Patents by Inventor Taichiro OKUNO

Taichiro OKUNO 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: 20230305438
    Abstract: A developing device includes a holding body that holds a developer; an agitating unit that agitates the developer; a supply unit that supplies the developer that flows in from the agitating unit to the holding body; a filling portion provided above the agitating unit and filled with the developer; a closing portion that closes a lower portion of the filling portion, and causes the developer to drop from the filling portion into the agitating unit in a case where the closing portion is removed; and a duct portion that connects a space in the filling portion and a portion above the holding body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 11561488
    Abstract: A powder transport device includes a falling passage unit having an inclined surface that is inclined so as to narrow an interior space, through which powder falls, in a lower region of the interior space; a transport passage unit that is connected to a lower end of the falling passage unit and that has a passage space that extends in a direction in which the powder is transported; a transport member that rotates in the passage space of the transport passage unit to transport the powder in one direction, which is a transporting direction; and an elastic sheet that is disposed to cover a portion of the falling passage unit including the inclined surface, the elastic sheet including an upper end portion that is fixed and a lower end that serves as a free end and faces the transport member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Publication number: 20220308497
    Abstract: A powder transport device includes a falling passage unit having an inclined surface that is inclined so as to narrow an interior space, through which powder falls, in a lower region of the interior space; a transport passage unit that is connected to a lower end of the falling passage unit and that has a passage space that extends in a direction in which the powder is transported; a transport member that rotates in the passage space of the transport passage unit to transport the powder in one direction, which is a transporting direction; and an elastic sheet that is disposed to cover a portion of the falling passage unit including the inclined surface, the elastic sheet including an upper end portion that is fixed and a lower end that serves as a free end and faces the transport member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 11221571
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing housing, a developing unit, and a transport unit. The developing housing includes a container chamber containing a developer. The developing unit rotates around a first rotation axis while carrying the developer on a surface thereof to deliver the developer. At least a partial region of the developing unit is exposed from the developing housing in a developing region below the first rotation axis such that the developing unit faces an image carrier. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image. The transport unit is disposed in the container chamber. The transport unit rotates around a second rotation axis to transport the developer. A part of an inner wall surface of the container chamber on a developer lifting side in which the surface of the developing unit moves toward the transport unit is located between a first plane and a second plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Publication number: 20210096482
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing housing, a developing unit, and a transport unit. The developing housing includes a container chamber containing a developer. The developing unit rotates around a first rotation axis while carrying the developer on a surface thereof to deliver the developer. At least a partial region of the developing unit is exposed from the developing housing in a developing region below the first rotation axis such that the developing unit faces an image carrier. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image. The transport unit is disposed in the container chamber. The transport unit rotates around a second rotation axis to transport the developer. A part of an inner wall surface of the container chamber on a developer lifting side in which the surface of the developing unit moves toward the transport unit is located between a first plane and a second plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 10920828
    Abstract: A toner transporting device includes a bearing, an opposing section, a flange, and an engaging section. The bearing has an inner ring supporting a shaft, rolling elements disposed on an outer periphery of the inner ring, and an outer ring disposed around the rolling elements to surround the inner ring. The opposing section is disposed facing a first side of the inner and outer rings. The flange is provided at a second edge at a second side of the outer ring, extends in a direction of the shaft, and covers at least a part of a second end surface at the second side of the inner ring. The engaging section serves as a first edge at the first side of the outer ring, extends out relative to a first end surface at the first side of the inner ring, and engages with the opposing section in a relatively movable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Patent number: 10921750
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image holding units that include first and second image holding units and on which toner images are formed through developing while the image holding units rotate; a plurality of developing units that respectively face the plurality of image holding units and develop an electrostatic latent image on each of the plurality of image holding units with toner under a developing bias voltage applied to each developing unit; a power supply unit that applies a developing bias voltage to the plurality of developing units, and is common to the plurality of image holding units; an intermediate transfer unit that receives transfer of a toner image from the plurality of image holding units and transfers the toner image to a transfer receiver while circulating in a circulation path including a moving path along the plurality of image holding units, the intermediate transfer unit having first and second modes, wherein in the first mode, the intermediate transfer unit recei
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Publication number: 20200310345
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image holding units that include first and second image holding units and on which toner images are formed through developing while the image holding units rotate; a plurality of developing units that respectively face the plurality of image holding units and develop an electrostatic latent image on each of the plurality of image holding units with toner under a developing bias voltage applied to each developing unit; a power supply unit that applies a developing bias voltage to the plurality of developing units, and is common to the plurality of image holding units; an intermediate transfer unit that receives transfer of a toner image from the plurality of image holding units and transfers the toner image to a transfer receiver while circulating in a circulation path including a moving path along the plurality of image holding units, the intermediate transfer unit having first and second modes, wherein in the first mode, the intermediate transfer unit recei
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Publication number: 20200096046
    Abstract: A toner transporting device includes a bearing, an opposing section, a flange, and an engaging section. The bearing has an inner ring supporting a shaft, rolling elements disposed on an outer periphery of the inner ring, and an outer ring disposed around the rolling elements to surround the inner ring. The opposing section is disposed facing a first side of the inner and outer rings. The flange is provided at a second edge at a second side of the outer ring, extends in a direction of the shaft, and covers at least a part of a second end surface at the second side of the inner ring. The engaging section serves as a first edge at the first side of the outer ring, extends out relative to a first end surface at the first side of the inner ring, and engages with the opposing section in a relatively movable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 10409194
    Abstract: A developer container includes a container, a transporting member, and a passage portion. The container holds a developer. The transporting member includes a shaft, rotatably supported by the container, and a transporting portion that is supported by the shaft and that transports the developer in the container when the shaft rotates. The passage portion is formed in the transporting portion and allows air to pass therethrough in an axial direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Patent number: 10310406
    Abstract: Provided is a developing device including a developer carrier that holds developer, a supply member that supplies the developer to the developer carrier while agitating the developer, a transport member that is disposed obliquely upward in a vertical direction of the supply member, delivers and transports the developer with agitating the developer through a passageway portion provided at each end portion in an axial direction of the supply member, and a regulating member that is provided at a position corresponding to the passageway portion that delivers the developer from the supply member to the transport member, to regulate movement of the developer from the supply member to the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Publication number: 20180267429
    Abstract: A developer container includes a container, a transporting member, and a passage portion. The container holds a developer. The transporting member includes a shaft, rotatably supported by the container, and a transporting portion that is supported by the shaft and that transports the developer in the container when the shaft rotates. The passage portion is formed in the transporting portion and allows air to pass therethrough in an axial direction of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 10007210
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer accommodating container, a developer carrier, an exhaust path, a capturing member, and a closing member. The developer accommodating container accommodates a developer. The developer carrier is disposed in an opening of the developer accommodating container to be rotated while facing an image carrier, and carries the developer. The exhaust path exhausts an air in the developer accommodating container to an outside. The capturing member captures a toner in the exhausted air passing through the exhaust path. The closing member includes a base end portion and a tip end portion. The base end portion is held by the developer accommodating container. The tip end portion is sandwiched between the developer accommodating container and the developer carried on the developer carrier, downstream of the opening in a rotation direction of the developer carrier. The closing member closes a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taichiro Okuno, Takuji Matsumoto, Kaoru Watanabe, Kazuya Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20180081299
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer accommodating container, a developer carrier, an exhaust path, a capturing member, and a closing member. The developer accommodating container accommodates a developer. The developer carrier is disposed in an opening of the developer accommodating container to be rotated while facing an image carrier, and carries the developer. The exhaust path exhausts an air in the developer accommodating container to an outside. The capturing member captures a toner in the exhausted air passing through the exhaust path. The closing member includes a base end portion and a tip end portion. The base end portion is held by the developer accommodating container. The tip end portion is sandwiched between the developer accommodating container and the developer carried on the developer carrier, downstream of the opening in a rotation direction of the developer carrier. The closing member closes a gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taichiro OKUNO, Takuji MATSUMOTO, Kaoru WATANABE, Kazuya NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20180059573
    Abstract: Provided is a developing device including a developer carrier that holds developer, a supply member that supplies the developer to the developer carrier while agitating the developer, a transport member that is disposed obliquely upward in a vertical direction of the supply member, delivers and transports the developer with agitating the developer through a passageway portion provided at each end portion in an axial direction of the supply member, and a regulating member that is provided at a position corresponding to the passageway portion that delivers the developer from the supply member to the transport member, to regulate movement of the developer from the supply member to the developer carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 9081330
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing-device body that includes a supply opening to which toner is supplied and a transporting member that is provided in the developing-device body and that transports the toner and a carrier while stirring the toner and the carrier. The transporting member includes a rotating shaft, a first transporting section, and a second transporting section. The first transporting section and the second transporting section are spirally formed around the rotating shaft. The number of spirals of the first transporting section is less than the number of spirals of the second transporting section. At least a portion of the first transporting section opposes the supply opening of the developing-device body. The second transporting section is formed at a portion other than the first transporting section that opposes the supply opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro Okuno
  • Publication number: 20140212179
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing-device body that includes a supply opening to which toner is supplied and a transporting member that is provided in the developing-device body and that transports the toner and a carrier while stirring the toner and the carrier. The transporting member includes a rotating shaft, a first transporting section, and a second transporting section. The first transporting section and the second transporting section are spirally formed around the rotating shaft. The number of spirals of the first transporting section is less than the number of spirals of the second transporting section. At least a portion of the first transporting section opposes the supply opening of the developing-device body. The second transporting section is formed at a portion other than the first transporting section that opposes the supply opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichiro OKUNO