Patents by Inventor Tomoki Katafuchi

Tomoki Katafuchi 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: 20240094671
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to heat a recording material at a use position, an opening and closing member, and a drawer unit. In a state where the fixing device is at the use position, part of the fixing device is located in a space for the drawer unit to pass through when moved from a first inner position to a first outer position so that movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is restricted. The fixing device is retracted from the use position to a retracted position so that the movement of the drawer unit from the first inner to the first outer position is allowed. Part of the fixing device at the retracted position is at a position higher than a position of an upper cover portion of the opening and closing member at a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240085825
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes an apparatus main body having a first end provided with an opening and having a second end, a fixing device to heat the recording material, an opening and closing member, a drawer unit having a first photosensitive drum, and a transfer device. When being moved from a first inner position inside the apparatus main body to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body through the main body opening, the drawer unit is to be moved in a moving direction intersecting with a rotation axis of the first photosensitive drum, and is to be moved away from the second end. When being moved from a second inner position inside the apparatus main body to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body, the transfer device is moved away from the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240085824
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device a including a belt. When image formation on a recording material is performed, the drawer unit is at a first apparatus main body inner position and the transfer device is at a second apparatus main body inner position. In this drawer unit state, (a) a part of the transfer device is disposed downstream of the drawer unit in a moving direction in which the drawer unit moves from the first inner position to a first apparatus main body outer position, and (b) in a vertical direction, an area where the part of the transfer device is positioned overlaps, at least in part, with an area where the drawer unit is positioned. The transfer device includes a cleaning member to clean the belt and is accommodated in the part of the transfer device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240085849
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device including a belt. The drawer unit includes a first cartridge, a support member to which the first cartridge is detachably attached, and a first photosensitive drum disposed on the support member or the first cartridge. The drawer unit is moved to a first inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body. The transfer device is moved to a second inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body. The belt contacts the first photosensitive drum with the transfer device at the second inner position. The transfer device is moved from the second inner to the second outer position when the drawer unit is moved from the first inner to the first outer position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: CHIKARA IMAIZUMI, SATOSHI MURASAKI, KIYOSHI FURUTA, SHINYA NODA, KUNIHIRO NIWA, YOJI MISAO, TOMOOKU KOYAMA, TOMOKI KATAFUCHI, TOMONARI INOUE, KOICHI SEKIMIZU
  • Patent number: 11679946
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet storing tray for loading sheets, an apparatus main body to which the sheet storing tray is slidably attached, and a restriction mechanism that restricts a position of the sheet storing tray. The restriction mechanism includes an engagement portion provided in the apparatus main body and a stopper member that is provided in the sheet storing tray and engages with the engagement portion. The stopper member is configured so as to be movable in a crossing direction crossing a direction in which the sheet storing tray slides and determines a position in the crossing direction of the sheet storing tray with respect to the apparatus main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoki Katafuchi
  • Publication number: 20230174337
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet stacking member, a feeding member provided above the sheet stacking member, a lifting member to lift up and down the sheet stacking member. An accommodating unit for accommodating the sheet and is provided with a supporting frame for supporting the sheet stacking member. A restricting member restricts a position of the sheet stacking member. Movement in a lifting down direction of the sheet stacking member is restricted by the restricting member when the restricting member is attached to the supporting frame in a state in which the sheet stacking member is lifted up to a predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventor: Tomoki Katafuchi
  • Publication number: 20210300695
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding apparatus including a sheet storing tray for loading sheets, an apparatus main body to which the sheet storing tray is slidably attached, and a restriction mechanism that restricts a position of the sheet storing tray. The restriction mechanism includes an engagement portion provided in the apparatus main body and a stopper member that is provided in the sheet storing tray and engages with the engagement portion. The stopper member is configured so as to be movable in a crossing direction crossing a direction in which the sheet storing tray slides and determines a position in the crossing direction of the sheet storing tray with respect to the apparatus main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Tomoki Katafuchi
  • Patent number: 11046345
    Abstract: A tipping prevention unit that prevents tipping of an image forming apparatus includes shafts holding a wheel of the image forming apparatus, a shaft that abuts the image forming apparatus at a position higher than the shafts, and a shaft that contacts a floor surface on which the image forming apparatus is placed at a position further protruding to the outside of the image forming apparatus than the wheel of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Kawade, Tomoki Katafuchi
  • Patent number: 10486921
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating device includes a housing; a sheet accommodating portion configured to accommodate a sheet and detachably mountable in the housing, the accommodating portion including, a supporting member supporting the accommodating portion so as to be rotatable relative to the housing, a movable member movable relative to the supporting member along the supporting member, a first urging member urging the movable member in a moving direction of the supporting member, a regulating member movable in a direction crossing with the moving direction of the movable member, and a second urging member urging the regulating member so as to protrude it from the movable member. The housing is provided with an engageable member engaged with the regulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Wakiyama, Tomoki Katafuchi
  • Publication number: 20180222515
    Abstract: A tipping prevention unit that prevents tipping of an image forming apparatus includes shafts holding a wheel of the image forming apparatus, a shaft that abuts the image forming apparatus at a position higher than the shafts, and a shaft that contacts a floor surface on which the image forming apparatus is placed at a position further protruding to the outside of the image forming apparatus than the wheel of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Takaaki Kawade, Tomoki Katafuchi
  • Publication number: 20180222702
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating device includes a housing; a sheet accommodating portion configured to accommodate a sheet and detachably mountable in the housing, the accommodating portion including, a supporting member supporting the accommodating portion so as to be rotatable relative to the housing, a movable member movable relative to the supporting member along the supporting member, a first urging member urging the movable member in a moving direction of the supporting member, a regulating member movable in a direction crossing with the moving direction of the movable member, and a second urging member urging the regulating member so as to protrude it from the movable member. The housing is provided with an engageable member engaged with the regulating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Eiji Wakiyama, Tomoki Katafuchi