Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Suto

Yasuhiro Suto 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: 9681014
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a light source unit for illuminating an object to be illuminated, a reading unit for reading the object illuminated by the light source unit, a reflective unit, having at least a first reflection mirror, for reflecting reading light reflected by the object toward the reading unit, and a first light blocking portion for partially blocking light except the reading light. The first reflection mirror has a reflecting surface for reflecting the reading light, and an end surface substantially orthogonal to the reflecting surface. The first light blocking portion extends in a longitudinal direction of the first reflection mirror toward the end surface of the first reflection mirror, with a tip end of the first light blocking portion being opposed to the end surface of the first reflection mirror with a gap therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Imoto, Kenji Nakanishi, Yasuhiro Suto, Shohichi Fukutome, Kazuhiro Iguchi, Hiroki Kuruma
  • Patent number: 9648192
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array and a reflective plate are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member is disposed on the side of the LED array. The light-guiding member includes a direct emission unit disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array and an indirect emission unit disposed between the reflective plate and the LED array, a light incidence face of the direct emission unit and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array, and the LED array is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto, Tomohiko Okada, Hisashi Yamanaka, Shohichi Fukutome, Kenji Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20170115616
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus includes a sheet separation unit, and the sheet separation unit includes a separation roller that is provided so as to be brought into contact to an outer peripheral surface of a sheet feed roller, and separates a sheet fed by the sheet feed roller into one. The sheet separation unit comprises a hook for rotatably supporting the sheet separation unit in a main body casing of the sheet feed apparatus and an engaging claw that makes the sheet separation unit engage with the main body casing. Therefore, the sheet separation unit is held in the main body casing detachably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SUTO, Yasumasa MORIMOTO, Hironori OGASAWARA, Toshiki OHGITA
  • Patent number: 9635209
    Abstract: In an image forming device, a light-guiding member includes an integrated ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member. The light-guiding member further includes a protrusion on the ridge. The illuminating device includes an attachment recess that holds the light-guiding member and a holder member that has a fit portion to which a protrusion is fitted. The protrusion is disposed at a position decentered to one end portion of the light-guiding member in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Kenji Nakanishi, Shohichi Fukutome, Masahiro Imoto, Kazuhiro Iguchi, Hiroki Kuruma
  • Publication number: 20170111528
    Abstract: A driving device of the present invention includes a drive wire and a drive pulley. The drive pulley has a fixing hole and a guide groove on a wire-winding surface thereof on which the drive wire is wound. The drive wire is disposed in the guide groove and fixed in a fixing hole by a fixing member. A bottom face of the guide groove has a curved face portion formed in a boundary region of the wire-winding surface and the guide groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhiro IGUCHI, Kenji NAKANISHI, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Yasuhiro SUTO, Hiroki KURUMA
  • Publication number: 20170085739
    Abstract: A driving device is used in an image reading apparatus, and reciprocates a scanning unit for reading an image on an original. The driving device comprises a pull member, a driving pulley which transmits driving force to the pull member, a following pulley which applies tension to the pull member and a pulley holder having a pulley axis which holds the following pulley rotatably. Then, the pulley axis has a lock pawl capable of locking an upper end portion of the following pulley and canceling engagement with the following pulley by being tilted toward a side of an axial center by elastic deformation. Furthermore, the lock pawl is arranged at a side of a tension acting direction from the pull member to the following pulley except the farthest position from the driving pulley among positions in a circumferential direction of the pulley axis. It is possible to attach and detach the following pulley easily at a time of maintenance or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro IMOTO, Yasuhiro SUTO, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Kenji NAKANISHI, Kazuhiro IGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9554012
    Abstract: A driving device is used in an image reading apparatus, and reciprocates a scanning unit for reading an image on an original. The driving device comprises a pull member, a driving pulley which transmits driving force to the pull member, a following pulley which applies tension to the pull member and a pulley holder having a pulley axis which holds the following pulley rotatably. Then, the pulley axis has a lock pawl capable of locking an upper end portion of the following pulley and canceling engagement with the following pulley by being tilted toward a side of an axial center by elastic deformation. Furthermore, the lock pawl is arranged at a side of a tension acting direction from the pull member to the following pulley except the farthest position from the driving pulley among positions in a circumferential direction of the pulley axis. It is possible to attach and detach the following pulley easily at a time of maintenance or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Imoto, Yasuhiro Suto, Shohichi Fukutome, Kenji Nakanishi, Kazuhiro Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20160352954
    Abstract: An illuminating device (210) according to an embodiment of the invention included in an image reading apparatus (100) and an image forming apparatus (D) includes light source portions (211a1), (211b1), (211a2) and (211b2), light-guiding members (213a) and (213b) for illuminating an illumination target (G) from an elongated light emitting face (M) that extends in a longitudinal direction (Y), by guiding light from the light source portions, and holding members (216a) and (216b) for holding the light-guiding members. The holding members include holding portions (2161a) and (2161b) for removably holding the light-guiding members, and tilted portions (2162a) and (2162b) that reflect light emitted from the light emitting face (M), the tilted portions extending from a front end on the light emitting face (M) side of the holding portions, obliquely widening with increasing distance from the light-guiding members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshihisa YAMADA, Mitsuharu YOSHIMOTO, Yasuhiro SUTO, Kenji NAKANISHI, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Hisashi YAMANAKA
  • Publication number: 20160344883
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit, an image forming unit, a discharge unit, and a discharge tray. The image reading unit is configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction. The image forming unit is configured to form an image read by the image reading unit on a paper sheet. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. The discharge tray is on which the paper sheet from the discharge unit is to be placed with a space portion at a lower side of the image reading unit. A bottom surface of a housing of the image reading unit facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is a surface at a front side of the discharge unit in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji NAKANISHI, Masahiro IMOTO, Yasuhiro SUTO, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Hisashi YAMANAKA, Mitsuharu YOSHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160323464
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image scanning unit that is provided with a holding portion holding a flexible flat cable. The holding portion is protruded toward an upstream side in a sub scanning direction, and provided with a second wall part. The flexible flat cable that is extended from a connector is brought into contact with the second wall part. As for the flexible flat cable, a downward movement is regulated by a lower holding portion and an upward movement is regulated by an upper holding portion. Accordingly, the flexible flat cable does not rise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro IMOTO, Yasuhiro SUTO, Hisashi YAMANAKA, Kenji NAKANISHI, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Kazuhiro IGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160323474
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a light source unit for illuminating an object to be illuminated, a reading unit for reading the object illuminated by the light source unit, a reflective unit, having at least a first reflection mirror, for reflecting reading light reflected by the object toward the reading unit, and a first light blocking portion for partially blocking light except the reading light. The first reflection mirror has a reflecting surface for reflecting the reading light, and an end surface substantially orthogonal to the reflecting surface. The first light blocking portion extends in a longitudinal direction of the first reflection mirror toward the end surface of the first reflection mirror, with a tip end of the first light blocking portion being opposed to the end surface of the first reflection mirror with a gap therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro IMOTO, Kenji NAKANISHI, Yasuhiro SUTO, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Kazuhiro IGUCHI, Hiroki KURUMA
  • Publication number: 20160316090
    Abstract: A driving device is used in an image reading apparatus, and reciprocates a scanning unit for reading an image on an original. The driving device comprises a pull member, a driving pulley which transmits driving force to the pull member, a following pulley which applies tension to the pull member and a pulley holder having a pulley axis which holds the following pulley rotatably. Then, the pulley axis has a lock pawl capable of locking an upper end portion of the following pulley and canceling engagement with the following pulley by being tilted toward a side of an axial center by elastic deformation. Furthermore, the lock pawl is arranged at a side of a tension acting direction from the pull member to the following pulley except the farthest position from the driving pulley among positions in a circumferential direction of the pulley axis. It is possible to attach and detach the following pulley easily at a time of maintenance or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro IMOTO, Yasuhiro SUTO, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Kenji NAKANISHI, Kazuhiro IGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160306314
    Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus is equipped with a sheet transport guide section for guiding a sheet to be transported. The sheet transport guide section includes a first transport guide member swingable about a first axis, and a second transport guide member swingable about a second axis, the second transport guide member forming a sheet transport path between the second transport guide member and the first transport guide member. The second transport guide member is arranged at a first position when the first transport guide member is closed, at a second position where the second transport guide member is opened from the first position when the first transport guide member is opened, or at a third position where the second transport guide member is opened from the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SUTO, Yasumasa MORIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160301820
    Abstract: In an image forming device, a light-guiding member includes an integrated ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member. The light-guiding member further includes a protrusion on the ridge. The illuminating device includes an attachment recess that holds the light-guiding member and a holder member that has a fit portion to which a protrusion is fitted. The protrusion is disposed at a position decentered to one end portion of the light-guiding member in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SUTO, Kenji NAKANISHI, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Masahiro IMOTO, Kazuhiro IGUCHI, Hiroki KURUMA
  • Publication number: 20160286068
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array and a reflective plate are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member is disposed on the side of the LED array. The light-guiding member includes a direct emission unit disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array and an indirect emission unit disposed between the reflective plate and the LED array, a light incidence face of the direct emission unit and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array, and the LED array is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SUTO, Mitsuharu YOSHIMOTO, Tomohiko OKADA, Hisashi YAMANAKA, Shohichi FUKUTOME, Kenji NAKANISHI
  • Patent number: 9438757
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit, an image forming unit, a discharge unit, and a discharge tray. The image reading unit is configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction. The image forming unit is configured to form an image read by the image reading unit on a paper sheet. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. The discharge tray is on which the paper sheet from the discharge unit is to be placed with a space portion at a lower side of the image reading unit. A bottom surface of a housing of the image reading unit facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is a surface at a front side of the discharge unit in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Nakanishi, Masahiro Imoto, Yasuhiro Suto, Shohichi Fukutome, Hisashi Yamanaka, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 9420142
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image scanning unit that is provided with a holding portion holding a flexible flat cable. The holding portion is protruded toward an upstream side in a sub scanning direction, and provided with a second wall part. The flexible flat cable that is extended from a connector is brought into contact with the second wall part. As for the flexible flat cable, a downward movement is regulated by a lower holding portion and an upward movement is regulated by an upper holding portion. Accordingly, the flexible flat cable does not rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Imoto, Yasuhiro Suto, Hisashi Yamanaka, Kenji Nakanishi, Shohichi Fukutome, Kazuhiro Iguchi
  • Patent number: 9420140
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a light source unit for illuminating an object to be illuminated, a reading unit for reading the object illuminated by the light source unit, a reflective unit, having at least a first reflection mirror, for reflecting reading light reflected by the object toward the reading unit, and a first light blocking portion for partially blocking light except the reading light. The first reflection mirror has a reflecting surface for reflecting the reading light, and an end surface substantially orthogonal to the reflecting surface. The first light blocking portion extends in a longitudinal direction of the first reflection mirror toward the end surface of the first reflection mirror, with a tip end of the first light blocking portion being opposed to the end surface of the first reflection mirror with a gap therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Imoto, Kenji Nakanishi, Yasuhiro Suto, Shohichi Fukutome, Kazuhiro Iguchi, Hiroki Kuruma
  • Patent number: 9398186
    Abstract: In an image forming device, a light-guiding member includes an integrated ridge extending in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member. The light-guiding member further includes a protrusion on the ridge. The illuminating device includes an attachment recess that holds the light-guiding member and a holder member that has a fit portion to which a protrusion is fitted. The protrusion is disposed at a position decentered to one end portion of the light-guiding member in the longitudinal direction of the light-guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Kenji Nakanishi, Shohichi Fukutome, Masahiro Imoto, Kazuhiro Iguchi, Hiroki Kuruma
  • Patent number: 9383500
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array and a reflective plate are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member is disposed on the side of the LED array. The light-guiding member includes a direct emission unit disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array and an indirect emission unit disposed between the reflective plate and the LED array, a light incidence face of the direct emission unit and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array, and the LED array is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto, Tomohiko Okada, Hisashi Yamanaka, Shohichi Fukutome, Kenji Nakanishi