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).
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Publication number: 20230221662Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 11630403Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 7, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Publication number: 20210223718Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2021Publication date: July 22, 2021Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 11009812Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 7, 2018Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Publication number: 20190377283Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2018Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Kazushi Suzuki, Takeshi Sugita, Tamotsu Kaneko, Hisahiro Saito, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 8259143Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 6, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 8111415Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 28, 2008Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 8059318Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Shinji Katagiri
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Patent number: 8027063Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 28, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 7710610Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 23, 2004Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinji Katagiri, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Publication number: 20100046993Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yoichiro MAEBASHI
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Patent number: 7636100Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 3, 2006Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
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Publication number: 20080218786Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: YOICHIRO MAEBASHI
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Publication number: 20070237531Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 7280778Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 25, 2005Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Toshiaki Miyashiro, Yuki Nishizawa
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Patent number: 7239427Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 1, 2002Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Tezuka, Yoichiro Maebashi
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Publication number: 20070008397Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2006Publication date: January 11, 2007Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoichiro Maebashi
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Patent number: 6985678Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 4, 2003Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Tomoaki Nakai, Hiroki Tezuka
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Patent number: 6980749Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 24, 2003Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuo Yoda, Tatsunori Ishiyama, Yoichiro Maebashi, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Kenichi Iida, Yuki Nishizawa
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Publication number: 20050260004Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2005Publication date: November 24, 2005Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoichiro Maebashi, Shinji Katagiri