Patents by Inventor Yasuo Shiokawa

Yasuo Shiokawa 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: 20240066047
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a compound having a STING agonistic activity, which may be expected to be useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of STING-related diseases. The present disclosure relates to a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as defined in the description, or a salt thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: MASATO YOSHIKAWA, MORIHISA SAITOH, TAISUKE KATO, YAYOI NAKAYAMA, TOMOHIRO SEKI, YASUO NAKAGAWA, YUSUKE TOMINARI, MASAKI SETO, YUSUKE SASAKI, MASANORI OKANIWA, TSUNEO ODA, AKITO SHIBUYA, KOSUKE HIDAKA, ZENYU SHIOKAWA, SHUMPEI MURATA, ATSUTOSHI OKABE, YOSHIHISA NAKADA, MICHIYO MOCHIZUKI, BRIAN SCOTT FREEZE, TAISUKE TAWARAISHI, YASUFUMI WADA, PAUL D. GREENSPAN
  • Patent number: 11402788
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms a stable image on a recording material by using toner containing a release agent. A toner image can be formed on the recording material using a fixer, and a reverse transport path arranged on a downstream side of the fixer can reverses and transports the recording material after fixing. A reverse roller provided on the reverse transport path can reverse and send out the recording material by reversely transporting the recording material. A transporter can be provided between the fixer and the reverse roller on the reverse transport path, and a release agent remover removes the release agent adhering to the reverse roller. In embodiments, the transporter can include a release agent adhesion preventer that prevents the release agent from adhering to the transporter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuo Shiokawa
  • Publication number: 20220011711
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: as a conveyance path to convey an object formed with an image by an image former, a bent conveyance path exhibiting a bent shape; and a straight conveyance path connected to a downstream side of the bent conveyance path and exhibiting a straight shape, wherein the bent conveyance path and the straight conveyance path each include: a pair of guide parts facing each other to form the bent conveyance path and the straight conveyance path; and a plurality of friction reducing parts that are arranged in a conveyance direction on one of a pair of the guide part and are able to abut with an image forming surface of the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Yasuo SHIOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210405570
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material by using toner containing a release agent, and includes: a fixer that fixes, on the recording material, a toner image formed on the recording material; a reverse transport path that is arranged on a downstream side of the fixer in a recording material transport direction and reverses and transports the recording material after fixing; a reverse roller that is provided on the reverse transport path and reverses and sends out the recording material by reversely transporting the recording material; a transporter that is provided between the fixer and the reverse roller on the reverse transport path; and a release agent remover that removes the release agent adhering to the reverse roller, wherein the transporter includes a release agent adhesion preventer that prevents the release agent from adhering to the transporter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: YASUO SHIOKAWA
  • Patent number: 11144002
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a transfer section that transfers an image to a sheet; a sheet conveying member that is provided on an upstream side of the transfer section in a conveying direction of the sheet and that conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member such that the sheet is displaced in a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor causes a detector that detects an edge of the sheet in the width direction to detect the edge of the sheet after displacement of the sheet conveying member has been started, and causes the displacement to be terminated on the basis of the detected result such that the edge of the sheet reaches a target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 11092913
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a sway roller pair constituted of a pair of rollers, a first detector and a hardware processor. The transfer unit transfers an image onto paper. The fixing unit fixes, to the paper, the image transferred onto the paper by the transfer unit. The sway roller pair conveys the paper to the transfer unit, the paper being conveyed to the sway roller pair. The first detector is provided on a downstream side of the transfer unit but on an upstream side of the fixing unit and detects a position of a side edge of the paper. The hardware processor performs sway control of the sway roller pair based on a detection result of the detection by the first detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10737894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section including a transfer body that transfers an image onto a sheet in a transfer nip; a belt position correction section that performs operation of correcting misalignment of a position in an axial direction of a transfer belt in the transfer nip; a sheet conveyance member that is provided on the upstream side of the transfer nip in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls the sheet conveyance member so as to displace the sheet along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor controls displacement of the sheet conveyance member so as to follow the position in the axial direction of the transfer belt at the transfer nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10705473
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transferer that forms a transfer nip for transferring an image to a sheet; a conveyance roller pair disposed on an upstream side relative to the transfer nip in a conveyance direction of the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls the conveyance roller pair such that the sheet conveyed to a conveyance nip formed by the conveyance roller pair is conveyed with a predetermined nip pressure so as to cause slack in the sheet between the transfer nip and the conveyance nip in which the hardware processor controls the conveyance roller pair so as to reduce the nip pressure at the conveyance nip in accordance with an increase in a conveyance amount of the sheet at the conveyance nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Kawakami, Yasuo Shiokawa, Takahiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20200186654
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer section that transfers an image onto a sheet, a sheet conveying member that is provided upstream of the transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet, and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member in such a way that the sheet is displaced along the width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor performs first displacement control in which the sheet conveying member is displaced in a direction which is specified in advance with respect to the sheet and in which an edge of the sheet in the width direction is directed toward a target position and second displacement control in which the sheet conveying member is displaced in the direction opposite the direction of the first displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo SHIOKAWA, Yoshiteru KAWAKAMI, Takahiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 10609235
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former forming a toner image on a long sheet; a main conveyance path conveying the long sheet to the image former; and a double-side conveyance path which branches off from a first side, in the main conveyance path, downstream of the image former in a conveyance direction of the long sheet, and which conveys the long sheet to a second side upstream of the image former by reversing the conveyance direction at a point of switching back to invert the long sheet. The double-side conveyance path includes, in a downstream side in the conveyance direction before the switching back, a merging pathway connected to the second side upstream of the image former in the main conveyance path, and a first introducer introducing into the merging pathway a head of the long sheet in the conveyance direction before the switching back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10582075
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section that transfers an image to a sheet; a sheet conveyance member that is provided on an upstream of the transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction and that conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls the sheet conveyance member to displace the sheet, wherein a preset value defining a displacement condition of the sheet conveyance member for providing a correct position of the image on the sheet is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10577206
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section that transfers an image onto a sheet; a sheet conveying member that conveys the sheet, the sheet conveying member being provided upstream of the transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member so that the sheet is displaced along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor sets a displacement speed of the sheet conveying member for the sheet during transfer of the image by the transfer section to be lower than the displacement speed of the sheet conveying member for the sheet before the transfer of the image by the transfer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takahiro Okubo, Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10574845
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer section that transfers an image onto a sheet, a sheet conveying member that is provided upstream of the transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet, and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member in such a way that the sheet is displaced along the width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor performs first displacement control in which the sheet conveying member is displaced in a direction which is specified in advance with respect to the sheet and in which an edge of the sheet in the width direction is directed toward a target position and second displacement control in which the sheet conveying member is displaced in the direction opposite the direction of the first displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10514653
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a lubricant supply section that supplies a lubricant of a lubricant rod extending along an axial direction of an image bearing member onto the image bearing member; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of a sheet conveyance member so as to displace a sheet along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor performs control of changing a position in the axial direction of the toner image formed on the image bearing member on the basis of a distribution status of a toner in the axial direction in a toner image formed on the image bearing member, and controls displacement of the sheet conveyance member after a tip end of the sheet in the conveyance direction enters the transfer section so that a sheet position in a width direction of an image transferred onto the sheet is correct in the transfer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Kawakami, Yasuo Shiokawa, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10511735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former, a conveyance path, a flipping conveyance path, a conveying mechanism and a hardware processor. The flipping conveyance path includes a side path connecting a first branch point in a downstream of the conveyance path to a junction in an upstream of the conveyance path and a re-feeding path connecting a second branch point in the side path to a re-feeding point in an upstream of the conveyance path. The hardware processor controls the conveying mechanism to perform (i) a conveyance operation to convey the sheet along the conveyance path, (ii) a draw-in operation to draw the sheet with the image into the side path, and (iii) a re-feeding operation to convey the sheet in a reverse direction to re-feed the flipped sheet from the re-feeding point to the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Kawakami, Yasuo Shiokawa, Takahiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20190317440
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, which may include: an image forming part that may form an image on a sheet; a sheet conveying part that may convey the sheet to the image forming part; a sheet length measuring part that may measure a length of the sheet on the basis of a passing timing of a tip end and a rear end of the sheet conveyed to a sheet conveying path; and a hardware processor that may perform control of aligning a formation position in a sheet conveying direction of the image between a first surface and a second surface of the sheet on the basis of a measurement result by the sheet length measuring part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo SHIOKAWA, Yoshiteru KAWAKAMI, Takahiro OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20190278213
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a lubricant supply section that supplies a lubricant of a lubricant rod extending along an axial direction of an image bearing member onto the image bearing member; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of a sheet conveyance member so as to displace a sheet along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor performs control of changing a position in the axial direction of the toner image formed on the image bearing member on the basis of a distribution status of a toner in the axial direction in a toner image formed on the image bearing member, and controls displacement of the sheet conveyance member after a tip end of the sheet in the conveyance direction enters the transfer section so that a sheet position in a width direction of an image transferred onto the sheet is correct in the transfer section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Yoshiteru KAWAKAMI, Yasuo SHIOKAWA, Takahiro OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20190276257
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section including a transfer body that transfers an image onto a sheet in a transfer nip; a belt position correction section that performs operation of correcting misalignment of a position in an axial direction of a transfer belt in the transfer nip; a sheet conveyance member that is provided on the upstream side of the transfer nip in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls the sheet conveyance member so as to displace the sheet along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor controls displacement of the sheet conveyance member so as to follow the position in the axial direction of the transfer belt at the transfer nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Yasuo SHIOKAWA, Yoshiteru KAWAKAMI, Takahiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 10401776
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that highly precisely suppresses misregistration of an image relative to a sheet due to sub-scanning skew and a control method are provided. The image forming apparatus includes: displacement rollers including at least a pair of rollers conveying a sheet that is being conveyed, toward a transfer section; a detection section that detects a position of a side end part of the sheet; and a hardware processor that performs processing for displacing the displacement rollers based on displacement control information and correcting the displacement control information for next and subsequent sheets based on a detection result of detection by the detection section after the displacement of the displacement rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takahiro Okubo, Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10379465
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former, a fixing device, an image forming path, a circulation path and a hardware processor. Along the image forming path, paper is conveyed to the image former and the fixing device. The circulation path (i) diverges from the image forming path on a downstream side of the fixing device in a paper conveying direction and (ii) meets the image forming path on an upstream side of the image former in the paper conveying direction so as to circulate the paper such that an image forming side of the paper is unchanged. The hardware processor performs paper heating control to (i) make the paper pass through the fixing device without image forming on the paper, thereby heating the paper, and (ii) re-convey the paper via the circulation path to the image former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo