Humidity Patents (Class 399/97)
-
Patent number: 9986121Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit, a fixing unit, a time setting unit, and a control unit. The image reading unit moves a running body having an onboard optical system. The fixing unit heats toner transferred onto the print medium and applies pressure on the heated toner with respect to the print medium to fix the toner. The time setting unit sets an estimated time when use of the image forming apparatus starts. The control unit controls the image reading unit, the fixing unit, and the time setting unit. The control unit, prior to the set estimated start-of-use time by a predetermined period set in advance, activates the image reading unit to detect whether condensation has occurred in the optical system, heats the fixing unit in response to a detection of occurrence of condensation, and stops the heating before the estimated start-of-use time.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Shinya Matsui
-
Patent number: 9213309Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a cover unit, and a liquid channel. The cover unit is disposed above an image forming unit. The cover unit includes a first member, a second member, and a neighboring portion positioned between the first member and the second member. The liquid channel is configured to guide liquid and includes a first channel and a second channel. The first channel is disposed between the neighboring portion and the image forming unit. The first channel includes a recess part and a liquid outlet. The recess part is disposed below the neighboring portion and extending toward the frame in an extending direction. The liquid outlet is positioned at an end portion of the recess part in the extending direction. The second channel is disposed at the frame. The second channel is configured to allow liquid to pass through the frame in the extending direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masato Makino, Kouji Watanabe, Nobuyuki Futatsuki
-
Patent number: 9042751Abstract: A high voltage power supply includes a developer carrier, an image carrier, a developing control unit, a load detection unit, a variation detection unit, and a voltage correction unit. The developing control unit applies a developing bias voltage to the developer carrier and thereby supplies the developer to the image carrier and develops an electrostatic latent image. The variation detection unit detects the variation in capacitance between the developer carrier and the image carrier detected by the load detection unit. The voltage correction unit corrects the developing bias voltage by decreasing the developing bias voltage as the variation increases, and increasing the developing bias voltage as the variation decreases.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Masanori Okada
-
Patent number: 9025991Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a manual operating unit, at least a part of which being exposed to an outside of the apparatus body and a part of which included inside the apparatus body being exposed to the outside by manually operating from the outside, a condensation part to which moist air in the apparatus body contacts to dew-condense to a water droplet, and a recovery container part containing the water droplet generated by the condensation part and being disposed on an inner surface of the manual operating unit included inside the apparatus body.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Namba, Toshikane Nishii, Mitsutaka Nakamura, Haruyuki Honda
-
Publication number: 20150110508Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is an image forming apparatus including a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a control unit. The control unit determines whether an environment of the apparatus is a dew condensation environment, based on a temperature of the apparatus detected by the temperature sensor and humidity in the apparatus detected by the humidity sensor. The control unit turns ON a dew condensation preventing heater when determining that the environment of the apparatus is the dew condensation environment in a case where a main power source of the apparatus is in an OFF state or the apparatus is in a power saving mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventor: Takayuki NISHI
-
Patent number: 9008535Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a fixing unit including a heating rotational body, and configured to perform heat-fixing by putting a sheet having an unfixed-image formed thereon in contact with the heating rotational body; and a mechanism including a plate-like water droplet guiding member and a condensation collection container, and configured to receive water droplets at an upper surface of the water droplet guiding member, guide the water droplets towards the condensation collection container, and collect the water droplets at the condensation collection container, the water droplets generated above the fixing unit by condensation of water vapor that rises from the sheet during the heat-fixing and falling therefrom. When viewing the image forming apparatus from above in a vertical direction, the condensation collection container is disposed outside a sheet passing region in a sheet width direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2013Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Masahide Wakayama, Naoichi Asakura, Yasuaki Tomoda
-
Patent number: 8989617Abstract: In one example, a climate control system for a printer includes: an air flow path from an intake for receiving warmer, dirtier aft from a printing area of the printer to an exhaust for returning cooler, cleaner air to the printing area of the printer; a first heat exchanger in the flow path for exchanging heat between warmer air coming from the intake and cooler air going to the exhaust; and a second heat exchanger in the flow path for receiving warmer, dirtier air from the first heat exchanger and passing cooler, cleaner air to the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is configured to cool the air to a predetermined dew point temperature corresponding to a desired level of a contaminant in the air.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2011Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo B.V.Inventors: Nadav Shalem, Moshe Peles, Michael Melnik
-
Patent number: 8931412Abstract: In a method or system for printing of a recording medium, potential images of images to be printed are generated on a potential image carrier. The potential images are developed into an image film comprising image regions and non-image regions on the potential image carrier via application of a liquid developer comprising a polymerizable carrier fluid with dye particles suspended therein. The image film is transferred onto the recording medium. The image film is fixed on the recording medium via a cross-linking reaction of the carrier fluid such that the dye particles of the image regions are embedded in a fixed polymer matrix and the carrier fluid hardens into a transparent film that permanently bonds with the recording medium. The cross-linking reaction of the carrier fluid is started, accelerated, or extended by at least one component.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2011Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbHInventors: Astrid Bernsdorf, Claudia Schäfle, Martin Berg
-
Patent number: 8929794Abstract: A sheet cooling device includes a fixing device for heat fixing an unfixed image formed on a sheet; and a cooling device for cooling the sheet heated by the fixing device, the cooling device including, a rotatable endless belt contactable with the sheet heated by the fixing device and traveling above the fixing device; and a cooling member for cooling the endless belt to condense water vapor produced by a fixing operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazunari Hatazaki
-
Patent number: 8913940Abstract: A fixing device includes a solid or hollow cylindrical heating member that heats a recording medium and has recesses or projections provided at axial ends thereof, over the entire outer circumferences; ring-shaped heat insulating members to be fitted to the axial ends of the heating member, the ring-shaped heat insulating members having, in the inner circumferences thereof, projections or recesses that fit into or receive the recesses or projections provided on the heating member; and bearings that rotatably support the axial ends of the heating member via the heat insulating members.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jun Sawamura
-
Patent number: 8913932Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: image-forming units of multiple colors that form images on an image carrier in such a manner that the images are overlaid on one another, and a determination unit that determines necessity of position alignment correction of an image of each color accompanying image formation in accordance with a degree of change of image formation environment from when correction was executed in the past and a combination of colors used for the image formation.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventor: Hidenori Akamatsu
-
Patent number: 8886077Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording material by heat, a cooling air generating unit configured to generate a cooling air, and an air supplying unit configured to supply the cooling air toward the image forming unit. In addition, a primary water absorbing portion is configured to absorb water generated by the cooling air generating unit, and a secondary water absorbing portion is disposed at a position lower than the primary water absorbing portion in a gravitational direction and configured to absorb the water supplied through the primary water absorbing portion. An air blowing unit blows air warmed by the fixing unit toward the primary and secondary water absorbing portions to evaporate the water absorbed in the first and secondary water absorbing portions.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2011Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiro Nishino, Kenji Suzuki
-
Publication number: 20140321879Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a condensation removal unit configured to perform condensation removal absorbing condensation with toner in the image forming apparatus, and a setting unit configured to set an amount of toner to be used for the condensation removal, wherein the condensation removal unit performs the condensation removal by using the mount of toner set by the setting unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Inventor: Hirochika Sato
-
Patent number: 8862017Abstract: An acoustic cavity conditions the air flowing from a blower to reduce noise in the airflow. The air flowing directly out of the blower exhibits pulses produced by each impeller blade or fan blade. The airflow noise is thereby induced at certain frequencies. Printing operations inside a printer can also occur at specific frequencies. Introducing the airflow directly into certain areas of a printer can result in the noise frequencies and printing frequencies to combine and produce noticeable printing artifacts. An acoustic cavity tuned to dampen the airflow noise can condition the airflow and eradicate the printing artifacts.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Jorge Rodriguez, Glenn Batchelor, Francisco Zirilli, Ali Dergham
-
Patent number: 8843017Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, a sheet feeding unit including a dehumidification heater, a humidity sensing element for sensing humidity, a dehumidification heater switching unit, a control unit for bringing the dehumidification heater switching unit into an ON state when a recognized humidity is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value and bringing the dehumidification heater switching unit into an OFF state when the recognized humidity fails below the predetermined reference value, and a power supply unit for temporarily resuming the supply of power to the control unit in a power saving mode, in a longer cycle, after the supply of power to the control unit was stopped based on a predetermined large difference between the humidity recognized by the control unit and the predetermined reference value.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2011Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Hitoshi Asaka
-
Patent number: 8837967Abstract: A device and method for determining and applying a transfer voltage in an imaging apparatus is provided. A servo voltage is determined based in part upon a change in an environmental condition. A determination is made whether or not to perform a new transfer servo operation based upon at least one of an amount of time passing since the last transfer servo operation was performed and a comparison of the determined servo voltage and a servo voltage used in a prior transfer servo operation. A transfer servo operation includes charging a photoconductive drum to a charge corresponding to a printing voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2010Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Alan Stirling Campbell, Brandon Alden Kemp, Peter Brown Pickett
-
Publication number: 20140233979Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a manual operating unit, at least a part of which being exposed to an outside of the apparatus body and a part of which included inside the apparatus body being exposed to the outside by manually operating from the outside, a condensation part to which moist air in the apparatus body contacts to dew-condense to a water droplet, and a recovery container part containing the water droplet generated by the condensation part and being disposed on an inner surface of the manual operating unit included inside the apparatus body.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Masanori NAMBA, Toshikane NISHII, Mitsutaka NAKAMURA, Haruyuki HONDA
-
Patent number: 8787791Abstract: A packaging arrangement of an image formation apparatus and a process cartridge includes a main body formed with an accommodation chamber configured to accommodate a process cartridge containing toner used for image formation. The main body is formed with an opening through which the process cartridge is detachably attached. The image formation apparatus is configured to be packaged with the process cartridge attached in the accommodation chamber. An openable cover configured to openably cover the opening is provided, and a drying agent is detachably arranged in a clearance formed between an inner face of the accommodation chamber and the process cartridge attached in the accommodation chamber. A part of the drying agent is exposed to outside through the opening of the clearance when the cover is opened, while the process cartridge and the drying agent are covered when the cover is closed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2012Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yasunori Watanabe
-
Patent number: 8736886Abstract: A group of printing conditions, which have at least one condition item in common except for environmental condition items concerning a temperature and humidity environment for printing, is selected from among a plurality of printing conditions. A list image, which represents a line-up of visible information concerning the temperature and humidity environment depending on the environmental condition items, and which is included in the printing conditions of the selected group, is generated and displayed.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Eiji Teraue
-
Publication number: 20140105621Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging member, a voltage applying part, a current measuring part and a controlling part. The image carrier carries a toner image. The charging member electrically charges the image carrier. The voltage applying part applies voltage to the charging member. The current measuring part measures current flowing into the charging member. The controlling part controls applied voltage of the voltage applying part. The controlling part decides, when a predetermined voltage is applied to the charging member for a predetermined time by the voltage applying part, if an increase quantity of the current measured by the current measuring part exceeds a predetermined threshold value, that at least one of the image carrier and the charging member is in an abnormal state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2013Publication date: April 17, 2014Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventors: Yoshitaka IMANAKA, Masahiro TSUTSUMI
-
Publication number: 20140029970Abstract: In one example, a climate control system for a printer includes: an air flow path from an intake for receiving warmer, dirtier aft from a printing area of the printer to an exhaust for returning cooler, cleaner air to the printing area of the printer; a first heat exchanger in the flow path for exchanging heat between warmer air coming from the intake and cooler air going to the exhaust; and a second heat exchanger in the flow path for receiving warmer, dirtier air from the first heat exchanger and passing cooler, cleaner air to the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is configured to cool the air to a predetermined dew point temperature corresponding to a desired level of a contaminant in the air.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2011Publication date: January 30, 2014Inventors: Nadav Shalem, Moshe Peles, Michael Melnik
-
Publication number: 20130272744Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a fixing unit comprising a heating rotational body, and configured to perform heat-fixing by putting a sheet having an unfixed-image formed thereon in contact with the heating rotational body; and a mechanism comprising a plate-like water droplet guiding member and a condensation collection container, and configured to receive water droplets at an upper surface of the water droplet guiding member, guide the water droplets towards the condensation collection container, and collect the water droplets at the condensation collection container, the water droplets generated above the fixing unit by condensation of water vapor that rises from the sheet during the heat-fixing and falling therefrom. When viewing the image forming apparatus from above in a vertical direction, the condensation collection container is disposed outside a sheet passing region in a sheet width direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2013Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Masahide WAKAYAMA, Naoichi ASAKURA, Yasuaki TOMODA
-
Patent number: 8559834Abstract: As set forth herein, computer-implemented methods and systems facilitate adjusting an HFSI counter increment as a function of local relative humidity in order to adjust corona device lifespan. Adjustment factors are set for a plurality of GOM levels and an adjustment factor to be applied to the HFSI counter increment is assigned to or set for each GOM level. A curve is determined or calculated that approximates the adjustment factor, and a quadratic equation defining the curve is determined. Humidity measurement data is received from an environmental sensor coupled to the printer device, and depending on the relative humidity in the local environment of the printer, and an adjustment factor derived from the quadratic equation is applied to the HFSI counter increment to adjust for dry or humid conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2011Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Paul F. Sawicki, Robert S. Pozniakas
-
Patent number: 8554113Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger having an opening, a shutter configured to open and close the opening of the corona charger, a humidity sensor configured to detect humidity, and a control unit configured to control the so that time from ending an image forming process to closing the opening using the shutter is reduced when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor increases.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2011Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroyuki Kidaka
-
Patent number: 8537432Abstract: In an image reader, the first reading unit outputs first image data corresponding to the image of the first surface of the original document. The second image reading unit outputs second image data corresponding to the image of the second surface of the original document. The image process circuit acquires at least one of a part of the first image data and a part of the second image data from the storing unit, and performs an image process on the image data acquired from the storing unit. When the image process circuit finishes performing the image process on either the first image data or the second image data, the initialization instruction unit instructs initializing either the first setting or the second setting corresponding to the either the first image data or the second image data and the image process circuit initializes the either the first setting or the second setting.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Atsushi Yokochi
-
Patent number: 8521054Abstract: The present invention provides a charging device which can suppress the deterioration of a photosensitive member and the occurrence of an image deletion phenomenon on an electrophotographic image due to an electric discharge product having deposited on a charger shutter, even when having been used for a long period of time. The charging device has an image bearing member which bears an image thereon, a charging member which charges the image bearing member, and a shielding member which shields the charging member from the image bearing member, wherein the shielding member includes a specific material.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2011Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroyuki Kidaka
-
Patent number: 8515298Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium; a fixing unit configured to fix the image onto the recording medium by applying heat and pressure; a re-transport unit configured to re-transport the recording medium which has passed through the fixing unit, to the image forming unit along a re-transport path; a cooling unit provided between the fixing unit and the image forming unit along the re-transport path and configured to cool the recording medium transported by the re-transport unit; a parameter signal output unit configured to output a signal corresponding to a parameter for controlling the cooling unit; and a controller configured to control the cooling unit according to the signal output from the parameter signal output unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kensuke Miyahara, Katsuyuki Yokoi, Toshio Furukawa
-
Publication number: 20130195500Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing; a fixing unit accommodated in the casing and including a heating member and a pressing member; a first wall provided inside the casing at a position above the heating member and the pressing member and extending diagonally downward and forward; an uneven portion provided on the first wall at a position rearward of front end portion of the pressing member to restrain a dew droplet condensed on the first wall from running down along the first wall; a sheet ejection opening formed in the casing such that the recording sheet conveyed out from the fixing unit is ejected outside the casing through the sheet ejection opening; and an exhaust opening formed in the casing at a position rearward of the heating member such that air heated in the fixing unit is discharged outside the casing through the exhaust opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2013Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masahito Saeki, Hidekazu Nogami, Koyo Yamamoto
-
Patent number: 8444246Abstract: An apparatus includes: a drying unit to dry a printing medium on which an image was printed using an inkjet head; a humidification unit to humidify the printing medium that was dried by the drying unit so that the moisture content of the printing medium becomes the equilibrium state in the ambient environment; a colorimetric unit to perform colorimetry on the printing medium that was humidified by the humidification unit; and a calibration unit to calibrate printing properties on the basis of the result of colorimetry by the colorimetric unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kentarou Muro, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takeshi Murase, Satoshi Azuma, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
-
Patent number: 8442407Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: W. Bradford Willard, Kimberly Anne Stoll, David R. Stookey, Paul L. Jacobs, Robert W. Phelps, Jyothsna Ram
-
Patent number: 8335450Abstract: A thick film charging device is used to simultaneously heat a photoreceptor as it is being charged in order to mitigate image quality defects associated with the photoreceptor in high humidity conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2011Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Gerald F Daloia, Michael A Doody, Edward C Savage
-
Patent number: 8326173Abstract: Hard imaging devices, humidity control systems and hard imaging methods are described. According to one arrangement, a hard imaging device includes an imaging member comprising a surface and a writing assembly configured to form latent images upon the surface of the imaging member. The hard imaging device also includes a development assembly configured to provide a marking agent to the surface of the imaging member to develop the latent images to form developed images, a transfer assembly configured to transfer the developed images from the surface of the imaging member to media to form a plurality of hard images, and a humidity control system configured to control humidity within a region of the hard imaging device which is adjacent to the surface of the imaging member during the forming and the development of the latent images. Other structure and methods are described.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Seongsik Chang, Viet Hung Phan, Michael H. Lee, Omer Gila
-
Patent number: 8320787Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: plural sheet supplying sections which accommodate a recording sheet and feed out the recording sheet; an image forming section which forms an image on the recording sheet, fed out from the sheet supplying section, based on a printing job; a memory section which stores information of the printing job, including information of the recording sheet; and a control section which determines a sheet supplying section, based on the information of the recording sheet, included in the printing job stored in the memory section, and displays an event using a time axis provided on a vertical axis or a horizontal axis on a display section, the event is generated by a schedule for using the sheet supplying section determined above, and is generated when the sheet supplying section is switched to another sheet-supplying section, or the event is generated at a predetermined time cycle.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Kenichi Hosoi
-
Publication number: 20120219312Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation to radiate infrared rays; a pressing rotary body, rotatable in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body, pressed against the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body; a temperature detector spaced apart from the fixing rotary body to detect a temperature of the fixing rotary body based on the infrared rays from the fixing rotary body and disposed below the fixing nip in a vertical direction; and a tube disposed between the fixing rotary body and the temperature detector, the tube through which the infrared rays from the fixing rotary body enter the temperature detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Inventors: Shuutaroh YUASA, Masanao EHARA, Tadashi OGAWA, Satoshi UENO, Hiroshi SEO, Teppei KAWATA, Shuntaroh TAMAKI, Takamasa HASE, Kazuya SAITO, Kensuke YAMAJI
-
Publication number: 20120134708Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, a sheet feeding unit including a dehumidification heater, a humidity sensing element for sensing humidity, a dehumidification heater switching unit, a control unit for bringing the dehumidification heater switching unit into an ON state when a recognized humidity is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value and bringing the dehumidification heater switching unit into an OFF state when the recognized humidity falls below the predetermined reference value, and a power supply unit for temporarily resuming power supply to the control unit in a power saving mode in a longer cycle after the power supply to the control unit is stopped as a difference between the humidity recognized by the control unit and the predetermined reference value is larger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATIONInventor: Hitoshi Asaka
-
Patent number: 8172377Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 21, 2008Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Kyocera Mita CorporationInventors: Takayuki Okumura, Akihiro Takami
-
Patent number: 8165490Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a discharging unit, and multiple guide members. The transfer unit transfers an image onto a transfer sheet. The fixing unit fixes the image to the transfer sheet by application of heat and conveys the fixed transfer sheet to a further downstream portion of the image forming apparatus. The discharging unit discharges the transfer sheet to an external portion of the image forming apparatus. The multiple guide members form a sheet conveyance path that has first and second paths including a hollow portion defined by the multiple guide members to enable an air current generated during image forming to pass therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventor: Yoshikazu Yamazoe
-
Patent number: 8126342Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 8, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: 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: 8068760Abstract: A sheet feeder which feeds a sheet in a sheet storage case includes a sheet storage case in which a sheet is stored, a dehumidifier which dehumidifies air, an air tank in which air dehumidified by the dehumidifier is stored, shutters and which bring the air tank and the sheet storage case into communication and out of communication, and fans and which send air between the air tank and the sheet storage case. The shutters and the fans are operated in accordance with humidity in the sheet storage case.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2008Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tetsuro Fukusaka
-
Patent number: 8045867Abstract: Embodiments of an image forming apparatus, developer supplying apparatus and methods thereof may control a developer conveying speed in accordance with image print conditions, environmental status and/or developer amount to substantially maintain a stable amount or supply amount of developer. The developer may include bi-component developer having toner and carrier.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jong-hyun Park
-
Patent number: 8045879Abstract: Disclosed are a method of controlling moisture in an electrophotographic apparatus having a fuser assembly, and corresponding electrophotographic apparatus. The method includes measuring a cavity temperature of an inner portion of the electophotographic apparatus, measuring a cavity relative humidity of an inner portion of the electophotographic apparatus, calculating a cavity dewpoint temperature using the measured cavity temperature and the measured cavity relative humidity, determining a difference between the cavity temperature and the cavity dewpoint temperature, and if the difference between the cavity temperature and the cavity dewpoint temperature drops below a predetermined threshold, turning on a heater device in the fuser assembly to control moisture in the electrophotographic apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2008Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Xerox CorpoationInventor: Douglas Bisset
-
Publication number: 20110222898Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger having an opening, a shutter configured to open and close the opening of the corona charger, a humidity sensor configured to detect humidity, and a control unit configured to control the so that time from ending an image forming process to closing the opening using the shutter is reduced when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor increases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2011Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroyuki Kidaka
-
Publication number: 20110182609Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2010Publication date: July 28, 2011Inventors: Kenichi HASEGAWA, Takeshi Yamamoto, Takashi Seto, Fumihiro Hirose
-
Patent number: 7965954Abstract: A control unit controls a device that executes an image forming process, compares changes of each toner adhesion amount in an image-density-detection pattern image when a developing-bias control condition is changed, with respect to a toner adhesion amount in an image-density-detection pattern image in a normal status, performs a malfunction-occurrence prediction process according to the degree of each change of the densities, and displays the result.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Jun Shiori, Toshihiro Sugiyama, Atsushi Tano, Tadashi Kasai, Yutaka Takahashi, Takehide Mizutani
-
Publication number: 20110069987Abstract: Hard imaging devices, humidity control systems and hard imaging methods are described. According to one arrangement, a hard imaging device includes an imaging member comprising a surface and a writing assembly configured to form latent images upon the surface of the imaging member. The hard imaging device also includes a development assembly configured to provide a marking agent to the surface of the imaging member to develop the latent images to form developed images, a transfer assembly configured to transfer the developed images from the surface of the imaging member to media to form a plurality of hard images, and a humidity control system configured to control humidity within a region of the hard imaging device which is adjacent to the surface of the imaging member during the forming and the development of the latent images. Other structure and methods are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2009Publication date: March 24, 2011Inventors: Seongsik Chang, Viet Hung Phan, Michael H. Lee, Omer Gila
-
Patent number: 7899346Abstract: The humidity detecting device includes a detection unit and a controller. The detection unit includes a humidity sensor for producing a humidity detection signal by detecting a humidity, a temperature sensor for producing a temperature detection signal by detecting a temperature surrounding the humidity sensor, and a common power supply line connected to the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor. The controller includes an application circuit for applying a power supply voltage to the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor through the common power supply line, a read circuit for producing a read-out humidity value corresponding to the humidity detection signal and a read-out temperature value corresponding to the temperature detection signal, and a correction circuit for correcting the read-out humidity value based on the read-out temperature value.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Isao Kubo, Kenichi Dan
-
Patent number: 7890003Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an image carrier, a developing agent container for holding a developing agent, and a developing agent supplier for supplying the developing agent from the developing agent container to the image carrier. A controller determines the amount of use of the image forming unit. A shaking mechanism shakes the image forming unit from time to time, at intervals determined by the controller according to the amount of use of the image forming unit. The shaking loosens the developing agent so as to maintain its fluidity, thereby avoiding faint image formation.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Junichi Ito
-
Publication number: 20110013924Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: plural sheet supplying sections which accommodate a recording sheet and feed out the recording sheet; an image forming section which forms an image on the recording sheet, fed out from the sheet supplying section, based on a printing job; a memory section which stores information of the printing job, including information of the recording sheet; and a control section which determines a sheet supplying section, based on the information of the recording sheet, included in the printing job stored in the memory section, and displays an event using a time axis provided on a vertical axis or a horizontal axis on a display section, the event is generated by a schedule for using the sheet supplying section determined above, and is generated when the sheet supplying section is switched to another sheet-supplying section, or the event is generated at a predetermined time cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Kenichi Hosoi
-
Patent number: 7700895Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus including a stacking portion for stacking a plurality of sheets thereon, a sheet feeding portion for feeding the sheets stacked on the stacking portion, a fan for sending air to the sheets to loosen the sheets stacked on the stacking portion, a heater for warming the air sent by the fan, a temperature detecting portion for detecting the temperature of the heater, and a control portion for starting the driving of the fan in conformity with the temperature detecting portion having detected a predetermined temperature after temperature control for adjusting the heater to a target temperature has been started.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shunichi Komatsu, Kunio Tsuruno, Yuzo Matsumoto, Yasuo Fukatsu
-
Patent number: 7680428Abstract: A grid wire cleaning mechanism is provided to prevent a reduction in image quality due to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier not being uniformly charged as a result of corona products adhering unevenly to the surface of the grid wires to extend the life of the grid wires and grid wire contact member. A first abrading member 71 abrades grid wires 224. A movement device 73 moves the first abrading member 71 in the same direction as the direction of extension of the grid wires 224. A humidity measurement unit 741 measures the humidity near the grid wires 224. The operation control unit 743 operates the movement device 73 when cleaning the grid wires 224, but does not operate the movement device 73 when the humidity measured by the humidity measurement unit 741 exceeds a predetermined threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2007Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Kyocera Mita CorporationInventors: Shingo Sakato, Eiji Nimura, Hirohisa Endou, Toyotsune Inoue