Patents Examined by David M. Gray
  • Patent number: 10496007
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a photosensitive member, a developing device including a developing roller, pressing members configured to engage with the developing device and springs configured to urge the pressing members. In some examples, each of the pressing members may be configured to contact and move the developing device between various positions based on the urging of the springs. Additionally or alternatively, various ends of a contact surface of the developing roller configured to contact developer may be disposed relative to an axis line of the developing roller and pressing surfaces of the pressing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoh Nishimura, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10499122
    Abstract: To provide a compact, high density, highly reliable and low cost three-terminal IC sensor unit, a host device to be connected to the sensor unit, a sensor system comprising such sensor unit and host device and a communication method between sensor unit and host device. The power supply voltage to be supplied to the sensor unit 100 from the host device (external device) 200 through the power supply terminal 101 is turned on/off by power supply on/off means 220 in response to command and/or data to be transmitted and such on/off pulsation of the power supply voltage is detected by the data detection section 140 for transmission from the host device 200 to the sensor unit 100. Also, the current source 160 in the sensor unit 100 varies the load current of the power supply in the host device 200 through the power supply terminal 101 in response to the data and the change in the load current is detected by the current detection section 230 for data transmission from the sensor unit 100 to the host device 200.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: KOHSHIN ELECTRIC CORPORATION, DIGIAN TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shinchi, Yoshiaki Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10496004
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a semiconductor laser for emitting laser light for irradiating a photosensitive drum, BD for detecting laser light before irradiating the photosensitive drum to output BD signal as a reference for determining an initiation position of the photosensitive drum, and a laser circuit board. The laser circuit board causes the semiconductor laser to emit laser light detected by the BD with first light amount. When a BD sensor outputs the BD signal, a laser circuit board causes the semiconductor laser to emit the laser light with second light amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Seki, Satoru Takezawa
  • Patent number: 10496022
    Abstract: A natural frequency measuring device includes a receiving unit and a measuring unit. The receiving unit receives information of an image formed on a recording medium with vibrations of different frequencies provided to a member used to form the image. The measuring unit measures a natural frequency of the member from a frequency response characteristic using a misregistration amount of the image represented by the information of the image received by the receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuichi Nishide
  • Patent number: 10488798
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing rotator, a heater, a nip formation assembly, and an opposed rotator. The endless fixing rotator is rotatable in a direction of rotation. The heater heats the fixing rotator. The nip formation assembly is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. The opposed rotator is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator. The nip formation assembly includes a nip former to contact the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, maintain a constant thickness against pressure from the opposed rotator, and transfer heat. The opposed rotator is shorter than the nip former in a longitudinal direction of the opposed rotator. The opposed rotator is disposed within an area opposite the nip former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto, Kenji Ishii, Takayuki Seki, Kazunari Sawada, Ryohei Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10488299
    Abstract: A controller outputs a first detection signal indicative of the position of a control shaft, and by forwardly converting a motor position signal indicative of the position of a motor through use of a motion conversion characteristic of a power transmission unit, outputs a second detection signal corresponding to the position of the control shaft. Then using the respectively output first detection signal and second detection signal, the controller doubly determines whether or not the state of the control shaft is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noboru Hirose
  • Patent number: 10488807
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus executes charging, exposure, toner-supply suspension, and electric-field generation while a photosensitive member rotates at least a full turn. In the charging, a charger charges a portion of a circumferential surface of the photosensitive member. In the exposure, an exposure device exposes the portion, which has been charged in the charging, of the circumferential surface. In the toner-supply suspension, before the portion, which has been exposed in the exposure, of the circumferential surface passes a position at which developer from a developing unit is configured to initially adhere to the circumferential surface, a developing unit stops supplying developer to the photosensitive member. In the electric-field generation, an electric field is generated in a portion of the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive member corresponding to the portion, which has been exposed by the exposure device, of the circumferential surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shota Iriyama, Kazutoshi Kotama, Chieko Mimura, Kengo Yada, Hotaka Kakutani
  • Patent number: 10488788
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a transfer member for an image forming device for which the transfer properties for recording media having recesses and protrusions on the surface, such as embossed paper, are superior. The transfer member for an image forming device is characterized by including a base material layer and a coating layer formed from an inorganic/organic hybrid material provided on the surface of the base material layer, the thickness of the coating layer being 10 ?m or less, and the micro hardness of the coating layer surface being 140 mN/mm2 or greater when measured by a method complying with ISO 14577-1 using a Berkovich indenter with a pressing depth of 0.05 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Gunze Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Mitsui, Yuki Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10481537
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material in an image forming mode, includes: a photoreceptor rotatable in a predetermined rotation direction; a developer that forms a toner image on the photoreceptor using a two-component developing agent including toner and a carrier; a transferor that transfers the toner image on the photoreceptor onto the transfer material; a carrier collector that applies an electric field corresponding to a collecting bias to a carrier adhering to the photoreceptor to collect the carrier; a carrier detector that detects a carrier remaining on the photoreceptor after collecting the carrier by the carrier collector; and a hardware processor that sets the collecting bias in the image forming mode on the basis of the amount of carriers detected by the carrier detector when a carrier adhesion detecting mode for forcibly causing a carrier to adhere to the photoreceptor is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Ryoei Ikari, Tatsuya Furuta, Aiko Kubota
  • Patent number: 10481521
    Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developing member configured to carry a developer containing toner and a carrier to a developing position, a first frame configured to accommodate the developer, a second frame mounted on the first frame and configured to cover part of an outer peripheral surface of the rotatable developing member, and a cover portion provided opposite to the rotatable developing member. The following relationship is satisfied: L1?L2+L3, and L2?L3, where with respect to the radial direction of the rotatable developing member, L1 is a minimum of the clearance formed between the second frame and the rotatable developing member, L2 is a minimum of the clearance formed between the rotatable developing member and the cover portion, and L3 is a minimum of the clearance formed between the second frame and the cover portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukihiro Soeta, Masafumi Takahashi, Ryohei Terada, Yushi Sadamitsu, Yasuhiro Shimoi, Yutaka Koga
  • Patent number: 10481552
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taisuke Minagawa, Satoru Izawa, Takahiro Uchiyama, Jun Asami, Toshiya Kaino, Wataru Uchida, Ken Murooka, Yasuhiko Fuse, Masatoshi Yoshida, Tomooku Koyama
  • Patent number: 10474055
    Abstract: A period in which an adjustment unit adjusts a driving current such that the light irradiation unit emits a third light emission amount of light is switched to a period in which a light irradiation unit emits a second light emission amount of light, and the period in which the light irradiation unit emits the second light emission amount of light is switched to a period in which the light irradiation unit emits a first light emission amount of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasukazu Maeda
  • Patent number: 10473680
    Abstract: A wheel unit includes a rotating wheel, a wheel axle, and a location sensor. The rotating wheel rotates with respect to the wheel axle. The location sensor is disposed in a fixed position with respect to the wheel axle. The location sensor determines coordinates for a location of the wheel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Noa Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nick Lobnitz, Seth Spiel, Jason Van der Schyff, Adam Fewtrell, Martin Schuster, Nelson Pina, Pedro Silva, Roman Laabs
  • Patent number: 10474062
    Abstract: The powder container includes a container body containing a powder for image formation, the powder being to be supplied to a powder replenishing device; a conveyor configured to convey the powder from one end in a longitudinal direction to the other end at which a cylindrical container opening is formed, the conveyor being provided inside the container body; a gear configured to rotate the conveyor with an external driving force; a container cover configured to cover the gear, the container cover having a gear exposing hole for partially exposing a gear tooth; and a nozzle receiver configured to guide the conveying nozzle inside of the container body, the nozzle receiver being provided on the container opening. The container cover includes a container engaged portion provided outer than the tooth of the gear in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Tsukuru Kai, Junichi Matsumoto, Makoto Komatsu, Tadashi Hayakawa, Yuzuru Ozawa, Shinji Tamaki, Kenji Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10474067
    Abstract: An example developer unit includes a developer roller. The developer unit also includes a set of electrodes proximate to the developer roller. The set of electrodes form a cavity. The developer unit includes an inlet to the cavity. The inlet is to receive printing fluid. The developer unit includes an insert in the inlet. The insert is to distribute the printing fluid evenly in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David Sabo, Eric G. Nelson
  • Patent number: 10466618
    Abstract: One or more toner bottles are provided for supplying toners to development apparatuses. The toner bottles each include bottle portions and displacement sensors. The bottle portions accommodate the toners and are rotated by a drive force of a drive source. The displacement sensors are positioned on sides of the bottle portions and detect deflection amounts of the sides of the bottle portions to determine how much toner is remaining in each toner bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masamichi Ando
  • Patent number: 10466380
    Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing diverse excitation sources in single well electromagnetic ranging. A method may include disposing an electromagnetic ranging tool in a wellbore, wherein the electromagnetic ranging tool may comprise one or more receivers, a coil source and an electrode source; performing a measurement with the one or more receivers of at least one component of a coil-induced magnetic field from the target wellbore to provide a coil measurement, wherein the coil-induced magnetic field may be induced by the coil source; performing a measurement with the one or more receivers of at least component of an electrode-induced electromagnetic field to provide an electrode measurement, wherein the electrode-induced electromagnetic field may be induced by the electrode source; and calculating at least one ranging parameter using, at least in part, the coil measurement and the electrode measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ilker R. Capoglu, Burkay Donderici, Baris Guner
  • Patent number: 10466623
    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 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Tsukuru Kai, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Makoto Komatsu, Tadashi Hayakawa, Yuzuru Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10469683
    Abstract: A panel apparatus includes: a body having an interior space open to an outside of the panel apparatus via an opening; one of a protrusion and a recess in the interior space; an input panel having a first surface, a second surface behind the first surface, and an input part provided in the first surface; a support part provided in the body to support the input panel such that the input panel pivots relative to the body; an arm protruding from the second surface and configured to guide the input panel such that the input panel pivots relative to the body by being inserted into the interior space through the opening; and the other of the protrusion and the recess which is provided in a part of the arm inserted into the interior space. Pivoting of the input panel is regulated by engagement of the protrusion and the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mamoru Namba
  • Patent number: 10466646
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a particular direction. A frame rotatably supports the photosensitive drum. A developing roller is rotatable according to driving force about a second axis extending in the particular direction. A surface of the developing roller contacts a surface of the photosensitive drum through toner. A resistance generating member generates a resistance torque TQ1 serving as resistance between the frame and photosensitive drum in a case where the photosensitive drum rotates relative to the frame. In a case where the developing roller rotates according to the driving force in a state where the surface of the developing roller contacts the surface of the photosensitive drum through toner, the resistance torque TQ1 is smaller than a torque TQ2 that causes the photosensitive drum to rotate due to friction between the surface of the developing roller and the surface of the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Ichikawa, Takashi Shimizu, Masaaki Furukawa, Naoya Kamimura, Takashi Yasuda, Masanari Yoshikawa, Koji Abe