Patents by Inventor Toshifumi Kakutani

Toshifumi Kakutani 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: 11188019
    Abstract: A power control apparatus includes a voltage detection circuit configured to generate a voltage signal as an analog signal corresponding to a voltage value of AC power supplied from a commercial power supply to a predetermined load, and a current detection circuit configured to generate a current signal as an analog signal corresponding to a current value of the AC power. The power control apparatus further includes an A/D converter configured to convert each of the voltage signal and the current signal into a digital signal, a switch, a signal processor configured to control a switching operation of the switch based on a detection timing for the voltage value and a detection timing for the current value, and a controller configured to control supply of the AC power to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshifumi Kakutani
  • Publication number: 20200310326
    Abstract: A power control apparatus includes a voltage detection circuit configured to generate a voltage signal as an analog signal corresponding to a voltage value of AC power supplied from a commercial power supply to a predetermined load, and a current detection circuit configured to generate a current signal as an analog signal corresponding to a current value of the AC power. The power control apparatus further includes an A/D converter configured to convert each of the voltage signal and the current signal into a digital signal, a switch, a signal processor configured to control a switching operation of the switch based on a detection timing for the voltage value and a detection timing for the current value, and a controller configured to control supply of the AC power to the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventor: Toshifumi Kakutani
  • Patent number: 10038803
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can control to turn on/off a light emitting element depending on a sheet state on a manual sheet tray is provided. The image forming apparatus includes the manual feed tray on which the sheet is placed. The image forming apparatus is configured to be switchable between normal power mode and power saving mode. In the normal power mode, normal power is supplied. In the power saving mode, less power is consumed as compared to the power consumed in the normal power mode. The image forming apparatus includes a manual sheet feeding sensor which detects presence/absence of the sheet on the manual feed tray. The image forming apparatus includes a sheet length sensor S and a sheet length sensor L which include the light emitting element and a light receiving element to detect approximate sheet length of sheet placed on the manual feed tray in a conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yousuke Hata, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takeyuki Suda, Hirohisa Nakajima, Shinya Suzuki, Manabu Koseki, Toshiyuki Abe, Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9910407
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; a discharge portion configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed by the image forming portion, wherein a delivery conveyance portion having a power source circuit is mountable in a space adjacent to the image forming portion and configured to convey the recording material to a post-processing apparatus; a detection unit configured to detect a temperature; a cooling unit configured to cool the image forming portion; and a control unit configured to control, in a case where the delivery conveyance portion is mounted, rotation of the cooling unit based on the temperature detected by the detection unit in a standby state in which an image forming operation is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kakutani, Takayuki Iikura, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazunori Miyake, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Hirohisa Nakajima, Manabu Koseki, Takeyuki Suda, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9864299
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image, a mounting detection unit configured to detect that a container T is mounted on a mounting unit, a driving unit configured to rotate the container T, a rotation detection unit configured to detect rotation information about the container T, and a controller configured to control the driving unit based on the rotation information. If the container T is detected to be mounted on the mounting unit, control of the driving unit is not carried out based on the rotation information until replenishment information satisfies a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Shinya Suzuki, Toshifumi Kakutani, Yousuke Hata, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9746824
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop using toner an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member, a mounting unit to which a container is mounted, the container including a containing unit configured to contain toner and a pump unit, and performing a supplying operation for supplying toner by expansion and contraction of the pump unit, a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the container to cause the container to perform the supplying operation, and a controller configured to control a rotational speed of the container based on a time for which the supplying operation has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Shinya Suzuki, Yousuke Hata, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9650220
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking member, an optical sensor, a detected member, and a control unit. As an amount of sheets stacked on the stacking member decreases, the detected member moves from a first position in which optical sensor light is not interrupted, then once interrupts the light, and then moves to a second position in which the light is not interrupted. Information regarding an amount of sheets transmitted by the control unit, when stored information is about the detected member in the second position, is information notifying that an amount of sheets stacked on the stacking member is less than that of information regarding an amount of sheets stacked on the stacking member transmitted by the control unit when stored information is about the detected member is in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Koseki, Takayuki Iikura, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Hirohisa Nakajima, Takeyuki Suda, Toshiyuki Abe
  • Publication number: 20170096314
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion; a discharge portion configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed by the image forming portion, wherein a delivery conveyance portion having a power source circuit is mountable in a space adjacent to the image forming portion and configured to convey the recording material to a post-processing apparatus; a detection unit configured to detect a temperature; a cooling unit configured to cool the image forming portion; and a control unit configured to control, in a case where the delivery conveyance portion is mounted, rotation and stop of the cooling unit based on the temperature detected by the detection unit in a second state in which start of an operation of forming the image is waited for after a first state in which the image is formed on the recording material by the image forming portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Toshifumi KAKUTANI, Takayuki Iikura, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazunori Miyake, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Hirohisa Nakajima, Manabu Koseki, Takeyuki Suda, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9557705
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner container for containing toner recovered from a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt. The waste toner container has a stirring screw for conveying the toner in the waste toner container. The stirring screw is driven by a waste toner motor. A CPU determines whether the waste toner container is in need of replacement depending on a rotation speed or driving current of the waste toner motor. If the waste toner container is in need of replacement, the CPU displays such on a display unit to provide a notification to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Koseki, Yousuke Hata, Toshihide Shima, Hiroyuki Eda, Takeyuki Suda, Hirohisa Nakajima, Shinya Suzuki, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato, Toshifumi Kakutani
  • Patent number: 9557703
    Abstract: The power source board is arranged at a lower side on the back side of the main body of the image forming apparatus. The load control board is arranged at an upper side in a vertical direction of the power source board in such a manner that the load control board does not overlap with the power source board. For a board and load at a lower side when viewed from a load control board, a connector is arranged near the lower side of the load control board. For a board and load at an upper side of the load control board, a connector is arranged near the upper side of the load control board. Similarly, for boards and loads of right and left side, connectors are arranged near the respective right and left sides of the load control board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kakutani, Shinya Suzuki, Hirohisa Kato, Yousuke Hata, Takeyuki Suda, Kazumi Sato, Manabu Koseki, Toshiyuki Abe
  • Publication number: 20160381241
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can control to turn on/off a light emitting element depending on a sheet state on a manual sheet tray is provided. The image forming apparatus includes the manual feed tray on which the sheet is placed. The image forming apparatus is configured to be switchable between normal power mode and power saving mode. In the normal power mode, normal power is supplied. In the power saving mode, less power is consumed as compared to the power consumed in the normal power mode. The image forming apparatus includes a manual sheet feeding sensor which detects presence/absence of the sheet on the manual feed tray. The image forming apparatus includes a sheet length sensor S and a sheet length sensor L which include the light emitting element and a light receiving element to detect approximate sheet length of sheet placed on the manual feed tray in a conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Yousuke Hata, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takeyuki Suda, Hirohisa Nakajima, Shinya Suzuki, Manabu Koseki, Toshiyuki Abe, Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9523945
    Abstract: An image forming unit forms a toner image on an image carrier, and transfers the toner image to a recording medium. A voltage generation circuit generates a high voltage used for the image forming unit. A control circuit is connected to the voltage generation circuit via a cable, and controls the high voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit. A detection unit detects a current flowing in a load of the image forming unit to which the high voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit is applied. A determination unit determines an error in accordance with a current range in which the current detected by the detection unit falls. The current range is included among a plurality of current ranges that are in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohisa Nakajima, Takayuki Iikura, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Manabu Koseki, Takeyuki Suda, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9525795
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a reading device; an operating portion; a light source; a rotary polygon mirror; a motor configured to rotate the rotary polygon mirror; and a motor control portion configured to start the motor to control the motor at a first rotation speed in response to a fact that a predetermined action is performed on one of the operating portion and the reading device in a stopped state of the rotary polygon mirror, and then to control the motor at a second rotation speed higher than the first rotation speed in response to an instruction to start image formation from the operating portion, the motor control portion being configured to control the motor at the second rotation speed, without controlling the motor at the first rotation speed, in response to a fact that the receiving portion receives image data before the motor reaches the first rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazumi Sato, Toshifumi Kakutani, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Shuji Obata, Manabu Koseki, Takeyuki Suda, Hirohisa Nakajima, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Toshiyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 9505580
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet material binding apparatus capable of shortening a user's waiting time required to bind sheets through a manual operation with a movable stapler. A CPU (162) of a sheet material binding apparatus (50) monitors whether or not an image forming apparatus (1) can execute image formation processing. When the image forming apparatus (1) can execute the image formation processing, the movable stapler is arranged at a standby position close to the image forming apparatus (1). When the image forming apparatus (1) cannot execute the image formation processing, on the other hand, the movable stapler is arranged at a position for performing the manual operation, to thereby bind the sheets through the manual operation immediately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yousuke Hata, Kazumi Sato, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takeyuki Suda, Yoshitaka Yamazaki, Hirohisa Kato, Shinya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20160299467
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop using toner an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member, a mounting unit to which a container is mounted, the container including a containing unit configured to contain toner and a pump unit, and performing a supplying operation for supplying toner by expansion and contraction of the pump unit, a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the container to cause the container to perform the supplying operation, and a controller configured to control a rotational speed of the container based on a time for which the supplying operation has been performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Shinya Suzuki, Yousuke Hata, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9467586
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can control to turn on/off a light emitting element depending on a sheet state on a manual sheet tray is provided. The image forming apparatus includes the manual feed tray on which the sheet is placed. The image forming apparatus is configured to be switchable between normal power mode and power saving mode. In the normal power mode, normal power is supplied. In the power saving mode, less power is consumed as compared to the power consumed in the normal power mode. The image forming apparatus includes a manual sheet feeding sensor which detects presence/absence of the sheet on the manual feed tray. The image forming apparatus includes a sheet length sensor S and a sheet length sensor L which include the light emitting element and a light receiving element to detect approximate sheet length of sheet placed on the manual feed tray in a conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yousuke Hata, Toshifumi Kakutani, Takeyuki Suda, Hirohisa Nakajima, Shinya Suzuki, Manabu Koseki, Toshiyuki Abe, Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazumi Sato
  • Publication number: 20160246241
    Abstract: The power source board is arranged at a lower side on the back side of the main body of the image forming apparatus. The load control board is arranged at an upper side in a vertical direction of the power source board in such a manner that the load control board does not overlap with the power source board. For a board and load at a lower side when viewed from a load control board, a connector is arranged near the lower side of the load control board. For a board and load at an upper side of the load control board, a connector is arranged near the upper side of the load control board. Similarly, for boards and loads of right and left side, connectors are arranged near the respective right and left sides of the load control board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kakutani, Shinya Suzuki, Hirohisa Kato, Yousuke Hata, Takeyuki Suda, Kazumi Sato, Manabu Koseki, Toshiyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 9417559
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop using toner an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member, a mounting unit to which a container is mounted, the container including a containing unit configured to contain toner and a pump unit, and performing a supplying operation for supplying toner by expansion and contraction of the pump unit, a driving unit configured to rotationally drive the container to cause the container to perform the supplying operation, and a controller configured to control a rotational speed of the container based on a time for which the supplying operation has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Iikura, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Shinya Suzuki, Yousuke Hata, Kazumi Sato
  • Publication number: 20160202657
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a waste toner container for containing toner recovered from a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt. The waste toner container has a stirring screw for conveying the waste toner in the waste toner container. The stirring screw is driven by the waste toner motor. A CPU determines whether the waste toner container is in time of replacement depending on the rotation speed or driving current of a waste toner motor. If the waste toner container is in time of replacement the CPU displays that on a display unit to provide the notification to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Manabu Koseki, Yousuke Hata, Toshihide Shima, Hiroyuki Eda, Takeyuki Suda, Hirohisa Nakajima, Shinya Suzuki, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato, Toshifumi Kakutani
  • Publication number: 20160202643
    Abstract: An image forming unit forms a toner image on an image carrier, and transfers the toner image to a recording medium. A voltage generation circuit generates a high voltage used for the image forming unit. A control circuit is connected to the voltage generation circuit via a cable, and controls the high voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit. A detection unit detects a current flowing in a load of the image forming unit to which the high voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit is applied. A determination unit determines an error in accordance with a current range in which the current detected by the detection unit falls. The current range is included among a plurality of current ranges that are in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Hirohisa Nakajima, Takayuki Iikura, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Manabu Koseki, Takeyuki Suda, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato