Patents Issued in March 17, 2020
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Patent number: 10591835Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a method to make a chemically prepared toner that employs a crash cooling process. In the crash cooling process, an amount of hot toner slurry is added to an external reactor holding an amount of chilled cooling water, wherein the temperature of the chilled cooling water in the external reactor is from about 8° C. to about 25° C. The amount of the chilled cooling water in the external reactor is about 10% to about 40% lower compared to the amount of the added hot toner slurry. Toner prepared using this crash cooling method is cooled at a rate of less than 0.8° C./min. Polyester toners and polyester core shell toners having a borax coupling agent between the toner core and toner shell made from this crash cooling processes using less water results in an improvement to the toner's print density and usage efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Kasturi Rangan Srinivasan, Anna Sara McLeland, Rahel Bekru Bogale, Trent Duane Peter
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Patent number: 10591836Abstract: A toner includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner core containing a binder resin and a shell layer covering a surface of the toner core. The shell layers contain a branched macromolecule. The branched macromolecule includes a repeating unit having an oxazoline group. The branched macromolecule satisfies a relationship represented by rB/rL?0.80, where rB represents a radius of gyration of the branched macromolecule when an absolute molecular weight of the branched macromolecule is 40,000, and rL represents a radius of gyration of a linear macromolecule including a main chain having the same structure as a main chain of the branched macromolecule when an absolute molecular weight of the linear macromolecule is 40,000. rB and rL are each a radius of gyration measured by gel permeation chromatography using a multi-angle laser light scattering detector.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Yuma Uchihashi
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Patent number: 10591837Abstract: Described herein is a security LEP ink composition comprising an absorber, a resin; and a carrier liquid for printing a security image.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.Inventors: Haim Cohen, Yaron Grinwald, Gideon Amir, Reut Avigdor, Julia Kornilov
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Patent number: 10591838Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrostatic ink composition. The composition may comprise a carrier liquid, which has suspended therein: thermochromic pigment particles having a layer of thermoplastic resin thereon. Method for forming electrostatic ink composition and a substrate having the electrostatic ink composition printed thereon are also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.Inventors: Olga Kagan, Danny Feldman, Rada Nuchimov, Yaron Grinwald, Shiran Zabar, Gleb Romantcov
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Patent number: 10591839Abstract: Herein is described a liquid electrostatic ink composition comprising a carrier liquid, a resin, a colorant selected from a magenta colorant, a cyan colorant and a black colorant, an amine-containing basic dispersant having a total base number (TBN) in the range of about 10 to about 65 mgKOH/g material, the amine-containing basic dispersant present in an amount from about 5 wt. % to about 40 wt. % by total weight of colorant.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.Inventors: Gil Bar-Haim, Shiran Zabar, Danny Feldman, Alina Grishman, Albert Teishev
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Patent number: 10591840Abstract: A liquid electrophotographic (LEP) ink can include a liquid ink vehicle, a conductive toner including a conductive pigment and a polymeric binder, and a charge director. The liquid electrophotographic ink can have a conductivity of from 150 to 2000 picoSiemens.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.Inventors: Michael Kokotov, Gregory Katz, Yaron Grinwald, Pavel Sandik
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Patent number: 10591841Abstract: An image forming apparatus, for performing image forming by transferring and fixing an image formed on an image carrier to a printing material, that selects a smallest dot size of a halftone dot pattern representing a halftone of a highlight region corresponding to a type of the printing material, and uses a screen representing the selected smallest dot size to perform exposure control of the image carrier.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Taichi Takemura
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Patent number: 10591842Abstract: Provided are a lens array, a lens unit, an exposure device, an LED head, and an image forming apparatus. The lens array includes a plurality of lenses arranged so as to form an array. Each of the plurality of lenses is configured so that a contour focal length which is a focal length of a ray incident on a first position separate from an optical axis is longer than a paraxial focal length which is a focal length of a ray incident on a second position in the vicinity of the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Akihiro Yamamura
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Patent number: 10591843Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds an image, a developer carrier that holds a developer to be supplied to the image carrier, a transport member that transports the developer in an axial direction of the developer carrier, and a restraint member that restrains the developer, which has scattered as a result of being transported by the transport member, from moving toward the developer carrier.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Urayama, Masanori Kato, Tomoyuki Yoshii, Fumiyuki Honda, Shiho Matsuda, Yoshitaka Nakajima, Junichi Uchiyama, Norihiro Tamazawa, Yoshifumi Ozaki
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Patent number: 10591844Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer carrying body to transfer developer to a photosensitive body. The developer carrying body has an outer circumference and grooves spaced apart along the outer circumference. The grooves occupy 27% or more of the outer circumference. The developing carrying body is rotatable in a rotational direction that imparts the developing carrying body with a direction of movement that is opposite to a direction of movement of the photosensitive body, at a position between the developer carrying body and the photosensitive body.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY L.P.Inventor: Yuya Kato
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Patent number: 10591845Abstract: A developing device has a housing, a developer carrying member, a regulating blade, and a magnetic member. The regulating blade forms a regulating portion regulating the thickness of toner carried on the developer carrying member. The magnetic member is arranged inside the developer carrying member and has a plurality of magnetic poles including a regulating pole arranged at a position where the developer carrying member and the regulating blade are close together. The regulating pole is movable to a first position facing the regulating portion and to a second position rotated to the upstream side from the first position in the rotation direction of the developer carrying member during image formation. The developing device is operable in the developer removing mode in which, when no image is formed, the regulating pole is moved from the first position to the second position and is then returned to the first position.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Koji Kuramashi
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Patent number: 10591846Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Michael Craig Leemhuis, Robert Watson McAlpine
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Patent number: 10591848Abstract: A magnet roller includes a magnet portion for generating magnetic force such that a plurality of peaks are formed in a magnetic force distribution. The magnet portion includes a plurality of magnetic poles. A cross section of the magnet portion includes a portion in which a distance from an axial center of the magnet portion to an outer edge of the magnet portion continuously changes in the circumferential direction. The magnetic force on a surface of a developing sleeve at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of magnetic poles is determined by (i) a distance from each of the plurality of magnetic poles to the developing sleeve in a radial direction of the developing sleeve and (ii) a magnitude of magnetic force in each of the plurality of magnetic poles. The distances from the plurality of magnetic poles to the developing sleeve in the radial direction are different.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Toshiaki Shima, Shinya Tokutake, Hidetoshi Noguchi, Hiroaki Umemoto
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Patent number: 10591849Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a motor, a unit including first and second rotatable members, an input gear, a first transmission path, a second transmission path, a rotation detecting portion, and a controller. The a controller executes an operation in an abnormality output mode for outputting abnormality information, wherein if the first rotatable member is not rotated despite rotation of the motor in a first direction, the controller inputs a signal for rotating the motor in a second direction, and (1) if the second rotatable member is not rotated, the controller outputs abnormality information regarding the motor or a drive transmission path for transmitting the driving force from the motor to the input gear, and (2) if the second rotatable member is rotated, the controller outputs abnormality information regarding the unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hidekazu Tatezawa
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Patent number: 10591850Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of an end of the fixing device, and a blower unit that supplies air to the end of the fixing device to cool the end of the fixing device. In addition, a processor circuit is configured to control a cooling level by the blower unit in accordance with the temperature of the end of the fixing device detected by the temperature sensor, to predict, based on a parameter depending on the cooling level, a discharge amount of ultra fine particles that are discharged from the image forming apparatus, and to control an image forming operation by the image forming apparatus such that the discharge amount of ultra fine particles is reduced in accordance with the discharge amount predicted by the processor circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takashi Yano, Tetsuya Sano, Noriaki Sato
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Patent number: 10591851Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which an image forming method is performed, includes an image forming device to form an image on a recording medium, a reading device to scan the recording medium having a mark and generate a scanned image, and circuitry to calculate a correction value to adjust a position of the image to be formed on the recording medium, based on the scanned image. The circuitry calculates the correction value to adjust a position of an image to be formed on a second face of the recording medium based on a first scanned image generated from a first face of the recording medium, within a period from when the first scanned image is generated from the first face to when the image starts to be formed on the second face.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Yukifumi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 10591852Abstract: A fixing device includes a contact portion that comes into contact with a recording material transported; a heat source that heats the contact portion and has a counter surface and an opposite surface, the counter surface facing the contact portion; a high-thermal-conductivity portion provided on the opposite surface of the heat source and extending in a width direction intersecting a transport direction of the recording material, the high-thermal-conductivity portion having a higher thermal conductivity than the contact portion; a low-thermal-conductivity portion provided between the opposite surface of the heat source and the high-thermal-conductivity portion and having a lower thermal conductivity than the high-thermal-conductivity portion; and a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the heat source and is provided on the opposite surface of the heat source and at a position shifted from the high-thermal-conductivity portion and the low-thermal-conductivity portion in the transport direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyoshi Koyanagi, Takaaki Sato, Kazuyoshi Itoh, Toru Inoue
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Patent number: 10591853Abstract: A moving device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a cam, a moving body, a biasing body, a drive source and a drive transmission device. The moving body is configured to be moved by the cam. The biasing body is configured to apply a biasing force to bias the moving body toward the cam. The drive source is configured to apply a driving force to the cam. The drive transmission device is configured to transmit the driving force to the cam and includes a load applying body configured to apply a load to a rotation of the cam.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Tomita, Kimihiro Tanaka, Yohei Miura, Hiroaki Nieda
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Patent number: 10591854Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of heater elements arranged in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transport direction to heat the sheet, a plurality of temperature sensors, each of which is configured to detect a temperature of one of the heater elements, and a controller configured to control each of the sensors to detect a first temperature before the sheet is passed by the corresponding heater element and a second temperature of the heater element after the sheet is passed by the corresponding heater element, and determine one or more of the heater elements to be energized based on the first temperatures and the second temperatures detected by the sensors.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masaya Arakawa
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Patent number: 10591855Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a width-information acquisition unit, an environmental-condition detecting unit, a heat roller, an end-portion-temperature-detecting unit, a first heater, a second heater, a first control unit, a first control unit, a correction-value derivation unit, an extracting unit, and a second control unit. The first heater heats a center portion of the heat roller. The second heater heats the end portion of the heat roller. The first control unit controls electric power supplied to the first heater with a first duty ratio. The correction-value derivation unit derives a correction value for the temperature condition based on an environmental condition. The extracting unit reflects the correction value for the temperature condition to extract a second duty ratio from among a plurality of second duty ratios. The second control unit controls the electric power supplied to the second heater with the data of the extracted second duty ratio.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Junta Maenishi
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Patent number: 10591856Abstract: A roller for use with an image fixing device for fixing an image on a recording material includes a core metal, and an elastic layer provided around the core metal. In the elastic layer, a filler bundle including a plurality of fiber-like fillers is dispersed.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka Sato, Kazuhiro Doda, Kohei Wakatsu, Tsuguhiro Yoshida, Jun Miura
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Patent number: 10591857Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to one embodiment includes a transport unit, an image forming unit, a heating member, a first pressurizing member, a second pressurizing member, and a processor. The transport unit is configured to transport a print medium. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on the print medium by a first toner. The first pressurizing member is configured to form a fixing nip for fixing with the heating member. The second pressurizing member is configured to form a decolorizing nip for decolorizing with the heating member. The processor is configured to control the heating member to the first temperature, allows the print medium on which the toner image is formed by the first toner to pass through the fixing nip, and allows the print medium on which an image is formed by a second toner, to pass through the decolorizing nip.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yuuichi Akiyama
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Patent number: 10591858Abstract: There is provided a voltage generation device for generating a voltage in which an alternating-current voltage is superimposed on a direct-current voltage, to apply the voltage to a rotary body. The voltage generation device includes a direct-current power supply, an alternating-current power supply, a variation phase determiner, and a voltage controller. The alternating-current power supply is connected to the direct-current power supply. The variation phase determiner is configured to determine whether variation of an output voltage of the alternating-current power supply and variation of an output current of the alternating-current power supply are in opposite phases. The voltage controller is configured to perform gain correction for the output voltage in a case where the variation of the output voltage and the variation of the output current are in opposite phases.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Tsuyoshi Mano
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Patent number: 10591859Abstract: The invention achieves uniform image quality for every transfer regardless of a moisture content on a surface of a paper sheet when a plurality of transfer processes is to be made on a single paper. A copier (1A) is provided with a optical sensor (20) which includes at least one light source, illuminates a paper sheet (P) with light, receives the light reflected from the paper sheet (P), and measures the received light intensity. Before each of a plurality of transfer processes, the copier (1A) calculates a moisture content on a surface of the paper sheet (P) from the light intensity measured by the optical sensor (20), and sets a transfer condition of a transfer device (15) based on the calculated moisture content on the surface of the paper sheet (P).Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kyohko Matsuda
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Patent number: 10591860Abstract: Provided is an image formation device including a photoreceptor configured to carry a toner image and a developer configured to form the toner image on a surface of the photoreceptor and configured such that the developer is a replaceable development unit, the image formation device including: a development bias application section configured to apply a development bias to between the photoreceptor and the developer; a stabilization control section configured to perform image stabilization control of determining a development bias value to be used in future by changing the development bias while measuring a density of the toner image formed by the developer, thereby obtaining the toner image with a target density; and a life determination section configured to determine expiration of use of the development unit when the development bias value determined by the stabilization control falls outside a preset acceptable range.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Tatsutoshi Yamada, Kazuya Kitamura
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Patent number: 10591861Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one conveyance roller pair, an image forming unit, at least one brushless motor, a motor drive control unit, a delay amount detector, and an image formation control unit. The image formation control unit controls the motor drive control unit to convey the sheets at a predetermined timing toward the image forming unit. The image formation control unit, during a continuous image formation in which a plurality of sheets are continuously conveyed by the conveyance roller pair with a predetermined sheet spacing and images are sequentially formed on the respective sheets, controls the motor drive control unit to sequentially perform an on and off control of the brushless motor corresponding to the respective sheets, and adjusts the sheet spacing and a rise time in the on control of the brushless motor corresponding to the rotation delay amount detected by the delay amount detector.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Daijiro Ueno
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Patent number: 10591862Abstract: An imaging system having methods for reducing churn in an imaging device which includes identifying a number of unproductive revolutions made in a print engine of the imaging device, determining whether the number of unproductive revolutions exceeds a predetermined threshold, and performing at least one of: using a predetermined speed limit when printing a page and disabling a function in the imaging device upon the determination that the number of unproductive revolutions exceeds the predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INCInventors: Douglas Anthony Able, Kevin Dean Schoedinger
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Patent number: 10591863Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a wall face of the apparatus body having an ejection opening from which a sheet conveyed in a first direction is ejected, a sheet support to support the sheet discharged from the discharge opening in the first direction, and a mount to mount the sheet support to the apparatus body. The mount includes an abutting portion including an abutting face that contacts a wall face of the apparatus body, and a projection projecting in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the abutting face. The abutting face extends in a vertically downward direction from the projection, and the projection is fixed to the apparatus body in a vertical direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Ishida, Goro Katsuyama
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Patent number: 10591864Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a predetermined unit detachably received in an image forming apparatus body, a locking member that locks the predetermined unit, and an opening and closing cover that opens and closes an opening formed on a sidewall of the image forming apparatus body. The predetermined unit is configured not to be detachable from the image forming apparatus body through the opening unless the opening and closing cover is detached from the image forming apparatus body. The image forming apparatus includes a connection support member detachably engaged with a rotation center part of the opening and closing cover to serve as a shaft and connecting the opening and closing cover to the image forming apparatus body. The connection support member is detached from the opening and closing cover and is also used as a member for operating an unlocking mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Takeshi Iketani
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Patent number: 10591865Abstract: A developer supply container is detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer receiving apparatus including a developer receiving portion provided with a receiving port for receiving a developer and including a portion-to-be-engaged capable of displacing integrally with the developer receiving portion. The developer supply container includes a discharging portion provided with a shutter opening for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion, and an engaging portion. The engaging portion engages with the portion-to-be-engaged with a mounting operation of the developer supply container to displace the developer receiving portion so as to bring the receiving opening into fluid communication with the shutter opening. The engaging portion includes a curved portion having an angle relative to a mounting direction of the developer supply container, the angle decreasing with approach toward an upstream side in the mounting direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yohei Gamo, Daijiro Kato, Yusuke Oizumi, Ayatomo Okino
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Patent number: 10591867Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an LED print head exposing a photosensitive drum with light; a door arranged on one end side of the LED print head; a support portion for the LED print head operating in conjunction with opening and closing movements of the door, positioning the LED print head at a first position for exposing the photosensitive drum when the door is closed, and positioning the LED print head at a second position more apart from the photosensitive drum than the first position when the door is open; and a guide portion formed on the door and guiding a cleaning member to the LED print head, the guide portion having a first inclined surface which is lowered toward the LED print head so that the cleaning member is continuously held in contact with the LED print head under a state in which the door is open.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Inventors: Hitoshi Iwai, Shinichiro Hosoi, Takehiro Ishidate
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Patent number: 10591868Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion for mounting a process cartridge, the process cartridge including a first unit having an image bearing drum, and a second unit having a developing roller, the second unit being movable between a contact position in which the roller contacts the drum and a spaced position in which they are mutually spaced; an engageable member engageable with a force receiving portion provided on the second unit; wherein the engageable member is movable between a first position for maintaining the second unit in the spaced position by engaging with the force receiving portion, a second position for permitting movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the contact position; and a third position for permitting the process cartridge to be mounted, by being pressed by the process cartridge to retract, when the process cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akira Yoshimura, Tomio Noguchi, Yukio Kubo, Masaaki Sato, Satoshi Nishiya, Yosuke Kashiide
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Patent number: 10591869Abstract: A method and system for a scalable multi-sense user experience are disclosed. A three-dimensional (“3-D”) display is disposed behind a slit plane comprising slits and ultrasonic transducers. Light from the 3-D display passes through the slits in the slit plane to generate a 3-D image. The ultrasonic transducers on the front of the slit plane, i.e., opposite the side where the 3-D display is disposed, generate directed acoustic field and/or a formed tactile field. Because the generating components for all three senses, i.e., visual, audio, and tactile, are coplanar, units may be tiled and thereby scaled to generate larger multi-sense experiences.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: LIGHT FIELD LAB, INC.Inventor: Daniel Smalley
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Patent number: 10591870Abstract: Techniques to improve image quality in holography utilizing lenses made from materials with non-quantized anisotropic electromagnetic properties, such as birefringent materials, to advantageously split an incoming beam of light into two coincident beams with different focal lengths that interfere with one another and thus create holograms free of electro-optical or pixelated devices are disclosed for microscopy and other applications. The use of thin birefringent lenses and single crystal alpha-BBO lenses are introduced. Corresponding systems, methods and apparatuses are described.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: CellOptic, Inc.Inventors: Gary Brooker, Nisan Siegel
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Patent number: 10591871Abstract: Light reflected from an illuminated object is mixed with a reference beam and sensed at a sensor array of a digital hologram apparatus. Digital hologram data, determined from the sensed light, is dependent upon complex valued reflection coefficients of the object and upon phase perturbations in propagation paths between the object and the sensor array. Reflectance values, which may be dependent upon expected values of the absolute square of the reflection coefficients, and phase perturbations are determined for which a test function is at an extremum, where the test function contains a data fidelity term dependent upon the hologram data from a single hologram, a first regularization term dependent upon the phase perturbations and a second regularization term dependent upon the reflectance values. An image of the object may be formed from the reflectance values and a wavefront of the reflected light may be determined from the phase perturbations.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED, BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE.Inventors: Casey J. Pellizzari, Mark F. Spencer, Charles A. Bouman, Jr.
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Patent number: 10591872Abstract: An integrated microfabricated sensor includes a sensor cell having a cell body, a first window attached to a first surface, and a second window attached to a second surface, opposite to the first window. The cell body laterally surrounds a cavity, so that the first window and the second window are exposed to the cavity. The sensor cell contains a sensor fluid material in the cavity. The cell body has recesses on opposing exterior sides of the cell body; each recess extends from the first surface to the second surface. Exterior portions of the cell body wall in the recesses are recessed from singulation surfaces on the cell body exterior. The cell body is formed by etching the cavity and the recesses concurrently through a body substrate. After the windows are attached, the sensor cell is singulated from the body substrate through the recesses.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Roozbeh Parsa, Iouri N Mirgorodski, William French, Nathan Brockie, Ann Gabrys, Terry Dyer
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Patent number: 10591873Abstract: A time display device includes a display; an operation receiving unit that receives a selection operation of a city by a user; a memory that stores a time piece image and a map image including a plurality of city locations; and a processor, wherein said processor performs: reading out the time piece image and said map image from the memory; identifying one of the city locations in the map image read from the memory as corresponding to a location of the selected city; generating a display image by overlapping the map image including said identified one of the city locations and the timepiece image that is adjusted to indicate a local time of the selected city such that a center of the timepiece image coincides with said identified one of the city locations in the map image; and causing said display image to be displayed on the display.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.Inventors: Naoaki Misaki, Norihito Hanafusa
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Patent number: 10591874Abstract: A system includes at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with computer memory and configured to perform operations of one or more components of the computer-implemented system. The system includes a detachable module (DM) delivery system configured to deploy, from release grooves of the NRSS and during a survey of the NRSS inside a wellbore during drilling of a well, plural DMs into an environment surrounding the NRSS, wherein the plural DMs are pre-loaded into the NRSS, and plural DMs are configured to gather and store sensing data from the environment.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyInventors: Bodong Li, Chinthaka Pasan Gooneratne, Shaohua Zhou
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Patent number: 10591875Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for optimizing load scheduling for a power plant having one or more power generator units. An exemplary method and corresponding system can involve detecting an event indicative of a need for adapting one or more constraints for an objective function used in load scheduling. On such detection, the objective function is analysed to determine adaptive constraint values for the one or more constraints for optimally solving the objective function. These adaptive constraint values can be used to solve the objective function and the solution of the objective function with the one or more adapted constraint values can be used to operate the one or more power generation units of the power plant.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2012Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Mohan Kumar Shanmugam, Senthil Kumar Sundaram, Gopinath Selvaraj, Shrikant Bhat
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Patent number: 10591876Abstract: A dry friction compensation method for at least one mass or inertia M mobile under the effect of at least one effector element controlled by a force or torque control signal U, the motion of the mass or inertia being characterized by a motion signal Y chosen among one or several of the position X, the speed V and the acceleration, the method includes: defining an ideal model of the closed loop; defining a dry friction compensation control law; the dry friction compensation control law being based on the following friction model: P = min ? ( max ? ( VM ? + U , - S ) , S ) , where V is the speed of the mobile mass or inertial subjected to the friction and ? a minor time constant, and S is a parameter of dry friction.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: IXBLUEInventor: Bernard Vau
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Patent number: 10591877Abstract: An HVAC controller may be programmed using a mobile device that includes a touch screen display configured to display information and to permit a user to enter information. A network connection is configured to communicate with a remote server that is itself in operative communication with the HVAC controller. A controller may display one or more screens on the touch screen display of the mobile device and to accept input from a user to remotely program one or more functions of the HVAC controller. The controller may provide a tour via the touch screen display of the mobile device that guides a user though programming functions of the HVAC controller and may output the one or more programmed functions of the HVAC controller to the remote server via the network connection.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2014Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ademco Inc.Inventors: David Quam, Kevin Weirich, Brad Paine, Michael Bruce, Ix
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Patent number: 10591878Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer-readable media for providing integrative comfort a structure are described herein. One method includes determining a comfort preference associated with a user of a mobile device, the comfort preference including a plurality of aspects of physical comfort, storing the comfort preference in a memory, and modifying a respective operation of a plurality of connected devices in a portion of a structure to provide the comfort preference in the portion of the structure responsive to a distance between the mobile device and the portion of the structure being less than a particular threshold.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ademco Inc.Inventors: Amit Kulkarni, Patrick Gonia, David R. Kaufman
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Patent number: 10591879Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method to implement at least one automation rule is described. The at least one automation rule may be generated, wherein the at least one automation rule may control at least one aspect of an automation system. The execution origination point may be selected for the at least one automation rule based at least in part on the one or more implementation parameters. The one or more implementation parameters may comprise at least one of the speed of the automation rule execution, the scalability of the automation rule, the flexibility of the automation rule conditions, or the ease of automation rule modification.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Vivint, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Brown, Jason Carter, Ryan Carlson
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Patent number: 10591880Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for repairing a broken object. A processor retrieves information describing the size and shape of a broken object. A processor retrieves information describing the size and shape of an intact object, wherein the intact object includes a part missing from the broken object. A processor generates a first three-dimensional model of the broken object based, at least in part, on the information describing the size and shape of the broken object. A processor generates a second three-dimensional model of the intact object based, at least in part, on the information describing the size and shape of the intact object. A processor generates a third three-dimensional model based, at least in part, on a difference between the first and second three-dimensional model. A processor sends one or more instructions to a three-dimensional printer to create an object based, at least in part, on the third three-dimensional model.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: James E. Bostick, John M. Ganci, Jr., Martin G. Keen, Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Kimberly G. Starks, Craig M. Trim
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Patent number: 10591881Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a security and/or automation system using one or more powered faceplates are disclosed. The methods may include identifying an active communication connection with a first powered faceplate, receiving a first set of automation data, receiving a second set of automation data, analyzing the first set of automation data and the second set of automation data, and initiating an operation relating to at least one of a first powered faceplate, one or more other powered faceplates, an automation sensor, an automation system component, a user device, or a combination thereof based at least in part on the analyzing.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Vivint, Inc.Inventor: Jeremy Bruce Warren
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Patent number: 10591882Abstract: A system and method involving actor nodes within a building that is being controlled, to be subscribed to a set of addresses, including one or more addresses that are representative of one or more respective spaces within the building being controlled. Such addresses are referred to as “space addresses.” Each of the actor nodes acts upon received data packets only if a space address is received along with the data packets and the actor node has been subscribed to the space address. Concurrently, one or more sensor nodes in the system are configurable to transmit the one or more space addresses and the data packets. A user device in the system receives commands from a user via a user interface and transmits a set of signals such that the actor nodes are subscribed to the appropriate space addresses and the sensor nodes are configured to transmit the space addresses.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Silvair Sp. z o.oInventors: Szymon Slupik, Adam Gembala
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Patent number: 10591883Abstract: The method for configuring a home-automation apparatus (1) includes: at least one control point of a first type (3A, 4A) intended to communicate according to a first mode; and at least one actuator (5A, 6A) intended to communicate, after performing the configuration method, according to the first mode with at least one control point of the first type (3A, 4A) during usage mode, and which can communicate according to a second mode, secured by an encryption key, with a configuration device (2) during configuration mode. The configuration device implements the method which includes determining at least one actuator (5A, 6A) that can be configured, obtaining a temporary encryption key having a limited period of validity, sending a message containing the temporary encryption key to the at least one actuator, communicating according to the second mode, secured by the temporary encryption key, with the at least one actuator in configuration mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: SOMFY SASInventors: Mickaël Mugnier, Stéphane Marmey, Arnaud Desbiolles, Florent Grosset, Philippe Partakelidis, Guillaume Bruneau
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Patent number: 10591884Abstract: A controller according to an embodiment includes a main processing unit and a monitoring unit. The main processing unit executes a control program. The monitoring unit monitors the main processing unit by a first monitoring method for transmitting, to the main processing unit, a transmission content corresponding to a question and for evaluating an answer to the question from the main processing unit. The main processing unit causes, when receiving an updating request of the control program, the monitoring unit to perform switching from the first monitoring method into a second monitoring method for monitoring a watchdog signal of the main processing unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: DENSO TEN LIMITEDInventors: Naoto Mori, Shigeto Umeyama
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Patent number: 10591885Abstract: A processor-implemented method controls a self-driving vehicle (SDV). One or more processors receive, from one or more physical sensors, physical state readings that describe a physical environment of multiple persons that are in spatial proximity with one another. The processors determine, based on the physical state readings, a context of a physical setting of the multiple persons. The processors identify, based on the context of the physical setting of the multiple persons, an SDV that is known to modify a state of the multiple persons. The processor(s) then transmit, to a device controller, a device activation signal to activate the SDV, in order to transport cargo that one of the multiple persons was previously scheduled to transport.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Olympia Gluck, Itzhack Goldberg, Jinho Hwang, Maja Vukovic, Yelena Zilberstein
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Patent number: 10591886Abstract: A control system includes a controller for controlling a control target and redundant devices accessible from the controller. The control system includes a feature quantity generation unit that generates a feature quantity from data associated with the redundant devices, an abnormality detection unit that determines whether an abnormality has occurred in one of the redundant devices based on the feature quantity generated by the feature quantity generation unit and a predetermined abnormality detection parameter, a switch unit that switches the redundant devices between a working mode and a standby mode when the abnormality detection unit determines that an abnormality has occurred, and a learning unit that performs machine learning using the data associated with the redundant devices to determine the abnormality detection parameter.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventor: Shinsuke Kawanoue