Patents by Inventor Yukari Ota

Yukari Ota 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: 20220404734
    Abstract: An image forming device includes photoconductor drum that rotates around axis and has drum circumferential face on which electrostatic latent image is formed, and developing unit that supplies developer to photoconductor drum thereby to manifest electrostatic latent image into developer image. The developing unit includes developing housing, developing roller supported by developing housing to be rotatable around axis, has first circumferential face that faces drum circumferential face and carries developer, and supplies carried developer to drum circumferential face, and restricting blade that contacts first circumferential face, and restricts amount of developer to be carried on first circumferential face, and first circumferential face has value of 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Takahisa NAKAUE, Kotatsu KAWAGUCHI, Masahito ISHINO, Yukari OTA, Tomohiro TAMAKI, Minoru WADA
  • Patent number: 11467513
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charger, an exposure device, a development device and a pressing mechanism. The developer carrier is pressed on the image carrier with a predetermined pressing force to form a nip area between the roller part and the image carrier. A roller part of the developer carrier has an Asker C hardness of 65° or more and 73° or less. When the pressing force is set to X (N) and a width of the nip area in a circumferential direction of the image carrier is set to Y (?m), 3.0?X?8.0 and 550?Y?700, and the following expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied, Y ? 31. X + 393.2 ? and , ( 1 ) Y ? 47. X + 450.1 .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Tamaki, Takahisa Nakaue, Kotatsu Kawaguchi, Masahito Ishino, Yukari Ota
  • Patent number: 11366403
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charger, an exposure device, a development device and a pressing mechanism. When a developer carrier and the image carrier are rotated in a state where a film is held in a development nip area and then a pulling force of the film is measured, a maximum value MAX, a minimum value MIN, and an average value X of the pulling force satisfy the expressions (1) and (2). When a development voltage applied to the developer carrier is set to Vdc, the surface potential of the image carrier is set to V0, and the surface potential of the image carrier after exposure is set to VL, the expressions (3) and (4) are satisfied. X?MAX?1.5X??(1), 0.5X?MIN?X??(2), V0?Vdc?2(Vdc?VL)??(3) and Vdc?VL?100??(4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yukari Ota, Masahito Ishino, Takahisa Nakaue, Tomohiro Tamaki, Kotatsu Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11340537
    Abstract: A development device includes a development housing, a development roller, a supply roller and a layer thickness regulating member. The development housing stores a nonmagnetic one-component toner. The development roller is formed by a cylindrical elastic body, and moves in a same direction as a rotational direction of a rotatable photosensitive drum at a development nip area while coming into contact with the photosensitive drum. The supply roller is formed by a cylindrical elastic body, and supplies the toner to the development roller and collects the toner from the development roller. The development roller has a surface free energy within a range of 5 mJ/m2 or more and 27 mJ/m2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masahito Ishino, Kotatsu Kawaguchi, Takahisa Nakaue, Yukari Ota, Tomohiro Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20220107580
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charger, an exposure device, a development device and a pressing mechanism. When a developer carrier and the image carrier are rotated in a state where a film is held in a development nip area and then a pulling force of the film is measured, a maximum value MAX, a minimum value MIN, and an average value X of the pulling force satisfy the expressions (1) and (2). When a development voltage applied to the developer carrier is set to Vdc, the surface potential of the image carrier is set to V0, and the surface potential of the image carrier after exposure is set to VL, the expressions (3) and (4) are satisfied. X?MAX?1.5X??(1), 0.5X?MIN?X??(2), V0?Vdc?2(Vdc?VL)??(3) and Vdc?VL?100??(4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yukari OTA, Masahito ISHINO, Takahisa NAKAUE, Tomohiro TAMAKI, Kotatsu KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220107585
    Abstract: A development device includes a development container, a developer carrier, a regulating blade. The development container contains a non-magnetic one-component developer consisting of a toner only. The regulating blade has a curved part having a radius of curvature of 0.1 mm or more and coming into contact with the roller part. The curved part has an arithmetic average roughness Ra of 0.05 to 0.3 ?m. The roller part has a ten-point average roughness Rz of 2 to 4 ?m. The roller part has a concave and convex portion, and an average interval Sm between the concave portion and the convex portion is 120 to 290 ?m. A Sm/Rz is 30 to 145. A width of a nip area between the regulating blade and the roller part in a circumferential direction of the roller part is 0.1 to 0.95 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takahisa NAKAUE, Kotatsu KAWAGUCHI, Masahito ISHINO, Yukari OTA, Tomohiro TAMAKI
  • Publication number: 20220107581
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image-carrying member, a charging device, an exposure device, and a developing device. The charging device charges a surface of the image-carrying member. The exposure device writes an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image-carrying member by exposing the charged surface of the image-carrying member. The developing device includes a developing roller and a bias output circuit. The bias output circuit applies a developing bias to the developing roller. A potential VH of a non-exposure portion charged on the surface of the image-carrying member, a potential VL of an exposure portion on the surface of the image-carrying member, and the developing bias VDD meet a relationship of VH?VDD?2 (VDD?VL). In addition, a difference between the developing bias VDD and the potential VL of the exposure portion (VDD?VL) is 100 V or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Minoru Wada, Masahito Ishino, Takahisa Nakaue, Yukari Ota, Tomohiro Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20220107584
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charger, an exposure device, a development device and a pressing mechanism. The developer carrier is pressed on the image carrier with a predetermined pressing force to form a nip area between the roller part and the image carrier. A roller part of the developer carrier has an Asker C hardness of 65° or more and 73° or less. When the pressing force is set to X (N) and a width of the nip area in a circumferential direction of the image carrier is set to Y (?m), 3.0?X?8.0 and 550?Y?700, and the following expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied, Y ? 31.0 ? ? X + 393.2 ? ? and , ( 1 ) Y ? 47.0 ? X + 450.1 .
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro TAMAKI, Takahisa NAKAUE, Kotatsu KAWAGUCHI, Masahito ISHINO, Yukari OTA
  • Publication number: 20220050401
    Abstract: A development device includes a development housing, a development roller, a supply roller and a layer thickness regulating member. The development housing stores a nonmagnetic one-component toner. The development roller is formed by a cylindrical elastic body, and moves in a same direction as a rotational direction of a rotatable photosensitive drum at a development nip area while coming into contact with the photosensitive drum. The supply roller is formed by a cylindrical elastic body, and supplies the toner to the development roller and collects the toner from the development roller. The development roller has a surface free energy within a range of 5 mJ/m2 or more and 27 mJ/m2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masahito ISHINO, Kotatsu KAWAGUCHI, Takahisa NAKAUE, Yukari OTA, Tomohiro TAMAKI
  • Patent number: 11150578
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a first stirring member and a second stirring member, and a developing roller. The developing container includes a first stirring chamber, a second stirring chamber, and a communication portion. The first stirring member includes a reverse spiral vane that conveys a developer in a direction reverse to a circulation direction. An air discharge duct is formed on a wall portion of the first stirring chamber opposed to the reverse spiral vane and in an area excluding the communication portion and discharges air from the first stirring chamber to an outside of the developing container via an air discharge port at a distal end of the air discharge duct. A filtration portion is disposed in the air discharge duct adjacently to the air discharge port and restricts leakage of the developer through the air discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Minoru Wada, Yuji Kamiyama, Ikuo Makie, Yu Sasaki, Yukari Ota, Ryo Yamada
  • Publication number: 20210055674
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a first stirring member and a second stirring member, and a developing roller. The developing container includes a first stirring chamber, a second stirring chamber, and a communication portion. The first stirring member includes a reverse spiral vane that conveys a developer in a direction reverse to a circulation direction. An air discharge duct is formed on a wall portion of the first stirring chamber opposed to the reverse spiral vane and in an area excluding the communication portion and discharges air from the first stirring chamber to an outside of the developing container via an air discharge port at a distal end of the air discharge duct. A filtration portion is disposed in the air discharge duct adjacently to the air discharge port and restricts leakage of the developer through the air discharge port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Minoru WADA, Yuji KAMIYAMA, Ikuo MAKIE, Yu SASAKI, Yukari OTA, Ryo YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20180321617
    Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing container, a first stirring-conveyance member, a second stirring-conveyance member, and a developer carrier. The developing container includes a first conveyance chamber, and a second conveyance chamber arranged above the first conveyance chamber. The first stirring-conveyance member conveys a developer in the first conveyance chamber in a first direction, while stirring the developer. The second stirring-conveyance member conveys the developer in the second conveyance chamber in a second direction, while stirring the developer. The first stirring-conveyance member includes a plurality of spiral blades formed on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary shaft, and a reverse spiral blade which is arranged downstream of the spiral blades in the first direction and opposite in winding direction to the spiral blades. Downstream ends of the spiral blades in the first direction are located substantially equally distant from the reverse spiral blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yukari OTA
  • Patent number: 10120301
    Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing container, a first stirring-conveyance member, a second stirring-conveyance member, and a developer carrier. The developing container includes a first conveyance chamber, and a second conveyance chamber arranged above the first conveyance chamber. The first stirring-conveyance member conveys a developer in the first conveyance chamber in a first direction, while stirring the developer. The second stirring-conveyance member conveys the developer in the second conveyance chamber in a second direction, while stirring the developer. The first stirring-conveyance member includes a plurality of spiral blades formed on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary shaft, and a reverse spiral blade which is arranged downstream of the spiral blades in the first direction and opposite in winding direction to the spiral blades. Downstream ends of the spiral blades in the first direction are located substantially equally distant from the reverse spiral blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yukari Ota
  • Patent number: 10073373
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a control unit. The control unit sets the toner-layer-forming electric potential difference lower than an electric potential when forming the image on the print medium, forms a combined patch for calibration by the set toner-layer-forming electric potential difference for calibration, so as to adjust the developing-bias potential by measuring a print density of the formed combined patch. The combined patch includes a first patch and a plurality of second patches. The plurality of second patches have a width within a range of 0.2 mm to the predetermined value in the peripheral-velocity direction of the photoreceptor, extend with a length equal to or more than the predetermined value in the rotation-shaft direction of the photoreceptor, and are arranged at a predetermined interval in the peripheral-velocity direction of the photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Kyocera Documents Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Shimizu, Yukari Ota
  • Publication number: 20180011417
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a control unit. The control unit sets the toner-layer-forming electric potential difference lower than an electric potential when forming the image on the print medium, forms a combined patch for calibration by the set toner-layer-forming electric potential difference for calibration, so as to adjust the developing-bias potential by measuring a print density of the formed combined patch. The combined patch includes a first patch and a plurality of second patches. The plurality of second patches have a width within a range of 0.2 mm to the predetermined value in the peripheral-velocity direction of the photoreceptor, extend with a length equal to or more than the predetermined value in the rotation-shaft direction of the photoreceptor, and are arranged at a predetermined interval in the peripheral-velocity direction of the photoreceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshimi Shimizu, Yukari Ota
  • Patent number: 9665037
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a toner supplying roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiver support member, a toner receiver member, and a vibration generator. The toner receiver member is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the toner receiver support member facing the developing roller, and has a toner receiving surface inclined downward from the image-carrier side toward the toner-supplying-roller side. The toner receiving surface is disposed to be inclined so as to rise from the toner-supplying-roller side toward the image-carrier side. The toner receiving surface has a plurality of grooves formed therein to be inclined to approach a center part of the toner receiving surface from each end side of the toner receiving surface in its longitudinal direction, from an edge of the toner receiving surface on the image-carrier side toward an edge of the toner receiving surface on the toner-supplying-roller side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Shinji Otani, Yukari Ota, Yasuhiro Tauchi, Takashi Somete, Yoshimi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9639024
    Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner supplying roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiver support member, a toner receiver member, and a vibration generator. The toner receiver support member is disposed inside the casing so as to face the developing roller or the toner supplying roller between the regulation blade and an image carrier. The toner receiver member is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the toner receiver support member, and has a toner receiving surface that receives toner falling from the developing roller. The vibration generator vibrates the toner receiver member. At each end part of the toner receiving surface in its longitudinal direction, there is formed a thin-walled portion that is thinner in thickness than other parts of the toner receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tauchi, Yukari Ota, Shinji Otani, Takashi Somete, Yoshimi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20170075254
    Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner supplying roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiver support member, a toner receiver member, and a vibration generator. The toner receiver support member is disposed inside the casing so as to face the developing roller or the toner supplying roller between the regulation blade and an image carrier. The toner receiver member is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the toner receiver support member, and has a toner receiving surface that receives toner falling from the developing roller. The vibration generator vibrates the toner receiver member. At each end part of the toner receiving surface in its longitudinal direction, there is formed a thin-walled portion that is thinner in thickness than other parts of the toner receiving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro TAUCHI, Yukari OTA, Shinji OTANI, Takashi SOMETE, Yoshimi SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20170075252
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a toner supplying roller, a regulation blade, a casing, a toner receiver support member, a toner receiver member, and a vibration generator. The toner receiver member is disposed along a longitudinal direction of the toner receiver support member facing the developing roller, and has a toner receiving surface inclined downward from the image-carrier side toward the toner-supplying-roller side. The toner receiving surface is disposed to be inclined so as to rise from the toner-supplying-roller side toward the image-carrier side. The toner receiving surface has a plurality of grooves formed therein to be inclined to approach a center part of the toner receiving surface from each end side of the toner receiving surface in its longitudinal direction, from an edge of the toner receiving surface on the image-carrier side toward an edge of the toner receiving surface on the toner-supplying-roller side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Shinji OTANI, Yukari OTA, Yasuhiro TAUCHI, Takashi SOMETE, Yoshimi SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 9541861
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner carrying member, a developer carrying member, a layer thickness restricting portion, a rotation control portion, and a developer carrying member difference voltage control portion. The rotation control portion, when developing is not performed, causes the developer carrying member to rotate forwardly and then to rotate reversely. The developer carrying member difference voltage control portion, in the non-developing forward rotation state, sets a voltage of the developer carrying member that is based on a potential of the toner carrying member, to a voltage that is smaller than a first reference voltage that is set when the developing is performed. The non-developing forward rotation state is a state in which the developer carrying member rotates forwardly when the developing is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tauchi, Yukari Ota