Patents by Inventor Yuichiro Maeda
Yuichiro Maeda 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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Patent number: 7742180Abstract: In image reading apparatus capable of performing a read-while-feed operation in which an original is read while being fed by an image sensor placed at a fixed position, presence/absence of dust and/or dirt on a platen is detected, and, in a case where dust and/or dirt are detected at all of a plurality of predetermined positions by said detector, the read-while-feed operation is inhibited and the presence of dust and/or dirt is notified to a user. When, removal of dust and/or dirt on the platen is detected in a state that the read-while-feed operation is inhibited, the read-while-feed operation is allowed.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2006Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tadaaki Saida, Yoshihito Osari, Akinobu Nishikata, Nobuo Sekiguchi, Rieko Akiba, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7734201Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2009Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7639958Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2007Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20090320013Abstract: An image forming apparatus connected to a plurality of accessory device includes a storage unit configured to store a plurality of control programs to be updated corresponding to each of the plurality of accessory devices, and a control unit configured to send a control program whose update time is the longest among the plurality of control programs to be updated which are stored in the storage unit, to the accessory device in priority to other control programs.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20090175638Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2009Publication date: July 9, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20090136242Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a developer storage container can be detachably mounted, includes: a reception unit arranged to receive information from the developer storage container; a first temperature detection unit provided in an inside of the image forming apparatus and arranged to detect a temperature of the inside of the image forming apparatus; a cooling unit arranged to cool the inside of the image forming apparatus; and a control unit arranged to determine on the basis of the received information whether second temperature detection unit is provided to the developer storage container, control the cooling unit on the basis of the detection result of the first temperature detection unit when the second temperature detection unit is not provided, and control the cooling unit on the basis of the detection results of the first and second temperature detection units when the second temperature detection unit is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Yuichiro Maeda, Noriaki Matsui
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Publication number: 20090129806Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of efficiently performing an image forming processing even in a case where a post-processing apparatus performs a post-processing during a both-sides printing. A first time period needed by a first both-sides image forming processing and a second time period needed by a second both-sides image forming processing are computed in a case where a post-processing unit performs a post-processing on a recording sheet formed images on both sides thereof. The first time period and the second time period is compared, and any one of the first both-sides image forming processing and the second both-sides image forming processing is selected based on the comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2008Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hidenori Sunada, Kiyoshi Okamoto, Mitsuhiko Sato, Yuichiro Maeda, Kiyoharu Kakomura
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Publication number: 20090092406Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which surplus tabbed sheets produced in one set of output can be utilized for the next set of output, without requiring a user to perform a laborious task. In the image forming apparatus, a CPU calculates the number of tabbed sheet groups which will be used for one set of image formation and the number of tabbed sheets which will be used from among the last tabbed sheet group. Among the last tabbed sheet group, surplus tabbed sheets which will be left unused in the one set of image formation are determined. If the number of tabbed sheets is equal to or less than the number of the surplus tabbed sheets, at least one of the surplus tabbed sheets is used to carry out two sets of image formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2008Publication date: April 9, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi OKAMOTO, Mitsuhiko SATO, Yuichiro MAEDA, Kiyoharu KAKOMURA, Hidenori SUNADA
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Patent number: 7495683Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of forming an excellent image while suppressing reduction in productivity to a minimum even when an abnormality occurs in detection of an HP mark on an intermediate transfer member. When there occurs abnormality in detection of any of HP marks, an alternate signal is generated in place of a signal associated with a mark the detection of which is determined to be abnormal, and image formation is carried out with reference to the time of normal HP mark detection and the alternate signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2006Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinichi Takata, Akihiko Sakai, Takuya Kawamura, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7471912Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transfer device transferring a toner image from an intermediate transfer member to a sheet, a sheet feeder feeding the sheet to the transfer device, a sheet re-feeder, which reverses the front side and back side of the sheet to re-feed the sheet to the transfer device, and a controller, which controls the execution of a two-side copying mode, wherein when a feeding of the sheet from the sheet feeder is interrupted with a first toner image to be transferred to another sheet fed from the sheet re-feeder and a second toner image to be transferred to the sheet fed from the sheet feeder being on the intermediate transfer member, the controller controls the transfer device to perform a transfer of the first toner image and inhibit a transfer of the second toner image.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2006Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Takuya Kawamura, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20080145067Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a developer container is detachably mountable includes a receiving unit configured to receive, via wireless communication, temperature information detected by a temperature detecting unit, which is disposed in a developer container, from the developer container in a state not mounted to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a determining unit configured to determine, based on the temperature information received by the receiving unit, whether an oscillating unit disposed in the developer container is to be oscillated, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal for oscillating the oscillating unit to the developer container via wireless communication based on a determination result of the determining unit indicating that the oscillating unit is to be oscillated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuichiro Maeda, Kiyoshi Okamoto, Noriaki Matsui
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Publication number: 20080075486Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which forms an image by transferring, onto sheets fed by a feeding unit at the first feeding interval, a toner image formed on a photoconductor or intermediate transfer member, if the temperature of a fixing unit which fixes an image transferred onto a sheet falls outside a set temperature range, the sheet layout is changed to a feeding interval wider than the first feeding interval. Whether to perform adjustment processing is determined based on determination of an image forming condition. If the feeding interval is changed to a wider one in the feeding interval changing step during image formation and it is determined in the determination step to perform adjustment processing, toner patch images are formed in an area where no toner image is formed on the photoconductor or intermediate transfer member. The adjustment processing is performed based on reading toner patch images.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Katsumi Takahashi, Yuichiro Maeda, Yushi Oka, Kenji Kuroki, Yuzo Matsumoto, Kazunori Togashi, Takuya Kawamura
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Publication number: 20080075496Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of shortening the user's print waiting time as much as possible when it is determined that image adjustment is necessary during the image forming operation, and a control method therefor. To accomplish this, in a color image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming stations which form toner images with a plurality of toners on the basis of a job, it is discriminated whether adjustment processing is necessary during a continuous image forming operation based on the job. If it is discriminated that adjustment processing is necessary, it is determined whether each of the image forming stations has a non-operating time enough to execute the discriminated adjustment processing during the image forming operation. The image forming station determined to have a non-operating time enough to execute adjustment processing executes the discriminated adjustment processing during the non-operating time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyoshi Okamoto, Akihiko Sakai, Shinichi Takata, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20070144362Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of forming an excellent image while suppressing reduction in productivity to a minimum even when an abnormality occurs in detection of an HP mark on an intermediate transfer member. When there occurs abnormality in detection of any of HP marks, an alternate signal is generated in place of a signal associated with a mark the detection of which is determined to be abnormal, and image formation is carried out with reference to the time of normal HP mark detection and the alternate signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2006Publication date: June 28, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinichi TAKATA, Akihiko SAKAI, Takuya KAWAMURA, Yuichiro MAEDA
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Patent number: 7218425Abstract: In image reading apparatus capable of performing a read-while-feed operation in which an original is read while being fed by an image sensor placed at a fixed position, presence/absence of dust and/or dirt on a platen is detected, and, in a case where dust and/or dirt are detected at all of a plurality of predetermined positions by said detector, the read-while-feed operation is inhibited and the presence of dust and/or dirt is notified to a user. When, removal of dust and/or dirt on the platen is detected in a state that the read-while-feed operation is inhibited, the read-while-feed operation is allowed.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2001Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tadaaki Saida, Yoshihito Osari, Akinobu Nishikata, Nobuo Sekiguchi, Rieko Akiba, Yuichiro Maeda
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Publication number: 20070048032Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transfer device transferring a toner image from an intermediate transfer member to a sheet, a sheet feeder feeding the sheet to the transfer device, a sheet re-feeder, which reverses the front side and back side of the sheet to re-feed the sheet to the transfer device, and a controller, which controls the execution of a two-side copying mode, wherein when a feeding of the sheet from the sheet feeder is interrupted with a first toner image to be transferred to another sheet fed from the sheet re-feeder and a second toner image to be transferred to the sheet fed from the sheet feeder being on the intermediate transfer member, the controller controls the transfer device to perform a transfer of the first toner image and inhibit a transfer of the second toner image.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: March 1, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiko SAKAI, Shinichi TAKATA, Takuya KAWAMURA, Yuichiro MAEDA
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Publication number: 20070013977Abstract: In image reading apparatus capable of performing a read-while-feed operation in which an original is read while being fed by an image sensor placed at a fixed position, presence/absence of dust and/or dirt on a platen is detected, and, in a case where dust and/or dirt are detected at all of a plurality of predetermined positions by said detector, the read-while-feed operation is inhibited and the presence of dust and/or dirt is notified to a user. When, removal of dust and/or dirt on the platen is detected in a state that the read-while-feed operation is inhibited, the read-while-feed operation is allowed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2006Publication date: January 18, 2007Inventors: Tadaaki Saida, Yoshihito Osari, Akinobu Nishikata, Nobuo Sekiguchi, Rieko Akiba, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 7119926Abstract: In an image reading apparatus having a document feeder adapted to convey an original, an image sensor adapted to read the original conveyed to a platen by the document feeder, and a memory adapted to store image data for each pixel, control is executed to cause the image sensor to execute reading at a predetermined position a plurality of number of times without placing any original on the platen while driving the original convey member of the document feeder, the image data of the original output from the image sensor is compared with the image data of a corresponding pixel, which is stored in the memory, every time the original convey member is read, the image data stored in the memory is updated to data having a larger value, and the presence/absence and position of dust and/or dirt on the platen are detected on the basis of the number of times of reading the original convey member and the image data stored in the memory after the end of a plurality of number of times of reading the original convey member.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2001Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shoji Takeda, Yoshihito Osari, Akinobu Nishikata, Nobuo Sekiguchi, Hidenori Sunada, Tadaaki Saida, Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 6876824Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing the burden on the user and improving the usability by eliminating the necessity of performing such a complicated operation as to input the lengths of a free size sheet in the vertical and horizontal directions thereof in forming a black-and-white image on the free size sheet, and enable prompt processing even when there are a large number of free size sheets on which black-and-white images are to be formed.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2003Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuichiro Maeda
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Patent number: 6782218Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus an image forming apparatus that is capable of presetting a tabbed sheet feeding section and the number of divisions of recording sheets by tabbed sheets to make the setting operations easier in a tabbed sheet insert mode and a tabbed sheet producing mode during image formation, thus improving the operability. An image forming section forms images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof. A tabbed sheet print mode setting section sets a tabbed sheet print mode in which an image is formed on the tab of each of the tabbed sheets. A control section enables the tabbed sheet print mode setting section to set the tabbed sheet print mode when a sheet feeding section that stores tabbed sheets and the number of tabbed sheets per set are set in advance.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobuo Sekiguchi, Rieko Akiba, Tadaaki Saida, Yuichiro Maeda