Patents by Inventor Ai Takagami
Ai Takagami 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).
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Patent number: 11693338Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, and a first flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and first contact pieces and uses the first contact pieces to press the conveyance screw in a first direction away from a bottom part of the toner conveyance path. The first base portion includes a secured portion and a blade opposed portion. A reinforcement member is stacked on the blade opposed portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2022Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventors: Masaki Kadota, Yosuke Saito, Ai Takagami, Nobuyuki Hayashi
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Patent number: 11561497Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, a first flicker, and a second flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and a plurality of first contact pieces. The second flicker includes a second base portion and a plurality of second contact pieces. An inclination angle ?1 has a value between an inclination angle ?2 and an inclination angle ?3.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2022Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Yosuke Saito, Ai Takagami, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masaki Kadota
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Patent number: 11520274Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, and a first flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and a plurality of first contact pieces and uses the first contact pieces to press the conveyance screw in a first direction away from a bottom part of the toner conveyance path. The first base portion includes a secured portion and a blade opposed portion. The first contact pieces are connected to an upper end part of the blade opposed portion. An elastic member is disposed between the cleaning blade and the blade opposed portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2022Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventors: Ai Takagami, Yosuke Saito, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masaki Kadota
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Publication number: 20220308518Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, a first flicker, and a second flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and a plurality of first contact pieces. The second flicker includes a second base portion and a plurality of second contact pieces. An inclination angle ?1 has a value between an inclination angle ?2 and an inclination angle ?3.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Yosuke SAITO, Ai TAKAGAMI, Nobuyuki HAYASHI, Masaki KADOTA
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Publication number: 20220308501Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, and a first flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and first contact pieces and uses the first contact pieces to press the conveyance screw in a first direction away from a bottom part of the toner conveyance path. The first base portion includes a secured portion and a blade opposed portion. A reinforcement member is stacked on the blade opposed portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Masaki KADOTA, Yosuke SAITO, Ai TAKAGAMI, Nobuyuki HAYASHI
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Publication number: 20220308519Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, and a first flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and a plurality of first contact pieces and uses the first contact pieces to press the conveyance screw in a first direction away from a bottom part of the toner conveyance path. The first base portion includes a secured portion and a blade opposed portion. The first contact pieces are connected to an upper end part of the blade opposed portion. An elastic member is disposed between the cleaning blade and the blade opposed portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Ai TAKAGAMI, Yosuke SAITO, Nobuyuki HAYASHI, Masaki KADOTA
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Patent number: 10921729Abstract: A mode controller outputs a characteristic value according to a DC component of a developing current measured by an ammeter at a predetermined measurement timing. The measurement timing is defined as a timing at which a non-image forming region of a surface of a photosensitive drum is located opposite to a developing roller in the entirety of an axial direction and an electric field in a direction in which a toner moves from the photosensitive drum toward the developing roller by a potential difference between a surface potential of the photosensitive drum and the DC component of a developing bias is formed in a developing nip part. A determining section determines an execution timing for a charge amount acquisition operation according to the characteristic value output by the mode controller.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Yasushi Imanishi, Satoshi Sunayama, Kazuhiro Nakachi, Ai Takagami, Kanako Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20200103785Abstract: A mode controller outputs a characteristic value according to a DC component of a developing current measured by an ammeter at a predetermined measurement timing. The measurement timing is defined as a timing at which a non-image forming region of a surface of a photosensitive drum is located opposite to a developing roller in the entirety of an axial direction and an electric field in a direction in which a toner moves from the photosensitive drum toward the developing roller by a potential difference between a surface potential of the photosensitive drum and the DC component of a developing bias is formed in a developing nip part. A determining section determines an execution timing for a charge amount acquisition operation according to the characteristic value output by the mode controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Yasushi IMANISHI, Satoshi SUNAYAMA, Kazuhiro NAKACHI, Ai TAKAGAMI, Kanako KIKUCHI
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Patent number: 10459362Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charging member, a voltage applier, a storage unit, a current detector, a characteristic deriver and a voltage setter. The storage unit stores in advance relationship information representing a relationship between an electrical characteristic of discharge products adhering to the surface and a proper inter-peak voltage value capable of properly charging the surface. The current detector detects a current value of a current flowing from the charging member to the photoconductor. The characteristic deriver derives the electrical characteristic of the discharge products adhering to the surface on the basis of an oscillating voltage applied to the charging member by the voltage applier and the current value. The voltage setter sets the proper inter-peak voltage value corresponding to the electrical characteristic derived by the characteristic deriver in the relationship information as the inter-peak voltage value of the alternating-current voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2018Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Ai Takagami, Satoshi Sunayama
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Patent number: 10353331Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charging member, a voltage applier, a rubbing member, a process executor, a current detector, a characteristic deriver and a process controller. The rubbing member is arranged in contact with a surface of the photoconductor to rub the surface. The process executor executes a refresh process of causing the rubbing member to rub the surface for a predetermined time by supplying toner to the rubbing member. The current detector detects a current value of a current flowing from the charging member to the photoconductor. The characteristic deriver derives an electrical characteristic of discharge products adhering to the surface on the basis of an oscillating voltage applied to the charging member by the voltage applier and the current value. The process controller determines whether or not to re-execute the refresh process according to the electrical characteristic when the refresh process is finished.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Ai Takagami, Satoshi Sunayama
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Publication number: 20190163084Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charging member, a voltage applier, a storage unit, a current detector, a characteristic deriver and a voltage setter. The storage unit stores in advance relationship information representing a relationship between an electrical characteristic of discharge products adhering to the surface and a proper inter-peak voltage value capable of properly charging the surface. The current detector detects a current value of a current flowing from the charging member to the photoconductor. The characteristic deriver derives the electrical characteristic of the discharge products adhering to the surface on the basis of an oscillating voltage applied to the charging member by the voltage applier and the current value. The voltage setter sets the proper inter-peak voltage value corresponding to the electrical characteristic derived by the characteristic deriver in the relationship information as the inter-peak voltage value of the alternating-current voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2018Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: Ai Takagami, Satoshi Sunayama
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Publication number: 20190163107Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charging member, a voltage applier, a rubbing member, a process executor, a current detector, a characteristic deriver and a process controller. The rubbing member is arranged in contact with a surface of the photoconductor to rub the surface. The process executor executes a refresh process of causing the rubbing member to rub the surface for a predetermined time by supplying toner to the rubbing member. The current detector detects a current value of a current flowing from the charging member to the photoconductor. The characteristic deriver derives an electrical characteristic of discharge products adhering to the surface on the basis of an oscillating voltage applied to the charging member by the voltage applier and the current value. The process controller determines whether or not to re-execute the refresh process according to the electrical characteristic when the refresh process is finished.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2018Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: Ai Takagami, Satoshi Sunayama
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Patent number: 10175590Abstract: This electrophotographic photosensitive body (20) comprises a supporting body (20a) and a photosensitive layer (20b) that is formed on the surface of the supporting body (20a). The surface of the photosensitive layer (20b) has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra within the range of from 20 nm to 100 nm (inclusive), a ten-point average roughness Rz within the range of from 0.2 ?m to 1.0 ?m (inclusive) and a mean spacing of profile irregularities Sm of 20 ?m or less in the initial stage of use.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Maki Ike, Ai Takagami, Masaki Kadota, Takahiko Murata, Hisashi Mukataka
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Publication number: 20180217512Abstract: This electrophotographic photosensitive body (20) comprises a supporting body (20a) and a photosensitive layer (20b) that is formed on the surface of the supporting body (20a). The surface of the photosensitive layer (20b) has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra within the range of from 20 nm to 100 nm (inclusive), a ten-point average roughness Rz within the range of from 0.2 ?m to 1.0 ?m (inclusive) and a mean spacing of profile irregularities Sm of 20 ?m or less in the initial stage of use.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2015Publication date: August 2, 2018Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Maki IKE, Ai TAKAGAMI, Masaki KADOTA, Takahiko MURATA, Hisashi MUKATAKA
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Patent number: 9927731Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a high voltage generating circuit, a voltage controller, a current detector, and a recovery process controller. If two inflection points (O and P) exist, which exist on a characteristic curve indicating a relationship between the voltage value and the current value when the frequency of the AC voltage is set as a first frequency or when a photosensitive drum is rotated at a first linear speed, the recovery process is performed if a potential difference between a first inter-inflection-point voltage (OP) between inflection points and a second inter-inflection-point voltage (OP?) between inflection points (O? and P?) when setting a second frequency different from the first frequency, or a potential difference between the first voltage and a third inter-inflection-point voltage (OP?) between inflection points (O? and P?) when setting a second linear speed different from the first linear speed becomes a predetermined value or less.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Ai Takagami
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Publication number: 20170285509Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a high voltage generating circuit, a voltage controller, a current detector, and a recovery process controller. If two inflection points (O and P) exist, which exist on a characteristic curve indicating a relationship between the voltage value and the current value when the frequency of the AC voltage is set as a first frequency or when a photosensitive drum is rotated at a first linear speed, the recovery process is performed if a potential difference between a first inter-inflection-point voltage (OP) between inflection points and a second inter-inflection-point voltage (OP?) between inflection points (O? and P?) when setting a second frequency different from the first frequency, or a potential difference between the first voltage and a third inter-inflection-point voltage (OP?) between inflection points (O? and P?) when setting a second linear speed different from the first linear speed becomes a predetermined value or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Ai TAKAGAMI
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Patent number: 9618871Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a driving device, a charging member, a cleaning member, a voltage applying device, a torque detector for detecting the torque of the driving device, a storage for storing a predetermined torque value Tc, and a control portion. The control portion obtains as Ton the torque when the charging voltage is applied to the charging member and obtains as Toff the torque when no charging voltage is applied to the charging member. Let the torque observed when no charging voltage is applied at an early stage of use of the image carrying member be represented by Toff(0), then, when the relations Toff(0)<Toff and Tc<Ton/Toff hold, the control portion determines that the degree of smoothness of the surface of the image carrying member is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree of smoothness.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2016Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Takahiko Murata, Hisashi Mukataka, Masaki Kadota, Ai Takagami, Maki Ike
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Patent number: 9606468Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a driving device, a charging member, a cleaning member, a voltage applying device, a braking distance detector, a storage for storing a predetermined braking distance value Lc, and a control portion. The control portion obtains as Lon a braking distance when a charging voltage is applied to the charging member and obtains as Loff a braking distance when no charging voltage is applied to the charging member. Let the braking distance observed when no charging voltage is applied at an early stage of use of the image carrying member be represented by Loff(0), then, when the relations Loff<Loff(0) and Lc<Loff/Lon hold, the control portion determines that the degree of smoothness of the surface of the image carrying member is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree of smoothness.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Takahiko Murata, Norio Tomiie, Masaki Kadota, Ai Takagami, Maki Ike
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Patent number: 9507287Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrier on the surface of which a toner image is formed, a cleaning member arranged in contact with, for cleaning, the surface of the image carrier, a charging member for electrostatically charging the image carrier, a bias applying device, and a control portion. The bias applying device applies a charging bias having DC and AC biases superimposed on each other to the charging member. The control portion controls the charging bias applied to the charging member by the bias applying device. As the AC bias applied to the charging member, the control portion uses, in a first period from the start of use of the image carrier to a predetermined time thereafter, a first AC bias and, in a second period subsequent to the first period, a second AC bias higher than the first AC bias.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Ai Takagami, Hisashi Mukataka, Masaki Kadota, Takahiko Murata, Maki Ike
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Publication number: 20160320720Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a driving device, a charging member, a cleaning member, a voltage applying device, a torque detector for detecting the torque of the driving device, a storage for storing a predetermined torque value Tc, and a control portion. The control portion obtains as Ton the torque when the charging voltage is applied to the charging member and obtains as Toff the torque when no charging voltage is applied to the charging member. Let the torque observed when no charging voltage is applied at an early stage of use of the image carrying member be represented by Toff(0), then, when the relations Toff(0)<Toff and Tc<Ton/Toff hold, the control portion determines that the degree of smoothness of the surface of the image carrying member is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree of smoothness.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Takahiko MURATA, Hisashi MUKATAKA, Masaki KADOTA, Ai TAKAGAMI, Maki IKE