Patents by Inventor Yuichiro Okawa

Yuichiro Okawa 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: 11960230
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body including an electric substrate and first and second main body electrical contacts electrically connected to the electric substrate, and a cartridge detachably attached to the apparatus main body, wherein the cartridge includes first and second process members, and first and second cartridge electrical contacts electrically connected to the first and second process members, respectively. The apparatus main body includes a common holding member holding a first end portion of the first main body electrical contact and a second end portion of the second main body electrical contact, wherein the holding member is configured to move between a contact position at which the first and second end portions contact with the first and second cartridge electrical contacts, respectively, and a separation position at which the first and second end portions are separated from the first and second cartridge electrical contacts, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okawa
  • Publication number: 20230324843
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an optical box, a housing having a discharge opening, a cover provided downstream of the optical box in a discharge direction in which a recording material is discharged through the discharge opening and forming a part of the housing, and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of electronic components and a wiring board configured to electrically connect the plurality of electronic components, the circuit board is disposed in such a direction that a surface of the wiring board on which the plurality of electronic components is mounted intersects the discharge direction, and the wiring board is provided between the cover and the optical box in the discharge direction, and wherein, when viewed in a vertical direction, the optical box and the plurality of electronic components partially overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Kohei Koguchi
  • Patent number: 11768460
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member, a second frame member opposing the first frame member, a cartridge, a cartridge holding member, an air blowing portion, a first opening, a second opening opposing the first opening, an air discharge passage member, and an outer casing member provided so as to cover an outside of the second frame member and permitting discharge of the air to an outside of the image forming apparatus through the air discharge passage member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yu Shuhama
  • Patent number: 11762322
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an optical box, a housing having a discharge opening, a cover provided downstream of the optical box in a discharge direction in which a recording material is discharged through the discharge opening and forming a part of the housing, and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of electronic components and a wiring board configured to electrically connect the plurality of electronic components, the circuit board is disposed in such a direction that a surface of the wiring board on which the plurality of electronic components is mounted intersects the discharge direction, and the wiring board is provided between the cover and the optical box in the discharge direction, and wherein, when viewed in a vertical direction, the optical box and the plurality of electronic components partially overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Kohei Koguchi
  • Patent number: 11720045
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an optical box, a housing having a discharge opening, a cover provided downstream of the optical box in a discharge direction in which a recording material is discharged through the discharge opening and forming a part of the housing, and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of electronic components and a wiring board configured to electrically connect the plurality of electronic components, the circuit board is disposed in such a direction that a surface of the wiring board on which the plurality of electronic components is mounted intersects the discharge direction, and the wiring board is provided between the cover and the optical box in the discharge direction, and wherein, when viewed in a vertical direction, the optical box and the plurality of electronic components partially overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Kohei Koguchi
  • Publication number: 20220382205
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body including an electric substrate and first and second main body electrical contacts electrically connected to the electric substrate, and a cartridge detachably attached to the apparatus main body, wherein the cartridge includes first and second process members, and first and second cartridge electrical contacts electrically connected to the first and second process members, respectively. The apparatus main body includes a common holding member holding a first end portion of the first main body electrical contact and a second end portion of the second main body electrical contact, wherein the holding member is configured to move between a contact position at which the first and second end portions contact with the first and second cartridge electrical contacts, respectively, and a separation position at which the first and second end portions are separated from the first and second cartridge electrical contacts, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okawa
  • Publication number: 20210405572
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an optical box, a housing having a discharge opening, a cover provided downstream of the optical box in a discharge direction in which a recording material is discharged through the discharge opening and forming a part of the housing, and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of electronic components and a wiring board configured to electrically connect the plurality of electronic components, the circuit board is disposed in such a direction that a surface of the wiring board on which the plurality of electronic components is mounted intersects the discharge direction, and the wiring board is provided between the cover and the optical box in the discharge direction, and wherein, when viewed in a vertical direction, the optical box and the plurality of electronic components partially overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Kohei Koguchi
  • Patent number: 11198581
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a sheet, a pair of alignment members to move relatively in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet by the conveyance member, so as to align a position of the sheet in the width direction, and a lower portion to support a lower surface of the sheet between the pair of alignment members in the width direction. In addition, a pair of upper portions are arranged on one side and the other side of the lower portion in the width direction and each hold an upper surface of the sheet, wherein the pair of upper portions is positioned lower than the lower portion in a plane vertical to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yasuhiro Nakahara, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Naoyuki Maeda
  • Publication number: 20210333754
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member, a second frame member opposing the first frame member, a cartridge, a cartridge holding member, an air blowing portion, a first opening, a second opening opposing the first opening, an air discharge passage member, and an outer casing member provided so as to cover an outside of the second frame member and permitting discharge of the air to an outside of the image forming apparatus through the air discharge passage member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Yuichiro OKAWA, Yu SHUHAMA
  • Patent number: 11156957
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a door; an electric power source substrate for supplying electric power to an object detachably mounted through the door and provided with an electrical contact; an electroconductive member having an apparatus contact connected with the electric power source substrate; an element movable between a contacting position for contacting the apparatus contact and the electrical contact portion with each other and a spacing position for spacing them; a link connecting the door and the element to move the element to the contacting position with door closing and moving the element to the spacing position with door opening; and an operating portion movable with the element moving to the contacting position to connect an electroconductive path between the apparatus contact of the electroconductive member and the electric power source substrate, the operating portion being movable with the element moving to the spacing position to disconnect the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Shunsuke Hijikata
  • Patent number: 11092928
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member, a second frame member opposing the first frame member, a cartridge, a cartridge holding member, an air blowing portion, a first opening, a second opening opposing the first opening, an air discharge passage member, and an outer casing member provided so as to cover an outside of the second frame member and permitting discharge of the air to an outside of the image forming apparatus through the air discharge passage member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yu Shuhama
  • Publication number: 20210096511
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member, a second frame member opposing the first frame member, a cartridge, a cartridge holding member, an air blowing portion, a first opening, a second opening opposing the first opening, an air discharge passage member, and an outer casing member provided so as to cover an outside of the second frame member and permitting discharge of the air to an outside of the image forming apparatus through the air discharge passage member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yu Shuhama
  • Publication number: 20210063940
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a door; an electric power source substrate for supplying electric power to an object detachably mounted through the door and provided with an electrical contact; an electroconductive member having an apparatus contact connected with the electric power source substrate; an element movable between a contacting position for contacting the apparatus contact and the electrical contact portion with each other and a spacing position for spacing them; a link connecting the door and the element to move the element to the contacting position with door closing and moving the element to the spacing position with door opening; and an operating portion movable with the element moving to the contacting position to connect an electroconductive path between the apparatus contact of the electroconductive member and the electric power source substrate, the operating portion being movable with the element moving to the spacing position to disconnect the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Shunsuke Hijikata
  • Publication number: 20190300321
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first and second alignment members that moves relatively in a width direction to align a position of a sheet in the width direction. Each alignment member includes a contact surface configured to come in contact with an end of the sheet in the width direction, a lower portion configured to support a lower surface of the sheet, and an upper portion facing an upper surface of the sheet. For each of the first and second alignment members, the lower portion is more distant from the contact surface than the upper portion in the width direction, the lower portion is positioned above a lower end of the contact surface in a gravity direction, and a distance between the upper portion and the lower portion in the gravity direction is smaller than a length of the contact surface in the gravity direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yasuhiro Nakahara, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Naoyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 10358312
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance member configured to convey a sheet, and an alignment portion having a first alignment member and a second alignment member and configured to move relative positions of the first and second alignment members in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet by the conveyance member. Each alignment member includes a contact surface coming in contact with one end of the sheet in the width direction, a lower surface facing a lower surface of the sheet that is in contact with the contact surface, a lower portion supporting the lower surface of the sheet that is in contact with the contact surface, and an upper portion facing an upper surface of the sheet that is in contact with the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yasuhiro Nakahara, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Naoyuki Maeda
  • Publication number: 20180111782
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first and second alignment members that moves relatively in a width direction to align a position of a sheet in the width direction. Each alignment member includes a contact surface configured to come in contact with an end of the sheet in the width direction, a lower portion configured to support a lower surface of the sheet, and an upper portion facing an upper surface of the sheet. For each of the first and second alignment members, the lower portion is more distant from the contact surface than the upper portion in the width direction, the lower portion is positioned above a lower end of the contact surface in a gravity direction, and a distance between the upper portion and the lower portion in the gravity direction is smaller than a length of the contact surface in the gravity direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Yasuhiro Nakahara, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Naoyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9676581
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a conveying unit, a first support member configured to support a sheet, the first support member including a first supporting surface contacting an underside of a first end portion of the sheet in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction, a second support member configured to support the sheet, the second support member including a second supporting surface contacting an underside of a second end portion of the sheet, and a stacking unit. At least one of the first support member and the second support member is capable of moving between a first position that supports the sheet and a second position that does not support the sheet, and a length of the first support member is shorter than a length of the second support member in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okawa
  • Publication number: 20160304308
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a conveying unit, a first support member configured to support a sheet, the first support member including a first supporting surface contacting an underside of a first end portion of the sheet in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction, a second support member configured to support the sheet, the second support member including a second supporting surface contacting an underside of a second end portion of the sheet, and a stacking unit. At least one of the first support member and the second support member is capable of moving between a first position that supports the sheet and a second position that does not support the sheet, and a length of the first support member is shorter than a length of the second support member in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okawa
  • Patent number: 9181054
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus conveys a sheet without imposing a load on a drive unit due to the bend of the sheet when the sheet is conveyed from one unit to the other, and when the sheet is conveyed by a second conveyance unit and a first conveyance unit, a first control unit controls a first drive motor and a second control unit controls a second drive motor to make a sheet conveyance speed of the first conveyance unit equal to or higher than that of the second conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okawa
  • Publication number: 20140175731
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus conveys a sheet without imposing a load on a drive unit due to the bend of the sheet when the sheet is conveyed from one unit to the other, and when the sheet is conveyed by a second conveyance unit and a first conveyance unit, a first control unit controls a first drive motor and a second control unit controls a second drive motor to make a sheet conveyance speed of the first conveyance unit equal to or higher than that of the second conveyance unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichiro Okawa