Patents by Inventor Masaharu Matsubara

Masaharu Matsubara 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: 8431293
    Abstract: A method of recycling an image forming material comprising the steps of holding a toner image formed by employing toner particles in a toner holding layer formed on an image supporting substrate to form a first generation image print, separating the toner particles from the first generation image print; and recycling the separated toner particles to form a second generation image print by holding a toner image formed by employing the separated toner particles in a toner holding layer formed on an image supporting substrate, provided that the image forming material comprises at least toner particles, wherein Condition (1) 0.9?B/A?0.1 and Condition (2) 1?C/A?0.9 are satisfied, A, B and C representing particle shape factors of original toner particles, toner particles held in the image holding layer of the first generation image print; and separated toner particles, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Nakamura, Shigenori Kouno, Masaharu Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8431320
    Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing method of toner which includes at least polyester resin and colorant, comprising the steps of: (A) dissolving, into an organic solvent, the polyester resin and ultrahigh molecular weight styrene resin in which a peak is present in a range larger than 500 thousands and smaller than 3 million in a molecular weight distribution, and preparing a binder resin solution; (B) dispersing the binder resin solution as binder resin solution droplets into an aqueous medium; (C) removing the organic solvent from the binder resin solution droplets, and preparing a resin particle dispersion; and (D) aggregating resin particles from which the organic solvent is removed and colorant particles containing the colorant with each other, and forming toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Hiroyuki Kozuru, Noboru Ueda
  • Patent number: 8381764
    Abstract: A check valve (1) includes a casing (2) having a valve seat (10) formed in a flow path and a valving element assembly (21) disposed in the casing. A top (23) of a valving element (22) is received in a large-diameter portion (38) of a through-hole (37) in a support member (35) of the valving element assembly. A narrow flow path portion (68) is formed between an arcuate portion (46) of an outer periphery (45) of the support member and a second enlarged-diameter portion (11) of the casing. The narrow flow path portion (a first portion of an intermediate flow path) is communicated with a back-pressure chamber (50) defined in the support member at the rear of the top of the valving element through a communicating passage (67) including a gap (66) between the outer periphery of the valving element and the inner periphery of the large-diameter portion and grooves (27) on the rear surface of the top of the valving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignees: Shinshu University, Nippo Valve Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Yuichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 8270884
    Abstract: An image forming method using toner comprising toner particles having a core-shell structure comprising a core particle incorporating a viscous material and a shell layer covering the above core particle is disclosed. The method comprises steps of a toner image forming step on a dielectric drum; a first pressure applying step in which the shell layer of the toner particles forming the toner image is subjected to a preliminary break treatment by a first pressure roller, which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum; and a transfer/fixing step in which a toner image made by the toner particles which have been subjected to a preliminary break treatment by the first pressure applying step is transferred and fixed to an image support by a second pressure roller which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Shigenori Kouno, Mitsutoshi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120021352
    Abstract: Disclosed is a manufacturing method of toner which includes at least polyester resin and colorant, comprising the steps of: (A) dissolving, into an organic solvent, the polyester resin and ultrahigh molecular weight styrene resin in which a peak is present in a range larger than 500 thousands and smaller than 3 million in a molecular weight distribution, and preparing a binder resin solution; (B) dispersing the binder resin solution as binder resin solution droplets into an aqueous medium; (C) removing the organic solvent from the binder resin solution droplets, and preparing a resin particle dispersion; and (D) aggregating resin particles from which the organic solvent is removed and colorant particles containing the colorant with each other, and forming toner particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masaharu MATSUBARA, Hiroyuki KOZURU, Noboru UEDA
  • Patent number: 8080359
    Abstract: An objective is to provide an image forming method by which sufficient fixing strength can be obtained at a low temperature of 120° C., excellent print images with no belt-like or streak image defect can be obtained, and no document offsetting is generated even though the superimposed print images are stored. Disclosed is an image forming method comprising the step of fixing a toner image formed with a toner comprising a releasing agent on a transfer material employing a contact-heating fixing device comprising a heating roller and a belt-shaped pressure body, wherein the heating roller is placed on the upper side of the transfer material, the releasing agent comprises the 1st releasing agent component and the 2nd releasing agent component, and the 1st releasing agent component has a content of 40-98% by weight, based on the total weight of the 1st and 2nd releasing agent components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Asao Matsushima, Noboru Ueda, Go Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8057978
    Abstract: An electrophotographic toner is disclosed, meeting the requirement that G? (60)/G? (80) is from 1×102 to 1×104, where G? (60) G? (80) are each a storage modulus of the toner at 60° C. and 80° C., respectively; G? (100)/G? (130) is from 1 to 102, where G? (100) and G? (130) are each a storage modulus of the toner at 100° C. and 130° C., respectively; and G? (100-130) is from 5×102 to 1×102 dyn/cm2, where G? (100-130) is a storage modulus of the toner at a temperature of from 100 to 130° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Go Yamaguchi, Yoshiaki Kobayashi, Asao Matsushima, Noboru Ueda, Masaharu Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8037899
    Abstract: A first check valve has a narrow flow path portion (68) formed between an arcuate portion (46) of the outer periphery (45) of a support member and a second enlarged-diameter portion (11) of a casing. The narrow flow path portion (first portion of an intermediate flow path) is in fluidic communication with a back-pressure chamber (50) defined in the support member at the rear of the top of a valving element through a communicating passage (67) including a gap (66) between the outer periphery of the valving element and the inner periphery of a large-diameter portion (38) and grooves (27) on the rear surface of the top of the valving element. Thus, a low static pressure of fluid flowing through the narrow flow path portion is introduced into the back-pressure chamber to move the valving element by a large differential pressure during the supply of fluid, thereby allowing the valve opening to become larger than in the conventional apparatus and enabling a reduction of pressure losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignees: Shinshu University, Nippo Valve Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Yuichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 7947420
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of: (i) charging a surface of a photoreceptor; (ii) exposing the charged photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image; (iii) developing the electrostatic latent image using a toner comprising at least a release agent to form a toner image; (iv) transferring the toner image on the photoreceptor to a transfer material; and (v) fixing the toner image transferred on the transfer material employing a contact-heating fixing devise comprising a pair of belts, wherein the releasing agent comprises a first release agent component containing a monoester compound represented by Formula (1) and a second release agent component containing a hydrocarbon having a branched chain structure, wherein a content of the first release agent is 40 to 98% by mass, based on a total mass of the first release agent component and the second release agent component: R1—COO—R2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Asao Matsushima, Noboru Ueda, Go Yamaguchi, Takayuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110033211
    Abstract: An image forming method using toner comprising toner particles having a core-shell structure comprising a core particle incorporating a viscous material and a shell layer covering the above core particle is disclosed. The method comprises steps of a toner image forming step on a dielectric drum; a first pressure applying step in which the shell layer of the toner particles forming the toner image is subjected to a preliminary break treatment by a first pressure roller, which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum; and a transfer/fixing step in which a toner image made by the toner particles which have been subjected to a preliminary break treatment by the first pressure applying step is transferred and fixed to an image support by a second pressure roller which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masaharu MATSUBARA, Shigenori KOUNO, Mitsutoshi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20100279220
    Abstract: A method of recycling an image forming material comprising the steps of holding a toner image formed by employing toner particles in a toner holding layer formed on an image supporting substrate to form a first generation image print, separating the toner particles from the first generation image print; and recycling the separated toner particles to form a second generation image print by holding a toner image formed by employing the separated toner particles in a toner holding layer formed on an image supporting substrate, provided that the image forming material comprises at least toner particles, wherein Condition (1) 0.9?B/A?0.1 and Condition (2) 1?C/A?0.9 are satisfied, A, B and C representing particle shape factors of original toner particles, toner particles held in the image holding layer of the first generation image print; and separated toner particles, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi NAKAMURA, Shigenori KOUNO, Masaharu MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20100248130
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising the step of: forming a toner image employing toner particles containing at least a resin on an image supporting substrate having thereon a toner holding layer via a toner image holding process to form an image print, the toner image being held in the toner holding layer in the toner image holding process, wherein at least the toner particles or the image supporting substrate is separated from the image print via a separation process; and at least the separated toner particles or the separated image supporting substrate is recyclable as an image forming material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi NAKAMURA, Shigenori KOUNO, Masaharu MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20100032027
    Abstract: A first check valve has a narrow flow path portion (68) formed between an arcuate portion (46) of the outer periphery (45) of a support member and a second enlarged-diameter portion (11) of a casing. The narrow flow path portion (first portion of an intermediate flow path) is in fluidic communication with a back-pressure chamber (50) defined in the support member at the rear of the top of a valving element through a communicating passage (67) including a gap (66) between the outer periphery of the valving element and the inner periphery of a large-diameter portion (38) and grooves (27) on the rear surface of the top of the valving element. Thus, a low static pressure of fluid flowing through the narrow flow path portion is introduced into the back-pressure chamber to move the valving element by a large differential pressure during the supply of fluid, thereby allowing the valve opening to become larger than in the conventional apparatus and enabling a reduction of pressure losses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Yuichi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20090250123
    Abstract: A check valve (1) includes a casing (2) having a valve seat (10) formed in a flow path and a valving element assembly (21) disposed in the casing. A top (23) of a valving element (22) is received in a large-diameter portion (38) of a through-hole (37) in a support member (35) of the valving element assembly. A narrow flow path portion (68) is formed between an arcuate portion (46) of an outer periphery (45) of the support member and a second enlarged-diameter portion (11) of the casing. The narrow flow path portion (a first portion of an intermediate flow path) is communicated with a back-pressure chamber (50) defined in the support member at the rear of the top of the valving element through a communicating passage (67) including a gap (66) between the outer periphery of the valving element and the inner periphery of the large-diameter portion and grooves (27) on the rear surface of the top of the valving element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Masaharu Matsubara, Yuichi Takeda
  • Publication number: 20090087770
    Abstract: An electrophotographic toner is disclosed, meeting the requirement that G? (60)/G? (80) is from 1×102 to 1×104, where G? (60) G? (80) are each a storage modulus of the toner at 60° C. and 80° C., respectively; G? (100)/G? (130) is from 1 to 102, where G? (100) and G? (130) are each a storage modulus of the toner at 100° C. and 130° C., respectively; and G? (10-130) is from 5×102 to 1×102 dyn/cm21 where G? (100-130) is a storage modulus of the toner at a temperature of from 100 to 130° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Go YAMAGUCHI, Yoshiaki KOBAYASHI, Asao MATSUSHIMA, Noboru UEDA, Masaharu MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20080226364
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of: (i) charging a surface of a photoreceptor; (ii) exposing the charged photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image; (iii) developing the electrostatic latent image using a toner comprising at least a release agent to form a toner image; (iv) transferring the toner image on the photoreceptor to a transfer material; and (v) fixing the toner image transferred on the transfer material employing a contact-heating fixing devise comprising a pair of belts, wherein the releasing agent comprises a first release agent component containing a monoester compound represented by Formula (1) and a second release agent component containing a hydrocarbon having a branched chain structure, wherein a content of the first release agent is 40 to 98% by mass, based on a total mass of the first release agent component and the second release agent component: R1—COO—R2 ??Formula (1)
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masaharu MATSUBARA, Asao MATSUSHIMA, Noboru UEDA, Go YAMAGUCHI, Takayuki SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20080166653
    Abstract: All objective is to provide an image forming method by which sufficient fixing strength can be obtained at a low temperature of 120° C., excellent print images with no belt-like like or streak image defect can be obtained, and no document offsetting is generated even though the superimposed print images are stored. Disclosed is an image forming method comprising the step of fixing a toner image formed with a toner comprising a releasing agent on a transfer material employing a contact-heating fixing device comprising a heating roller and a belt-shaped pressure body, wherein the heating roller is placed on the upper side of the transfer material, the releasing agent comprises the 1st releasing agent component and the 2nd releasing agent component, and the 1st releasing agent component has a content of 40-98% by weight, based on the total weight of the 1st and 2nd releasing agent components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masaharu MATSUBARA, Asao MATSUSHIMA, Noboru UEDA, Go YAMAGUCHI