Patents Examined by Sevan A Aydin
  • Charging member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus
    Patent number: 9256153
    Abstract: Provided a charging member including an electro-conductive substrate and a surface layer. The surface layer includes a binder resin, and a resin particle that roughens the surface layer. A surface of the charging member has a plurality of protrusions each derived from the resin particle. The resin particle has a pore inside thereof, has a porosity Vt of 1.5% by volume or more and 45.0% by volume or less, and has a first and second regions. The first region has a porosity V1, the second region thereof has a porosity V2, and V1 is larger than V2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takehiko Aoyama, Taichi Sato, Tomohito Taniguchi
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9244418
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit configured to form a detection patch on a recording material and a detecting unit configured to detect the detection patch on the recording material being conveyed at a first conveying speed. After the detecting unit detects the detection patch, the recording material with the detected detection patch is conveyed at a second conveying speed higher than the first conveying speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiji Yokoyama
  • Fuser member
    Patent number: 9244410
    Abstract: The present teachings provide a fuser member. The fuser member includes a substrate layer. The substrate layer substrate layer includes a paraformaldehyde modified polyimide. An intermediate layer is disposed on the substrate layer. A release layer is disposed on the intermediate layer. A method of manufacturing the paraformaldehyde modified polyimide is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Wu, Matthew M. Kelly, Jonathan H. Herko, Lin Ma
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9229353
    Abstract: In test modes correcting at least one of an exposure timing of a first exposure portion and an exposure timing of a second exposure portion after transferring test toner images on an endless belt, a control portion is configured to be able to start the exposure of the first exposure portion after a position of an intermediate transfer belt, having been located at a developing position when a developing bias is started to be applied to the second developing portion, arrives at a transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Fusing device and method using induction heating and image forming apparaus including the fusing device
    Patent number: 9217967
    Abstract: An induction heating fusing device and method of an image forming apparatus including: a pressure roller; a heating element that forms a fusing nip together with the pressure roller and is rotatable; an inductor that is installed in a rotation axis direction on the outer circumference surface of the heating element, includes a main coil and a plurality of control coils located on the main coil, and inductively heats the heating element; and a controller that selectively drives at least one of the plurality of control coils depending on the width of a printing paper passing though the fusing nip, and controls the main coil and the plurality of control coils so that a current direction of the main coil and a current direction of the plurality of control coils become the same as or opposite to each other depending on the width of the printing paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae-hwan Kim, Keon Kuk, Jin-han Kim, Tatsuhiro Otsuka
  • Charging device, imaging cartridge and image forming apparatus having charging device
    Patent number: 9188899
    Abstract: A charging device which includes a grid that has a curvature surface placed to face an outer circumferential surface of a photoconductive drum; a carrying member that carries the grid in a portion having a curvature to form the curvature surface of the grid; and position adjusting mechanisms that moves a position of the carrying member to adjust a position of the grid in a sub-scanning direction of the photoconductive drum, an imaging cartridge and an image forming apparatus having the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hisayoshi Nagase, Yoshihiro Hattori
  • Method for managing triboelectric charge in two-component developer
    Patent number: 9188890
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for managing the triboelectric charge potential of a two-component xerographic developer over a wide range of variables. In particular, the present embodiments uses the addition of second and third carrier particles to a developer comprising toner particles and first carrier particles to adjust the tribo electric charge potential of the developer. Various parameters (system responses), including Vmag, laser power, relative humidity, toner and carrier age, and image scan data, are used to determine the requisite amounts of the second and third carrier to achieve a desired shift in tribo electric charge potential of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: James A. Winters
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9164413
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: an attachment unit to which a load for image formation is attached; an applying circuit configured to apply an applying voltage to the load; a voltage detection circuit configured to detect the applying voltage; a current detection unit configured to detect a load current; and a control device, wherein the control device is configured to: subject the applying circuit to constant current control in accordance with a detected value of the current detection unit so that the load current becomes a target current; and switch to a constant voltage control by which the applying voltage is controlled to become a target voltage when an absolute value of the load current is smaller than a determination value and an absolute value of the applying voltage is larger than or equal to a threshold during execution of the constant current control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Kanehara
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9164462
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device to transfer a toner image formed on an image bearing member onto a recording medium, a sheet separation device to separate the recording medium from the image bearing member, a sheet separation bias application device to apply to the sheet separation device a sheet separation bias in which an alternating current (AC) component is superimposed on a direct current (DC) component, and a transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer device one of a DC transfer bias having a DC component and a superimposed transfer bias in which an AC component is superimposed on a DC component. Upon application of the superimposed transfer bias to the transfer device, the sheet separation bias applied to the sheet separation device is changed from the sheet separation bias applied upon application of the DC transfer bias to the transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Keigo Nakamura, Hirokazu Ishii, Yasunobu Shimizu, Hiromi Ogiyama, Shinya Tanaka
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9164456
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section that forms a patch image T on a recording material P, a fixing unit that fixes the patch image, a spectral color measurement device that irradiates light onto the patch image T that was fixed by the fixing unit, and measures reflected light from the patch image, a white reference plate disposed facing the spectral color measurement device; and a control unit that controls a density or a chromaticity of an image based on a result obtained by measuring the patch image and a result obtained by measuring the white reference plate by means of the spectral color measurement device. It is thereby possible to improve the color measurement accuracy of a color measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoichi Koyama
  • Fullness detection device, image forming apparatus, and method for controlling fullness detection device
    Patent number: 9158268
    Abstract: A fullness detection device includes a waste toner collecting portion, a waste toner container configured to store the collected waste toner, the waste toner container has translucency, a detecting portion including a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion disposed to sandwich the waste toner container, the light receiving portion receiving the light from the light emitting portion, and a determining portion configured to determine whether or not the waste toner container is full based on whether or not an output value of the light receiving portion is higher than a predetermined threshold value. The light emitting portion increases light intensity step by step and emits light at a level of smallest light intensity among light intensity levels at which it is determined that the waste toner container is not full.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Haruki Sayama
  • Sheet conveying apparatus, image forming apparatus, sheet conveying distance calculation apparatus and sheet length calculation apparatus
    Patent number: 9152118
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet including a drive roller, a driven roller, and a rotary encoder provided on a rotational axle of one of the drive roller and the driven roller; a conveying amount measuring unit that measures a conveying amount of the sheet; a first detection unit positioned downstream of the sheet conveying unit, the first detection unit being positioned apart from the drive roller and the driven roller not to overlap with the drive roller and the driven roller in the conveying direction; a second detection unit positioned upstream of the sheet conveying unit; and a conveying distance calculation unit that calculates a conveying distance of the sheet based on the measured result by the conveying amount measuring unit and the detected results detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Nakura, Takuro Kamiya, Shingo Takai, Naoto Ueda, Satoshi Ueda, Akira Kobashi, Koichi Kudo
  • Charging device, image forming apparatus, and charging unit
    Patent number: 9152073
    Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode configured to charge a surface of an image carrier; a charging device body including an opening portion that is provided so as to surround the discharge electrode and be opposed to a surface of the image carrier across a longitudinal direction of the discharge electrode; a charging duct member that is provided so as to surround at least the entire opening portion and configured to introduce and exhaust an airflow within the surrounded area; an intake unit configured to generate an airflow to be guided into the charging duct member; and an exhaust unit configured to exhaust the airflow guided. The charging duct member includes an airflow wall forming unit for covering, with an airflow wall, the entire opening portion from an upstream end to a downstream end in a rotation direction of the image carrier at the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takamichi Orikasa, Fumihito Itoh, Tomohiko Saito, Atsushi Satoh
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9146494
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging member for charging a surface of a photosensitive member to a first potential, an exposing member for partially exposing the charged surface of the photosensitive member such that a potential of the exposed portions becomes a second potential smaller than the first potential, a developer carrier for feeding developer onto the photosensitive member, a discharging-beam member for irradiating a discharging beam onto the photosensitive member having a developer image, and a control device configured to: control a developing bias to become a third potential larger than the second potential and smaller than the first potential; and control a discharging bias such that a potential of portions on the photosensitive member where the developer image has not been formed becomes a fourth potential not smaller than the third potential and smaller than the first potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Matsushita
  • Image forming unit and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9134648
    Abstract: An image forming unit includes a developer bearing body that bears a developer, and a supplying member provided so as to face the developer bearing body. The supplying member rotates to thereby collect the developer from the developer bearing body and supply the developer to the developer bearing body. The image forming unit further includes a developer storage portion that stores the developer to be supplied to the supplying member, and a charge providing member that charges the developer held on the supplying member. In a rotating direction of the supplying member, the charge providing member is disposed on a downstream side of an opposing portion between the developer bearing body and the supplying member and on an upstream side of a region where the developer storage portion supplies the developer to the supplying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Koido
  • Image forming apparatus, power control method, and recording medium
    Patent number: 9116484
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: a piezoelectric sensor that produces an variable output signal depending on the amount of infrared energy; a human body detecting device having a lens that forms a detecting area serving for detecting if the person enters; a peak detector that detects a peak of an output signal produced when the person enters the detecting area; an offset voltage judgment portion that judges if the output signal falls to the offset voltage after the peak; a moving direction judgment portion that judges the direction in which the person moves in the detecting area; and a mode controller that switches the power supply mode to a first mode if the power supply mode is found to be a second mode requiring less power than the first mode while the moving direction judgment portion judges that the person moves toward the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kosuke Masumoto, Mineo Yamamoto, Shiro Umeda, Shigeru Yamazaki
  • Developing device
    Patent number: 9116461
    Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and a layer thickness regulating member which includes a blade configured to contact the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, a support member supporting the blade, and a reinforcement member provided at an opposite side to the support member with respect to the blade and reinforcing the blade. The support member includes a first part which contacts the blade, and to which the blade is fixed, a second part which is connected to the reinforcement member, and a third part which is attached to the housing. As viewed from the rotational axial direction, the first part and the third part are provided on a same first plane, and the second part is provided on a second plane intersecting with the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9116462
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a charging unit, an electrostatic charge image forming unit, a developing unit that accommodates an electrostatic charge image developer containing flake shape toner particles, a transfer unit, an arranging unit that causes transfer residual toner to rise from the surface of the image holding member, a cleaning unit, and a fixing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Ota
  • Image forming apparatus and cartridge
    Patent number: 9110395
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a moving member equipped with a pressed portion and a detected portion, and in which the detected portion is configured to move to a predetermined position above the pressed portion by the pressed portion being pressed by the cartridge when the cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and a detection device configured to detect whether the cartridge is attached by detection light passing the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sadaaki Tani, Akinobu Hirayama, Takateru Ohkubo, Takahito Ueno
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9098017
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a developing device and a controller. The developing device includes a stirring member, rotatable at a first speed or at a second speed lower than the first speed, which varies, according to its speed, the amount of developer discharged out of the developing device. The controller drives the stirring member to rotate at the second speed, then switches the rotation speed of the stirring member to a third speed higher than the second speed but lower than the first speed, and then drives the stirring member to rotate at the third speed for a first period. The third speed is set higher the lower the fluidity of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hamakawa