Patents by Inventor Keita Shimizu

Keita Shimizu 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: 11635707
    Abstract: Toner cartridge includes a housing, an agitator, an auger, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The housing includes a first toner accommodating portion having and a second toner accommodating portion. The auger is rotatable about a second axis extending in a first direction and is configured to convey toner from a first toner accommodating portion to the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion is positioned at a first side of the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion extends in the first direction. The second protrusion is positioned at a second side of the second toner accommodating portion and extends in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideshi Nishiyama, Keita Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11604433
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a developing electrode and a supply electrode. The developing electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with a developing roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than a second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the first electrical contact is from the developing roller shaft. The supply electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with the supply roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than the second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact of the supply electrode is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the second electrical contact of the developing electrode is from the developing roller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Shimizu, Tomoya Ichikawa, Takashi Shimizu, Kazuna Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11579543
    Abstract: A developer cartridge may include: a first gear having a small-diameter gear portion and a large-diameter gear portion; and a second gear including: a first columnar portion centered on a second axis; a second columnar portion having a smaller diameter than the first columnar portion; a first engagement portion extending along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first columnar portion and engageable with the small-diameter gear portion; a second engagement portion extending along a portion of a peripheral surface of the second columnar portion and positioned closer to a housing than the first engagement portion in an axial direction and engageable with the large-diameter gear portion; and a protruding portion protruding in the axial direction and rotatable together with the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion. The second engagement portion may engage the large-diameter gear portion after the first engagement portion engages the small-diameter gear portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Shimizu, Takashi Shimizu, Hideshi Nishiyama, Naoya Kamimura, Tomonori Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20230003283
    Abstract: A developing device may include an auger or an agitator that is capable of supplying toner in a toner accommodation chamber to a developing chamber and is rotatable about an auger axis extending in an axial direction, a transporting gear that is rotatable together with the auger or the agitator, and a moving gear that is in mesh with a coupling gear and is rotatable both counterclockwise and clockwise. The moving gear is movable while being in mesh with the coupling gear between a first position where the moving gear is in mesh with the transporting gear and a second position where the moving gear is out of mesh with the transporting gear. The moving gear moves to the first position when the coupling gear rotates counterclockwise and to the second position when the coupling gear rotates clockwise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi SHIMIZU, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220390891
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge and developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The developing cartridge may include a developing roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a main casing including a slot extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a first inner surface positioned inside of the slot, and a second inner surface positioned inside of the slot farther from the cover in the axial direction than the first inner surface from the cover in the axial direction. The first and second inner surfaces may be configured to press the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao ICHIYANAGI, Keita SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20220384695
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes: a package defining a recess; a light-emitting element disposed on a bottom surface of the recess; and a sealing member disposed in the recess so as to cover the light-emitting element. The sealing member includes a filler-containing layer which contains a filler and covers the light-emitting element, and a light-transmissive layer disposed on the filler-containing layer. The recess is further defined by a lateral surface having a stepped portion between the bottom surface of the recess and an opening of the recess. The light-transmissive layer covers the stepped portion. An upper surface of the light-transmissive layer is downwardly recessed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo ABE, Keita SHIMIZU, Takashi KADOTA
  • Publication number: 20220357701
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a developing electrode and a supply electrode. The developing electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with a developing roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than a second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the first electrical contact is from the developing roller shaft. The supply electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with the supply roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than the second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact of the supply electrode is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the second electrical contact of the developing electrode is from the developing roller shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita SHIMIZU, Tomoya ICHIKAWA, Takashi SHIMIZU, Kazuna TAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11474473
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a developing cartridge configured to accommodate toner therein; and a drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge is attachable. The drum cartridge is attachable to the casing through the opening in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a charge roller; a cleaning blade configured to clean a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein; a waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Furukawa, Takashi Shimizu, Shinya Kusuda, Tomitake Aratachi, Yasuo Fukamachi, Keita Shimizu, Kazutoshi Nakamura, Kouichi Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11456402
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes: a package defining a recess; a light-emitting element mounted on surface that defines a bottom of the recess; and a sealing member disposed in the recess so as to cover the light-emitting element and made of a light-transmissive resin that contains a filler with an average particle diameter of 200 nm or more and 500 nm or less. The sealing member comprises a filler-containing layer, which contains the filler, and a light-transmissive layer that are layered in an order from a bottom side of the recess. The filler-containing layer has a thickness of equal to or larger than a height of the light-emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Abe, Keita Shimizu, Takashi Kadota
  • Patent number: 11448999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge and developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The developing cartridge may include a developing roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a main casing including a slot extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a first inner surface positioned inside of the slot, and a second inner surface positioned inside of the slot farther from the cover in the axial direction than the first inner surface from the cover in the axial direction. The first and second inner surfaces may be configured to press the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Ichiyanagi, Keita Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11448289
    Abstract: A developing device may include an auger or an agitator that is capable of supplying toner in a toner accommodation chamber to a developing chamber and is rotatable about an auger axis extending in an axial direction, a transporting gear that is rotatable together with the auger or the agitator, and a moving gear that is in mesh with a coupling gear and is rotatable both counterclockwise and clockwise. The moving gear is movable while being in mesh with the coupling gear between a first position where the moving gear is in mesh with the transporting gear and a second position where the moving gear is out of mesh with the transporting gear. The moving gear moves to the first position when the coupling gear rotates counterclockwise and to the second position when the coupling gear rotates clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Shimizu, Yasuo Fukamachi, Keita Shimizu, Kazutoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11415933
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a developing electrode and a supply electrode. The developing electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with a developing roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than a second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the first electrical contact is from the developing roller shaft. The supply electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with the supply roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than the second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact of the supply electrode is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the second electrical contact of the developing electrode is from the developing roller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Shimizu, Tomoya Ichikawa, Takashi Shimizu, Kazuna Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11401121
    Abstract: A sheet tray configured to accommodate a sheet includes a first tray, a second tray directly connectable to the first tray, and a third tray directly connectable to the first tray and to the second tray in a state where the second tray is disengaged from the first tray, the third tray being made of metal. The sheet tray is configured to take a first state where the first tray is directly connected to the second tray and a second state where the third tray connects the first tray to the second tray. The sheet tray is configured to accommodate a sheet having a first size in the first state and a sheet having a second size longer than the sheet having the first size in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Yasuo Fukamachi, Keita Shimizu
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20220075290
    Abstract: Toner cartridge includes a housing, an agitator, an auger, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion. The housing includes a first toner accommodating portion having and a second toner accommodating portion. The auger is rotatable about a second axis extending in a first direction and is configured to convey toner from a first toner accommodating portion to the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion is positioned at a first side of the second toner accommodating portion. The first protrusion extends in the first direction. The second protrusion is positioned at a second side of the second toner accommodating portion and extends in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideshi Nishiyama, Keita Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20220040809
    Abstract: A processing method of a cylinder head for a multi-cylinder engine includes a step of fixing the cylinder head to a fixing jig of a machining apparatus in a longitudinal placement posture in which a plurality of recesses are arrayed vertically, the plurality of recesses configuring portions of combustion chambers of respective cylinders, a step of calculating inclination information of the cylinder head in the longitudinal placement posture by measuring relative positions of at least two recess reference surfaces among recess reference surfaces which are respectively formed in the plurality of recesses, a step of correcting a recess processing condition by a tool of the machining apparatus, the recess processing condition being defined in advance, based on the calculated inclination information, and a step of processing respective inner walls of the plurality of recesses by the tool of the machining apparatus based on the corrected recess processing condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Hirokazu Takahashi, Kazuya Hayashi, Tomoaki Enomoto, Yuto Aoki, Hajime Yamaoka, Keita Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11235244
    Abstract: A gaming device is provided. The gaming device has: a state deciding unit configured to accept an input from the user while a display object displayed on a display screen is performing a given movement and thereby decide the state of the display object performing the given movement; a random number generating unit configured to randomly generate a value from among numerical values in a predetermined given range; and a determining unit configured to determine a game result based on a value corresponding to the state of the display object decided by the state deciding unit and the value generated by the random number generating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: MIKADO GAMES LIMITED
    Inventor: Keita Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20220026845
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge and developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a photosensitive drum rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The developing cartridge may include a developing roller rotatable about a second axis extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a main casing including a slot extending in the axial direction. The image forming apparatus may include a first inner surface positioned inside of the slot, and a second inner surface positioned inside of the slot farther from the cover in the axial direction than the first inner surface from the cover in the axial direction. The first and second inner surfaces may be configured to press the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao ICHIYANAGI, Keita SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20220004139
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a developing cartridge configured to accommodate toner therein; and a drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge is attachable. The drum cartridge is attachable to the casing through the opening in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a charge roller; a cleaning blade configured to clean a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein; a waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki FURUKAWA, Takashi SHIMIZU, Shinya KUSUDA, Tomitake ARATACHI, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Kouichi SUGIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210405551
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller; a coupling for rotating the developing roller; a shaft; and a clutch. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The coupling is rotatable about a second axis extending in the axial direction. The shaft rotatably supports the coupling. The clutch is rotatable together with the coupling about the shaft in a case where the coupling rotates in a first rotational direction. In a case where the coupling rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, the clutch engages with a portion of the shaft and the clutch and the coupling do not rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keita SHIMIZU