Patents by Inventor Keiko Momotani
Keiko Momotani 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).
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Patent number: 10025231Abstract: A transfer belt includes: an elastic layer, wherein the transfer belt is used to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium, the toner image being carried on a first main surface which is one of a pair of main exposed surfaces including the first main surface and a second main surface, when, using a lower block and an upper block, the transfer belt is placed on an upper surface of the lower block, a part of the transfer belt is interposed between a curved convex surface and a curved concave surface, and a pressed region reaches a pressing force of 200 [kPa] and is constantly pressed by the pressing force, if “a” represents a maximum value of displacement of a measurement region, and “b” represents displacement of the measurement region after convergence, E [?] calculated by (a?b)/b satisfies a condition of 0.2?E?3.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Nofumi Mizumoto, Shigeo Uetake, Keiko Momotani, Eiji Tabata, Makiko Watanabe, Toshiya Natsuhara
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Patent number: 9989877Abstract: A transfer belt transfers a toner image carried on a first main surface to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block with pressurization force increased at a prescribed rate and thereafter kept constant, E [-] and t0 are curve-fitted to a function E=?×exp(?t0/?) defined by a time constant ? [s] with respect to an amount of displacement of the transfer belt and a constant ? [-], where E [-] is calculated as (a?b)/b, a [?m] represents a maximum value of an amount of displacement of a measurement region, b [?m] represents an amount of displacement of the measurement region after converged, and t0 [s] represents a time period from start of pressurization until the maximum pressurization force, and time constant ? satisfies a condition of 0.015???0.1.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Eiji Tabata, Makiko Watanabe, Nofumi Mizumoto, Keiko Momotani, Shigeo Uetake, Toshiya Natsuhara
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Patent number: 9983520Abstract: A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2 [?m/s] satisfies 6?k2?30, k2 [?m/s] being determined by (a?b)/{2×(t2?t1)}, where a [?m/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [?m] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2017Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Eiji Tabata, Nofumi Mizumoto, Toshiya Natsuhara, Shigeo Uetake, Keiko Momotani, Makiko Watanabe
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Publication number: 20180095376Abstract: A transfer belt transfers a toner image carried on a first main surface to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block with pressurization force increased at a prescribed rate and thereafter kept constant, E [-] and t0 are curve-fitted to a function E=?×exp(?t0/?) defined by a time constant ? [s] with respect to an amount of displacement of the transfer belt and a constant ? [-], where E [-] is calculated as (a?b)/b, a [?m] represents a maximum value of an amount of displacement of a measurement region, b [?m] represents an amount of displacement of the measurement region after converged, and t0 [s] represents a time period from start of pressurization until the maximum pressurization force, and time constant ? satisfies a condition of 0.015???0.1.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2017Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Eiji TABATA, Makiko WATANABE, Nofumi MIZUMOTO, Keiko MOMOTANI, Shigeo UETAKE, Toshiya NATSUHARA
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Patent number: 9880481Abstract: A liquid developer set of the present invention includes a first liquid developer including an insulating liquid and first toner particles and a second liquid developer including an insulating liquid and second toner particles, the first toner particles include carbon black and a first resin, the second toner particles include a coloring agent other than carbon black and a second resin, without including carbon black, the first resin and the second resin each include a hydrocarbon long chain which is a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of 8 to 30, and a mass ratio of the hydrocarbon long chain to the first toner particles is higher than a mass ratio of the hydrocarbon long chain to the second toner particles.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Keiko Momotani, Naoki Yoshie, Yukiko Uno, Masaaki Oka
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Publication number: 20180011429Abstract: A transfer belt includes: an elastic layer, wherein the transfer belt is used to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium, the toner image being carried on a first main surface which is one of a pair of main exposed surfaces including the first main surface and a second main surface, when, using a lower block and an upper block, the transfer belt is placed on an upper surface of the lower block, a part of the transfer belt is interposed between a curved convex surface and a curved concave surface, and a pressed region reaches a pressing force of 200 [kPa] and is constantly pressed by the pressing force, if “a” represents a maximum value of displacement of a measurement region, and “b” represents displacement of the measurement region after convergence, E [?] calculated by (a?b)/b satisfies a condition of 0.2?E?3.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Nofumi MIZUMOTO, Shigeo UETAKE, Keiko MOMOTANI, Eiji TABATA, Makiko WATANABE, Toshiya NATSUHARA
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Publication number: 20180011428Abstract: A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2[?m/s] satisfies 6?k2?30, k2[?m/s] being determined by (a?b)/{2×(t2?t1)}, where a [?m/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [?m] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Eiji TABATA, Nofumi MIZUMOTO, Toshiya NATSUHARA, Shigeo UETAKE, Keiko MOMOTANI, Makiko WATANABE
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Patent number: 9753389Abstract: A liquid developer contains an insulating liquid and toner particles dispersed in the insulating liquid. The toner particles have a resin and a coloring agent. The resin contains at least 10 mass % and at most 40 mass % of an aliphatic polyester resin and at least 60 mass % and at most 90 mass % of an aromatic polyester resin. The resin has an acid value not less than 20 mgKOH/g and not more than 100 mgKOH/g. A difference in acid value between the aliphatic polyester resin and the aromatic polyester resin is not less than 0 mgKOH/g and not more than 10 mgKOH/g.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Keiko Momotani, Masahiro Anno, Naoki Yoshie
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Publication number: 20160370752Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier configured to carry a toner image that is formed corresponding to an image using toner with a lubricant externally added thereto; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image to a recording material; a cleaning and lubricant-applying unit; and a processor configured to perform supply control, wherein the cleaning and lubricant-applying unit is configured to clean transfer residual toner on the image carrier and to apply the lubricant to the image carrier, and includes a blade, a collected toner holding unit, and a supply member, and the processor is configured to perform control in such a manner that the supply by the supply member is stopped or the amount of supply of the collected toner by the supply member is made smaller.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Inventor: Keiko MOMOTANI
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Publication number: 20160085170Abstract: A liquid developer contains an insulating liquid and toner particles dispersed in the insulating liquid. The toner particles have a resin and a coloring agent. The resin contains at least 10 mass % and at most 40 mass % of an aliphatic polyester resin and at least 60 mass % and at most 90 mass % of an aromatic polyester resin. The resin has an acid value not less than 20 mgKOH/g and not more than 100 mgKOH/g. A difference in acid value between the aliphatic polyester resin and the aromatic polyester resin is not less than 0 mgKOH/g and not more than 10 mgKOH/g.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Keiko MOMOTANI, Masahiro ANNO, Naoki YOSHIE
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Publication number: 20150093700Abstract: A liquid developer set of the present invention includes a first liquid developer including an insulating liquid and first toner particles and a second liquid developer including an insulating liquid and second toner particles, the first toner particles include carbon black and a first resin, the second toner particles include a coloring agent other than carbon black and a second resin, without including carbon black, the first resin and the second resin each include a hydrocarbon long chain which is a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of 8 to 30, and a mass ratio of the hydrocarbon long chain to the first toner particles is higher than a mass ratio of the hydrocarbon long chain to the second toner particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Keiko MOMOTANI, Naoki YOSHIE, Yukiko UNO, Masaaki OKA
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Patent number: 8974996Abstract: A liquid developer used for wet-type image forming apparatuses includes toner particles and an insulating liquid, the toner particles include a resin, a pigment, and a pigment dispersant, the pigment includes a pigment having an acid group, and the pigment dispersant is a basic polymer dispersant including units derived from ?-caprolactone.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Naoki Yoshie, Kenji Hayashi, Chiaki Yamada, Keiko Momotani, Masahiro Anno, Yuya Kubo, Miyuki Hotta
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Publication number: 20140234769Abstract: A liquid developer includes an insulating liquid and a plurality of toner particles. The plurality of toner particles has a median size not smaller than 1 ?m and not greater than 3 ?m as a whole. In the plurality of toner particles, average circularity is not smaller than 0.90 and not greater than 0.96, and a standard deviation of circularity is not smaller than 0.02 and not greater than 0.10.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Naoki YOSHIE, Masahiro ANNO, Keiko MOMOTANI, Miyuki HOTTA, Satoshi MATSUMOTO, Sho KIM, Yukiko UNO
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Publication number: 20140234770Abstract: A liquid developer includes an insulating liquid and a plurality of toner particles. The plurality of toner particles has a volume-based median size not smaller than 0.5 ?m and not greater than 3 ?m as a whole, and a volume-based coefficient of variation not lower than 40% and not higher than 130%. The plurality of toner particles includes a first toner particle group of the toner particles having a particle size not greater than 1 ?m. The number of toner particles constituting the first toner particle group occupies not lower than 20% of the total number of toner particles. The toner particles in the first toner particle group have an average circularity not smaller than 0.945.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Miyuki HOTTA, Masahiro Anno, Naoki Yoshie, Keiko Momotani, Sho Kim, Yukiko Uno, Satoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 8682223Abstract: An image forming device includes a development member carrying a developer for forming a toner image at an image carrier, a cleaning member abutting against the development member for removing the developer remaining on the development member, a transportation member provided in contact with the development member for transporting the developer supplied to the development member, and a driving unit controlling driving of at least one of the transportation member and the development member. The driving unit executes preliminary driving of the development member and transportation member for a given time under a state where supply of the developer to the transportation member is stopped, prior to main driving in image formation. Consumption and/or degradation of the developer in preliminary driving is suppressed while strain at the development member or transportation member formed of a resilient member is removed.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2011Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Keiko Momotani
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Patent number: 8660449Abstract: This invention provides a developer concentration adjustment apparatus, a method for concentration adjustment, and an image forming apparatus, in which concentration adjustment is performed by use of a stirring load as a substitute characteristic of viscosity which represents a developer concentration, wherein a trouble of abnormality generation in toner concentration detection due to drying-adhesion of a residual developer on the stirrer is reduced. At the time of finishing the concentration adjustment, a concentration adjustment tank is made to be empty and the stirrer is cleaned by carrier liquid or a liquid developer having a concentration lower than a predetermined concentration. Alternatively, the stirrer is cleaned by empty-stirring operation not being put in a cleaning developer.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Keiko Momotani, Atsuto Hirai, Kazuko Fukumoto
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Patent number: 8630568Abstract: Provided is a liquid development apparatus having a constitution in which liquid developer containing carrier liquid with toner dispersed therein is supplied from a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member on a pool forming member arranged facing to a supply roller so as to form a pool of the liquid developer, from which pool the liquid developer is supplied to the supply roller, wherein a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member supplies cleaning liquid on a pool forming member to form a suitable pooling portion of the cleaning liquid and the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the supply roller is removed and cleaned.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Naoki Yoshie, Yuji Kamoda, Keiko Momotani, Kazuko Fukumoto, Yasuo Shirodai, Eiji Tabata
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Patent number: 8617782Abstract: A liquid developer includes at least toner particles and an insulating liquid. The toner particles include a resin and a color material dispersed in the resin. 90 mass % or more of the insulating liquid is aliphatic saturated hydrocarbon having a carbon number of 11 to 16, and 20 to 60 mass % of the insulating liquid is aliphatic saturated hydrocarbon having a carbon number of 11 to 12.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Keiko Momotani, Yuya Kubo, Masahiro Anno, Naoki Yoshie, Kenji Hayashi, Chiaki Yamada, Miyuki Hotta
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Publication number: 20130177337Abstract: An image forming device includes a development member carrying a developer for forming a toner image at an image carrier, a cleaning member abutting against the development member for removing the developer remaining on the development member, a transportation member provided in contact with the development member for transporting the developer supplied to the development member, and a driving unit controlling driving of at least one of the transportation member and the development member. The driving unit executes preliminary driving of the development member and transportation member for a given time under a state where supply of the developer to the transportation member is stopped, prior to main driving in image formation. Consumption and/or degradation of the developer in preliminary driving is suppressed while strain at the development member or transportation member formed of a resilient member is removed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2011Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: Konica Minolta Holding, Inc.Inventor: Keiko Momotani
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Publication number: 20130115552Abstract: A liquid developer used for wet-type image forming apparatuses includes toner particles and an insulating liquid, the toner particles include a resin, a pigment, and a pigment dispersant, the pigment includes a pigment having an acid group, and the pigment dispersant is a basic polymer dispersant including units derived from ?-caprolactone.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2012Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Naoki YOSHIE, Kenji HAYASHI, Chiaki YAMADA, Keiko MOMOTANI, Masahiro ANNO, Yuya KUBO, Miyuki HOTTA