Patents by Inventor Tsuyoshi Sunohara

Tsuyoshi Sunohara 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: 20170075265
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a detecting portion that detects a load applied to a driving portion configured to drive a fixing portion configured to fix an image formed on a medium, an identifying portion that identifies a type of the medium from a result of detection performed by the detecting portion, and a setting portion that sets a threshold with reference to which the identifying portion identifies the type of the medium. The threshold is set for each of different temperatures detected by a temperature detecting portion that detects a temperature of the fixing portion or for each predetermined number of media on which images are fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahito CHIBA, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Hidehiko YAMAGUCHI, Hideki MORIYA, Tomohiro WADA
  • Publication number: 20170015514
    Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a transport section by which a recording medium is interposed and is transported while rotating, a driving section that drives the transport section, a control section that performs control so that the recording medium enters a predetermined position of the transport section in a rotation direction, a detection section that detects a load of the driving section during a period of time in which the recording medium is transported by the transport section, and a derivation section that derives a thickness of the recording medium based on the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki MORIYA, Hidehiko YAMAGUCHI, Takanori MORINO, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Takahito CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20170008715
    Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a first transport section that is driven at a first transport speed and transports a recording medium interposed therein, a second transport section that is driven at a speed different from the first transport speed, is located at a downstream of the first transport section in a transport direction, and transports the recording medium interposed therein, a detection section that detects variations in a driving load of the second transport section before and after the recording medium is discharged from the first transport section, and a derivation section that derives a thickness of the recording medium based on the variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Morino, Hidehiko Yamaguchi, Hideki Moriya, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Takahito Chiba
  • Publication number: 20160368724
    Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a transport unit that transports a recording medium by interposing the recording medium, a driving unit that drives the transport unit, a detection unit that detects a peak value of a load of the driving unit when the recording medium is discharged from the transport unit, and a derivation unit that derives a thickness of the recording medium based on the peak value detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki MORIYA, Hidehiko YAMAGUCHI, Takanori MORINO, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Takahito CHIBA
  • Patent number: 9459574
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on a recording medium, a fixing unit that heats and fixes the toner image onto the recording medium, an ejection unit that ejects the recording medium through a curved transport path, a transport unit for two-sided printing that flips over the recording medium and transports the recording medium to the toner image forming unit, and a switching unit that switches, when an subsequent operation is specified to be performed on the recording medium, an ejection path through which the recording medium is to be ejected to an ejection path that passes the transport unit for two-sided printing and changes a temperature of the fixing unit to a temperature lower than a temperature at which the toner image is fixed to the recording medium or causes the fixing unit to stop heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Yasutaka Naito
  • Publication number: 20160282779
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on a recording medium, a fixing unit that heats and fixes the toner image onto the recording medium, an ejection unit that ejects the recording medium through a curved transport path, a transport unit for two-sided printing that flips over the recording medium and transports the recording medium to the toner image forming unit, and a switching unit that switches, when an subsequent operation is specified to be performed on the recording medium, an ejection path through which the recording medium is to be ejected to an ejection path that passes the transport unit for two-sided printing and changes a temperature of the fixing unit to a temperature lower than a temperature at which the toner image is fixed to the recording medium or causes the fixing unit to stop heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Yasutaka NAITO
  • Patent number: 9098038
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a number-of-revolutions determining unit, and a stopping unit. The fixing device includes a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image, a fixing member that fixes toner to a recording medium, a pressure member that conveys the recording medium, a driving unit that rotates the pressure member to allow the fixing member to perform slave rotation, and a number-of-revolutions sensing unit that senses the number of revolutions of the fixing member. The number-of-revolutions determining unit determines, based on the number of revolutions of the fixing member sensed by the number-of-revolutions sensing unit, the number of revolutions of the driving unit. The stopping unit stops the driving unit when the number of revolutions determined by the number-of-revolutions determining unit is not equal to a specific number of revolutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Iwai, Tsuyoshi Sunohara
  • Patent number: 8965229
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit, a power supply unit, a pressure applying unit, and a controller. The fixing unit fixes toner onto a recording medium, using heat generated by a heat generator. The power supply unit supplies power to drive the fixing unit. The pressure applying unit applies pressure to the recording medium in a nip part between the pressure applying unit and the fixing unit. When plural recording media are sequentially transported, the controller controls the power supply unit to supply power during a first time period from when a trailing edge of one of the recording media passes the nip part to when a leading edge of the subsequent recording medium arrives at the nip part, in accordance with a relationship between the first time period and a second time period required to start the supply of power after the supply of power is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Iwasaki, Hajime Kishimoto, Motofumi Baba, Shuichi Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Shinichi Kinoshita, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8824911
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member including a heat generating layer that generates heat by induction, the fixing member fixing images onto plural recording media that are successively supplied thereto with heat generated from the heat generating layer; a pressure member that contacts the fixing member and forms a nip between the pressure member and the fixing member, the nip allowing the recording media to pass therethrough; an induction heating unit that inductively heats the heat generating layer of the fixing member; and a controller that controls a manner in which the induction heating unit heats the heat generating layer when the plural recording media successively pass through the nip in accordance with a total of times during which the recording media are not present in the nip, the total of times being measured from when the recording media started passing through the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Hajime Kishimoto, Motofumi Baba, Shinichi Kinoshita, Takeo Iwasaki, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8811841
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit, a power controller, a pressure applying unit, and a timing controller. The fixing unit fixes toner onto a recording medium transported in a determined transport direction, by using heat generated by a heat generator. The power controller controls supply of power for heating the fixing unit. The pressure applying unit applies pressure to the recording medium in a nip part formed between the pressure applying unit and the fixing unit. The timing controller controls the power controller to start supply of the power at a time which is a determined time period prior to an arrival time at which a leading edge of the recording medium in the transport direction arrives at the nip part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kinoshita, Hajime Kishimoto, Motofumi Baba, Shuichi Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Takeo Iwasaki, Takashi Ito
  • Publication number: 20140010563
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a number-of-revolutions determining unit, and a stopping unit. The fixing device includes a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image, a fixing member that fixes toner to a recording medium, a pressure member that conveys the recording medium, a driving unit that rotates the pressure member to allow the fixing member to perform slave rotation, and a number-of-revolutions sensing unit that senses the number of revolutions of the fixing member. The number-of-revolutions determining unit determines, based on the number of revolutions of the fixing member sensed by the number-of-revolutions sensing unit, the number of revolutions of the driving unit. The stopping unit stops the driving unit when the number of revolutions determined by the number-of-revolutions determining unit is not equal to a specific number of revolutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi IWAI, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA
  • Publication number: 20130195492
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit, a power controller, a pressure applying unit, and a timing controller. The fixing unit fixes toner onto a recording medium transported in a determined transport direction, by using heat generated by a heat generator. The power controller controls supply of power for heating the fixing unit. The pressure applying unit applies pressure to the recording medium in a nip part formed between the pressure applying unit and the fixing unit. The timing controller controls the power controller to start supply of the power at a time which is a determined time period prior to an arrival time at which a leading edge of the recording medium in the transport direction arrives at the nip part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KINOSHITA, Hajime Kishimoto, Motofumi Baba, Shuichi Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Takeo Iwasaki, Takashi Ito
  • Publication number: 20130195489
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit, a power supply unit, a pressure applying unit, and a controller. The fixing unit fixes toner onto a recording medium, using heat generated by a heat generator. The power supply unit supplies power to drive the fixing unit. The pressure applying unit applies pressure to the recording medium in a nip part between the pressure applying unit and the fixing unit. When plural recording media are sequentially transported, the controller controls the power supply unit to supply power during a first time period from when a trailing edge of one of the recording media passes the nip part to when a leading edge of the subsequent recording medium arrives at the nip part, in accordance with a relationship between the first time period and a second time period required to start the supply of power after the supply of power is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeo IWASAKI, Hajime KISHIMOTO, Motofumi BABA, Shuichi SUZUKI, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Shinichi KINOSHITA, Takashi ITO
  • Publication number: 20130195491
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member including a heat generating layer that generates heat by induction, the fixing member fixing images onto plural recording media that are successively supplied thereto with heat generated from the heat generating layer; a pressure member that contacts the fixing member and forms a nip between the pressure member and the fixing member, the nip allowing the recording media to pass therethrough; an induction heating unit that inductively heats the heat generating layer of the fixing member; and a controller that controls a manner in which the induction heating unit heats the heat generating layer when the plural recording media successively pass through the nip in accordance with a total of times during which the recording media are not present in the nip, the total of times being measured from when the recording media started passing through the nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuichi SUZUKI, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Hajime KISHIMOTO, Motofumi BABA, Shinichi KINOSHITA, Takeo IWASAKI, Takashi ITO
  • Publication number: 20130183056
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotation member, a fixing member, a determining unit, and a magnetic field generating unit. The first rotation member rotates around a first axis. The fixing member includes a second rotation member which rotates around a second axis while being in contact with the first rotation member, and which generates heat by using electromagnetic induction in an alternating-current magnetic field. The fixing member fixes an image onto a medium in a region where the first rotation member and the second rotation member come into contact with each other. The determining unit determines whether or not a current state is a certain state where the medium or an image formed on the medium is passing through the region. The magnetic field generating unit generates an alternating-current magnetic field in a space including the second rotation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motofumi BABA, Hajime KISHIMOTO, Shuichi SUZUKI, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Shinichi KINOSHITA, Takeo IWASAKI, Takashi ITO
  • Publication number: 20120237241
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording material, a pressure applying member that is pressed against an outer peripheral surface of the fixing member and forms a press-fixing part therebetween through which the recording material having an unfixed toner image is transported, a heating unit that heats the fixing member, and a pressure-applying-member-moving unit that moves the pressure applying member and changes the pressure applying member between being pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the fixing member and being spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the fixing member. The heating unit heats the fixing member at the start of a fixing operation under heating conditions corresponding to a change in the state of the fixing member occurring when the pressure applying member is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the fixing member by the pressure-applying-member-moving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Kazuyoshi ITOH, Shuichi SUZUKI, Yuhei TOMITA, Kiyoshi IWAI
  • Patent number: 8270887
    Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member that includes a conductive layer capable of heating by electromagnetic induction; a magnetic field generating member that generates an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer of the fixing member; plural magnetic path forming members that form a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating member; a support member that supports the magnetic field generating member; an elastic support member that is arranged between the magnetic field generating member and the plural magnetic path forming members so as to be in contact with the plural magnetic path forming members; and a pressing member that presses the plural magnetic path forming members toward the magnetic field generating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Uchiyama, Motoi Noya, Masakatsu Eda, Kiyoshi Iwai, Shuji Yoshikawa, Nobuyoshi Komatsu, Makoto Omata, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Kazuyoshi Itoh, Motofumi Baba, Shigehiko Haseba, Eiichiro Tokuhiro
  • Publication number: 20100215414
    Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member that includes a conductive layer capable of heating by electromagnetic induction; a magnetic field generating member that generates an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer of the fixing member; plural magnetic path forming members that form a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating member; a support member that supports the magnetic field generating member; an elastic support member that is arranged between the magnetic field generating member and the plural magnetic path forming members so as to be in contact with the plural magnetic path forming members; and a pressing member that presses the plural magnetic path forming members toward the magnetic field generating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Takayuki Uchiyama, Motoi NOYA, Masakatsu EDA, Kiyoshi IWAI, Shuji YOSHIKAWA, Nobuyoshi KOMATSU, Makoto OMATA, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Kazuyoshi ITOH, Motofumi BABA, Shigehiko HASEBA, Eiichiro TOKUHIRO