Patents Examined by Sevan A Aydin
  • Patent number: 12681413
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus to fix a toner image on a recording material includes a heating unit, a pressure member, a support member, a pressing mechanism, and an insulating member. The heating unit includes a heating member having a conductive layer, a coil having a helical structure portion having a helical axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the heating member, and a core to induce magnetic lines of force of an alternating magnetic field generated by the coil. The pressure member is in contact with a heating member outer circumferential surface and forms a nip portion between the pressure member and the heating member. The insulating member electrically interrupts a conductive path to prevent formation of the conductive path that is in a loop-shape surrounding the coil and passing through the support member and the pressing mechanism when viewed in an axial direction of the helical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takafumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 12681415
    Abstract: In a fixing device, a heater holder comes into contact with an end of an insulation sheet and causes the insulation sheet to deform in a process of mounting a thermistor and the insulation sheet in the heater holder. Further, in a state in which mounting of the thermistor and the insulation sheet in the heater holder is completed, an inclined surface releases the end of the insulation sheet from contact with the heater holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2025
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watatani, Masakazu Uehara
  • Patent number: 12681418
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image former that forms an image in a plurality of colors on a sheet by an intermediate transfer method; and a hardware processor that acquires sheet attribute information indicating an attribute of the sheet, wherein, the hardware processor measures a color misregistration amount at a predetermined position in a surface of the sheet on which the image is formed by the image former; and the hardware processor performs control for correcting at least the color misregistration on the surface of the sheet, based on the acquired sheet attribute information and the measured color misregistration amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 12681416
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt member that cyclically moves, a pressing unit that comes into contact with the belt member and presses a recording medium moving between the belt member and the pressing unit, and a heat source that includes a base material, a resistance heating element disposed on a surface of the base material along a longitudinal direction of the base material, and an insulator covering the resistance heating element and that comes into contact with the pressing unit via the belt member to heat an inner surface of the belt member, in which the insulator is formed to cover a corner portion of the base material in a direction of movement of the belt member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Keitaro Mori, Toru Inoue, Toshiyuki Miyata, Kiyoshi Koyanagi, Sou Morizaki, Motoharu Nakao, Kazuyoshi Itoh, Jouta Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12681407
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member that transports developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a supply roller, including a foam elastic member, that supplies the developer to the developer bearing member; a power source device that applies a developing voltage to the developer bearing member and applies a supply voltage to the supply roller; a power source control unit that controls supply of the developer from the supply roller to the developer bearing member by controlling the developing voltage and the supply voltage; and an image control unit that controls formation of the electrostatic latent image based on image information. The image control unit controls, based on a predetermined value, a change amount of the supply voltage in a period during which image formation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kuniaki Tamagaki, Shuhei Kawasaki, Takayuki Kanazawa, Jun Hara, Tsubasa Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12675072
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which an exhaust port is formed, a fan, a duct extending in an exhausting direction and configured to accommodate the fan, the duct including a downstream end in the exhausting direction, and an exhaust filter disposed between the duct and the exhaust port in the exhausting direction, the exhaust filter including a first surface facing the exhaust port and a second surface facing the duct. Dimensions of the duct each orthogonal to the exhausting direction are smaller than dimensions of the exhaust filter each orthogonal to the exhausting directions. A perimeter of the downstream end of the duct in the exhausting direction is in contact with the second surface of the exhaust filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Ishizuka, Takuya Tsuji, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Kazuma Hinoue, Hotaka Kakutani, Masafumi Inoue, Haruka Kizu
  • Patent number: 12675068
    Abstract: A fixing device is disclosed that has a heating rotating member configured to be rotatable and to heat the unfixed toner image; a pressing rotating member configured to be rotatable and to form a fixing nip portion by coming in contact with the heating rotating member; and a separating member configured to separate the recording material having passed through the fixing nip portion from the heating rotating member, the separating member being provided downstream of the fixing nip portion in a conveying direction of the recording material to be opposed to the heating rotating member with a gap in a non-contact state, wherein the pressing rotating member comes in contact with the heating rotating member to form the fixing nip portion that nips and conveys the recording material with a first pressure or a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure, and wherein the separating member moves more downstream in the conveying direction when the pressure of the fixing nip portion is the second pressure than
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Moteki, Rikiya Takemasa, Takuya Hasegawa, Tatsuo Yasui, Kenichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 12663746
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a transfer unit and a control unit. The control unit switches between a first control in which the recording material is conveyed in the first direction and a second control in which the recording material is conveyed in a second direction. In performing a double-side printing in which an image is formed on first and second sides, the control unit performs a reciprocating control in which the first and second controls are alternately switched at least one time in a case in which it is predicted that the recording material reaches a transfer portion earlier than a toner image formed by the image forming unit to be transferred onto the second side when the recording material is being conveyed in a double-side conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 12663752
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body housing, a drum cartridge, and a toner cartridge. The drum cartridge is movable inside the main body housing between a drum first position and a drum second position. The toner cartridge is movable between a toner first position and a toner second position in a state where the toner cartridge is coupled to the drum cartridge. In a state where the toner cartridge is coupled to the drum cartridge, the drum cartridge is at the drum second position, and the toner cartridge is at the toner second position, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable relative to the drum cartridge between a first pivot position at which coupling of the toner cartridge to the drum cartridge is not releasable and a second pivot position at which the coupling of the toner cartridge to the drum cartridge is releasable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 12656728
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum is rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction. A frame includes a first side plate located at first end in the first direction and a second side plate spaced from the first side plate in the first direction. The frame rotatably supports the photosensitive drum between the first side plate and the second side plate in the first direction. The frame holds a developer cartridge. A lock lever is pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The lock lever is movable between a lock position at which the developer cartridge is locked on the frame and a release position at which the developer cartridge is unlocked from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuwen Wang, Junichi Hashimoto, Isao Kishi, Kazuaki Ooka
  • Patent number: 12638794
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a motor, a heater, a power supply stopping portion, and a threshold setting portion. The motor rotates a fixing member that fixes a toner image transferred to a sheet onto the sheet. The heater heats the fixing member upon being supplied with power. In a case where temperature of the fixing device exceeds a threshold, the power supply stopping portion stops supply of power to the heater. The threshold setting portion changes the threshold from a first temperature to a second temperature higher than the first temperature in an acceleration period in which rotation speed of the motor increases, and changes the threshold from the second temperature to the first temperature when a deceleration period in which the rotation speed of the motor decreases starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 12638803
    Abstract: A main body includes a first opening and a second opening. A first cover member is capable of opening and closing the first opening. A second cover member is capable of opening and closing the second opening. At least a part of a fixing device can be drawn out from the main body via the second opening. A latch mechanism latches the second cover member at a closing position. A release mechanism is arranged at a position that can be accessed from the first opening in the main body and releases the latch of the second cover member by the latch mechanism upon receiving an external force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Keiju Ishida, Takehiro Sato, Sachio Izumichi
  • Patent number: 12631993
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a heating portion including a heating source; a pressing portion that presses the heating portion while in contact with it; a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the heating portion and/or the pressing portion; and a conveyer that guides a print sheet with a toner image through a nip portion where the heating portion and the pressing portion are in contact with each other; and a controller that controls the heat source and the conveyer. The controller controls the heating source to set the heating portion to target temperature during execution of a print job, determines a nip width magnitude, on the basis of the temperature variation of the heating portion and/or the pressing portion and heat generation of the heating source by rotating them when the print job is not being executed, and changes the target temperature on the basis of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuki Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 12631995
    Abstract: A fixing rubbing member including a metallic base material having a plurality of first protruded portions on at least one surface, and a resin layer covering a surface of the first protruded portions of the metallic base material, in which the resin layer is provided with a plurality of second protruded portions corresponding to the plurality of respective first protruded portions, on a surface of the resin layer on an opposite side of a side that faces the metallic base material; an apex of at least one of the plurality of second protruded portions is provided with at least one depressed portion; and, when a glass sheet is pressed against the surface of the fixing rubbing member provided with the second protruded portions, at 0.4 MPa, at a temperature of 25° C., a rim surrounding the depressed portion comes into contact with the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Baba, Akira Okano, Misa Kawashima
  • Patent number: 12625447
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image bearing member to rotate; a charging member to charge a surface of the image bearing member; a developing member located in a rotation direction of the image bearing member and in downstream of the charging member along the rotation direction, and configured to supply developer to the image bearing member; a driving unit to drive the image bearing member, the charging member and the developing member to rotate; and a control unit, configured to adjust a control timing for applying a voltage to the charging member and the developing member, and control an operating state of the driving unit according to a current state of the image forming device, to eliminate charges in an area on the image bearing member between a position of the charging member and a position of the developing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Zhuhai Pantum Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fuwei Bu, Haifei Gong
  • Patent number: 12625449
    Abstract: An image inspection device includes: an illumination part extending in a width direction of a medium, which intersects a medium transport direction, so as to face a medium transport path, and configured to radiate light on an image formed on a surface of the medium; a reading part configured to read reflected light from the image as image inspection information; and a cooling part configured to cool an entire area of the illumination part in the width direction of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP.
    Inventors: Masakazu Shirai, Yu Saito
  • Patent number: 12619177
    Abstract: An electrophotographic belt having a base layer and a surface layer on the base layer, wherein the surface layer comprises an organosilicon polymer as a binder and a silica particle as a roughening particle, a content of the silica particle in the surface layer is 2.5 to 20.0% by mass, and when a reflectance of a surface layer side of the electrophotographic belt to light with a wavelength of from 800 to 1000 nm and an incident angle of 0° is measured, a minimum value of the reflectance at the wavelength of from 800 to 1000 nm is 1.5% or more, and a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the reflectance at the wavelength of from 800 to 1000 nm is 0.5% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaoru Okamoto, Naoto Kameyama
  • Patent number: 12602005
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a fan and a duct portion including (i) a first opening from which an airflow blows and (ii) a projecting portion configured to guide the airflow to the first opening, and a process cartridge including a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a casing including a first side surface in which a second opening is formed. The second opening communicates with a space inside the process cartridge, to which a surface of the photosensitive drum and a surface of the developing roller are exposed. When viewed in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the first opening and the second opening overlap. In the rotational axis direction, the projecting portion projects in a direction away from an attachment space in which the process cartridge is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akitoshi Toyota, Atsushi Oguni
  • Patent number: 12601996
    Abstract: A molded body contains a resin and a filler dispersed in the resin, in which, in a case where a Martens hardness is measured at 10 locations within a region of 50 mm square on a maximum surface of the molded body, a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the Martens hardness is 200 N/mm2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kenji Kajiwara, Hiroaki Tanaka, Ryohei Yoshikawa, Taiki Nagamatsu, Tomotake Inagaki, Masayuki Seko
  • Patent number: 12585214
    Abstract: A heating device including a heater; a flange including a beam, wherein the flange rotatably supports an endless belt; a temperature detector to detect a temperature, the temperature detector disposed inside the endless belt; a lead wire connected to the temperature detector, the lead wire extending from an inside of the endless belt to an outside of the endless belt through an inside of the flange, wherein the inside of the flange is a side surrounded by the beam and the other surface of the flange; a heater holder to hold the heater; and a gap separates the flange from one of the heater, the heater holder, and a stay, when all of the heater, the heater holder, and the stay were pressed toward one side of the flange, and the gap is smaller than a diameter of the lead wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2026
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Furuichi, Hitoshi Fujiwara