Having Developing Means Patents (Class 347/228)
  • Patent number: 11287774
    Abstract: Example safety mechanisms for example printing apparatuses are provided. An example printing apparatus may include at least one linear guide disposed on a first surface of a back-spine section of a printer body and a top chassis portion coupled to the at least one linear guide. In some examples, the top chassis portion may include a laser safety casing. In some examples, the laser safety casing may comprise a laser module configured to emit a laser beam along a laser path and a safety cover that is moveable to a first cover position intersecting the laser path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Pratama Djayaputra, Florante Go, Sébastien Michel Marie Joseph D'Armancourt, Fong Yin Lau
  • Patent number: 10384472
    Abstract: A drying device includes a contact heater unit to contact and heat a medium. The contact heater unit includes a plurality of heating members each having a curved contact face to contact the medium among plural heating members of the plurality of heating members to contact a first surface of the medium opposite a second surface of the medium on which liquid is applied. The plurality of heating members includes a first heating member and a plurality of second heating members. The first heating member has a maximum contact distance to contact the medium. The plurality of second heating members is disposed upstream from the first heating member in a direction of conveyance of the medium. Two heating members of the plurality of second heating members immediately upstream from the first heating member in the direction of conveyance of the medium contact the first surface of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Onodera, Sho Sawahata, Junji Nakai, Toshihiro Yoshinuma, Yasuhisa Katoh, Hirokazu Ikenoue, Satoshi Kitaoka, Hideaki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10384468
    Abstract: A recording method includes an ink application process of applying ink to a record medium and a cover layer formation process of forming a cover layer by applying a liquid composition containing polyurethane resin particles to the record medium to which the ink is applied in such a manner as to be at least partially overlapped with a region to which the ink is applied, in which the breaking strength of the cover layer is 0.1 N or more and the breaking elongation of the cover layer is 200% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asao, Tatsuo Senba
  • Patent number: 9545797
    Abstract: A recording medium heating apparatus includes a plurality of heat rollers disposed in a feeding path of a recording medium and having respective heating units; and a control unit controlling temperatures of the heating units so that the temperature of a first heat roller is lower than the temperature of a second heat roller. Further, the first and the second heat rollers are included in the plurality of heat rollers and the first heat roller is disposed on the upstream side of the second heat roller in the feeding path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Onodera, Genichiroh Kawamichi, Yasuhide Nakazawa, Yutaka Nagasawa, Shinji Nagayama
  • Patent number: 9409416
    Abstract: A recording medium heating apparatus includes a plurality of heat rollers disposed in a feeding path of a recording medium and having respective heating units; and a control unit controlling temperatures of the heating units so that the temperature of a first heat roller is lower than the temperature of a second heat roller. Further, the first and the second heat rollers are included in the plurality of heat rollers and the first heat roller is disposed on the upstream side of the second heat roller in the feeding path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignees: RICOH COMPANY, LTD., SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Onodera, Genichiroh Kawamichi, Yasuhide Nakazawa, Yutaka Nagasawa, Shinji Nagayama
  • Patent number: 9297598
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchange laminate for use as a heat exchange member in a heat exchange unit, comprising a base layer extending substantially planar, said base layer being bilaterally coated with a contact layer. The contact layer is electrical conductive and is substantially non-metallic. At least one of the contact layers has an embossed contact surface. The invention further relates to the use of the heat exchange laminate and to a heat exchange unit and a printing system comprising such a heat exchange laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: OCÉ-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Franciscus M. G. Van Den Kerkhof, Johan J. Zweedijk, Gerrit P. J. Du Buf, Margo H. J. Beurskens-Linssen
  • Patent number: 8902266
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a displacement member disposed at a cartridge and configured to move from a position where the displacement member receives a driving force from an apparatus main body to a position where the displacement member does not receive the driving force. The apparatus also includes a movable member disposed at the apparatus main body, the movable member moving in response to movement of the displacement member, so as to move a first electrode between a position where the first electrode contacts a second electrode and a position where the first electrode is spaced apart from the second electrode. Also, the apparatus includes a detector detecting information about the cartridge attached to the apparatus main body based on a conduction state between the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yosuke Aoi
  • Patent number: 8791973
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including plural photosensitive members on which developer images are formed by supplying developer to electrostatic latent images, respectively, an exposure device which illuminates light beams onto surfaces of the photosensitive members to form the electrostatic latent images, respectively. The developer images on the respective photosensitive numbers are transferred to a transferred medium which is moved in a moving direction while contacting the respective photosensitive members. The exposure device is configured such that a beam diameter of light beam exposing a most-upstream photosensitive member in the moving direction on a surface of the most-upstream photosensitive member is larger than a beam diameter of light beam exposing a most-downstream photosensitive member in the moving direction on a surface of the most-downstream photosensitive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Toshio Furukawa, Yosuke Sugiyama, Minoru Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8537185
    Abstract: A laser induced thermal imaging apparatus and a fabricating method of organic light emitting diodes using the same, which laminate an acceptor substrate and a donor film using a magnetic force in vacuum, and are used to form a pixel array on the acceptor substrate. A substrate stage includes a magnet or magnetic substance. The acceptor substrate has a pixel region for forming first, second, and third sub-pixels, and the donor film has an organic light emission layer to be transferred to the pixel region. A laser oscillator irradiates a laser to the donor film. A contact frame is adapted to be disposed between the substrate stage and the laser oscillator, and is used to form a magnetic force with the substrate stage. The contact frame includes an opening through which the laser passes. A contact frame feed mechanism moves the contact frame in a direction of the substrate stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sok Won Noh, Seong Taek Lee, Mu Hyun Kim, Myung Won Song, Sun Hoe Kim, Jin Wook Seong
  • Patent number: 8462183
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a main body; a maintenance member operated by an operator for maintenance; and a hand touch member disposed on the maintenance member. The hand touch member is formed of a conductive material, and is connected to a ground portion disposed in the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Nagai
  • Patent number: 8248640
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium; a speed changing unit that changes an image forming speed of the image forming unit; a detecting unit that detects a state quantity indicating a state of the image on the medium formed by the image forming unit; and an adjusting unit that adjusts an image forming condition set by the image forming unit according to a detection result of the state quantity detected by the detecting unit and a target value for the state quantity. The adjusting unit changes the target value for the state quantity according to the state quantity detected by the detecting unit after the speed changing unit changes the image forming speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Tanaka, Matsuyuki Aoki, Shunichiro Shishikura, Yasunori Unagida, Naoya Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8217976
    Abstract: A method and apparatus usable in an image forming apparatus, comprising a photoreceptor, and a plurality of exposing devices having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged therein for exposing the photoreceptor, wherein the plurality of exposing devices include at least two exposing devices having a distribution tendency similar to the plurality of light emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Abe
  • Patent number: 8217974
    Abstract: A customer replaceable unit installable in a printing apparatus comprises a component requiring high voltage electric power for operation, a low voltage power input, and that cooperates with the low voltage power input in order to transform low voltage electric power from the low voltage power input into high voltage electric power for use by the component. The customer replaceable unit may also include a low voltage signal input, and the high voltage power supply unit controls output of the high voltage electric power in response to signals received at the low voltage signal input. The signals received at the low voltage signal input are independent of a type of the component in the customer replaceable unit, and the high voltage power supply unit provides an appropriate high voltage for the type of the component, thereby allowing modification of the type of component without having to provide a different low voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jerome E. May
  • Patent number: 8098270
    Abstract: A method of creating a digital mask in situ for use in a process of making digital flexographic printing elements. The digital mask is created by laminating the negative image that is the by-product of a thermal proofer to a photosensitive printing plate. Thereafter, the photosensitive printing element can be imaged, exposed, and developed in the usual manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Inventor: David Recchia
  • Patent number: 8090277
    Abstract: In a copier having an image data converter that sets the C density, the M density and the Y density to a density obtained by multiplying the density of black in the RGB system by a CMY mixture ratio and sets the K density to a density obtained by multiplying the density of black by a K mixture ratio when black in the RGB system is converted into the CMYK system, the image data converter sets the K mixture ratio to a K reference mixture ratio when TK<PHK, and sets the K mixture ratio to a K high mixture ratio that is higher than the K reference mixture ratio when TK?PHK. Here, TK is a K toner amount of consumption insufficiency which is a K toner amount to be consumed to prevent toner deterioration at the driving amount of the developing unit, and PHK is a K high predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Hitaka
  • Patent number: 7924299
    Abstract: A developer cartridge provided in an image-forming device has a developer side casing that includes a toner-accommodating chamber and a developing chamber; and a plate wall disposed in the developing chamber for partitioning a thickness-regulating blade from the toner-accommodating chamber. When a thickness-regulating blade scrapes excess charged toner off the developing roller, the plate wall prevents this charged toner from returning to the toner-accommodating chamber. A flexible wiper for cleaning toner detection windows is attached to an agitator for stirring toner in the toner-accommodating chamber via a fixing member. The fixing member includes a support plate and a gripping plate disposed opposite each other with a slit formed therebetween. The wiper is inserted into the slit and is fixed to the fixing member when a boss protruding from a restricting plate becomes inserted into a through-hole formed in the wiper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Kishi
  • Patent number: 7796150
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent degradation of image quality in a case where dot patterns for preventing the formation of image stripes are superimposed on respective developed images corresponding to image signals. Developed images are formed on a photosensitive drum using developers of respective different colors based on image information. The developed images formed on the photosensitive drum are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. For each of the developed images of the respective colors, a number of dot developed images which are minute dot-shaped images formed in a dispersed manner are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiro Tamaoki
  • Patent number: 7750929
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image is formed by controlling the amount of light, the emission time, and the like, considering the spot diameters of a laser, without changing the charging bias, the developing bias, and the like so as to obtain a plurality of correlations between density patches and development contrasts faithfully representing the developing characteristics of an image forming apparatus in a short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motohiro Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7705866
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, a charging unit for charging the image bearing member, and an image exposure unit including a light emitting portion for emitting light to form an electrostatic image. The image forming apparatus also includes a developing unit including a toner carrying member and a bias controlling unit for applying a bias voltage to the toner carrying member, the developing unit being effective to develop the electrostatic image with toner by a potential difference between the toner carrying member and the electrostatic image, a potential difference determining unit, and a storing unit for storing a light amount control value, corresponding to the potential difference, set on a basis of a light emission amount information inherent to the light emitting portion. The image exposure unit reads the light amount control value and controls the light amount based on the light amount control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumiteru Gomi, Masami Hano
  • Patent number: 7667724
    Abstract: A customer replaceable unit installable in a printing apparatus comprises a component requiring high voltage electric power for operation, a low voltage power input, and that cooperates with the low voltage power input in order to transform low voltage electric power from the low voltage power input into high voltage electric power for use by the component. The customer replaceable unit may also include a low voltage signal input, and the high voltage power supply unit controls output of the high voltage electric power in response to signals received at the low voltage signal input. The signals received at the low voltage signal input are independent of a type of the component in the customer replaceable unit, and the high voltage power supply unit provides an appropriate high voltage for the type of the component, thereby allowing modification of the type of component without having to provide a different low voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jerome E. May
  • Patent number: 7586512
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, forming an image by two-dimensionally fast and slow-scanning and exposing with light that has been modulated in accordance with image data representing an image and visualizing an electrostatic latent image with toner, includes a calculating unit that divides an image region in a fast-scanning direction into plural regions and calculates image data amounts to be used for image formation in the image data per each of the plural regions, and a correcting unit that corrects, on the basis of the calculation result of the calculating unit, unevenness of density in the fast-scanning direction in the toner image resulting from a distance between a position where the toner is supplied to a developing roll and a position where the toner is supplied to each of the plural regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Matsuyuki Aoki, Satoshi Tanaka, Nobukazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7445884
    Abstract: A thermal development device including: a thermal development section for heating to develop a latent image formed on a light-sensitive surface of a photothermographic material; a cooling section for cooling the photothermographic material passed the thermal development section under a condition that a cooling rate for a light-insensitive surface of the photothermographic material is faster than the cooling rate for the light-sensitive surface of the photothermographic material; and a conveyance section in which the photothermographic material is conveyed via the thermal development section and the cooling section, and the length of the conveyance path that passes the cooling section is not more than 1.5 times the length of the conveyance path that passes the thermal development section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 7199813
    Abstract: A set of color toners for use in an electrophotographic image forming device is disclosed. The set of color toners include a cyan toner having high cyan pigment load, a magenta toner having a high magenta pigment load, and a yellow toner having a high yellow pigment load. An electrophotographic image forming device includes the set of color high pigment load toners, a black toner, a controls system architecture for an electrophotographic process controller or image output terminal having a first setting to deliver a partial amount of color toners to a target media and having a second setting to deliver complete amount of color toners to said target media. A method of creating photographic and text images in an electrophotographic image forming device includes providing a set of color toners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Steve A Jacob
  • Patent number: 7180533
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, comprising: an exposing device for exposing an image forming material so as to form a latent image on the image forming material based on image data; a developing device for developing and visualizing the latent image on the exposed image forming material so as to form an image; a measuring device for measuring the image density of the image on the developed image forming material; a calibrating device for forming a table to define a relation between an image signal and image density on the basis of plural different test image data and measured-image densities thereof; a storing device for storing a characteristic change model indicating a characteristic change of at least one of the exposing device and the developing device with time; a difference calculating device to calculate a density difference on the basis of the characteristic change model between the time of forming the table and the time of forming an image based on image signal of diagnostic image data; and a correcti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Youichi Ono, Masaya Shimoji
  • Patent number: 7158162
    Abstract: A heating control method of a heat development recording device includes a heating step in which after start-up of the heat development recording device, a heat development section is heated to a target temperature by a plate heater, a temperature holding step in which after the temperature of the plate heater has reached the target temperature, the target temperature is held for a prescribed time, and a step in which after the target temperature has been held for the prescribed time, the heat development section is set up in the recordable state, wherein after start-up of the heat development recording device, operation history information from the time of the last start-up is collected; and after reaching the target temperature at the time of the present start-up, a temperature holding time is determined depending upon the operation history information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kojima
  • Patent number: 7158164
    Abstract: In a thermal development method for generating a image from a latent image recorded on an image formation layer of a photosensitive photothermographic recording material, by means of heating the photosensitive photothermographic recording material, a first surface, which is one surface of the photosensitive photothermographic recording material A, and a second surface, which is the remaining surface of the same, are heated; and a total amount of heat applied to the second surface is controlled so as to fall within a range of 100±30 when a total amount of heat applied to the first surface is taken as 100 in connection with the respective total amounts of heat which are applied to the image formation layer from the first and second surfaces and equal to and higher than the development reaction temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Okada
  • Patent number: 7145587
    Abstract: A thermal development apparatus comprises: a photothermographic recording material feed section that contains a supply tray in the photothermographic recording material feed section, the supply tray being for containing a photothermographic recording material; an exposure section that subjects the photothermographic recording material to exposure; a first conveyance section that conveys the photothermographic recording material from the supply tray to the exposure section; a thermal development section that effects thermal development of the photothermographic recording material; a second conveyance section that conveys the photothermographic recording material from the exposure section to the thermal development section; a cassette storage section that contains a cassette, the cassette being for containing a double-sided photothermographic recording material having image forming layers on both sides of the double-sided photothermographic recording material; and a third conveyance section that conveys the dou
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Okada
  • Patent number: 7126620
    Abstract: In a thermal development method for generating an image from a latent image recorded on an image formation layer of a photosensitive photothermographic recording material, by means of heating the photosensitive photothermographic recording material, a first surface, which is one surface of the photosensitive photothermographic recording material, and a second surface, which is the remaining surface of the same, are heated; and wherein a second total amount of heat applied to one surface of the first and second surfaces, the one surface having a larger contact area, is controlled so as to be a value of 80 or less when a first amount of heat applied to the other surface having a smaller contact area is taken as 100, wherein the first and second amounts of heat are total amounts of heat applied to the image formation layer from the first and second surfaces, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Okada
  • Patent number: 7123281
    Abstract: In a thermal development method for generating a image from a latent image recorded on an image formation layer of a photosensitive photothermographic recording material, by means of heating the recording material, a first surface, which is one surface of the recording material, and a second surface, which is the remaining surface of the same, are heated; and wherein a second total amount of heat applied to one surface of the first and second surfaces, the one surface being on the side of one unit having a higher heat conductivity of first and second heating units, is controlled so as to be a value of 80 or less when a first amount of heat applied to the other surface is taken as 100, wherein the first and second amounts of heat are total amounts of heat applied to the image formation layer from the first and second surfaces, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Okada
  • Patent number: 7057633
    Abstract: A thermal development recording apparatus has a recording portion for exposing a thermal development recording material to form a latent image, a thermal-developing portion for heating the thermal development recording material to execute a thermal development, and a cooling portion for cooling the thermal development recording material after the thermal development, which further has a temperature adjusting portion for adjusting a temperature of the thermal-developing portion based on temperature of the cooling portion. Therefore, the thermal development recording apparatus can maintain a density constant independent of the number of sheets of thermal development recording materials and also maintaining a color tone, whose change cannot be suppressed by adjusting an amount of exposure, constant to thereby stabilize both the density and the color tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kojima, Nobuyuki Torisawa
  • Patent number: 7034857
    Abstract: An image-recording apparatus. In a housing of the apparatus are a casing section that encases a light and heat sensitive recording material, an optical recording section that exposes the light and heat sensitive recording material fed from the casing section to record a latent image, a thermal developing section that develops the latent image by heating, an optical fixing section that fixes the developed image by irradiating it with light, and an outlet through which the image-recorded material is taken out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobufumi Mori, Akinori Harada, Shintaro Washizu
  • Patent number: 6911994
    Abstract: A thermal development apparatus capable of preventing thermal development failure because of improvement on a characteristic required of a resilient member. The thermal development apparatus has: a heating section for heating thermal development photosensitive material within which a latent image is established, and maintaining temperature of the thermal development photosensitive material at thermal development temperature; and a conveyance section for conveying the thermal development photosensitive material with the heating section, wherein the heating section has a cylindrical sleeve, a heat source provided inside of the cylindrical sleeve, and a resilient member on an external surface of the cylindrical sleeve, and the resilient member has a smooth layer as an outermost layer thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Sumi, Hajime Ishimoto
  • Patent number: 6891557
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure portion having a light source, for forming a latent image on a photothermographic imaging material by exposing a light beam, a thermal development portion having a heating portion for thermally developing by heating the photothermographic imaging material on which the latent image is formed, and a cooling and conveying portion for conveying and cooling the thermally developed photothermographic imaging material, a temperature detecting member for detecting at least one of a temperature of a predetermined portion concerning the cooling and conveying portion, and a temperature in a vicinity of the exposure portion, and a control unit for controlling a factor relating to thermal development on a basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Sumi, Akira Taguchi, Takehiro Shiraishi, Masaya Shimoji, Mamoru Umeki, Makoto Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6885391
    Abstract: There is described a thermal development apparatus, which makes it possible to prevent generation of density variations caused by changes of the processing temperature during the thermal developing operation when the thermal developing photosensitive material is continuously processed, without increasing the cost of the apparatus so much. The thermal development apparatus includes a thermal developing processor to apply a thermal development processing to the thermal developing photosensitive material, a detector to detect the thermal developing photosensitive material to be conveyed into the thermal developing processor and a controller to control the thermal developing processor in a feed forward controlling mode based on a processing condition of the thermal developing processor. The processing condition is established in advance, corresponding to a load of processing the thermal developing photosensitive material detected in advance by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Shiraishi, Makoto Sumi, Makoto Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6850261
    Abstract: A color thermal printer includes a photo fixer, which is constituted by a Braun tube. An electron beam gun emits electron. A fluorescent screen is excited by the electron, for generating near ultraviolet rays or ultraviolet rays. An image on thermosensitive recording material is fixed by application of the near ultraviolet rays or ultraviolet rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoko Taki, Hideyuki Kokubo
  • Patent number: 6844890
    Abstract: An apparatus for adapting a smaller toner cartridge for use in laser printers or copiers which otherwise accept and use only larger toner cartridges. The apparatus expands the width of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi Printing Solutions America, Inc.
    Inventor: John Morgan
  • Patent number: 6819350
    Abstract: Image deterioration due to contact of a cleaning roller and a photosensitive member when an image forming operation stops can be prevented. When the image forming operation stops, a photosensitive belt is stopped in a condition that a stop position of the photosensitive belt corresponds to a photosensitive belt cleaning roller. Even if a stain is caused in the stop position of the photosensitive belt by the contact with the photosensitive belt cleaning roller, an image is formed in an image region of the photosensitive belt, separate from the stop position, in the image forming operation and the image is not deteriorated by the stain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Yokoi
  • Patent number: 6812947
    Abstract: A thermal processor having a contaminant removal system. The system includes a heated drum for heat developing exposed heat developable media which emit airborne contaminants during the development; a plurality of rollers located about a circumferential segment of the drum to hold an exposed media in contact with the drum; an enclosure for enclosing the heated drum and plurality of rollers, the enclosure including a first upper curved member spaced from and enclosing the rollers and the upper portion of the drum and a second lower curved member spaced from and enclosing the lower portion of the drum, the first and second curved members having first ends spaced from each other and defining a film entrance region, and further having second ends spaced from each other and defining a film exit region; wherein the first upper curved member includes a curved duct having a first opening above the rollers and a second opening configured to direct gaseous fluids away from the film exit from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Bradley B. Rassatt, David J. McDaniel
  • Patent number: 6812946
    Abstract: An image forming device in which, even if exposure processing and developing processing are carried out simultaneously, offset at a time of scanning-exposure in an exposure section, which is caused by relatively rough conveying in a developing section, can be eliminated. Attention is focused on rigidity of a sheet-shaped recording material. A guide plate of a conveying section is bent such that elastic repulsion is generated, and a predetermined frictional force with respect to a driving roller is generated by the elastic repulsion. Thus, even if the driving roller vibrates due to an external disturbance or non-uniform driving occurs, vibration or the like can be absorbed by movement of the recording material in a thickness direction thereof. Thus, conveying of the recording material is not directly affected, and conveying can be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Torisawa, Chisato Yamamoto, Hiroshi Nakahashi
  • Patent number: 6809751
    Abstract: The card printing system of the present invention includes a cartridge sub-assembly and a printer sub-assembly. The cartridge sub-assembly encloses a stack of horizontally positioned cards that have each been plied with photosensitive microcapsules. The printer sub-assembly interfaced with the cartridge sub-assembly to obtain a card from the stack. The printer sub-assembly then forms a latent image upon the photosensitive microcapsules upon the obtained card and develops that image by applying a mechanical pressure to the photosensitive microcapsules with a developer array. The develop array is a block containing a number spring-loaded developer balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: CyCard Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren W. Haas, I. Tony Haugen, Bradley A. Paulson, Robert J. Innes
  • Patent number: 6791593
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising exposing a heat-developable light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least a light-sensitive silver halide having a silver iodide content of 5 to 100 mol %, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a heat developing agent, and a binder by means of a scanning optical system having a light source emitting a laser beam having an emission peak between 350 nm and 450 nm to form a latent image on said heat-developable light-sensitive material, heating said heat-developable light-sensitive material to about 80 to 250° C. in a heat development section, and cooling said heat-developable light-sensitive material having been heat treated in said heat development section to or below a development stopping temperature while said heat-developable light-sensitive material is transported in a cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Goto, Katsutoshi Yamane
  • Patent number: 6788328
    Abstract: A heat development apparatus (21) which heats a heat-developable sheet (A) having an exposure-development latent image formed therein while being conveyed therethrough so that the latent image is developed, characterized in that a heat development section (IV) includes a heating device (37) for heating the heat-developable sheet (A), a hold-down roller (38) disposed opposed to the heating device (37) for pressing the heat-developable sheet (A) against the heating device (37), and a temperature adjusting device (39) for raising the temperature of the hold-down roller (38) to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Torisawa
  • Publication number: 20040169714
    Abstract: A thermal processor having a contaminant removal system. The system includes a heated drum for heat developing exposed heat developable media which emit airborne contaminants during the development; a plurality of rollers located about a circumferential segment of the drum to hold an exposed media in contact with the drum; an enclosure for enclosing the heated drum and plurality of rollers, the enclosure including a first upper curved member spaced from and enclosing the rollers and the upper portion of the drum and a second lower curved member spaced from and enclosing the lower portion of the drum, the first and second curved members having first ends spaced from each other and defining a film entrance region, and further having second ends spaced from each other and defining a film exit region; wherein the first upper curved member includes a curved duct having a first opening above the rollers and a second opening configured to direct gaseous fluids away from the film exit from the drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Bradley B. Rassatt, David J. McDaniel
  • Patent number: 6784911
    Abstract: A heat developing apparatus for developing a heat-processable photo-sensitive material having a supply unit provided with a loading section for loading the heat-processable photo-sensitive material, an exposure unit for forming a latent image based on an image signal or on a predetermined signal for density measurement, a developing unit for heat development, a device for gaining density information of the heat-processable photo-sensitive material developed, and a controller for conducting a correction for a density of the heat-processable photo-sensitive material based on a desired density and the density information, by controlling at least one of the exposure unit and the developing unit, wherein, the controller conducts the correction according to the density information when a predetermined condition is satisfied after a new package incorporating the heat-processable photo-sensitive material has been loaded on the loading section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Umeki, Makoto Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20040027446
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source unit, a deflecting unit for deflecting and scanning a light beam from the light source unit, and a scanning optical system for scanning the light beam deflected by the deflecting unit on a surface to be scanned. The scanning optical system includes a diffraction portion having an aspherical function in a sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Manabu Kato, Hiroshi Sato, Hidekazu Shimomura, Keiichiro Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20040008246
    Abstract: A laser beam isolation apparatus of a laser printer includes a blocking portion formed on the laser scanning unit to be moved between a blocking position to block a passing hole of the laser scanning unit and an open position to open the passing hole, a guide portion mounted in the laser scanning unit relative to the blocking portion, guiding the blocking portion to move between the blocking position and the open position, and an operating portion formed on the developer unit. The operating portion is operated to move the blocking portion along the guide portion. During a removal of the developer unit, the blocking portion that blocks a laser beam of a laser diode from being emitted out of the laser scanning unit is moved to the blocking position by its own weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyeong-seog Shim
  • Patent number: 6670977
    Abstract: An image-recording system with a first conveying path along which a light and heat sensitive recording material is conveyed from an accommodating cassette at an accommodating section toward a pair of conveying rollers, a second conveying path along which the recording material is conveyed forward and backward through an optical recording section and a heat-developing section, and a third conveying path along which the recording material, after development of an image thereon, is conveyed to an optical fixing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanji Nakanishi, Shintaro Washizu
  • Patent number: 6667754
    Abstract: In a heat developing apparatus having a heat applying member to thermally developing a photothermographic element by bringing the heat applying member into contact with the photothermographic element conveyed at a predetermined processing speed, and a guide surface to guide the element to a developing section, or a guide surface to guide the element from the developing section to the downstream portion in the developing section covered by a housing, at least either one of the guide surfaces is structured by a material having a low heat conductivity such as, for example, a heat insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Sumi, Akira Taguchi
  • Patent number: 6559878
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for fusing toner to a print medium. According to one embodiment, the apparatus includes a laser source optically coupled to a predefined position in a print medium pathway. A laser beam generated by the laser source is directed to fall upon the print medium shuttled along the print medium pathway. Finally, a laser controller is coupled to the laser source to control the laser beam to generate a predefined fusing exposure of the laser beam on the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Co., L.P.
    Inventors: George V. McIlvaine, Laurent A. Regimbal, David K. Towner
  • Publication number: 20030058328
    Abstract: Image deterioration due to contact of a cleaning roller and a photosensitive member when an image forming operation stops can be prevented. When the image forming operation stops, a photosensitive belt is stopped in a condition that a stop position of the photosensitive belt corresponds to a photosensitive belt cleaning roller. Even if a stain is caused in the stop position of the photosensitive belt by the contact with the photosensitive belt cleaning roller, an image is formed in an image region of the photosensitive belt, separate from the stop position, in the image forming operation and the image is not deteriorated by the stain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Yokoi