Patents Issued in May 9, 2023
  • Patent number: 11644743
    Abstract: A halftone phase shift-type photomask blank including a transparent substrate, and a halftone phase shift film formed on the substrate, and including at least one layer composed of silicon, nitrogen and oxygen is provided. The halftone phase shift film has a phase shift of at least 150° and up to 200° and a transmittance of at least 20%, with respect to exposure light having a wavelength of up to 200 nm, and a film surface having a surface roughness RMS of up to 0.8 nm, and an in-plane variation of transmittance calculated from the maximum transmittance Tmax and the minimum transmittance Tmin within a mask pattern forming area by the expression: (Tmax?Tmin)/(Tmax+Tmin)×100 is up to 2%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Kosaka, Keisuke Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11644744
    Abstract: The present application discloses a display panel, a manufacturing method of a display panel and a mask used thereof. The manufacturing method of the display panel comprises the following steps: doping a photo-initiator in photoresist for manufacturing photo spacers; coating the photoresist on the substrates to form photo spacers, and arranging a shade on the same layer; and respectively irradiating corresponding photo spacers by at least two types of light rays of different wavelengths, to control the photo-initiator so as to enable different photo spacers to have different shrinkages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignees: HKC CORPORATION LIMITED, Chongqing HKC Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chung-Kuang Chien
  • Patent number: 11644745
    Abstract: A photolithography method is provided. The photolithography method includes forming a photoresist layer on a wafer, exposing a portion of the photoresist layer by using an exposure device and a mask, and forming a photoresist pattern by removing a non-exposed portion of the photoresist layer. The mask includes a substrate having a main pattern area and a blocking area outside the main pattern area, a main pattern on the main pattern area of the substrate, and a blocking pattern on the blocking area of the substrate. An external circumference of the blocking pattern extends to the maximum area of the mask that may be illuminated by the exposure device or to the outside of the maximum area of the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongwook Lee, Yongwoo Kim, Seunggu Baek, Woojae Shin
  • Patent number: 11644746
    Abstract: A first set of critical dimension (CD) measurements of resist patterns created by a lithography process and a second set of CD measurements of water patterns created by an etch process may be obtained. A forward etch model and an inverse etch model may be calibrated together by reducing (1) a first prediction error between the second set of CD measurements and a first set of simulated CDs predicted by the forward etch model based on the resist patterns, a second prediction error between the first set of CD measurements and a second set of simulated CDs predicted by the inverse etch model based on the wafer patterns, and a matching error between the forward etch model and the inverse etch model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Guangming Xiao, Hua Song
  • Patent number: 11644747
    Abstract: Aspects described herein relate to obtaining a mask pattern using a cost function gradient (CFG) generated from a Jacobian matrix generated from a perturbation look-up table (PLT). In an example method, a PLT is populated (108). Each table entry of the PLT is based on a respective perturbed intensity signal. The respective perturbed intensity signal is based on a simulated signal received at an image surface using a mask pattern having a perturbed element of the mask pattern. The mask pattern is for a design of an integrated circuit. A matrix is populated (110) using the PLT and a target intensity signal. The target intensity signal is based on a signal received at the image surface to form target features at the image surface. A CFG is defined (112) based on the matrix. An analysis is performed (114) on the mask pattern based on the CFG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Cecil
  • Patent number: 11644748
    Abstract: Embodiments of baking chambers for baking a photomask are provided herein. In some embodiments, a baking chamber includes: a chamber body enclosing a first interior volume and a second interior volume, disposed beneath and fluidly independent from the first interior volume; a radiant heat source disposed in the first interior volume; a photomask support structure configured to support a photomask disposed in the second interior volume; a window disposed between the first interior volume the second interior volume, wherein the window is made of a material that is transparent to thermal radiation; a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet coupled to the first interior volume; and a second gas inlet and a second gas outlet coupled to the second interior volume on opposite ends thereof to facilitate flow of a process gas laterally through the second interior volume and across the photomask support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Banqiu Wu, Khalid Makhamreh, Eliyahu Shlomo Dagan
  • Patent number: 11644749
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sol-gel imprinting ink composition comprising a sol and an additive for promoting gelation of the composition during imprinting at an imprinting temperature. The composition has a pH of 4-7 when mixed with an equal volume of deionized water and measured at 20° C. and 1 atm. The additive is the reversible reaction product of a protic acid and a proton-accepting base. The vapour pressure of the acid is higher than that of the base at the imprinting temperature such that the concentration of the base in the composition increases relative to the concentration of the acid in the composition during imprinting, resulting in basification of the composition. Further disclosed is a method of forming a patterned layer with such a sol-gel imprinting ink composition, and an optical element and an etch mask respectively including the patterned layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Marcus Antonius Vershuuren
  • Patent number: 11644750
    Abstract: Provided is a negative photoresist used for a semiconductor encapsulation process, belonging to the technical field of semiconductor processing. A negative photoresist formulation includes 40-65 wt % of modified epoxy acrylate, 3-6 wt % of photosensitizer, 100-1000 ppm of leveling agent, and the remainder of solvent; the leveling agent is a solution of a 7:3 mass ratio of polydimethylsiloxane copolymer having a molecular weight of 3000-6000 and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate. If the negative photoresist is coated at a thickness of about 50 um, the coating uniformity can be controlled to below 5%, ensuring the quality of exposure such that the thickness of electroplated copper meets requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Jiangsu Aisen Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wensheng Xiang, Kun Zhu, Lan Lu, Bing Zhang, Jianlong Zhao
  • Patent number: 11644751
    Abstract: A resist composition that generates an acid upon exposure is soluble in a developing solution, and is changed by action of an acid. The resist composition contains a resin component having solubility in a developing solution, which is changed by action of an acid, and has a constitutional unit represented by General Formula (a01-1) and a constitutional unit derived from a compound represented by General Formula (a02-1). In General Formula (a01-1), R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogenated alkyl group; Yax01 represents a single bond or a linking group; Ax represents a sulfonyl group or a sulfoxide group; and Rax01 represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a halogen atom, or a halogenated alkyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Miyakawa, Masatoshi Arai, Takashi Nagamine
  • Patent number: 11644752
    Abstract: Provided is a polymer that when used as a main chain scission-type positive resist, can sufficiently inhibit resist pattern collapse, can favorably form a clear resist pattern, and can also improve sensitivity. The polymer includes a monomer unit (A) represented by general formula (I), shown below, and a monomer unit (B) represented by general formula (II), shown below. [In formula (I), R1 is an organic group including not fewer than 5 and not more than 7 fluorine atoms. In formula (II), R2 is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an unsubstituted alkyl group, or a fluorine atom-substituted alkyl group, R3 is a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted alkyl group, or a fluorine atom-substituted alkyl group, p and q are each an integer of not less than 0 and not more than 5, and p+q=5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Manabu Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11644753
    Abstract: A resist composition is provided comprising a base polymer and a quencher comprising a salt compound consisting of a cyclic ammonium cation and a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propoxide anion having a trifluoromethyl, hydrocarbylcarbonyl or hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl group bonded thereto. The resist composition has a high sensitivity and forms a pattern with improved LWR or CDU, independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jun Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 11644754
    Abstract: To provide a photosensitive composition capable of easily forming a cured film having a low refractive index. The present invention provides a photosensitive siloxane composition comprising: a polysiloxane, a photosensitive agent, hollow silica particles, and a solvent. The hollow silica particles contain voids inside, and have outer surfaces subjected to hydrophobic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: MERCK PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Naofumi Yoshida, Megumi Takahashi, Katsuto Taniguchi, Toshiaki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 11644755
    Abstract: A method of predicting deflection of a pellicle which will occur during movement of the pellicle in a lithographic apparatus, the method including receiving parameters regarding properties of the pellicle and receiving parameters regarding the expected movement of the pellicle. The parameters are applied to a model which predicts deflection of the pellicle as a function of those parameters. The model includes a plurality of sub-models which relate to different components of deflection of the pellicle. An output of the model may be used to predict.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLAND B.V.
    Inventors: Bearrach Moest, Rowin Meijerink, Thijs Schenkelaars, Norbertus Josephus Martinus Van Den Nieuwelaar, Laurentius Johannes Adrianus Van Bokhoven
  • Patent number: 11644756
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining information for a specimen are provided. Certain embodiments relate to bump height 3D inspection and metrology using deep learning artificial intelligence. For example, one embodiment includes a deep learning (DL) model configured for predicting height of one or more 3D structures formed on a specimen based on one or more images of the specimen generated by an imaging subsystem. One or more computer systems are configured for determining information for the specimen based on the predicted height. Determining the information may include, for example, determining if any of the 3D structures are defective based on the predicted height. In another example, the information determined for the specimen may include an average height metric for the one or more 3D structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KLA Corp.
    Inventors: Scott A. Young, Kris Bhaskar, Lena Nicolaides
  • Patent number: 11644757
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include lithographic patterning systems for non-orthogonal patterning and devices formed with such patterning. In an embodiment, a lithographic patterning system comprises an actinic radiation source, where the actinic radiation source is configured to propagate light along an optical axis. In an embodiment, the lithographic patterning system further comprises a mask mount, where the mask mount is configurable to orient a surface of a mask at a first angle with respect to the optical axis. In an embodiment, the lithographic patterning system further comprises a lens module, and a substrate mount, where the substrate mount is configurable to orient a surface of a substrate at a second angle with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Changhua Liu, Jianyong Mo, Liang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11644758
    Abstract: Methods of forming structures including a stress management layer for photolithography and structures including the stress management layer are disclosed. Further disclosed are systems for depositing a stress management layer. Exemplary methods include forming the stress management layer using one or more of plasma-enhanced cyclic (e.g., atomic layer) deposition and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Daniele Piumi, David Kurt de Roest
  • Patent number: 11644759
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet radiation source apparatus includes a chamber including at least a droplet generator, a nozzle of the droplet generator, and a dry ice blasting assembly. The droplet generator includes a reservoir for a molten metal, and the nozzle has a first end connected to the reservoir and a second opposing end where molten metal droplets emerge from the nozzle. The dry ice blasting assembly includes a blasting nozzle, a blasting air inlet and a blaster carbon dioxide (CO2) inlet. The blasting nozzle is disposed inside the chamber. The blasting nozzle is arranged to direct a pressurized air stream and dry ice particles at the nozzle of the droplet generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yen-Hsun Chen, Ming-Hsun Tsai, Shao-Hua Wang, Han-Lung Chang, Li-Jui Chen, Chia-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 11644760
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a toner composition, developer and additive for a toner composition. The toner composition includes toner particles including at least one resin, an optional colorant, an optional wax, and a polymeric toner additive on at least a portion of an external surface of the toner particles. The polymeric toner additive includes a polymeric resin including a fluorinated monomer, wherein the polymeric resin is less than 10% by weight crosslinked, and optionally a charge control agent comprising nitrogen containing group at 0.1 wt % to 1.5 wt % of the polymeric resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Philip Nelson Veregin, Kimberly D. Nosella, Raysa Rodriguez Diaz, Melanie Lynn Davis, Cuong Vong
  • Patent number: 11644761
    Abstract: An electrophotographic roller includes: a mandrel and an elastic layer on the mandrel, and having a crown shape in which a diameter decreases from a central position O in a longitudinal direction of the mandrel toward an end portion. When a position of the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the elastic layer is defined as X2, a position between the O and the X2 is defined as X1, a distance between the O and the X1 is defined as L1, and a distance between the X1 and the X2 is defined as L2, L1=0.6×(L1+L2). When outer diameters of the electrophotographic roller at O, X1 and X2 are defined as Do, DX1 and DX2, respectively, and Z1=(Do?DX1)/2 and Z2=(DX1?DX2)/2 are defined, Z1, Z2, L1 and L2 satisfy (Z2/L2)<1.931×(Z1/L1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Kodama, Toshiro Suzuki, Kenichi Yazawa, Atsushi Uematsu
  • Patent number: 11644762
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a friction coefficient of a surface of 0.8 or less; a charging device including a charging member that is in contact with and charges the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor and includes a conductive base material, an elastic layer provided on the conductive base material and having a storage elastic modulus G of 5.0 MPa or less at 100 Hz, and a surface layer provided on the elastic layer; an electrostatic latent image forming device that forms an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to form a toner image by a developer containing a toner; and a transfer device that transfers the toner image to a surface of a recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kinuta, Yuki Tagawa, Takuya Yamamoto, Ken Ozaki, Noboru Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 11644763
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor, a charger that charges a surface of the photoreceptor, an exposer that irradiates the charged surface of the photoreceptor with light to form an electrostatic latent image, a developer that develops the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, a transferer that transfers the toner image onto a recording medium, a cleaner that removes residual toner on the surface of the photoreceptor, and an inductor. The photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate and a photoreceptive layer provided on the conductive substrate. The conductive substrate is connected to a ground via the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Kurauchi, Shintaro Miyanishi, Norihide Momose
  • Patent number: 11644764
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member that is rotatable, a substrate, a lens array, a holder, and a conductive member provided on the holder. The substrate includes a plurality of light-emitting elements, a driver integrated circuit (IC), and a wiring pattern. The plurality of light-emitting elements is arrayed in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive member to emit light to which a surface of the photosensitive member is exposed. The driver IC drives the plurality of light-emitting elements. The wiring pattern includes a supply line that supplies power to the driver IC and a ground wire that grounds the driver IC. The lens array collects the light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting elements on the photosensitive member. The holder holds the substrate and the lens array, is grounded, and is made of metal. The conductive member electrically connects the holder and the ground wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryota Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 11644765
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an output section that forms an electrostatic latent image onto an image carrier by using light emitted by a light source and outputs an image onto a recording medium by developing the formed electrostatic latent image; a memory that stores a sinusoidal set value representing a correction amount for correcting periodic density variations that occur in an image, which is to be formed, in a subscanning direction and that are caused by a rotating body, and a correction table in which correction amounts for correcting density variations that occur in an image, which is to be formed, in the subscanning direction and that are not caused by a rotating body are each stored in association with a corresponding position in the subscanning direction; and a processor configured to: calculate a first correction amount corresponding to a rotation phase of a rotating body included in the output section on a basis of the sinusoidal set value and retrieve a second correction amount correspo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Kenji Hara
  • Patent number: 11644766
    Abstract: A region of an image bearing member that comes into contact with a recording material at a nip in a state in which the recording material is held by the nip is a first region, and a region of the image bearing member that does not come into contact with the recording material at the nip in a state in which the recording material is not held by the nip is a second region. A controller controls to apply a first developing voltage to a developer bearing member when the first region in which a first surface potential has been formed faces a developer bearing member and apply a second developing voltage lower than an absolute value of the first developing voltage to the developer bearing member when the second region in which a second surface potential has been formed faces the developer bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Okayasu
  • Patent number: 11644767
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first container to accommodate liquid developer for replenishment to a developing container, and a second container to accommodate carrier fluid containing a charge control agent for replenishment to the first container. The concentration of the charge control agent in the carrier fluid accommodated in the second container is between equal to or more than 10 wt % and equal to or less than 20 wt %. A driving unit is driven so as to replenish the charge control agent accommodated in the second container to the first container, and a control unit controls the driving unit based on image coverage of an output image so that a concentration of the charge control agent in the liquid developer accommodated in the first container becomes a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11644768
    Abstract: An example operation method of an image forming apparatus includes determining a state of a toner refill operation of injecting toner from a toner reload kit (TRK) into a cartridge in the image forming apparatus, based on completion of injecting toner from the TRK into the cartridge, controlling the TRK to store information indicating a toner refill completion in a memory of the TRK, based on completion of injecting toner from the TRK into the cartridge, updating information of an amount of remaining toner of the cartridge based on an amount of the toner injected into the cartridge from the TRK, and based on the information indicating the toner refill completion being stored in the memory of the TRK, unlocking a locking apparatus in the image forming apparatus so the TRK may be removed from the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hong-Chul Choi, Yun-Su Kim, Seong-ho Jin, Jinwoo Noh
  • Patent number: 11644769
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second conveying members arranged with an axial angle, for conveying toner in first and second containers, and a conveying driving portion. The conveying driving portion includes a motor, a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, a swing gear, an idle gear, and a fourth gear. The second gear is fixed coaxially with the rotary shaft of the second conveying member. The swing gear swings on the outer circumference of the first gear rotated by a motor and meshes selectively with one of the second and third gears. The idle gear meshes with the third and fourth gears. The fourth gear has an axial angle between its input and output shafts and is fixed coaxially with the rotary shaft of the first conveying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Soda
  • Patent number: 11644770
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer body includes a base layer and a surface layer disposed on the base layer, in which surface layer includes a sea-island structure that includes a sea phase and an island phase, in which the sea phase includes a resin, the island phase including an organopolysiloxane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tanaka, Shigeru Fukuda, Kenta Yamakoshi, Yosuke Kubo, Masayuki Seko
  • Patent number: 11644771
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first sensor configured to detect a temperature; an image forming unit configured to form an image; a sheet container configured to contain sheets; a conveyance roller configured to convey a sheet from the sheet container; a transfer unit configured to transfer the image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller; a fixing unit configured to fix the image on the sheet by heating the image on the sheet; a second sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fixing unit; a sheet container heater configured to heat the sheet in the sheet container, wherein the sheet container heater is provided at a position where a distance from the first sensor to the sheet container heater is closer than a distance from the fixing unit to the sheet container heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Nimura
  • Patent number: 11644772
    Abstract: A duration measuring section measures a plurality of times. A temperature measuring section measures a temperature of a heater at each of the times. A temperature information outputting section outputs heater temperature information. A temperature tendency computing section outputs temperature tendency information of the heater. A drive controller outputs linear velocity information for controlling the linear velocity of a pressure roller. A pressure roller drive section drives the pressure roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Eiki, Akihiro Kondo, Ryohei Tokunaga, Yuta Kitabayashi, Hiroki Kawasaki, Shunsaku Fujii, Tei To, Rina Kikugawa
  • Patent number: 11644773
    Abstract: A heating device includes a heating rotator, a pressing rotator, a heater inside the heating rotator, a fan, a housing, and a pair of shutters. The pressing rotator presses against the heating rotator to form a nip passing through a recording medium. The housing houses the heating rotator and the pressing rotator. The housing has a pair of openings each configured to allow airflow generated by the fan to pass through each of the pair of openings. The pair of shutters each slide in corresponding one of the pair of openings in a longitudinal direction of the corresponding opening. Each shutter slides between a position at which an outer end portion of the corresponding opening is opened in the longitudinal direction of the corresponding opening and a position at which an inner end portion of the corresponding opening is opened in the longitudinal directions of the corresponding opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Seiji Saitoh
  • Patent number: 11644774
    Abstract: In an image heating device having a plurality of heating blocks which are controllable independently in a longitudinal direction of a heater, an increase of the size of the heater can be suppressed, and temperatures of a plurality of heating block can be detected. A heater has a first temperature sensor corresponding to a first heating block, a second temperature sensor corresponding to a second heating block, a first electric conductor electrically coupled to the first temperature sensor, a second electric conductor electrically coupled to the second temperature sensor, and a common electric conductor electrically coupled to the first and second temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Akira Kato, Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11644775
    Abstract: A heating device includes a heating roller having a resistance heat-generating layer that generates heat by passage of a current through the resistance heat-generating layer, a support member that supports a treatment portion in which a heating treatment is performed, a belt that is stretched between at least the heating roller and the support member and that rotates, and a pressure rotating body that rotates in such a manner as to press a sheet-shaped heating target that is an object to be subjected to a heating treatment against the treatment portion including an outer peripheral surface portion of the belt that is supported by the support member and in such a manner as to cause the heating target to pass through the treatment portion. The heating roller is not equipped with a power receiving component configured to receive a rotational power that is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Takuma Ishihara, Takashi Ohashi, Takashi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 11644776
    Abstract: An endless belt includes a resin and an acicular filler of which a thermal conductivity is 220 W/mK or more and 320 W/mK or less, a volume resistivity is 1011 ?cm or more and 1016 ?cm or less, and a content with respect to the endless belt is 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hideaki Ohara, Tomotake Inagaki, Ryohei Yoshikawa, Kenji Omori, Kenji Kajiwara, Junko Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11644777
    Abstract: Provided is a pressurizing member including a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer on the elastic layer, the surface layer containing a fluorine resin, wherein the surface layer has a surface resistivity of 1×1011[?/?] or less at a temperature of 25° C. when applying a DC voltage of 500 V, and a thermal conductivity ? in a thickness direction of the surface layer is 0.093 [W/(m·K)] or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Ishifuji, Hiroki Muramatsu, Yasuharu Notoya, Yohei Miyauchi, Naoko Kasai, Yusuke Baba, Masaaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11644778
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a housing; a photoconductor; a developing unit configured to form a developer image on the photoconductor; a developer cartridge storing developer, the cartridge being removably mountable on the housing, a supplier configured to supply the developer from the developer cartridge to the developing unit; and a controller configured to execute a first printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer supplied from the developer cartridge, when the developer cartridge is being mounted on the housing, and a second printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer remaining in the developing unit, when a usage amount of the developing unit is not less than a predetermined value and the developer cartridge is not being mounted on the housing, wherein the controller does not execute the second printing process when the usage amount is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Yabuki, Yoshifumi Kajikawa, Takashi Suzuki, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11644779
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device, a control unit, and a density measuring unit. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of an image carrier. A developing device supplies toner to the image carrier and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier to form a toner image. The density measuring unit measures the toner density of the plurality of first patch toner images formed by the developing device. The control unit calculates a relationship between the toner density of the plurality of first patch toner images measured by the density measuring unit and the applied voltage applied to the developing device when the plurality of first patch toner images are formed, and adjusts the applied voltage based on a calculation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Jun Nakai
  • Patent number: 11644780
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and system, and a method and a medium storing a program, furnish a server with non-time series data. The image forming apparatus obtains time series data of a predetermined type regarding the information processing apparatus, generates, based on the obtained time series data, the non-time series data, which is smaller in data size than the obtained time series data, and transmits the generated non-time series data directly or indirectly to the server. The server inputs the received non-time series data to a predetermined learning model, which outputs prediction information regarding the information processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsumura, Shinya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11644781
    Abstract: A method for reducing artifacts in an electrophotographic printing system includes receiving a print job including image data for a set of pages. The electrophotographic printing system is used to print a block of pages from the print job to provide corresponding printed pages. Image data for the block of pages is analyzed to determine a cross-track image profile for each page in the block of pages. Image data for a compensation image and a number of compensation images are determined, wherein the compensation image has a cross-track image profile which has an inverted shape relative to an average of the cross-track image profiles for the block of pages. The printing of the compensation images reduces image burn-in artifacts which result from the printing of the block of pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Chung-Hui Kuo
  • Patent number: 11644782
    Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of achieving both correction accuracy of skew correction and minimization of a margin between images. A color shift amount calculator that calculates a color shift amount, and a first skew correction controller and a second skew correction controller that control skew correction of color shift are included. The first skew correction controller controls first skew correction by a mechanical operation by the image former on the basis of a first color shift residual target value set in advance. The second skew correction controller controls second skew correction, by image processing, of the color shift after the control by the first skew correction controller on the basis of a second color shift residual target value set in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yuji Uchida
  • Patent number: 11644783
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a printer controller configured to form an image on a sheet, a storage unit configured to store a plurality of adjustment conditions for adjusting a position on the sheet at which the image is to be formed, and a CPU. The CPU selects one of the plurality of adjustment conditions, adjusts the position at which the image is to be formed based on the selected adjustment condition, and causes the printer controller to form the image on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroya Igarashi
  • Patent number: 11644784
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which carries out constant-voltage control of a voltage applied to a transfer member and is capable of executing limiter control for controlling the voltage applied to the transfer member based on a detection result of a current detecting portion so that the detection result falls within a predetermined range, is capable of executing a first mode in which a toner image is transferred onto a recording material and a second mode in which a plurality of test toner images are transferred onto the recording material by applying a plurality of different voltages to the transfer member. A controller is capable of carrying out the limiter control while the recording material passes through the transfer portion in executing the first mode and does not carry out the limiter control while an area onto which the plurality of test images are transferred passes through a transfer portion in executing the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Kakehi
  • Patent number: 11644785
    Abstract: An example photodetector for detecting fluorescent toner includes a light emitting unit to emit light to a toner image, and a light receiving unit. The light receiving unit is to detect visible light reflected by the toner image, detect that the toner image includes the fluorescent toner based on the detection of the visible light, the visible light generated by the fluorescent toner and having a predetermined wavelength band different from a wavelength band of the emitted light, and output a signal corresponding to the detection of the fluorescent toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Eogkyu Kim, Heungsup Park
  • Patent number: 11644786
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a driving unit including a driving source, a drive gear, a first support member that holds the driving source and includes a first support portion that supports one end portion of a rotation shaft of the drive gear, and a second support member that includes a second support portion that supports another end portion of the rotating shaft. The first support member includes a fastening hole disposed in a projection plane obtained by projecting the second support portion in the rotation axis direction of the drive gear. The second support member is disposed upstream of the first support member in a fastening direction, and includes a mounting portion extending so as to be in contact with the first support portion in the projection plane, the mounting portion including an attachment hole, the attachment hole being disposed at a position overlapping the fastening hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Kurosu, Yuichi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11644787
    Abstract: A development system for an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum having a drive plate to receive a driving force to rotate the photosensitive drum. The drive plate is provided on an end of the photosensitive drum. The development system also includes a developing roller having a clutch mechanism to dampen a force generated when the clutch mechanism engages the drive plate of the photosensitive drum. The clutch mechanism is provided on an end of the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Justin Pettingill
  • Patent number: 11644788
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, an image forming portion, a cleaning device, and a controller. The cleaning device includes a blade, a rotatable brush, and an applying portion. The controller controls the applying portion so as to apply a bias to the brush so that a potential of the brush has a polarity opposite to a normal charge polarity of toner. When a tensile strength of the brush is A (cn/dtex), a thickness of the brush is B (denier), a bristle density of the brush is C (kF/inch2), a length of the brush is D (mm), and an elastic deformation rate of the surface of the photosensitive member is E (%), the following relationships are satisfied: 48(%)?E?60(%), and 400?{A×B2×C/D2}?20408.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuki Kamimori
  • Patent number: 11644789
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus excites an excitation phase targeted for excitation among a plurality of excitation phases of a motor. The motor control apparatus, in a state in which a rotor of the motor is stopped, excites an excitation phase corresponding to a stop position of the rotor among the plurality of the excitation phases, and measures a physical quantity which changes in accordance with an inductance of at least one of a plurality of coils configuring the plurality of excitation phases. The motor control apparatus estimates a temperature of the rotor from a measurement value of the measured physical quantity, and decides a parameter value for control of the motor based on the estimated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eijiro Ohashi, Yasukazu Maeda, Takuya Miyashita
  • Patent number: 11644790
    Abstract: A process cartridge including: a photosensitive member cartridge including a photosensitive member; and a developing cartridge including a developer carrier. The developing cartridge further includes: an inputting portion; a first cover; and a second cover. The first cover has a first engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The first engagement portion is positioned between an axis of the developer carrier extending in an axial direction and an axis of the inputting portion extending in the axial direction, when projected in the axial direction. The second cover has a second engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The second engagement portion is positioned between the axis of the developer carrier and the axis of the inputting portion, when projected in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Naoya Kamimura, Ryuya Yamazaki, Hideshi Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11644791
    Abstract: A holographic imaging device and method realizes both a transmission type and a reflection type, and also realizes a long working distance wide field of view or ultra-high resolution. Object light emitted from an object, sequentially illuminated with parallel illumination light whose incident direction is changed, is recorded on a plurality of object light holograms for each incident direction using off-axis spherical wave reference light. The reference light is recorded on a reference light hologram using in-line spherical wave reference light being in-line with the object light. An object light wave hologram and its spatial frequency spectrum at the object position are generated for each incident direction using each hologram. A synthetic spectrum which occupies a wider frequency space is generated by matching each spectrum in the overlapping area, and a synthetic object light wave hologram with increased numerical aperture is obtained thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: University of Hyogo
    Inventor: Kunihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 11644792
    Abstract: A method of generating a hologram includes receiving an input image representing a 3D object, defining a first phase value for a first pixel data such that spatio-temporally identical pixels with respect to the input image have the same phase, defining a second phase value for a second pixel data such that spatio-temporally identical pixels with respect to the input image have the same phase, and generating a multi-view hologram using the first phase value and the second phase value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Kwan-Jung Oh