Patents by Inventor Yasutaka Yagi
Yasutaka Yagi 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).
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Patent number: 11378901Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image bearing members, an intermediary transfer member having ion conductivity, primary transfer members, a first voltage applying portion, a secondary transfer member, a second voltage applying portion, and a controller. On the basis of image information, the controller controls a transfer voltage applied to the secondary transfer member so as to be different between a first voltage when a first region, in which a coverage indicating a ratio occupied by an image region per predetermined area is a first coverage passes through the secondary transfer portion and a second voltage when a second region, in which the coverage is a second coverage larger than the first coverage, passes through the secondary transfer portion. The controller controls a change amount of the first voltage with respect to the second voltage so as to be different between a first mode and a second mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2021Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yusaku Iwasawa, Yasutaka Yagi, Ken Yokoyama, Hiroyuki Seki
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Patent number: 11334014Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on an image bearing member; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member in a primary transfer portion to form an image portion; and a control portion configured to perform control to form a toner image for lubrication in a non-image portion of the intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image for a print image based on image information is not to be formed. In a state in which the non-image portion is to be formed downstream of the image portion in a movement direction of the surface of the intermediate transfer member, the control portion performs control to change a size of a region for forming the toner image for lubrication based on the image information.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Ken Yokoyama
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Publication number: 20210382416Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image bearing members, an intermediary transfer member having ion conductivity, primary transfer members, a first voltage applying portion, a secondary transfer member, a second voltage applying portion, and a controller. On the basis of image information, the controller controls a transfer voltage applied to the secondary transfer member so as to be different between a first voltage when a first region in which a coverage indicating a ratio occupied by an image region per predetermined area is a first coverage passes through the secondary transfer portion and a second voltage when a second region in which the coverage is a second coverage larger than the first coverage passes through the secondary transfer portion. The controller controls a change amount of the first voltage with respect to the second voltage so as to be different between a first mode and a second mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventors: Yusaku Iwasawa, Yasutaka Yagi, Ken Yokoyama, Hiroyuki Seki
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Publication number: 20210302885Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on an image bearing member; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member in a primary transfer portion to form an image portion; and a control portion configured to perform control to form a toner image for lubrication in a non-image portion of the intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image for a print image based on image information is not to be formed. In a state in which the non-image portion is to be formed downstream of the image portion in a movement direction of the surface of the intermediate transfer member, the control portion performs control to change a size of a region for forming the toner image for lubrication based on the image information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Ken Yokoyama
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Patent number: 10747133Abstract: A image-forming apparatus includes a plurality of process cartridges each having a toner and an image bearing member, and has an intermediate transfer member, wherein the toner comprises a toner particle that contains a toner base particle and a prescribed organosilicon polymer on the surface of the toner base particle, and the organosilicon polymer forms protruded portions on the surface of the toner base particle, for the protrusions having a protrusion height H from 40 nm to 300 nm, the numerical proportion P(D/w) of protruded portions having a ratio of the protrusion diameter D to the protrusion width w in a prescribed range is at least 70 number %, and one of the plurality of process cartridges has a carbon black-containing black toner, and the weight-average particle diameter of this black toner is smaller than that of the toner present in the other process cartridges.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2019Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Yuhei Terui, Noriyoshi Umeda, Tomonori Matsunaga, Shohei Kototani, Masamichi Sato
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Publication number: 20200026209Abstract: A image-forming apparatus includes a plurality of process cartridges each having a toner and an image bearing member, and has an intermediate transfer member, wherein the toner comprises a toner particle that contains a toner base particle and a prescribed organosilicon polymer on the surface of the toner base particle, and the organosilicon polymer forms protruded portions on the surface of the toner base particle, for the protrusions having a protrusion height H from 40 nm to 300 nm, the numerical proportion P(D/w) of protruded portions having a ratio of the protrusion diameter D to the protrusion width w in a prescribed range is at least 70 number %, and one of the plurality of process cartridges has a carbon black-containing black toner, and the weight-average particle diameter of this black toner is smaller than that of the toner present in the other process cartridges.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2019Publication date: January 23, 2020Inventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Yuhei Terui, Noriyoshi Umeda, Tomonori Matsunaga, Shohei Kototani, Masamichi Sato
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Publication number: 20190369529Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of forming a high quality electrophotographic image. The image forming apparatus includes toner in which an organosilicon polymer is stuck to a toner base at a predetermined sticking ratio, an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a surface layer having a predetermined hardness and a predetermined elastic deformation ratio, and an intermediate transfer body having a surface having a predetermined hardness, and also includes a unit that provides a circumferential velocity difference between the electrophotographic photoreceptor and the intermediate transfer body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Satoshi Otsuji, Hidekazu Fumita, Masatake Tanaka, Kentaro Yamawaki, Atsushi Okuda, Tsutomu Nishida
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Patent number: 10459375Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member configured to bear a toner image, the photosensitive member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin, and an intermediate transfer member configured to secondarily transfer the toner image having been primarily transferred from the photosensitive member onto a transfer material, the intermediate transfer member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin and having a ten-point average roughness Rz set within a range of 0.35 ?m?Rz?1.5 ?m.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yasutaka Yagi
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Patent number: 10324399Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing device, and an intermediate transfer member. The developing device includes a toner container containing a toner. The intermediate transfer member is charged to 3.0 nC/g or less in terms of absolute value at the surface thereof. The toner particles include a surface layer, and the brightness histogram of the toner particles has two local maximums P1 and P2 and a local minimum V between P1 and P2. P2 is derived from an organosilicon polymer. P1 lies in a brightness range of 20 to 70, and P2 lies in a brightness range of 130 to 230. The number of pixels of P1 and the number of pixels of P2 are each 0.50% or more relative to the total number of pixels. The total numbers of pixels A1, AV, and A2 each in a specific brightness range satisfy specific relationships.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2018Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Sara Yoshida, Shinsuke Mochizuki, Tsuneyoshi Tominaga, Kenta Kamikura, Tsutomu Shimano
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Publication number: 20190179240Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member configured to bear a toner image, the photosensitive member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin, and an intermediate transfer member configured to secondarily transfer the toner image having been primarily transferred from the photosensitive member onto a transfer material, the intermediate transfer member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin and having a ten-point average roughness Rz set within a range of 0.35 ?m?Rz?1.5 ?m.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventor: Yasutaka Yagi
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Patent number: 10234795Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member configured to bear a toner image, the photosensitive member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin, and an intermediate transfer member configured to secondarily transfer the toner image having been primarily transferred from the photosensitive member onto a transfer material, the intermediate transfer member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin and having a ten-point average roughness Rz set within a range of 0.35 ?m?Rz?1.5 ?m.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2018Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yasutaka Yagi
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Publication number: 20190064705Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing device, and an intermediate transfer member. The developing device includes a toner container containing a toner. The intermediate transfer member is charged to 3.0 nC/g or less in terms of absolute value at the surface thereof. The toner particles include a surface layer, and the brightness histogram of the toner particles has two local maximums P1 and P2 and a local minimum between P1 and P2. P2 is derived from the organosilicon polymer. P1 lies in a brightness range of 20 to 70, and P2 lies in a brightness range of 130 to 230. The number of pixels of P1 and the number of pixels of P2 are each 0.50% or more relative to the total number of pixels. The total numbers of pixels A1, AV, and A2 each in a specific brightness range satisfy specific relationships.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Sara Yoshida, Shinsuke Mochizuki, Tsuneyoshi Tominaga, Kenta Kamikura, Tsutomu Shimano
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Publication number: 20180210374Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member configured to bear a toner image, the photosensitive member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin, and an intermediate transfer member configured to secondarily transfer the toner image having been primarily transferred from the photosensitive member onto a transfer material, the intermediate transfer member having a surface layer containing acrylic resin and having a ten-point average roughness Rz set within a range of 0.35 ?m?Rz?1.5 ?m.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2018Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventor: Yasutaka Yagi
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Publication number: 20170363990Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controlling unit that executes a supply mode in which a supply toner image is formed on an image carrying member and supply toner is supplied to a contact portion between a cleaning member and the image carrying member. The controlling unit performs control such that the toner amount that is supplied to a contact portion in a supplying operation is smaller when the surface smoothness of a transfer material corresponds to a second roughness than when the surface smoothness of the transfer material corresponds to a first roughness, the second roughness being greater than the first roughness.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Yusuke Jinkoma, Yasutaka Yagi
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Patent number: 9665043Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller for forming an adjustment toner image in a region corresponding to between a first region corresponding to a preceding sheet and a second region corresponding to a subsequent sheet, wherein the controller selectively executes a first mode for setting as a first length a gap between the adjustment image and a trailing edge of the first region and for setting as a second length a gap between the adjustment toner image and a leading end of the second region, or a second mode for setting as a third length a gap between the adjustment toner image and the trailing edge of the first region and for setting as a fourth length a gap between the adjustment image and the leading end of the second region. The third is shorter than the first, and the fourth length is longer than the first length.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuhiro Funatani, Masanori Asai, Shuji Saito, Hiroyuki Seki, Yasutaka Yagi, Tetsuichiro Fujimoto
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Patent number: 9606477Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a cleaning member having a belt cleaning blade and a conductive brush. A value of a charging current that is generated when charging residual toner with the conductive brush is smaller when a color mode is executed compared to that when a monochrome mode is executed.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasutaka Yagi, Kazuhiro Funatani, Tetsuichiro Fujimoto, Hiroyuki Seki, Masanori Asai, Shuji Saito
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Patent number: 9599935Abstract: In an adjustment step, an adjustment purpose toner image is formed on an intermediate transfer belt, and the adjustment purpose toner image is removed from the intermediate transfer belt by a cleaning member contacting the intermediate transfer belt and through an electrostatic cleaning step. This adjustment step is executed in a state where a toner attachment amount on a charging member is switched from a first limit value, which is allowed in the image forming step to a second limit value, which is allowed immediately before executing the adjustment step. This switching is performed by the execution of a toner discharging step, where a power supply changes the state of applying voltage to the charging member from that in the electrostatic cleaning step, so that toner attached to the charging member is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2016Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masanori Asai, Kazuhiro Funatani, Hiroyuki Seki, Shuji Saito, Yasutaka Yagi, Tetsuichiro Fujimoto
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Patent number: 9551960Abstract: A CPU 26 sets the value of the applied voltage to a first set value when the absolute value of the amount of charge on the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is lower than a threshold value, and sets the value of the applied voltage to a second set value when the absolute value of the amount of charge on the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and when the first set value is VC1 and the second set value is VC2, the relationship |VC1|<|VC2| is established.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2015Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuichiro Fujimoto, Toshiaki Miyashiro, Yasutaka Yagi
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Patent number: 9482993Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion; a transfer member; a fixing portion; and a cleaning member. The image forming apparatus includes a first toner container containing a first formulation toner rich in hydrocarbon wax and a second toner container containing a second formulation toner rich in ester wax. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing an image forming operation and an operation in a toner supplying mode for supplying the toner or the toners to an intermediary transfer member when the image forming operation is not performed. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing the operation in the toner supplying mode in which only the first formulation toner is used or a mixture of the first formulation toner and the second formulation toner is used so that the first formulation toner is used in a larger amount than the second formulation toner.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2015Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yasutaka Yagi
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Patent number: 9477191Abstract: A fixing device includes: a cylindrical film; a nip forming member; and a back-up member for forming a nip. The nip forming member includes a projected portion. The projection amount of the projected portion is smaller in an end portion region positioned at an end portion of the projected portion with respect to a generatrix direction of the film than in a central region positioned at a central portion of the projected portion with respect to the generatrix direction, at least a part of the end portion region being inside a feeding region of a maximum-sized recording material usable in the fixing device. With respect to the recording material feeding direction, the width of the part of the projected portion inside the nip is broader in the end portion region than in the central region.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2016Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noriaki Sato, Yasutaka Yagi, Hiroshi Kataoka, Eiji Uekawa, Keisuke Mochizuki, Shuji Saito, Naoto Tsuchihashi