Patents Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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Publication number: 20250060692Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body casing, a fixing device, and a spring. The fixing device is attachable to the main body casing from one side toward an other side in a first direction. The main body casing includes a first recessed portion recessed toward one side in a second direction crossing the first direction. The fixing device includes a first boss extending in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction. The first boss is configured to be inserted in the first recessed portion in a state where the fixing device is attached to the main body casing. The spring is configured to press, in the state where the fixing device is attached to the main body casing, the first boss inserted in the first recessed portion toward the one side in the first direction and the one side in the second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2024Publication date: February 20, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Misato OSUKA, Daisuke ISHIZUKA, Shota IRIYAMA
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Publication number: 20250058564Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head having a nozzle surface in which a nozzle is opened; a wiper configured to come into contact with the nozzle surface and move relative to the head; and a controller. The controller is configured to execute: a viscosity determination process of determining viscosity of liquid adhering to the nozzle surface; and a wiping process in which the wiper comes into contact with the nozzle surface and moves relative to the head. In a case in which the determined viscosity is lower than first viscosity indicating that the liquid is substantially solidified, a pressing pressure when the wiper comes into contact with the nozzle surface in the wiping process is set to be larger than a stress due to viscous friction of the liquid on the nozzle surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2024Publication date: February 20, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Mikio OGAWA, Hiroyuki TANAKA, Ryuji KATO
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Publication number: 20250060691Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main-body housing, a drum unit, and a toner cartridge. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a drum frame, a developing roller, a toner-inlet shutter to open and close a toner-inlet opening, a cleaning member, and a collected-toner outlet shutter to open and close a collected-toner outlet opening. The toner cartridge includes a toner casing having a toner container and a collected-toner container, and a shutter-driving member having a transmission device and an operable device. The transmission device is movable by the operable device between a first position, at which the toner-inlet shutter and the collected-toner outlet shutter are located at positions to close the toner-inlet opening and the collected-toner outlet opening, and a second position, at which the toner-inlet shutter and the collected-toner outlet shutter are located at positions to open the toner-inlet opening and the collected-toner outlet opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2024Publication date: February 20, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masaki UEJI, Shougo SATO
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Publication number: 20250058561Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a main controlling circuit, a subsidiary controlling circuit group, and heads. The subsidiary controlling circuit group includes a plurality of subsidiary controlling circuits, including a first subsidiary controlling circuit and a second subsidiary controlling circuit connected with one another serially, and is configured to transmit print data received from the main controlling circuit from upstream to downstream. The first subsidiary controlling circuit is configured to, based on a volume of outgoing data to be transmitted to one of the heads and a volume of incoming data from the second subsidiary controlling circuit, determine whether a first data-transfer request is to be transmitted to the second subsidiary controlling circuit, and based on a determination that the first data-transfer request is to be transmitted, transmit the first data-transfer request to the second subsidiary controlling circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2024Publication date: February 20, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hajime USAMI
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Patent number: 12228867Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a casing; a conveyer member rotatable about an axis; a shutter rotatable about the axis between a closed position and an open position; a toner coupling rotatable about the axis; a planet carrier rotatable about the axis with the toner coupling; a planetary gear rotatable about a pin of the planet carrier and rotatable about the axis in accordance with the rotation of the planet carrier; and a ring gear meshing with the planetary gear and rotatable about the axis with the shutter. When the shutter moves from the closed position to the open position, the planetary gear is not rotatable about the pin and is rotatable about the axis with the ring gear. In a state where the shutter is at the open position, the planetary gear is rotatable about the pin and is rotatable about the axis relative to the ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuwen Wang, Junichi Hashimoto, Takuya Amaike
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Patent number: 12228879Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing having an opening, a drawer movable through the opening between a housing position and a drawn position, a process cartridge mountable to and removable from the drawer and including a drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum rotating about a first axis, and a developing cartridge including a developing roller that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum and rotates about a second axis extending in parallel with the first axis, and an intermediate transfer belt located above the drum cartridge in a state where the process cartridge is mounted to the drawer and the drawer is located in the housing position. The developing cartridge includes a handle. The handle is located opposite to the photosensitive drum with respect to the developing roller in a direction of drawing the drawer, in a state where the process cartridge is removed from the drawer.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shougo Sato
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Patent number: 12232195Abstract: A specific communication device may send specific identification information for identifying the specific communication device to an external via a communication interface, wherein the external device may display a screen including the specific identification information in a case where the external device receives the specific identification information from the specific communication device; and in a case where a specific condition including that the specific identification information is sent to the external is fulfilled, a state of the display unit may be changed from a first state to a second state, the first state being a state in which the display unit does not display the specific identification information, and the second state being a state in which the display unit displays the specific identification information.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2022Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hirokazu Sato
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Patent number: 12228874Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a housing including a first side wall and a second side wall, a sheet tray movable in a first direction, an image forming device to form an image on a sheet, and a chute movable in a second direction, is provided. The sheet tray has a first outer frame, having a first dent denting downward. The chute has a second outer frame. The second outer frame has a second dent denting upward and forming an opening together with the first dent and a handle extending downward from the second dent. At least one of the first outer frame and the second outer frame has a wall shielding a part of the opening at a position upstream from the handle in the second direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tetsuharu Ube
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Patent number: 12228870Abstract: In an image-forming apparatus, a controller is configured to perform: in a case where the controller performs forming a multicolor image on a sheet: bringing, in response to a temperature of a fixing device reaching a first temperature lower than a fixing temperature, first and second developing rollers into contact with first and second photosensitive drums; and feeding, after a first period of time elapses from a time when the temperature of the fixing device reaches the first temperature, a sheet from a sheet tray toward the belt using a pickup roller. The controller is configured to further perform: in a case where the controller performs forming a single-color image on the sheet: bringing, after a second period of time elapses from the time when the temperature of the fixing device reaches the first temperature, the second developing roller into contact with the second photosensitive drum; and the feeding.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Sadaharu Kato
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Patent number: 12228878Abstract: A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Shimizu, Koji Abe
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Patent number: 12229607Abstract: An acquisition portion of a pretreatment control apparatus acquires identification information capable of identifying a treatment medium (step S1). A first transmission portion transmits a pretreatment instruction based on the identification information to a pretreatment device which performs a pretreatment with respect to the treatment medium (step S13). A second transmission portion transmits a transmission instruction for identified print data based on the identification information, to a storage device which stores print data (step S3). As a result, the pretreatment control apparatus can transmit the pretreatment instruction and the identified print data by acquiring a single piece of identification information. Therefore, the number of processing steps by the pretreatment control apparatus is fewer than when the pretreatment instruction and the identified print data are transmitted by acquiring different information.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shuichi Tamaki, Takeshi Watanabe, Kenji Sato
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Publication number: 20250053134Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
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Publication number: 20250050669Abstract: An image forming method for forming an image on a substrate, includes: forming a resin layer on the substrate; adhering a transfer sheet having a sublimable dye ink layer on a surface thereof to the resin layer, the sublimable dye ink layer including a sublimable dye ink; and heating the transfer sheet to transfer the sublimable dye ink to the resin layer. Forming the resin layer includes: ejecting a resin liquid from an inkjet head to adhere the resin liquid to the substrate, the resin liquid including a resin component capable of being polymerized by ultraviolet irradiation; and polymerizing the resin component by ultraviolet radiation to form the resin layer on the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nozomi SUZUKI, Sota MACHII
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Publication number: 20250053117Abstract: A drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction, a developing roller configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum, and a developing housing configured to store the toner therein. The developing housing includes a first housing supporting the developing roller, a second housing having an inlet port, and a gasket providing a sealing between the first housing and the second housing. The first housing is movable relative to the photosensitive drum. The second housing is immovable relative to the photosensitive drum. The gasket is elastically deformable in response to movement of the first housing relative to the photosensitive drum.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shougo SATO
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Publication number: 20250050675Abstract: An image forming method for forming an image on a non-permeable substrate, which is water proof, includes: forming a resin layer on the non-permeable substrate; adhering a transfer sheet having a sublimable dye ink layer on a surface thereof to the resin layer, the sublimable dye ink layer comprising a sublimable dye ink; and heating the transfer sheet to transfer the sublimable dye ink to the resin layer. Forming the resin layer includes: ejecting a dispersion liquid which includes resin particles from an inkjet head to be adhered to the non-permeable substrate, such that the resin particles are fixed on the non-permeable substrate to form the resin layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Sota MACHII, Nozomi SUZUKI
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Patent number: 12220910Abstract: A printing device includes: an attachment portion to which a cassette accommodating a printing medium is detachably attachable; a conveying portion for conveying the printing medium; a printing portion for printing the printing medium; a cutter portion for cutting the printed printing medium; and a controller. The controller is configured to perform: a conveying process to convey the printing medium from the printing portion to the cutter portion; a cutting process to cut the printed printing medium; an acquisition process to acquire the control information from the cassette; a determination process to determine a reverse conveyance amount of the printing medium based on the control information; and a reverse conveying process to convey a remaining non-printed portion of the printing medium from the cutter portion to the printing portion by the reverse conveyance amount determined in the determination process.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kentaro Murayama
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Patent number: 12222662Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a photosensitive member, a developing device including a developing roller, pressing members configured to engage with the developing device and springs configured to urge the pressing members. In some examples, each of the pressing members may be configured to contact and move the developing device between various positions based on the urging of the springs. Additionally or alternatively, various ends of a contact surface of the developing roller configured to contact developer may be disposed relative to an axis line of the developing roller and pressing surfaces of the pressing members.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2023Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoh Nishimura, Shougo Sato
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Patent number: 12221730Abstract: An editing apparatus displays an editing screen for editing data for a medium to be processed by processing equipment including a printer, a cutting machine, and a sewing machine on a display. The data includes print data to drive the printer, cutting data to drive the cutting machine, and sewing data to drive the sewing machine. The editing apparatus receives an operation for editing the data with the editing screen or the preview screen displayed on the display, edits the data in accordance with the operation received, and outputs the data edited to the printer, the cutting machine, and the sewing machine.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2023Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomotaka Katano, Daisuke Abe, Yuta Kamihira, Sayaka Kurihara, Kazuki Shibata
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Patent number: 12222129Abstract: An air conditioner includes a housing having a first outlet and a second outlet, a first channel communicating with the first outlet, a second channel communicating with the second outlet, a tank unit configured to hold water for cooling first air and second air, the first air flowing through the first channel, the second air flowing through the second channel, a cooling unit configured to cool the first air by heat of vaporization of water held in the tank unit, a water supply channel for supplying water held in the tank unit to the cooling unit, and a water recovery channel for collecting water remaining in the cooling unit to the tank unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2022Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuji Sakano, Ryuta Iijima, Shigeki Yoshida, Naokatsu Osawa, Masashi Ichihashi, Manabu Shirai
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Patent number: 12220906Abstract: A printer includes: a conveyor conveying a sheet in a conveying direction; a first supporting part positioned on an upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the conveyor, and having a first supporting surface; a side guide making contact with at least one of both ends, in a width direction of the sheet, in the first supporting surface, the width direction being orthogonal to the conveying direction and parallel to the first supporting surface; a suction-attraction force generator generating a suction-attraction force in an area, in the first supporting surface, which is adjacent to the side guide and in which the sheet passes; a second supporting part positioned on a downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the conveyor, and having a second supporting surface; and a recording part recording an image on the sheet supported by the second supporting surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2022Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki Okumura, Shigeki Kato, Yoshiya Tomatsu