Patents by Inventor Yoichiro Maebashi

Yoichiro Maebashi 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: 20230221662
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container isbelow a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 11630403
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Publication number: 20210223718
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container isbelow a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 11009812
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Publication number: 20190377283
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 8259143
    Abstract: A structure for a transport path for a recording material within a transfer portion varies between a margin-less print mode and a normal print mode. A necessity of cleaning of a transfer member also varies between both modes. Thus, provided is an image forming apparatus in which the structure of the transfer portion is switched between the normal print and the margin-less print, and the margin-less print cannot be carried out with a structure of the transfer portion for the normal print. This is because, when the so-called margin-less print is carried out with the structure of the transfer portion for the normal print, there is a possibility that an image defect of a print image to be outputted is caused, or a stain of toner on a rear surface of the recording material is caused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 8111415
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of this invention includes an image forming position correction unit which corrects an inclination or curve of an image in the main scanning direction by converting coordinates designating pixel positions of a bitmap image in the sub-scanning direction. It is discriminated whether image formation is normal image formation or formation of the toner image for detection by an image forming condition correction unit. Based on the discrimination result, the image forming apparatus is controlled so as to correct the image forming position by using the image forming position correction unit in a case in which the image formation is discriminated as the normal image formation, but so as not to correct the image forming position by using the image forming position correction unit in a case in which the image formation is discriminated as formation of the toner image for detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 8059318
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a density sensor which detects the light reflecting characteristics of an unfixed toner image formed on an image carrier or a transfer material carrier, and a color sensor which detects the light reflecting characteristics of the fixed toner image formed on a transfer material. A test image is formed on the transfer material in accordance with the detection result of the density sensor, and a density control process of controlling image forming conditions is controlled to be executed in accordance with a detection result of detecting the test image by the color sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Shinji Katagiri
  • Patent number: 8027063
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a coordinate converter that corrects an image position in one pixel unit by converting a coordinate, a gradation value converter that corrects the image position in less-than-one pixel unit by converting a gradation value, an image outputting unit that forms a detection toner image including an intermediate gradation pixel onto an image bearing member that can bear a toner image, and a light reflection characteristic detector that detects a light reflection characteristic of the detection toner image. The gradation value converter is adjusted in accordance with a detection output of the light reflection characteristic detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 7710610
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit adapted to form images of a plurality of colors in a manner in which a predetermined pattern of a predetermined color is registered thereon and superimpose those images to form a color image, a controller configured to control the image forming unit so as to form a patch image of each color for density detection, and a detector configured to detect the density of each of the patch images. The controller controls the image forming unit so as to superimpose the predetermined pattern of the predetermined color upon the patch image of a predetermined color and not to superimpose the predetermined pattern of the predetermined color upon the patch images of the other colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Katagiri, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Publication number: 20100046993
    Abstract: A structure for a transport path for a recording material within a transfer portion varies between a margin-less print mode and a normal print mode. A necessity of cleaning of a transfer member also varies between both modes. Thus, provided is an image forming apparatus in which the structure of the transfer portion is switched between the normal print and the margin-less print, and the margin-less print cannot be carried out with a structure of the transfer portion for the normal print. This is because, when the so-called margin-less print is carried out with the structure of the transfer portion for the normal print, there is a possibility that an image defect of a print image to be outputted is caused, or a stain of toner on a rear surface of the recording material is caused.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoichiro MAEBASHI
  • Patent number: 7636100
    Abstract: A structure for a transport path for a recording material within a transfer portion varies between a margin-less print mode and a normal print mode. A necessity of cleaning of a transfer member also varies between both modes. Thus, provided is an image forming apparatus in which the structure of the transfer portion is switched between the normal print and the margin-less print, and the margin-less print cannot be carried out with a structure of the transfer portion for the normal print. This is because, when the so-called margin-less print is carried out with the structure of the transfer portion for the normal print, there is a possibility that an image defect of a print image to be outputted is caused, or a stain of toner on a rear surface of the recording material is caused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Publication number: 20080218786
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of this invention includes an image forming position correction unit which corrects an inclination or curve of an image in the main scanning direction by converting coordinates designating pixel positions of a bitmap image in the sub-scanning direction. It is discriminated whether image formation is normal image formation or formation of the toner image for detection by an image forming condition correction unit. Based on the discrimination result, the image forming apparatus is controlled so as to correct the image forming position by using the image forming position correction unit in a case in which the image formation is discriminated as the normal image formation, but so as not to correct the image forming position by using the image forming position correction unit in a case in which the image formation is discriminated as formation of the toner image for detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: YOICHIRO MAEBASHI
  • Publication number: 20070237531
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a coordinate converter that corrects an image position in one pixel unit by converting a coordinate, a gradation value converter that corrects the image position in less-than-one pixel unit by converting a gradation value, an image outputting unit that forms a detection toner image including an intermediate gradation pixel onto an image bearing member that can bear a toner image, and a light reflection characteristic detector that detects a light reflection characteristic of the detection toner image. The gradation value converter is adjusted in accordance with a detection output of the light reflection characteristic detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 7280778
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus using an optical sensor for detecting light reflection characteristics of a toner image fixed on a transfer material, occurrence of gloss unevenness in a printed image can be prevented. The image forming apparatus includes a first transfer material conveying path for normal printing, a second transfer material conveying path for image density control, a sensor contact member integral with the optical sensor and a transfer material supporting member contacting a transfer material rear surface in a position opposing the sensor contact member. At the time of normal printing, the sensor contact member and the transfer material supporting member are disposed in a spaced position against the transfer material, and at the time of image density control, the sensor contact member or the transfer material supporting member moves so that the sensor contact member and the transfer material supporting member contact the transfer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Toshiaki Miyashiro, Yuki Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 7239427
    Abstract: Provided are a method of making correction for color sensor output values in color image forming apparatus, which succeeds in improving color reproducibility of the color image forming apparatus, and the color image forming apparatus provided with the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Tezuka, Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Publication number: 20070008397
    Abstract: A structure for a transport path for a recording material within a transfer portion varies between a margin-less print mode and a normal print mode. A necessity of cleaning of a transfer member also varies between both modes. Thus, provided is an image forming apparatus in which the structure of the transfer portion is switched between the normal print and the margin-less print, and the margin-less print cannot be carried out with a structure of the transfer portion for the normal print. This is because, when the so-called margin-less print is carried out with the structure of the transfer portion for the normal print, there is a possibility that an image defect of a print image to be outputted is caused, or a stain of toner on a rear surface of the recording material is caused.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
  • Patent number: 6985678
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus and related method forms a color image on a transfer material. The apparatus is provided with a first optical sensor capable of detecting optical reflection characteristics of an unfixed toner image and a second optical sensor capable of detecting optical reflection characteristics of a toner image after fixation. A first forming step forms a mixed-color toner image including plural toners. A calculation step calculates, based on optical reflection characteristics of the mixed-color toner image detected by the second optical sensor, a condition that the mixed-color toner image becomes achromatic. A second forming step forms a toner image corresponding to the calculated toner mixing ratio. A processing step processes an output of the first optical sensor based on the optical reflection characteristics of the monochromatic toner image detected by the first optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Tomoaki Nakai, Hiroki Tezuka
  • Patent number: 6980749
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a movable intermediary transfer member, wherein an image on the image bearing member is transferred onto the intermediary transfer member by primary transfer and the image transferred onto the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material by secondary transfer, a discriminator for discriminating a kind of the transfer material, and a controller for controlling a moving speed ratio between the image bearing member and the intermediary transfer member on the basis of an output of the discriminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoda, Tatsunori Ishiyama, Yoichiro Maebashi, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Kenichi Iida, Yuki Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20050260004
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a density sensor which detects the light reflecting characteristics of an unfixed toner image formed on an image carrier or a transfer material carrier, and a color sensor which detects the light reflecting characteristics of the fixed toner image formed on a transfer material. A test image is formed on the transfer material in accordance with the detection result of the density sensor, and a density control process of controlling image forming conditions is controlled to be executed in accordance with a detection result of detecting the test image by the color sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Shinji Katagiri