Patents by Inventor Kazuma Hinoue

Kazuma Hinoue 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: 20240061374
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which an exhaust port is formed, a fan, a duct extending in an exhausting direction and configured to accommodate the fan, the duct including a downstream end in the exhausting direction, and an exhaust filter disposed between the duct and the exhaust port in the exhausting direction, the exhaust filter including a first surface facing the exhaust port and a second surface facing the duct. Dimensions of the duct each orthogonal to the exhausting direction are smaller than dimensions of the exhaust filter each orthogonal to the exhausting directions. A perimeter of the downstream end of the duct in the exhausting direction is in contact with the second surface of the exhaust filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke ISHIZUKA, Takuya TSUJI, Yasuhiro SUZUKI, Kazuma HINOUE, Hotaka KAKUTANI, Masafumi INOUE, Haruka KIZU
  • Patent number: 11899388
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a development cartridge, a toner cartridge, and a controller. The development cartridge includes a development roller, a development chamber, and a development memory. The toner cartridge includes a case in which toner is stored, a toner supply unit configured to supply toner from the case into the development chamber, and a toner memory. The controller stores, in the development memory, information regarding a cumulative received toner amount and a cumulative toner consumption amount. The controller subtracts the cumulative toner consumption amount from the cumulative received toner amount to find a difference, and causes the toner supply unit to supply a first predetermined amount of toner into the development chamber when the difference is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value. The controller stores, in the toner memory, information regarding the cumulative supplied toner amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Hinoue, Shintaro Suzuki, Sota Hirano
  • Patent number: 11886129
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a developing cartridge; a transfer unit; a solvent cartridge accommodating solvent for dissolving toner; an applicator applying the solvent to the toner on a sheet; and a cover movable between an open position and a closed position. The developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are detachably attachable to the main casing independently of each other. The developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are positioned between the applicator and the cover in a second direction crossing the first direction, and the solvent cartridge is positioned closer to the applicator than the developing cartridge is to the applicator in a state where the developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are attached to the main casing and the cover is at the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakigahara, Satoshi Murata, Masataka Kamiya, Masaaki Furukawa, Yasuo Fukamachi, Kazutoshi Nakamura, Hideshi Nishiyama, Keita Shimizu, Keita Hironaka, Mariko Mogi, Naoya Kamimura, Kazuma Hinoue, Kouichi Sugimoto, Shinya Kusuda, Shunji Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20230408954
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a magnetic roller; a transfer belt; a drum cleaning roller for collecting toner on the photosensitive drum and discharging collected toner to the photosensitive drum; a belt cleaner; a waste toner accommodating unit; and a controller configured to perform a printing operation for forming an image on a sheet and a cleaning operation for cleaning the drum cleaning roller. The controller is configured to perform: when performing the printing operation, collecting toner on the photosensitive drum using the drum cleaning roller; and when performing the cleaning operation, discharging the toner on the drum cleaning roller collected in the collecting to the photosensitive drum; transferring the toner on the photosensitive drum onto the transfer belt; and collecting the toner on the transfer belt using the belt cleaner so that the collected toner is accommodated in the waste toner accommodating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio FURUKAWA, Koji OGAWA, Fan XU, Kazuma HINOUE, Hotaka KAKUTANI, Shintaro FUKUOKA, Soun KANADA, Masahiko HAYAKAWA, Marika OZAKI, Masaki UEJI, Ayaka KOMORI, Enao YAMADA, Miho ISHIDA, Keigo NAKAJIMA, Shota IRIYAMA, Kengo YADA, Yuwen WANG, Junichi HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11754955
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a display, a drum cartridge configured to be mounted to the main bod, a toner cartridge configured to be mounted to the drum cartridge, and a controller. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing chamber configured to accommodate toner, and a drum memory. The toner cartridge includes a housing configured to accommodate the toner. The controller is configured to store, in the drum memory, a cumulative toner receiving amount which is a cumulative amount of the toner supplied from the toner cartridge and received in the developing chamber, a cumulative toner consumption amount which is a cumulative amount of the consumed toner, and a cumulative drum printing sheet number which is a number of sheets on which an image is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Hinoue, Shintaro Suzuki, Sota Hirano, Ayaka Komori
  • Publication number: 20230244159
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a housing, a toner cartridge, and a drum unit. The drum unit is movable through the opening between an accommodated position where the drum unit is positioned in the housing and a pulled-out position where the drum unit is pulled out of the housing. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum and a developing unit. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a second direction. The developing unit includes a magnetic roller, a developer container, a first auger and a second auger. The magnetic roller is positioned between the toner cartridge and the photosensitive drum. The magnetic roller faces a surface of the photosensitive drum. The developer container is formed with an inlet allowing the toner to be replenished from the toner cartridge. The first auger is positioned in the developer container. The second auger is positioned in the developer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi HASHIMOTO, Yuwen WANG, Takuya AMAIKE, Soun KANADA, Kazuma HINOUE
  • Publication number: 20230205110
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Kazuma Hinoue, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu, Yoshifumi Kajikawa
  • Publication number: 20230176514
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main housing, a drawer, and a cartridge. The drawer is movable between an inside position inside the main housing and an outside position outside the main housing. The cartridge is installable into and removable from the drawer. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum configured to rotate about a drum axis. The drawer comprises a lock member movable between a lock position in which the drawer is locked to the main housing, and an unlock position in which the drawer is unlocked from the main housing. The cartridge installed in the drawer is rotatable about the drum axis between a first position and a second position. The lock member is positioned in the lock position when the cartridge is positioned in the first position, and positioned in the unlock position when the cartridge is positioned in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Misato Osuka, Keita Shimizu, Go Iwasa, Kazutoshi Nakamura, Ryosuke Hayashi, Tsubasa Kiriyama, Naoya Kamimura, Yuwen Wang, Masaaki Furukawa, Kazuma Hinoue, Kenta Tosuji
  • Patent number: 11650522
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a housing, a toner cartridge, and a drum unit. The drum unit is movable through the opening between an accommodated position where the drum unit is positioned in the housing and a pulled-out position where the drum unit is pulled out of the housing. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum and a developing unit. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a second direction. The developing unit includes a magnetic roller, a developer container, a first auger and a second auger. The magnetic roller is positioned between the toner cartridge and the photosensitive drum. The magnetic roller faces a surface of the photosensitive drum. The developer container is formed with an inlet allowing the toner to be replenished from the toner cartridge. The first auger is positioned in the developer container. The second auger is positioned in the developer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Hashimoto, Yuwen Wang, Takuya Amaike, Soun Kanada, Kazuma Hinoue
  • Patent number: 11624996
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a motor, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a main memory, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform storing a first rotation number and a second rotation number in the main memory. The first rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a first state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller is stopped. The second rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a second state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller rotates. The controller is further configured to perform, in a case where the photosensitive drum rotates, determining a total deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum which is a cumulative deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum based on the first rotation number and the second rotation number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ayaka Komori, Shintaro Suzuki, Sota Hirano, Kazuma Hinoue, Marika Ozaki
  • Patent number: 11599039
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Kazuma Hinoue, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu, Yoshifumi Kajikawa
  • Publication number: 20220365470
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a display, a drum cartridge configured to be mounted to the main bod, a toner cartridge configured to be mounted to the drum cartridge, and a controller. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing chamber configured to accommodate toner, and a drum memory. The toner cartridge includes a housing configured to accommodate the toner. The controller is configured to store, in the drum memory, a cumulative toner receiving amount which is a cumulative amount of the toner supplied from the toner cartridge and received in the developing chamber, a cumulative toner consumption amount which is a cumulative amount of the consumed toner, and a cumulative drum printing sheet number which is a number of sheets on which an image is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma HINOUE, Shintaro SUZUKI, Sota HIRANO, Ayaka KOMORI
  • Patent number: 11500321
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum, a motor, and a drum gear train configured to transmit a driving force from the motor to the photosensitive drum. The drum gear train includes a first gear, a second gear and a first clutch. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis upon receipt of the driving force. The second gear is rotatable about the first axis and configured to receive the driving force from the first gear and to transmit the driving force to the photosensitive drum. The first clutch is switchable between a first transmission state where the driving force is transmitted from the first gear to the second gear and a first transmission cutoff state where the transmission of the driving force from the first gear to the second gear is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Tomitake Aratachi, Sota Hirano, Kazuma Hinoue, Shintaro Suzuki, Ayaka Komori, Marika Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20220326635
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Kazuma Hinoue, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu, Yoshifumi Kajikawa
  • Publication number: 20220276601
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a development cartridge, a toner cartridge, and a controller. The development cartridge includes a development roller, a development chamber, and a development memory. The toner cartridge includes a case in which toner is stored, a toner supply unit configured to supply toner from the case into the development chamber, and a toner memory. The controller stores, in the development memory, information regarding a cumulative received toner amount and a cumulative toner consumption amount. The controller subtracts the cumulative toner consumption amount from the cumulative received toner amount to find a difference, and causes the toner supply unit to supply a first predetermined amount of toner into the development chamber when the difference is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value. The controller stores, in the toner memory, information regarding the cumulative supplied toner amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma HINOUE, Shintaro SUZUKI, Sota HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20220221811
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a developing cartridge; a transfer unit; a solvent cartridge accommodating solvent for dissolving toner; an applicator applying the solvent to the toner on a sheet; and a cover movable between an open position and a closed position. The developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are detachably attachable to the main casing independently of each other. The developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are positioned between the applicator and the cover in a second direction crossing the first direction, and the solvent cartridge is positioned closer to the applicator than the developing cartridge is to the applicator in a state where the developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are attached to the main casing and the cover is at the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka KAKIGAHARA, Satoshi MURATA, Masataka KAMIYA, Masaaki FURUKAWA, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Hideshi NISHIYAMA, Keita SHIMIZU, Keita HIRONAKA, Mariko MOGI, Naoya KAMIMURA, Kazuma HINOUE, Kouichi SUGIMOTO, Shinya KUSUDA, Shunji YOSHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11360406
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Kazuma Hinoue, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu, Yoshifumi Kajikawa
  • Patent number: 11333999
    Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a first casing, a second casing, an auger screw, and a shutter. The first casing has a first internal space. The second casing has: a second internal space smaller than the first internal space; a first opening allowing toner in the second internal space to be discharged; and a second opening allowing air in the second internal space to be sent to an outside. The auger screw is rotatable about a first rotation axis and configured to convey toner in the first internal space to the second internal space. The shutter is rotatable relative to the second casing about a second rotation axis between a first position in which the shutter closes the first opening and a second position in which the shutter opens the first opening. In a state where the shutter is at the second position, the shutter does not close the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Furukawa, Kazuma Hinoue, Ryosuke Hayashi, Naoya Kamimura
  • Publication number: 20220091553
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a motor, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a main memory, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform storing a first rotation number and a second rotation number in the main memory. The first rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a first state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller is stopped. The second rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a second state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller rotates. The controller is further configured to perform, in a case where the photosensitive drum rotates, determining a total deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum which is a cumulative deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum based on the first rotation number and the second rotation number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ayaka KOMORI, Shintaro SUZUKI, Sota HIRANO, Kazuma HINOUE, Marika OZAKI
  • Patent number: 11226572
    Abstract: A toner cartridge is mountable on a developing device including a developing roller. The developing device develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photo conductor. The toner cartridge includes a housing in which toner is stored, and an auger rotatable and configured to supply the toner in the housing to the developing device. In a case where the developing device is installed on an image forming apparatus in a state in which the toner cartridge is mounted on the developing device, rotation of the auger is started before formation of the electrostatic latent image corresponding to a sheet is started, based on a signal indicating that the image forming apparatus detects the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Kazuma Hinoue, Takashi Shimizu, Takashi Yasuda, Yoshifumi Kajikawa