Patents Examined by Hoang X Ngo
  • Patent number: 11506993
    Abstract: To develop a conventional structure of a toner cartridge. Toner cartridge includes a container and an open/close member. The container includes an accommodating portion, a discharge opening and a cartridge side guide. the open/close member includes a closing portion and an engaging portion and is movable between a closing position and an opening position. When the toner cartridge is dismounted from a receiving apparatus, the engaging portion receives a force for moving the open/close member from the opening position toward the closing position, the engaging with a receiving apparatus side guide of the receiving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kimura, Hisayoshi Kojima, Yosuke Kashiide
  • Patent number: 11500196
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for improving structural stability and duration of light beam steering components in a LiDAR system. A galvo mirror assembly for light detection and ranging includes a top bracket including a first rotatable unit configured to rotate around an axis; a bottom bracket aligned with the top bracket and including a second rotatable unit configured to rotate around the axis; a mirror including a top end and a bottom end, where the top end of the mirror is coupled to the first rotatable unit of the top bracket and the bottom end of the mirror is coupled to the second rotatable unit of the bottom bracket, such that the mirror is rotatable around the axis; and an enhance plate extending between and non-rotatably coupled to the top bracket and the bottom bracket. The enhance plate is spaced apart from the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Anan Pan, Henghui Jiang, Qin Zhou, Lingkai Kong
  • Patent number: 11500304
    Abstract: A developer supply container and an electrophotography imaging apparatus using the developer supply container, relating to the field of electronic imaging apparatuses. The developer supply container comprising an accommodating cylinder and a feeding member is provided in the accommodating cylinder, wherein an outer surface of the accommodating cylinder is provided with a driving receiving portion. The developer supply container is further provided with a housing located at an end of the accommodating cylinder, the housing is provided with a powder outlet. A first storage portion is provided at an end of the feeding member close to the housing, a second storage portion in communication with the first storage portion is provided in the housing, the second storage portion is in communication with the powder outlet, and the second storage portion is provided with a stirring device therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventors: Xinhua Yi, Xiaofeng Yang
  • Patent number: 11500305
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes a photosensitive member and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a frame to store toner, a developing roller to carry the toner, a side seal to contact an end portion of the developing roller and prevent the toner from leaking out, and a sealing sheet to contact a center portion of the developing roller and prevent the toner from leaking out. A toner receiving portion of the frame includes an opening facing the developing roller and is disposed on an upstream side of the side seal and a downstream side of a contact portion where the developing roller contacts the photosensitive member, and moreover is disposed at a position overlapping with the side seal. The developing unit includes a blocking member to block at least a part of the opening, and the blocking member is disposed between the opening and the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Komatsu, Tomonori Mori, Teruhiko Sasaki, Makoto Hayashida, Masakazu Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 11500318
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a fixing unit configured to fix the image on the sheet; a reader configured to read a pattern image on the sheet downstream of the fixing unit in a conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed; and a controller configured to control the image forming unit to form the image and the pattern image on a same sheet, control the fixing unit to fix the image and the pattern image on the same sheet, control the reader to read the pattern image on the same sheet, and control a density of an image to be formed on a sheet subsequent to the same sheet based on a result of reading the pattern image by the reader and reference data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sumito Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11493861
    Abstract: In a developer container, a rotating shaft is rotatably supported by a casing and is rotationally driven. A flexible member has a leading edge portion which is connected to the rotating shaft and turns through a region extending over a supply port on an inner lower surface of the casing when the flexible member is rotated in association with the rotating shaft. A rotating plate is formed to project in a handguard-shape from a portion of the rotating shaft adjacent to the flexible member, has an outer edge portion along an edge of the supply port, and rotates in association with the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Koichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11493859
    Abstract: A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Funatani, Masatake Tanaka, Kentaro Yamawaki, Kenichi Iida, Shinsuke Kobayashi, Kensuke Umeda, Takanori Watanabe, Ai Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11493867
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming system including: an image forming apparatus; and an operation unit communicating wirelessly with the image forming apparatus. The operation unit includes a touch panel display, a first memory temporality storing a first screen image and a second screen image related to the image forming apparatus, a second memory in which the second screen image is stored in advance. When the first screen image transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the operation unit is displayed on the touch panel display, if a first icon on the first screen image is touched, the position of the first icon is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. When the second screen image stored in the second memory is displayed on the touch panel display, if a second icon on the second screen image is touched, a command indicating the second icon is transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Fukushi
  • Patent number: 11487242
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a main contact, and a main guide, and a cartridge including a memory contact, a moving unit moving into and out of the apparatus body in a first direction and including a frame to which the cartridge is attached, first and second protrusions protruding in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction from the end surface of the frame, an intermediate contact being in electrical contact with the memory contact, an unit contact being in electrical contact with the main contact, and a line conductor, the first protrusion being supported by the main guide of the apparatus body, the second protrusion being located above the first protrusion. At least part of the line conductor connecting the intermediate contact and the unit contact is located in a recess formed by the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Abe, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 11487222
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion that accommodates developer and a replenishment port, an agitation member, an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position, a drive source for driving the agitation member, and a control portion configured to control the drive source. The apparatus is configured such that image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and the agitation member is capable of driving in a case where the opening/closing member is at the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Takarada, Koji Fujinaka, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11480904
    Abstract: An iconographic control panel of an image forming apparatus is provided. The iconographic control panel includes a plurality of physical iconographic control buttons respectively corresponding to a plurality of functions of the image forming apparatus, each of the plurality of physical iconographic control buttons comprising at least one dedicated light emitting diode, and at least one processor to determine an availability of the plurality of functions of the image forming apparatus respectively corresponding to each of the plurality of physical iconographic control buttons, determine a functional state of the plurality of functions of the image forming apparatus determined to be available, and control an illumination of the at least one LED of each of the plurality of physical iconographic control buttons based on the availability of each function corresponding to each of the plurality of physical iconographic control buttons and the functional state of each function determined to be available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pratik Shah, Andrew Chick, Kenneth K. Smith, Eun-Kyung Yun, Hye Heon Jung, Dustin C. Rosing, KyongHwan Kim, ChangYeop Oh, KwangSung Park, Nanette Jensen, Virginia K. Capps
  • Patent number: 11474454
    Abstract: A developing device includes a case, a stirring screw, a discharge port, a restriction portion, and a control portion. The case stores developer. The stirring screw circulates the developer inside the case while stirring the developer. The discharge port is an opening for discharging the developer from the case. The restriction portion is disposed between the stirring screw and the discharge port and restricts the movement of the developer toward the discharge port depending on the drive speed of the stirring screw. The control portion drives the stirring screw such that, during a discharge period other than a development process period in which a development process using the developer is performed, the mean drive speed of the stirring screw per unit time is less than the mean drive speed during the development process period to move the developer toward the discharge port through the restriction portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masaki Kadota
  • Patent number: 11474460
    Abstract: An elastic member includes a substrate, and a single-layer elastic layer provided on the substrate. An elastic modulus of the elastic layer at a distortion of 10% is 0.15 MPa or more. When in the elastic layer, a thickness from the surface on a side opposite to the substrate to the substrate-side surface is t, and when in the elastic layer, a region from the surface on the side opposite to the substrate to a position at a depth of t/2.125 is referred to as an “outer surface portion”, and a region from the substrate-side surface to the position at a depth of t/2.125 is referred to as an “inner surface portion”, a ratio (elastic modulus of outer surface portion/elastic modulus of inner surface portion) of an elastic modulus of the outer surface portion to an elastic modulus of the inner surface portion is 0.8 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Makoto Ochiai
  • Patent number: 11474211
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology employ sensors having high speed rotating mirror assemblies. For instance, the sensors may be Lidar sensors configured to detect people and other objects in an area of interest. A given mirror assembly may have a triangular or other geometric cross-sectional shape. The reflective faces of the mirror assembly may connect along edges or corners. In order to minimize wind drag and torque issues, the corners are rounded, filleted, beveled, chamfered or otherwise truncated. Such truncation may extend the length of the mirror side. The mirror assembly may employ one or more beam stops, light baffles and/or acoustic/aerodynamic baffles. These sensors may be employed with self-driving or manual driven vehicles or other equipment. The sensors may also be used in and around buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Paul Karplus, Blaise Gassend, David Duff
  • Patent number: 11474467
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control substrate, an operating unit including a button, a button member and a substrate including a switch provided below the button member. The button member includes a pressing portion for pressing the switch, first and second elastic portions, and an abutting portion capable of contacting a portion other than the switch of the substrate. As viewed from a pressing direction, the switch and the pressing member are disposed in a place other than a center of the button, the abutting portion is positioned in one side and the pressing portion is in the other side with respect to a virtual line connecting a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion connecting the first and second elastic portion and the button, respectively. The abutting portion is disposed on a position overlapping with a contour of the operating portion or a position non-overlapping with the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11467517
    Abstract: An example toner refill cartridge includes a body to accommodate toner and having a toner discharge hole, a shutter being rotatable between a first position at which the toner discharge hole is closed and a second position at which the toner discharge hole is opened, a coupler to rotate by receiving an external rotational force, an agitation member to rotate and agitate the toner by receiving a rotational force from the coupler, and a connection member to selectively transmit a rotational force of the coupler to the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Woongyong Choi, Yunkyu Shim, Seunggweon Lee
  • Patent number: 11467522
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing cartridge, a drum cartridge, a casing, a connector, and a controller. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a drum cartridge memory, a charger, and a cleaner. The charger is configured to charge the photosensitive drum and including a wire and a grid electrode. The cleaner is configured to clean the wire. The connector is configured to be electrically connected to the drum cartridge memory. Information is writable to the drum memory through the connector. The detection circuit board is configured to detect a state of discharge of the charger. The controller is configured to perform: determining whether or not the state of discharge detected by the detection circuit board is abnormal; and writing, in the drum cartridge memory, information representing occurrence of the abnormal discharge through the connector in a case where occurrence of the abnormal discharge is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumitake Tajiri
  • Patent number: 11467514
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container having a replenishment port, a developer bearing member, a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to the amount of developer accommodated in the developer container, a notification portion capable of notifying a first state, and a second state, and a control portion. The maximum amount of the developer that the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a value obtained by adding the amount of the developer accommodated in a replenishment container containing the developer for replenishment to the first amount, and wherein notification of the second state corresponds to notification of a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is larger than a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is the smallest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11460691
    Abstract: A motor includes a stationary unit and a rotation unit. The rotation unit includes a rotor hub, an annular body, and a clamp. The rotor hub is mounted with a first magnet opposite to the stator. The annular body is supported on an outer circumferential portion of the rotor hub. The clamp is directly or indirectly fixed to the rotor hub farther radially inside than the annular body, and presses the annular body to an axially lower side. The rotor hub includes a flange that expands radially outside from at least a portion excluding an upper end portion. On a surface of the clamp, a pattern to be detected to detect rotation of the rotation unit positioned in a circumferential direction with the central axis as the center is provided. The annular body is sandwiched between the flange and the clamp in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Yawata
  • Patent number: 11454920
    Abstract: An example image forming apparatus includes a main body, a driving motor rotatable in a first direction to provide a driving force to a developing cartridge and rotatable in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a support assembly to, based on the developing cartridge being mounted to the main body, provide the driving force of the driving motor in the first direction to the mounted developing cartridge, and detach the mounted developing cartridge from the main body using the driving force of the driving motor in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pil Seung Oh, Taeil Jung, Byung Woo Kim, Taejin Yoon