Patents Examined by A. T. Grimley
  • Patent number: 6336014
    Abstract: A layer thickness regulating blade 64 has a plate spring 64b and a pressing number 64a fixed thereto. The plate spring 64b is formed longer than the pressing member 64a so that both ends of the plate spring 64b are exposed. A front surface resilient foam seal 112 made from sponge is attached to the exposed portions, in contact with sides of the pressing member 64a. Further, a Teflon™ film 113 is attached on the plate spring 64b so as to cover the front surface resilient foam seal 112. A sponge side seal 111 is adhered to the rear surface of the plate spring 64b. A sponge side seal 107 is adhered to the developing case 51 at a position that confronts the blade side seal 111. An end seal 106 is adhered across a step portion E of the developing case 51 and the upper end of the base seal 104, and can compressing deform with the blade side seal 111 and the upper side seal 107.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumikazu Sato, Hideaki Deguchi, Naoya Kamimura, Mitsuru Horinoe
  • Patent number: 6334044
    Abstract: Referring to the table of the count values corresponding to the aligning speeds stored in a ROM, the main control unit sets an aligning speed value (Kd: default value) in the aligning motor speed control circuit 193 and calculates the equation K1=Kd/(−Ta/Tb+(2+&agr;))−1 measured by the aligning speed adjustment sequence and a new target value Ka=(Kd+K1)/2+C. At this time, if |Kd−K1|≦10, the main control unit substitutes C=0; if 20≧|Kd−K1|>10, it substitutes C=2 when Kd<K1 and C=−2 when Kd>K1; and if |Kd−K1|>20, it substitutes C=4 when Kd<K1 and C=−8 when Kd>K1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Wasai, Toshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6334036
    Abstract: A corona generator including a body and a first support secured to the body is provided. The corona generator also includes a second support secured to the body and spaced from the first support. The corona generator also includes an electrode mounted to the first support and to the second support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Mitchell, Michael G. Petranto, Leslie R. Kilian, F. Bruce Meyer
  • Patent number: 6334038
    Abstract: An electrophotograph development apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier body with magnetic developer includes a developer carrier body having a magnetic roller, and a thin layer forming member for forming the magnetic developer on the developer carrier body into a thin layer. A magnetic pole of the magnetic roller is disposed at a position of a &thgr; degree in an upper stream side relative to a rotational direction of the developer carrier body from a contact point of the thin film forming member and the developer carrier body, and &thgr; is in a range of 0 degree≦&thgr;≦10 degree. A relation between a surface roughness Rz′ of the developer carrier body and a surface roughness Rz of the thin layer forming member is represented by −10 &mgr;m≦(Rz-Rz′)≦5 &mgr;m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ichiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 6332063
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming stations forming images of different colors on a transfer material and is provided along a direction of conveyance of the transfer material by a conveying system, in which a toner replenishing system is operated on the basis of a result of a detected magnetic permeability a detecting device and the developer, which is not transferred to the transfer material but and, which remains on an image bearing member is collected by a developing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ichiro Ozawa, Masaru Hibino, Masanori Shida
  • Patent number: 6330419
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a fixing apparatus which is configured to easily facilitate to prevent a semi-melted developer on a recording medium from adhering to surfaces of upper rotary bodies and an image forming apparatus which is equipped with the fixing apparatus. This object is accomplished by configuring the fixing apparatus so that a sheet which has been subjected to a fixing treatment receives conveying forces from pinch rollers having rotating axial directions which are on a plane in parallel with a surface of the sheet and inclined at a predetermined angle &thgr; relative to rotating axial directions of a fixing roller and a press roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Sano, Masanobu Kanoto, Makoto Nishigaki
  • Patent number: 6330405
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the developing unit includes two developing rollers whose rotational directions are different from each other, and a bias potential of the developing roller (first developing roller) located upstream in the rotational direction of the photosensitive member is selected to be a potential, which is in value between a bias potential of the developing roller (second developing roller) located downstream in the same direction and a background potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Company Limited
    Inventors: Masayoshi Ishii, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Koji Kato
  • Patent number: 6330524
    Abstract: The present invention has the object to make an fØ lens constituting a scanning optical system such as a laser printer, etc., which is of a single lens configuration, and higher in resolution, thereby providing the f&thgr; lens provided with a lens performance so as to correspond to an A3 paper size or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Nippon Aspehrical Lens Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takatoshi Suzuki, Tingwen Xing
  • Patent number: 6327453
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a plurality of image forming units for forming an input image on a recording medium, a fixing unit for fusing the image formed on the recording medium to the recording medium, a fixing temperature detecting unit for detecting the temperature of the fixing unit, a registration pattern detecting unit for detecting a registration pattern formed by a plurality of image forming units, a calculator for determining a registration correction value for correcting the input image based on output from the registration pattern detecting unit, and an update requesting unit for requesting an update of the registration correction value. The update requesting unit requests an update of the registration correction value based on the temperature detected temperature of the fixing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Imaizumi, Hiroyuki Ideyama, Takatsugu Kuno, Kazuyuki Kawabata
  • Patent number: 6327451
    Abstract: It is an exemplified object of the present invention to provide a development device and process, and an electrophotographic image-forming device that can more stably supply toner to and collect the toner from a development roller, and charge the toner, and thus can obtain a higher-printing-quality image than was previously possible. To achieve this object, the toner supply and collection are carried out by electric force (potential difference) while preventing the toner from deteriorating by providing a gap between a reset roller and the development roller, whereby a high-quality image-forming is possible even when printing is performed for a long time. Excellency in uniformity of charge in the toner makes it possible to stabilize capability of supplying the toner and to improve image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Fujitsu, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuneo Mizuno
  • Patent number: 6327544
    Abstract: An automatic save and recall system and method for use in signal measurement systems that acquire and store signal data in accordance with a trigger specification, including generally a trigger definition and trigger control parameters (“trigger controls”). The present invention automatically stores in memory (“saves”) trigger-related data that includes, for example, a current trigger definition and other specified portions of a trigger specification (“saved trigger specifications”) without an explicit operator request. A plurality of such saved trigger specifications are subsequently available for retrieval from memory (“recall”). This enables an operator to easily return to a previous version of a trigger definition should the operator determine that a current trigger definition is undesirable. The automatic storing of trigger specifications (or portions thereof) may occur in response to one or more predetermined event(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mason B. Samuels
  • Patent number: 6327456
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device that excels in thermal conversion efficiency, compared with an induction-type fixing device. In this fixing device, a peripheral surface of a roller facing an induction coil has concavities and convexities with edges. Where the induction coil is inserted into a core bar, the concavities and convexities are formed inside the core bar. Where the induction coil is located outside the roller, the concavities and convexities are formed on the outer periphery of the core bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Higaya
  • Patent number: 6327458
    Abstract: A method of media-to-image registration sets a top writing line margin on a print medium within an electrophotographic machine. Movement of a substantially stationary sheet of print medium along a print medium path within the electrophotographic machine is initiated. An image associated with the sheet of print medium is scanned onto a developing unit. The scanning step commences before the initiating step. Toner is adhered to the image on the developing unit. The toner is transferred from the developing unit to a moving toner transfer medium. The electrophotographic machine is provided with a toner transfer area in which the toner can be transferred to the moving sheet of print medium. A speed of the movement of the sheet of print medium is adjusted such that the toner is transferred from the moving toner transfer medium to a desired area on the sheet of print medium within the toner transfer area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Danny Keith Chapman
  • Patent number: 6324368
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a first squeeze roller faced to the photosensitive member with a predetermined distance maintained therefrom and rotated in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the photosensitive member, thereby to remove a surplus developing solution which exists on the photosensitive member after development, and a second squeeze roller provided in contact with the photosensitive member and rotated in the same direction as the photosensitive member with no speed difference therebetween as the photosensitive member rotates, thereby to remove a solvent contained in a toner image formed by developing the latent image. The first squeeze roller is rotated at a moving speed which is 2 to 3 times higher than a speed at which the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive member moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shoko Seto
  • Patent number: 6324372
    Abstract: There are disclosed a magnet roller which includes a magnet main body portion and a shaft portion, wherein the magnet main body portion includes a composition for magnets and has at least one hollow portion in the inside thereof; a process for producing a magnet roller having a magnet main body portion and a shaft portion, which includes arranging in advance, at least one member for forming a hollow portion in a cavity of a mold which has generated a magnetic field on the circumference of the cavity, pouring a composition for magnets into the mold, and thereafter withdrawing the member for forming the hollow portion so that at least one hollow portion is formed in the inside of the magnet roller; and a developing unit which includes a developing roller constituted of a sleeve installed in a freely rotatable manner and the above magnet roller installed inside the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Hirota
  • Patent number: 6324370
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes: a container mounting portion for attachable/detachably mounting a developer replenishing container having a developer containing portion containing a developer and a discharge port for discharging a developer contained in the developer containing portion, a cartridge mounting portion for attachable/detachably mounting a cartridge having a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member using a developer, a developer containing portion for containing the developer used in developing with the developing device, and a developer receiving port for receiving a developer from the developer replenishing container to the developer containing portion, wherein the discharge port in the developer replenishing container and the developer receiving port in the cartridge are communicatively connected to each other in a state where the developer replenishin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironobu Isobe, Kenji Matsuda, Akiyoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 6324482
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic compensation sensor that can eliminate an exclusive input terminal for the compensation mode signal. To achieve this object, the present invention comprises a sensor body (1), a signal output terminal (5) for outputting signals from the sensor body (1), and a controller for compensating the output signal from this signal output terminal (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiya Nakagaki, Toshiyuki Nozoe, Takahiro Manabe
  • Patent number: 6321050
    Abstract: A developing device for developing a latent static-electric image into a visible image from developer. Various members for preventing toner leaks are attached to the developing case. A lower-edge leak prevention member is attached below the developer bearing body. End leak prevention members are attached on either side of the lower-edge leak prevention member, near lengthwise ends of a developer bearing body. Portions of the developing case where the end leak prevention members are attached, are indented lower than the portion where the lower-edge leak prevention member is attached. Resilient foam members are attached on the same surface as the lower-edge leak prevention member, with one side surface in contact with one side surface of the corresponding end leak prevention member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumikazu Sato, Hideaki Deguchi, Naoya Kamimura, Mitsuru Horinoe
  • Patent number: 6321177
    Abstract: An interactive dive apparatus for use by a scuba diver to determine a maximum dive duration, including an input interface for inputting dive specific parameters including a J-factor for adjusting a no-stop time calculation to compensate for various environmental and physiological parameters, a clock for determining an elapsed dive time, and a depth sensor for detecting a present depth and a maximum depth. The depth sensor tracks diver dwell time in each of plural predetermined depth ranges, and a CPU determines a no-stop time in accordance with the user inputted dive specific parameters and the detected dwell time. The interactive dive apparatus further includes a display screen for displaying at least the no-stop time, elapsed dive time duration and the current depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Dacor Corporation
    Inventors: Jaime Ferrero, William A. Bowden, Joseph B. Stella, Joran Ahlback, Kai M. Martesuo, Esa T. Raivio
  • Patent number: 6321169
    Abstract: An equivalent circuit and an analysis method are provided for highly accurately indicating characteristic of an inductance element wherein ferrite material is used. An equivalent circuit is used, wherein a closed circuit with resistance Rm1 and Rm2, and inductance Lm1 and Lm2 magnetically connects to inductance Ls of LsCpRp parallel circuit at coupling coefficients k1 and k2. First, the values of circuit constants Ls, Rp, and Cp are determined by making use of the conditions at the resonance point. Next, changes of reactance component in the equivalent circuit for frequency are calculated, based on the determined values of circuit constants Ls, Rp, and Cp, and find the values of frequency fm1 and fm2 whereat reactance component should be decreased by comparing frequency changes of measured reactance component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidemi Iwao