Patents by Inventor Hakudai Kondo

Hakudai Kondo 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: 8731433
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body frame placed on a placement surface; an image forming unit provided at an upper portion in the main body frame and forms an image on a recording medium; and an accommodation unit provided at a lower portion in the main body frame and accommodates the recording medium to be fed to the image forming unit, wherein the main body frame includes an upper frame that supports the image forming unit, and a lower frame that has a rigidity lower than the rigidity of the upper frame, supports the upper frame from below, and supports the accommodation unit, the upper and lower frames are covered with a cover member, and a combining unit is provided between the upper frame and the cover member, and combines the cover member with the upper frame without being restricted by the lower frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8554111
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording medium cassette storing recording medium; an image forming unit, a feed unit; an upper frame that supports the image forming unit and the feed unit; and a lower frame in which the recording medium cassette is detachably attached, the upper frame being disposed on the lower frame, and the lower frame having rigidity lower than the rigidity of the upper frame, the lower frame including a rail for guiding the recording medium cassette to a predetermined receiving position, wherein the feed unit has a groove portion formed along a direction parallel to a horizontal direction, the recording medium cassette has a first convex portion which is fitted in the groove portion when the recording medium cassette is attached in the lower frame, the recording medium cassette having a second convex portion which is contact with a portion of the rail of the lower frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8290390
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a pair of frames that faces each other with sandwiching the image forming unit therebetween, at least one of the pair of frames including: a first frame, which is made of resin, and which forms a lower part thereof; and a second frame, which forms an upper part thereof; a duct that forms an air passageway between an outer side of the pair of frames and an inner side of the pair of frames; a fan that generates airflow in the duct; and a rib wall, which forms at least a part of the duct, and which is integrally molded with the first frame, wherein a width of the rib wall, increases from an upper end side of the first frame to a lower end side of the first frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8265518
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a sheet feeding unit; an upper frame; a sheet feeding frame; and a lower frame. The upper frame includes: a pair of sheet-metal components, each of which is punched out in a right-left direction; and a first contact part facing a first direction. The sheet feeding frame is made of a resin component and is arranged between a space defined by the pair of sheet-metal components and includes a second contact part at a face facing the first direction. The lower frame supports the upper frame and the sheet feeding frame from below and includes a contacted part facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. A relative position in a front-rear direction between the upper frame and the lower frame is defined by contacting the contacted part with both of the first contact part and the second contact part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8233819
    Abstract: An image forming device capable of attaching and detaching a process cartridge to and from a frame without mechanical interference of the process cartridge with sheet feed unit and an LED array and without any movement of the LED array. 1. The image forming device includes the process cartridge detachably assembled in a frame and accessible through a front opening upon opening a door. The cartridge includes a casing movably supported by the frame, a photosensitive drum, a charger, and a developing roller. A sheet cassette is detachably installed to the frame at a position below the process cartridge for accommodating a stack of sheets. A sheet feed unit is supported to the process cartridge. The LED array is supported to the frame and is provided independent of the casing. A guide structure is provided at tire frame to guide movement of the process cartridge along with the sheet feed unit from an image forming operating position toward the door and away from the LED array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8200145
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing; a sheet discharging tray; a discharge unit, provided within the housing, the discharge unit configured to discharge a sheet into the sheet discharging tray; a pressing member, provided at a position downstream of the discharge unit in a conveying direction of the sheet, the pressing member configured to apply a pressing force to a surface of the sheet at a pressing position; and a pressing force changing unit which is configured to change the pressing force of the pressing member against the surface of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8041252
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and printer are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of side frames opposed to each other; an intermediate frame provided between the plurality of side frames; a plurality of first screws for connecting the side frames and the intermediate frame at first mutually opposed positions of the side frames; and a plurality of second screws for connecting the side frames and the intermediate frame at second mutually opposed positions of the side frames; wherein a distance between the first mutually opposed positions of the first screws is narrower than a distance between the second mutually opposed positions of the second screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 8000625
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame defining an opening configured to receive a cartridge installed in an installation direction, and a power supply terminal disposed on the body frame. The power supply terminal can be configured to supply power to an installed cartridge by making contact with a power supplied portion disposed in the cartridge The power supply terminal may include a main body protruding from the body frame toward the opening and extending from an upstream side, with respect to the installation direction, toward a downstream side, and an engaging portion disposed upstream from the main body in the installation direction and protruding in a direction orthogonal to the installation direction. The engaging portion may be configured to engage the body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Ito, Hakudai Kondo
  • Publication number: 20110129250
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body frame placed on a placement surface; an image forming unit provided at an upper portion in the main body frame and forms an image on a recording medium; and an accommodation unit provided at a lower portion in the main body frame and accommodates the recording medium to be fed to the image forming unit, wherein the main body frame includes an upper frame that supports the image forming unit, and a lower frame that has a rigidity lower than the rigidity of the upper frame, supports the upper frame from below, and supports the accommodation unit, the upper and lower frames are covered with a cover member, and a combining unit is provided between the upper frame and the cover member, and combines the cover member with the upper frame without being restricted by the lower frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Publication number: 20110129276
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording medium cassette storing recording medium; an image forming unit, a feed unit; an upper frame that supports the image forming unit and the feed unit; and a lower frame in which the recording medium cassette is detachably attached, the upper frame being disposed on the lower frame, and the lower frame having rigidity lower than the rigidity of the upper frame, the lower frame including a rail for guiding the recording medium cassette to a predetermined receiving position, wherein the feed unit has a groove portion formed along a direction parallel to a horizontal direction, the recording medium cassette has a first convex portion which is fitted in the groove portion when the recording medium cassette is attached in the lower frame, the recording medium cassette having a second convex portion which is contact with a portion of the rail of the lower frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Publication number: 20110052251
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a sheet feeding unit; an upper frame; a sheet feeding frame; and a lower frame. The upper frame includes: a pair of sheet-metal components, each of which is punched out in a right-left direction; and a first contact part facing a first direction. The sheet feeding frame is made of a resin component and is arranged between a space defined by the pair of sheet-metal components and includes a second contact part at a face facing the first direction. The lower frame supports the upper frame and the sheet feeding frame from below and includes a contacted part facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. A relative position in a front-rear direction between the upper frame and the lower frame is defined by contacting the contacted part with both of the first contact part and the second contact part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Publication number: 20110026963
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a pair of frames that faces each other with sandwiching the image forming unit therebetween, at least one of the pair of frames including: a first frame, which is made of resin, and which forms a lower part thereof; and a second frame, which forms an upper part thereof; a duct that forms an air passageway between an outer side of the pair of frames and an inner side of the pair of frames; a fan that generates airflow in the duct; and a rib wall, which forms at least a part of the duct, and which is integrally molded with the first frame, wherein a width of the rib wall, increases from an upper end side of the first frame to a lower end side of the first frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Patent number: 7874752
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a printer which can prevent dust from entering and adhering to a printing medium, thereby avoiding entry of the dust to or near a print head, and can improve print quality. A first cover covers a first paper projection port through which paper as the printing medium is projected when the paper is inside a housing. This can prevent the entry of the dust through the first paper projection port to the housing. Furthermore, the first cover swings about a first engagement portion by pressure of a front end of the paper to cover the paper when the paper is projected through the first paper projection port in the forward feeding motion by the feeding device such as a paper feeding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriko Kawabe, Hakudai Kondo, Shinji Kobayashi, Susumu Murata, Masato Kato, Atsushi Kasugai
  • Publication number: 20100074648
    Abstract: An image forming device capable of attaching and detaching a process cartridge to and from a frame without mechanical interference of the process cartridge with sheet feed unit and an LED array and without any movement of the LED array, 1. The image forming device includes the process cartridge detachably assembled in a frame and accessible through a front opening upon opening a door. The cartridge includes a casing movably supported by the frame, a photosensitive drum, a charger, and a developing roller. A sheet cassette is detachably installed to the frame at a position below the process cartridge for accommodating a stack of sheets. A sheet feed unit is supported to the process cartridge. The LED array is supported to the frame and is provided independent of the casing. A guide structure is provided at tire frame to guide movement of the process cartridge along with the sheet feed unit from an image forming operating position toward the door and away from the LED array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Publication number: 20100074649
    Abstract: An image forming device capable of attaching and detaching a process cartridge to and from a frame without moving an LED array when a door is open. The process cartridge includes a first casing supporting a photosensitive drum and a developing roller, and a second casing pivotally movably connected to the first casing and supporting a charger. The second casing is pivotally movable between a first position in which the charger is positioned close to the LED array for image forming operation, and a second position in which the charger is remote from the LED array in accordance with push-in and pull-out movement of the first casing relative to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Publication number: 20090214245
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame defining an opening configured to receive a cartridge installed in an installation direction, and a power supply terminal disposed on the body frame. The power supply terminal can be configured to supply power to an installed cartridge by making contact with a power supplied portion disposed in the cartridge The power supply terminal may include a main body protruding from the body frame toward the opening and extending from an upstream side, with respect to the installation direction, toward a downstream side, and an engaging portion disposed upstream from the main body in the installation direction and protruding in a direction orthogonal to the installation direction. The engaging portion may be configured to engage the body frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Ito, Hakudai Kondo
  • Publication number: 20090092432
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing; a sheet discharging tray; a discharge unit, provided within the housing, the discharge unit configured to discharge a sheet into the sheet discharging tray; a pressing member, provided at a position downstream of the discharge unit in a conveying direction of the sheet, the pressing member configured to apply a pressing force to a surface of the sheet at a pressing position; and a pressing force changing unit which is configured to change the pressing force of the pressing member against the surface of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Publication number: 20080309206
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and printer are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of side frames opposed to each other; an intermediate frame provided between the plurality of side frames; a plurality of first screws for connecting the side frames and the intermediate frame at first mutually opposed positions of the side frames; and a plurality of second screws for connecting the side frames and the intermediate frame at second mutually opposed positions of the side frames; wherein a distance between the first mutually opposed positions of the first screws is narrower than a distance between the second mutually opposed positions of the second screws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai KONDO
  • Patent number: 7193389
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a housing part in which a battery is housed and a body-side connector for connecting the battery housed in the housing part to an apparatus body. When a battery-side connector connected to the battery through a connecting cable is connected to the body-side connector, the battery is connected to the apparatus body. A label is affixed on the body near the body-side connector. Provided on the label is a connector-connection indication which indicates an orientation of the battery-side connector to be connected along with a battery-housing indication which indicates a shape and a housing orientation of the battery to be housed in the housing part. This provides a guiding indication easy to view and understand, allowing a smooth, correct connection between the battery and the apparatus body through the connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Publication number: 20070059087
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a printer which can prevent dust from entering and adhering to a printing medium, thereby avoiding entry of the dust to or near a print head, and can improve print quality. A first cover covers a first paper projection port through which paper as the printing medium is projected when the paper is inside a housing. This can prevent the entry of the dust through the first paper projection port to the housing. Furthermore, the first cover swings about a first engagement portion by pressure of a front end of the paper to cover the paper when the paper is projected through the first paper projection port in the forward feeding motion by the feeding device such as a paper feeding roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriko Kawabe, Hakudai Kondo, Shinji Kobayashi, Susumu Murata, Masato Kato, Atsushi Kasugai