Patents by Inventor Yasutada Kato
Yasutada Kato 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: 20240111244Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a main housing, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing device to supply toner to the first photosensitive drum, a second developing device to supply toner to the second photosensitive drum, a first reloading device to reload the first developing device with the toner, and a second reloading device to reload the second developing device with the toner, is provided. The first reloading device has a first reloading port, which accepts the toner for reloading the first developing device. The first reloading port is openable to an outside of the main housing. The second reloading device has a second reloading port, which accepts the toner for reloading the second developing device. The second reloading port is openable to the outside of the main housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Yasutada KATO, Shunsuke ISHII, Masatoshi SHIRAKI, Shougo SATO
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Patent number: 11892797Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a main housing, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing device to supply toner to the first photosensitive drum, a second developing device to supply toner to the second photosensitive drum, a first reloading device to reload the first developing device with the toner, and a second reloading device to reload the second developing device with the toner, is provided. The first reloading device has a first reloading port, which accepts the toner for reloading the first developing device. The first reloading port is openable to an outside of the main housing. The second reloading device has a second reloading port, which accepts the toner for reloading the second developing device. The second reloading port is openable to the outside of the main housing.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasutada Kato, Shunsuke Ishii, Masatoshi Shiraki, Shougo Sato
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Publication number: 20240004333Abstract: A fixing device incorporated in a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a heater, a rotatable body, and a pressure roller. The rotatable body is configured to be heated by the heater. The pressure roller is configured to form a nip region in cooperation with the rotatable body to nip a sheet at the nip region between the pressure roller and the rotatable body. The pressure roller includes a shaft, and an elastic layer covering a peripheral surface of the shaft. The elastic layer has a thickness of at least 1 millimeter to at most 3 millimeters. The pressure roller has a peripheral surface whose hardness is in a range of at least 60 to at most 67 on the Asker C scale.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takuya NISHIMURA, Makoto SOUDA, Kazuna TAGUCHI, Yasutada KATO, Shinichi HATAKEYAMA
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Publication number: 20240004340Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotatable body, a second rotatable body, a frame, and a shutter. The frame supports the first rotatable body and the second rotatable body. The first rotatable body and the second rotatable body provide a nipping region therebetween where a sheet is configured to be conveyed in a conveying direction. The sheet is configured to pass through an opening of the frame to be conveyed toward the nipping region. The shutter is pivotally movable about a first axis between a closed position where the shutter closes the opening and an open position where the shutter opens the opening. The first axis is positioned downstream of the nipping region in the conveying direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasutada KATO, Yuichi IKENO, Kazuna TAGUCHI
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Publication number: 20240004334Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a heater; an endless belt; a rotary body configured to form a nipping region in cooperation with the heater; a nipping pressure changing mechanism configured to change a nipping pressure at the nipping region between a first nipping pressure and a second nipping pressure higher than the first nipping pressure; and a controller configured to perform a control process including: determining whether the nipping pressure is the first nipping pressure or the second nipping pressure; and controlling, when determining that the nipping pressure is the first nipping pressure, an output of the heater within a range that does not exceed an upper limit for the output of the heater when the nipping pressure is the first nipping pressure that is smaller than an upper limit for the output of the heater when the nipping pressure is the second nipping pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasutada KATO, Yuichi IKENO
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Publication number: 20230132911Abstract: A process cartridge mountable on an image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a developing unit including a developing roller and a toner storage unit. The toner storage includes a first toner storage chamber, a second toner storage chamber located above the first toner storage chamber, a first toner conveying member located in the first toner storage chamber and configured to convey the toner in the first toner storage chamber upward toward the second toner storage chamber in an area wider than the toner discharge outlet in the first direction, and a second toner conveying member located in the second toner storage chamber and configured to convey, in the first direction, the toner in the second toner storage chamber toward the toner discharge outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shougo SATO, Yasutada KATO, Yasuo FUKAMACHI
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Publication number: 20230062417Abstract: A cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum cleaner for cleaning the photosensitive drum; a toner pipe for conveying collected toner; a toner container storing therein toner; and a developing device for supplying toner in the toner container to the photosensitive drum. The cartridge is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus. The collected toner is toner removed from the photosensitive drum by the drum cleaner. The developing device includes a developing housing for storing therein toner supplied from the toner container and the collected toner conveyed by the toner pipe. The toner container has: a toner discharge port for discharging toner stored in the toner container; and a returned toner receiving port for receiving toner returned from the developing device. The developing housing has: a toner receiving port for receiving toner discharged from the toner discharge port; and a toner return port for returning toner to the toner container.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasutada KATO, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Shougo SATO, Koji OGAWA
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Publication number: 20230004119Abstract: A printing apparatus, having a main housing, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing device to supply toner to the first photosensitive drum, a second developing device to supply toner to the second photosensitive drum, a first reloading device to reload the first developing device with the toner, and a second reloading device to reload the second developing device with the toner, is provided. The first reloading device has a first reloading port, which accepts the toner for reloading the first developing device. The first reloading port is openable to an outside of the main housing. The second reloading device has a second reloading port, which accepts the toner for reloading the second developing device. The second reloading port is openable to the outside of the main housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Yasutada KATO, Shunsuke ISHII, Masatoshi SHIRAKI, Shougo SATO
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Patent number: 11188022Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a toner cartridge including: a toner housing accommodating toner and having a toner discharge hole; and a toner shutter movable between a closed position closing the toner discharge hole and an opened position opening the toner discharge hole with respect to the toner discharge hole; and a drum cartridge including: a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction; and a drum frame supporting the photosensitive drum, wherein in a state the toner cartridge is mounted to the drum cartridge, the toner housing is rotatable about an axis between a first position in which the toner shutter is located in the closed position and a second position in which the toner shutter is located in the opened position, the axis extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2021Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSH1KI KAISHAInventors: Yasutada Kato, Shougo Sato
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Publication number: 20210232088Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a toner cartridge including: a toner housing accommodating toner and having a toner discharge hole; and a toner shutter movable between a closed position closing the toner discharge hole and an opened position opening the toner discharge hole with respect to the toner discharge hole; and a drum cartridge including: a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction; and a drum frame supporting the photosensitive drum, wherein in a state the toner cartridge is mounted to the drum cartridge, the toner housing is rotatable about an axis between a first position in which the toner shutter is located in the closed position and a second position in which the toner shutter is located in the opened position, the axis extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasutada KATO, Shougo SATO
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Patent number: 10782630Abstract: An image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic image forming method includes a casing having a front wall to which an opening is formed and a rear wall facing the front wall, a photosensitive drum located close to the front wall, a support member configured to support the photosensitive drum. The support member is slidably movable between an accommodated position a drawn position at which the photosensitive drum is drawn out of the casing through the opening. The image forming apparatus further includes a sheet tray, a feeding roller configured to feed the plurality of sheets supported by the sheet tray, a first conveying guide arranged between the support member and the sheet tray to face the support member, and a second conveying guide formed to the support member at a position facing the first conveying guide to guide the sheet inserted through the opening.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shougo Sato, Yasutada Kato, Yasuo Fukamachi, Kazuna Taguchi
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Publication number: 20200133159Abstract: An image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic image forming method includes a casing having a front wall to which an opening is formed and a rear wall facing the front wall, a photosensitive drum located close to the front wall, a support member configured to support the photosensitive drum. The support member is slidably movable between an accommodated position a drawn position at which the photosensitive drum is drawn out of the casing through the opening. The image forming apparatus further includes a sheet tray, a feeding roller configured to feed the plurality of sheets supported by the sheet tray, a first conveying guide arranged between the support member and the sheet tray to face the support member, and a second conveying guide formed to the support member at a position facing the first conveying guide to guide the sheet inserted through the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shougo SATO, Yasutada KATO, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Kazuna TAGUCHI
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Patent number: 9791820Abstract: While a continuous conveying process is being executed, a first output process is executed at a timing prior to a prescribed timing, and a second output process is executed for a prescribed period from the prescribed timing. The prescribed timing is prior to a timing at which each recording sheet reaches a heating body. The first output process is for controlling an electric power supply to output electric power to a heat source configured to heat the heating body. The second output process is for controlling the electric power supply to output electric power to the heat source such that an output level of the electric power that is outputted from the electric power supply in the second output process has a tendency to become higher than an output level of the electric power that is outputted from the electric power supply in the first output process.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yasutada Kato
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Publication number: 20170090398Abstract: While a continuous conveying process is being executed, a first output process is executed at a timing prior to a prescribed timing, and a second output process is executed for a prescribed period from the prescribed timing. The prescribed timing is prior to a timing at which each recording sheet reaches a heating body. The first output process is for controlling an electric power supply to output electric power to a heat source configured to heat the heating body. The second output process is for controlling the electric power supply to output electric power to the heat source such that an output level of the electric power that is outputted from the electric power supply in the second output process has a tendency to become higher than an output level of the electric power that is outputted from the electric power supply in the first output process.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventor: Yasutada Kato