Patents by Inventor Satoru Nishioka

Satoru Nishioka 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: 11971683
    Abstract: Provided an electrophotographic electro-conductive member that can stably suppress an occurrence of fogging in an electrophotographic image. The member comprises a support having an electro-conductive outer surface, and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, the electro-conductive layer having a matrix including a cross-linked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each includes a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, at least some of the domains is exposed to the outer surface of the electro-conductive member to constitute protrusions on an outer surface of the member, the outer surface of the electro-conductive member is constituted by the matrix and the domains exposed to the outer surface of the electrophotographic electro-conductive member, the electrophotographic electro-conductive member has an impedance of 1.0×103? or more and 1.0×108? or less, and some of the domains satisfy two specific requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Hiroaki Watanabe, Takumi Furukawa, Yasuhiro Fushimoto, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kana Sato
  • Patent number: 11675282
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic member having excellent deformation recovery even when stored or used under a high temperature and high humidity environment, which is useful in forming a high-quality electrophotographic image; a process cartridge; and an electrophotographic apparatus. The electrophotographic member of the present invention includes a conductive mandrel and an electro-conductive layer; the electro-conductive layer including a resin synthesized from an ion conducting agent and a compound being able to react with the ion conducting agent; the ion conducting agent including a specific anion and a cation having at least three hydroxyl groups; the compound being able to react with the hydroxyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sosuke Yamaguchi, Masaki Yamada, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Satoru Nishioka, Taichi Shintou
  • Patent number: 11640122
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×107 Hz under a specific environment, when a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on an abscissa and an impedance on an ordinate is obtained, a slope on a high frequency side is ?0.8 or more and —0.3 or less, and the impedance a low frequency side is from 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Kikuchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Masahiro Kurachi, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20220308495
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×107 Hz under a specific environment, when a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on an abscissa and an impedance on an ordinate is obtained, a slope on a high frequency side is ?0.8 or more and —0.3 or less, and the impedance a low frequency side is from 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Yuichi Kikuchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Masahiro Kurachi, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20220244673
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member, including: an electroconductive support; an electroconductive layer; and a surface layer in order, wherein an impedance is 1.0×103? to 1.0×108? at an outer surface of the electroconductive member, in the surface layer, an electronic electroconductive agent is dispersed, the electroconductive layer has a matrix containing a cross-linked product of a first rubber and domains each containing a cross-linked product of a second rubber and electroconductive particles, and wherein, and wherein among the domains observed in specified observation regions, 80% by number or more of the domains satisfy (1) and (2): (1) a proportion of sectional areas of the electroconductive particles with respect to the domain is 20% or more; (2) A/B is 1.00 to 1.10 when A is a perimeter of the domain and B is an envelope perimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Satoru Nishioka, Yuichi Kikuchi, Takumi Furukawa, Masaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11397388
    Abstract: A process for producing an electrophotographic electroconductive member having an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer in the order mentioned. The electroconductive layer has a matrix including a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a domain including a crosslinked product of a second rubber and an electroconductive particle, the process including the steps of: providing a rubber mixture for forming the domain, including carbon black and the second rubber by kneading the carbon black and the second rubber; providing a rubber mixture for forming the matrix, including the first rubber; kneading the rubber mixture for forming the domain and the rubber mixture for forming the matrix to prepare a rubber composition having a matrix-domain structure; forming a layer of the rubber composition on a surface of the electroconductive support; and curing the layer of the rubber composition on the surface of the electroconductive support to form the electroconductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Kana Sato, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20220229379
    Abstract: Used is an electro-conductive member for electrophotography including: a support having an electro-conductive outer surface; and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, wherein the electro-conductive layer includes: a matrix containing a first crosslinked rubber product and having a volume resistivity greater than 1.0×1012 ?cm; and domains dispersed in the matrix, wherein the domain includes a second crosslinked rubber product and an electron conductive agent; and the electro-conductive layer includes a region T in which the volume resistivity of the matrix decreases in a depth direction from the outer surface of the electro-conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shota Kaneko, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kenji Takashima, Masahiro Kurachi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Satoru Nishioka, Hiroaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11385559
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×107 Hz under a specific environment, when a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on an abscissa and an impedance on an ordinate is obtained, a slope on a high frequency side is ?0.8 or more and ?0.3 or less, and the impedance a low frequency side is from 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Kikuchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Masahiro Kurachi, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 11347156
    Abstract: The electro-conductive member has an electro-conductive support, and an electro-conductive layer in this order, the electro-conductive layer including a matrix and domains, the matrix constituted by a first rubber composition containing a cross-linked product of a first rubber, the domains having electro-conductivity, and dispersed in the matrix, each of the domains constituted by a second rubber composition containing a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, the first rubber and the second rubber being diene-based rubbers, the first rubber having at least one monomer unit, the second rubber having at least one monomer unit different from the monomer unit which the first rubber has; a difference of absolute values of SP values between the first rubber and the second rubber is 0.2 (J/cm3)0.5 to 4.0 (J/cm3)0.5; and a tan ?1/tan ?2 is 0.45 to 2.00.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Kurachi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20220026825
    Abstract: An electroconductive member for electrophotography has an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer in the order mentioned. The electroconductive layer has a matrix including a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a domain including a crosslinked product of a second rubber and an electroconductive particle. The impedance of the outer surface of the electroconductive member is 1.0×103 to 1.0×108?). 80% by number or more of domains observed at each of a total of nine 15-?m square observation regions, which are disposed at any three points in a thickness region from the outer surface to a specific depth on each of cross sections in the thickness direction at three points: the center of the electroconductive layer in the longitudinal direction and points at a specific distance from the both edges of the electroconductive layer toward the center, satisfy specific requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Kana Sato, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20220011684
    Abstract: Provided an electrophotographic electro-conductive member that can stably suppress an occurrence of fogging in an electrophotographic image. The member comprises a support having an electro-conductive outer surface, and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, the electro-conductive layer having a matrix including a cross-linked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each includes a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, at least some of the domains is exposed to the outer surface of the electro-conductive member to constitute protrusions on an outer surface of the member, the outer surface of the electro-conductive member is constituted by the matrix and the domains exposed to the outer surface of the electrophotographic electro-conductive member, the electrophotographic electro-conductive member has an impedance of 1.0×103? or more and 1.0×108? or less, and some of the domains satisfy two specific requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Hiroaki Watanabe, Takumi Furukawa, Yasuhiro Fushimoto, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kana Sato
  • Patent number: 11175602
    Abstract: An electroconductive member for electrophotography has an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer in the order mentioned. The electroconductive layer has a matrix including a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a domain including a crosslinked product of a second rubber and an electroconductive particle. The impedance of an outer surface of the electroconductive member is 1.0×103 to 1.0×108?. 80% by number or more of domains observed at each of a total of nine 15-?m square observation regions, which are disposed at any three points in a thickness region from the outer surface to a specific depth on each of cross sections in a thickness direction at three points: the center of the electroconductive layer in the longitudinal direction and points at a specific distance from both edges of the electroconductive layer toward the center, satisfy specific requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Kana Sato, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 11169454
    Abstract: Provided an electrophotographic electro-conductive member that can stably suppress an occurrence of fogging in an electrophotographic image. The member comprises a support having an electro-conductive outer surface, and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, the electro-conductive layer having a matrix including a cross-linked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each includes a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, at least some of the domains is exposed to the outer surface of the electro-conductive member to constitute protrusions on an outer surface of the member, the outer surface of the electro-conductive member is constituted by the matrix and the domains exposed to the outer surface of the electrophotographic electro-conductive member, the electrophotographic electro-conductive member has an impedance of 1.0×103? or more and 1.0×108? or less, and some of the domains satisfy two specific requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Hiroaki Watanabe, Takumi Furukawa, Yasuhiro Fushimoto, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kana Sato
  • Publication number: 20210041796
    Abstract: An electroconductive member for electrophotography has an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer in the order mentioned. The electroconductive layer has a matrix including a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a domain including a crosslinked product of a second rubber and an electroconductive particle. The impedance of the outer surface of the electroconductive member is 1.0×103 to 1.0×108 ?. 80% by number or more of domains observed at each of a total of nine 15-?m square observation regions, which are disposed at any three points in a thickness region from the outer surface to a specific depth on each of cross sections in the thickness direction at three points: the center of the electroconductive layer in the longitudinal direction and points at a specific distance from the both edges of the electroconductive layer toward the center, satisfy specific requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Kana Sato, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20210033996
    Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×107 Hz under a specific environment, when a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on an abscissa and an impedance on an ordinate is obtained, a slope on a high frequency side is ?0.8 or more and ?0.3 or less, and the impedance a low frequency side is from 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Yuichi Kikuchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Masahiro Kurachi, Takumi Furukawa, Hiroaki Watanabe, Kenya Terada, Yuya Tomomizu, Toshimitsu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 10845724
    Abstract: Provided an electro-conductive member that can be used as a charging member capable of preventing the emergence of a ghost image. The member comprises an electro-conductive support and an electro-conductive layer, the electro-conductive layer has a matrix including a first cross-linked rubber, and domains, the domains each includes a second cross-linked rubber and an electronically conductive agent, at least some of the domains are exposed to an outer surface of the member to constitute protrusions, the outer surface is constituted by the matrix and the exposed domains, and in a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on the abscissa and an impedance on the ordinate, a slope at a frequency of 1.0×105 Hz to 1.0×106 Hz is ?0.8 to ?0.3, and an impedance at a frequency of 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×101 Hz is 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Kikuchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Masahiro Kurachi, Takumi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20200310266
    Abstract: Provided an electro-conductive member that can be used as a charging member capable of preventing the emergence of a ghost image. The member comprises an electro-conductive support and an electro-conductive layer, the electro-conductive layer has a matrix including a first cross-linked rubber, and domains, the domains each includes a second cross-linked rubber and an electronically conductive agent, at least some of the domains are exposed to an outer surface of the member to constitute protrusions, the outer surface is constituted by the matrix and the exposed domains, and in a double logarithmic plot with a frequency on the abscissa and an impedance on the ordinate, a slope at a frequency of 1.0×105 Hz to 1.0×106 Hz is ?0.8 to ?0.3, and an impedance at a frequency of 1.0×10?2 Hz to 1.0×101 Hz is 1.0×103 to 1.0×107?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Yuichi Kikuchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Masahiro Kurachi, Takumi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20200310264
    Abstract: The electro-conductive member has an electro-conductive support, and an electro-conductive layer in this order, the electro-conductive layer including a matrix and domains, the matrix constituted by a first rubber composition containing a cross-linked product of a first rubber, the domains having electro-conductivity, and dispersed in the matrix, each of the domains constituted by a second rubber composition containing a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, the first rubber and the second rubber being diene-based rubbers, the first rubber having at least one monomer unit, the second rubber having at least one monomer unit different from the monomer unit which the first rubber has; a difference of absolute values of SP values between the first rubber and the second rubber is 0.2 (J/cm3)0.5 to 4.0 (J/cm3)0.5; and a tan ?1/tan ?2 is 0.45 to 2.00.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Masahiro Kurachi, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Satoru Nishioka, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20200310265
    Abstract: Provided an electrophotographic electro-conductive member that can stably suppress an occurrence of fogging in an electrophotographic image. The member comprises a support having an electro-conductive outer surface, and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, the electro-conductive layer having a matrix including a cross-linked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each includes a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, at least some of the domains is exposed to the outer surface of the electro-conductive member to constitute protrusions on an outer surface of the member, the outer surface of the electro-conductive member is constituted by the matrix and the domains exposed to the outer surface of the electrophotographic electro-conductive member, the electrophotographic electro-conductive member has an impedance of 1.0×103? or more and 1.0×108? or less, and some of the domains satisfy two specific requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Satoru Nishioka, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Hiroaki Watanabe, Takumi Furukawa, Yasuhiro Fushimoto, Masahiro Kurachi, Kenji Takashima, Yuichi Kikuchi, Kana Sato
  • Publication number: 20200225593
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic member having excellent deformation recovery even when stored or used under a high temperature and high humidity environment, which is useful in forming a high-quality electrophotographic image; a process cartridge; and an electrophotographic apparatus. The electrophotographic member of the present invention includes a conductive mandrel and an electro-conductive layer; the electro-conductive layer including a resin synthesized from an ion conducting agent and a compound being able to react with the ion conducting agent; the ion conducting agent including a specific anion and a cation having at least three hydroxyl groups; the compound being able to react with the hydroxyl group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Sosuke Yamaguchi, Masaki Yamada, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Satoru Nishioka, Taichi Shintou