Patents by Inventor Akihiko Inamoto
Akihiko Inamoto 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: 6898404Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus forms on a toner-image-bearing body a plurality of color images developed by a plurality of developing units, one for each color, that use liquid toner. One or more carrier-removing units for removing excessive carrier from a toner layer that forms a toner image are disposed downstream of each developing unit and upstream of the next developing unit disposed upstream of the former developing unit with respect to a process progress direction. Each carrier-removing unit includes two or more conductive collection rollers to which a bias voltage is applied in such a direction as to press toner against the toner-image-bearing body and which is brought into contact with the toner-image-bearing body. The upstream roller is rotated in the same direction as the direction of surface movement of the toner-image-bearing body, whereas the downstream roller is rotated in the opposite direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2002Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Satoshi Sakai, Isao Nagata, Hironaga Hongawa, Shigeharu Okano, Eri Yamanishi, Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Tadashi Nishikawa, Norihiro Yamasaku
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Patent number: 6842599Abstract: An electrode module in the form of a flexible sheet which contacts with a toner layer and to which a bias voltage is applied is provided on a developing roller before development. The electrode module is adapted to separate the toner layer largely into a toner-rich layer and a carrier-rich layer by utilizing electrical migration occurring in the toner layer when an electric field is applied to the toner layer on the basis of the bias voltage. The electrode module is constructed in such a manner that the sheet is pulled toward a surface of the developer bearer body by a force attributable to surface tension or wetting characteristic of the liquid developer existing between the sheet and the developer carrying body, whereby the sheet comes into contact with the surface of the developer bearer body. This electrode construction increases the contact area or nip width of a bias blade provided for the developing roller and enhances its contact stability.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2002Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Hideaki Shibata, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Motoharu Ichida, Yasuhiko Kishimoto, Tatsuo Nozaki, Masanobu Hongo, Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Tadashi Nishikawa, Norihiro Yamasaku
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Patent number: 6785501Abstract: In the present invention, a toner image produced through a development process of supplying a liquid toner onto an image bearing body bearing an electrostatic latent image is transferred from the image bearing body onto an intermediate transfer body and then transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto a printing medium by use of a backup roller in a transfer-and-fixation zone. The printing medium is preheated to a temperature required for transfer and fixation before the printing medium reaches the transfer-and-fixation zone. No heating means is provided in the transfer-and-fixation zone, and the intermediate transfer body and the backup roller are pressed against each other at a high pressure ranging from 10 kg/cm2 to 60 kg/cm2.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2003Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Hironaga Hongawa, Satoshi Sakai, Eri Yamanishi, Isao Nagata, Shigeharu Okano, Yutaka Nakashima, Tadashi Nishikawa, Akihiko Inamoto, Satoshi Miyamoto
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Patent number: 6745002Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus utilizes a nonvolatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner as a liquid developer. A developing section is in contact with photosensitive drums 11-14, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, so that the liquid developer is supplied onto photosensitive drums 11-14. Toner particles contained in the liquid developer adhere to the photosensitive drums 11-14 according to an electric field established between the developing section and the photosensitive drums 11-14 to form toner images. The toner images are transferred from the photosensitive drums 11-14 to an intermediate transfer section. A transfer-and-fixation section includes a heater to melt-transfer the toner images onto the printing medium. A development section is disposed at a lower portion of the apparatus to prevent smudging of the printing medium and the intermediate transfer section even when the liquid toner spills.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2001Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Motoharu Ichida, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Tadashi Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Hironaga Hongawa, Masanobu Hongo
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Publication number: 20040057754Abstract: An electrode module in the form of a flexible sheet which contacts with a toner layer and to which a bias voltage is applied is provided on a developing roller before development. The electrode module is adapted to separate the toner layer largely into a toner-rich layer and a carrier-rich layer by utilizing electrical migration occurring in the toner layer when an electric field is applied to the toner layer on the basis of the bias voltage. The electrode module is constructed in such a manner that the sheet is pulled toward a surface of the developer bearer body by a force attributable to surface tension or wetting characteristic of the liquid developer existing between the sheet and the developer carrying body, whereby the sheet comes into contact with the surface of the developer bearer body. This electrode construction increases the contact area or nip width of a bias blade provided for the developing roller and enhances its contact stability.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventors: Hideaki Shibata, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoru Moto, Masanari Talabatake, Motoharu Ichida, Yasuhiko Kishimoto, Tatsuo Nozaki, Masanobu Hongo, Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Tadashi Nishikawa, Norihiro Yamasaku
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Publication number: 20040047656Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus forms on a toner-image-bearing body a plurality of color images developed by a plurality of developing units, one for each color, that use liquid toner. One or more carrier-removing units for removing excessive carrier from a toner layer that forms a toner image are disposed downstream of each developing unit and upstream of the next developing unit disposed upstream of the former developing unit with respect to a process progress direction. Each carrier-removing unit includes two or more conductive collection rollers to which a bias voltage is applied in such a direction as to press toner against the toner-image-bearing body and which is brought into contact with the toner-image-bearing body. The upstream roller is rotated in the same direction as the direction of surface movement of the toner-image-bearing body, whereas the downstream roller is rotated in the opposite direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Satoshi Sakai, Isao Nagata, Hironaga Hongawa, Shigeharu Okano, Eri Yamanishi, Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Tadashi Nishikawa, Norihiro Yamasaku
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Toner recycle control system of electrophotographing device using viscous liquid developing solution
Patent number: 6687477Abstract: The present invention provides a toner recycling control system which stably feeds a liquid developer of an appropriate concentration to a liquid developing apparatus employing a high-viscosity liquid developer; appropriately adjusts the concentration of residual developer collected after development and after transfer; and feeds the adjusted developer to the developing apparatus. The toner recycling control system collects a post-development residual developer from a developer-bearing body and a post-transfer residual developer from an image-bearing body; performs developer concentration adjustment to yield an adjusted developer; and feeds the adjusted developer back to the developer-bearing body.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2003Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Motoharu Ichida, Satoshii Moriguchi, Shigeki Uesugi, Yoshiaki Kawamoto, Seiichi Takeda, Tadasuke Yoshida, Yoshiaki Fujimoto, Jiyun Du, Masanobu Hongo, Yasuhiko Kishimoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Hideaki Shibata, Tatsuo Nozaki, Yutaka Nakashima, Tadashi Nishikawa, Akihiko Inamoto, Satoshi Miyamoto -
Publication number: 20030190174Abstract: In the present invention, a toner image produced through a development process of supplying a liquid toner onto an image bearing body bearing an electrostatic latent image is transferred from the image bearing body onto an intermediate transfer body and then transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto a printing medium by use of a backup roller in a transfer-and-fixation zone. The printing medium is preheated to a temperature required for transfer and fixation before the printing medium reaches the transfer-and-fixation zone. No heating means is provided in the transfer-and-fixation zone, and the intermediate transfer body and the backup roller are pressed against each other at a high pressure ranging from 10 kg/cm2 to 60 kg/cm2.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2003Publication date: October 9, 2003Inventors: Hironaga Hongawa, Satoshi Sakai, Eri Yamanashi, Isao Nagata, Shigeharu Okano, Yutaka Nakashima, Tadashi Nishikawa, Akihiko Inamoto, Satoshi Miyamoto
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Patent number: 6625415Abstract: A liquid-development full-color electrophotographic apparatus utilizes a development section having a liquid toner as a liquid developer to form a toner image according to an electric field established between the development section and a photosensitive drum. The toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum onto an intermediate transfer roller according to an electric field established between the intermediate transfer roller and the photosensitive drum, from the intermediate transfer roller to an intermediate transfer belt, and then to a transfer-and-fixation section, which melt-transfers the toner image onto a printing medium. A voltage controlled according to electric characteristics of each color toner is applied to the corresponding photosensitive drums while the roller is grounded. A toner cohesion enhancement unit is provided for enhancing the degree of toner cohesion of a toner image transferred and reverse transfer is suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2002Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Pfu LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Motoharu Ichida, Masanari Takabatake, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Tadashi Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Hironaga Hongawa, Masanobu Hongo, Jiyun Du
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Toner recycle control system of electrophotographing device using viscous liquid developing solution
Publication number: 20030175049Abstract: The present invention provides a toner recycling control system which stably feeds a liquid developer of an appropriate concentration to a liquid developing apparatus employing a high-viscosity liquid developer; appropriately adjusts the concentration of residual developer collected after development and after transfer; and feeds the adjusted developer to the developing apparatus. The toner recycling control system collects a post-development residual developer from a developer-bearing body and a post-transfer residual developer from an image-bearing body; performs developer concentration adjustment to yield an adjusted developer; and feeds the adjusted developer back to the developer-bearing body.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventors: Motoharu Ichida, Satoshii Moriguchi, Shigeki Uesugi, Yoshiaki Kawamoto, Seiichi Takeda, Tadasuke Yoshida, Yoshiaki Fujimoto, Jiyun Du, Masanobu Hongo, Yasuhiko Kishimoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Hideaki Shibata, Tatsuo Nozaki, Yutaka Nakashima, Tadashi Nishikawa, Akihiko Inamoto, Satoshi Miyamoto -
Patent number: 6571075Abstract: Provided are an applicator roller for conveying and applying liquid toner onto a developing roller in the form of a level, thin layer, and a conductive blade which comes into contact with a liquid toner layer on the developing roller. A predetermined amount of liquid toner passes through a gap between the conductive blade and the developer roller; and voltage is applied to the conductive blade so as to establish a state such that toner particles contained in the liquid toner are sparsely scattered in a surface region of a level, thin toner layer on the developing roller. Subsequently, the liquid toner, whose surface region is in a state such that toner particles are sparsely scattered, is brought into contact with an image bearer body for performing development.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Motoharu Ichida, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Tadashi Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Hironaga Hongawa, Masanobu Hongo, Hideaki Shibata, Yasuhiko Kishimoto, Tatsuo Nozaki
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Publication number: 20020159801Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus using a liquid toner is disclosed. A nonvolatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner is used as a liquid developer. A developing section is in contact with photosensitive drums 11-14, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, so that the liquid developer is supplied onto photosensitive drums 11-14. Toner particles contained in the liquid developer are caused to adhere to the photosensitive drums 11-14 according to an electric field established between the developing section and the photosensitive drums 11-14 to thereby form toner images. An intermediate transfer section includes an intermediate transfer roller 15 and an intermediate transfer belt 16. The toner images are transferred from the photosensitive drums 11-14 to the intermediate transfer section according to an electric field established between the intermediate transfer section and the photosensitive drums 11-14.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2001Publication date: October 31, 2002Inventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Motoharu Ichida, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Tadashi Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Hironaga Hongawa, Masanobu Hongo, Jiyun Du
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Publication number: 20020159794Abstract: Provided are an applicator roller for conveying and applying liquid toner onto a developing roller in the form of a level, thin layer, and a conductive blade which comes into contact with a liquid toner layer on the developing roller. A predetermined amount of liquid toner passes through a gap between the conductive blade and the developer roller; and voltage is applied to the conductive blade so as to establish a state such that toner particles contained in the liquid toner are sparsely scattered in a surface region of a level, thin toner layer on the developing roller. Subsequently, the liquid toner, whose surface region is in a state such that toner particles are sparsely scattered, is brought into contact with an image bearer body for performing development.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2001Publication date: October 31, 2002Inventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Masanari Takabatake, Motoharu Ichida, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Tadashi Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Hironaga Hongawa, Masanobu Hongo, Hideaki Shibata, Yasuhiko Kishimoto, Tatsuo Nozaki
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Patent number: 6466756Abstract: A toner image is transferred from a photosensitive member 10 onto an intermediate transfer belt 24. Toner particles transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 24 are melted through application of heat, and the molten toner is transferred onto a printing medium. A carrier-removing roller 29 is disposed downstream of a position where a toner layer on the intermediate transfer belt 24 is melted through application of heat. Through utilization of a phenomenon that toner particles (resin component) are melted and integrated in a heating process and a phenomenon that the carrier solvent (liquid component) is isolated in the heating process, the carrier solvent is removed efficiently. Also, there is disposed at the position of the heating process a carrier-removing roller 28 for removing the carrier solvent from the intermediate transfer belt 24 while the toner layer on the intermediate transfer belt 24 is being melted through application of heat.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2001Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Motoharu Ichida, Masanari Takabatake, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Hironaga Hongawa, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Satoshi Miyamoto
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Publication number: 20020106220Abstract: A development section uses a liquid toner as a liquid developer and forms a toner image according to an electric field established between the development section and a photosensitive drum. The toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum onto an intermediate transfer roller 15 according to an electric field established between the same and the photosensitive drum. The toner image is further transferred from the intermediate transfer roller to an intermediate transfer belt 16 and then transferred to a transfer-and-fixation section, which melt-transfers the toner image onto a printing medium. Photosensitive drums 11-14 are provided so as to correspond to a plurality of colors. Toner images formed on the corresponding photosensitive drums are sequentially transferred and superposed on the intermediate transfer roller.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2002Publication date: August 8, 2002Inventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Motoharu Ichida, Masanari Takabatake, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda, Tadashi Nishikawa, Satoshi Miyamoto, Hitoshi Terashima, Satoshi Sakai, Hironaga Hongawa, Masanobu Hongo, Jiyun Du
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Patent number: 6311034Abstract: A wet type electrophotography apparatus including a non-volatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner as a developing solution. The wet type electrophotography apparatus includes a photoconductive medium on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a prewetting device for applying a film of a prewetting solution to the surface of the photoconductive medium, a developing device including a developing roller, and a developing solution applying device for applying a film of the developing solution on the developing roller. The developing roller feeds the developing solution to the photoconductive medium by making contact with the photoconductive medium, and causes toner particles in the developing solution to deposit on an image carrier in accordance with an electrical field formed between the developing roller and the photoconductive medium.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1999Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigrki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Motoharu Ichida, Masanari Takabatake, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda
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Patent number: 6308034Abstract: A wet-type electrophotography apparatus using a non-volatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner as a liquid developer and having a photoconductive medium, a prewetting device applying a film of prewetting solution to the surface of the photoconductive medium, a developing roller feeding the liquid developer to the photoconductive medium while making contact with the photoconductive medium, and causing toner particles in the liquid developer to adhere to the photoconductive medium in accordance with a electric field formed between the developing roller and the photoconductive medium, so that a toner image formed on the photoconductive medium is transferred directly to a printing medium, or to a printing media via an intermediate transfer medium to obtain a printed image.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2000Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigeki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Motoharu Ichida, Masanari Takabatake, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda
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Patent number: 6173147Abstract: A wet type electrophotography apparatus according using a non-volatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner as a developing solution, and including a photoconductive medium on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a prewetting device for coating the surface of the photoconductive medium with a film of prewetting solution, a developing device, an intermediate transfer medium for transferring the toner particles deposited on the photoconductive medium, a pressure roller rotating in contact with the intermediate transfer medium for transferring a printing medium while forcing the printing medium onto the intermediate transfer medium, and a heating device for heating locally the surface of the intermediate transfer medium at a location immediately before the intermediate transfer medium comes in contact with the pressure roller.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: PFU LimitedInventors: Yutaka Nakashima, Akihiko Inamoto, Shigrki Uesugi, Satoru Moto, Motoharu Ichida, Masanari Takabatake, Shigeharu Okano, Seiichi Takeda