Patents Examined by A. C. Prescott
  • Patent number: 5086316
    Abstract: A xerographic image forming apparatus comprises a top cover lid member provided above the photosensitive body so as to be opened and closed, a movable supporting part provided on the top cover lid member so as to be movable between a first position and a second position relative to the top cover lid member, in which the movable supporting means is adapted for engagement with the photosensitive body and selectively assumes a first position in which the movable supporting means does not engage with the photosensitive body and a second position in which the movable supporting means engages with the photosensitive body responsive to opening of the top cover lid member, and a fixed supporting part provided on a body of the xerographic image forming apparatus for supporting the photosensitive body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Aoki
  • Patent number: 5049905
    Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus using an electronic photographic technology to form an image on a recording medium is configured to deposit toner on the entire surface of a toner carrier then reduce the adhesion corresponding to an image to be formed among toner deposited on the toner carrier before transferring the toner corresponding to the image to the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Tomoyori, Keiichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 5043762
    Abstract: A copy system includes a combination of a tablet and an input pen for inputting copy condition information such as a control condition and an editing condition, and a copying machine for forming a copy image in accordance with a copy condition information as inputted. An IC card insertion portions are respectively formed on the tablets and the copying machine. When the control condition, for example, a copy quantity and a copy magnification, and the editing condition, for example, an editing function and a positional data are inputted by the input pen and the tablet in the state where the IC card is loaded to the tablet, the inputted copy condition information is stored in the IC card. Thereafter, the IC card is unloaded from the tablet and inserted to the copying machine. The copy condition information is led from the inserted IC card to the copying machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwaki, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Shinichi Kikkawa, Akira Inada, Shuuji Watanabe, Akihiko Sutoh
  • Patent number: 5036367
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus of the electrophotographic type. Color images are made while also enabling formation of a sharp black image formed by utilizing a set of color toner development units, at least one of which is replaceable by a black toner development unit when black toner is required. This results in a simpler, more compact, and effective image-forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Haneda, Hisashi Shoji, Kunihisa Yoshino
  • Patent number: 4990941
    Abstract: A duplex printer receives image data for both odd and even pages, prints the image data for odd pages on one side of each sheet of a stack of sheets, reverses and stores the stack of sheets, and prints the image data for the even pages on the other side of the sheets of the stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Kawai
  • Patent number: 4972229
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for setting a copying magnification in an electrophotographic copying apapratus. The device comprises means for manually inputting a numerical value, a plurality of memory means, selection key means for selecting one from the plurality of memory means and control means for memorizing a numerical value input by the numerical value input means in said one of memory means selected by the selection key means, so that the copying apparatus operates to set a copying magnification by a numerical value memorized in said one of memory means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Shibazaki, Yutaka Irie, Masazumi Ito, Tomoji Murata
  • Patent number: 4970560
    Abstract: A coating process for the manufacture of cleaning blades is used where a hardened material coating is electro-deposited onto a carbon steel cleaning blade. The coating process is selected to provided a microporous surface. The pores thus produced are enlarged. The surface is sealed with sub-micron size particles of fluorocarbons, heat treated to create a smooth, slippery surface, while the hardened metal coating provides wear resistance to friction encountered during cleaning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Nero R. Lindblad, Herbert C. Relyea
  • Patent number: 4965634
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus for electrostatically forming a latent image representative of a document on a photoconductive element, or image carrier, and developing the latent image by a developer to produce a visible image. The apparatus is capable of controlling the density of an image to be recorded by adjusting the amount of illumination, toner density, bias voltage for development, etc. A target toner density is selected in response to the density of a toner image which is formed on the image carrier and has a relatively high density. The amount of illumination is adjusted in response to the density of a toner image also formed on the image carrier and having a relatively low density. Further, the bis voltage is selected on the basis of a ratio of the density of a reference density pattern and the actual density of a document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiro Bando
  • Patent number: 4958232
    Abstract: A copying apparatus includes an exposing unit for exposing an original document, a memory, a circuit for causing a plurality of original document images to be stored in the memory, a read out circuit for reading out the original images from the memory, a printing unit for printing the read out image on a copy medium, a manual numerical input device, an addressing circuit for selectively addressing a desired one of the document images stored in the memory in accordance with a data entered by the numerical input device, and a control circuit for controlling the read out circuit by the addressing circuit so as to read out the desired one document image selected by the addressing circuit and print the same on the copy medium. The control circuit is adapted to repeat the read out of the selected image from the memory so as to repeat copying by a number of times entered by the numerical input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Sugiura, Tadashi Sato, Norio Nakajima
  • Patent number: 4956678
    Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus is used in a duplex image forming apparatus which makes two-sided prints. The sheet transport apparatus has a transport path for supplying a recording sheet which is received from a paper supplying unit to an image forming part, a reversing path for reversing side of the recording sheet, and two driving sources for independently driving mechanisms which transport the recording sheet in each of the transport path and the reversing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukitoshi Kiya, Yasushi Nakazato
  • Patent number: 4956677
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning system for an image forming apparatus wherein the cleaning performance thereof will not be deteriorated by, will be substantially free from a change of the environment therearound and damage to a photosensitive member of the image forming apparatus is minimized in order to improve the life of the photosensitive member. The cleaning system comprises a conductive cleaning brush for slidably contacting with the photosensitive member to remove toner powder remaining on the photosensitive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiichi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 4956672
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for setting a copying magnification in an electrophotographic copying apparatus. The device comprises means for manually inputting a numerical value, a plurality of memory means, selection key means for selecting one from the plurality of memory means and control means for memorizing a numerical value input by the numerical value input means in said one of memory means selected by the selection key means, so that the copying apparatus operates to set a copying magnification by a numerical value memorized in said one of memory means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Shibazaki, Yutaka Irie, Masazumi Ito, Tomoji Murata
  • Patent number: 4954844
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for forming a color image on a photoreceptor, in which along the rotation direction of the photoreceptor there are provided an imagewise exposure process to form a latent image, a development process including a plurality of developing devices to form a color toner image, each of the plural developing devices having a toner hopper, and a transfer process to transfer the formed color toner image onto a copy paper. The apparatus comprises a housing for including at least the photoreceptor, the plural developing devices and the plural toner hopper as one unit, and a support guide for supporting the housing to be movable in the axial direction of the photoreceptor so that the unit is attached to and detached from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Shizuo Morita, Toru Matsumoto, Masayuki Kamegamori, Kazushi Hayakawa, Noboru Hatakeyama, Shunji Matsuo, Masakazu Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 4954845
    Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a heating device, a non-endless film movable together with a toner image supporting medium, wherein the toner image on the supporting medium is heated by the heating device through the film, a rewinding device for rewinding the film in a direction opposite to a movement direction of the toner image supporting medium, and a pressing device for press-contacting the film to the heating device and to the image supporting medium, wherein the rewinding device rewinds the film while the pressing device does not perform its pressing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kanji Yano, Yasutsugu Saijo, Kensaku Kusaka, Hiromitsu Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 4952978
    Abstract: An electrophotographic process using a photosensitive member having an amorphous silicon photosensitive layer, includes uniformly charging the photosensitive member, and exposing the photosensitive member to information light to form an electrostatic latent image, developing the electrostatic latent image using a developing device selected from a plurality of developing devices disposed along a movement direction of the photosensitive member, wherein a movement speed of the photosensitive member is lower when a selected developing device is the one closer to the station where the uniformly charging step is performed than when another developing device is selected, whereby the time periods for a portion of the photosensitive member to move from the charging station to the developing devices is substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigenori Ueda, Koji Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Ehara, Nobuyuki Kume, Nobuo Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 4952975
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises an image forming part for forming images on recording papers, a trouble detection part for detecting troubles in image forming operation and stopping operation of the image forming part in response to trouble detection output, a counter part for counting the number of times of trouble occurrence in response to detection output from the trouble detection part, a mode setting part for allowing operation of the trouble detection part and inhibiting that of the counter part when the specific mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masazumi Ito, Yoshihiko Yasue
  • Patent number: 4952982
    Abstract: A copying apparatus and method is disclosed. Provided as main parts are detection means for detecting the separation condition of the recording paper and control means for controlling at least one of charging means, separation means, and transport means in accordance with the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichiro Tabuchi
  • Patent number: 4951088
    Abstract: A toner mass developed control system for use with electronic printers or copiers provides for the measurement of toned photoconductor reflectivity and bare photoconductor reflectivity. The standard control ratio is modified by characterizing the particular sensor unit in use and by taking into account the reflectance from both photoconductor and toner in the toned patch reflectivity measurement. These factors together with a modification for photoconductor reflectance degradation enable accurate control in high optical density development and with highly reflective color toners by altering the control ratio in accordance with these factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Bonvallet, Jimmie Ray Brewster, James R. Champion, Kenneth S. Shouldice
  • Patent number: 4951090
    Abstract: A copying machine comprising a handle on one side of the body of the copying machine, said handle being made usable when a paper feed tray is removed from said copying machine body; a paper feed tray sensor which is activated when said paper feed tray is mounted onto said copying machine body; a jam sensor; and a means for detecting the occurrence of a jam only when said jam sensor and said paper feed tray sensor are both activated, thereby preventing malfunctioning of a jam sensor and saving the user unnecessary trouble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Matsumoto, Takahiro Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 4951093
    Abstract: Disclosed is a developing unit equipped with a shaft supporting mechanism for slidably supporting a photosensitive drum, thereby the photosensitive drum can be pressed onto the developing sleeve with an elastic force. The unit has a balancing mechanism for eliminating a thrust force caused by the driving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kohji Ishii, Hiroyuki Honda, Kazuyuki Tanaka, Noboru Koizumi