Patents by Inventor Toshihito KOBAYASHI

Toshihito KOBAYASHI 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: 10073391
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording medium includes: an endless belt that is configured to be able to rotate; a pressure member that is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt; and a sliding member that has a sliding surface in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the belt and is arranged to face the pressure member with the belt interposed between the sliding member and the pressure member, wherein a direction in which the belt rotating slides on the sliding surface is referred to as a direction of conveyance, a plurality of first grooves as well as a plurality of second grooves each allowing two of the plurality of first grooves adjacent to each other to communicate with each other are formed on the sliding surface, and the first grooves and the second grooves are formed in a non-grid pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Onaka, Toshihito Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9823606
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an operating state and a non-operating state with power consumption smaller than in the operating state. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a print material by heat, a fan for discharging heat from the image forming apparatus, and a control unit for controlling operation of the fan. When a non-operating time from shifting to the non-operating state to shifting to the operating state is shorter than a predetermined time, the control unit allows the fan to operate with predetermined power in the operating state. When the non-operating time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the control unit stops the fan or allows the fan to operate with power smaller than the predetermined power in the operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yutaka Otsuka, Masashi Saito, Ryohei Matsuo, Toshihito Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20170285537
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording medium includes: an endless belt that is configured to be able to rotate; a pressure member that is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt; and a sliding member that has a sliding surface in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the belt and is arranged to face the pressure member with the belt interposed between the sliding member and the pressure member, wherein a direction in which the belt rotating slides on the sliding surface is referred to as a direction of conveyance, a plurality of first grooves as well as a plurality of second grooves each allowing two of the plurality of first grooves adjacent to each other to communicate with each other are formed on the sliding surface, and the first grooves and the second grooves are formed in a non-grid pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: HIROMITSU ONAKA, TOSHIHITO KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9760045
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: a fixer that fixes a toner image onto a sheet by heat and pressure, and includes: a heat source; a first rotary member that is heated by the heat source; a temperature sensing unit that senses a temperature of the first rotary member; and a second rotary member that forms a nip with the first rotary member for applying heat and pressure to the sheet; and a controller that calculates a nip width of the nip in a passing direction of the sheet with use of a rotation period and a rest period of the first rotary member during which the heat source operates, and changes a target temperature of the first rotary member in accordance with the calculated nip width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kohei Hayashi, Yusuke Mamiya, Masashi Saito, Yutaka Otsuka, Ryohei Matsuo, Toshihito Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20170023896
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an operating state and a non-operating state with power consumption smaller than in the operating state. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a print material by heat, a fan for discharging heat from the image forming apparatus, and a control unit for controlling operation of the fan. When a non-operating time from shifting to the non-operating state to shifting to the operating state is shorter than a predetermined time, the control unit allows the fan to operate with predetermined power in the operating state. When the non-operating time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the control unit stops the fan or allows the fan to operate with power smaller than the predetermined power in the operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka OTSUKA, Masashi SAITO, Ryohei MATSUO, Toshihito KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160370741
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: a fixer that fixes a toner image onto a sheet by heat and pressure, and includes: a heat source; a first rotary member that is heated by the heat source; a temperature sensing unit that senses a temperature of the first rotary member; and a second rotary member that forms a nip with the first rotary member for applying heat and pressure to the sheet; and a controller that calculates a nip width of the nip in a passing direction of the sheet with use of a rotation period and a rest period of the first rotary member during which the heat source operates, and changes a target temperature of the first rotary member in accordance with the calculated nip width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Kohei HAYASHI, Yusuke MAMIYA, Masashi SAITO, Yutaka OTSUKA, Ryohei MATSUO, Toshihito KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9041973
    Abstract: Having specified written information on a first card newly placed at a base A which is a first workspace and the position where the first card is placed, a PC (100A) which is a control device at base A stores, in a memory, the written information and the position where the first card is placed as card information. A PC (100B) connected to this PC instructs a printing device (200B) to print a second card based on the specified written information. The PC (100B) presents the position where the second card is to be placed at a base B which is a second workspace based on the specified position where the first card is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Eiji Tabata, Toshihito Kobayashi, Sayaka Morita, Masayasu Haga
  • Publication number: 20140320870
    Abstract: Having specified written information on a first card newly placed at a base A which is a first workspace and the position where the first card is placed, a PC (100A) which is a control device at base A stores, in a memory, the written information and the position where the first card is placed as card information. A PC (100B) connected to this PC instructs a printing device (200B) to print a second card based on the specified written information. The PC (100B) presents the position where the second card is to be placed at a base B which is a second workspace based on the specified position where the first card is placed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Eiji TABATA, Toshihito KOBAYASHI, Sayaka MORITA, Masayasu HAGA