Patents by Inventor Yoshinao Chiba

Yoshinao Chiba 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: 11952239
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding roller pair, a detecting portion, a first changing portion, a second changing portion, and a controller for controlling the first changing portion and the second changing portion. The controller starts a first feeding operation for feeding a sheet toward the obliquely feeding roller pair in a nipping state of the feeding roller pair and then starts a second feeding operation for feeding the sheet for abutting a side end of the sheet against the reference member in the nipping state of the obliquely feeding roller pair. The controller changes, after the first feeding operation is started and before the second feeding operation is started, a start timing of the second feeding operation on the basis of a detection result of a position of the side end of the sheet detected by the detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinao Chiba, Shingo Iwami, Koji Suzuki, Yuma Inui, Yoshiya Numata
  • Publication number: 20230130208
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller, an abutment member including an abutment surface, an obliquely conveying roller configured to convey the sheet such that the side edge portion is moved toward the abutment surface, a sheet side-edge detection portion, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the conveyance force of the obliquely conveying roller at a first conveyance force until a predetermined time has elapsed, in an abutment operation in which the sheet is abutted against the abutment surface by the obliquely conveying roller, and control the conveyance force of the obliquely conveying roller at a second conveyance force larger than the first conveyance force if the predetermined time has elapsed and the position of the side edge portion of the sheet detected by the sheet side-edge detection portion is out of a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Hiroki Takano, Yuma Inui, Shingo Iwami, Yoshinao Chiba, Koji Suzuki, Yoshiya Numata
  • Publication number: 20230017154
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance guide configured to guide a sheet along a conveyance center line extending in a conveyance direction, a reference member including an abutment surface, a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet while abutting a first edge of the sheet against the abutment surface, a detection unit configured to detect a first angle formed between the first edge of the sheet and a second edge adjacent to the first edge, a moving unit configured to move the reference member so as to change a second angle formed between the abutment surface and the conveyance center line, and a control unit configured to perform a movement process in which the moving unit moves the reference member such that, when the first angle is referred to as ?, the second angle becomes an absolute value of a difference 90 degrees minus ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Yuma Inui, Shingo Iwami, Koji Suzuki, Yoshiya Numata, Yoshinao Chiba
  • Publication number: 20220227596
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding roller pair, a detecting portion, a first changing portion, a second changing portion, and a controller for controlling the first changing portion and the second changing portion. The controller starts a first feeding operation for feeding a sheet toward the obliquely feeding roller pair in a nipping state of the feeding roller pair and then starts a second feeding operation for feeding the sheet for abutting a side end of the sheet against the reference member in the nipping state of the obliquely feeding roller pair. The controller changes, after the first feeding operation is started and before the second feeding operation is started, a start timing of the second feeding operation on the basis of a detection result of a position of the side end of the sheet detected by the detecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshinao Chiba, Shingo Iwami, Koji Suzuki, Yuma Inui, Yoshiya Numata
  • Patent number: 11339015
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a storage portion, a sheet supporting portion, a feed portion, a drive portion to output driving force that lifts the sheet supporting portion, and a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the storage portion and including an engaging portion disposed on one end side in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The engaging portion engages with the drive portion, and a pressing portion is fixed to the rotation shaft and presses the sheet supporting portion from below when the rotation shaft is rotated by the drive portion. A rotary damper joins with the rotation shaft on another end side of the rotation shaft and reduces rotary motion of the rotation shaft. The pressing portion is disposed between the engaging portion and the rotary damper in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Publication number: 20220144571
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller, an abutment member including an abutment surface against which a side edge, in a width direction, of the sheet abuts, and configured to correct a skew of the sheet, an obliquely conveying roller configured to convey the sheet such as the side edge of the sheet is conveyed toward the abutment surface, a sheet side edge detection portion configured to detect a position of the side edge of the sheet, and a control unit configured to control that a conveyance force, in the width direction, by the obliquely conveying roller in response to a detection result of the sheet side edge detection portion becomes smaller than that in an abutment movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Shingo Iwami, Yoshinao Chiba, Koji Suzuki, Yuma Inui, Yoshiya Numata
  • Patent number: 10836595
    Abstract: A rotary feeding member includes a plurality of first regions each including a plurality of first protruding portions and a plurality of first recessed portions, and a plurality of second regions each including a plurality of second protruding portions and a plurality of second recessed portions. The plurality of first regions and plurality of second regions are alternately arranged in a rotating direction of the rotary feeding member, and a ratio of a second depth of the second recessed portions to a first depth of the first recessed portions is 0.4 or greater and 0.8 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 10807818
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, and a sheet feeding unit having a rotary feeding member and a separation member defining a nip portion together with the rotary feeding member, with the nip portion separating the sheet fed by the rotary feeding member from another sheet. A load detecting unit detects a conveyance load acting on the sheet feeding unit while feeding the sheet, and a control unit controls the sheet feeding unit to start to feed a second sheet succeeding to a first sheet at a first timing in a case where the conveyance load detected while feeding the first sheet is less than a threshold value, and starts to feed the second sheet at a second timing which is later than the first timing in a case where the conveyance load detected while feeding the first sheet exceeds the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 10723575
    Abstract: A separation roller for a sheet feeding apparatus includes an outer circumferential portion formed from an elastic material, a core portion to which the outer circumferential portion is attached; and a flange portion including a plurality of projecting portions each projecting to an outside in a radial direction with respect to the core portion. At least one of the plurality of projecting portions includes a first surface provided on a side portion thereof on an upstream side in a first direction in which the separation roller rotates in such a manner as to follow the rotary feeding member rotating to feed the sheet. The first surface extends more upstream in the first direction at a position further on an outside in a radial direction with respect to a rotation axis of the separation roller as viewed in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinao Chiba, Wataru Murata
  • Publication number: 20200207562
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a storage portion, a sheet supporting portion, a feed portion, a drive portion configured to output driving force that lifts the sheet supporting portion, a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the storage portion and including an engaging portion disposed on one end side in an axial direction, the engaging portion being configured to engage with the drive portion, a pressing portion fixed to the rotation shaft and configured to press the sheet supporting portion from below when the rotation shaft is rotated by the drive portion, and a rotary damper disposed so as to join with the rotation shaft on another end side of the rotation shaft and configured to reduce rotary motion of the rotation shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 10543996
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a rotary feeding member configured to feed the sheet, a regulating portion configured to regulate a position of the edge portion, and a force applying portion that is provided separately from the rotary feeding member. The force applying portion contacts the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion upstream in a conveyance direction of the rotary feeding member and applies a force to turn the sheet fed by the rotary feeding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Publication number: 20190270603
    Abstract: A separation roller for a sheet feeding apparatus includes an outer circumferential portion formed from an elastic material, a core portion to which the outer circumferential portion is attached; and a flange portion including a plurality of projecting portions each projecting to an outside in a radial direction with respect to the core portion. At least one of the plurality of projecting portions includes a first surface provided on a side portion thereof on an upstream side in a first direction in which the separation roller rotates in such a manner as to follow the rotary feeding member rotating to feed the sheet. The first surface extends more upstream in the first direction at a position further on an outside in a radial direction with respect to a rotation axis of the separation roller as viewed in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Yoshinao Chiba, Wataru Murata
  • Publication number: 20190225441
    Abstract: A rotary feeding member for feeding a sheet is provided with a plurality of protruding portions, a plurality of first recessed portions and a plurality of second recessed portions on a cross-section perpendicular to a width direction of the rotary feeding member. The plurality of protruding portions constituting an outer circumferential surface of the rotary feeding member to be in contact with the sheet. Each of the plurality of first recessed portions and the plurality of second recessed portions is provided between any adjacent two of the plurality of protruding portions in the rotating direction. The plurality of first recessed portions are recessed to a first depth with respect to the outer circumferential surface, and the plurality of second recessed portions are recessed to a second depth smaller than the first depth with respect to the outer circumferential surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Publication number: 20190119058
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, a sheet feeding unit including a rotary feeding member and a separation member, the sheet feeding unit executing a feeding operation of feeding the sheet, a load detecting unit configured to detect a conveyance load acting on the sheet feeding unit, a control unit configured to control the sheet feeding unit such that the sheet feeding unit executes the feeding operation to a second sheet succeeding to a first sheet with a first feeding interval or with a second feeding interval which is longer than the first feeding interval in response to a detection result of the load detecting unit while feeding the first sheet, wherein each of the first and second feeding intervals is defined by a time interval from starting to feed the first sheet until starting to feed the second sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Publication number: 20180305146
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion a rotary feeding member configured to feed the sheet, a regulating portion configured to regulate a position of the edge portion, and a force applying portion that is provided separately from the rotary feeding member, configured to contact the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion upstream in a conveyance direction of the rotary feeding member and apply force to turn the sheet fed by the rotary feeding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 9567172
    Abstract: By abutting a positioning member against an abutting surface provided in an image forming apparatus body, positioning in a mounting direction of a sheet storing portion drawably mounted on the image forming apparatus body. A position of the positioning member is changed stepwise by a support portion having a receiving surface abutting against the positioning member, and the shift of the sheet storing portion positioned by the positioning member with respect to the image forming portion is adjusted stepwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinao Chiba, Shinsuke Ubayashi
  • Patent number: 9327926
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet feed portion, a sheet storage portion, and a resistance unit. The resistance unit includes a link member that is pivoted by coming in contact with the apparatus body when the sheet storage portion is mounted on the apparatus body toward a feed position, and is configured such that a distance between a normal line, in an contact surface with the apparatus body, and a pivot center becomes longer as the sheet storage portion approaches the feed position, a linear type oil damper generating a resistance force through a linear operation in accordance with pivoting of the link member, and a transmitting portion that is provided between the link member and the linear type oil damper, linearly moves due to the pivoting of the link member, and transmits the pivoting of the link member to the linear type oil damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 9254973
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet storage portion having a sheet stacking portion, a sheet feed portion, a drive portion configured to be capable of switching a lifting speed when lifting the sheet stacking portion between a first lifting speed and a second lifting speed, a height detecting portion configured to be capable of detecting the fact that the sheet reaches a decelerating position for switching the lifting speed of the sheet stacking portion from the first lifting speed to the second lifting speed, a time counting portion, and a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Ishida, Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 9227806
    Abstract: A sheet storing portion includes a movable restricting portion disposed in a sheet storage body to be movable along a sheet feeding direction and restricting an upstream end in the sheet feeding direction of the sheet. A detecting portion moves in conjunction with the movable restricting portion and includes a detecting member that turns turning on and off the plurality of switches. A control portion is configured to judge the size of the sheet by patterns of ON and OFF of the plurality of switches inputted from the detecting portion and to judge that the size of the sheet stored in the sheet storing portion is the sheet specified through a specifying portion when the size of the sheet is specified through the specifying portion even if the pattern is a predetermined pattern different from a pattern of the size of the sheet specified through the specifying portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Publication number: 20150307298
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet feed portion, a sheet storage portion, and a resistance unit. The resistance unit includes a link member that is pivoted by coming in contact with the apparatus body when the sheet storage portion is mounted on the apparatus body toward a feed position, and is configured such that a distance between a normal line, in an contact surface with the apparatus body, and a pivot center becomes longer as the sheet storage portion approaches the feed position, a linear type oil damper generating a resistance force through a linear operation in accordance with pivoting of the link member, and a transmitting portion that is provided between the link member and the linear type oil damper, linearly moves due to the pivoting of the link member, and transmits the pivoting of the link member to the linear type oil damper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba