Regulating (e.g., Doctor) Patents (Class 399/284)
  • Patent number: 11971668
    Abstract: An electrophotographic roller comprising a substrate and a foam layer on an outer peripheral surface of the substrate, the foam layer constituting an outer surface of the electrophotographic roller, the foam layer comprising cells each of which opens on the outer surface, and the foam layer having a zero-point charge measured using a standard carrier of 40 ?C/g or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryosuke Takayama, Hiroaki Komatsu, Koji Yatsu, Seiji Tsuru
  • Patent number: 11860565
    Abstract: A restricting member includes a blade portion and a supporting portion. A contact portion is provided at the blade portion, and, in a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction, the contact portion includes a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending toward a free end from an end of the first portion and extending in a second direction. When a region demarcated by connecting an intersection point, the end of the first portion, and an end of the second portion by a straight line is defined as a first region, the intersection point being where an imaginary line intersects an extension line of the first portion in the first direction, an area of the first region is smaller on a longitudinal end portion than on a longitudinal central portion of the blade portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Issei Imamura, Ryohei Tsutsumi, Yuichiro Hirata, Takuya Oka
  • Patent number: 11841636
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing member to carry developer stored by a developing frame, and a regulating blade having a support plate fixed to the developing frame, a plate-like member, and a regulating member. One end portion of the plate-like member is opposed to the developing member, and the other end portion is welded to the support plate. The regulating member is fixed to a plate-like member surface, and contacts the developing member to regulate a developer thickness on a developing surface. The regulating member is provided with a recessed portion recessed at a regulating member end portion. The regulating member end portion is lower than a regulating member central portion. A plate-like member region welded to the support plate is located at the plate-like member other end portion and overlaps the regulating member central portion and the regulating member end portion at which the recessed portion is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Fukasawa, Takuya Kawakami, Yuji Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11681243
    Abstract: A sealing assembly according to one example embodiment includes a housing and an imaging component positioned on the housing. A seal has opposed first and second edges extending along a longitudinal dimension of the seal. A lateral dimension of the seal is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension and extends in a direction from the first edge to the second edge. The seal is attached to the housing along the first edge and contacts the imaging component along the second edge. Upon attachment to the housing, the seal is elastically deformed from an unassembled state in which the second edge has a first profile that varies in the lateral dimension along the longitudinal dimension to an assembled state in which the second edge is deformed relative to the first profile to a second profile having less variation in the lateral dimension along the longitudinal dimension than the first profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Amann, Richard Louis Goin, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11656570
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position and supporting a first cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first discharge part and a second cartridge including a second photosensitive drum and a second discharge part; and a waste toner box including a first coupling part coupled with the first discharge part and a second coupling part coupled with the second discharge part, in a state where the first cartridge and the second cartridge are supported by the drawer at an inner position and the waste toner box is mounted to the apparatus main body, the waste toner box being movable between a first/second position where the first coupling part and the first discharge part are coupled/decoupled and the second coupling part and the second discharge part are coupled/decoupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Naomichi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11619891
    Abstract: A development unit according to an embodiment may include a developer carrier configured to carry developer on a surface thereof; a layer regulation member being elongate in a direction and provided facing the developer carrier; and a frame supporting the developer carrier and the layer regulation member. The layer regulation member comprises a metal blade that contacts the developer carrier and a support member attached to the frame and supporting the blade. A free length of the blade at an end portion in a longitudinal direction of the layer regulation member is shorter than a free length of the blade at a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the layer regulation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fujii, Yoshihiro Goto
  • Patent number: 11487236
    Abstract: A recovery container includes: a container body that is attachable to and detachable from an attachment target and capable of accommodating a powder; a first insertion portion that is provided at the container body, is capable of protruding from one of two wall portions of the container body at opposite sides in a direction intersecting an attachment direction of the container body, and is to be inserted into a first opening provided in a portion of the attachment target facing the one of the two wall portions by movement in a protruding direction of the first insertion portion; a second insertion portion that is provided at the container body, is capable of protruding from other of the two wall portions to a side opposite to the first insertion portion, and is to be inserted into a second opening provided in a portion of the attachment target facing the other of the two wall portions by movement in a protruding direction of the second insertion portion; and a third insertion portion that is provided at the c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yusuke Sakai, Lei Yuan
  • Patent number: 11448983
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer roller, a stir-and-transport member, and a layer thickness regulating member. The developer roller may carry developer to a photosensitive body. The stir-and-transport member may supply the developer to the developer roller. The layer thickness regulating member is located adjacent the developer roller to remove excess developer. The layer thickness regulating member includes a guide element to direct the excess developer to the stir-and-transport member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11199808
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming unit including a photosensitive unit including an image bearing member, a developing unit including a developer bearing member and a container capable of containing a developer, a rotation shaft, the developing unit being rotated around the rotation shaft and positioned at one of a development position where the developer bearing member supplies the developer to the image bearing member and a separation position where the developer bearing member separates from the image bearing member, and a sensing portion sensing a variation or an amount corresponding to an amount of the developer contained in the developing unit. When the developing unit is at the separation position, the sensing portion restricts the rotation of the developing unit thereby receiving a force from the developing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Shimizu, Yohei Kusano, Naoya Asanuma
  • Patent number: 11086249
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a motor configured to rotationally drive an image bearing roller and a developer bearing roller at a first peripheral velocity ratio and a second peripheral velocity ratio which is larger than the first peripheral velocity ratio. A development contrast formed between a developing bias to the developer bearing roller and a light-part potential formed on the image bearing roller in a case where a development operation is performed at the second peripheral velocity ratio is larger than a development contrast formed between the developing bias to the developer bearing roller and the light-part potential formed on the image bearing roller in a case where the development operation is performed at the first peripheral velocity ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihito Naito, Go Shindo, Masataka Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 10983457
    Abstract: A sealing assembly according to one example embodiment includes a housing and an imaging component positioned on the housing. A seal has opposed first and second edges extending along a longitudinal dimension of the seal. A lateral dimension of the seal is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension and extends in a direction from the first edge to the second edge. The seal is attached to the housing along the first edge and contacts the imaging component along the second edge. Upon attachment to the housing, the seal is elastically deformed from an unassembled state in which the second edge has a first profile that varies in the lateral dimension along the longitudinal dimension to an assembled state in which the second edge is deformed relative to the first profile to a second profile having less variation in the lateral dimension along the longitudinal dimension than the first profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Amann, Richard Louis Goin, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 10890858
    Abstract: A development device includes a layer thickness regulating blade including a support sheet metal, a blade rubber section, and a side edge seal, the support sheet metal having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, in an axial direction of a development roller. In a width direction of the support sheet metal, the first end portion of the support sheet metal in the axial direction is shorter than the center portion of the support sheet metal in the axial direction. In the width direction, a distal-end edge of the first end portion of the support sheet metal is closer to a base end portion of the support sheet metal than a distal-end edge of the blade rubber section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Yada, Keigo Nakajima, Shota Iriyama, Kazuaki Ooka
  • Patent number: 10877395
    Abstract: A developer borne on a developer bearing member includes a toner, the toner has a Martens hardness of at least 200 MPa and not more than 1100 MPa when measured under a condition of a maximum load of 2.0×10?4 N, and where a contact pressure of a regulating member that regulates the developer borne on the developer bearing member against the surface of the developer bearing member is denoted by N (gf/mm) and a contact pressure of a supplying member that supplies the developer to the developer bearing member against the surface of the developer bearing member is denoted by D (gf/mm), the following expressions are satisfied: D+2×N?6?0, 1.5?N?4.5, and 2.0?D?4.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Oka, Yoshihiro Mitsui, Shuhei Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 10859962
    Abstract: In an example, a first wiper blade is to contact the photoconductive surface and to wipe at least some of particles and fluid from the photoconductive surface and wherein a second wiper blade is to contact the photoconductive surface and to wipe at least some of the particles and fluid that have passed the first wiper blade, from the photoconductive surface. The first wiper blade includes at least one perforation forming a passage through the wiper blade to transmit part of the particles and fluid during wiping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Doron Schlumm, David Meshulam, Yavin Atzmon, Shmuel Borenstain, Roy Har-Tsvi
  • Patent number: 10852662
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member, a developing frame, and a regulating member. The regulating member includes a curved surface portion contactable to a surface of the developer carrying member, and satisfies the following relationships: 200 MPa?HM?1100 MPa, and 0.08 mm?Rb?0.3 mm, where HM is a Martens hardness of toner contained in the developer under a maximum load of 2.0×10?4 N, and Rb is a radius of curvature of the curved surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Oka, Yoshihiro Mitsui, Akinobu Saito, Shinichi Agata, Kentaro Yamawaki
  • Patent number: 10845728
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing having a groove recessed inward; a developing roller having an outer circumferential surface; a blade; and a blade holder having a first plate and a second plate. The developing roller is rotatable about a rotational axis extending in a first direction. The blade regulates a thickness of toner layer on the outer circumferential surface. The blade has one end portion and another end portion in a second direction. The another end portion of the blade is positioned farther from the outer circumferential surface than the one end portion of the blade is from the outer circumferential surface. The first plate extends in the second direction and supports the another end portion of the blade. The second plate extends from the first plate in a third direction crossing the second direction to have a distal end portion positioned within the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuwen Wang, Junichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10824085
    Abstract: A development bias to be applied onto a developing unit is reduced, in a case where it is determined that a remaining amount of toner is equal to or less than a threshold, in a mode in which a rotation speed of a developing unit is faster than a rotation speed of an image bearing member to increase an amount of toner to be supplied to the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 10761453
    Abstract: A developer on a developer bearing member includes a toner having a toner particle including a binder resin and an inorganic particle present on the surface of the toner particle. A fixing ratio of the inorganic particle to the surface of the toner particle is 80% or more. The aspect ratio of the toner is 0.90 or more. Where a contact pressure of a regulating member, which regulates the developer on the developer bearing member, against the developer bearing member is denoted by N (gf/mm) and a contact pressure of the supplying member, which is in contact with the developer bearing member and supplies the developer to developer bearing member, against the developer bearing member is denoted by D (gf/mm), the following expressions are satisfied: D+2×N?6?0, 1.5?N?4.0, and 2.0?D?3.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi Kihara, Shuhei Kawasaki, Yoshihiro Mitsui, Yasukazu Ikami, Shunsuke Matsushita, Takuya Oka
  • Patent number: 10747140
    Abstract: A developing apparatus, includes: a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer; and a regulating member that is disposed in contact with a surface of the developer bearing member, and configured to regulate the developer borne on the developer bearing member. On the surface of the developer bearing member, a conductive portion having a first surface roughness and first electric resistance, and a dielectric portion having a second surface roughness, which is smaller than the first surface roughness, and second electric resistance, which is larger than the first electric resistance, are disposed. In a case where the developer borne on the developer bearing member is charged by friction with the regulating member, a charging polarity of the dielectric portion is the same polarity as a charging polarity of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Kitamura, Kenji Shindo, Kazunari Hagiwara, Takahiro Kawamoto, Ryo Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10705450
    Abstract: A method of fixing a regulating blade made of a resin material includes an adhesive applying step of applying an adhesive onto a mounting portion; a first force applying step of applying a first force to the regulating blade so that the regulating blade is urged against the mounting portion; a second force applying step of applying a second force to the mounting portion so as to support the mounting portion; and a fixing step of fixing the regulating blade to the mounting portion by curing the adhesive applied on the mounting portion in the adhesive applying step in a state that the first force is applied to the regulating blade in the first force applying step and that the second force is applied to the mounting portion in the second force applying step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunichi Koga, Teruaki Tsurusaki, Tomohiro Shiomi
  • Patent number: 10684584
    Abstract: A development device includes a housing, a development roller, and a layer thickness regulating blade, the layer thickness regulating blade including a support sheet metal and a blade rubber section, the blade rubber section including a contact portion and an extension, the contact portion contacting the development roller, the extension extending from the contact portion, the extension including a curved surface portion having a curved surface, the curved surface being formed to be closer to the support sheet metal in a thickness direction of the support sheet metal as being farther away from the contact portion, the curved surface having a curvature radius equal to or more than 1.5 mm and equal to or less than 3.0 mm, the curved surface portion having a height equal to or less than 1.0 mm in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shota Iriyama, Keigo Nakajima, Kengo Yada, Kei Katagiri, Kazuaki Ooka
  • Patent number: 10654989
    Abstract: A method comprising contacting a polymer composition with a metal processing surface wherein the metal processing surface is at a temperature of equal to or greater than 90° C., wherein the polymer composition comprises one or more base polymers selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl halides, poly(meth)acrylics, polycarbonates, olefin-based polymers, and polystryrenes and a lubricant package which comprises at least one release agent of the following formulas where R is an alkyl group having 6 or more carbon atoms, M is a metal or cation, and X may be absent or selected from the group consisting of aromatic groups and ester groups is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventor: Michael T. Petr
  • Patent number: 10620564
    Abstract: When a developing device including a developer carrying member, a regulating blade, and a developing device frame including first and second ribs is seen in a cross section perpendicular to a rotational axis of the developer carrying member, the first and second ribs are provided at a predetermined gap in a direction from a position where the regulating blade is closest to the developer carrying member toward a rotation center of the developer carrying member. The first and second ribs have first and second supporting surfaces, respectively, each supporting the regulating blade and having a width of 3.0 mm or less. In a state that the regulating blade is supported by the first and second supporting surfaces, the regulating blade is fixed to the mounting portion in a region of the regulating blade corresponding to a maximum image region of an image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunichi Koga, Teruaki Tsurusaki, Tomohiro Shiomi, Jun Kawakita
  • Patent number: 10591829
    Abstract: A toner according to an embodiment includes a colorant, a binder resin, and an ester wax. The colorant, the binder resin and the ester wax form a toner particle. The ester wax contains two or more ester compounds represented by the general formula R1COOR2, where R1 and R2 each independently is an alkyl group. The total number of carbon atoms of R1 and R2 is in a range from 31 to 53. The two or more ester compounds have different number of carbon atoms from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsutomu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 10534287
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries a latent image, a developer holder that holds developer for developing the latent image carried by the image carrier, and a layer-thickness restriction member that restricts the layer thickness of the developer held by the developer holder. When the developer holder approaches the layer-thickness restriction member, the layer-thickness restriction member moves away from the developer holder and then toward the developer holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mutsumi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10514628
    Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developing member, a resin-made regulating blade, and a resin-made developing device frame including at least a mounting portion. The regulating blade is fixed, in a state that the regulating blade is flexed, in a region of the mounting portion corresponding to a maximum image region of an image bearing member so that a gap between the rotatable developing member and the regulating blade falls within a predetermined range over a rotational axis direction of the rotatable developing member. The mounting portion is provided with a rib which includes a portion projecting from the mounting portion and extending along a direction parallel to the rotational axis direction of the rotatable developing member and which is formed over an entirety of a region of the mounting portion corresponding to the maximum image region of the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Shiomi, Teruaki Tsurusaki, Shunichi Koga
  • Patent number: 10466616
    Abstract: A cartridge attachable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge including a developer bearing member, a frame supporting the developer bearing member, a developing blade including a regulating member and a support member, and a collecting member. The collecting member includes a containing portion. The collecting member includes an opening opposing the developer bearing member. The containing portion extends in a rotational axis direction of the developer bearing member, and a sectional area of a longitudinal end portion area of the containing portion, orthogonal to the rotational axis direction, corresponding to a longitudinal end portion of the developer bearing member is larger than that of a longitudinal middle portion area of the containing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuro Harada, Osamu Anan, Teruhiko Sasaki, Ryoji Kusudo
  • Patent number: 10437171
    Abstract: A regulating portion includes a first contact portion, a second contact portion, opposed surface portion, and a second opposed surface portion. When, in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis direction of a developer bearing member, the fixed end and the free end of a supporting member are connected by an imaginary straight line, a contact position where the first contact portion contacts the developer bearing member is located on the downstream side, in the rotation direction of the developer bearing member, of a point of contact of a tangent line parallel to the imaginary straight line with the outer periphery of the developer bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji An, Kazunari Hagiwara, Takaaki Shinkawa, Takashi Mukai, Takuya Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10394162
    Abstract: A relation between a first thickness of a resin layer in an upstream portion of a contact nip in which the resin layer that covers a supporting member of a regulating blade makes contact with a developing roller and a second thickness of the resin layer in a downstream portion of the contact nip is set such that the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness. A potential difference having the same polarity as a toner charging polarity toward the supporting member is created between the supporting member and the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Mukai, Kazunari Hagiwara, Koji An, Takaaki Shinkawa, Takuya Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10381240
    Abstract: Etching gases are disclosed for plasma etching channel holes, gate trenches, staircase contacts, capacitor holes, contact holes, etc., in Si-containing layers on a substrate and plasma etching methods of using the same. The etching gases are trans-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene; cis-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene; hexafluoroisobutene; hexafluorocyclobutane (trans-1,1,2,2,3,4); pentafluorocyclobutane (1,1,2,2,3-); tetrafluorocyclobutane (1,1,2,2-); or hexafluorocyclobutane (cis-1,1,2,2,3,4). The etching gases may provide improved selectivity between the Si-containing layers and mask material, less damage to channel region, a straight vertical profile, and reduced bowing in pattern high aspect ratio structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Anderson, Rahul Gupta, Vincent M. Omarjee, Nathan Stafford, Christian Dussarrat
  • Patent number: 10331064
    Abstract: In a first image formation mode, an image is formed with a first development contrast C1 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a second development contrast C2, which is lower than the first development contrast C1; in a second image formation mode, an image is formed with a third development contrast C3 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a fourth development contrast C4, which is lower than the third development contrast C3; and when ?C1 (=C2/C1) denotes a ratio between the second development contrast C2 and the first development contrast C1, and ?C2 (=C4/C3) denotes a ratio between the fourth development contrast C4 and the third development contrast C3, ?C2<?C1 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Hirota, Hisashi Nakahara, Akihiko Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 10303083
    Abstract: A layer thickness regulating member includes: an opposing portion having an opposing surface to a peripheral surface of a developer carrying member; and a layer thickness regulating portion, projected from the opposing surface toward the developer carrying member, for regulating a layer thickness of a developer carried on the developer carrying member. The layer thickness regulating portion is integrally molded with the opposing portion. The layer thickness regulating member is, after being molded in a metal mold, separated by being pushed from a side opposite from the opposing portion of the layer thickness regulating member when the layer thickness regulating member is separated from the metal mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hisanori Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10261432
    Abstract: An ester wax is provided. The ester wax includes a long-chain aliphatic ester represented by the following formula: R—COO—R? wherein R represents an alky group having 13 to 23 carbon atoms and R? represents an alkyl group having 18 to 22 carbon atoms. The ester wax further includes an aliphatic alcohol having 18 to 22 carbon atoms in an amount less than 3% by mass based on a total mass of the ester wax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kabata, Hiroyuki Shimada, Takeshi Shibuya
  • Patent number: 10222723
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer cartridge and a developing unit. The developer cartridge, in some instances, may include a shutter. This shutter may have a wall for closing a developer supply hole, and be movable, with respect to a developer cartridge casing, between an open position where the supply hole is opened by the wall and a closed position where the supply hole is closed by the wall. The shutter may further include a protrusion that is movable with respect to the wall of the shutter between a first position and a second position in an axial direction. The protrusion, in the first position, is engageable with a developing unit and, in the second position, would be disengaged from the developing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Hayakawa, Masashi Imai, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10108108
    Abstract: A regulation member includes an opposed surface and a contact surface in a portion corresponding to an image forming area. The opposed surface is opposed to a developer bearing member. The contact surface protrudes from the opposed surface and has a height different from that of the opposed surface. An end seal seals a gap between a frame body, the developer bearing member, and the regulation member. The regulation member further includes an area not having the contact surface between the image forming area and a sealing area in which the regulation member and the end seal overlap. In the sealing area, a step between the opposed surface and the contact surface has a height of greater than or equal to 0 mm and not greater than 0.10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Seki, Takayoshi Kihara
  • Patent number: 10082741
    Abstract: Provided is a member for electrophotography that enables stable formation of a high-quality electrophotographic image even when used as a developing member over a long period of time. The member for electrophotography includes: a support; an electro-conductive elastic layer on the support; and a plurality of electrically insulating domains on the electro-conductive elastic layer, in which a surface of the member for electrophotography includes surfaces of the electrically insulating domains and an exposed portion of the electro-conductive elastic layer free of being covered by the electrically insulating domains, and in which the electrically insulating domains each contain a resin having a specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishida, Yuji Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10073374
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying roller rotatable in a first rotating direction, and a developer regulating member which controls a thickness of a developer layer carried on a surface of the developer carrying roller. The developer regulating member has a developer layer thickness regulating part abutting with the surface of the developer carrying roller and a projecting part. The projecting part extends towards an upstream side in the first rotating direction from the abutting part, and a non-contacting gap is formed between the projecting part and the surface of the developer carrying roller. The projecting part has a concave shape at a side facing the developer carrying roller that follows an arc-shaped surface of the developer carrying roller and forms a portion having a gap width H and a continuous length L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Ogawa, Ryo Sugiyama, Mitsuru Okuda
  • Patent number: 10042320
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developer bearing roller, and a developer regulating member, the developer regulating member and the developer bearing roller constituting a contact region, the contact region having a width larger than the width of the developing region in the direction of the axis of the developer bearing roller and extending in the circumferential direction of the developer bearing roller, the developer regulating member having a protruding portion that protrudes over the entire width of the contact region from the end portion on the upstream side of the contact region toward the upstream side in the rotational direction of the roller, and the length of the protruding portion in a region corresponding to the developing region being substantially constant and larger than the length of the protruding portion at the location corresponding to the end portion in the width direction of the contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Mochizuki, Takuma Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10018950
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a developer carrier, a transfer part, a fuser, a temperature detecting part and a control part that rotates the developer carrier in the predetermined direction when a latent image is developed and in an opposite direction when an apparatus inner temperature detected by the temperature detecting part is equal to or higher than a glass transition starting temperature. The glass transition starting temperature is determined in consideration of a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curve of the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Ken Kato
  • Patent number: 9989883
    Abstract: The developing apparatus includes a developer carrying roller rotatable in a first rotating direction, and a developer regulating member which regulates a thickness of a developer layer carried on the developer carrying roller, wherein at least a part of the developer regulating member is in pressure contact with a surface of the developer carrying roller to form an abutting portion between the developer carrying roller and the developer regulating member, the abutting portion having an abutting width W in a circumferential direction of the developer carrying member of 1.0 to 5.0 mm, wherein in the abutting portion, an abutting pressure has a maximum value in a first area, the first area having a width of 20% or less of the abutting width W from an upstream edge of the abutting portion in the rotating direction, and wherein an abutting pressure in a second area is 0.08 to 0.18 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuru Okuda, Ryo Sugiyama, Yoshinobu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9958806
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner bearer to rotate while bearing toner and a toner regulator including a bend on a free end side. The bend is disposed in contact with a surface of the toner bearer and defines a regulation nip to adjust an amount of the toner on the toner bearer. The toner regulator further includes an area having a water contact angle greater than or equal to 70 degrees. The area having the water contact angle includes, at least, a downstream end of the bend in a rotation direction of the toner bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Tsuji, Tetsumaru Fujita, Yuji Nagatomo, Mitsutoshi Kichise, Yutaro Kaku, Kazuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9921520
    Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developer carrying member configured to carry a developer, and a regulating unit, formed of a resin material, configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrying member. The regulating unit includes a regulating portion configured to regulate the amount of the developer carried on the developer carrying member and a guiding portion, connected with an upstream end of the regulating portion with respect to a rotational direction of the developer carrying member, configured to guide the developer toward the regulating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Yasumoto, Dai Kanai, Koichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9841706
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable member unit including a movable member, and a container connectable with the movable member unit and including a cleaning member, a sheet member and an urging member. When a friction coefficient between the sheet member and the movable member is ?1 and a friction coefficient between the sheet member and the urging member is ?2, the following relationship is satisfied: ?1>?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Shigihara, Toshiya Fukazawa
  • Patent number: 9671719
    Abstract: A layer thickness restriction portion and a developer rectifying portion are formed integrally by injecting a resin material into a mold, in which a gate portion is offset to one side with respect to a center position of the layer thickness restriction portion, through the gate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Kitan
  • Patent number: 9563147
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9563154
    Abstract: The present invention provides a toner transfer roller which exhibits decreased toner charge (Q/M) and an enhanced toner transfer rate (M/A). Specifically, the present invention provides: a toner transfer roller for a negatively chargeable toner, comprising a rotating shaft and a polyurethane foam body layer provided to surround the rotating shaft, wherein the polyurethane foam body layer contains a charge control agent which is negatively chargeable with respect to polyurethane in triboelectric series; and a toner transfer roller for a positively chargeable toner, comprising said rotating shaft and said polyurethane foam body layer, wherein said polyurethane foam body layer contains a charge control agent which is positively chargeable with respect to polyurethane in triboelectric series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Kusano, Junichiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9500994
    Abstract: A removable unit for an electrophotographic imaging device includes a housing having an opening, a rotatable roll disposed near the opening and adjacent to a bottom of the housing and a blade assembly coupled to the housing. The blade assembly includes a support bracket secured to a wall defining at least a part of the opening of the housing, and a blade member coupled to the support bracket and being positioned in the removable unit so that a distal end portion of the blade member engages with the rotatable roll. The housing, the blade assembly, and a portion of a surface of the rotatable roll define a substantially sealed enclosure for containing toner therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Brown, James Anthany Carter, Gregory Alan Cavill, Matthew David Heid, Benjamin Keith Newman, Joshua Carl Poterjoy, Matthew Russell Smither, Christopher G. Vowels
  • Patent number: 9488929
    Abstract: An image forming unit suppressing occurrences of jitters, includes an image carrier rotating by drive force transmitted via a first route to form an electrostatic latent image, and a developer carrier having an elastic layer carrying a developer on a surface thereof and rotating by drive force transmitted via a second route to develop the electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed with the developer under a development condition that, with the elastic layer of a thickness from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, the developer carrier is rotated with a circumferential speed ratio to the image carrier in a range from 1.10 to 1.45, or that, with the elastic layer of a thickness more than 2.5 mm but not more than 5.0 mm, the developer carrier is rotated with a circumferential speed ratio to the image carrier in a range from 1.10 to 1.24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akihito Onishi
  • Patent number: 9454105
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing roller including a magnet in which a plurality of magnetic poles are arranged and a rotatable sleeve which conveys a developing agent including toner and carrier to develop a latent image formed on a photoconductor, a motor configured to rotate the sleeve and a rotational direction of a motor control section configured to rotate the motor forward or reversely when an image forming job is completed, to rotate the sleeve in a direction reverse to a rotational direction of the sleeve in the image forming job for a reverse rotation time and then rotate the sleeve in a direction the same as the rotational direction of the sleeve in the image forming job for a forward rotation time shorter than the reverse rotation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kei Onishi
  • Patent number: RE46519
    Abstract: A developing device to prevent damage of a memory unit and poor connection between terminals of the memory unit and a main body of an image forming apparatus, by improving a mounting position of the memory unit. The developing device is removably mounted to a main body of the image forming apparatus. The memory unit includes terminals exposed through a rear side of the developing device. The memory unit is disposed closer to a power reception unit formed at one side of the developing device than to a driving force reception unit formed at an other side of the developing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Young Min Kim