Patents by Inventor Akihiro Imai
Akihiro Imai 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: 6335307Abstract: The medium for thermal transfer recording of the invention includes (a) a base material having a first surface and a second surface, (b) a transfer medium layer placed at the first surface side, and (c) a heat resistant lubricating layer placed at the second surface side, in which the heat resistant lubricating layer is composed of (1) a resin containing a hydroxyl group, (2) a crosslinking agent, and (3) a thermoplastic resin. The thermoplastic resin having at least one of thermal deformation temperature and glass transition temperature of 70° C. or more is preferably used. The heat resistant lubricating layer can contain an adhesive. The heat resistant lubricating layer has a crosslink structure formed by crosslinking reaction between the crosslinking agent and the resin containing a hydroxyl group.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1999Date of Patent: January 1, 2002Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Imai, Nobuyoshi Taguchi
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Patent number: 6316577Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a structural unit of formula (I), two structural units of formulae (I) and (II), or a repeat unit of formula (III): wherein Ar1 to Ar7, Y, X, and n are as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2000Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Shimada, Masaomi Sasaki, Masafumi Ohta, Akihiro Imai, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Tamotsu Aruga, Kazukiyo Nagai, Katsuhiro Morooka
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Patent number: 6069224Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I), or two repeat units of formulae (II) and (III): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 to Ar.sup.6, X, n, k and j are as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 1998Date of Patent: May 30, 2000Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihaya Adachi, Masaomi Sasaki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Tomoyuki Shimada, Chiaki Tanaka, Nozomu Tamoto, Akira Katayama, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai, Katsuhiro Morooka
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Patent number: 6057265Abstract: The invention provides ink sheets for thermal transfer recording including a heat resistant lubricating layer, having sufficient lubricating characteristic on the surface of heat resistant lubricating layer, excellent in running stability in recording, and showing favorable storage characteristic hardly lowered in the lubricating characteristic after storage in the condition of high temperature and high humidity, and also ink sheets and image-receiving sheets for sublimation type thermal transfer recording, excellent in thermal fusion preventing characteristic between the ink sheet and image-receiving sheet, showing favorable storage characteristic less contaminated by dye by re-transfer of dye after storage in the condition of high temperature and high humidity, reusable in paint, and hence economical.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventor: Akihiro Imai
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Patent number: 6027846Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a structural unit of formula (I), two structural units of formulae (I) and (II), or a repeat unit of formula (III): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 to Ar.sup.7, Y, X, and n are as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1996Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Shimada, Masaomi Sasaki, Masafumi Ohta, Akihiro Imai, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Tamotsu Aruga, Kazukiyo Nagai, Katsuhiro Morooka
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Patent number: 6018014Abstract: An aromatic polycarbonate containing a structural unit of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, Ar.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and Ar.sup.2 and Ar.sup.3 are independently a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group. The aromatic polycarbonate is capable of transferring charges and is used for forming a photosensitive layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive medium.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1998Date of Patent: January 25, 2000Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazukiyo Nagai, Masaomi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tetsuro Suzuki, Tomoyuki Shimada, Chihaya Adachi, Chiaki Tanaka, Nozomu Tamoto, Kouji Kishida, Akira Katayama, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai
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Patent number: 5999205Abstract: A transfer member includes a dyeing layer transfer member, which has a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a first base material and laminated layers of a parting layer and a dyeing layer on the obverse surface, an ink transfer member, having a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a second base material and the laminated layers of an adhesive layer and an ink layer, an intermediate member having a functional layer on a third base material, and an image-receptor.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 1999Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuyoshi Taguchi, Akihiro Imai, Atsushi Sogami, Yasuo Fukui, Masanori Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki Matsuo
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Patent number: 5920335Abstract: A transfer member includes a dyeing layer transfer member, which has a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a first base material and laminated layers of a parting layer and a dyeing layer on the obverse surface, an ink transfer member, having a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a second base material and the laminated layers of an adhesive layer and an ink layer, an intermediate member having a functional layer on a third base material, and an image-receptor.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1997Date of Patent: July 6, 1999Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuyoshi Taguchi, Akihiro Imai, Atsushi Sogami, Yasuo Fukui, Masanori Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki Matsuo
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Patent number: 5910561Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I), or two repeat units of formulae (II) and (III): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 to Ar.sup.6, X, n, k and j are as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1998Date of Patent: June 8, 1999Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihaya Adachi, Masaomi Sasaki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Tomoyuki Shimada, Chiaki Tanaka, Nozomu Tamoto, Akira Katayama, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai, Katsuhiro Morooka
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Patent number: 5846680Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I), or two repeat units of formulae (II) and (III): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 to Ar.sup.6, X, n, k and j are as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1996Date of Patent: December 8, 1998Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihaya Adachi, Masaomi Sasaki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Tomoyuki Shimada, Chiaki Tanaka, Nozomu Tamoto, Akira Katayama, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai, Katsuhiro Morooka
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Patent number: 5841462Abstract: A thermal transfer printing method using a color developing layer transfer sheet having color developing layer at least on either side of its substrate, a dye layer transfer sheet having at least on either side of its substrate and an intermediate medium and including the steps of first transferring partly or entirely the color developing layers on the color developing layer transfer sheet onto the intermediate medium by means of heat and/or pressure as color developing layer transfer means, then laying the color developing layer and the dye layer one upon the other and causing the dye to migrate to the color developing layer on the intermediate medium by means of heat and pressure for formation of pictorial image thereon and further transferring the formed pictorial image from the intermediate medium onto the color receiving sheet again by means of heat and pressure.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 1996Date of Patent: November 24, 1998Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsuo, Yasuo Fukui, Akihiro Imai, Nobuyoshi Taguchi, Atsushi Sogami, Masanori Yoshikawa
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Patent number: 5840454Abstract: An aromatic polycarbonate containing a structural unit of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, Ar.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group and Ar.sup.2 and Ar.sup.3 are independently a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group. The aromatic polycarbonate is capable of transferring charges and is used for forming a photosensitive layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive medium.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1996Date of Patent: November 24, 1998Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazukiyo Nagai, Masaomi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tetsuro Suzuki, Tomoyuki Shimada, Chihaya Adachi, Chiaki Tanaka, Nozomu Tamoto, Kouji Kishida, Akira Katayama, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai
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Patent number: 5830980Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon, containing a novel aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each is an alkyl group which may have a substituent, or a halogen atom; R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group which may have a substituent; Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 each is an aromatic hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent; l, m and n each is an integer of 0 to 4; k is an integer of 5 to 5,000; and X is a bivalent aliphatic group, a bivalent cyclic aliphatic group, or ##STR2## in which R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each is an alkyl group which may have a substituent, a halogen atom, or an aromatic hydrocarbon group; p and q each is an integer of 0 to 4; and r is 0 or 1, and when r is 1, Y is a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, --O--, --S--, --SO--, --SO.sub.2 --, or --C(O)--.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1997Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai, Masaomi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tomoyuki Shimada, Tetsuro Suzuki, Masafumi Ohta
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Patent number: 5789128Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I), or two repeat units of formulae (II) and (III): ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 to Ar.sup.6, X, n, k and j are as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1996Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihaya Adachi, Masaomi Sasaki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Tomoyuki Shimada, Chiaki Tanaka, Nozomu Tamoto, Akira Katayama, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai, Katsuhiro Morooka
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Patent number: 5759954Abstract: A transfer member includes a dyeing layer transfer member, which has a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a first base material and laminated layers of a parting layer and a dyeing layer on the obverse surface, an ink transfer member, having a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a second base material and the laminated layers of an adhesive layer and an ink layer, an intermediate member having a functional layer on a third base material, and an image-receptor.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1995Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuyoshi Taguchi, Akihiro Imai, Atsushi Sogami, Yasuo Fukui, Masanori Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki Matsuo
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Patent number: 5747204Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon, containing a novel aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each is an alkyl group which may have a substituent, or a halogen atom; R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group which may have a substituent; Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 each is an aromatic hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent; l, m and n each is an integer of 0 to 4; k is an integer of 5 to 5,000; and X is a bivalent aliphatic group, a bivalent cyclic aliphatic group, or ##STR2## in which R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each is an alkyl group which may have a substituent, a halogen atom, or an aromatic hydrocarbon group; p and q each is an integer of 0 to 4; and r is 0 or 1, and when r is 1, Y is a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, --O--, --S--, --SO--, --SO.sub.2 --, or --C(O)--.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai, Masaomi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tomoyuki Shimada, Tetsuro Suzuki, Masafumi Ohta
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Patent number: 5723243Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing as an effective component an aromatic polycarbonate resin having a repeat unit of formula (I), or two repeat units of formula (II) and formula (III): ##STR1## wherein n, Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2, Ar.sup.3, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and X are as specified in the specification, ##STR2## wherein k and j are also as specified in the specification.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaomi Sasaki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tomoyuki Shimada, Tetsuro Suzuki, Chiaki Tanaka, Kouji Kishida, Akira Katayama, Kazukiyo Nagai, Chihaya Adachi, Nozomu Tamoto, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai
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Patent number: 5694160Abstract: Thermal transfer printing apparatus essentially made of a drum-shaped recording intermediate member composed of a base material and an elastic layer disposed on the outer surface of the base material, a dyeing layer transfer member which is mounted adjacent to the drum-shaped recording intermediate layer and comprising a base material and a dyeing layer disposed on the base material of the dyeing layer transfer member, a dye transfer member mounted adjacent to the drum-shaped recording intermediate layer and comprising a base material and a dye layer disposed on the base material and an image receptor mounted adjacent to the drum-shaped recording intermediate layer, whereby the separating strength between the base material of the dyeing layer of the dyeing layer transfer member is more than 5 g/25 mm.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1995Date of Patent: December 2, 1997Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuyoshi Taguchi, Akihiro Imai, Yasuo Fukui
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Patent number: 5672756Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive substrate, and a photoconductive layer formed thereon containing at least one tertiary amine compound of formula (I) as an effective component: ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.3 each is an aryl group which may have a substituent; Ar.sup.2 is a bivalent group of a carboxylic aromatic compound or a bivalent group of a heterocyclic compound; R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent or an alkoxy group which may have a substituent; and R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have a substituent or an aryl group which may have a substituent. A novel triphenylamine compound for use in the electrophotographic photoconductor is provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1996Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Shimada, Masaomi Sasaki, Tamotsu Aruga, Masafumi Ohta, Mitsutoshi Anzai, Akihiro Imai
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Patent number: 5656570Abstract: A thermal transfer printing method, in a combination of a transfer medium including a support on which at least a dyeing layer and a dye anti-diffusion layer (and a protecting layer) are provided separately from color layers, an intermediate medium, and an image-receiving medium, comprising steps of: transferring at least the dye anti-diffusion layer and the dyeing layer (and the protecting layer) onto the intermediate medium, thereby forming a sequential laminate on the intermediate medium; printing a thermal transfer image in the dyeing layer of the laminate formed on the intermediate medium; and transferring the laminate carrying the thermal transfer image thereon from the intermediate medium onto the image-receiving medium (and fixing it simultaneously, or after transferring), thereby finally forming a print image on the image-receiving medium.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1995Date of Patent: August 12, 1997Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Imai, Yasuo Fukui, Hiroyuki Matsuo