Patents Issued in May 29, 2018
  • Patent number: 9983506
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir and has an axis of rotation. A first magnet and a second magnet are connected to the shaft and rotatable around the axis of rotation in response to rotation of the shaft. The first magnet and the second magnet are detectable by a magnetic sensor when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. A polarity of the first magnet is oriented opposite a polarity of the second magnet relative to the shaft. An amount of angular offset between the first magnet and the second magnet varies depending on an amount of toner in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Michael Craig Leemhuis, Robert Watson McAlpine
  • Patent number: 9983507
    Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a housing including a developer discharger having a developer outlet, and a container extending from the developer discharger, a movable member located in the container and movable in a direction of changing a volume of the container, and a flexible containing member configured in a bag shape having at least one open end connected to a wall of the container and another end connected to the movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-hyun Park, Se-il Kwon, Dong-uk Kim
  • Patent number: 9983508
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a toner cartridge having an outlet port positioned on the front of a housing for transferring toner from a reservoir to a developer unit. The toner cartridge includes an engagement member having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface. The first engagement surface is positioned proximate the rear of the housing to receive an actuation force from an actuation feature of an image forming device. The second engagement surface is positioned proximate the front of the housing below the outlet port to engage a shutter on an inlet port of the developer unit. The engagement member is movable from a first position to a second position upon receiving the actuation force. As the engagement member moves from the first position to the second position, the second engagement surface protrudes from the front of the housing to engage the shutter of the developer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: John Andrew Buchanan, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 9983509
    Abstract: Provided is a powder container having a new structure capable of stable discharge and transport of a powder contained in a container by enabling the powder to be reliably discharged to the outside of the package while preventing the powder from spilling and flying out of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Tsukuru Kai, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Makoto Komatsu, Tadashi Hayakawa, Yuzuru Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9983510
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container accommodating a developer including toner and magnetic particles, a developer carrying member rotatably provided opposed to an opening of the developing container, a stirring member configured to stir the developer in the developing container to supply the developer to the developer carrying member, a first driving device configured to drive the developer carrying member, and a second driving device configured to drive the stirring member. A controller controls drive of the first driving device and the second driving device so that in a period from output of either earlier one of a stop signal of the first driving device and a stop signal of the second driving device to rotational speeds of both of the developer carrying member and the stirring member becoming not more than ½ of rotational speeds in a steady state during image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsumoto, Kyosuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9983511
    Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a developer carrying member, first and second accommodation chambers to accommodate developer, and a feeding screw provided in the first accommodation chamber to feed the developer. In addition, a developer accommodation portion accommodates the developer to be supplied to the first accommodation chamber and is sealed by a sealing member. A controller executes an operation in a mode in which after the developer accommodating portion starts to be unsealed at the sealing member, the feeding screw is initially rotated for a predetermined period in a direction opposite to a normal direction in which the feeding screw is rotated during the image forming operation, and after elapse of the predetermined period, the feeding screw is rotated in the normal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 9983512
    Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a downward passage, a reciprocating member disposed in the downward passage, to move in a vertical direction in which the downward passage extends, a conveyance passage communicating with a lower end of the downward passage and extending in a direction crossing the vertical direction, a conveyor to rotate in the conveyance passage around an axis extending along the conveyance passage to transport the toner, and a flexible member projecting from a bottom of the reciprocating member toward the conveyance passage. The flexible member extends in the axial direction of the conveyor and moves together with the reciprocating member. When the reciprocating member is at a lowest position, a lower end of the flexible member opposes a portion of the conveyor downstream from an upper end thereof in a rotation direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Ishizuka, Takeshi Shintani, Yasuhiro Maehata, Hiroshi Mizusawa, Daisuke Tomita, Yuta Azeyanagi, Yasuhito Kuboshima
  • Patent number: 9983513
    Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a developer conveying section, and a conveying screw. The developing roller includes a stationary magnet, and a sleeve rotatable around the stationary magnet. The developing roller faces a photoconductive drum. The developer conveying section is disposed below the developing roller for circularly conveying developer therein. The conveying screw conveys developer to supply developer to the developing roller. The stationary magnet includes a separation pole for producing a magnetic field that causes separation of developer from the sleeve. The housing includes a standing wall disposed downstream of the developing position in a rotational direction of the sleeve and facing the developing roller. The standing wall is formed with at least one opening that faces the separation pole in a horizontal direction. The developing device further includes at least one filter section covering the at least one opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Teruhiko Nagashima, Hiromu Matsumoto, Hidenori Takenaka
  • Patent number: 9983514
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having high usability and securing both image quality and productivity. The image forming apparatus changes a rotational speed of a secondary transfer member depending on a basis weight of a sheet. The image forming apparatus performs digital sub-scanning scaling of correcting image data and polygon sub-scanning scaling of controlling a scanning speed during image formation so as to cancel out image deformation caused by change in rotational speed of the secondary transfer member. When giving priority to image quality, the image forming apparatus performs processing of the digital sub-scanning scaling and the polygon sub-scanning scaling, and when giving priority to productivity, the image forming apparatus performs only processing of digital sub-scanning scaling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 9983515
    Abstract: A rotation-information detecting device including: a rotatable rotary member having plural detection target portions arranged at predetermined intervals over an entire circumference of the rotary member; two detectors that are fixedly arranged at two positions of the rotary member in a rotating direction, and can detect the detection target portions; and a computation unit that computes rotation information of the rotary member based on detection information, wherein the two detectors are arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotary member at an interval of an angle of ?/N, and wherein the computation unit includes an offset calculating section that offsets an eccentric error of the rotary member based on outputs of the two detectors at a current time point and n outputs at time points back from the current time point by phases of (n?)/N, to calculate a true rotational error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Matsuduki, Osamu Shimizu, Takashi Saeki, Teruki Kishimoto, Shinji Kawashima
  • Patent number: 9983516
    Abstract: A roller for electrophotography that has a low electric resistance value and that is still further reduced in contaminating property of other member is provided. The roller includes an electro-conductive mandrel and a surface layer having an electro-conductive foam. The electro-conductive foam includes a vulcanized product of an unvulcanized rubber composition including an acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and a hydrin rubber. The vulcanized product has a matrix-domain structure having a sea phase and an island phase, contains ethylene oxide of 8.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less based on a total amount of the vulcanized product, and has a spin-spin relaxation time T2 of 750 ?s<T2<930 ?s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirobumi Takahashi, Yoshimasa Sawada, Shoji Inoue
  • Patent number: 9983517
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a guide unit that guides at least one of an image holding member and an intermediate transfer member to a primary transfer position provided by a primary transfer unit such that a portion of the surface of the image holding member and a portion of the surface of the intermediate transfer member are disposed along with each other, wherein a toner contains a toner particle which contains a binder resin containing a crystalline polyester resin, a coloring agent and a releasing agent, and an external additive, and satisfies Expression: 2?tan ?P1?2.5, wherein tan ?P1 represents a maximum value of a mechanical loss tangent existing in a range where a complex elastic modulus is from 1×106 Pa to 1×108 Pa, which is measured at an angular frequency of 6.28 rad/sec and a strain amount of 0.3%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Koide, Naoki Ota, Masataka Kuribayashi, Yusuke Fukuda, Yasuhisa Morooka, Katsuyuki Kitajima
  • Patent number: 9983518
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt, configured to receive a toner image formed by developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member with a toner, includes a base layer and an elastic layer. The elastic layer has an irregular surface formed with spherical particles, and the spherical particles include flexible particles having 0.1 MPa to 30 MPa of compressive strength and 15% to 50% of restoring ratio at the time of 10% deformation. Image forming apparatus. Image forming method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Kubo, Jun Aoto
  • Patent number: 9983519
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transferring belt, photosensitive drums along the belt, primary transferring parts transferring images from the drums to the belt, voltage applying parts applying transfer voltages to the respective transferring parts when each transferring part carries out transfer, a current detecting part and a resistance value measuring part. When the measuring part carries out resistance value measurement, if one transferring part is a measurement subject of the measuring part, the applying part applies zero or weak voltage to the one transferring part and applies the transfer voltage to other transferring parts at measurement timing when the one transferring part is between sheets. At the measurement timing, the detecting part detects a first total current value of currents flowing thorough the transferring parts and the measuring part measures the subject resistance value of the one transferring part based on the first total current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Egi
  • Patent number: 9983520
    Abstract: A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2 [?m/s] satisfies 6?k2?30, k2 [?m/s] being determined by (a?b)/{2×(t2?t1)}, where a [?m/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [?m] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Eiji Tabata, Nofumi Mizumoto, Toshiya Natsuhara, Shigeo Uetake, Keiko Momotani, Makiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9983521
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a belt that generates heat by an action of a magnetic field to fix an image to a medium by the heat, a magnetic field generating unit that generates a magnetic field which heats the belt, a heat generation control member that includes a first magnetic body which is changed from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism at a Curie temperature, and suppresses heat generation of the belt, a sensor that is disposed in a first space, measures a temperature of an object present on the belt side, and is heated by an action of a magnetic field, and a second magnetic body that is disposed in a second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyata, Takahito Chiba
  • Patent number: 9983522
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, a planar heater, a heat conduction member, a supporting member, a limiting member for limiting heater end portions with respect to a generatrix direction of the film so as to prevent the end portions from moving in a heater thickness direction relative to the supporting member, and a pressing member. A fixing device state is switchable between a first state in which a press-contact force in the nip is enough to fix the toner image and a second state in which the press-contact force in the nip is smaller than the press-contact force in the first state. A surface where the supporting member opposes the heat conduction member has a shape such that with respect to the generatrix direction, a central portion of the film is projected toward the pressing member to a greater extent than an end portion of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Imaizumi, Takashi Narahara, Atsutoshi Ando, Yasuhito Minamishima, Tomoya Tateishi, Masafumi Maeda
  • Patent number: 9983523
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device including a flexible cylindrical rotary member and an inner-surface opposing portion that opposes an inner surface of the rotary member at an end portion of the rotary member in a generatrix direction. The inner-surface opposing portion moves upstream in a recording material conveying direction in accordance with lateral shift of the rotary member in the generatrix direction. This restricts the lateral shift of the rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Ohta, Terutaka Endo, Seiji Obata, Jiro Moriya, Takayuki Mizuta
  • Patent number: 9983524
    Abstract: A fixing portion is provided with a fixing roller, a heating roller having a heat source, a fixing belt stretched between the fixing roller and the heating roller, and a pressurizing roller that is brought into pressure contact with the fixing roller across the fixing belt and forms a nip portion into which a sheet of paper is conveyed between the fixing belt and the pressurizing roller. The fixing portion is further provided with a pad that has a contact surface portion in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt, and a biasing member that biases the pad in a direction in which the contact surface portion is brought into pressure contact with the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. The pad is configured so as to pivot about the rotating shaft of the heating roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kousuke Namisaki, Masayuki Nakanishi, Masatsugu Ohishi
  • Patent number: 9983525
    Abstract: A fixing device fixes an image on a recording material. The fixing device includes a cylindrical rotatable member with an electroconductive layer and at least one slit at an end portion with respect to a generatrix direction, a coil, inside the rotatable member, the coil including a helically-shaped portion having a helical axis along the generatrix direction and forming an alternating magnetic field for causing the electroconductive layer to generate heat through electromagnetic induction heating, and a magnetic core provided inside the helically-shaped portion. The magnetic core does not form a loop outside the electroconductive layer, 70% or more of magnetic lines of force coming out of one end of the core and passing through an outside of the electroconductive layer return to another end of the core, and the image is fixed on the recording material by the generated heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Eguchi, Tomonori Sato, Yuki Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 9983526
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kazuya Saito, Shinichi Namekata, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Yutaka Ikebuchi
  • Patent number: 9983527
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical rotatable heating member; a nip-forming member having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface and contacting an inner surface of the rotatable heating member at the first surface; a supporting member having a supporting surface, contacting the second surface, for supporting the nip-forming member; and a pressing member for forming a nip in cooperation with the nip-forming member though the rotatable heating member. A recording material on which an image is formed is heated at the nip while being feed through the nip, and the image is fixed on the recording material. The supporting surface of the supporting member supports the second surface of the nip-forming member so that the nip-forming member is swingable relative to the supporting member about an axis substantially parallel with a rotational axis of the cylindrical rotatable heating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamashita, Tomonori Sato, Yusuke Jota
  • Patent number: 9983528
    Abstract: A printing system obtains a print job, analyzes the obtained print job, and imposes print pages to a total of four surfaces of a print target sheet including two surfaces on each of front and back in accordance with a bookbinding format of the analyzed print job. As for an imposition method, if the bookbinding format of the print job is particular two fold bookbinding for which processing of two-folding a sheet and bonding a plurality of two-folded sheets is performed, imposition is performed while reserving a glue surface not to print out of the four surfaces of the print target sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuzo Harano
  • Patent number: 9983529
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a first printing unit configured to execute printing with non-decolorable first toner on an image receiving medium, a second printing unit configured to execute printing with decolorable second toner on the image receiving medium, and a control module configured to print an image according to image information on the image receiving medium with the first printing unit, and execute printing on a cover paper of the image receiving medium with the second printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihide Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9983530
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a type of a recording medium is provided. A detection unit detects a characteristic value indicating a physical characteristic of a recording medium. A measurement unit measures a moisture content correlated with a moisture content of the recording medium. A determination unit determines the type of the recording medium based on the moisture content and the characteristic value. The determination unit may correct the characteristic value using the moisture content or correct a rule for determining the type of the recording medium using the moisture content unit, and determines the type of the recording medium in accordance with the corrected characteristic value or the corrected rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruhiko Namiki, Tsutomu Ishida, Masafumi Monde, Takuya Shono
  • Patent number: 9983531
    Abstract: A moving-member detecting device includes an image acquiring unit and a speed calculating unit. The image acquiring unit includes a light source configured to emit a light beam to a detecting position of a moving member; an area sensor configured to acquire image data of a one- or two-dimensional image; and an area-sensor control unit configured to acquire the image data. The image acquiring unit is configured to acquire pieces of image data of the moving member at first and second positions, respectively, in a moving direction of the moving member so as to acquire the piece of position image data for the second position when the moving member is at the second position after acquiring the piece of image data for the first position. The speed calculating unit is configured to calculate a moving speed of the moving member from the pieces of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Koichi Kudo, Koji Masuda, Hiroyoshi Funato, Takeshi Ueda, Yasuhiro Nihei, Atsushi Takaura
  • Patent number: 9983532
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a roller arranged in a position between a drive roller and an idle roller and downstream from the drive roller in a rotation direction of an intermediate transfer belt while pressing an outer surface of the belt; and a density measuring portion arranged between the drive roller and the roller applying pressure. The density measuring portion optically detects the density of a test patch formed on the outer surface and in a given position of a width direction of the belt. The density measuring portion includes: an optical sensor provided above the outer surface of the belt; and a support member abutting on an inner surface of the belt in a position in which the support member faces the optical sensor across the belt in the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Otsuka, Ginga Nakamura, Takashi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 9983533
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: a main casing; a retaining unit; a feed tray; and a pickup roller. The retaining unit retains a plurality of photosensitive drums juxtaposedly arrayed and spaced away from each other in an array direction. The retaining unit is movable in the array direction between a mounted position in which the retaining unit is mounted in the main casing and a pulled-out position in which the retaining unit is pulled out of the main casing. The feed tray is configured to accommodate a first transferred medium. The pickup roller is configured to pick up the first transferred medium accommodated in the feed tray. The pickup roller is arranged to overlap with the retaining unit in the array direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 9983534
    Abstract: A motor control device for driving a motor, the motor control device includes: a receiver configured to receive, from an external source, a drive command containing a rotation direction command designating a rotation direction of the motor; a storage part configured to store the rotation direction of the motor indicated by the rotation direction command when the motor is driven using the rotation direction command; and a controller configured to, when a new piece of the drive command is received from the external source, control rotation reversing of the motor based on a rotation direction of the motor indicated by the rotation direction command contained in the received piece of the drive command and the rotation direction of the motor stored in the storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoharu Takahashi, Yoshihiro Asano, Takuya Murata, Shingo Nagatsuka, Kentaroh Kurosu
  • Patent number: 9983535
    Abstract: A pressing apparatus configured to generate a force in a separating direction in which a first unit and a second unit being connected to each other are separated from each other, the pressing apparatus including: a pressing portion supported by the second unit to be turnable about a turn shaft and configured to press the first unit; and an urging portion configured to urge the pressing portion in a direction intersecting with the separating direction, wherein the pressing portion exerts the force on the first unit in the separating direction by an urging force of the urging portion in the direction intersecting with the separating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9983536
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus, containing a controller that acquires a predetermined data associated with a physical quantity of one of a driving motor or a driven member driven by the motor based on a predetermined signal, compare the predetermined data with a threshold value, and determine whether to transmit a request for increasing a discharge interval of a sheet based on the comparative result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 9983537
    Abstract: A drive transmission device includes a driving power receiver, a first rotator drive transmission system, and a second rotator drive transmission system. The driving power receiver directly receives the driving power from an output shaft of the drive motor. The first rotator drive transmission system is configured to transmit the driving power from the driving power receiver to the respective first rotators of the first structure and the second structure. The second rotator drive transmission system is configured to switch a state of transmission of the driving power from the driving power receiver into a first transmission state in which the driving power is transmitted to the respective second rotators of the first structure and the second structure, and into a second transmission state in which the driving power is transmitted to the second rotator of the first structure alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9983538
    Abstract: A transfer device includes a power supply control unit, a direct-current (DC) power supply, an alternating-current (AC) power supply, and a transfer unit. The power supply control unit controls a first control signal for controlling a DC voltage and a second control signal for controlling an AC voltage based on a condition relating to image formation. The DC power supply outputs the DC voltage based on the first control signal. The AC power supply selectively outputs, with a particular waveform, either of the DC voltage output from the DC power supply or a superimposed voltage obtained by superimposing the AC voltage determined based on the second control signal on the DC voltage output from the DC power supply. The transfer unit transfers a developer onto a sheet using a voltage output from the AC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomokazu Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9983539
    Abstract: The detection section is configured to detect first and second DC voltages output. The voltage adjustment section is configured to adjust each of first and second setting values to cause a corresponding one of the first and second DC voltages detected by the detection section to fall within an allowable voltage range in which a desired supply voltage to each of a sub CPU and a main CPU is set as a center value, and, write the adjusted first and second setting values in a memory as the first and second setting values at the time of re-activation of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 9983540
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure is provided with a main body-side substrate, a cover member, a metallic main body frame, and a metallic thumbscrew. The main body-side substrate is provided in a main body of the image forming apparatus, and an electrical component is mountable thereto. The cover member covers an outer side of the main body-side substrate. The cover member is secured to the main body frame. The thumbscrew is used to secure the cover member to the main body frame. The cover member is demounted from the main body frame by unscrewing the thumbscrew, and thus mounting of the electrical component with respect to the main body-side substrate is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9983541
    Abstract: A replaceable imaging basket for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a frame having a positioning slot that is open at a top of the frame for receiving a replaceable unit. An electrical connector is positioned on an inner side of the frame adjacent to the positioning slot. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact on a front of the electrical connector that faces the positioning slot. The electrical connector includes a pair of outer guides and a pair of inner guides on opposite sides of the electrical contact. The inner guides are spaced inward from the outer guides. A top portion of a front surface of each of the outer guides tapers rearward away from the positioning slot as they extend upward. A top portion of a rear surface of each of the inner guides tapers forward toward the positioning slot as they extend upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Amann, Gregory Alan Cavill, Katrina Rosit Lactuan, James Richard Leemhuis, Darren Wayne Tosh, David Francis Carter
  • Patent number: 9983542
    Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller. The coupling member includes a driven portion, and an intermediary portion configured and positioned to engage with the driven portion. The intermediary portion is also configured to be movable relative to the driven portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the driven portion. The coupling member further includes a driving portion configured and positioned to receive a driving force for rotating the developing roller. The driving portion is also configured to engage with the intermediary portion, and to be movable relative to the intermediary portion in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller while maintaining engagement with the intermediary portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Chadani, Tomonori Mori, Koji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9983544
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light emission section including a light emitting element, and a light guiding member configured to irradiate a sheet with light emitted from the light emitting element; a reading section configured to read an image formed on the sheet; a heat dissipation section configured to dissipate heat of the light emitting element; and a cooling section configured to cool the heat dissipation section, in which the light emitting element and the heat dissipation section are disposed at positions outside a sheet passing region of the sheet in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Akio Kasuga, Akihiko Ooishi
  • Patent number: 9983545
    Abstract: Dual or multi-modulation display system are disclosed that comprise projector systems with at least one modulator that may employ non-mechanical beam steering modulation. Many embodiments disclosed herein employ a non-mechanical beam steering and/or polarizer to provide for a highlights modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. Gorny, Martin J. Richards
  • Patent number: 9983546
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a visual displaying method for simulating a holographic 3D scene are provided. The display apparatus comprises: a display screen; two front-facing 3D cameras, being configured to capture human-eye 3D position information; a 3D human-eye tracking algorithm processing unit, being configured to generate a first signal and a second signal according to the human-eye 3D position information; a 3D scene generating unit, being configured to receive the first signal, render and acquire the corresponding left visual-channel 3D scene and the corresponding right visual-channel 3D scene according to the first signal; and an electronic grating, being configured to receive the second signal and adjust the working angle according to the second signal so that the left visual-channel 3D scene is incident into the left eye of the user and the right visual-channel 3D scene is incident into the right eye of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SHENZHEN MAGIC EYE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Meihong Liu, Wei Gao
  • Patent number: 9983547
    Abstract: A holographic video display employs at least one light source adapted to produce at least one wavelength of monochromatic light, a video signal generator, at least one guided-wave acousto-optic modulator for diffracting light received from the light source according to signals received from the video signal generator, a vertical scanning subsystem, and an optical path between the acousto-optic modulator and the vertical scanning subsystem. The optical path may preferably include a Bravais lens system, at least one Fourier transform lens system, and at least one moving horizontal mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel E. Smalley, Quinn Y. J. Smithwick, V. Michael Bove, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9983548
    Abstract: A balance spring includes a strip wound around itself into several coils, the inner coil being integral with a collet including a band extending substantially in the form of a polygon. The outer contour on each bulging portion of the vertices of the polygon includes two axially extending walls substantially parallel to each other relative to the segment formed between the center of the collet and the end of the bulging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Marc Stranczl
  • Patent number: 9983549
    Abstract: A watch including a movement including itself an isochronous timepiece oscillator mechanism including a fixed support bearing a crosspiece carrying N primary resonators each including a weight carried by a rotating flexible bearing fixed to this crosspiece. Each primary resonator has a center of mass which, at rest, is on the virtual pivot axis of its rotating flexible bearing and is arranged to oscillate in rotation about this virtual pivot axis. The primary resonators are arranged in rotational symmetry of order N about a main axis parallel to the virtual pivot axes, and oscillating motions of any two primary resonators are phase shifted by the value of the central angle formed by their respective virtual pivot axes with the main axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Gianni Di Domenico, Thierry Conus
  • Patent number: 9983550
    Abstract: An optical atomic clock utilizing two different laser light sources is described. A source laser is locked to a first optical resonator, which supports a whispering gallery mode for the source laser and generates optical hyperparametric sidebands from the source laser output by multi-wave mixing. A reference laser is locked to an atomic reference via a second optical resonator, and the first optical resonator is locked to the reference laser. Optical parametric sidebands, which are locked to an atomic reference but are generated from a wavelength unrelated to the clock transition of the atomic reference, are coupled out of the first optical resonator to generate an RF signal useful in atomic timekeeping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: OEwaves, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Liang, Andrey B. Matsko, Lute Maleki, Danny Eliyahu, Vladimir S. Ilchenko, Anatoliy A. Savchenkov
  • Patent number: 9983551
    Abstract: An intelligent switching method and system. The method includes retrieving by a computer processor of an intelligent switching device, detection data indicating that an individual is located within a specified proximity of an apparatus. The intelligent switching device is lockably attached to the apparatus. The computer processor receives a request from an individual for enabling the apparatus. The computer processor determines that the individual is in compliance with safety procedures associated with operating the apparatus and generates an enable signal. The enable signal enables a power signal for the apparatus. The computer processor indicates that the apparatus has been enabled and is operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Nelson, Kevin H. Peters, Louis R. Ruggiero
  • Patent number: 9983552
    Abstract: A system composed of a servicing device and a field device having at least one sensor unit for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable. At least one electronics unit, which has an evaluation unit, wherein the evaluation unit receives measurement signals from the sensor unit and evaluates such with reference to the process variable, and at least one switch element actuatable contactlessly from outside of the field device. The servicing device is embodied to modulate the switch state of the switch element for transmission of field device specific data to the electronics unit. Furthermore, a field device, a servicing device and a method for communication between field device and servicing device are claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Armin Wernet, Kag Uppenkamp
  • Patent number: 9983553
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an autonomous system that realizes expected operation in a form in which the soundness of the operation can be proved to a third party in adaptation to an external factor that dynamically varies and to enhance a working ratio in autonomous operation. The autonomous system is provided with a function for dynamically leading a satisfiable combination of a requirement for the soundness of operation and expected operation on the basis of the information of operating environment acquired via exterior world measurement means, a function for generating control logic for realizing the expected operation, a function for recording the control logic, the requirement for sound operation and the expected operation, and a function for presenting the record in a form in which the third party can read the record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masataka Nishi
  • Patent number: 9983554
    Abstract: A method controls iteratively the operation of the machine with control inputs determined using the model of the machine based on an optimization of a cost function subject to constraints on the control inputs. A current iteration of the method includes determining a current state of the machine after the controlling with a previous control input determined for a previous iteration by optimizing a previous cost function using a previous model of the machine and determining a current model of the machine to reduce a difference between the current state and a state estimated using the previous model of the machine. The cost function is updated during the current iteration based on a difference between the previous model and the current model to produce a current cost function. A current control input for the controlling at the current iteration is determined using the current model and the current cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefano Di Cairano, Avishai Weiss
  • Patent number: 9983555
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a distributed fault-tolerant control system for a modularized wind turbine or wind power plant system comprising sub-assemblies, the control system comprising 1) fault-tolerant control means adapted to generate control set-points and/or data values, said fault-tolerant control means being distributed in sub-assemblies in accordance with the modularization of the wind turbine or wind power plant system, and 2) fault-tolerant communication network for transmitting control set-points and/or data values at essentially the same time to a plurality of nodes in the distributed control system, said plurality of distributed nodes being capable of selecting a valid transmission package out of two or more transmission packages provided on the fault-tolerant communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: John Bengtson
  • Patent number: 9983556
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards a function activity handling arrangement for provision in a building as well as a method, computer program and computer program product for performing an activity of a function in a building. The arrangement comprises a wallpaper (10, 3, 14) with a group of embedded electrical wires. The arrangement may also comprise a user input detector (18) equipped with a wire connector for connection to the wire group, a pulse providing unit sending electric pulses to the wire group, a pulse response detecting unit detecting a group of response signals corresponding to the sent pulses and a pulse response analyzing unit that compares the response signal group with a set of response patterns and provides, if the detected response signal group matches a response pattern, user input data for a corresponding function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventors: Ioannis Fikouras, Vincent Huang, Joerg Niemoeller