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).
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Patent number: 11204585Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing, a drive gear, a first gear, and a second gear rotatable relative to the first gear. The drive gear includes a small-diameter gear part, and a large-diameter gear part. The first gear includes: a first gear teeth part having a plurality of gear teeth; and a first protrusion movable in accordance with rotation of the first gear teeth part. The second gear includes: a second gear teeth part having at least one gear tooth; and a second protrusion movable in accordance with rotation of the second gear teeth part. The second gear teeth part is configured to meshingly engage with the large-diameter gear part to rotate the second gear after the first gear rotates by a prescribed angle by meshing engagement between the small-diameter gear part and the first gear teeth part.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keita Shimizu
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Patent number: 11181852Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 12, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideshi Nishiyama, Keita Shimizu
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Patent number: 11150600Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 25, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masao Ichiyanagi, Keita Shimizu
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Publication number: 20210293309Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2021Publication date: September 23, 2021Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi SHIMIZU, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA
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Patent number: 11126109Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 23, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keita Shimizu
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Patent number: 11048203Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a housing; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in an axial direction; a first helical gear and a second helical gear positioned at an outer surface of the housing; a cover covering part of the second helical gear; and an engaging member movable with the second helical gear. The second helical gear meshes with the first helical gear and is rotatable in first and second rotational directions. The second helical gear is movable in the axial direction between a first position and a second position farther away from the outer surface than the first position. The second helical gear rotates in the first rotational direction to move to the first position. The second helical gear rotates in the second rotational direction to move to the second position whereby the engaging member engages part of the cover to terminate rotation of the second helical gear.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2020Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita Shimizu, Tomitake Aratachi
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Patent number: 11028903Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 19, 2020Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Shimizu, Yasuo Fukamachi, Keita Shimizu, Kazutoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 11016433Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a housing; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in an axial direction; a first helical gear and a second helical gear positioned at an outer surface of the housing; a cover covering part of the second helical gear; and an engaging member movable with the second helical gear. The second helical gear meshes with the first helical gear and is rotatable in first and second rotational directions. The second helical gear is movable in the axial direction between a first position and a second position farther away from the outer surface than the first position. The second helical gear rotates in the first rotational direction to move to the first position. The second helical gear rotates in the second rotational direction to move to the second position whereby the engaging member engages part of the cover to terminate rotation of the second helical gear.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita Shimizu, Tomitake Aratachi
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Patent number: 10983456Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita Shimizu, Takashi Shimizu, Hideshi Nishiyama, Naoya Kamimura, Tomonori Watanabe
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Patent number: 10962920Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a drive gear; a first gear; and a second gear. The casing is configured to accommodate developing agent therein. The first gear is configured to receive a driving force from the drive gear. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction in accordance with rotation of the drive gear. The first gear includes a first protrusion. the second gear is configured to receive the driving force from the drive gear. The second gear is rotatable about the first axis. the second gear includes a second protrusion. A rotational speed of the second gear is faster than a rotational speed of the first gear.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keita Shimizu
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Publication number: 20210088967Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing, a drive gear, a first gear, and a second gear rotatable relative to the first gear. The drive gear includes a small-diameter gear part, and a large-diameter gear part. The first gear includes: a first gear teeth part having a plurality of gear teeth; and a first protrusion movable in accordance with rotation of the first gear teeth part. The second gear includes: a second gear teeth part having at least one gear tooth; and a second protrusion movable in accordance with rotation of the second gear teeth part. The second gear teeth part is configured to meshingly engage with the large-diameter gear part to rotate the second gear after the first gear rotates by a prescribed angle by meshing engagement between the small-diameter gear part and the first gear teeth part.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keita SHIMIZU
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Patent number: 10948851Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a developing device including a developing roller and a coupling rotatable both in a first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a coupler engageable with the coupling, a motor configured to drive the coupler, the motor configured to cause the coupler to be a first state in which the coupling rotates in the second direction and a second state in which the coupling rotates in the first direction, and a controller configured to transfer, to the motor, an instruction for changing the coupler to the second state, in a case where the controller judges that the remaining toner amount in a developing chamber of the developing device is smaller than or equal to the first predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2020Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Shimizu, Keita Shimizu, Yasuo Fukamachi, Kazutoshi Nakamura, Kasuma Hinoue
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Publication number: 20210055671Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita SHIMIZU, Takashi SHIMIZU, Hideshi NISHIYAMA, Naoya KAMIMURA, Tomonori WATANABE
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Publication number: 20210057620Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATIONInventors: Shogo ABE, Keita SHIMIZU, Takashi KADOTA
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Publication number: 20210016985Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU
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Patent number: 10866561Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing, a drive gear, a first gear, and a second gear rotatable relative to the first gear. The drive gear includes a small-diameter gear part, and a large-diameter gear part. The first gear includes: a first gear teeth part having a plurality of gear teeth; and a first protrusion movable in accordance with rotation of the first gear teeth part. The second gear includes: a second gear teeth part having at least one gear tooth; and a second protrusion movable in accordance with rotation of the second gear teeth part. The second gear teeth part is configured to meshingly engage with the large-diameter gear part to rotate the second gear after the first gear rotates by a prescribed angle by meshing engagement between the small-diameter gear part and the first gear teeth part.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2019Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keita Shimizu
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Publication number: 20200371470Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita SHIMIZU, Tomoya ICHIKAWA, Takashi SHIMIZU, Kazuna TAGUCHI
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Patent number: 10831129Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keita Shimizu, Takashi Shimizu, Hideshi Nishiyama, Naoya Kamimura, Tomonori Watanabe
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Publication number: 20200332863Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi SHIMIZU, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA
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Publication number: 20200310297Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a developing device including a developing roller and a coupling rotatable both in a first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a coupler engageable with the coupling, a motor configured to drive the coupler, the motor configured to cause the coupler to be a first state in which the coupling rotates in the second direction and a second state in which the coupling rotates in the first direction, and a controller configured to transfer-, to the motor, an instruction for changing the coupler to the second state, in a case where the controller judges that the remaining toner amount in a developing chamber of the developing device is smaller than or equal to the first predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi SHIMIZU, Keita SHIMIZU, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Kasuma HINOUE