Elastic Material Patents (Class 399/105)
  • Patent number: 11947283
    Abstract: A developer container is provided with a container body and a covering. The container body has a storage part for containing a developer and a discharge port used for discharging the developer contained in the storage part to outside of the container body. The covering covers a forming surface of a containing space of the developer in the storage part, and is provided so as to be drawable from the discharge port to outside of the container body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Yosuke Okuno
  • Patent number: 11880147
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing which includes an opening portion open downward and in which a developer is stored in an internal storage space, the storage space being formed of a region of the internal space in which the developer is present; a sealing part that seals the opening portion and is removed to allow the developer to fall through the opening portion; a storage part that stores the developer having fallen through the opening portion; an inlet that is provided in the housing, allows the developer floating from the storage part to flow into the storage space from which the developer has fallen, and is different from the opening portion; and a collecting part that is provided on the housing and collects the developer having flowed into the storage space through the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Takafumi Wakai
  • Patent number: 10859946
    Abstract: Disclosed is a development cartridge detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus. The development cartridge includes a lateral waste toner sealing member contacting an end portion of a photosensitive drum in a lengthwise direction of the photosensitive drum to prevent a waste toner from leaking through the end portion of the photosensitive drum, and a photosensitive frame including a waste toner container to contain the waste toner, a first attachment surface, to which the lateral waste toner sealing member is attached, and a side wall to form a boundary at an upstream side of the first attachment surface with respect to a rotation direction of the photosensitive drum. The lateral waste toner sealing member includes an opposite surface facing the side wall, and a protrusion protruding towards the side wall is provided on the opposite surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jong In Kim
  • Patent number: 10855889
    Abstract: There is described an imaging device for capturing images of at least portions of moving objects. The system comprises a stationary camera lens configured for reproducing an image of at least a portion of each moving object in an imaging plane when said object moves across a capturing region. The device further comprises at least one image sensor located in the imaging plane for receiving the reproduced image of the at least a portion of the corresponding moving object and converting said image into electronic signals. The at least one image sensor is mounted on a sensor support adapted to be actuated in a manner that the at least one image sensor is moved in the imaging plane relative to the stationary camera lens, and in a manner that the motion of said at least one image sensor is synchronized with the motion of the moving object to be captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Anteleon Imaging Sàrl
    Inventor: Sergei Startchik
  • Patent number: 10732565
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge frame member including a developer accommodation portion, an image bearing member rotatably provided to the cartridge frame member, an end sealing provided to the cartridge frame member and abutting on an end of the image bearing member in a longitudinal direction, a cleaning unit for acting on the image bearing member, a sealing portion integrally provided with the cartridge frame member and abut on an end of the cleaning unit in the longitudinal direction, a sheet member provided along the longitudinal direction and abut on the image bearing member at an end of the sheet member in a direction that crosses the longitudinal direction, and a fixing portion for fixing the sheet member and the cartridge frame member. The sealing portion and the fixing portion are integrally formed with the cartridge frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shogo Satomura, Fumito Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10054874
    Abstract: Provided is an elastic member which is obtained by forming a resin coating layer on at least a part of the surface of a base that is formed of an elastic material, and which is characterized in that the resin coating layer is a coating film that contains 1.5-45 parts by mass of a low-friction powder per 100 parts by mass of a base resin and has a 100% modulus of 22-30 MPa. This elastic member has a resin coating layer that has a good balance between film formability and low friction, and is suitable as a sealing member for an opening part of a toner container that is provided on a toner cartridge of a printer, a copy machine or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Oniki
  • Patent number: 9989890
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9835978
    Abstract: An end seal for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an elastomeric body having a blade seal portion for sealing against a rear surface of a doctor blade and a curved rotary seal portion that extends from a bottom end of the blade seal portion for sealing against an outer surface of a rotatable developer roll. The end seal includes a cutout in an inner axial side of the body positioned at a point where the rotary seal portion and the blade seal portion meet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Richard Castle, Richard Louis Goin, Brad Edward Mattingly, Benjamin Erich Kant, Joseph Andrew Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9684263
    Abstract: A developer supplier includes a developer container and a main unit. The developer container includes a container body, a container seal, a developer discharge port and a container shutter. The container shutter covers or exposes the developer discharge port. The container shutter includes a container shutter body and a container sheet member. The main unit includes a housing and a main unit seal. The housing has a developer supply port. The developer container is mounted into a mounting section in a first orientation, and subsequently the container body is rotated in a first rotational direction so that the developer container changes to a second orientation and the developer discharge port communicates with the developer supply port. The container sheet member has a downstream end and configured to come into contact with the main unit seal when the developer container is mounted into the mounting section in the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Daisuke Eto
  • Patent number: 9529306
    Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, includes: a rotatable member; a blade member contacted to the rotatable member; a frame, formed of a resin material, for supporting the blade member; and a seal member provided on the frame to be contacted to a portion of the blade member, opposite from a portion where the blade member is contacted to the rotatable member, in each of one end side and anther end side of the blade member with respect to an axial direction of the rotatable member, wherein the seal member is formed on the frame by injection molding for sealing a gap between the blade member and the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuharu Hoshi, Fumito Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9500996
    Abstract: A sealing member is attached to a second member attached to and detached from a first member having a first opening through which powder passes and having a second opening that communicates with the first opening when the second member is coupled to the first member, and prevents the powder from leaking from a coupling portion between the first opening and the second opening. The sealing member includes: a first elastic member with a first surface arranged on the second member; and a second elastic member arranged on at least a part of a periphery of the first elastic member and having hardness different from that of the first elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuta Azeyanagi, Takeshi Kojima, Hajime Teraji, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Michiya Okamoto, Shinya Karasawa, Kentaroh Nodera, Daisuke Sawada
  • Patent number: 9411266
    Abstract: A developer storage container includes a container body, a discharging member, and a regulating member. The regulating member is disposed in a space formed by the container body and the discharging member, and partitions the space into a storage space to store developer in the container body and a discharging side space to store developer to be discharged from a discharging port. Further, the regulating member forms a passage hole to allow developer to pass through and regulates an amount of developer to be conveyed from the storage space to the discharging side space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroki Shinohara, Hiroshi Takao, Takenori Suenaga, Naoto Tokutake
  • Patent number: 9405223
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry developer to a developer range where the developer bearer faces a latent image bearer, a development casing forming a developer storing part storing the developer to supply to the surface of developer bearer, a developer through opening communicating a space in where the developer bearer is disposed and the developer storing part, a cover sheet covering the developer through opening at the developing casing, and when the cover sheet is removed, the developer pass through the developer through opening, a sheet collecting shaft to collect the cover sheet by rotating, and a transmitting mechanism to transmit a force for rotating to the sheet collecting shaft. The transmitting mechanism does not transmit the force to the collecting shaft after the cover sheet is collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Oshikawa, Noriyuki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Shuntaroh Tamaki
  • Patent number: 9367023
    Abstract: A unit for use with an image forming apparatus, includes: a developer accommodating portion, constituted by a frame, for accommodating a developer; a sheet member, provided on the frame in contact with a rotatable member, for preventing the developer from leaking out from a gap between the developer accommodating portion and the rotatable member; and a resin member for fixing the sheet member on the frame, wherein the resin member is formed on the frame by injection molding of a resin material and is fixed to the sheet member by welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiteru Yamasaki, Akira Suzuki, Akiko Taira
  • Patent number: 9310717
    Abstract: A developer accommodating unit includes: a flexible container, provided with an opening for permitting discharge of a developer, for accommodating the developer; and a frame for accommodating the flexible container and for accommodating the developer discharged from the flexible container. The flexible container includes a projected portion projected from a part of a side forming the flexible container toward an outside of or toward an inside of the flexible container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomonori Matsunaga, Tetsuo Uesugi, Junichi Matsumura
  • Patent number: 9291946
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member, a developing container, a pair of first seal members provided at end portions of the developer carrying member along a circumferential direction of the developer carrying member so as to contact the developer carrying member, and a pair of second seal members configured to seal the end portions of the developer carrying member. The second seal members are provided at overlapping positions with the first seal members with respect to a circumferential surface of the developer carrying member and an axial direction of the developer carrying member. The second seal members are mountable in a direction crossing the axial direction of the developer carrying member and into a main assembly of an image forming apparatus in a state in which the developer carrying member is mounted in the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9250566
    Abstract: An end seal for removable attachment to a doctor blade assembly is provided. The end seal comprises a seal body having a bottom wall, opposite first and second sidewalls and a top edge configured to include a radius adapted to seal against a roller surface. At least one abrasion resistant insert is integrally secured within the seal body. The insert includes a bottom wall, opposite first and second sidewalls and a top edge configured to coincide with the body top edge so as to seal against the roller surface. The abrasion resistant insert may further include one or more holes wherein the seal body impregnates the holes. One or both of the opposite first and second insert sidewalls and/or the insert bottom wall may reside within and be encapsulated by the seal body. The abrasion resistant insert may be constructed of polytetrafluoroethylene, a perfluoroalkoxy alkane or fluorinated ethylene propylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Anthony Foley
  • Patent number: 9235187
    Abstract: A removal device includes a scraping member extending in a crossing direction that crosses a movement direction in which a cleaning object moves, the scraping member scraping waste off a surface of the cleaning object at a contact portion of the scraping member that is in contact with the surface; and a pair of sealing members disposed on both outer sides of the scraping member in the crossing direction and sealing the both outer sides by contacting the surface. Each of the sealing members includes a protruding portion that protrudes beyond the contact portion upstream in the movement direction of the cleaning object. The protruding portion has a slit that extends diagonally from an edge of the protruding portion outward in the crossing direction and upstream in the movement direction, the edge facing inward in the crossing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 9207581
    Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer includes: an accommodating portion, provided with an opening, for accommodating the developer; a sealing member for sealing the opening; and an unsealing member rotatable for winding up the sealing member. The sealing member is peelable off from the accommodating portion to unseal the opening in a first unsealing direction and a second unsealing direction opposite to the first unsealing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Takashi Kase, Takayuki Kanazawa, Yusuke Usui, Masaki Furutani, Kojiro Yasui, Hiroomi Matsuzaki, Tetsuo Uesugi, Tatsuo Fujisaki, Masaaki Matsushita, Junichi Matsumura
  • Patent number: 9152076
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a frame supporting the developing roller; a sealing member provided at each of one and the other ends of the developing device frame and contacted to the developing roller to prevent leakage of the developer; and a developing blade contacted to the developing roller to regulate an amount of the developer carried on the developing roller, the developing blade having a free end in a downstream side with respect to a rotational moving direction of the developing roller, wherein each of one and the other ends of the developing blade is provided with a projected portion projecting in the rotational axis direction between the developing roller and the sealing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 9146500
    Abstract: A developer accommodating unit for accommodating a developer includes a flexible container, provided with an opening for permitting discharge of the developer, for accommodating the developer, and a frame. The flexible container is provided with a fastening hole for fastening said flexible container in said frame. The frame includes a fixing shaft portion fixed in the fastening hole by being inserted into the fastening hole, and includes a retaining portion for preventing the fixing shaft portion from being disengaged from the fastening hole. The fastening hole is locked by fitting the fastening hole around the fixing shaft portion while an edge of the fastening hole rides over the retaining portion by elastic deformation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Uesugi, Masaki Furutani, Kojiro Yasui, Hiroomi Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 9146532
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes a first cartridge and a second cartridge. The first cartridge includes a first wall having a first opening, a first shutter configured to open and close the first opening, and a first operating portion configured to operate together with the first shutter. The second cartridge is mountable onto and demountable from the first cartridge and contains a developer. The second cartridge includes a second wall facing the first wall and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening, a second shutter configured to open and close the second opening, and a second operating portion configured to operate together with the second shutter. The first cartridge further includes a third operating portion. When the second cartridge is mounted onto the first cartridge, the first operating portion and the third operating portion operate together through the second operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 9086655
    Abstract: A developing device includes a casing configured to accommodate developer, a developing roller, a seal member, at least a portion of which is disposed between the developing roller and the casing, the seal member including a fabric member having plural fibers extending in a first direction and plural second fibers extending in a second direction, wherein the plural first fibers and the plural second fibers are intersecting each other, and each of the fibers of the fabric member include a circumferential surface which has a first heat radiation amount per unit area, and an end surface having a second heat radiation amount per unit area larger than the first heat radiation amount, and a heat radiation member disposed at an end portion of the seal member in an axial direction of the developing roller and is configured to contact the end surfaces of the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Uno, Kazuna Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9069289
    Abstract: A developer container includes: a developer accommodating chamber, provided with an opening, for accommodating a developer; a sealing member including end portion sealing portions each for sealing an end portion of the opening and a central portion sealing portion for sealing a central portion of the opening; and a rotatable member, connected with the sealing member, for peeling off the sealing member from the opening by rotation thereof to expose the opening. With respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, an outer configuration of the rotatable member is different between a sealing-member-connected end thereof and a sealing-member-connected center thereof so that one of the end portion sealing portions is peeled earlier than the central portion sealing portion and so that the central portion is peeled earlier than the other one of the end portion sealing portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Batori, Toshiaki Takeuchi, Ryuta Murakami, Daisuke Makiguchi, Junichi Matsumura, Tatsuo Fujisaki, Kazuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9037060
    Abstract: With a fixing apparatus, a shape of a folded portion on the side of a pressure roller of a sliding contact sheet is folded along a shape of the pressure roller, thereby uniformizing a longitudinal pressure distribution and preventing an uneven-gloss image due to pressure reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 9020389
    Abstract: A developing device is capable of preventing developing agent from leaking from a developing frame of a developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a developing agent carrying member including a rubber roller, a first seal including a first fluffing member, and a second seal including a second base member and a second fluffing member fixed thereto. The second base member and the second fluffing member have downstream end portions in a rotational direction of the developing agent carrying member. The downstream end portion of the second base member is positioned upstream of the downstream end portion of the second fluffing member. The downstream end portion of the second fluffing member is nipped between the first fluffing member and the rubber roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ito, Hirofumi Kuriki, Ryuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8995872
    Abstract: The developing device includes a casing, a developing roller, a thickness regulating blade, and a seal member. The developing roller has an outer peripheral surface carrying developer. The thickness regulating blade is configured to regulate a thickness of the developer carried on the outer peripheral surface and has an opposed surface confronting the casing. The thickness regulating blade further has one end part supported on the casing and another end part provided with a press member in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface. The press member is located on the opposed surface and protrudes toward the developing roller. The press member is formed with a receiving portion depressed inward at its widthwise ends in an axial direction of the developing roller. The seal member is disposed between the thickness regulating blade and the casing and contacting at least a part of the receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ito, Hirofumi Kuriki, Ryuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8977160
    Abstract: An shutter having an overmolded seal for use in controlling the flow of toner through a port in a toner containing supply items for an imaging apparatus. In one form the shutter is overmolded with a seal comprised of a sleeve and one or more integrally molded angled endless ribs projecting outwardly from the sleeve. With the shutter installed in the supply item, the ribs deflect creating an sealing interface with the housing of the supply item to prevent toner leakage between the shutter and the housing of the supply item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: John Andrew Buchanan, James Anthany Carter, II, Benjamin Keith Newman, Matthew Lee Rogers, Christopher Gene Vowels
  • Patent number: 8971754
    Abstract: A toner carrier includes a metal core, a barrel formed on an outer circumference of the metal core and including at least an elastic layer, and a coating formed on outer circumferences of both ends of the barrel. The coating has a thickness and a width of an outer circumference of the coating is different from a width of an inner circumference of the coating. The width is from an end surface of the barrel along an axis of the barrel, and the width of the outer circumference is larger than the width of the inner circumference so that the end surface of the coating is reversely inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroya Abe, Masaki Watanabe, Yasutaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8965242
    Abstract: In a developing device, a layer thickness regulating member, configured to regulate thickness of a layer of developer borne on a surface of a developer bearing member, includes: a first plate-shaped member having a pair of opposite ends in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the developer bearing member, one end in the pair of opposite ends being in contact with the developer bearing member, the other end being supported by the casing; and a second plate-shaped member that is fixedly secured to the casing and that supports the first plate-shaped member. A seal member, which is in contact with an end portion of the developer bearing member in the axial direction of the developer bearing member, is in contact with an end portion of the first plate-shaped member in the axial direction of the developer bearing member. The second plate-shaped member holds the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kuriki
  • Patent number: 8953974
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an upstream side unit which discharges a conveyed developer from a discharge port; a downstream side unit which receives the developer discharged from the discharge port from a receiving port located at a position opposite to the discharge port; and a sealing member which includes a multiple layer with an elastic member and a sheet material alternately stacked and is nipped between the upstream side unit and the downstream side unit to seal a periphery of the discharge port and the receiving port, wherein at least one of the upstream side unit and the downstream side unit is detachably attachable to an apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Patent number: 8923725
    Abstract: A cleaning device wherein a cleaner container is provided with an opening, opposing an image bearing drum, for permitting a developer removed from the drum by a cleaning member to enter the container. The cleaning member is fixed at a downstream side of the opening with respect to a rotational moving direction of the drum. The container is provided with a fixing surface for a flexible sheet at an upstream side of the opening with respect to the direction. The sheet is fixed to the fixing surface at an end portion thereof opposite an end portion thereof where the sheet contacts the drum, and at an end portion of the fixing surface with respect to a drum axis direction, the fixing surface protrudes toward a upstream side with respect to a rotational moving direction of the drum beyond a central portion of the fixing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsushi Uneme, Tatsuya Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 8918011
    Abstract: A unit for use with an image forming apparatus. The unit includes a developer accommodating portion, constituted by a frame, for accommodating a developer. A sheet member, provided on the frame in contact with a rotatable member, prevents the developer from leaking out from a gap between the developer accommodating portion and the rotatable member. A resin member fixes the sheet member on the frame. The resin member is formed on the frame by injection molding of a resin material and is fixed to the sheet member by welding. The resin material has an elastic modulus that is less than that of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiteru Yamasaki, Akira Suzuki, Akiko Taira
  • Patent number: 8892011
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a housing, a developing roller, a supply roller, and a thickness regulating member. The housing is configured to accommodate developer that includes developer particles having a mean volume diameter. The developing roller is rotatably supported in the housing and has a peripheral surface configured to carry the developer. The supply roller is rotatably supported in the housing, contacts the developing roller, and configured to supply the toner to the developing roller. The thickness regulating member includes a contact member contacting the peripheral surface. The contact member is configured to regulate a thickness of the developer on the peripheral surface such that an average of the thickness of the developer on the peripheral surface becomes smaller than or equal to the mean volume diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Xu Fan
  • Patent number: 8879948
    Abstract: A toner cartridge, a main casing accommodates therein toner and is formed with an opening which provides communication between an interior and an exterior of the main casing. A shutter is movable along the main casing by an external driving force applied in a force direction between a closed position at which the shutter closes the opening and an open position at which the shutter opens the opening. A toner seal is formed with a seal opening opposing the opening of the main casing, and interposed between the main casing and the shutter when the shutter is positioned at the closed position. A guide portion is configured to guide a movement of the shutter in an inclined direction inclined with respect to the force direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 8843019
    Abstract: A development device includes a development casing, a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer through an opening in the development casing to carry developer, a magnetic field generator disposed inside the developer bearer, a developer regulator extending in an axial direction of the developer bearer to adjust an amount of developer carried on the developer bearer, and a first axial end seal provided in an axial end portion of the development device outside an image range, in contact with an upstream face of the developer regulator to reduce a size of a clearance between the developer regulator and the development casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Yoshizawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Takuzi Yoneda, Emi Kita, Yutaka Takahashi, Yuki Oshikawa, Kohichi Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8837986
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an improved configuration to prevent foreign substances from accumulating on a space maintaining member used to maintain a constant distance between a photoconductor and a developer delivery member. The image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a developer delivery member to deliver and feed developer to the photoconductor, a cleaning member to remove the developer and foreign substances remaining on a surface of the photoconductor while coming into contact with the photoconductor, and a space maintaining member arranged to come into contact with the photoconductor so as to maintain a constant developing gap or developing nip between the photoconductor and the developer delivery member. The space maintaining member is located between both ends of the cleaning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Wok Seo, Ji Won Moon, Ho Jin Jang, Dong Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 8655235
    Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a main body; a shutter; a toner seal; and a shift member. The main body defines an internal space for accommodating toner and formed with a communication hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is movable between an open position in which the communication hole is open and a closed position in which the communication hole is closed. The shutter is also shiftable between a first position in which the shutter is positioned away from the main body and a second position in which the shutter is positioned close to the main body. The toner seal is disposed between the main body and the shutter when the shutter is in the closed position. The shift member is configured to shift the shutter from the first position to the second position when the shutter is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 8620178
    Abstract: A developing cartridge and an image forming apparatus employing the same which include a developer sealing configuration to prevent a developer in a developing chamber of the developing cartridge from leaking during a distribution process are disclosed. The developing cartridge of an image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge including: a developing housing which accommodates therein a developer and includes an opening through which the developer is supplied to the outside; an image carrier which is mounted in the developing housing; a developing roller which is mounted in the opening of the developing housing to face the image carrier and develops an image on the image carrier; and a sealing member which includes a sealing part partially provided between the image carrier and the developing roller in a sealing location and sealing the opening and a grip part extended from the sealing part to an outside of the developing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-pil Jun, Yong-sung Kim
  • Patent number: 8600261
    Abstract: Disclosed are a developing unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The developing unit includes a partition frame provided separately from the housing of the developing unit. The partition frame is supported within the housing of the developing unit in such a manner to define a path of movement of developer within the housing through an opening formed in the partition frame. A removable sealing member is detachably arranged on the partition frame to prevent developer leakage during storage or transporting of the developing unit. The installation of the removable sealing member is made easier by the partition frame provided separately from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Min Su Han
  • Patent number: 8583002
    Abstract: A powder container includes a housing including a container chamber, a rotation member extending in an axial direction, and a sealing member. The housing includes a first wall portion having a first hole into which an end portion of the rotation member is inserted. The rotation member includes a second wall facing a part of the first wall portion around the first hole with a distance therebetween. The sealing member has a second hole through which the rotation member extends, is interposed between the part of the first wall portion around the first hole and the second wall portion, and includes a foam member that is contractible and a pair of sheet members respectively contacting the part of the first wall portion around the first hole and the second wall portion and having a friction coefficient lower than the foam member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yagi, Hirofumi Goto
  • Patent number: 8577250
    Abstract: A toner box includes: a main body; a shutter; and a toner seal. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and that has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The toner seal is configured to be disposed between the main body and the shutter and to surround a perimeter of the main-body-side communication through-hole when the shutter is in the closed position. The toner seal includes: an elastic layer provided with a fixing surface; and a mesh layer disposed on a surface of the elastic layer opposite to the fixing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 8543030
    Abstract: An electrophotographic printer includes a rotatable photoreceptor adapted to receive dry toner and a rotatable toning member arranged with respect to the photoreceptor to supply toner thereto. A seal includes a complaint contact member and a non-contact member. The contact member is arranged in mechanical contact with the photoreceptor. The non-contact member is spaced apart from the surface of the toning member by a selected non-zero distance, the selected distance being greater than zero. This reduces dusting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Dobbertin, James N. Alkins, Richard G. Luther, Jean Marie Trost
  • Patent number: 8532523
    Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a container for containing toner, a toner discharge section having a toner discharge port, an auger screw provided in the container, for conveying toner in the container to the toner discharge section, a shutter for opening and closing the toner discharge port, and a toner flowing-out preventing member provided in a communicating part between the container and the toner discharge section, for preventing flowing out of toner by closing an opening of the communicating part. The toner flowing-out preventing member is configured so as to open the opening in conjunction with an opening operation of the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Ishiguro, Koichi Mihara
  • Patent number: 8521070
    Abstract: A toner cartridge comprises a toner cartridge body, a screw shaft, a paddle member, and a toner inflow block piece coupled to a part of the paddle member. The toner cartridge body comprises a toner storage section where the paddle member is disposed and a toner conveying passage The toner conveying passage, where the screw shaft is stored is adjacent to and communicates with the toner storage section. The toner inflow block piece is disposed at an end on a toner discharge port side of an agitating blade of the paddle member so as to project in a direction perpendicular to a rotary shaft of the screw shaft and has a cutout recess for the rotary shaft of the screw shaft to fit in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8521057
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier, a developing unit housing which rotatably supports the developer carrier, a side seal member which comes into slidable contact with both ends of the developer carrier, a sheet-like elongated seal member which extends in the axial direction of the developer carrier so as to come into slidable contact with the developer carrier, a side seal attachment surface which is formed in the developing unit housing and to which the side seal member is attached, and a support portion which is formed in the developing unit housing and protrudes toward the developer carrier from the side seal attachment surface to support the elongated seal member. The elongated seal member is attached onto the support portion in a state where both ends thereof overlap the side seal member and are opposite the side seal attachment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu, Mitsuru Horinoe, Takashi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8478158
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier, a developing unit housing which rotatably supports the developer carrier, a side seal member which comes into slidable contact with both ends of the developer carrier, a sheet-like elongated seal member which extends in the axial direction of the developer carrier so as to come into slidable contact with the developer carrier, a side seal attachment surface which is formed in the developing unit housing and to which the side seal member is attached, and a support portion which is formed in the developing unit housing and protrudes toward the developer carrier from the side seal attachment surface to support the elongated seal member. The elongated seal member is attached onto the support portion in a state where both ends thereof overlap the side seal member and are opposite the side seal attachment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsushita, Fan Xu, Mitsuru Horinoe, Takashi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8442414
    Abstract: A seal member covers a space between a developing roller and a casing of a developing device. The seal member includes a flexible sheet and a reinforcing member fixed to the sheet. The reinforcing member is fixed to the casing. Notches are provided in the reinforcing member in a direction perpendicular to the length of the reinforcing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kubota, Kenzo Tatsumi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Yoshiyuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8422908
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner storage area containing toner, a developing portion in which a developing roller is installed, and a housing including a toner supply window to connect the toner storage area and the developing portion. A pair of rails is disposed on the toner supply window to extend in a lengthwise direction of the developing roller, and a blocking member including a blocking portion is provided to open and close the toner supply window when the blocking member is removed from and inserted into the pair of rails from outside of the housing, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-hoon Lee, Dae-seob Kweon, Jong-in Kim
  • Patent number: 8369737
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a casing that has a housing part, an upstream edge and a downstream edge, and a rectangular opening that opposes a development region, the rectangular opening being provided between the upstream and downstream edges; a cylindrical developer conveying body to rotate in a state of passing the rectangular opening, the cylindrical developer conveying body conveying the developer to the development region; and a flexible sheet member that has an upstream end part and a downstream end part, the upstream end part being fixed at the downstream edge of the casing, the downstream end part being a free end and coming into contact with a layer of the developer in a rotation axis direction of the developer conveying body at a position of the developer conveying body which passes the downstream edge of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sakamoto, Keisuke Kubo