtain images on which any density non-uniformity has been kept from coming about, the toner has toner particles, each of the toner particles has a toner base particle containing a binder resin, a colorant and a release agent, and an inorganic fine powder; the toner having: (1) an average circularity of 0.960 or more; (2) a number-average molecular weight Mn(25° C.) of from 500 or more to 3,000 or less in measuring a tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter at 25° C. of the toner by SEC-MALLS; and (3) a value of Mn(135° C.)/Mn(25° C.) of from 25 or more to 50 or less which is the ratio of number-average molecular weight Mn(135° C.) in measuring an o-dichlorobenzene-soluble matter at 135° C. of the toner by SEC-MALLS to number-average molecular weight Mn(25° C.) in measuring a tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter at 25° C. of the toner by SEC-MALLS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Michihisa Magome, Yusuke Hasegawa, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Shotaro Nomura, Atsuhiko Ohmori
  • Publication number: 20130272043
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a semiconductor module that has a semiconductor element therein, a cooler that cools the semiconductor module, a circuit board provided with a semiconductor control circuit that controls the semiconductor module, a capacitor electrically connected to the semiconductor module, and a quick discharge resistor for discharging an electric charge accumulated in the capacitor. The circuit board is provided with a discharge control circuit that controls a current that flows into the quick discharge resistor. The semiconductor module, the cooler, the capacitor, and the quick discharge resistor are disposed on one major surface of the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohisa SANO, Takahisa KANEKO, Kenshiro HIDA, Kenji FUNAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8518620
    Abstract: To provide a magnetic toner which: enables a stable image density to be obtained irrespective of a use environment; and exhibits excellent low-temperature fixability, little image deterioration upon fixation, high coloring power, and a reduced toner consumption. The present invention relates to a magnetic toner containing at least: a binder resin; and a magnetic body. The binder resin contains a polyester unit. The toner has a weight average particle size of 5.0 to 9.0 ?m, a true specific gravity of 1.3 to 1.7 g/cm3, and a saturated magnetization of 20 to 35 Am2/kg in a magnetic field of 796 kA/m. The dielectric loss tangent (tan ?) of the toner satisfies (tan ?H?tan ?L)/tan ?L?0.20 at 100 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Dojo, Nene Dojo, Tomohisa Sano
  • Publication number: 20130143154
    Abstract: A toner with good low-temperature fixability even in light-pressure type fixing units, which causes no contamination of fixing films and provides images having stable image densities and excellent image quality after long-term use. The toner includes a toner particle containing a binder resin, a coloring agent, a release agents (a) and (b) The release agent (a) is a monofunctional or bifunctional ester wax; the release agent (b) is a hydrocarbon wax; a solubility of the release agent (a) into the binder resin is higher than that of the release agent (b). When tetrahydrofuran-soluble components of the toner are subjected to GPC, a proportion of components having a molecular weight of 500 or less is 2.5 area % or less. When the tetrahydrofuran-soluble components at 25° C. are subjected to SEC-MALLS, a weight-average molecular weight Mw thereof is 5,000-100,000, and the Mw and the radius of gyration Rw thereof satisfy 5.0×10?4?Rw/Mw?1.0×10?2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Michihisa Magome, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Shotaro Nomura
  • Patent number: 8426094
    Abstract: A magnetic toner has magnetic toner particles, each of the magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder. The magnetic material is prepared by treating the surface of magnetic iron oxide with a silane compound. When the magnetic iron oxide is dispersed in an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid and dissolved until the dissolution proportion of the iron element reaches 5% by mass based on the total amount of the iron element contained in the magnetic iron oxide, the amount of silicon eluted by that point of time is 0.05% by mass or more and 0.50% by mass or less based on the magnetic iron oxide. The magnetic material has a moisture adsorption amount per unit area of 0.30 mg/m2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Shotaro Nomura
  • Patent number: 8426091
    Abstract: To solve a thin image density and sweeping occurring when a toner carrying member having a small diameter is used, provided is an image-forming method including: a charging step; an electrostatic latent image-forming step; a developing step; a transferring step; and a fixing step, in which a magnetic toner to be used in the method has a specific weight average particle diameter (D4); the magnetic toner has a specific intensity of magnetization in a specific magnetic field; and a surface free energy of a surface of the magnetic toner and a surface free energy of a surface of a toner carrying member to be used in the method satisfy specific relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Tadashi Dojo, Eriko Yanase, Takashi Matsui, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko
  • Patent number: 8227162
    Abstract: To provide a toner excellent in low-temperature fixability, releasing performance, and development stability in long-term use under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, provided is a magnetic toner including: magnetic toner particles each containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic particles; and an inorganic fine powder, in which: the magnetic particles is a treated magnetic particles treated with a silane compound; the treated magnetic particles has a water adsorption per unit area based on a BET specific surface area of 0.300 mg/m2 or less; portion of styrene extractables constitutes 25 mass % or less among the silane compound in the treated magnetic particles; and the silane compound with which the treated magnetic particles is treated contains a compound having a hydrocarbon group having 2 or more and 4 or less carbon atoms as a main component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohisa Sano, Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui, Akira Sakakibara, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Shotaro Nomura
  • Publication number: 20120045717
    Abstract: A magnetic toner is provided that exhibits an excellent dot reproducibility and developing performance after being allowed to stand in a high temperature and high humidity environment and an excellent low-temperature fixability. The magnetic toner has an inorganic fine powder and a magnetic toner particle containing a binder resin, a magnetic body, and a release agent, wherein in a stress relaxation measurement using a rotating plate rheometer, the magnetic toner exhibits a yield value A at 25° C. of at least 3×106 (sec), and the magnetic toner that has been heated to 80° C. and then cooled to 25° C. exhibits a yield value B at 25° C. of not more than 1×105 (sec).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshihiro Nakagawa, Tomohisa Sano
  • Publication number: 20110311910
    Abstract: To provide a toner which can achieve both low-temperature fixing performance and dot reproducibility and further can obtain images on which any density non-uniformity has been kept from coming about, the toner has toner particles, each of the toner particles has a toner base particle containing a binder resin, a colorant and a release agent, and an inorganic fine powder; the toner having: (1) an average circularity of 0.960 or more; (2) a number-average molecular weight Mn(25° C.) of from 500 or more to 3,000 or less in measuring a tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter at 25° C. of the toner by SEC-MALLS; and (3) a value of Mn(135° C.)/Mn(25° C.) of from 25 or more to 50 or less which is the ratio of number-average molecular weight Mn(135° C.) in measuring an o-dichlorobenzene-soluble matter at 135° C. of the toner by SEC-MALLS to number-average molecular weight Mn(25° C.) in measuring a tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter at 25° C. of the toner by SEC-MALLS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Michihisa Magome, Yusuke Hasegawa, Tomohisa Sano, Shuichi Hiroko, Yoshitaka Suzumura, Shotaro Nomura, Atsuhiko Ohmori