Patents Examined by David M. Gray
  • Electrophotographic roller, production method therefor, and electrophotographic apparatus
    Patent number: 10295917
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic roller including a cylindrical base and an elastic layer on an outer peripheral surface of the base, the base having a joint extending from one end to the other end in a longitudinal direction thereof, at least a part of the joint has a gap penetrating the joint in a thickness direction of the base, and a part of a material for the elastic layer entering the gap and covering a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the base near the gap to form an anchor portion of the elastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiro Suzuki, Satoru Yamada
  • Image forming apparatus and control method wherein a developer bearing member is driven at various speeds
    Patent number: 10295932
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which can reduce occurrence of unusual noise. The image forming apparatus includes a driving motor configured to drive a developer bearing member and a control unit which can control the driving motor between a first driving speed and a second driving speed higher than the first driving speed. In a case where the first driving speed is equal to the driving speed of the image forming operation, the control unit controls the driving motor to drive at the second driving speed while an unsealing operation is being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kanai, Tomoo Akizuki
  • Print head, image forming apparatus and light emitting device
    Patent number: 10295927
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a print head comprises a transparent substrate, a drive circuit, a first light emitting element (emitter), a second light emitting element (emitter) and a lens. The drive circuit supplies a current. The first light emitting element (emitter) which is an element on the transparent substrate outputs first light with a predetermined wavelength through supply of the current. The second light emitting element (emitter) which is an element on the transparent substrate outputs second light with the predetermined wavelength through the supply of the current. The lens converges a third light generated by overlapping the first light and the second light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Tanimoto
  • Image forming apparatus and drawer member
    Patent number: 10289058
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly provided with an opening; a drawer movable while supporting an cartridge including a photosensitive drum between an inside position and an outside position; an optical unit in the main assembly to project light onto the drum a shutter member provided in the main assembly and movable between a closing position and an open position an operating portion to move the shutter member from the open position to the closing position in a process of movement of the drawer from the inside position to the outside position and to move the shutter member from the closing position to the open position in a process of movement of the drawer from the outside position to the inside position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Sakamoto, Yuichi Sakakibara, Tsutomu Nishiuwatoko, Takashi Akutsu, Daisuke Abe, Ken Kikuchi
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10289043
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a heat roller, a first heat generating body, a second heat generating body, and a power adjuster. The heat roller heats a conveyed sheet. The first heat generating body is provided in the heat roller and generates heat in the vicinity of the center in the length direction of the heat roller. The second heat generating body is provided in the heat roller and generates heat in the vicinities of both the ends in the length direction of the heat roller. The power adjuster applies thinning control to electric energy supplied to one or both of the first heat generating body and the second heat generating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Iwamoto
  • Capture of developer leaking from developing device
    Patent number: 10289023
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a developing device includes a casing for accommodating a developer, the casing extending in a first direction and including a first insertion portion and a first through-hole that extends from the first insertion portion in a second direction, a first sealing member inside the first insertion portion, and a first rotating body extending in the first direction through the first insertion portion and configured to transport and agitate the developer in the casing. The first sealing member is in contact with an outer surface of the first rotating body and configured to slide along the outer surface of the first rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayuki Kasukawa
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10289069
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device, a transfer section, a main body frame, a fixing device, a discharge section, a recording medium conveyance path, an openable/closable member, a cover sheet, a cover moving mechanism, a cooling section, and a slide member. The cover sheet is reciprocatable between a protection position at which it covers a side of the image carrier that faces the recording medium conveyance path and a retraction position at which it is arranged in a clearance between the image carrier and the main body frame. At the retraction position, the cover sheet blocks an air flow passage between the cooling section and the fixing device. The slide member is disposed at a lower end corner portion of the main body frame, and contacts the cover sheet reciprocating between the protection position and the retraction position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Nishioka, Yuzo Onishi
  • Laser processing device and method of forming identifying mark using the same
    Patent number: 10286493
    Abstract: A laser processing device is provided, including: a laser beam irradiating apparatus irradiating a laser beam to a marked object; an angle adjusting apparatus connected with the laser beam irradiating apparatus to adjust an irradiation angle of the laser beam; a photographing apparatus photographing an area where the laser beam is irradiated; and a guide beam reflective mirror positioned on a movement path of the laser beam, in which the laser beam is a processing laser beam or a guide beam which marks the marked object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Han Pil Lim
  • Password entry device and image processing apparatus
    Patent number: 10291798
    Abstract: The password entry device includes a first display control unit, a tap determination unit, a second display control unit, and a password-entry acceptance unit. The tap determination unit determines which of the characters displayed in the first style by the first display control unit have been tapped. The second display control unit performs control operations to display the characters, which are determined by the tap determination unit that they were tapped, in a second area, which differs from the first area of the touch panel, in a second style, which differs from the first style. The password-entry acceptance unit accepts the entry of the characters that make up the password with the characters displayed in the second style by the second display control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Rie Miyata
  • Image forming apparatus with user detection and warm-up control, and control method of the same
    Patent number: 10284739
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detection section, an identification section, an acquisition section and a restriction section. The detection section detects an approach of a user. The identification section identifies the user detected by the detection section. The acquisition section acquires statistics determined from a use count of the user identified by the identification section. The restriction section restricts execution of a warm-up control based on the statistics acquired by the acquisition section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kuniyoshi Takano
  • Powder container, powder supply device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10281843
    Abstract: Provided is a powder container having a new structure capable of stable discharge and transport of a powder contained in a container by enabling the powder to be reliably discharged to the outside of the package while preventing the powder from spilling and flying out of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Tsukuru Kai, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Makoto Komatsu, Tadashi Hayakawa, Yuzuru Ozawa
  • Fuser installation in an imaging device
    Patent number: 10281851
    Abstract: An imaging device has a drive gear assembly which operatively engages with a backup roll gear of a fuser assembly when the fuser assembly is inserted into the imaging device. Such engagement causes the drive gear assembly to rotate, and in turn rotates a drive motor coupled to the drive gear assembly. The drive motor includes Hall Effect sensors associated with a sensor arrangement that senses rotation of the motor. During rotation of the drive motor, sensor signals are transmitted to a controller of the imaging device, the controller counting rising and falling signal edges of the received sensor signals. Based on the number of rising and falling signal edges, a message is sent to a user of the imaging device whether or not the installation of the fuser assembly was successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Lee Carter, Mark Stephen Malone, Brian Anthony Reichert
  • Image forming apparatus and process cartridge
    Patent number: 10281866
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearer, an exposure device, a development unit, an adjuster, and a magnetic member. The exposure device forms a latent image on a surface of the image bearer. The developing unit renders the latent image visible with developer including toner and carrier. The adjuster contacts each of the image bearer and the exposure device to regulate a distance between the image bearer and the exposure device. The magnetic member is arranged side by side with the adjuster in a direction of rotation of the image bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiya Okamoto, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Takeshi Fukao, Shinya Karasawa, Takuma Iwasaki, Kentaro Nodera, Masanari Shimamoto
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10281859
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit, an image bearing member, a transfer unit, and a detector. The transport unit transports a continuous recording medium. The image bearing member retains an image thereon. The transfer unit has a transfer member that is movable into and out of contact with the image bearing member and transports the recording medium by nipping the recording medium between the image bearing member and the transfer member. The transfer unit transfers the image on the image bearing member onto the recording medium. The detector detects an electrical resistance of the transfer member in a state where the transfer member is disposed at a noncontact position located away from the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Koide
  • Image forming apparatus and method for establishing a specified angular relationship between a first housing and a second housing
    Patent number: 10281868
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first housing that houses a first processing portion and a second housing that houses a second processing portion configured to receive a medium transported from the first processing portion. The image forming apparatus further includes a connecting member that connects the first housing and the second housing to each other such that a specified angular relationship may be established between the first processing portion and the second processing portion by orienting the first housing and the second housing in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keijiro Hamaba
  • Image forming apparatus with removable waste toner container and exposable feeding path
    Patent number: 10274872
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Developer collection device, belt unit, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10274870
    Abstract: A developer collection device includes a container, a frame, a first fin, and a second fin. The container has an opening, and contains a developer introduced into the container from the opening. The frame extends in a first axis direction, and is attached, to the container, swingably relative to the container in the first axis direction. The first and second fins are provided in the container, and are attached to first and second base points of the frame, respectively. The first and second fins extend in third and fourth directions from the first and second base points, respectively. The third and fourth directions are directions inclining downward and thereby forming angles that are smaller than ninety degrees relative to first and second directions, respectively. The first direction extends along the first axis direction. The second direction is a direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Gima
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10274879
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material; an endless belt and a roller which are configured to form a nip therebetween for fixing, on the recording material, the toner image formed by the image forming portion; a pad configured to urge the endless belt from an inside of the endless belt toward the roller; a motor configured to drive the roller; an acquiring portion configured to acquire a starting torque when rotation of the roller is started; and a discriminating portion configured to discriminate a lifetime of the endless belt depending on the starting torque acquired by the acquiring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keita Ishiguro
  • Medical image imaging device for positioning an imaging slice
    Patent number: 10267879
    Abstract: A technique in a medical imaging apparatus being capable of setting any plane in three-dimensional space as an imaging slice is provided, allowing an automatically-set imaging slice to be configured to suit user's preferences, and determine a position of the imaging slice being configured, with respect to an imaging target subject automatically with a high degree of accuracy. Reference information for specifying the imaging slice, set by the user for each imaging site, is associated with the anatomical feature of the imaging site, so as to generate an imaging slice parameter. Upon actual imaging, the imaging slice parameter and the anatomical feature of the imaging target subject obtained by scout imaging are used to determine the imaging slice position of the imaging target subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Suguru Yokosawa, Yo Taniguchi, Yoshitaka Bito, Yoshihisa Soutome
  • Addition-curable liquid silicone rubber mixture, electrophotographic member and production method therefor, and fixing apparatus
    Patent number: 10268147
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrophotographic member having an elastic layer containing graphite particles dispersed in a silicone rubber and having a high thermal conductivity in the thickness direction. The electrophotographic member includes a substrate and an elastic layer on the substrate, the elastic layer containing a cured product of an addition-curable liquid silicone rubber mixture including an addition-curable liquid silicone rubber and graphite particles, and the graphite particles having a DBP oil absorption number of 40 cm3/100 g or more and lower than 80 cm3/100 g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Abe, Katsuhisa Matsunaka