Patents by Inventor Bunro Noguchi

Bunro Noguchi 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: 11635705
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20230091090
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member, a developing member that forms a toner image with a toner including a metal soap having a polarity opposite to that of the toner, a supply member that supplies the toner to the developing member, and a control unit that executes a metal soap supply operation of supplying the metal soap from the developing member to the image bearing member when an operation other than the image forming operation is executed, wherein the metal soap supply operation includes a first mode and a second mode, and a potential difference between the supply member and the developing member, which causes an electrostatic force in the direction from the supply member to the developing member to act on the metal soap, is smaller in the metal soap supply operation in the second mode than in the first mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Hisashi Taniguchi, Bunro Noguchi, Shinichi Agata, Kodai Hayashi, Keitaro Nakata
  • Publication number: 20230093245
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a development roller configured to supply developer to the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller configured to transfer a developer image formed on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a cleaning roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum, configured to clean a part of the recording material adhered to the photosensitive drum, wherein the diameter of the transfer roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller and the diameter of the cleaning roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hisashi Taniguchi, Bunro Noguchi, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11579556
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming portions and a belt. The first and second image forming portions include first and second image bearing members, and first and second transferring members, respectively. The belt nips and feeds a recording material. The first image forming portion is disposed upstream of the second image forming portion in a moving direction of the recording material, and a plurality of members including the first and second image bearing members are integrally assembled and are mountable on or dismountable from a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. A film thickness of a surface of the first image bearing member is larger than a film thickness of a surface of the second image bearing member, circumferential speed ratios or contact pressures of rotating components differ, and/or mass ratios of components of respective developers differ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunori Hashimoto, Bunro Noguchi, Keitaro Nakata
  • Patent number: 11526115
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a development roller configured to supply developer to the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller configured to transfer a developer image formed on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a cleaning roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum, configured to clean a part of the recording material adhered to the photosensitive drum, wherein a diameter of the transfer roller is greater than a diameter of the development roller and the diameter of the transfer roller is greater than a diameter of the cleaning roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hisashi Taniguchi, Bunro Noguchi, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20220269214
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming portions and a belt. The first and second image forming portions include first and second image bearing members, and first and second transferring members, respectively. The belt nips and feeds a recording material between itself and the first image bearing member and between itself and the second image bearing member in a first transferring portion and a second transferring portion, respectively. The first image forming portion is disposed upstream of the second image forming portion in a moving direction of the recording material, and a plurality of members including the first and second image bearing members are integrally assembled and are mountable on or dismountable from a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. A film thickness of a surface of the first image bearing member is larger than a film thickness of a surface of the second image bearing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Kazunori Hashimoto, Bunro Noguchi, Keitaro Nakata
  • Publication number: 20220236661
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the photosensitive member, a cleaning member that comes into contact with the charging member and moves relative to the charging member to clean the charging member, an opening/closing member for exposing an inside of the apparatus, and a driving mechanism that moves the charging member and the cleaning member relative to each other in association with opening/closing of the opening/closing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Taniguchi, Atsushi Toda, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20220229380
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 11333992
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the photosensitive member, a cleaning member that comes into contact with the charging member and moves relative to the charging member to clean the charging member, an opening/closing member for exposing an inside of the apparatus, and a driving mechanism that moves the charging member and the cleaning member relative to each other in association with opening/closing of the opening/closing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Taniguchi, Atsushi Toda, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11327415
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20220082987
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a development roller configured to supply developer to the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller configured to transfer a developer image formed on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a cleaning roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum, configured to clean a part of the recording material adhered to the photosensitive drum, wherein the diameter of the transfer roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller and the diameter of the cleaning roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hisashi Taniguchi, Bunro Noguchi, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11209768
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a development roller configured to supply developer to the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller configured to transfer a developer image formed on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a cleaning roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum, configured to clean a part of the recording material adhered to the photosensitive drum, wherein the diameter of the transfer roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller and the diameter of the cleaning roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hisashi Taniguchi, Bunro Noguchi, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20210389689
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the photosensitive member, a cleaning member that comes into contact with the charging member and moves relative to the charging member to clean the charging member, an opening/closing member for exposing an inside of the apparatus, and a driving mechanism that moves the charging member and the cleaning member relative to each other in association with opening/closing of the opening/closing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Taniguchi, Atsushi Toda, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20210302902
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a development roller configured to supply developer to the photosensitive drum, a transfer roller configured to transfer a developer image formed on the photosensitive drum to a recording material, and a cleaning roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum, configured to clean a part of the recording material adhered to the photosensitive drum, wherein the diameter of the transfer roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller and the diameter of the cleaning roller is greater than the diameter of the development roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hisashi Taniguchi, Bunro Noguchi, Shunsuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11079712
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a holding apparatus configured to collect residual developer remaining on an intermediate transfer belt and temporarily hold the residual developer, and a cleaning member configured to remove toner borne on the photosensitive drum that moves the toner held by the holding apparatus to the intermediate transfer belt and discharging the toner. Toner from a development roller is supplied to the cleaning member before toner reversely transferred from the intermediate transfer belt is supplied to the cleaning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Taku Watanabe, Yusaku Iwasawa, Yuichiro Hirata
  • Publication number: 20200409287
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10802418
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20200004194
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a holding apparatus configured to collect residual developer remaining on an intermediate transfer belt and temporarily hold the residual developer, and a cleaning member configured to remove toner borne on the photosensitive drum that moves the toner held by the holding apparatus to the intermediate transfer belt and discharging the toner. Toner from a development roller is supplied to the cleaning member before toner reversely transferred from the intermediate transfer belt is supplied to the cleaning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Taku Watanabe, Yusaku Iwasawa, Yuichiro Hirata
  • Publication number: 20190391509
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of performing a second image forming operation in which a peripheral velocity ratio of a developer bearing member to an image bearing member becomes greater than that in a first image forming operation, and in which a potential difference between a developing bias applied to the developer bearing member and a supply bias applied to a supply member becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing a developer at the contact portion between the developer bearing member and the supply member to move from the supply member to the developer bearing member becomes smaller than that in the first image forming operation, or becomes a potential difference at which a urging force causing the developer to move from the developer bearing member to the supply member is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Bunro Noguchi, Hisashi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10444701
    Abstract: Provided are a drive force transmission member and control unit. The drive force transmission member has multiple first engaging portions. Drive force is transmitted from the drive force transmission member to a drive force receiving member with each first engaging portion engaged with a second engaging portion of the drive force receiving member. The second engaging portions are movable in a radial direction centered on a rotation axis line of the drive force transmission member. The control unit performs rotation control of forward rotation of the drive force transmission member by ?° and thereafter backward rotation by ?° after a cartridge is mounted to an apparatus main body but before image formation. Each of the multiple first engaging portions is upstream in the forward rotation direction of the drive force transmission member from the second engaging portion out of the multiple second engaging portions with which engaging will be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takeuchi, Takahito Ueno, Masaki Seto, Bunro Noguchi