Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI

Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI 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: 10627730
    Abstract: An image forming method forms an image by performing charging, exposing, developing, and transferring in a rotation direction of a rotationally driven photoreceptor, wherein the charging is performed by a roller charging method, exposing a surface of the photoreceptor to light and eliminating charges on the surface of the photoreceptor are included between the developing and the transferring, the photoreceptor includes at least a charge transporting layer and a protective layer laminated on the charge transporting layer on a conductive support, and energy of light for irradiation in the exposing the surface of the photoreceptor to light is in a range of 0.0001 to 500 ?W/mm2 on the surface of the photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 10488808
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transferer that transfers a toner image formed on a surface of a photo-conductor onto an image carrier; and an irradiator that irradiates the surface of the photo-conductor before transfer with light such that a potential of an image area where the toner image has been formed and a potential of a non-image area where the toner image has not been formed in the photo-conductor before transfer satisfy formula (1): 0?|Va|?|Vb|?200 [V]??(1) where |Va| represents the potential of the image area after the surface of the photo-conductor before transfer is irradiated with light, and |Vb| represents the potential of the non-image area after the surface of the photo-conductor before transfer is irradiated with light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ishida, Kazuhiro Kuramochi, Seisuke Maeda
  • Publication number: 20190212670
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transferer that transfers a toner image formed on a surface of a photo-conductor onto an image carrier; and an irradiator that irradiates the surface of the photo-conductor before transfer with light such that a potential of an image area where the toner image has been formed and a potential of a non-image area where the toner image has not been formed in the photo-conductor before transfer satisfy formula (1): 0?|Va|?|Vb|?200 [V]??(1) where |Va| represents the potential of the image area after the surface of the photo-conductor before transfer is irradiated with light, and |Vb| represents the potential of the non-image area after the surface of the photo-conductor before transfer is irradiated with light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Takeshi ISHIDA, Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI, Seisuke MAEDA
  • Patent number: 10324387
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor obtained by laminating a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer in this order on a conductive support, wherein the surface protective layer contains conductive fine particles and crosslinkable organic fine particles, and either the conductive fine particles or the crosslinkable organic fine particles have been subjected to surface modification with a fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ishida, Seisuke Maeda, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Publication number: 20190094723
    Abstract: An image forming method forms an image by performing charging, exposing, developing, and transferring in a rotation direction of a rotationally driven photoreceptor, wherein the charging is performed by a roller charging method, exposing a surface of the photoreceptor to light and eliminating charges on the surface of the photoreceptor are included between the developing and the transferring, the photoreceptor includes at least a charge transporting layer and a protective layer laminated on the charge transporting layer on a conductive support, and energy of light for irradiation in the exposing the surface of the photoreceptor to light is in a range of 0.0001 to 500 ?W/mm2 on the surface of the photoreceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventor: Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI
  • Patent number: 10234776
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor has a charge generating layer, a charge transporting layer, and an outermost surface layer laminated in this order on a conductive support, wherein the outermost surface layer contains composite structural particles obtained by coating inorganic particles with oxygen-deficient conductive tin oxide, and the composite structural particles have an L value of 80 to 95, and primary particles thereof have an average particle diameter of 35 to 200 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Seisuke Maeda, Kazunori Kurimoto, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 10203625
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive body including an electroconductive substrate, and a charge generating layer, a charge transfer layer and a surface protective layer laminated on the substrate in this order, and a charging roller for causing contact electrification on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive body, wherein at least the surface protective layer contains inorganic microparticles having a fluorine compound on the surfaces and a binder resin, and the surface of the charging roller has a maximum height roughness Rz?0.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kuramochi, Seisuke Maeda, Kuniaki Kashiwakura
  • Patent number: 10175591
    Abstract: In an electrophotographic photoreceptor, an electric charge generating layer and an electric charge transport layer are laminated on a conductive support body in this order, a layer configuring an outermost surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains composite structure particles in which a core material is inorganic particles, and the inorganic particles are coated with tin oxide doped with aluminum, and an average particle diameter of primary particles of the composite structure particles is 50 nm to 200 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Seisuke Maeda, Kazunori Kurimoto, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Publication number: 20180335707
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor has a charge generating layer, a charge transporting layer, and an outermost surface layer laminated in this order on a conductive support, wherein the outermost surface layer contains composite structural particles obtained by coating inorganic particles with oxygen-deficient conductive tin oxide, and the composite structural particles have an L value of 80 to 95, and primary particles thereof have an average particle diameter of 35 to 200 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Seisuke MAEDA, Kazunori KURIMOTO, Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20180307148
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor obtained by laminating a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer in this order on a conductive support, wherein the surface protective layer contains conductive fine particles and crosslinkable organic fine particles, and either the conductive fine particles or the crosslinkable organic fine particles have been subjected to surface modification with a fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Takeshi Ishida, Seisuke Maeda, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 10101679
    Abstract: Provided is an electrographic photoconductor resistant to surface discharge and having good wear resistance. The electrographic photoconductor has a conductive support and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive support, the photosensitive layer containing a charge generation material and a charge transport material. A layer forming the surface of the electrographic photoconductor contains a resin binder forming the layer and a layered carbide dispersed in the resin binder. The layer forming the surface has a light transmittance in the range of 20 to 98% at a wavelength of 350 to 800 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Seisuke Maeda, Kazunori Kurimoto, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 10025208
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive support; and a photosensitive layer which contains an electric charge generating material and an electric charge transport material, wherein a layer configuring a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains a resin binder, and conductive particles A and B dispersed in the resin binder, the conductive particles A have a single peak and volume resistance ?1, the conductive particles B have a single peak and volume resistance ?2, when a particle diameter of the conductive particles A is set to d1, and a particle diameter of the conductive particles B is set to d2, Expression (1) is satisfied, and when the volume resistance of the conductive particles A is set to ?1, and the volume resistance of the conductive particles B is set to ?2, Expression (2) is satisfied: 4×d2?d1?20×d2??(1) 10×?1<?2??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Seisuke Maeda, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Publication number: 20180164710
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive body including an electroconductive substrate, and a charge generating layer, a charge transfer layer and a surface protective layer laminated on the substrate in this order, and a charging roller for causing contact electrification on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive body, wherein at least the surface protective layer contains inorganic microparticles having a fluorine compound on the surfaces and a binder resin, and the surface of the charging roller has a maximum height roughness Rz?0.5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI, Seisuke MAEDA, Kuniaki KASHIWAKURA
  • Publication number: 20180143545
    Abstract: In an electrophotographic photoreceptor, an electric charge generating layer and an electric charge transport layer are laminated on a conductive support body in this order, a layer configuring an outermost surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains composite structure particles in which a core material is inorganic particles, and the inorganic particles are coated with tin oxide doped with aluminum, and an average particle diameter of primary particles of the composite structure particles is 50 nm to 200 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Seisuke MAEDA, Kazunori KURIMOTO, Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI
  • Patent number: 9946176
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing a conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface layer laminated in that order, wherein the surface layer contains a conductive filler having a number average primary particle size of 10 to 500 nm in a resin; and the conductive filler is treated with a surface treatment agent containing a fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Seisuke Maeda, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Publication number: 20170285496
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive support; and a photosensitive layer which contains an electric charge generating material and an electric charge transport material, wherein a layer configuring a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains a resin binder, and conductive particles A and B dispersed in the resin binder, the conductive particles A have a single peak and volume resistance ?1, the conductive particles B have a single peak and volume resistance ?2, when a particle diameter of the conductive particles A is set to d1, and a particle diameter of the conductive particles B is set to d2, Expression (1) is satisfied, and when the volume resistance of the conductive particles A is set to ?1, and the volume resistance of the conductive particles B is set to ?2, Expression (2) is satisfied: 4×d2?d1?20×d2??(1) 10×?1<?2??(2)
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Seisuke MAEDA, Kazuhiro Kuramochi
  • Publication number: 20170131645
    Abstract: Provided is an electrographic photoconductor resistant to surface discharge and having good wear resistance. The electrographic photoconductor has a conductive support and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive support, the photosensitive layer containing a charge generation material and a charge transport material. A layer forming the surface of the electrographic photoconductor contains a resin binder forming the layer and a layered carbide dispersed in the resin binder. The layer forming the surface has a light transmittance in the range of 20 to 98% at a wavelength of 350 to 800 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Seisuke MAEDA, Kazunori KURIMOTO, Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20160282735
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing a conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface layer laminated in that order, wherein the surface layer contains a conductive filler having a number average primary particle size of 10 to 500 nm in a resin; and the conductive filler is treated with a surface treatment agent containing a fluoroalkyl (meth)acrylate/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Seisuke MAEDA, Kazuhiro KURAMOCHI