Photoconductive Member Patents (Class 399/116)
  • Publication number: 20100178076
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include an apparatus body, and a photosensitive-member unit slidably attached to the apparatus body and retaining a plurality of photosensitive members. The apparatus body includes side wall portions opposing each other with a unit receiving section sandwiched therebetween, and a plurality of apparatus-body-side electrode members provided on the side wall portions, and each urged inward in an opposing direction of the side wall portions. The photosensitive-member unit includes a plurality of unit-side electrode members each protruding outward in the opposite direction and a guide path comprising a flat surface formed in a flat shape so that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacts to the flat surface during attachment of the photosensitive-member unit with respect to the unit receiving section, and that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacted maintains a constant inward and outward position in the opposite direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasushi OKABE
  • Patent number: 7751748
    Abstract: An image-forming device includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a plurality of drum gears, a plurality of drive gears and a removal allowing unit. Each drum gear has a first target portion. Each drive gear has a second target portion. The removal allowing unit allows each photosensitive drum to be removed from the casing only when the first target portion of the drum gear is positionally in coincidence with a first position and when the second target portion of the drive gear is positionally in coincidence with a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 7738829
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes a protective agent, a photoconductor, a charging unit, a development unit, a cleaning unit, and an application unit. The protective agent includes paraffin as main component. The photoconductor has a surface including polycarbonate applied with the protective agent. The development unit develops a latent image on the photoconductor. The cleaning unit removes materials remaining on the photoconductor. The application unit applies the protective agent to the surface of photoconductor. One peak in a given binding energy range is used to determine a coating condition of the photoconductor coated by the agent. The coating condition is determined by comparing an area ratio A0 before applying the agent and an area ratio A after applying the agent, each of which is an area ratio with respect to a total area of C1s spectrum of the photoconductor. The coating ratio of the photoconductor is computed by (A0?A)/A0×100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kumiko Hatakeyama, Toshiyuki Kabata, Masahide Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20100142992
    Abstract: A photoreceptor unit is inserted into an image forming apparatus in the predetermined insertion direction, and includes a photoreceptor, a light-shielding sheet covering a part of the photoreceptor on the front side in the insertion direction; a rigid cover made of resin and provided adjacent to the light-shielding sheet on the rear side in the insertion direction; and a cushioning member interposed between the rigid cover and the photoreceptor. The rigid cover has a length that allows the photoreceptor unit to be gripped at the rigid cover. The light-shielding sheet, the rigid cover and the cushioning member can be removed together from the photoreceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Hideji HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 7734217
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus of the invention includes a sheet guiding unit configured to have plural components including paper carrying components be attached thereto, a tray onto which a sheet of paper is discharged, and a protection cover attached to the sheet guiding unit at a portion in close proximity to the tray side. A protection cover has a cover main body, a screw attachment portion, a screw cover that covers the screw attached to the screw attachment portion, and a slit used for the tip end of the screw cover to be inserted into the cover main body to be fixed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shouichi Dobashi
  • Patent number: 7734211
    Abstract: The present invention has been made to provide a technique by which a switch unit that is disposed on the side surface of an apparatus body and shuts off, at maintenance time, power supply to predetermined electric components provided in the apparatus does not interfere with pull-out operation of a predetermined unit configured to be capable of being withdrawn from the side surface of the apparatus body without sacrificing the miniaturization of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising: a predetermined unit capable of being withdrawn from the side surface of the apparatus body; a switch unit that is provided on the side surface of the apparatus body and that shuts off power supply to predetermined electric components in the apparatus body at maintenance time; and a retreat mechanism that retreats the switch unit to a position that does not interfere with withdrawal operation of the predetermined unit when the predetermined unit needs to be withdrawn from the side surface of the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 7720405
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include an apparatus body, and a photosensitive-member unit slidably attached the apparatus body and retaining a plurality of photosensitive members. The apparatus body includes side wall portions opposing each other with a unit receiving section sandwiched therebetween, and a plurality of apparatus-body-side electrode members provided on the side wall portions, and each urged inward in an opposing direction of the side wall portions. The photosensitive-member unit includes a plurality of unit-side electrode members each protruding outward in the opposite direction and a guide path comprising a flat surface formed in a flat shape so that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacts to the flat surface during attachment of the photosensitive-member unit with respect to the unit receiving section, and that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacted maintains a constant inward and outward position in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Okabe
  • Patent number: 7702253
    Abstract: A process cartridge including a main frame including a first side wall and a second side wall, and an image carrying member supported by the first side wall and the second side wall in a manner that permits the image carrying member to rotate. The image carrying member is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. When viewed from the first side wall side or the second side wall side, the image carrying member is concealed by the first side wall or the second side wall in the retracted position. When viewed from the first side wall side or the second side wall side, at least a portion of the image carrying member extends beyond a periphery of the first side wall or the second side wall in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Soichiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7689142
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of suppressing drop in the write positional accuracy of the optical write while improving the maintenancability of the photosensitive bodies and the peripheral devices thereof, having a printer comprising four processing units each holding, in the inner part thereof, a photosensitive body for supporting a latent image on an endless moving surface, an optical write unit that is movable between an operate position where a write operation is performed for writing latent images on the surface of each of these photosensitive bodies and a retreat position where this write operation is not performed, and a support body for supporting each of the photosensitive bodies of the processing units and the optical write unit, the support body being configured as an integrally molded part by being united at the location for supporting each of the photosensitive bodies of the processing units and the location for supporting the optical write unit from (front-side panel and rear-side panel).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kita, Ryoh Idehara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Tadashi Okano, Genta Hagiwara, Kaoru Tada
  • Publication number: 20100061762
    Abstract: This is a shroud for housing a replacement photoconductive drum. The shroud has an open gap at its top portion and this gap is covered by at least two overlapping flexible strips that are configured to allow a handle structure to pass therethrough on its way to an exit in the shroud where the photoconductive drum is pushed out of the shroud when installing the drum in a marking machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: AARON M. STUCKEY, Jeanne M. Koval, Mark T. Bartlett
  • Patent number: 7676175
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum for a printer cartridge, which can be easily mounted on a printer cartridge of which the positions of drum connectors are fixed, is disclosed. The photosensitive drum for a printer cartridge comprises a cylindrical drum having a photosensitive layer on a cylindrical surface thereof; and a pair of rotation shafts which is respectively mounted on the sides of the cylindrical drum for rotating and supporting the cylindrical drum, wherein at least one of the rotation shafts is insert-fitted to the side of the cylindrical drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Park & OPC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-Lae Cho, Michael Han, Han-Shik Kim, Seong-Jin Cho, Jun-Ho Jeon
  • Publication number: 20100054802
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; an exposure member which has a plurality of blinking sections and which exposes the photoconductive body; a support frame which is made of resin and which supports the exposure member; a roller shaft which is made of metal and provided on the support frame; a roller which is made of resin, which is rotatably provided on the roller shaft and which maintains a spacing distance between the exposure member and the photoconductive body; and a metal plate which supports and is electrically connected to the roller shaft and which is electrically grounded. With the image forming apparatus, it is possible to solve a problem caused when the roller shaft is electrically floated, and to suitably arrange parts or components around the roller shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio SAKAI, Yasuo TAMARU, Junichi YOKOI, Yosuke SUGIYAMA
  • Patent number: 7672612
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a substantially cylindrical body rotated by rotation power transmitted via an first end portion from in an image forming apparatus and a photosensitive layer including a latent image forming area formed on an outer circumference of the body. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus provided with the electrophotographic photosensitive member. In the photosensitive layer, when the body is charged with a constant charging ability in the axial direction, dark electric potential at the latent image forming area gradually becomes larger as proceeding in the axial direction of the body, from the first end portion to a second end portion opposite to the first end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Ishii
  • Patent number: 7650098
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an outer frame, a photosensitive unit, a drum drive gear, a first positioning portion, and a second positioning portion. The photosensitive unit includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a first supporting shaft, a second supporting shaft, and a drum gear. Each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis extending in a first direction. The plurality of photosensitive drums is juxtaposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A position of the first supporting shaft and the second supporting shaft provided on one of the plurality of photosensitive drums in the second direction with respect to the outer frame is determined by contacting the first supporting shaft and the second supporting shaft to the first positioning portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 7643774
    Abstract: A roller spacing apparatus and an image forming device including the same. The roller spacing apparatus includes a frame, a first rotatable roller member having a first shaft, a second rotatable roller member having a second shaft and being rotatable in a close contact with the first roller member under a predetermined pressure, and at least one spacing part to space apart the first and the second roller members from each other by a predetermined gap such that the first and the second roller members are not in contact with each other when the first and the second roller members are not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-hyuk Choi
  • Publication number: 20090317130
    Abstract: To facilitate replacing photosensitive drums and/or developing devices in an image forming apparatus, a photosensitive member unit including a plurality of photosensitive members is loaded in a main casing. A developing device unit including a plurality of developing devices is also loaded in the main casing. Both an intermediate transfer belt and the photosensitive member unit are configured to be movable toward and away from the developing device unit. Further, when the photosensitive member unit is separated from the developing device unit, the intermediate transfer belt and the plurality of photosensitive members are also separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru ISHIKAWA, Shougo SATO
  • Patent number: 7630667
    Abstract: For supporting a cylindrical photosensitive drum, a high-precision high-strength supporting apparatus is disclosed to include a sleeve member and a shaft member. The sleeve member has an outer wall for attaching to the photosensitive drum, an inner wall within which an axial hole is defined, a first retaining portion positioned at the inner wall, and four locating ribs disposed inside the axial hole. The shaft member has an outer tube inserted into the axial hole of the sleeve member, a second retaining portion provided on the outer tube and engaged with the first retaining portion of the sleeve member, a connecting portion inwardly extending from the outer tube, an inner tube disposed at an inner end of the connecting portion, and four locating slot provided on the inner tube and engaged with the locating rib of the sleeve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: General Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Hsiung Huang, Shin-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 7627267
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes; a drum; a first housing provided around the drum; a second housing provided around the first housing; a temporarily tacking section that temporarily tacks two members selected out of three members of the drum, the first housing and the second housing; and a supporting member that fixes each position of the drum, the first housing and the second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuna Saiki
  • Patent number: 7619790
    Abstract: Correction for eliminating deformations of an image to be output from an image apparatus is executed while suppressing the processing load on the host computer side. A host computer acquires deformation information used to designate read addresses according to deformations of a scan line from a laser beam printer. A CPU (1) of the laser beam printer generates read addresses according to the deformation information to read out image data from a RAM, and transmits the readout image data to the laser beam printer. The laser beam printer (0) forms an image based on the image data received from the host computer (3000).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Kambegawa, Seijiro Morita
  • Patent number: 7590371
    Abstract: An image carrying cartridge includes a shaft, an image carrying member, a first casing, and a second casing. The image carrying member is formed with a shaft insertion-hole through which the shaft is inserted. The first casing includes two first walls formed with a first through-hole. Each of the first walls opposes each end of the image carrying member in a axial direction of the shaft. The second casing includes two second walls formed with a second through-hole. Each of the second walls opposes each of the first walls in the axial direction. The first casing and the second casing are coupled by insertion of the shaft through the first though-hole and the second through-hole to provide an inner space in which the image carrying member is accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsutomu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20090226210
    Abstract: An image-forming device includes a body frame, a belt unit, and a process cartridge. The belt unit includes a belt unit main frame having a first main end portion and a second main end portion in a first direction, a first roller disposed at the first main end portion, a second roller disposed at the second main end portion, a belt mounted around the first roller and the second roller, and a handle part disposed at the first main end portion and has a contacting part. The process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum having a photosensitive surface opposed to the belt in a second direction, and a casing accommodating the photosensitive drum and having a contacted part. The contacting part contacts the contacted part to prevent the photosensitive from contacting the belt unit when the process cartridge is mounted in the body frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki HAYAKAWA, Akehiro ONO, Hiroshi NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20090220275
    Abstract: A tandem type photosensitive unit detachably mounted in a main body of an image forming apparatus is provided. The tandem type photosensitive unit includes: a plurality of parallelly arranged photosensitive drums; a first end-side shaft receiving member engaged with a first end portion of each photosensitive drum in the axial direction; a second end-side shaft receiving member engaged with a second end portion, opposite to the first end portion, of each photosensitive drum in the axial direction; a first side plate collectively retaining each first end-side shaft member; and a second side plate collectively retaining each second end-side shaft receiving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junichi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20090202271
    Abstract: A pressing member applies a pressing force to a trailing end in a direction which intersects a predetermined reference direction, allowing the pressing force to have both a first component in the predetermined reference direction and a second component perpendicular to the predetermined reference direction. A trailing end is pressed in the predetermined reference direction by the first component. In the mounted state, the leading end is in contact with the reference member at two contact surfaces including a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The first contact surface defines a first positioning direction being perpendicular to the first contact surface and intersecting the predetermined reference direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi OKABE, Yoshiya Tomatsu
  • Patent number: 7570901
    Abstract: A roller spacing apparatus and an image forming device including the same. The roller spacing apparatus includes a first roller member that is rotatable, a second roller member that is rotatable in a close contact with the first roller member under a predetermined pressure, and at least one spacing part to space apart the first and the second roller members from each other by a predetermined gap such that the first and the second roller members are not in contact with each other when the first and the second roller members are not in use. The spacing part includes a bushing member that has a bushing to rotatably support a shaft of at least one of the first and the second roller members and a lever disposed at the bushing to rotate the bushing, the bushing having an inner diameter part to support the shaft and an outer diameter part, the inner and outer diameter parts being non-concentric circles, and a stopping member to restrict an operation range of the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Dong-hyuk Choi
  • Patent number: 7556901
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member has a surface having a plurality of depressed portions, having a major-axis diameter Rpc of 0.1 to 10 ?m, a minor-axis diameter Lpc of 0.1 to 10 ?m and a deepest-part to opening distance Rdv of 0.1 to 10 ?m. Where the surface is equally divided into 4 regions in the rotational direction, which are then equally divided into 25 regions in the direction falling at right angles with the rotational direction, to obtain 100-spot regions A in total, and, in each thereof, square regions B of 50 ?m each per side one side of which is parallel to the rotational direction are provided and the regions B are each equally divided into 500 zones by straight lines parallel to the rotational direction, 400 to 499 lines among the straight lines pass through the depressed portions in each of the regions B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Anezaki, Harunobu Ogaki, Hiroki Uematsu, Masataka Kawahara, Atsushi Ochi, Kyoichi Teramoto, Akira Shimada, Akio Maruyama, Toshihiro Kikuchi, Akio Koganei, Takayuki Sumida, Hirotoshi Uesugi
  • Publication number: 20090169252
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a support frame is configured to support a plurality of photoconductors arranged in the apparatus, the support frame being allowed to be pulled out from a casing of the apparatus, and an intermediate transfer belt is disposed above the plurality of photoconductors and configured to be movable between a contact position in which the intermediate transfer belt is in contact with each of the plurality of photoconductors and a separate position in which the intermediate transfer belt is separate from the each of the plurality of photoconductors. A predetermined amount of upward movement of the support frame made when the intermediate transfer belt is or comes in the separate position renders the support frame operable to be pulled out in a direction of arrangement of the plurality of photoconductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shougo SATO
  • Patent number: 7547842
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an organic electronic device comprising a charge transport layer comprising a host charge transport material and a guest charge transport material, wherein the guest material is not homogeneously distributed in the host material and is spatially doped within the host material. The charge transport layer may be either a hole or electron transport layer and is useful in a variety of organic electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Inventor: Ying Wang
  • Patent number: 7539439
    Abstract: A disclosed image carrier toner unit includes: an image carrier; a supporting member configured to be integrated with the image carrier, the supporting member supporting the image carrier; and a toner storage unit configured to be integrated with the supporting member, the toner storage unit storing toner for developing a latent image on the image carrier as a visible image, wherein the image carrier toner unit is detachably attached to a device on which the image carrier toner unit is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Saito, Nekka Matsuura, Nobuyuki Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 7536143
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and corresponding method are disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one image bearing member configured to bear an image on a surface thereof, at least one drive member concentrically engaged with the at least one image bearing member corresponding thereto and configured to rotate the at least one image bearing member, and at least one detecting unit configured to detect a phase of the at least one drive member. In the image forming apparatus, the at least one drive member is adjusted to have a first phase difference arranged for a replacement of the at least one image bearing member. The first phase difference is different from a second phase difference arranged for an image forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Noriaki Funamoto
  • Patent number: 7536134
    Abstract: The invention provides an image holding member including at least a surface that has, after a predetermined discharge stress that is conditioned so that a sine-wave alternating-current bias of a peak-to-peak bias having 1.5 KV and a frequency 8 time S (Hz) is applied to the surface of the image holding member that is in a driving state where the movement speed of the surface is S (mm/s) is applied, a contact angle of water of at least about 70 degrees at a temperature of 22° C. and a relative humidity (RH) of 55%. The invention further provides an image forming apparatus including the image holding member, a charging device, a latent image forming device, a developing device, and a transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oda, Katsumi Nukada
  • Patent number: 7532841
    Abstract: A protective cover that includes: a cover body detachably mounted on a process cartridge to protect at least an outwardly exposed part of an electro-photographic photoreceptor; a guide part that is provided on the cover body to guide the process cartridge in a longitudinal direction of the electro-photographic photoreceptor; and a position locking part that is provided at a forward end of the cover body in a direction that the process cartridge is inserted into an image forming apparatus wherein the cover body is positioned and locked to the image forming apparatus to be irremovable and forming a locked state during an installation of the process cartridge into the image forming apparatus, and the locked state is released after the installation is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7529504
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an organic photoconductor having a surface layer containing fluorine-containing resin particles whose number average primary particle size is not less than 0.02 ?m and is less than 0.20 ?m; a charging device to charge by bring an charging member in contact with the organic photoconductor; a latent image forming device to for a latent image on the organic photoconductor; a developing device to visualize the latent image with toner and to form a toner image on the organic photoconductor; and a transferring device to transfer the toner onto a transfer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keiichi Inagaki, Shigeaki Tokutake
  • Patent number: 7510810
    Abstract: Cyanoresin polymer reaction products of a hydroxyl-containing polymers and acrylonitrile, where at least one side chain group of the cyanoresin polymer is a cyano group, and electropotographic imaging members containing cyanoresin polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Wu, Justin J. Galloway, Liang-bih Lin, Edward C. Savage, John J. Wilbert
  • Patent number: 7512362
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a shutter having a rotation axis shaft which opens and closes to selectively enable access to the photosensitive drum, and a coupler, wherein a linear motion thereof causes a rotational motion of the shutter about the rotation axis shaft. The coupler is coupled to a rotation axis shaft of the shutter and is capable of changing a straight line motion to a rotational motion in a narrow space. In an image forming apparatus equipped with the photosensitive drum unit of the invention, a pressing unit mounted at a support frame of the photosensitive drum unit is pressably engageable with the coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-hyun Park
  • Patent number: 7509069
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for printing a photographic image and a photographic image printing method by using the same are provided. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus for printing a photographic image includes a photosensitive medium having a surface on which a color-image electrostatic latent image and a transparent-image electrostatic latent image are formed by exposure. At least one color developing unit contains a color glossy toner charged with a polarity and develops a color image on the surface of the photosensitive medium by applying the color glossy toner on the color-image electrostatic latent image. A transparent developing unit contains a transparent glossy toner charged with a polarity different from the polarity of the color glossy toner and develops a transparent image on the surface of the photosensitive medium by applying the transparent glossy toner on an external region of the transparent-image electrostatic latent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 7505709
    Abstract: When the drum axis of a photosensitive drum cartridge is engaged with an image forming apparatus, the developing roller axis of a developing cartridge is engaged with an engagement provided in the photosensitive drum cartridge. Then, after this, a positioning component of the developing cartridge engages with a developing cartridge engagement structure of the image forming apparatus, and the developing cartridge is thus positioned relative to the image forming apparatus. In addition, because an inhibiting device of the photosensitive drum cartridge and an inhibiting protrusion component of the developing cartridge are engaged, the photosensitive drum cartridge is positioned in the image forming apparatus via the developing cartridge. Because the developing cartridge may be positioned in the image forming apparatus without involving the photosensitive drum cartridge, the paper transport pathway space that is formed by the developing cartridge and the image forming apparatus is less likely to become disrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Kamimura
  • Patent number: 7505715
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier with rotary shafts extending from both ends that are rotatably supported on an apparatus body by bearings. Gap members fixed to both end portions of a charging roller are brought in contact with the peripheral surface of the image carrier with some pressure to form a charge gap between the image carrier and the charging roller so that the charging roller charges the image carrier in a non-contact state with the charge gap. The gap members have a small-diameter portion on the inside thereof and a large-diameter portion on the outside thereof such that the small-diameter portions face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kamoshida, Atsunori Kitazawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Ken Ikuma, Kazuyoshi Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20090047039
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus detachably mounts a process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The apparatus includes a frame, a door, and a tray carrying the cartridge. The tray is movable among a first position inside the frame when the door is closed and the drum forms a latent image, a second position when the door is open and the tray protrudes from the frame to permit cartridge mounting and demounting, and a third position between the first and second positions where the tray is movable to the first position with closing of the door. Also, a regulating member moves between a regulating position regulating movement of the door from an opening position to a position where the tray is beyond the third position, and a permitting position permitting movement of the door from the opening to the closing position when the tray is at the third position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Chikara Imaizumi, Hiromi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 7491161
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a photoreceptor drum exceedingly advantageous for obtaining clear images free from positional image shifting and image blurring. In the invention, a photoreceptor drum is constituted of a drum main body and a first and second flange members to be attached respectively to both lengthwise-direction ends of the drum main body. The drum main body is constituted of a cylindrical body and a photosensitive layer formed on the surface of the cylindrical body, and the cylindrical body has a fitting hole formed in each end thereof. The first and second flange members have cylindrical parts to be fitted into and fixed to the fitting holes in the drum main body, and further have shaft support parts. The photoreceptor drum has been formed so that the radial deflection thereof based on a central axis L connecting the centers of the shaft support parts of the first and second flange members is 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7493061
    Abstract: A process cartridge is provided with a frame body made up of at least first and second frame bodies that are movable relative to each other to form a space, a frame body positioning member positioning the first and second frame bodies, a latent image bearing member supported by the frame body and replaceable via the space formed by the first and second frame bodies, a developing unit supplying a developing agent to the latent image bearing member, and a developing position determining member. The developing position determining member is disposed at a non-overlapping position relative to the frame body positioning member, and positions the developing unit with respect to the frame body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hatori, Kazuhito Watanabe, Satoshi Narumi, Shinji Tamaki, Tsutomu Katoh, Haruji Mizuishi, Tetsuroh Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 7489889
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a mainframe; a photoreceptor; an exposing unit that exposes a surface of the photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image; and a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image by supplying a charged developer on the surface of the photoreceptor having the electrostatic latent image formed thereon. The photoreceptor is loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe separately from the developing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Makoto Ishii, Yasushi Okabe
  • Patent number: 7457566
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum usable with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a non-circular twisted projection provided at one longitudinal end of the drum, and engageable with a non-circular twisted hole being disposed at a central portion of a driving rotatable member of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, and an electroconductive member provided on the projection, electrically connected to the drum, and contactable with an electroconductive member electrically connected with a main assembly of the image forming apparatus and disposed in the hole to ground the drum. The contact position between the electroconductive members moves in interrelation with the projection being moved toward the hole by rotation of the driving rotatable member when the projection is engaged with the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Koishi, Atsushi Numagami, Takahito Ueno
  • Patent number: 7453608
    Abstract: Correction for eliminating deformations of an image to be output from an image apparatus is executed while suppressing the processing load on the host computer side. A host computer acquires deformation information used to designate read addresses according to deformations of a scan line from a laser beam printer. A CPU (1) of the laser beam printer generates read addresses according to the deformation information to read out image data from a RAM, and transmits the readout image data to the laser beam printer. The laser beam printer (0) forms an image based on the image data received from the host computer (3000).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Kambegawa, Seijiro Morita
  • Patent number: 7452644
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member capable of outputting an image in which a defect such as a ghost is suppressed even in a high-temperature-and-high-humidity environment, and in which a defect such as a change in density due to an abrupt change in light-area potential at an initial stage or a ghost due to long-term durable use is suppressed even in a low-humidity environment; and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the electrophotographic photosensitive member; are provided. The electrophotographic photosensitive member has a layer which comprises a compound having a specific structure between a support and a charge-generating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Tanaka, Masataka Kawahara, Atsushi Fujii, Yuka Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 7454157
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device capable of forming high-quality images and affording high-precision rotating shaft parallelism between surface mobile bodies, and a unit position adjustment method for adjusting the position of a surface mobile body unit relative to the main body of the image forming device. The image forming device includes a front fixing guide plate as a unit support member for fixing, to a front plate of a structure, a fixing unit serving as a surface mobile body unit which includes a fixing roller being a surface mobile body, and an upper portion eccentric cam and a horizontal portion eccentric cam serving as a unit position adjustment member for adjusting the position of the front fixing guide plate relative to the front plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Yamada, Takayuki Andoh, Takamasa Shiraki, Kohta Takenaka, Kazushige Kawamura, Hiroshi Ishii, Keisuke Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20080279583
    Abstract: A developer cartridge including a frame, a developer carrying member, and an input gear member is provided. The frame includes a first side wall and a second side wall, and the first side wall and the second side wall extend in a length direction. The developer carrying member extends from the first side wall to the second side wall in a width direction perpendicular to the length direction. The developer carrying member includes a developer carrying member shaft rotatably supported by the first side wall and the second side wall, and the developer carrying member is rotatable about a first axis. The input gear member, for supplying a driving force for rotating the developer carrying member, is rotatably supported by the first side wall so as to be rotatable about a second axis. A first distance between the first axis and the second axis in the length direction is about 14.0 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISAH
    Inventors: Makoto Ishii, Fumikazu Sato, Isao Kishi, Takashi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7450883
    Abstract: A film loading method of an image forming apparatus, includes: loading an endless film which was stored in a container box, using at least two support members, to a film frame of the image forming apparatus, wherein the film is supported by the support members in a different form with respect to a condition of the film when loaded and fitted to the film frame. The support members are initially stored in the container box and serve as a packaging member for use in transporting and storing the film. The support members are attached to respective portions of the film frame and guide the film to be loaded and fitted onto the film frame. The film frame includes holding rollers, and the support members are attached to the respective portions of the film frame, coaxially with the holding rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Asaoka, Shuho Yokokawa, Isao Nakajima, Akihiko Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7433628
    Abstract: A developing cartridge and an image forming apparatus having a photoreceptor drum are provided. The photoreceptor drum includes a pair of sleeves having outer diameter units inserted into the ends of a cylindrical drum on which a photoconductive material layer is formed, inner diameter units to which shafts are rotatably coupled, and at least two protrusion units separated from each other in a length direction of the shafts and contacting the shafts by protruding from the inner diameter units. Accordingly, the location tolerance and the assembly tolerance of the photoreceptor drum can be reduced by only modifying the shape of the sleeves, without adding additional parts. As a result, printing defects such as voids and unevenness can be advantageously prevented, since the developing nip and developing gap are formed very uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-seob Kweon, Young-min Kim
  • Publication number: 20080219698
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a latent image writing unit; a development unit; a latent image carrier unit having the latent image carrier; a first positioning protrusion disposed on the latent image carrier unit, the first positioning protrusion being engaged with a groove or a slit of an image forming apparatus body; an abutted portion disposed on the groove or the slit, the abutted portion abutting the first positioning protrusion in order to position the latent image carrier unit in an installation and removal direction; and a second positioning protrusion shifted in the installation and removal direction and disposed on the latent image carrier unit, the second positioning protrusion positioning the latent image carrier unit at a position different from a position of the first positioning protrusion in order to engage the groove or the slit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Tomohiro Kubota, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7418222
    Abstract: A photoreceptor module located within a housing. The photoreceptor module includes a photoreceptor belt, a belt support to maintain the belt in a desired configuration, and a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly is operably positioned in close proximity to the belt, and may be moved away from the belt while both are within the housing to ease clearance of paper jams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens