Patents by Inventor Tatuo Imafuku

Tatuo Imafuku 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: 6177224
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing electrophotographic toner according to the present invention includes the step of mixing at least toner particles and an additive for a predetermined mixing time to produce the toner, with the predetermined mixing time being set within a range from a first mixing time, at which chargeability of the toner (which changes according to the duration of mixing of the toner particles and the additive) shows a singular point, through a second mixing time, at which preservation of the toner (which also changes according to the duration of mixing) shows a singular point. By this method, a mixing time which maximizes the effects of the additive can be easily set. Accordingly, using a method simpler than conventional methods, a toner can be obtained which has good characteristics with regard to both chargeability and preservation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatuo Imafuku, Tadashi Nakamura, Hitoshi Nagahama, Yoshinori Urata, Yasuharu Morinishi, Satoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 5981129
    Abstract: An electrophotographic toner is made up of toner particles composed of irregularly-shaped core particles made chiefly of binder resin, and surface-modifying fine particles which are first dispersed over and attached to the surface of the core particles, and then affixed or formed into a film thereon. The BET specific surface area, based on N.sub.2 adsorption, of the toner particles is less than 0.64 times the BET specific surface area of the core particles and surface-modifying fine particles combined together. Further, this value is 1.07 times the BET specific surface area of hypothetical toner particles which are perfect spheres. Consequently, the toner is not prone to problems such as filming, toner scattering, and fogging which are caused by peeling, separation, etc. of the surface-modifying fine particles, nor to poor cleaning due to spherical toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Akazawa, Toshihiko Murakami, Tatuo Imafuku, Takeaki Ohuchi, Yasuharu Morinishi, Satoshi Ogawa, Tadashi Nakamura, Hitoshi Nagahama, Toshihisa Ishida