Patents Examined by Sevan A Aydin
  • Patent number: 11526113
    Abstract: A conveyance roller is configured to convey a sheet having passed through a fixing device toward a photosensitive drum. A gear train is switchable between a transmission state in which the gear train transmits power from a motor to the conveyance roller and a transmission release state in which the gear train does not transmit the power from the motor to the conveyance roller. A movement member is movable between a first position at which the movement member causes the gear train to be in the transmission state and a second position at which the movement member causes the gear train to be in the transmission release state. A cam is configured to cause a development roller to move between a contact position and a separation position. The movement member is movable between the first position and the second position in conjunction with movement of the cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yohei Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11520271
    Abstract: A gloss treatment device includes an endless belt to convey a print medium in a conveyance direction, a heating roller to heat the print medium, a pressing roller to press the print medium and the endless belt against the heating roller at a nip position, and a charging device located upstream the nip position in the conveyance direction, to charge the print medium with an electrostatic charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Satoru Furuya, Keiji Komoto, Yasuo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11520261
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressurizing member, a charging portion, and a control portion. The fixing member rotates while being heated. The pressurizing member forms a nip portion between itself and a surface of the fixing member in such a way as to hold a sheet therebetween and conveys the sheet by rotating together with the fixing member, wherein an image of toner has been formed on the sheet. The charging portion electrically charges the surface of the fixing member to a polarity that is same as a charging polarity of the toner by supplying a charging current to a pair of electrodes that is disposed to face the surface of the fixing member. The control portion acquires sheet information that includes one or more of length information, width information, and thickness information of the sheet and adjusts the charging current based on the sheet information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Einosuke Kikuchi, Kuniaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 11506996
    Abstract: A conveyance mechanism which includes a rotation shaft extending in a direction along a first direction connecting first and second discharge ports that is rotatable with a rotation axis extending in the first direction. Wherein, a first rotation conveyance unit is disposed on the rotation shaft, and is rotatable together with the rotation shaft, conveys developer toward the first discharge port, and a second rotation conveyance unit is disposed on the rotation shaft, and is rotatable together with the rotation shaft, conveys developer toward the second discharge port. The second rotation conveyance unit is configured to provide a larger amount of conveyance than the first rotation conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takarada, Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11503183
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus including a cassette configured to be capable of managing a stored paper-sheet by using paper-sheet size information and paper-sheet attribute data, in which an adjustment value of a print position is registered to copied paper-sheet attribute data if an event in which the adjustment value is registered to paper-sheet attribute data in which the paper-sheet size information is not set occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Kasuya, Yoshitake Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11500321
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum, a motor, and a drum gear train configured to transmit a driving force from the motor to the photosensitive drum. The drum gear train includes a first gear, a second gear and a first clutch. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis upon receipt of the driving force. The second gear is rotatable about the first axis and configured to receive the driving force from the first gear and to transmit the driving force to the photosensitive drum. The first clutch is switchable between a first transmission state where the driving force is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear and a first transmission cutoff state where the transmission of the driving force from the first gear to the second gear is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Tomitake Aratachi, Sota Hirano, Kazuma Hinoue, Shintaro Suzuki, Ayaka Komori, Marika Ozaki
  • Patent number: 11493856
    Abstract: A developing device includes a regulating member fixed to a frame at one end thereof and including a contact portion which contacts a developer carrying member. The contact portion includes a first region positioned upstream of a reference position and a second region positioned downstream of the reference position in a rotational direction of the developer carrying member. A length of the second region is longer than a length of the first region in a position corresponding to a contact nip with respect to a direction from a fixed end of the regulating member toward the other end as a free end of the regulating member, and the contact portion has a surface roughness smaller in the first region than in the second region, with the surface roughness in the second region being 20% or less of an average particle size of toner particles contained in a developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Hiramatsu, Takahiro Kawamoto, Shoko Funaki
  • Patent number: 11487228
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to execute a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode in which a toner image is formed on a sheet at a time when a sheet passes through an image formation position for a first time after detecting a property of the sheet by a detection unit. Wherein the second mode is a mode in which a toner image is not formed on a sheet at the time when the sheet passes through the image formation position for the first time after detecting the property of the sheet by the detection unit and is formed on the sheet at a time when the sheet is conveyed via the second conveyance path and passes through the image formation position for a second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Munehito Kurata, Keisuke Mochizuki, Tetsuichiro Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11487229
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a guide member including a guide surface that guides a sheet to a delivery rotating body, an opposing member opposed to the other face of the sheet, on an opposite side of the guide surface of the guide member, and defining an air passage between the opposing member and the guide member, such that one end portion is located on a side of the outer space, and the other end portion, on an opposite side of the outer space, communicates with a predesignated space on a side of the fixing device in an apparatus main body, and a dam member located downstream of the delivery rotating body in a sheet transport direction, and configured to dam air to be discharged with the sheet by the delivery rotating body, thereby guiding the air to the one end portion of the air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Kanematsu, Taisei Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 11480902
    Abstract: A sheet heating device includes: a heat roller including a lamp heater; a fixing frame supporting end parts of the heat roller and the lamp heater; and a heat-insulating cover member provided outside of the fixing frame. The fixing frame is disposed so as to cover the space above the heat roller. A plurality of heat retention spaces is provided inside of the cover member so as to be partitioned from one another and to be opened toward the fixing frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Minoru Tomiyori
  • Patent number: 11474459
    Abstract: A transfer device includes: a transfer member to which a voltage is applied by a power supply device to generate a transfer electric field for transferring a developer image to a recording medium; a transfer cylinder having a recess in which a retaining member that retains a leading end portion of the recording medium is disposed, the transfer electric field being generated between the transfer cylinder and the transfer member at a transfer position; a shunt circuit by which the voltage applied to the transfer member is shunted to a reference potential point; and an operation stopping mechanism that starts and stops an operation of the shunt circuit in response to rotation of the transfer cylinder, the operation being started when the recess reaches the transfer position and stopped when the recess leaves the transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yoko Miyamoto, Kazuyoshi Hagiwara, Tomoaki Yoshioka, Toshiaki Baba, Kazuki Kishi, Shinji Okuyama
  • Patent number: 11467521
    Abstract: A fixing device for an image forming apparatus has a tubular fixing member that has a lubricant-coated inner surface. A rotating member contacts an outer surface of the fixing member. A heater is on an inner surface side of the fixing member at a first position. A pressing member presses against the inner surface of the fixing member at a second position. The pressing member extends beyond the outer edges of the fixing member and includes first grooves in an outward facing surface that contacts the inner surface of fixing member. At least one first groove has end portion that extends beyond an outer edge of the fixing member, an inner portion inside the outer edges of the fixing member, and connecting portion connecting the two other portions. The connector portion is angled inward toward a center of the fixing member and crosses the outer edge of the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihiro Sone
  • Patent number: 11467520
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic fixing member including an elastic layer having a low hardness while maintaining a high thermal conductivity and a high strength, the elastic layer being less liable to fracture even when repeatedly compressed in a high-temperature state. The fixing member for electrophotography includes a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer in the stated order, wherein the elastic layer contains a silicone rubber and a heat conductive filler dispersed in the silicone rubber, wherein the heat conductive filler is metal oxide particles, or metal particles each having a surface at least part of which is formed of a metal oxide, and wherein the elastic layer further contains a charge control agent negatively chargeable with respect to the heat conductive filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Kitano, Takeshi Suzuki, Matsutaka Maeda, Makoto Souma, Yasuhiro Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11460806
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first feeder provided downstream of a fixing portion heating a toner image formed on a first side of a sheet in a feeding direction, a second feeder provided adjacent downstream of the first feeder, and a guide contacting with a second side of the sheet fed by the first feeder and guiding toward the second feeder, a blower, a first duct guiding the air at a first position between the first and feeders, and a second duct at a second position between the first position and the first feeder. The first and second feeders are contactable to the sheet over an entire width. The air from the blower passes through the first duct, is sent to a feeding passage formed between the first and second feeders from the first position, and sent to the second side, then, the air passes through the second duct from the feeding passage via the second position and is exhausted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11454901
    Abstract: The present invention provides a developing cartridge, the developing cartridge comprises: a developer roller that can rotate about an axis extending in a first direction; a housing having a developer accommodating portion that can accommodate a developer, including a first side and a second side disposed opposite to the first side in the first direction; an input gear disposed on the first side of the housing; and a chip assembly comprising a chip, which is mounted on the housing and located on the second side of the housing; wherein a developer filling port and a cap are further provided on the second side of the housing, developer can be filled into the developer accommodating portion through the developer filling port, the cap is used to seal the developer filling port so as to prevent the developer from leaking from the developer filling port, and wherein projection of at least a part of the chip assembly along the first direction is overlapped with overlaps projection of a part of the cap along the firs
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: JIANGXI YIBO E-TECH CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Shiping Ao
  • Patent number: 11454900
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a developing cartridge, including: a developing cartridge frame having an internal space for accommodating a developing agent; a developing roller rotatably mounted on the developing cartridge frame and configured to supply the developing agent to a photosensitive drum; a drive end cover mounted on a drive end of the developing cartridge frame; and a drive force receiving member rotatably mounted on a drive end of the developing cartridge frame; where the drive force receiving member includes a drive force receiving part that extends out of the drive end cover and receives a rotational drive force. A driving end separation force receiving member is provided on an outer circumference of the drive force receiving part. The driving end separation force receiving member is configured to receive a separating force that separates the developing roller from the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Zhuhai Dinglong Huitong Print Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Honghui Zhou
  • Patent number: 11448999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge and developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The developing cartridge may include a developing roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a main casing including a slot extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a first inner surface positioned inside of the slot, and a second inner surface positioned inside of the slot farther from the cover in the axial direction than the first inner surface from the cover in the axial direction. The first and second inner surfaces may be configured to press the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Ichiyanagi, Keita Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11449002
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating device including a heater, a developing device, and an airflow generation device. The heater includes a base, a heat generator, an electrode portion, and conductive portions. The conductive portions are disposed on one side and another side in a longitudinal direction in a heat generation region and spaced apart in a lateral direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. A maximum total value among total values of squares of current flowing in the conductive portions at longitudinal positions on the one side is larger than that on said another side. The developing device includes a rotating member and sliding portions. A sliding portion having highest temperature in operation is disposed on one side of the developing device being same as the one side of the heater in the longitudinal direction. The airflow generation device generates an airflow toward the one side of the developing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Saito, Tomoya Adachi, Yuusuke Furuichi
  • Patent number: 11442387
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of members for forming an image; a transmitting unit configured to transmit a sonic wave; a receiving unit configured to receive a first sonic wave that has been transmitted from the transmitting unit and has passed through a sheet and a second sonic wave that is generated from at least one of the plurality of members; a detection unit configured to detect information regarding a type or state of the sheet based on the first sonic wave; and a determination unit configured to determine a state of a member that has generated the second sonic wave based on the second sonic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yohei Suzuki, Junya Azami, Seiji Hara, Atsunobu Mori, Masafumi Monde, Tatsuya Hotogi, Hirotaka Shiomichi
  • Patent number: 11442388
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image processing unit converts image data based on a plurality of conversion conditions corresponding to a plurality of positions in a predetermined direction. A controller controls an image forming unit to form an image based on the image data converted by the image processing unit, and controls the image forming unit to form a plurality of pattern images including first, second and third pattern images. The controller controls a reading unit to read the plurality of pattern images on the sheet, generates correction conditions corresponding to the plurality of positions in the predetermined direction based on a reading result of the reading unit, and generates the plurality of conversion conditions based on the reading result and the correction conditions corresponding to the plurality of positions in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihito Yokote