Patents by Inventor Yuko Sekihara

Yuko Sekihara 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: 8693910
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a power control unit. The image forming unit forms an unfixed image on a recording material. The fixing unit includes an endless belt, a heater held in contact with the endless belt, a pressurization roller to form a fixing nip portion for pinching and conveying the recording material together with the heater via the endless belt, and a pressure changing mechanism to effect switching between a pressurization state and a pressure release state. The power control unit controls power to the heater. In response to transitioning from the pressure release state to the pressurization state, the power control unit starts power to the heater during a transition period before the pressurization state is attained and controls power to the heater such that a heater temperature does not exceed a predetermined upper limit temperature during the transition period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Hiroaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8688023
    Abstract: A pressing roller includes a metal core and an elastic layer containing a needle-like filler which has an average length of 0.05 mm or more and 1 mm or less and a thermal conductivity of 500 W/(mK) or more. In the elastic layer, pore portions are dispersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8626046
    Abstract: The image heating apparatus includes a rubber layer and a resin tube layer on a metal core. The rubber layer includes a solid rubber layer having a thermal conductivity in a thickness direction of 0.16 W/(m·K) or more and 0.40 W/(m·K) or less, and a self-bonded silicone rubber layer that contains a filler of 5 vol % or more and 40 vol % or less, and has a thermal conductivity in an axial direction of 2.5 W/(m·K) or more and a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less, the filler having a length of 0.05 mm or more and 1 mm or less and a thermal conductivity in a length direction of 500 W/(m·K) or more, so that a pressure roller to moderate temperature rise in a non-sheet feeding area when a small sized recording material has undergone sheet feeding can be easily manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Atsushi Iwasaki, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Patent number: 8401450
    Abstract: A pressing member for creating a nip in which the pressing member contacts a heating member and a recording material is heated while being nip-conveyed, includes an elastic layer and a high thermal conductive elastic layer, which is provided on the elastic layer and has a thermal conductivity which is higher than that of the elastic layer. In the high thermal conductive elastic layer, carbon fibers and carbon nanofibers are dispersed in a heat-resistant elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Patent number: 8369763
    Abstract: A pressure roller forms a nip for contacting a heating member to pinch and convey a heat recording material. The roller includes a core metal and an elastic layer containing filler. The elastic layer containing the filler includes thermal conductive filler with a length of not less than 0.05 mm and not more than 1 mm with a thermal conductivity ?f in the longitudinal direction in a range of ?f?500 W/(m·k), being dispersed in not less than 5 vol % and not more than 40 vol %. The elastic layer containing the filler has a thermal conductivity ?y in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction, of ?y?2.5 W/(m·k) and an ASKER-C hardness of the filler is not more than 60 degrees. A solid rubber elastic layer with a thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction of not less than 0.16 W/(m·k) and not more than 0.40 W/(m·k) is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Publication number: 20120257913
    Abstract: A pressure roller forms a nip for contacting a heating member to pinch and convey a heat recording material. The roller includes a core metal and an elastic layer containing filler. The elastic layer containing the filler includes thermal conductive filler with a length of not less than 0.05 mm and not more than 1 mm with a thermal conductivity ?f in the longitudinal direction in a range of ?f?500 W/(m·k), being dispersed in not less than 5 vol % and not more than 40 vol %. The elastic layer containing the filler has a thermal conductivity ?y in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction, of ?y?2.5 W/(m·k) and an ASKER-C hardness of the filler is not more than 60 degrees. A solid rubber elastic layer with a thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction of not less than 0.16 W/(m·k) and not more than 0.40 W/(m·k) is included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Patent number: 8224223
    Abstract: A pressure roller forms a nip for contacting a heating member to pinch and convey a heat recording material. The roller includes a core metal and an elastic layer containing filler. The elastic layer containing the filler includes thermal conductive filler with a length of not less than 0.05 mm and not more than 1 mm with a thermal conductivity ?f in the longitudinal direction in a range of ?f?500 W/(m·k), being dispersed in not less than 5 vol % and not more than 40 vol %. The elastic layer containing the filler has a thermal conductivity ?y in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction, of ?y?2.5 W/(m·k) and an ASKER-C hardness of the filler is not more than 60 degrees. A solid rubber elastic layer with a thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction of not less than 0.16 W/(m·k) and not more than 0.40 W/(m·k) is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Publication number: 20120121285
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a power control unit. The image forming unit forms an unfixed image on a recording material. The fixing unit includes an endless belt, a heater held in contact with the endless belt, a pressurization roller to form a fixing nip portion for pinching and conveying the recording material together with the heater via the endless belt, and a pressure changing mechanism to effect switching between a pressurization state and a pressure release state. The power control unit controls power to the heater. In response to transitioning from the pressure release state to the pressurization state, the power control unit starts power to the heater during a transition period before the pressurization state is attained and controls power to the heater such that a heater temperature does not exceed a predetermined upper limit temperature during the transition period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Hiroaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20120014726
    Abstract: A pressing roller includes a core metal and an elastic layer containing a needle-like filler which has an average length of 0.05 mm or more and 1 mm or less and a thermal conductivity of 500 W/(m.k) or more. In the elastic layer, pore portions are dispersed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20110237413
    Abstract: A pressure roller forming a nip portion for contacting to a heating member to pinch and convey and heat recording material includes: a core metal and an elastic layer containing filler, the elastic layer containing the filler including thermal conductive filler with length of not less than 0.05 mm and not more than 1 mm and with thermal conductivity ?f in the longitudinal direction in a range of ?f?500 W/(m·k) being dispersed in not less than 5 vol. % and not more than 40 vol % and the elastic layer containing the filler providing thermal conductivity ?y in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction being ?y?2.5 W/(m·k) and ASKER-C hardness of the filler being not more than 60 degrees, wherein a solid rubber elastic layer with thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction being not less than 0.16 W/(m·k) and not more than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Publication number: 20110217092
    Abstract: The image heating apparatus includes a rubber layer and a resin tube layer on a metal core. The rubber layer includes a solid rubber layer having a thermal conductivity in a thickness direction of 0.16 W/(m·K) or more and 0.40 W/(m·K) or less, and a self-bonded silicone rubber layer that contains a filler of 5 vol % or more and 40 vol % or less, and has a thermal conductivity in an axial direction of 2.5 W/(m·K) or more and a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less, the filler having a length of 0.05 mm or more and 1 mm or less and a thermal conductivity in a length direction of 500 W/(m·K) or more, so that a pressure roller to moderate temperature rise in a non-sheet feeding area when a small sized recording material has undergone sheet feeding can be easily manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Atsushi Iwasaki, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Patent number: 8005413
    Abstract: A pressure roller forms a nip for contacting a heating member to pinch and convey a heat recording material. The roller includes a core metal and an elastic layer containing filler. The elastic layer containing the filler includes thermal conductive filler with a length of not less than 0.05 mm and not more than 1 mm and with a thermal conductivity ?f in the longitudinal direction in a range of ?f?500 W/(m·k), being dispersed in not less than 5 vol % and not more than 40 vol %. The elastic layer containing the filler has a thermal conductivity ?y in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction, of ?y?2.5 W/(m·k) and an ASKER-C hardness of the filler is not more than 60 degrees. A solid rubber elastic layer with a thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction of not less than 0.16 W/(m·k) and not more than 0.40 W/(m·k) is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Patent number: 7974563
    Abstract: A pressure member contacts a heating member to form a nip part where a recording material is heated and pinched-conveyed, and includes a first elastic layer and a second elastic layer 24b having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the first elastic layer. An elastic layer is formed of a combination of the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer so that the thickness of the second elastic layer at the end portion is thicker than the thickness of the second elastic layer at the center portion in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction. Accordingly, when using the pressure member to contact the heating member to form the nip part, it is possible to reduce the difference between a center nip width and an end-portion nip width of the nip part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Sakai, Norio Hashimoto, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka, Atsushi Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20110091252
    Abstract: A pressing member for creating a nip in which the pressing member contacts a heating member and a recording material is heated while being nip-conveyed, includes an elastic layer and a high thermal conductive elastic layer which is provided on the elastic layer and has a thermal conductivity which is higher than that of the elastic layer. In the high thermal conductive elastic layer, a needle-like thermal conductivity-anisotropic filler and carbon nanofibers are dispersed in a heat-resistant elastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuko Sekihara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Publication number: 20090116886
    Abstract: A pressure member contacts with a heating member 23 to form a nip part N where a recording material P is heated and pinched-conveyed, and includes a first elastic layer 24a and a second elastic layer 24b having higher thermal conductivity than that of the first elastic layer. An elastic layer is formed in combination of the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer so that the thickness of the second elastic layer at the end portion is thicker than the thickness of the second elastic layer at the center portion in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction. Accordingly, in the pressure member contacting with the heating member to form the nip part, it is possible to reduce a difference between a center nip width and an end-portion nip width of the nip part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Sakai, Norio Hashimoto, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka, Atsushi Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20090003902
    Abstract: A pressure roller forming a nip portion for contacting to a heating member to pinch and convey and heat recording material includes: a core metal and an elastic layer containing filler, the elastic layer containing the filler including thermal conductive filler with length of not less than 0.05 mm and not more than 1 mm and with thermal conductivity ?f in the longitudinal direction in a range of ?f?500 W/(m·k) being dispersed in not less than 5 vol % and not more than 40 vol % and the elastic layer containing the filler providing thermal conductivity ?y in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction being ?y?2.5 W/(m·k) and ASKER-C hardness of the filler being not more than 60 degrees, wherein a solid rubber elastic layer with thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction being not less than 0.16 W/(m·k) and not more than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Norio Hashimoto, Hiroaki Sakai, Atsushi Iwasaki, Yuko Sekihara, Kazuo Kishino, Masaaki Takahashi, Katsuhisa Matsunaka