Patents by Inventor Thomas Howard Miller

Thomas Howard Miller 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).

  • Image forming apparatus having process cartridge with shutter and cleaning member
    Patent number: 5697017
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a developing unit which is removably installed in a body of the image forming apparatus, a shutter covering a developing region of the photosensitive member when the developing unit is removed from the body of the image forming apparatus and a cleaning member capable of cleaning the surface of the photosensitive member in accordance with rotation of the photosensitive member by making contact with the photosensitive member in conjunction with the shutter covering operation, but which does not contact the photosensitive member when the shutter is open. During a control operation, foreign matter such as used developer adhered to the photosensitive member is removed when the photosensitive member is rotated with the shutter closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignees: Lexmark International, Inc., Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul Allen Rooke, Thomas Howard Miller, John Edward Passafiume, Narutaka Yoshida, Yasushi Tsuda, Joho Katsuo, Hirofumi Hasegawa