Patents by Inventor Takeshi Okuda
Takeshi Okuda 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).
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Publication number: 20140294436Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a fixing drive motor is positioned inside the image forming apparatus and closely to the front surface of the image forming apparatus so as to be laterally to toner cartridges and a waste toner box in a direction parallel to an outer surface of a front housing section.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasuyuki ISHIGURO, Takeshi OKUDA, Hiroshi KUBOTA, Hisashi KUNIHIRO, Eiji TENJIKU, Hitoshi NAGAHAMA
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Patent number: 8718517Abstract: A toner cartridge that makes it possible to prevent outflow of a large amount of toners at any other time but supplying of a toner, and an image forming apparatus are provided. A toner cartridge includes a container having an outlet; a conveyance member for conveying a toner inside the container toward the outlet by rotation motion of a conveyance blade associated with rotation of a conveyance shaft; and an opening/closing member disposed so as to have a distance from an inner wall of the container, the opening/closing member being fixed to the conveyance shaft and opening or closing at least a part of the outlet in conjunction with the rotation of the conveyance shaft.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2011Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Okuda
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Patent number: 8554117Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner containing section which contains a toner therein; a toner discharging unit which is disposed in one side of the toner containing section and has a toner discharging port; a screw member which is disposed inside the toner containing section and transports a toner inside the toner containing section to the toner discharging unit; a bearing member which holds an end of the screw member; a rotary shutter which is disposed in the toner discharging unit to be rotatable about a rotation axial line of the screw member and has a circular-arc-shaped cross-section; and a shutter opening and closing mechanism which opens the rotary shutter in conjunction with rotation of the screw member.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Okuda, Koichi Mihara
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Patent number: 8548362Abstract: A toner stirring member includes a stirring blade made of a flexible sheet having a first insertion hole, and a rotation shaft having a nipping section for nipping an edge the flexible sheet such that the flexible sheet can be inserted into and pulled out from the nipping section. An inclining projection on the rotation shaft is inserted into the first insertion hole. The flexible sheet is nipped by the nipping section, and the inclining projection is inserted into the first insertion hole, so that the stirring blade is fixed to the rotation shaft. The inclining projection has a first inclining surface that inclines in a direction in which the flexible sheet is pulled out from the nipping section.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2011Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Okuda
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Patent number: 8503915Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner container that contains a toner, an auger screw, a toner discharge port, a shutter, an internal opening/closing valve and a stirring paddle. The internal opening/closing valve is provided as a member for closing the toner discharge port, in addition to the shutter. The shutter is fixed to a position at which the toner discharge port is always opened in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The internal opening/closing valve is provided at a position facing the toner discharge port of a driving side end of a rotation shaft of the auger screw. The internal opening/closing valve is composed of a rectangular sheet member having flexibility, and closes the toner discharge port by blocking the entire toner discharge port.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Kimura, Takeshi Okuda
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Patent number: 8412079Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a container body and a screw conveyer section. The screw conveyer section includes a rotation shaft and a toner conveying blade. The toner rotation shaft includes a first rotation shaft portion and a second rotation shaft portion concentrically communicated to the first rotation shaft portion and having a diameter smaller than that of the first rotation shaft portion. The toner conveying blade includes a first blade portion formed on the first rotation shaft portion, and a second blade portion formed on the second rotation shaft portion, a period of a spiral of the second blade portion winding around the second rotation shaft portion being smaller than a period of a spiral of the first blade portion winding around the first rotation shaft portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Takeshi Okuda
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Publication number: 20120155926Abstract: A toner stirring member 206 includes a stirring blade 208a made up of a flexible sheet having a first insertion hole 304b, and a rotation shaft 208b having (i) a nipping section 218 for nipping the flexible sheet such that the flexible sheet can be inserted/pulled out into/from the nipping section 218 and (ii) an inclining projection 207b to be inserted into the first insertion hole 304b. The flexile sheet is nipped by the nipping section 218, and the inclining projection 207b is inserted into the first insertion hole 304b, so that the stirring blade 208a is fixed to the rotation shaft 208b. The inclining projection 207b has a first inclining surface 303 that inclines in a direction in which the flexible sheet is pulled out from the nipping section 218.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Inventor: Takeshi OKUDA
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Publication number: 20120155925Abstract: A toner cartridge that makes it possible to prevent outflow of a large amount of toners at any other time but supplying of a toner, and an image forming apparatus are provided. A toner cartridge includes a container having an outlet; a conveyance member for conveying a toner inside the container toward the outlet by rotation motion of a conveyance blade associated with rotation of a conveyance shaft; and an opening/closing member disposed so as to have a distance from an inner wall of the container, the opening/closing member being fixed to the conveyance shaft and opening or closing at least a part of the outlet in conjunction with the rotation of the conveyance shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Inventor: Takeshi OKUDA
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Patent number: 8175500Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing portion for storing toner; a toner discharging portion having a toner discharge port; and a screw auger having a rotary shaft and a helical blade for conveying the toner in the toner storing portion to the toner discharging portion. The helical blade includes a first helical blade portion located over the toner discharge port and a second helical blade portion located in the toner storing portion. The first toner thrust face of the first helical blade portion, located on the downstream side with respect to the toner conveying direction is formed at a first inclination angle to the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The second toner thrust face of the second helical blade portion, located on the downstream side with respect to the toner conveying direction is formed at a second inclination angle to the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The first inclination angle is formed to be smaller than the second inclination angle.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2010Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Okuda
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Publication number: 20120027467Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner containing section which contains a toner therein; a toner discharging unit which is disposed in one side of the toner containing section and has a toner discharging port; a screw member which is disposed inside the toner containing section and transports a toner inside the toner containing section to the toner discharging unit; a bearing member which holds an end of the screw member; a rotary shutter which is disposed in the toner discharging unit to be rotatable about a rotation axial line of the screw member and has a circular-arc-shaped cross-section; and a shutter opening and closing mechanism which opens the rotary shutter in conjunction with rotation of the screw member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Inventors: Takeshi OKUDA, Koichi MIHARA
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Publication number: 20110081170Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a container body and a screw conveyer section. The screw conveyer section includes a rotation shaft and a toner conveying blade. The toner rotation shaft includes a first rotation shaft portion and a second rotation shaft portion concentrically communicated to the first rotation shaft portion and having a diameter smaller than that of the first rotation shaft portion. The toner conveying blade includes a first blade portion formed on the first rotation shaft portion, and a second blade portion formed on the second rotation shaft portion, a period of a spiral of the second blade portion winding around the second rotation shaft portion being smaller than a period of a spiral of the first blade portion winding around the first rotation shaft portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2010Publication date: April 7, 2011Inventors: Hiroshi KUBOTA, Takeshi Okuda
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Publication number: 20110081171Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner container that contains a toner, an auger screw, a toner discharge port, a shutter, an internal opening/closing valve and a stirring paddle. The internal opening/closing valve is provided as a member for closing the toner discharge port, in addition to the shutter. The shutter is fixed to a position at which the toner discharge port is always opened in a state where the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The internal opening/closing valve is provided at a position facing the toner discharge port of a driving side end of a rotation shaft of the auger screw. The internal opening/closing valve is composed of a rectangular sheet member having flexibility, and closes the toner discharge port by blocking the entire toner discharge port.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2010Publication date: April 7, 2011Inventors: Satoshi KIMURA, Takeshi Okuda
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Publication number: 20110026975Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing portion for storing toner; a toner discharging portion having a toner discharge port; and a screw auger having a rotary shaft and a helical blade for conveying the toner in the toner storing portion to the toner discharging portion. The helical blade includes a first helical blade portion located over the toner discharge port and a second helical blade portion located in the toner storing portion. The first toner thrust face of the first helical blade portion, located on the downstream side with respect to the toner conveying direction is formed at a first inclination angle to the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The second toner thrust face of the second helical blade portion, located on the downstream side with respect to the toner conveying direction is formed at a second inclination angle to the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The first inclination angle is formed to be smaller than the second inclination angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Inventor: Takeshi OKUDA
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Patent number: 7860432Abstract: A toner conveyance unit is provided that can reliably prevent a toner from leaking and scattering. And an image forming apparatus is also provided having the toner conveyance unit. When a circular arc-shaped shutter member and a rotary shutter member are closed, a first conveyance part and a second conveyance part are adapted to separate from each other. When the circular arc-shaped shutter member and the rotary shutter member are open, the circular arc-shaped shutter member and the rotary shutter member rotate integrally so as to be enclosed in the tubular cylinder part, and to move a through hole to a position such as to constitute a portion of a second toner conveyance path, whereby the first conveyance part and the second conveyance part are adapted to be connected to each other so that a first toner conveyance path and the second toner conveyance path communicate with each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Takeshi Okuda, Takeshi Wakabayashi
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Patent number: 7860427Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner container for containing a toner, the toner container being removably mounted in an image forming apparatus; and a storage section for electronically storing specific information held by the toner container, the storage section being electrically connected to a to-be-connected portion of the image forming apparatus when the toner container is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the storage section having: a board assembly including a board on which a storage element for storing the specific information held by the toner container as electronic information is mounted; a housing member for holding the board assembly; and a covering member for detachably integrating the board assembly and the housing member, the storage section being attachable to and removable from the toner container.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2009Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigeki Hayashi, Jun Yamaguchi, Takeshi Okuda
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Patent number: 7853180Abstract: A toner supplier according to the present invention includes a toner stirrer. The toner stirrer includes a shaft, an auxiliary member, and a fixture. The melting point of the auxiliary member is higher than the melting points of the shaft and fixture. The shaft and fixture are welded to each other with the auxiliary member interposed between them. Because the melting point of the auxiliary member is higher than the melting points of the shaft and fixture, this member is not influenced by heat when the shaft and fixture are welded thermally to each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Wakabayashi, Masanobu Deguchi, Takeshi Okuda
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Patent number: 7840165Abstract: A toner replenishing apparatus that allows easy removal of a toner replenishing container and make contributions to downsizing of an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus having the toner replenishing apparatus are provided. A toner replenishing apparatus has a displacement mechanism for displacing a toner replenishing container from a position with the toner replenishing container held by a container holding member. The displacement mechanism includes a hook portion formed in a retaining member and an engagement portion formed in the toner replenishing container. The displacement mechanism effects displacement of the toner replenishing container in conjunction with a release of the toner replenishing container from a retaining action of the retaining member.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2008Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Okuda
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Patent number: 7805096Abstract: In a supply passage assembly having a toner passage arranged under a toner bottle for conveying toner supplied from the toner bottle to a developing unit arranged below, a toner conveying pipe for forming the toner passage is formed of an elastic material and a toner conveying pipe deforming member is arranged adjacent to the toner conveying pipe for elastically deforming the toner conveying pipe.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2007Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Takeshi Okuda, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Jun Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Kawahito
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Publication number: 20100008693Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner container for containing a toner, the toner container being removably mounted in an image forming apparatus; and a storage section for electronically storing specific information held by the toner container, the storage section being electrically connected to a to-be-connected portion of the image forming apparatus when the toner container is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the storage section comprising: a board assembly including a board on which a storage element for storing the specific information held by the toner container as electronic information is mounted; a housing member for holding the board assembly; and a covering member for detachably integrating the board assembly and the housing member, the storage section being attachable to and removable from the toner container.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2009Publication date: January 14, 2010Inventors: Shigeki HAYASHI, Jun Yamaguchi, Takeshi Okuda
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Publication number: 20100003057Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor drum, a charger, an exposure device, a developing device, a toner cartridge, a transfer device and a fusing device. The toner cartridge includes a toner container, a toner discharge port, a toner agitator, a toner discharger having a toner conveyor. The toner discharger includes a toner discharger rotary shaft for supporting toner conveyor portion, and the toner discharger rotary shaft is formed to be smaller in diameter as it goes farther in its axial direction from the toner discharge port.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2009Publication date: January 7, 2010Inventors: Takeshi OKUDA, Yasuyuki ISHIGURO, Takeshi WAKABAYASHI