Responsive To Copy Media Characteristic Patents (Class 399/45)
  • Patent number: 11945214
    Abstract: A processing device includes a first light source and a second light source configured to emit light having a peak wavelength from 900 nm to 2,100 nm, a first light receiving portion, a second light receiving portion, and a processing portion configured to subject a medium to processing of increasing or reducing an amount of moisture contained in the medium. the first light source and the first light receiving portion are positioned upstream of the processing portion in a transport direction of the medium, the first light source irradiates, with light, the medium, the first light receiving portion receives light reflected by the medium, the second light source and the second light receiving portion are positioned downstream of the processing portion in the transport direction, the second light source irradiates, with light, the medium, and the second light receiving portion receives light reflected by the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuneyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11940750
    Abstract: Paper physical property detecting device includes a first detector that measures a sheet of paper (hereinafter, merely referred to as a paper) made to stop temporarily on a conveyance path and acquires a first value corresponding to a first physical property, a second detector that measures a paper while conveying the paper on the conveyance path and acquires a second value corresponding to a second physical property with regard to a physical property different from the first physical property; and a corrector that corrects the first value on a basis of the second value and creates post correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Hitoshi Asano, Yumiko Izumiya, Yasuhiro Koide
  • Patent number: 11921452
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet based on a mode selected from a plurality of modes having different image forming speeds, a memory to store first data for a first mode included in the plurality of modes, the first data indicating a correspondence for the first mode between a type of the sheet and the image forming speed, and second data for a second mode included in the plurality of modes, the second data indicating a correspondence for the second mode between a type of the sheet and the image forming speed, and a display. A controller determines a first image forming speed for the first mode from the first data based on the type of the sheet, and determines a second image forming speed for the second mode from the second data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyoharu Kakomura, Takuya Machida, Masashi Yokoyama, Itsuki Nishida
  • Patent number: 11886131
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a rotatable transfer member, a first driving source to drive the image bearing member, a second driving source to drive the transfer member, and a control portion. Based on a toner amount per unit area of the toner image transferred to each of a plurality of first divided regions on a plane of a recording material in a feeding direction, the control portion controls a driving speed of the transfer member while each of the plurality of the first divided regions passes through a transfer portion. The control portion acquires an index value correlating with a toner amount of the toner image transferred to each of a plurality of second divided regions of each first divided region in a widthwise direction, and controls the driving speed based on the index value while the first divided region passes through the transfer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiya Numata, Hisashi Tsukijima
  • Patent number: 11835177
    Abstract: A web material converting line is disclosed, in particular for converting tissue paper, including a plurality of converting sections arranged in sequence along a feeding direction of a web material to be converted, each section including a converting machine; at least one converting section of the converting line includes a detection system for detecting the presence of people near the converting section. The detection system includes at least a first presence sensor and is adapted to detect the presence of people in at least a controlled area. The controlled area is subdivided into an accessible area that can be accessed when the line is working, and an alarm area. The detection system is adapted to distinguish between the presence of an individual in the accessible area and the presence of an individual in the alarm area. The detection system is connected to a control unit adapted to intervene on the operation of the converting section based on information provided by the detection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Fabio Perini S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ivano James Girolami, Matteo Favilla, Michele Puccini
  • Patent number: 11822830
    Abstract: The present invention enables a desired number of original gift boxes to be produced easily. An image print device includes an input unit to which a user image is input, a storage unit storing a template image of a gift box, an edit processing unit combining the template image with the user image to generate a combined image, and a printer printing, for output, the combined image on a sheet. The storage unit stores a plurality of template images of gift boxes different in shape or size. The image print device further includes a box selection unit receiving selection of a gift box shape or size, and the edit processing unit combines a template image with the user image, the template image corresponding to the gift box shape or size that is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ayaka Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11796948
    Abstract: A measurement device includes a measurement unit that measures a physical property of a measurement target by causing the measurement target to vibrate through an application of an ultrasonic wave, the measurement unit including a first mode that measures the physical property using a first burst wave sensitive in a first predetermined range of physical property values and a second mode that measures the physical property using a second burst wave sensitive in a second range of physical property values different from the first range, and a control unit that controls the measurement unit to execute at least one of the first mode and the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kenta Ogata, Kouhei Yukawa
  • Patent number: 11789385
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a nip forming member configured to form a transfer nip between the image bearer and the nip forming member; a nip pressure changer configured to change a nip pressure of the transfer nip; a transfer bias applier configured to apply, to the transfer nip, a transfer bias in which an AC component is superimposed on a DC component; and a DC component adjuster configured to adjust the DC component in the transfer bias, according to the nip pressure that is changed by the nip pressure changer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuki Aoki, Seiichi Kogure, Hideki Kimura, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Yutaka Takahashi, Yusuke Ishizuka, Takuya Akiyama, Yutaka Goto, Kazuhiro Shimada
  • Patent number: 11782367
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a fixer including a rotating body and a heating member to heat the rotating body. A temperature sensor is positioned to detect a temperature of the rotating body and output a temperature detection result. A heating control circuit is configured to estimate the temperature of the rotating body based on the temperature detection result, a power supply voltage value, an energization pulse setting for controlling the heating member, a heat capacity of the fixer, and a heat resistance of the fixer. The control circuit generates an energization pulse for controlling power supplied to the heating member based on the estimated temperature and the temperature detection result. A controller detects a variation in the heat capacity of the fixer device and supplies a correction amount for the heat capacity corresponding to the detected variation to the heating control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ota
  • Patent number: 11768457
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveying unit, an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a first driving unit, a second driving unit, a transmission unit to transmit an ultrasonic wave, and a reception unit. Where a determination is made that a timing at which excitation of the first driving unit is switched or a timing at which excitation of the second driving unit is switched overlaps with a timing to obtain a value of the ultrasonic wave received by the reception unit, the transmission unit does not transmit an ultrasonic wave. Where a determination is made that the timing at which the excitation of the first driving unit is switched or the timing at which the excitation of the second driving unit is switched does not overlap with the timing to obtain the value of the received ultrasonic wave, the transmission unit transmits an ultrasonic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Ishida
  • Patent number: 11718108
    Abstract: A printer that allows selection of a plurality of types of print media includes, a control unit that stores a plurality of pieces of registration information, the registration information including one set of a plurality of printing setting items used for printing, the plurality of printing setting items include an item regarding the type of the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yohei Murata
  • Patent number: 11714368
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating rotary member, a pressure rotary member, a nip portion formed by the rotary members, a temperature adjustment control section controlling a temperature of the heating rotary member to a target temperature, a cleaning web removing toner adhering to the heating rotary member, and a controller selectively executing one of a cleaning mode and a non-cleaning mode. A first basis weight and a second basis weight greater than the first predetermined basis weight are set, in a job that mixedly uses recording media with the first and second basis weights. When the controller executes the non-cleaning mode, the temperature adjustment control section sets a target temperature of a recording medium with a basis weight less than or equal to the first basis weight to a temperature lower than a target temperature of the recording medium in the cleaning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Hasegawa, Hiroki Kawai, Ayano Ogata, Yasuharu Toratani, Suguru Takeuchi, Youichi Chikugo, Hidekazu Tatezawa, Yutaro Tsuno, Kenichi Tanaka, Rikiya Takemasa
  • Patent number: 11703789
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the envelope; a third hardware processor that determines, in case the first hardware processor judges that the recording medium is the envelope, control for forming an image on the envelope by the image former on the basis of the basis weight of the envelope acquired by the second hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
  • Patent number: 11693347
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detector detecting an operation sound based on a sound wave received by a receiver; a second detector detecting basis weight of recording material based on an ultrasonic wave transmitted from a transmitter and received by the receiver; a switching unit that switches destination of a reception signal from the receiver between a first path to the first detector and a second path to the second detector; and a controller that controls the switching unit such that the reception signal is output to the first path at a first timing and to the second path at a second timing. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the controller controls the switching unit such that the reception signal is output to the second path at the first timing or to the first path at the second timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsunobu Mori, Yohei Suzuki, Seiji Hara, Yasuhisa Matsumoto, Junya Azami, Masafumi Monde, Hirotaka Shiomichi, Tatsuya Hotogi
  • Patent number: 11659037
    Abstract: There is provided a control communication system in which when an abnormality occurs in a function provided by a control apparatus, the function where the abnormality has occurred is relocated to another control apparatus so that the continuity of the function is suppressed from being deteriorated. In a control communication system, in the case where an abnormality related to a monitoring subject service is detected, there is selected a relocation control apparatus to which the foregoing monitoring subject service is relocated from a control apparatus where the foregoing monitoring subject service is currently disposed; a software element and execution and communication manifests for the foregoing monitoring subject service are transferred to a service storage device of the relocation control apparatus and are stored therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Mikiya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11634290
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a receiving member to hold a sheet pressing portion and receive a reaction force of an urging portion for urging the sheet pressing portion toward the first sheet guide, a detection unit having a first detection portion disposed on a first sheet guide, and a second detection portion facing the first detection portion and disposed on a second sheet guide. The detection unit changes an output value based on presence and absence of the sheet at a detection position in a sheet conveyance path, wherein the second guide provided with the second detection portion, and a receiving member are movably disposed with respect to the first guide provided with the first detection portion respectively, and are positioned with respect to the first guide independently from each other, and wherein the receiving member is pivotably supported around the pivot axis independently from the second guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuaki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11624993
    Abstract: In a fixing device, a first fixing member and a second fixing member are configured to form a nip in combination, and an arm biased by a first spring with a first biasing force provides a nip pressure. A cam rotatably arranged to cause the arm to move against the first biasing force has a first cam surface used to change the nip pressure from a first pressure to a second pressure smaller than the first pressure, and a second cam surface of which an angle of action is greater than that of the first cam surface to change the nip pressure from the second pressure to a third pressure smaller than the second pressure. A maximum pressure angle at the second cam surface is smaller than a maximum pressure angle at the first cam surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomonori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11609522
    Abstract: An image forming system cyclically conveys an Nth sheet with an image formed on a first side to an image forming unit as a sheet subject to image formation after image formation on a subsequent (N+i)th sheet, and form an image on a second side of the Nth sheet. The system includes an obtaining unit that, during image forming processes, obtains respective updated adjustment values for the first and second sides, and a control unit that performs control to simultaneously store the updated adjustment value for the first side and an unupdated adjustment value for the second side in a part of a period of the processes, form an image on the first side of the (N+i)th sheet using the updated one for the first side, and form the image on the second side of the Nth sheet using the unupdated one for the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumiaki Hirose, Ryo Degawa
  • Patent number: 11586136
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to, in executing a job to form images continuously on a plurality of sheets of a recording material, accumulate an addition amount per sheet to an index in accordance with a number of sheets of the recording material to which images are formed in the job. A value of the addition amount per sheet is determined in correspondence with an attribute of the recording material used in the job. The control unit is configured to, during execution of the job, change a throughput of the job so that images are formed at a first throughput if an accumulated value of the index still does not exceed a predetermined threshold value and images are formed at a second throughput slower than the first throughput if the accumulated value of the index has exceeded the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Eguchi, Munehito Kurata
  • Patent number: 11537075
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming system including an image forming apparatus including a hardware processor that forms an image on a recording material, and the image forming system includes: a first detector that detects recording material information on the recording material; a recording material storage that stores the recording material; and a controller that specifies one type of the recording material from type candidates of the recording material based on an execution result of test printing, by executing the test printing under an image forming condition that is set in accordance with one or more type candidates of the recording material, the one or more type candidates being extracted based on the recording material information detected by the first detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kenji Taki
  • Patent number: 11531291
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a rotatable intermediary transfer belt, a plurality of stretching rollers, an outer roller, a moving mechanism, and a controller. In a case that a basis weight of a first recording material is a first basis weight and a basis weight of a second recording material is a second basis weight greater than the first basis weight, a position of the inner roller is a second position when the toner image is transferred onto the second recording material, and in a case that the basis weight of the first recording material and the basis weight of the second recording material are the second basis weight, the position of the inner roller is a first position when the toner image is transferred onto the second recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryou Sakaguchi, Yuya Ohta, Akinobu Nishikata
  • Patent number: 11520261
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressurizing member, a charging portion, and a control portion. The fixing member rotates while being heated. The pressurizing member forms a nip portion between itself and a surface of the fixing member in such a way as to hold a sheet therebetween and conveys the sheet by rotating together with the fixing member, wherein an image of toner has been formed on the sheet. The charging portion electrically charges the surface of the fixing member to a polarity that is same as a charging polarity of the toner by supplying a charging current to a pair of electrodes that is disposed to face the surface of the fixing member. The control portion acquires sheet information that includes one or more of length information, width information, and thickness information of the sheet and adjusts the charging current based on the sheet information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Einosuke Kikuchi, Kuniaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 11500312
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a transfer roller having a surface to transfer a toner image onto a print medium during a printing operation of the imaging system, a conductive device to contact the surface of the transfer roller, a power source electrically connected to the conductive device, a resistance measurement device, and a controller. The transfer roller rotates according to a printing speed of the printing operation. The power source supplies a bias to the transfer roller through the conductive device during the printing operation. The resistance measurement device measures an electrical resistance of the print medium. The controller reduces the printing speed based on the electrical resistance measured by the resistance measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Koji Miyake, Shun Ikeura
  • Patent number: 11493855
    Abstract: A light source adjustment apparatus is disclosed. The light source adjustment apparatus includes processing apparatus to receive a scanned image of a pattern printed by a print apparatus onto a printable medium, the pattern including a plurality of blocks of print agent of a first colour printed during a printing operation in which light sources of a light source array irradiate a photoconductive surface; analyse the scanned image to identify a region of non-uniformity within the plurality of blocks of print agent; correlate a location of the identified region of non-uniformity with a corresponding light source in the light source array; determine, based on the identified region of non-uniformity, an adjustment to be made to a parameter of the corresponding light source; and generate a signal to effect the determined parameter adjustment with regard to the corresponding light source. A method and a print apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Oron Ambar, Zvi Erlich, Haim Vladomirski, Rodolfo Jodra Barron
  • Patent number: 11493872
    Abstract: A static elimination device includes: a first static elimination member that makes contact with a medium that is transported; a second static elimination member arranged such that the medium is inserted between the first static elimination member and the second static elimination member; and a power source that applies a voltage to at least one of the first static elimination member or the second static elimination member, in which at least one of the first static elimination member and the second static elimination member has an elastic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Tanaka, Koichiro Yuasa
  • Patent number: 11487234
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating apparatus includes an apparatus body, a first cassette to be drawn out in a draw-out direction with respect to the apparatus body, a second cassette disposed adjacent to the first cassette in a vertical direction, a holder member attached to the apparatus body, and a first light emitting member and a second light emitting member that are supported by the holder member. The first cassette includes a first accommodating container and a first cover. The second cassette includes a second accommodating container and a second cover. The first cover has a first hole in a position opposing the first light emitting member such that the light emitted from the first light emitting member passes therethrough. The second cover has a second hole provided in a position opposing the second light emitting member such that the light emitted from the second light emitting member passes therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keitaro Taoka, Misaki Shiozawa, Hajime Sekiguchi, Isao Kannari, Hiroyuki Nakagawa, Kouyou Tamura
  • Patent number: 11487225
    Abstract: A liquid electrophotographic (LEP) printing device that includes a photo-imaging plate (PIP) to receive a liquid printing fluid, the liquid printing fluid including a pigment incorporated into a resin, a charge conductor, and a carrier liquid, and a transfer roller to transfer the liquid printing fluid from the PIP to a fabric substrate while wet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Harsh Pranav Desai, Evgeny Korol, Avinoam Halpern
  • Patent number: 11429040
    Abstract: A rotation center of a secondary transfer inner roller located at a first position is located downstream of a rotation center of a secondary transfer outer roller in a movement direction of an intermediate transfer belt tensioned by the secondary transfer inner roller and an idler roller. The rotation center of the secondary transfer inner roller located at a second position coincides in position with the rotation center of the secondary transfer outer roller, or is located upstream of the rotation center of the secondary transfer outer roller in the movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt tensioned by the secondary transfer inner roller and the idler roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Tajima, Kentaro Yamana
  • Patent number: 11409477
    Abstract: There is provide an image processing apparatus including a carriage with a recording head and a sensor mounted thereon, a conveyer, and a controller. The controller carries out: acquiring a recording data, a front edge margin, and a tail edge margin, determining whether or not at least one of first and second reference values is less than a threshold value, and a positioning process. When at least one of the first and second reference values is less than the threshold value, then the controller carries out: a front edge detecting process, a first recording preparation process, and a recording process. When at least one of the first and second reference values is not less than the threshold value, then the controller carries out: a second recording preparation process, and the recording process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Hirotoshi Maehira, Masao Mimoto, Tsuyoshi Ito, Yasuo Ono
  • Patent number: 11402776
    Abstract: Provided is an image heating apparatus including: a film that contacts with the recording material; a heater unit configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the film, the heater unit including a heater, and a heater support supporting the heater, wherein the heater is fixed to the heater support; a pressing roller that forms a nip together with the heater unit through the film, the nip being for nipping and conveying a recording material; a pressing member that presses the heater toward the pressing roller without through the heater support; a pressing force adjustment mechanism for adjusting pressing force in the nip; and a control portion that controls the pressing force adjustment mechanism, wherein the control portion causes the pressing force adjustment mechanism to adjust the pressing force based on temperature detected by a temperature detection member that detects temperature of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11394841
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a detection unit, a display unit, a conveyance control unit, and a reading unit. The detection unit detects that a document is placed on a document tray. When the detection unit detects that the document is placed on the document tray, the display unit displays an object related to setting of a thickness of the document if a predetermined function is not being performed. The conveyance control unit conveys the document based on information indicating the document thickness set via the object. The reading unit reads an image of the conveyed document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kaori Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11381690
    Abstract: A machine learning device according to an embodiment may include: a state variable acquisition unit that acquires first and second state variable datasets including print results performed at first and second printing speeds respectively by an image formation apparatus; a teaching data acquisition unit that acquires first and second teaching data corresponding to the first and second printing speeds; and a learned model generation unit that generates a first learned model by performing machine learning based on the first state variable dataset and the first teaching data, and generates a second learned model by performing machine learning based on the second state variable dataset and the second teaching data. Each of the first and second state variable datasets includes: feature value information; medium information; and first control information. Each of the first and second teaching data includes: second control information; and a print defect value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akimitsu Kawano
  • Patent number: 11345166
    Abstract: Power allocation in printing devices is disclosed. Independent load requests are received from printing device heater systems. A first load request is received from a first heater system and a second load request is received from a second heater system. Power grants are allocated based on a general power arbitration of a power source in response to the independent load requests. The power grants include a first power grant based on the first load request and a second power grant based on the second load request. The power grants are adjusted based on a contextual printing condition. The power grants are adjusted to apportion a measure of the second power grant to the first power grant rather than provide the measure of the second power grant to the second heater system if a print substance density is outside a selected print substance density threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Duane A Koehler, Robert Yraceburu, Daniel James Magnusson
  • Patent number: 11334007
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit for transferring a toner image onto a sheet, a fixing device for fixing the image, the fixing device including a belt, a pressure element for pressing against the belt, a heating member on the belt including a heat generating element and electrodes on both sides of the heat element in a sheet conveyance direction and connected to the heat element, and an adjustment mechanism for moving one of the heating member and the pressure element in a manner to move the one closer to or away from the other, and a controller for controlling the adjustment mechanism so that a distance between the heating member and the pressure element becomes a first distance during a fixing process and a second distance larger than the first distance during temperature raising of the heating member, which is conducted before the fixing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Osamu Takagi, Chie Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 11327423
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material according to image information on a predetermined image; a fixing portion configured to fix the toner image on the recording material by heating the recording material having thereon the toner image while conveying the recording material by a nip portion; an acquisition portion configured to acquire an image end position that is a position of one end of the toner image in a main scanning direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording material; a determination portion configured to determine a target temperature based on the image end position; and a control portion configured to control the fixing portion based on the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Shinji, Satoshi Nishida, Isamu Takeda, Takanori Mitani
  • Patent number: 11288024
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes an image forming section (6), a plurality of recording paper trays (7a to 7n), storage (5), and a paper feed stage selecting section (12). The image forming section (6) performs advanced printing based on a paper profile. The paper feed stage selecting section (12) selects a recording paper tray (7) from the recording paper trays (7a to 7n) from which recording paper is to be fed to the image forming section (6) based on a printing instruction. When a specific paper profile is not associated with the selected recording paper tray (7), the paper feed stage selecting section (12) notifies the image forming section (6) of a manual setting and causes the image forming section (6) to perform simple printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Kozo Tao, Daiki Sone
  • Patent number: 11269278
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a read image obtaining unit configured to obtain read image data indicative of an image having been read, a target generation unit configured to generate, based on the read image data, target data indicative of a target color of a print medium, and a gradation correction unit configured to correct, based on the target data, a gradation of print image data indicative of an image to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Akiho Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11261044
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes an imaging device to image a medium and configured to move in a moving direction, a roller configured to move in the moving direction, on an upstream side of the imaging device, a conveyance guide provided with the imaging device to move the imaging device, wherein the conveyance guide includes a slope for coming into contact with the medium, an engaging member provided with the imaging device to move the imaging device, and a moving member to move the imaging device by engaging with the engaging member in conjunction with a movement of the roller. The engaging member and the moving member are configured to be separated at a distance from one another when the medium is not conveyed. The moving member moves the imaging device by engaging with the engaging member only when the medium has a thickness greater than the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuki Takato, Hirotoshi Kakuda
  • Patent number: 11249429
    Abstract: A first light guide guides first light in a first light guiding path. The first light is of light irradiated from the light source to a sheet. A first detection unit receives reflected light from the sheet and outputs an image signal indicating an image of a surface of the sheet. A second light guide guides second light in a second light guiding path different from the first light guiding path. The second light is of the light irradiated from the light source and is different from the first light. A second detection unit receives the second light and output a detection signal corresponding to a light amount of the second light. A control unit controls a light emission amount of the light source based on the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi Monde, Mizuki Ishimoto, Yu Miyajima, Norio Matsui
  • Patent number: 11204569
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus fixes a toner image onto a sheet by a fixer, and includes: a re-feeding path that normally conveys the sheet having passed through the fixer and guides the sheet toward the fixer; and a hardware processor that switches between first control to discharge the sheet having passed through the fixer toward a discharge destination and second control to re-feed the sheet having passed through the fixer to the fixer through the re-feeding path, depending on a type of an image which is a source of formation of the toner image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sakai, Yoshinori Tsutsumi, Kenji Tsuru, Munenori Nakano
  • Patent number: 11204572
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an inverting unit that inverts a sheet when an image forming process for forming images on both sides of the sheet is performed; an image forming unit that forms an image on a second side of the sheet based on first side image data and forms an image on a third side of the sheet based on second side image data; a controller that starts the image forming process upon receiving print data to be printed on specific paper, and inverts a sheet fed from a sheet feeding unit once or more; and a converting unit that, when the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit is the specific paper, converts the first side print data which is received to be printed on the specific paper into N-th side image data where N?2 and transfers the N-th side image data to the image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hirooki Oka, Tetsuo Hara, Joji Saito, Haruhiko Kojima, Hiroshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11203213
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device including a transporter that transports a print medium, a printer that discharges ink droplets onto the print medium and a heat roller that includes a peripheral surface with which the print medium comes into contact after printing is provided. The peripheral surface of the heat roller includes a paper contact region and a non-paper region. The device further includes a first heater for the paper region, a second heater for the non-paper region, a target temperature setter that provides a target temperature at the paper region side, and a sensor that measures the temperature at the paper region side. The target temperature and a sensor output are referenced when heating by the first heater is performed, to judge whether supplementary heating of the paper region by the second heater is necessary. If supplementary heating is necessary, the second heater is driven by a drive signal having an intensity that corresponds to a deficient heat amount equivalent value in the paper region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: Mitsuru Tanemoto
  • Patent number: 11180333
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes an ultrasonic element that performs at least one of transmitting an ultrasonic wave along a first axis and receiving the ultrasonic wave input along the first axis, and a protective member that is provided on the first axis and covers the ultrasonic element, in which the protective member has a plurality of pores through which the ultrasonic wave traveling along the first axis passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventors: Masayoshi Yamada, Hikaru Iwai, Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 11156944
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a fixing, onto a recording material, a toner image that is formed in accordance with image data, and constituted of a first image that is formed by a toner of a first color and a second image that is formed by a toner of a second color which is different from the first color, and that is superimposed on the first image; an acquiring a gradation value of the first image and a gradation value of the second image based on the image data; a determining a target temperature and target speed based on the gradation value of the first image and the gradation value of the second image; a controlling power to be supplied to the fixing unit based on the target temperature; and a controlling conveying speed of the recording material based on the target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isamu Takeda, Satoshi Nishida, Atsushi Nakamoto, Takeshi Shinji, Takanori Mitani
  • Patent number: 11150589
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; an exposure portion configured to expose the photosensitive member to light depending on image information to form a latent image on the photosensitive member; a developing portion configured to develop the latent image into a toner image with toner; and a transfer portion configured to transfer the toner image from the photosensitive member onto a recording material. The image forming apparatus changes a surface movement speed of the photosensitive member at timing prior to predetermined timing, when a moving speed of a recording material at the transfer portion changes, by a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ai Suzuki, Masashi Tanaka, Shoichiro Ikegami, Kensuke Umeda, Sho Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11126121
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a control portion that controls a conveying speed of recording materials when the recording materials pass through a nip portion; wherein the control portion, in a case of continuous sheet passing of the recording materials each having a smaller width than the recording materials each having a maximum width: executes, in a case where a representative value of the number of the recording materials having the smaller width for one operation of the continuous sheet passing is smaller than a predetermined threshold, a first operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a first speed; and executes, in a case where the representative value is the threshold or more, a second operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a second speed lower than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Nihonyanagi, Masato Sako
  • Patent number: 11099511
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet feeding tray that stores a sheet; a sheet thickness measurement device that measures a sheet thickness of the sheet fed from the sheet feeding tray; a hardware processor that: determines a type of the sheet of which the sheet thickness is measured, a sheet type associated with each of sheet thickness ranges, and the sheet thickness measured by the sheet thickness measurement device; and adjusts a first sheet thickness range to cause the first sheet thickness range to be expandable to at least one of an upper limit value side or a lower limit value side; and an image former that forms an image on the sheet fed from the sheet feeding tray under image forming conditions corresponding to the sheet type determined by the hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Mie Kawabata, Akira Murakawa, Atsushi Kawai
  • Patent number: 11099508
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a dividing the image data into regions including pixels; an obtaining a first ratio by dividing a total number of the pixels included in groups, the pixels having a density equal to or higher than a predetermined value and arranged consecutively in a predetermined direction, by a total number of the pixels having the density and included in each of the regions; an obtaining a second ratio by dividing the total number of pixels having the density and included in each of the regions by a total number of the pixels included in each of the regions; a determining a target temperature for maintaining a temperature of a fixing portion based on the first and second ratios; and a controlling power to be supplied to the fixing portion so that the fixing portion is maintained at the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Shinji, Satoshi Nishida, Isamu Takeda, Takanori Mitani
  • Patent number: 11029625
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier configured to carry an image; a transfer unit configured to transfer the image to a medium; and a cleaner configured to remove deposits on a surface of the image carrier after passing through a position of the transfer unit, in which when a type of a medium to be used is a first medium, the cleaner improves an ability to remove the deposits from the image carrier as compared with a case where the medium to be used is a second medium having a lower transfer sensitivity than the first medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP.
    Inventors: Kotaro Araki, Masaaki Yamaura, Yoshinori Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Tominaga, Ayumi Noguchi, Takeshi Yasuda, Masahiro Katahira
  • Patent number: 11019232
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a case section, a conveyance section, a controller, an acquiring section, and storage. The controller controls the image forming section and the conveyance section according to mechanical settings information corresponding to a type of the sheet. The acquiring section acquires an identification image for identifying the type of the sheet. The storage stores therein mechanical-settings-information candidates and registered images associated with the mechanical-settings-information candidates. The controller determines whether or not a matching image exists when a sheet is loaded in the case section. Here, the matching image is a registered image matching the identification image of the registered images. The controller adjusts mechanical settings information based on a mechanical-settings-information candidate associated with the matching image of the mechanical-settings-information candidates when determining that the matching image exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Takeuchi, Daiki Sone, Yasuhide Sato, Rommel Custodio, Yuki Shimotsu, Norifumi Miyahara, Toru Nakayama