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: 8731433Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 20, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8554111Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8290390Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8265518Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 23, 2010Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8233819Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8200145Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8041252Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 13, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Patent number: 8000625Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 25, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiyuki Ito, Hakudai Kondo
-
Publication number: 20110129250Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Publication number: 20110129276Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Publication number: 20110052251Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Publication number: 20110026963Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Patent number: 7874752Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 11, 2006Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noriko Kawabe, Hakudai Kondo, Shinji Kobayashi, Susumu Murata, Masato Kato, Atsushi Kasugai
-
Publication number: 20100074648Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Publication number: 20100074649Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Publication number: 20090214245Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2009Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshiyuki Ito, Hakudai Kondo
-
Publication number: 20090092432Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2008Publication date: April 9, 2009Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Publication number: 20080309206Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2008Publication date: December 18, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hakudai KONDO
-
Patent number: 7193389Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 11, 2005Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hakudai Kondo
-
Publication number: 20070059087Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2006Publication date: March 15, 2007Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Noriko Kawabe, Hakudai Kondo, Shinji Kobayashi, Susumu Murata, Masato Kato, Atsushi Kasugai