This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-062844, filed on Mar. 28, 2019, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to a fold-enforcing assembly, a post-processing apparatus, and an image forming system.
There are post-processing apparatuses to be used in combination with an image forming apparatus such as a copier. For example, a post-processing apparatus binds one or a plurality of sheets at the center portion of the sheet(s), and folds the sheet bundle at the center portion with a folding roller pair disposed parallel to the sheet folding direction. In this manner, the post-processing apparatus produces a saddle-stitched booklet.
Further, there is a technique of enforcing a fold line of a saddle-stitched booklet with a roller that moves along the spine of the booklet.
An embodiment of this disclosure provides a fold-enforcing assembly that includes a fold-enforcing device, a moving device to move the fold-enforcing device, and control circuitry. The fold-enforcing device includes a pair of pressing members configured to nip and press a fold of a sheet bundle in a direction of thickness of the sheet bundle, a pressing mechanism configured to pressurize and depressurize the pair of pressing members in the direction of thickness, and a driver configured to drive the pressing mechanism. The moving device moves the fold-enforcing device in a direction of the fold. The control circuitry is configured to move, with the moving device, the fold-enforcing device in accordance with a size of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; pressurize, in the direction of thickness, the pair of pressing members to press a first end portion of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold, with the pressing mechanism; move, with the moving device, the fold-enforcing device to a second end portion of the sheet bundle opposite the first end portion in the direction of the fold; and depressurize, with the pressing mechanism, the pair of pressing members in the second end portion.
A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted.
In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this patent specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have the same function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, embodiments of this disclosure are described. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The image forming apparatus 300 of the present embodiment is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including an image processing circuit, a photoconductor, an optical writing device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing device.
In a case where the image forming apparatus 300 is a copier, the image processing circuit converts image data read by a scanner into printable image data, and outputs the converted image data to the optical writing device. Likewise, image data that is input from an external device such as a personal computer is converted into printable image data, and the converted image data is output to the optical writing device.
The optical writing device performs optical writing on the photoconductor in accordance with an image signal output from the image processing circuit, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor. The developing device performs toner development on the electrostatic latent image that has been formed on the surface of the photoconductor by the optical writing. The transfer device transfers the toner image visualized on the surface of the photoconductor by the developing device onto a paper sheet P. The fixing device fixes the toner image which has been transferred on the paper sheet P, to the paper sheet P.
The paper sheet P to which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the image forming apparatus 300 to the post-processing apparatus 200, and desired post-processing is performed on the paper sheet P by the post-processing apparatus 200. The image forming apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment is of an electrophotographic system as described above, but an image forming apparatus of any known system such as an inkjet system or a thermal transfer system can be combined as the image forming apparatus 300 with the post-processing apparatus 200.
As illustrated in
The post-processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment can perform various processes such as punching (with a punch unit 100), side stapling (with a side stapler S1), saddle stitching (with a saddle stitching stapler S2), center folding (with a folding roller pair 14), and sorting of paper sheets P.
An inlet portion A of the post-processing apparatus 200 is the portion to which a paper sheet P ejected from the image forming apparatus 300 is first conveyed, and includes a single-sheet post-processing device that performs post-processing on each of the paper sheets P passing through the inlet portion A (in the present embodiment, the single-sheet post-process sing device is the punch unit 100 serving as a punching device).
A first ejection conveyance passage B that guides a paper sheet P to a shift tray 201 is formed above the inlet portion A, and a second ejection conveyance passage C that guides a paper sheet P to a shift tray 202 is formed on a side (to the left in
The inlet portion A is a conveyance passage on the upstream side in the conveyance direction with respect to the first ejection conveyance passage B, the second ejection conveyance passage C, and the stapling conveyance passage D, and forms a common conveyance passage for all the paper sheets P transferred from the image forming apparatus 300 to the post-processing apparatus 200. An entry sensor that detects passage of a paper sheet P received from the image forming apparatus 300 is disposed at the inlet portion A, and an inlet roller pair 1, the punch unit 100, and a pre-bifurcating conveyance roller pair 2 are arranged in this order on the downstream side of the entry sensor. Further, two bifurcating claws (a first bifurcating claw 15 and a second bifurcating claw 16) are arranged on the downstream side of the pre-bifurcating conveyance roller pair 2 of the inlet portion A.
The first bifurcating claw 15 and the second bifurcating claw 16 are each held in the state illustrated in
When each solenoid is turned on, the tips of the first bifurcating claw 15 and the second bifurcating claw 16 are displaced from the state illustrated in
In the post-processing apparatus 200, the combination of the ON/OFF states of the respective solenoids of the first bifurcating claw 15 and the second bifurcating claw 16 is changed, so that the conveyance passage of a paper sheet P that has passed through the inlet portion A is switched to the first ejection conveyance passage B, the second ejection conveyance passage C, or the stapling conveyance passage D.
A shift tray sheet ejection unit, which includes shift trays 201 and 202 and the like, is disposed at the most downstream portion of the conveyance passage of a paper sheet P passing through the inlet portion A, the first ejection conveyance passage B, and the second ejection conveyance passage C in the post-processing apparatus 200. Further, the shift tray sheet ejection unit includes a tray shifter that reciprocates the shift trays 201 and 202 in a direction (the paper width direction) orthogonal to the direction of conveyance of the paper sheets P, and a tray lifter that moves up and down the shift trays 201 and 202 in the vertical direction.
In the stapling conveyance passage D, a stapling conveyance passage first roller pair 7, a sheet guide claw, a pre-stack sensor, a stapling conveyance passage second roller pair 9, a stapling conveyance passage third roller pair 10, and the like are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the conveyance direction.
Further, as illustrated in
In the post-processing apparatus 200, while stapling (an example of binding) is being performed on the stapling tray F, the stapling tray F is not able to receive the next paper sheet P. If the transfer of a paper sheet P from the image forming apparatus 300 to the post-processing apparatus 200 is suspended so that any new paper sheet P is not supplied to the stapling tray F while stapling is being performed on the stapling tray F, the productivity of the entire image forming system 600 drops.
Therefore, to secure sufficient time for stapling while maintaining the productivity of the entire image forming system 600, the post-processing apparatus 200 temporarily retains paper sheets P, and conveys a plurality of the paper sheets P simultaneously to the stapling tray F, to secure substantial time for stapling. This process is called a pre-stack process.
The paper sheets P guided to the stapling tray F through the inlet portion A and the stapling conveyance passage D are subjected to post-processing such as alignment and stapling on the stapling tray F. Further, the paper sheets P are sent into the conveyance passage leading to the shift tray 202 or into the conveyance passage leading to a sheet stack tray 401 of a saddle stitching stack tray portion Z by a sheet bundle sorting guide member 13.
When the paper sheets P are sent into the conveyance passage leading to the shift tray 202, the paper sheets P are guided to the vicinity of and upstream from a second ejected sheet sensor in the second ejection conveyance passage C, and are ejected onto the shift tray 202 by a second output roller pair 6, like paper sheets P passing through the second ejection conveyance passage C.
On the other hand, when the paper sheets P are sent into the conveyance passage leading to the sheet stack tray 401, the paper sheets P are transferred to a saddle-stitching and center-folding section G that performs center folding and the like on the paper sheets P, and the saddle-stitching and center-folding section G performs post-processing such as center folding. The paper sheets P that have been subjected to post-processing such as center folding pass through a post-center-folding conveyance passage H, and are conveyed to the sheet stack tray 401.
The saddle-stitching and center-folding section G further includes a folding blade 34 that folds the saddle-stitched sheet bundle 12 in two at the center in the conveyance direction, and the folding roller pair 14 that conveys the sheet bundle 12 folded in two while pressing the sheet bundle 12 folded in two. A fold-enforcing device 50 that performs fold enforcing with a pair of pressing members along the fold line of the sheet bundle 12 folded in two is further provided.
As illustrated in
The aligned sheet bundle 12 is stapled by the saddle stitching stapler 33, and is lifted up to the folding position by the rear end fence 32. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The CPU 101 controls the driving of each direct-current (DC) solenoid and each motor via a driver and a motor driver, and acquires information about each sensor in the apparatus from the I/O interface 102. Depending on the control target and the sensor information, the CPU 101 further controls the driving of the motors with a motor driver via the I/O interface 102, and acquires sensor information from the sensors.
As a result, the post-processing apparatus 200 (the fold-enforcing device 50) can acquire information such as the size and the number of the conveyed sheets.
Such control is performed according to a program defined by a program code stored in a read only memory (ROM), while the CPU 101 loads the program code into a random access memory (RAM), and uses this RAM as a work area and a data buffer.
Next, the objective of the present disclosure is described in detail.
In the fold-enforcing device 135, when the pressing members 40a and 40b start to nip an end of the sheet bundle 12 as illustrated in
On the other hand, in the method illustrated in
However, pressurizing or depressurizing of the pressing members 40a and 40b in accordance with the size of the sheet bundle 12 is not feasible. Therefore, to perform fold-enforcing on the entire sheet bundle 12, the fold-enforcing device 135 needs to reciprocate. As a result, productivity is reduced.
The following is a description of a fold-enforcing device that moves a fold-enforcing member, and pressurizes or depressurizes the sheet bundle, depending on the width-direction size of the sheet bundle.
The fold-enforcing unit 60 includes a pair of fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b that pressurize the fold line of the sheet bundle 12 in the thickness direction of the sheet bundle 12, a pressing mechanism that pressurizes and depressurizes the pressing members, and a pressurization and depressurization motor 20 serving as a driver that drives the pressing mechanism. The fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b are an example of the pressing members.
The moving device 70 includes a motor 72, pulleys 76a, 76b, and 76c, and belts 74a and 74b. The belt 74b is stretched between the pulley 76b and the pulley 76c, and is also coupled to the fold-enforcing unit 60. Accordingly, as the moving device 70 transmits the driving of the motor 72 to the pulley 76b via the belt 74a and the pulley 76a, the belt 74b can be driven so that the fold-enforcing unit 60 can be reciprocated in the sheet-width direction (the fold-line direction of the sheet bundle 12).
The motor 72 of the moving device 70 is formed with a pulse motor, for example, and pulse control can be performed.
As illustrated in
The worm gear 21, the worm wheel 22, the first and second connection gears 23 and 24, the cam 25, first and second roller housings 18a and 18b, the first and second pressure springs 19a and 19b, and the like construct an example of the pressing mechanism that pressurizes or depressurizes the pressing members.
The first roller housing 18a is attached to the casing of the fold-enforcing unit 60 so as to be rotatable (pivotable) about a rotation shaft extending in the vertical direction (Z direction) in the drawing. On the opposite side in the downward direction (−X-axis direction), the second roller housing 18b is attached to the casing of the fold-enforcing unit 60 so as to be rotatable (pivotable) about the rotation shaft extending in the vertical direction (Z direction) in the drawing.
The first roller housing 18a and the second roller housing 18b are molded in one piece with synchronizing gears 29, respectively. As the synchronizing gears 29 engage with each other, the first roller housing 18a and the second roller housing 18b are synchronized with each other and rotate (oscillate) at the same angle.
The first roller housing 18a and the second roller housing 18b are also biased to the right (Y direction) by a first pressure spring 19a and a second pressure spring 19b provided in the casing of the fold-enforcing unit 60.
Further, the first and second roller housings 18a and 18b support the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b, which are the pressing members, so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft extending in the Z direction.
The fold-enforcing unit 60 designed as described above performs pressurizing or depressurizing as described below.
Depressurizing Operation
When the pressurization and depressurization motor 20 rotates the cam 25 (counterclockwise in the drawing), the first and second roller housings 18a and 18b rotate (the first roller housing 18a rotates counterclockwise while the second roller housing 18b rotates clockwise in the drawing) against the biasing force of the first and second pressure springs 19a and 19b. At this stage, the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b are synchronized with each other and are separated (depressurized) at the same angle.
Pressuring Operation
When the pressurization and depressurization motor 20 rotates in the opposite direction from the above and the cam 25 rotates in the opposite direction, the first and second roller housings 18a and 18b rotate (the first roller housing 18a rotates clockwise while the second roller housing 18b rotates counterclockwise in the drawing) against the biasing force of the first and second pressure springs 19a and 19b. At this stage, the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b are synchronized with each other, moved at the same angle, and brought into contact with each other (are pressurized).
In this manner, the pair of fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b can move evenly (by the same distance) to the center position of the nip in synchronized with each other, and pressurize or depressurize the sheet bundle 12. Accordingly, the sheet bundle 12 can be evenly pressurized from above and below, regardless of the thickness of the nipped sheet bundle 12.
Thus, the staple pierced in the sheet bundle 12 in the saddle stitching process is advantageously located at the center position with respect to the fold line.
The fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b are biased by the first and second pressure springs 19a and 19b, respectively, and pressurize the nipped sheet bundle 12. The pressing force exerted by the first and second pressure springs 19a and 19b increases as the thickness of the nipped sheet bundle 12 increases. Thus, the pressurizing force of the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b changes with the thickness of the nipped sheet bundle 12. Accordingly, there is no risk of damaging the sheet bundle 12 even when the sheet bundle 12 is formed with a small number of sheets. In another embodiment, tension springs are used instead of pressure springs.
Next, a fold-enforcing operation of the fold-enforcing device 50 is described.
In step S11, the fold-enforcing device 50 that has received a fold-enforcing operation instruction starts a fold-enforcing operation. In step S12, the fold-enforcing device 50 drives the motor 72, to move the fold-enforcing unit 60 toward the vicinity of one end of the sheet bundle 12 in the width direction of the sheet bundle 12.
In step S13, the fold-enforcing device 50 determines, with the CPU 101, whether the fold-enforcing unit 60 has arrived at a predetermined standby position (near the one end of the sheet bundle 12). When the fold-enforcing unit 60 has not arrived at the predetermined standby position (in the case of NO), the fold-enforcing device 50 continues to move the fold-enforcing unit 60. The predetermined standby position is a position inside the end of the sheet bundle in the width direction and corresponds to the sheet width detected by a sheet size sensor. For example, the CPU 101 acquires setting made by a manufacturer.
When the fold-enforcing unit 60 has arrived at the predetermined standby position (in the case of YES), the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the fold-enforcing device 50 drives the pressurization and depressurization motor 20 to synchronously move the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b (pressing member pair) an equal distance to be separated from each other. Then, the fold-enforcing device 50 sets the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b standby.
In step S15, the fold-enforcing device 50 determines, with the CPU 101, whether the sheet bundle 12 has reached a predetermined pressing position in the conveyance direction. If the sheet bundle 12 has not arrived at the predetermined pressing position (in the case of NO), the fold-enforcing device 50 continues to stand by.
If the sheet bundle 12 has arrived at the predetermined pressing position (in the case of YES), on the other hand, the fold-enforcing device 50 moves on to step S16. In step S16, the fold-enforcing device 50 drives the pressurization and depressurization motor 20, so that the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b pressurize the sheet bundle 12 evenly in the thickness direction (see
The fold-enforcing device 50 then drives the motor 72, to move the fold-enforcing unit 60 in the width direction of the sheet bundle 12 toward the other end of the sheet bundle 12 (execution of fold-enforcing; see
In step S17, the fold-enforcing device 50 determines, with the CPU 101, whether the number of bound sheets in the sheet bundle 12 is equal to or smaller than a predetermined number. If the number of bound sheets is equal to or smaller than the predetermined number (in the case of YES), the fold-enforcing device 50 moves on to step S18, and moves the fold-enforcing unit 60 in the width direction of the sheet bundle 12 toward a position near the other end of the sheet bundle 12 before a stop (see
The fold-enforcing device 50 then moves on to step S20. In step S20, the fold-enforcing device 50 depressurizes the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b and ends the fold-enforcing operation (see
If the number of bound sheets is larger than the predetermined number (in the case of NO), the fold-enforcing device 50 moves on to step S19. In step S19, the fold-enforcing device 50 reciprocates the fold-enforcing unit 60 in the width direction of the sheet bundle 12, and again moves the fold-enforcing unit 60 to a position near the other end of the sheet bundle 12 before a stop (see
The fold-enforcing device 50 then moves on to step S20. In step S20, the fold-enforcing device 50 depressurizes the fold-enforcing rollers 17a and 17b, and the fold-enforcing operation comes to an end (see
As described above, the fold-enforcing device 50 of the present embodiment moves the fold-enforcing unit 60 in accordance with the size of the sheet bundle 12 in the width direction (the fold-line direction), and pressurizes the sheet bundle 12 near one end of the sheet bundle 12. For example, the fold-enforcing device 50 acquires the size of the sheet bundle 12 in the width direction from the control circuit of the main body. Alternatively, the fold-enforcing device 50 can include a sheet width sensor disposed in the vicinity of the fold-enforcing members, to detect an end of the sheet bundle 12 in the width direction.
Further, while pressurizing the sheet bundle 12, the fold-enforcing device 50 moves the fold-enforcing unit 60 in the width direction of the sheet bundle 12, and depressurizes the sheet bundle 12 near the other end of the sheet bundle 12.
Accordingly, the sheet bundle 12 can be pressurized or depressurized without being damaging at an end portion. Further, there is no need to reciprocate the fold-enforcing unit 60, and thus, a decrease in productivity can be prevented.
As illustrated in steps S17 through S19, the fold-enforcing device 50 of the present embodiment moves the fold-enforcing unit 60 while pressurizing the sheet bundle 12, and, preferably, the number of times the fold-enforcing unit 60 moves is changed in accordance with the number of sheets in the sheet bundle 12. For example, in a case where there is a waiting time for a sheet coming from the image forming apparatus 300, fold enforcing is performed a plurality of times, to reduce the height of the fold of the sheet bundle 12 without any decrease in productivity.
Next, other advantageous configurations of the present disclosure are described.
As described above with reference to
In step S15 of the flowchart in
Further, as illustrated in
In a case where a sheet slips due to a sheet error and fold-enforcing is not performed at the target position in the conveyance direction, the pressing position is adjusted by the above setting. Thus, desired fold enforcing can be performed.
Further, the fold-enforcing device 50 is preferably capable of adjusting the pressing position from an end of the sheet bundle 12 in the width direction (the fold-line direction) of the sheet bundle 12. As illustrated in
Thus, the height of the fold at either end of the sheet bundle 12 can be finely adjusted, which is advantageous.
The present disclosure has been described in detail so far, by way of an embodiment. This embodiment is an example, and can be modified in various manners without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The image forming apparatus is not necessarily a copier or a printer, but may be a facsimile machine or a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions.
Further, the image forming apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment is of an electrophotographic system, but an image forming apparatus of any known system such as an inkjet system or a thermal transfer system can be combined as the image forming apparatus 300 with the post-processing apparatus 200.
The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present disclosure. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present disclosure. Any one of the above-described operations may be performed in various other ways, for example, in an order different from the one described above.
Each of the functions of the described embodiments may be implemented by one or more processing circuits or circuitry. Processing circuitry includes a programmed processor, as a processor includes circuitry. A processing circuit also includes devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA) and conventional circuit components arranged to perform the recited functions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
JP2019-062844 | Mar 2019 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7562866 | Hayashi | Jul 2009 | B2 |
8002255 | Kawaguchi | Aug 2011 | B2 |
8201815 | Sasahara | Jun 2012 | B2 |
8235371 | Taguchi | Aug 2012 | B2 |
8317180 | Kawaguchi | Nov 2012 | B2 |
8459630 | Watanabe | Jun 2013 | B2 |
9643375 | Oudsen | May 2017 | B2 |
9688503 | Fukasawa | Jun 2017 | B2 |
9731930 | Nobe | Aug 2017 | B2 |
10710834 | Hidaka | Jul 2020 | B2 |
20070176357 | Horio et al. | Aug 2007 | A1 |
20090152792 | Kato et al. | Jun 2009 | A1 |
20110198794 | Kawaguchi | Aug 2011 | A1 |
20120083400 | Shibasaki et al. | Apr 2012 | A1 |
20120086161 | Nagasako et al. | Apr 2012 | A1 |
20120153556 | Sugiyama et al. | Jun 2012 | A1 |
20120267846 | Nakada et al. | Oct 2012 | A1 |
20120282004 | Furuhashi et al. | Nov 2012 | A1 |
20120294695 | Sasaki et al. | Nov 2012 | A1 |
20130001848 | Hidaka et al. | Jan 2013 | A1 |
20130001849 | Suzuki et al. | Jan 2013 | A1 |
20130113154 | Furuhashi et al. | May 2013 | A1 |
20130134659 | Konno et al. | May 2013 | A1 |
20130147105 | Sugiyama et al. | Jun 2013 | A1 |
20130228965 | Hoshino et al. | Sep 2013 | A1 |
20130236228 | Nagasako et al. | Sep 2013 | A1 |
20130264762 | Matsushita et al. | Oct 2013 | A1 |
20130270762 | Saito et al. | Oct 2013 | A1 |
20130270763 | Furuhashi et al. | Oct 2013 | A1 |
20130300050 | Suzuki et al. | Nov 2013 | A1 |
20140011656 | Niikura et al. | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20140062003 | Niitsuma et al. | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20140062005 | Suzuki et al. | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20140062016 | Watanabe et al. | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20140138896 | Yoshida et al. | May 2014 | A1 |
20140145395 | Takano et al. | May 2014 | A1 |
20140151951 | Shibasaki et al. | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140159301 | Suzuki et al. | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140203501 | Hoshino et al. | Jul 2014 | A1 |
20140219747 | Takahashi et al. | Aug 2014 | A1 |
20150003938 | Morinaga et al. | Jan 2015 | A1 |
20150028540 | Shibasaki et al. | Jan 2015 | A1 |
20150030414 | Takahashi et al. | Jan 2015 | A1 |
20150045197 | Sugiyama et al. | Feb 2015 | A1 |
20150076759 | Kosuge et al. | Mar 2015 | A1 |
20150091246 | Yoshida et al. | Apr 2015 | A1 |
20150123342 | Furuhashi et al. | May 2015 | A1 |
20150166280 | Hino et al. | Jun 2015 | A1 |
20150225191 | Niikura et al. | Aug 2015 | A1 |
20150253716 | Nagasako et al. | Sep 2015 | A1 |
20150321872 | Hari et al. | Nov 2015 | A1 |
20150353315 | Suzuki et al. | Dec 2015 | A1 |
20150360899 | Takahashi et al. | Dec 2015 | A1 |
20160016740 | Niikura et al. | Jan 2016 | A1 |
20160107853 | Hashimoto et al. | Apr 2016 | A1 |
20160107854 | Hashimoto et al. | Apr 2016 | A1 |
20160122144 | Fukumoto et al. | May 2016 | A1 |
20160185552 | Hoshino et al. | Jun 2016 | A1 |
20160264370 | Okutsu et al. | Sep 2016 | A1 |
20160272443 | Seto et al. | Sep 2016 | A1 |
20160340144 | Sakano et al. | Nov 2016 | A1 |
20160340145 | Kunieda et al. | Nov 2016 | A1 |
20160360053 | Suzuki et al. | Dec 2016 | A1 |
20170081140 | Fukumoto et al. | Mar 2017 | A1 |
20170174453 | Akai et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170174454 | Matsuoka et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170174458 | Takano et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170174462 | Edo et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170174465 | Morinaga et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170203935 | Hari et al. | Jul 2017 | A1 |
20170217239 | Suzuki et al. | Aug 2017 | A1 |
20170305706 | Takahashi et al. | Oct 2017 | A1 |
20180148286 | Hari | May 2018 | A1 |
20180251332 | Hari et al. | Sep 2018 | A1 |
20180259895 | Shibasaki et al. | Sep 2018 | A1 |
20180346265 | Niikura | Dec 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
1964805 | Sep 2008 | EP |
2090537 | Aug 2009 | EP |
2757061 | Jul 2014 | EP |
2015-036321 | Feb 2015 | JP |
2015-218004 | Dec 2015 | JP |
Entry |
---|
Extended European Search Report dated Aug. 20, 2020 mailed in corresponding European Appln. No. 20161855.0. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20200307945 A1 | Oct 2020 | US |