Patents by Inventor Minoru Ito

Minoru Ito 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).

  • Publication number: 20170010562
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic member which can prevent generation of fogging while high quality images can be output during long-term use. The present invention is an electrophotographic member including a substrate, and an outermost layer directly or indirectly on the substrate, wherein the outermost layer contains a compound having at least a Si—O—Al bond, and the compound has a structural unit represented by Formula (1) and a structural unit represented by AlO3/2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Minoru Ito, Tomoya Uesugi
  • Patent number: 9442416
    Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus, including toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, a toner carrier for carrying the toner, and a regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the toner carried by the toner carrier. The toner carrier is placed to be brought into contact with the electrostatic latent image bearing member. The toner carrier includes a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a urethane resin. The urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction between a compound represented by the structural formula (1) and a polyisocyanate. The toner contains toner particles each containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and inorganic fine particles. The toner has a weight average particle diameter (D4) of from 9.5 ?m to 14.0 ?m. The toner has a porosity of 50 or more and 56 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui, Kozue Uratani, Atsuhiko Ohmori, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito
  • Patent number: 9442419
    Abstract: A developing apparatus and a developing method that significantly suppress generation of fogging and form a high-quality electrophotographic images under any environments such as a high temperature and high humidity environment and a low temperature and low humidity environment are provided. A toner wherein a covering rate X1 of the surface of a toner particle with silica fine particles, which is determined by ESCA, is 40.0 to 75.0 area %, and the diffusion index represented by (Expression 1) diffusion index=X1/X2 satisfies (Expression 2) diffusion index??0.0042×X1+0.62 where in the theoretical covering rate with the silica fine particles is defined as X2; and a developing apparatus including a developing carrying member which is a surface layer formed of a urethane resin having a partial structure derived from a reaction of a polyisocyanate with a compound represented by Formula 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito, Tomoya Uesugi, Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20160161876
    Abstract: A member for electrophotography includes a base, an elastic layer on the base, the elastic layer comprising a silicone rubber, and a resin layer on the elastic layer and containing a resin. The resin in the resin layer and a silicon atom in the silicone rubber contained in the elastic layer bond to each other with a linking group. The linking group has a particular structure, and the linking group has a molecular weight of 58 or more and 550 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoya Uesugi, Minoru Ito, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Masaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9354545
    Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus, including: a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image; a toner carrier for carrying the toner; and a regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the toner carried by the toner carrier, in which: the toner includes a toner containing toner particles each containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and inorganic fine particles present on surfaces of the toner particles; the toner has a dielectric loss factor (??) at a frequency of 100 kHz and a temperature of 30° C. of 0.03 pF/m or more and 0.30 pF/m or less; the toner carrier includes a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a urethane resin; and the urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction between a compound represented by the structural formula (1) and a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Michihisa Magome, Kozue Uratani, Atsuhiko Ohmori, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito
  • Patent number: 9348246
    Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus including a toner, a toner carrying member and a regulating member, wherein the toner is a magnetic toner including a toner particle, a first fine silica particle having a number average primary particle diameter of 5 to 20 nm and a second fine silica particle having a number average primary particle diameter of 40 to 200 nm, the second fine silica particle is a fine silica particle produced by a sol-gel method, the toner has a total energy of 270 to 355 mJ/(g/ml), the toner carrying member has a substrate, an elastic layer and a surface layer including a urethane resin, and the urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction of a particular amine type compound with a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui, Kozue Uratani, Atsuhiko Ohmori, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito
  • Publication number: 20150185655
    Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus, including toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, a toner carrier for carrying the toner, and a regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the toner carried by the toner carrier. The toner carrier is placed to be brought into contact with the electrostatic latent image bearing member. The toner carrier includes a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a urethane resin. The urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction between a compound represented by the structural formula (1) and a polyisocyanate. The toner contains toner particles each containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and inorganic fine particles. The toner has a weight average particle diameter (D4) of from 9.5 ?m to 14.0 ?m. The toner has a porosity of 50 or more and 56 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui, Kozue Uratani, Atsuhiko Ohmori, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito
  • Publication number: 20150185658
    Abstract: A developing apparatus and a developing method that significantly suppress generation of fogging and form a high-quality electrophotographic images under any environments such as a high temperature and high humidity environment and a low temperature and low humidity environment are provided. A toner wherein a covering rate X1 of the surface of a toner particle with silica fine particles, which is determined by ESCA, is 40.0 to 75.0 area %, and the diffusion index represented by (Expression 1) diffusion index=X1/X2 satisfies (Expression 2) diffusion index??0.0042×X1+0.62 where in the theoretical covering rate with the silica fine particles is defined as X2; and a developing apparatus including a developing carrying member which is a surface layer formed of a urethane resin having a partial structure derived from a reaction of a polyisocyanate with a compound represented by Formula 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito, Tomoya Uesugi, Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20150185657
    Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus, including: a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image; a toner carrier for carrying the toner; and a regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the toner carried by the toner carrier, in which: the toner includes a toner containing toner particles each containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and inorganic fine particles present on surfaces of the toner particles; the toner has a dielectric loss factor (??) at a frequency of 100 kHz and a temperature of 30° C. of 0.03 pF/m or more and 0.30 pF/m or less; the toner carrier includes a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a urethane resin; and the urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction between a compound represented by the structural formula (1) and a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Michihisa Magome, Kozue Uratani, Atsuhiko Ohmori, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito
  • Publication number: 20150185656
    Abstract: The developing apparatus includes a toner, a developing container, a developing roller, and a toner layer thickness controlling member, wherein the toner contains toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and silica fine particles; the covering rate X1 of the surface of each of the toner particles with the silica fine particles is 40.0 to 75.0 area %; and a diffusion index represented by X1/X2 satisfies a predetermined range where the theoretical covering rate with the silica fine particles is defined as X2, the developing roller includes a substrate, a base layer, and a coverage portion; and the volume resistivity of the coverage portion and the average thickness of the coverage portion are within predetermined ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Minoru Ito, Masaki Yamada, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Tomoya Uesugi, Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20150185643
    Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus including a toner, a toner carrying member and a regulating member, wherein the toner is a magnetic toner including a toner particle, a first fine silica particle having a number average primary particle diameter of 5 to 20 nm and a second fine silica particle having a number average primary particle diameter of 40 to 200 nm, the second fine silica particle is a fine silica particle produced by a sol-gel method, the toner has a total energy of 270 to 355 mJ/(g/ml), the toner carrying member has a substrate, an elastic layer and a surface layer including a urethane resin, and the urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction of a particular amine type compound with a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Michihisa Magome, Takashi Matsui, Kozue Uratani, Atsuhiko Ohmori, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito
  • Patent number: 9026012
    Abstract: A developer carrying member is provided the surface layer of which can make a developer stable by controlling its triboelectric charging strongly and which can maintain a high image quality over a long period of time even where a developer made highly spherical-particle or a small-particle developer is used. The developer carrying member has a substrate and a surface layer. The surface layer is a cured product of a resin composition containing a binder resin, conductive particles, a quaternary ammonium salt and an azo metal complex compound, the binder resin has in the molecular structure at least one structure selected from the group consisting of an —NH2 group, an ?NH group and an —NH— linkage, and the azo metal complex compound is a compound represented by the formula (1) as defined in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Otake, Masayoshi Shimamura, Yasutaka Akashi, Takuma Matsuda, Minoru Ito, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Atsushi Noguchi, Hironori Mori
  • Publication number: 20140336415
    Abstract: An inexpensive and convenient production method of diphenylamine compounds is provided, that can solve problems in the conventional technology such as decrease in reactivity, restriction of substituents, high temperature, high pressure, by-products or the like. Further, diphenylamine compounds useful as intermediates of medicine and agricultural chemicals are provided. Diphenylamine compounds are produced, represented by general formula (3): which is characterized by reacting aniline compounds represented by general formula (2): under the presence of base and ethers solvent, with 2,6-dichloronitrobenzene compound represented by general formula (1): and a diphenylamine compound represented by general formula (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Minoru Ito, Akiko Ikumi
  • Patent number: 8846287
    Abstract: A high quality electrophotographic member that is excellent in deformation recovery property under high-temperature and high-humidity and that also satisfies filming resistance under low-temperature and low-humidity is provided. The electrophotographic member includes a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a urethane resin, wherein the urethane resin has a partial structure having at least one structure selected from the group consisting of structures of structural formulae (1) to (7) between adjacent two urethane linkages, and the urethane resin further has a partial structure derived from a reaction of a compound represented by a structural formula (8) with a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Yamada, Kazutoshi Ishida, Minoru Ito, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Tomoya Uesugi
  • Patent number: 8837985
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member, which hardly changes in performance even when being left to stand for a long time period. The electrophotographic member comprises a support, an elastic layer formed on the support, and a surface layer covering a surface of the elastic layer and containing a urethane resin, and in which the urethane resin comprises a reaction product of: a hydroxyl group-terminated prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate; and an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyester polyol with a polyisocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishida, Masaki Yamada, Minoru Ito, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Tomoya Uesugi
  • Patent number: 8826935
    Abstract: A gas flow monitoring system is provided in process gas lines each arranged to supply gas to a predetermined process chamber via a flow control device, the system being configured to measure lowering or rising of gas pressure before and after the flow control device to monitor a flow rate of the flow control device. The system includes a first flow monitoring unit placed upstream of the flow control device in a selected one of the process gas lines, a second flow monitoring unit placed in a discharge passage upstream of the process chamber, and a controller that constantly monitors the flow rate of the flow control device with the first flow monitoring unit and, when the first flow monitoring unit detects the flow-rate abnormality two or more times, commands the second flow monitoring unit to re-verify whether flow-rate abnormality is present or not in the flow control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Nakada, Yoji Mori, Naoya Shiroyama, Minoru Ito
  • Publication number: 20140221151
    Abstract: A bicycle drive unit includes a motor, a crank axle, a torque combining mechanism, and a clutch mechanism. The crank axle is rotatable about a first rotational axis. The torque combining mechanism is operatively coupled to the motor and the crank axle. The torque combining mechanism has a sprocket mounting portion that is configured to be operatively attached to a sprocket such that the sprocket rotates about a second rotational axis of the sprocket in a first direction as the crank axle rotates about the first rotational axis in the first direction. The clutch mechanism is operatively disposed between the crank axle and the sprocket. The clutch mechanism is configured to rotate the sprocket about the second rotational axis in a second direction as the crank axle rotates about the first rotational axis in the second direction. The second direction is opposite the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya HINO, Akihiko SHOGE, Minoru ITO
  • Patent number: 8792810
    Abstract: A developer carrying member is provided which can maintain a high image quality over a long period of time even where a highly triboelectrically chargeable developer is used. The developer carrying member has a substrate and a surface layer. The surface layer is a cured product of a resin composition containing a binder resin, conductive particles, a quaternary phosphonium salt and an azo metal complex compound, the binder resin has in the molecular structure at least one structure selected from the group consisting of an —NH2 group, an ?NH group and an —NH— linkage, and the azo metal complex compound is a compound represented by the formula (1) as defined in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Ito, Masayoshi Shimamura, Yasutaka Akashi, Satoshi Otake, Takuma Matsuda, Kazuhito Wakabayashi, Atsushi Noguchi, Hironori Mori
  • Patent number: 8777791
    Abstract: A bicycle drive unit includes a motor, a crank axle, a torque combining mechanism, and a clutch mechanism. The crank axle is rotatable about a first rotational axis. The torque combining mechanism is operatively coupled to the motor and the crank axle. The torque combining mechanism has a sprocket mounting portion that is configured to be operatively attached to a sprocket such that the sprocket rotates about a second rotational axis of the sprocket in a first direction as the crank axle rotates about the first rotational axis in the first direction. The clutch mechanism is operatively disposed between the crank axle and the sprocket. The clutch mechanism is configured to rotate the sprocket about the second rotational axis in a second direction as the crank axle rotates about the first rotational axis in the second direction. The second direction is opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hino, Akihiko Shoge, Minoru Ito
  • Publication number: 20140146150
    Abstract: A television device and an image display method thereof are provided. The television devices includes an image color converter configured to generate image data, after color conversion, wherein the image data is configured for a person with a color vision deficiency for an area which is selected based on selection area information from a terminal device which selects the area or a plurality of areas from a screen layout, a display data generator configured to generate display data based on the image data and color conversion information which is generated by the image color converter, a display configured to display the display data, and a layout information extractor configured to extract layout information corresponding to the screen layout of the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru ITO