Patents Issued in September 27, 2016
  • Patent number: 9454097
    Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a supply roller, a first regulating member, a second regulating member, a communication portion, and a conveying member. The second regulating member contacts with the supply roller. The housing has a first part and a second part. The first part is downstream of the second regulating member in a rotating direction of the supply roller, and a second part is upstream of the second regulating member in the rotating direction. The communication portion provides communication between the first part and the second part. The conveying member is in the first part and configured to convey the developing agent in the first part to the communication portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takahashi, Kazutoshi Kotama
  • Patent number: 9454098
    Abstract: An electro-photographic print system or method for regulating a supply of toner based on a required toner amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Harold Luke
  • Patent number: 9454099
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a lid pulling mechanism that includes a hook to open a toner discharge opening by pulling, from the bottle head section, a lid member that is in contact with a bottle head section of a toner bottle to close the toner discharge opening, and the lid pulling mechanism pulls the lid member in a direction inclined upward with respect to a virtual line that extends in a horizontal direction. Therefore, the distance is decreased between the lid member and the bottle head section and above the toner discharge opening through which air easily passes; thus, intake of air from the outside to the inside of the bottle head section is prevented. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of spread of toner from the inside of the bottle head section to the outside of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9454100
    Abstract: A developer guide device includes a conveying pipe portion, a light-emitting portion, a light-receiving portion, and a cleaning mechanism. The conveying pipe portion is configured to guide a developer in a predetermined conveyance direction. The light-emitting portion is configured to emit light into an interior of the conveying pipe portion through a light projection window provided in a peripheral wall of the conveying pipe portion. The light-receiving portion is capable of receiving light from the interior of the conveying pipe portion through a light reception window provided in the peripheral wall of the conveying pipe portion. The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning member configured to receive a predetermined drive force to be displaced thereby to come into contact with inner surfaces of the light projection window and the light reception window to clean the inner surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Inoue, Koji Murata
  • Patent number: 9454101
    Abstract: A developing cartridge is provided. The developing cartridge includes a first frame and a second frame and a layer thickness regulating member. The first frame and the second frame include a first welding surface formed at a periphery of the developer accommodating part correspondingly to a developer accommodating part; and a second welding surface extending continuously from the first welding surface correspondingly to a roller support part. The first welding surface extends in a direction orthogonal to an overlapping direction of the first frame and the second frame. The second welding surface extends to be inclined toward a side of the first frame in the overlapping direction as extending toward the developing roller. The layer thickness regulating member is provided to cover the second welding surface from a side of the second frame in the overlapping direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9454102
    Abstract: A developing cartridge is provided. The developing cartridge includes a first frame and a second frame and a layer thickness regulating member. The first frame and the second frame include a first welding surface formed at a periphery of the developer accommodating part correspondingly to a developer accommodating part; and a second welding surface extending continuously from the first welding surface correspondingly to a roller support part. The first welding surface extends in a direction orthogonal to an overlapping direction of the first frame and the second frame. The second welding surface extends to be inclined toward a side of the first frame in the overlapping direction as extending toward the developing roller. The layer thickness regulating member is provided to cover the second welding surface from a side of the second frame in the overlapping direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9454103
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing member and a carrier collecting member. An outer surface of the developing member includes a plurality of protrusion portions aligned at regular intervals that are equal to or larger than an average particle diameter of toner particles and smaller than an average particle diameter of magnetic carrier particles. Each protrusion portion has a first face formed at one side of an apex of each protrusion portion and a second face formed at the other side of the apex, and an inclination angle of the first face is less than an inclination angle of the second face. In the circumferential direction of the developing member, when a downward direction of the first face is set to be positive, a relative velocity of a surface velocity of an image bearing member to a surface velocity of the developing member is set to be positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Kubo, Tomohito Ishida, Shunichi Takada, Koichi Hashimoto, Tatsuya Tada
  • Patent number: 9454104
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing sleeve and a regulation portion. The developing sleeve includes a magnetism generating portion to which magnetic poles are attached. The developing sleeve holds a developer on an outer circumferential surface. The regulation portion includes a magnetic plate. A first segment connecting a peak position of the magnetic pole disposed at a position facing the magnetic plate and an axial center of the developing sleeve has an angle, with respect to a second segment connecting the magnetic plate and the axial center, equal to or less than 7 degrees on a downstream side in a rotation direction of the developing sleeve and equal to or less than 6 degrees on an upstream side in the rotation direction. An angle of a half value width of the magnetic pole is equal to or greater than 41 degrees to equal to or less than 52 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Urayama, Yasuaki Watanabe, Jun Abe, Tomoyuki Yoshii, Takashi Ochi, Shinji Okuyama, Fumiyuki Honda, Shiho Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9454105
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing roller including a magnet in which a plurality of magnetic poles are arranged and a rotatable sleeve which conveys a developing agent including toner and carrier to develop a latent image formed on a photoconductor, a motor configured to rotate the sleeve and a rotational direction of a motor control section configured to rotate the motor forward or reversely when an image forming job is completed, to rotate the sleeve in a direction reverse to a rotational direction of the sleeve in the image forming job for a reverse rotation time and then rotate the sleeve in a direction the same as the rotational direction of the sleeve in the image forming job for a forward rotation time shorter than the reverse rotation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kei Onishi
  • Patent number: 9454106
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which, during a continuous sheet passing, in the case where a between-sheets time is short, none of a cleaning mode and a drive OFF mode is performed; in the case where the between-sheets time is of a medium length of time, the cleaning mode is performed but the drive OFF mode is not performed; and in the case where the between-sheets time is long, both the cleaning mode and the drive OFF mode are performed. As a result, degradation of an image bearer due to the cleaning bias is alleviated, decreased productivity due to the cleaning mode is alleviated, a problem is alleviated in which a back surface of a recording medium gets dirty due to toner adhered to a transfer rotation body, and another problem is alleviated in which the service life of a driven member is shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho Sekiguchi, Takeshi Kojima, Tomoya Ohmura, Hiroomi Tamura, Tetsuto Ueda, Kazuya Saitoh, Taichi Urayama, Takuya Moriyama, Naoyuki Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9454107
    Abstract: A novel image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor to bear an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, a developing device to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, an intermediate transfer member onto which the electrostatic latent image is transferred, a primary transfer member to apply a primary transfer bias to the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image thereto, a secondary transfer member supplied with a secondary transfer bias to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, and a transfer bias power source to selectively apply to the secondary transfer member one of a secondary transfer bias consisting of a direct current (DC) voltage in a DC transfer mode and a secondary transfer bias consisting of a superimposed bias in which an alternating voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Shimizu, Shinya Tanaka, Hirokazu Ishii, Keigo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9454108
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that performs primary transfer by allowing a current to flow to an intermediate transfer belt in the circumferential direction of the belt, the image forming apparatus has a control unit that can execute a second mode in which a second current amount which is larger than a first current amount is supplied from a current supply unit to an intermediate transfer belt and a toner image is primarily transferred only from a first photosensitive body to the intermediate transfer belt. The control unit can adjust surface potentials of the first photosensitive body and a second photosensitive body, and makes the absolute value of the surface potential of the second photosensitive body less than the absolute value of the surface potential of the first photosensitive body when the second mode is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Katagiri, Shuichi Tetsuno, Masaru Ohno, Masaru Shimura
  • Patent number: 9454109
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a toner image forming unit; a belt member; a transfer member; a transfer voltage source for generating a voltage applied to the transfer member; an obtaining portion for obtaining information on an electric resistance of the belt member; a detecting member for optically detecting a test toner image formed on the image bearing member and transferred on the belt member; and an executing portion for executing, on the basis of a detection result of the test toner image by the detecting member, an adjusting operation for adjusting an image forming condition of the toner image forming unit. The executing portion sets, on the basis of the information, a voltage applied to the transfer member when the test toner image is transferred onto the belt member in the adjusting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Etsuji Kojima, Tetsuya Ohta
  • Patent number: 9454110
    Abstract: The transfer member according to the present invention is a transfer member employed for transferring toner in an image forming apparatus utilizing electrophotography, made of a rubber composition at least containing styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber and epichlorohydrin rubber as rubber components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Mizumoto, Naoyuki Satoyoshi, Kiyotaka Okuda, Masafumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9454111
    Abstract: An image hearing apparatus includes: a rotatable heating member; a rotatable collecting member; a cleaning unit including a cleaning web; a moving mechanism configured to move the cleaning unit between a first position where the cleaning web contacts the rotatable collecting member and a second position where the cleaning web contacts the rotatable collecting member at a contact pressure lower than a contact pressure at the first position; and an urging portion. The cleaning unit also includes a first pressing potion configured to press the rotatable collecting member toward the rotatable heating member in contact with the rotatable collecting member when the cleaning unit is in the first position, and includes a second pressing portion configured to press the rotatable collecting member toward the rotatable heating member in contact with the urging portion without contacting the rotatable collecting member when the cleaning unit is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunari Hatazaki
  • Patent number: 9454112
    Abstract: A temperature detection device includes a supporting body that includes end portions and a middle portion and that is elastically deformed by being pressed by an object to be detected, both of the end portions being supported at positions separated from the object to be detected, the supporting body having an initial shape such that the middle portion bulges in an arc shape to a position beyond the object to be detected when the supporting body does not receive an external force from the object to be detected; and a temperature detection element that is supported by a contact portion of the supporting body that contacts the object to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Gotoh, Koji Okabe, Jouta Kobayashi, Kyogo Soshi, Yusuke Sakurai, Hiroko Furukata
  • Patent number: 9454113
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed unit which feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming an image on the sheet, a re-transport roller which reverses the sheet with a toner image fixed on the sheet and re-transports the sheet to the image forming unit, and a control unit which controls a sheet feed operation of the sheet feed unit for feeding the sheet. As the temperature of the re-transport roller sensed by the temperature sensing unit is decreased, the control unit retards the timing at which the sheet feed unit starts the sheet feed operation when a duplex image formation in which the image is formed on both sides of the sheet is performed after a one-side image formation is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Kenji Abe, Hideki Ohta, Takamichi Matsuo, Youhei Suzuki, Takuro Mita
  • Patent number: 9454114
    Abstract: A fixing device including a fixing member, an opposing member, a plurality of heat sources, and a voltage detector. The opposing member is disposed opposite the fixing member to contact the fixing member to form a nip portion at which an unfixed image on a recording medium is fixed. The plurality of heat sources heats the fixing member. The voltage detector detects an applied voltage of at least one of the plurality of heat sources. Upon detection of the applied voltage of the heat sources by the voltage detector, a voltage is applied to at least one of the heat sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Teppei Kawata, Takuya Seshita, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9454115
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heat source and a reflecting member. The fixing belt is arranged rotatably around a rotation axis. The reflecting member reflects the radiant heat radiated from the heat source. The fixing belt has a passing region and a non-passing region. Through the passing region, a recording medium passes. The non-passing region is arranged outside the passing region in a direction of the rotation axis. The reflecting member has a first reflecting part and a second reflecting part. The first reflecting part is arranged at an inner circumferential side of the passing region. The second reflecting part is arranged at an inner circumferential side of the non-passing region. Roughness of a face at the heat source side of the second reflecting part is larger than roughness of a face at the heat source side of the first reflecting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yotsutsuji, Yoshiharu Kanematsu, Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Takashi Eiki, Eriko Hayashi, Hironori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9454116
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressuring member and a heater. The fixing member is configured to be rotatable. The pressuring member is configured to be rotatable and to come into pressure contact with the fixing member so as to form a fixing nip. The heater is arranged inside the fixing member. A heat resistant coating to convert light from the heater into heat is applied to an inner face of the fixing member, and the coating is formed by using an inorganic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Seiji Okada
  • Patent number: 9454117
    Abstract: A metal plate, which reinforces a backup member in contact with an inner surface of a fixing film, has a flat portion pressed against the backup member. The fixing film includes an electrically conductive layer. A current flows through the electrically conductive layer entirely in a circumferential direction of the fixing film, thereby causing the fixing film to generate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Obata, Koji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9454118
    Abstract: The fixing apparatus includes a first unit configured to be brought into contact with a surface of a fixing roller so as to heat the fixing roller, a second unit configured to form a fixing nip portion together with the fixing roller, a first regulation part configured to regulate a decrease in distance between a shaft of the fixing roller and the first unit, and a second regulation part configured to regulate a decrease in distance between the shaft of the fixing roller and the second unit. Thus, a heating nip width and a fixing nip width are maintained stably for a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Tanaka, Masafumi Maeda
  • Patent number: 9454119
    Abstract: A method for printing on a receiver with a plurality of colored dry inks and a dry white ink, the method includes providing a look-up table having a set of one dimensional look-up tables for each of the colored inks and black inks; inputting a value to each of the one dimensional look-up tables, which value corresponds to a laydown at each pixel location of the receiver; wherein the look-up table determines a laydown of white ink at each pixel location depending on the laydown of the colored inks and black ink; and determining an amount of white ink to laydown by computing a value from the determined white laydowns of each look-up table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 9454120
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus for driving a cassette pickup roller (17) and a registration roller (18) by using the same driving source, in which a conveyance control portion (221) starts conveyance speed control for a subsequent sheet, which is fed from a sheet feeding position subsequently to a preceding sheet fed therefrom earlier, when it is determined that a trailing edge of the preceding sheet has passed through the registration roller (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Kanno, Tadashi Fukumuro
  • Patent number: 9454121
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus to which a finisher is connected, a power source control unit shifts the image forming apparatus to a power saving state. The image forming apparatus is inhibited from being shifted to the power saving state when it is detected that a sheet for which a binding process is to be performed is set in the finisher. The image forming apparatus may be permitted to be shifted to the power saving state when it is not detected that the sheet is set in the finisher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Hikichi
  • Patent number: 9454122
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a standby unit, a processing unit, and a discharge unit. The standby unit puts a sheet on standby. The processing unit is disposed below the standby unit. The processing unit includes a conveyance reference plane, a distance between which and a conveyance reference plane for the sheet in the standby unit changes to decrease from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet. The processing unit processes the sheet supplied from the standby unit. The discharge unit is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction of each of the standby unit and the processing unit. The discharge unit is provided with an opening section for causing the sheet discharged from the standby unit or the processing unit to pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoichi Dobashi
  • Patent number: 9454123
    Abstract: An erasing apparatus includes a path configured to carry a sheet, and an erasing unit arranged on the path and configured to erase an image on the sheet by heating the sheet. The erasing apparatus further includes a fan configured to blow air downstream from the erasing unit in a sheet carrying direction, and a shutter disposed between the fan and the erasing unit and movable to control the amount of air blown by the fan from reaching the erasing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9454124
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and a movable member configured to move with respect to the main body while supporting an image bearing member and a developer bearing member. The movable member is movable to a position located inside the main body, where the two bearing members is in an image formable state, and a position located outside the main body, where a cartridge including the developer bearing member is detachable from the movable member. The apparatus further includes an exposure device configured to expose the image bearing member via a light transmission member, and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the light transmission member opposed to the movable member. The cleaning member is provided on the movable member and is movable to a contact position for contacting the light transmission member and a noncontact position when the movable member moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Takasaka, Noriyuki Komatsu, Osamu Anan, Tetsuya Numata
  • Patent number: 9454125
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir, an exit for exiting toner and an entry port for receiving waste toner. A partition divides the reservoir into a first compartment for storing fresh toner and a second compartment for storing waste toner. The first compartment is in fluid communication with the exit. The partition is movable within the reservoir between a first position and a second position. The entry port is in fluid communication with the first compartment when the partition is in the first position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the first compartment. The entry port is in fluid communication with the second compartment but closed off from the first compartment when the partition is in the second position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ligia Aura Bejat, Michael Alan Gist, Michael Craig Leemhuis, Prabuddha Jyotindra Mehta, Eric Carl Stelter, David Anthony Schneider, Kelly Marie Wright
  • Patent number: 9454126
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a plurality of cleaners. The plurality of cleaners includes at least a first cleaner, a second cleaner, and a third cleaner arranged next to each other in a traveling direction of a cleaning target. The first cleaner is disposed at an extreme upstream end of the traveling direction and supplied with a first voltage having a same polarity as a polarity of a normally-charged toner. The cleaners, other than the first cleaner, disposed downstream from the first cleaner, is supplied with a second voltage having a polarity opposite the polarity of the normally-charged toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Mitani, Kenji Sugiura, Yuuji Wada, Kazuki Yogosawa, Junpei Fujita, Seiichi Kogure, Naohiro Kumagai
  • Patent number: 9454127
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Susumu Sakuma
  • Patent number: 9454128
    Abstract: A waste toner storing container includes a container main body, a conveyance guide portion, a conveyance portion, a conversion portion, a moving member, and a restriction member. The container main body stores waste toner. The conveyance guide portion has an inclined guide surface that guides the waste toner diagonally downward from a reception port. The conveyance portion is rotatably provided in the inside of the container main body. The conversion portion converts a rotational motion of the rotation shaft to a reciprocating motion in conjunction. The moving member reciprocally moves in a direction along the inclined guide surface by a force of the reciprocating motion received from the conversion portion. The restriction member restricts the moving member from being displaced upward from the inclined guide surface by pressing the moving member toward the inclined guide surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Naoki Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9454129
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exterior cover having a plurality of faces. The exterior cover is configured so that one face of the plurality of faces is divided into a plurality of cover boards. The plurality of cover boards are configured so that adjacent cover boards of the plurality of cover boards include respective overlapping parts overlapping onto each other formed in the respective adjacent cover boards and the one face is composed by overlapping the overlapping parts from the outside in predetermined order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Keiji Okumura
  • Patent number: 9454130
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for producing illuminated, holographic media comprising a photopolymer formulation having the adjustable mechanical modulus GUV. A further subject matter of the invention is an illuminated, holographic medium that can be obtained by means of the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Covestro Deutschland AG
    Inventors: Marc-Stephan Weiser, Thomas Roelle, Friedrich-Karl Bruder, Thomas Fäcke, Dennis Hönel
  • Patent number: 9454131
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for fast generation of a hologram image. The method may include generating a point hologram corresponding to each three-dimensional (3D) point using sub-sampling, generating a hologram pattern using the generated point hologram, and generating a 3D hologram by interpolating the generated hologram pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok Lee, Ho Cheon Wey, Dong Kyung Nam
  • Patent number: 9454132
    Abstract: An integrated hologram optical device, a method of manufacturing the same, and an integrated hologram recording apparatus are provided. The integrated hologram optical device includes a two-dimensional (2D) array of a plurality of hogels. A holographic element is configured to be recorded such that a combination of the plurality of hogels is configured to adjust at least one of an angle and a focal length of a signal beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung-kwuen An, Kyoung-seok Pyun
  • Patent number: 9454133
    Abstract: Watch comprising a movement arranged to drive a timepiece calendar mechanism, which includes drive means that drive, at each change in month, complementary drive means arranged to drive a month cam whose periphery cooperates with a month feeler arm comprised in the calendar mechanism, where this month cam covers an angular sector of less than 360°, and the calendar mechanism includes elastic return means arranged to instantaneously return the month cam in a backward movement, in cooperation with the month feeler, to the position of the first month of the year upon completion of the last day of the preceding year.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventor: Eric Goeller
  • Patent number: 9454134
    Abstract: The strike sound producing assembly is provided for a watch striking mechanism. The assembly includes at least one gong, which is directly integral by means of a gong-carrier with an assembly element inside a watch case to form a single piece. A first end of the gong is fixed to the gong-carrier, whereas a second end of the gong is free to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: BLANCPAIN SA
    Inventor: Marco Rochat
  • Patent number: 9454135
    Abstract: A method of providing a manufactureable long vapor cell with enhanced sensitivity and good mechanical strength, wherein the method provides a structure that increases the overall length of the vapor cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Roozbeh Parsa, Peter J. Hopper
  • Patent number: 9454136
    Abstract: A method of controlling an industrial system by a control system including a user interface having a main display arranged to provide a status view of at least a portion of the industrial system and a secondary display enabling user interaction with the industrial system and the main display. The method includes: receiving an alert concerning a status change in a part of the industrial system; displaying, on the secondary display, an alert object associated with the part of the industrial system generating the alert; detecting a selection of the alert object based on gesture-based user input; displaying the alert object on the main display; receiving an adjustment command of a parameter via gesture-based user input, the parameter being associated with the part of the industrial system generating the alert; adjusting the parameter based on the adjustment command; and controlling the part generating the alert based on the adjusted parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Susanne Timsjo
  • Patent number: 9454137
    Abstract: A microgrid system may control power distribution among a plurality of interconnected microgrids operated under droop mode. The microgrids may operate both autonomously and as part of the system. Stable power distribution between the microgrids may be performed by monitoring operation of the microgrids and electrically disconnecting the microgrids from one another when a power outage or performance outside of a tolerance is detected. Network lines between the microgrids may remain in communication while the microgrids are disconnected from one another. The microgrids may operate autonomously under a preset operating droop frequency until power stability is detected at a boundary between adjacent microgrids. The microgrids may communicate with one another adjusting operating droop until synchronization among microgrids is achieved and the microgrids can be reconnected into the microgrid system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Brainard, Scott Fischer, Jeffrey M. Puffer, Robert Harris
  • Patent number: 9454138
    Abstract: A method for operating a position encoder system includes performing a closed loop position control based on a detected first position indication of a position of an actuating element. The performing of the closed loop position includes generating a position correcting variable and allocating a space vector the position correcting variable to enable an adjustment drive to be controlled. The method further includes performing a check on the first position indication or correcting the first position indication with the allocated space vector. An adjustment drive is configured to adjust the actuating element. The actuating device includes a rotating electronically commuted motor. The motor has a rotor and an electronic rotor position of the rotor is configured to be allocated to multiple positions of the actuating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alex Grossmann, Reiner Schweinfurth, Udo Sieber, Ralf Buehrle
  • Patent number: 9454139
    Abstract: Adjusting environmental variables in an adaptive parameter adjustment runtime environment, including: executing a parallel program by the adaptive parameter adjustment runtime environment, including beginning operations with a set of default global parameter values; maintaining a list of configurable parameters; changing a parameter value for a parameter in the list of configurable parameters; determining whether an effect of changing the parameter value is positive, negative, or neutral; responsive to determining that the effect of changing the parameter value is positive, changing the parameter value for the parameter; responsive to determining that the effect of changing the parameter value is negative, changing the parameter value for the parameter to a previous value; and responsive to determining that the effect of changing the parameter value is neutral, performing a list management operation on the list of configurable parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Archer, Nysal Jan K. A., Sameh S. Sharkawi
  • Patent number: 9454140
    Abstract: A control apparatus has at least one module including first, second and third module parts. The first and second module parts can be mechanically and electrically combined to form a first combined arrangement. The first and third module parts can be mechanically and electrically combined to form a second combined arrangement. The first module part comprises a securing element with an engagement section moveable between a first position, wherein the first and second module part are secured together, and a second position wherein the first and second module parts can be detached from one another. The securing element includes an actuation section. In the first position, the actuation section is located in a first spatial region and, in the second position, is located in a second spatial region. The third module part has a blocking section, which, in the second combined arrangement, occupies at least partially the second spatial region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thorsten Godau, Markus Cech, Winfried Gruber, Andreas Veit
  • Patent number: 9454141
    Abstract: Systems are described that provide monitoring for control, measurement and verification of demand side management resources. Control units deployed among customer or utility premises can monitor capacity as real or reactive power that is consumed, generated or stored by resources and, in some cases, selectively alter the load consumed or energy delivered by some or all of such resources derived from load capacity and dispatch models. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INNOVARI, INC.
    Inventors: Loran Friedrich, David Walden, Chris Hickman, Laura V. Raymond, James Tillett, Eric Pierce, John Whalen
  • Patent number: 9454142
    Abstract: A method for operation of an automation device for obtaining information about a control program provided as an automation solution for control and/or monitoring of a technical process is specified in which, especially from a database in conjunction with the control program, a list of entry point questions is loaded and presented to the user for selection and, when an entry point question is selected in the list of entry point questions in conjunction with the entry point question at least one item of dynamic information relating to the control program is loaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Harald Roβkopf
  • Patent number: 9454143
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for determining and optimizing electric transfer capacities of electric power system facilities. A processor receives and stores information that is used to compute the quantity of electric power that can flow through one or more electric power facilities. A capability datastore and an external factors datastore communicate with the processor and with each other. The capability datastore computes and stores the electrical transfer capability as a function time duration and at any given point in time while the external factors datastore determines a plurality of variables which affect the electrical transfer capabilities. A resource manager, connected to the processor, allocates resources by optimizing and correlating the electrical transfer capabilities with the plurality of variables, to generate an electrical transfer capacity rating for the one or more electric power facilities as a function of time duration and at any given point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Inventor: Russell N. Raymond
  • Patent number: 9454144
    Abstract: A tool path display apparatus includes a display unit for displaying at least two of a program path, a command path and an actual path so that the paths can be compared with each other. The tool path display apparatus further includes a tool vector display unit for displaying tool vectors representative of tool postures corresponding to these paths so that the tool vectors can be compared with each other. Each tool vector is displayed as a line segment connecting a tool tip point and a reference point distant from the tool tip point toward a tool base end side by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Tezuka, Hajime Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9454145
    Abstract: An analogue probe for a machine tool apparatus, which includes a probe body, a stylus member movably secured to the probe body and a sensor that measures the extent of displacement of the stylus member relative to the probe body, in which the sensor is contained within a chamber in the probe body. The analogue probe further includes a vent between the chamber and the outside of the probe body, configured such that, when the vent is open, the pressure within the chamber can equalize with the analogue probe's operating environment's pressure, and is further configured such that the vent's opening to the outside of the probe body can be closed so as to seal the chamber and the sensor from external contaminants during operation of the analogue probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: RENISHAW PLC
    Inventors: David Collingwood, Robert John Bragg
  • Patent number: 9454146
    Abstract: A numerical controller controls a five-axis machining machine that machines a workpiece attached to a table with three linear axes and two rotary axes. The numerical controller inputs a relative tool direction that represents a relative position of the tool direction with respect to the workpiece after the rotary axes are moved by a manual operation, as a vector, roll-pitch-yaw angles, or Euler angles. The numerical controller further converts the relative tool direction thus input into the rotary axis positions of the two rotary axes and drives the two rotary axes based on the rotary axis position thus converted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventor: Kimio Abe