Patents by Inventor Naoto Kinouchi

Naoto Kinouchi 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).

  • Image forming apparatus having a developing-device assembly comprising developing devices
    Patent number: 6868245
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing-device assembly, developing rollers, roller drive gears, a transmission gear, a roller drive motor, a take-in gear, and a generator. The developing-device assembly rotates and stops at a development position where a developing device faces a photosensitive member, thereby switching a developing device to the next one. At the development position, the developing roller provided on each of the developing devices supplies toner to the photosensitive member, and the roller drive gear attached to each developing roller meshes with the transmission gear. The roller drive motor transmits mechanical power to the transmission gear via a power transmission path. The take-in gear disposed coaxial with a rotational center of the developing-device assembly is meshed with the transmission gear. The generator is housed in the developing-device assembly and has a gear meshing with the take-in gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoto Kinouchi
  • IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A DEVELOPING-DEVICE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING DEVELOPING DEVICES
    Publication number: 20040184837
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing-device assembly, developing rollers, roller drive gears, a transmission gear, a roller drive motor, a take-in gear, and a generator. The developing-device assembly rotates and stops at a development position where a developing device faces a photosensitive member, thereby switching a developing device to the next one. At the development position, the developing roller provided on each of the developing devices supplies toner to the photosensitive member, and the roller drive gear attached to each developing roller meshes with the transmission gear. The roller drive motor transmits mechanical power to the transmission gear via a power transmission path. The take-in gear disposed coaxial with a rotational center of the developing-device assembly is meshed with the transmission gear. The generator is housed in the developing-device assembly and has a gear meshing with the take-in gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoto Kinouchi