Having Particular Structure Patents (Class 399/107)
  • Patent number: 11016440
    Abstract: A material cartridge includes a first unit including a first attachment portion, a second unit and a first memory unit. The first memory unit that is attached to the first attachment portion and includes a first electrode and a first storage element. A cartridge reproduction method includes: detaching the first memory unit from the first attachment portion; attaching an electrode unit to the first attachment portion, the electrode unit including a second electrode, the second electrode configured to be brought into contact with a main body electrode of an image forming apparatus so as to be electrically connected to the main body electrode; and attaching, to the first unit, an element unit including a second storage element configured to be electrically connected to the second electrode. The element unit is located in a gap formed between the first unit and the second unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomofumi Kawamura, Hiroki Shimizu, Masato Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10990059
    Abstract: A metal frame of an image forming apparatus comprising: a first support which supports a image forming unit; a second support which is arranged with an interval from the first support and supports the image forming unit; a third support which connects the first support and the second support to each other; a first sheet metal which is provided in the first support and includes a first plate portion in which a first through-hole is formed and an engaged portion which is adjacent to the first through-hole and is bent and raised in a direction vertical to a flat surface of the first plate portion; a second sheet metal which is provided in the second support and includes a second plate portion in which a second through-hole is formed and a protrusion portion which protrudes in a plate thickness direction of the second plate portion; and a third sheet metal which is provided in the third support, has one end portion inserted into the first through-hole, and includes a third plate portion in which a third throug
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoichi Kawasumi, Takahiro Kobayashi, Ken Swysen
  • Patent number: 10955780
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator configured to press the fixing rotator, a fixing structure, a temperature detector, a discharger, and a holder. The fixing structure is configured to hold at least one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The temperature detector is configured to contact a detected member that is at least one of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator and detect a temperature of the detected member. The discharger is configured to contact and discharge the detected member. The holder is fixed on the fixing structure and configured to hold the temperature detector and the discharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Kajiyama, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10921745
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a drawer unit. The drawer unit includes a rotatable photosensitive drum, an optical print head, a relay substrate, a first wall portion, a second wall portion and a third wall portion continuously formed between an upstream end portion of the first wall portion and an upstream end portion of the second wall portion with respect to a drawing-out direction of the drawer unit from the main assembly. The relay substrate is provided on a surface of the third wall portion on an upstream side with respect to the drawing-out direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Kamei
  • Patent number: 10739720
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a drawer unit. The drawer unit includes a photosensitive drum, an optical print head, first to third wall portions and a relay substrate. The main assembly includes a first facing portion, a second facing portion and a main assembly substrate. The relay substrate and the main assembly substrate are connected by a cable folded back at the rear of the third wall portion. A distance between a portion of the cable before being folded back and a portion of the cable after being folded back is longer than a distance, with respect to a longitudinal direction of the optical print head, between the first or second wall portion on which the relay substrate is provided and the first or second facing portion facing the first or second wall portion on which the relay substrate is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunsaku Kondo
  • Patent number: 10739706
    Abstract: A transfer surface of an intermediate transfer member is treated using an electrical discharge surface treatment. The intermediate transfer member is comprised in a printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Dima Libster, Sergey Inotaev, Raia Slivniak, Eran Shiran, Ido Finkelman
  • Patent number: 10725421
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a frame structure including first and second frames supporting a photosensitive member, and a third frame extending in the axis direction and connecting the first frame and the second frame with each other; an operating portion for receiving an instruction of a user; a supporting portion rotatably supporting the operating portion; and a connecting portion connecting the supporting portion with the first frame and the third frame, the connecting portion including a first fixed portion fixed to the third frame, a contact portion contacted with the first frame to restrict movement at least in a direction while permitting movement in another direction, and a second fixed portion fixed to the first frame at a position closer to the first fixed portion than to the contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Saitou
  • Patent number: 10721367
    Abstract: A recording apparatus including: a lower unit having a recording section; and an upper unit having a document tray and a reading means that reads an image in a document, the upper unit being disposed above the lower unit, wherein the upper unit is configured such that an apparatus depth direction is a main scan direction for reading an image in the document and an apparatus width direction is a sub-scan direction for reading an image in the document, the lower unit includes support sections that stand upward on both ends in the apparatus width direction to support both ends of the upper unit in a long side direction, and the document tray included in the upper unit is made of a rigid member and part of the document tray is located above the support sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Miyamoto, Hisayuki Akahane, Katsumi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10701223
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body having a cartridge accommodation portion, an opening/closing member attached to the apparatus body and being movable between a first position at which the cartridge accommodation portion is exposed to the outside of the image forming apparatus and a second position at which the opening/closing member covers the cartridge accommodation portion and an operation panel unit for operating the image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit has a sheet portion and a switch portion to transmit a user's operation to the image forming apparatus via the sheet portion. The sheet portion is provided in the opening/closing member and is disposed at such a position as to at least partially overlap the cartridge accommodation portion on an insertion/removal trajectory of the cartridge and to cover the switch portion provided in the apparatus body in a state in which the opening/closing member is at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Yuzawa, Ryuji Hamasaki, Tetsuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10649386
    Abstract: A driving device includes a motor; a stay supporting the motor; a gear configured to receive a driving force from the motor; and a supporting shaft rotatably supporting the gear, the supporting shaft being supported by the stay. The supporting shaft stands at a side of the stay opposite from a side thereof where the stay supports the motor. The stay supports the motor in a first region and supports the supporting shaft in a second region offset from the first region in a direction of being away from the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Fuse
  • Patent number: 10627758
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section and a power supply lock structure. The image forming section forms an image on paper. The power supply lock structure includes a power button and a locking mechanism. The power button switches a power supply between on and off. The locking mechanism prohibits operation of the power button. The locking mechanism is located on a front cover. Prohibition of the operation of the power supply is releasable by the locking mechanism only when the front cover is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Danhchien Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10627779
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a first guide portion and a second guide portion, a process cartridge including a photosensitive drum, a support frame configured to support the process cartridge and move between an inside position and an outside position. The support frame includes a first side frame. The first side frame includes a first guided portion to be guided by the first guide portion. The second side frame includes a second guided portion guided by the second guide portion. A dimension of the process cartridge is greater than or equal to a dimension of the first side frame. A dimension of the process cartridge is greater than or equal to a dimension of the second side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10621712
    Abstract: A bottle storage includes: a housing portion that houses a bottle therein; a cooling-warming portion (cooling-warming devices) that is provided around the housing portion; a rotation portion (rotation motor) that rotates the bottle housed in the housing portion; an image capture portion that captures an image of the bottle housed in the housing portion; a controller that controls the bottle rotation performed by the rotation portion and the image capture performed by the image capture portion, based on the bottle image captured by the image capture portion; an information manager (storage manager) that identifies at least a brand of the bottle, based on the bottle image captured by the control of the controller; and an output portion (display portion) that outputs at least one of the brand identified by the information manager and relevant information regarding the identified brand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yuki, Masahiro Ishii, Mitsuhiro Aso, Takayuki Hayami, Tomoko Kajimoto
  • Patent number: 10620571
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt (image carrier) includes a first layer and a surface layer disposed on the first layer and including an inorganic oxide containing an organic component, in which when the surface layer has a layer thickness of A ?m and the first layer has a ten-point average roughness of B ?m, a relationship of 0.25×A?B is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiki Hayami
  • Patent number: 10571856
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a process cartridge and a main body with an opening and a cartridge supporter is provided. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge attachable to the drum cartridge; and a switching member switchable states in the process cartridge between a first state, wherein detachment of the toner cartridge is restricted, and a second state, wherein the toner cartridge is released from the restriction. The cartridge supporter is movable between a first position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be placed entirely in an inner space in the main body on an inner side of the opening, and a second position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be at least partly placed outside the inner space. When the cartridge supporter is in the second position, the switching member is at least partly placed outside the inner space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Yasuo Fukamachi, Motoaki Mushika, Kazuna Taguchi
  • Patent number: 10545448
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor unit that supports a photoconductor drum, a transfer roller brought into pressure contact with the photoconductor drum, a transfer unit that supports the transfer roller, a sheet guide provided between the photoconductor unit and the fixing unit, and a support holder that supports the transfer unit and the sheet guide. The support holder moves to bring the transfer unit and the sheet guide into and out of contact with the photoconductor unit and the fixing unit. The transfer unit is provided with a transfer positioning section that positions the transfer unit by coming into abutment therewith. The sheet guide is provided with a guide positioning section that positions the sheet guide by coming into abutment therewith. The transfer unit and the sheet guide are joined to each other by an engagement unit that engages the two with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Sugiyama, Hiroshi Tachiki
  • Patent number: 10545451
    Abstract: An apparatus main body includes a main casing and a cover configured to rotatably move about a rotational axis located below an opening between an open position and a closed position. A drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and is configured to be installed into the apparatus main body through the opening. A developing cartridge includes a developing roller and is configured to be installed into the apparatus main body through the opening. A swing plate is attached swingably to the apparatus main body. The swing plate supports the developing cartridge. The swing plate includes a guide configured to guide installation of the developing cartridge into the apparatus main body. The swing plate is configured to swingably move in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are installed in the apparatus main body, thereby causing the developing roller to move relative to the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasumasa Fujii, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10481516
    Abstract: A charging member includes: a cylindrical or columnar conductive base material; and an elastic portion provided on the conductive base material, in which Re and Rc satisfy Re>Rc, where Re is an outer diameter of a charging member at a position of 5 mm from an axial end portion of an elastic portion, and Rc is the maximum value of an outer diameter of the charging member at an axial center of the elastic portion, and a cylindrical or columnar charging member has a value of Ac/Aa of 1.0 or less, in which Ac is the maximum amplitude value in a periodic region from 1.5 mm to 6 mm in a case of periodically analyzing a surface shape of the charging member in a circumferential direction, and Aa is the maximum amplitude value in a periodic region from 1.5 mm to 6 mm in a case of periodically analyzing a surface shape of the charging member in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kinuta, Yuki Tagawa
  • Patent number: 10477047
    Abstract: A multi-function apparatus employs an in-body sheet discharge type configuration. The image forming device includes a front door and a multi-purpose tray. The front door is movable between a closed position set along a side surface at one side of a case of the image forming device and an opened position opened at the one side with respect to the side surface. The front door has an opening formed therein. The multi-purpose tray is provided to be selectively located at a non-use state at which the multi-purpose tray closes the opening and an in-use position at which the multi-purpose tray opens the opening. When the front door is located at the closed position and the multi-purpose tray is located at the non-use position, an upper end surface of the multi-purpose tray is exposed upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mariko Uchida, Yusuke Ikegami
  • Patent number: 10444683
    Abstract: A fusing device includes a driving roller and a fusing unit. The driving roller is for driving a printing media to move. The fusing unit includes a heat insulating component, a heating component, a heat conductive component, a heat reflecting component and a fusing component. The heating component is for generating heat. The heat reflecting component includes a reflecting portion having a cross section formed in a conic section substantially. The reflecting portion is located at a side of the heating component away from the heat conductive component for reflecting the heat generated from the heating component to the heat conductive component. The heat conductive component transfers the heat to the fusing component. The fusing component contacts with the printing media to fuse toners onto the printing media when the driving roller drives the printing media to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: AVISION INC.
    Inventors: Min-Tung Huang, Xiang-Chi Lee
  • Patent number: 10444695
    Abstract: A housing includes at least one openable cover and at least one adjacent cover. The at least one openable cover swings on a hinge to separate an interior of the housing from an exterior of the housing. The at least one openable cover has a first side edge on a side of the hinge. The at least one adjacent cover is adjacent to the at least one openable cover. The at least one adjacent cover has a second side edge neighboring the first side edge of the at least one openable cover across a gap. One of the at least one openable cover and the at least one adjacent cover includes at least one projection projecting into the gap and another one of the at least one openable cover and the at least one adjacent cover includes a recess that accommodates the at least one projection in the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Matsuda, Keisuke Shimizu, Kohta Takenaka
  • Patent number: 10429786
    Abstract: A drive transmission device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive transmission body to which a drive force is applied from a driving source, and a rotary shaft having a press-in portion mounted on one end thereof in the axial direction. The press-in portion has multiple planes disposed parallel to an axial direction and configured to receive the drive transmission body. The multiple planes include upstream and downstream side planes disposed downstream from the upstream side plane in a press-in direction of the drive transmission body. The upstream and downstream side planes are aligned along the press-in direction of the drive transmission body and have respective distances different from each other from an axial center of the rotary shaft. A distance from the downstream side plane to the axial center is greater than a distance from the upstream side plane to the axial center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Tomita, Junpei Kamichi, Hiroaki Nieda, Kimihiro Tanaka, Hideto Higaki, Yuuki Shiga, Jumpei Aoyama, Hirofumi Horita
  • Patent number: 10423093
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller substrate, a first mounting portion for a first hard disk drive, a second mounting portion for a second hard disk drive, a first connector electrically connecting the controller substrate and the first hard disk drive, a second connector electrically connecting the controller substrate and the second hard disk drive. The second connector is shifted toward a side downstream of the first connector in a hard disk drive inserting direction so as to be prevented from overlapping with the first connector as seen in a vertical direction. In the second mounting portion, a through hole extending in the vertical direction is formed at a position where the through hole overlaps with the first connector as seen in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Hara
  • Patent number: 10345751
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member and a second frame member which are aligned in a direction of a rotation axis of an image bearing member and faces each other across an image forming unit and a stacking unit. The first frame member includes a first portion including a first side surface facing the image forming unit and a second portion, which is fixed to the first portion, including a second side surface facing the stacking unit. The second frame member includes a third side surface facing the image forming unit and the stacking unit, and at least a part of the second side surface is provided in a position different from a position of the first side surface in the direction of the rotation axis of the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiharu Kawai
  • Patent number: 10310442
    Abstract: A frame for forming an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes a first stay, including a supporting portion for supporting the frame relative to an installation surface, for forming a bottom of the frame; a second stay, including a supporting portion for supporting the frame relative to the installation surface, for forming the bottom of the frame; a post to which the first stay and the second stay are secured; and a positioning portion, provided as a part of the post, for positioning the first stay and the second stay with respect to a horizontal plane direction. The first stay and the second stay are fixed to the post by welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuhei Takei
  • Patent number: 10294068
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharging portion to discharge a sheet on which the image has been formed, an image reading portion to read the image formed on the sheet, and a switching portion to switch between a first position where the discharged sheet is conveyed to a supporting portion and a second position where the discharged sheet is conveyed toward the image reading portion. The sheet conveyed toward the image reading portion is conveyed to a reading position after conveyance of the sheet by the discharging portion is finished, and the control portion conveys the sheet at a first conveyance speed in a period before a trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion and conveys the sheet at a second conveyance speed different from the first conveyance speed in a period after the trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogata, Kazushi Ino, Hiroki Kato, Motohiro Furusawa, Koji Kawamura, Ichiro Yasumaru
  • Patent number: 10281868
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first housing that houses a first processing portion and a second housing that houses a second processing portion configured to receive a medium transported from the first processing portion. The image forming apparatus further includes a connecting member that connects the first housing and the second housing to each other such that a specified angular relationship may be established between the first processing portion and the second processing portion by orienting the first housing and the second housing in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keijiro Hamaba
  • Patent number: 10268156
    Abstract: A technique enabling downsizing of an image forming apparatus is provided. A cleaning unit 13 attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus 100 that forms an image on a recording material 12 is provided, with this cleaning unit 13 including: a photosensitive drum 1; and a cleaning frame body 14 that supports the photosensitive drum 1 and that includes an opening 14c through which laser light 3c for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 can pass, wherein the opening 14c is configured such that a width of the opening 14c in a scanning direction in an irradiation range of the light for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 becomes greater toward a side of the photosensitive drum 1 from a side of a light source of light for exposing the photosensitive drum 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takeuchi, Takahito Ueno, Yuuki Nakamura, Kensuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10257369
    Abstract: A driving device includes an exterior cover, a drive source, a drive source mount, a drive transmitter, and a rotor cover. The drive source includes a rotor and a stator disposed in the rotor. The drive source mount is disposed between the drive source and the exterior cover, to mount the drive source. The drive transmitter transmits a drive force from the drive source to a rotator. The rotor cover covers a periphery of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10234807
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a toner image forming portion, a transfer member, a cleaning member, and a controller configured to carry out a process for notifying information on a lifetime of the image bearing member on the basis of information on contact pressure of the cleaning member to the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Hatanaka, Masahiro Makino, Ryuta Ai, Takashi Ueno
  • Patent number: 10203658
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a main casing including an opening provided at an upper portion of the main casing, a process cartridge attachable to the main casing through the opening, and a top cover movable between an open position where the top cover opens the opening and a close position where the top cover closes the opening. The process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a memory provided with a first electrical contact. The top cover supports an LED head configured to emit light to expose the photosensitive drum, and a second electrical contact electrically connected to the first electrical contact in a state where the process cartridge is attached to the main casing and in a state where the top cover is positioned at the close position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Sakai, Junichi Yokoi
  • Patent number: 10203655
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge supporting member configured to move with respect to a main body of the apparatus in a state in which a cartridge is mounted to take a mounting and demounting position where the cartridge supporting member is located at an exterior of the main body and allowing the cartridge to be mounted and demounted, and an image forming position where the cartridge supporting member is located within an interior of the main body to locate the cartridge at a position which allows formation of an image. A first unit of the cartridge includes a position-restricted portion, and the cartridge is located below a second unit in which the cartridge is mounted on the cartridge supporting member. The cartridge supporting member includes a position restricting portion configured to restrict movement of the cartridge with respect to the cartridge supporting member by engaging the position-restricted portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Hiramatsu, Tetsuya Numata, Takayuki Yada
  • Patent number: 10189674
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, first and second discharging portions, first and second supporting portions, an image reading portion, and first and second switching portions is provided. The first switching portion switches between causing a sheet bearing an image formed by the image forming unit to be discharged to the first supporting portion by the first discharging portion and causing the sheet to be conveyed toward the image reading portion that reads the image. The second switching portion switches between causing the sheet whose image has been read to be conveyed toward the second discharging portion that discharges the sheet whose image has been read to the second supporting portion and causing the sheet to be conveyed toward the image forming unit. The image reading portion is disposed above the first discharging portion and further on the inside of the apparatus than the second switching portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogata, Kazushi Ino, Hiroki Kato, Motohiro Furusawa, Koji Kawamura, Ichiro Yasumaru
  • Patent number: 10175639
    Abstract: A developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Hashimoto, Isao Kishi, Yasushi Okabe
  • Patent number: 10139777
    Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a rotatable photosensitive drum; a rotatable developing roller configured to develop image formed on the drum, the developing roller being capable of contacting to and spacing from the drum; an urging force receiving portion configured to receive, from a main assembly side urging member, an urging force for spacing the developing roller from the drum; a cartridge side drive transmission member capable of the coupling with a main assembly side drive transmission member and configured to receive, from the main assembly side drive transmission member, a rotational force for rotating the developing roller; and a decoupling member capable of urging the cartridge side drive transmission member by the urging force received by the urging force receiving portion to decouple the cartridge side drive transmission member from the main assembly side drive transmission member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Kazuhiko Kanno, Satoshi Nishiya, Masatoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10133232
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a frame and a cartridge attachable thereto. The cartridge includes a casing, a storage medium including an electrical contact surface, and a holder positioned at one side of the casing in a first direction. The holder includes a first outer surface holding the electrical contact surface. The first outer surface is movable relative to the casing in a second direction. The frame includes first and second guide surfaces, an electrical contact configured to contact the electrical contact surface, and a support surface. A gap distance between the first and second guide surfaces in the second direction is reduced from a first distance to a second distance in an inserting direction. The electrical contact is positioned farther from an insertion opening of the frame than the first guide surface. A gap distance between the electrical contact and the support surface is greater than the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 10126691
    Abstract: A pressing mechanism is provided, which is configured to cause the relative position of an endless belt including a layer containing metal to a rotary member to be at a first position or a second position at which a nip portion N is formed. When an error is informed in response to detection of a crack of an end portion of the endless belt by a detecting portion and jam causing a recording medium to remain at the nip portion N occurs, if a power source switch is switched to an OFF state, a power supply to an image forming device is stopped with the relative position being at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoaki Tanto
  • Patent number: 10093509
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention has: an apparatus main body whose external appearance is configured from an upper casing, a lower casing, and a link casing that vertically links the upper casing and the lower casing and that has a paper discharge opening for discharging paper on one side face; a paper discharge portion that is formed as a space between the upper casing and the lower casing and that is to store paper discharged from the paper discharge opening; and an operation panel portion that is disposed in a vertically tiltable manner on a front face of the upper casing. When viewing the apparatus main body from the front side, an open space that allows paper discharged to the paper discharge portion to be viewed is provided between the operation panel portion and the link casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawano, Takashi Matsuda, Naoki Saito, Kenji Ohta
  • Patent number: 10067459
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly, an operating portion provided slidably between a first position and a second position of the main assembly, a supporting position, a slide rail, a slidable member, and an urging unit. A relationship of engagement between the slide rail and the slidable member is set so that the engagement between the slide rail and the slidable member when the operating portion is in a position between the first position and the second position is looser than the engagement between the slide rail and the slidable member when the operating portion is in the first position or the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Tokumoto
  • Patent number: 10054898
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member and a second frame member which are aligned in a direction of a rotation axis of an image bearing member and faces each other across an image forming unit and a stacking unit. The first frame member includes a first portion including a first side surface facing the image forming unit and a second portion, which is fixed to the first portion, including a second side surface facing the stacking unit. The second frame member includes a third side surface facing the image forming unit and the stacking unit, and at least a part of the second side surface is provided in a position different from a position of the first side surface in the direction of the rotation axis of the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiharu Kawai
  • Patent number: 10057440
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus has an image reading portion, a sheet feeding portion feeding the sheet to the image reading portion, a rotatably connecting portion which rotatably connects the sheet feeding portion to the image reading portion, a fixing member, a first fastening member for fastening the fixing member to a frame of the sheet feeding portion, and a second fastening member for fastening the fixing member to the rotatably connecting portion in a state where the frame is nipped between the rotatably connecting portion and the fixing member. When the fastening of the first fastening member is released and the fastening of the second fastening member is released, the fixing member is detachable from the frame and the rotatably connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahito Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10048642
    Abstract: An image forming unit and a paper feed unit on which the image forming unit is stacked is provided. The image forming unit or the paper feed unit includes a connecting fixing member including a connection portion with which the units are connected to and fixed to each other. The connecting fixing member is rotatably provided to one device which is one of the image forming unit and the paper feed unit. The connection portion rotates to an engagement position of the other device, when the connecting fixing member comes into contact with the other device which is the other one of the image forming unit and the paper feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Susumu Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10048643
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cover unit, a boss, a hook member, a biasing member and a pressing member. The cover unit is turnably provided on an apparatus main body to form and open a conveying path. The boss is provided on the apparatus main body. The hook member is turnably provided on the cover unit and engaged with the boss when the cover unit is turned to a position where the conveying path is formed. The biasing member is provided on the cover unit and biases the hook member in a direction in which the hook member is engaged with the boss. The pressing member is provided on the cover unit in an elastically deformable manner and abuts on the hook member from an upstream side of a turning direction of the hook member to a position where the hook member is engaged with the boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tahara, Yuki Uohashi
  • Patent number: 10025258
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a lower unit, an upper unit, and a coupling section. The upper unit is disposed on the lower unit. The coupling section couples the upper unit to the lower unit. The lower unit includes a first vertical plate member. The first vertical plate member is disposed in a rear position in the lower unit along a rear surface of the lower unit. The upper unit includes a second vertical plate member. The second vertical plate member is disposed in a rear position in the upper unit along a rear surface of the upper unit. The coupling section includes a plurality of engagement sections and a mating engagement section that engages with the engagement sections. The engagement sections are arranged along and supported on the second vertical plate member. The mating engagement section is elongated along and supported on the first vertical plate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hajime Sejima, Yoshiaki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10009491
    Abstract: The operation unit (5) is configured to receive user's operation and supported at a position frontward of the image reading unit (2) by the support housing (10) so as to be rotatable within a predetermined rotation range around a rotation shaft parallel to a right-left direction of the image formation apparatus (100). The information reading unit (6) is configured to read information about the user and housed in the housing side surface (12) so that a part of the information reading unit (6) is present rearward of the operation unit (5) in a first attitude in which a surface of the operation unit (5) is closest to a vertical plane, and a part of the information reading unit (6) is present downward of the operation unit (5) in a second attitude in which the surface of the operation unit (5) is closest to a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kuroki, Mikiya Kitagawa, Keiji Okumura
  • Patent number: 9977384
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer unit including a sheet ejection tray located on an upper surface of the printer unit; a scanner unit spaced above the sheet ejection tray of the printer unit in a vertical direction; an operation unit disposed at a front end portion of the scanner unit, the operation unit including a touchscreen; a cover covering a bottom side of the touchscreen in the vertical direction; and a fixing portion fixing the cover to the front end portion of the scanner unit. The cover includes a support portion that, when projected on an imaginary horizontal surface, overlaps a part of the touchscreen. The support portion is shaped like a box extending in the vertical direction and is coupled to a portion of the upper surface of the printer unit adjacent to the sheet ejection tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sakae Ito, Kota Fujii
  • Patent number: 9948801
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit, an image forming unit, a discharge unit, and a discharge tray. The image reading unit is configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction. The image forming unit is configured to form an image read by the image reading unit on a paper sheet. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. The discharge tray is on which the paper sheet from the discharge unit is to be placed with a space portion at a lower side of the image reading unit. A bottom surface of a housing of the image reading unit facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is a surface at a front side of the discharge unit in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Nakanishi, Masahiro Imoto, Yasuhiro Suto, Shohichi Fukutome, Hisashi Yamanaka, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 9904243
    Abstract: A developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Hashimoto, Isao Kishi, Yasushi Okabe
  • Patent number: 9888146
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus may include an image forming unit to print data, a body portion disposed in the image forming unit, a display unit disposed on the body portion to be spaced apart from the body portion at a predetermined interval, and a scan unit disposed below the display unit, and a scan space is formed between the image forming unit and the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-in Lee, Kellch Minamide, Manabu Sasajima, Byung-jun Sung, Eung-yul Lee, Seung-wook Jeong, Jung-ho Bang, Sayuri Suzuki, Takeo Aoki, Won-suk Chung, Fujimura Noriyuki
  • Patent number: 9885999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cover member, an opening/closing detecting device and an elastic member. The cover member is supported so as to open and close an opening formed in an apparatus main body. The opening/closing detecting device is configured to be switched into OFF state to detect that the cover member is in opening state where the opening is opened and into ON state to detect that the cover member is in closing state where the opening is closed. The elastic member is interposed between the opening/closing detecting device and the cover member. The elastic member is configured to be deformed when the cover member closes the opening and then to switch the opening/closing detecting device from the OFF state into the ON state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuki Uohashi