Patents by Inventor Yotaro Sato

Yotaro Sato 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: 5978644
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image bearer for bearing a toner image formed by a toner image forming device; a second image bearer for bearing the toner image which is transferred from the first image bearer; a first transferring device for transferring the toner image borne on the first image bearer onto the second image bearer or a front side of a transfer material; a second transferring device for transferring the toner image borne on the second image bearer onto a back side of the transfer material; a fixing device for fixing toner images transferred on both sides of the transfer material which is conveyed on the second image bearer and separated therefrom; and a separating claw for separating the transfer material from the second image bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yotaro Sato, Kunio Shigeta, Hisayoshi Nagase, Satoshi Haneda, Toshihide Miura
  • Patent number: 5970277
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which forms images on both surfaces of a sheet-shaped medium using the electrophotographic method. There is described a double-sided image forming apparatus, which includes a first and a second image bearing elements to bear toner images, a first and a second transfer units for transferring the toner images to the sheet-shaped medium from the first and the second image bearing elements, a fixing unit for fixing the toner images transferred to the sheet-shaped medium, a discharger to discharge electric charges residing on the sheet-shaped medium, a detector to detect thickness and/or stiffness data of the sheet-shaped medium, and a controller to control a first image forming mode which enables to form images on both surfaces of the sheet-shaped medium, and to control a second image forming mode which enables to form an image on only a single surface of the sheet-shaped medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Satoshi Haneda, Hisayoshi Nagase
  • Patent number: 5920744
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming images on at least one surface of a sheet includes a reader for reading image information on documents, a memory for storing image signals output by the reader, and an image forming unit for selectively forming one of: (i) two page toner images corresponding to the image signals of two pages of the documents separately on two image carrying members, and (ii) a single toner image on one of the two image carrying members. A jam detector detects a jammed sheet, and a delivery detector detects delivery of a copied sheet to outside the apparatus. Image signals are eliminated from memory in accordance with a progression of image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Akitoshi Matsubara, Masakazu Fukuchi, Tadayoshi Ikeda, Satoshi Haneda, Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato
  • Patent number: 5905931
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming toner images on both sides of a sheet includes a first transfer device which transfers a toner image from a rotatable image forming body onto a rotatable intermediate transfer member or onto the first side of a sheet; a second transfer device which transfers a toner image from the rotatable intermediate transfer member onto the second side of the sheet; and a fixing device which fixes the toner image on the first side of the sheet and the toner image on the second side of the sheet simultaneously. The sheet is conveyed to the first transfer device and to the second transfer device by the rotatable intermediate transfer member, is separated at a separating section from the rotatable intermediate transfer member, and is brought to the fixing device. The second transfer device is located between the first transfer device and the separating section, and a conductive member is located opposite the second transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Satoshi Haneda, Hisayoshi Nagase, Toshihide Miura
  • Patent number: 5899611
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a toner image on both sides of a sheet, includes a photoreceptor on which a first toner image and a second toner image are formed by toner image forming devices; a second image carrying belt onto which the second toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor; a first transferring device to transfer the first toner image from the photoreceptor to a first side of the sheet; a second transferring device to transfer the second toner image from the second image carrying belt to a second side of the sheet; a fixing device having a first fixing roller for fixing the first toner image onto the first side of the sheet and a second fixing roller for fixing the second toner image onto the second side of the sheet, the first fixing roller coming in contact with the second fixing roller so as to form a nip section therebetween; the second image carrying belt having a flat belt surface on which the sheet is conveyed from the photoreceptor toward a separating section at which the sheet is separa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Haneda, Yotaro Sato, Kunio Shigeta
  • Patent number: 5875372
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image carrier on which a toner image forming device forms a toner image; a second image carrier provided opposite to the first image carrier, onto which the toner image on the first image carrier is transferred; first and second transfer devices for transferring the toner image on the first and second image carriers onto one side and the other side of a transfer material, respectively; and a fixing device for fixing the toner images on both sides of the transfer material transferred respectively by the first and second transfer devices. The fixing device includes first and second fixing members provided opposite to one side and the other side of the transfer material, respectively, wherein the transfer material passes between the first and second fixing members, and first and second sensors are provided for detecting temperature of the first and second fixing members respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yotaro Sato, Kunio Shigeta, Satoshi Haneda, Akitoshi Matsubara, Tadayoshi Ikeda, Masakazu Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 5826143
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming images corresponding to image data of plural pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Haneda, Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Masakazu Fukuchi, Akitoshi Matsubara, Tadayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5822666
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming an image on a sheet member includes a photoreceptor drum on which a first toner image and a second toner image are separately formed; an image carrying belt on which the second toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor drum; a first transfer device to transfer the first toner image from the photoreceptor drum to a first side of the sheet member; a second transfer device to transfer the second toner image from the image carrying belt to the other side of the sheet member; and a cleaner capable of being brought in contact with anal separated from the image carrying belt. The cleaner is brought in contact with the image carrying belt after the first toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor drum to the first side of the sheet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Haneda, Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Tadayoshi Ikeda, Masakazu Fukuchi, Akitoshi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 5799226
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a toner image forming device to form a toner image on a first image carrier; a first transfer device to transfer the toner image on the first image carrier onto a second image carrier provided opposite to the first image carrier to carry a transferred toner image, or to transfer the toner image on the first image carrier onto one side of a transfer material; a second transfer device to transfer the toner image carried on the second image carrier onto the other side of the material; a fixing device to fix at least one of the toner image on the one side of the transfer material and the toner image on the other side of the transfer material; and a control device to control the toner image forming device, the first transfer device and the second transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Satoshi Haneda
  • Patent number: 5761573
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with a photoreceptor on which a obverse toner image is formed, a toner image receiving body on which a reverse toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor, and transfer devices to transfer the obverse image onto one side of a sheet and to transfer the reverse image onto the other side of the sheet. An image forming condition for the reverse image is changed to be different from that for the obverse image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Haneda, Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Masakazu Fukuchi, Akitoshi Matsubara, Tadayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5758204
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photoreceptor drum and a toner image receptor for forming toner images on both sides of a transfer sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Haneda, Kunio Shigeta, Yotaro Sato, Tadayoshi Ikeda, Masakazu Fukuchi, Akitoshi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 5701553
    Abstract: A development apparatus for developing a latent image formed on an image forming body with a developer so as to obtain a toner image. A developer conveyance unit conveys the developer, including a toner, to a development zone, between the developer conveyance unit and the image forming body, from an upstream side of the development zone in a conveyance direction to a downstream side thereof. A plate member having an electrode portion is positioned at the upstream side of the development zone, wherein a downstream end portion of the plate member is positioned in contact with the development zone. A power supply unit applies a first voltage, including a DC component and an AC component, to the developer conveyance unit so that an electric field is generated at the development zone. The power supply unit applies a second voltage, including a DC component, to the electrode portion of the plate member, and the plate member controls the electric field with the second voltage. The development apparatus satisfies: V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Endo, Toru Komatsu, Yotaro Sato, Hiroyuki Nomori, Kunio Shigeta, Masahiro Onodera
  • Patent number: 5604573
    Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image on an image retainer with two-component developer has a rotatable sleeve having a closest position on which the sleeve comes closest to the image retainer, a first magnet fixed in the sleeve in close proximity to the closest position, a second magnet disposed upstream of the first magnet in relation to a rotation direction of the sleeve and a control electrode member. The control electrode member includes an insulating plate member arranged either to be brought into contact with or to be positioned adjacent to the sleeve and a line-shaped electrode member fixed to the plate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Endo, Satoshi Haneda, Yotaro Sato, Hiroyuki Nomori
  • Patent number: 5602630
    Abstract: A non-contact type of developing device for use in an image forming apparatus having an image forming body, includes a developer conveying body facing the image forming body in which a magnet body having a plurality of magnet poles are attached therein, to convey two-component developer in the form of a developer layer onto a developing area and a control electrode provided at the developing area or upstream of the developing area. The control electrode has an electrically insulating member which is in contact with or close to the developing layer, and an electrode to which a voltage is applicable is attached to the insulating member. The following condition is satisfied: ##EQU1## where D.sub.T represents a number of toner layers on the assumption that the toner particles passing through the developing area are filled most densely, D.sub.WS represents a conveying amount (mg/cm.sup.2) of the developer layer at the developing area on the developer conveying body, T.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Endo, Toru Komatsu, Yotaro Sato, Kunio Shigeta, Hiroyuki Nomori