Patents Examined by Roy Yi
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Patent number: 7817943Abstract: A developer transport apparatus includes: a first developer-containing unit that contains a developer; a first developer transport member disposed in the first developer-containing unit, the first developer transport member transporting the developer in a first direction; a second developer transport member disposed downstream from the first developer transport member in the first direction, the second developer transport member transporting the developer in the first direction and having a lower capability of transporting the developer than that of the first developer transport member; a developer discharge unit disposed in the first developer-containing unit, the developer discharge unit discharging the developer transported by the second developer transport member from the first developer-containing unit; and a second developer-containing unit that contains the developer discharged from the developer discharge unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2007Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Utsumi, Takehiro Ishii
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Patent number: 7813669Abstract: An operation lever is configured to swing about a rotation axis. Regulating members that regulate the movement of the operation lever along the rotation axis thereof are integrally formed with a cover.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2006Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Junichi Murano, Hirofumi Sugane, Yuki Satoh, Toshiyuki Mae
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Patent number: 7813685Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an endless moving member configured to receive the image thereon from the image bearing member, and a brush member that includes a fiber portion including a plurality of fibers arranged in a standing condition with respective fiber tips held in contact with an inner surface of the endless moving member. A supporting member is configured to support the fiber portion on a brush surface thereof. The brush member is configured to have a whole brush current value per unit area of the whole brush surface equal to or smaller than 2.5 ?A/cm2, and one of a maximum sectional current value per unit area of a portion of the whole brush surface equal to or smaller than 22.0 ?A/cm2 and a ripple of brush sectional current values less than 34%.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2006Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hirokazu Ishii
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Patent number: 7809316Abstract: A transfer apparatus for transferring an image of a developer from an image-bearing medium onto an image receiving medium in a transfer zone includes a heating device that heats the image-bearing medium, an adjustable power supply device that supplies electrical power to the heating device, a first temperature sensor for sensing a basis temperature in the vicinity of the image-bearing medium away from the transfer zone and for transmitting to a controller a signal indicative of the basis temperature. The controller is adapted to adjust the power supplied by the power supply device to the heating device to obtain a target temperature in the transfer zone, in response to the signal indicative of the sensed basis temperature and based on a pre-established relationship between the power supplied to the heating device and a temperature difference between a temperature in the transfer zone and the basis temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2007Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.VInventors: Lambertus M. L. Van Sas, Fransiscus M. J. Linssen
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Patent number: 7805093Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing roller, two units, a movable member, and a cover. The roller can contact the photosensitive member to develop an image formed thereon. One unit supports the photosensitive member with a part thereof exposed. The other unit supports the roller and moves between positions for contacting the roller and the photosensitive member with each other and spacing these elements from each other. The movable member moves the roller-supporting unit between the contact and spaced positions. The cover covers the exposed part and engages the movable member to regulate movement thereof with the developing unit positioned in the spaced position.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2007Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yasufumi Yoshino
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Patent number: 7792463Abstract: A brush member includes plural raisings and contacts a surface of an image bearer downstream of a transfer station and temporary captures toner remaining on the surface of the image bearer into the brush member in a toner capturing process. The brush member returns the toner to the surface of the image bearer at a prescribed time in a toner returning process. A bending direction of the plural raisings is opposite in the returning process to that in the toner capturing process.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Yoshio Sakagawa, Tetsumaru Fujita, Yuji Nagatomo
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Patent number: 7792447Abstract: An image heating apparatus for allowing a surface of a heated toner image borne on a recording material to be glossed without generating a batter in the heated toner image is provided. In an image heating apparatus (9) including heating means (11 and 12) for heating an unfixed toner image (ta) borne on a recording material (P) and pressure means (21 and 22) for pressurizing an unfixed toner image (tb) heated by the heating means to gloss a surface of the unfixed toner image, the pressure means includes: pressure force changing means (54L and 54R) for changing a pressure force when the pressure means pressurizes the unfixed toner image; temperature detecting means (51 and 52) for detecting a temperature of the pressure means; and pressurization control means (53).Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masatsugu Toyonori, Tomohito Ishida, Tetsuya Atsumi, Isami Itoh
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Patent number: 7778568Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrier unit including an intermediate transfer member, a detachable waste toner container, and a recording-medium directing member provided to the carrier unit. The recording-medium directing member guides a recording medium, and also prevents the waste toner container from contacting the intermediate transfer member when the waste toner container is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2007Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Sakashita, Tomofumi Inoue, Takeru Muramatsu, Kohji Hatayama, Yuuji Meguro
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Patent number: 7778556Abstract: A toner supply device including: a toner bottle filled with toner; and a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism having the toner bottle mounted thereon and feeding toner discharged from the toner bottle to a developing unit and supplying toner to the developing unit in accordance with the amount of toner consumed in the developing unit for the process of printing, further comprises: a toner bottle releasing mechanism which, when the amount of toner left in the toner bottle has been reduced to a predetermined level or lower, causes the toner bottle to move in the direction opposite to the direction in which the toner bottle is set into the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism and separate from the toner feed device.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasunobu Ohkawa, Jinichi Nagata, Kiwamu Morita, Yasuhiro Takai
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Patent number: 7778576Abstract: A development device includes a developer supply member that supplies a developer supporting member with liquid developer from a developer container. An agitating member is disposed in the developer container supplies the developer supply member with the liquid developer. The developer container includes a partition member partitioning between and extending above first and second developer holding sections. The partition member is aligned in parallel to an axial direction of rotation of the agitating member and allows liquid developer to move between the first and second developer holding sections.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Toru Tanjo, Tsutomu Sasaki
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Patent number: 7773909Abstract: In a method and system for handling of an endless belt for an electro-photographic printer or copier, an endless belt is borne with aid of a first, a second, and a third cylindrical body. The first cylindrical body is inserted through a loop of the endless belt. The second cylindrical body is arranged outside of the loop of the endless belt and parallel to the first cylindrical body. The endless belt is wound around the first and the second cylindrical bodies. The third cylindrical body is provided through the loop at a free end of the endless belt. The cylindrical bodies with the wound endless belt are housed in a container.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2004Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbHInventors: Peter Rumpel, Winfried Topp
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Patent number: 7773911Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus detachably mounts plural process cartridges. Each cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum frame and a roller frames movable between a contact position where the roller contacts the drum and a spacing position where the roller is spaced from the drum. The apparatus includes a drawing member detachably mounting the cartridges and movable substantially horizontally crossing an axial direction of the drums between a mount position where the cartridges are mounted in a main assembly of the apparatus and a drawn position drawn out of the main assembly, a spacer movable between a retracted position where the drawing member is retracted from a movement path of the cartridges to permit movement of the mounted cartridges and an operating position where the drawing member is in the movement path to move the drum frames between the contact and spacing positions.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2007Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Kawamura
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Patent number: 7764900Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds a toner-image; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner-image that has been held on the image carrier is transferred; a transfer unit that transfers onto a recording medium the toner-image that has been transferred onto the intermediate transfer member, the transfer unit transferring thereon a color-toner-image for checking toner-image, which has been formed in a non-image forming region on the intermediate transfer member; an application unit that applies an adhesion force reducing agent to a surface of the transfer unit before the color-toner-image for checking formed on the intermediate transfer member passes through the transfer unit, the adhesion force reducing agent reducing adhesion force to the transfer unit of the color-toner-image for checking; and a cleaning unit that removes the color-toner-image for checking that has been transferred onto the transfer unit and the adhesion force reducing agent.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2007Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuo Hyakutake, Taku Fukuhara
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Patent number: 7764921Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reader, an image forming unit, an output portion, and a notifying mechanism for notifying the operator of the apparatus. The image reader is configured to read an image on an original sheet to create image data. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on a sheet according to the image data. The output portion is disposed between the image reader and the image forming unit and includes a bin tray configured to receive the sheet having the toner image. The notifying mechanism includes a signal generator and a notifying member. The signal generator is configured to generate a signal when the sheet is output onto the bin tray. The notifying member is configured to notify that the sheet is output on the bin tray in accordance with the signal generated by the signal generator.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2006Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Horiguchi, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: 7761043Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising including a pressing roller to press a sheet of printing paper, further comprising: and a heating roller to press against each other with a sheet of printing paper to be transferred therebetween to rotate against the pressing roller, leaving a moving path of the sheet of printing paper therebetween, and heat the sheet of printing paper, the apparatus including a roller frame to support the heating roller; a separation claw, which, when is disposed in an operational position on an outer circumferential surface of the heating roller, to which the sheet of printing paper is discharged, and separates the sheet of printing paper from the heating roller; and a claw frame to support the separation claw, and which is detachably attached to the roller frame to makeallow the separation claw to move between the operational position and a withdrawal position, at which the separation claw is withdrawn from the operational position.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventor: Seo-won Park
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Patent number: 7751757Abstract: A developer cartridge constructed in a structure in which an overload is not applied to stirring units to stir a developer even when the developer is lump includes a housing having a developer storage chamber, a first stirring unit rotatably mounted in the housing, and a second stirring unit rotatably mounted in the housing such that the second stirring unit is rotatable with time delay after a rotation of the first stirring unit. The second stirring unit includes a rotary shaft, and the developer cartridge further includes a rotary member coupled to one end of the rotary shaft and a power transmission member to transmit a rotary force to the rotary member after rotation thereof by a predetermined angle.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventors: Jin Hong Kim, Joo Hwan Noii
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Patent number: 7751767Abstract: Embodiments herein include an apparatus that can comprise any heating device, such as one having an outer surface adapted to contact items, such as sheets of print media, and a rotatable air outlet (vent, jet, blower, etc.) positioned next to the heating device. The air outlet can be, in one embodiment, part of a tube-shaped air pleneum. In some embodiments, the air outlet can comprise a slit, perforations, rows of jets, etc. and the air outlet can have a length at least as long as the width as the fuser. The rotatable air outlet can be positioned to blow air to remove the items from the heating device and can rotate from a first position to a different second position.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2006Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: William A. Burton, Steven Russel, Lawrence A. Clark
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Patent number: 7751739Abstract: A level determination circuit 60 determines whether a voltage level Vref of an output variable signal is a previously set reference level Vref?m or higher. According to this determination result, a constant voltage output circuit 70 and a constant current output circuit 80 selectively operate. The constant voltage output circuit 70 outputs a transfer voltage Vout of a level corresponding to the voltage level Vref of the output variable signal. The constant current output circuit 80 outputs a constant current Iout of a level corresponding to the voltage level Vref of the output variable signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Katsuya Endo
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Patent number: 7751746Abstract: A rotary-body driving-force transmitting mechanism transmits a driving force from a driving-force source to a rotary body. A rotary-inertial-body driving-force transmitting mechanism transmits the driving force to a rotary inertial body that suppresses a velocity fluctuation in the rotary body. A rotational velocity shift mechanism shifts the rotational velocity. The rotary inertial body, the rotary-body driving-force transmitting mechanism, and the rotary-inertial-body driving-force transmitting mechanism are provided coaxially with a rotary shaft of the rotary body. A satellite frictional gear mechanism is used as the rotational velocity shift mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2008Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Katsuaki Miyawaki, Tetsuo Watanabe, Takeo Tsukamoto, Katsuhiro Aoki, Kei Yasutomi, Hitoshi Maruyama, Hiroshi Ikeguchi
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Patent number: 7747191Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image bearing member, a developing device developing an electrostatic image formed on the member with a developer, a first receiver receiving a driving force rotating the member from a first transmitter of the main assembly, a second receiver receiving a driving force driving the developing device from a second transmitter of the main assembly. The first receiver and the transmitter are engaged with each other with play in a mounting and demounting direction of the process cartridge, when the driving force is inputted from the first transmitter to the first receiver. When the driving force is inputted from the second transmitter to the second receiver, a part of the process cartridge is urged toward a positioning portion for positioning of the process cartridge relative to the main assembly.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2005Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ryoichi Kawasumi