Roller Patents (Class 399/279)
  • Publication number: 20120269556
    Abstract: A developer cartridge according to one aspect of the invention is attachable to a photoconductor unit that comprises a photoconductive drum. The developer cartridge may comprise a developing frame defining a developer container configured to contain developer, the developing frame having a first side and a second side; a developing roller located at the first side of the developing frame so as to receive developer conveyed from the developer container in a first direction; a contact terminal located at the second side of the developing frame; and a memory electrically connected to the contact terminal, wherein the first side is downstream in the first direction from the second side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro ISHII, Fumio MORITA
  • Patent number: 8295744
    Abstract: In a toner roller that is suitable to take up a layer with toner particles on its outer surface. The toner roller has a roller-shaped inner body, and wherein a dielectric layer is arranged at an outer surface of the inner body. A high-resistance cover layer is located on said dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Breitenbach
  • Patent number: 8295738
    Abstract: A developing unit including a retainer receiving portion for receiving a developer retainer, a first agitation portion adjacent to the retainer receiving portion, a second agitation portion adjacent to the first agitation portion, a first conveyance member received in the first agitation portion, a second conveyance member received in the second agitation portion, a layer thickness limiting member made of a magnetic material and disposed between the second conveyance member and the developer retainer to limit the layer thickness of a developer retained on the surface of a retaining member, and a blocking portion disposed on the upstream side of the layer thickness limiting member in the rotation direction of the retaining member and in a space located between the layer thickness limiting member and the second agitation portion to block a developer on the upstream side of the layer thickness limiting member from entering the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mutsumi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20120263506
    Abstract: A process unit includes a drum frame supporting a photoconductor drum and a development frame supporting a development roller. The development cartridge is swingably supported by the drum frame at a coupling joint provided at a first side of the development frame and a support portion provided at a second side of the development frame. A center of rotation of the development roller is located in a position shifted from a line segment connecting a center of rotation of the coupling joint and a center of rotation of the photoconductor drum to an upstream side with respect to a direction of rotation of the coupling joint as viewed in an axial direction of the development roller, such that the development roller is pressed against the photoconductor drum by the action of the rotatory force received by the coupling joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatoshi SHIRAKI, Hiroki MORI
  • Publication number: 20120263505
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner particle-bearing roller that bears toner particles on its surface and develops a latent image borne by an image-bearing member with those toner particles, the toner particle-bearing roller has a projection portion disposed on its surface, the projection portion having a top surface having a flat portion, and a width of the top surface being equal to or more than a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Tomohiro ARUGA, Noboru SAKURAI, Katsumi Okamoto, Hiroshi Kato, Masanao Kunugi, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8284458
    Abstract: A detecting unit detects output-prohibit area information indicating an output-prohibit area from image data. An identifying unit identifies the output-prohibit area in the image data based on the output-prohibit area information detected by the detecting unit. A masking unit performs a masking on the output-prohibit area identified by the identifying unit. A rearranging unit rearranges an image of an area other than the output-prohibit area over the output-prohibit area on which the masking is performed by the masking unit. An outputting unit outputs image data obtained by rearranging the image by the rearranging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Taro Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8275297
    Abstract: An electronic photograph printer is provided for elastically biasing the developer apparatus having the photosensitive drum by the pressing mechanism and for pressing the developer roll onto the photosensitive drum. In this configuration, quality in the developed image can be ensured by the trackable movement of the developer roll relative to the photosensitive drum in the electronic photograph printer. In addition, adjustable range for positioning the developer roll and operability and maintainability within the developer apparatus can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Junichi Setoyama, Kouichi Ooyama
  • Publication number: 20120230738
    Abstract: A driving force transmission mechanism includes a connection for integrally rotating a driving shaft on the driving source side and a driven shaft of a rotary member. The connection includes a tubular boss portion; and a fitting shaft portion fitted into the tubular boss portion. An inner shaft portion is provided in a projecting manner from bottom center of the tubular boss portion toward inside the tubular boss portion. An inner recessed portion into which the inner shaft portion fits is provided in center of a leading edge plane for fitting of the fitting shaft portion. Micro gaps are provided between an inner surface of the tubular boss portion and an outer surface of the fitting shaft portion and between an inner surface of the inner recessed portion and an outer surface of the inner shaft portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Hideo YOSHIZAWA, Kiyonori Tsuda, Takuzi Yoneda, Yutaka Takahashi, Emi Kita, Yuki Oshikawa, Kohichi Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8265525
    Abstract: The invention provides an electroconductive roll having at least a surface layer forming an outer peripheral surface of the electroconductive roll. The surface layer contains projections and recesses. The projections contain a plurality of particles. A ratio of an area occupied by particles existing in a cross-section of a projection to an entire area of the cross-section of the projection is larger than a ratio of an area occupied by particles existing in a cross-section of a recess to an entire area of the cross-section of the recess. The invention further provides a process cartridge having a charging roll which is the electroconductive roll and/or a transfer roll which is the electroconductive roll. The invention further provides an image forming apparatus having a charging unit containing the electroconductive roll and/or a transfer unit containing the electroconductive roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noboru Wada
  • Publication number: 20120219331
    Abstract: An image forming unit includes a cylindrical rotatable image carrier that holds an electrostatic latent image, a cylindrical rotatable developer carrier that develops the held electrostatic latent image on the image carrier, and a cylindrical rotatable developer supplying member that supplies a developer to the developer carrier. Distance controlling members control the distance between axes of the image carrier and the developer carrier. A developer carrier gear is fixed on the developer carrier. A developer supplying member gear is fixed on the developer supplying member. A cylindrical rotatable idle gear engages with the developer carrier gear and the developer supplying member gear. A link member maintains constant the distance between rotational axes of the developer supplying member and the idle gear. Another link member maintains constant the distance between rotational axes of the developer carrier gear and the idle gear. A connecting member connects the two link members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8229334
    Abstract: A developer unit according to one aspect of the invention includes: a developer accommodation member configured to accommodate a developer having charging polarity to a first polarity opposite to a second polarity; a developing roller arranged at the developer accommodation member, the developing roller being configured to carry the developer; a supply roller arranged at the developer accommodation member and configured to supply the developer to the developing roller, an image formation width being defined on a surface of the supply roller along an axis direction of the supply roller; and a charging member brought into sliding contact with an outside of the image formation width of the supply roller. The charging member at a portion brought into sliding contact with the supply roller is formed of a material which is positioned on a side of the second polarity on a triboelectric series relative to the supply roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20120163879
    Abstract: A developing roller including a housing containing toner; and a developing roller installed in the housing and supplies the toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor, the developing roller including a cylindrical unit in the form of a hollow pipe and a power transmission unit connected to one end of the cylindrical unit and connected to a power transmission member for rotating the developing roller. Both ends of the cylindrical unit are supported by the housing and the power transmission unit is not restricted by the housing. Both ends of the cylindrical unit are supported by the housing and the power transmission unit is not restricted by the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-hwa Joo, In-cheol Jeon, Woong-yong Choi, Ki-jae Do, Jun-ho Kim, Sang-jin Park, Jong-uk Kim
  • Publication number: 20120163855
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an improved configuration to prevent foreign substances from accumulating on a space maintaining member used to maintain a constant distance between a photoconductor and a developer delivery member. The image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a developer delivery member to deliver and feed developer to the photoconductor, a cleaning member to remove the developer and foreign substances remaining on a surface of the photoconductor while coming into contact with the photoconductor, and a space maintaining member arranged to come into contact with the photoconductor so as to maintain a constant developing gap or developing nip between the photoconductor and the developer delivery member. The space maintaining member is located between both ends of the cleaning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Young Wok SEO, Ji Won Moon, Ho Jin Jang, Dong Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 8200130
    Abstract: In a hybrid development method using a plurality of toner carriers, a development device and image forming apparatus are provided, wherein high image quality in which toner density is not reduced even in the case of high speed printing and the occurrence of development hysteresis (ghost) is controlled is ensured by accelerating the collection of the post-development residual toner on the toner carrier. The counter-charge having occurred in the developer remains in the developer without decreasing to disappear until the developer moves to the second toner carrier on the downstream-side, wherein this counter-charge is caused by supplying toner to the first toner carrier upstream in the rotating direction of the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Maeyama, Toshiya Natsuhara, Junya Hirayama, Shigeo Uetake, Makiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8175501
    Abstract: A development roller, including a development sleeve disposed near a photo conductive drum, a magnetic roller disposed in the development sleeve, and a supplying device configured to supply a developer including a toner and a magnetic carrier to the photo conductive drum uniformly, the development sleeve having an outer surface on which the developer including the toner and the magnetic carrier is adsorbed by a magnetic force of the magnetic roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kamiya, Tsuyoshi Imamura, Sumio Kamoi, Kyohta Koetsuka, Yoshiyuki Takano, Mieko Terashima, Satoshi Terashima, Hiroya Abe, Shigeharu Nakamura, Masaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8155561
    Abstract: A positioning roller is configured to be pressed against an abutment block by a reactive force produced when the positioning roller abuts on an S-D-direction abutment block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromasa Katayama
  • Patent number: 8135316
    Abstract: An image forming device comprises a process cartridge. The process cartridge comprises a development roller. The development roller comprises a magnet roller and a developing sleeve 132. The magnet roller is fixed. The depressions 139 each having an oval shape are formed on the external surface of the developing sleeve 132. Both ends of the depressions 139 which are adjacent with each other along the longitudinal direction of the developing sleeve 132 are overlapped with each other and both ends of the depressions 139 which are adjacent with each other along the circumferential direction of the developing sleeve 132 are spaced with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Kojima, Kyohta Koetsuka, Noriyuki Kamiya, Rei Suzuki, Tadaaki Hattori, Yoshiyuki Takano, Masayuki Ohsawa, Hiroya Abe, Takashi Innami
  • Patent number: 8116661
    Abstract: A process cartridge is provided that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. A coupling member is provided adjacent to one axial end of the developing roller, with the coupling member including a driven portion, an intermediary portion, and a driving portion. A retaining portion is also provided, with the retaining portion configured and positioned to retain an axis of the driving portion of the coupling member in a position that is deviated from the axis of the developing roller in a direction crossing the axis of the developing roller so as to enable engagement of the driving portion with a driving member of the image forming apparatus when the process cartridge is inserted into the main assembly of the apparatus with the developing roller being in contact with the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Chadani, Tomonori Mori, Koji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8101096
    Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive rubber member which exhibits low electrical resistance, and has properties that are less affected by environmental factors, and excellent staining resistance. The conductive rubber member of the present invention has a base rubber predominantly containing epichlorohydrin rubber, and a conductive elastic layer which is formed, through hardening and molding of a rubber composition, wherein the rubber composition contains, as vulcanizing agents, a thiourea-type vulcanizing agent and a thiuram-type vulcanizing agent, and contains no elemental sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Synztec Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junya Hoshi
  • Patent number: 8099030
    Abstract: In a system or method for development of potential images of images to be printed and generated on an intermediate image carrier using a developer fluid comprising charged toner particles and developer fluid in an electrographic printing or copying device, a feed device is provided comprising as function elements at least one chamber scraper, a raster element comprising cups to receiver the developer fluid, and at least one first flow element arranged in the chamber scraper. Between the at least one flow element and the raster element an electrical voltage is supplied such that a toner particle concentration in the cups of the raster element is increased. An application device accepts the developer fluid from the feed device and supplies it to the intermediate image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Berg, Volkhard Maess, Andreas Wirtz
  • Patent number: 8097339
    Abstract: A method of forming and a resulting selectively polished fuser member. The method includes selectively polishing that portion of the fuser member surface not subject to rapid natural wear. The method further includes polishing both a surface region subject to rapid sheet edge wear and a surface region not subject to rapid sheet edge wear, and polishing the surface region not subject to rapid sheet edge wear more than the surface region subject to rapid sheet edge wear. The rapid natural wear corresponds to sheet edge wear on the fuser member surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel L. Coughlin, Jr., Patrick J. Finn
  • Patent number: 8095051
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an abutment roller which is provided at either end of a developing sleeve in a longitudinal direction and makes an SD gap (Gsd) between a photosensitive drum and a developing sleeve constant, an abutment block which is provided at either end of the photosensitive drum in a longitudinal direction and on which the abutment roller abuts, and a pressing spring which directly presses the abutment roller toward the abutment block. The stability of the SD gap (Gsd) and reduction of the driving load torque of the developing sleeve can be achieved to cope with both high image quality and durability of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromasa Katayama
  • Patent number: 8086132
    Abstract: A charge roller wiper for photoconductor unit for forming a toner image in an image forming device. The photoconductor unit comprises a photoconductor drum, a charge roller and a first charge roller wiper. The photoconductor drum receives toner particles for forming the toner image that is transferred onto a media sheet. The charge roller charges the photoconductor drum. A first charge roller wiper is disposed substantially parallel to path along which the charge roller moves between a working position and a storage position. The first charge roller wiper is configured to peripherally contact and clean the charge roller when the charge roller assumes a working position. A second charge roller wiper may be provided adjacent the storage position and disposed substantially perpendicular to the first charge roller wiper and directly in the path along which the charge roller moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Alan Askren, Benjamin John Goebel, Christian Blair Miller
  • Patent number: 8086151
    Abstract: A mono-component developing apparatus including a developing roller which transports toner supported on an outer circumferential face of a center portion toward a developing area by rotating while frictionally sliding on a sealing member on each of two end portions. The developing roller includes surface processing areas having a spiral shape, placed on each of outer circumferential faces of the two end portions. An angle, made by a spiral direction of each surface processing area and the rotation direction, is an acute angle. The developing roller inhibits toner leakage, with the driving torque of the developing roller being only slightly increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Nishikawa, Toshihide Taniguchi, Toshiyuki Sakai, Norikazu Okabe, Hiromasa Ueno
  • Patent number: 8086152
    Abstract: The present invention provides a developing device that includes a toner bearing member that includes regularly arranged projection sections and depressed sections for bearing toner, and that develops a latent image borne on an image bearing member with the toner borne on the projection sections and the depressed sections, wherein the latent image is developed in a state in which a projection section covering ratio at which toner contacting the projection sections covers the projection sections is smaller than a depressed section covering ratio at which toner contacting the depressed sections covers the depressed sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8086150
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner particle-bearing roller that bears toner particles on its surface and develops a latent image borne by an image-bearing member with those toner particles, the toner particle-bearing roller has a projection portion disposed on its surface, the projection portion having a top surface having a flat portion, and a width of the top surface being equal to or more than a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Tomohiro Aruga, Noboru Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8068772
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier supplying developer to an electrostatic latent image carrier which is rotatable. The developer carrier includes a conductive metal core and a conductive elastic layer that is disposed outside a circumference of the conductive metal core and includes a surface having a roughness formed thereon. The surface of the conductive elastic layer satisfies a relationship 1.0<Rz2/Rz1<1.60, where Rz1 and Rz2 are ten-point mean roughenesses in a circumference direction and an axial direction of the developer carrier, respectively, and satisfies a relationship 0.20<Sm2/Sm1<1.00, where Sm1 and Sm2 are mean widths of profile elements of the surface of the conductive elastic layer in the circumference direction and the axial direction of the developer carrier, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8059995
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image bearing member; and a developer bearing member bearing a developer including a toner and a carrier, the developer bearing member developing an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer, and the developer bearing member being applied with an alternate voltage in order to form an alternate electric field between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member, wherein assuming that electric field intensities Eb and Ed be Eb=|(Vp1?VL)/D| and Ed=|(Vp2?VL)/D|, a relationship, 0?K1>K2, is satisfied, where K1: a gradient at Ed, and K2: a gradient at Eb, and wherein a resistivity ?b of the carrier at the electric field intensity Eb satisfies 1.1×106×en<?b<6.0×107 [?·m] (where: e is the base of natural logarithms; and n=4×Eb×10?7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamamoto, Yoshinobu Baba, Manami Haraguchi, Kenta Kubo
  • Patent number: 8059997
    Abstract: A developer carrying member is disclosed which can stably provide toners with triboelectric charges even in various environments. The developer carrying member has a substrate and a resin layer as a surface layer formed on the surface of the substrate, and the resin layer contains a thermosetting resin as a binder resin, an acrylic resin having two units having specific structures, and conductive particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Otake, Masayoshi Shimamura, Yasutaka Akashi, Takuma Matsuda, Minoru Ito, Kazuhito Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 8055169
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer supporting member abutting against an image supporting member for developing a static latent image on the image supporting member. In a state that a film member is disposed between the image supporting member and the developer supporting member, it is arranged such that the film member is extended with a tensional force N (N) when the image supporting member and the developer supporting member rotate. The tensional force N has a relationship as follows: (A×B×exp(0.32×F?16))/N?11.6 where A (mm) is a difference between an outer diameter of a center portion of the developer supporting member and an outer diameter of an end portion of the developer supporting member; B (mm) is a wobble amount of the end portion of the developer supporting member; and F (degree) is an Asker C hardness of the developer supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takaaki Ebe
  • Patent number: 8055166
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a roll member that includes one or more linear arrays of actuator cells and methods for making and using the roll member. In one embodiment, each linear array of the roll member can be controllably actuated as a group by, e.g., an oscillating voltage, to release toner particles adhered thereto and to form a uniform toner cloud in the development area between the roll member and an image receiving member. The controllable actuation can also aid in the unloading process of the residual toner particles from the roll member. In various embodiments, the uniform toner cloud and/or the controllable unloading process can enable a non-interactive development system for image-on-image full-color printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Lalit Keshav Mestha, Palghat Ramesh, John G. Shaw, Dale R. Mashtare, Joel A. Kubby
  • Patent number: 8050601
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide a roll member that includes one or more piezoelectric tape and methods for making and using the roll member. The piezoelectric tape can be flexible and include a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured in a manner that the piezoelectric elements can be addressed individually or as groups with various numbers of elements in each group. In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed roll member can be used as a donor roll for a development system of an electrophotographic printing machine to create controlled and desired toner powder cloud for high quality image development, such as an image on image development in a hybrid scavengeless development (HSD) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Pinyen Lin, Baomin Xu, Lalit K. Mestha
  • Patent number: 8041251
    Abstract: A developing device used for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier in an image forming device, comprises a developer carrier roller which is rotationally driven, and a toner thin layer forming member which is brought into contact with the developer carrier roller, wherein the developer carrier roller is formed in the shape of an inverted crown which is concave at the central portion in the direction of the rotation axis, and a starting point of the shape of the inverted crown is positioned further outside in the direction of the rotation axis than toner thin layer region formed by the toner thin layer forming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayuki Nishi, Munenori Nakano
  • Patent number: 8041270
    Abstract: An image developer using a one-component developer, Including a developing roller visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearer with a pulverized toner; and a feed roller feeding the pulverized toner to the developing roller while contacting thereto, wherein the pulverized toner includes a parent toner; a wax; and an external additive comprising an additive having a number-average particle diameter of from 20 to 60 nm and adhering to the surface of the parent toner at an adherence strength of from 50 to 70%, and wherein the following relationships (1) to (3) are satisfied: 4.70<Log10 R<5.70??(1) 8.00<Log10 Z<10.70??(2) ?6.25*Log10 R+37.5<Log10 Z<?6.25*Log10 R+45.6??(3) wherein R represents a resistivity of the developing roller and Z represents an impedance of the pulverized toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hideaki Yasunaga, Masayuki Hagi, Yoshihiro Mikuriya, Hiroaki Katoh, Kazuoki Fuwa, Masahide Inoue, Yoshitaka Sekiguchi, Satoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8041269
    Abstract: A development apparatus includes a first developer chamber configured to store and supply the developer, a first developer bearer configured to convey the developer supplied from the first developer chamber to a first development domain, defined by a portion of the first developer bearer facing a latent image bearer, to develop the latent image, a second developer bearer configured to convey the developer passed through the first development domain to a second development domain, defined by a portion of the second developer bearer facing the latent image bearer, to develop the latent image, a second developer chamber configured to recover the developer passing through the second development domain and store the recovered developer, and a transfer prevention member provided between the second developer chamber and the second developer bearer to reduce a transfer of the developer from the second developer chamber to the second developer bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kubo, Yoshitaka Fujinuma, Takashi Suzuki, Susumu Tateyama, Tsutomu Nakagawa, Masayoshi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8036544
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a developer container containing a developer and a developer carrying member for carrying the developer and adapted to switch an AC voltage to be applied to the developer carrying member. The apparatus includes a detecting member for detecting the amount of developer in the developer container and a processing portion for determining the amount of developer in the developer container according to the value output by the detecting member when the AC voltage is applied to the developer carrying member. The processing portion is adapted to determine the amount of developer by executing a process that corresponds to the operation of switching the AC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Takeo Shoji, Satoshi Sunahara, Hideaki Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20110243615
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with first spacing members having an outer diameter larger than that of a first developing roller, which first spacing members are disposed at two ends of the first developing roller coaxially with the first developing roller, second spacing members having an outer diameter larger than that of a second developing roller, which second spacing rollers are disposed at two ends of the second developing roller coaxially with the second developing roller, a first retaining member, a second retaining member, a first biasing member, a second biasing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventor: Ichiro Sawano
  • Publication number: 20110236063
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller main body; a developing roller shaft, which is arranged along a central axis line of the developing roller main body, and which protrudes from both end portions of the developing roller main body along the central axis line, wherein the developing roller shaft includes a small diameter part located at a first end portion in the axis line direction, the small diameter part having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of a second end portion opposite to the first end portion; and a developing gear that is fixed to the first end portion of the developing roller shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi HANDA, Hiroki MORI
  • Patent number: 8019260
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developer carrying member, contactable to the image bearing member, for carrying a developer to a developing position to develop an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer; a supplying member for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, wherein a peripheral speed of the developer carrying member is not less than 1.05 times and not more than 1.20 times a peripheral speed of the image bearing member, and an arithmetic average roughness Ra is not less than 0.20 times and not more than 0.33 times a volume average particle size of the developer, wherein a potential applied to the supplying member is different from a potential applied to the developer carrying member toward a larger potential of a regular charge polarity of the developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rie Endo, Shuji Moriya, Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Norio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8019259
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, a bearing member, a biasing member, and a guide. The developer carrier supplies a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. The bearing member rotatably supports the developer carrier axially. The biasing member is provided on a side of the bearing member opposite the image carrier to apply a force to the bearing member to move the bearing member and the developer carrier toward the image carrier. The guide is disposed about the bearing member to enable the bearing member to move therebetween and guide the bearing member toward the image carrier. The bearing member includes a rotatable part to rotate and slide over the guide while contacting the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Osamu Saito
  • Patent number: 8010022
    Abstract: A developing roller having a properly adjusted toner feed quantity comprises a shaft, an elastic layer and a surface covering layer, in which a JIS 10-point average roughness (Rz) of the surface is 4-7 ?m and a specular gloss at 85° according to JIS Z8741 of the surface is 14-55.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8010023
    Abstract: A developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier by supplying a one-component developer to the image carrier. Good images can be obtained over long periods of time, without printing history becoming apparent on account of residual developer. The developing device has a developer carrier that is rotatable and disposed facing an image carrier; and a conductive developer supply and recovery member rotatably arranged so as to abut the developer carrier. The rotation direction of the conductive developer supply and recovery member is opposite to the rotation direction of the developer carrier at a position where the developer carrier and the conductive developer supply and recovery member abut each other. A contact pressure P between the developer carrier and the conductive developer supply and recovery member is set so as to satisfy the relationship 0 (kPa)<P<5.0 (kPa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Murayama, Shuichi Nakagawa, Ryuji Inoue, Shintaro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8000631
    Abstract: A developing device is provided to suppress image density unevenness by adjusting conditions of toner adhesion to an amorphous silicon photoconductor to a suitable range even when using both an amorphous silicon photoconductor and a nonmagnetic monocomponent toner and practicing development in a non-contact system. The developing device satisfies the relational expression: (f×1.5/?)2>?1.576×10?2×q/m×(Vpp/Ds2)+31.9×106 where Ds (m) is a distance between the photoconductor and the toner carrier, f (Hz) is a frequency of an AC bias applied to the toner carrier, Vpp (V) is an amplitude of the AC bias, ? (?) is a ratio of a peripheral speed of the toner carrier to a peripheral speed of the amorphous silicon photoconductor, and q/m (C/kg) is a charge quantity per unit mass of the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Minoru Wada
  • Patent number: 7991319
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a toner carrier roller rotatably mounted to a housing that stores toner rotates to convey toner to an opposed position facing a latent image carrier outside the housing. A plurality of convex sections are regularly arranged on a surface of the roller in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis and in a circumferential direction orthogonal to the axial direction and parallel to a circumferential surface of the roller and a concave section surrounds the convex sections. A seal member abuts the surface of the roller moving from the outside toward the inside of the housing at a position downstream of the opposed position in a rotation direction of the roller to prevent toner leakage from inside the housing. The roller moves relative to the seal member in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Aruga, Masahiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20110182627
    Abstract: A processing unit is provided. He processing unit comprises: a housing; a developing roller that carries developer on a surface thereof, the developing roller including, a hollow roller body, and a covering layer covering an outer circumferential surface of the roller body; a photosensitive drum that contacts the developing roller, wherein an end face of the photosensitive drum at a first side in an axial direction of the developing roller is located at an outer side in the axial direction compared to an end face of the developing roller at the first side in the axial direction, and wherein the developer on the developing roller is supplied to the photosensitive drum; and a supporting member that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the roller body at the first side in the axial direction, and supports the developing roller rotatably in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatoshi SHIRAKI, Hiroshi HANDA
  • Patent number: 7979012
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit; a transferring unit; and a control unit that performs an image forming process by controlling the latent image carrier, the charging unit, the latent image forming unit, the developing unit and the transferring unit, wherein, during execution of the image forming process, the latent image carrier circulates by passing through the charging position, the developing position and the transferring position in a state in which at least one of toner, which is charged with a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity, and external additive agent, which is separated from the toner and charged with a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity, is distributed and adhered to the surface of the latent image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Atsunori Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 7974549
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing roller on the surface of which intersecting inclined grooves are formed by rolling working; and a seal member which comes into contact with the developing roller, wherein ridge portions of a convex portion surrounded by the inclined grooves of the surface of the developing roller are formed such that rotational resistance due to the contact of the seal member on the downstream side of a rotation direction opposite to a rotation direction of the developing roller at the time of development is larger than rotational resistance due to the contact of the seal member on the downstream side of a rotation direction of the developing roller at the time of development, and at the time of refreshing of the seal member, the developing roller is rotated in the opposite direction to a direction at the time of development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Aoki, Katsumi Okamoto, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20110158703
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer bearing member, a supporting portion, an urging unit, and a movement regulating member. The developer bearing member rotates while bearing developer. The supporting portion rotatably and movably supports the developer bearing member and includes a recessed portion that is formed into a concave shape. The urging unit urges the developer bearing member in a predetermined direction of the rotational axis direction. The movement regulating member is fitted to an end of the developer bearing member and is movable together with the developer bearing member. The movement regulating member may move to a first position where movement in a perpendicular direction is regulated by coming into contact with a portion of the supporting portion and a second position that is a position apart from the first position and movable in the perpendicular direction without coming into contact with the portion of the supporting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Hideki Kakuta, Yasunori Toriyama
  • Publication number: 20110158704
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller that is rotatable about a developing roller axis line, which extends in a predetermined direction; a supply roller, which is rotatable about a supply roller axis line, which extends in the predetermined direction, and which supplies developer to the developing roller; a developing roller driving gear that is connected to the developing roller; a supply roller driving gear that is connected to the supply roller; and a driving force transmission gear, which is rotatable about a gear axis line extending in the predetermined direction, and which includes: a first gear part meshed with the developing roller driving gear; and a second gear part meshed with the supply roller driving gear. The driving force transmission gear transmits driving force to the developing roller driving gear and the supply roller driving gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeyuki TAKAGI, Hiroki MORI
  • Patent number: 7965958
    Abstract: A developing device that supplies developer to an image carrier. In a developing device having a developer carrier that is driven in rotation by drive force applied to a gear provided on the shaft section thereof, the developer carrier being pressed in the direction of the image carrier, the effect of the gear drive force on the pressing force of the developer carrier onto the image carrier can be eliminated. The bearing that supports the shaft section is made slidable and the sliding direction of the bearing with respect to the direction of the drive force is set at about 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Koji Kato