Patents Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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Patent number: 11989469Abstract: A consumable memory of a consumable stores type information and first information. The type information indicates whether the consumable is a contract consumable or a normal consumable. The contract consumable is usable when a contract for an image forming apparatus is made. The normal consumable is usable regardless of whether the contract is made. The first information indicates whether the consumable is a new consumable or a used consumable. An external memory is physically connectable to a main housing from outside the main housing. A controller is configured to: 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 second information in the external memory. The second information is information for permitting a use of the consumable in another image forming apparatus different from the image forming apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2023Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Naomichi Ban
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Patent number: 11989474Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprising a scanner. When the apparatus starts execution of a file output job, the apparatus confirms whether or not to be able to access a server. In a case where the apparatus could not access the server, the apparatus stops the execution of the file output job without outputting a file including image data to a designated output destination. In a case where the apparatus could access the server, the apparatus transmits a log relating to the file output job to the server before outputting the file to the designated output destination. When the transmitted log could be saved in the server, the apparatus outputs the file to the designated output destination. When the transmitted log could not be saved in the server, the apparatus stops the execution of the file output job without outputting the file to the designated output destination.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2022Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Tanimoto, Yuichiro Sakuragi
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Publication number: 20240157713Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a housing having a conveying path, a recording head, a first transport roller pair located downstream of the recording head, a second transport roller pair located downstream of the first conveying roller pair, a reading unit located between the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair, a sheet support portion facing the reading unit, a glass plate located between the reading unit and the sheet support portion, and a rotating body located at a first position or a second position. The rotating body has a plurality of projections projecting radially outwardly. A distal end of one of the plurality of projections is positioned closer to the sheet support portion than the glass plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2023Publication date: May 16, 2024Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yoshikazu SHIMIZU
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Publication number: 20240160144Abstract: A transfer belt unit mountable to and demountable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the transfer belt unit including: a transfer belt being in contact with a photosensitive drum of a drum cartridge of the image forming apparatus in a state where the transfer belt unit is mounted to the apparatus main body, the transfer belt being configured to transfer a toner image on the photosensitive drum to a sheet conveyed between the photosensitive drum and the transfer belt and to convey the sheet conveyed between the photosensitive drum and the transfer belt toward a fixing unit of the image forming apparatus in the state where the transfer belt unit is mounted to the apparatus main body, and a belt memory in which information about the transfer belt unit is stored.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2023Publication date: May 16, 2024Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shuhei Hatano
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Patent number: 11981130Abstract: A printer is provided with a head configured to discharge ink, a fan configured to cool the head, a sensor configured to output a detection signal indicating a state of the fan. A processer of the printer performs decision processing of deciding print control based on a detection signal output by the sensor. In the decision processing, the processor decides a first print control to drive the fan and control printing by the head in a first print mode, when the detection signal does not indicate a failure state of the fan. In the decision processing, the processor decides a second print control to control the printing by the head in a second print mode suppressing generation of heat more than the first print mode, when the detection signal indicates the failure state of the fan.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ko Masuoka, Katsunori Nishida
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Patent number: 11981527Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet-discharging roller, a sheet-discharge tray, a sheet-discharge stopper, and a stopper urging portion including a contact member and an urging member. The sheet-discharge stopper has a first surface and a second surface located on a back side of the first surface and is pivotable between a non-use state in which the second surface faces upward and a use state in which the first surface faces upward. The sheet-discharge stopper is pivotable, in the use state, between a first use position and a second use position at which a distal end is lowered from the first use position. The sheet-discharge stopper is in contact with the contact member in the use state, and an area, of the sheet-discharge stopper is located below the second surface in the non-use state.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hidenori Jo, Mariko Mogi
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Patent number: 11983448Abstract: A control device controls a notification regarding a consumable. The control device has an acquisition unit which acquires remaining amount data regarding a remaining amount of a consumable in a printer, a calculation unit which calculates a predicted execution time, at which predetermined processing relating to replenishment of the consumable is executed, with using the remaining amount data, a determination unit which determines whether a first specific condition is satisfied, with using a plurality of information including a period for discount sale of the consumable and the predicted execution time, and a notification unit which performs processing for notifying a user of first information including information regarding the discount sale of the consumable, in a case where it is determined that the first specific condition is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masashi Miyazaki
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Patent number: 11982958Abstract: There is provided image forming apparatus including: casing; temperature sensor configured to detect temperature in the casing; image forming unit configured to form toner image on sheet; fuser which has heating member configured to heat the sheet, and which is configured to fix the toner image to the sheet; a fan; and a controller. The controller is configured to execute: changing of driving speed of the fan; and waiting control including: stopping supply, to the image forming unit, of next sheet, before the changing of the driving speed; completing the fixing of the toner image to the sheet, before the changing of the driving speed; and restarting supply of the next sheet to the image forming unit after the changing of the driving speed and after waiting time has elapsed since the completion of the fixing of the toner image to the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tatsuya Koyama, Kotaro Fujishiro
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Patent number: 11982973Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a housing, a storage medium having an electrical contact surface, a holder holding the electrical contact surface and movable with respect to the housing between a first position and a second position, and a roller including a first roller protrusion. The first roller protrusion is movable between a third position and a fourth position in accordance with rotation of the roller. The holder is movable in accordance with movement of the first roller protrusion. As the first roller protrusion moves from the third position to the fourth position, the holder moves from the first position to the second position.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2023Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita Shimizu, Haruka Kizu
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Patent number: 11981123Abstract: An image forming device includes a first supplier configured to supply a long recording medium, an image forming engine configured to form an image on the recording medium supplied from the first supplier using a color material supplied from a color reservoir, a remaining amount output device configured to output a signal indicating a remaining amount of the color material. The image forming device derives a length of a recording medium on which images can be formed until a color material in the color reservoir runs out, and displays the length of the recording medium on which the images can be formed derived in the deriving on a display.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2021Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takashi Suzuki
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Patent number: 11981145Abstract: A printing liquid container fits to one of first and second tanks each including a fitted portion. The printing liquid container includes a first member having a supply port, and a second member having a valve configured to open or close the supply port. The first member and the second member are rotatable with respect to each other between a first state and a second state. The valve closes the supply port in the first state and opens the supply port in the second state. The first member has a fitting portion configured to fit to the fitted portion. The second member is rotatable with respect to the fitted portion when at least a portion of the second member is inserted into the fitted portion. The first member does not rotate by the rotation of the second member due to the fitting between the fitted portion and the fitting portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Satoru Oki, Nanami Ashida, Naoya Okazaki
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Patent number: 11981126Abstract: An ink ribbon support cassette includes a plate, a shaft extending from the plate, a rotational body provided to be movable along the shaft between a first position and a second position that is farther separated from the plate than is the first position, and a support member switchable between a support state where at least a part of the support member is located outward, in a radial direction of the shaft, than an outer surface of the rotational body in a case where the rotational body is at the first position, and a separation state where the at least a part is located inward in the radial direction with respect than the outer surface of the rotational body in a state where the rotational body is at the second position, the support member being provided on the rotational body.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2023Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kei Kondo
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Patent number: 11985278Abstract: A terminal device may receive first device identification information identifying a first communication device from a first communication device and send the first device identification information to a management server. The terminal device may receive first display related information associated with the first device identification information from the management server and receive the notification information from a notification server. The terminal device may, in a case where the first display related information indicates a predetermined information, display an object on a display, the object being for displaying the notification information, and in a case where the first display related information does not indicate the predetermined information, not display the object on the display.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Shiotani
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Patent number: 11982687Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an IC chip holder capable of alleviating an impact if the IC chip holder is dropped or collides with another object. In the IC chip holder, an upper housing body is provided, on a side of electric contacts of an IC chip, with an elastic deformation portion capable of elastically deforming toward the inside of the upper housing body. Thus, since the elastic deformation portion elastically deforms toward the inside of the upper housing body, if the IC chip holder is dropped or collides with another object, the elastic deformation portion bends and the impact is alleviated. Thus, a possibility of the IC chip being damaged is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hidekazu Komiya, Koji Hayashi
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Publication number: 20240149591Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet printer including: an ink tank including an ink inlet; a cap; and a cover configured to be movable with respect to the ink inlet between a closed position and an open position. The cover includes an inner surface configured to face the ink inlet under a condition that the cover is in the closed position, and a rib provided at the inner surface. The rib is configured to face a part of the cap, in which the cap is sealed the ink inlet under the condition that the cover is in the closed position and the rib is configured to abut against the part of the cap under a condition that the cap is not appropriately sealed the inlet when the cover moving from the open position to the closed position, thereby the cover being prevented from reaching the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2023Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yoshinori OSAKABE
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Publication number: 20240152076Abstract: A development unit includes a development housing configured to store toner and a development roller rotatable about a development axis extending in a first direction. The development roller supplies the toner in the development housing to a photosensitive drum. The development housing includes a reception port and a slope. The reception port receives toner from a toner container configured to store the toner to be supplied to the development housing. The reception port is located away from the development roller in a second direction crossing the first direction. The slope is located below the reception port in the development housing. The slope includes a first slope portion and a second slope portion. The first slope portion is inclined downward away from the reception port in the first direction. The second slope portion is inclined downward toward the development roller in the second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2023Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shougo SATO
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Patent number: 11975544Abstract: A liquid-printing apparatus, having a conveyer, a printing head, a liquid storage, a carriage, a scanning assembly, a remaining amount detector, and a controller, is provided. The printing head prints an image in a printing area ranging from a print-start position to a print-finish position along a scanning direction. The scanning assembly performs pass actions to move the carriage from a scan-start position to a scan-terminal position along the scanning direction. The remaining amount detector detects an amount of the liquid in the liquid storage. The controller controls the scanning assembly to perform a first pass action in a setting such that the scan-terminal position for the first pass action is separated farther in the scanning direction, in proportion to largeness of the amount of the liquid in the liquid storage, from one of the printing area for the first pass action and the printing area for a second pass action.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuta Arakawa
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Patent number: 11977790Abstract: In an information processing device, a processor is configured to perform: acquiring; displaying; receiving; and identifying. The acquiring acquires from a memory a single set of template data for a composite label. The single set of template data includes a plurality of sets of image data corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of print labels and representing respective ones of a plurality of label images. The single composite label is to be created using the plurality of print labels. The displaying displays on a display a composite label image in which the plurality of label images is superimposed on each other. The receiving receives a designating operation on the composite label image via an operating interface. The designating operation targeting a target label image. The identifying identifies target image data corresponding to the target label image from among the plurality of sets of image data.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2022Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyasu Fukui, Ryuichi Kanda, Koichi Kondo, Hiromichi Nampo
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Patent number: 11977346Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 17, 2023Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomonori Watanabe
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Patent number: 11977797Abstract: A terminal device may obtain specific information stored in a memory. The specific information may include at least one of region information indicating a region where the terminal device is used and model information of a printing device used by the terminal device. The printing device may be configured to execute printing by using a plurality of cartridges corresponding to a plurality of colors. The terminal device may determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied or not by using the specific information, and in a case where it is determined that the condition is satisfied, send a first page request and color information to a server. The color information may indicate a selected color selected from the plurality of colors.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2023Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tatsuhiko Sone