Patents by Inventor Saya Minoshima

Saya Minoshima 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: 10216118
    Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner supply pipe and a first shutter. The toner supply pipe has a toner supply opening. When the toner cartridge is mounted onto a main unit, the toner supply pipe moves through an insertion opening from an outside position at which the toner supply opening is located outside a developing frame to an inside position at which the toner supply opening is located inside the developing frame. The first shutter is provided at the toner supply pipe. The first shutter moves relative to the toner supply pipe between an open position at which the toner supply opening is opened and a closed position at which the toner supply opening is closed. The first shutter moves relative to the toner supply pipe from the closed position to the open position in a state where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saya Minoshima, Shougo Sato
  • Publication number: 20180284649
    Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner supply pipe and a first shutter. The toner supply pipe has a toner supply opening. When the toner cartridge is mounted onto a main unit, the toner supply pipe moves through an insertion opening from an outside position at which the toner supply opening is located outside a developing frame to an inside position at which the toner supply opening is located inside the developing frame. The first shutter is provided at the toner supply pipe. The first shutter moves relative to the toner supply pipe between an open position at which the toner supply opening is opened and a closed position at which the toner supply opening is closed. The first shutter moves relative to the toner supply pipe from the closed position to the open position in a state where the toner supply pipe is located at the inside position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saya MINOSHIMA, Shougo SATO
  • Patent number: 9645547
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image electro-photographically is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing formed to have an opening; a cover being movable between an open position and an exposing position and having a ventilation port, through which air is allowed to flow; a cartridge having a developer roller and being detachably attached to a body of the image forming apparatus through the opening; a discharging fan arranged on an opposite side from the opening across the cartridge; a handle arranged on the cartridge to extend from the cartridge in a direction toward the opening in an upper position with respect to the ventilation port, when the cartridge is attached to the body and the opening is covered by the cover; and a facing part arranged on the cover to face the handle in a vertically displaced position with respect to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Saya Minoshima
  • Patent number: 9547268
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first temperature sensor inside a space between frames, a second temperature sensor outside the space between the frames, and a controller that, in a case where a first temperature by the first temperature sensor is higher than an inside threshold temperature, and a second temperature by the second temperature sensor is higher than an outside threshold temperature, performs simplex image formation at a first speed when simplex image formation is specified, and performs duplex image formation at a second speed lower than the first speed when duplex image formation is specified, and in at least one of a case where the first temperature is equal to or less than the inside threshold temperature and a case where the second temperature is equal to or less than the outside threshold temperature, performs image formation at the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Yamamoto, Saya Minoshima
  • Publication number: 20160274522
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first temperature sensor inside a space between frames, a second temperature sensor outside the space between the frames, and a controller that, in a case where a first temperature by the first temperature sensor is higher than an inside threshold temperature, and a second temperature by the second temperature sensor is higher than an outside threshold temperature, performs simplex image formation at a first speed when simplex image formation is specified, and performs duplex image formation at a second speed lower than the first speed when duplex image formation is specified, and in at least one of a case where the first temperature is equal to or less than the inside threshold temperature and a case where the second temperature is equal to or less than the outside threshold temperature, performs image formation at the first speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoya Yamamoto, Saya Minoshima
  • Publication number: 20160246252
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image electro-photographically is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing formed to have an opening; a cover being movable between an open position and an exposing position and having a ventilation port, through which air is allowed to flow; a cartridge having a developer roller and being detachably attached to a body of the image forming apparatus through the opening; a discharging fan arranged on an opposite side from the opening across the cartridge; a handle arranged on the cartridge to extend from the cartridge in a direction toward the opening in an upper position with respect to the ventilation port, when the cartridge is attached to the body and the opening is covered by the cover; and a facing part arranged on the cover to face the handle in a vertically displaced position with respect to the handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventor: Saya Minoshima
  • Patent number: 9335699
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer including a body, a conveyer to convey the sheet into a conveyer path formed in the body, a conveyer-supporting frame to support the conveyer, a first placement unit including a lifting plate movable between a separated position and an approximate position, and a lateral guide arranged on the lifting plate to be movable integrally with the lifting plate and slidably along a widthwise direction and configured to restrict a widthwise position of the sheet placed on the lifting plate and, is provided. The conveyer contacts the sheet placed on the first placement unit, when the lifting plate is in the approximate position, and conveys the contacting sheet into the conveyer path. The conveyer-supporting frame is formed to have an interference-avoidable dented section, in which the side guide on the lifting plate placed in the approximate position enters partly to avoid interference with the conveyer-supporting frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Saya Minoshima
  • Patent number: 9309084
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a main body including a first discharge tray configured to receive a sheet conveyed out from the image forming unit, and a resin frame, the main body being configured to support a sheet discharge unit attached thereto, the sheet discharge unit including a second discharge tray configured to receive a sheet conveyed out of the main body through the image forming unit, and an insertion member, a metal bracket attached to the frame, the bracket having an opening into which the insertion member of the sheet discharge unit is inserted when the sheet discharge unit is attached to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masamitsu Ukai, Saya Minoshima
  • Patent number: 9298151
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer including a body, a conveyer to convey the sheet into a conveyer path formed in the body, a conveyer-supporting frame to support the conveyer, a first placement unit including a lifting plate movable between a separated position and an approximate position, and a lateral guide arranged on the lifting plate to be movable integrally with the lifting plate and slidably along a widthwise direction and configured to restrict a widthwise position of the sheet placed on the lifting plate and, is provided. The conveyer contacts the sheet placed on the first placement unit, when the lifting plate is in the approximate position, and conveys the contacting sheet into the conveyer path. The conveyer-supporting frame is formed to have an interference-avoidable dented section, in which the side guide on the lifting plate placed in the approximate position enters partly to avoid interference with the conveyer-supporting frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Saya Minoshima
  • Patent number: 9268301
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; and a process cartridge. The housing is formed with a first opening through which recording medium is to be introduced into an inside of the housing. The process cartridge is configured to be mounted in the inside of the housing and is provided with a photosensitive body. The process cartridge is provided with a process cartridge holding part configured to be held by a user so as to remove the process cartridge from the housing. The process cartridge holding part is configured such that in a state where the process cartridge is mounted in the inside of the housing, the process cartridge holding part prevents at least part of light that has entered the inside of the housing through the first opening from reaching the photosensitive body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Sakuma, Yasumasa Fujii, Hiroki Mori, Saya Minoshima
  • Publication number: 20150274478
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a main body including a first discharge tray configured to receive a sheet conveyed out from the image forming unit, and a resin frame, the main body being configured to support a sheet discharge unit attached thereto, the sheet discharge unit including a second discharge tray configured to receive a sheet conveyed out of the main body through the image forming unit, and an insertion member, a metal bracket attached to the frame, the bracket having an opening into which the insertion member of the sheet discharge unit is inserted when the sheet discharge unit is attached to the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Masamitsu UKAI, Saya MINOSHIMA
  • Patent number: 9039005
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a chassis with an opening formed on one side thereof; a first placement section, on which a sheet inserted through the opening is placeable; a cover configured to be openable to expose and closable to cover the opening and configured to form, when in a position to expose the opening, an outer part of the first placement section outside the chassis; and a second placement section arranged in an upper position with respect to the first placement section, and on which a sheet inserted through the opening is placeable, is provided. The second placement section is detachably attached to the chassis through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Saya Minoshima, Junki Ueyama
  • Publication number: 20150125178
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; and a process cartridge. The housing is formed with a first opening through which recording medium is to be introduced into an inside of the housing. The process cartridge is configured to be mounted in the inside of the housing and is provided with a photosensitive body. The process cartridge is provided with a process cartridge holding part configured to be held by a user so as to remove the process cartridge from the housing. The process cartridge holding part is configured such that in a state where the process cartridge is mounted in the inside of the housing, the process cartridge holding part prevents at least part of light that has entered the inside of the housing through the first opening from reaching the photosensitive body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Susumu Sakuma, Yasumasa Fujii, Hiroki Mori, Saya Minoshima
  • Patent number: 9013767
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus including: a conveyor; a first reading unit; a second reading unit; a first frame; and a second frame. The first reading unit extends in a prescribed direction and has a first end on a first side and a third end on a second side opposite to the first side in the prescribed direction. The second reading unit extends in the prescribed direction and has a second end on the first side and a fourth end on the second side. The second reading unit is disposed opposite to the first reading unit with a conveying path along which a sheet is conveyed interposed therebetween. The first frame includes first and second engagement portions configured to be engaged with the first and second ends, respectively. The second frame includes third and fourth engagement portions configured to be engaged with the third and fourth ends, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Saya Minoshima, Masamitsu Ukai
  • Publication number: 20140293377
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus including: a conveyor; a first reading unit; a second reading unit; a first frame; and a second frame. The first reading unit extends in a prescribed direction and has a first end on a first side and a third end on a second side opposite to the first side in the prescribed direction. The second reading unit extends in the prescribed direction and has a second end on the first side and a fourth end on the second side. The second reading unit is disposed opposite to the first reading unit with a conveying path along which a sheet is conveyed interposed therebetween. The first frame includes first and second engagement portions configured to be engaged with the first and second ends, respectively. The second frame includes third and fourth engagement portions configured to be engaged with the third and fourth ends, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saya MINOSHIMA, Masamitsu UKAI
  • Publication number: 20140252715
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a chassis with an opening formed on one side thereof; a first placement section, on which a sheet inserted through the opening is placeable; a cover configured to be openable to expose and closable to cover the opening and configured to form, when in a position to expose the opening, an outer part of the first placement section outside the chassis; and a second placement section arranged in an upper position with respect to the first placement section, and on which a sheet inserted through the opening is placeable, is provided. The second placement section is detachably attached to the chassis through the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Saya Minoshima, Junki Ueyama
  • Publication number: 20140016980
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer including a body, a conveyer to convey the sheet into a conveyer path formed in the body, a conveyer-supporting frame to support the conveyer, a first placement unit including a lifting plate movable between a separated position and an approximate position, and a lateral guide arranged on the lifting plate to be movable integrally with the lifting plate and slidably along a widthwise direction and configured to restrict a widthwise position of the sheet placed on the lifting plate and, is provided. The conveyer contacts the sheet placed on the first placement unit, when the lifting plate is in the approximate position, and conveys the contacting sheet into the conveyer path. The conveyer-supporting frame is formed to have an interference-avoidable dented section, in which the side guide on the lifting plate placed in the approximate position enters partly to avoid interference with the conveyer-supporting frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Saya Minoshima