Electric Charging Of Objects Or Materials Patents (Class 361/225)
  • Patent number: 11967804
    Abstract: An ionic wind generator and an electronic device having a heat dissipation function using the same are proposed. The ionic wind generator includes a power module; a first electrode configured to receive power from the power module by being connected to the power module to become an emitter electrode; and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and grounded and at the same time connected to the power module to become a counter electrode. In addition, the first electrode is configured as a carbon brush including multiple carbon fibers. Accordingly, in the ionic wind generator, the emitter electrode is configured as the carbon brush having multiple carbon fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: BongJun Kim, Jae Hyun Oh, Changhee Lee, MinWoo Jeong, Minjae Park
  • Patent number: 11723140
    Abstract: A system for creating a plasma field Faraday cage around a structure, the system comprising a plurality of lasers spaced apart from each other, each laser being configured to transmit an electromagnetic energy beam to a focal point of an atmosphere region, each electromagnetic energy beam having an amount of energy less than an amount of energy required to ionize air, the electromagnetic energy beams intersecting at the focal point such that the electromagnetic energy beams cooperatively ionize the air at the focal point to block electromagnetic radiation from passing through the focal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL FEDERAL MANUFACTURINGS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Joseph Timpson, Joseph Ambrose Wolf
  • Patent number: 11711882
    Abstract: Problem All conductive bodies and particularly humans bodies, living in an electrified environment are traversed by alternating currents. Especially with the rise of electromobility, these currents are also present outside the typical house or office or factory environment, influencing the body almost during the whole 24 hours life cycle. Solution The invention proposes simple, contactless means to protect the body, by compensating the induced currents from the electrified environment. An isolated, intermediate conductive plate between the ground and the body is used to sense and minimize the induced currents. A coil at the periphery of the intermediate plate is used to sense and compensate the induced magnetic field, in its simplest embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventor: Georgios Sergiadis
  • Patent number: 11389808
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to ion generator device supports. An ion generator device support is configured to retain an ion generator device in a cavity formed by a plurality of walls of the ion generator device support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Plasma Air International, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence T. Sunshine
  • Patent number: 11289896
    Abstract: A system and method for autonomous monitoring and active defense of lightning includes a current sensor installed on a metal object, an antenna installed near the current sensor, a signal processing and warning module (SPWM), which is configured to detect received current and field pulse signals, and issuing an early warning signal when detecting origination and development of pulses of a downward stepped leader and an upward leader, where the early warning signal is sent to a controlled surge protection device (CSPD) and/or a polarized reconfigurable lightning protection antenna, and the CSPD completes on/off actions before a first return stroke and/or the lightning protection antenna becomes only to receive/transmit horizontally polarized electromagnetic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: CHENGDU UNIVERSITY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INSTITUTE OF ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Kun Liu, Rubin Jiang, Yuming Du, Jiaming Jia
  • Patent number: 11126106
    Abstract: A charging device includes a first charging unit that charges a target unit, which is to be charged, by coming into contact with the target unit and a second charging unit that charges the target unit by coming into contact with the target unit and in which distribution of a contact region in contact with the target unit is different from distribution of a contact region in the first charging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizoguchi, Hirofumi Iida
  • Patent number: 10996581
    Abstract: Provided is such a conductive member that a change in its electrical resistance value caused by its long-term use is reduced to the extent possible. The conductive member has a conductive support and a conductive layer, the conductive layer contains a rubber composition formed of a modified epichlorohydrin rubber, and the modified epichlorohydrin rubber has a unit represented by the following formula (1). In the formula (1), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent hydrogen or a saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norifumi Muranaka, Satoru Yamada, Kazuhiro Yamauchi, Seiji Tsuru, Yuka Muranaka
  • Patent number: 10809641
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a photoconductive drum charged by a charge roll and opposed by developer roll. The developer roll adds toner to the drum to develop a latent image on the drum for transfer to media or an intermediate transfer member at a transfer roll. One or more high voltage power supplies communicate with a controller to set voltages on the rolls. During times of non-imaging, but rotation of the drum, the charge roll charges the drum to less than a Paschen breakdown voltage of the drum. A voltage of the transfer roll is determined that corresponds to a temperature and relative humidity of an operating environment of the imaging device and the developer roll is charged based thereon. The charge of the transfer roll is set close to the charge of the drum, but higher in magnitude. A laser may also discharge the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas Anthony Able, Andrew Pryse Dale, Jared Kuohui Lin, Matthew David Heid, Christopher David Strack
  • Patent number: 10663878
    Abstract: In one example, a method is described that includes a processor detecting a voltage of a photoconductor layer of a printing device, comparing the voltage of the photoconductor layer to a threshold voltage, and applying a corrective voltage to a charging unit or to a transfer member when the voltage of the photoconductor layer exceeds the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Sasi Moalem, Shmuel Borenstain, Amit Levi, Ronen Friedman, Moshe Issic
  • Patent number: 10632638
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing, in particular for cutting, a material, that provides a surface for supporting and resting the material, and includes elements that generate a field of electrostatic attraction of the material on the supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: BIERREBI ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Tedeschi, Mauro De Gennaro
  • Patent number: 10627735
    Abstract: A charging roller has a roller main body including a cylindrical inner layer having a porous structure formed of a semiconductive rubber composition constituted by ethylene propylene rubber, paraffin oil, and a carbon black having a DBP oil absorption amount of 400 cm3/100 g or more and an outer layer constituted by a nonporous and seamless semiconductive tube including a polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer having a type A durometer hardness of 93 or less, carbon black, and crosslinked PMMA particles having an average particle size of 5 to 20 ?m. The production method includes a process in which a semiconductive rubber composition forming the inner layer is foamed with OBSH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Nojiri
  • Patent number: 10585372
    Abstract: A charging roller is configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member configured to bear an image. The charging roller includes: a shaft portion; an elastic layer formed around the shaft portion; and a surface layer formed around the elastic layer, wherein particles having particle diameters within a range of 2 ?m or larger and 15 ?m or smaller and dispersed in the surface layer, and wherein a reduced peak height Spk (?m), a reduced dale height Svk (?m), and a core height Sk (?m) with respected to the surface layer of the charging roller satisfy 4?Spk+Sk?8 and 0.5?Svk?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujino, Akinori Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 10520846
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an image carrier, a first charging member which abuts on the image carrier and charges the image carrier, a second charging member which abuts on the image carrier and charges the image carrier, the second charging member having such resistance characteristics as being less in variation with environmental variation than the first charging member, a power supply apparatus which can apply a voltage to each of the first and second charging members, and a control device which sets a voltage to be applied to the first charging member by the power supply apparatus based on a first amount of current which flows from the power supply apparatus through the first charging member to the image carrier and a second amount of current which flows to the image carrier through the second charging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takahiro Tsujimoto, Natsuyo Higashi, Hirotada Seki, Hiroshi Eguchi
  • Patent number: 10488778
    Abstract: A charging roller includes a curved roller surface, and the shape of the roller surface is represented by Y/Y1=(X/X1)exp(?). A distance between a middle point and an arbitrary point on a rotation axis is denoted by X, a reduction in a radius at the arbitrary point from the maximum radius at the middle point is denoted by Y, a distance between the middle point and the position of an end portion of a roller body on the rotation axis is denoted by X1, and a reduction in the radius at the position of the end portion from the maximum radius at the middle point is denoted by Y1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Noriaki Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10481515
    Abstract: A charging device is detachably attachable with respect to a body of an image forming apparatus. The charging device includes a charging roller and a cleaning member. The charging roller charges an image bearer. The cleaning member cleans the charging roller. The cleaning member has a higher cleaning performance on the charging roller during detachment in which the charging device is detached from the body of the image forming apparatus than during attachment in which the charging device is attached to the body of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kuwabara, Daisuke Tomita, Norio Kudoh, Kento Aoki, Takeshi Fukao
  • Patent number: 10466641
    Abstract: An image forming unit including a photosensitive member including a gear portion on a one end side of the photosensitive member in a rotational axis direction, a roller that comes in contact with the photosensitive member, a bearing member that rotatably supports the roller, and an elastic member that urges the bearing member. In the image forming unit, directions of moments about a rotational axis of the roller acting on the bearing member disposed on the one end side of the photosensitive member in the rotational axis direction are the same in a case in which the roller is rotated and in a case in which the roller is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nosho, Toru Oguma, Takatoshi Hamada
  • Patent number: 10427344
    Abstract: A molding system includes a mold having a mold cavity; a molding machine configured to fill the mold cavity with a composite molding resin including a polymeric material having a plurality of fibers; a processing module connected to the molding machine; and a controller connected to the computing apparatus. The processing module includes a processor configured to generate an orientation distribution of the fibers in the mold cavity based on a molding condition for the molding machine, wherein the orientation distribution is generated taking into consideration a combined effect of a molding pressure and a shear rate on a zero-shear-rate viscosity of the composite molding material. The controller is configured to control the molding machine to perform an actual molding with the molding condition for injecting the composite molding resin into at least a portion of the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Coretech System Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huan-Chang Tseng, Rong-Yeu Chang, Chia-Hsiang Hsu
  • Patent number: 10359189
    Abstract: An charge element disposed proximate to a combustion reaction is caused to carry a voltage while also being prevented from arc-discharging or arc-charging to or from the combustion reaction, by a current limiting element in electrical continuity with the charge element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: CLEARSIGN COMBUSTION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Igor A. Krichtafovitch, Christopher A. Wiklof
  • Patent number: 10352302
    Abstract: An airflow generator power supply of an embodiment supplies alternating-current voltage to a plurality of airflow generators on a blade of a wind turbine generator. The power supply has a frequency converter, a plurality of transformers, and a switch. The frequency converter generates alternating-current voltage. Each transformer amplifies the alternating-current voltage and applies the amplified voltage to the corresponding airflow generator. The switch outputs the alternating-current voltage from the frequency converter to one selected from the transformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Motofumi Tanaka, Naohiko Shimura, Toshiki Osako
  • Patent number: 10320160
    Abstract: An ion generation apparatus that can facilitate the separation of adhering materials from a discharge electrode and efficiently generate ions includes an induction electrode, and a discharge electrode for generating ions between the discharge electrode and the induction electrode. The discharge electrode has a plurality of filament-like conductors, and a joining portion to tie the bottoms of the conductors together. The induction electrode is arranged at the bottom side of the conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromu Nishida, Nobuyuki Ohe, Koichi Izu
  • Patent number: 10073369
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a high-voltage generating circuit which applies to a charging member an oscillation voltage in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed, a voltage controller which controls the DC voltage and a peak-to-peak voltage value Vpp of the AC voltage, and a current detector which detects a DC current value Idc between the charging member and an image carrier. The voltage controller detects an Idc(O?) when an oscillation voltage having a Vpp(O?) at an intersection point of a straight line L1 passing through coordinates A(Vpp(A), Idc(A)) and coordinates B(Vpp(B), Idc(B)) and a straight line passing through coordinates C(Vpp(C), Idc(C)) and parallel to a coordinate axis representing Vpp. Vpp(O) at an intersection point O of a straight line L2 passing through coordinates C and coordinates O?(Vpp(O?), Idc(O?)) and the straight line L1 is determined as an appropriate peak-to-peak voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Norio Tomiie
  • Patent number: 9977360
    Abstract: An inner resistive film is applied to a conductive substrate. Ductile particles are disposed substantially uniformly throughout the inner resistive film. An outer resistive film is applied to the inner resistive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Anthony, Seongsik Chang, Omer Gila
  • Patent number: 9897947
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation of the photoconductor with light, a charger, a developing device, a transfer device, a charge removal execution determiner, and a power supply controller. The charger receives a superimposed voltage of a DC voltage and an AC voltage to charge the photoconductor. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor into a toner image. The transfer device transfers the developed toner image to a recording medium. The charge removal execution determiner issues a charge removal command when a flow of electric charge from the transfer device into the photoconductor has occurred in an image forming outputting operation. The power supply controller applies only the AC voltage to the charger for a predetermined period in a state in which the photoconductor is rotated, when the charge removal command is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuka Kanatani, Yuushi Hirayama, Kazufumi Kimura, Ryota Kidera, Masanori Moro, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Hideyasu Seki
  • Patent number: 9880487
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for electrifying a surface of a photoreceptor with the use of an electrification member includes: a first output unit configured to output a first AC voltage; a second output unit configured to output a second AC voltage having the same frequency as a frequency of the first AC voltage and having a phase different from a phase of the first AC voltage; a superimposition unit configured to superimpose, on a DC component, an AC component containing at least one of the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage; and an application unit configured to apply a voltage that has been subjected to superimposition by the superimposition unit to the electrification member, wherein the superimposition unit changes the AC component to be superimposed on the DC component at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kouzaki, Munenori Nakano, Hironori Akashi, Kenji Tsuru, Yoshinori Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 9850355
    Abstract: The present invention is a laminate film comprising a plastic film, and an inorganic layer and an organic layer containing a 1,3,5-triazine derivative laid on at least one surface of the plastic film, wherein the 1,3,5-triazine derivative has a sulfur-containing group as a substituent on at least one of 2, 4 and 6 positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Toyobo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ebata, Kiyoshi Iseki
  • Patent number: 9837257
    Abstract: A corona ionization source assembly and fabrication methods are described that include a fine wire including a wire core including a first material, and a wire coating including a second material, where the wire coating surrounds a portion of the wire core, and the diameter of the wire coating is greater than the diameter of the wire core. Additionally, the fine wire may be coupled to a mounting post. In an implementation, a process for fabricating the corona ionization source assembly that employs the techniques of the present disclosure includes forming a wire core, forming a wire coating that surrounds the wire core, forming a mask layer on at least a portion of the wire coating, etching the wire coating, and removing the mask layer from the wire coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Smiths Detection Montreal Inc.
    Inventor: Henryk Zaleski
  • Patent number: 9829823
    Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member, a cleaning member, and a bearing. The charging member charges an image carrier. The cleaning member cleans the charging member. The bearing includes a first bearing part and a second bearing part. The first bearing part rotatably supports the charging member. The second bearing part rotatably supports the cleaning member and is divided from the first bearing part. The first bearing part is movable between a first contact position to make the charging member come into contact with the image carrier and a first separating position to make the charging member separate from the image carrier. The second bearing part is movable between a second contact position to make the cleaning member come into contact with the charging member and a second separating position to make the cleaning member separate from the charging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Morishita, Nobuhiro Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9829822
    Abstract: A roller member includes a core member; a substantially round-cylindrical elastic member through which the core member extends and having chamfered portions, the chamfered portions each provided at two respective ends of the elastic member and having a surface roughness of about 50 ?m or less; and a coating film provided over an outer peripheral surface of the elastic member and at least a part of each of the chamfered portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Omori, Koichi Matsumoto, Tomotake Inagaki, Shogo Tomari, Junji Okada
  • Patent number: 9785080
    Abstract: An image carrier unit of the present disclosure includes an image carrier, a charging device, a unit housing and a drive mechanism. The charging device is fittable to and removable from the unit housing in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, and has a charging member and a cleaning member for cleaning the charging member. The drive mechanism has a biasing member for biasing a rotating shaft of the cleaning member in a first direction extending along its axial direction, and a moving member for moving the rotating shaft of the cleaning member in a second direction opposite to the first direction. An engaging portion to engage with an engaged portion provided on the unit housing side is formed at one longitudinal end portion of the charging device, and an engagement state between the engaging portion and the engaged portion is retained by biasing force of the biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Susumu Hanano
  • Patent number: 9665030
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has: an image supporting member, a charger, a power source unit, an amperometric detector, and a processor. The power source unit applies a plurality of charging voltages, which includes alternating voltages respectively, to the charger sequentially while no print medium is fed. The alternating voltages have different peak-to-peak voltages for a forward discharge range and different peak-to-peak voltages for a reverse discharge range, respectively. The amperometric detector detects values of alternating current flowing in the charger during application of the charging voltages. The processor derives characteristic lines of alternating current value with respect to alternating voltage for the forward discharge range and for the reverse discharge range, respectively, from the values detected by the amperometric detector. The processor derives a peak-to-peak voltage to be used in a process in a different way depending on a difference in slope between the characteristic lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kato, Kazuki Kobori, Hirohisa Shirai, Hisashi Murata, Masato Kimura
  • Patent number: 9657388
    Abstract: Provided is a gas barrier film having superior gas barrier properties even when an organic gas barrier layer is provided to the surface of a plastic film. The gas barrier film is provided with an organic gas barrier layer containing a 1,3,5-triazine derivative at least at one surface of the plastic film, and is characterized by the 1,3,5-triazine derivative having as a substituent group a group containing sulfur at position 2, 4, or 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Toyobo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ebata, Kiyoshi Iseki
  • Patent number: 9660425
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to ion generator device supports. An ion generator device support is configured to retain an ion generator device, the ion generator device having a first portion containing exposed electrodes and a second portion, the support includes a first wall, a second wall extending orthogonally from the first wall, a third wall extending orthogonally from the first wall opposed to the second wall, wherein the third wall extends a smaller distance from the first wall than the second wall and a fourth wall extending orthogonally from the second wall, wherein a substantially open cavity is defined by the fourth wall, the second wall and an edge of the third wall, and a substantially closed cavity is defined by the second wall, the first wall and the third wall, and wherein the first portion of the ion generator device is retained within the substantially open cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PLASMA AIR INTERNATIONAL, INC
    Inventor: Lawrence T. Sunshine
  • Patent number: 9644632
    Abstract: A voltage application device of an embodiment applies a voltage between a first and second electrode disposed separately from each other in an airflow generation device, which is disposed on a rotation blade of a rotation apparatus, in which a rotation shaft of the rotation blade is held rotatably by a holding part. In the voltage application device of the embodiment, a voltage output unit outputs a voltage. Then, a sliding type transmission unit having electrodes disposed respectively on the rotation blade side and the holding part side of the rotation shaft transmits a voltage outputted from the voltage output unit from the holding part side to the rotation blade side. Then, a transformation unit disposed on the rotation blade side increases the voltage transmitted by the sliding type transmission unit and outputs the voltage to the airflow generation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Motofumi Tanaka, Hisashi Matsuda, Shohei Goshima, Hiroyuki Yasui, Amane Majima, Toshiki Osako
  • Patent number: 9639031
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus, including a transfer roll; and first and second rolls, each first roll and second roll being disposed relative to the transfer roll, the second roll forming a transfer nip with the transfer roll and the first roll being disposed upstream relative to the second roll in a media feed direction. During a toner transfer operation, the transfer roll is coupled to a predetermined voltage and the first and second rolls are coupled to at least one voltage reference so that an electric field is generated between the transfer roll and the first roll and between the transfer roll and the second roll, the first roll being associated with an electrical characteristic such that the electric field generated between the transfer roll and the first roll is limited during the toner transfer operation relative to the electric field generated between the transfer roll and the second roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Kerry L. Embry, Julie Ann Gordon Whitney
  • Patent number: 9465322
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member in contact with the image bearing member; and a developing member for supplying developer in contact with the image bearing member. The developer remaining on the image bearing member after transfer is collected by the developing member. A Martens hardness HMR of a surface of the charging member and a Martens hardness HMD of a surface of the developer satisfy the following relationship: HMD>HMR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihisa Matsukawa, Yusuke Usui, Hiroyoshi Iwayama, Takanori Watanabe, Naoki Okamoto, Kazuhiro Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9459550
    Abstract: An applying device includes an applying member and a contact member. The applying member applies voltage to an image bearing member and has an elastic layer and an endless surface layer. The elastic layer is disposed facing the image bearing member, is rotatable about a rotation axis, and is composed of a foam material. The surface layer surrounds an outer periphery of the elastic layer, is supported by the elastic layer in a non-bonded state, and is rotatable together therewith. The contact member comes into contact with the surface layer at an upstream side, in a rotational direction of the applying member, relative to an imaginary line segment connecting a rotation axis of the image bearing member and the rotation axis of the applying member, so as to apply tension to the surface layer at a contact position between the image bearing member and the applying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kawahara, Hiroki Ando, Mikio Yamaguchi, Hirofumi Iida, Keishi Araki
  • Patent number: 9405237
    Abstract: In a method or a transfer station for a digital printer, liquid developer with toner particles can be directed towards a first side of a recording medium and onto the first side of the recording medium at a transfer point. A transfer roller can be configured to direct the liquid developer towards the recording medium. The toner particles can have a first polarity and the recording medium can move past the transfer roller along a transport direction. A layer of charged particles can be applied from a second side of the recording medium by a surface charging station. The surface charging station can be arranged before the transfer point in the transport direction. The second side of the recording medium can be opposite the first side. The charged particles can have a second polarity that is opposite the first polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Fromm, Volkhard Maess, Georg Landmesser, Thomas Montag
  • Patent number: 9400458
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a CPU capable of executing neutralization control in which, prior to image formation, a potential difference between a voltage applied to a transfer roller by a transfer power supply and a voltage applied to a neutralization needle by a neutralization power supply is gradually increased, and a value of the potential difference when the value detected by the neutralization current meter exceeds a threshold is stored, and in which, during image formation, a value of the voltage applied by the neutralization power supply is controlled based on the stored potential difference and the value of an image formation voltage applied by the transfer power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9304429
    Abstract: A charging member includes an electro-conductive substrate and an electro-conductive resin layer. The electro-conductive resin layer contains a binder, a plurality of bowl-shaped resin particles, and a plurality of hollow particles. The charging member has a surface having recesses due to openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions due to edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles, where the positional relationship between one bowl-shaped resin particle and the hollow particles lying in the vicinity of the bowl-shaped resin particle is that the number of the hollow particles being in the space under the bowl-shaped resin particle in a predetermined depth is at least four in average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Miyagawa, Tomohito Taniguchi, Masahiro Watanabe, Taichi Sato, Takehiko Aoyama, Atsushi Uematsu
  • Patent number: 9283695
    Abstract: A computer-implemented simulation method for use in a molding process comprises steps of specifying a simulating domain corresponding to a genuine domain in a mold disposed on a molding machine, wherein the genuine domain has a mold cavity to be filled with a fluid having fibers from the molding machine in order to prepare a molding product; performing a virtual molding to generate a shear rate distribution of the fluid having the fibers in the simulating domain while using a molding condition for the molding machine; and calculating an orientation distribution of the fibers by taking into consideration an anisotropic rotary diffusion effect of the fibers and the shear rate distribution, wherein the anisotropic rotary diffusion effect is determined by taking into consideration a square of a rate-of-deformation tensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: CORETECH SYSTEM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Huan Chang Tseng, Chia Hsiang Hsu, Rong Yeu Chang
  • Patent number: 9188898
    Abstract: A conductive roller includes a roller body, a spindle, and at least one groove. The roller body contacts with an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier, and is conductive. The spindle is provided in a center of the roller body. The groove is formed in each of side walls of the roller body at opposite ends in an axis direction of the roller body, and extends outward in a radial direction from the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9164477
    Abstract: Apparatuses include a voltage divider that is connected to a current source, a humidity sensor within an internal humid location of an apparatus, and an amplifier connected to the voltage divider and the humidity sensor. The humidity sensor produces a current signal that increases with increases in the humidity level and the amplifier amplifies the signal produced by the humidity sensor to produce compensating output current. The amplifier provides amplification of the signal produced by the humidity sensor at a level that increases with increases of the primary output current. Thus, the amplifier provides the amplification of the signal produced by the humidity sensor at a level to make the compensating output current equal to the leakage current. This causes the electrical load element to receive the primary output current combined with the compensating output current as a power supply current that is unaffected by the leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Hendrikus Adrianus Anthonius Verheijen
  • Patent number: 9086642
    Abstract: A blade-like charging member for charging a surface of an image bearing member. The blade-like charging member includes a charging portion for effecting electric discharge to the surface of the image bearing member and a non-charging portion. The non-charging portion can contact the image bearing member with a gap. At least a part of the non-charging portion is made of a material having a higher resistance than that of the charging portion so as to prevent electric discharge between the non-charging portion and the surface of the image bearing member. The non-charging portion is capable of sliding contact with the surface of the image bearing member over the entirety of an image forming region width of the surface of the image bearing member. The charge portion and the non-charging portion are bonded to each other by adhesive material at a connection interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Issei Imamura
  • Patent number: 9061084
    Abstract: A fine particle diffusion device includes: a first outlet (10a to 10c) through which a first air current is discharged to a space above a living space within a living room; a second outlet (10d) which is arranged below the first outlet (10a to 10c) and through which a second air current is discharged to a space below the first air current; and a fine particle generation device (17) which generates fine particles. Here, the fine particles generated by the fine particle generation device (17) are discharged into the living room, and the concentration of the fine particles discharged through the first outlet (10a to 10c) is lower than the concentration of the fine particles discharged through the second outlet (10d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Ohtsuka, Hideyuki Karita
  • Patent number: 8987945
    Abstract: A control system has an instruction path of which an object section connects a microcomputer, a switch and a switch supervisory device with one another. The switch sets the path in conductive or non-conductive state on the low side of the microcomputer. An instruction signal is sent to the microcomputer through the conductive path to set the microcomputer in an operation state. When the device judges based on the operation state of the microcomputer that the switch has set the path in a conductive state, the device sends a first signal of first voltage, causing the signal to have current strength equal to or higher than predetermined value in the path, to the object section. When the device judges that the switch has set the path in a non-conductive state, the device sends a second signal of second voltage lower than first voltage to the object section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Kanayama
  • Patent number: 8989629
    Abstract: A blade-like charging member comprises a charging portion, a non-charging portion, and an electrode portion. The non-charging portion is capable of contacting the image bearing member while maintaining an electrically dischargeable gap therebetween. To prevent electric discharge between the non-charging portion and the surface of the image bearing member, at least part of the non-charging portion is made of material having a higher resistance than that of the charging portion. The non-charging portion contacts and slides on the surface of the image bearing member over a range that exceeds the length of the charging portion. A shortest distance between the discharge position and an end portion of the electrode portion with respect to a longitudinal direction of the image bearing member is longer than a shortest distance between the discharge position and a central portion of the electrode portion with respect to the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Kishi, Ryosuke Kanai
  • Patent number: 8937799
    Abstract: A voltage application device of an embodiment applies a voltage between a first and second electrode disposed separately from each other in an airflow generation device, which is disposed on a rotation blade of a rotation apparatus, in which a rotation shaft of the rotation blade is held rotatably by a holding part. In the voltage application device of the embodiment, a voltage output unit outputs a voltage. Then, a sliding type transmission unit having electrodes disposed respectively on the rotation blade side and the holding part side of the rotation shaft transmits a voltage outputted from the voltage output unit from the holding part side to the rotation blade side. Then, a transformation unit disposed on the rotation blade side increases the voltage transmitted by the sliding type transmission unit and outputs the voltage to the airflow generation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Motofumi Tanaka, Hisashi Matsuda, Shohei Goshima, Hiroyuki Yasui, Amane Majima, Toshiki Osako
  • Publication number: 20140321024
    Abstract: A system for electrostatically levitating an object with a body adapted for receiving a static charge. The system includes an array of at least three electrostatic generators, with each of the electrostatic generators including an exposed element that becomes statically charged during operation of the array. The system also includes a controller operating to generate control signals to the array to independently operate each of the electrostatic generators to provide the static charge at first, second, and third voltages. When positioned in a flight space above the array, the object is levitated above the array of the electrostatic generators by an electrostatic lifting force(s). Each of the electrostatic generators is a high voltage Van de Graaff generator. The first, second, and third voltages are in the range of 0 to 300,000 volts and are varied over time to direct the levitated object along a flight path by the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: LANNY S. SMOOT
  • Patent number: 8809819
    Abstract: A target supply unit may include: a target storage unit for storing a target material thereinside; a target output unit having a through-hole formed therein, through which the target material stored inside the target storage unit is outputted; an electrode having a through-hole formed therein arranged to face the target output unit, the electrode being coated with an electrically conductive material at least on a part of a surface facing the target output unit; and a voltage generator for applying a voltage between the target material and the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yabu, Hiroshi Umeda, Hakaru Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 8804297
    Abstract: Electrostatic charging performance may be improved by determining a satiation charging current for objects/products passing through a charging system and then applying the determined satiation charging current the objects/products. Charging performance may be improved in either or both of discontinuous product train applications or continuous web applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Blitshteyn, Edward Anthony Oldynski