Patents by Inventor Yuichi Matsushita

Yuichi Matsushita 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: 8107850
    Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developing agent carrier, and a developing agent leakage prevention member. The developing agent leakage prevention member has a first layer that is configured to contact an outer circumferential surface of a longitudinal end of the developing agent carrier; a second layer that is superimposed on the first layer and is configured to contact a portion of the housing; and an adhesive layer that is interposed between the first layer and the second layer, the adhesive layer partially bonding a first opposing surface of the first layer opposing the second layer to a second opposing surface of the second layer opposing the first layer such that an unbonded area where the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface are not bonded together is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fan Xu, Yuichi Matsushita, Yoshinori Ito
  • Patent number: 8041250
    Abstract: A developing device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a housing; a developing roller comprising a roller main body having a circumferential surface, the developing roller being rotatably supported to the housing; and seal members respectively disposed to face both end portions of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to a rotational axis direction thereof and to press contact with the roller main body. Each of the seal members comprises: a base material formed of an elastic element; and a sliding frictional member that is formed of fibers and contacts with the circumferential surface of the roller main body such that the roller main body frictionally slides on the sliding frictional member. Both edges of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to the rotational axis direction thereof are brought into contact with the base materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8027613
    Abstract: An arrangement of sealing members seals developer in a developer device. The sealing members minimize or eliminate developer from leaking around the sides of a developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 7925180
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, image formation units disposed in the main body, a moving member disposed in the main body, the moving member including a surface facing each image formation unit, a pair of first stoppers disposed in each image formation unit, and a pair of second stoppers disposed in the main body in correspondence with each image formation unit, each second stopper being configured to prevent the developer on the moving member from entering the image formation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7899356
    Abstract: A layer-thickness regulating member includes a thin plate member and a projection member provided on a free edge portion of the thin plate member. A leak preventing members include a first seal member and a second seal member. The first seal member includes a first downstream portion disposed adjacent to the projection member on a front surface of the thin plate member, and a first upstream portion extending upstream of the first downstream portion. The second seal member includes a second downstream portion, and a second upstream portion which extends upstream of the second downstream portion. The second upstream portion includes a covered portion covered with the first upstream portion, an opposed portion disposed adjacent to the covered portion and opposed to the adjacent portion of the projection member and an exposed portion extending upstream of the covered portion and the opposed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yuichi Matsushita, Yukiko Nakaya, Fan Xu
  • Patent number: 7764901
    Abstract: A layer-thickness regulating member may include a thin plate member and a projection member. The projection member includes a first pressure contact portion that comes into pressure-contact with each of seal areas, a second pressure contact portion that comes into pressure-contact with each of side end areas, and a third pressure contact portion that comes into pressure-contact with a central area. A notched portion is formed at a position of the distal end of the thin plate member where each of the second pressure contact portions is formed, by cutting the thin plate member from an end edge of the distal end toward a downstream side of the rotation direction of the developing agent carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu
  • Patent number: 7751743
    Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a developer roller, a support member and a first seal member. The developer roller has a rotational axis and a peripheral surface. The peripheral surface includes a center zone and an end zone at one end portion in an axial direction. The support member supports the developer roller to be rotatable about the rotational axis. The support member has an opposing surface opposed to the end zone. A protrusion protrudes from the opposing surface, and extends in a direction crossing with the axial direction. The first seal member is disposed between the end zone and the opposing surface in order to prevent developer from leaking out of a space formed between the end zone and the opposing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoya Kamimura, Yuichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7706715
    Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a developer cartridge case for accommodating a developer, a developing roller, a toner layer thickness control blade, and a side sealing member. The developing roller is supported by the developer cartridge case such that a circumferential surface thereof is exposed to an outside of the developer cartridge case along a width direction. The toner layer thickness control blade includes a blade body portion made of a metallic plate. A tip portion of the blade body portion is disposed at a sliding portion of the developing roller and the side sealing member so as to contact with the side sealing member. A frictional heat generated at the sliding portion is released to the outside of the developer cartridge case through the blade body portion in order restrain a leak of the developer as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu
  • Publication number: 20100092206
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier which carries a developer, a developing unit housing which rotatably supports the developer carrier, a side seal member which comes into slidable contact with both ends of the developer carrier, a sheet-like elongated seal member which extends in the axial direction of the developer carrier so as to come into slidable contact with the developer carrier, a side seal attachment surface which is formed in the developing unit housing and to which the side seal member is attached, and a support portion which is formed in the developing unit housing and protrudes toward the developer carrier from the side seal attachment surface to support the elongated seal member. The elongated seal member is attached onto the support portion in a state where both ends thereof overlap the side seal member and are opposite the side seal attachment surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu, Mitsuru Horinoe, Takashi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7680430
    Abstract: A developing agent leakage preventing member is provided that is attached to the developer housing and that has a housing attaching face which contacts with the developer housing, a front side face which opposes the housing attaching face, and two side faces each of which connects to each other end portions of the housing attaching face and the front side face in the longitudinal direction of the opening of the developer housing. At least one of the side faces of the developing agent leakage preventing member is formed as an inclined side face that is inclined in a predetermined direction relative to the housing attaching face when pressed from the front side face side. In a developing apparatus, developing agent (toner) leakage is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Masahiro Ishii, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7630666
    Abstract: A developing device is provided with a case main body, a developing roller capable of rotating and supporting developer housed in the case main body, an adjustment member extending along a rotation axis direction of the developing roller, and a side seal member. The side seal member comprises a first seal member mounted on the case main body, and a second seal member mounted on the adjustment member. The first seal member and the second seal member are configured separately and make contact with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukiko Nakaya, Mitsuru Horinoe, Hiroki Mori, Yuichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7627264
    Abstract: A developing device is provided that includes a developer containing case that contains a developer. The developer containing case includes a case main body and a supply roller that is rotatably supported on the case main body. The supply roller has a rotary shaft, a cylindrical roller main body that covers the rotary shaft, and a fixed member that is fixed to at least one of the rotary shaft and the roller main body. A gap is provided between an end surface of the roller main body and an inner surface of the case main body, and the fixed member partially occupies the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Hiroki Mori, Yukiko Nakaya, Fan Xu, Isao Kishi, Masahiro Ishii, Mitsuru Horinoe
  • Patent number: 7623815
    Abstract: There is provided a developing device including: a casing; a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent; and a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller, in which in the state where the developing roller is held by the casing, the tip end portion of the layer-thickness regulating blade abuts against the developing roller at a uniform pressure in the axial direction of the developing roller, and in the state where the developing roller is not held by the casing, the layer-thickness regulating blade is bent toward a disposed position of the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Mori, Yuichi Matsushita, Yukiko Nakaya, Fan Xu, Mitsuru Horinoe
  • Publication number: 20090226207
    Abstract: A developing device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a housing; a developing roller comprising a roller main body having a circumferential surface, the developing roller being rotatably supported to the housing; and seal members respectively disposed to face both end portions of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to a rotational axis direction thereof and to press contact with the roller main body. Each of the seal members comprises: a base material formed of an elastic element; and a sliding frictional member that is formed of fibers and contacts with the circumferential surface of the roller main body such that the roller main body frictionally slides on the sliding frictional member. Both edges of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to the rotational axis direction thereof are brought into contact with the base materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi MATSUSHITA
  • Publication number: 20090190952
    Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developing agent carrier, and a developing agent leakage prevention member. The developing agent leakage prevention member has a first layer that is configured to contact an outer circumferential surface of a longitudinal end of the developing agent carrier; a second layer that is superimposed on the first layer and is configured to contact a portion of the housing; and an adhesive layer that is interposed between the first layer and the second layer, the adhesive layer partially bonding a first opposing surface of the first layer opposing the second layer to a second opposing surface of the second layer opposing the first layer such that an unbonded area where the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface are not bonded together is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fan XU, Yuichi MATSUSHITA, Yoshinori ITO
  • Patent number: 7457560
    Abstract: A developing device is provided with a case main body, a developing roller coupled with the case main body, an axis direction seal member coupled with the case main body, and a side seal member coupled with the case main body. The axis direction seal member and the side seal member make contact with one another such that there is no gap between the axis direction seal member and the side seal member in a rotation axis direction of the developing roller. In a rotation direction of the developing roller, an upstream end of the side seal member is located downstream of an upstream end of a contact area between the axis direction seal member and the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukiko Nakaya, Mitsuru Horinoe, Hiroki Mori, Yuichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7423486
    Abstract: A differential amplifier formed on a silicon-on-insulator substrate, including means to prevent the bodies of its differential input transistors from charging to unwanted potentials in the standby state. In one aspect of the invention, the means takes the form of switching transistors inserted between the differential input transistors and their loads. In another aspect of the invention, the means takes the form of switching transistors inserted between the sources and bodies of the differential input transistors. In another aspect of the invention the means is a regulator section that holds the bodies of the differential input transistors at an appropriate potential level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20080056774
    Abstract: A layer-thickness regulating member includes a thin plate member and a projection member provided on a free edge portion of the thin plate member. A leak preventing members include a first seal member and a second seal member. The first seal member includes a first downstream portion disposed adjacent to the projection member on a front surface of the thin plate member, and a first upstream portion extending upstream of the first downstream portion. The second seal member includes a second downstream portion, and a second upstream portion which extends upstream of the second downstream portion. The second upstream portion includes a covered portion covered with the first upstream portion, an opposed portion disposed adjacent to the covered portion and opposed to the adjacent portion of the projection member and an exposed portion extending upstream of the covered portion and the opposed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki MORI, Mitsuru HORINOE, Yuichi MATSUSHITA, Yukiko NAKAYA, Fan XU
  • Publication number: 20080050153
    Abstract: There is provided a developing device including: a casing; a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent; and a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller, in which in the state where the developing roller is held by the casing, the tip end portion of the layer-thickness regulating blade abuts against the developing roller at a uniform pressure in the axial direction of the developing roller, and in the state where the developing roller is not held by the casing, the layer-thickness regulating blade is bent toward a disposed position of the developing roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki MORI, Yuichi MATSUSHITA, Yukiko NAKAYA, Fan XU, Mitsuru HORINOE
  • Publication number: 20080042749
    Abstract: A differential amplifier formed on a silicon-on-insulator substrate, including means to prevent the bodies of its differential input transistors from charging to unwanted potentials in the standby state. In one aspect of the invention, the means takes the form of switching transistors inserted between the differential input transistors and their loads. In another aspect of the invention, the means takes the form of switching transistors inserted between the sources and bodies of the differential input transistors. In another aspect of the invention the means is a regulator section that holds the bodies of the differential input transistors at an appropriate potential level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Matsushita