Patents by Inventor Tokifumi Tanaka
Tokifumi Tanaka 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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Patent number: 11906914Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Fumitake Tajiri, Tokifumi Tanaka, Tomonori Watanabe, Sadaharu Kato, Hirotaka Imaeda
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Publication number: 20230393499Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke MIZUNO, Fumitake TAJIRI, Tokifumi TANAKA, Tomonori WATANABE, Sadaharu KATO, Hirotaka IMAEDA
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Patent number: 11747758Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotating body, an endless belt, a base material of the endless belt being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a heater configured to heat at least one of the rotating body and the endless belt, a sliding sheet contacting an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, a base material of the sliding sheet being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a pressure pad, the endless belt and the sliding sheet being interposed between the pressure pad and the rotating body, and grease provided between the endless belt and the sliding sheet. The grease includes a base oil made of a fluorine oil and a thickener made of a solid lubricant containing fluorine. The consistency of the grease is 330 to 385 at 25° C.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tokifumi Tanaka, Hideki Kanada, Mingguang Zhang
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Patent number: 11693343Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a nip forming member surrounded by the belt and configured to, with the rotator, pinch the belt to form a nip, an urging member configured to urge one of the rotator and the nip forming member towards the other in a particular direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, an upstream guide and a downstream guide. The upstream guide includes an upstream guide surface configured to guide an inner peripheral surface of the belt. The nip forming member includes a facing surface which faces the rotator. An upstream edge of the facing surface in the moving direction is located at a position farther from the rotation axis, in the particular direction, than a downstream edge of the upstream guide surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroshi Handa, Mingguang Zhang, Shuhei Fukue, Tokifumi Tanaka, Kenji Takeuchi, Hirotaka Imaeda
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Patent number: 11675291Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a roller configured to rotate the endless belt by rotating in a state in which the roller is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt, a heater, a pressure pad configured to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the roller to form a nip portion, a sliding sheet interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad. The image forming apparatus is configured to execute a fixing operation in which a developer image on a sheet is fixed in a state in which the sheet is nipped between the roller and the endless belt. A nip pressure at the nip portion P [MPa] and a peripheral velocity of the endless belt V [mm/sec] satisfies V/P?200 when the image forming apparatus executes the fixing operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2022Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tokifumi Tanaka
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Patent number: 11675296Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a developing roller, a sheet supplier, a fixing unit, and a controller. The fixing unit includes a heating roller, a first heater, a second heater, a first temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensor. The controller is configured to control the first heater so that a first detected-temperature becomes a target temperature at a central area, and control the second heater so that a second detected-temperature becomes a target temperature at an end area, and in accordance with a heat storage amount of the fixing unit stored by the heating of the second heater, change (i) a timing when supply of the sheet is started or (ii) the target temperature at the end area.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2022Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tokifumi Tanaka, Sadaharu Kato, Yusuke Mizuno, Shuya Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20230097934Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotating body, an endless belt, a base material of the endless belt being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a heater configured to heat at least one of the rotating body and the endless belt, a sliding sheet contacting an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, a base material of the sliding sheet being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a pressure pad, the endless belt and the sliding sheet being interposed between the pressure pad and the rotating body, and grease provided between the endless belt and the sliding sheet. The grease includes a base oil made of a fluorine oil and a thickener made of a solid lubricant containing fluorine. The consistency of the grease is 330 to 385 at 25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tokifumi Tanaka, Hideki Kanada, Mingguang Zhang
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Patent number: 11614702Abstract: In a fixing device, an endless belt is nipped between a roller and a nip-forming member, and a sheet is conveyed through a first nip region formed between the endless belt and the roller by the nip-forming member. A pair of conveyor rollers located downstream of the first nip region in a sheet conveyance direction are configured to convey the sheet through a second nip region formed therebetween. A sheet guide located between the roller and the pair of conveyor rollers includes a first guide which in a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the roller, intersects with a line tangent to an outer cylindrical surface of the roller at a downstream end of the first nip region, while an extension line of the first guide intersects with a line segment connecting the downstream end of the first nip region to an upstream end of the second nip region.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shuhei Fukue, Tatsuo Ogasawara, Tokifumi Tanaka, Tomonori Watanabe
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Patent number: 11537074Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotating body, an endless belt, a base material of the endless belt being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a heater configured to heat at least one of the rotating body and the endless belt, a sliding sheet contacting an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, a base material of the sliding sheet being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a pressure pad, the endless belt and the sliding sheet being interposed between the pressure pad and the rotating body, and grease provided between the endless belt and the sliding sheet. The grease includes a base oil made of a fluorine oil and a thickener made of a solid lubricant containing fluorine. The consistency of the grease is 330 to 385 at 25° C.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tokifumi Tanaka, Hideki Kanada, Mingguang Zhang
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Patent number: 11507002Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A first motor drives the roller. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller starts driving the first motor to drive the roller in a case where a print command is received in a state that the nip pressure is the second nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the second nip pressure to the first nip pressure after the driving is performed and fixes the developer image on the sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumitake Tajiri, Yusuke Mizuno, Tokifumi Tanaka, Tomonori Watanabe, Sadaharu Kato, Hirotaka Imaeda
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Publication number: 20220269196Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a roller configured to rotate the endless belt by rotating in a state in which the roller is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt, a heater, a pressure pad configured to nip the endless belt between the pressure pad and the roller to form a nip portion, a sliding sheet interposed between an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and the pressure pad. The image forming apparatus is configured to execute a fixing operation in which a developer image on a sheet is fixed in a state in which the sheet is nipped between the roller and the endless belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tokifumi TANAKA
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Publication number: 20220269197Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a developing roller, a sheet supplier, a fixing unit, and a controller. The fixing unit includes a heating roller, a first heater, a second heater, a first temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensor. The controller is configured to control the first heater so that a first detected-temperature becomes a target temperature at a central area, and control the second heater so that a second detected-temperature becomes a target temperature at an end area, and in accordance with a heat storage amount of the fixing unit stored by the heating of the second heater, change (i) a timing when supply of the sheet is started or (ii) the target temperature at the end area.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tokifumi TANAKA, Sadaharu KATO, Yusuke MIZUNO, Shuya ICHIKAWA
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Patent number: 11372353Abstract: A device includes a rotator having a rotation axis, a belt, a belt support surrounded by the belt, and a sliding sheet configured to be pinched at the nip between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the belt support. The belt support is configured to form a nip with the rotator. One of the belt support and the sliding sheet includes a hook engaging portion. The hook engaging portion includes an aperture. The other of the belt support and the sliding sheet includes a hook engaged to the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tokifumi Tanaka, Kenji Takeuchi
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Publication number: 20220197197Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2022Publication date: June 23, 2022Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke MIZUNO, Fumitake TAJIRI, Tokifumi TANAKA, Tomonori WATANABE, Sadaharu KATO, Hirotaka IMAEDA
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Publication number: 20220179345Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotating body, an endless belt, a base material of the endless belt being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a heater configured to heat at least one of the rotating body and the endless belt, a sliding sheet contacting an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, a base material of the sliding sheet being made of a heat-resistant resin having a glass transition temperature of 140° C. or more, a pressure pad, the endless belt and the sliding sheet being interposed between the pressure pad and the rotating body, and grease provided between the endless belt and the sliding sheet. The grease includes a base oil made of a fluorine oil and a thickener made of a solid lubricant containing fluorine. The consistency of the grease is 330 to 385 at 25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tokifumi TANAKA, Hideki KANADA, Mingguang ZHANG
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Patent number: 11353811Abstract: A fixing device includes a roller having a rotation axis, and a belt unit that conveys a sheet in combination with the roller. The belt unit includes an endless belt, a nip forming member that forms a nip in combination with the roller, and an upstream belt guide. The fixing device further includes a chute having a guide surface configured to guide the sheet toward the nip. In a section orthogonal to the rotation axis, a line segment connecting a downstream end of the guide surface and an upstream end of the nip does not intersect the upstream belt guide, and an extended line extended from the downstream end of the guide surface along the guide surface toward the roller intersects a surface of the roller at a position upstream of an upstream end of the nip.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2021Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirotaka Imaeda, Kenji Takeuchi, Tokifumi Tanaka, Tomonori Watanabe, Tatsuo Ogasawara
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Patent number: 11327424Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotary body; a pressure body; a frame supporting the rotary body; and a pressure varying mechanism for providing a nip pressure to a nip region formed between the rotary body and the pressure body. The pressure varying mechanism includes a first spring and a second spring for urging one of the rotary body and the pressure body. The first spring applies a first urging force, and the second spring applies a second urging force acting in an opposite direction from the first urging force. The pressure varying mechanism can vary the nip pressure between a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. The nip pressure becomes the first nip pressure while only the first urging force is applied, and becomes the second nip pressure while both of the first urging force and the second urging force are applied.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Inventors: Hiroshi Handa, Tokifumi Tanaka, Shuhei Fukue, Tomonori Watanabe
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Patent number: 11294308Abstract: In an image forming device, a first fixing member has a roller. A second fixing member has a belt to form a nip together with the first fixing member. A pressure modifying mechanism modifies a nip pressure at the nip to selected one of a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. A controller drives the first motor to drive the roller and fixes the developer image on a sheet in a state that the nip pressure is the first nip pressure. The controller modifies the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while driving the first motor in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets fixed according to a print job has passed the nip, and halts the first motor after the nip pressure is modified to the second nip pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Fumitake Tajiri, Tokifumi Tanaka, Tomonori Watanabe, Sadaharu Kato, Hirotaka Imaeda
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Patent number: 11281142Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressure unit is pressed toward a roller by an arm, to form a nip region. The pressure unit includes a belt configured to contact the roller in a nip region, a pressure pad configured to press the belt in combination with the roller, and a side guide including an end guide surface configured to guide a side end of the belt, and a stay configured to support the pressure pad. A supporting member is located on an outer side of the side guide that is opposite to an inner side on which the end guide surface faces. The supporting member is held between the stay and the arm, the supporting member comprising a contact surface which contacts the side guide and on which the side guide is swayably supported.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Mingguang Zhang, Tatsuo Ogasawara, Kenji Takeuchi, Tokifumi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20220035283Abstract: In a fixing device, an endless belt is nipped between a roller and a nip-forming member, and a sheet is conveyed through a first nip region formed between the endless belt and the roller by the nip-forming member. A pair of conveyor rollers located downstream of the first nip region in a sheet conveyance direction are configured to convey the sheet through a second nip region formed therebetween. A sheet guide located between the roller and the pair of conveyor rollers includes a first guide which in a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the roller, intersects with a line tangent to an outer cylindrical surface of the roller at a downstream end of the first nip region, while an extension line of the first guide intersects with a line segment connecting the downstream end of the first nip region to an upstream end of the second nip region.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shuhei FUKUE, Tatsuo OGASAWARA, Tokifumi TANAKA, Tomonori WATANABE