Temperature Patents (Class 399/94)
  • Patent number: 8488989
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a main casing, a process unit, a fixing unit, and a duct. The duct is disposed between the process unit and the fixing unit with respect to a direction in which a recording medium is conveyed. The duct defines an exhaust channel for exhausting air out of the main casing. The duct includes at least two partitioning walls extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and is formed with at least three inlet ports partitioned by the partitioning walls in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masamitsu Ukai
  • Publication number: 20130177332
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image heating device for heating an image on a sheet; a cooling belt for cooling the sheet in close contact with the sheet heated by the image heating device; a heat sink for cooling the cooling belt; a first fan for forming airflow in the heat sink; and a second fan for forming airflow in a space between the image heating device and the cooling belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Publication number: 20130149000
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable pressure member; a heating member that is provided so as to oppose the pressure member, and that includes a heat source; a fixing member that fixes an image to a recording medium as a result of transporting the recording medium while the recording medium is nipped at a nip when the fixing member is pressed by the pressure member, the image being formed of toner including a separating agent; a cooling unit that cools the pressure member at a location that is situated downstream of the nip; a removing roller that, while being driven and rotated by the pressure member, removes the separating agent from the pressure member, the separating agent being transferred from the fixing member; and a removing member that contacts the removing roller and removes the separating agent adhered to the removing roller from the removing roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mizuki SUGINO, Satoshi NAKAMURA, Haruhiko NISHIDA, Masataka KONISHI
  • Publication number: 20130148999
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable pressure member; a heating member that is provided so as to oppose the pressure member, and including a heat source; a fixing member that is contacted by the heating member, and fixing an image to a recording medium as a result of transporting the recording medium while the recording medium is nipped at a nip when the fixing member is pressed by the pressure member, the image being formed of toner including a separating agent, the nip being formed between the fixing member and the pressure member; a cooling unit that cools the pressure member at a location that is situated downstream of the nip; and a removing member that contacts the pressure member and removes the separating agent from the pressure member, the separating agent being transferred from the fixing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mizuki SUGINO, Satoshi NAKAMURA, Haruhiko NISHIDA, Masataka KONISHI
  • Patent number: 8442407
    Abstract: Disclosed are printing methods, apparatus and systems for developing a latent image recorded on a surface, for example, a photoreceptor with developer material. According to an exemplary embodiment, the development method applies a development field voltage between a development station donor member and a development station transport member as a function of a humidity measurement associated with the developer material, the humidity measurement providing a surrogate tribo measurement of the developer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: W. Bradford Willard, Kimberly Anne Stoll, David R. Stookey, Paul L. Jacobs, Robert W. Phelps, Jyothsna Ram
  • Patent number: 8437654
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying apparatus includes: a fixing device configured to heat, with a heat roller, a sheet having a toner image transferred thereon and fix a toner on the sheet; a conveying roller arranged downstream of the fixing device and including plural rollers configured to convey the sheet from the fixing device; a heating unit configured to heat the plural rollers of the conveying roller; and a temperature control unit configured to control the heating unit such that the temperature of the plural rollers approaches the toner temperature of the sheet passing through the conveying roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Ohno
  • Patent number: 8428487
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image bearing drums; first and second developing devices; an intermediary transfer member; a cleaning device for collecting toner remaining on the intermediary transfer member; a heater for heating a recording material; an executing portion capable of executing an operation in a first mode for forming an image on the intermediary transfer member from the first and second image bearing drums and an operation in a second mode for forming an image on the intermediary transfer member only from the second drum; a temperature detecting portion disposed in the apparatus; a fan for feeding air in the apparatus; a controller for controlling the fan based on an output of the temperature detecting portion; and a setting portion for setting a temperature, wherein the temperature at which an air feed amount is increased in the second mode is lower than in the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Yasumoto
  • Patent number: 8417142
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier, a latent image forming unit to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier, at least one developing device disposed to contact the latent image carrier to develop the latent image with developer stored therein, a cooling mechanism including at least one cooling device disposed close to the developing device to cool the developing device, a developer amount detector electrically connected to the developing device to detect an amount of the developer remaining in the developing device, and a cooling mechanism controller connected to the cooling mechanism to change a cooling power of the cooling mechanism according to a detection result generated by the developer amount detector. The developing device includes a rotary member whose shaft is rotationally supported by at least one bearing and is not to be supplied with new developer while any developer remains therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yuusuke Furuichi, Nobuhiko Kita, Sei Onuma, Ryoh Idehara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Genta Hagiwara, Kaoru Tada
  • Patent number: 8412068
    Abstract: A cooling device is disclosed. The cooling device includes a cooling section which is moveably provided with respect to an image forming device body between a first location and a second location, the second location being different from the first location, and which cools surroundings with a cooling medium to be supplied; a cooling medium supply section which is provided at the image forming device body and which cools the cooling medium to supply the cooled cooling medium to the cooling section; and a connecting member which connects the cooling section and the cooling medium supply section to circulate the cooling medium between the cooling section and the cooling medium supply section, wherein the connecting member includes a flexible member and is supported by a guiding member which guides an operation of tracking the connecting member in conjunction with movement of the cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nishimura, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Takahiro Ogino
  • Publication number: 20130071136
    Abstract: A magnetic core includes a plurality of first core portions arranged to surround a coil in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording medium, and a second core portions disposed closer to a heating member than the first core portion on both end portions in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium in a hollow portion formed by a coil loop. The second core portion has thermal capacity smaller than that of the first core portion. Curie temperature of the second core portion is a temperature of the second core portion or higher when the heating member becomes a fixable temperature and is a cooling set temperature of the coil or lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventor: Syoukou GON
  • Patent number: 8401406
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member into a developer image; a transferring device for transferring the developer image from the image bearing member onto a transfer material; a temperature detecting sensor in a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, for detecting a temperature; and a controller for controlling a forced consumption operation in which toner is forcedly consumed by the developing device without transferring the developer image from the image bearing member onto the transfer material. The controller is capable of executing the forced consumption operation when toner consumption is below a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is higher with higher temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuya Nose
  • Patent number: 8351817
    Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling roller having a dual tube structure including an inner tube disposed inside an outer tube, an outside flow passage and an inside flow passage in which a cooling medium flows, and an opening that allows the outside flow passage to communicate with the inside flow passage, a cooling medium transport unit, and a rotating tube joint unit mounted to one end side of the cooling roller. One end of the outer tube is coaxially rotatably fitted to a first fitting section of the rotating tube joint unit. One end of the inner tube is coaxially fitted into and rotatably or fixedly supported to a second fitting section of the rotating tube joint unit, and the other end is coaxially fitted into and rotatably or fixedly supported to a fitting section on the other end of the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Saitoh, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Takayuki Nishimura, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20130004197
    Abstract: A roller device includes a cylinder member. The cylinder member includes wall member having a plurality of channels that are disposed within the wall member. The channels circulate a fluid therein to uniformly regulate a temperature of the cylinder member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Yaniv Yona, Avichay Mor-Yosef, Boaz Eden
  • Patent number: 8315535
    Abstract: A cleaning unit, which can be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable in an image forming apparatus, includes a lubricant applicator to apply lubricant to an image carrier, a first blade disposed upstream from the lubricant applicator in a direction of rotation of the image carrier with its distal end held in contact with the image carrier to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier, a second blade disposed downstream from the lubricant applicator in the direction of rotation of the image carrier with its distal end held in contact with the image carrier to regulate the amount of lubricant applied to the image carrier, a temperature measuring member to measure a temperature of or near the second blade, a heater, and a temperature controller to control the heater to heat the second blade so that the measured temperature falls within a given set temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Satoshi Hatori, Daisuke Tomita, Akio Kosuge, Yoshinori Ozawa, Shinichi Kawahara, Takaya Muraishi, Yasushi Akiba
  • Patent number: 8311439
    Abstract: This is an environmental unit useful in a xerographic system that reduces or eliminates pulsation and vibration in the system. This is accomplished by the use of flexible bladders on a wall of the air duct work pumping air into the print housing. When the vibration is abated, the banding problems on images are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn A Bennett, Ali R Dergham, Karen D Reid
  • Patent number: 8306449
    Abstract: In a roller to affect a temperature of a print substrate in a digital printer, a hollow roll is mounted to a shaft. Channels are provided for a heat transport medium in the hollow wall. A roller shell of the hollow roll is comprised of arc-shaped segments extending over a width of the hollow roll. The segments end laterally in arms designed so that the arms of adjacent segments are connected to each other. The channels extend over the width of the hollow roll and are assembled respectively from the segments of the roller shell. A respective covering plate is clamped between the arms of the respective segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Juergen Stresau
  • Publication number: 20120263491
    Abstract: A cooling device using a liquid coolant, including a heat receiving part separatably contactable to a target to be cooled detachably installable in an image forming apparatus, a heat releasing part to release heat from the liquid coolant, a circulation channel through which the liquid coolant is circulated between the heat receiving part and the heat releasing part, and a pump operatively connected to the circulation channel to convey the liquid coolant through the circulation channel. The circulation channel has a flexible part and a metal part continuous with the flexible part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Hiromitsu FUJIYA, Satoshi Okano, Masanori Saitoh, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Keisuke Ikeda, Kenichi Takehara
  • Publication number: 20120251157
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing on which the first housing is mounted, a first roller, a second roller, a nipping pressure adjusting mechanism, an induction heating unit and a retaining mechanism. A first rotary shaft of the first roller is rotatably supported by the first housing in a state of being positionally immovable. A second rotary shaft of the second roller is rotatably supported by the first housing in a state of being positionally movable. The nipping pressure adjusting mechanism changes the posture of the second roller between a first posture that the second roller is pressingly contacted with the first roller with a first pressure, and a second posture that the second roller is pressingly contacted with the first roller with a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The relative positions between the second roller and the induction heating unit are retained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo TANDA
  • Patent number: 8280283
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for transferring and superimposing toner images formed on plural image bearers onto an endless intermediate transfer member in an electric field created between the plural image bearers and plural semi conductive transfer members internally contacting the endless intermediate transfer member. The image forming apparatus includes a heat generating member arranged inside the intermediate transfer member to generate heat. A heat transfer member is provided to transfer the heat to the plural semi conductive transfer members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiromi Ogiyama, Ken Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120224879
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearing members to bear a toner image on a surface thereof, a transfer device including a plurality of transfer members and an endless belt formed into a loop and entrained around the transfer members, to transfer the toner images from the image bearing members onto the surface of the belt so that the toner images are superimposed one atop the other on the belt to form a composite toner image, a plurality of cleaning devices including a cleaning blade to remove residual toner remaining on the image bearing members after transfer of the toner images onto the belt, and a plurality of heaters disposed inside the loop formed by the belt. Each of the heaters is disposed between adjacent image bearing members. The belt is interposed between the plurality of heaters and the plurality of image bearing members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Junpei FUJITA, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Kenji Sengoku, Osamu Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 8254802
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: an image heating member for heating an image formed on a sheet at a nip portion; a temperature detector for detecting temperature of a predetermined region of the image heating member; a cooler for cooling the predetermined region; and an activating device for activating the cooler to perform a cooling operation in accordance with an output of the temperature detector, wherein the apparatus has a first mode of stopping a cooling operation in accordance with an output of the temperature detector; and a second mode of stopping the cooling operation in accordance with an end of image heating processing irrespective of the output of the temperature detecting device. The image heating apparatus is capable of suppressing unnecessary energy consumption, and of eliminating uneven glossiness due to a reduced temperature region at a boundary between a sheet passing portion and a non-sheet passing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Hanashi, Kota Arimoto, Taisuke Matsuura, Jun Tomine
  • Patent number: 8254803
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a target part to be cooled detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus, a cooling device including a heat receiving part provided to contact the target part to be cooled to receive heat from the target part to be cooled with a cooling medium provided within the heat receiving part, and a contact/separation mechanism to cause the heat receiving part to contact and separate from the target part to be cooled. The contact/separation mechanism includes a pressing unit to press the heat receiving part against the target part to be cooled. A reaction of a pressing force of the heat receiving part applied to the pressing unit when the heat receiving part is pressed against the target part to be cooled is directed onto a predetermined portion of the target part to be cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Fujiya, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Takayuki Nishimura, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Masanori Saitoh
  • Patent number: 8231760
    Abstract: A disclosed image removing device includes a roller peeling member onto which a recording material with the image forming substance having thermoplastic properties is superposed; a heating unit configured to heat the image forming substance; a pressurizing unit configured to apply pressure to the roller peeling member and the recording material superposed thereon to cause the image forming substance heated by the heating unit to adhere to the roller peeling member; a separating unit configured to separate the recording material from the roller peeling member after the image forming substance has adhered to the roller peeling member; and a removing unit configured to remove, from the roller peeling member, the image forming substance that has been transferred from the recording material to the roller peeling member. The removing unit is driven in such a manner that the removing unit and the roller peeling member pressurize/contact/slide against each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kakuji Murakami, Masatoshi Saitoh, Toshiyuki Mutoh
  • Publication number: 20120183314
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly for forming an image; a casing in which the main assembly is provided; a cooling device for cooling an inside of the casing by generating cooling air lower in temperature than air outside the casing; a liquid evaporator for receiving water generated during generation of the cooling air and for evaporating the water by circulation of air; and a heat exhausting device for supplying the air warmed by the main assembly to the liquid evaporator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiro Nishino, Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8224198
    Abstract: A humidity detecting device includes a humidity sensor, which detects humidity using a change in an impedance by humidity, and which generates a humidity detection signal according to application of an AC voltage, a detecting unit that detects the impedance of the humidity sensor based on the humidity detection signal, a switching unit that switches a frequency of the AC voltage to at least a first frequency and a second frequency, the humidity sensor being a first impedance at the first frequency and a second impedance at the second frequency, a temperature sensor that detects ambient temperature of the humidity sensor, a calculating unit that calculates a difference and/or a change rate between the first impedance and the second impedance, a discriminating unit that discriminates the humidity sensor based on the difference and/or the change rate, and a control unit that performs processing corresponding to the discriminated humidity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Kubo
  • Patent number: 8218993
    Abstract: The image heating apparatus has a plurality of heat generators which are capable of forming a plurality of heat generating distributions in the longitudinal direction for supplying heat to a heating member. Unevenness in temperature is decreased by changing the heat generating distribution when cooling by a fan for the heating member starts. The heat generating distribution is changed so that heat generating amount at an area in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the cooling area cooled by the fan is to be larger than the heat generating amount before starting the cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keigo Kaji
  • Patent number: 8180233
    Abstract: A cooling device that cools the inside of an image forming apparatus provided with a developer carrier that carries an image developed with a developer while being rotated. The cooling device includes: a counting unit that counts an accumulative number of rotation of the developer carrier; and a fan that cools the inside of the image forming apparatus. The cooling device further includes: a calculating unit that calculates an abrasion amount of the developer carrier in which the accumulative number of rotation counted by the counting unit is used as at least one variable; and a controlling unit that actuates the fan with cooling efficiency according to the abrasion amount calculated by the calculating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kuroda, Yutaka Nakayama, Masayoshi Nishida, Kokichi Kasai, Akio Fukuyama, Masayuki Okada, Kazuyo Ehara, Tetsuya Kawatani
  • Patent number: 8174722
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that minimizes the consumption of power during physical formatting of the hard disk drive or the deletion of data therefrom and to a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus has a non-volatile storage unit that stores image data and a controller that executes at least one of the operations of initialization of the storage unit and deletion of the image data stored in the storage unit, and further includes as operating modes an image forming mode during which image formation is enabled and a power-saving mode during which power consumption is minimized, wherein the controller switches the operating mode to power-saving mode when initialization processing or image data deletion processing is begun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8172377
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transporter for transporting a sheet; an image forming section for forming an image on the sheet being transported by the transporter with an ink; a liquid absorbent member; a cleaning liquid feeding section for feeding a cleaning liquid to the transporter via the liquid absorbent member to clean the transporter adhered with ink residues; and a cleaning liquid feeding controlling section for controlling the cleaning liquid feeding section to perform the cleaning liquid feeding operation, based on a condition of the image forming apparatus relating to evaporation of the cleaning liquid. This arrangement enables to properly clean a transport belt in an inkjet image forming apparatus, while preventing waste of the cleaning liquid and securing stable driving of the transport belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Okumura, Akihiro Takami
  • Patent number: 8170453
    Abstract: A sleeve constituting a developing roller of a developing device has a cylindrical body with three layers composed of a base layer having rigidity and formed in a mesh-like shape, a filter layer for blocking toner passage, and a conductive layer to which a developing bias voltage is applied, which are arranged in this order from the inside. When a sucking device sucks from an open end of one end portion of the sleeve, an air flow going from the inside of the developing roller through the open end to outside is generated so that a pressure of the internal space of the developing roller becomes smaller compared with the outside. As the peripheral wall has air permeability in its thickness direction, air flows from the outer circumferential portion of the developing roller through the peripheral wall to the inside of the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Akedo
  • Patent number: 8165486
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main unit; a detected unit that is placed in the apparatus main unit; a temperature detection member that is provided out of contact with the detected unit in the apparatus main unit for detecting a temperature of the detected unit; a change member for changing a state of an air current in the apparatus main unit; and a temperature correction unit for correcting a value relevant to the temperature detected by the temperature detection member based on change of the state of the air current by the change member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20120093528
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developing roller to bear a developing agent to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member, a cooling device to reduce an internal temperature of the image forming apparatus, a controller to calculate a travel distance of the developing roller to control the cooling device, and a memory unit to store the total travel distance of the developing roller. The controller calculates the total travel distance of the developing roller every Y minutes in the last X minutes, and a difference between the latest total travel distance of the developing roller and the total travel distance stored Z minutes ago by the memory unit to obtain the total travel distance during Z minutes and operate the cooling device for W minutes after image forming operation where the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value M.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Jun SHIORI, Jun Yura, Yukiko Iwasaki, Masaki Sukesako, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Kazuaki Kamihara, Hironobu Takeshita
  • Publication number: 20120070180
    Abstract: A cooling device to cool an apparatus includes a heat receiver to receive heat from a hot portion of the apparatus using a coolant while contacting the hot portion, a heat releaser to cool the heat-received coolant to release the heat from the hot portion to outside the apparatus, the heat releaser having a variable-speed fan of multiple operation speed modes including an off mode, a coolant circulation system through which the coolant is circulated between the heat receiver and the heat releaser, a variable-speed pump to move the coolant through the coolant circulation system, whose operation speed modes include an off mode and relate to a coolant flow rate of the pump, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature in the hot portion, and a controller to control the operation modes of the fan and the pump in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Yasuaki IIJIMA, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Keisuke Ikeda, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
  • Patent number: 8139974
    Abstract: An exhaust device provided in an image forming apparatus is provided. In the exhaust device, an initial condition setting unit sets an initial drive output value of a exhaust fan at a time of starting an image forming operation based on a calculation value calculated by an image bearing member drive counting unit. A drive unit drives the exhaust fan to start to discharge air in the image forming apparatus. A continuation condition setting unit sets a continuation drive condition at a time of continuously driving the exhaust fan from a point in time when ending the image forming operation based on a count value of the number of image formation by the job counting unit 303a. A drive unit drives the exhaust fan with the continuation drive condition to continuously discharge the air in the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tohru Sakuwa
  • Patent number: 8126342
    Abstract: A system for tailoring a transfer nip electric field includes a transfer roll, a backup roll forming a transfer nip with the transfer roll, and a pre-nip roll positioned upstream from the transfer and backup rolls and the transfer nip such that a toner image-supporting transfer belt moving past the pre-nip, transfer and backup rolls separately makes contact with, wraps partially around, and rotates each of the rolls as a media sheet is fed into the transfer nip after first passing through a gap defined between the pre-nip and transfer rolls such that by presetting the position, geometry and charge of the pre-nip roll relative to the transfer and backup rolls and the transfer belt an electrical field at the transfer nip can be tailored for enhanced toner transfer from the transfer belt to the media sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Fenley Gibson, Brandon Alden Kemp, Brad Edward Mattingly, Michael Todd Phillips, Peter Brown Pickett, Gregory Lawrence Ream, Christopher Michael Smith, Julie Ann Gordon Whitney
  • Patent number: 8107833
    Abstract: A determining unit determines whether a difference between a temperature value and a temperature detected by a temperature detecting unit is equal to or larger than a first value. A pattern forming unit, when the determining unit determines that the difference is equal to or larger than the first value, forms a pattern for measurement including sub-patterns of a plurality of colors on a transfer medium. A calculating unit calculates a misregistration-amount for each sub-pattern based on a detected position of the sub-pattern and a predetermined position of the sub-pattern. A correcting unit corrects a position on which the sub-pattern is to be formed based on the misregistration-amount. An image forming unit forms an image for each color factoring in corrected position for each color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120020697
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of fixing a heat curable toner to a carrier substrate are shown. In the method, a toner applied to a first surface of the carrier substrate is heated above the glass transition temperature of the toner by microwave radiation, using at least one microwave applicator as a first heat source, to thereby initiate thermal cross-linking of polymer chains of said toner. The temperature is kept above the glass transition temperature of the toner for a predetermined time of at least one second, by applying heat to the toner by means of at least one non-contact second heat source, to thereby allow the thermal cross-linking to proceed further and to thereby raise the glass transition temperature of the toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Eric Carl Stelter, Dinesh Tyagi, James H. Hurst, Domingo Rohde, Knut Behnke, Detlef Schulze-Hagenest
  • Patent number: 8089658
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device using a toner that maintains a color-generation state or non-color-generation state owing to color-generation information provided by light, comprising: an image forming unit comprising a developing unit including a photoreceptor and the toner that forms a toner image, a color-generation information providing unit that, based on image data, provides the toner with color-generation information by exposing the toner image to light, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a color-generating unit that allows respective toner to generate the color, a toner temperature regulating unit, and a control unit that controls the toner temperature regulating unit so the temperature of the toner is within a predetermined range, and an image forming method using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuichiro Maeyama
  • Patent number: 8078079
    Abstract: A cartridge for containing toner material used in an image-forming device according to one example embodiment includes a developer roll, two J-seals that provide interfaces with the developer roll at the ends thereof, and an air duct that conducts airflow across the interfaces to cool the developer roll and seals. The air duct includes an elongated hollow body and a pair of nozzles in fluid communication with the hollow body. One of the nozzles is disposed at a distal end of the developer roll near one J-seal, and the other of the nozzles is disposed at a proximal end of the developer roll near the second J-seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Brown, Jarrett Clark Gayne, Nicholas Fenley Gibson, Asmund Vego
  • Patent number: 8073348
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms images. A developer bearing body receives a first voltage and supplies developer to the electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing body. A supplying member receives a second voltage and supplies the developer to said developer bearing body. A detector detects at least one of an environmental condition, e.g., temperature and humidity outside of an apparatus and an environmental condition e.g., temperature inside of the apparatus. A controller controls the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage in accordance the environmental conditions. The controller makes a decision to determine whether the outside temperature is not lower than a first reference, whether outside humidity is not higher than a second reference, and whether inside temperature is not lower than a third reference. If the above criteria are met, the controller decreases the absolute value of the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Fumitaka Ozeki
  • Patent number: 8068759
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image carrier and a development device, a transfer unit to transfer an image formed on the image carrier onto a sheet, a fixing device to fix the image on the sheet, a sheet transport unit, a sheet stack portion, an air duct, and a first liquid-cooling device. The first liquid-cooling device includes a first heat receiving member disposed in thermal contact with a first heated portion, a first heat releaser, a first circulation pipe connecting the first heat receiving member and the first heat releaser to circulate a coolant therebetween, a first transport member to transport the coolant through the first circulation pipe, and an airflow generator to generate an airflow with external air to cool the first heat releaser. The air duct guides the air taken in by the airflow generator to a second heated portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Takayuki Nishimura, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Masanori Saitoh
  • Patent number: 8068758
    Abstract: The image heating apparatus has a plurality of heat generators which are capable of forming a plurality of heat generating distributions in the longitudinal direction for supplying heat to a heating member. Unevenness in temperature is decreased by changing the heat generating distribution when cooling by a fan for the heating member starts. The heat generating distribution is changed so that heat generating amount at an area in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the cooling area cooled by the fan is to be larger than the heat generating amount before starting the cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keigo Kaji
  • Patent number: 8055143
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus which includes a photosensitive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing unit including toner to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive body, a temperature sensor installed in the developing unit to measure temperature around the toner, a memory unit having information regarding the toner and installed in the developing unit to receive signals from the temperature sensor, and a controller electrically connected to the memory unit to control developing operations based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-ho Yoo, Yong-geun Kim
  • Publication number: 20110262177
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a printing unit, a fixing device, a conveying roller, and a control unit. The printing unit is configured to form an image by transferring toner onto a sheet. The fixing device is configured to heat and fix the toner onto the sheet. The fixing device is disposed on the downstream side of the printing unit. The conveying roller is configured to convey the sheet from the fixing device. The conveying roller is disposed on the downstream side of the fixing device. The control unit is configured to control the sheet heated by the fixing device to pass through the conveying roller a plurality of times before the image is formed on the sheet by the printing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiro Ohno
  • Patent number: 8036564
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a main body, a cooling device, and a coupling assembly. The cooling device cools a cooling target such as a heat generator, and includes a heat-receiving section forming a heat-receiving-section channel through which a coolant flows to absorb heat from the cooling target, a cooling section to cool the coolant, and a circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section, cooling the coolant at the heat-receiving section, and transporting the coolant back to the heat-receiving section. The cooling target is detachable from the main body together with the heat-receiving section. The cooling section is provided at the main body. The coupling assembly connects the heat-receiving-section channel and the circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section whether with the cooling target installed in or detached from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventor: Kenichi Takehara
  • Publication number: 20110217054
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording paper includes a heating member for heating the recording paper, a pressing member for pressing the heating member by pressure-applying contact, a casing accommodating the heating member and the pressing member, and being provided with an exit port for discharging the recording paper, and a closing unit added to the exit port for keeping a temperature of the casing. The closing unit has a rotation member, and an opposed member forming a nip region together with the rotation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki ITO, Hiroshi Mizuno, Kuniya Matsuura, Masayuki Satou, Takashi Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20110188880
    Abstract: Of a cooling device that is for use in an image forming apparatus and that includes: a heat receiving unit that receives heat from a cooling target and that is disposed to come into and away from contact with the cooling target; a heat radiating unit that radiates the heat received by the heat receiving unit; a heat conductive member disposed on at least one of a surface of the heat receiving unit on the side facing the cooling target and a surface of the cooling target on the side facing the heat receiving unit; and a protection member that is disposed on the heat conductive member to protect the heat conductive member, the protection member is substantially incompatible with binder resin of toner for use in the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Shingo Suzuki, Satoshi Okano, Masanori Saitoh, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Keisuke Ikeda, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20110182609
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a compressed air generator, a nozzle, a tube, a cooling device, and a drain discharging portion. The compressed air generator generates and injects compressed air onto at least one of a recording medium and components in the image forming apparatus. The compressed air is injected from the nozzle. The tube connects the compressed air generator and the nozzle, and the compressed air passes through the tube. The cooling device cools at least a portion of the tube. The drain discharging portion discharges drain generated in the tube during cooling by the cooling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Kenichi HASEGAWA, Takeshi Yamamoto, Takashi Seto, Fumihiro Hirose
  • Publication number: 20110182610
    Abstract: A development device includes a developing section to visualize a latent image formed on a latent image carrier with developer including toner and carrier. The development device has a developer supply opening and a developer collection opening, a circulation unit to transport the developer collected from the developer collection opening of the developing section to the developer supply opening of the developing section and including a developer container to store the developer collected from the developing section disposed upstream from the development section in a direction in which the developer is circulated, and a developer cooler to cool the developer contained in the developer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Tomoya OHMURA, Yasuo Takuma, Junichi Matsumoto, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Natsumi Katoh
  • Publication number: 20110170895
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that creates an image and a liquid cooling unit. The liquid cooling unit includes a heat receiving disposed in contact with a temperature rising portion, in the image forming unit, in which a temperature rises due to an image forming operation by the image forming unit, a heat radiating unit that radiates heat of a cooling liquid, a flow passage forming member that allows the cooling liquid to circulate between the heat receiving unit and the heat radiating unit, and a conveying unit that conveys the cooling liquid through the flow passage forming member. The heat radiating unit includes a radiator, and the radiator is disposed at a downstream side of the conveying unit in a cooling liquid flow direction and at an upstream side of the heat receiving unit in the cooling liquid flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Fujiya, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Keisuke Yuasa, Satoshi Okano, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Tomoyasu Hirasawa