Patents by Inventor Yasuo Fukamachi

Yasuo Fukamachi 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).

  • Publication number: 20220214642
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer, a drum cartridge, an exposure device, a fixing device, and a toner cartridge. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a cleaning member, a developing device, a waste toner conveying pipe, and a frame. The toner cartridge includes a toner container and a waste toner container. The cleaning member is located between the photosensitive drum and the fixing device in a vertical direction in the state where the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer and the drawer is located at an inner position. The drum cartridge is capable of being mounted to the drawer. The toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Publication number: 20220206414
    Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing; a developing roller extending in a first direction; a developing-roller gear; a coupling including a coupling gear; a first idle gear; a second idle gear; an agitator; a first agitator gear; and a protrusion. The developing-roller gear, the coupling, the first idle gear, the second idle gear, the first agitator gear, and the protrusion may be positioned at an outer surface of the casing. The protrusion may be positioned between a first axis of the coupling and a third axis of the first agitator gear in a second direction connecting the first and third axes. The protrusion may be positioned outside an addendum circle of the developing-roller gear, an addendum circle of the coupling gear, an addendum circle of the first idle gear, and an addendum circle of the second idle gear. The first agitator gear may be spaced apart from the protrusion in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Kazuna TAGUCHI, Takuya KANDA
  • Publication number: 20220171330
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a process cartridge and a main body with an opening and a cartridge supporter is provided. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge attachable to the drum cartridge; and a switching member switchable states in the process cartridge between a first state, wherein detachment of the toner cartridge is restricted, and a second state, wherein the toner cartridge is released from the restriction. The cartridge supporter is movable between a first position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be placed entirely in an inner space in the main body on an inner side of the opening, and a second position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be at least partly placed outside the inner space. When the cartridge supporter is in the second position, the switching member is at least partly placed outside the inner space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo SATO, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Motoaki MUSHIKA, Kazuna TAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220155720
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a drum cartridge and a developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a first handle positioned at a first end of a frame of the drum cartridge. The developing cartridge may include a second handle positioned at a first end of a developing casing the developing cartridge. The main casing may include a first edge surface in the axial direction and a second edge surface opposite the first edge surface in the axial direction. The second handle may extend farther from the second edge surface than the first handle extends from the second edge surface in the axial direction in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are attached to the main casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Masaaki FURUKAWA
  • Patent number: 11333996
    Abstract: A developing cartridge attachable to a drum cartridge includes: a casing configured to accommodate developing agent therein; a developing roller rotatable about a developing roller axis extending in the first direction; a developing memory; and an electrical contact surface. The developing roller is positioned at one end of the casing in a second direction crossing the first direction. The electrical contact surface positioned at one end in the first direction of the casing and electrically connected to the developing memory. In a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge, the electrical contact surface of the developing cartridge is positioned between the developing roller and an electrical contact surface of the drum cartridge in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kusuda, Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Patent number: 11327418
    Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing; a developing roller extending in a first direction; a developing-roller gear; a coupling including a coupling gear; a first idle gear; a second idle gear; an agitator; a first agitator gear; and a protrusion. The developing-roller gear, the coupling, the first idle gear, the second idle gear, the first agitator gear, and the protrusion may be positioned at an outer surface of the casing. The protrusion may be positioned between a first axis of the coupling and a third axis of the first agitator gear in a second direction connecting the first and third axes. The protrusion may be positioned outside an addendum circle of the developing-roller gear, an addendum circle of the coupling gear, an addendum circle of the first idle gear, and an addendum circle of the second idle gear. The first agitator gear may be spaced apart from the protrusion in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukamachi, Kazuna Taguchi, Takuya Kanda
  • Patent number: 11314200
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a process cartridge and a main body with an opening and a cartridge supporter is provided. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge attachable to the drum cartridge; and a switching member switchable states in the process cartridge between a first state, wherein detachment of the toner cartridge is restricted, and a second state, wherein the toner cartridge is released from the restriction. The cartridge supporter is movable between a first position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be placed entirely in an inner space in the main body on an inner side of the opening, and a second position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be at least partly placed outside the inner space. When the cartridge supporter is in the second position, the switching member is at least partly placed outside the inner space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Yasuo Fukamachi, Motoaki Mushika, Kazuna Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11249438
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a drum cartridge and a developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a first handle positioned at a first end of a frame of the drum cartridge. The developing cartridge may include a second handle positioned at a first end of a developing casing the developing cartridge. The main casing may include a first edge surface in the axial direction and a second edge surface opposite the first edge surface in the axial direction. The second handle may extend farther from the second edge surface than the first handle extends from the second edge surface in the axial direction in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are attached to the main casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Yasuo Fukamachi, Masaaki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11237516
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a housing, a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position, and a cartridge attachable to the drawer, is provided. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction and a drum cover movable between a first position and a second position. The drawer includes a guide configured to guide the cartridge in a second direction intersecting with the first direction when the cartridge is being attached to the drawer and a contacting portion configured to contact the drum cover and move the drum cover from the first position to the second position when the cartridge is being guided by the guide. The housing includes a stopper configured to stop the cartridge from separating from the guide in a third direction intersecting with the first direction and with the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukamachi, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 11231665
    Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a casing, an auger rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction, an auger gear rotatable with the auger, an agitator aligned with the auger in a second direction, an agitator gear rotatable with the agitator, and a detection gear positioned opposite to the auger gear with respect to the agitator gear in the second direction. The detection gear is rotatable from a first position to a second position. At the first position, a through-hole or a cutout of the detection gear is positioned farther away from the auger than an outer surface of another end portion of the casing in the second direction is. At the second position, a portion of the detection gear different from the through-hole or the cutout is positioned farther away from the auger than the outer surface of the another end portion of the casing is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideshi Nishiyama, Naoya Kamimura, Tomonori Watanabe, Yasuo Fukamachi, Shinya Kusuda, Tomoya Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20220011719
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body housing; a developing cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body housing; a drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body housing; and a developing guide for guiding attachment and detachment of the developing cartridge to and from the main body housing. The developing cartridge includes a developing roller and a developing memory for storing information. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum. The developing guide is movable together with the developing cartridge between a first position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a second position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing guide includes a developing memory terminal configured to be in contact with the developing memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the main body housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Masaaki FURUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220004139
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a developing cartridge configured to accommodate toner therein; and a drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge is attachable. The drum cartridge is attachable to the casing through the opening in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a charge roller; a cleaning blade configured to clean a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein; a waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki FURUKAWA, Takashi SHIMIZU, Shinya KUSUDA, Tomitake ARATACHI, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Kouichi SUGIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11188008
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developing cartridge including a casing, a first electrical contact surface, and a holder movable relative to the casing; a drum cartridge including a drum frame, a second electrical contact surface, and a holder movable relative to the drum frame; and a main frame having an opening and including first and second guide frames facing in a facing direction, a first main electrical contact capable of being electrically connected to one of the first and second electrical contact surfaces, and a second main electrical contact positioned closer to the opening in an attachment direction and capable of being electrically connected to the remaining one of the first and second electrical contact surfaces. A distance in the facing direction between the first and second guide frames is reduced as the first and second guide frames extend toward the first main electrical contact in the attachment direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kusuda, Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Publication number: 20210349422
    Abstract: In a developing cartridge, a first supporting member is attached to a housing and has a first developing supporting portion and a driving-force-receiving-member supporting portion, the first developing supporting portion being configured to rotatably support a first part of a rotational shaft, the driving-force-receiving-member supporting portion being configured to rotatably support a driving-force-receiving member. The second supporting member is attached to the housing and has a second developing supporting portion and a detection-rotational-body supporting portion, the second developing supporting portion being configured to rotatably support a second part of the rotational shaft, the detection-rotational-body supporting portion being configured to rotatably support a detection rotational body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Hideshi Nishiyama, Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Publication number: 20210311412
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developing cartridge including a casing, a first electrical contact surface, and a holder movable relative to the casing; a drum cartridge including a drum frame, a second electrical contact surface, and a holder movable relative to the drum frame; and a main frame having an opening and including first and second guide frames facing in a facing direction, a first main electrical contact capable of being electrically connected to one of the first and second electrical contact surfaces, and a second main electrical contact positioned closer to the opening in an attachment direction and capable of being electrically connected to the remaining one of the first and second electrical contact surfaces. A distance in the facing direction between the first and second guide frames is reduced as the first and second guide frames extend toward the first main electrical contact in the attachment direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya KUSUDA, Yasuo FUKAMACHI
  • Publication number: 20210311411
    Abstract: A developing cartridge attachable to a drum cartridge includes: a casing configured to accommodate developing agent therein; a developing roller rotatable about a developing roller axis extending in the first direction; a developing memory; and an electrical contact surface. The developing roller is positioned at one end of the casing in a second direction crossing the first direction. The electrical contact surface positioned at one end in the first direction of the casing and electrically connected to the developing memory. In a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge, the electrical contact surface of the developing cartridge is positioned between the developing roller and an electrical contact surface of the drum cartridge in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya KUSUDA, Yasuo FUKAMACHI
  • Publication number: 20210311410
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a first agitator; an agitator gear; a first protrusion; a developing memory; a first electrical contact surface; and a first holder holding the first electrical contact surface. The agitator gear includes a large diameter gear and a small diameter gear positioned between the large diameter gear and the casing in the first direction. The first protrusion protrudes outward from one end of the casing in the first direction, and is positioned between the casing and the large diameter gear in the first direction. The first protrusion is positioned away from the small diameter gear. The first holder is positioned farther from the first protrusion than the large diameter gear is in the first direction. The first holder and the first electrical contact surface are movable relative to the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya KUSUDA, Yasuo FUKAMACHI
  • Publication number: 20210293309
    Abstract: A developing device may include an auger or an agitator that is capable of supplying toner in a toner accommodation chamber to a developing chamber and is rotatable about an auger axis extending in an axial direction, a transporting gear that is rotatable together with the auger or the agitator, and a moving gear that is in mesh with a coupling gear and is rotatable both counterclockwise and clockwise. The moving gear is movable while being in mesh with the coupling gear between a first position where the moving gear is in mesh with the transporting gear and a second position where the moving gear is out of mesh with the transporting gear. The moving gear moves to the first position when the coupling gear rotates counterclockwise and to the second position when the coupling gear rotates clockwise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi SHIMIZU, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Keita SHIMIZU, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210294260
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a housing, a drawer, and a cartridge, is provided. The drawer is movable between an inner position and an outer position. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum cover. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction. The drum cover is movable with respect to the photosensitive drum between a first position and a second position. The drawer includes a guide, a stopper, and a contacting portion. The guide guides the cartridge in a second direction, when the cartridge is being attached to the drawer. The stopper stops the cartridge from separating from the guide in a third direction. The contacting portion contacts the drum cover and move the drum cover from the first position to the second position in a state where the cartridge is being guided by the guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Shougo SATO
  • Patent number: 11119438
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer, a drum cartridge, an exposure device, a fixing device, and a toner cartridge. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a cleaning member, a developing device, a waste toner conveying pipe, and a frame. The toner cartridge includes a toner container and a waste toner container. The cleaning member is located between the photosensitive drum and the fixing device in a vertical direction in the state where the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer and the drawer is located at an inner position. The drum cartridge is capable of being mounted to the drawer. The toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Yasuo Fukamachi