Control Of Electrophotography Process Patents (Class 399/38)
  • Patent number: 11960236
    Abstract: Proposed are a home port and a substrate processing apparatus using the same. The home port is installed in the substrate processing apparatus to temporarily mount a nozzle for discharging a process liquid to a substrate, and includes a main body having a space therein, a nozzle holder provided at an upper portion of the main body and configured to mount the nozzle, an inclined surface formed below the nozzle holder in the space, a first supply pipe configured to discharge a rinse liquid to a tip of the nozzle, a second supply pipe configured to inject the rinse liquid into the main body, a conductive wire configured to electrically connect the inclined surface and the first supply pipe, and a first switch installed on the conductive wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Jun Son, Tae Hoon Lee, Hyun Yoon, Do Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11930576
    Abstract: An image forming device includes an LED head, a main controller board and an LED controller board. The main controller board comprises a main controller, a voltage output circuit, a first voltage terminal, a second voltage terminal. The voltage output circuit outputs a first voltage via the first voltage terminal and the second voltage via the second voltage terminal. The LED controller board includes a third voltage terminal, a fourth voltage terminal and an LED controller. The third voltage terminal is connected to the first voltage terminal, and the fourth voltage terminal is connected to the second voltage terminal. The LED controller board outputs a voltage according to the first voltage to the LED head. The LED controller is connected to the fourth voltage terminal. A voltage according to the second voltage is input to the LED controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masato Sueyasu
  • Patent number: 11537061
    Abstract: There is provided image forming apparatus including: photosensitive member; developing roller configured to supply a developer to the photosensitive member; belt to which a developer image is to be transferred from the photosensitive member; sensor; and controller configured to execute a developing bias correcting process for correcting a developing bias to be applied to the developing roller. The developing bias correcting process includes: a setting process for setting testing biases, all of the testing biases being smaller than an old developing bias; a forming process for forming developer images on the belt by using the testing biases set in the setting process; a detecting process for detecting densities of the developer images formed in the forming process by the sensor; and a calculating process for calculating the developing bias based on the densities of the developer images detected in the detecting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shota Iriyama, Keigo Nakajima, Toshio Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11531288
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first developing member that develops a first toner image on a first image carrier with a brilliant toner containing a flat pigment; a second developing member that develops a second toner image on a second image carrier with a non-brilliant toner containing no brilliant pigment; and a controller that controls the first developing member and the second developing member. The controller controls a development efficiency of the brilliant toner of the first developing member to be lower than a development efficiency of the non-brilliant toner of the second developing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shin Yamada
  • Patent number: 11451177
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power source, a motor, a motor control device, a first switching element, a controller, a detector, a discriminator, and a first setting unit configured to set a control value. The motor control device includes a phase determiner configured to determine a rotational phase by using the control value, and a second setting unit. The motor control device includes a first mode and a second mode. The discriminator discriminates a type of the motor in the first mode. The motor control device executes the first mode if the controller controls the first switching element in response to supplying of the power. The motor control device does not execute the first mode even if the power is supplied to a driving circuit, when the controller controls the first switching element in response to inputting of a trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11410054
    Abstract: A set of profile parameters to characterize an unknown group of servers is computed. A set of known groups of servers is selected from a historical repository of known group of servers. A subset of known group is selected such that each known group in the subset has a corresponding similarity distance that is within a threshold similarity distance from the unknown group. A decision tree is constructed corresponding to a known group in the subset, by cognitively analyzing a usage of the set of profile parameters of the unknown group in the known group. Using the decision tree a number of problematic servers is predicted in the unknown group. When the predicted number of problematic servers does not exceed a threshold number, a post-prediction action is caused to occur on the unknown group, which causes a reduction in an actual number of problematic servers in the unknown group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: KYNDRYL, INC.
    Inventors: Firas Bouz, Pawel Jasionowski, George E. Stark
  • Patent number: 11390031
    Abstract: A controller-implemented method of controlling a three dimensional (3D) printing process, comprises presenting printing options (20) of the 3D printing process at a user interface (16); accepting settings (22) from the user interface (16) based on the presented printing options (20); determining a printing instruction (24) based on the settings (22), the printing instruction (24) to be used to manufacture a three-dimensional (3D) object; and determining a post-processing instruction (26) based on the settings (22), the post-processing instruction (26) to be used in post-processing the 3D object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alejandro Manuel De Pena, Scott White, Sergio Puigardeu Aramendia, Carmen Blasco
  • Patent number: 11353696
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a photosensitive member, a scanning optical unit configured to scan the photosensitive member by laser light according to image information, a detection unit arranged in a position facing the photosensitive member and configured to output positional information on the laser light. The detection unit includes a detection portion into which the laser light reflected by the photosensitive member is incident, and a control unit configured to calculate a positional deviation amount of an irradiation position on the photosensitive member which is irradiated by the laser light based on the positional information output by the detection unit, and control the scanning optical unit to correct the positional deviation of the irradiation position of the laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Nishiguchi
  • Patent number: 11231667
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a fixing device includes rotating body that is rotatably supported, a heater that heats the rotating body, a pressing body that is pressed against the rotating body to form a nip through which print media passes to a media conveyance path, and a water vapor discharge passage downstream of the nip from rotating body. The water vapor discharge passage is separate and distinct from the media conveyance path. The fixing device may be used in image forming apparatuses and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihiro Sone
  • Patent number: 11230121
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming device forming an image on an image forming medium based on image data; a medium reading device acquiring, on a conveyance path, medium image data representing the image forming medium; an abnormality detector using the image data to generate contrast image region data for specifying an image formation target region that is a region targeted for image formation, using the medium image data to generate contrast medium region data for specifying an image formation permitted region that is a region on the image forming medium where the image formation is enabled, and detecting, as an abnormal region, the image formation target region present outside of the image formation permitted region or a region corresponding to deficiency present within the image formation permitted region; and an abnormality related information output device using the medium image data to output abnormality related information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Chuto
  • Patent number: 11178290
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to perform an image forming process of forming a plurality of test charts having different adhesion amounts of an image forming material on a recording medium. The image forming process includes a transfer process of transferring the image forming material to image forming positions on the recording medium. The image forming apparatus further includes an image reading unit, circuitry, and a storage unit. The image reading unit reads each of the plurality of test charts. The circuitry calculates adjustment values for adjusting images formed at the image forming positions on a first side and a second side of the recording medium depending on adhesion amounts of the image forming material on the first side and the second side based on a reading result of the plurality of test charts by the image reading unit. The storage unit stores the adjustment values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Daiki Sekita
  • Patent number: 11143979
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a simple configuration capable of measuring a toner current included in a developing current and accurately calculating a toner charge amount based on the measurement result. A developing device has a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier and toner. A developing voltage power supply applies a developing voltage obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage on the developer carrier. A control unit estimates a toner charge amount based on a toner current calculated by subtracting a carrier current from a developing current detected by a current detecting unit when a reference image is formed during non-image formation, and a toner developing amount calculated from the density of a reference image detected by a density detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Mitsuhiro Hashimoto, Takahiro Okubo, Yohei Wakasa, Kazuhiro Nakachi
  • Patent number: 11143978
    Abstract: A device includes a charge roller and a control portion. The charge roller is removably insertable to be in charge-transferring relation to, and spaced apart by a first air gap from, a photoconductive imaging portion of an electrophotographic printer. The control portion is to determine a size of the first air gap based on determination of a charging threshold voltage associated with the charge roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Seongsik Chang, Omer Gila, Daniel Espinosa, Anthony W. McLennan, Eyal Lovton, Asael Degany
  • Patent number: 11131942
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a development device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum into a toner image; a charger which charges the photosensitive drum; a development power supply which applies a bias voltage to the development device; an electric current measuring section which measures a development current flowing in the development device; and a calculating section which calculates a surface potential of the photosensitive drum based on the development current. The charger applies charging biases to the photosensitive drum. The electric current measuring section measures a corresponding value of the development current for each development bias voltage applied to the development device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Tanaka, Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Tamotsu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11112722
    Abstract: A bias condition determiner executes a direct current voltage determination mode (DC calibration) for determining a reference direct current voltage that is a reference for a direct current voltage of a developing bias applied to a developing roller in an image forming operation and an inter-peak voltage determination mode (AC calibration) for determining a reference inter-peak voltage that is a reference for an inter-peak voltage of an alternating current voltage of the developing bias applied to the developing roller in the image forming operation. A calibration executor determines whether the inter-peak voltage determination mode needs to be executed in accordance with a value of the reference direct current voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Norio Kubo, Asami Sasaki, Yasuhiro Tauchi, Yuji Toyota
  • Patent number: 11067951
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which is configured to execute calibration for controlling an image forming condition, includes a detection unit configured to detect an environmental state in which the image forming apparatus is installed; a prediction unit configured to predict, based on a plurality of detection results detected by the detection unit in a first period, a change in the environmental state in a second period after the first period; and a setting unit configured to set a timing of executing the calibration in the second period based on the change in the environmental state predicted by the prediction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Okanishi
  • Patent number: 11057530
    Abstract: An information processing system includes a relay server, an image forming apparatus, and a plurality of content servers. The image forming apparatus requests the relay server to transmit a print content selected by a user. When receiving a transmission request of the print content transmitted from the image forming apparatus, the relay server acquires the print content from the content server of contents provider which provides the print content, and the relay server configures a print condition according to the type of the print content in accordance with a print condition table. The relay server transmits first data to the image forming apparatus. The first data includes the print content and a setting command corresponding to the print condition according to the type of the print content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kiyoto Motoyama
  • Patent number: 10915064
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller, a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge. The controller is configured to perform determining a value of a first initial developing bias for a first toner cartridge based on a cumulative number of drum rotations that is stored in a drum memory of the drum cartridge at the time when the cumulative dot count stored in the toner memory of the first toner cartridge is equal to zero. After determining the first initial developing bias, the controller is configured to perform determining a value of a second initial developing bias for a second toner cartridge based on the cumulative number of drum rotations that is stored in the drum memory at the time when the cumulative dot count stored in the toner memory of the second toner cartridge is equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunji Yoshimoto, Naoya Kamimura, Masashi Imai, Masaki Ueji, Keita Hironaka, Hotaka Kakutani
  • Patent number: 10809644
    Abstract: A belt device includes a belt, a driving roller, and driven roller. The belt is endless and includes a flat outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface, and a mark part provided on the outer peripheral surface and depressed toward the inner peripheral surface. The mark part has grooves extending in the first direction. Two or more of the grooves each include a middle portion away from a border between the outer peripheral surface and the corresponding groove, and an edge portion coupling the middle portion to the border, and each have a middle-portion depth, a depth of the middle portion from the outer peripheral surface, greater than an edge-portion depth, a depth of the edge portion from the outer peripheral surface, and each have a deepest portion at a position away from the border by 0.2 millimeters or more from the border toward the middle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Takazawa
  • Patent number: 10802429
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member and a pressing member forming a fixing nip therebetween, a heat generator, and a processor. The heat generator is disposed to heat a print medium passing through the fixing nip via the fixing member. The processor is configured to control the heat generator to start heating at a timing when a non-fixed image portion formed on the print medium is expected to reach the fixing nip, based on image data of an image to be fixed, a conveyance speed of the print medium, and an estimated heat capacity of the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10788433
    Abstract: A correction value calculation method includes: forming, on a recording medium, an inspection image in which two or more types of individual inspection images is formed; calculating a first correction value group including first correction values, and a second correction value group including second correction values, wherein, in the calculating, a combination of the first correction value regarding positional deviation of a light beam that affects density of the individual inspection image, of the first correction value group, and the second correction values regarding an influence amount of multiple exposure effect according to an image pattern corresponding to the individual inspection image, of the second correction value group, and the first correction value group and the second correction value group are calculated on the basis of density information regarding each density of the individual inspection image and the combination of the first and second correction values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 10742827
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a scanner, a printer configured to print an image based on an image read by the scanner, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to control the printer to print an adjustment test pattern on a first sheet, and the scanner to scan the adjustment test pattern on the first sheet, determine a setting value for adjusting positioning of an image to be printed by the printer on a sheet of the first sheet size, such that an image center matches a sheet center in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, and store the determined setting value in the memory. The processor is configured to modify the setting value stored in the memory based on sheet information related to a second sheet to be used for printing, the second sheet having a second sheet size different from the first sheet size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yasui, Tomokazu Sakabe, Eizo Kurita, Kyosuke Terada
  • Patent number: 10647533
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a sheet conveyance apparatus attached detachably to the image forming apparatus. A guide guides the sheet conveyance apparatus to be attached to the image forming apparatus, and an urging portion urges a door toward a first position that is opened with respect to an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus in a case where the door is positioned at a second position opened further than the first position. The sheet conveyance apparatus includes a pressing portion to press the door positioned at the first position toward a closed position when the sheet conveyance apparatus is guided to be attached to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Imai
  • Patent number: 10551766
    Abstract: A mode control section forms a plurality of reference toner images having different densities on a photosensitive drum, where the frequency of an alternating-current voltage of a development bias is varied with a potential difference between direct-current voltages of a development roller and the photosensitive drum maintained constant, generates a reference straight line indicating a relationship between a toner amount of each reference toner image obtained by converting the density of the measured reference toner image into weight, and a representative value of current values of a development current measured during formation of the reference toner image, and acquires the amount of electrostatic charge of toner using the reference straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakachi, Satoshi Sunayama
  • Patent number: 10509389
    Abstract: A warm up operation planning device that generates a warm up operation plan for a machine tool comprises: a warm up operation program memory in which at least one warm up operation program is stored; a machining plan input unit that inputs a machining plan for a work in a predetermined period; a warm up operation program selection unit that selects the warm up operation program responsive to the state of the machine tool; a warm up operation duration determination unit that determines a warm up operation duration in response to the work; and a warm up operation planning unit that calculates start time and finish time of warm up operation based on the machining plan. The warm up operation program selection unit selects the warm up operation program responsive to the work from the warm up operation program memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Endou
  • Patent number: 10444671
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an agitating member, a first electrode, a second electrode disposed with a gap from the first electrode such that the gap has a smallest portion located below a rotation center of the agitating member and a remote portion wider than the smallest portion and located above the smallest portion, and a frame body having a first wall surface having the first electrode disposed thereon and a second wall surface having the second electrode disposed thereon, and a developer detecting unit configured to detect an amount of developer from an output value output in accordance with a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The image forming apparatus performs correction and detects the amount of developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenta Shibukawa, Masahito Kato, Atsushi Toda, Taku Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10156809
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device which forms an image on a recording medium and an image scanning device which transmits scanned image data to the image forming device. The image forming device includes a receiver, a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit, and a controller. The receiver receives at least one of external image data transmitted from an external device and the scanned image data as input image data. The first image forming unit forms a developer image based on the input image data on the recording medium. The second image forming unit forms a mark image on the recording medium. The controller determines whether to make the second image forming unit form the mark image or not depending on a type of a transmission source of the input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takano
  • Patent number: 10156815
    Abstract: In one example, a system for transferring an ink image from a photoconductor to a print substrate includes a transfer member having a light absorbing exterior surface to receive a liquid LEP ink image from the photoconductor and to release a molten toner layer to a print substrate and a light source to expose a width of the surface carrying the liquid ink image to a light beam delivering enough power to transform the liquid ink image into a molten toner layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Mark Sandler, Peter Nedelin, Shai Lior
  • Patent number: 10084927
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when a processor starts to be supplied with a voltage in a first voltage range from a voltage generator, the processor executes start-up processing with an operation clock of a first frequency, and transmits a voltage adjustment instruction to the voltage generator. On receiving the voltage adjustment instruction, the voltage generator performs voltage adjustment to make the voltage supplied to the processor a voltage in a second voltage range. On completion of the voltage adjustment, the voltage generator transmits a completion notice to the processor. When communication related to the voltage adjustment does not end normally, the processor keeps the frequency of the operation clock at the first frequency to execute processing; thereafter based on the operation clock of the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Koji Eto
  • Patent number: 9891564
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a heat roller, a heat generating body, and a controller. The heat roller heats a conveyed sheet. The heat generating body generates heat with electric power in the heat roller. The controller applies thinning control to electric energy supplied to the heat generating body in processing for heating the heat roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsuhiko Eguchi
  • Patent number: 9880485
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of image forming units that respectively form an image, and a plurality of voltage generation circuits that respectively generate voltages for driving the plurality of image forming units. Each of the plurality of voltage generation circuits comprises a voltage generation circuit having a transformer, and generates a voltage by a switching operation that is driven by changing an input voltage of primary side of the transformer, an oscillation circuit that generates a clock signal of a frequency that becomes a reference frequency of the switching operation and a setting unit that sets the frequency of the clock signal that the oscillation circuit generates. The setting units of the plurality of voltage generation circuits set the frequencies of the respective clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke Kagawa
  • Patent number: 9829825
    Abstract: A controller (a) increases a development bias when a surface potential of the photoconductor drum is 0 Volt, and determines a level of the development bias as a discharge voltage at a timing when discharge is detected between a photoconductor drum and a developing roller, (b) sets an alternating current component of the development bias so as to make a lowest level of the development bias equal to a level lower by the discharge voltage than a desired surface potential of the photoconductor drum, and (c) increases an applied voltage to a charging roller (that charges a surface of the photoconductor drum) when applying to the developing roller the development bias of which the alternating current component has been set, and determines as an applied voltage to the charging roller corresponding to the desired surface potential, the applied voltage at a timing when the discharge is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Kensuke Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9758336
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance path; a discharge tray configured to support the sheet discharged from the conveyance path; a sheet presser movable toward and away from a support surface of the discharge tray and configured to press the sheet being discharged, onto the support surface; a first stopper configured to limit a spaced distance between the sheet presser and the support surface to a first distance when the first stopper is located at a first position, and configured to allow the spaced distance to become greater than the first distance when the first stopper is located at a second position; and a position change mechanism configured to change a position of the first stopper between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kotaro Kurokawa, Masahiko Ohta
  • Patent number: 9740148
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a relatively short period of time for a fuser assembly to be ready to perform a fusing operation. Included is a fusing assembly having a heat transfer member and a backup member positioned to engage the heat transfer member so as to define a fusing nip therewith; and a controller coupled to the fuser assembly, wherein during a period of time when the fuser assembly is not performing a fusing operation, the controller activates the heat transfer member while causing the backup member to rotate at one or more relatively slow speeds relative to a fusing speed of the fuser assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jichang Cao, James Douglas Gilmore, David John Mickan, Kevin Dean Schoedinger
  • Patent number: 9707781
    Abstract: A printing control device, a printing device and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium are provided. It is possible to set a scan width of a head to a user's desired width. A printing control unit controls a printing device having a head, and includes an input receiving unit for receiving a scan width information representing a width over which the head will move during scanning, and the scan width information is information representing a user's desired numerical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youichi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9703246
    Abstract: A differential correction data generating unit measures two density characteristics at a reference linear velocity and another linear velocity from scanned images of two test charts printed at the reference linear velocity and the another linear velocity, and generates differential correction data as a difference between correction amounts for the measured two density characteristics. A correction amount adjusting unit measures a density characteristic at the reference linear velocity from an adjustment toner pattern formed on an intermediate transfer member, and thereby adjusts a correction amount for the density characteristic at the reference linear velocity. A density characteristic of a printing image is corrected, (a) for the reference linear velocity, on the basis of the correction amount at the reference linear velocity, and (b) for the another linear velocity, on the basis of the correction amount at the reference linear velocity and the differential correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroomi Nakatsuji
  • Patent number: 9606481
    Abstract: Methods and devices for digital printing to a recording medium are described. The printing can use a liquid print ink that includes a flammable carrier. Print control data can be generated from print data and the print control data can activate one or more print groups to print to the recording medium. An areal coverage can be determined based on the print control data. The areal coverage corresponds to a quantity of color applied onto the recording medium. The determined areal coverage can be limited to a predetermined maximum average areal coverage within a predetermined averaging area. The predetermined maximum average areal coverage can be less than a maximum theoretical areal coverage. The recording medium can be heated in, for example, a heating chamber. The predetermined averaging area can be smaller than an area of the recording medium located within the heating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Revdin Dedic
  • Patent number: 9569154
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer, an interface through which print data includes at least one of a first setting to form a first image with a decolorable colorant and a second setting to form a second image with a non-decolorable colorant, and a controller that determines whether the print data includes a layout setting to form a plurality of images on a sheet. If the print data includes the layout setting and only one of the first and the second setting, the printer forms the images with a corresponding one of the decolorable colorant and the non-decolorable colorant on the sheet based on the layout setting. If the print data includes the layout setting, the first setting and the second setting, the printer forms each of the first image and the second image on different sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Saito, Mikio Kakizaki, Atsushi Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 9551950
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet includes an image bearing drum; a charging member for charging the drum by applying a voltage while contacting the drum; an AC voltage generating unit for generating and applying an AC voltage to the charging member; a state detector for detecting a state of the apparatus; a discharge current detector for detecting a discharge current between the charging member and the drum; a discharge current control unit for controlling the AC voltage generating unit on the basis of a result of detection of the discharge current detector; and a discriminating unit for discriminating whether to calibrate the discharge current detector before formation of the image, in accordance with a result of detection of the state detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shun Sato, Masataka Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 9535357
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier, a charger, a developing device, a voltage application unit, and a controller. The developing device includes a developing roller. The voltage application unit applies a voltage to the developing roller and to the charger. The controller controls the voltage application unit. The controller controls the voltage application unit such that a developing bias having an AC voltage superposed on a DC voltage is applied to the developing roller and a charging bias including at least a DC voltage and having superposed thereon a compensation AC voltage with an opposite phase to an AC voltage induced in the charger by the developing bias is applied to the charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 9507289
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: specifying unit configured to specify, based on image data, a pixel to be subjected to correction from among pixels of an image to be formed from the image data; and a correction unit configured to correct an exposure amount of an exposure unit for the pixel to be subjected to correction from an exposure amount indicated by the image data. The correction unit is further configured to correct the exposure amount applied by the exposure unit to the pixel to be subjected to correction by not exposing at least a portion of a region of the pixel to be subjected to correction according to the a distance between the pixel to be subjected to correction and an edge of the image to be formed from the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Go Araki, Hidenori Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 9432547
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section including a rotational member and configured to form an image on the long sheet; a density unevenness cycle acquiring section configured to acquire a cycle of a density profile that represents density variation in a sub scanning direction; a cycle control section configured to operate such that, in a case where a same image is continuously formed on the long sheet, a length of the image in the sub scanning direction is an integer multiple of a cycle length that corresponds to one cycle of the density profile; and a density correction section configured to form a patch image for correction that has a size greater than the cycle length of the density profile on the image bearing member, and perform density correction using correction data created based on a detection result regarding the patch image for correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Furuta, Shota Sakurai, Kazuhiro Saito, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 9411258
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image supporting member having a first circumferential surface; an exposure section performing exposure of the first circumferential surface and thereby form latent images; a developer supporting member developing the latent images; a feeding member feeding a developer; and a control section controlling, while controlling exposure operation to allow the latent images to be formed side by side on the first circumferential surface, varying timing of a development voltage or both of the development voltage and a supply voltage to allow a portion P1 or both of the portion P1 and a portion P2 to be located within a gap between the latent images. The portion P1 is a portion, in the first circumferential surface, opposed to the developer supporting member. The portion P2 is a portion, in the first circumferential surface, opposed to a portion P3 of the developer supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 9335681
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor obtains information regarding reuse of a sheet. The controller controls a heating temperature of a fixer such that a target fixing temperature becomes a fixing temperature corresponding to the information regarding the reuse to be obtained by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Ueno
  • Patent number: 9274482
    Abstract: A toner image for measurement of an area coverage modulation of 90% or more is formed on a photosensitive drum in a non-image formation, and a setting condition for defining a developability of a toner image in an image formation is set so that a detection result of an optical sensor detecting the toner image for measurement becomes a preset target value. The target value is set to be lower as a value of the setting condition increases from a lower side to a higher side of the developability. The target value is set so that a color difference ?E of an image having half the maximum image density obtained after the setting condition is set with respect to an image having half the maximum image density obtained after the setting condition is set in a setting mode with use of unused developer is 6.5 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Nakase, Hideki Fujita, Michihito Yamazaki, Yasushi Takeuchi, Kousuke Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9262103
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that performs appropriately changing to the power-saving mode according to environment (luminosity) of a place that user exists, without increasing in a cost. When there is access from a portable terminal, communication circuit requests to the portable terminal for transmission of illuminance information detected by an illuminance sensor in a side of the portable terminal. Then, based on the illuminance information, mode switching circuit changes to the power-saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nitta, Satoshi Kawakami, Yuri Moritani, Yoshitaka Matsuki, Masaya Okuda
  • Patent number: 9150031
    Abstract: A controller is configured to: when printing of a plurality of print units each including a plurality of categories of sheets having different sizes is performed on a unit-by-unit basis, control a feed timing of each sheet by a paper feed unit and a transport of the sheets by a transport unit according to a transport control pattern corresponding to a printing pattern including a combination of one-side/double-side printing settings for the respective categories of sheets in each of the print units; and when the printing of the plurality of print units is consecutively performed and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, arrange an order of printing of the plurality of print units such that the print units having a same printing pattern among the plurality of print units are successively printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masatoshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9118792
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a first detection portion includes a pyroelectric sensor and detects the upper half of the human body. A first signal generation portion generates a first signal whose level varies according to the output value of the pyroelectric sensor. A second detection portion includes a pyroelectric sensor and detects a lower area than the first detection portion. A second signal generation portion generates a second signal whose level varies according to the output value of the pyroelectric sensor. A storage portion stores discrimination data including data defining, with respect to the waveforms of the first and second signals, a condition for recognizing a human moving toward the image forming apparatus and a condition for recognizing a human crossing a detection area of the pyroelectric sensors. A recognition portion recognizes the direction of movement of a human.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Naruyuki Miyamoto, Yukio Tanisaki, Kentaro Naruse, Rie Tezuka
  • Patent number: 9075330
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses the difference in time taken for each patch to reach a color sensor, which occurs upon reversing the conveyance direction of a printing material. Due to this difference in time, the temperature of the printing material in detection by the color sensor differs among the respective patches. The error of a colorimetric value due to thermochromism is reduced by placing a patch with a colorimetric value which has a low temperature dependence so as to be detected earlier, and a patch with a colorimetric value which has a high temperature dependence so as to be detected later.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatake Usui, Hiroshi Kita, Shun-ichi Ebihara, Ken Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9069304
    Abstract: In the present invention, upon return from a standby mode or sleep mode, image data is acquired as warming-up time estimate information for estimating the warming-up time to increase the temperature of a fixing belt to a target fixing temperature and, if the acquired image data is the data on a black-and-white image, control is performed to delay the heating start timing of the fixing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takuya Seshita, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Naoki Iwaya, Hiromasa Takagi, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Takeshi Uchitani, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa