Patents by Inventor Koyo Yamamoto

Koyo Yamamoto 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: 11550253
    Abstract: A first gear is arranged at an end of a first roller and rotatable together with the first roller. A second roller nips a sheet with the first roller and conveys the sheet to a print engine. The second roller is movable to change a distance between an axis of the first roller and an axis of the second roller. A second gear is arranged at an end of the second roller and rotatable together with the second roller. An urging member urges the second roller toward the first roller. A drive gear has gear teeth. The drive gear is rotatable by receiving driving force from a motor. A first drive transmission part transmits driving force from the drive gear to the first gear not through the second gear. A second drive transmission part transmits driving force from the drive gear to the second gear not through the first gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11325800
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, an image forming unit movable between an accommodated position and a shifted position, an actuator, an urging member, a cam, and a contact portion. The actuator includes a pivot shaft and a protrusion protruding therefrom. The protrusion at a standby position crosses a conveyance path and is contactable with a sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. When the image forming unit is at the accommodated position, the contact portion and the cam contact each other and maintain the protrusion at the standby position against an urging force of the urging member. As the image forming unit moves from the accommodated position to the shifted position, the contact portion and the cam move away from each other such that the protrusion pivots from the standby position, by the urging force, to a retracted position at which the protrusion is retracted from the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotaka Tatematsu, Tetsuya Morita, Koyo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20220026842
    Abstract: A first gear is arranged at an end of a first roller and rotatable together with the first roller. A second roller nips a sheet with the first roller and conveys the sheet to a print engine. The second roller is movable to change a distance between an axis of the first roller and an axis of the second roller. A second gear is arranged at an end of the second roller and rotatable together with the second roller. An urging member urges the second roller toward the first roller. A drive gear has gear teeth. The drive gear is rotatable by receiving driving force from a motor. A first drive transmission part transmits driving force from the drive gear to the first gear not through the second gear. A second drive transmission part transmits driving force from the drive gear to the second gear not through the first gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koyo YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10824097
    Abstract: A drum cartridge that is mountable to and demountable from a main body of an image forming apparatus, the drum cartridge including: a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction; and a first conveying roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the first conveying roller being in contact with a second conveying roller of the image forming apparatus and being configured to convey a sheet, which is sandwiched between the first conveying roller and the second conveying roller, toward the photosensitive drum in a state where the drum cartridge is mounted on the main body, in which the drum cartridge has a guide groove into which an end portion of the second conveying roller in the first direction is inserted in the state where the drum cartridge is mounted on the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei Hatano, Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10768548
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, a photosensitive member rotatably supported by the drawer, a first roller rotatably supported by the drawer, a second roller, an urging member disposed at the housing for urging the second roller toward the first roller, and a positioner. The drawer is movable between a housed position at which the drawer is housed in the housing, and a shifted position at which the drawer is shifted from the housed position toward an exterior of the housing. The second roller is rotatably supported by the housing, disposed to face the first roller, and movable relative to the first roller. The second roller and the first roller pinch a sheet therebetween and transport the sheet toward the photosensitive member. The positioner is disposed at the drawer and positions the second roller relative to the first roller when the drawer is at the housed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuji Noda, Koyo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20200207566
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, an image forming unit movable between an accommodated position and a shifted position, an actuator, an urging member, a cam, and a contact portion. The actuator includes a pivot shaft and a protrusion protruding therefrom. The protrusion at a standby position crosses a conveyance path and is contactable with a sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. When the image forming unit is at the accommodated position, the contact portion and the cam contact each other and maintain the protrusion at the standby position against an urging force of the urging member. As the image forming unit moves from the accommodated position to the shifted position, the contact portion and the cam move away from each other such that the protrusion pivots from the standby position, by the urging force, to a retracted position at which the protrusion is retracted from the conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Hirotaka TATEMATSU, Tetsuya MORITA, Koyo YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200209781
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, a photosensitive member rotatably supported by the drawer, a first roller rotatably supported by the drawer, a second roller, an urging member disposed at the housing for urging the second roller toward the first roller, and a positioner. The drawer is movable between a housed position at which the drawer is housed in the housing, and a shifted position at which the drawer is shifted from the housed position toward an exterior of the housing. The second roller is rotatably supported by the housing, disposed to face the first roller, and movable relative to the first roller. The second roller and the first roller pinch a sheet therebetween and transport the sheet toward the photosensitive member. The positioner is disposed at the drawer and positions the second roller relative to the first roller when the drawer is at the housed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Ryuji NODA, Koyo YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200103791
    Abstract: A drum cartridge that is mountable to and demountable from a main body of an image forming apparatus, the drum cartridge including: a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction; and a first conveying roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the first conveying roller being in contact with a second conveying roller of the image forming apparatus and being configured to convey a sheet, which is sandwiched between the first conveying roller and the second conveying roller, toward the photosensitive drum in a state where the drum cartridge is mounted on the main body, in which the drum cartridge has a guide groove into which an end portion of the second conveying roller in the first direction is inserted in the state where the drum cartridge is mounted on the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei HATANO, Koyo YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9864325
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a cover has a pivot shaft and is pivotally movable between a closed position and an open position. The link member is slidingly movable in a direction parallel to the pivot shaft in response to depression of a button. The locking member provides locking engagement between the cover and a housing, and is pressed by the link member in accordance with the sliding movement of the link member to release the locking engagement. The push member is movable in a direction opposite to an opening direction of the cover to be pressed against the housing when the cover is at the closed position in accordance with the sliding movement of the link member. The depression of the button causes both unlocking and movement of the cover in the opening direction when the cover is at the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20170248902
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a cover has a pivot shaft and is pivotally movable between a closed position and an open position. The link member is slidingly movable in a direction parallel to the pivot shaft in response to depression of a button. The locking member provides locking engagement between the cover and a housing, and is pressed by the link member in accordance with the sliding movement of the link member to release the locking engagement. The push member is movable in a direction opposite to an opening direction of the cover to be pressed against the housing when the cover is at the closed position in accordance with the sliding movement of the link member. The depression of the button causes both unlocking and movement of the cover in the opening direction when the cover is at the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koyo YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9637330
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing having an opening, a supporting portion configured to support a sheet inserted through the opening, a feed roller configured to feed the sheet supported on the supporting portion, and a first regulation member configured to move between an upright position and a flat position where the first regulation member is laid relative to the upright position. The first regulation member includes a first surface facing the feed roller when the first regulation member is at the upright position, and a second surface facing upward when the first regulation member is at the upright position, the second surface facing the feed roller when the first regulation member is at the flat position such that the second surface regulates a position of an upstream end, in a sheet conveying direction, of the sheet supported on the supporting portion of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9535392
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a cover configured to pivot between a covering position and an exposing position, a shaft portion provided to one of the casing and the cover, a bearing portion provided to the other one, and a retaining mechanism configured to retain the cover at the exposing position. The cover includes a contactable portion configured to, when the cover pivots between the covering position and the exposing position, contact the retaining mechanism. The retaining mechanism includes a retaining member configured to restrict the cover from pivoting from the exposing position to the covering position, and an urging member urging the retaining member toward the contactable portion. The casing includes a frame, the frame including a guide section configured to guide a sheet. The frame of the casing includes one of the shaft portion and the bearing portion and supports the retaining mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9429896
    Abstract: A cover movement mechanism has a cover, a base part, a holding part configured to contact the cover in a first opened state in which the cover is rotated to open by a first angle with respect to a closed state, thereby holding the cover in the first opened state, two shafts having a common axis and provided to one of the cover and the base part, two bearings configured to receive the two shafts and provided to other one of the cover and the base part, and a releasing mechanism configured to allow at least one of the two shafts to be released from corresponding one of the two bearings when the cover is in a second state in which the cover is rotated to open by a second angle that is smaller than the first angle and an opposing force preventing a rotation of cover acts on the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9429893
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an ejection tray including a support portion, a plurality of ejection rollers having a nip portion, and a tray cover having a first surface and a second surface and being configured to move between an extended position where the first surface faces upward and a covering position where the tray cover is supported by the support portion to cover an upper surface of the ejection tray and the second surface faces upward. When the tray cover is in the covering position, an upstream end portion of the second surface of the tray cover in a sheet ejection direction is disposed in a position closer to the nip portion than the upper surface of the ejection tray and lower than the nip portion such that a leading end of the recording sheet ejected from the nip portion passes on or over the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20160244285
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing having an opening, a supporting portion configured to support a sheet inserted through the opening, a feed roller configured to feed the sheet supported on the supporting portion, and a first regulation member configured to move between an upright position and a flat position where the first regulation member is laid relative to the upright position. The first regulation member includes a first surface facing the feed roller when the first regulation member is at the upright position, and a second surface facing upward when the first regulation member is at the upright position, the second surface facing the feed roller when the first regulation member is at the flat position such that the second surface regulates a position of an upstream end, in a sheet conveying direction, of the sheet supported on the supporting portion of the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20160187843
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a cover configured to pivot between a covering position and an exposing position, a shaft portion provided to one of the casing and the cover, a bearing portion provided to the other one, and a retaining mechanism configured to retain the cover at the exposing position. The cover includes a contactable portion configured to, when the cover pivots between the covering position and the exposing position, contact the retaining mechanism. The retaining mechanism includes a retaining member configured to restrict the cover from pivoting from the exposing position to the covering position, and an urging member urging the retaining member toward the contactable portion. The casing includes a frame, the frame including a guide section configured to guide a sheet. The frame of the casing includes one of the shaft portion and the bearing portion and supports the retaining mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9223280
    Abstract: A light source is provided in the casing and emits a light beam for forming an image. A first sensor receives the light beam emitted by the light source and outputs a light reception signal. A cover opens and closes relative to the casing. A shutter prevents the first sensor from receiving the light beam when the cover is at an open position, and allows the first sensor to receive the light beam when the cover is at a closed position. A controller is configured to: execute a lighting process of lighting the light source; execute a first determining process of determining whether the light reception signal is outputted from the first sensor, in response to the lighting process; and determine that the cover is at the open position upon determination in the first determining process that no light reception signal is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hironori Hirata, Koyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9182716
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a conveying path that includes a first U shape portion; a registration roller; and a inverting path including a second U shape portion joining with an upstream position of the registration roller. The conveying path includes a downward slope portion that runs obliquely down from a topmost position of the first U shape portion toward a nipping position of the registration roller; and wherein the topmost position, a joining position in which the conveying path is connected to the inverting path and the nipping position get lower, in this order, in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koyo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150268623
    Abstract: A cover movement mechanism has a cover, a base part, a holding part configured to contact the cover in a first opened state in which the cover is rotated to open by a first angle with respect to a closed state, thereby holding the cover in the first opened state, two shafts having a common axis and provided to one of the cover and the base part, two bearings configured to receive the two shafts and provided to other one of the cover and the base part, and a releasing mechanism configured to allow at least one of the two shafts to be released from corresponding one of the two bearings when the cover is in a second state in which the cover is rotated to open by a second angle that is smaller than the first angle and an opposing force preventing a rotation of cover acts on the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koyo YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9052689
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing; a fixing unit accommodated in the casing and including a heating member and a pressing member; a first wall provided inside the casing at a position above the heating member and the pressing member and extending diagonally downward and forward; an uneven portion provided on the first wall at a position rearward of front end portion of the pressing member to restrain a dew droplet condensed on the first wall from running down along the first wall; a sheet ejection opening formed in the casing such that the recording sheet conveyed out from the fixing unit is ejected outside the casing through the sheet ejection opening; and an exhaust opening formed in the casing at a position rearward of the heating member such that air heated in the fixing unit is discharged outside the casing through the exhaust opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahito Saeki, Hidekazu Nogami, Koyo Yamamoto