Patents by Inventor Yutaka Kakehi

Yutaka Kakehi 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: 11960221
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, an urging member, a first position changing mechanism, a storing portion, a controller, and an operating portion. The controller controls the first position changing mechanism on the basis of a kind of a recording material on which an image is formed, first set information stored in the storing portion, and first input information for changing setting of a position of the urging member inputted to the controller through the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tsuruga, Yutaka Kakehi, Tatsuya Kohno, Manato Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11947285
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a rotatable endless belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, a guiding member, a sheet-like pressing member, and a coating member. The coating member is disposed on the pressing member so as not to contact the belt and is electrically grounded or electrically conducted to the guiding member. The coating member is formed of a material lower in surface resistivity than the pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tsuruga, Manato Kobayashi, Yutaka Kakehi
  • Patent number: 11747760
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 100, which carries out constant-voltage control of a voltage applied to a transfer member 8 and is capable of executing limiter control for controlling the voltage applied to the transfer member 8 based on a detection result of a current detecting portion 21 so that the detection result falls within a predetermined range, is capable of executing a first mode in which a toner image is transferred onto a recording material P and a second mode in which a plurality of test toner images are transferred onto the recording material P by applying a plurality of different voltages to the transfer member 8, and a controller 50 is capable of carrying out the limiter control while the recording material P passes through the transfer portion 8 in executing the first mode and does not carry out the limiter control while an area onto which the plurality of test images are transferred passes through a transfer portion N2 in executing the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi
  • Patent number: 11709443
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an intermediary transfer belt, a transfer member, a voltage source for applying a voltage to the transfer member, a detecting portion for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member, and a controller for carrying out constant-voltage control so that the voltage applied to the transfer member becomes a target voltage when a recording material P passes through a transfer portion. The controller is capable of changing the voltage applied to the transfer member so that a detection result detected by the detecting portion during transfer falls within a predetermined range. The controller changes the predetermined range on the basis of the detection result detected by the detecting portion when the voltage is applied to the transfer member in a state in which the recording material P is absent in the transfer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakehi, Tetsuya Ohta, Yusuke Minato
  • Patent number: 11644784
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which carries out constant-voltage control of a voltage applied to a transfer member and is capable of executing limiter control for controlling the voltage applied to the transfer member based on a detection result of a current detecting portion so that the detection result falls within a predetermined range, is capable of executing a first mode in which a toner image is transferred onto a recording material and a second mode in which a plurality of test toner images are transferred onto the recording material by applying a plurality of different voltages to the transfer member. A controller is capable of carrying out the limiter control while the recording material passes through the transfer portion in executing the first mode and does not carry out the limiter control while an area onto which the plurality of test images are transferred passes through a transfer portion in executing the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi
  • Publication number: 20230130018
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a rotatable endless belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, a guiding member, a sheet-like pressing member, and a coating member. The coating member is disposed on the pressing member so as not to contact the belt and is electrically grounded or electrically conducted to the guiding member. The coating member is formed of a material lower in surface resistivity than the pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tsuruga, Manato Kobayashi, Yutaka Kakehi
  • Publication number: 20230107683
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, an urging member, a first position changing mechanism, a storing portion, a controller, and an operating portion. The controller controls the first position changing mechanism on the basis of a kind of a recording material on which an image is formed, first set information stored in the storing portion, and first input information for changing setting of a position of the urging member inputted to the controller through the operating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tsuruga, Yutaka Kakehi, Tatsuya Kohno, Manato Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20230087226
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 100, which carries out constant-voltage control of a voltage applied to a transfer member 8 and is capable of executing limiter control for controlling the voltage applied to the transfer member 8 based on a detection result of a current detecting portion 21 so that the detection result falls within a predetermined range, is capable of executing a first mode in which a toner image is transferred onto a recording material P and a second mode in which a plurality of test toner images are transferred onto the recording material P by applying a plurality of different voltages to the transfer member 8, and a controller 50 is capable of carrying out the limiter control while the recording material P passes through the transfer portion 8 in executing the first mode and does not carry out the limiter control while an area onto which the plurality of test images are transferred passes through a transfer portion N2 in executing the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi
  • Patent number: 11500309
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, an urging member, a first position changing mechanism, a storing portion, a controller, and an operating portion. The controller controls the first position changing mechanism on the basis of a kind of a recording material on which an image is formed, first set information stored in the storing portion, and first input information for changing setting of a position of the urging member inputted to the controller through the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tsuruga, Yutaka Kakehi, Tatsuya Kohno, Manato Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20220276590
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an intermediary transfer belt, a transfer member, a voltage source for applying a voltage to the transfer member, a detecting portion for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member, and a controller for carrying out constant-voltage control so that the voltage applied to the transfer member becomes a target voltage when a recording material P passes through a transfer portion. The controller is capable of changing the voltage applied to the transfer member so that a detection result detected by the detecting portion during transfer falls within a predetermined range. The controller changes the predetermined range on the basis of the detection result detected by the detecting portion when the voltage is applied to the transfer member in a state in which the recording material P is absent in the transfer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakehi, Tetsuya Ohta, Yusuke Minato
  • Patent number: 11347165
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, an inner roller, an outer member, an inner roller position changing mechanism, an acquiring portion, and a controller. In a case that information acquired by the acquiring portion shows that first and second recording materials are coated paper, the controller controls a position changing mechanism so that a position of the inner roller when a toner image is transferred onto the second recording material is changed to a second position. In a case that the information acquired by the acquiring portion shows that the first and second recording materials are plain paper, the controller controls the position changing mechanism so that the position of the inner roller when the toner image is transferred onto the second recording material is maintained at a first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakehi, Ryosuke Tsuruga, Tatsuya Kohno, Manato Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20220091552
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 100, which carries out constant-voltage control of a voltage applied to a transfer member 8 and is capable of executing limiter control for controlling the voltage applied to the transfer member 8 based on a detection result of a current detecting portion 21 so that the detection result falls within a predetermined range, is capable of executing a first mode in which a toner image is transferred onto a recording material P and a second mode in which a plurality of test toner images are transferred onto the recording material P by applying a plurality of different voltages to the transfer member 8, and a controller 50 is capable of carrying out the limiter control while the recording material P passes through the transfer portion 8 in executing the first mode and does not carry out the limiter control while an area onto which the plurality of test images are transferred passes through a transfer portion N2 in executing the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi
  • Patent number: 11281130
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an intermediary transfer belt, a transfer member, a voltage source for applying a voltage to the transfer member, a detecting portion for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member, and a controller for carrying out constant-voltage control so that the voltage applied to the transfer member becomes a target voltage when a recording material P passes through a transfer portion. The controller is capable of changing the voltage applied to the transfer member so that a detection result detected by the detecting portion during transfer falls within a predetermined range. The controller changes the predetermined range on the basis of the detection result detected by the detecting portion when the voltage is applied to the transfer member in a state in which the recording material P is absent in the transfer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakehi, Tetsuya Ohta, Yusuke Minato
  • Publication number: 20210397112
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, a plurality of stretching rollers including an inner roller and an upstream roller, an outer member, an urging member, a first position changing mechanism, a storing portion, a controller, and an operating portion. The controller controls the first position changing mechanism on the basis of a kind of a recording material on which an image is formed, first set information stored in the storing portion, and first input information for changing setting of a position of the urging member inputted to the controller through the operating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Ryosuke Tsuruga, Yutaka Kakehi, Tatsuya Kohno, Manato Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20210397113
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a belt, an inner roller, an outer member, an inner roller position changing mechanism, an acquiring portion, and a controller. In a case that second information acquired by the acquiring portion shows that first and second recording materials are coated paper, the controller controls a position changing mechanism so that a position of the inner roller when a toner image is transferred onto the second recording material is changed to a second position. In a case that the second information acquired by the acquiring portion shows that the first and second recording materials are plain paper, the controller controls the position changing mechanism so that the position of the inner roller when the toner image is transferred onto the second recording material is maintained at a first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakehi, Ryosuke Tsuruga, Tatsuya Kohno, Manato Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11143989
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, a voltage source, a current detecting portion, a controller, and a receiving portion. During the recording material passing through the transfer portion, the controller controls a voltage applied to a transfer member on the basis of a detection result of the current detecting portion so that a current flowing through the transfer member falls within a predetermined range. The controller sets at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of the predetermined range on the basis of a predetermined voltage changing instruction received by the receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ohta, Yutaka Kakehi, Toshiyuki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20210072673
    Abstract: An information which includes an image bearing member 1, an intermediary transfer belt 7, a transfer member 8, a voltage source 20 for applying a voltage to the transfer member 8, a detecting portion 21 for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member 8, and a controller 50 for carrying out constant-voltage control so that the voltage applied to the transfer member when a recording material P passes through a transfer portion N2 and in which the controller 50 is capable of changing the voltage applied to the transfer member 8 so that a detection result detected by the detecting portion 21 during transfer falls within a predetermined pass has a constitution in which said controller 50 changes the predetermined range on the basis of the detection result detected by the detecting portion 21 when the voltage is applied to the transfer member 8 in a state in which the recording material P is absent in the transfer portion N2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakehi, Tetsuya Ohta, Yusuke Minato
  • Publication number: 20200050133
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, a voltage source, a current detecting portion, a controller, and a receiving portion. During the recording material being passing through the transfer portion, the controller controls a voltage applied to a transfer member on the basis of a detection result of the current detecting portion so that a current flowing through the transfer member falls within a predetermined range. The controller sets at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of the predetermined range on the basis of a predetermined voltage changing instruction received by the receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ohta, Yutaka Kakehi, Toshiyuki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20180253039
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image bearing member; a transfer member; a power supply; a conveyance path; a first detection portion; a second detection portion; and a controller configured to control a bias to be applied to the transfer member, wherein the controller controls a voltage to be applied to the transfer member when a first region of a recording material passes through a transfer portion, based on a detection result obtained by detecting the first region of the recording material by the first detection portion and a detection result obtained by detecting a second region of the recording material which is downstream of the first region with respected to a conveying direction of the recording material by the first detection portion, and a detection result detected by the second detection portion at a timing when the second region passes through the transfer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi
  • Patent number: 9904214
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, image forming unit, first and second transfer rollers, feeding portion, stretching roller and urging member. Regarding (1) a contact point between (i) an outer common tangential line between the stretching and first transfer rollers and (ii) the first transfer roller and (2) an intersection point between (i) the outer common tangential line and (ii) a line perpendicular to the outer common tangential line and passing through a rotation center of the second transfer roller, the contact point is closer to the stretching roller than the intersection point is to the stretching roller and a distance between the contact and intersection points is 5% or more of a diameter of the first transfer roller. The urging member urges the belt from an inner belt surface at a position, close to a transfer portion, between the first transfer roller and the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi