Patents by Inventor Shigeaki Tokutake

Shigeaki Tokutake 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: 8551678
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic photosensitive body which does not cause image defects such as black spots and image unevenness when image exposure is performed using light having a wavelength of 350-500 nm, which is so-called short-wavelength light. The electrophotographic photosensitive body is characterized by having at least an intermediate layer, a charge-generating layer containing a metal phthalocyanine pigment and a charge-transporting layer on a conductive supporting body which has a skewness of the profile (Rsk) within the range of ?8<Rsk<0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Patent number: 8036577
    Abstract: An objective is to provide an image forming method and an image forming apparatus exhibiting neither failure in lack of line image nor image defect in halftone images, together with extremely high image quality and longer lifetime. Disclosed is an image forming method possessing the steps of evenly charging an organic photoreceptor; conducting a light exposure process; conducting a developing process to visualize the electrostatic latent image formed on the organic photoreceptor to form a toner image; transferring the toner image into a transfer medium; and conducting a cleaning process to remove a residual toner from the organic photoreceptor, the method further comprising the step of replenishing a developing device with a developer comprising toner and carrier, wherein the organic photoreceptor comprises a surface protective layer containing a filler, and the carrier is mixed with the toner, after attaching a lubricant onto a carrier particle in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Shinichi Yabuki, Chigusa Yamane
  • Publication number: 20110033791
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic photosensitive body which does not cause image defects such as black spots and image unevenness when image exposure is performed using light having a wavelength of 350-500 nm, which is so-called short-wavelength light. The electrophotographic photosensitive body is characterized by having at least an intermediate layer, a charge-generating layer containing a metal phthalocyanine pigment and a charge-transporting layer on a conductive supporting body which has a skewness of the profile (Rsk) within the range of ?8<Rsk<0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventor: Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Patent number: 7625683
    Abstract: An image forming method is disclosed, the method includes forming a latent image by irradiating an organic photoreceptor by a semiconductor laser or a light emission diode emitting light of a wavelength of from 350 to 500 nm, and developing the latent image by a developer containing a toner to form a toner image, the organic photoreceptor having a surface layer comprising a binder and fluororesin fine particles having an average primary particle diameter of not less than 0.02 ?m and less than 0.20 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Masao Asano, Keiichi Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20090280420
    Abstract: An organic photoreceptor comprising a conductive support having thereon at least an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer, wherein a skewness Rsk of a cross sectional curve of a surface of the conductive support meets the condition of ?8<Rsk<0, a method of forming an image and an image forming unit employing the organic photoreceptor, and an image forming apparatus employing the method of forming an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shigeaki TOKUTAKE, Takao FUKAYA
  • Patent number: 7560209
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprises an electrophotographic photoreceptor; an image forming section for forming a toner image on a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an intermediate transfer member; a first transferring section for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to a surface of the intermediate transfer member; and a second transferring section for transferring the toner image transferred on the surface the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium; wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises a surface layer forming the surface thereof and containing particles having a number average primary particle diameter of 1 to 300 nm and the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor has a hardness of 200 to 350 N/mm2 in universal hardness which is lower than the hardness in universal hardness of the surface of the intermediate transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Takao Fukaya, Tsuyoshi Shimoda, Shinichi Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7541125
    Abstract: An embodiment may be an organic photoreceptor, which comprises a conductive support; a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive support; and a surface layer containing a binder and a fluorine-containing resin fine particle having a number average primary particle diameter between about 0.02 ?m and about 0.20 ?m and a crystallinity of less than 90% and a binder resin; wherein a contact angle of the surface layer for water is 90° or more and a dispersion of the contact angle is within ±2.0°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Nobuaki Kobayashi, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Patent number: 7531282
    Abstract: An organic photoreceptor, comprising a conductive support, an intermediate layer provided on the conductive support, having a thickness of 6 to 25 ?m and containing inorganic particles having a number average primary particle diameter of 5 to 200 ?m; and a photosensitive layer provided on the intermediate layer and having a thickness of 8 to 18 ?m, wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is larger than that of the photosensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Yoshihiko Eto
  • Patent number: 7529504
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an organic photoconductor having a surface layer containing fluorine-containing resin particles whose number average primary particle size is not less than 0.02 ?m and is less than 0.20 ?m; a charging device to charge by bring an charging member in contact with the organic photoconductor; a latent image forming device to for a latent image on the organic photoconductor; a developing device to visualize the latent image with toner and to form a toner image on the organic photoconductor; and a transferring device to transfer the toner onto a transfer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Publication number: 20090103953
    Abstract: An objective is to provide an Image forming method and an image forming apparatus exhibiting neither failure in lack of line image nor image defect in halftone images, together with extremely high image quality and longer lifetime. Disclosed is an image forming method possessing the steps of evenly charging an organic photoreceptor; conducting a light exposure process; conducting a developing process to visualize the electrostatic latent image formed on the organic photoreceptor to form a toner image; transferring the toner image into a transfer medium; and conducting a cleaning process to remove a residual toner from the organic photoreceptor, the method further comprising the step of replenishing a developing device with a developer comprising toner and carrier, wherein the organic photoreceptor comprises a surface protective layer containing a filler, and the carrier is mixed with the toner, after attaching a lubricant onto a carrier particle in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shigeaki TOKUTAKE, Shinichi YABUKI, Chigusa YAMANE
  • Patent number: 7466326
    Abstract: An image forming method, comprising the steps of: charging uniformly a surface of an organic photoreceptor while rotating the organic photoreceptor; exposing the charged surface of the photoreceptor with a light beam having a wavelength in the range of 350 nm to 500 nm in a main scanning direction to form a dot-shaped electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor; and developing the dot-shaped electrostatic latent image with toner to form a dot-shaped toner image on the photoreceptor so as to satisfy the following formulas: 1.1?B/A?1.5 and 10?A?50, where A is the length (?m) of an exposed dot of the dot-shaped electrostatic latent image in the main scanning direction, and B is the length (?m) of a toner dot of the dot-shaped toner image in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Masao Asano, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Yoshihiko Eto
  • Patent number: 7459256
    Abstract: There are described an image forming method and apparatus, which enable to form an electrophotographic image having high image density and excellent color reproducibility. The method includes: applying a uniform surface potential to an organic photoreceptor; irradiating light, having a wavelength in a range of 350-500 nm, on the photoreceptor, to form a latent image on the photoreceptor; and contacting a developing blush, containing toner and carrier, with the organic photoreceptor so as to form a visible toner image. The developing sleeve bears developing agent including the toner and the carrier. An absolute value of an electric charge potential of non-exposed area on the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 250-450 Volts and the developing sleeve is rotated in a counter direction, being counter to a rotating direction of the organic photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiko Itami, Kunio Shigeta, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Patent number: 7378212
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of; forming a latent image by exposing an organic photoreceptor to light, and developing the latent image by a developer containing a toner to form a toner image, wherein the organic photoreceptor has a surface layer comprising a binder and fluororesin fine particles having an average primary particle diameter of not less than 0.02 ?m and less than 0.20 ?m and a crystallinity of less than 90%, and has a contact angle for water of 90° or more; and toner particles of the toner has a particle diameter below 0.7×(Dp50) being 10 number percents, Dp50 being 50% number particle diameter. An embodiment may be an organic photoreceptor, which comprises a conductive support; a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive support; and a surface layer containing a binder and a fluorine-containing resin fine particle having a number average primary particle diameter between about 0.02 ?m and about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Publication number: 20070048013
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprises an electrophotographic photoreceptor; an image forming section for forming a toner image on a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an intermediate transfer member; a first transferring section for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to a surface of the intermediate transfer member; and a second transferring section for transferring the toner image transferred on the surface the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium; wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises a surface layer forming the surface thereof and containing particles having a number average primary particle diameter of 1 to 300 nm and the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor has a hardness of 200 to 350 N/mm2 in universal hardness which is lower than the hardness in universal hardness of the surface of the intermediate transfer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Takao Fukaya, Tsuyoshi Shimoda, Shinichi Hamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070019984
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an organic photoconductor having a surface layer containing fluorine-containing resin particles whose number average primary particle size is not less than 0.02 ?m and is less than 0.20 ?m; a charging device to charge by bring an charging member in contact with the organic photoconductor; a latent image forming device to for a latent image on the organic photoconductor; a developing device to visualize the latent image with toner and to form a toner image on the organic photoconductor; and a transferring device to transfer the toner onto a transfer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Publication number: 20070003848
    Abstract: An image forming method is disclosed, the method includes forming a latent image by irradiating an organic photoreceptor by a semiconductor laser or a light emission diode emitting light of a wavelength of from 350 to 500 nm, and developing the latent image by a developer containing a toner to form a toner image, the organic photoreceptor having a surface layer comprising a binder and fluororesin fine particles having an average primary particle diameter of not less than 0.02 ?m and less than 0.20 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Masao Asano, Keiichi Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20070003853
    Abstract: An image forming method comprising the steps of; forming a latent image by exposing an organic photoreceptor to light, and developing the latent image by a developer containing a toner to form a toner image, wherein the organic photoreceptor has a surface layer comprising a binder and fluororesin fine particles having an average primary particle diameter of not less than 0.02 ?m and less than 0.20 ?m and a crystallinity of less than 90%, and has a contact angle for water of 90° or more; and toner particles of the toner has a particle diameter below 0.7×(Dp50) being 10 number percents, Dp50 being 50% number particle diameter. An embodiment may be an organic photoreceptor, which comprises a conductive support; a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive support; and a surface layer containing a binder and a fluorine-containing resin fine particle having a number average primary particle diameter between about 0.02 ?m and about 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Publication number: 20060188798
    Abstract: An organic photoreceptor, comprising a conductive support, an intermediate layer provided on the conductive support, having a thickness of 6 to 25 ?m and containing inorganic particles having a number average primary particle diameter of 5 to 200 ?m; and a photosensitive layer provided on the intermediate layer and having a thickness of 8 to 18 ?m, wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is larger than that of the photosensitive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Yoshihiko Eto
  • Publication number: 20060164496
    Abstract: An image forming method, comprising the steps of: charging uniformly a surface of an organic photoreceptor while rotating the organic photoreceptor; exposing the charged surface of the photoreceptor with a light beam having a wavelength in the range of 350 nm to 500 nm in a main scanning direction to form a dot-shaped electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor; and developing the dot-shaped electrostatic latent image with toner to form a dot-shaped toner image on the photoreceptor so as to satisfy the following formulas: 1.1?B/A?1.5 and 10?A?50, where A is the length (?m) of an exposed dot of the dot-shaped electrostatic latent image in the main scanning direction, and B is the length (?m) of a toner dot of the dot-shaped toner image in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tokutake, Masao Asano, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Yoshihiko Eto
  • Publication number: 20060166127
    Abstract: There are described an image forming method and apparatus, which enable to form an electrophotographic image having high image density and excellent color reproducibility. The method includes: applying a uniform surface potential to an organic photoreceptor; irradiating light, having a wavelength in a range of 350-500 nm, on the photoreceptor, to form a latent image on the photoreceptor; and contacting a developing blush, containing toner and carrier, with the organic photoreceptor so as to form a visible toner image. The developing sleeve bears developing agent including the toner and the carrier. An absolute value of an electric charge potential of non-exposed area on the organic photoreceptor is in a range of 250-450 Volts and the developing sleeve is rotated in a counter direction, being counter to a rotating direction of the organic photoreceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Akihiko Itami, Kunio Shigeta, Shigeaki Tokutake