Patents Examined by Joseph S. Wong
  • Fixing device capable of restricting heater from bending toward pressure roller, image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10838335
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a heater, a pressure roller, a heater support member, and a restriction portion. The heater is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. An end portion of the heater in a width direction of the fixing belt is exposed to outside the fixing belt. The pressure roller is provided to face a contact surface of the heater across the fixing belt, the contact surface being in contact with the fixing belt, the pressure roller being pressed against the fixing belt. The heater support member supports the heater by being in contact with a surface of the heater opposite from the contact surface. The restriction portion restricts the contact surface from moving toward the pressure roller at outside the fixing belt in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Eiki, Yuhiro Sakai
  • Method for adapting a printer for operating with toners of different colors
    Patent number: 10838351
    Abstract: A method for adapting a printer for operating with more colours, the printer including an inner framework and a dispenser assembly associable with said framework, includes the steps of application of at least one first quick release connector for electric cables at the dispenser assembly; and application of at least one corresponding second quick release connector at the inner framework of the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: M.C. SYSTEM S.R.L.
    Inventor: Lorenzo Lepri
  • Image-forming apparatus including drum unit and support member for supporting developing cartridges and exposure heads
    Patent number: 10831147
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a drum unit including a photosensitive drum; an exposure head configured to expose the photosensitive drum to light; a developing cartridge configured to store developer therein; and a support member configured to support the exposure head and the developing cartridge. The support member is pivotally movable between an exposure position and a separation position. The exposure head is able to expose the photosensitive drum to light at the exposure position. The exposure head is positioned away from the photosensitive drum when the support member is at the separation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiya Tomatsu
  • Bearing device that supports a first rotation member, image forming apparatus that includes the bearing device, and associated method
    Patent number: 10831148
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a bearing device comprises a sliding bearing including a main body and a plurality of first protrusions, the plurality of first protrusions protruding inward in a radial direction from the main body and being separated from each other in a circumferential direction; a housing including a holding portion; and a plurality of second protrusions, separated from each other in a circumferential direction, configured to protrude in the radial direction from at least one of an outer circumferential portion of the main body and an inner circumferential portion of the holding portion, and to form a gap extending in the circumferential direction between the main body and the holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuaki Takahashi
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10831144
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer portion configured to transfer an image borne on the image bearing member to a sheet, a current detection portion configured to detect a current flowing through the transfer portion, a conveyance portion configured to convey the sheet to the transfer portion, a driving portion configured to drive the conveyance portion, and a controller configured to acquire an arrival timing at which a leading edge of a preceding sheet has arrived at the transfer portion based on a detection result of the current detection portion, and control the driving portion in response to the arrival timing in a state where a succeeding sheet that follows the preceding sheet is conveyed by the conveyance portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kota Shibata
  • Conductive roller, transfer device, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and method for producing conductive roller
    Patent number: 10795276
    Abstract: A conductive roller includes a supporting member and a conductive elastic foam layer disposed on the supporting member. In a spectrum of amplitude (?m) vs. period (?m) obtained by subjecting a roughness waveform of the outer circumferential surface of the conductive elastic foam layer in an axial direction to fast Fourier transformation, the integrated value St of the amplitude within a period range of 100 ?m or more and 300 ?m or less is 455 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minoru Rokutan, Kenta Shingu
  • Developer storage container
    Patent number: 10795284
    Abstract: A developer storage container includes a container body, and a discharge member, wherein the container body includes a first opening on a downstream side in a conveyance direction in which the developer is conveyed, and includes a first side wall, the first side wall includes on an inner surface a protrusion, the discharge member is provided at the first opening to close the first opening, and includes a discharge port, and includes a suppressor, and includes a second side wall, the suppressor includes a plurality of scooping-up members, each of the plurality of scooping-up members includes a scooping-up surface, and a plurality of second openings connecting to the space is provided on the scooping-up surface of any of the plurality of scooping-up members at respective positions different from each other in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Takenori Suenaga
  • Monitor an image quality by comparing a toner coverage with two graphic patterns
    Patent number: 10795301
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method, apparatus, and system for determining image quality of a printer or similar image forming device. A first graphic pattern and a second graphic pattern may be printed on sets of N?1 test pages. The second graphic pattern may have the same colorant coverage as the first graphic pattern, though the two patterns may have different orientations and different locations on the page. The patterns may partially overlap in page location. Total colorant coverage may be compared between the set of N first test pages and the set of N second test pages. If the colorant coverage is different between the sets, the image forming device may be assigned an abnormal operating status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Y. Zakharov
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10795302
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing section, storage, a first calculation section, a comparing section, and an executing section. The developing section contains toner and develops an electrostatic latent image with the toner. The storage stores coverage rates. The first calculation section calculates a first coverage rate and a second coverage rate. The comparing section compares the first coverage rate with the second coverage rate. The executing section executes a running-in operation based on a result of comparison by the comparing section. The first coverage rate includes one or more coverage rates stored earlier in the storage than the second coverage rate. The second coverage rate includes coverage rates of a specified number of latest images individually formed on the specified number of sheets. The running-in operation is driving the developing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masaru Watanabe, Akira Matayoshi
  • Fixing device that controls rotation speed of press roller, according to temperature of fixing element at start of job, type of recording sheet, ambient temperature, and elapsed time after start of paper feed, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10788774
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing element; a heat source heating the fixing element; a press roller pressed against the fixing element, to form with the fixing element a nip region where a recording sheet passes; a driver device rotating the press roller; and a controller controlling the heat source to set a temperature of the fixing element to a predetermined target temperature, and controlling the driver device to set a rotation speed of the press roller to a predetermined target rotation speed. The controller determines the target rotation speed by adding a correction value to a normal rotation speed, based on the temperature of the fixing element at start of job, a type of the recording sheet, ambient temperature, and elapsed time from start of paper feed, and sets the rotation speed of the press roller to the target rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takehiro Sato
  • Image forming apparatus with plural covers and a lock control unit
    Patent number: 10775734
    Abstract: Plural covers installed on a housing are capable of being opened and closed. Cover lock units lock and unlock a predetermined cover among the plural covers in accordance with a control signal. A lock control unit controls the cover lock units and changes a status of the cover among lock status and unlock status. The plural covers include a first cover, a second cover, and a third cover. On the first cover, the cover lock unit is not installed. On the second cover, the cover lock unit is installed and a predetermined user and a service person are allowed to unlock the second cover. On the third cover, the cover lock unit is installed and the service person is allowed to unlock to the third cover. The lock control unit determines whether the lock control unit unlocks the second cover or not on the basis of a user level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Mayuko Murota
  • Image forming apparatus which corrects torque based on temperature or conveyance speed and predicts a life of the fixer based on a corrected torque
    Patent number: 10754278
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a fixer that fixes a toner image formed on a recording medium by pressing and heating the recording medium nipped in a nip portion formed by causing two rotating bodies to pressedly abut on each other, and conveying the recording medium by rotating the rotating bodies; a motor that drives the rotating bodies by transmitting a torque to at least one of the rotating bodies; a torque detector that detects the torque transmitted to the rotating body by the motor; a temperature detector that detects temperature of the rotating body; a speed detector that detects a conveyance speed for conveying the recording medium by the fixer; and a controller that corrects the detected torque based on at least any one of the detected temperature and the detected conveyance speed and predicts a life of the fixer based on the corrected torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Masayuki Fukunaga, Toshiaki Tanaka, Masayuki Watanabe, Mineo Yamamoto
  • Image forming apparatus with a waste container positioned on a side opposite electrical contacts and rotational drive receiving portions
    Patent number: 10747171
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body; a moving unit movable between a first position where the moving unit is inside the apparatus main body and a second position where the moving unit is outside the apparatus main body, the moving unit including an image bearing member, a cleaning member, a conveying member conveying removed toner from the image bearing member, and an outlet disposed at a first end of the moving unit and through which the removed toner is discharged outside the moving unit; a processing unit acting on the image bearing member; and a contact disposed at a second end of the moving unit opposite the first end and through which the processing unit receives power. The apparatus main body includes a container accommodating the removed toner, having an inlet for receiving the removed toner from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sahara
  • Guide and end guide provided in fixing device, and methods of manufacturing guide and end guide
    Patent number: 10739708
    Abstract: There is provided a guide incorporated in a fixing device including a belt configured to circularly move in a moving direction. The guide includes: a guide portion elongated in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the moving direction; a first gate mark; and a second gate mark arranged spaced apart from the first gate mark in the longitudinal direction. The guide portion includes a resin and a plurality of elongated-shaped fillers dispersed in the resin. The guide portion has a guide surface configured to guide movement of the belt in the moving direction, a peripheral surface of the belt being configured to contact the guide surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kaoru Suzuki
  • Electrical equipment with varistor mounted
    Patent number: 10732560
    Abstract: An electrical equipment including: an exterior having an opening portion; a circuit board provided to an inside of the exterior and configured to be connected to a commercial power source; a varistor mounted on the circuit board; and a line filter mounted on the circuit board, wherein the opening portion is formed in a predetermined direction orthogonal to electrodes of the varistor, and wherein the line filter is arranged between the varistor and the opening portion in the predetermined direction so as to prevent a range of a conical shape having a vertex at a center of the varistor, a height in the predetermined direction, and a predetermined solid angle ? from intersecting with the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teruhiko Suzuki
  • Developing member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10732538
    Abstract: The developing member has an electroconductive substrate, and an elastic layer having a mono-layer structure on the substrate as a surface layer, wherein the elastic layer has a thickness of T ?m and a volume resistivity of 1.0×105 ?·cm to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Moriai, Minoru Nakamura, Toru Ishii, Kazutoshi Ishida
  • Image forming apparatus and method
    Patent number: 10725418
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic image forming unit and an inkjet image forming unit, thereby being capable of printing an image on each of a front surface and the back surface of a recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Youngsu Lee, Yuntae Kim, Eogkyu Kim, Heungsup Park
  • Image forming apparatus including a second power supply that applies a voltage with a same polarity as a toner to a discharging member to charge toner on a secondary transfer roller
    Patent number: 10719039
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image carrier having a surface on which a toner image is formed; a transfer roller cooperating with a surface of the image carrier to form a nip at a first position in a direction in which the image carrier rotates; a discharging member provided at a second position downstream of the nip in a direction in which the transfer roller rotates; a first power supply that applies a first voltage opposite in polarity to toner to the transfer roller to transfer the toner image to a recording medium when the recording medium is inserted in the nip; and a second power supply that applies a second voltage identical in polarity to the toner to the discharging member to cause an electric discharge to electrically charge the toner on the surface of the transfer roller to electrically attract the toner to the transfer roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shinya Tokutake, Hidetoshi Noguchi, Kazuyoshi Ota, Masanori Kawada
  • Process cartridge having a positioning portion capable of positioning a driving force receiving portion of a coupling member
    Patent number: 10712707
    Abstract: A process cartridge including a photosensitive drum; a developing roller; a rotatable roller having a rotation shaft in a position deviated from an axis of the developing roller; an Oldham coupling member at an end portion of the shaft of the rotatable roller; an urging member for urging the drive receiving portion; a supporting portion supporting the drive receiving portion; an abutting portion receiving the supporting portion urged by the urging member, an elastic sheet positioned to contact at least part of the Oldham coupling member, wherein the abutting portion is positioned outside an outer periphery of the drum on a plane perpendicular to the shaft of the rotatable roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Maeshima, Masato Tanabe, Keisuke Nomura, Hiroki Shimizu
  • Image post-processing method and apparatus for emitting a glossiness control light, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10705474
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image post-processing method for adjusting glossiness of a fixed toner image. The method includes a glossiness control step and a temperature control step. The glossiness control step is a step of, to a toner image formed of a toner containing a light absorbing compound and fixed to a recording medium, emitting glossiness control light so as to reduce or increase glossiness of the toner image. The temperature control step is a step of heating the toner image immediately before the light is emitted to the toner image such that the toner image has a surface temperature which is at least 20° C. lower than a softening temperature of the toner. The glossiness control light has a maximum emission wavelength in a wavelength range in which the compound absorbs light and is made to at least reduce the glossiness of the toner image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Haruo Horiguchi, Seijiro Takahashi, Toyoko Shibata