Patents by Inventor Nao Itabashi

Nao Itabashi 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: 20180011423
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing to accommodate toner; an agitator to agitate the toner and rotatable about a first axis extending in a predetermined direction, the agitator including one end portion and another end portion in the predetermined direction, the agitator being movable in the predetermined direction between a first position and a second position; a first gear mounted to the one end portion and rotatable along with the agitator; an input gear engaging with the first gear; a second gear mounted to the another end portion and rotatable along with the agitator; a third gear; and a protrusion. The second gear is mounted to the another end portion while the first gear engages with the input gear in the first position. And the second gear is separated from the another end portion while the first gear engages with the input gear in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20180004123
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing, a developing roller, a coupling, a coupling gear, a detection gear, an agitator, a first gear cover, a second gear cover, and a lock rib. The casing accommodates developing agent. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis. The coupling and the coupling gear are rotatable about a second axis. The detection gear is rotatable about a third axis. The agitator agitates developing agent in the casing and performs power transmission from the coupling gear to the detection gear. The first gear cover covers at least the coupling gear. The second gear cover covers at least a portion of the detection gear. The lock rib is positioned at the other end of the casing. The lock rib is configured to be locked to a portion of a drum cartridge in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nao ITABASHI, Hiroki MORI, Shota SHINOYA, Hiromitsu MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 9846387
    Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Naoya Kamimura
  • Publication number: 20170336754
    Abstract: A first gear cover has a first cover portion that covers an outer peripheral surface of a joint and that protrudes from a third outer surface in a first direction. A gear rotates about a third axis extending in the first direction by receiving driving force from coupling, and is located at a second outer surface. A second gear cover covers at least part of the gear, and has a second cover portion protruding in the first direction, and is located at the second outer surface. A first protruding portion protrudes from the first cover portion in a second direction, and is located at an opposite side from the developing roller with respect to the joint in the second direction. A second protruding portion protrudes from the second cover portion in the second direction, and is located at a same position as the first protruding portion in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20170329257
    Abstract: In a developing cartridge, a first supporting member is attached to a housing and has a first developing supporting portion and a driving-force-receiving-member supporting portion. The first developing supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a first part of a rotational shaft and the driving-force-receiving-member supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a driving-force-receiving member. The second supporting member is attached to the housing and has a second developing supporting portion and a detection-rotational-body supporting portion. The second developing supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a second part of the rotational shaft and the detection-rotational-body supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a detection rotational body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Hideshi Nishiyama, Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Patent number: 9785093
    Abstract: In a developing cartridge, a first supporting member is attached to a housing and has a first developing supporting portion and a driving-force-receiving-member supporting portion. The first developing supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a first part of a rotational shaft and the driving-force-receiving-member supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a driving-force-receiving member. The second supporting member is attached to the housing and has a second developing supporting portion and a detection-rotational-body supporting portion. The second developing supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a second part of the rotational shaft and the detection-rotational-body supporting portion is configured to rotatably support a detection rotational body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Hideshi Nishiyama, Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Publication number: 20170285523
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a developing roller, a developer bag, a housing, and a shaft. The developer bag stores a developer therein. The housing includes a developer storage chamber accommodating the developer bag therein. The housing supports the developing roller. The shaft is fixed to the developer bang and movable pull the developer bag theretoward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20170285524
    Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a casing and a developer container detachably attached to the casing. The developer container includes a tubular member, a conveyor, an end member, and a sealing member. The tubular member is configured to contain developer therein and has an axis. The conveyor is disposed in the tubular member and is configured to convey the developer toward one end of the tubular member along the axis. The end member is disposed at a predetermined distance away from the one end of the tubular member. The sealing member is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the end member and an outer peripheral surface of the tubular member, and is configured to be broken with rotation of at least one of the tubular member and the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20170285525
    Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a first flexible container, a second flexible container, and a housing accommodating the first flexible container and the second flexible container. The first flexible container is openably sealed. The second flexible container is openably sealed. At least one of the first flexible container and the second flexible container stores developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Yasushi Okabe
  • Publication number: 20170277116
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a first gear; a second gear; a gear cover; and a protrusion. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis extending in a predetermined direction. The first gear is movable from a first position to a second position. The second gear is rotatable about a second axis extending in the predetermined direction upon receipt of a drive force from the first gear. The gear cover has an opening and covers at least a portion of the second gear. The protrusion extends in the predetermined direction. The protrusion is movable with the rotation of the second gear while the first gear moves from the first position to the second position. The protrusion is further movable past the opening at least once after the protrusion moves past the opening once, while the protrusion moves with the rotation of the second gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20170277076
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a first gear, a second gear, and a protrusion. The first gear is rotatable about a first axis extending in a predetermined direction. The second gear is configured to engage with the first gear and rotatable about a second axis extending in the predetermined direction. The protrusion extends in the predetermined direction and circularly movable together with rotation of the second gear. The first gear is movable in a direction away from the second gear from a first position to engage with the second gear to a second position to disengage from the second gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Shota Shinoya
  • Publication number: 20170269544
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a photosensitive drum, a developing cartridge and a frame. The developing cartridge comprises a casing, a developing roller, a storage medium having an electrical contact surface and a holder holding the electrical contact surface on the first external surface. The frame has an electrical contact. The electrical contact is contact with the electrical contact surface of the developing cartridge in a state that the developing cartridge is attached to the frame. The casing is movable relative to the holder in a separating direction in which the developing roller separates from the photosensitive drum in a state that the electrical contact surface is in contact with the electrical contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20170269543
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a frame and a cartridge attachable thereto. The cartridge includes a casing, a storage medium including an electrical contact surface, and a holder positioned at one side of the casing in a first direction. The holder includes a first outer surface holding the electrical contact surface. The first outer surface is movable relative to the casing in a second direction. The frame includes first and second guide surfaces, an electrical contact configured to contact the electrical contact surface, and a support surface. A gap distance between the first and second guide surfaces in the second direction is reduced from a first distance to a second distance in an inserting direction. The electrical contact is positioned farther from an insertion opening of the frame than the first guide surface. A gap distance between the electrical contact and the support surface is greater than the second distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20170269542
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing configured to store developer; a developing roller configured to rotate about a first axis extending in a first direction; a shaft provided at one end of the casing in the first direction; and an electrode configured to rotate about the shaft and supply power to the developing roller. The shaft extends in the first direction and has a peripheral surface. The electrode has a first protrusion configured to rotate together with the electrode, the first protrusion extending along a portion of the peripheral surface of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Hiroki Mori
  • Publication number: 20170261883
    Abstract: A cartridge configured to accommodate a developing agent may include a detection gear, a first protrusion, and a memory. The detection gear may be rotatable about a first axis extending in a predetermined direction. The first protrusion may be movable with rotation of the detection gear. The memory may include a first storage region storing a first yield information representing at least one of amount of the developing agent in the cartridge and the number of printable sheets by the developing agent in the cartridge, wherein at least one of the amount of the developing agent and the number of sheets by the developing agent in the cartridge may be confirmable based on the first yield information and the first protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadao KYOTANI, Nao ITABASHI
  • Publication number: 20170261884
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a detection gear and a memory. The detection gear may be rotatable about a first axis extending in a predetermined direction. The detection gear may include a first protrusion movable with rotation of the detection gear. The memory may include a first storage region configured to store, based on the motion of the first protrusion, new product determination information representing that the cartridge is detected as a new product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadao KYOTANI, Nao ITABASHI
  • Patent number: 9718597
    Abstract: A cushion includes at least one first medium container bag and at least one second medium container bag arranged in a second direction to surround an object and each extending in a first direction and capable of containing a medium that absorbs shock to the object. The at least one first medium container bag includes: a first container having a first area in cross section; and a second container protruding, from an end portion of the first container in the first direction, toward a distal end portion of the at least one first medium container bag in the first direction. The second container has a second area in cross section which is less than the first area. The second container protrudes to a position nearer to the distal end portion than each of the at least one second medium container bag in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20170185001
    Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing configured to accommodate developer therein, the casing extending in the first direction; a coupling rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction, the coupling being positioned at one side of the casing in the first direction; a detection gear rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the detection gear being positioned at another side of the casing in the first direction; and a storage medium including an electric contact surface, the electric contact surface being positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Junichi Yokoi
  • Publication number: 20170185032
    Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing to accommodate developer; a storage medium including an electric contact surface; an elastic member extending in a first direction crossing the electric contact surface, and configured to be compressed or stretched in the first direction between a first state and a second state; and a holder including an outer surface positioned toward a side of the holder in the first direction, the electric contact surface positioned at the outer surface, and movable between first and second positions in the first direction relative to the casing. A length of the elastic member in the first direction is greater in the first state than in the second state. The electric contact surface is in the first position when the elastic member is in the first state, and the electric contact surface is in the second position when the elastic member is in the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Junichi Yokoi
  • Publication number: 20170184998
    Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing for accommodating developer therein; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one side of the casing in a second direction; a storage medium having an electric contact surface; and a holder movable relative to the casing in the second direction with the electric contact surface between a first position and a second position, the holder having an outer surface at which the electric contact surface is positioned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi