Patents Examined by Quana Grainger
  • Patent number: 11892795
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a housing having an opening; a top cover configured to cover the opening; a short-range wireless communication circuit board attached to the top cover; a relay circuit board attached to the top cover; and a first wiring connecting the short-range wireless communication circuit board and the relay circuit board to each other. The short-range wireless communication circuit board includes: an antenna configured to transmit/receive radio waves; and a circuit electrically connected to the antenna. At least a part of the circuit and at least a part of the relay circuit board are overlapped with each other in an up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Yohei Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11874619
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit, a fuser including a heater, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the fuser, and a controller. The controller exercises a standby control that includes repeating a control cycle, measuring a temperature fluctuation period that is a time period from start of energizing the heater to an end of the control cycle, and setting an energization amount for a next control cycle, based on the measured temperature fluctuation period. The control cycle includes energizing the heater with an energization amount during a preset heating period when the detection temperature has dropped to a temperature below the target standby temperature, and waiting until the detection temperature drops to the target standby temperature in a case where the detection temperature has risen to a temperature equal to or above the target standby temperature after the preset heating period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Noda
  • Patent number: 11874625
    Abstract: A second unit includes a restricted portion that comes into contact with a restricting portion provided to a body of an apparatus, the restricted portion coming into contact with the restricting portion, in order to restrict the movement of a developer carrier in a direction to make contact with an image carrier, when a developing cartridge has not reached a predetermined attachment position, and not coming into contact with the restricting portion when the developing cartridge is in the predetermined attachment position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Anan, Masato Tanabe, Tsukasa Abe, Kazutaka Sueshige
  • Patent number: 11846901
    Abstract: An example fuser includes a flexible fixing belt, a backup member to form a fixing nip with the fixing belt, a heater substrate for heating the fixing belt at the fixing nip and having a first surface comprising a heating element pattern, a common terminal and a driving power supply terminal for supplying power to the heating element pattern, and a second surface in contact with the fixing belt, and a temperature sensor sheet comprising a temperature sensor, a sensing terminal and an electric wire connecting the temperature sensor to the sensing terminal, wherein the temperature sensor sheet is in contact with the first surface of the heater substrate such that the sensing terminal and the electrical wire do not overlap the common terminal and the driving power supply terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hojin Ryu, Sunhyung Lee, Sungwoo Kang
  • Patent number: 11841659
    Abstract: An apparatus provided with a power source device indicating a converting unit includes a switching unit, a discriminating unit, and a controller. In the case where the discriminating unit discriminates that an overcurrent state occurs during an operation of the power source device in a first mode, the mode of the operation of the power source device is switched to a second mode by the switching unit and then the occurrence of the overcurrent state is notified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shotaro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 11841676
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member, a power source, a detecting portion, a controller, an environment detecting portion, and a contact member. In a case that an absolute water content acquired on the basis of environmental information is a predetermined threshold or more, the controller sets a limit voltage on the basis of a detection result of the detecting portion in a state in which the recording material is absent in a transfer portion, and the controller controls the power source so that an absolute value of a voltage applied from the power source to the transfer member during contact of the recording material with the transfer member and the contact member is an absolute value of the limit voltage or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji An, Shinji Katagiri
  • Patent number: 11841649
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a transfer member that primarily transfers a developer image from an image bearing member onto an intermediate transfer belt by applying an electric current to an intermediate transfer belt in a circumferential direction, a control unit which executes a first mode in which to rotate the intermediate transfer belt and a second mode in which to rotate the intermediate transfer belt at a rotation speed higher than that in the first mode. The control unit performs control such that an absolute value of a second voltage to be applied to the transfer member in a case of performing primary transfer in the second mode is less than an absolute value of a first voltage to be applied to the transfer member in a case of performing the primary transfer in the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroko Katagiri, Shinji Katagiri, Koji An
  • Patent number: 11841667
    Abstract: A coupling structure is provided in an imager forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material and configured to couple a first member and a second member. The second member includes a sheet metal having an insulative layer on a surface of a metal layer. A first conductive portion is formed in the first member. A second conductive portion includes a projection formed by press working in the second member. A coupling portion couples the first member and the second member in a state in which at least a part of the first conductive portion and at least a part of the second conductive portion are contacted with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiro Tomono, Takahiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11841658
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a first rotary member, a nip forming unit including a heater and a holder member, a second rotary member, and a support member. The holder member includes a first surface configured to support the heater and provided on the nip portion side of the holder member in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to both of a longitudinal direction and a short direction, a second surface provided on a side of the holder member opposite to the first surface in the orthogonal direction and configured to abut a first abutting portion of the support member and abut a second abutting portion of the support member, and a rib portion provided to project from the second surface and extend in the short direction throughout at least a range in the short direction where the first surface is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Akamatsu, Toru Imaizumi, Koji Yasui, Yosuke Naito
  • Patent number: 11835910
    Abstract: A power source apparatus including a control unit configured to output a control signal to a switching element to switch a target voltage of an output voltage from a transformer. In a case of increasing the output voltage, the control unit outputs the control signal having a first duty when the target voltage is lower than a first threshold value, and outputs the control signal having a second duty larger than the first duty when the target voltage is switched to a value equal to or higher than the first threshold value. In a case of reducing the output voltage, the control unit outputs the control signal having the second duty when the target voltage is equal to or higher than a second threshold value, and outputs the control signal having the first duty when the target voltage is switched to a value lower than the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Saito
  • Patent number: 11835912
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer portion, a fixing portion to fix the toner image onto the sheet, and a charge adjusting portion. The charge adjusting portion adjusts charge to the sheet on which the toner image is fixed. The charge adjusting portion is provided with first and second rollers, a supplying rotatable member and a power source. The first roller includes a shaft having conductivity and an outer circumferential portion including an ion conductive material formed on an outer periphery of the shaft, and is electrically floating. The second roller is disposed so as to nip the sheet between itself and the first roller. The supplying rotatable member is in contact with the first roller and supplies a current to the first roller. The power source applies a voltage of one polarity of a positive polarity and a negative polarity to the supplying rotatable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuusuke Torimaru
  • Patent number: 11835908
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first electrical component, a second electrical component, a control board, a frame body, and a connection unit. The first electrical component includes a first connector configured to be connected to the control board. The second electrical component includes a second connector configured to be connected to the control board. The connection unit includes a first and a second cables connected to the control board, a first relay connector, and a second relay connector. The first relay connector is provided on a leading end portion of the first cable to be arranged on the first frame such that the first connector is connected to the first relay connector. The second relay connector is provided on a leading end portion of the second connector to be arranged on the first frame such that the second connector is connected to the second relay connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryoichi Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 11835909
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first rotating member, a heater, a second rotating member, a detecting unit, a switching unit, a controlling unit, and a power source device. In a first period, a resultant current of first and third currents is supplied to a first heat generating element, and the resultant current in a unit cycle of a first period is a current at which a first current supplying timing and timings of a maximum and a minimum of the third current do not overlap with each other. In a second period, a resultant current of second and third currents is supplied to a second heat generating element, and the resultant current in a unit cycle of the second period is a current at which a second current supplying timing and the timings of the maximum and the minimum of the third current overlap with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nozomu Nakajima, Atsushi Nakamoto, Kohei Wakatsu
  • Patent number: 11835876
    Abstract: In opposition to a sheet feeding path, an ultrafine particle (UFP) collecting filter provided between transfer and fixing is easily exchanged. Therefore, a duct unit kept in a state of holding the UFP collecting filter is removably and easily mounted to a duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryoichi Kawasumi
  • Patent number: 11835917
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fixing device and an image forming apparatus. Fixing device includes a device main body, including a heater, where the device main body includes a driving end connected to a power outputting part of the image forming apparatus and a non-driving end opposite to the driving end; a locking element, disposed on the non-driving end of the device main body; and a chip, including a contact part. When the device main body is installed on the image forming apparatus, the locking element is connected to the image forming apparatus, and the contact part of the chip is electrically connected to the image forming apparatus; and a projection of the contact part of the chip in an axial direction of the heater intersects a projection of the locking element in the axial direction of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: ZHUHAI PANTUM ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Datong Wang, Xining Ding, Xinchao He, Wenqian Rong
  • Patent number: 11835903
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a drive unit having a drive roller, a driving motor, and a limited-life component, a sound collecting device that collects sound from the limited-life component, and outputs sound data, a storage device storing in advance a sound pressure level corresponding to a specific frequency of the limited-life component, with respect to each of different lengths of the remaining service life, and a controller that analyzes frequency of the sound data at predetermined time points; acquires the sound pressure level corresponding to the specific frequency of the limited-life component, on a basis of a result of the frequency analysis; compares the acquired sound pressure level with the sound pressure level of each of the lengths of the remaining service life; predicts the remaining service life of the limited-life component, on a basis of comparison result; and displays the predicted remaining service life on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hayamizu, Daijiro Ueno, Tetsuya Ueno, Hisaji Kawai, Haruki Sayama
  • Patent number: 11822272
    Abstract: A heating unit includes a cylinder which rotates about an axis parallel to a first direction. A heater has a first surface abutting on an inner surface of the cylinder at a nip position. A support member is on a second surface of the heater and also contacts the cylinder. A first heating element is in the heater at a first position along the first direction. A second heating element in the heater is at a second position spaced from the first position. A first temperature sensor is above the first position. A locking portion of the heater is at a third position along the first direction. The locking portion engages the support member and restricts movement of the heater in the first direction. The first position is near a first outer edge of the cylinder. The second position is closer to a central portion of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sasuke Endo
  • Patent number: 11815842
    Abstract: A developer cartridge according to one aspect is attachable to a photoconductor unit that comprises a photoconductive drum. The developer cartridge may comprise a main body having an opening, the main body comprising an electric circuit, a front cover configured to move to an opening position in which the opening of the main body is exposed and to a closing position in which the opening of the main body is closed, a first terminal electrically connected to the electric circuit, a photosensitive drum, and a developer cartridge comprising a developing roller, developing frame having a pressed portion, memory unit and second terminal. The front cover may include a pressing portion configured to press the pressed portion of the developing frame in a direction from the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum, and wherein the second terminal faces to the front cover when the front cover is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishii, Fumio Morita
  • Patent number: 11815838
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising includes an image carrying member including a movable surface to include a toner image; a transfer roller to form a transfer nip between the transfer roller and the movable surface of the image carrying member, to move position in a direction in correspondence to a thickness of a print medium to intersect a direction of introduction of the print medium into the transfer nip, and to receive a transfer bias voltage to transfer the toner image from the movable surface of the image carrying member to the print medium; and a movement guide structure to guide the print medium toward the transfer nip, and to move in synchronization with the movement of the position of the transfer roller to change a gap between an end of the movement guide structure facing the image carrying member and the image carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wonkook Kim, Hogun You
  • Patent number: 11815850
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a varnish application apparatus, and a controller. When the image forming apparatus is in a standby state and preheating of varnish in a tank by a heater is completed, if an image forming job of forming a toner image on a first recording material and applying varnish thereto by a varnish coater is received, the controller controls a guide member to guide the first recording material to a first conveyance path. When the image forming apparatus is in a standby state and preheating of varnish in the tank by the heater is not completed, if an image forming job of forming a toner image on a second recording material and not applying varnish thereto by the varnish coater is received, the controller controls the guide member to guide the second recording material to a second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Arimura, Naoyuki Yamamoto, Kenichiro Kitajima, Shuichi Tamura, Ryota Fujioka, Yoshiro Tsukada, Shohei Okumura, Takahiro Suzuki