Patents Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 11950093
    Abstract: A terminal device may send to a first server a sending request, and receive from the first server first related information which is related to a first public key of a first communication device in response to the sending request being sent to the first server. The terminal device may send to the first communication device a first authentication request in which the first public key related to the first related information is used in a case where the first related information is received from the first server, and send first connection information to the first communication device in a case where a first authentication response is received from the first communication device in response to the first authentication request being sent to the first communication device. The first connection information may be for establishing a first wireless connection between the first communication device and an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Miyake
  • Publication number: 20240100846
    Abstract: A cartridge configured to be inserted in a first direction into a case having a plurality of engagement portions is provided. The cartridge has a body and a key member. The body has a chamber for storing a printing agent. The key member is located on the body at a position associated with a type of the printing agent stored in the chamber and is configured to engage with a corresponding one of the plurality of engagement portions of the case. The key member has a surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The surface is configured to contact the corresponding one of the plurality of engagement portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Yuma TANABE, Satoru OKI, Yuji FUKUTA
  • Publication number: 20240100867
    Abstract: There is provided a tank including a liquid storage chamber and an outlet. The liquid storage chamber includes a base portion and a protruding portion, the base portion includes a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall which faces the first lateral wall in a left-right direction, the protruding portion protrudes from the second lateral wall in a direction away from the first lateral wall in the left-right direction, and the left-right direction is defined based on a usable posture in which the tank is disposed such that a lower surface of the liquid storage chamber is located below an upper surface of the liquid storage chamber. A distance between the outlet and the second lateral wall in the left-right direction is smaller than a distance between the outlet and the first lateral wall in the left-right direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akinori IGARASHI, Masataka KAMIYA
  • Publication number: 20240103429
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main housing, a movable drawer, and a process cartridge attachable to the drawer. The process cartridge includes a drum unit, and a developing unit. The drum unit includes a drum housing, and a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction. The photosensitive drum is positioned at one end portion of the drum housing at one side in a second direction. The developing unit includes a developing casing, a developing roller, and a developing handle for detaching the process cartridge from the drawer toward another side in the second direction. The developing roller is positioned at one end portion of the developing casing at the one side in the second direction. The developing handle is positioned apart from the drum unit toward the another side in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Yuki NAGASHIMA, Junya SUMIDA, Sakiho HAYAKAWA, Marika OZAKI
  • Publication number: 20240103428
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, and a process cartridge attachable to the drawer. The drawer can be drawn out of the housing toward one side in a first direction. The process cartridge includes: a process housing; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a second direction; a developing roller movable between a separated position and a contacting position relative to the photosensitive drum; and a locking member. The locking member is movable between a locking position for locking the developing roller at the separated position and an unlocking position for allowing the developing roller to move to the contacting position. The process cartridge is configured to contact a first surface of the drawer to be guided toward an attachment position on the drawer while the locking member is at the locking position during attachment of the process cartridge to the drawer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20240100847
    Abstract: A printing-agent container, having a container body, an outflow port, and an identifying portion, is provided. The container body has a chamber for containing a printing agent. Through the outflow port, the printing agent flows out of the chamber. The identifying portion is provided to the container body correspondingly to a type of the printing agent contained in the chamber of the container body. The identifying portion has an inner surface defining the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Yuma TANABE, Satoru OKI, Yuji FUKUTA
  • Publication number: 20240103430
    Abstract: A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame; a photosensitive drum; a first memory; and second memory. A developing cartridge including a developing roller is attachable to the drum frame. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction. The photosensitive drum is configured to contact the developing roller in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame. The first memory has a first electrical contact surface. The first memory stores therein information related to the drum cartridge. The second memory has a second electrical contact surface different from the first electrical contact surface. The second memory stores therein information related to the developing cartridge. The first electrical contact surface and the second electrical contact surface are positioned at an outer surface of the drum frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Shinya KUSUDA
  • Publication number: 20240103435
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a fuser. The fuser includes an upper frame. The upper frame includes an upper first rib downstream of a heating rotating member in a sheet conveying direction, an upper second rib adjacent to the upper first rib in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, and first and second conveying rollers. The upper first rib includes a first guide surface, and a separation surface. The upper second rib includes a second guide surface. The second guide surface is located downstream of the first guide surface in the sheet conveying direction. A distance between a nip point between the first and second conveying rollers and the second guide surface in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction and the width direction is smaller than a distance between the nip point and the separation surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kimio TAKEUCHI, Shinichi HATAKEYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240100845
    Abstract: A system, having a liquid container and a case, is provided. The case has a tubular body extending along a mounting/demounting direction and entering the liquid container through a supply port, a liquid receiver located below an end of the tubular body, and a movable member contacting and being moved by the liquid container moving along the mounting/demounting direction. The liquid receiver is movable between a first position, at which the liquid receiver is one of in contact with and in proximity to the end of the tubular body, and a second position, at which the liquid receiver is separated farther from the end of the tubular body than the first position. The movable member moves the liquid receiver from the first position to the second position by contacting and being moved by the liquid container moving in the mounting orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru OKI
  • Publication number: 20240100850
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including: a tank having a liquid storing chamber, an erected wall through which the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber is visible from outside of the tank, and an inlet which is formed to penetrate through the erected wall and via which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber; a liquid consuming section which consumes the liquid stored in the liquid storing chamber; and a cover. A transmitting section and a checking section are formed in an upper surface, of the cover, under a condition that the cover is in the exposure position, the transmitting section configured to transmit information optically to a user of the liquid consuming apparatus and the checking section configured to prevent the liquid moving on a particular surface of the cover from arriving at the transmitting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240103431
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a drum cartridge; a developing cartridge; and a plate. The drum cartridge includes: a drum frame; a photosensitive drum; a first holder; and a first memory having a first electrical contact surface that is movably supported by the first holder. The developing cartridge is attachable to the drum frame. The developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller; a second holder; and a second memory having a second electrical contact surface that is movably supported by the second holder. The plate connects the first holder and the second holder to each other in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame. The second holder moves together with the plate in accordance with movement of the first holder in a state where the plate connects the first holder and the second holder to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Junya SUMIDA, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Hideshi NISHIYAMA, Shinya KUSUDA
  • Publication number: 20240101852
    Abstract: An ink set includes a water-based ink and a water-based maintenance fluid. The water-based ink includes a colorant and at least one solvent whose SP value is 27.5 (MPa)(1/2) or higher in an amount of 30% by mass or more relative to a total mass of the solvents included in the water-based ink. The water-based maintenance fluid includes at least one solvent whose SP value is 25.0 (MPa)(1/2) or higher in an amount of 70% by mass or more relative to a total mass of the solvents included in the water-based maintenance fluid. A numerical value calculated by formula (1) is 1 or higher: a?b (1). a is a mass-weighted average of SP values (MPa)(1/2) of solvents included in the water-based ink, and b is a mass-weighted average of SP values (MPa)(1/2) of solvents included in the water-based maintenance fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shunichi HIGASHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240103402
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main-body housing, a drum unit, and a toner cartridge. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a drum frame, a developing roller, a toner-inlet shutter to open and close a toner-inlet opening, a cleaning member, and a collected-toner outlet shutter to open and close a collected-toner outlet opening. The toner cartridge includes a toner casing having a toner container and a collected-toner container, and a shutter-driving member having a transmission device and an operable device. The transmission device is movable by the operable device between a first position, at which the toner-inlet shutter and the collected-toner outlet shutter are located at positions to close the toner-inlet opening and the collected-toner outlet opening, and a second position, at which the toner-inlet shutter and the collected-toner outlet shutter are located at positions to open the toner-inlet opening and the collected-toner outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki UEJI, Shougo SATO
  • Patent number: 11938736
    Abstract: A printing liquid container includes first and second members having a supply port and a valve, respectively. The members rotate with respect to each other between first and second states. The valve closes and opens the supply port in the first and second states, respectively. The first and second members have first and second fitting portions, respectively. The fitting portions fit to a fitted portion of a tank in the first state. The second fitting portion allows rotation of the second member with respect to the fitted portion when the first fitting portion are fitted to the fitting portion. The first member does not rotate together with the second member due to fitting between the fitted portion and the first fitting portion. The second member cannot be removed from the fitted portion due to fitting of the second fitting portion to the fitted portion in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Satoru Oki, Nanami Ashida, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11938742
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a conveying roller which conveys a print medium in a conveying direction; a line head having first and second nozzle rows arranged in the conveying direction; and a controller. Each of the first and second nozzle rows includes nozzles aligned along a width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The nozzles are configured to discharge liquid, and the nozzles in the first nozzle row and the nozzles in the second nozzle row are shifted in the width direction. The first nozzle row has: first nozzles forming a group; and second nozzles forming a group adjacently in the width direction to the group of first nozzles in the first nozzle row. The second nozzle row has: first nozzles forming a group; and second nozzles forming a group adjacently in the width direction to the group of first nozzles in the second nozzle row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunari Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11941310
    Abstract: An information processing device is configured to execute a management program and a print server program. The management program determines whether a non-compliant printer is connected to the information processing device, determines whether a print server program is running when the non-compliant printer is connected, starts up the print server program when the print server program is not running, and registers a print server configured by the print server program with an operating system. The print server program receives a print job designating the print server as an output destination, obtains individual print data which is printable by the non-compliant printer, and transmits the obtained individual print data to the non-compliant printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 11943685
    Abstract: A server system for an always-on connection includes: a plurality of always-on connection processing parts; and a controller. Each of the always-on connection processing parts includes a plurality of always-on connection execution parts, and the controller is configured to execute: a receiving process to receive a first request for the always-on connection from a terminal device; a determining process to determine a target always-on connection processing part, among the always-on connection processing parts according to the first request, the target always-on connection processing part being one always-on connection processing part to establish the always-on connection with the terminal device; and a sending process to send to the terminal device a destination data indicating a destination of the second request for the always-on connection after determining the target always-on connection processing part, the destination data also indicating the target always-on connection processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Narita, Masashi Takeichi, Koichi Hayashi, Tomohiro Inagaki
  • Patent number: 11942675
    Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a main substrate, a wireless communication substrate having an antenna configured to perform wireless communication, a sub-substrate having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface opposite to the first substrate surface, a main connector provided on the main substrate, a communication connector provided on the wireless communication substrate, a first connector provided on the sub-substrate and being electrically connected to the main connector such that the sub-substrate is parallel to the main substrate, and a second connector provided on the sub-substrate and being electrically connected to the communication connector such that the sub-substrate is parallel to the main substrate, in which a position of the first connector and a position of the second connector are shifted, seen from a direction orthogonal to the first substrate surface of the sub-substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takato Mori
  • Patent number: 11943408
    Abstract: A controller of a printing apparatus performs first image reading including conveying a necessary number of original documents for printing on one sheet, reading an image on the conveyed original documents and terminating conveyance of the original documents. Further the controller performs displaying of a preview image and second image reading including conveying an original documents subsequent to the original documents in response to receipt of a print instruction through the user interface, and reading an image on the conveyed original documents with the sensor assembly, and printing the read images read on the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Rui Nakayama, Noriaki Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11941303
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a combination of programs including a first program and an operating system. The first program controls an image processing apparatus. The combination includes a first acquisition process in which the operating system acquires a setting candidate value after the operating system receives a selection operation selecting the first program under a condition that the image processing apparatus is selected as a target for requesting an image process and a condition that content data is selected as a subject for the image process by the second program. The combination includes a receiving process in which the operating system receives a setting value based on the setting candidate value, a second acquisition process in which the first program acquires the setting value received in the receiving process, and a transmission process in which the first program transmits a job to an image processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takafumi Kai