Patents by Inventor Miho ISHIDA

Miho ISHIDA 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: 12271126
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a magnetic roller; a transfer belt; a drum cleaning roller for collecting toner on the photosensitive drum and discharging collected toner to the photosensitive drum; a belt cleaner; a waste toner accommodating unit; and a controller configured to perform a printing operation for forming an image on a sheet and a cleaning operation for cleaning the drum cleaning roller. The controller is configured to perform: when performing the printing operation, collecting toner on the photosensitive drum using the drum cleaning roller; and when performing the cleaning operation, discharging the toner on the drum cleaning roller collected in the collecting to the photosensitive drum; transferring the toner on the photosensitive drum onto the transfer belt; and collecting the toner on the transfer belt using the belt cleaner so that the collected toner is accommodated in the waste toner accommodating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Furukawa, Koji Ogawa, Fan Xu, Kazuma Hinoue, Hotaka Kakutani, Shintaro Fukuoka, Soun Kanada, Masahiko Hayakawa, Marika Ozaki, Masaki Ueji, Ayaka Komori, Enao Yamada, Miho Ishida, Keigo Nakajima, Shota Iriyama, Kengo Yada, Yuwen Wang, Junichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 12259678
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a first cover; a drum cartridge; and a toner cartridge. The main casing has a first opening. The first cover is movable between: a first closed position in which the first cover closes the first opening; and a first open position in which the first opening is opened. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum. The drum cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main casing through the first opening in a state where the first cover is in the first open position. The toner cartridge is configured to accommodate toner therein. The toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum cartridge. The first cover has a second opening smaller than the first opening. The second opening allows the toner cartridge to pass therethrough but does not allow the drum cartridge to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida, Enao Yamada, Shunsuke Ishii
  • Publication number: 20250053134
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 12169386
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 12135512
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a drum cleaner, a waste toner tube, and a flange. The waste toner tube includes a first end portion communicating with the drum cleaner and a second end portion connected to the flange. The developing device includes a protruding portion facing the flange. The cushion member is located between the flange and the protruding portion. The cushion member allows a cartridge mounting part of the developing device to move with respect to the flange in a case where the developing device moves with respect to the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 12050431
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a top cover having an opening, a process cartridge attachable to the housing, a toner cartridge attachable to the process cartridge, and an interlocking mechanism. The top cover is pivotally movable between a first position closing the opening and a second position opening the opening. In a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge. The interlocking mechanism is configured to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the attachment/detachment position when the top cover is moved to the second position, and to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the fixed position when the top cover is moved to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 11874626
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a housing, a drawer movable between an inner position accommodated within the housing and an outer position exposed to an outside of the housing, a drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum and a drum frame, and a developing cartridge including a developing roller and a handle. The drum frame includes first side and second side, frames supporting first and second end portions of the photosensitive drum, respectively, and an upper frame connecting upper end portions of the first and second side frames to each other. In a state where the drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge has been attached is attached to the drawer, a portion of the handle is positioned above the upper frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Publication number: 20230408954
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a magnetic roller; a transfer belt; a drum cleaning roller for collecting toner on the photosensitive drum and discharging collected toner to the photosensitive drum; a belt cleaner; a waste toner accommodating unit; and a controller configured to perform a printing operation for forming an image on a sheet and a cleaning operation for cleaning the drum cleaning roller. The controller is configured to perform: when performing the printing operation, collecting toner on the photosensitive drum using the drum cleaning roller; and when performing the cleaning operation, discharging the toner on the drum cleaning roller collected in the collecting to the photosensitive drum; transferring the toner on the photosensitive drum onto the transfer belt; and collecting the toner on the transfer belt using the belt cleaner so that the collected toner is accommodated in the waste toner accommodating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio FURUKAWA, Koji OGAWA, Fan XU, Kazuma HINOUE, Hotaka KAKUTANI, Shintaro FUKUOKA, Soun KANADA, Masahiko HAYAKAWA, Marika OZAKI, Masaki UEJI, Ayaka KOMORI, Enao YAMADA, Miho ISHIDA, Keigo NAKAJIMA, Shota IRIYAMA, Kengo YADA, Yuwen WANG, Junichi HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230408966
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a first cover; a drum cartridge; and a toner cartridge. The main casing has a first opening. The first cover is movable between: a first closed position in which the first cover closes the first opening; and a first open position in which the first opening is opened. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum. The drum cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main casing through the first opening in a state where the first cover is in the first open position. The toner cartridge is configured to accommodate toner therein. The toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum cartridge. The first cover has a second opening smaller than the first opening. The second opening allows the toner cartridge to pass therethrough but does not allow the drum cartridge to pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo SATO, Miho ISHIDA, Enao YAMADA, Shunsuke ISHII
  • Publication number: 20230333510
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo SATO, Miho ISHIDA
  • Patent number: 11733645
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Publication number: 20230259067
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a top cover having an opening, a process cartridge attachable to the housing, a toner cartridge attachable to the process cartridge, and an interlocking mechanism. The top cover is pivotally movable between a first position closing the opening and a second position opening the opening. In a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge. The interlocking mechanism is configured to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the attachment/detachment position when the top cover is moved to the second position, and to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the fixed position when the top cover is moved to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo SATO, Miho ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230244158
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a drum cleaner, a waste toner tube, and a flange. The waste toner tube includes a first end portion communicating with the drum cleaner and a second end portion connected to the flange. The developing device includes a protruding portion facing the flange. The cushion member is located between the flange and the protruding portion. The cushion member allows a cartridge mounting part of the developing device to move with respect to the flange in a case where the developing device moves with respect to the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 11693354
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a top cover having an opening, a process cartridge attachable to the housing, a toner cartridge attachable to the process cartridge, and an interlocking mechanism. The top cover is pivotally movable between a first position closing the opening and a second position opening the opening. In a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge. The interlocking mechanism is configured to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the attachment/detachment position when the top cover is moved to the second position, and to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the fixed position when the top cover is moved to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 11635709
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a drum cleaner, a waste toner tube, and a flange. The waste toner tube includes a first end portion communicating with the drum cleaner and a second end portion connected to the flange. The developing device includes a protruding portion facing the flange. The cushion member is located between the flange and the protruding portion. The cushion member allows a cartridge mounting part of the developing device to move with respect to the flange in a case where the developing device moves with respect to the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Patent number: 11619897
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a transfer medium includes four sets of a photoconductor drum and a development roller, respectively, for forming toner images of first, second, third and fourth colors, arranged in this order, in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the transfer medium moving toward a detector configured to detect a toner image formed on the transfer medium. A controller executes a bias-corrective test image forming process in which a first bias-corrective test image of the first color is arranged in a position downstream of other three first bias-corrective test images, and a second bias-corrective test image of the first color is arranged in a position between two first bias-corrective test images selected among other three first bias-corrective test images, in the direction of movement of the transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miho Ishida, Shintaro Fukuoka, Toshio Furukawa, Toshinori Araki, Masaya Takasu, Takuro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20220397852
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a transfer medium includes four sets of a photoconductor drum and a development roller, respectively, for forming toner images of first, second, third and fourth colors, arranged in this order, in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the transfer medium moving toward a detector configured to detect a toner image formed on the transfer medium. A controller executes a bias-corrective test image forming process in which a first bias-corrective test image of the first color is arranged in a position downstream of other three first bias-corrective test images, and a second bias-corrective test image of the first color is arranged in a position between two first bias-corrective test images selected among other three first bias-corrective test images, in the direction of movement of the transfer medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miho ISHIDA, Shintaro FUKUOKA, Toshio FURUKAWA, Toshinori ARAKI, Masaya TAKASU, Takuro NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20220350276
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a drum cleaner, a waste toner tube, and a flange. The waste toner tube includes a first end portion communicating with the drum cleaner and a second end portion connected to the flange. The developing device includes a protruding portion facing the flange. The cushion member is located between the flange and the protruding portion. The cushion member allows a cartridge mounting part of the developing device to move with respect to the flange in a case where the developing device moves with respect to the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida
  • Publication number: 20220342362
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo SATO, Miho ISHIDA
  • Patent number: 11429058
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a drawer; and first and second process cartridges attachable to the drawer. The first process cartridge includes a first drum cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first developing cartridge including a first developing roller. When attached to the first drum cartridge, the first developing cartridge is movable between a first position where the first developing cartridge is detachable from the first drum cartridge and a second position where the first developing cartridge is not detachable from the first drum cartridge. In a state where the first and second process cartridges are attached to the drawer at positions adjacent to each other, the first developing cartridge comes into contact with the second process cartridge during movement of the first developing cartridge from the second position to the first position before the first developing cartridge reaches the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Miho Ishida