Patents by Inventor Kazunari Hagiwara
Kazunari Hagiwara 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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Publication number: 20140321891Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2011Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji Karashima, Satoshi Tsuruya, Yoshikuni Ito, Yasuhiro Horiguchi, Takeshi Fujino, Takahiro Kawamoto, Takayuki Tanaka, Osamu Iwasaki, Kazunari Hagiwara
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Patent number: 8489011Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer to develop a latent image, a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the bearing member, a voltage application unit that can apply a plurality of direct current voltages of different values between the bearing member and the regulating member, and a current detection unit that can detect a plurality of direct currents of different values flowing in the regulating member when the voltage application unit applies the plurality of direct current voltages, wherein the image forming apparatus sets a direct current voltage value Vb applied by the voltage application unit when developing the latent image, so that the following expression is satisfied: |Vb|>|Vbmin|, where Vbmin indicates a direct current voltage value when the direct current detected by the current detection unit is a minimum value.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Norio Takahashi, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo
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Patent number: 8437678Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer to develop a latent image, a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the bearing member, a voltage application unit that can apply a plurality of direct current voltages of different values between the bearing member and the regulating member, and a current detection unit that can detect a plurality of direct currents of different values flowing in the regulating member when the voltage application unit applies the plurality of direct current voltages, wherein the image forming apparatus sets a direct current voltage value Vb applied by the voltage application unit when developing the latent image, so that the following expression is satisfied: |Vb|>|Vbmin|, where Vbmin indicates a direct current voltage value when the direct current detected by the current detection unit is a minimum value.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2009Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Norio Takahashi, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo
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Patent number: 8019258Abstract: An amount-of-developer regulating apparatus configured to restrict the amount of developer carried on a developer bearing member. The amount-of-developer regulating apparatus includes a flexible developer amount regulation member having a contact portion configured to contact with a developer bearing member, and first and second holding portions configured to hold the developer amount regulation member and to contact with the developer amount regulation member at further upstream and further downstream in a direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved than the contact portion. With a pressure distribution of the contact portion as to the developer bearing member, there are a plurality of local maximum values in the direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved. Thus, the apparatus can be reduced in size, and also image concentration unevenness after long-term use can be prevented.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2010Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinichi Nishida, Katsunori Yokoyama, Yasushi Shimizu, Kazunari Hagiwara, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo, Naoto Kichijima
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Publication number: 20110026978Abstract: An amount-of-developer regulating apparatus configured to restrict the amount of developer carried on a developer bearing member. The amount-of-developer regulating apparatus includes a flexible developer amount regulation member having a contact portion configured to contact with a developer bearing member, and first and second holding portions configured to hold the developer amount regulation member and to contact with the developer amount regulation member at further upstream and further downstream in a direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved than the contact portion. With a pressure distribution of the contact portion as to the developer bearing member, there are a plurality of local maximum values in the direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved. Thus, the apparatus can be reduced in size, and also image concentration unevenness after long-term use can be prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinichi Nishida, Katsunori Yokoyama, Yasushi Shimizu, Kazunari Hagiwara, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo, Naoto Kichijima
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Patent number: 7840168Abstract: An amount-of-developer regulating apparatus configured to restrict the amount of developer carried on a developer bearing member. The amount-of-developer regulating apparatus includes a flexible developer amount regulation member having a contact portion configured to contact with a developer bearing member, and first and second holding portions configured to hold the developer amount regulation member and to contact with the developer amount regulation member at further upstream and further downstream in a direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved than the contact portion. With a pressure distribution of the contact portion as to the developer bearing member, there are a plurality of local maximum values in the direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved. Thus, the apparatus can be reduced in size, and also image concentration unevenness after long-term use can be prevented.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinichi Nishida, Katsunori Yokoyama, Yasushi Shimizu, Kazunari Hagiwara, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo, Naoto Kichijima
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Patent number: 7773923Abstract: A developing apparatus in which a toner has a volume-average particle diameter R that is in a range of 4.0 ?m?R?6.2 ?m, a developing roller has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra (?m) that is not more than 0.10 times the volume-average particle diameter R of the toner, a voltage applied to a supply roller is of negative polarity, that is, a normal charging polarity of the toner, triboelectrification polarity of the supply roller with respect to the toner is negative, that is, of the normal charging polarity of the toner, and an abutment width S in which the developing roller and the supply roller abut each other is in a range of 2.5 mm?S?5.5 mm.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2008Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Norio Takahashi, Rie Endo
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Publication number: 20100061749Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer to develop a latent image, a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the bearing member, a voltage application unit that can apply a plurality of direct current voltages of different values between the bearing member and the regulating member, and a current detection unit that can detect a plurality of direct currents of different values flowing in the regulating member when the voltage application unit applies the plurality of direct current voltages, wherein the image forming apparatus sets a direct current voltage value Vb applied by the voltage application unit when developing the latent image, so that the following expression is satisfied: |Vb|>|Vbmin|, where Vbmin indicates a direct current voltage value when the direct current detected by the current detection unit is a minimum value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2009Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Norio Takahashi, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo
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Patent number: 7640150Abstract: An electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which includes particles each having a central portion and a surface portion covering the surface of the central portion. The central portion occupies 80 to 99% of a distance from a center to an outermost surface of the particle and the surface portion occupies 20 to 1% of the distance. The central portion includes LiM1-aDaO2 (M represents Co or Ni, D represents a transition metal element or Al replacing a part of Co or Ni as M, and M is not the same as D) having an ?-NaFeO2 structure. The surface portion includes LiM1-bEbO2 (M represents Co or Ni, E represents a metal element replacing a part of Co or Ni as M, and M is not the same as E) having an ?-NaFeO2 structure. The content of element E in the central portion satisfies the relation of E/(M+D+E)<0.05 in terms of an atomic ratio, and the content of element D in the surface portion satisfies the relation of D/(M+D+E)<0.05 in terms of an atomic ratio.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2008Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Soichiro Kawakami, Katsuhiko Inoue, Nobuyuki Suzuki
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Patent number: 7615313Abstract: An electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which includes particles each having a central portion and a surface portion covering the surface of the central portion. A distance from a center to an outermost surface of the particle is occupied 80 to 99% by the central portion and 1 to 20% by the surface portion. The central portion includes LiM1-aDaO2 having an ?-NaFeO2 structure, and the surface portion includes LiM1-bEbO2 having an ?-NaFeO2 structure. (M is C or Ni; D is a transition metal element or Al replacing a part of Co or Ni as M; E is a metal element replacing a part of Co or Ni as M; and M is not the same as D or E.) The following relationships are satisfied in the central portion, in terms of atomic ratio: D/(M+D+E)<0.05 and E/(M+D+E)<0.05.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2004Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Soichiro Kawakami, Katsuhiko Inoue, Nobuyuki Suzuki
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Publication number: 20090157339Abstract: An electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which includes particles each having a central portion and a surface portion covering the surface of the central portion. The central portion occupies 80 to 99% of a distance from a center to an outermost surface of the particle and the surface portion occupies 20 to 1% of the distance. The central portion includes LiM1-aDaO2 (M represents Co or Ni, D represents a transition metal element or Al replacing a part of Co or Ni as M, and M is not the same as D) having an ?-NaFeO2 structure. The surface portion includes LiM1-bEbO2 (M represents Co or Ni, E represents a metal element replacing a part of Co or Ni as M, and M is not the same as E) having an ?-NaFeO2 structure. The content of element E in the central portion satisfies the relation of E/(M+D+E)<0.05 in terms of an atomic ratio, and the content of element D in the surface portion satisfies the relation of D/(M+D+E)<0.05 in terms of an atomic ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2008Publication date: June 18, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Soichiro Kawakami, Katsuhiko Inoue, Nobuyuki Suzuki
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Publication number: 20090003863Abstract: A developing apparatus in which a toner has a volume-average particle diameter R that is in a range of 4.0 ?m?R?6.2 ?m, a developing roller has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra (?m) that is not more than 0.10 times the volume-average particle diameter R of the toner, a voltage applied to a supply roller is of negative polarity, that is, a normal charging polarity of the toner, triboelectrification polarity of the supply roller with respect to the toner is negative, that is, of the normal charging polarity of the toner, and an abutment width S in which the developing roller and the supply roller abut each other is in a range of 2.5 mm?S?5.5 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2008Publication date: January 1, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Norio Takahashi, Rie Endo
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Publication number: 20080310886Abstract: A developer regulating apparatus including: a flexible sheet member, which regulates a thickness of a developer layer on a developing roller; and a holding member having wall surfaces for holding the sheet member in a curved state, wherein when the sheet member is not pressed by the developing roller, an angle of circumference of an arc of the sheet member is not larger than 180 degrees, a perpendicular bisector of a chord corresponding to the arc when the sheet member is pressed by the developing roller is provided downstream in a rotation direction of the developing roller with respect to a normal line of a surface of the developing roller which is parallel to the perpendicular bisector, and a sheet member holding line of the wall surface of the holding member upstream in the rotation direction is provided coplanar with the normal line or upstream of the normal line.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2008Publication date: December 18, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasushi Shimizu, Kazunari Hagiwara, Shinichi Nishida, Hirokazu Usami, Hiraku Sasaki
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Patent number: 7463854Abstract: A sheet-shaped regulation member is supported by a supporting unit with an elastic force occurring by bending a sheet-shaped regulation member in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a force received as a result of being pressed by a developing roller. Thus, direct contact can be securely made onto a developer bearing member, and a regulation member can be provided which enables easily attaching thereof to the supporting member, as well as enabling a developing apparatus, processing cartridge, and image forming apparatus, to be reduced in size.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2007Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinichi Nishida, Kazunari Hagiwara, Yasushi Shimizu, Katsunori Yokoyama, Naoto Kichijima, Hirokazu Usami
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Patent number: 7440718Abstract: A developing apparatus having a developing sleeve provided with an elastic layer on its surface, and for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a mono-component magnetic toner having a mean degree of circularity of 0.965 or greater, a magnet provided in the developing sleeve, and a blade for regulating the amount of the developer carried on the developing sleeve satisfies the expressions |Br|/|B|?0.5 and Nsb/(Bs×R)?0.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Kenya Ogawa, Shuji Moriya, Naoto Kichijima, Yasushi Shimizu, Koichi Okuda
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Publication number: 20080131782Abstract: An electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which includes particles each having a central portion and a surface portion covering the surface of the central portion. A distance from a center to an outermost surface of the particle is occupied 80 to 99% by the central portion and 1 to 20% by the surface portion. The central portion includes LiM1-aDaO2 having an ?-NaFeO2 structure, and the surface portion includes LiM1-bEbO2 having an ?-NaFeO2 structure. (M is C or Ni; D is a transition metal element or Al replacing a part of Co or Ni as M; E is a metal element replacing a part of Co or Ni as M; and M is not the same as D or E.) The following relationships are satisfied in the central portion, in terms of atomic ratio: D/(M+D+E)<0.05 and E/(M+D+E)<0.05.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2004Publication date: June 5, 2008Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Soichiro Kawakami, Katsuhiko Inoue, Nobuyuki Suzuki
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Patent number: 7383003Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developing roller for developing an image with a developer; a non-rotary magnet roll inside the roller; a blade; and an abutting member abutting against the roller, wherein the following expressions are satisfied: |Vs|>|Vdev|, |Br|/|B|?0.5, and L/(BH×R)?0.1, where |Vdev|: a DC component Vdev of a voltage applied to the roller, |Vs|: a DC component Vs of a voltage applied to the member, B(G): the magnetic flux density formed on the surface of the roller at the abutting position by the magnet roll, Br(G): the component of the magnetic flux density B(G) perpendicular to the surface of the roller, and L(mm): the abutting width between the roller and the member, BH(rad): the half value width of the component B?(G) horizontal to the surface of the roller, and R(mm): the radius of the roller.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: June 3, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoto Kichijima, Koichi Okuda, Yasushi Shimizu, Kenya Ogawa, Shuji Moriya, Kazunari Hagiwara
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Patent number: 7378189Abstract: The present invention provides: an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery containing lithium boron mixed oxide having a monoclinic LiBO2 structure and represented by a chemical formula LiB1-xDxO2-yEy (wherein, D represents a substitution element of boron B, E represents a substitution element of oxygen O, 0<x<0.5, and 0?y<0.1); an electrode structure employing the electrode material; and a lithium secondary battery having the electrode structure. Accordingly, the present invention provides: an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery having a voltage of 3.0 V (vs. Li/Li+) or more, a usable capacity exceeding 200 mAh/g, and a high energy density; an electrode structure employing the electrode material; and a lithium second battery having the electrode structure.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2004Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazunari Hagiwara, Soichiro Kawakami, Nobuyuki Suzuki
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Patent number: 7379693Abstract: A developing apparatus having a rotatable developing sleeve having an elastic layer on the surface thereof for carrying a mono-component magnetic developer and urged against a photosensitive drum to develop an electrostatic image formed on the drum with the developer, a non-rotary magnet provided inside the sleeve for magnetically attracting the developer to the sleeve, and a blade having an abutting portion abutting against the sleeve in a counter direction for regulating the amount of the developer on the sleeve, a step portion spaced apart from the abutting portion, and a separating portion provided upstream of the step portion in the rotation direction of the sleeve, wherein the surface of the sleeve to which the separating portion is opposed includes a position satisfying |Br|/|B|?0.5, where B(G): the magnitude of magnetic flux density formed on the surface of the sleeve, and Br(G): a component of the magnetic flux density in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenya Ogawa, Yasushi Shimizu, Shuji Moriya, Kazunari Hagiwara, Naoto Kichijima, Koichi Okuda
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Publication number: 20070297834Abstract: An amount-of-developer regulating apparatus configured to restrict the amount of developer carried on a developer bearing member. The amount-of-developer regulating apparatus includes a flexible developer amount regulation member having a contact portion configured to contact with a developer bearing member, and first and second holding portions configured to hold the developer amount regulation member and to contact with the developer amount regulation member at further upstream and further downstream in a direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved than the contact portion. With a pressure distribution of the contact portion as to the developer bearing member, there are a plurality of local maximum values in the direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved. Thus, the apparatus can be reduced in size, and also image concentration unevenness after long-term use can be prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2007Publication date: December 27, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinichi Nishida, Katsunori Yokoyama, Yasushi Shimizu, Kazunari Hagiwara, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Rie Endo, Naoto Kichijima