Patents by Inventor Kaname Watariguchi

Kaname Watariguchi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11112719
    Abstract: Provided is a process cartridge in which lateral running is suppressed while satisfactory potential fluctuation is maintained. The process cartridge includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a lowermost layer, and a photosensitive layer; and a charging member including a support and a conductive layer. In a case where a maximum frequency at which a phase of an impedance reaches 45°, when the impedance is measured by applying an AC voltage to the lowermost layer while changing the AC voltage, is represented by fOPC (Hz), and in a case where a maximum frequency at which a phase of an impedance reaches 45°, when the impedance is measured by applying an AC voltage to the charging member while changing the AC voltage, is represented by fC (Hz), the fOPC and the fC each have a value within a certain range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Makisumi, Kaname Watariguchi, Fumiyuki Hiyama, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Yuichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20210240093
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member having a support and a photosensitive layer on the support, wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a surface layer comprising a polymerization product of a composition containing polyrotaxane and a charge transporting substance, and the polymerization product including a bond between the polyrotaxane and the charge transporting substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Hideharu Shimozawa, Kenichi Kaku, Tsutomu Nishida, Kazunori Noguchi, Akihiro Maruyama, Kaname Watariguchi, Takashi Anezaki, Haruyuki Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20210240094
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member, which is suppressed in occurrence of fogging and is excellent in abrasion resistance. In the electrophotographic photosensitive member, an outermost surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a polymerized product of a composition comprising at least a polyrotaxane and a monomer having a polymerizable reactive group, and a chain molecule of the polyrotaxane has two blocking groups at both terminals thereof, and a (meth)acryloyloxy group of a cyclic molecule of the polyrotaxane forms a bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Hideharu Shimozawa, Kenichi Kaku, Tsutomu Nishida, Kazunori Noguchi, Akihiro Maruyama, Kaname Watariguchi, Takashi Anezaki, Haruyuki Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20210116858
    Abstract: The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a first support and a photosensitive layer; and a charging member. In the photosensitive member when an electric current is measured which flows when a voltage is applied to a surface while being varied, a gradient a1 of a low electric field region and a gradient a2 of a high electric field region satisfy a2/a1?1.50, in a graph. The charging member includes a second support having an electroconductive outer surface, and a second electroconductive layer including a matrix and a plurality of domains being dispersed in the matrix, at least a portion of the domain is exposed to an outer surface which includes at least the matrix and at least a portion of the domain, and a volume resistivity ?M of the matrix is 1.00×105 times or higher of a volume resistivity ?D of the domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Kaname Watariguchi, Kohei Makisumi, Fumiyuki Hiyama, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Hirotaka Araki, Seiichi Miyazawa
  • Publication number: 20210116857
    Abstract: There is provided a process cartridge detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, the process cartridge including: an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging member, in which when average local potential differences of calculated lengths in the electrophotographic photosensitive member is calculated based on a specific method, a maximum value of the average local potential difference is 2 V or more, the charging member includes a support and an electro-conductive layer, the electro-conductive layer has a matrix and domains dispersed in the matrix, a volume resistivity ?M of the matrix is at least 1.00×105 times a volume resistivity ?D of the domain, and a specific calculated length SCP [?m] and a specific value relating a distance between the domains Dms [?m] satisfy SCP?3×Dms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Hiyama, Kaname Watariguchi, Kohei Makisumi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Yuichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20210116854
    Abstract: Provided is a process cartridge in which lateral running is suppressed while satisfactory potential fluctuation is maintained. The process cartridge includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a lowermost layer, and a photosensitive layer; and a charging member including a support and a conductive layer. In a case where a maximum frequency at which a phase of an impedance reaches 45°, when the impedance is measured by applying an AC voltage to the lowermost layer while changing the AC voltage, is represented by fOPC (Hz), and in a case where a maximum frequency at which a phase of an impedance reaches 45°, when the impedance is measured by applying an AC voltage to the charging member while changing the AC voltage, is represented by fC (Hz), the fOPC and the fC each have a value within a certain range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Kohei Makisumi, Kaname Watariguchi, Fumiyuki Hiyama, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Yuichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20200409281
    Abstract: The electrophotographic photosensitive member has: a cylindrical support; a charge generating layer formed on the cylindrical support; and a charge transport layer formed on the charge generating layer, the charge generating layer contains a hydroxygallium phthalocyanine crystal having a particular CuK? characteristic X-ray diffraction peak, a titanyl phthalocyanine crystal having a particular CuK? characteristic X-ray diffraction peak or a chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal having a particular spectral absorption spectrum as a charge generating material, and in the charge generating layer, with respect to the film thickness of the charge generating layer, when a region from the central position of an image forming area to the end position of the image forming area is divided in the axial direction of the cylindrical support into five equal regions and the average film thickness of the charge generating layer in each region satisfies a specific condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Kaname Watariguchi, Tomohito Ishida, Masataka Kawahara, Michiyo Sekiya, Kohei Makisumi
  • Publication number: 20200409278
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member which enables a reduction in unevenness in distribution of the post-exposure potential of the photosensitive member and a reduction in unevenness in life of the photosensitive member in the axial direction. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, including a cylindrical support, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer in this order, wherein when a region from a central position of an image formation region of the electrophotographic photosensitive member to an end position of the image formation region in the axial direction of the cylindrical support is equally divided into five regions, average film thicknesses of the charge generating layer in the five regions satisfy specific relations in a film thickness of the charge generating layer and average film thicknesses of the charge transport layer in the five regions satisfy specific relations in a film thickness of the charge transport layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei Makisumi, Kaname Watariguchi, Masataka Kawahara, Tomohito Ishida, Michiyo Sekiya
  • Publication number: 20200409280
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which discharge streaks generated in an end portion can be suppressed. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a cylindrical support, a charge-generating layer, and a charge-transporting layer in the stated order. In the electrophotographic photosensitive member, when a region between a center position and a 90% position situated at a 90% of a length of from the center position to one end of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in an axial direction thereof from the center position, is defined as a region X, and a region between the 90% position and the end of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is defined as a region Z. Average thicknesses in regions obtained by equally dividing the region X into five and regions obtained by equally dividing the region Z into three satisfy particular relationships.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Tomohito Ishida, Kaname Watariguchi, Masataka Kawahara, Michiyo Sekiya, Kohei Makisumi
  • Publication number: 20200409279
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member, including a cylindrical support, a charge generating layer formed on the cylindrical support, and a charge transport layer formed on the charge generating layer, in which in the charge generating layer, when a region from a central position of an image forming region to an end position of the image forming region in an axis direction of the cylindrical support is divided equally into five regions, film thicknesses of the charge generating layers in each of the regions satisfy a specific relationship with each other, and in the charge transport layer, when a region from the central position of the image forming region to the end position of the image forming region in the axis direction of the cylindrical support is divided equally into five regions, film thicknesses of the charge transport layers in each of the regions satisfy a specific relationship with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Michiyo Sekiya, Kaname Watariguchi, Masataka Kawahara, Tomohito Ishida, Kohei Makisumi
  • Patent number: 10838313
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes, in this order, a support, a charge generating layer having a thickness of more than 200 nm and containing a hydroxygallium phthalocyanine pigment or a chlorogallium phthalocyanine pigment as a charge generating material, and a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material. The charge generating material satisfies a requirement for a specific parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuko Araki, Kaname Watariguchi, Masataka Kawahara, Jumpei Kuno
  • Patent number: 10539888
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes an electroconductive support member and a photosensitive layer. The uppermost layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member defines a surface layer, and the surface layer contains polytetrafluoroethylene particles, a charge transporting material, and polyvinyl acetal. The proportion of the polyvinyl acetal content to the polytetrafluoroethylene particles content in the surface layer is in the range of 0.1% by mass to 15.0% by mass, and the charge transporting material content in the surface layer is 35% by mass or more relative to the total mass of the surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Kaku, Kaname Watariguchi, Kazuko Araki, Tomohito Ishida, Michiyo Sekiya
  • Patent number: 10429753
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor comprises a support, an undercoat layer, a charge generation layer, and a hole transport layer in this order. The undercoat layer comprises an electron transport substance, and the charge generation layer comprises a gallium phthalocyanine crystal and an amide compound represented by formula (N1): where R1 represents a methyl group, a propyl group, or a vinyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaname Watariguchi, Masato Tanaka, Masataka Kawahara, Jumpei Kuno
  • Patent number: 10401746
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support member, a charge generating layer containing a phthalocyanine pigment as a charge generating material, a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material in this order. The charge generating layer has a thickness of less than 200 nm, and the phthalocyanine pigment includes phthalocyanine crystalline particles having a particle size distribution and satisfies a requirement that the volume average of the products of ?i and ?i is 0.31 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaname Watariguchi, Shoma Hinata, Kazuko Araki, Tsutomu Nishida, Jumpei Kuno, Masataka Kawahara, Yuto Ito, Isao Kawata
  • Publication number: 20190004442
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes an electroconductive support member and a photosensitive layer. The uppermost layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member defines a surface layer, and the surface layer contains polytetrafluoroethylene particles, a charge transporting material, and polyvinyl acetal. The proportion of the polyvinyl acetal content to the polytetrafluoroethylene particles content in the surface layer is in the range of 0.1% by mass to 15.0% by mass, and the charge transporting material content in the surface layer is 35% by mass or more relative to the total mass of the surface layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Kenichi Kaku, Kaname Watariguchi, Kazuko Araki, Tomohito Ishida, Michiyo Sekiya
  • Publication number: 20180314171
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support member, a charge generating layer containing a phthalocyanine pigment as a charge generating material, a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material in this order. The charge generating layer has a thickness of less than 200 nm, and the phthalocyanine pigment includes phthalocyanine crystalline particles having a particle size distribution and satisfies a requirement that the volume average of the products of ?i and ?i is 0.31 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Kaname Watariguchi, Shoma Hinata, Kazuko Araki, Tsutomu Nishida, Jumpei Kuno, Masataka Kawahara, Yuto Ito, Isao Kawata
  • Publication number: 20180314170
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes, in this order, a support, a charge generating layer having a thickness of more than 200 nm and containing a hydroxygallium phthalocyanine pigment or a chlorogallium phthalocyanine pigment as a charge generating material, and a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material. The charge generating material satisfies a requirement for a specific parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuko Araki, Kaname Watariguchi, Masataka Kawahara, Jumpei Kuno
  • Patent number: 10012915
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a photosensitive layer in this order. The photosensitive layer contains a chlorogallium phthalocyanine crystal obtained by mixing a hydroxygallium phthalocyanine crystal and an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Nishida, Masato Tanaka, Masataka Kawahara, Jumpei Kuno, Kaname Watariguchi, Hidetoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 9921499
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a substrate and a photosensitive layer containing a phthalocyanine pigment. The crystalline particles of the phthalocyanine pigment have a crystallite correlation length r and a particle size R of 400 nm or less, and a parameter k defined by r/R is in the range of 0.17 to 0.42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kaname Watariguchi, Shoma Hinata, Kazuko Sakuma, Tsutomu Nishida, Jumpei Kuno, Hirofumi Kumoi, Masato Tanaka, Masataka Kawahara, Yuto Ito, Isao Kawata
  • Patent number: 9869032
    Abstract: The present invention provides: an electrophotographic photosensitive member which reduces image defects due to ghosting not only under a normal temperature and normal humidity environment but also even under a low temperature and low humidity environment; and a novel phthalocyanine crystal. The electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention comprises a photosensitive layer which comprises a phthalocyanine crystal in which a N,N-dimethylformamide is contained. The content of the N,N-dimethylformamide is 0.1% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less based on the phthalocyanine crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Kawahara, Masato Tanaka, Jumpei Kuno, Tsutomu Nishida, Kaname Watariguchi