Patents by Inventor Ayaka KOMORI

Ayaka KOMORI 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).

  • Publication number: 20240004344
    Abstract: A transfer nip is formed between a transfer member and a photosensitive drum. The transfer member is configured to transfer a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum to a sheet that passes through the transfer nip. A humidity sensor is configured to detect humidity. A sheet sensor is arranged upstream of the transfer member in a sheet conveyance direction. The sheet sensor is configured to detect a trailing end of the sheet. A controller is configured to: in response to an elapse of a particular period after the sheet sensor detects the trailing end of the sheet, change a transfer bias to be applied to the transfer member from a first transfer bias to a second transfer bias, the second transfer bias having a smaller absolute value than the first transfer bias; and change the particular period based on the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ayaka KOMORI, Keita SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20230408954
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a magnetic roller; a transfer belt; a drum cleaning roller for collecting toner on the photosensitive drum and discharging collected toner to the photosensitive drum; a belt cleaner; a waste toner accommodating unit; and a controller configured to perform a printing operation for forming an image on a sheet and a cleaning operation for cleaning the drum cleaning roller. The controller is configured to perform: when performing the printing operation, collecting toner on the photosensitive drum using the drum cleaning roller; and when performing the cleaning operation, discharging the toner on the drum cleaning roller collected in the collecting to the photosensitive drum; transferring the toner on the photosensitive drum onto the transfer belt; and collecting the toner on the transfer belt using the belt cleaner so that the collected toner is accommodated in the waste toner accommodating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio FURUKAWA, Koji OGAWA, Fan XU, Kazuma HINOUE, Hotaka KAKUTANI, Shintaro FUKUOKA, Soun KANADA, Masahiko HAYAKAWA, Marika OZAKI, Masaki UEJI, Ayaka KOMORI, Enao YAMADA, Miho ISHIDA, Keigo NAKAJIMA, Shota IRIYAMA, Kengo YADA, Yuwen WANG, Junichi HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11754955
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a display, a drum cartridge configured to be mounted to the main bod, a toner cartridge configured to be mounted to the drum cartridge, and a controller. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing chamber configured to accommodate toner, and a drum memory. The toner cartridge includes a housing configured to accommodate the toner. The controller is configured to store, in the drum memory, a cumulative toner receiving amount which is a cumulative amount of the toner supplied from the toner cartridge and received in the developing chamber, a cumulative toner consumption amount which is a cumulative amount of the consumed toner, and a cumulative drum printing sheet number which is a number of sheets on which an image is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Hinoue, Shintaro Suzuki, Sota Hirano, Ayaka Komori
  • Patent number: 11624996
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a motor, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a main memory, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform storing a first rotation number and a second rotation number in the main memory. The first rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a first state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller is stopped. The second rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a second state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller rotates. The controller is further configured to perform, in a case where the photosensitive drum rotates, determining a total deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum which is a cumulative deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum based on the first rotation number and the second rotation number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ayaka Komori, Shintaro Suzuki, Sota Hirano, Kazuma Hinoue, Marika Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20220365470
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a display, a drum cartridge configured to be mounted to the main bod, a toner cartridge configured to be mounted to the drum cartridge, and a controller. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing chamber configured to accommodate toner, and a drum memory. The toner cartridge includes a housing configured to accommodate the toner. The controller is configured to store, in the drum memory, a cumulative toner receiving amount which is a cumulative amount of the toner supplied from the toner cartridge and received in the developing chamber, a cumulative toner consumption amount which is a cumulative amount of the consumed toner, and a cumulative drum printing sheet number which is a number of sheets on which an image is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma HINOUE, Shintaro SUZUKI, Sota HIRANO, Ayaka KOMORI
  • Patent number: 11500321
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum, a motor, and a drum gear train configured to transmit a driving force from the motor to the photosensitive drum. The drum gear train includes a first gear, a second gear and a first clutch. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis upon receipt of the driving force. The second gear is rotatable about the first axis and configured to receive the driving force from the first gear and to transmit the driving force to the photosensitive drum. The first clutch is switchable between a first transmission state where the driving force is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear and a first transmission cutoff state where the transmission of the driving force from the first gear to the second gear is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Tomitake Aratachi, Sota Hirano, Kazuma Hinoue, Shintaro Suzuki, Ayaka Komori, Marika Ozaki
  • Patent number: 11415912
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing, a developing roller, a supply roller, a first agitator and a second agitator. The casing is configured to accommodate toner therein. The supply roller is configured to supply the toner to the developing roller. The first agitator is configured to agitate the toner in the casing. The second agitator is configured to agitate the toner in the casing. The second agitator is positioned between the first agitator and the supply roller. The second agitator includes a blade having a tip end configured to contact a peripheral surface of the supply roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hotaka Kakutani, Kazuaki Ooka, Kengo Yada, Ayaka Komori, Shota Iriyama, Keigo Nakajima, Junichi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20220091553
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a motor, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a main memory, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform storing a first rotation number and a second rotation number in the main memory. The first rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a first state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller is stopped. The second rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a second state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller rotates. The controller is further configured to perform, in a case where the photosensitive drum rotates, determining a total deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum which is a cumulative deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum based on the first rotation number and the second rotation number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ayaka KOMORI, Shintaro SUZUKI, Sota HIRANO, Kazuma HINOUE, Marika OZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210356900
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum, a motor, and a drum gear train configured to transmit a driving force from the motor to the photosensitive drum. The drum gear train includes a first gear, a second gear and a first clutch. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis upon receipt of the driving force. The second gear is rotatable about the first axis and configured to receive the driving force from the first gear and to transmit the driving force to the photosensitive drum. The first clutch is switchable between a first transmission state where the driving force is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear and a first transmission cutoff state where the transmission of the driving force from the first gear to the second gear is cut off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Tomitake ARATACHI, Sota HIRANO, Kazuma HINOUE, Shintaro SUZUKI, Ayaka KOMORI, Marika OZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210255567
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing, a developing roller, a supply roller, a first agitator and a second agitator. The casing is configured to accommodate toner therein. The supply roller is configured to supply the toner to the developing roller. The first agitator is configured to agitate the toner in the casing. The second agitator is configured to agitate the toner in the casing. The second agitator is positioned between the first agitator and the supply roller. The second agitator includes a blade having a tip end configured to contact a peripheral surface of the supply roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hotaka KAKUTANI, Kazuaki OOKA, Kengo YADA, Ayaka KOMORI, Shota IRIYAMA, Keigo NAKAJIMA, Junichi HASHIMOTO