Patents by Inventor Yukiko Nakaya
Yukiko Nakaya 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: 8027613Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Hiroki Mori
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Patent number: 7925180Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita
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Patent number: 7899356Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yuichi Matsushita, Yukiko Nakaya, Fan Xu
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Patent number: 7764901Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 17, 2007Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu
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Patent number: 7706715Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 22, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu
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Patent number: 7680430Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Mori, Masahiro Ishii, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita
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Patent number: 7672611Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a casing, a development roller, a support member, and at least one transmission gear. The development roller is rotatably disposed in the casing. The support member is provided as a separate member from the casing and is mounted on the casing. The at least one transmission gear is rotatably supported by the support member. The at least one transmission gear transmits a driving force to the development roller. The support member is configured to be dismounted from the casing together with the at least one transmission gear.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2006Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yukiko Nakaya
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Developing device having a side seal member located between a developing roller and a case main body
Patent number: 7630666Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukiko Nakaya, Mitsuru Horinoe, Hiroki Mori, Yuichi Matsushita -
Patent number: 7627264Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2006Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Hiroki Mori, Yukiko Nakaya, Fan Xu, Isao Kishi, Masahiro Ishii, Mitsuru Horinoe
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Patent number: 7623815Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 22, 2007Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Mori, Yuichi Matsushita, Yukiko Nakaya, Fan Xu, Mitsuru Horinoe
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Patent number: 7457560Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2006Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukiko Nakaya, Mitsuru Horinoe, Hiroki Mori, Yuichi Matsushita
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Patent number: 7450889Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of development units having developing-agent carriers which are provided in correspondence to three or more developing agents, and developing electrostatic latent images on surfaces of image carriers to form developing-agent images on the image carriers; and a recovery unit that recovers the developing agent adhering to the developing-agent carrier during non-development operation. The recovery unit is provided for at least the development unit other than the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image first in sequence among the plurality of development units. When one of the plurality of development units performs development by the developing agent whose charge capability is higher than that of the developing agent of the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image later in sequence, the recovery unit starts recovery of the developing agent or performs recovery operation for improving recovery capability of the developing agent.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoaki Hattori, Yukiko Nakaya
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Patent number: 7400843Abstract: A color image forming apparatus may include photoconductors, developing rollers, and cases, each configured to hold developer to be supplied to a corresponding photoconductor from a corresponding developing roller, and each having an elongated opening in which the developing roller is disposed. Also included are a side seal member disposed at each end of the elongated opening in a longitudinal direction of the opening, each side seal member contacting a peripheral surface of the developing roller at each end of an axial direction of the developing roller, and a belt configured to move in a transporting direction parallel to an arrangement direction of the photoconductors, the belt being disposed below the developing rollers. The belt can be disposed to avoid contacting the photoconductors in an area defined by the side seal members being projected onto a plane on a surface of the belt parallel to an axis of the photoconductors.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2006Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yukiko Nakaya
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Patent number: 7395019Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of development units having developing-agent carriers which are provided in correspondence to three or more developing agents, and developing electrostatic latent images on surfaces of image carriers to form developing-agent images on the image carriers; and a recovery unit that recovers the developing agent adhering to the developing-agent carrier during non-development operation. The recovery unit is provided for at least the development unit other than the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image first in sequence among the plurality of development units. When one of the plurality of development units performs development by the developing agent whose charge capability is higher than that of the developing agent of the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image later in sequence, the recovery unit starts recovery of the developing agent or performs recovery operation for improving recovery capability of the developing agent.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoaki Hattori, Yukiko Nakaya
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Patent number: 7395018Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of development units having developing-agent carriers which are provided in correspondence to three or more developing agents, and developing electrostatic latent images on surfaces of image carriers to form developing-agent images on the image carriers; and a recovery unit that recovers the developing agent adhering to the developing-agent carrier during non-development operation. The recovery unit is provided for at least the development unit other than the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image first in sequence among the plurality of development units. When one of the plurality of development units performs development by the developing agent whose charge capability is higher than that of the developing agent of the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image later in sequence, the recovery unit starts recovery of the developing agent or performs recovery operation for improving recovery capability of the developing agent.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoaki Hattori, Yukiko Nakaya
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Publication number: 20080069595Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of development units having developing-agent carriers which are provided in correspondence to three or more developing agents, and developing electrostatic latent images on surfaces of image carriers to form developing-agent images on the image carriers; and a recovery unit that recovers the developing agent adhering to the developing-agent carrier during non-development operation. The recovery unit is provided for at least the development unit other than the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image first in sequence among the plurality of development units. When one of the plurality of development units performs development by the developing agent whose charge capability is higher than that of the developing agent of the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image later in sequence, the recovery unit starts recovery of the developing agent or performs recovery operation for improving recovery capability of the developing agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoaki Hattori, Yukiko Nakaya
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Publication number: 20080063432Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of development units having developing-agent carriers which are provided in correspondence to three or more developing agents, and developing electrostatic latent images on surfaces of image carriers to form developing-agent images on the image carriers; and a recovery unit that recovers the developing agent adhering to the developing-agent carrier during non-development operation. The recovery unit is provided for at least the development unit other than the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image first in sequence among the plurality of development units. When one of the plurality of development units performs development by the developing agent whose charge capability is higher than that of the developing agent of the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image later in sequence, the recovery unit starts recovery of the developing agent or performs recovery operation for improving recovery capability of the developing agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: March 13, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoaki Hattori, Yukiko Nakaya
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Publication number: 20080063436Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of development units having developing-agent carriers which are provided in correspondence to three or more developing agents, and developing electrostatic latent images on surfaces of image carriers to form developing-agent images on the image carriers; and a recovery unit that recovers the developing agent adhering to the developing-agent carrier during non-development operation. The recovery unit is provided for at least the development unit other than the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image first in sequence among the plurality of development units. When one of the plurality of development units performs development by the developing agent whose charge capability is higher than that of the developing agent of the development unit that transfers the developing-agent image later in sequence, the recovery unit starts recovery of the developing agent or performs recovery operation for improving recovery capability of the developing agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: March 13, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoaki Hattori, Yukiko Nakaya
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Publication number: 20080056774Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroki MORI, Mitsuru HORINOE, Yuichi MATSUSHITA, Yukiko NAKAYA, Fan XU
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Publication number: 20080050153Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroki MORI, Yuichi MATSUSHITA, Yukiko NAKAYA, Fan XU, Mitsuru HORINOE