Patents Issued in December 7, 2017
  • Publication number: 20170351167
    Abstract: An illumination system of a projection system includes a first illumination integrating element, a second illumination integrating element, first light source elements, and second light source elements. The first/second illumination integrating element includes first/second light-reflecting regions separated from each other and located on a first/second plane. The second plane is not parallel to the first plane. The first/second light source elements are adapted to provide first/second light beams respectively. The first/second light-reflecting regions are located on a transmission path of the first/second light beams, and the first/second light beams are adapted to travel along the illumination direction after being reflected by the first/second light-reflecting regions. The illumination system has good optical quality. The projection system has good image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Hsuan-I Wu, Chi-Hsun Wang, Hao-Wei Chiu, Ko-Shun Chen
  • Publication number: 20170351168
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved collapsible display device. The improved collapsible display device has a housing member having a moveable member on the exterior of said housing and said moveable member is moveable between two positions, a collapsible screen capable of displaying an image when in an extended position, and multiple extendible members connected to said screen and rotatably connected to both said moveable member and said housing, and said moveable member moves said screen between the collapsed and extended operating positions as said moveable member moves between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Shengliang ZHU, Alexander David WESLEY
  • Publication number: 20170351169
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a reflective mask that includes a substrate; a reflective multilayer disposed on the substrate; an anti-oxidation barrier layer disposed on the reflective multilayer and the anti-oxidation barrier layer is in amorphous structure with an average interatomic distance less than an oxygen diameter; and an absorber layer disposed on the anti-oxidation barrier layer and patterned according to an integrated circuit layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: CHIA-HAO YU, CHI-LUN LU, CHIH-TSUNG SHIH, CHING-WEI SHEN, JENG-HORNG CHEN
  • Publication number: 20170351170
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for a semiconductor lithography process in accordance with some embodiments. The apparatus includes a pellicle membrane with a thermal conductive surface; a porous pellicle frame; and a thermal conductive adhesive layer that secures the pellicle membrane to the porous pellicle frame. The porous pellicle frame includes a plurality of pore channels continuously extending from an exterior surface of the porous pellicle frame to an interior surface of the porous pellicle frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: AMO CHEN, YUN-YUE LIN, TA-CHENG LIEN, HSIN-CHANG LEE, CHIH-CHENG LIN, JENG-HORNG CHEN
  • Publication number: 20170351171
    Abstract: An imprint lithography template including an alignment mark including at least two columns or at least two rows of features spaced apart from one another, and a dummy-fill region, wherein the alignment mark is spaced apart from the dummy-fill region, and wherein a closest distance between the at least two columns or the at least two rows is less than a closest distance between any portion of the at least two columns or the at least two rows and the dummy-fill region. In an embodiment, the at least two columns or the at least two rows are spaced apart by at least 0.5 microns. In a further embodiment, the closest distance between the at least two columns or the at least two rows and the dummy-fill region is at least 2 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Ecron D. Thompson, Andrew Robert Eckert, Kosta S. Selinidis
  • Publication number: 20170351172
    Abstract: A photocurable composition for imprint at least has a polymerizable compound (A) and a photopolymerization initiator (B), in which the polymerizable compound (A) contains 20% by weight or more of a multifunctional (meth)acrylic monomer and the glass transition temperature of a photocured substance of the photocurable composition is 90° C. or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Shiori Yonezawa, Toshiki Ito, Tomonori Otani, Kazumi Iwashita, Takeshi Honma
  • Publication number: 20170351173
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus which forms a pattern on a substrate, which includes a movable stage, a holding unit removably attached to the stage and configured to suck and hold the substrate, an optical system of which position with respect to the holding unit is fixed, and configured to detect an alignment mark of the substrate which is sucked by the holding unit from a suction surface side of the substrate, a reference mark for measuring a position of a detection field of the optical system, and a detection system configured to detect the reference mark. The substrate is disposed on the holding unit in accordance with the position of the reference mark detected by the detection system so that the alignment mark of the substrate detected from the suction surface side of the substrate by the optical system is disposed in the detection field of the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Naoki Funabashi
  • Publication number: 20170351174
    Abstract: A pattern-forming method includes forming a base pattern including a first polymer on a front face side. A composition is applied on at least a lateral face of the base pattern. The composition includes at least one polymer that is capable of interacting with the first polymer. The composition is heated such that a portion of the at least one polymer interacts with the first polymer and that a coating film is formed on the lateral face of the base pattern. Another portion of the at least one polymer not having interacted with the first polymer is removed to form a resist pattern. The base pattern in a planar view has a shape with a long axis and a short axis, and a ratio of lengths of the long axis to the short axis is no less than 1.5 and no greater than 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: JSR Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi OSAKI
  • Publication number: 20170351175
    Abstract: A synthetic paper is manufactured with a method comprising the steps of: a) providing at least two types of pho to-polymerizable monomers, b) exposing the volume to a three-dimensional light pattern to induce a polymerization reaction, and c) removing uncured monomer to create an open microstructure. The volume comprises at least one monomer comprising at least two thiol groups and at least one monomer comprising at least two carbon-carbon double bonds, where the ratio (r1) between the number of thiol groups and the number of carbon-carbon double bonds fulfils one of: 0.5?r1?0.9 and 1.1?r1?2. One advantage is that off stoichiometry creates an edge effect giving better defined boundaries between exposed and unexposed parts in the volume and giving a possibility to create thinner micro pillars. Another advantage is that it is easy to bind molecules to the surface to obtain desired surface properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Jonas Hansson, Hiroki Yasuga, Wouter Van Der Wijngaart, Tommy Haraldsson
  • Publication number: 20170351176
    Abstract: Provided are an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a compound (A) whose dissolution rate in an alkali developer decreases by the action of an acid, a resin (B) having a group that decomposes by the action of an alkali developer to increase the solubility in the alkali developer and having at least one of a fluorine atom or a silicon atom, and a resin (C) having a phenolic hydroxyl group, different from the resin (B), an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive film and a mask blank, each formed using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, a pattern forming method using the actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei YAMAGUCHI, Koutarou TAKAHASHI, Toshiaki FUKUHARA, Shuji HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20170351177
    Abstract: A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium salt of iodized benzoic acid offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Hatakeyama, Masaki Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20170351178
    Abstract: Provided is a composition for forming an organic anti-reflective coating layer used in a negative tone development, which not only enhance an adhesion to a photoresist while having a high refractive index and a high etch rate but also improve a pattern profile of undercut etc. The composition an isocyanurate compound containing at least one moiety which is represented by Formula 2; a polymer represented by Formula 3 and an organic solvent for dissolving the above-mentioned components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Hyo Jung ROH, Ji Hyun KIM, Seung Jin KIM, Hyun Jin KIM
  • Publication number: 20170351179
    Abstract: Provided are a composition for forming an upper layer film for a photoresist, including a polymer having a molecular weight distribution in which a peak area of a high-molecular-weight component having a weight-average molecular weight of 40,000 or more accounts for 0.1% or less with respect to the entire peak area in the molecular weight distribution, measured by the gel permeation chromatography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Akiyoshi GOTO, Naoki INOUE, Naohiro TANGO, Kei YAMAMOTO, Michihiro SHIRAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20170351180
    Abstract: When a reticle is first used, the reticle is loaded in a projection exposure device and measured by either oblique measurement or random measurement, thereby avoiding the fear of uneven sampling and determining the reticle transmittance of the entire reticle as the parent population, without increasing the sampling count. The same effect can be obtained by making the measurement spot size, which is fixed in general, variable and by changing the angle of incidence in relation to the measurement spot size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michihiro MURATA, Yutaka GOMI
  • Publication number: 20170351181
    Abstract: In a method for producing a wired circuit board includes a step (1), in which the insulating layer having an inclination face is provided; a step (2), in which a metal thin film is provided on the surface of the insulating layer including the inclination face; a step (3), in which a photoresist is provided on the surface of the metal thin film; a step (4), in which a photomask is disposed so that a first light exposure portion and a second light exposure portion in the photoresist are exposed to light, and the photoresist is exposed to light; a step (5), in which the first light exposure portion and the second light exposure portion are removed; and a step (6), in which the first wire and the second wire are provided on the surface of the metal thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuu SUGIMOTO, Hiroyuki TANABE, Yoshito FUJIMURA
  • Publication number: 20170351182
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a first layer including a layout of first shot regions each having a first size and a second layer including a layout of second shot regions each having a second size corresponding to a size including at least two first shot regions to be overlaid on each other, by first processing of forming the first layer in a process including scanning exposure and second processing of forming the second layer, the method including determining, for each of the first shot regions, a scanning direction when performing scanning exposure for the first shot region in the first processing so that combinations each including the scanning directions and the at least two first shot regions included in the second shot region in the first processing are identical in at least some of the second shot regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Kazushi Mizumoto
  • Publication number: 20170351183
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Publication number: 20170351184
    Abstract: A device including a light source, illumination system, objective lens, and detector. The light source produces measurement light beams, the illumination system directs measurement light beams into the objective lens, and the objective lens directs measurement light beams onto an overlay marker, collects main maximums of diffracted light beam diffracted from the overlay marker, and focuses main maximums of diffracted light beam onto a pupil plane of the objective lens. The detector is positioned on the pupil plane of the objective lens and used for detecting the position of each main maximums of diffracted light beam on the detector, to obtain the overlay error of said overlay marker. Diffracted-light position information is used to measure overlay error, and measurement signals are not affected by illumination uniformity, transmissivity uniformity, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: SHANGHAI MICRO ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT (GROUP) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bofang PENG, Hailiang LU, Fan WANG
  • Publication number: 20170351185
    Abstract: Disclosed is an adaptive groove focusing and leveling device for measuring the height and the inclination of the surface of a measured object (400).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: SHANGHAI MICRO ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT (GROUP) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jingchao QI, Feibiao CHEN
  • Publication number: 20170351186
    Abstract: A holding device for holding a substrate includes a base including an intake hole and an exhaust flow path communicating with the intake hole, a moving member which is movable in a gravity direction by coming into contact with a substrate, and a determination unit configured to determine whether a moving member holds a substrate on the basis of changes in pressure of the exhaust flow path exhausted by an exhaust unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Hideo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20170351187
    Abstract: A support table for a lithographic apparatus, the support table having a support section and a conditioning system, wherein the support section, the conditioning system, or both, is configured such that heat transfer to or from a substrate supported on the support table, resulting from the operation of the conditioning system, is greater in a region of the substrate adjacent an edge of the substrate than it is in a region of the substrate that is at the center of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Johan Gertrudis Cornelis KUNNEN, Martijn Houben, Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent, Hendrikus Johannes Marinus VAN ABEELEN, Armand Rosa Jozef DASSEN, Sander Catharina Reinier DERKS
  • Publication number: 20170351188
    Abstract: A control method of a movable body includes: a step of detecting a part of a plurality of grating marks provided at a wafer placed on a movable body that is movable within an XY plane, while scanning a measurement beam, that is irradiated from a mark detection system, in a Y-axis direction with respect to the part of plurality of grating marks, as moving the movable body in the Y-axis direction; a step of measuring an irradiation position of the measurement beam on the part of the plurality of grating marks; and a step of relatively moving the measurement beam and the movable body in an X-axis direction on the basis of the measurement result of the irradiation position and also detecting another grating mark while scanning the measurement beam in the Y-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20170351189
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic charge image, the toner including: elemental iron, wherein a content of the elemental iron is in a range of 1.0×103 to 1.0×104 ppm, based on a total weight of the toner; elemental silicon, wherein a content of the elemental silicon is in a range of 1.0×103 to 5.0×103 ppm, based on a total weight of the toner; elemental sulfur, wherein a content of the elemental sulfur is in a range of 500 to 3,000 ppm, based on a total weight of the toner; optionally elemental fluorine, wherein a content of the elemental fluorine, if present, is in a range of 1.0×103 to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide YAMADA, Akinori TERADA, Keiichi ISHIKAWA, Kenichi MIYAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170351190
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing a white dry ink pulverized toner including a resin and 15%-45% TiO2 pigment having a mean size of 100-350 nm melt mixed with the resin in a twin screw extruder resulting in an extruded mix. The extruded mix is pulverized in a fluid bed jet mill. Fines of the pulverized extruded mix less than 5 microns may be removed from the pulverized extruded mix by classification leaving pulverized particles having a mean size of 6-12 microns. The pulverized particles are blended in a mixer with surface additives including silica and ZnSt, and the white dry ink pulverized toner has a developer charge between 5 and 50 ?C/gram and a Lightness (L*) of at least 75 at a toner mass per unit area (TMA) of at most 1.2 mg/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Varun SAMBHY, Kirk L. STAMP, Juan A. MORALES-TIRADO
  • Publication number: 20170351191
    Abstract: An image forming device continuously forming an image according to a job in a conveying direction of along continuous paper includes: an image formation section forming the image according to the job on the continuous paper; an interval setting section setting a job interval of the image according to the job, which is continuously formed by the image formation section, on the basis of an operation from a user; an image forming process switching section switching two states of a state where the image formation section forms a color image and a state where the image formation section forms a monochromic image; and a switching determination section determining whether or not the two states are switched on the basis of a comparison result between the job interval set by the interval setting section and a paper conveying distance according to a switching time required for switching the two states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Masaru OHTSUKA
  • Publication number: 20170351192
    Abstract: At least one partial measurement region is set in the longitudinal direction in a printable region of a photosensitive drum 3. After the photosensitive drum 3 has been charged to a constant potential with a charging roller 6, different potentials are set in the partial measurement region and a region excluding partial measurement region with a laser scanner 4, partial discharge information of the partial measurement region is detected by discharge information detection unit, and a bias voltage in image formation that is applied to the charging roller 6 is corrected on the basis of the value of the partial discharge information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Kosuke Ikada, Norihito Naito, Takayoshi Kihara, Masataka Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20170351193
    Abstract: An optical print head comprises a first light emitting element row which includes first light emitting elements arranged in a row in a first direction; a second light emitting element row which includes second light emitting elements arranged in a row in the first direction a first drive circuit which drives each first light emitting element with identical first current value and drives each first light emitting element at a light emitting time corresponding to each target gradation value; and a second drive circuit, in response to transmittance of a light passing position of the rod lens array, which drives each second light emitting element with identical second current value and drives each second light emitting element at a light emitting time corresponding to each target gradation value, wherein the second current value is different from the first current value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishikawa, Koji Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20170351194
    Abstract: An example is a lens mirror array in which a plurality of optical elements, which comprises a first lens surface formed at the top of convex portion protruding outwards for converging light, a protrusion which includes a first mirror surface that reflects the light emitted from the first lens surface at the top and a light-shielding surface that has side walls at two sides thereof with respect to a light advancing direction and prevents advance of the light through the side walls, a second mirror surface that reflects the light reflected by the first mirror surface of the protrusion and a second lens surface that images the light emitted from the second mirror surface on an image plane, is arranged in a horizontal scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20170351195
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a developer regulator disposed opposite the developer bearer across a first gap, and an opposing member having an opposing face disposed opposing the developer bearer across a second gap wider than the first gap. The opposing face is disposed adjacent to and upstream from the developer regulator in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer. The opposing face is inclined relative to an orthogonal plane direction orthogonal to a side face of the developer regulator. The opposing face is inclined to progressively reduce a distance from the developer bearer to the opposing face in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer. A difference between the second gap and the first gap is not greater than 1.75 times as large as the first gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Koichi Yamazaki, Nobuo Takami, Atsushi Nakamoto, Kazunori Suzuki, Naohiro Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20170351196
    Abstract: Provided is a remaining toner conveying apparatus including a cleaning blade which recovers a toner remaining on a surface of a photosensitive drum and a conveying screw which conveys the remaining toner so that a conveyance amount per predetermined time in a first conveyance path conveying the remaining toner recovered by the cleaning blade to a discharge portion for discharging the remaining toner is equal to or less than a conveyance amount in a second conveyance path in a downstream side in a conveyance direction where the conveyance path is narrower than the first conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Ikuyo Kuroiwa, Yuki Nagahashi, Akihito Yokote, Hideo Nagura
  • Publication number: 20170351197
    Abstract: A stop transmission mechanism includes: a ratchet, wherein elastic teeth are provided on a periphery of the ratchet; a claw provided at a radical side of the ratchet, comprising a fixed end and a moving end which rotates around the fixed end, wherein a claw portion to be engaged with the elastic teeth is provided on the moving end; and a tension spring, wherein one end of the tension spring is fixed, and the other end of the tension spring is mounted on the moving end of the claw, for providing a force which drives the claw portion towards the ratchet; wherein the elastic teeth are made of an elastic material; when the claw portion of the claw is buckled on the elastic teeth by the force of the tension spring, the ratchet is flexibly fixed; when external driving force is large enough, sliding tooth happens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: CET Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haifeng Geng, Bo Chen
  • Publication number: 20170351198
    Abstract: A member for an image forming apparatus includes a surface layer including a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer includes a polyamide block and a polyether block and the composition ratio of the polyether block to the polyamide block is from 0.2 to 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo MIYAKOSHI, Hidetoshi FUJII, Akira IZUTANI, Daisuke ASAHINA
  • Publication number: 20170351199
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum unit, a process frame, a lock member and an intermediate transferring unit. The drum unit rotatably supports a rotating shaft of a photosensitive drum. The process frame has an attachment part to which the drum unit is attached. The lock member positions the drum unit to the attachment part. The intermediate transferring unit is attached to the process frame after the drum unit is attached. The lock member has a supporting part, an engagement part and a restriction part. Though the supporting part, an end of the rotating shaft is passed. The engagement part is engaged with the process frame between the process frame and the intermediate transferring unit. The restriction part interferes with the intermediate transferring unit between the engagement part and the intermediate transferring unit to prevent the engagement part from being detached from the process frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke MIMURA, Hiromu MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170351200
    Abstract: A power supply is configured to apply voltage to a power feed roller. An elastic blade of a roller cleaning unit clean a surface of the power feed roller at a position different from an abutting position of the power feed roller and a secondary transfer outer roller. A control unit is configured to execute a secondary transfer cleaning mode at a timing when a transfer of a toner image in a secondary transfer portion is not performed. In the secondary transfer cleaning mode, a voltage of only one of the positive and negative polarities is applied to the power feed roller while the secondary transfer outer roller and the power feed roller are rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Kenta Matsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20170351201
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a charge power source and a controller, wherein he charge power source is configured to switch a voltage with the same polarity as an original charging polarity of a toner and a voltage with a polarity opposite to the original charging polarity of the toner and apply the voltages to a charge device, and the controller executes a control of switching a polarity of a voltage to be applied from the charge power source to the charge device from the opposite polarity to the same polarity before termination of secondary transfer of all of toner images in a job, and moving both a residual toner charged to the opposite polarity through application of the voltage with the opposite polarity and a residual toner charged to the same polarity through application of the voltage with the same polarity to an image bearing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nakai, Takamitsu Soda, Masaki Shimomura, Yusaku Iwasawa
  • Publication number: 20170351202
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a transfer member configured to form a transfer portion where the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member by being supplied with a transfer bias; a carrier liquid supplying portion configured to supply the carrier liquid to the transfer portion; a transfer bias voltage source capable of applying the transfer bias to the transfer portion; a detecting portion configured to detect at least one of a voltage and a current at the transfer portion; and a setting portion configured to set the transfer bias during non-image-formation on the basis of a detection result of the detecting portion when a setting bias is applied from the transfer member in a state in which the carrier liquid is in the transfer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Shohei Okumura
  • Publication number: 20170351203
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Publication number: 20170351204
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Publication number: 20170351205
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Publication number: 20170351206
    Abstract: Prediction accuracy of a color misregistration amount in an image formation executed in an image forming apparatus is improved. The image forming apparatus comprises an optical box storing an optical system for irradiating a laser beam from a laser source to a photosensitive drum, a scanner temperature sensor provided near the optical box, and an environmental temperature sensor for detecting a surrounding temperature of the image forming apparatus, and a control section. When image formation is executed, the control section obtains a temperature Tscn detected by the scanner temperature sensor and a temperature Tenv detected by the environmental temperature sensor and calculates a prediction value of a position misregistration amount to the photoreceptor of the laser beam using difference between Tscn and Tenv and Tscn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Akira Hamano, Koichi Taniguchi, Daisuke Aruga
  • Publication number: 20170351207
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a planar heating element and a thermal fuse. The planar heating element is configured to heat a fixing member that fixes a toner image to a recording medium. The thermal fuse includes a fuse element configured to be in contact with the heating element, and an elastic member configured to support the fuse element on a support body by a tension at which a fusing temperature of the fuse element is lower than a rated fusing temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro UEHARA, Kazuyoshi ITOH
  • Publication number: 20170351208
    Abstract: If an inputted job requires switching from a single-color mode to a multicolor mode, an image forming apparatus switches from the single-color mode to the multicolor mode during a relatively long processing waiting time out of processing waiting times between preceding pages and succeeding pages, before a page in the job for forming a multicolor image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Yusuke Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20170351209
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder, which is included in an image reading device and an image forming apparatus, includes first and second document trays, a document output tray, a document conveying passage, multiple document conveying bodies, a drive source, a detector, and a controller. The multiple document conveying bodies include a document holding and conveying body to convey and hold the original document sheet on the second document tray. On detection of the original document sheet on the second document tray while conveying a different original document sheet from the first document tray, the controller stops feeding the different original document sheet, causes the different original document sheet downstream from the document holding and conveying body in a document conveying direction to be conveyed to the document output tray, and stops the drive source after the different original document has been conveyed to the document output tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki NAGANO, Yasunobu Youda, Satoshi Narai, Yobei Osanai, Toshiyuki Horikawa, Masatoshi Ishida, Takuji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20170351210
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes an electroconductive substrate, an undercoat layer which is provided on the electroconductive substrate and has electrostatic capacitance per unit area of from 2.5×10?11 F/cm2 to 2.5×10?10 F/cm2, and a photosensitive layer provided on the undercoat layer; a charging unit; an electrostatic latent image forming unit; a developing unit; an intermediate transfer member; a primary transfer unit that primarily transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, onto the surface of an intermediate transfer member, while providing a primary transfer current value of from 80 ?A to 160 ?A; and a secondary transfer unit that secondarily transfers the toner image transferred onto the surface of the intermediate transfer member, onto a surface of a recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro KAWASAKI, Hirofumi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170351211
    Abstract: A cartridge drive gear assembly for holding a drum coupling includes a drive gear having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface including inner projections which extend into the interior of the drive gear and includes at least two voids disposed on opposing sides of the inner projections, and at least one slot disposed in the inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Donald R. Huck, Lawrence Dale Lewis, William L. London, III
  • Publication number: 20170351212
    Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer supply container includes an accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a discharge opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion from the developer supply container; a developer feeding portion for feeding the developer in the accommodating portion toward the discharge opening; a rotatable drive receiving portion for receiving a rotational force; a drive transmitting portion for transmitting the rotational force received by the drive receiving portion to the feeding portion; a portion-to-be-detected for detecting rotation of the drive receiving portion; a contact surface for contacting a rotatable member provided in the developer receiving apparatus; wherein the drive receiving portion, the portion-to-be-detected and the contact are formed integrally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Takashi Enokuchi, Manabu Jimba, Ayatomo Okino
  • Publication number: 20170351213
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with: a main body; a photosensitive member, and a developing cartridge having a developer carrier that rotates about an axis line. The main body includes: an urging member configured to urge the developing cartridge; and a first guide configured to guide the developing cartridge. The developing cartridge includes an end portion in the axis line, the end portion having a guided part configured to be guided by the first guide of the main body. The developing cartridge is configured to rotate about the guided part between a first position at which the urging member cannot urge the developing cartridge and a second position at which the urging member can urge the developing cartridge. The developer carrier is spaced apart from the photosensitive member when the developing cartridge is located at the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi YOKOI, Shougo SATO
  • Publication number: 20170351214
    Abstract: To develop a conventional coupling for transmitting a driving force. A coupling member is provided with a supporting portion for movable supporting a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Tetsuo Uesugi, Makoto Hayashida, Koji Yamaguchi, Takashi Yano
  • Publication number: 20170351215
    Abstract: According to a movement of the present disclosure, the prevention of the transmission of torque to a governor when excessive torque is generated and the prevention of the wasteful consumption of energy when the excessive torque is not generated are achieved. The movement includes a main spring which generates torque, a balance wheel, a gear train mechanism for transmitting the torque generated by the main spring to the balance wheel, and a spring seat for moving a second wheel, for example, of the gear train mechanism in a direction to reduce the transmission efficiency of the torque between the wheels of the gear train mechanism when the torque generated by the main spring is higher than a predetermined torque (Tmax).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Tadahiro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20170351216
    Abstract: An assembly (300) includes (i) a hairspring (2) made of a paramagnetic alloy including at least one of the following elements: Nb, V, Ta, Ti, Zr and Hf, notably an alloy including the elements Nb and Zr with between 5% and 25% by mass of Zr and an interstitial doping agent including oxygen, and (ii) at least one fastening part (1; 1?), notably two parts (1; 1?), in particular a stud (1) or a collet (1?), for an end (2a; 2b) of the hairspring (2), the at least one part (1; 1?) having a first portion (10; 10?) that is designed to come into contact with the hairspring (2) and that is made of titanium or titanium alloy or of tantalum or tantalum alloy, notably grade 2 titanium or grade 5 titanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: ROLEX SA
    Inventors: Olivier Balague, Dominique Gritti, Thomas Gyger, Ondrej Papes, Antoine Rime