Patents Examined by Sophia S. Chen
  • Patent number: 11927910
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a photosensitive drum supported by a frame, a coupling positioned at an end of the photosensitive drum, with the coupling being configured to receive a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum. A lever is movably supported by a part of the frame at a position that is adjacent to the end of the photosensitive drum, with the lever being movable between a first position and a second position. As viewed along the axis of the photosensitive drum, an end of the lever is a first distance from the axis of the photosensitive drum when the lever is in the first position, and the end of the lever is a second distance from the axis of the photosensitive drum when the lever is in the second position, with the second distance being greater than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi, Goshi Ozaki, Daisuke Abe, Tachio Kawai
  • Patent number: 11927909
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a development cartridge having a developing roller. A coupler for the image forming apparatus includes a shaft and a coupling structure to rotate the developing roller. The coupling structure is disposed at an end part of the shaft, is movable along an axial direction of the shaft and coupleable with another coupling structure of a print engine of the image forming apparatus. The coupling structure includes a body, a magnet disposed in the body to cause the coupling structure to be attracted to the another coupling structure so that the coupling structure is aligned with the another coupling structure, and a plurality of protrusions which protrude from the body in the axial direction to engage with the another coupling structure, the plurality of protrusions having at least one side with an inclined face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Swanson, Gabriel S. McDaniel, Jeffrey H. Luke
  • Patent number: 11927895
    Abstract: A drum cover is movable relative to a photosensitive drum between a first position at which the drum cover covers a part of a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum, and a second position at which the drum cover does not cover the part of the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. A toner cartridge includes a toner storage portion configured to store toner to be supplied to the photosensitive drum. A drum cartridge includes a toner cartridge guide extending in a second direction crossing a first direction. The toner cartridge guide guides the toner cartridge to move in the second direction when the toner cartridge is being attached to the drum cartridge. A distance from the toner cartridge guide to the drum cover at the second position is longer than a distance from the toner cartridge guide to the drum cover at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Koji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11921439
    Abstract: A developing roll used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus has a metal core member, an elastic layer made of a rubber disposed around the core member, and a surface layer disposed around the elastic layer. The texture aspect ratio of the surface Str of the surface layer is equal to or greater than 0.55.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Oura, Atsushi Ikeda, Kenji Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11921448
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotator, a pressure member, a conductor, and a heater. The pressing member presses the rotator to form a nip between the rotator and the pressing member. The conductor is grounded and includes a contact portion having a limiting shape to limit a contact area in which the contact portion is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the rotator. The heater is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the rotator to heat the rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shigeo Nanno
  • Patent number: 11921441
    Abstract: A developer supply container includes a developer discharging portion that is provided with a discharge passageway. A track is provided at a first side of the developer discharging portion. A shutter is provided with a shutter opening configured to permit discharge of the developer from the discharge passageway, with the shutter including a recessed portion on an outer side of the shutter. The recessed portion includes an inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Murakami, Ayatomo Okino
  • Patent number: 11914310
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to perform image formation using a component unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: an access unit configured to access a storage device included in the component unit attached to the main body; and a control unit configured to control the access unit to read and update information stored in the storage device. The storage device includes a first area and a second area configured to store use information indicating a use state of the component unit, and updating of the use information stored in the first area by the control unit is configured such that updating only within a predetermined limit is permitted, and no limit is provided on updating of the use information stored in the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Namiki, Naoki Inoue
  • Patent number: 11914317
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device configured to supply toner onto the photosensitive drum, a transfer device configured to transfer the toner supplied onto the photosensitive drum onto a sheet, a spraying device configured to spray a fixing liquid toward the sheet onto which the toner has been transferred, the spraying device including a housing configured to accommodate the fixing liquid and nozzles configured to spray the fixing liquid inside the housing, and a collecting device configured to collect the fixing liquid sprayed from the nozzles and did not adhere to the sheet. The collecting device includes a collection tray configured to accommodate the fixing liquid, a collection pipe connected to the collection tray and configured to allow the fixing liquid in the collection tray to pass therethrough, and a collection pump configured to send the fixing liquid in the collection pipe toward the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masataka Kamiya, Yutaka Kakigahara, Satoshi Murata, Takashi Shimizu, Koya Morimoto, Masamitsu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11914322
    Abstract: An assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a drive coupler movable along an axial direction between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the drive coupler is disengaged from a drive interface of a first replaceable unit when the first replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. In the extended position the drive coupler is engaged with the drive interface of the first replaceable unit when the first replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device for providing a rotational force to the drive interface of the first replaceable unit. A lever is operatively connected to the drive coupler such that the lever causes the drive coupler to move from the retracted position to the extended position upon the lever receiving an actuation force from insertion of a second replaceable unit that is toward the drive coupler along the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Bartley Charles Gould, II, Michael James Shanor
  • Patent number: 11899393
    Abstract: A photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, a transfer roller, a mounting portion capable of mounting a development unit including a development roller, a first gear and a second gear each provided at one end of the photosensitive member in an axial direction of the photosensitive member, and a third gear provided at one end of the transfer roller in an axial direction of the photosensitive member and configured to engage with the second gear. The first gear, the second gear, and the third gear are helical gears. A direction in which helical teeth of the first gear are inclined is opposite to a direction in which helical teeth of the second gear are inclined, and the direction in which the helical teeth of the first gear are inclined matches a direction in which helical teeth of the third gear are inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Uyama, Kenji Matsuda, Ken Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11892780
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that has a photosensitive layer constituting a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a charging device that charges the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, an electrostatic charge image forming device that forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a developing device that accommodates a developer containing a toner which contains toner particles and an external additive, and develops the electrostatic charge image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor by the developer as a toner image, a transfer device that transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to a surface of a recording medium, and a cleaning device that includes a cleaning blade coming into contact with the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor and cleaning at least residual toner particles on the surface of the el
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Yamada, Tomoya Sasaki, Ryosuke Fujii, Hiroko Kobayashi, Yuto Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11892792
    Abstract: An example user terminal apparatus includes a display, a communication apparatus to communicate with an external apparatus, and a processor to, based on information on a possible first toner refill quantity of a plurality of grouped image forming apparatuses provided from the external apparatus through the communication apparatus and a toner quantity of one toner refill apparatus, control the display to display a guide message including information on the time point of toner refill, each of the image forming apparatuses which is a subject of toner refill within the group, and a possible second toner refill quantity of each of the image forming apparatuses at the time point of toner refill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Tae Hee Won
  • Patent number: 11892782
    Abstract: A powder accommodating container includes a powder accommodating portion that accommodates powder, a sealing section that openably seals a supply port by being removed from the powder accommodating portion, and a breaking section that has a film-shaped member that breaks the powder in the powder accommodating portion by being removed from the powder accommodating portion in a case of opening the supply port, is fixed to plural places in the powder accommodating portion such that the film-shaped member is removable, and is fixed to the powder accommodating portion such that a force required for removing a tip of the film-shaped member from the powder accommodating portion is larger than other portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Takashi Anzai, Takafumi Wakai, Takashi Akaike
  • Patent number: 11880162
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, an undercoat layer on the conductive substrate, a charge generation layer on the undercoat layer, a charge transport layer on the charge generation layer, and an inorganic protection layer on the charge transport layer, in which the charge transport layer contains a binder resin and a charge transport material, and, when impedance of the charge transport layer is measured, a ratio (C1Hz/C10Hz) of an electrostatic capacitance C1Hz at 1 Hz to an electrostatic capacitance C10Hz at 10 Hz is 1.1 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yoichi Kigoshi, Michinori Fukuma, Ryota Kaneko, Jiro Korenaga
  • Patent number: 11880147
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing which includes an opening portion open downward and in which a developer is stored in an internal storage space, the storage space being formed of a region of the internal space in which the developer is present; a sealing part that seals the opening portion and is removed to allow the developer to fall through the opening portion; a storage part that stores the developer having fallen through the opening portion; an inlet that is provided in the housing, allows the developer floating from the storage part to flow into the storage space from which the developer has fallen, and is different from the opening portion; and a collecting part that is provided on the housing and collects the developer having flowed into the storage space through the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Takafumi Wakai
  • Patent number: 11874624
    Abstract: A cartridge is attachable to and detachable from a housing main body of a foil transfer device that disposes a multilayer film including a plurality of layers on a sheet and transfers at least one layer of the multilayer film onto the sheet. The cartridge includes a feed reel around which the multilayer film is rolled and that is configured to rotate about a first axis extending in an axial direction of the feed reel, a reel gear that is located at an end portion of the feed reel in the axial direction and that is configured to rotate together with the feed reel, an output gear that transmits a rotational force applied to the feed reel to outside of the cartridge, and an intermediate gear that reduces rotation speed of the reel gear and transmits the rotation of the reel gear to the output gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11868079
    Abstract: A latch mechanism includes an operation unit, a connection unit extending in one direction and having one end connected to the operation unit, a restriction unit restricting the connection unit such that the other end of the connection unit moves to one side in the one direction, in a case where the operation unit is moved to one side in an intersecting direction intersecting with the one direction, a moving unit connected to the other end of the connection unit, extending in the one direction, and moving from a first position to a second position as the other end of the connection unit moves, and a meshing unit meshing with the moving unit arranged at the first position, and releasing meshing with the moving unit arranged at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kota Tomioka, Shinya Hasegawa, Hiroyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11853001
    Abstract: A development device may include: a development device body; a developer cartridge detachably attached to the development device body; first and second levers provided to the development device body, the first lever including an operation part and a first engagement portion and the second lever including a second engagement portion; first and second engaged portions provided to the developer cartridge, the first engaged portion being configured to form a first engagement with the first engagement portion and the second engaged portion being configured to form a second engagement with the second engagement portion; and a first biasing member biasing the first engagement portion to the first engaged portion. When the operation part is operated with a first pressing force, the first engagement is released, and when the operation part is operated with a second pressing force greater than the first pressing force, the first and second engagements are released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Ushikubo, Yuuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11852992
    Abstract: A reusable media shell has a frame to hold sheets of media in an interior. A removable cap connects to the frame and its manipulation unveils the media for picking by an imaging device. The cap resides on a terminal end of the frame so the frame covers a majority of the media. A lift plate in the interior forces upward the sheets for picking. Two magnets on the frame magnetically secure the frame to magnets in a base of the imaging device and position the sheets in the base. Upstanding walls, a lid and bottom define the interior of the frame. Inserts attached to the walls allow adjustment to accommodate various sizes of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Edward Lynn Triplett, Kevin Dean Schoedinger, Todd Allison Quinn
  • Patent number: 11846909
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a drum cartridge; and a developing cartridge. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum having a rotational axis. The drum cartridge is drawable from the main casing in a first direction where the axis of the photosensitive drum extends. The developing cartridge is drawable from the main casing in the first direction. The developing cartridge includes: a developing roller; a front wall; and a first developing-device frame. The front wall is disposed at a downstream end of the developing cartridge in the first direction. The front wall has a first hole. The first developing-device frame supports the developing roller. The first developing-device frame includes a first boss extending in the first direction. The first boss goes through the first hole of the front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato