Patents by Inventor Mayu Wakamatsu

Mayu Wakamatsu 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: 10452023
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a casing and a drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum having a circumferential surface which includes a first area and a second area; a first cover which pivotally moves between a first closed position where the first cover covers the first area of the photosensitive drum and a first open position where the first area is exposed; and a second cover which pivotally moves between a second closed position where the second cover covers the second area of the photosensitive drum and a second open position where the second area is exposed. A direction in which the second cover pivotally moves from the second closed position to the second open position is opposite to a direction in which the first cover pivotally moves from the first closed position to the first open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keigo Nakajima, Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Kei Katagiri, Shota Iriyama
  • Patent number: 10386784
    Abstract: An apparatus main body includes a drum guide configured to guide installation of a drum cartridge into the apparatus main body and a developing guide configured to guide installation of a developing cartridge into the apparatus main body. A downstream end of the developing guide is located farther away from an opening than a downstream end of the drum guide is. The drum cartridge includes a first handle located inside the apparatus main body in a state where the drum cartridge is installed in the apparatus main body. The developing cartridge includes a second handle located inside the apparatus main body in a state where the developing cartridge is installed in the apparatus main body. The handle cover is located between the opening and the first handle to cover the first handle, in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are installed in the apparatus main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Kei Katagiri, Shota Iriyama, Keigo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10274862
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including: a casing having a drum guide and a developing guide, a drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a handle, and a developing cartridge having a developing roller. The developing guide is longer than the drum guide. With the drum cartridge being installed in the casing and with the developing cartridge being removed from the casing, the handle locates at the first position. Further, with the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge being installed in the casing, being pressed by the developing cartridge, the handle locates at the second position farther away from an opening than the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shota Iriyama, Masatoshi Shiraki, Mayu Wakamatsu, Keigo Nakajima, Kei Katagiri
  • Publication number: 20190025755
    Abstract: An apparatus main body includes a drum guide configured to guide installation of a drum cartridge into the apparatus main body and a developing guide configured to guide installation of a developing cartridge into the apparatus main body. A downstream end of the developing guide is located farther away from an opening than a downstream end of the drum guide is. The drum cartridge includes a first handle located inside the apparatus main body in a state where the drum cartridge is installed in the apparatus main body. The developing cartridge includes a second handle located inside the apparatus main body in a state where the developing cartridge is installed in the apparatus main body. The handle cover is located between the opening and the first handle to cover the first handle, in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are installed in the apparatus main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Kei Katagiri, Shota Iriyama, Keigo Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20190011851
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including: a casing having a drum guide and a developing guide, a drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a handle, and a developing cartridge having a developing roller. The developing guide is longer than the drum guide. With the drum cartridge being installed in the casing and with the developing cartridge being removed from the casing, the handle locates at the first position. Further, with the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge being installed in the casing, being pressed by the developing cartridge, the handle locates at the second position farther away from an opening than the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Shota Iriyama, Masatoshi Shiraki, Mayu Wakamatsu, Keigo Nakajima, Kei Katagiri
  • Publication number: 20190011874
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a casing and a drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum having a circumferential surface which includes a first area and a second area; a first cover which pivotally moves between a first closed position where the first cover covers the first area of the photosensitive drum and a first open position where the first area is exposed; and a second cover which pivotally moves between a second closed position where the second cover covers the second area of the photosensitive drum and a second open position where the second area is exposed. A direction in which the second cover pivotally moves from the second closed position to the second open position is opposite to a direction in which the first cover pivotally moves from the first closed position to the first open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Keigo Nakajima, Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Kei Katagiri, Shota Iriyama
  • Patent number: 9383676
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with: a controller capable of changing a developing bias, which is to be applied to a developing roller configured to carry developer thereon; a peripheral speed ratio of a developing roller to a photosensitive member; a control method by the controller, and a program for operating the controller. A configuration is provided where the developing roller makes contact with the photosensitive member when a developing bias is made to be lower during the non-developing than during a developing phase. The configuration can suppress press fogging at room temperature and low humidity conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hironaka, Satoru Suzuki, Mayu Wakamatsu, Kengo Yada
  • Publication number: 20150378276
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with: a controller capable of changing a developing bias, which is to be applied to a developing roller configured to carry developer thereon; a peripheral speed ratio of a developing roller to a photosensitive member; a control method by the controller, and a program for operating the controller, the disclosure directed to a configuration where the developing roller is contacted to the photosensitive member when a developing bias is made to be lower during the non-developing than during a developing phase, the configuration can suppress press fogging at room temperature and low humidity conditions, therefore an object of the present disclosure is to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method and a program capable of favorably suppressing press fogging during non-developing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hironaka, Satoru Suzuki, Mayu Wakamatsu, Kengo Yada
  • Patent number: 9213254
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image carriers, holding rollers configured to hold developer attached on the respective image carriers, a belt having a surface which contacts the image carriers and moves in a moving direction, transfer members which transfer the developer on the respective image carriers to the belt, a collection device which collects the developer on the belt, and a control device which executes a cleaning control of causing the developer held on the holding rollers to be moved to the image carriers and the collection device to collect the developer via the image carriers and the belt. The control device starts the cleaning control, suspends the cleaning control before the developer moved to an image carrier from the holding roller positioned at a most downstream side in the moving direction reaches the collection device, and resumes the suspended cleaning control at a next printing preparation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mayu Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 9207564
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a holding roller which holds thereon developer attached on the image carrier, a transfer member which transfers a developer image on the image carrier to a transfer medium, a collection device which collects the developer on the holding roller via the image carrier, and a control device which executes a collection control of causing the developer held on the holding roller to move to the image carrier such that the collection device collects the developer via the image carrier. The control device applies to the holding roller a first discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer after the collection control starts until a first time elapses and thereafter applies to the holding roller a second discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer and having an absolute value larger than the first discharge bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Daisuke Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 9195164
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier which carries thereon a developer image, a holding roller which holds thereon developer attached on the image carrier, a collection device which collects the developer on the holding roller via at least the image carrier, and a control device which executes a holding control of applying to the holding roller a holding bias having a polarity opposite to the developer such that the holding roller holds developer and a collection control of applying to the holding roller a discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer such that the developer held on the holding roller is moved to the image carrier and the collection device collects the developer via the image carrier. The control device starts the collection control at a timing after a predetermined point of time according to an estimated charge amount of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki
  • Patent number: 9098051
    Abstract: A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu, Yoshiyuki Okazaki, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takamasa Tsukada
  • Patent number: 9086673
    Abstract: A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu, Yoshiyuki Okazaki, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takamasa Tsukada
  • Publication number: 20150177675
    Abstract: A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu, Yoshiyuki Okazaki, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takamasa Tsukada
  • Publication number: 20150117882
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a holding roller which holds thereon developer attached on the image carrier, a transfer member which transfers a developer image on the image carrier to a transfer medium, a collection device which collects the developer on the holding roller via the image carrier, and a control device which executes a collection control of causing the developer held on the holding roller to move to the image carrier such that the collection device collects the developer via the image carrier. The control device applies to the holding roller a first discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer after the collection control starts until a first time elapses and thereafter applies to the holding roller a second discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer and having an absolute value larger than the first discharge bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Daisuke Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20150117883
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier which carries thereon a developer image, a holding roller which holds thereon developer attached on the image carrier, a collection device which collects the developer on the holding roller via at least the image carrier, and a control device which executes a holding control of applying to the holding roller a holding bias having a polarity opposite to the developer such that the holding roller holds developer and a collection control of applying to the holding roller a discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer such that the developer held on the holding roller is moved to the image carrier and the collection device collects the developer via the image carrier. The control device starts the collection control at a timing after a predetermined point of time according to an estimated charge amount of the developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki
  • Publication number: 20150117888
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image carriers, holding rollers configured to hold developer attached on the respective image carriers, a belt having a surface which contacts the image carriers and moves in a moving direction, transfer members which transfer the developer on the respective image carriers to the belt, a collection device which collects the developer on the belt, and a control device which executes a cleaning control of causing the developer held on the holding rollers to be moved to the image carriers and the collection device to collect the developer via the image carriers and the belt. The control device starts the cleaning control, suspend the cleaning control before the developer moved to the image carrier from the holding roller positioned at a most downstream side in the moving direction reaches the collection device, and resume the suspended cleaning control at a next printing preparation control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Mayu Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 8971736
    Abstract: A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu, Yoshiyuki Okazaki, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takamasa Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8965231
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image carrier; a holding member that contacts with the image carrier and is configured to carry adhering substance received from the image carrier; a belt that contacts with the image carrier; a collection member that contacts with the belt and is configured to collect adhering substance adhered on the belt; and a control device configured to apply a bias to the collection member, detect an electric resistance of the collection member, and control the bias that is applied to the collection member based on the detected electric resistance of the collection member so that the electric resistance of the collection member is converged within a predetermined range, when a cleaning operation of collecting the adhering substance adhered on the holding member from the holding member to the collection member is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu
  • Publication number: 20130223859
    Abstract: A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu, Yoshiyuki Okazaki, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takamasa Tsukada