Patents Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 11912019
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a plurality of conveyors configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction; an image recording device configured to record an image on the recording medium; a divider disposed downstream of the conveyors and the image recording device in the conveyance direction, the divider being configured to perform a dividing process including dividing the recording medium into a plurality of pieces; and a controller configured to bring the divider into contact with the recording medium to perform the dividing process on the recording medium with holding an upstream side relative to a central position of the recording medium in the conveyance direction by at least two or more of the plurality of conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11914324
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a cover for opening and closing the opening; a cartridge attachable to the casing through the opening; and a controller. The casing includes a first memory. The cartridge includes a second memory storing consumption state information representing a consumption state of the cartridge. The controller performs: determining whether the cartridge attached to the casing is unused; storing, when the attached cartridge is unused, the consumption state information acquired from the second memory in the first memory; determining, when the image forming apparatus is powered on or the cover is closed, whether the consumption state information in the first memory and the consumption state information in the second memory match; permitting use of the cartridge when the two sets of consumption state information match; and prohibiting use of the cartridge when the two set of consumption state information does not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Fukusada
  • Patent number: 11915073
    Abstract: A terminal device may generate a first label file based on a specific label file. The specific label file may include one or more object regions in which a print target object is to be placed and first text information written in a first object region of the one or more object regions. The first label file may include the one or more object regions and does not include the first text information. The terminal device may generate a first database file associated with the first label file. The first database file may store a first field name corresponding to the first object region and a first text obtained by using the first text information in association with each other. The terminal device may generate first print data by using the first label file and the first database file, and send the first print data to a label printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryoji Ban
  • Patent number: 11912029
    Abstract: There is provided liquid discharging head having unit heads. Each of the unit heads includes: first piezoelectric layer, driving electrodes arranged on surface of the first piezoelectric layer and to each of which one of first and second potentials is to be applied, and common electrode. The common electrode includes: potential receiving part configured to receive one of the first and second potentials; and extending part extending in extending direction orthogonal to the first direction, so as to overlap with the driving electrodes in the first direction. The unit heads are arranged so that the common electrodes of the plurality of unit heads are adjacent to each other in second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The extending directions of two of the common electrodes adjacent to each other in the second direction are opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Aiba
  • Patent number: 11914317
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device configured to supply toner onto the photosensitive drum, a transfer device configured to transfer the toner supplied onto the photosensitive drum onto a sheet, a spraying device configured to spray a fixing liquid toward the sheet onto which the toner has been transferred, the spraying device including a housing configured to accommodate the fixing liquid and nozzles configured to spray the fixing liquid inside the housing, and a collecting device configured to collect the fixing liquid sprayed from the nozzles and did not adhere to the sheet. The collecting device includes a collection tray configured to accommodate the fixing liquid, a collection pipe connected to the collection tray and configured to allow the fixing liquid in the collection tray to pass therethrough, and a collection pump configured to send the fixing liquid in the collection pipe toward the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Kamiya, Yutaka Kakigahara, Satoshi Murata, Takashi Shimizu, Koya Morimoto, Masamitsu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11917479
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and a communication terminal can carry out first wireless communication and second wireless communication. The first wireless communication is established when a distance between the information processing apparatus and the communication terminal is equal to or less than a first distance. The information processing apparatus determines whether data communication is to be carried out over the first wireless communication or the second wireless communication. When the data communication is to be carried out over the first wireless communication, the information processing apparatus carries out the data communication over the first wireless communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sadaaki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11917512
    Abstract: A communication device may include a first type of interface and a second type of interface. The communication device may execute the communication of object data with a mobile device using the second type of interface after executing a specific process for causing the communication device to shift to a communication-enabled state, in a case where it is determined that the communication device is not currently in the communication-enabled state. Also, the communication device may execute the communication of the object data with the mobile device using the second type of interface without executing the specific process, in a case where it is determined that the communication device is currently in the communication-enabled state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanobu Suzuki, Hirotaka Asakura, Munehisa Matsuda, Satoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11912039
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus, having a head, a reservoir section including a liquid reservoir chamber and an atmosphere communication path, a liquid flow path connecting the head with the liquid reservoir chamber, a switching assembly to switch states of the atmosphere communication path between a connecting state and a disconnecting state, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to control the switching assembly to switch the states of the atmosphere communication path from the connecting state to the disconnecting state; after switching the states of the atmosphere communication path, control the head to discharge the liquid; and after switching the states of the atmosphere communication path, and in response to a predetermined connection condition being satisfied, control the switching assembly to switch the states of the atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa, Yoshinori Osakabe, Taichi Shirono, Sosuke Kuroyanagi
  • Publication number: 20240061374
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which an exhaust port is formed, a fan, a duct extending in an exhausting direction and configured to accommodate the fan, the duct including a downstream end in the exhausting direction, and an exhaust filter disposed between the duct and the exhaust port in the exhausting direction, the exhaust filter including a first surface facing the exhaust port and a second surface facing the duct. Dimensions of the duct each orthogonal to the exhausting direction are smaller than dimensions of the exhaust filter each orthogonal to the exhausting directions. A perimeter of the downstream end of the duct in the exhausting direction is in contact with the second surface of the exhaust filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke ISHIZUKA, Takuya TSUJI, Yasuhiro SUZUKI, Kazuma HINOUE, Hotaka KAKUTANI, Masafumi INOUE, Haruka KIZU
  • Publication number: 20240061372
    Abstract: A drum unit includes: a frame; a first photosensitive drum; a second photosensitive drum; a charger; and a storage medium. The frame includes: a first frame plate; a second frame plate spaced apart from the first frame plate in a first direction; a third frame plate connecting one end of the first frame plate to one end of the second frame plate; and a fourth frame plate connecting another end of the first frame plate to another end of the second frame plate. The first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum are rotatably supported by the frame. The second photosensitive drum is spaced apart from the first photosensitive drum and positioned closer to the third frame plate than the first photosensitive drum to the third frame plate in a second direction. The storage medium has an electrical contact surface positioned at an outer surface of the third frame plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao KISHI, Nao ITABASHI, Yohei HASHIMOTO, Kouji WATANABE, Makoto SOUDA
  • Publication number: 20240064258
    Abstract: In a consuming device, a controller is configured to perform, when an operating mode is set to a non-billing mode: executing. The executing executes, in response to receiving an execution instruction, a prescribed operation consuming a consumable. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable irrespective of a permitted consumption quantity without decreasing the permitted consumption quantity. The controller is configured to perform: when the operating mode is set to a billing mode: acquiring; and executing. The acquiring acquires the permitted consumption quantity including a newly purchased consumption quantity paid for by a user. The executing executes, in response to receiving the execution instruction, the prescribed operation. The prescribed operation is executed while consuming the consumable and decreasing the permitted consumption quantity acquired in the acquiring until the decreased permitted consumption quantity reaches a predetermined quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke MINAMIKAWA, Koichi TSUGIMURA, Taichiro KIMOTO, Yushi DEURA, Yuki KITAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11906924
    Abstract: A sensor is located upstream of a conveyance roller in a sheet conveyance direction. A switch switches driving and stopping of a photosensitive drum. A controller performs a first mode process as a warm-up process of driving the conveyance roller and a fuser. The first mode process includes: driving the photosensitive drum for a particular time; in response to detecting a sheet within the particular time by the sensor, controlling the switch to continue driving the photosensitive drum after the particular time elapses and to discharge the detected sheet to a sheet discharge tray; and in response to not detecting the sheet within the particular time by the sensor, controlling the switch to stop driving the photosensitive drum at a time point when the particular time elapses, and driving the conveyance roller and the fuser to complete the warm-up process in a state where the photosensitive drum is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Sano, Masaaki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11906908
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing, a developer-carrying member, a supply member, a developing electrode, a supply electrode, and an insulating member. The casing is configured to accommodate therein developer. The developer-carrying member is configured to rotate about a rotational axis and carry the developer thereon. The supply member is configured to supply the developer to the developer-carrying member. The developing electrode is configured to be electrically connected to the developer-carrying member. The supply electrode is configured to be electrically connected to the supply member. The insulating member insulates the developing electrode and the supply electrode with each other. The developing electrode, the insulating member, and the supply electrode are overlapped in this order in an axial direction of the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasumasa Fujii
  • Patent number: 11910717
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes an electrode layer including a trunk portion and a plurality of branch portions branched from the trunk portion. The trunk portion includes a plurality of junction points from each of which a corresponding branch portion of the plurality of branch portions are branched, an end spaced from the plurality of junction points, and a second through hole positioned between the plurality of junction points and the end of the trunk portion. A plurality of first through holes are grouped into a first group and a second group. The first group overlaps, in a first direction, a particular area defined between the end of the trunk portion and the second through hole and the second group overlaps, in the first direction, another particular area defined between the second through hole and the plurality of junction points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiji Kura, Takashi Aiba
  • Patent number: 11904611
    Abstract: A printing device includes a frame, and an electronic circuit-board unit attached to the frame. The electronic circuit-board unit includes: a holder including a holding portion; a first substrate held to a first surface of the holder; a second substrate held to a second surface of the holder and attached to the frame; an electronic component; and a harness electrically connected to the electronic component. The holder has: a first region overlapped with the first substrate in a plan view; and a second region offset from the first region in the plan view. At least one of the electronic component and the harness is held by the holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Ikemoto, Yushi Kato, Sho Asai, Shotaro Watanabe, Takehiko Inaba
  • Patent number: 11904613
    Abstract: There is provided an inkjet recording device including a head, a support member, a storage portion, a valve, an actuator, and a controller. The head includes a nozzle and is configured to eject ink from the nozzle. The support member supports the head. The storage portion storing therein ink. The storage portion has a part positioned above the nozzle. The storage portion has an air communication opening allowing an interior of the storage portion to be communicated with an outside of the storage portion. The valve is movable between an opening position in which the valve opens the air communication opening and a closing position in which the valve closes the air communication opening. The actuator is configured to move the valve. The controller configured to control, while the head is ejecting ink from the nozzle toward a recording medium, the actuator to maintain the valve at the closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa, Yoshinori Osakabe, Taichi Shirono, Sosuke Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 11905090
    Abstract: A fluid package, having a pouch with a compartment apartment delimited by a film and a spout, is provided. The film includes an outer layer, an inner layer, a light-shielding layer, and a bonding layer. An outer periphery of the light-shielding layer is located at a position on an inner side of outer peripheries of the outer layer and the inner layer, at one of a position same as an outer periphery of the container compartment and a position on an outer side with respect to the outer periphery of the container compartment. The light-shielding layer covers an entirety of the container compartment and blocks ultraviolet rays. The bonding layer bonds the outer layer and the inner layer with the light-shielding layer interposed there-between. The bonding layer includes a directly-bonded area, in which the outer layer and the inner layer are directly bonded, in a range surrounding the light-shielding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Nukui, Kenta Hasebe, Ai Sakaguchi, Eiichi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11907358
    Abstract: A communication device may receive from a server authentication information, and may register the authentication information in a memory. The communication device may send first location information in the communication device to the server. The communication device may register a first password in the memory in a case where the authentication information is received from the server and a registration request is received from the terminal device. The communication device may send the authentication information and second location information in the communication device to the server in a case where a first change instruction is obtained after the authentication information and the first password have been registered in the memory. The communication device may change the first password in the memory to a second password in a case where a change request is received from the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Yanagi
  • Patent number: 11904489
    Abstract: A cutting device includes a placement member on which an object to be cut is placed and a mounting portion to which a cutting blade is mounted. The cutting device detects, in the course of the mounting portion moving, a pressure correspondence value corresponding to a pressure applied to the mounting portion, and a movement amount of the mounting portion, decides a cutting pressure correspondence value that is the pressure correspondence value corresponding to a cutting pressure, on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount after the cutting blade has come into contact with the object to be cut, and acquires cutting data. The cutting device further applies in accordance with the acquired cutting data, the cutting pressure corresponding to the decided cutting pressure correspondence value to the mounting portion, and cuts the object to be cut, using the cutting blade mounted to the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Sugiyama, Yukitoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11906914
    Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Fumitake Tajiri, Tokifumi Tanaka, Tomonori Watanabe, Sadaharu Kato, Hirotaka Imaeda