Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Kanno

Kazuhiko Kanno 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: 20160238993
    Abstract: A cartridge used for forming an image on a recording material includes a memory for storing information, wherein the memory has an outer configuration having a length in a first direction and a length in a second direction longer than the length in the first direction in a plane crossing a thickness direction thereof; a supporting portion provided on a first cartridge constituent member and provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the memory; and a preventing portion, provided on a second cartridge constituent member, for preventing movement of the memory inserted in the supporting portion. A prevention width of the slit with respect to a direction crossing the thickness direction of the memory is longer than the length of the memory in the first direction and is shorter than the length of the memory in the second direction as seen in an inserting direction of the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yuichi Fukui
  • Publication number: 20160238967
    Abstract: A cartridge used for forming an image on a recording material include a memory for storing information; a supporting portion provided on a first cartridge constituent member and provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the memory; and a preventing portion, provided on a second cartridge constituent member, for preventing movement of the memory inserted in the supporting portion. With respect to a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of the cartridge and crossing a thickness direction of the memory, a width of the preventing portion is smaller than a width of the memory inserted in the slit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Yuichi Fukui, Kazuhiko Kanno
  • Patent number: 9310762
    Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, and first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yasufumi Yoshino, Katsuhiko Oba
  • Patent number: 9291994
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: first and second cartridge constituent members assembled with each other; a memory for storing information on the cartridge; a color display member for displaying color information of a developer accommodated in the cartridge; first and second supporting portions provided on the first and second cartridge constituent members, wherein the first supporting portion is provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the memory, and the second supporting portion is provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the color display member; and first and second preventing portions provided on the other cartridge constituent member. When the first and second cartridge constituent members are assembled with each other, the first preventing portion prevents movement of the memory inserted in the first supporting portion, and the second preventing portion prevents movement of the color display member inserted in the second supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yuichi Fukui
  • Patent number: 9285712
    Abstract: A developing device configured to prevent a leakage of developer through a gap between a frame and a longitudinal end of a developer supply roller, includes an elastic bush member, a groove to which the bush member is attached and including an opening to allow an end of the developer supply roller to pass through a seating surface when the developer supply roller is mounted on the groove in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, an abutment portion for regulating movement of the bush member in the longitudinal direction, and a bearing member configured to rotatably support an end of the developer supply roller and compress, in the longitudinal direction, the bush member sandwiched between the abutment portion and the bearing member and bias the bush member against an inner wall of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Shinjiro Toba
  • Patent number: 9274499
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a first unit including a photosensitive drum; a second unit, including a process member, movable to a spaced position and to a close position; and a spacer member for holding the second unit at the spaced position. The spacer member includes a contact portion for holding the second unit at the spaced position and includes a portion-to-be-phase-determined for preventing rotation of the spacer member by being engaged with a phase-determining portion provided in the second unit. The spacer member is rotated, by receiving a force from the drum at the contact portion when the drum is rotated, against a force with which the phase-determining portion determines a rotational position of the spacer member, and eliminates a contact state of the contact portion with the drum to permit movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the close position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanari Morioka, Kazuhiko Kanno
  • Patent number: 9213267
    Abstract: A developing device frame unit supporting a regulating member regulating the layer thickness of developer on a developer carrier. The unit includes a frame having a seal forming portion, first and second, first and second end seals contactable to the carrier surface to prevent carrier-axial-direction leaking of the developer, and a blade sealer sealing between the regulating member and the frame to prevent developer leaking when the regulating member is mounted. The blade sealer is an elastomer resin material which is injection-molded with a metal mold and in the seal forming portion where the end seals are provided. The blade sealer connects the end seals with each other, and a protrusion provided by a squeezed-out portion of the resin material is provided by injecting, into a space defined by the metal mold, the seal forming portion, and the end seal seals, a resin material volume larger than a volume of the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuharu Hoshi, Akira Suzuki, Makoto Hayashida, Kazuhiko Kanno, Tadashi Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20150220051
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a first unit including a photosensitive drum; a second unit, including a process member, movable to a spaced position and to a close position; and a spacer member for holding the second unit at the spaced position. The spacer member includes a contact portion for holding the second unit at the spaced position and includes a portion-to-be-phase-determined for preventing rotation of the spacer member by being engaged with a phase-determining portion provided in the second unit. The spacer member is rotated, by receiving a force from the drum at the contact portion when the drum is rotated, against a force with which the phase-determining portion determines a rotational position of the spacer member, and eliminates a contact state of the contact portion with the drum to permit movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the close position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Masanari Morioka, Kazuhiko Kanno
  • Patent number: 9025998
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a first unit including a photosensitive drum; a second unit, including a process member, movable to a spaced position and to a close position; and a spacer member for holding the second unit at the spaced position. The spacer member includes a contact portion for holding the second unit at the spaced position and includes a portion-to-be-phase-determined for preventing rotation of the spacer member by being engaged with a phase-determining portion provided in the second unit. The spacer member is rotated, by receiving a force from the drum at the contact portion when the drum is rotated, against a force with which the phase-determining portion determines a rotational position of the spacer member, and eliminates a contact state of the contact portion with the drum to permit movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the close position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanari Morioka, Kazuhiko Kanno
  • Publication number: 20150093146
    Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the cartridge includes (i) a rotatable developing roller for developing a latent image formed on a photosensitive member; (ii) a first drive transmission member capable of receiving a rotational force originated by the main assembly; (iii) a second drive transmission member capable of coupling with the first drive transmission member and capable of transmitting the rotational force received by the first drive transmission member to the developing roller; and (iv) a coupling disconnection member including a force receiving portion capable of receiving the force originated by the main assembly, and an urging portion capable of urging at least one of the first drive transmission member and the second drive transmission member by the force received by the force receiving portion to separate one of the first drive transmission member and the second drive transmission member from the other, thereby disconnecting t
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Masatoshi Yamashita, Satoshi Nishiya, Kazuhiko Kanno
  • Publication number: 20150055963
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: first and second cartridge constituent members assembled with each other; a memory for storing information on the cartridge; a color display member for displaying color information of a developer accommodated in the cartridge; first and second supporting portions provided on the first and second cartridge constituent members, wherein the first supporting portion is provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the memory, and the second supporting portion is provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the color display member; and first and second preventing portions provided on the other cartridge constituent member. When the first and second cartridge constituent members are assembled with each other, the first preventing portion prevents movement of the memory inserted in the first supporting portion, and the second preventing portion prevents movement of the color display member inserted in the second supporting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yuichi Fukui
  • Publication number: 20140314445
    Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, and first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yasufumi Yoshino, Katsuhiko Oba
  • Patent number: 8805237
    Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, and first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yasufumi Yoshino, Katsuhiko Oba
  • Publication number: 20140140723
    Abstract: A developing device frame unit supporting a regulating member regulating the layer thickness of developer on a developer carrier. The unit includes a frame having a seal forming portion, first and second, first and second end seals contactable to the carrier surface to prevent carrier-axial-direction leaking of the developer, and a blade sealer sealing between the regulating member and the frame to prevent developer leaking when the regulating member is mounted. The blade sealer is an elastomer resin material which is injection-molded with a metal mold and in the seal forming portion where the end seals are provided. The blade sealer connects the end seals with each other, and a protrusion provided by a squeezed-out portion of the resin material is provided by injecting, into a space defined by the metal mold, the seal forming portion, and the end seal seals, a resin material volume larger than a volume of the space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuharu Hoshi, Akira Suzuki, Makoto Hayashida, Kazuhiko Kanno, Tadashi Horikawa
  • Patent number: 8682211
    Abstract: A developing device frame unit supporting a regulating member regulating the layer thickness of developer on a developer carrier. The unit includes a frame having a seal forming portion, first and second, first and second end seals contactable to the carrier surface to prevent carrier-axial-direction leaking of the developer, and a blade sealer sealing between the regulating member and the frame to prevent developer leaking when the regulating member is mounted. The blade sealer is an elastomer resin material which is injection-molded with a metal mold and in the seal forming portion where the end seals are provided. The blade sealer connects the end seals with each other, and a protrusion provided by a squeezed-out portion of the resin material is provided by injecting, into a space defined by the metal mold, the seal forming portion, and the end seal seals, a resin material volume larger than a volume of the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuharu Hoshi, Akira Suzuki, Makoto Hayashida, Kazuhiko Kanno, Tadashi Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20140072328
    Abstract: A developing device configured to prevent a leakage of developer through a gap between a frame and a longitudinal end of a developer supply roller, includes an elastic bush member, a groove to which the bush member is attached and including an opening to allow an end of the developer supply roller to pass through a seating surface when the developer supply roller is mounted on the groove in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction, an abutment portion for regulating movement of the bush member in the longitudinal direction, and a bearing member configured to rotatably support an end of the developer supply roller and compress, in the longitudinal direction, the bush member sandwiched between the abutment portion and the bearing member and bias the bush member against an inner wall of the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Shinjiro Toba
  • Publication number: 20130343780
    Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a drum, first and second guidable portions guidable by first and second guides when the cartridge enters or advances in the main assembly, first and second regulatable portions provided at leading and trailing sides of the cartridge with respect to the advancing direction and regulated by a first main assembly regulator when the process is advancing in the main assembly, and first and second positionable portions to be positioned at first and main assembly second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of a main assembly urging member after the first and second regulatable portions pass the first and second regulators, respectively. The cartridge is mounted to the main assembly with the first and second positionable portions at the first and second positioners, respectively, by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yasufumi Yoshino, Katsuhiko Oba
  • Patent number: 8577252
    Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes an image-bearing member on which an electrostatic image is to be formed; a first frame; a bearing member, detachably mountable to the first frame, for rotatably supporting the image-bearing member; a first hole provided in the bearing member; a first wall, provided on the first frame, in which a second hole is provided; a second frame for rotatably supporting a developer carrying member on which a developer for developing the electrostatic image is to be carried; a second wall, provided on the second frame, in which a third hole is provided; and a connecting member including a shaft portion penetrating through the first hole, the second hole and the third hole and tightly engaging in the second hole, and including a flange portion, provided at an end portion of the shaft portion, for preventing the bearing member from being detached from the first frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Anan, Koji Yamaguchi, Kazuhiko Kanno
  • Patent number: 8494410
    Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, process means actable on said electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a first cartridge side portion-to-be-guided, a second cartridge side portion-to-be-guided, a first cartridge side portion-to-be-regulated, a second cartridge side portion-to-be-regulated, a first cartridge side portion to be positioned, and a second cartridge side portion to be positioned. The process cartridge is mounted to a main assembly with a first cartridge side portion to be positioned at a first main assembly side positioning portion by the urging force of an urging member and with the second cartridge side portion to be positioned at a second main assembly side positioning portion by the urging force of the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yasufumi Yoshino, Katsuhiko Oba
  • Patent number: 8437661
    Abstract: A process cartridge is provided that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing unit. The process cartridge further includes a portion to be positioned, first and second displacing portions, and a portion to be urged. The process cartridge also includes a pull-up force receiving portion, disposed at a trailing side of the cartridge, for being urged by a pull-up force of a pull-up member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kanno, Yasufumi Yoshino, Katsuhiko Oba