Patents by Inventor Takayuki Takai

Takayuki Takai 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: 9575438
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image carrier on which a toner image is formed; and a cleaning blade which removes a residual material on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred to a transferred body, wherein the image carrier includes an elastic layer, the cleaning blade is a metallic plate spring, and a tip end of the cleaning blade is pressed against the image carrier by restoring force of the plate spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takayuki Takai, Takuya Okada, Takashi Kawanago
  • Patent number: 9417595
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus transfers a toner image formed on an image carrier having a moving surface onto a transfer object, and includes: a cleaning member that performs a removal operation on residues remaining on the image carrier after transfer of the toner image; and a brush member that has bristles including original yarns with uneven surfaces formed by microparticles adhering to and coating the original yarns, and comes into contact with the image carrier, on a downstream side relative to the cleaning member in a movement direction of the surface of the image carrier, to remove part of the residues that remains unremoved on the image carrier even after the removal operation performed by the cleaning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki Takai, Takuya Okada, Takashi Kawanago
  • Publication number: 20160054700
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus transfers a toner image formed on an image carrier having a moving surface onto a transfer object, and includes: a cleaning member that performs a removal operation on residues remaining on the image carrier after transfer of the toner image; and a brush member that has bristles including original yarns with uneven surfaces formed by microparticles adhering to and coating the original yarns, and comes into contact with the image carrier, on a downstream side relative to the cleaning member in a movement direction of the surface of the image carrier, to remove part of the residues that remains unremoved on the image carrier even after the removal operation performed by the cleaning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takayuki TAKAI, Takuya OKADA, Takashi KAWANAGO
  • Publication number: 20160026146
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image carrier on which a toner image is formed; and a cleaning blade which removes a residual material on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred to a transferred body, wherein the image carrier includes an elastic layer, the cleaning blade is a metallic plate spring, and a tip end of the cleaning blade is pressed against the image carrier by restoring force of the plate spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takayuki TAKAI, Takuya OKADA, Takashi KAWANAGO
  • Patent number: 9008539
    Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a cleaning subject, having: a first cleaning member that rotates in a predetermined direction, thereby removing toner from the cleaning subject; a first collecting member that collects the toner removed by the first cleaning member; and a second collecting member that is positioned downstream from the first collecting member in the predetermined direction and collects the toner removed by the first cleaning member, in which, a potential difference of the first collecting member relative to the first cleaning member is opposite in polarity to a potential difference of the second collecting member relative to the first cleaning member, the first collecting member has a potential equal in polarity to that of the first cleaning member, and the potential of the first collecting member is greater in magnitude than the potential of the first cleaning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20140023393
    Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a cleaning subject, having; a first cleaning member that rotates in a predetermined direction, thereby removing toner from the cleaning subject; a first collecting member that collects the toner removed by the first cleaning member; and a second collecting member that is positioned downstream from the first collecting member in the predetermined direction and collects the toner removed by the first cleaning member, in which, a potential difference of the first collecting member relative to the first cleaning member is opposite in polarity to a potential difference of the second collecting member relative to the first cleaning member, the first collecting member has a potential equal in polarity to that of the first cleaning member, and the potential of the first collecting member is greater in magnitude than the potential of the first cleaning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki TAKAI
  • Patent number: 8285164
    Abstract: A developing device is provided with a developer transporting member for transporting a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a toner transporting member opposite to the developer transporting member and opposite to an electrostatic latent image carrying member; a first electric field forming device, which is composed of a power source for the developer transporting member and a power source for the toner transporting member, for shifting the toner in the developer held onto the developer transporting member to the toner transporting member; and a second electric field forming device for shifting the toner held onto the toner transporting member to an electrostatic latent image on the carrying member. Operation of the first electric field forming device is controlled based on an electric current flowing in the developer transporting member power source, which is detected by a detecting block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Imura, Kazuhiro Saito, Takuya Okada, Takuya Sasaki, Chikara Tsutsui, Takayuki Takai
  • Patent number: 8280268
    Abstract: A developing device is provided with a first transporting member for transporting a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a second transporting member opposite to the first transporting member to interpose a first spatial region therebetween and opposite to an electrostatic latent image carrying member to interpose a second spatial region therebetween; a first electric field forming device, composed of first and second power sources, for shifting the toner in the developer held onto the first transporting member to the second transporting member; and a second electric field forming device, composed of the second power source, for shifting the toner held onto the second transporting member to an electrostatic latent image on the carrying member. The operation of the second electric field forming device is controlled based on electric currents flowing in the first and second power sources, which are detected by first and second detecting blocks, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Imura, Kazuhiro Saito, Takuya Okada, Takuya Sasaki, Chikara Tsutsui, Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20120189354
    Abstract: A developing device has a first toner carrier which carries, on an outer peripheral surface, toner to be fed to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier and which is arranged out of contact with the image carrier; a second toner carrier which carries, on an outer peripheral surface, toner to be fed to the electrostatic latent image and which is arranged out of contact with the image carrier; and a developer carrier which carries a developer made up of toner and carriers and which feeds the toner to the first toner carrier and the second toner carrier. The toner carried by each of the first toner carrier and the second toner carrier is caused to adhere to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier by application of an AC bias voltage to each of the first toner carrier and the second toner carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hokuto HATANO, Takayuki Takai, Takuya Okada, Takuya Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20120134722
    Abstract: A developing device having: a plurality of toner support members for supporting toner on their peripheral surfaces, the plurality of toner support members being arranged in a direction of rotation of an image support member out of contact with the image support member; and a developer support member for supporting a developer containing toner and carriers and supplying the toner to the plurality of toner support members; wherein the plurality of toner support members have dielectric layers on their surfaces, the dielectric layers satisfying a condition d1/?1>d2/?2; and wherein the first toner support member and the second toner support member are connected to a single power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takuya SASAKI, Takayuki Takai, Takuya Okada, Hokuto Hatano
  • Publication number: 20110299893
    Abstract: A developing device having a plurality of toner carrying members for carrying toner on their outer peripheral surfaces, the plurality of toner carrying members being placed along a rotating direction of an image carrying member and out of contact with the image carrying member; and a developer carrying member for carrying a developer composed of toner and carriers and for supplying the toner to the plurality of toner carrying members. In the developing device, AC bias voltages are applied to the toner carrying members so as to cause the toner carried by the toner carrying members to stick to an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrying member by the effect of electric fields induced by a voltage of the electrostatic latent image and the AC bias voltages applied to the toner carrying members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki TAKAI, Takuya Okada, Takuya Sasaki, Hokuto Hatano
  • Patent number: 8050602
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a first transporting member placed at an opening portion of a developer vessel used for housing the developer; a second transporting member that faces the first transporting member with a first area interposed therebetween, and also faces an electrostatic latent image-supporting member with a second area interposed therebetween; a first electric-field-forming unit that forms a first electric field between the first transporting member and the second transporting member; and a second electric-field-forming unit that forms a second electric field between the second transporting member and the electrostatic latent image-supporting member. An image-forming apparatus includes the above-mentioned developing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20110058835
    Abstract: A developing device is provided with a first transporting member for transporting a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a second transporting member opposite to the first transporting member to interpose a first spatial region therebetween and opposite to an electrostatic latent image carrying member to interpose a second spatial region therebetween; a first electric field forming device, composed of first and second power sources, for shifting the toner in the developer held onto the first transporting member to the second transporting member; and a second electric field forming device, composed of the second power source, for shifting the toner held onto the second transporting member to an electrostatic latent image on the carrying member. The operation of the second electric field forming device is controlled based on electric currents flowing in the first and second power sources, which are detected by first and second detecting blocks, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki IMURA, Kazuhiro Saito, Takuya Okada, Takuya Sasaki, Chikara Tsutsui, Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20110058836
    Abstract: A developing device is provided with a developer transporting member for transporting a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a toner transporting member opposite to the developer transporting member and opposite to an electrostatic latent image carrying member; a first electric field forming device, which is composed of a power source for the developer transporting member and a power source for the toner transporting member, for shifting the toner in the developer held onto the developer transporting member to the toner transporting member; and a second electric field forming device for shifting the toner held onto the toner transporting member to an electrostatic latent image on the carrying member. Operation of the first electric field forming device is controlled based on an electric current flowing in the developer transporting member power source, which is detected by a detecting block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki IMURA, Kazuhiro Saito, Takuya Okada, Takuya Sasaki, Chikara Tsutsui, Takayuki Takai
  • Patent number: 7835676
    Abstract: A developing apparatus for visualizing an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing member by using a developer including toner and carrier particles, has a developer including toner and carrier particles, a first transport member, a second transport member positioned to oppose to the first transport member across a first region and to the electrostatic latent image bearing member across a second region. A first electric field forming unit forms a first electric field between the first and second transport members to move the toner particles from the first transport member to the second transport member. A second electric field forming unit forms a second electric field between the second transport member and the electrostatic latent image bearing member to move the toner particles from the second transport member to the electrostatic latent image bearing member and thereby to visualize an electrostatic latent image on the image into a visible image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Goto, Chikara Tsutsui, Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20090317142
    Abstract: The present invention provides a developing device that is provided with: a developer containing a toner and a carrier; a first transporting member placed at an opening portion of a developer vessel used for housing the developer; a second transporting member that faces the first transporting member with a first area interposed therebetween, and also faces an electrostatic latent image-supporting member with a second area interposed therebetween; a first electric-field-forming unit that forms a first electric field between the first transporting member and the second transporting member; and a second electric-field-forming unit that forms a second electric field between the second transporting member and the electrostatic latent image-supporting member, and in this structure, the first electric field, formed between the first transporting member and the second transporting member, includes at least an ac electric field, and the second transporting member has a surface that is charged to the same polarity as t
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20080175625
    Abstract: A developing apparatus for visualizing an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing member by using a developer including toner and carrier particles, has a developer including toner and carrier particles, a first transport member, a second transport member positioned to oppose to the first transport member across a first region and to the electrostatic latent image bearing member across a second region. A first electric field forming unit forms a first electric field between the first and second transport members to move the toner particles from the first transport member to the second transport member. A second electric field forming unit forms a second electric field between the second transport member and the electrostatic latent image bearing member to move the toner particles from the second transport member to the electrostatic latent image bearing member and thereby to visualize an electrostatic latent image on the image into a visible image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi GOTO, Chikara TSUTSUI, Takayuki TAKAI
  • Publication number: 20080081777
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning agent composition which is used for cleaning and removing deposits adhered to an object to be cleaned. The cleaning agent composition comprises a hydrocarbon-based base material, a surfactant and water. The content of the surfactant is from 0.1 to 50% by weight, the content of water is from 0.01 to 5% by weight based on the entire cleaning agent composition, and the balance is the base material, based on the entire cleaning agent composition. The base material is preferably light oil or gasoline, and the base material may be an organic solvent. The base material preferably has a dynamic viscosity at 30° C. in a range from 0.5 to 20 mm2/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Bunne, Shouzou Ikejima, Kouichi Nagaya, Shinji Abo, Masakazu Iori, Takayuki Takai, Noriyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6845222
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a photosensitive member 1, a charging roller 2 and a developing roller 31, and including an output variable power source 8 common to the charging and the developing rollers 2 and 31 for applying voltages to the charging and developing rollers 2 and 31, respectively, a power source output control portion 9, and a voltage changing device (Zener diode D1) interposed between the developing roller 31 and the power source 8, wherein, when the voltages applied to the charging and developing rollers 2 and 31 are raised to and lowered from voltages required for image formation, respectively, the control portion 9 controls an output of the power source 8 to perform the raising and lowering of the applied voltages for a predetermined time while keeping a potential difference for suppressing movement of developer onto the photosensitive member 1 between the voltages applied to the charging and developing rollers 2 and 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takai
  • Publication number: 20040042813
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a photosensitive member 1, a charging roller 2 and a developing roller 31, and including an output variable power source 8 common to the charging and the developing rollers 2 and 31 for applying voltages to the charging and developing rollers 2 and 31, respectively, a power source output control portion 9, and a voltage changing device (Zener diode D1) interposed between the developing roller 31 and the power source 8, wherein, when the voltages applied to the charging and developing rollers 2 and 31 are raised to and lowered from voltages required for image formation, respectively, the control portion 9 controls an output of the power source 8 to perform the raising and lowering of the applied voltages for a predetermined time while keeping a potential difference for suppressing movement of developer onto the photosensitive member 1 between the voltages applied to the charging and developing rollers 2 and 31.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Takai