Patents Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki
  • Publication number: 20240176560
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a consumable including a consumable memory storing type information; a main casing to which the consumable is attached; a communication interface; and a controller. The type information indicates whether the consumable is a special consumable that can be used when the image forming apparatus is under a concluded agreement or a normal consumable that can be used irrespective of whether or not the image forming apparatus is under the concluded agreement. The controller is configured to perform: when determining that the attached consumable is the special consumable and when printing is performed based on a print instruction after the image forming apparatus is registered to be subjected to a newly concluded agreement, transmitting to an external device print information indicating that the printing is performed based on the print instruction to cause a concluded agreement for another image forming apparatus to be cancelled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinsuke KAIGAWA
  • Publication number: 20240179265
    Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus including: a recording part configured to perform a recording of an image onto a recording medium with a recording material; and a controller configured to adjust, based on an adjustment value, an amount of the recording material which is to be used at a time of the recording. The controller is configured to execute, based on an index value regarding dirtiness, a changing processing of changing at least one of the adjustment value and a value regarding the adjustment value, in a direction of decreasing the amount of the recording material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: SATORU ARAKANE, SHOTA MORIKAWA, TOMOYA KONDO
  • Publication number: 20240176282
    Abstract: A developing cartridge attachable to a drum cartridge includes: a developing roller; a casing including a first frame supporting the developing roller and a second frame fixed to the first frame; and a separation member movable in a first direction relative to the casing. The separation member includes: a separation shaft; and a first inclined surface positioned at one end portion in the first direction of the separation member. The first frame has a load receiving surface facing the separation shaft in a second direction crossing the first direction. The load receiving surface makes contact with the separation shaft to receive a load directed in the second direction from the separation shaft when the separation member moves in the first direction and the first inclined surface makes contact with the drum cartridge in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji ABE
  • Publication number: 20240176286
    Abstract: A drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a first drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; and a second drum frame having an outer surface; and a memory having an electrical contact surface. The first drum frame is at one end portion of the drum cartridge in a second direction and the second drum frame is at another end portion of the drum cartridge in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is positioned at the outer surface of the second drum frame and is movable in a predetermined direction relative to the second drum frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20240173987
    Abstract: There is provided an ink discharging apparatus including: a tank configured to store an ink; a head configured to discharge the ink supplied from the tank; a supply pipe connecting the tank and the head; a pump arranged in the supply pipe, the pump being configured to transfer the ink from the tank to the head; a pipe branching upward from the supply pipe; and a pressure sensor connected to an upper end part of the pipe. The pipe has an upper tube part and a lower tube part continuous with the upper tube part. A first cross-sectional area of an internal space of the upper tube part is greater than a second cross-sectional area of an internal space of the lower tube part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: RIE JOBOJI
  • Publication number: 20240173970
    Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus including: a recording part configured to perform, with a recording material, a recording of an image with respect to a recording medium; and a controller configured to control the recording part in a plurality of modes. The plurality of modes includes a first mode and a second mode. The controller is configured to adjust an amount of the recording material to be used at a time of the recording in the second mode. An adjustment width in a direction of decreasing the amount of the recording material in the first mode is smaller than an adjustment width in the direction of decreasing the amount of the recording material in the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: SATORU ARAKANE, SHOTA MORIKAWA, TOMOYA KONDO
  • Publication number: 20240176260
    Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing; a developing roller extending in a first direction; a developing-roller gear; a coupling including a coupling gear; a first idle gear; a second idle gear; an agitator; a first agitator gear; and a protrusion. The developing-roller gear, the coupling, the first idle gear, the second idle gear, the first agitator gear, and the protrusion may be positioned at an outer surface of the casing. The protrusion may be positioned between a first axis of the coupling and a third axis of the first agitator gear in a second direction connecting the first and third axes. The protrusion may be positioned outside an addendum circle of the developing-roller gear, an addendum circle of the coupling gear, an addendum circle of the first idle gear, and an addendum circle of the second idle gear. The first agitator gear may be spaced apart from the protrusion in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Kazuna TAGUCHI, Takuya KANDA
  • Publication number: 20240176280
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a housing accommodating developing agent; a developing roller including a developing-roller shaft extending in a first direction; an electrode made of an electrically conductive resin; and a first collar made of an electrically non-conductive resin. The electrode is positioned at one end portion of the housing in the first direction. The electrode is electrically connected to the developing-roller shaft. The first collar covers one end portion of the developing-roller shaft in the first direction. The first collar includes: a first arm extending in the first direction; and a first pawl configured to engage with the electrode. The first pawl protrudes from the first arm in a direction away from the developing-roller shaft. The first pawl is movable between: a first position at which the first pawl is in engagement with the electrode; and a second position at which the first pawl is separated from the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei HATANO, Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20240176259
    Abstract: A toner housing extends in a first direction. The toner housing stores toner. The toner housing includes a reception portion and a discharge port. The reception portion is located at an end surface of the toner housing at one end in the first direction. The reception portion has a reception port for receiving toner into the toner housing. The discharge port is located between the one end of the toner housing and an other end of the toner housing in the first direction. The discharge port is located on a surface crossing the end surface. The discharge port is for discharging toner in the toner housing. A reception shutter is attached to the reception portion. The reception shutter is movable between a reception shutter closed position at which the reception port is closed and a reception shutter open position at which the reception port is open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro FUKUOKA, Shougo SATO
  • Publication number: 20240176269
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotary body, a pressure rotary body, a heater, and a thermal conductive member. The pressure rotary body is configured to form a nipping portion and to convey a sheet in a conveying direction while nipping the sheet between the pressure rotary body and the heating rotary body. The heater includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a first and second resistance heating elements provided on the first surface. The first and second resistance heating elements extend in a crossing direction crossing the conveying direction and are positioned apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the conveying direction. The thermal conductive member is in contact with the second surface. In the conveying direction, the thermal conductive member has a dimension greater than the predetermined distance and smaller than or equal to a dimension of the nipping portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kei ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240174004
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming engine configured to form on an image formation medium an image represented by image data, by a borderless image forming operation or a bordered image forming operation. The image forming apparatus further includes a controller configured to, when the image data does not contain data explicitly indicating which of the borderless image forming operation and the bordered image forming operation is to be performed, select one of the borderless image forming operation and the bordered image forming operation, based on a status of the image forming apparatus or a content of the image data, or based on the status of the image forming apparatus and the content of the image data, and cause the image forming engine to perform the selected one of the borderless image forming operation and the bordered image forming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi TSUGIMURA, Masashi OHHASHI, Satoru ARAKANE, Haruka AZECHI, Yasuhiro NAKANO
  • Patent number: 11993086
    Abstract: An ink tank having an ink tank body, a first electrode member, and a second electrode member, is provided. The ink tank body includes an ink inlet, an ink reservoir chamber, an ink supplying section, a first restrictive side wall, a second restrictive side wall, a leaked-ink flow path, a first surface, a second surface, a connecting surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, and a restrictive section. The leaked-ink flow path is formed at least of a part of the first surface, a part of the connecting surface, a part of the second surface, the first restrictive side wall, and the second restrictive side wall. The restrictive section is arranged on the second surface between the first restrictive side wall and the second restrictive side wall. At least a part of the restrictive section is located between the connecting surface and the first electrode member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Taichi Shirono
  • Patent number: 11993087
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a case, a liquid supplying portion, a circuit board, a plate member, and a residual-amount detecting portion. The plate member is positioned rearward and above electrodes of the circuit board in an attached posture. The residual-amount detecting portion includes an optical access portion configured to receive light traveling in a left-right direction. The plate member is movable between a first position and a second position. At the first position, a portion of the plate member is positioned frontward of the optical access portion and upward of the electrode group. At the second position, a front end of the plate member is positioned closer to the residual-amount detecting portion than at the first position. The plate member at the first position and the residual-amount detecting portion define therebetween in the front-rear direction a light transmissive region whose light transmittance is higher than the plate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Oki, Masahiro Hayashi, Nanami Abe, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11993089
    Abstract: The head system includes: a plurality of heads disposed staggered along a first direction; a sub-tank disposed above the heads and configured to distribute a liquid to each of the heads; a plurality of liquid channels; a chiller configured to cool the heads, including a manifold disposed between the heads and the sub-tank in an up-down direction; and a casing having a pair of inner surfaces opposed to each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the up-down direction. Each of the liquid channels extends linearly parallel to the up-down direction in an entire region between the sub-tank and one of the heads. Each of the plurality of liquid channels and the manifold are aligned in the second direction between the pair of inner surfaces of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Torikai, Hirotoshi Ishizaki, Motohiro Tsuboi, Itsuki Morimoto, Yuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11994825
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge and developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The developing cartridge may include a developing roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a main casing including a slot extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a first inner surface positioned inside of the slot, and a second inner surface positioned inside of the slot farther from the cover in the axial direction than the first inner surface from the cover in the axial direction. The first and second inner surfaces may be configured to press the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Ichiyanagi, Keita Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11993883
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery patter relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika Matsushima
  • Patent number: 11993081
    Abstract: There is provided a head system includes: a main controller; a plurality of head units; and sub-controllers respectively connected to at least one of the plurality of head units. The sub-controllers are each serially connected via a wiring. The wiring includes: a first communication path for transmitting an image signal; and a second communication path that transmits a discharge timepoint signal indicating a discharge timepoint. Each of the sub-controllers is configured to cause liquid corresponding to an image indicated by the image signal that has been received through the first communication path to be discharged from nozzles of one of the head units to which each of the sub-controllers have been connected, at a discharge timepoint indicated by the discharge timepoint signal that has been received through the second communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimamura
  • Patent number: 11994821
    Abstract: A first memory stores type information and identification information. The type information indicates whether a consumable is a contract consumable or a normal consumable. The identification information is unique information for identifying the consumable. A replacement part is used in an image forming apparatus together with the consumable. The replacement part includes a second memory. A controller is configured to: determine whether a contract cancel instruction has been received, the contract cancel instruction being an instruction for cancelling contract for the image forming apparatus; in response to determining that the contract cancel instruction has been received, determine whether the type information is information indicating the contract consumable; and in response to determining that the type information is information indicating the contract consumable, store the identification information in the second memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke Imanishi
  • Patent number: 11995474
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a display control program readable by a computer of a relay apparatus of a terminal management system having a management apparatus, the relay apparatus, and a terminal apparatus, the display control program, when executed by the computer, causing the relay apparatus to perform: obtaining, from the management apparatus, execution timing information indicating an execution timing of a relay application configured to relay data between the management apparatus and the terminal apparatus via the relay apparatus, the relay application being activated by a user's activation operation performed on the relay apparatus; and based on the execution timing information obtained, setting a reservation for executing display processing of displaying, on the relay apparatus, an activation notification image prompting the user to activate the relay application when the execution timing comes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 11995366
    Abstract: A server includes a controller configured to receive a plurality of pieces of device identification information from a communication device, each of the plurality of pieces of device identification information indicating a device to be used for receiving a specific service, record the plurality of pieces of device identification information and one piece of correspondence information in a memory in association with each other, receive the correspondence information from a terminal device of a user, and execute, in response to the reception of the correspondence information, specific processing related to the specific service using the plurality of pieces of device identification information associated with the correspondence information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kasumi Hirose