Patents by Inventor Yutaka Ban

Yutaka Ban 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: 7376369
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7324777
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20080017272
    Abstract: A powder filling apparatus and a powder filling method which enable powder to be densely filled in a short period of time is to be provided. This is a powder filling apparatus having a pressure hopper wherein the pressure hopper has a discharger for discharging powder and a gas inlet positioned above at least the surface of a powder layer formed by the powder in the pressure hopper; the powder layer is so formed as to blockade the discharger in the pressure hopper; in the powder filling apparatus, the inside of the pressure hopper is pressurized by leading in gas through the gas inlet in a state in which the discharger is closed, and the powder layer so formed as to blockade the discharger is discharged by opening the discharger after the pressurization thereby to utilize that pressure to load the powder into the filling container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Isomura, Manabu Jimba, Masashi Koseki, Kei Jomen, Yutaka Ban
  • Publication number: 20070280743
    Abstract: If a user is not familiar with the operation for the developer supply container, the rotating operation for the developer supply container may be insufficient, so that developer supply container does not reach a predetermined operating position, with the result of abnormal developer supply. by increasing a rotation load of a second gear 6 which is in an operable connection with a drive gear member 12 of the developer receiving apparatus 10 by a function of a locking member 7, the developer supply container 1 mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 10 is rotated toward the supply position. After the developer supply container 1 rotates to the supply position, the locking by the locking member 7 is released, by which the rotation load applied to the second gear 6 is reduced, so that drive transmission, thereafter, to the feeding member 4 for developer supply is smooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo NAKAJIMA, Ayatomo OKINO, Katsuya MURAKAMI, Toshiaki NAGASHIMA, Yutaka BAN
  • Publication number: 20070258735
    Abstract: A toner supply container is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus. The container includes a toner accommodating portion to accommodate toner and has a supply opening to supply toner into the image forming apparatus, a feeding member to feed the toner in the toner accommodating portion toward the supply opening, and a sealing member to seal the supply opening. The sealing member has a locking portion to be locked by a locking member provided in a main assembly of the apparatus, and a coupling portion to be coupled with a drive coupling member provided in the main assembly. The sealing member is rotatable integrally with the feeding member by a rotational force received by the coupling portion from the drive coupling member. The locking portion and the coupling portion are spaced apart from each other with respect to a mounting direction of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Ban, Kazuhiko Omata, Kyota Miyazaki, Ayumu Murakami
  • Patent number: 7292811
    Abstract: A toner supply container is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus and includes a container body for containing toner; a shutter for closing and opening an opening, which is provided in the container body; a rotatable member; and a projection. The shutter includes a first gear portion for meshing engagement with a first gear member, which is provided in the image forming apparatus. The rotatable member, which is rotatable relative to the container body, produces a driving force for opening and closing the shutter. The rotatable member includes a second gear portion for meshing engagement with a second gear member, which is provided in the image forming apparatus. The first gear member and second gear member are rotatable together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ban, Tatsuya Goto, Fumio Tazawa
  • Publication number: 20070231016
    Abstract: A toner supply container, detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, for supplying toner to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the toner supply container includes a main body for accommodating the toner; a discharging opening for permitting discharging of the toner accommodated in the main body of the container; a container shutter member for opening and closing the discharging opening; a rotatable member rotatably supported by the main body of the container and having a drive transmitting portion for engaging with a rotational force transmitting means provided in the main assembly of the apparatus to transmit the rotational force to the rotational force transmitting means; a rotating force receiving portion for receiving the rotating force from the rotating force transmitting means through engagement with the rotating force transmitting means, wherein the container shutter member is given a force for opening and closing the discharge opening by the rotating force re
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ban, Tatsuya Goto, Fumio Tazawa
  • Patent number: 7242893
    Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to developer receiving apparatus, includes container body accommodating a developer, the container body being provided with a developer supply port for supplying the developer through a developer receiving port provided in the developer receiving apparatus; a driving connecting member for operatively connecting to a driving member provided in the developer receiving apparatus, the driving connecting member being movable relative to the container body; and an interrelating mechanism for interrelating movement of the driving connecting member with movement of the developer supply port to face the developer receiving port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabiushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Murakami, Yutaka Ban, Nobuo Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20070134021
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20070098454
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20070092304
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke YAMADA, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20070086810
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7203449
    Abstract: A toner supply container, detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, for supplying toner to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the toner supply container includes a main body for accommodating the toner; a discharging opening for permitting discharging of the toner accommodated in the main body of the container; a container shutter member for opening and closing the discharging opening; a rotatable member rotatably supported by the main body of the container and having a drive transmitting portion for engaging with a rotational force transmitting means provided in the main assembly of the apparatus to transmit the rotational force to the rotational force transmitting means; a rotating force receiving portion for receiving the rotating force from the rotating force transmitting means through engagement with the rotating force transmitting means, wherein the container shutter member is given a force for opening and closing the discharge opening by the rotating force re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ban, Tatsuya Goto, Fumio Tazawa
  • Patent number: 7190925
    Abstract: A developer supply container for supplying a developer detachably set in an image forming apparatus, the developer supply container includes a main body for containing the developer; a discharge opening, provided in the main body, for discharging the developer; a plurality of feeding projections, provided projected from a curved inner surface, for feeding the developer in the main body toward the discharge opening with rotation of the main body, wherein each of the projections are linear without twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Isomura, Yutaka Ban, Yusuke Yamada, Kazuhiko Omata, Junko Yoshikawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20070036565
    Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus including remaining amount detecting means for detecting an amount of remaining developer by receiving light from a light emitting portion by a light receiving portion, the container includes a container body for containing a developer; a light guiding member including an incident portion for receiving light from the light emitting portion and for guiding the light into the container body, an emergent portion for guiding the light having passed through the container body toward the light receiving portion, and a connecting portion connecting the incident portion and the emergent portion, wherein the connecting portion is provided with an exposing portion for exposing a wall surface of the container body at a portion which reflects the light emergent from the light emitting portion toward the light receiving portion without passing through the incident portion; wherein the wall surface of the container body expos
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ayatomo Okino, Yutaka Ban, Hironori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7127193
    Abstract: A sealing member for sealing a toner discharge opening of a toner accommodating container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the sealing member includes a locking portion for being locked with a portion to be locked provided in the image forming apparatus, the locking portion being adapted to displace with a relative closing movement relative to the portion to be locked, wherein the toner discharging opening is brought into an open state from a closed state by relative to movement of the sealing member relative to the toner accommodating container with the locking portion being in engagement with the portion to be locked; and a releasing force receiving portion for receiving from the image forming apparatus a releasing force for releasing engagement between the locking portion and the portion to be locked by displacing the locking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Katsuya Murakami, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7122277
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a battery comprising at least a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte as composing elements, wherein the positive electrode and/or the negative electrode comprise an active material of nitroxyl radical compound represented by the following general formula (1) as a starting material or a reaction product of at least a discharge reaction of electrode reactions: wherein Ar represents substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group containing nitrogen wherein one endocyclic nitrogen atom or at least one of plural endocyclic nitrogen atoms exists as N-oxide; the substituent R1 represents hydrogen atom, halogen atom, hydroxyl group, nitro group, nitroso group, cyano group, carboxyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group, substituted or
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yukiko Morioka, Masaharu Satoh, Shigeyuki Iwasa, Yutaka Ban-Nai, Kentaro Nakahara
  • Patent number: 7116931
    Abstract: A toner supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, includes a main body for accommodating toner; an opening for permitting discharge of the toner from the main body; a rotatable feeding member, provided in the main body, for feeding the toner by rotation thereof; wherein the feeding member including a lift portion for lifting the toner in the main body, a guiding portion for guiding the toner lifted by the collecting portion downwardly toward the opening, and a falling portion for letting the toner lifted by the lifting portion fall without feeding it toward the opening with rotation of the feeding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Yutaka Ban, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7079788
    Abstract: A cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus and includes a first container, which contains a developer to be supplied into the image forming apparatus and a second container, which is rotatable to feed the developer toward the discharge opening. A developer discharge opening is provided at one longitudinal end of the first container. The second container accommodates a developer collected from the image forming apparatus. The first container is rotatably supported, at the other longitudinal end thereof, by the second container, which is unrotatably engageable with the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ban, Yusuke Yamada, Fumio Tazawa, Hironori Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7050728
    Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus includes a container body for containing developer; a discharge opening, disposed at a peripheral surface of the container body, for permitting discharge of the developer therefrom; a feeding device for feeding the developer toward the discharge opening by rotation of the containers body; and a detector for detecting the amount of the developer remaining in the container body. The detector has a detection area which at least partially overlaps the discharge opening as seen in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the developer supply container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Minagawa, Yutaka Ban, Ayatomo Okino