Patents by Inventor Hidetoshi Kami

Hidetoshi Kami 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: 7160658
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor in which at least a photosensitive layer is provided above an electroconductive substrate, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler, a binder resin, and an aliphatic polyester, or, alternatively, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler and a binder resin and the binder resin is a copolymer polyarylate having an alkylene-arylcarboxylate structural unit, also an image forming method, image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus processing unit in which the electrophotographic photoreceptor is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Suzuki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Nozomu Tamoto, Eiji Kurimoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Publication number: 20060286473
    Abstract: A latent electrostatic image bearing member including at least a support, a photoconductive layer on the support and a surface layer on the photoconductive layer, wherein a film having the same composition as the surface layer is formed on a slide glass such that the film had a thickness of 5 ?m; and the haze value measured after rubbing the film with a steel wool of #000 and a load of 500 gf for 50 times is 10% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kami
  • Patent number: 7127196
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a process cartridge having a photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate and comprising a charge generation material, a charge transport material and an inorganic filler, wherein the content of the inorganic filler at a surface side of the photosensitive layer is greater than that at a bottom side of the photosensitive layer near the electroconductive substrate, and wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor has a water vapor permeability not greater than 50 g·m31 2·24 h?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kami, Tatsuya Niimi, Akihiko Matsuyama, Eiji Kurimoto, Nozomu Tamoto
  • Patent number: 7060404
    Abstract: A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate and comprising a charge generation material, a charge transport material and an inorganic filler, wherein the content of the inorganic filler at a surface side of the photosensitive layer is greater than that at a bottom side of the photosensitive layer near the electroconductive substrate, and wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor has a water vapor permeability not greater than 50 g·m?2·24 h?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kami, Tatsuya Niimi, Akihiko Matsuyama, Eiji Kurimoto, Nozomu Tamoto
  • Patent number: 7018755
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor having at least a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, wherein the electrophotographic photoconductor comprising, in the outermost layer thereof: a filler, an organic compound having an acid value of 10–400 mgKOH/g, and at least one of compounds represented by the following general formulas 1 and 2: where R1, R2 are substituted or unsubstituted alkyl groups or aromatic hydrocarbon rings, and may be identical or different. R1, R2 may also be bonded together to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle containing a nitrogen atom. R3, R4, R5 are substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy groups, or halogen atoms. Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring or aromatic heterocycle. n is an integer in the range 2 to 4, and k, l, m are respectively integers in the range 0 to 3. X is an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Ikegami, Tomoyuki Shimada, Yasuo Suzuki, Nozomu Tamoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Patent number: 6936388
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor in which at least a photosensitive layer is provided above an electroconductive substrate, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler, a binder resin, and an aliphatic polyester, or, alternatively, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler and a binder resin and the binder resin is a copolymer polyarylate having an alkylene-arylcarboxylate structural unit, also an image forming method, image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus processing unit in which the electrophotographic photoreceptor is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Suzuki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Nozomu Tamoto, Eiji Kurimoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Publication number: 20050181291
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive substrate, a photoconductive layer arranged over the electroconductive layer with or without the interposition of an undercoat layer, and a surface top layer containing a crosslinkable resin arranged over the photoconductive layer, the photoconductive layer includes a charge generation layer containing a charge generating material, and a charge transport layer containing a charge transporting material, in which the surface top layer is substantially free from hydroxyl groups and residual uncured portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kami, Naohiro Toda, Yoshiaki Kawasaki, Maiko Kondo, Ryoichi Kitajima, Narihito Kojima, Hiroshi Nagame
  • Publication number: 20050170272
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor in which at least a photosensitive layer is provided above an electroconductive substrate, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler, a binder resin, and an aliphatic polyester, or, alternatively, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler and a binder resin and the binder resin is a copolymer polyarylate having an alkylene-arylcarboxylate structural unit, also an image forming method, image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus processing unit in which the electrophotographic photoreceptor is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Suzuki, Kazukiyo Nagai, Nozomu Tamoto, Eiji Kurimoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Publication number: 20050158644
    Abstract: An image forming method, includes: forming a latent electrostatic image on a latent electrostatic image carrier; developing the latent electrostatic image with a toner to thereby form a visible image; transferring the visible image to a recording medium; and fixing the image transferred to the recording medium. The latent electrostatic image carrier includes: a support, a photoconductive layer on the support, and a surface protective layer on the support. The surface protective layer includes a reactant made by cross-linking the following: an electric charge transporting material which comprises a reactive functional group, a cross-linking resin, and a fluorine surfactant. The toner comprises an inorganic fine particle which defines an effective inorganic fine particle amount in a range of 0.8% by mass to 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Maiko Kondo, Hidetoshi Kami, Naohiro Toda, Ryoichi Kitajima, Hiroshi Nagame, Narihito Kojima, Yoshiaki Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20050141919
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an electrophotographic photoreceptor including: an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer overlying the electroconductive substrate, and a protective layer overlying the photosensitive layer and serving as an outermost layer, wherein the protective layer has an average abraded thickness not greater than 1 ?m after the electrophotographic image forming apparatus produces 100,000 images; a charger charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an irradiator irradiating the electrophotographic photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image developer developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a transferer transferring the toner image onto a transfer sheet; and a cleaner cleaning a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein the cleaner comprises a cleaning brush impregnated with a resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Ryoichi Kitajima, Hidetoshi Kami, Yoshiaki Kwasaki, Naohiro Toda, Maiko Kondoh, Hiroshi Nagame
  • Publication number: 20050118518
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoconductor comprising a photoconductive layer, a protective layer, and a conductive support, wherein the protective layer is disposed as the outermost layer of the photoconductive layer, and 20% by volume to 60% by volume of fine particles of fluorine-contained resin and at least one compound selected from amine aromatic compounds and hydroxy aromatic compounds are incorporated into the protective layer. According to the present invention, high durability may be achieved, image degradation such as lags may be controlled from the increase of residual potential and decrease of charging, and high quality images may be formed stably even after the prolonged and repeated usage. The present invention also relates to an electrophotographic process, an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge for the electrophotographic apparatus which utilize the electrophotographic photoconductor respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventors: Takaaki Ikegami, Shinji Nohsho, Eiji Kurimoto, Hidetoshi Kami, Akihiro Sugino, Yasuyuki Yamashita, Hideo Nakamori, Takeshi Takada
  • Publication number: 20050106482
    Abstract: A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate and comprising a charge generation material, a charge transport material and an inorganic filler, wherein the content of the inorganic filler at a surface side of the photosensitive layer is greater than that at a bottom side of the photosensitive layer near the electroconductive substrate, and wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor has a water vapor permeability not greater than 50 g·m?2·24 h?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kami, Tatsuya Niimi, Akihiko Matsuyama, Eiji Kurimoto, Nozomu Tamoto
  • Publication number: 20050100804
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate, and optionally a protective layer overlying the photosensitive layer, wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor includes a filler, a binder resin and an organic compound having an acid value of from 10 to 700 mgKOH/g. The photosensitive layer can be the outermost layer. A coating liquid for an outermost layer of a photoreceptor including a filler, a binder resin, an organic compound having an acid value of from 10 to 700 mgKOH/g and plural organic solvents. A method for preparing a photoreceptor including forming a photosensitive layer, and coating the coating liquid on the photosensitive layer. An image forming method and apparatus and a process cartridge using the photoreceptor are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Inventors: Nozomu Tamoto, Tetsuro Suzuki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tatsuya Niimi, Akihiko Matsuyama, Eiji Kurimoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Publication number: 20050079433
    Abstract: An image forming method including forming an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member; developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to prepare a toner image on the image bearing member; transferring the toner image onto a receiving material; and cleaning the surface of the image bearing member with a cleaning blade; wherein a surface of the image bearing member has a friction coefficient of from 0.10 to 0.40, and wherein the toner has an average circularity of from 0.97 to 1.00 and includes toner particles and a particulate material having an average particle diameter of from 0.03 to 1 ?m, wherein the particulate material is externally added to the toner particles by a wet method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventors: Yohichiroh Watanabe, Hiroshi Yamashita, Tsunemi Sugiyama, Shinji Ohtani, Takuya Saito, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Patent number: 6879799
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus which includes an image developer configured to develop a latent electrostatic image and to have a developer, a developer bearing member which has a magnet therein, has the developer on a surface thereof, and rotates with carrying the developer, and a developer limiting member which faces the developer bearing member, and controls an amount of the developer, and a latent electrostatic image support configured to contain a filler in its outermost layer. In the image-forming apparatus, the developer is a double-component developer which contains a magnetic carrier and a toner, the magnetic carrier has a coating layer which is formed of a binder resin having particles retained on a surface of the magnetic carrier, and a ratio of a particle diameter D1 of the particles to a film thickness h1 of the binder resin satisfies a relation of: 1<D1/h1<10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nohsho, Hiroshi Nagame, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Publication number: 20050053853
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate, wherein an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a particulate fluorine-containing resin, and wherein a primary particle of the particulate fluorine-containing resin and a secondary particle formed of agglomerated primary particles thereof, which are projected from a surface of the outermost layer and have an average particle diameter of from 0.15 to 3 ?m, are present in an area ratio not less than 10% based on total surface area of the outermost layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Akihiro Sugino, Shinji Nousho, Takaaki Ikegami, Eiji Kurimoto, Hideo Nakamori, Hidetoshi Kami, Yasuyuki Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6861188
    Abstract: Electrophotographic photoreceptor having a photosensitive layer containing an amino compound selected from formulae 1 to 22 in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Takaaki Ikegami, Yasuo Suzuki, Tomoyuki Shimada, Nozomu Tamoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Patent number: 6858362
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate, and optionally a protective layer overlying the photosensitive layer, wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor includes a filler, a binder resin and an organic compound having an acid value of from 10 to 700 mgKOH/g. The photosensitive layer can be the outermost layer. A coating liquid for an outermost layer of a photoreceptor including a filler, a binder resin, an organic compound having an acid value of from 10 to 700 mgKOH/g and plural organic solvents. A method for preparing a photoreceptor including forming a photosensitive layer, and coating the coating liquid on the photosensitive layer. An image forming method and apparatus and a process cartridge using the photoreceptor are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nozomu Tamoto, Tetsuro Suzuki, Hiroshi Tamura, Tatsuya Niimi, Akihiko Matsuyama, Eiji Kurimoto, Hidetoshi Kami
  • Publication number: 20050026058
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer overlying the electroconductive substrate optionally via an undercoat layer; and optionally a protective layer overlying the photosensitive layer, wherein an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises a binder resin; a particulate fluorine-containing resin in an amount of from 20 to 70% by volume based on total volume of the outermost layer, wherein a surface free energy of the particulate fluorine-containing resin is larger than a surface free energy of the binder resin; and a fluorochemical surfactant in an amount of from 5 to 70% by weight based on total weight of the binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kami, Shinji Nousho, Takaaki Ikegami, Eiji Kurimoto, Hideo Nakamori, Akihiro Sugino, Yasuyuki Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6844124
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate and including a resin; and a surface layer including a filler and a binder resin, wherein the surface layer and the photosensitive layer have a continuous structure, and wherein the surface layer satisfies the following relationship: ??D/5, wherein D represents an average of maximum thicknesses of the surface layer in units of micrometers in 20 segments of 5 ?m wide when a portion of a cross section of the photoreceptor of 100 ?m wide is divided into the 20 segments, and ? represents a standard deviation of the 20 maximum thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ikuno, Hidetoshi Kami, Ryohichi Kitajima, Narihito Kojima, Akihiko Matsuyama, Hiroshi Nagame, Katsuichi Ohta, Tetsuro Suzuki, Nozomu Tamoto, Hiroshi Tamura, Yohta Sakon, Eiji Kurimoto, Tatsuya Niimi, Yuka Miyamoto