Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Arai

Kazuhiko Arai 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).

  • Publication number: 20140178100
    Abstract: An electrostatic image developer includes a toner containing an external additive having a volume-average particle size of about 80 to 400 nm and an average circularity of about 0.7 to 0.85. The developer is used in an image forming apparatus including an image-carrying member having a top surface layer containing fluorocarbon resin particles, and a developer-carrying member that faces the image-carrying member and carries an electrostatic image developer, in which a value obtained by dividing the amount of developer on the developer-carrying member [g/m2] by a shortest distance between the image-carrying member and the developer-carrying member [?m] is about 0.8 to 1.8, and a peripheral velocity ratio of the developer-carrying member to the image-carrying member is about 1.5 to 5.0 or the developer-carrying member moves in a direction opposite to the image-carrying member in a facing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Sakon TAKAHASHI, Akihiro IIZUKA, Motoko SAKAI, Kunihiko SATO, Kazuhiko ARAI, Nobumasa FURUYA, Masaaki TAKAHASHI, Daisuke HARUYAMA, Koji NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20140140739
    Abstract: A developing device includes a first developer holder and a second developer holder. The first developer holder is disposed so as to face an image holding member and rotates so as to move in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the image holding member at a first facing portion. The second developer holder is disposed downstream from the first developer holder in the direction of movement of the image holding member so as to face the image holding member and rotates so as to move in the same direction as the image holding member moves at a second facing portion. A value obtained by dividing an amount of developer per unit area held on the first developer holder by a shortest distance between the image holding member and the first developer holder is approximately in a range from 1.00×103 kg/m3 to 1.60×103 kg/m3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Kunihiko SATO, Yoko MIYAMOTO, Yoshiya MASHIMO, Masaaki TAKAHASHI, Sakon TAKAHASHI, Nobumasa FURUYA, Kazuhiko ARAI
  • Publication number: 20140126927
    Abstract: A developer contains a toner having an external additive deposited thereon. The developer is used with an image-forming apparatus including an image carrier including a surface layer in which fluoropolymer resin particles are dispersed and a cleaning member disposed in contact with an outer surface of the image carrier. The external additive is a nonspherical external additive whose volume average particle size is smaller than the average particle size of exposed portions of the fluoropolymer resin particles in the surface layer of the image carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KAWAMATA, Kunihiko SATO, Sakon TAKAHASHI, Nobumasa FURUYA, Kazuhiko ARAI, Masaaki TAKAHASHI, Koji NISHIMURA, Daisuke HARUYAMA
  • Patent number: 8587173
    Abstract: Provided is an intermediate member which is arranged between a motor housing (4) and a transmission case (2) and which has multiple motor housing supporting point positions (A) and transmission case supporting point positions (B). The intermediate member is coupled to the motor housing (4) at the motor housing supporting point positions (A). The transmission case supporting point positions (B) are each arranged in an angular region formed between a motor housing supporting line (C) and a motor housing supporting center line (D) which is the center between the motor housing supporting line (C) and another motor housing supporting line (C) adjacent thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Kurosawa, Kazuhiko Arai
  • Patent number: 8469679
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to promote oil separation in a sealed container, thereby decreasing the amount of oil discharged to the outside of a compressor. The compressor comprises discharge hole provided at position facing the end surface of a rotor and through which a compressed refrigerant from first and second rotary compression elements is discharged into the sealed container; and a refrigerant flow path which is extended from a space surrounded with a coil end of a stator projecting from the end surface of the rotor to a rotary compression mechanism side to a space of an air gap between the rotor and the stator, to guide the compressed refrigerant discharged through the discharge hole to an electromotive element opposite to the rotary compression mechanism side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Ogasawara, Takahiro Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Kogure, Kazuhiko Arai, Hiroyuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8364069
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a scraping member that scrapes foreign materials from a member to be cleaned while being in contact with the member to be cleaned, and a lubricant supply unit that supplies a lubricant upstream of a contact position between the member to be cleaned and the scraping member in a moving direction of the member to be cleaned. The lubricant supply unit supplies a powder of a solid lubricant containing a fatty acid metal salt and a fluorocarbon resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Shinichi Kawamata
  • Patent number: 8270890
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a removing unit that removes a toner on an image holder by coming into contact with the image holder that rotates; a transporting unit provided above the removing unit and adapted to cause the toner removed by the removing unit to be axially transported as the transporting unit rotates; and an accommodating container in which the transporting unit is provided and which accommodates the removed toner, and the transporting unit is movable in a direction in which the transporting unit moves away from the removing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Mitsuo Yamamoto, Koichiro Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20120107739
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic latent image developer used in an image forming apparatus including: an image holding member; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit which stores the electrostatic latent image developer and includes a developer holding member, wherein the developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image holding member by bringing a magnetic brush, which is formed on a surface of the developer holding member by the electrostatic latent image developer, into contact with the image holding member, to form a toner image; a transfer unit; a cleaning unit; and a lubricant applying unit, wherein the electrostatic latent image developer contains a toner having a 50% integrated volume particle diameter of from 3.0 to 6.0 ?m, and a carrier having a mean magnetization of 5.0×10?16 to 4.0×10?15 AM2/particle in an applied magnetic field of 1 kilo-oersted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki YAMASHITA, Kazuhiko ARAI, Kunihiko SATO, Haruhide ISHIDA, Michio TAKE, Sakon TAKAHASHI, Fusako KIYONO, Yoshifumi IIDA, Mona TASAKI
  • Publication number: 20120093543
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developer contains a toner having a volume-average particle diameter of about 2.0 ?m to about 6.5 ?m, and a carrier whose average magnetization per carrier particle at an applied magnetic field of 1 kilooersted is about 3.0×10?16 Am2/particle to about 3.0×10?15 Am2/particle, wherein the electrostatic latent image developer is used in an image forming apparatus including an image-carrying member having a top surface layer composed of a cured film containing fluorocarbon resin particles, a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image-carrying member to form a toner image by bringing a magnetic brush formed of the electrostatic latent image developer and having a brush roughness of about 300 ?m to about 850 ?m into contact with the image-carrying member, and a cleaning unit that includes a cleaning blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Miho IKEDA, Sakon TAKAHASHI, Kazuhiko ARAI, Haruhide ISHIDA, Michio TAKE, Kunihiko SATO, Yoshinori KUBO, Fusako KIYONO
  • Patent number: 8126385
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming mechanism including: an image carrier containing a lubricant in a photosensitive layer that is formed on a surface of the image carrier, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by a developer that contains the lubricant; and a cleaning member formed with a first layer that contacts the photosensitive layer, and a second layer that is formed of a material having a lower modulus of repulsion elasticity than the first layer and that is layered with the first layer and that does not contact the surface of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Daisuke Nagao, Ryosuke Takahashi, Yasuhiro Oda, Koichiro Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20110206430
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a scraping member that scrapes foreign materials from a member to be cleaned while being in contact with the member to be cleaned, and a lubricant supply unit that supplies a lubricant upstream of a contact position between the member to be cleaned and the scraping member in a moving direction of the member to be cleaned. The lubricant supply unit supplies a powder of a solid lubricant containing a fatty acid metal salt and a fluorocarbon resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko ARAI, Shinichi Kawamata
  • Patent number: 7962066
    Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a cleaner. The cleaner includes: a support member; a toner scraping member; and a toner storing mechanism. The toner storing mechanism includes: a toner catching member provided in a vicinity of a leading end of the toner scraping member so as to catch the toner scraped off; and a swingably supporting mechanism which supports swingably the toner catching member with a middle portion of the toner catching member as a swing fulcrum. A free end portion of the toner catching member protruding from the toner scraping member in the moving direction is a storage moving portion which moves based on an amount of the stored toner, and a portion opposite to the free end portion with respect to the swing fulcrum is a press portion which presses the toner scraping member toward the cleaned member based on a moving amount of the storage moving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Koichiro Yuasa
  • Patent number: 7894661
    Abstract: A calibration apparatus which estimates a calibration parameter of an image acquisition apparatus, comprises a calibration jig which includes at least two planes and in which calibration markers having known three-dimensional positions are arranged in each plane based on a predetermined rule. The calibration apparatus further comprises a calibration marker recognition section configured to measure and number in-image positions of the calibration markers in at least one image obtained by photographing the calibration jig by the image acquisition apparatus, and a parameter estimate section configured to estimate the calibration parameters of the image acquisition apparatus by the use of the three-dimensional position and the in-image position of the calibration markers numbered by the calibration marker recognition section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Kosaka, Kazuhiko Arai, Takashi Miyoshi, Kazuhiko Takahashi, Hidekazu Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20110025155
    Abstract: Provided is an intermediate member which is arranged between a motor housing (4) and a transmission case (2) and which has multiple motor housing supporting point positions (A) and transmission case supporting point positions (B). The intermediate member is coupled to the motor housing (4) at the motor housing supporting point positions (A). The transmission case supporting point positions (B) are each arranged in an angular region formed between a motor housing supporting line (C) and a motor housing supporting center line (D) which is the center between the motor housing supporting line (C) and another motor housing supporting line (C) adjacent thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Shinya Kurosawa, Kazuhiko Arai
  • Publication number: 20110020041
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a removing unit that removes a toner on an image holder by coming into contact with the image holder that rotates; a transporting unit provided above the removing unit and adapted to cause the toner removed by the removing unit to be axially transported as the transporting unit rotates; and an accommodating container in which the transporting unit is provided and which accommodates the removed toner, and the transporting unit is movable in a direction in which the transporting unit moves away from the removing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko ARAI, Mitsuo YAMAMOTO, Koichiro YUASA
  • Publication number: 20100215524
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to promote oil separation in a sealed container, thereby decreasing the amount of oil discharged to the outside of a compressor. The compressor comprises discharge hole provided at positions facing the end surface of a rotor and through which a compressed refrigerant from first and second rotary compression elements is discharged into the sealed container; and a refrigerant flow path which is extended from a space surrounded with a coil end of a stator projecting from the end surface of the rotor to a rotary compression mechanism side to a space of an air gap between the rotor and the stator, to guide the compressed refrigerant discharged through the discharge hole to an electromotive element opposite to the rotary compression mechanism side, and the outlet of this refrigerant flow path opposite to the rotary compression mechanism side faces the inner wall surface of the sealed container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Ogasawara, Takahiro Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Kogure, Kazuhiko Arai, Hiroyuki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20100215525
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to promote oil separation in a sealed container, thereby decreasing the amount of oil discharged to the outside of a compressor. The compressor comprises discharge hole provided at position facing the end surface of a rotor and through which a compressed refrigerant from first and second rotary compression elements is discharged into the sealed container; and a refrigerant flow path which is extended from a space surrounded with a coil end of a stator projecting from the end surface of the rotor to a rotary compression mechanism side to a space of an air gap between the rotor and the stator, to guide the compressed refrigerant discharged through the discharge hole to an electromotive element opposite to the rotary compression mechanism side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Ogasawara, Takahiro Nishikawa, Yoshihisa Kogure, Kazuhiko Arai, Hiroyuki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20100202813
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming mechanism including: an image carrier containing a lubricant in a photosensitive layer that is formed on a surface of the image carrier, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by a developer that contains the lubricant; and a cleaning member formed with a first layer that contacts the photosensitive layer, and a second layer that is formed of a material having a lower modulus of repulsion elasticity than the first layer and that is layered with the first layer and that does not contact the surface of the image carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Daisuke Nagao, Ryosuke Takahashi, Yasuhiro Oda, Koichiro Yuasa
  • Patent number: 7605949
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores a correction amount used to correct color unevenness of an image according to a plurality of halftone screening conditions; and a correction unit that corrects an input image according to the correction amount stored in the storage unit. The stored correction amount includes common information, which is common among the halftone screening conditions, and dependent information, which is dependent on the respective halftone screening conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Junichi Ichikawa, Kenji Hara, Yasuyuki Tanaka, Yoshiya Imoto, Akira Ishii
  • Publication number: 20090257797
    Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a cleaner. The cleaner includes: a support member; a toner scraping member; and a toner storing mechanism. The toner storing mechanism includes: a toner catching member provided in a vicinity of a leading end of the toner scraping member so as to catch the toner scraped off; and a swingably supporting mechanism which supports swingably the toner catching member with a middle portion of the toner catching member as a swing fulcrum. A free end portion of the toner catching member protruding from the toner scraping member in the moving direction is a storage moving portion which moves based on an amount of the stored toner, and a portion opposite to the free end portion with respect to the swing fulcrum is a press portion which presses the toner scraping member toward the cleaned member based on a moving amount of the storage moving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Koichiro Yuasa