Patents by Inventor Keiichi Inagaki

Keiichi Inagaki 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: 10571821
    Abstract: Provided is a means in which in a tandem type electrophotographic image forming apparatus, image deletion of a formed image is suppressed, passing through of a toner is suppressed, and the lifetime of an organic photoreceptor and the apparatus itself is prolonged. The invention relates to a tandem type electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an organic photoreceptor in which at least a charge generating layer and a charge transfer layer are sequentially laminated on a conductive support body, in which in at least one of combinations of two adjacent image forming units including toners having colors different from each other, a linear pressure P1 of a cleaning blade A included in the image forming unit disposed on an upstream side, and a linear pressure P2 of a cleaning unit blade B included in the image forming unit disposed on a downstream side, satisfy a predetermined relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kodama, Keiichi Inagaki
  • Patent number: 10496014
    Abstract: A tandem type electrophotographic image forming device using an organic photoreceptor, includes a plurality of image forming units each including at least: an electrostatic latent image former; a developer; a lubricant supplier; and a cleaner, wherein at least one combination composed of the two adjacent image forming units including toners having different colors satisfies the following formula (1) if a universal hardness of an organic photoreceptor A included in the image forming unit disposed on an upstream side is represented by Ha, and a universal hardness of an organic photoreceptor B included in the image forming unit disposed on a downstream side is represented by Hb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Daisuke Kodama
  • Patent number: 10386777
    Abstract: A electrophotographic image forming device using an organic photoreceptor, includes a plurality of image forming units each including at least: an electrostatic latent image former; a developer; a lubricant supplier; and a cleaner including a cleaning blade and a cleaning assist brush, wherein at least one combination composed of two adjacent image forming units including toners having different colors satisfies the following formula (1) if a ratio of a circumferential speed of the cleaning assist brush with respect to a circumferential speed of an organic photoreceptor included in an image forming unit A is represented by ?1 and a ratio of a circumferential speed of the cleaning assist brush with respect to a circumferential speed of an organic photoreceptor included in an image forming unit B is represented by ?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kodama, Keiichi Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20190196352
    Abstract: A electrophotographic image forming device using an organic photoreceptor, includes a plurality of image forming units each including at least: an electrostatic latent image former; a developer; a lubricant supplier; and a cleaner including a cleaning blade and a cleaning assist brush, wherein at least one combination composed of two adjacent image forming units including toners having different colors satisfies the following formula (1) if a ratio of a circumferential speed of the cleaning assist brush with respect to a circumferential speed of an organic photoreceptor included in an image forming unit A is represented by ?1 and a ratio of a circumferential speed of the cleaning assist brush with respect to a circumferential speed of an organic photoreceptor included in an image forming unit B is represented by ?2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Daisuke KODAMA, Keiichi INAGAKI
  • Publication number: 20190196353
    Abstract: Provided is a means in which in a tandem type electrophotographic image forming apparatus, image deletion of a formed image is suppressed, passing through of a toner is suppressed, and the lifetime of an organic photoreceptor and the apparatus itself is prolonged. The invention relates to a tandem type electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an organic photoreceptor in which at least a charge generating layer and a charge transfer layer are sequentially laminated on a conductive support body, in which in at least one of combinations of two adjacent image forming units including toners having colors different from each other, a linear pressure P1 of a cleaning blade A included in the image forming unit disposed on an upstream side, and a linear pressure P2 of a cleaning unit blade B included in the image forming unit disposed on a downstream side, satisfy a predetermined relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Daisuke KODAMA, Keiichi INAGAKI
  • Publication number: 20190163093
    Abstract: A tandem type electrophotographic image forming device using an organic photoreceptor, includes a plurality of image forming units each including at least: an electrostatic latent image former; a developer; a lubricant supplier; and a cleaner, wherein at least one combination composed of the two adjacent image forming units including toners having different colors satisfies the following formula (1) if a universal hardness of an organic photoreceptor A included in the image forming unit disposed on an upstream side is represented by Ha, and a universal hardness of an organic photoreceptor B included in the image forming unit disposed on a downstream side is represented by Hb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Keiichi INAGAKI, Daisuke Kodama
  • Patent number: 9933714
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive support having thereon an intermediate layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transporting layer, and a protective layer sequentially laminated in that order, wherein the intermediate layer contains rutile type titanium oxide particles, and 50% or more of the rutile type titanium oxide particles have an organic compound on a surface of the titanium oxide particles; the charge generating layer has a pigment containing a 2,3-butanediol adduct of a phthalocyanine compound; the charge transporting layer contains a charge transporting material having an ionization potential of 5.45 to 5.60 eV; and the protective layer contains metal oxide particles and the charge transporting material in a cured resin prepared by curing a polymerizable compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Seijiro Takahashi, Hiroshi Nakahara
  • Patent number: 9910398
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an organic photoreceptor in which at least a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer, and a protective layer are laminated in order on a conductive support includes at least a unit for supplying a lubricant onto a surface of the organic photoreceptor and a unit for removing toner remaining on the surface of the organic photoreceptor with a cleaning blade, and satisfying the following conditions (1) to (3): (1) the protective layer of the organic photoreceptor contains at least metal oxide fine particles in a cured resin obtained by curing a polymerizable compound; (2) a universal hardness of the surface of the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 220 to 280 N/mm2; and (3) a JIS-A hardness of a portion of the cleaning blade to be abutted on the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 70 to 78°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Seijiro Takahashi, Hiroshi Nakahara, Hiroshige Kidera
  • Patent number: 9869961
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an organic photoreceptor in which at least a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer, and a protective layer are laminated in order on a conductive support includes at least a unit for supplying a lubricant onto a surface of the organic photoreceptor and a unit for removing toner remaining on the surface of the organic photoreceptor with a cleaning blade, and satisfying the following conditions (1) to (3): (1) the protective layer of the organic photoreceptor contains at least metal oxide fine particles in a cured resin obtained by curing a polymerizable compound; (2) a universal hardness of the surface of the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 220 to 280 N/mm2; and (3) a JIS-A hardness of a portion of the cleaning blade to be abutted on the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 70 to 78°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Seijiro Takahashi, Hiroshi Nakahara, Hiroshige Kidera
  • Patent number: 9869942
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus including: an electrophotographic photoreceptor; a charging unit to charge the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an exposing unit to perform exposure of the electrophotographic photoreceptor charged by the charging unit; a developing unit to feed a toner to the electrophotographic photoreceptor exposed by the exposing unit to form a toner image; a transfer unit to transfer the toner image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a lubricant feeding unit to feed a lubricant onto the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; and a cleaning unit to remove the residual toner on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive support, a photoreceptive layer, and a protective layer disposed in sequence, the protective layer includes a resin containing a particulate P-type semiconductor, and the protective layer has a surface roughness Rz of 0.030 ?m or more and 0.075 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Fujita, Keiichi Inagaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Mari Ueda, Daisuke Kodama
  • Patent number: 9733581
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive holder; and at least a charge producing layer and a charge transport layer disposed on the conductive holder in order. The charge transport layer contains at least a binder resin, a charge transport agent and a p-type metal oxide particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Toshiyuki Fujita, Mari Konishi, Daisuke Kodama
  • Publication number: 20170090306
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive support having thereon an intermediate layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transporting layer, and a protective layer sequentially laminated in that order, wherein the intermediate layer contains rutile type titanium oxide particles, and 50% or more of the rutile type titanium oxide particles have an organic compound on a surface of the titanium oxide particles; the charge generating layer has a pigment containing a 2,3-butanediol adduct of a phthalocyanine compound; the charge transporting layer contains a charge transporting material having an ionization potential of 5.45 to 5.60 eV; and the protective layer contains metal oxide particles and the charge transporting material in a cured resin prepared by curing a polymerizable compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Keiichi INAGAKI, Seijiro TAKAHASHI, Hiroshi NAKAHARA
  • Publication number: 20170082970
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an organic photoreceptor in which at least a charge generation layer, a charge transport layer, and a protective layer are laminated in order on a conductive support includes at least a unit for supplying a lubricant onto a surface of the organic photoreceptor and a unit for removing toner remaining on the surface of the organic photoreceptor with a cleaning blade, and satisfying the following conditions (1) to (3): (1) the protective layer of the organic photoreceptor contains at least metal oxide fine particles in a cured resin obtained by curing a polymerizable compound; (2) a universal hardness of the surface of the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 220 to 280 N/mm2; and (3) a JIS-A hardness of a portion of the cleaning blade to be abutted on the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 70 to 78°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Keiichi INAGAKI, Seijiro TAKAHASHI, Hiroshi NAKAHARA, Hiroshige KIDERA
  • Publication number: 20160291525
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus including: an electrophotographic photoreceptor; a charging unit to charge the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an exposing unit to perform exposure of the electrophotographic photoreceptor charged by the charging unit; a developing unit to feed a toner to the electrophotographic photoreceptor exposed by the exposing unit to form a toner image; a transfer unit to transfer the toner image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a lubricant feeding unit to feed a lubricant onto the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; and a cleaning unit to remove the residual toner on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive support, a photoreceptive layer, and a protective layer disposed in sequence, the protective layer includes a resin containing a particulate P-type semiconductor, and the protective layer has a surface roughness Rz of 0.030 ?m or more and 0.075 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Fujita, Keiichi Inagaki, Kazuteru Ishizuka, Mari Ueda, Daisuke Kodama
  • Patent number: 9417539
    Abstract: In an organic photoreceptor that has a protective layer formed on an organic photosensitive layer, the protective layer contains; a cured resin constituent obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable compound in the presence of a radical scavenger represented by the general formula (2); metal oxide microparticles; and a compound represented by the general formula (1) as a charge transport substance, and the relational expression (1): 80/A?B?160/A and the relational expression (2): 12?A?25 are satisfied when the volume ratio (volume %) of the metal oxide microparticles in the protective layer and the volume ratio (volume %) of the compound represented by the general formula (1) in the protective layer are respectively denoted by A and B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Toshiyuki Fujita, Mari Konishi, Masanori Yumita
  • Publication number: 20160231658
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive support; a photosensitive layer including at least an organic material; and a surface protective layer, wherein the photosensitive layer and the surface protective layer are provided on the conductive support, and the surface protective layer includes a photo-curable crosslinking monomer and a charge transport material including a mixture of a plurality of stereoisomers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakahara, Toyoko Shibata, Keiichi Inagaki, Seijiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20150355562
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive holder; and at least a charge producing layer and a charge transport layer disposed on the conductive holder in order. The charge transport layer contains at least a binder resin, a charge transport agent and a p-type metal oxide particle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Keiichi INAGAKI, Toshiyuki Fujita, Mari Konishi, Daisuke Kodama
  • Publication number: 20150160573
    Abstract: In an organic photoreceptor that has a protective layer formed on an organic photosensitive layer, the protective layer contains; a cured resin constituent obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable compound in the presence of a radical scavenger represented by the general formula (2); metal oxide microparticles; and a compound represented by the general formula (1) as a charge transport substance, and the relational expression (1): 80/A?B?160/A and the relational expression (2): 12?A?25 are satisfied when the volume ratio (volume %) of the metal oxide microparticles in the protective layer and the volume ratio (volume %) of the compound represented by the general formula (1) in the protective layer are respectively denoted by A and B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Keiichi INAGAKI, Toshiyuki Fujita, Mari Konishi, Masanori Yumita
  • Patent number: 8889325
    Abstract: The invention provides a means for improving the abrasion resistance and the scratch resistance of a protection layer by increasing the surface hardness of the protection layer of an organic photoreceptor. The invention is an organic photoreceptor constituted by laminating on an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer and a protection layer successively, wherein the protection layer comprises a charge transport substance represented by the following general formula (1), a resin component obtained by curing a curable compound and tin oxide treated with a surface preparation agent having a reactive organic group, and a silica particle: in the general formula (1), R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen atoms or methyl groups, and R3 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Konishi, Keiichi Inagaki, Toshiyuki Fujita
  • Publication number: 20130316277
    Abstract: The invention provides a means for improving the abrasion resistance and the scratch resistance of a protection layer by increasing the surface hardness of the protection layer of an organic photoreceptor. The invention is an organic photoreceptor constituted by laminating on an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer and a protection layer successively, wherein the protection layer comprises a charge transport substance represented by the following general formula (1), a resin component obtained by curing a curable compound and tin oxide treated with a surface preparation agent having a reactive organic group, and a silica particle; in the general formula (1), R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen atoms or methyl groups, and R3 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Mari KONISHI, Keiichi INAGAKI, Toshiyuki FUJITA