Patents by Inventor Ai Kobayashi

Ai Kobayashi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11960232
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, a charging member, a developing device, a transfer member, a brush, a driving source and a control portion. The control portion controls the driving source to execute an image forming process in which image formation on the recording material is executed and a non-image-forming process in which the photosensitive member is driven to rotate other than in the image forming process. The non-image-forming process between a first recording material and a second recording material, to which the image formation is executed following the first recording material, is defined as a first non-image-forming process, and the non-image-forming process between the second recording material and a third recording material is defined as a second non-image-forming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ai Suzuki, Kensuke Umeda, Kazuhiro Funatani, Shinsuke Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20240111236
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging member, a developing member, a transfer member, a brush, a drive unit, a control unit, and a memory. The charging member charges a surface of the photosensitive drum at a charging portion. The transfer member comes into contact with the photosensitive drum to form a transfer portion. The drive unit rotatably drive the photosensitive drum. The control unit controls the drive unit to perform an image forming operation. The memory stores information about the image forming operation. In a case where the image forming operation is performed and a non-image forming operation is performed after the image forming operation, the control unit performs control such that a switching operation for stopping the photosensitive drum after the photosensitive drum is driven and re-driving the photosensitive drum is performed a plurality of times based on the information about the image forming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: SHINSUKE KOBAYASHI, TOSHIHIKO TAKAYAMA, KENSUKE UMEDA, AI SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11947280
    Abstract: A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Funatani, Masatake Tanaka, Kentaro Yamawaki, Kenichi Iida, Shinsuke Kobayashi, Kensuke Umeda, Takanori Watanabe, Ai Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20240077823
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is attachable and detachable includes a replenishment port to allow replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, an opening/closing portion to open the replenishment port in an open position and close the replenishment port in a closed position, a locking member to move between a restricting position in which the locking member restricts movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position, and an allowing position in which the movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position is allowed. A developer container accepts more toner for replenishment in a case where a second display is in a second state than in a first state, and a first display more accurately displays information related to the toner accommodated in the developer container than the second display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Kensuke Umeda, Shinsuke Kobayashi, Kazuhiro Funatani, Takanori Watanabe, Ai Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5656751
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dichroic crystal including at least one member selected from the group consisting of phtharocyanine, a phtharocyanine derivative, phtharocyanine with a central metal introduced therein, a phtharocyanine derivative with a central metal introduced therein, and iodine. It is precipitated when the iodine is added to a solution containing the member, and it includes the iodine in a form of I.sub.3.sup.- and I.sub.5.sup.- ions. It not only has a high dichroic property but also superb heat resistance and weatherability, so that it is applicable to suspended particles display devices used in severe environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tanaka, Hisato Takeuchi, Arimitsu Usuki, Kazuo Tojima, Atsushi Shirasawa, Ai Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5051718
    Abstract: A thermistor element composed substantially of a vanadium-containing titania having dissolved therein 0.01 to 10 at. %, based on titanium, of vanadium and optionally 10 at. % or less, based on titanium, of at least one element selected from the group containing of cobalt, copper, manganese, iron, nickel, bismuth, strontium, barium, lead and zinc. A gas sensor using the thermistor element as a temperature sensor is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Tokuyama Soda Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuko Satake, Ai Kobayashi