Patents Examined by Matthew Miller
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Patent number: 9558429Abstract: In a case where a job for executing both one-sided printing and two-sided printing is received, printing is controlled based on whether or not a predetermined type of sheets in which there is an order between the sheets are used for the received job whereby productivity is improved in a case where the predetermined type of sheets are not used for the received job, and a mismatch between content of a page and an order of the sheets does not occur in a case where the predetermined type of sheets is used for the received job.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2011Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuuki Maeda
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Patent number: 9547257Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer conveyance device to transport developer, using a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by changing a volume of an internal space thereof, a destination developer container to which the developer conveyance device transports developer, a sensor provided to the destination developer container, to detect developer in the destination developer container, and a controller to control the positive-displacement pump according to a detection result generated by the sensor. The controller disabled detection of developer by the sensor in a non-detection period that starts from a stop of the positive-displacement pump.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Nobuo Takami, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Keinosuke Kondoh, Akihiro Kawakami, Toshio Koike
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Patent number: 9529304Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer for image formation. A flexible container includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer and an opening for permitting discharge of the developer. The flexible container also includes a superposed multi layer sheet structure portion for forming the developer accommodating portion. A sealing member seals the opening and an unsealing member moves the sealing member to unseal the opening. A frame that accommodates the flexible container, the sealing member, and the unsealing member includes a fixing portion for fixing the flexible container. A fixed portion fixed to the fixing portion is provided at the superposed multi layer sheet structure portion of the flexible container, and an interlayer bonding portion between the superposed layers is provided between the fixed portion of the multi layer sheet structure portion and the developer accommodating portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuo Uesugi, Kojiro Yasui, Masaaki Matsushita, Masatomi Yoshida, Hiroomi Matsuzaki, Tatsuo Fujisaki, Junichi Matsumura, Kazuki Matsumoto
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Patent number: 9529319Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2016Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nao Itabashi, Naoya Kamimura
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Patent number: 9529302Abstract: A process cartridge including: a photosensitive member cartridge including a photosensitive member; and a developing cartridge including a developer carrier. The developing cartridge further includes: an inputting portion; a first cover; and a second cover. The first cover has a first engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The first engagement portion is positioned between an axis of the developer carrier extending in an axial direction and an axis of the inputting portion extending in the axial direction, when projected in the axial direction. The second cover has a second engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The second engagement portion is positioned between the axis of the developer carrier and the axis of the inputting portion, when projected in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2016Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nao Itabashi, Naoya Kamimura, Ryuya Yamazaki, Hideshi Nishiyama
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Patent number: 9519248Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member to contact the fixing member with pressure to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member, an induction heating unit serving as a heating source to heat the fixing member, and a conductive wire drawn out of the induction heating unit to be disposed outside the cover member through a hole provided substantially at a center of the cover member in a longitudinal direction of the induction heating unit. The induction heating unit includes an excitation coil, a coil holder to hold the excitation coil, and a cover member provided facing the coil holder with the coil holder interposed between the cover member and the fixing member.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2014Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Susumu Matsusaka, Shota Kobashigawa, Motokazu Hasegawa, Yukari Isoe
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Patent number: 9487368Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus is equipped with a conveyance device configured to include a rotatable first pulley and a rotatable second pulley arranged side by side, a belt hung on a first pulley and a second pulley and a conveyance roller connected with the belt on the outer periphery of the first pulley and rotating together with the belt, and sandwich and convey a recording medium at a nip part between the conveyance roller and the belt. The axis of the second pulley of the conveyance device is rotated by the rotating mechanism by taking the axis of the first pulley as a fulcrum.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Wataru Ikeda
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Patent number: 9482998Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member to contact the fixing member with pressure to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member, an induction heating unit serving as a heating source to heat the fixing member, and a conductive wire drawn out of the induction heating unit to be disposed outside the cover member through a hole provided substantially at a center of the cover member in a longitudinal direction of the induction heating unit. The induction heating unit includes an excitation coil, a coil holder to hold the excitation coil, and a cover member provided facing the coil holder with the coil holder interposed between the cover member and the fixing member.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2014Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Susumu Matsusaka, Shota Kobashigawa, Motokazu Hasegawa, Yukari Isoe
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Patent number: 9471007Abstract: A developer container includes an accommodating portion accommodating developer and is provided with an opening, a shutter member for opening and closing the opening, a projection for moving the shutter member, and a guiding portion for guiding the projection. When the projection is pushed in a pushing direction, the projection is moved in a direction different from the pushing direction by being guided by the guiding portion in contact with the guiding portion and thereafter is moved in the pushing direction, thereby to move the shutter member to open the opening.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Atsushi Kawarago
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Patent number: 9454111Abstract: An image hearing apparatus includes: a rotatable heating member; a rotatable collecting member; a cleaning unit including a cleaning web; a moving mechanism configured to move the cleaning unit between a first position where the cleaning web contacts the rotatable collecting member and a second position where the cleaning web contacts the rotatable collecting member at a contact pressure lower than a contact pressure at the first position; and an urging portion. The cleaning unit also includes a first pressing potion configured to press the rotatable collecting member toward the rotatable heating member in contact with the rotatable collecting member when the cleaning unit is in the first position, and includes a second pressing portion configured to press the rotatable collecting member toward the rotatable heating member in contact with the urging portion without contacting the rotatable collecting member when the cleaning unit is in the second position.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazunari Hatazaki
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Patent number: 9436133Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image holding member, a charging device, a latent image forming device, a developing device that stores a liquid developer containing a toner and a non-volatile carrier liquid, and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member by the liquid developer to form a toner image, a transfer device that transfers the toner image onto a surface of an impermeable recording medium, and a fixing device, wherein when the SP value of the toner is set as SP(t), the SP value of the non-volatile carrier liquid is set as SP(c), and the SP value of the recording medium is set as SP(m), an absolute value of a difference between SP(t) and SP(c) is from 1.5 to 7.0 and the following relational expression (A) is satisfied: |SP(c)?SP(m)|>|SP(t)?SP(m)|.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi Tatsuura, Yutaka Nogami, Keitaro Mori, Yoshihiro Inaba, Takako Kobayashi, Daisuke Yoshino
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Patent number: 9429899Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a circuit board mounted within a pocket on a first side of a housing of the replaceable unit. The pocket has an opening facing a front of the housing to permit an electrical connector of the image forming device to enter the pocket and mate with the circuit board. A first guide wall and a second guide wall are each positioned outside the pocket on the first side closer to the front than the opening. The first and second guide walls each include an inclined surface that inclines outward from the first side of the housing in a direction from the front to a rear of the housing to move the electrical connector of the image forming device toward the circuit board during insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2015Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Mark Amann, James Anthany Carter, II, Katrina Rosit Lactuan, Matthew Jeremy Litman, Matthew Lee Rogers, Keith Seaman
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Patent number: 9395684Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nao Itabashi, Naoya Kamimura
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Patent number: 9360808Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member having a medium heating member and rotating while nipping a medium to fix an unfixed image onto a surface thereof; a pressing member disposed facing the fixing member and applying pressure to the medium in a fixing region between the pressing and heating members; a cleaning member; and an antistatic member. The cleaning member is disposed downstream of the fixing region in a rotational direction of the pressing member and comes into contact therewith in a cleaning region extending in a direction orthogonal to a medium transport direction to clean the pressing member. The antistatic member is disposed downstream of the cleaning member and comes into contact with a surface of the pressing member in an antistatic region, which overlaps the cleaning region in the direction orthogonal to the medium transport direction, so as to eliminate static electricity from the pressing member.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2014Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Yasushi Nagata
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Patent number: 9342047Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus having a main assembly electric contact includes: a contact member for receiving pressure by the main assembly electric contact, wherein the contact member has a first surface as a contact portion for receiving the pressure by the main assembly electric contact and has a second surface bent from the first surface toward a side opposite from a side where the main assembly electric contact is provided; a holding member for holding the contact member; a portion to be limited provided at an end of the second surface; and a limiting portion, provided on the holding member, for limiting movement of the portion to be limited.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiro Fujiwara, Osamu Anan
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Patent number: 9335658Abstract: A developer supply device including a developer carrying body, extending in a width direction, configured to carry developer and a casing including an wall, extending in the width direction, disposed between a first room on which the developer carrying body is disposed and a second room configured to store the developer is provided. The first room and the second room communicate each other through an opening formed above the wall. The wall includes end portions having a first height and a central portion. The central portion is disposed between the end portions and has a second height which is higher than the first height.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takanori Uno
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Patent number: 9323214Abstract: A process cartridge including: a photosensitive member cartridge including a photosensitive member; and a developing cartridge including a developer carrier. The developing cartridge further includes: an inputting portion; a first cover; and a second cover. The first cover has a first engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The first engagement portion is positioned between an axis of the developer carrier extending in an axial direction and an axis of the inputting portion extending in the axial direction, when projected in the axial direction. The second cover has a second engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The second engagement portion is positioned between the axis of the developer carrier and the axis of the inputting portion, when projected in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2012Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nao Itabashi, Naoya Kamimura, Ryuya Yamazaki, Hideshi Nishiyama
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Patent number: 9280105Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressing member that is rotatably held and provides a pressure acting in one direction; a heating member that is rotatably held, faces the pressing member, and includes a substantially cylindrical member and a heating unit, the substantially cylindrical member receiving the pressure, the heating unit being provided inside the substantially cylindrical member, the heating member fixing a toner image on a sheet with the pressure and heat; a drive source that outputs a driving force with which the heating member is rotated; and a transmission member having a space that receives an end of the substantially cylindrical member with a gap interposed therebetween, the transmission member having an inner circumferential surface that comes into contact with the end of the substantially cylindrical member in the space when the substantially cylindrical member receives the pressure, the transmission member transmitting the driving force to the heating member.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Takayuki Ryu, Yasutaka Gotoh, Koji Okabe, Yuki Kubota
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Patent number: 9250590Abstract: A power supply device includes a voltage output unit configured to output a DC voltage corresponding to a control signal from a first controller and an output evaluator configured to perform a judgment process of judging whether or not the DC voltage is a voltage corresponding to a set value received from the fist controller, and to output a result of the judgment to the first controller. The output evaluator includes a storage for storing correspondence information which shows a correspondence relationship between the set value and a voltage value of the DC voltage outputted from the voltage output unit. The output evaluator performs the judgment process by outputting the correspondence information to the first controller, and receiving a set value determined on the basis of the correspondence information from the first controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Toru Kosaka
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Patent number: 9223288Abstract: Disclosed is a waste toner collecting container used in an image forming device for collecting waste toner and a process unit having the waste toner collecting container. An assembly of a development unit and the photoreceptor unit is fixedly connected to the waste toner collecting container. The development unit is configured to supply toner to a photoreceptor in the photoreceptor unit. The photoreceptor unit is configured to form a toner image on an outer surface of the photoreceptor, and to have a cleaning component used for removing the waste toner remaining on the outer surface of the photoreceptor after the toner image is transferred to a recording medium. A waste toner discharging outlet is disposed on a top wall of the waste toner collecting container, far away from the photoreceptor, and is disposed at an end of the top wall along an axial direction of the photoreceptor.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Chuanyi Yang, Hongjie Tan, Junlin Cai, Fei Zhang, Fawei Chen