Patents Examined by Rashid Alam
  • Patent number: 8580466
    Abstract: A photomask blank includes a transparent substrate and a film containing at lease two layers formed on the transparent substrate, the two layers being a first layer with a phase difference ??1 and a second layer with a phase difference ??2. The phase difference ??1 is a phase difference between a light transmitted through the first layer and a light transmitted through an air distance equal to a thickness of the first layer, and the phase difference ??2 is a phase difference between a light transmitted through the second layer and a light transmitted through an air distance equal to a thickness of the second layer. A phase difference of the film containing at least two layers is from ?30° to +30°. The first layer contains a material not to be etched during etching of the transparent substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Shiota, Osamu Nozawa
  • Patent number: 8574798
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor having at least a photosensitive layer and a surface layer provided at a surface of the photosensitive layer. The surface layer contains a first layer which is provided at the photosensitive layer side and has a refractive index of n1 and a second layer which is provided at the opposite side of the first layer to the photosensitive layer and has a refractive index of n2. The refractive index of the photosensitive layer, the refractive index of the first layer, the refractive index of the second layer, the film thickness of the first layer, an integer of 0 or more, and the wavelength of light with which the surface of the photoreceptor is irradiated when an electrostatic latent image is formed satisfy specific relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwanaga, Masayuki Nishikawa, Shigeru Yagi, Nobuyuki Torigoe
  • Patent number: 8546053
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a toner, the method including: preparing a wax dispersion liquid by cooling a wax solution, in which a wax is heated and dissolved or dispersed in an organic solvent, in a container so that a standard deviation ? of a temperature distribution between a center portion of the container and an inner wall of the container is 0.5 or less and the cooling rate is 2.0° C./min or more, to precipitate wax particles in the wax solution; forming toner base precursor particles by adding an aqueous phase containing resin fine particles into an oil phase containing at least the wax dispersion liquid, a colorant and a binder resin and mixing the oil phase and the aqueous phase with each other; and preparing toner base particles by removing the solvent from the toner base precursor particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruki Kusahara, Junichi Awamura, Tomomi Suzuki, Toshihiko Karato
  • Patent number: 8535865
    Abstract: An emissive toner composition for producing an emissive image component of an image indicia on a substrate. The emissive toner composition includes a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives, each selected and present in an amount such that when the toner composition is printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the toner composition has stable spectral characteristics. In one embodiment, the emission spectra of the image component printed on the substrate, for irradiation with an excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. In another embodiment, the image component has a photoluminescent toner stability factor of about greater than or equal to 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Angstrom Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Coyle, Anthony Stramondo
  • Patent number: 8524433
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive substrate and an outermost surface layer formed on the conductive substrate and containing a binder resin and a copolymer derived from a reactive monomer having charge transport property and a reactive monomer having no charge transport property, the copolymer having a side chain with 4 or more carbon atoms in a constitutional unit derived from the reactive monomer having no charge transport property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takatsugu Doi, Wataru Yamada, Yuko Iwadate, Katsumi Nukada
  • Patent number: 8518623
    Abstract: A toner includes a toner particle, which contains at least a binding resin, a colorant, and two types of polar resins, i.e., a polar resin H and a polar resin L, and which is obtained with granulation in a water-based medium, wherein solubility parameters, glass transition points, and weight-average molecular weights of the binding resin, the polar resin H, and the polar resin L, as well as amounts of the added resins satisfy respective specific relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kasiha
    Inventors: Kenta Kamikura, Shinya Yachi, Kazumi Yoshizaki, Yasushi Katsuta, Takeshi Kaburagi
  • Patent number: 8518619
    Abstract: Provided is to provide a photoelectric conversion device including an organic compound layer which contains polymer (a) having partial structures represented by the following formulae (1) and (2) respectively. In the formula, R1, R2, R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, X and Y each independently represent a divalent organic group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a represents 0 or 1, and CT represents an organic group having a charge transportable skeleton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Nukada, Wataru Yamada, Takatsugu Doi
  • Patent number: 8486588
    Abstract: A photomask blank includes a transparent substrate and a film containing at least two layers having at least a first layer and a second layer formed on the transparent substrate. The first layer is made of a material containing one or more materials selected from the group Ta, Hf, Si, Cr, Ag, Au, Cu, Al, and Mo. The second layer is made of MoSiN, MoSiO, MoSiON, SiN, SiO, or SiON. A phase difference of the film containing at least two layers is from ?30° to +30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Shiota, Osamu Nozawa
  • Patent number: 8475988
    Abstract: Disclosed are a resin-filled ferrite carrier core material for an electrophotographic developer, including a porous ferrite particle, wherein the composition of the porous ferrite particle is represented by the following formula (1), and part of (MgO) and/or (Fe2O3) in the following formula (1) is replaced with SrO; a ferrite carrier obtained by filling a resin in the voids of the ferrite carrier core material; and an electrophotographic developer using the ferrite carrier: ( MgO ) ? x ? ( Fe 2 ? O 3 ) ? y ? ( x = 10 ? ? mol ? ? % ? ? or ? ? more ? ? and ? ? less ? ? than ? ? 25 ? ? mol ? ? % y = exceeding ? ? 75 ? ? mol ? ? % ? ? and ? ? 90 ? ? mol ? ? % ? ? or ? ? less x + y = 100 ? ? mol ? ? % ) .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Powdertech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Sugiura, Takashi Hikichi, Hiromichi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8470506
    Abstract: The toner includes at least a binder resin, and a colorant. The toner has properties such that the percentage W(3000) of components having a molecular weight of 3,000 or less in tetrahydrofuran-soluble components of the toner determined by a GPC-RALLS viscosity analysis is 20% by weight or less; the molecular weight Mp at the peak top of the main peak in the molecular weight distribution curve of the tetrahydrofuran-soluble components is from 4,000 to 10,000; and the ratio Rt(Mp)/Rs(Mp) of an inertia square radius Rt(Mp) at the molecular weight Mp to an inertia square radius Rs(Mp) of linear polystyrene at the molecular weight Mp is greater than 0.98, wherein the inertia square radius Rs(Mp) is determined from a working curve obtained by subjecting plural polystyrenes having different molecular weights to the GPC-RALLS viscosity analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Atsushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8445168
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the photoconductive layer, and a surface layer made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide on the intermediate layer, wherein a ratio (C/(Si+C); C2) in the surface layer is 0.61 to 0.75, and a sum of atom density of silicon and carbon is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more, a ratio (C/(Si+C); C1) and a sum (D1) of atom density of silicon and carbon in the intermediate layer increase continuously from the photoconductive layer toward the surface layer without exceeding C2 and D2, and the intermediate layer has a continuous region in which C1 is 0.25 to C2 while D1 is 5.50×1022 to 6.45×1022 atoms/cm3, the region being 150 nm or larger in a layer thickness direction, and an electrophotographic apparatus equipped therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Tomohito Ozawa, Daisuke Tazawa, Yuu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8440377
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a substrate, a photoconductive layer, an intermediate layer, and a surface layer sequentially formed. The intermediate layer contains silicon, carbon and hydrogen, and a distribution of a hydrogen ratio, which is a ratio of the number of hydrogen atoms to the number of silicon, carbon and hydrogen atoms, in the intermediate layer has a maximum region. A largest hydrogen atomic ratio in the intermediate layer is larger than a hydrogen atomic ratio in the surface layer, and the hydrogen atomic ratio in the surface layer is 0.30 to 0.45. A distribution of a carbon atomic ratio, which is a ratio of the number of carbon atoms to the number of silicon and carbon atoms, in the intermediate layer has a maximum and a minimum region. A carbon atomic ratio in the maximum region is 0.53 to 0.63, a carbon atomic ratio in the minimum region is 0.47 or more, and the maximum hydrogen region in the intermediate layer is partially superimposed on the minimum carbon region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Ozawa, Motoya Yamada, Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Daisuke Tazawa
  • Patent number: 8420284
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor, including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer, located overlying the electroconductive substrate; and an outermost layer comprising a convexity, wherein each of the outermost layer and the convexity includes a crosslinked body including a structural unit having a same charge transportable structure, and wherein the number of convexity having a height not less than ½×RzJIS is from 30 to 300 in a measurement length of 12 mm, wherein RzJIS is an average of ten-point mean roughness specified in JIS B0601 of 2001 and measured at least 4 random positions in an area the outermost layer is formed on, and wherein the height of the convexity is a distance from the deepest valley to a top of the convexity in the measurement length of 12 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohichi Ohshima, Hidetoshi Kami, Yukio Fujiwara, Kazuhiro Egawa
  • Patent number: 8409778
    Abstract: A resin coated carrier is provided that can stably charge a toner having added thereto an external additive having a large particle size over a long period of time and can prevent blocking of a developer. The resin coated carrier satisfies the following formula (1): log(Mb/Ma)>2??(1) in which Ma is a weight average molecular weight of a silicone resin having the minimum weight average molecular weight, contained in a resin coating layer, and Mb is a weight average molecular weight of a silicone resin having the maximum weight average molecular weight, and the following formula (2) is satisfied: 0.5??log(A/B)?2.5??(2) in which A is a volume resistance (?/cm) under electric field of 1,000 V/cm obtained by conducting a stirring test, and B is a volume resistance (?/cm) under electric field of 1,000 V/cm before the stirring test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Kanto Denka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Wada, Tadashi Iwamatsu, Takanori Kamoto, Nobuyuki Yoshioka, Natsuki Matsuura, Nobuhiro Seki, Masatomo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8409773
    Abstract: A photoconductor that includes, for example, a substrate; an undercoat layer thereover wherein the undercoat layer contains a metal oxide, and a mixture of an epoxy resin and a carboxyl resin; a photogenerating layer; and at least one charge transport layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Wu, Marc J Livecchi, Robert W Hedrick, John J. Wilbert
  • Patent number: 8404413
    Abstract: Present embodiments are directed to the preparation of curl-free flexible imaging members used in electrostatography. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to a structurally simplified flexible electrophotographic imaging member, including the incorporation of a plasticizer or a blend of plasticizers in the imaging layer(s) to effect imaging layer(s) stress relieving outcome for curl control without the need of an anticurl back coating, and methods for making and using the imaging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert C. U. Yu, Yuhua Tong
  • Patent number: 8404409
    Abstract: A photo mask blank structure for transferring a mask to an integrated circuit includes a transparent substrate, which has a surface region. The photo mask structure further includes an opaque film overlying the surface region, a negative photoresist material overlying the opaque film, a stop layer overlying the negative photoresist material, and a positive photoresist material overlying the stop layer. The positive photoresist material includes a first opening pattern, and the stop layer includes a second opening pattern that is associated with the first opening pattern of the positive photoresist material. The negative photoresist material includes a third opening pattern that is associated with the first and second opening patterns. The stop layer provides a separation between the negative photoresist material and the positive photoresist material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Guang Yea Simon Tarng
  • Patent number: 8399167
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner composition for forming a masking pattern for use e.g. in connection with a method of building up a three-dimensional body from a large number of mutually connected layers of powder particles that are bonded to each other using radiant heat. The toner composition consists of powder particles that arc able to withstand a temperature of at least 200° C. without sticking together. It also relates to a developer that comprises the toner composition and carrier particles and a method in connection with the production of a volume body by using a toner composition or a developer according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sintermask GmbH
    Inventors: David Hermann, Ralf Larson
  • Patent number: 8383296
    Abstract: The photomask manufacturing method comprises at least one step of cleaning the photomask and at least one step of placing a protective pellicle onto the photomask at the end of manufacturing. The inventive method further comprises at least one step of removing ammonia and sulfate residue between the cleaning step and the pellicle placement step. This step comprises the following operations: placing the photomask into a sealed chamber, creating a low pressure within the sealed chamber by pumping out the gases that it contains, exposing the photomask to infrared radiation, stopping the infrared radiation, checking that the temperature of the photomask does not exceed 50° C., restoring the atmospheric pressure within the chamber, and removing the photomask from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Arnaud Favre, Magali Davenet, Jean-Marie Foray
  • Patent number: 8377618
    Abstract: A toner is provided including a mother toner including a crystalline polyester resin, an amorphous resin, and a wax, and an external additive in an amount of from 0.30 to 0.55 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the mother toner. The toner satisfies the following equation 0.36?(2.77×C/R+1.97×W/R)/X?1.85, wherein each of C, W, and R represents a height of an absorbance peak specific to the crystalline polyester resin, the wax, and the amorphous resin, respectively, measured by a FT-IR ATR method, and X represents an amount (parts by weight) of the external additive. An image forming method and apparatus using the toner are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Hyo Shu, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasutada Shitara, Minoru Masuda