Charging Unit Patents (Class 399/115)
  • Patent number: 11762306
    Abstract: An electroconductive roll includes a core member, a rubber base material disposed around the core member, and a surface layer disposed around the rubber base material. The arithmetic mean peak curvature Spc of a surface of the surface layer is equal to or greater than 1,880 (1/mm), and is equal to or less than 14,024 (1/mm).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Kousuke Oura, Shogo Suzuki, Satoshi Fukuoka, Kenji Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11150571
    Abstract: A roller charging device may include a Y-shaped electrically conductive brush and a screw terminal coupling the Y-shaped electrically conductive brush to a housing of the roller charging device and electrically coupling the Y-shaped electrically conductive brush to a power source. A printing fluid developer may include a plurality of rollers and a plurality of Y-shaped brushes to each contact one of the plurality of rollers wherein each of the Y-shaped brushes provides an electrical charge to each of the plurality of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Blair A. Butler, Scott Sayer, Ziv Yosef, David Sabo
  • Patent number: 11137717
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a charge roller unit, and a storage recess. The photosensitive drum is disposed on a body frame. The charge roller unit includes a charge roller and is separate from the body frame. The storage recess stores the charge roller unit. The charge roller unit includes a storage frame and a support. The support supports the charge roller and is movably held on the storage frame. The support includes an operation portion that switches between a remote position and a contact position while the charge roller unit is stored in the storage recess. In the remote position, the charge roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. In the contact position, the charge roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuhsuke Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 11119423
    Abstract: A photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, a rotary member, a charging roller, a separating member, and a one-way clutch. The charging roller is moved to and positioned at a separated position in a case where the photosensitive member rotates in a second direction when the separating member is positioned at a first position. The charging roller is moved to and positioned at a contact position in a case where the photosensitive member rotates in a first direction when the separating member is positioned at a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Kitan
  • Patent number: 10459399
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller; a shaft; and a cam. The casing is configured to accommodate developer therein. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The shaft extends along a second axis extending in the axial direction. The shaft is movable along the second axis. The cam is movable along the second axis in response to axial movement of the shaft. The cam has a cam surface non-parallel with the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuwen Wang, Junichi Hashimoto, Isao Kishi, Kazuaki Ooka
  • Patent number: 10146149
    Abstract: The charging member includes: an electroconductive support; and an electroconductive elastic layer serving as a surface layer, wherein the elastic layer contains a binder, and holds electrically insulating hollow particles in such a state that at least a part of each of the hollow particles is exposed at a surface of the elastic layer, wherein the charging member has protrusions derived from the hollow particles in an outer surface of the charging member, and the outer surface of the charging member includes an outer surface of the elastic layer and an outer surface of an exposed portion of each of the hollow particles, and wherein the protrusions each have a depression in an outer surface of each of the protrusions, and an edge of the depression constitutes an apex in each of the protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Watanabe, Takumi Furukawa, Yuya Tomomizu, Kenya Terada, Toshiro Suzuki, Kenichi Yazawa, Kazuhiro Gesho
  • Patent number: 10073365
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive support, a photosensitive layer, and a surface protective layer disposed in sequence. The surface protective layer includes a cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable compound, a charge transporting material, and at least two polymerization initiators. The polymerization initiators include an acyl phosphine oxide and an O-acyl oxime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Mari Ueda, Toshiyuki Fujita, Haruo Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 10025217
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a first maintaining member and a second maintaining member, each disposed on respective end portions of a charging roller in an axial direction of the charging roller and configured to maintain a position of the charging roller at a first position, and a first moving portion and a second moving portion, each disposed on respective end portions of an image bearing member in an axial direction of the image bearing member and configured to respectively abut on and move the first and second maintaining members according to rotation of the image bearing member so as to move the charging roller from the first position to the second position. When the image bearing member is rotated in which the charging roller is in the first position, the first moving portion abuts on the first maintaining member, and then the second moving portion abuts on the second maintaining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kimura, Yu Fukasawa, Tachio Kawai
  • Patent number: 9785083
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a unit and an apparatus main body. The unit includes a charging member configured to charge an image carrier and a bearing configured to rotatably support the charging member. To the apparatus main body, the unit is attached along an attachment direction. The bearing is switchable between a contact posture to make the charging member come into contact with the image carrier and a separating posture to make the charging member separate from the image carrier. In a state before the unit is attached to the apparatus main body, the bearing is held in the separating posture. As the unit is attached to the apparatus main body, a pressing part arranged on the apparatus main body presses the bearing and the bearing is switched from the separating posture to the contact posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Morishita, Nobuhiro Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9760059
    Abstract: A photosensitive member unit for an image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive drum; a charging roller including an elastic layer; a first spring urging the roller toward the drum; a drive receiving portion provided on the drum; a rotatable spacer including a contact portion contacted to the drive receiving portion and capable of receiving the driving force through the drive receiving portion, the spacer being rotatable between a spacing position for maintaining a spaced state in which the contact portion contacts the drive receiving portion to space the roller from the drum, and a contact position in which the spaced state between the drum and the roller is disestablished, and the spacer being movable toward the drum; a supporting member urging the spacer in a state that spacer is in the spacing position; and a second spring urging the supporting member toward a rotation axis of the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromasa Katayama
  • Patent number: 9753392
    Abstract: An image carrier unit includes an image carrier, a charging device, and a unit housing. The charging device is attachably/detachably held in the unit housing, and electrically charges a surface of the image carrier. The unit housing integrally holds the image carrier and the charging device. The unit housing includes a light shielding member disposed at a first position at which the light shielding member blocks charge elimination light shone onto the image carrier from a charge elimination device provided on a side of the image forming apparatus such that the charge elimination light does not reach the charging device, the first position overlapping with an attachment-detachment path of the charging device. When detaching the charging device from the unit housing, the light shielding member moves from the first position to a second position retracted from the attachment-detachment path of the charging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hirohito Konishi
  • Patent number: 9500968
    Abstract: An overcoat layer comprises a structured organic film (SOF) comprising a plurality of segments and a plurality of linkers including a first fluorinated segment and a second electroactive segment, and an antioxidant is present in the SOF; and a hole transport molecule which does not form a network with the SOF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory McGuire, Richard A. Klenkler, Adrien P. Côté, Yvan Gagnon
  • Patent number: 9459563
    Abstract: A spacing device includes a spacing member that spaces first and second rotating bodies having first and second shaft portions, respectively, apart from each other. The spacing member is provided on the second shaft portion and includes a supporting portion that supports the first rotating body; and an opening through which the second shaft portion extends and including an idling portion that allows a hook part of the second shaft portion to rotate idle, and a catching portion that catches the hook part. The first and second rotating bodies are spaced apart when the hook part is in the catching portion and the first rotating body is supported by the supporting portion. The first and second rotating bodies are allowed to rotate when the spacing member rotates until the supporting portion is oriented downward in a direction of gravitational force and the hook part moves to the idling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shota Makita
  • Patent number: 9436118
    Abstract: A first mode in which a toner image is formed on a surface of a photoconductor by forming an electrostatic latent image with exposure means and a second mode in which a toner image used to adjust a tilt of a corona charger relative to the surface of the photoconductor in a longitudinal direction of the corona charger is output substantially without forming an electrostatic latent image with the exposure means are executable. An oscillating voltage superimposed in a developing bias in the second mode is set such that an amount of change in density of the toner image relative to an amount of change in developing contrast within a predetermined range of the density of the toner image becomes larger for the developing bias used in the second mode than for the developing bias used in the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9207555
    Abstract: An assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a charge roll and a bracket that extends along an axial length of the charge roll. First and second bearing retainers are positioned on a first axial end and a second axial end of the bracket, respectively. First and second bearings are pivotally mounted to the first and second bearing retainers, respectively. Each of the first and second bearings has a charge roll opening that supports a respective axial end of a shaft of the charge roll. First and second biasing members act on the first and second bearings, respectively. The first and second biasing members bias the charge roll toward an operative position for charging a photoconductive drum. A direction of force from the first biasing member on the first bearing and from the second biasing member on the second bearing is toward the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahren Michael Hoy, Michael David Maul
  • Patent number: 9042788
    Abstract: A charging device for electrically charging a photosensitive member, includes: a discharging electrode; a casing provided with an opening; a grid provided at the opening; a sheet-shaped shutter; a moving portion; a connecting portion; a winding-up portion; an urging portion; a first supporting portion; a second supporting portion; and an operating portion. The winding-up portion is configured to wind up, when the shutter is closed, the shutter so that a surface of the shutter opposing the photosensitive member is an outermost surface. When movement of the shutter in the opening direction is completed, the operating portion is covered with the shutter. When the connecting portion is separated from the moving portion, a leading end portion of the shutter with respect to the closing direction is movable toward a downstream side of the operating portion with respect to the opening direction by a winding-up force by the urging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiro Nishino
  • Patent number: 9023465
    Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive member that can demonstrate stable performance for a long period of time with an electric resistance value being hardly changed even by electrical conduction for a long period of time. An electroconductive member has a conductive mandrel, and a conductive layer provided on the outer periphery of the conductive mandrel. The conductive layer includes an organic polymeric compound as a binder, and a conductive particle dispersed in the organic polymeric compound, and the particle includes an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer having a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Yamada, Seiji Tsuru, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Norifumi Muranaka, Yuka Hirakoso
  • Patent number: 9008545
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum, a charger for uniformly charging a surface of the drum, an optical head for irradiating the surface of the drum with light to change a charging state of the drum surface, and a developing device for causing a toner to adhere on the surface of the drum in accordance with the charging state. The charger has a grid with two wire fixing portions each provided with two grooves, a first discharge wire fitted in one of the two grooves of each wire fixing portion, and a second discharge wire fitted in the other of the two grooves of each wire fixing portion. The two grooves of each wire fixing portion are arranged relative to the grid so that the first and second discharge wires are arranged parallel to one another along a substantial center in a width direction of the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko I Infotech Inc.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Sakamaki
  • Publication number: 20150098725
    Abstract: Provided is a charging unit including a charging member that is provided and comes in contact with a surface of an image holding member holding an image to charge the image holding member, a cleaning member that is provided and comes in contact with a surface of the charging member to clean the charging member, and a support member that includes a first support portion which is provided with an opening portion that opens in a direction intersecting rotating shafts of the charging member and the cleaning member, and which supports one end of the charging member is inserted through the opening portion to support the one end of the charging member, and a second support portion which is formed by being connected to the first support portion and which supports one end of the cleaning member which is inserted from the opening portion through the first support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD
    Inventor: Takuya KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8953985
    Abstract: A blade-like charging member for charging a surface of an image bearing member by contacting the image bearing member and by being supplied with a voltage. The blade-like charging member includes a charging portion for effecting electric discharge to the surface of the image bearing member, and a non-charging portion not effecting the electric discharge to the surface of the image bearing member. The non-charging portion is capable of contacting the image bearing member while maintaining an electrically dischargeable gap between the charging portion and the image bearing member. At least a part of the non-charging portion is made of a material having a higher resistance than that of the charging portion so as to prevent electric discharge between the non-charging portion and the surface of the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Namiki
  • Patent number: 8923732
    Abstract: Provided is a charging member capable of suppressing occurrence of compression set while having flexibility enough to ensure a nip with a photosensitive member. The charging member comprises a support and an elastic layer, wherein the elastic layer has an MD-1 hardness of from 55 to 85° at the surface thereof, and has a universal hardness of 2.0 to 20.0 N/mm2 at an indentation depth of 5 ?m from the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Harada, Hiroaki Watanabe, Keiji Nose
  • Patent number: 8913920
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus, includes a rotatable image bearing member on which a latent image is to be formed; charging means for contacting said image bearing member to charge a surface of said image bearing member; a frame supporting said image bearing member and said charging means; a covering member, demountably mounted to said frame, for protecting the surface of said image bearing member; and a spacer member including a spacing portion, movably provided on said covering member, for entering between said image bearing member and said charging means to space them therebetween, and a retaining portion, contacting said covering member when said spacing portion is not between said image bearing member and said charging means, for preventing said spacer member from disengaging from said covering member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuuki Nakamura, Yoshifumi Takeyama
  • Patent number: 8903272
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image forming member including a latent-image carrier and support members disposed at both ends of the latent-image carrier to support the latent-image carrier, a charging member including a discharge electrode that supplies an electric charge to the latent-image carrier and a control electrode that is disposed between the discharge electrode and the latent-image carrier and controls a potential of the latent-image carrier, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion that are respectively formed on the latent-image forming member and the charging member and that are connected to each other to connect the latent-image forming member and the charging member to each other, and an urging member that is disposed between the latent-image forming member and the charging member to urge them away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Arichika Tanaka, Kuniaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8892000
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a permitting unit and a moving unit. The permitting unit selectively establishes a first positional relationship in which photosensitive members contact an endless belt and a second positional relationship in which the photosensitive members separate from the endless belt. The moving unit moves a charger between a first position confronting the corresponding photosensitive member at a rear side thereof in a juxtaposed direction and a second position moved away from the first position. The endless belt confronts the photosensitive members at a top side thereof in an orthogonal direction. Each developer cartridge confronts the corresponding photosensitive member at a bottom side thereof. The developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from a main casing while moved past a front side of the corresponding photosensitive member when the second positional relationship is established and the neighboring charger is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Souda
  • Patent number: 8849150
    Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member that includes a rotating shaft and charges a surface of a charging object while rotating in contact with the charging object, a cleaning member that includes a rotating shaft and removes unwanted matter from a surface of the charging member while rotating in contact with the charging member, and a bearing member that includes first and second receiving portions each having an open part on one side thereof and a substantially concave-shaped bottom on another side thereof. The first and second receiving portions receive circumferences of the rotating shafts of the charging member and the cleaning member, respectively, at the bottoms thereof. The open parts of the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion face respectively different directions. A part of an inner surface of the second receiving portion forms a part of an outer surface of the first receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Yamaguchi, Takuji Matsumoto, Kenichi Shimada, Yasuhiro Warita
  • Patent number: 8843027
    Abstract: A photosensitive cartridge includes: a photosensitive member mounted to the photosensitive cartridge such that a surface thereof is movable in a first direction; an electric discharge electrode that extends in a second direction at an interval with the surface of the photosensitive member, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction and parallel with the surface of the photosensitive member; a frame holding the photosensitive member and the electric discharge electrode and including an opening at an opposite side of the photosensitive member across the electric discharge electrode, the opening extending in the second direction; a cleaner movable along the opening so as to clean the electric discharge electrode; and a reinforcement member, which is a separate member from the cleaner, and which is contactable with the frame to reinforce a surrounding part of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Yasumasa Fujii
  • Publication number: 20140270847
    Abstract: A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki UENISHI, Hirotaka HATTA, Toshiya SATO, Takeshi KOJIMA, Akira ASAOKA, Yusuke ISHIZUKA
  • Patent number: 8837985
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member, which hardly changes in performance even when being left to stand for a long time period. The electrophotographic member comprises a support, an elastic layer formed on the support, and a surface layer covering a surface of the elastic layer and containing a urethane resin, and in which the urethane resin comprises a reaction product of: a hydroxyl group-terminated prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate; and an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishida, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Tomoya Uesugi
  • Patent number: 8811858
    Abstract: A charging and/or discharging unit for an image formation device may include a discharge wire extending in a lateral direction (a second direction) perpendicular to a first direction, the first direction corresponding to a moving direction of the surface of a photosensitive drum and parallel to the surface of the photosensitive drum. The discharge wire may be distanced from the surface of the photosensitive drum. Shield electrodes and a grid electrode are opposed to the discharge wire, with a distance therefrom and extending along the lateral direction. The shield electrodes and the grid electrode may include ribs extending in the lateral direction, respectively. In one or more examples, the ribs may correspond to recessed portions in a surface of the corresponding electrodes and may be located out of a specified circular area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Yasumasa Fujii
  • Patent number: 8805238
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image forming member including a latent-image carrier and support portions, a charging member including a discharge electrode and a control electrode, restraining portions that restrain both ends of the control electrode in a width direction, and abutting portions that are provided on the support portions, that include curved surfaces, and that are abutted against the control electrode. The curved surfaces have a center of curvature that coincides with a rotational center of the latent-image carrier, and are at a position where a distance from the latent-image carrier in a radial direction is equal to a distance between the latent-image carrier and the control electrode. When the charging member is attached to the latent-image forming member, the control electrode is abutted against the curved surfaces by the restraining portions and is deformed along the curved surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Arichika Tanaka, Kuniaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8781361
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body of the image forming apparatus; a developing cartridge that is detachably disposed in the main body and includes an image carrier; a charging roller that is disposed to face the image carrier in the developing cartridge and charges a surface of the image carrier; a charging roller separating unit that moves the charging roller between a first position in which the charging roller is in contact with the image carrier and a second position in which the charging roller is spaced apart from the image carrier; and a paper feeding cassette detachably disposed in the main body; wherein when the paper feeding cassette is first mounted, the charging roller is fixed in the second position by the charging roller separating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-jin Jang, Hyun-wook Bae, Seung-gweon Lee
  • Patent number: 8774673
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of photoconductor drums; a plurality of exposure members; a drum supporting member having a pair of side walls disposed opposite to each other in an axial direction of the photoconductor drum and configured to support the photoconductor drums and the exposure members between the side walls; a belt disposed below and opposite to the photoconductor drums; a pair of guide members configured to support the drum supporting member while allowing rectilinear movement of the drum supporting member; and a main body circuit board provided in the main body and connected to the exposure members via a cable. The main body circuit board is arranged below the belt, and the cable passes a region outside the belt in the axial direction of the photoconductor drum and is connected to the main body circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Hiroshi Nakano, Hirotaka Mori
  • Patent number: 8761635
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus having the same. The developing device includes a space maintaining member separably coupled to an outer surface of a housing thereof. The space maintaining member restricts movement of a holder used to support a charging roller which comes into contact with a photoconductor by pressure of a pressure member, providing use convenience and operation reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Lee, Dae Seob Kweon
  • Patent number: 8753735
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide materials and methods for bias charging members including an outer surface coating, wherein the outer surface coating can include carbon nanotubes combined with polymer(s) to provide desirable surface, electrical, and/or mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Gilmartin, Liang-Bih Lin, Jeanne M. Koval, Jin Wu, Aaron M. Stuckey
  • Patent number: 8744317
    Abstract: An electrification apparatus includes: an electrification roller that rotates touching An image carrier to electrify a surface of the image carrier; a support member that by a bearing portion, supports rotatably a rotation shaft which is disposed at an end portion in a shaft direction of the electrification roller; and a cover member that is disposed on the rotation shaft and covers a portion of the rotation shaft which is near the bearing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8744309
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charger facing a rotatably supported image carrier, the charger being configured to charge the image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a movement mechanism configured to move the charger between a charging position at which the charger is close to the image carrier and a retracted position at which the charger is retracted away from the image carrier; a positioning structure including a first reference member that is provided on the charger and a second reference member that is provided on the image carrier, the first reference member and the second reference member are in contact with each other when the charger is at the charging position such that the charger is held in the charging position; and a pushing member configured to push the charger against the image carrier when the charger is at the charging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuniaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8731436
    Abstract: A printer includes a photoconductor, a charge roller, and a positioner. The photoconductor includes an outer surface defining a seam region and a non-seam region while the charge roller is configured to rollingly engage the outer surface of the non-seam region. The positioner is operably coupled to the charge roller and includes a discrete step drive configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the charge roller and the seam region of the outer surface when the seam region passes underneath the charge roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Yonatan Gamzon-Kapeller, Yonni Hartstein, Shmuel I. Borenstain
  • Patent number: 8706006
    Abstract: A developing device that attaches/detaches to/from a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller to rotate while contacting the photosensitive drum to charge a surface of the photosensitive drum to a uniform potential, and a separating member to rotate between a first position where the charging roller is separated from the photosensitive drum and a second position where the charging roller contacts the photosensitive drum. The separating member includes a body into which a rotary shaft of the charging roller is inserted to be rotatable, and a contact portion extending from the body and contacting the surface of the photosensitive drum when the separating member is located at the first position so as to separate the charging roller from the photosensitive drum, wherein the contact portion includes a friction member including rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-in Kim, Sung-gi Kim, Dong-cheol Ahn, Sang-hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 8687993
    Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member in contact with or adjacent to a charged body, a charge housing that holds the charging member, bearing members that rotatably support the charging member, at least one of the bearing members being a conductive bearing member, pressing members that press the bearing members toward the charged body, at least the pressing member for the conductive bearing member being formed of a conductive material, a platelike power supply member in contact with the pressing member for the conductive bearing member, and positioning mechanisms that position the bearing members. The power supply member has a platelike extending portion. The positioning mechanism provided on a power supplied side of the charging member includes a positioning portion provided in the conductive bearing member, and a positioned portion provided in the extending portion. The positioned portion engages with the positioning portion when the extending portion elastically deforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Honobe, Hiroki Ando, Tsuneo Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 8682186
    Abstract: An image forming device has: an image forming body on which an image is formed in a state in which the image forming body is charged; a charging device having plural discharge portions, and charging the image forming body by discharging of plural discharge portions; and a control section that, when forming the image on the image forming body, operates the plural discharge portions, and when not forming the image on the image forming body, switches between a state of operating some of the plural discharge portions and decreasing output of or stopping the discharge portions other than the some discharge portions, and a state of operating some other of the plural discharge portions and decreasing output of or stopping the discharge portions other than the some other discharge portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Ichikawa, Akiko Kimura
  • Patent number: 8682221
    Abstract: A discharger includes a discharging member that faces a member to be charged and discharges electricity by applying voltage; and a grid member that is disposed between the discharging member and the member to be charged and regulates electric discharge from the discharging member. The grid member has holes with a predetermined shape and extending through the grid member from the discharging member toward the member to be charged, and has a first region with the holes arranged at a first inclination angle, a second region with the holes arranged at a second inclination angle, and a boundary between the first and second regions and extending in the extending direction of the discharging member. When the first region is symmetrically projected onto the second region with respect to the boundary, an arrangement pattern of the holes in the first region and an arrangement pattern of the holes in the second region are positionally displaced relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuzo Ichikawa, Tomoya Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8676087
    Abstract: An image forming device including an accommodating member, a moving section, a driving section, a transmitting section, and first and second switching sections. The accommodating member is movable between an accommodating position and a pulled-out position. A charger includes a charging wire and a wire cleaner movable therealong. The moving section is configured to move the wire cleaner. The driving section is configured to generate a drive force to move the moving section. The transmitting section is movable to one of a first path on which the transmitting section is drivingly connected to the driving section and a second path on which the transmitting section is disconnected from the driving section. The transmitting section is configured to transmit the drive force from the driving section to the moving section when the transmitting section is moved to the first path. The first switching section is configured to switch a position of the transmitting section from the second path to the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 8673525
    Abstract: There is provided an electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising, in this order a substrate; a photosensitive layer; and a protective layer including oxygen and gallium, the protective layer including a first region and a second region that is present closer to the substrate than the first region and has a ratio of the number of atoms of oxygen to the number of atoms of gallium (oxygen/gallium) larger than that in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Yagi
  • Patent number: 8644731
    Abstract: A charging device includes a charger facing a rotatably supported image carrier and configured to charge the image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, and a movement mechanism configured to move the charger between a charging position at which the charger is close to the image carrier and a retracted position at which the charger is retracted away from the image carrier. The movement mechanism includes a support member supporting the charger that has been moved to the retracted position by the movement mechanism, and a movable member configured to move when a driving force from a drive source is transmitted thereto. The movable member moves to the charging position or the retracted position when the movable member is moved in a direction of a rotational axis of the image carrier while being in contact with the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuniaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8634739
    Abstract: A charge roller conductive film and a developer cartridge. The conductive film has an input contacting an electrical contact of an image forming apparatus main assembly, an output electrically connecting with a charge roller and a transmission section connecting with the input and the output. The input has a middle contact plate shaped like a bent strip. A side contact plate is formed on at least one side of the middle contact plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Print-Rite Unicorn Image Products Co., Ltd. of Zhuhai
    Inventor: Haijun Xie
  • Patent number: 8622881
    Abstract: The conductive member has a conductive support and a conductive elastic layer. The elastic layer is a mixture containing an electron conductive agent and a binder polymer, or a cured product thereof, and the electron conductive agent contains a carbon black satisfying the following characteristics: (i) an average primary particle diameter is 20 nm or more and 30 nm or less; (ii) a DBP oil absorption is 40 ml/100 g or more and 70 ml/100 g or less, and the total amount of CO and CO2 generated by temperature programmed desorption/mass spectrometry is 0.30 mass % or more and 0.80 mass % or less with reference to the carbon black; and (iii) the amount of SO2 generated by the temperature programmed desorption/mass spectrometry is 0.05 mass % or more with reference to the carbon black.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Harada, Keiji Nose, Hiroaki Watanabe, Takumi Furukawa, Kenya Terada
  • Patent number: 8594534
    Abstract: A corona discharger includes a shield and a charging wire provided in the shield, for generating corona discharge by applying a voltage to the charging wire. The corona discharger further includes a winding-up portion for winding up the charging wire by rotation thereof to move the charging wire in the shield, a driving portion for rotationally driving the winding-up portion, a rotation detecting portion for detecting the rotation of the winding-up portion, and a controller for controlling the driving portion so that a cumulative rotation amount of the winding-up portion is counted on the basis of a detection result of the rotation detecting portion and then a rotation amount of the winding-up portion per unit winding-up length of the charging wire is decreased with an increase of the cumulative rotation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Saito, Hiroshige Inoue
  • Patent number: 8588652
    Abstract: A charged particle generator includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulating material that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode has an opening that opens in a first direction in which the first electrode, the insulating material, and the second electrode are arranged. The insulating material has a region limiting space. The region limiting space corresponds to the opening. The region limiting space is continuous with the opening. The region limiting space is a space that opens in a direction in which the region limiting space is oriented toward the opening and that is limited in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first electrode has an anisotropic resistance portion in which a resistance component in the first direction is smaller than a resistance component in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Ohmori, Takanori Morino, Chikaho Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8588653
    Abstract: A charging device includes a corona charger for electrically charging a photosensitive member; a sheet-like member for covering and uncovering an opening of the corona charger; a regulating member for regulating a shape of the sheet-like member so that the sheet-like member is convex toward the corona charger with respect to a circumferential direction of the photosensitive member; and a winding-up member, including a winding-up shaft around which the sheet-like member is to be wound up, for winding up the sheet-like member so that a surface of the sheet-like member opposing the corona charger is directed toward a winding-up center of the winding-up shaft when the sheet-like member is wound up by the winding-up shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kidaka, Yuichi Makino
  • Patent number: 8577247
    Abstract: A discharger includes a discharger main body that is adapted to be attached to and detached from a holding member of an image forming apparatus, a first electrode member that is formed of a wire rod, a second electrode member, a voltage for discharge being applied between the first and second electrode members, an electrode cleaning member that cleans the first electrode member, a detected portion that is integrally disposed to the electrode cleaning member, a detecting member that detects the detected portion while the electrode cleaning member is in a predetermined reference position, a cleaning member conveyer that conveys the electrode cleaning member in both directions which toward and away from the reference position, and a movement control unit that controls a movement of the cleaning member conveyer by the conveyer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Kimura, Kanji Watanabe, Yuzo Ichikawa, Tomoya Ichikawa