Contact Patents (Class 399/174)
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Publication number: 20120321347Abstract: Two thick film charging devices or a common thick film charge device with two separated obverse conductors, sharing a common power supply are used for photoreceptor charge and erase. The thick film charging devices use a set of AC biased electrodes supported on a dielectric material which also support a counter electrode on an opposite side of the dielectric. A DC offset applied to the counter electrodes is used to set photoreceptor charge level. One DC voltage is used for photoreceptor charge and a zero or near zero DC voltage is used to erase residual charge for the photoreceptor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Gerald F. Daloia, Michael A. Doody
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Patent number: 8275277Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a charging device, including a rotatable magnetic particle carrying member and electroconductive magnetic particles carried on the rotatable magnetic particle carrying member, for charging the image bearing member by contacting the magnetic particles to the image bearing member; a measuring device for measuring magnitudes of a first force in a first direction and a second force in a second direction which are produced in a contact region between the image bearing member and the magnetic particles, wherein the first direction and second direction are independent from each other; and a control device for controlling an image forming operation on the basis of the forces measured by the measuring device.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2010Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shingo Horita, Koichi Hashimoto, Ryo Nakamura, Ryota Matsumoto, Yukwi Hong
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Publication number: 20120213552Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an image carrier that has an electrically chargeable film formed on a surface thereof and that carries an image and a charging section that charges a surface of the film on the image carrier. The charging section includes a first charging member that applies a direct-current voltage between the first charging member and the image carrier and a second charging member that applies a direct-current voltage between the second charging member and the image carrier to charge the film on the image carrier to a predetermined surface potential after the first charging member charges the film on the image carrier. The voltage applied by the first charging member is decreased such that the surface potential of the image carrier after the voltage is applied by the first charging member is decreased as the film on the image carrier becomes thinner.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2011Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Jin IWASAKI
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Publication number: 20120177402Abstract: A charging member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus are provided which have been so made as for any C-set images to be kept from occurring; the C-set images occurring in a charging member of an electrophotographic apparatus where the charging member and an electrophotographic photosensitive member have been left to stand in contact with each other over a long period of time. In a charging member having a conductive support and a surface layer, the surface layer is incorporated with a specific compound.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2012Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomohito Taniguchi, Satoshi Koide
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Publication number: 20120148307Abstract: A blade-like charging member for charging a surface of an image bearing member by contacting thereto and by being supplied with a voltage. The charging member includes a charging portion for effecting electric discharge to the surface of the image bearing member, and a non-charging portion not effecting the electric discharge to the surface of the image bearing member. The non-charging portion is capable of contacting the image bearing member while maintaining an electrically dischargeable gap between the charging portion and the image bearing member. At least a part of the non-charging portion is made of a material having a higher resistance than that of the charging portion so as to prevent electric discharge between the non-charging portion and the surface of the image bearing member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2011Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takayuki Namiki
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Publication number: 20120148309Abstract: A charging blade for charging a surface of an image bearing drum by contacting thereto includes a charging portion for effecting electric discharge to the surface of the drum; a non-charging portion not effecting the electric discharge to the surface of the drum, wherein the non-charging portion can contact the drum to provide a dischargeable gap between the charge portion and the drum, and at least a part the non-charging portion is made of a substance having a resistance higher than that of the charge portion to prevent no discharge occurs from the non-charging portion to the surface of the drum; and a support for the non-charging portion and the charge portion, wherein the non-charging portion and the charge portion are separation members and are not contacted to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2011Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuo Oshima, Takayuki Namiki
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Publication number: 20120148308Abstract: A blade-like charging member for charging a surface of an image bearing member by contacting thereto includes a charging portion for effecting electric discharge to the surface of the image bearing member. The non-charging portion is made of a material having a higher resistance than that of the charging portion so as to prevent electric discharge between the non-charging portion and the surface of the image bearing member. The non-charging portion is capable of sliding contact with the surface of the image bearing member over the entirety of an image forming region width of the surface of the image bearing member, the charge non-charging portions are bonded to each other by adhesive material at a connection interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2011Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Issei Imamura
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Patent number: 8185000Abstract: An electrostatic charging apparatus, includes: an endless-shaped electrostatic charging belt having electrical conductivity, the electrostatic charging belt being arranged in a state of having a predetermined contact zone being in contact with a moving to-be-charged body and moving in the same direction as a moving direction of the to-be-charged body; and plural electrode members including at least a first electrode member and a second electrode member, the plural electrode members being provided inside the electrostatic charging belt, and the first and second electrode members being provided on both sides of the contact zone of the electrostatic charging belt in the moving direction thereof so as to press the electrostatic charging belt against the to-be-charged body and forming gaps that permit electric discharge between the to-be-charged body and the electrostatic charging belt, the gaps being adjacent to the respective sides of the contact zone of the electrostatic charging belt.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2008Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Taku Aoshima, Osamu Handa
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Publication number: 20120082481Abstract: A charging member is provided which has a surface layer that can more surely keep bleeding from occurring. It is a charging member having a substrate, an elastic layer and a surface layer; the surface layer containing a high-molecular compound having a constituent unit represented by the following formula (1) and a constituent unit represented by the following formula (2), and having an Si—O—Zr linkage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Noriko Nagamine, Noriaki Kuroda
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Publication number: 20120076539Abstract: A charging member is provided which can not easily change in charging performance even because of its service over a long period of time. The charging member has a conductive support, an elastic layer and a surface layer. The elastic layer comprises spherical particles in such a way that the spherical particles are exposed at least in part to the surface of the elastic layer so as to make the surface of the elastic layer roughened; the spherical particles are at least one type selected from the group consisting of spherical silica particles, spherical alumina particles and spherical zirconia particles; the surface of the elastic layer is overlaid with the surface layer in such a way that the surface profile of the elastic layer is reflected on the surface profile of the charging member; and the surface layer comprises a high-molecular compound having a specific constituent unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Taichi Sato, Masaaki Harada, Yukinori Nagata, Toshiro Suzuki
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Publication number: 20120070192Abstract: An electrostatic charging apparatus includes: an electrostatic charging member that has a discharge face causing discharge between the electrostatic charging member and a to-be-charged member having a charge retention part to hold a charge, and comes in contact with the to-be-charged member so as to charge upon the application of voltage; and an adjusting unit that adjusts an angle between the to-be-charged member and the discharge face.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Jin IWASAKI
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Patent number: 8139984Abstract: An image forming apparatus, wherein a surface resistivity Rse[?] of a charger and a volume resistivity Rsw [?·cm] of the composition having a low softening point satisfy the following relationship: 0.8×10?1Rse<Rvw<1.5×10Rse is provided. The image forming apparatus contains a photoreceptor; a charger configured to charge the photoreceptor with a charger contacting thereto; an irradiator configured to irradiate the photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image developer configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image on the photoreceptor; a transferer configured to transfer the toner image onto a recording material directly or through an intermediate transferer; and a fixer configured to fix the toner image on the recording material, wherein the toner comprises: a binder resin; a colorant; a composition having a low softening point; and an external additive.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2010Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Hiroyuki Murakami, Masahide Inoue, Chiyoshi Nozaki, Tsuyoshi Nozaki, Atsushi Yamamoto, Takuya Kadota, Mitsuyo Matsumoto, Katsunori Kurose, Yoshimichi Ishikawa
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Patent number: 8131185Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member and a charging power source portion. The charging member, in a sheet shape, is secured by contacting a region of an electrostatic latent image to be formed on a rotatable image carrier. The charging power source portion applies charging voltage to the charging member. The charging member includes a plurality of holes.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2009Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Toshiharu Sato, Masahiro Kawano
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Patent number: 8126380Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units forming a visible image by attaching charged developer to an electrostatic latent image, a transfer belt member being transferred the visible image formed by each of the plurality of image forming units, a plurality of tension members tightly stretching the transfer belt member, a primary transfer member transferring the visible image formed by the plurality of image forming units to the transfer belt unit, a secondary transfer member transferring the visible image transferred to the transfer belt member on a recording medium, and a fixing unit fixing the visible image transferred to the recording medium. The plurality of image forming units are disposed in at least two transfer regions formed by segmenting the transfer belt member by the plurality of the tension members.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Masahiro Kawano, Tatsuya Murakami, Yasunaga Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 8126368Abstract: A charge device includes a charging belt, an electrode member, a bias supplying unit and a discharge region forming member. The belt comes into contact with a charged body. The electrode member is in contact with a part of an inner peripheral surface of the charging belt. The electrode member faces the charged body across the charging belt between the electrode member and the charged body. A downstream-side portion of the charging belt is located downstream of a position where the charged body faces the electrode member, in a moving direction of the charged body. The discharge region forming member brings the downstream-side portion into contact with the electrode member to form a discharge region in which discharge occurs between the downstream-side portion and the charged body.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2009Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Taku Aoshima, Osamu Handa
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Publication number: 20120045251Abstract: A charging apparatus including a charging tube which has an outer surface contacting a photoconductive medium and electrically charges a surface of the photoconductive medium, a shaft which is disposed in the charging tube and to which a charging voltage is applied, and a conductive member which is connected to the shaft and contacts an inner surface of the charging tube. A friction coefficient between the conductive member and the inner surface of the charging tube may be less than a friction coefficient between the photoconductive medium and the outer surface of the charging tube, so that a slip phenomenon of the charging tube is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2011Publication date: February 23, 2012Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: In-cheol Jeon, Ki-jae Do, Jong-hwa Joo, Yong-hoon Lee, Sang-jin Park
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Publication number: 20110299890Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier configured by a positively charged single-layer electrophotographic photosensitive body; a charging device which is based on a contact charging method for charging a circumferential surface of the image carrier while making contact with the circumferential surface of the image carrier; and a transfer unit which transfers a toner image on the circumferential surface of the image carrier to a transfer receiving body by gripping the transfer receiving body with the image carrier, wherein the transfer unit includes an application unit to which a transfer bias is applied, and a region having a volume resistivity of 107 to 109 ?·cm exists between the image carrier and the application unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshitaka Imanaka, Shinki Miyaji, Masaki Kadota, Masahito Ishino, Hiroka Itani
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Patent number: 8066366Abstract: A release agent applicator applies release agent to an imaging drum and absorbs release agent metered from the drum to extend the operational life of an image drum maintenance unit. The applicator includes a reservoir for storing release agent, the reservoir having a plurality of perforations for enabling release agent to seep from the reservoir, a containment membrane for wicking release agent from the perforations of the reservoir, and a delivery layer for delivering release agent from the containment membrane to an imaging drum, the delivery layer having pores in a range of about 50 ?m to about 200 ?m.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2009Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Alexander J. Fioravanti, Paul J. McConville, James J. Padula, Michael Jon Levy
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Patent number: 8041259Abstract: A conductive member includes a conductive supporting member provided facing an image bearing member and including a continuous or discontinuous fixing groove provided in the vicinity of each of both ends of the conductive supporting member in a peripheral direction thereof, an electrical resistance adjusting layer formed on the conductive supporting member and including a step portion which includes at least one step disposed in the vicinity of each of the both ends of the electrical resistance adjusting member, and gap retainers each provided to the step portion and including a cylinder portion which contacts at least one surface of the step portion, and an end plate so that a predetermined gap is formed between the image bearing member and the electrical resistance adjusting layer. The end plate contacts at least one surface of the step portion and fits into the fixing groove.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Narita, Makoto Nakamura, Taisuke Tokuwaki, Tadaaki Hattori, Tadayuki Oshima, Hiroki Furubayashi
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Patent number: 8032050Abstract: The charge assembly according to the present invention includes a charge member having a conductive support body on which a resistance adjusting layer and a surface layer covering the resistance adjusting layer are formed, to rotate a surface of the image support body to electrically charge the image support body, the surface layer having a static friction coefficient of 1.0 or more; and a cleaning member rotating the surface layer of the charge member in contact therewith to remove foreign particles on the surface layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Yutaka Narita, Tadayuki Oshima, Taisuke Tokuwaki, Hiroki Furubayashi
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Patent number: 8005402Abstract: A technology capable of realizing a stable charging performance in an image forming apparatus employing a contact charging system is provided. A charging device is configured to have a charging member to which a prescribed bias voltage is applied and which comes into contact with an image carrying surface of an image carrier to charge the image carrying surface; and a particle supply section configured to supply a charging auxiliary particle made of a conductive particle having a diamond particle contained therein in a portion coming into contact with the image carrying surface in the charging member.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2007Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Masashi Takahashi, Mitsuaki Kouyama
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Patent number: 7977020Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising laminating a monolayer type photosensitive layer containing a charge generation material and a charge transport material or a laminate type photosensitive layer obtained by laminating a charge generation layer containing a charge generation material and a charge transport layer containing a charge transport material in this order, on a conductive support, wherein the charge transport layer of the monolayer type photosensitive layer or laminate type photosensitive layer contains an enamine compound represented by the following formula (1).Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takatsugu Obata, Akihiro Kondoh
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Patent number: 7970319Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging member and at least one projection formed on the charging member. The charging member includes a surface that faces the surface of a photoconductive body. The at least one projection is formed on the first surface to extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the photoconductive body. The projection is in contact with the surface of the photoconductive body.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2009Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Masahiro Kawano, Yukiyoshi Oda
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Patent number: 7970320Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a charging device configured to charge the image bearing member. The charging device includes a magnetic particle carrier and a magnetic particle regulating member configured to regulate magnetic particles carried by the magnetic particle carrier. The charging device causes the magnetic particles carried by the magnetic particle carrier to contact the image bearing member, and applies a voltage to the magnetic particle carrier to charge the image bearing member. An electrode has a contact area via which the electrode can contact magnetic particles stored in a particle pool defined by the magnetic particle carrier and the magnetic particle regulating member. The contact area is variable according to an amount of the magnetic particles stored in the particle pool. A current detection device detects a value of current flowing from the magnetic particle carrier to the electrode via the magnetic particles.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukwi Hong, Koichi Hashimoto, Ryota Matsumoto, Shingo Horita, Ryo Nakamura
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Patent number: 7945183Abstract: An image forming device includes: a high voltage generating circuit for applying an oscillating voltage to a charging member disposed in contact with or proximity to an image carrier, the oscillating voltage having a DC voltage Vdc and an AC voltage Vac superimposed thereon; a current detecting portion for detecting the value of a DC current Idc between the image carrier and the charging member; an AC voltage control portion for controlling the value of the AC voltage Vac so as to secure the detected value of the DC current Idc within a target current range; and an aging control portion for performing rotation driving of the image carrier while securing the AC voltage Vac and the DC voltage Vdc at preset voltage values and setting the frequency of the AC voltage Vac at a frequency different from a frequency during an image forming operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2008Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: Kyocera Mita CorporationInventors: Norio Tomiie, Shinki Miyaji
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Patent number: 7941077Abstract: A conductive member includes a conductive supporter, an electric resistance adjusting layer formed on the conductive supporter and gap retaining members which are of a different material from that of the electric resistance adjusting layer and are disposed respectively at both ends of the electric resistance adjusting layer for contacting an image carrier so as to maintain a predetermined gap between the electric resistance adjusting layer and the image carrier, wherein the electric resistance adjusting layer is made from a resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin containing an ether group, an organic phosphonium salt and a fluorine-containing organic anion salt.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2008Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tadayuki Oshima, Hiroki Furubayashi, Taisuke Tokuwaki, Yutaka Narita, Makoto Nakamura
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Publication number: 20110103837Abstract: A mechanism for electrifying a rotator that is used in an image forming apparatus includes a cloth-like or sheet-like conductive member, wherein part of the conductive member comes into contact with an object to be electrified and the other part of the conductive member comes into surface contact with any one contact member of the rotator, a rotating shaft that rotates together with the rotator, and a shaft where the rotator is rotatably supported, so that the object to be electrified and the contact member are electrically connected to each other through the conductive member.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Inventors: Minoru Toyoda, Hirobumi Ooyoshi
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Patent number: 7937035Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a rotatable image-carrier; a charging unit that contacts and charges a surface of the image-carrier; an exposing unit that exposes the surface and forms a latent-image; a developing unit that develops the latent-image with a developer; a transfer unit that transfers a developed-toner-image onto a transfer-receiving member; a cleaning unit that is provided with a plate shaped cleaning member having a free end that faces upwards a corner portion of the free end contacting the surface, the cleaning member cleaning off developer remaining on the surface after transfer, and a developer pooling member provided between the cleaning member and the transfer unit, that temporarily pools the cleaned off developer at the free end; and a friction-coefficient reducing unit that reduces a friction-coefficient at the surface, and that reduces the friction-coefficient during non-image forming period to less than that during image forming period is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2008Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., LtdInventor: Akihisa Maruyama
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Patent number: 7899352Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a charging control device of a color image forming apparatus, and the charging control device can properly control a charging potential of an image bearing body such that fog and uneven density are not generated even in a low-temperature environment. The image forming apparatus includes a high-voltage generation circuit 91 which applies an oscillating voltage to the charging member 42 disposed in contact with an image bearing body 41, a direct-current voltage and an alternating-current voltage being superimposed to form the oscillating voltage; a current detection unit 92 which detects a direct current value passed from the charging member 42 to the image bearing body 41; and a voltage control unit 96 which controls the alternating-current voltage such that the detected direct-current value is maintained in a target current range. The image forming apparatus also includes an aging control unit 95 to perform running-in.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2008Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Kyocera Mita CorporationInventors: Norio Tomiie, Shinki Miyaji, Yoshihiko Maruyama
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Patent number: 7890016Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging roller and a cleaning member. The charging roller charges a surface of an image bearing body. The cleaning member extends in a longitudinal direction parallel to the charging roller and that cleans the charging roller. The charging apparatus includes a bearing and a supporting member. The bearing supports a shaft of the charging roller. The cleaning member is mounted to the supporting member the cleaning member is held between the supporting member and the charging roller. The supporting member includes a surface to which the cleaning member is mounted, the surface being a curved surface configured to a circumferential surface of the charging roller. The supporting member includes a surface to which the cleaning member is mounted, the surface including a flat portion extending upstream with respect to rotation of the charging roller and a curved portion extending downstream.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2008Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Atsushi Ota
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Patent number: 7885579Abstract: There is provided a charging technique in which the generation of ozone is suppressed and charging efficiency can be improved. A charging device includes a contact unit configured to include a magnetic brush coming in contact with a body to be charged, the contact unit including, as a magnetic particle forming the magnetic brush, the magnetic particle containing at least a particle having a negative electronegativity, and a voltage application unit configured to negatively charge the body to be charged by applying a specified bias voltage through the magnetic brush in the contact unit to the body to be charged.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2006Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Masashi Takahashi, Mitsuaki Kouyama
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Patent number: 7869743Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a charging roller charges an image carrier to which a lubricant is applied prevents slip of the charging roller. The charging roller is composed of a metal core and a rubber layer mainly made of an epichlorohydrin rubber formed around the metal core. A surface of this rubber layer is hardened with a surface treating solution containing an isocyanate compound. The surface of this rubber layer is also subjected to three abrading processes including two stone grinding processes and one lapping process so that a ten-point height of irregularities Rz thereof becomes 11 ?m or more.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2007Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Kouji Shinkawa, Tohru Sakuwa
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Patent number: 7867685Abstract: An image forming method, including charging a photoreceptor with a charger contacting thereto; irradiating the photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image on the photoreceptor; transferring the toner image onto a recording material directly or through an intermediate transferer; and fixing the toner image on the recording material, wherein the toner includes a binder resin; a colorant; a composition having a low softening point; and an external additive, and wherein a surface resistivity Rse [?] of the charger and a volume resistivity Rsw [?·cm] of the composition having a low softening point satisfy the following relationship: 0.8×10?1Rse<Rvw<1.5×10Rse.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2007Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Hiroyuki Murakami, Masahide Inoue, Chiyoshi Nozaki, Tsuyoshi Nozaki, Atsushi Yamamoto, Takuya Kadota, Mitsuyo Matsumoto, Katsunori Kurose, Yoshimichi Ishikawa
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Patent number: 7835655Abstract: A charger includes: a first charging member that contacts an image carrier and a second charging member that contacts the image carrier downstream from the first charging member. At the time of image formation, a voltage higher than the discharge start voltage of the first charging member is applied to the first charging member and a voltage lower than the discharge start voltage of the second charging member and lower than the voltage applied to the first charging member is applied to the second charging member, and at the time when an image is not formed, a voltage lower than the discharge start voltage of the first charging member is applied to the first charging member and a voltage higher than the discharge start voltage of the second charging member and higher than the voltage applied to the first charging member is applied to the second charging member.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Masaru Kobashi, Koji Migita, Masashi Nakatsu, Shinichi Kamoshida
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Publication number: 20100226684Abstract: A charging member is provided having a support, a conductive elastic layer formed on the support and a surface layer formed on the conductive elastic layer. The surface layer contains a polysiloxane having at least one of structures represented by the following formulas (1a1), (1a2), (1b1) and (1b2): Toners and external additives used in the toners clinging to the charging member surface can be minimized even through repeated use over a long period of time, thus the charging member can perform stable charging and image reproduction even when used in the DC contact charging method.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2007Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroshi Mayuzumi, Noriaki Kuroda
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Patent number: 7787804Abstract: A charging member for electrically charging a substrate has a charge layer to be brought into contact with the substrate, an intermediate layer supporting the charge layer, and a support member supporting the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer has a first portion adjacent the charge layer and a second portion adjacent the support member, the first portion having a greater rigidity than that of the second portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2007Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Masanori Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7787799Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device. The image forming device includes a photosensitive body, a charging roller, a cleaning member, and a controller. The charging roller, while rotating in a first direction, charges the photosensitive body for image formation. The cleaning member, formed by an elastic body, contacts the charging roller and cleans the charging roller. The controller, when the charging roller is not carrying out charging of the photosensitive body for image formation, rotates the charging roller in a direction opposite to the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2006Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Ando, Masayuki Kono
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Publication number: 20100215403Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is a protective sheet including: a protective portion that can be inserted between a charging member which is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a latent image carrier and the latent image carrier, and that can cover an image forming area formed on the outer peripheral surface of the latent image carrier; and a high friction portion that is connected to an end portion of the protective portion, that can be inserted between a pressing portion for being pressed against a background area formed on the outer peripheral surface of the latent image carrier and the background area of the latent image carrier, and whose dynamic frictional force when pulled out from the latent image carrier is higher than that of the protective portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2009Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Taku Aoshima
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Patent number: 7756446Abstract: A pulse-like DC voltage is applied from two power sources to transfer residual toner uniformizing means and toner charge amount control means, respectively, to expel transfer residual toner deposited on these means from these means onto a photosensitive drum. In a low humidity environment, the number of application of the DC voltage is increased so as to sufficiently expel the transfer residual toner because the transfer residual toner is less liable to be expelled even when the pulse-like DC voltage is applied to the above two means in the low humidity environment in which an absolute moisture content in atmosphere is small and electrical resistances at portions of a photosensitive drum contacting the above two means.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2008Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tadanobu Yoshikawa
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Patent number: 7732113Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a support, a conductive layer formed on the support, an intermediate layer formed on the conductive layer, and a photosensitive layer formed on the intermediate layer, the conductive layer has been formed by using a conductive layer coating fluid which contains TiO2 particles coated with oxygen deficient SnO2 having an average particle diameter of from 0.20 ?m or more to 0.60 ?m or less, and has a volume resistivity of from more than 8.0×108 ?cm to 1.0×1011 ?cm or less. The electrophotographic photosensitive member can keep charging lines from occurring.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2006Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazushige Nakamura, Hidetoshi Hirano, Hirotoshi Uesugi, Hirofumi Kumoi, Shinji Takagi, Yukihiro Abe, Junpei Kuno, Daisuke Miura
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Patent number: 7725054Abstract: An electrifying apparatus, a processing unit including the electrifying apparatus, and an image formation apparatus including the electrifying apparatus. The electrifying apparatus includes a conductive sheet for electrifying at least one of a surface of a photoconductor and toner adhered to the surface. The conductive sheet is specified to have a pure-water contact angle equal to or greater than 108 degrees, and to have a shore D hardness equal to or less than 65.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tetsumaru Fujita, Yoshio Sakagawa, Yuji Nagatomo
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Patent number: 7711283Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus is disclosed. The method may include charging a rotating latent image bearing member with a rotating charger selected from at least one of contact chargers and short range chargers; irradiating the rotating latent image bearing member with imagewise light to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image bearing member; developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner having a charge to form a toner image on the latent image bearing member; transferring the toner image onto a receiving material; and forming an electric field between the charger and the latent image bearing member after the toner image transferring such that charged materials present on the surface of the charger fly toward the latent image bearing member.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2006Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Sadayuki Iwai
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Patent number: 7711284Abstract: A cleaning device is disclosed which includes a cleaning member to clean the surface of a charging roll that charges an image carrier. The cleaning member is fixed at one end thereof and contacts at a free end side surface with the surface of the charging roll. The free end of the cleaning member is inserted in between the image carrier and the charging roll. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus including the cleaning device.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2007Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoya Ichikawa, Hideaki Ohike, Yusuke Kitagawa, Toshiyuki Matsui
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Patent number: 7706724Abstract: A first bearing member and a second bearing member fit in a first side and a second side of a rotating shaft in the axial direction, respectively. The first bearing member is held by a supporting portion provided in a casing on a side corresponding to an emplacing member of an image carrier drum. The second bearing member is held by fitting in a fit-in portion from inside. A wall surface that regulates a charging roller in a longitudinal direction is formed on the second bearing member to protrude from a wall surface rotatably and pivotally supporting the charging roller.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Kawakami, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota
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Patent number: 7693455Abstract: A conductive member to be disposed so as to abut on an image carrier is provided. The conductive member includes an elongate conductive supporter, an electrical resistance adjusting layer formed on a circumferential surface of the supporter, and a pair of gap maintaining members provided respectively to the two ends of the adjusting layer. A gap with a certain clearance between an outer circumferential surface of the adjusting layer and an outer circumferential surface of the image carrier provided in parallel to the adjusting layer is formed. A stepped portion is formed in a joint section between the adjusting layer and each of the gap maintaining members with the joint section. An inclination is formed so as to be continuously inclined from the outer circumferential surface of each of the gap maintaining members to the outer circumferential surface of the adjusting layer in the stepped portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Taisuke Tokuwaki, Yutaka Narita, Toshio Kojima, Tadaaki Hattori, Makoto Nakamura, Tadayuki Oshima, Hiroki Furubayashi
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Publication number: 20100074652Abstract: A charge device includes a charging belt, an electrode member, a bias supplying unit and a discharge region forming member. The belt comes into contact with a charged body. The electrode member is in contact with a part of an inner peripheral surface of the charging belt. The electrode member faces the charged body across the charging belt between the electrode member and the charged body. A downstream-side portion of the charging belt is located downstream of a position where the charged body faces the electrode member, in a moving direction of the charged body. The discharge region forming member brings the downstream-side portion into contact with the electrode member to form a discharge region in which discharge occurs between the downstream-side portion and the charged body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Inventors: Taku Aoshima, Osamu Handa
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Patent number: 7684719Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member through electric discharge by applying, to the charging member, a DC voltage biased with an AC voltage; and voltage condition determination means for determining a voltage condition during image formation on the basis of each of the values of AC currents obtained by applying a plurality of DC voltages biased with the AC voltages to said charging member.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenichiro Kitajima
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Patent number: 7664433Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device for charging a photosensitive element having a moving surface, by bringing a charging roller, to which voltage is applied, into pressure-contact with the photosensitive element, wherein to the charging member there is applied voltage for forming an electric field such that toner adhered to the charging roller surface at a non-image forming area is oriented towards the photosensitive element. The image forming apparatus is provided with pressure contact force modifying means for making the pressure contact force of the charging roller against the photosensitive element at the non-image forming area greater than that at an image forming area.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2008Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tetsumaru Fujita, Yoshio Sakagawa, Yuji Nagatomo
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Publication number: 20090324291Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member and a charging power source portion. The charging member, in a sheet shape, is secured by contacting a region of an electrostatic latent image to be formed on a rotatable image carrier. The charging power source portion applies charging voltage to the charging member. The charging member includes a plurality of holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Toshiharu Sato, Masahiro Kawano
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Publication number: 20090324290Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging member and at least one projection formed on the charging member. The charging member includes a surface that faces the surface of a photoconductive body. The at least one projection is formed on the first surface to extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the photoconductive body. The projection is in contact with the surface of the photoconductive body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Kawano, Yukiyoshi Oda