Patents Examined by Roland Martin
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Patent number: 6124065Abstract: The present invention provides a photosensitive body and an electrophotographic printer capable of notifying an operating whether a protection film 15 is correctly peeled off from a photosensitive surface 1a of the photosensitive body. The protection film 15 has marks 15a and 15b to be automatically detected. The electrophotographic printer 100 comprises a peel member 13, a guide route for guiding the peeled off protection film out of the printer, a magnetic sensor 14 for detecting the marks 15a and 15b, and a control circuit 17 for deciding according to an output of the magnetic sensor whether the protection film is correctly peeled off and outputting the decision result through a liquid crystal display panel 19. This enables an operator to know about the peeling state.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1998Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Tomoya Saeki
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Patent number: 6124070Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner which forms a high quality image, which is stable in various environments, i.e. under high humidity, or low temperature and low humidity conditions, and has a fine particle diameter as well as a sharp particle size distribution, and to a process for producing the same. The toner contains at least a binder resin and a colorant, and has (i) a number average particle diameter of from 0.5 to 6.0 .mu.m, (ii) the coefficient of variation of number distribution of not more than 20%, and (iii) a methanol-soluble resin component in an amount of 0.01-10% based on the weight of the toner, and the methanol-soluble resin component contains a polymer composition having an organic acid group, and an acid value of from 50 to 600 mgKOH/g.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1999Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshinobu Baba, Tetsuro Fukui, Hiroshi Aoto, Hitoshi Itabashi, Yasukazu Ayaki
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Patent number: 6124072Abstract: There is disclosed a photoconductor for use in an electrophotographic apparatus. The photoconductor includes a conductive substrate and a photoconductive layer formed on the conductive substrate. The photoconductive layer includes an As.sub.2 Se.sub.3 alloy containing 36% to 40% by weight of As and doped with 1,000 to 20,000 parts per million of iodine. A method of manufacturing a photoconductor is also disclosed, which includes forming a photoconductive layer by vapor deposition on a conductive substrate and thermally treating the photoconductive layer at a temperature between 100 and 200 degrees Celsius for a period between 30 and 80 minutes. Advantageously, the photoconductor of the present invention is able to provide high quality images at high printing speeds.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 1999Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akio Arai, Makoto Fujii, Kazuya Adachi
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Patent number: 6120966Abstract: A method of pre-conditioning an organic photoreceptor, comprising: a) providing an organic photoreceptor having a residue of organic material thereon; and b) applying a solubilizing agent for the soluble organic material to the photoreceptor surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1999Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Indigo N.V.Inventors: Yossi Rosen, Judith Gutfarb, Yaacov Almog
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Patent number: 6120967Abstract: A process for the preparation of a toner composition includes (i) forming a resin latex dispersion of a resin in an aqueous ionic surfactant solution from a latex utilizing an ionic surfactant and optionally a nonionic surfactant; (ii) preparing a pigment dispersion in water of a pigment dispersed in water and a nonionic dispersant, and optionally an ionic surfactant of the same polarity as that employed in preparing the resin latex dispersion of step (i); (iii) blending at least a portion of the resin latex dispersion with the pigment dispersion, and optionally a wax dispersion, to form a resin-pigment blend; (iv) adding a portion of a counterionic coagulant in an aqueous solution to the resin-pigment blend, while continuously subjecting the mixture to high shear, to induce a homogeneous gel of the resin-pigment blend, wherein the amount of the counterionic coagulant added is 25 to 90% by weight of a total amount of counterionic coagulant to be added during the process; (v) heating the sheared gel at temperaType: GrantFiled: January 19, 2000Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Michael A. Hopper, Raj D. Patel, Lori Ann Rettinger, Tanya Jane Martin
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Patent number: 6120958Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner comprising an azo type iron complex having a volume average particle size within a range of from 6 to 15 .mu.m and represented by the formula (A): ##STR1## wherein Ar is an aryl group or a substituted aryl group, each of X1, X2, Y1 and Y2 is --S--, --O--, --CO--, --NH-- or --NR-- wherein R is a C.sub.1-4 alkyl group, and Z is a cation as a counter ion.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1999Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Ookubo, Hiroshi Nanaumi, Kaoru Kasahara
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Patent number: 6120957Abstract: Toner includes binder resin having an acid value in a range from 10 mgKOH/g to 100 mgKOH/g; and at least one kind of compound selected from among Color Index Pigment Yellow 180 and derivatives thereof. A liquid developer includes the toner and carrier liquid. Toner includes binder resin having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range from 3000 to 10000; and at least one kind of compound selected from among Color Index Pigment Yellow 180 and derivatives thereof. A liquid developer includes the toner and carrier liquid.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1999Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidetoshi Miyamoto, Toshimitsu Fujiwara, Keyaki Yogome
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Patent number: 6120964Abstract: The invention, in its broader aspects provides an electrophotographic toner having polymeric binder and 2-(1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-ylidene 1,1-dioxide)acetamides as charge control agent. ##STR1## wherein n is 1 or 3; R and R.sup.1 are defined in the specification. The compounds are useful as charge-control agents in electrostatographic toners and developers.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 1999Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: John C. Wilson, Robert D. Fields, Gretchen S. McGrath, Satyanarayan A. Srinivasan
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Patent number: 6121542Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a photovoltaic element comprising a substrate having an electrically conductive face, a semiconductor layer formed on said electrically conductive surface of said substrate, and a transparent and electrically conductive electrode layer formed on said semiconductor layer; a power generation region having a metallic wire arranged over said transparent and electrically conductive electrode layer of said photovoltaic element; and a fixing region of fixing an end portion of said metallic wire, wherein said metallic wire is fixed to a polymer film through an adhesive material, and if necessary, said metallic wire is positioned between a bus bar and said adhesive material while electrically connecting with said bus bar. A solar cell module, construction member, or power generation apparatus comprising said photovoltaic device. A process for producing said photovoltaic device.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1997Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hidenori Shiotsuka, Takahiro Mori, Ichiro Kataoka, Takeshi Takada, Satoru Yamada, Ayako Shiotsuka
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Patent number: 6117608Abstract: A liquid toner of the present invention comprises particles containing a foaming inhibitor and an electrically insulating dispersion medium dispersing the particles therein. One preferred liquid toner comprises copolymer resin particles and an electrically insulating dispersion medium, the copolymer resin particles containing a copolymer resin composed of at least two different monomer components including a first and a second monomer components and a foaming inhibitor, and the copolymer resin particles being dispersed in the dispersion medium, wherein the copolymer resin and the dispersion medium are related to each other such that (i) a difference .DELTA.(.delta.p.sup.1 -.delta.d) between a SP value .delta.p.sup.1 of a homopolymer composed only of the first monomer component and a SP value .delta.d of the dispersion medium is not smaller than 1.0, (ii) a difference .DELTA.(.delta.p.sup.2 -.delta.d) between a SP value .delta.p.sup.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1999Date of Patent: September 12, 2000Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Aoyagi, Katsuya Teshima
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Patent number: 6110629Abstract: A cylindrical, photosensitive member is disclosed which has a photosensitive layer comprising amorphous silicon provided on an electroconductive substrate, and in which the thickness of the electroconductive substrate is not less than 0.1 mm but less than 2.5 mm, thereby accomplishing cost reduction of the photosensitive member and also accomplishing prevention of variations of image density and image smearing by high-accuracy temperature control.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1999Date of Patent: August 29, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiyuki Ehara, Yuji Nakayama, Tetsuya Karaki, Hironori Owaki
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Patent number: 6110631Abstract: There is disclosed a photoconductor for use in an electrophotographic apparatus. The photoconductor includes a conductive substrate and a photoconductive layer formed on the conductive substrate. The photoconductive layer includes an As.sub.2 Se.sub.3 alloy containing 36% to 40% by weight of As and doped with 1,000 to 20,000 parts per million of iodine. A method of manufacturing a photoconductor is also disclosed, which includes forming a photoconductive layer by vapor deposition on a conductive substrate and thermally treating the photoconductive layer at a temperature between 100 and 200 degrees Celsius for a period between 30 and 80 minutes. Advantageously, the photoconductor of the present invention is able to provide high quality images at high printing speeds.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 1998Date of Patent: August 29, 2000Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akio Arai, Makoto Fujii, Kazuya Adachi
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Patent number: 6110635Abstract: A binder resin as the main component of the toner has a low molecular weight polypropylene as a separating agent, encapsulated therein. Using this binder a toner with the wax having a diameter of 0.3 .mu.m or less dispersed therein is produced. The wax is included 0.5 part to 5 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the binder resin. This limitation of the toner prevents the setoff phenomenon during the fixing process and at the same time prevents the filming phenomenon over the photoreceptor and achieves an improved fixing performance.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1998Date of Patent: August 29, 2000Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshinori Urata, Tatsuo Imafuku, Toshihisa Ishida, Takahiro Bito, Tadashi Nakamura, Yoshiaki Akazawa, Yasuharu Morinishi, Nobuyasu Honda
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Patent number: 6106989Abstract: This invention discloses novel surface release layers on temporary image receptors particularly suited to the requirements of liquid electrographic (both electrophotographic and electrostatic) printing on a variety of receptors. The inventive temporary image receptors are comprised of a surface release layer on a photoreceptive or dielectric substrate. The release layers are silicone copolymers which are chemically modified to improve imaging, drying or transfer performance when used in the simplified color electrophotography (SCE) or electrostatic printing processes.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1999Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Kathryn R. Bretscher, Terri L. Butler, Mark C. Berens, James A. Baker, Gay L. Herman, Larry D. Boardman, Gaye K. Lehman
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Patent number: 6106986Abstract: A color toner comprising (A) a resin binder comprising a polyester, as a main component, obtained by polycondensing a polyhydric alcohol component and a carboxylic acid component, wherein the polyhydric alcohol component comprises a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein R.sup.1 is an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms; x and y are positive numbers, wherein a sum of x and y is from 1 to 16, in an amount of 5% by mol or more of an entire polyhydric alcohol component, and wherein the carboxylic acid component comprises 50% by mol or more of a dicarboxylic acid compound and 50% by mol or less of a tricarboxylic or higher polycarboxylic acid compound; (B) a releasing agent having an average diameter size of dispersed particles in the color toner of from 0.1 to 3 .mu.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1999Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: Kao CorporationInventors: Eiji Shirai, Shinichi Sata, Toshihiro Hattori, Hironobu Nagasaki, Yoshifumi Tokuhisa
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Patent number: 6106982Abstract: This invention relates to an imaged receptor laminate, comprising: a thermoplastic core layer having a first side and a second side; a thermoplastic skin layer overlying said first side of said core layer, said skin layer comprising a major amount of a thermoplastic copolymer or terpolymer derived from ethylene or propylene and a functional monomer selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylate, acrylic acid, alkyl acrylic acid, vinyl acetate and combinations of two or more thereof, said skin layer having a melting point in the range of about 50.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C., said core layer having a melting point that is higher than the melting point of said skin layer; and an electrostatically formed and developed image adhered to said skin layer. In one embodiment, a dielectric layer overlies the toned image and the skin layer. In one embodiment, a conductive carrier sheet overlies the foregoing dielectric layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1998Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: Avery Dennison CorporationInventors: Bernard S. Mientus, Mark Wisniewski, Ramabhadran Balaji, Kushalkumar M. Baid, Robert O. Bucholz
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Patent number: 6103441Abstract: A color toner for electrophotography is made of matrix toner particles, each matrix toner particle containing a binder resin, a coloring agent, and a charge control agent, and an externally added additive which includes (a) hydrophobically treated silica particles having a primary particle size of 0.01 to 0.03 .mu.m, (b) hydrophobically treated titanium oxide particles having a primary particle size of 0.01 to 0.03 .mu.m and a specific surface area of 60 to 140 m.sup.2 /g, and (c) hydrophobically treated silica particles having a specific surface area of 20 to 50 m.sup.2 /g and a bulk density of 100 to 250 g/l.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1999Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masami Tomita, Hiroyuki Fushimi, Yohichiroh Watanabe, Keiko Shiraishi
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Patent number: 6103439Abstract: In toner 1 containing a binder resin 2, wax particles 3 and a coloring agent, the wax particles 3 are designed so that the ratio of major axis/minor axis is set in the range of 1.4 to 4.0 and so that the major axis L is not more than 6.0 .mu.m. Moreover, the melt index of the binder resin ranges from 5.0 to 11.0, and the dielectric loss tangent (tan .delta.) is not more than 5.0. This arrangement prevents the wax particles 3 inside the toner 1 or at the toner 1 surface layer from exposing to or sticking out of the toner 1 surface, thereby making it possible to provide a superior offset-reducing property during the fixing process and electrophotographing toner that can reduce wax contamination on the surface of the toner-bearing body.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1998Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Ogawa, Hitoshi Nagahama, Yasuharu Morinishi, Tatsuo Imafuku, Takeaki Ohuchi, Toshihisa Ishida, Tadashi Nakamura
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Patent number: 6099998Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed. The topmost layer comprises a binder comprising a crosslinked resin having, as a recurring unit, (a) a portion comprising a constituent having a fluorine or silicon atom at the side chain, (b) a portion having an aromatic group in the main or side chain, and (c) a portion having a hydroxyl group or an amino group.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: Konica CorporationInventors: Toyoko Shibata, Akira Kinoshita, Tomoo Sakimura
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Patent number: 6096463Abstract: An image forming method including developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier with a toner containing colored particles comprised of at least a binder resin and a coloring agent to form a toner image, transferring the toner image to a transfer material to form a transferred image, and fixing the transferred image on the transfer material, wherein the toner is made up of at least a binder resin and colored particles containing a coloring agent, the volume mean particle size of the colored particles is from 2.0 to 5.0 .mu.m, the colored particles of 1.0 .mu.m or smaller are 20 number % or lower, and the colored particles of 5.0 .mu.m or larger are 10 number % or lower. The image forming method has a high reproducibility of fine lines and forms an image of a high quality without forming uneven gloss in the image and between the image area and the non-image area and without causing problems such as offset and paper clogging.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1999Date of Patent: August 1, 2000Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirokazu Hamano, Yutaka Sugizaki