Patents Examined by David Gray
  • Patent number: 9535134
    Abstract: A method for accurately diagnosing an internal fault of an oil-immersed transformer by analyzing content ratios of dissolved gases generated when the internal fault occurs in the oil-immersed transformer is provided. The method diagnoses the internal fault by analyzing the dissolved gases contained in the insulating oil of the oil-immersed transformer for internal fault diagnosis, wherein the method comprises: a first step of extracting H2, CH4, C2H4, and C2H2 from the dissolved gases; a second step of calculating a content ratio (%) of each dissolved gas from the total content of the four dissolved gases selected from the extracted five dissolved gases; and a third step of determining the internal fault of the oil-immersed transformer for diagnosis corresponding to an internal fault region according to content ratio (%) values of the calculated four dissolved gases and predetermined content ratios (%) of the four dissolved gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: HYOSUNG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Young-Min Kim, Sung-Jik Kim, Hwang-Dong Seo, Soo-Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 9535390
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a paper sheet feeder, an image forming circuit, a paper sheet discharge unit, and a high voltage circuit board. The paper sheet feeder is located in the apparatus main body to feed a sheet. The image forming circuit is located in the apparatus main body to form an image on the sheet fed by the paper sheet feeder. The image formed sheet with is discharged to the paper sheet discharge unit. The high voltage circuit board is located along a horizontal direction over the image forming circuit in the apparatus main body to supply a high voltage to the image forming circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Akinori Matsuno
  • Patent number: 9535367
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller; a first frame; and a second frame. The first frame includes: a first melt-bonding surface extending in a first direction; and a second melt-bonding surface positioned closer to the developing roller than the first melt-bonding surface. The second melt-bonding surface forms an obtuse angle with the first melt-bonding surface. The second frame is melt-bonded to the first frame. The second frame includes: a first wall having a third melt-bonding surface melt-bonded to the first melt-bonding surface and extending in parallel to the first melt-bonding surface; a second wall having a fourth melt-bonding surface melt-boned to the second melt-bonding surface and extending in parallel to the second melt-bonding surface; and a protruding portion having a surface intersecting the fourth melt-bonding surface and protruding in the first direction from the second wall toward the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Patent number: 9535374
    Abstract: An ITM module for an imaging device, including a frame; a tension roll disposed in the frame; an ITM belt rotatably coupled to the frame and formed as an endless loop around rolls of the ITM module, including the tension roll; and an adjustment mechanism coupled to an end portion of the frame and to the tension roll, the adjustment mechanism setting an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame. The amount of skew is in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a process direction of the ITM belt. The adjustment mechanism includes a cam member rotatably coupled to the frame and having a cam surface coupled a first end portion of the tension roll such that rotating the first cam member sets an amount of elevation of the first end portion of the tension roll relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Bartley Charles Gould, II, James Philip Harden, Gina Marie Johns, William Claiborne Ryle
  • Patent number: 9529316
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a plurality of image forming devices including a photosensitive member, a developing device, a transfer device and a blade, and a control device configured to form a pattern image on a first photosensitive member, when an image to be printed on a sheet is not formed, by applying a developing voltage to a first developing device, an absolute value thereof is greater than that when an image to be printed on a sheet is formed, transfer the pattern image onto the belt and apply a transfer voltage or transfer current having the same polarity as that applied to a second transfer device when an image to be printed on a sheet is formed to the second transfer device when the pattern image to be conveyed by the belt passes the second transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Furukawa
  • Patent number: 9529314
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section that forms a toner image according to image data on a transported recording medium, a reforming section that generates a polar group on a first surface of the recording medium on which the toner image is formed, and a control section that sets target regions on the first surface of the recording medium in order in a transport direction and controls a strength of reforming processing to be a reference strength which is set for the recording medium with respect to the target region of a non-image section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Suzuki, Satoshi Tatsuura, Mamoru Fujita
  • Patent number: 9529297
    Abstract: A developing device to develop a latent image on a rotatable image bearer includes an upstream developing roller disposed opposite the image bearer at a first developing position, and a downstream developing roller disposed adjacent to and downstream from the upstream developing roller in a direction of rotation of the image bearer, disposed opposite the image bearer at a second developing position. Each of the upstream developing roller and the downstream developing roller has a most approachable surface that approaches closest to the image bearer and a most withdrawn surface that withdraws farthest from the image bearer. In a state in which a reference surface point of the image bearer is disposed opposite the most approachable surface of the upstream developing roller at the first developing position, the reference surface point opposes the most withdrawn surface of the downstream developing roller at the second developing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okamoto, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Junichi Terai, Hideki Kimura, Hiroshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9529210
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for image stabilization, more particularly, a track and bogie based optically centered gimbal stabilizing assembly comprising: a ring having an inwardly disposed track (110); a first bogie (130) having an arcuate first chassis member, a first wheel assembly, and a second wheel assembly; a second bogie (120) having an arcuate second chassis member, a third wheel assembly, and a fourth wheel assembly; where the first wheel assembly, the second wheel assembly, the third wheel assembly, and the fourth wheel assembly may each ride in the track (110); and a tilt plate (170) operatively connected to the first bogie (130) and the second bogie (120) and movable therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventor: Ian Taliaferro Brooke
  • Patent number: 9529299
    Abstract: A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating chamber; a discharge opening; a fluid communication path connecting with the discharge opening; a pump portion having a volume changing with reciprocation and actable at least on the discharge opening; a regulating portion configured to regulate flow of the developer into an entrance region of the fluid communication path; a movable portion configured to move the regulating portion toward and away from the entrance of the fluid communication path; an air flow path provided inside the regulating portion to permit fluid communication between the pump portion and the discharge opening; and an elastic member provided between the regulating portion and the chamber adjacent to the entrance of the fluid communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ayatomo Okino, Nobuo Nakajima, Takashi Enokuchi
  • Patent number: 9523954
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an exposure unit, a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image using toner, a detection unit that detects an amount of the toner contained in the developing unit, and a calculation unit that calculates a difference value between the amount of detected toner detected and a target toner amount. In addition, an accumulation unit accumulates the calculated difference value, and a controller controls toner replenishing based on the calculated difference value and the accumulated value. A determination unit determines, based on an amount of the consumed toner and an amount of the contained toner, whether or not an error of an amount of replenished toner is larger than a threshold value, and determines, based on the number of times that the error is determined, whether or not replacement of the container is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kana Oshima, Jiro Shirakata, Shusuke Miura
  • Patent number: 9523945
    Abstract: An image forming unit forms a toner image on an image carrier, and transfers the toner image to a recording medium. A voltage generation circuit generates a high voltage used for the image forming unit. A control circuit is connected to the voltage generation circuit via a cable, and controls the high voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit. A detection unit detects a current flowing in a load of the image forming unit to which the high voltage generated by the voltage generation circuit is applied. A determination unit determines an error in accordance with a current range in which the current detected by the detection unit falls. The current range is included among a plurality of current ranges that are in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohisa Nakajima, Takayuki Iikura, Shuji Obata, Mitsuhiro Sugeta, Kazunori Miyake, Toshifumi Kakutani, Yousuke Hata, Shinya Suzuki, Manabu Koseki, Takeyuki Suda, Toshiyuki Abe, Kazumi Sato
  • Patent number: 9523959
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transferer, a fixer, a determiner, a blower, and a controller. The exposure unit exposes an image bearing member to light according to image data to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing unit is configured to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. The transferer transfers the toner image onto a recording medium. The fixer heat fixes the toner image to the recording medium. The determiner determines a state of at least one of a temperature and a humidity inside the image forming apparatus. The blower generates airflow inside the image forming apparatus. The controller reduces the airflow volume of the blower based on a determination result of the determiner as the degree of the occurrence of dew condensation increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventor: Shintaro Kawai
  • Patent number: 9523725
    Abstract: Capacitance sensing circuits and methods are provided. A dual mode capacitance sensing circuit includes a capacitance-to-voltage converter having an amplifier and an integration capacitance coupled between an output and an inverting input of the amplifier, and a switching circuit responsive to mutual mode control signals for a controlling signal supplied from a capacitive touch matrix to the capacitive to voltage converter in a mutual capacitance sensing mode and responsive to self mode control signals for controlling signals supplied from the capacitive touch matrix to the capacitance-to-voltage converter in a self capacitance sensing mode, wherein the capacitance sensing circuit is configurable for operation in the mutual capacitance sensing mode or the self capacitance sensing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Kien Beng Tan, Ernesto Lasalandra, Tommaso Ungaretti, Yannick Guedon, Dianbo Guo, Paolo Angelini, Giovanni Carlo Tripoli
  • Patent number: 9523944
    Abstract: A tension roller which is brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt and is rotated and which can be moved to a first position where the belt is in a relaxed state and a second position where the belt is in a tensioned state, a butting member which butts against the belt, a force application unit which applies, to the butting member, a force acting in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the belt and a movement mechanism which moves the tension roller to the first position and the second position are provided. When the belt is rotated, the butting member is moved in the rotation direction of the belt by a friction force with the belt, and the movement mechanism moves the tension roller from the first position to the second position by the movement of the butting member in the rotation direction of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Toso, Shoichi Yoshikawa, Atsuhiko Shimoyama, Masahiro Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9523750
    Abstract: A medical imaging device (300) includes a magnetic resonance imaging system (302) and a memory (334) containing machine executable instructions (370, 372, 374, 376, 378, 380, 382, 384, 386) for execution by a processor (328). Execution of the instructions causes the processor to receive (100, 204) a pulse sequence protocol (340). Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to determine (102, 206) a pulse sequence type classification (342) descriptive of the pulse sequence protocol. Execution of the instructions further cause the processor to determine (104, 208) a magnetic resonance contrast classification (344). The choice of the magnetic resonance contrast classification depends upon the pulse sequence type classification. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to determine (106, 210) a pulse sequence protocol classification (346).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Julien Senegas, Stefanie Remmele, Michael Lee
  • Patent number: 9523941
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a developing agent storage section including a discharge port for discharging the developing agent; a developing agent mixer configured inside the developing agent storage section to stir the developing agent and move the developing agent towards the discharge port; a motor which rotates at least the developing agent mixer; a motor control section which rotates the motor at either a first speed at which the developing agent is not discharged from the discharge port or a second speed higher than the first speed to discharge the developing agent from the discharge port; and a device control section which controls the motor control section to switch the rotation speed of the motor to the second speed at a timing different from the timing when the developing roller develops the electrostatic latent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9519252
    Abstract: In a fixing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a projection portion projected in a direction opposite to a direction biased by the biasing member, from a body part of the biasing member, is provided in a biasing member configured to push a thermosensitive member which receives heat from a heater, toward the heater, so that a crack in the heater at the time of an abnormal temperature rise is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Tateishi, Masafumi Maeda, Takashi Narahara, Toru Imaizumi, Yasuhito Minamishima
  • Patent number: 9519262
    Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a first end wall positioned at a first end of the housing. A photoconductive drum is mounted on the housing and has a rotational axis that runs from the first end to a second end of the housing. An electrically conductive first biasing member extends axially inward with respect to the photoconductive drum from an inner axial side of the first end wall. The first biasing member is exposed on the inner axial side of the first end wall to contact and force a developer unit toward the second end of the housing when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit and to contact and form an electrical path with a corresponding electrical contact on the developer unit when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges, Benjamin Erich Kant
  • Patent number: 9517888
    Abstract: An endless belt for heating an image on a sheet includes a resistance layer for generating heat by the supply of electric power; a first ring member provided in a widthwise end side of the endless belt so as to be electrically connected with the resistance layer; a second ring member, one of the first and second ring members being fitted around the other with the resistance layer sandwiched therebetween; and a fixing member configured to fix the first and second ring members to each other so that the first and second ring members are rotated integrally with the resistance layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Takematsu, Tomohiko Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 9519242
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer bearing member, a first conveying member disposed in a supplying chamber, a second conveying member disposed in a collecting chamber, and a third conveying member disposed in the collecting chamber to convey the developer in a conveying direction opposite to the conveying direction of the second conveying member. The third conveying member has a conveying performance which is lower than that of the second conveying member, and has a first screw portion including a spiral blade portion and a second screw portion including a spiral blade portion at a downstream side in the conveying direction The spiral blade portion of the first screw portion and the spiral blade portion of the second screw portion are formed to have a same spiral direction, and a conveying performance of the second screw portion is lower than a conveying performance of the first screw portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Furukawa