Patents by Inventor Nobuhiko Kozuka

Nobuhiko Kozuka 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: 5028966
    Abstract: An image-forming machine having a main body and a process unit adapted to be detachably mounted on the main body. The process unit includes a first unit having a developing device and a charging corona discharger and a second unit having a rotating drum and a cleaning device. The developing device comprises a magnetic brush mechanism comprised of a hollow cylindrical sleeve and a permanent magnet disposed within the sleeve and a blade adapted to be brought into press contact with the surface of the sleeve and to decrease sufficiently the thickness of the developer layer on the sleeve surface. The cleaning device includes an elastic blade adapted to be brought into press contact with a photosensitive member disposed on the surface of the rotating drum. The toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive member by the action of the elastic blade is recovered into an interior space of the rotating drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kozuka, Shigeo Koyama, Eiji Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 5005053
    Abstract: An image-forming machine includes a supporting structure and a process unit to be mounted on the supporting structure. The supporting structure has a lower frame member and an upper frame member mounted on the lower frame member so as to be free to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The process unit has a first unit which includes a developing device and a second unit which includes an image-bearing means with an electrostatographic material. The first unit is mounted on the upper frame member, and the second unit is mounted on the lower frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Kozuka
  • Patent number: 4792824
    Abstract: An electrostatic copying apparatus including a photosensitive material-supporting means having a photosensitive material on at least a part of its surface and an image forming means for forming an image on the surface of the photosensitive material. According to a first of the invention, the length of the photosensitive material in the moving direction is substantially equal to, or larger than, the maximum copyable length, and the photosensitive material-supporting means is moved in a predetermined direction during image formation and in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction during image transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Kozuka
  • Patent number: 4640604
    Abstract: An electrostatic photographic copying machine provided with a sorter includes structure for mechanically connecting the sorter to a body of the electrostatic photographic copying machine so that the sorter can be moved between a first position adjacent the body and a second position spaced from the body in the direction of discharge of paper sheets with an interval therebetween. Thereby, copying paper sheets can be easily and rapidly removed from the sorter and a fixing apparatus of the machine if they become stopped up or jammed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kozuka, Shigeo Koyama, Atsushi Kano
  • Patent number: 4585324
    Abstract: A shell-type electrostatic copying apparatus comprising a supporting structure comprised of a lower supporting frame and an upper supporting frame pivotally mounted on the lower supporting frame, a rotating drum rotatably mounted on the supporting structure, a copying paper feed device and a copying paper conveying mechanism including a plurality of lower elements and a plurality of upper elements for conducting a copying paper delivered from the paper feed device to the rotating drum. A conveying unit frame is pivotably mounted on the supporting structure. At least one of the upper elements is mounted on the conveying unit frame, and at least one of the lower elements, on the lower supporting frame. The apparatus also includes a drum unit frame having the rotating drum rotatably mounted thereon. A provisional unit placing means for supporting the drum unit frame movably is provided in the lower supporting frame and/or the conveying unit frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Koyama, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Atsushi Kano
  • Patent number: 4582418
    Abstract: A variable magnification electrostatic copying apparatus includes a stationary transparent plate for placing thereon a document to be copied, an optical system including a first reflecting mirror assembly adapted to be moved reciprocally along the transparent plate, a second reflecting mirror assembly adapted to be moved reciprocally at a speed equal to one-half of the moving speed of the first reflecting mirror assembly and a lens assembly to be held at any one of a plurality of positions corresponding to a plurality of projecting ratios, and a projecting ratio changing device for moving the lens assembly and the second reflecting mirror assembly so as to change the projecting ratio of the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1986
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hiromi Sakata, Atsushi Kano, Shigeo Koyama
  • Patent number: 4576464
    Abstract: A charge eliminating lamp device, for use in an electrostatic copying apparatus, comprising a light shielding frame member having a light transmission opening formed on that surface which faces the surface of an electrostatographic material, a plurality of selectively energizable illuminating lamps disposed within the light shielding frame member in spaced-apart relationship in the width direction of the electrostatographic material, and a plurality of inside edge restricting light shielding walls disposed within the light shielding frame member and positioned adjacent to the insides of the illuminating lamps respectively as viewed in said width direction. The charge eliminating lamp device includes selectively energizable auxiliary lamps disposed among said illuminating lamps as viewed in said width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1986
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Sakata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hiroshi Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 4511241
    Abstract: A copying apparatus capable of performing a first preset number of copying operations corresponding to a first original document in a successive copying operation mode, and performing a second preset number of copying operations corresponding to a second original document in an intruded copying operation mode includes preset number display elements for indicating a first and second preset numbers, first counter for counting a number of copying operations, a copy number display element for indicating a value counted by the first counting means, a second counter for counting a discharged copy paper after the completion of a copying operation, and a detector for detecting a jam of the copy paper. The counted value of the first counter is revised so as to be equal to the counted value of the second counter when a copy paper jam occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Hideaki Tsudaka, Takaji Washio, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Masahide Iseki, Toshio Watanabe, Masami Kai, Toshio Yoshiyama, Hiromi Sakata
  • Patent number: 4484734
    Abstract: A copy paper feeding device for a copying apparatus includes a plurality of cassettes which are capable of storing copy paper sheets and a feeder which respectively corresponds to each of the cassettes. Each feeder is selectively driven so as to feed the copy paper sheets in the case where the cassettes store copy paper sheets having different sizes and each feeder is driven in a predetermined order so as to feed the copy paper sheets from one cassette until the cassette is empty and then successively feed the copy paper sheets from the remaining cassette in the case where the cassettes store copy paper sheets having the same size. The copy paper feeding device includes a selector for selecting which feeder is to be driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1984
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Hideaki Tsudaka, Takaji Washio, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Masahide Iseki, Toshio Watanabe, Masami Kai, Toshio Yoshiyama, Hiromi Sakata
  • Patent number: 4477173
    Abstract: A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner to a developing device in an electrostatic copying apparatus includes a storing box extending in approximately a horizontal direction, a supply roller provided at a supply port at an end of the storing box, pairs of wheels respectively provided at opposite ends of the storing box, a pair of endless stretched members passed around the wheels, a stirring and supply rod provided between the endless stretched members, and a device for driving the wheels so as to move the lower portion of the endless stretched members toward the supply roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kozuka, Shigeo Koyama, Masami Kai, Ichiro Takahashi, Hiromi Sakata, Atsushi Kano
  • Patent number: 4468111
    Abstract: An electrostatic copying machine apparatus includes a developing device having a fixedly positioned permanent magnet and a hollow developing sleeve formed of a non-magnetic material mounted coaxially about the permanent magnet for rotation thereabout. Toner supplied to the periphery of the sleeve forms thereon a magnetic brush which is conveyed by rotation of the sleeve to a developing position whereat the toner is transferred to a photoreceptor as a visible toner image. A bristle cutting member is positioned upstream of the developing position to restrict the length of the magnetic brush. A blade member formed of a non-magnetizable material prevents solidification of the toner on the periphery of the sleeve and is positioned upstream of the bristle cutting member. The blade member slides in contact with the periphery of the sleeve at a scraping position. The permanent magnet has spaced therearound at equal circumferential intervals a plurality of magnetizing positions having magnetic poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Ryutaro Yamagata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hitoshi Nishihama, Shigeo Koyama, Kazutada Sakai
  • Patent number: 4452530
    Abstract: A copying apparatus of the type in which an original-support device is mounted reciprocably on a housing through a sliding mechanism. The sliding mechanism is comprised of an outside rail fixed to one of the original-support device and the housing, an inside rail fixed to the other of said original-support device and housing, and disposed between the outside and inside rails, a holding plate rotatably holding a plurality of balls which contact both of the outside and inside rails. Each of the opposite ends of one of the outside and inside rails has disposed thereat a stop face against which each of the opposite ends of the holding plate can abut, and one end portion of the other of said outside and inside rails has disposed thereat a stop face against which one end of the holding plate can abut. A stop member defining a stop face against which the other end of the holding plate can abut is detachably disposed at the other end portion of the other of said outside and inside rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Koyama, Ryutaro Yamagata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hiromi Sakato
  • Patent number: 4444494
    Abstract: An original-holding mechanism for an original-support device is disclosed which includes a flexible holding member for covering an original document placed on a transparent plate and a rigid supporting member located outwardly of the original-holding member. One end edge portion of the original-holding member is mounted adjacent to one end edge of the transparent plate. The base portion of the supporting member is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis extending along said one edge of the transparent plate as a center. The free end edge portion of the original-holding member is connected to the free end portion of the supporting member for movement over a predetermined range in a direction perpendicular to said axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Koyama, Ryutaro Yamagata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hiromi Sakata
  • Patent number: 4436412
    Abstract: A cleaning device for use on a transfer type electrostatic copying apparatus includes a magnetic brush cleaning device for cleaning off a magnetizable toner remaining on a photosensitive material after a transfer operation. A brush roller is disposed between the magnetic brush cleaning device and a transfer zone. A brush is arranged on a peripheral surface of a cylindrical sleeve of light transmitting material and is driven for rotation in contact with the photosensitive material. A charge eraser lamp is secured within the cylindrical sleeve. The charge on the photosensitive material or photoreceptor is almost completely erased, and consequently, the cleaning efficiency is markedly improved owing to the facilitated removal of the developing material by the magnetic brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Ryutaro Yamagata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hitoshi Nishihama, Shigeo Koyama, Kazutada Sakai
  • Patent number: 4410259
    Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent electrostatic image, includes a developer holding member having a surface adapted for movement through an endless path and a developer receptacle having an opening formed at a site opposite to a part of the endless path. The receptacle contains a one-component developer consisting only of toner particles capable of retaining an electric charge. The developer in the receptacle is held on the surface of the developer holding member and charged by a charging member. The charged developer is carried to a developing zone by the movement of the surface of the developer holding member and applied to a latent electrostatic image to be developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryutaro Yamagata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hitoshi Nishihama, Shigeo Koyama, Kazutada Sakai
  • Patent number: 4400077
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum assembly for an electrostatic copying apparatus includes a cylindrical drum having a photosensitive layer provided around its outer periphery. The drum is held between a pair of flanges at opposite axial ends of the drum. Each of the flanges is formed having a diameter larger than the external diameter of the drum. At the edge of each flange, is a cylindrical portion extending along the axis of the drum to face toward the opposite flange. The end edges of the drum closely fit into the cylindrical portions. According to the present invention, since the edges of the drum closely fit into the cylindrical portions of the flanges, it is not necessary to improve the dimensional accuracy of the inside periphery of the opposite ends of the drum, while it is essential to improve the dimensional accuracy in a conventional manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kozuka, Ryutaro Yamagata, Shigeo Koyama, Hiromi Sakata, Atsushi Kano
  • Patent number: 4387889
    Abstract: A copying apparatus provided with a cassette-type paper feeding mechanism. The paper feeding mechanism includes a cassette-receiving section disposed at an upstream end of a paper transfer passage defined within a housing and a copying paper cassette to be mounted to the cassette-receiving section through an opening formed in a side wall of the housing and is constructed such that when the paper cassette is inserted into the cassette-receiving section through the opening of the housing to set it at an inoperative position and further moved in a predetermined direction to set it at an operative position, a paper feeding member provided in the cassette-receiving section acts on a copying paper in the paper cassette to render it ready for feeding into the paper transfer passage. A pair of paper transfer rollers are provided at that position of the paper transfer passage which is in proximity to the cassette-receiving section, and at least one of these transfer rollers is mounted movably relative to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Koyama, Ryutaro Yamagata, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hiromi Sakata
  • Patent number: 4380579
    Abstract: An electrostatic copying apparatus has a housing having at its top surface a transparent plate on which to place an original to be copied, a rotary drum disposed within the housing and having a photosensitive member on its surface, a charging, a developing, a transferring and a cleaning mechanism which are successively arranged around the rotary drum in the moving direction of its surface, an optical system for projecting the image of the original onto the surface of the rotary drum between the charging means and the developing means, and a receptor sheet conveying system for transferring a receptor sheet through a transfer station defined between the surface of the rotary drum and the transferring mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1983
    Inventors: Shoji Matsumoto, Toshikazu Matsui, Toshimitsu Ikeda, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hitoshi Nishihama, Tatsuo Aizawa
  • Patent number: 4314018
    Abstract: An electrophotograhic copying process forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of a photosensitive member, developes the image by applying a monocomponent developer to the latent image to form a toner image, transfers the thus formed toner image by contacting a receptor sheet with the photosensitive member to transfer the toner image to the surface of the receptor sheet, fixes the toner image onto the surface of the receptor sheet, eliminates electrostatic charge from the photosensitive member by irradiating the surface of the photosensitive member with an electrostatic eliminating lamp after the toner image has been transferred to the receptor sheet, and cleans the surface of the photosensitive member by removing the developer remaining on the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Matsumoto, Toshikazu Matsui, Toshimitsu Ikeda, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hitoshi Nishihama, Tatsuo Aizawa
  • Patent number: 4286861
    Abstract: An electrostatic copying apparatus has a housing having at its top surface a transparent plate on which to place an original to be copied, a rotary drum disposed within the housing and having a photosensitive member on its surface, a charging, a developing, a transferring and a cleaning mechanism which are successively arranged around the rotary drum in the moving direction of its surface, an optical system for projecting the image of the original onto the surface of the rotary drum between the charging mechanism and the developing mechanism, and a receptor sheet conveying system for transporting a receptor sheet through a transfer station defined between the surface of the rotary drum and the transferring mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1981
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Matsumoto, Toshikazu Matsui, Toshimitsu Ikeda, Nobuhiko Kozuka, Hitoshi Nishihama, Tatsuo Aizawa