Patents by Inventor Tomohito Taniguchi

Tomohito Taniguchi 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: 8980423
    Abstract: Concerned with a charging member in the conductive surface layer of which the conductive particles are so kept from agglomerating as to make charging performance not easily change even where the surface layer expands and contracts repeatedly in various environments. The charging member is a charging member having a conductive substrate and formed on the substrate a conductive elastic layer and a conductive surface layer. The elastic layer contains a polymer having a unit coming from ethylene oxide, and the surface layer contains a binder resin and graphitized particles. The binder resin contains a resin having in the molecule a urethane linkage or a siloxane linkage, or a urethane linkage and a siloxane linkage, and the graphitized particles have a graphite (002) plane lattice spacing of from 0.3362 nm or more to 0.3449 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Takumi Furukawa, Hidekazu Matsuda, Yusuke Yagisawa
  • Patent number: 8971766
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic member capable of more definitely suppressing occurrence of a C set image. The electrophotographic member has a surface layer including a modified polysiloxane having a structure represented by the following formula (1). In the formula (1), G represents a bivalent group having an ethylene oxide chain represented by (—O—C2H4—) and L represents polysiloxane having at least a SiO4/2(Q) unit or a SiO3/2(T) unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Yusuke Yagisawa
  • Publication number: 20150003872
    Abstract: There are provided an image-forming apparatus that inhibit the occurrence of a longitudinal streak image attributed to a cleaning failure, and a process cartridge. The image-forming apparatus and the process cartridge each have a charging member with a surface having a concavities derived from an opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, and a protrusions derived from an edge of the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle, the coverage ratio X1 of a surface of the toner with the silica fine particles is 50.0 area % or more and 75.0 area % or less, and when a theoretical coverage ratio of the toner by the silica fine particles is X2, a diffusion index represented by the formula 1 satisfies the formula 2: diffusion index=X1/X2??(formula 1) diffusion index??0.0042×X1+0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Takehiko Aoyama, Taichi Sato, Noboru Miyagawa, Masahiro Watanabe, Atsushi Uematsu, Yoshitaka Suzumura
  • Publication number: 20150003874
    Abstract: There are provided an image forming apparatus in which the generation of lateral streak images due to a decrease in the in-nip discharge intensity is suppressed while at the same time the generation of spot-like images due to abnormal discharge caused by smudges on the surface of a charging member is suppressed, and a process cartridge. The image forming apparatus and the process cartridge each has: a charging member containing a resin particle having a plurality of pores inside thereof; and a toner in which the coverage ratio X1 of a surface of the toner with silica fine particles is 50.0 area % or more and 75.0 area % or less, and when a theoretical coverage ratio with the silica fine particles is X2, a diffusion index represented by formula 1 satisfies formula 2. diffusion index=X1/X2??(formula 1) diffusion index??0.0042×X1+0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Takehiko Aoyama, Tomohito Taniguchi, Noboru Miyagawa, Taichi Sato, Atsushi Uematsu, Masahiro Watanabe, Yoshitaka Suzumura
  • Publication number: 20140334843
    Abstract: A charging member including an electro-conductive substrate, an electro-conductive elastic layer, and an electro-conductive surface layer, wherein the elastic layer includes a polymer having a unit derived from ethylene oxide and at least one particle selected from the group consisting of graphite particles and graphitized particles; wherein a particle-exposing portion where the particle is exposed is present on the surface of the elastic layer; the surface of the elastic layer including the particle-exposing portions is coated with the surface layer; the surface layer includes binder resin and resin particles dispersed in the binder resin and has a plurality of protrusions derived from the resin particles on the surface; when the resin particles in the surface layer are orthographically projected onto the surface of the elastic layer, areas other than projected areas of the resin particles on the surface of the elastic layer overlap the particle-exposing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Taichi Sato, Atsushi Uematsu
  • Publication number: 20140308607
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a charging member. The charging member comprises an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive surface layer, wherein the surface layer includes a binder resin, an electro-conductive particle dispersed in the binder resin, and a resin particle that roughens the surface of the surface layer; the surface layer has a plurality of protrusions each derived from the resin particle in the surface thereof; the resin particle that forms the protrusion has a pore inside thereof; has a porosity Vt of porosity is 2.5% by volume or less as a whole; and has a region whose porosity V11 is from 5% by volume to 20% by volume, wherein the region is farthest away from the electro-conductive substrate in the resin particle, and assuming that the resin particle is a solid particle having no pores, the region corresponds to a 11% by volume-occupying region of the solid particle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Takehiko Aoyama, Taichi Sato, Noboru Miyagawa, Satoshi Koide, Daisuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140270853
    Abstract: Provided is a charging member for suppressing the vibration of a charging roller which occurs owing to a difference in circumferential speed in a longitudinal direction when the roller is rotated to follow a photosensitive member, and suppressing a banding image caused by the vibration of the charging roller over a long period of time. The charging member includes a substrate and an elastic layer. The elastic layer contains a rubber having a polar group and hollow particles each having a shell containing a crystal of calcium carbonate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Uematsu, Tomohito Taniguchi, Taichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20140234764
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member for an electrophotographic apparatus, which suppresses the occurrence of a banding image caused by uneven charging. The electrophotographic member includes: an electroconductive substrate; and a surface layer, in which: the surface layer includes a binder resin and an aggregate of at least one crystal particle selected from the group consisting of a flaky crystal particle of magnesium carbonate and a flaky crystal particle of calcium carbonate; an edge face of a card house structure formed of the crystal particle is exposed at a surface of the aggregate; a surface of the surface layer includes a convex portion derived from the aggregate; and a surface of the convex portion has unevenness reflecting a shape of the edge face of the card house structure exposed at the surface of the aggregate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takehiko Aoyama, Tomohito Taniguchi, Kenichi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20130266338
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic member capable of more definitely suppressing occurrence of a C set image. The electrophotographic member has a surface layer including a modified polysiloxane having a structure represented by the following formula (1). In the formula (1), G represents a bivalent group having an ethylene oxide chain represented by (—O—C2H4—) and L represents polysiloxane having at least a SiO4/2(Q) unit or a SiO3/2(T) unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Yusuke Yagisawa
  • Patent number: 8550969
    Abstract: A charging member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus are provided which have been so made as for any C-set images to be kept from occurring; the C-set images occurring in a charging member of an electrophotographic apparatus where the charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member have been left to stand in contact with each other over a long period of time. In a charging member having a conductive support and a surface layer, the surface layer is incorporated with a specific compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Satoshi Koide
  • Patent number: 8548359
    Abstract: A charging member is provided which can not easily cause vibration and can stably charge a photosensitive member, even where a high-frequency alternating-current voltage is applied thereto. It is a charging member having an electrically conductive substrate, an electrically conductive elastic layer and a surface layer, and the elastic layer has, in the order from the substrate side, a first rubber layer and a second rubber layer laminated to the first rubber layer, and, where the natural vibration frequency of the first rubber layer is represented by f1 and the natural vibration frequency of the second rubber layer is represented by f2, has a natural vibration frequency ratio, f2/f1, of from 2.35 or more to 10.0 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Masataka Kodama, Takehiko Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8532534
    Abstract: A charging member includes a conductive substrate and a conductive resin layer. The conductive resin layer includes a binder, conductive fine particles, and bowl-shaped resin particles each of which has an opening. The bowl-shaped resin particles are contained in the conductive resin layer in such a way as not to be exposed to an outer surface of the charging member, and the surface of the charging member has concavities derived from openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions derived from edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles. The bowl-shaped resin particles each has a roundish concavity and includes inner walls lined with the conductive resin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Satoshi Koide
  • Patent number: 8383234
    Abstract: Provided is the following charging member of an electrophotographic apparatus. The charging member suppresses the occurrence of each of a streak-like image, a spot-like image, and a rough image that occur when image formation is performed over a long time period. Also provided are a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the charging member. A compound having a siloxane dendrimer structure at a vinyl group or a side chain of a vinyl polymer is incorporated into the surface layer of the charging member comprising a conductive substrate and the surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Tomohito Taniguchi, Hidekazu Matsuda, Nozomu Takahata, Yusuke Yagisawa, Satoshi Koide, Masataka Kodama
  • Publication number: 20120288301
    Abstract: A charging member is provided which can not easily cause vibration and can stably charge a photosensitive member, even where a high-frequency alternating-current voltage is applied thereto. It is a charging member having an electrically conductive substrate, an electrically conductive elastic layer and a surface layer, and the elastic layer has, in the order from the substrate side, a first rubber layer and a second rubber layer laminated to the first rubber layer, and, where the natural vibration frequency of the first rubber layer is represented by f1 and the natural vibration frequency of the second rubber layer is represented by f2, has a natural vibration frequency ratio, f2/f1, of from 2.35 or more to 10.0 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Masataka Kodama, Takehiko Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20120177402
    Abstract: A charging member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus are provided which have been so made as for any C-set images to be kept from occurring; the C-set images occurring in a charging member of an electrophotographic apparatus where the charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member have been left to stand in contact with each other over a long period of time. In a charging member having a conductive support and a surface layer, the surface layer is incorporated with a specific compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Satoshi Koide
  • Publication number: 20120141162
    Abstract: Provided is the following charging member of an electrophotographic apparatus. The charging member suppresses the occurrence of each of a streak-like image, a spot-like image, and a rough image that occur when image formation is performed over a long time period. Also provided are a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the charging member. A compound having a siloxane dendrimer structure at a vinyl group or a side chain of a vinyl polymer is incorporated into the surface layer of the charging member comprising a conductive substrate and the surface layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Tomohito Taniguchi, Hidekazu Matsuda, Nozomu Takahata, Yusuke Yagisawa, Satoshi Koide, Masataka Kodama
  • Publication number: 20110305481
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charging member that brings out stable charging performance over a long period of time and also makes the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member not easily come to wear non-uniformly. It is a charging member having a conductive substrate and a conductive resin layer; the conductive resin layer containing a binder, conductive fine particles, and bowl-shaped resin particles each of which has an opening; the bowl-shaped resin particles being contained in the conductive resin layer in such a way as not to be exposed to the surface of the charging member; and the surface of the charging member having concavities derived from openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions derived from edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Satoshi Koide
  • Publication number: 20110044725
    Abstract: A charging member is provided which can inhibit defective images due to poor charging and adhering substances from occurring even after being repeatedly used for a long time, and can inhibit deformation and defective images due to the C set, caused by a change in rotational speed accompanying such deformation even after being left standing in a stopping state for a long time. The charging member includes a conductive support and a surface layer. The surface layer includes a binder and resin particles dispersed in the binder, each resin particle having a depressed portion on its surface. Protrusions resulting from the resin particles are formed on the surface of the surface layer. The protrusions each have a depressed portion resulting from the depressed portion of the resin particle, and the surface of the resin particle is covered with the binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Tomohito Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7869741
    Abstract: A charging member is provided which can inhibit defective images due to poor charging and adhering substances from occurring even after being repeatedly used for a long time, and can inhibit deformation and defective images due to the C set, caused by a change in rotational speed accompanying such deformation even after being left standing in a stopping state for a long time. The charging member includes a conductive support and a surface layer. The surface layer includes a binder and resin particles dispersed in the binder, each resin particle having a depressed portion on its surface. Protrusions resulting from the resin particles are formed on the surface of the surface layer. The protrusions each have a depressed portion resulting from the depressed portion of the resin particle, and the surface of the resin particle is covered with the binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Tomohito Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7835669
    Abstract: The present invention provides a charging roller having a stable chargeability and capable of preventing occurrence of “fogging” on an electrophotographic image. The invention relates to a contact-charging type charging roller which includes a conductive support and a surface layer. The surface layer contains a binder, resin particles containing a carbon black dispersed in the binder, and graphitized particles dispersed in the binder; and the surface layer has, on its surface, convex portions derived from the resin particles, and convex portions derived from the graphitized particles. These convex portions have a specific relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takumi Furukawa, Tomohito Taniguchi, Hidekazu Matsuda, Yusuke Yagisawa