Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Horiguchi

Yasuhiro Horiguchi 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: 9851681
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Shinichi Nishida, Takeshi Fujino
  • Publication number: 20170146943
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Shinichi Nishida, Takeshi Fujino
  • Patent number: 9588465
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Shinichi Nishida, Takeshi Fujino
  • Patent number: 9501000
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takeshi Fujino, Takahiro Kawamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Osamu Iwasaki, Kazunari Hagiwara
  • Publication number: 20160097994
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Shinichi Nishida, Takeshi Fujino
  • Publication number: 20160070194
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takeshi Fujino, Takahiro Kawamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Osamu Iwasaki, Kazunari Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 9261814
    Abstract: A developing roller that is capable of carrying toner on a surface thereof, and that supplies the toner carried on the surface to a surface of a photosensitive drum when a voltage is applied thereto, includes: an elastic layer; and a surface layer that covers the elastic layer and contains aluminum oxide, wherein the aluminum oxide of the surface layer contains tetracoordinated aluminum atoms and hexacoordinated aluminum atoms existing in a higher proportion than the tetracoordinated aluminum atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Tatsuaki Orihara, Shuhei Tokiwa, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Manami Haraguchi, Atsushi Nakamoto, Yasuhiro Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 9229400
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Shinichi Nishida, Takeshi Fujino
  • Patent number: 9217962
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takeshi Fujino, Takahiro Kawamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Osamu Iwasaki, Kazunari Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 9058010
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a current supply member contacting the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt to pass a current from the current supply member to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Satoshi Tsuruya
  • Patent number: 9052677
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a current supply member contacting the intermediate transfer belt to pass a current from the current supply member to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus generating electric discharge on the upstream side of each of primary transfer sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Yoshikuni Ito, Takayuki Tanaka, Satoshi Tsuruya
  • Publication number: 20150132032
    Abstract: A developing roller that is capable of carrying toner on a surface thereof, and that supplies the toner carried on the surface to a surface of a photosensitive drum when a voltage is applied thereto, includes: an elastic layer; and a surface layer that covers the elastic layer and contains aluminum oxide, wherein the aluminum oxide of the surface layer contains tetracoordinated aluminum atoms and hexacoordinated aluminum atoms existing in a higher proportion than the tetracoordinated aluminum atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Tatsuaki Orihara, Shuhei Tokiwa, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Manami Haraguchi, Atsushi Nakamoto, Yasuhiro Horiguchi
  • Publication number: 20140321891
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takeshi Fujino, Takahiro Kawamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Osamu Iwasaki, Kazunari Hagiwara
  • Publication number: 20130195519
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Shinichi Nishida, Takeshi Fujino
  • Publication number: 20130188981
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a current supply member contacting the intermediate transfer belt to pass a current from the current supply member to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus generating electric discharge on the upstream side of each of primary transfer sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Yoshikuni Ito, Takayuki Tanaka, Satoshi Tsuruya
  • Publication number: 20130188980
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a current supply member contacting the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt to pass a current from the current supply member to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takayuki Tanaka, Satoshi Tsuruya