Patents by Inventor Yuhiro Sakai

Yuhiro Sakai 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: 11966182
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a pair of retention members each including a restriction surface. The restriction surface restricts a movement of the fixing member in an axial direction. The restriction surface includes a first contact area and a second contact area. The first area is an area more on a downstream side of a passing direction of a medium than a center of a pressure area in the passing direction, and also closer to the pressure area than an apex of the fixing member on an opposite side of the pressure area. The first contact area and the second contact area are each tilted at a certain gradient so as to be set apart from the end portion of the fixing member in the axial direction from a side of the apex toward a side of the pressure area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hironori Takahashi, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Shota Onishi, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 11934123
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressing roller and a heating part. The heating part includes a heater, a plurality of temperature sensors, a heater holding member and a sensor holding member. The sensor holding member holds the temperature sensors between the heater holding member and the sensor holding member. The heater holding member has observation holes through which the heater is exposed. The heater holding member has a guide part which positions the sensor holding member with respect to the heater holding member. The sensor holding member has an engagement part engaged with the guide part. The sensor holding member holds each of the temperature sensors at a position corresponding to each of the observation holes by engagement of the engagement part with the guide part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kohama, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 11886137
    Abstract: A fixing device (50) includes a fixing belt (70), a pressure member (80), and a heating section (90). The heating section (90) faces an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt (70). The heating section (90) includes a heater (HT), a first heat sensitive body (SM11), and a second heat sensitive body (SM21). The second heat sensitive body (SM21) differs from the first heat sensitive body (SM11). The heater (HT) has a first heater portion (AE1). The first heater portion (AE1) is one end portion of a pair of end portions of the heater (HT) in a longitudinal direction thereof. The first heat sensitive body (SM11) and the second heat sensitive body (SM21) face the first heater portion (AE1) and are aligned in a conveyance direction (DC) of a sheet (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Fumito Nakamoto, Masakazu Uehara, Hironori Takahashi, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20240004331
    Abstract: A fixing device according to the present disclosure includes a rotatable endless belt and an end portion holder. The end portion holder supports each of end portions of the fixing belt rotatably, and has a cylindrical part along which an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt slides and an end wall part which faces an end surface of the fixing belt. The end wall part has a restraint part which faces an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt with a predetermined interval and restrains the fixing belt from turning up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhiro SAKAI, Masakazu UEHARA, Hironori TAKAHASHI, Tomohiro WATATANI, Shota ONISHI
  • Patent number: 11796945
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressing roller, a flat heater, a heater holder and a pair of mounting members. The flat heater has a first surface coming into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The heater holder comes into contact with the second surface of the flat heater. The mounting members comes into contact with both end portions of the first surface of the flat heater in the width direction, and are mounted to the heater holder such that the flat heater is held between the mounting members and the heater holder. The mounting member includes a downstream side end surface contact part which comes into contact with a downstream side end surface of the flat heater in the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230314987
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure member, and a holder. The pressure member forms a pressure area between the pressure member and a fixing belt. The holder is provided inside the fixing belt, has a sliding surface in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt via a lubricant, and holds a heater for heating the fixing belt. The holder includes a plurality of slits and a blocking portion. The plurality of slits are arranged in an axial direction on the sliding surface upstream of the pressure area in a passing direction of a medium and guide movement of the lubricant from upstream to downstream in a rotational direction of the fixing belt. The blocking portion restricts an outflow of the lubricant from each of the slits and restricts a fall of the fixing belt into each of the slits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watatani, Masakazu Uehara, Hironori Takahashi, Shota Onishi, Yuhiro Sakai, Takuya Kawasumi
  • Publication number: 20230244168
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a pair of retention members each including a restriction surface. The restriction surface restricts a movement of the fixing member in an axial direction. The restriction surface includes a first contact area and a second contact area. The first area is an area more on a downstream side of a passing direction of a medium than a center of a pressure area in the passing direction, and also closer to the pressure area than an apex of the fixing member on an opposite side of the pressure area. The first contact area and the second contact area are each tilted at a certain gradient so as to be set apart from the end portion of the fixing member in the axial direction from a side of the apex toward a side of the pressure area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Hironori Takahashi, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Shota Onishi, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230244169
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including: a fixing belt; a pressure roller which pressurizes toner on a sheet that passes through a pressure area; a pair of retention members each including a shaft-supporting portion which rotatably guides one of both end portions of the fixing belt in an axial direction, and a restriction surface which restricts a movement of the fixing belt in the axial direction; and a frame including a pair of side plates which rotatably support both end portions of the pressure roller in the axial direction as well as support the fixing belt via the pair of retention members, in which attachment positions of the pair of retention members in the pair of side plates are provided such that a gap becomes larger on a downstream side of a passing direction of the sheet with respect to the pressure area than on an upstream side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Masakazu Uehara, Hironori Takahashi, Tomohiro Watatani, Shota Onishi, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230130258
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressing roller, a flat heater, a heater holder and a pair of mounting members. The flat heater has a first surface coming into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The heater holder comes into contact with the second surface of the flat heater. The mounting members comes into contact with both end portions of the first surface of the flat heater in the width direction, and are mounted to the heater holder such that the flat heater is held between the mounting members and the heater holder. The mounting member includes a downstream side end surface contact part which comes into contact with a downstream side end surface of the flat heater in the conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro WATATANI, Yuhiro SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20230034177
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressing roller and a heating part. The heating part includes a heater, a plurality of temperature sensors, a heater holding member and a sensor holding member. The sensor holding member holds the temperature sensors between the heater holding member and the sensor holding member. The heater holding member has observation holes through which the heater is exposed. The heater holding member has a guide part which positions the sensor holding member with respect to the heater holding member. The sensor holding member has an engagement part engaged with the guide part. The sensor holding member holds each of the temperature sensors at a position corresponding to each of the observation holes by engagement of the engagement part with the guide part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi KOHAMA, Yuhiro SAKAI
  • Patent number: 11507004
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a heater holding member, a stay sheet-metal, and a belt holding member. The stay sheet-metal includes a top plate and side plates and is configured to control a load applied to the heater holding member, the side plates extending respectively from opposite sides of the top plate in a short-length direction of the top plate, toward the heater holding member. The belt holding member holds the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate, the belt holding member holding at least one end of the heater holding member in a longitudinal direction thereof and at least one end of the stay sheet-metal in a longitudinal direction thereof. The top plate of the stay sheet-metal is formed to extend to at least one end of the stay sheet-metal in the longitudinal direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai, Fumito Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 11500316
    Abstract: A heater holding member circulatably guides a fixing belt and holds a heater that heats the fixing belt. A stay sheet metal reinforces the heater holding member. The heater holding member has a base plate and side walls. The stay sheet metal is placed on the base plate. A side wall is erected on either side of the base plate in a short direction thereof. A pocket which keeps the stay sheet metal is formed in each side wall. The stay sheet metal has a top plate and side plates. A side plate bends and extends from either edge of the top plate in a short direction thereof. A slit is formed in each side plate such that the side plates are kept in the pockets of the heater holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai, Fumito Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20220350282
    Abstract: A fixing device (50) includes a fixing belt (70), a pressure member (80), and a heating section (90). The heating section (90) faces an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt (70). The heating section (90) includes a heater (HT), a first heat sensitive body (SM11), and a second heat sensitive body (SM21). The second heat sensitive body (SM21) differs from the first heat sensitive body (SM11). The heater (HT) has a first heater portion (AE1). The first heater portion (AE1) is one end portion of a pair of end portions of the heater (HT) in a longitudinal direction thereof. The first heat sensitive body (SM11) and the second heat sensitive body (SM21) face the first heater portion (AE1) and are aligned in a conveyance direction (DC) of a sheet (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Fumito NAKAMOTO, Masakazu UEHARA, Hironori TAKAHASHI, Tomohiro WATATANI, Yuhiro SAKAI
  • Patent number: 11474463
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure applying member, and a heater holding member. The fixing belt fixes toner to a sheet. The pressure applying member forms a nip portion together with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt and causes the fixing belt to peripherally rotate while applying pressure to the fixing belt at the nip portion. The heater holding member holds a heater that applies heat to the fixing belt. The heater holding member includes: a side portion that extends from the nip portion along an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and guides the fixing belt; and a plurality of inclined ribs that are disposed on the side portion to face the inner peripheral surface and formed such that an interval between them is gradually narrowed as they proceed in a direction in which the fixing belt peripherally rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Fumito Nakamoto, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20220317607
    Abstract: A temperature detection section is disposed opposite to a heater so as to be out of contact with the heater, and detects a temperature of the heating element. A spacer is disposed so that the heater and the temperature detection section are out of contact with each other. The spacer includes a separator that separates the temperature detection section from the heater and that has a gap through which the heat is transferred from the heater to the temperature detection section and that melts upon the temperature of the heating element increasing to a specific temperature or higher. The separator after melting fills the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro WATATANI, Yuhiro SAKAI, Takashi EIKI, Ryohei TOKUNAGA, Akihiro KONDO, Yuta KITABAYASHI, Rina KIKUGAWA, Hiroki KAWASAKI, Shunsaku FUJII, Tei TO
  • Patent number: 11422494
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a heater holding member, and a belt holding member. The fixing belt fixes a toner image to a sheet by heating the sheet. The heater holding member guides the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate. The heater holding member holds a heater that heats the fixing belt. The belt holding member is fixed in position with respect to a conveyance path of the sheet and holds an end portion of the fixing belt in a rotation axis direction of the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate. The belt holding member includes an engaging portion. The heater holding member includes an engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion to restrict a movement of the belt holding member with respect to the heater holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhiro Sakai, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Fumito Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20210382424
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure applying member, and a heater holding member. The fixing belt fixes toner to a sheet. The pressure applying member forms a nip portion together with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt and causes the fixing belt to peripherally rotate while applying pressure to the fixing belt at the nip portion. The heater holding member holds a heater that applies heat to the fixing belt. The heater holding member includes: a side portion that extends from the nip portion along an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and guides the fixing belt; and a plurality of inclined ribs that are disposed on the side portion to face the inner peripheral surface and formed such that an interval between them is gradually narrowed as they proceed in a direction in which the fixing belt peripherally rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Fumito Nakamoto, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20210382425
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure applying member, and a heater holding member. The fixing belt fixes a toner image to a sheet. The pressure applying member forms a nip portion together with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt. The heater holding member holds a heater that applies heat to the fixing belt. The heater holding member includes a side portion and a rib. The side portion extends from the nip portion along an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and guides the fixing belt. The rib stands on the side portion and extends from a fixing belt conveyance direction downstream end of the nip portion where the fixing belt and the heater holding member are in contact with each other, toward a downstream in a peripheral rotation direction of the fixing belt, and guides the fixing belt to peripherally rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Fumito Nakamoto, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20210364960
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a heater holding member, a stay sheet-metal, and a belt holding member. The stay sheet-metal includes a top plate and side plates and is configured to control a load applied to the heater holding member, the side plates extending respectively from opposite sides of the top plate in a short-length direction of the top plate, toward the heater holding member. The belt holding member holds the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate, the belt holding member holding at least one end of the heater holding member in a longitudinal direction thereof and at least one end of the stay sheet-metal in a longitudinal direction thereof. The top plate of the stay sheet-metal is formed to extend to at least one end of the stay sheet-metal in the longitudinal direction thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Yuhiro Sakai, Fumito Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20210364961
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a heater holding member, and a belt holding member. The fixing belt fixes a toner image to a sheet by heating the sheet. The heater holding member guides the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate. The heater holding member holds a heater that heats the fixing belt. The belt holding member is fixed in position with respect to a conveyance path of the sheet and holds an end portion of the fixing belt in a rotation axis direction of the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate. The belt holding member includes an engaging portion. The heater holding member includes an engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion to restrict a movement of the belt holding member with respect to the heater holding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Yuhiro Sakai, Masakazu Uehara, Tomohiro Watatani, Fumito Nakamoto