Patents by Inventor Hiroki Ogino
Hiroki Ogino 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).
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Patent number: 10642189Abstract: A developer container unit to be mounted in an image forming apparatus that performs an image forming operation comprises a frame and a sealing unit. The frame is provided with a developer containing chamber containing developer and an opening for discharging the developer from the developer containing chamber. The sealing unit includes a shaft member rotatable about a rotational axis and a sealing portion attached to the shaft member and compressed by the shaft member and the frame to seal the opening. The sealing unit is rotatable to a close position at which the sealing portion seals the opening, a first open position at which the opening is open, and a second open position at which the opening is open. The sealing unit agitates the developer by executing a reciprocating motion between the first and second open positions during the image forming operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Yamaguchi, Fumito Nonaka, Hiroki Ogino, Hiroomi Matsuzaki, Shunsuke Uratani
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Publication number: 20200089161Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, having: a power source; a first coupling member configured to be rotated by a driving force transferred from the power source; and a cartridge including a second coupling member configured to rotate in a state of being adsorbed to the first coupling member, and a rotating member connected with the second coupling member, wherein the first coupling member has a first driving force transfer surface which is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the first coupling member, the second coupling member has a second driving force transfer surface which is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the second coupling member, and the driving force is transferred from the first coupling member to the second coupling member in a state where an adsorption force is generated mutually between the first driving force transfer surface and the second driving force transfer surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: Kojiro Yasui, Seiji Hara, Hiroki Ogino
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Patent number: 10564594Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2018Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Publication number: 20200041930Abstract: A developer container unit to be mounted in an image forming apparatus that performs an image forming operation comprises a frame and a sealing unit. The frame is provided with a developer containing chamber containing developer and an opening for discharging the developer from the developer containing chamber. The sealing unit includes a shaft member rotatable about a rotational axis and a sealing portion attached to the shaft member and compressed by the shaft member and the frame to seal the opening. The sealing unit is rotatable to a close position at which the sealing portion seals the opening, a first open position at which the opening is open, and a second open position at which the opening is open. The sealing unit agitates the developer by executing a reciprocating motion between the first and second open positions during the image forming operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Koji Yamaguchi, Fumito Nonaka, Hiroki Ogino, Hiroomi Matsuzaki, Shunsuke Uratani
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Publication number: 20200012213Abstract: A developer accommodating unit includes a developer container provided with an opening at a lower portion thereof with respect to a direction of gravitation in an attitude during use and configured to accommodate a developer; a developer carrying member mounted at the opening and configured to carry the developer; and a feeding member provided in the developer container and configured to feed the developer in the developer container toward the developer carrying member. The feeding member is swingable about a predetermined supporting point as a swing center and is configured so that maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves toward the developer carrying member is smaller than maximum acceleration when the feeding member moves away from the developer carrying member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2019Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: Hiroki Ogino, Kojiro Yasui
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Publication number: 20190004471Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2018Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Patent number: 10095178Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Publication number: 20170322512Abstract: The present invention provides a cartridge which is dismountable from the main assembly without deteriorating usability performance in a predetermined direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of an image bearing member, the main assembly being not provided with the mechanism for moving the main assembly side engaging portion in the rotational axis direction in response to the opening and closing operation of the main assembly cover of the main assembly. With the movement of the cartridge in such a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the image bearing member in the dismounting of the cartridge from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the coupling member movable in a direction parallel with the rotational axis of the image bearing member enters a inside of a recess of the main assembly side engaging portion provided in the main assembly of the apparatus to receive a rotational force from the main assembly side engaging portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Shigemi Kamoshida, Takuya Kawakami, Hiroki Ogino, Kazuhiko Kanno
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Patent number: 9772581Abstract: A developer container, which is configured to contain developer therein, includes a developer conveyance plate configured to allow the developer to be placed thereon and convey the developer, an opening member including an opening for discharging the developer, and a coupling member coupling the opening member and the developer conveyance plate with each other. The developer conveyance plate includes a vibration target unit configured to receive a vibration. The coupling member extends/compresses, or swings when the developer conveyance plate conveys the developer toward an opening side where the opening is located.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Patent number: 9715191Abstract: A powder feeding mechanism includes: a feeding member, provided under powder, for feeding the powder; and a vibration applying member for applying reciprocating acceleration to the feeding member in a feeding surface direction along a powder feeding surface of the feeding member. Maximum acceleration applied from the vibration applying member to the feeding member in a powder feeding direction is smaller than maximum acceleration applied from the vibration applying member to the feeding member in a direction opposite to the powder feeding direction to feed the powder in the powder feeding direction by the feeding member.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2014Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Ogino, Kojiro Yasui
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Patent number: 9696658Abstract: A developer container, which includes an opening and is configured to store developer therein, includes a developer conveyance plate configured to convey the developer. The developer conveyance plate includes a vibration target unit configured to receive a vibration, and conveys the developer in a first direction in which the developer is conveyed toward an opening side, and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The developer is conveyed by the vibration transmitted from the vibration target unit with use of a resultant force generated by adding a conveyance component in the first direction and a conveyance component in the second direction. A maximum acceleration a1 (max) in the first direction that is provided to the developer conveyance plate by the vibration transmitted from the vibration target unit is set to a lower acceleration than a maximum acceleration a2 (max) in an opposite direction from the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Seiji Yamaguchi, Hiroki Ogino
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Publication number: 20160282762Abstract: A developer container, which includes an opening and is configured to store developer therein, includes a developer conveyance plate configured to convey the developer. The developer conveyance plate includes a vibration target unit configured to receive a vibration, and conveys the developer in a first direction in which the developer is conveyed toward an opening side, and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The developer is conveyed by the vibration transmitted from the vibration target unit with use of a resultant force generated by adding a conveyance component in the first direction and a conveyance component in the second direction. A maximum acceleration a1 (max) in the first direction that is provided to the developer conveyance plate by the vibration transmitted from the vibration target unit is set to a lower acceleration than a maximum acceleration a2 (max) in an opposite direction from the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Seiji Yamaguchi, Hiroki Ogino
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Publication number: 20160282757Abstract: A developer container, which is configured to contain developer therein, includes a developer conveyance plate configured to allow the developer to be placed thereon and convey the developer, an opening member including an opening for discharging the developer, and a coupling member coupling the opening member and the developer conveyance plate with each other. The developer conveyance plate includes a vibration target unit configured to receive a vibration. The coupling member extends/compresses, or swings when the developer conveyance plate conveys the developer toward an opening side where the opening is located.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Publication number: 20160187842Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2016Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Patent number: 9366994Abstract: A developer container configured to contain developer to be used for image formation, includes a first electrode provided in the developer container, a second electrode provided opposing to the first electrode configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, to detect a quantity of the developer, a conveyance member provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and on a bottom surface side inside the developer container, and configured to convey the developer contained in the developer container, and a vibration imparting member configured to impart vibration to the conveyance member, wherein the developer on a developer conveyance surface of the conveyance member contacting the developer is conveyed by the vibration of the conveyance member.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Seiichi Shinohara, Hiroki Ogino, Kojiro Yasui
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Patent number: 9335719Abstract: An interval securing member configured to maintain a distance between an image bearing member and a developer bearing member includes a first image bearing member side contact portion that contacts with the image bearing member upstream in a rotation direction of the image bearing member from a nearest position where the distance between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member becomes the smallest, a first developing side contact portion that contacts with the developer bearing member upstream from the nearest position in a rotation direction of the developer bearing member, a second image bearing member side contact portion that contacts with the image bearing member downstream from the nearest position in the rotation direction of the image bearing member, and a second developing side contact portion that contacts with the developer bearing member downstream from the nearest position in the rotation direction of the developer bearing member.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2015Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroki Ogino
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Publication number: 20160097993Abstract: A developer container configured to contain developer to be used for image formation, includes a first electrode provided in the developer container, a second electrode provided opposing to the first electrode configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, to detect a quantity of the developer, a conveyance member provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and on a bottom surface side inside the developer container, and configured to convey the developer contained in the developer container, and a vibration imparting member configured to impart vibration to the conveyance member, wherein the developer on a developer conveyance surface of the conveyance member contacting the developer is conveyed by the vibration of the conveyance member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventors: Seiichi Shinohara, Hiroki Ogino, Kojiro Yasui
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Patent number: 9304484Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2015Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga
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Patent number: 9229358Abstract: A developing apparatus used in an image forming apparatus including a developer bearing member configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member and rotate together with the image bearing member so that opposed surfaces thereof rotate in the same direction, an interval guarantee member configured to maintain a distance between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member by coming into abutment with the developer bearing member and the image bearing member, and a biasing member configured to bias the interval guarantee member toward the upstream side in the direction of rotation of the developer bearing member by applying an elastic force generated by elastic deformation on the interval guarantee member.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroki Ogino
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Publication number: 20150370219Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2015Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Hiroki Ogino, Tomonori Matsunaga