Regulating (e.g., Doctor) Patents (Class 399/284)
  • Patent number: 9427825
    Abstract: A method for welding a developing blade to a supporting member may include increasing a relative movement speed of a welding laser and a developing blade, along a moving direction. The method may include maintaining, upon the welding laser reaching the developing blade, the relative movement speed and initiating irradiation of the welding laser toward the developing blade and the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Hikaru Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 9400452
    Abstract: An image forming unit includes a first developer supply member that is arranged inside a developer container and supplies a developer to a developer carrier, a seal member of which a fixed end is fixed on a case. The case has a first wall part that extends from the fixed end obliquely downward with respect to a vertical direction and a second wall part that continues from the first wall part and extends along an outer peripheral surface of the first developer supply member, and a first distance between an inner peripheral surface of the first wall part and the outer peripheral surface of the first developer supply member becomes smaller with increasing distance from the fixed end of the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Fumitaka Ozeki
  • Patent number: 9377711
    Abstract: Aspects include an apparatus, a blade assembly, and a method for manufacturing the apparatus with the blade assembly. The apparatus may include a developer carrier for carrying developer and a blade assembly. The blade assembly may include a blade disposed adjacent to the developer carrier and configured to regulate an amount of developer on the developer carrier. The blade may include a plurality of weld marks joining the blade to the supporting member. Each of the plurality of weld marks may overlap with an adjacent one of the plurality of weld marks. Together the weld marks may form a combined weld mark that extends in a direction that the blade extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Hikaru Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 9348257
    Abstract: In a developing device, a developing roller has an outer peripheral surface movable in a moving direction upon rotation of the developing roller to transfer developing agent to a developing region having a width in an axial direction of the developing roller. A thickness regulation blade includes a rubber portion. The rubber portion provides a contact region in contact with the outer peripheral surface to provide a nip region relative to the developing roller. The contact region includes a first region; and a second region. The first region and the second region each extends in the axial direction by a length at least equal to or greater than the width of the developing region. The first region has a first surface roughness. The second region is positioned downstream of the first region in the moving direction and has a second surface roughness finer than the first surface roughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Marika Ogiso, Masashi Imai
  • Patent number: 9335654
    Abstract: A development device includes a first frame and a second frame. The second frame is configured to be combined with the first frame by fixing first, second and third walls of the first frame to the second frame. The first and second walls are disposed opposite to each other, and the third wall is configured to connect the first and second walls. An opening is formed by the combined first and second frames. The first frame includes first and second engageable portions, and the second frame includes third and fourth engageable portions, such that engagement of the first and second engageable portions with the third and fourth engageable portions brings the first and second frames into alignment. The first and second engageable portions are disposed between the first wall and the second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Patent number: 9316940
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9280082
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing made of resin; a developer carrier, which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which is configured to carry developer on a circumferential surface thereof; a receiving-side coupling member, which is provided rotatably to one of end portions of the developer carrier and is configured to couple with a driving-side coupling member in the rotational axial direction to transmit driving force to the developer carrier; a blade, which is provided along the rotational axial direction, and which configured to contact the circumferential surface of the developer carrier to regulate a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface; and a support member, which is bent into an L-shape as viewed from the rotational axial direction, and which supports the blade, wherein the receiving-side coupling member is overlapped with a bending portion of the support member, as viewed from the rotational axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Shiraki, Hiroshi Handa, Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9274452
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9261810
    Abstract: A printing apparatus herein includes a sheet feeder and a photoreceptor adjacent the sheet feeder. The photoreceptor receives print media from the sheet feeder, and the photoreceptor transfers toner to the print media. A development roll is adjacent the photoreceptor. The development roll supplies a metered amount of charged toner to the photoreceptor. Also, a supply roll is adjacent the development roll. The supply roll supplies toner to the development roll. In this device, multiple charge blades (e.g., first, second, third, etc., charge blades) contact the development roll, and a charge generator can be electrically connected to the charge blade, supply roll, and development roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael F. Zona
  • Patent number: 9239538
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9229357
    Abstract: A developing blade apparatus may include a supporting a protrusion and a developing blade connected to the supporting member and including an opening. The protrusion of the supporting member may be disposed within the opening. The developing blade may include a plurality of weld marks that includes a first weld mark and a second weld mark. The protrusion and the opening are disposed between the first weld mark and the second weld mark on an imaginary straight line connecting the first weld mark and the second weld mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Hikaru Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 9213257
    Abstract: A developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a rotatable developing-agent bearing member configured to bear developing agent, a developing container configured to form a developing-agent storage chamber that stores the developing agent, a developing-agent regulating portion provided in the developing container to regulate an amount of the developing agent born on the developing-agent bearing member, a support portion configured to support the developing-agent bearing member movably relative to the developing-agent regulating portion, and a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the developing-agent bearing member toward the developing-agent regulating portion. A contact portion of the developing-agent regulating portion with the developing-agent bearing member is fixed to the developing container without forming a gap from the developing container on a downstream side in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Baba, Makoto Tokudome, Masao Uyama, Yuichiro Hirata, Kodai Hayashi, Keisuke Mochizuki, Norihito Naito
  • Patent number: 9201336
    Abstract: A developing device including: a toner bearing member configured to bear a toner on a surface of the toner bearing member and configured such that the surface thereof is rotated to supply the toner to and develop a latent electrostatic image on a surface of a latent electrostatic image bearing member in a developing region which faces the latent electrostatic image bearing member; and a regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the toner to be moved towards the developing region, wherein the surface of the toner bearing member has regularly arranged convex portions, and wherein a non-electrostatic adhesive force between the toner and the surface of the toner bearing member is less than 9.0 nN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Endou, Yasuyuki Ishii, Yoshiko Ogawa, Yuuji Ishikura, Hideyasu Seki, Toshio Koike, Akihiro Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9182699
    Abstract: A developing device causes toner to be discharged from a foam layer by an intrusion member configured to intrude into the foam layer of a supply roller, and to be supplied to above a contact region between a developing roller and the supply roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9176431
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and the developer bearer includes a magnetic field generator having multiple magnetic poles and a cylindrical developing sleeve to rotate and bear developer on an outer circumferential face thereof with magnetic force of the magnetic field generator provided inside the developing sleeve. The developing sleeve receives developing bias voltage including an AC component, and includes a base to maintain a cylindrical shape of the developing sleeve and a low friction surface layer including a material lower in friction coefficient with toner than a material of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Koike, Kiyonori Tsuda, Yutaka Takahashi, Yuichi Aizawa, Keinosuke Kondoh, Kentaro Mikuniya
  • Patent number: 9158228
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and a planar metal developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer carried by the developer bearer to the development range. The developer bearer includes a developer carrying range having surface unevenness, and the developer regulator includes a fixed end portion held by a regulator holder and a free end portion to contact a surface of the developer bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Ogawa, Osamu Endou, Yasuyuki Ishii, Yuuji Ishikura, Hideyasu Seki, Tetsuro Hirota
  • Patent number: 9141033
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: a housing that has a first wall part and a second wall part arranged at an interval from the first wall part and is configured to accommodate developer; a developer carrier that is rotatably supported to the housing and carries the developer; a layer thickness regulation member that is supported to the housing so that it is arranged at an opposite side to the second wall part with respect to the first wall part and that is configured to regulate a layer thickness of the developer carried on a surface of the developer carrier, and a covering member that is arranged at an opposite side to the second wall part with respect to the layer thickness regulation member and covers the layer thickness regulation member, wherein the covering member has a grip to grip the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nao Itabashi, Ryuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9116467
    Abstract: A developing apparatus used in an image forming apparatus, including: a developer carrying member configured to carry a developer; and a control member configured to control the amount of a developer carried on the developer carrying member, wherein the control member is manufactured by cutting a supporting member covered with a covering member in a cutting direction intersecting a surface of the supporting member so as to be a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the covering member provided on the upstream side of the control member in the cutting direction comes into contact with the developer carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kodai Hayashi, Hisashi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9116461
    Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and a layer thickness regulating member which includes a blade configured to contact the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, a support member supporting the blade, and a reinforcement member provided at an opposite side to the support member with respect to the blade and reinforcing the blade. The support member includes a first part which contacts the blade, and to which the blade is fixed, a second part which is connected to the reinforcement member, and a third part which is attached to the housing. As viewed from the rotational axial direction, the first part and the third part are provided on a same first plane, and the second part is provided on a second plane intersecting with the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9058011
    Abstract: A cleaning device having a cleaning blade for removing toner remaining on a surface of an image bearing member; a cleaning unit frame (or a developing unit frame) for supporting the cleaning blade; and a plurality of projections provided on the cleaning (developing) unit frame. The projections are bent outwardly to secure the cleaning blade to the cleaning unit frame. Alternatively, a projection is provided on the cleaning (developing) unit frame having a recess, where the recess expands outwardly from a base portion of the projection to a free end of the projection to secure the cleaning blade to the cleaning (developing) unit frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroomi Matsuzaki, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9046814
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing chamber, a developer containing chamber located on the lower side of the developing chamber, a partition wall configured to separate the developing chamber and the developer containing chamber, an opening configured to allow the developing chamber and the developer containing chamber to communicate with each other, disposed on the partition wall, a developer conveyance member configured to convey developer from the developer containing chamber to the developing chamber by causing the developer to pass through the opening, disposed on the developer containing chamber. In the developing device, a convex portion which protrudes to the developing chamber side is disposed on the partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kuniaki Hirukawa, Hideki Maeshima, Shuichi Gofuku
  • Publication number: 20150147098
    Abstract: An improved printer cartridge is provided with a barrier for reducing pressure on printing assembly components in an extended yield cartridge. A printing assembly, including cartridge casing, magnetic developer roller, and hopper, is provided for use with laser printers. A barrier formed by a base and a wall is positioned within the cartridge casing, between the magnetic developer roller and a feed section of the hopper. The wall of the barrier is tangent to the magnetic developer roller, minimizing the area of the magnetic developer roller which is exposed to a medium stored within the hopper and feed section, such as toner. Since exposed surface area is reduce, the amount of pressure on the magnetic developer roller is correspondingly reduced, allowing for an increase in lifespan for the magnetic roller and interactive components, primarily a doctor blade and sealing blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: FLO-TECH, LLC
    Inventor: Peter Vincent MASSARO, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150139683
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member, a developer regulating member, and a space ensuring member. The space ensuring member includes a maintaining unit configured to maintain the space between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member, a rotation regulating portion configured to prevent the space ensuring member from moving, and a cover portion disposed to be not in contact with a surface of the developer bearing member and configured to cover a part of the developer bearing member. The cover portion is configured to cover at least part of an area in which the developer bearing member faces the image bearing member in a rotational direction of the developer bearing member, the area being on an outer side than an end portion of the developer regulating member in a longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Kojiro Yasui
  • Publication number: 20150132029
    Abstract: A regulating member for regulating a developer amount carried on a developer carrying member includes a plate-like supporting member having an elasticity, the supporting member being provided with a fixed portion for being fixed to a fixed part; a first contact portion contactable to the developer carrying member, the first contact portion protruding from the regulating member from a side of the supporting member; and a second contact portion contactable to and the developer carrying member, the second contact portion being at a position closer to the fixed portion than the first contact portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Takashi Kase, Hideaki Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20150132028
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a photosensitive drum capable of carrying a toner image, a developing roller that is provided to be capable of rotating while carrying toner, and that supplies the toner to the photosensitive drum by contacting the photosensitive drum, a regulating blade that regulates a layer thickness of the toner carried on the developing roller, and voltage applying device for applying a voltage to the developing roller and the regulating blade, the developing roller includes a conductive base layer and a surface layer covering the base layer, and a surface charge density of the developing roller is equal to or smaller than a surface charge density of the toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Orihara, Shuhei Tokiwa, Kazunari Hagiwara, Manami Haraguchi, Makoto Fukatsu, Atsushi Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20150132026
    Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a developer carrier, a regulator, a first developer storing chamber, a plurality of conveyers disposed within the first developer storing chamber, a second developer storing chamber in communication with the first developer storing chamber, and a supply member disposed within the second developer storing chamber. The developer carrier carries developer on its surface and supplies developer to a latent image carrier carrying a latent image. The regulator regulates the thickness of developer on the surface of the developer carrier. The first developer storing chamber stores developer separated from the developer carrier by the regulator and is to be supplied with fresh developer. Each of the plurality of conveyers coveys developer in a different conveyance direction. The second developer storing chamber is to be supplied with developer from the first developer storing chamber. The supply member supplies developer to the developer carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Tomofumi YOSHIDA, Takafumi MIYAZAKI, Yasuhide OHKUBO, Yuusuke FURUICHI, Rie MITANI
  • Patent number: 9026013
    Abstract: A developer apparatus including a housing defining a chamber storing a supply of toner, and a developer roll disposed in the chamber, the developer roll configured to rotate about a longitudinal access to transport toner on a surface of the developer roll to a development zone. The developer apparatus also includes a charge/metering blade having a curved section configured to contact the surface of the developer roll so as to form an adjustable contact nip. The charge/metering blade also includes an overhang configured to control an amount of toner to enter the adjustable contact nip formed by the at least one curved section of the charge/metering blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael F. Zona
  • Patent number: 9020389
    Abstract: A developing device is capable of preventing developing agent from leaking from a developing frame of a developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a developing agent carrying member including a rubber roller, a first seal including a first fluffing member, and a second seal including a second base member and a second fluffing member fixed thereto. The second base member and the second fluffing member have downstream end portions in a rotational direction of the developing agent carrying member. The downstream end portion of the second base member is positioned upstream of the downstream end portion of the second fluffing member. The downstream end portion of the second fluffing member is nipped between the first fluffing member and the rubber roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ito, Hirofumi Kuriki, Ryuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9020405
    Abstract: A doctor blade assembly for the developer unit of an electrophotographic imaging system. The doctor blade assembly includes a blade member having a first longitudinal edge for contacting a developer roll of an imaging system; a bracket member operatively connected to the blade member; and at least one bias member having a first end portion along a first longitudinal end portion of the bracket member and a second end portion contacting a distal portion of the blade member so as to present a force thereon. The force presented by the bias member serves as a counterforce to at least partly offset a force presented on the doctor blade and developer roll by a seal member of the developer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Fenley Gibson, Brad Edward Mattingly, Benjamin Keith Newman
  • Publication number: 20150110520
    Abstract: A developing device including a housing, a developing roller rotatably provided to the housing, a layer thickness regulation blade contacting the developing roller, and a seal member arranged between the housing and each end of the developing roller, wherein the layer thickness regulation blade includes a blade main body extending along an axial direction of the developing roller, and a blade rubber part protruding from a surface of the blade main body facing the developing roller and contacting the developing roller, wherein an end surface of the blade rubber part in the axial direction is in contact with an inner end surface of the seal member in the axial direction, and wherein a suppression part configured to suppress a strength of flow of the developer is provided at a corner part between the blade rubber part and the seal member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Kenta Tosuji, Masahiro Ishii, Takanori Uno, Takuya Amaike
  • Publication number: 20150110521
    Abstract: A developing device including a housing, a developing roller, a seal member arranged between the housing and each end of the developing roller, and a layer thickness regulation blade including a blade main body, and a blade rubber part protruding from a surface of the blade main body and contacting the developing roller, wherein an end surface of the blade rubber part in an axial direction of the developing roller is in contact with an inner surface of the seal member in the axial direction, and wherein the blade rubber part has an inclined surface at each end thereof in the axial direction, the inclined surface extending toward an upstream side in a rotating direction of the developing roller while extending toward an outer side in the axial direction so as to extend to the seal member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Kenta Tosuji, Masahiro Ishii, Takanori Uno, Takuya Amaike
  • Publication number: 20150104224
    Abstract: Methods of recoating a developing member such as the doctor blade, developing member bar or a developing sleeve, of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer toner cartridge, methods of re-using the original components by re-coating them, to cut the cost of using new aftermarket parts and to reduce waste, which methods include close quality control and “tailoring” of formulations to a specific developing system, thus achieving better print quality in terms of density, page yield, and uniformity for the repaired or remanufactured toner cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Sagie SHANUN
  • Patent number: 9008556
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry developer thereon and receive a development bias and a developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer carried on the developer bearer. Multiple recesses recessed from a reference surface area are formed in a surface of the developer bearer, the developer bearer includes a conductive base in which the recesses are formed, and the conductive base in the reference surface area is coated with an insulative surface layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuji Ishikura, Katsuhiro Aoki, Masaaki Yamada, Masayuki Yamane, Atsushi Kurokawa, Yuuki Satoh
  • Patent number: 9002243
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner bearer including a surface in which multiple recesses having a cross-sectional void rate of 50% or smaller are formed, a toner supply member to supply toner to the toner bearer, and a developer regulator disposed facing or in contact with the toner bearer and including a bent tip portion. The toner bearer has a surface roughness Ra within a range from 1.0 ?m to 2.0 ?m, and a surface area ratio within a range from 2.0 to 4.0. The developing device uses polymerized toner having a weight average particle diameter of 8.0 ?m or smaller and an average circularity of 0.98 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsumaru Fujita, Ryuji Inoue, Rie Mitani
  • Publication number: 20150093148
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a photosensitive drum, an exposure head, a developing cartridge, and a light shielding member. The photosensitive drum is rotatably disposed inside the casing. The exposure head is configured to expose the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum to light. The developing cartridge includes a developing roller configured to supply the developer onto the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum. The developing cartridge is mountable in and dismountable from the casing. The developing cartridge has an uppermost point and is disposed beneath the exposure head when mounted in the casing. The light shielding member has a first portion disposed between the exposure head and the developing roller and intersecting with an imaginary plane defined by inclusion of the axial line of the photosensitive drum and the uppermost point of the developing cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Shogo MORI
  • Publication number: 20150093155
    Abstract: A developing blade apparatus may include a supporting a protrusion and a developing blade connected to the supporting member and including an opening. The protrusion of the supporting member may be disposed within the opening. The developing blade may include a plurality of weld marks that includes a first weld mark and a second weld mark. The protrusion and the opening are disposed between the first weld mark and the second weld mark on an imaginary straight line connecting the first weld mark and the second weld mark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Hikaru Yoshizumi
  • Publication number: 20150093156
    Abstract: Aspects include an apparatus, a blade assembly, and a method for manufacturing the apparatus with the blade assembly. The apparatus may include a developer carrier for carrying developer and a blade assembly. The blade assembly may include a blade disposed adjacent to the developer carrier and configured to regulate an amount of developer on the developer carrier. The blade may include a plurality of weld marks joining the blade to the supporting member. Each of the plurality of weld marks may overlap with an adjacent one of the plurality of weld marks. Together the weld marks may form a combined weld mark that extends in a direction that the blade extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Hikaru Yoshizumi
  • Publication number: 20150093157
    Abstract: Aspects include an apparatus, a blade assembly, and a method for manufacturing the apparatus with the blade assembly. The apparatus may include a developer carrier for carrying developer and a blade assembly. The blade assembly may include a blade disposed adjacent to the developer carrier and configured to regulate an amount of developer on the developer carrier. The blade may include a weld mark joining the blade to the supporting member. A first dimension of the weld mark in a first direction may be greater than a second dimension of the weld mark in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a third dimension of the weld mark in a third direction may be a dimension of the thickness of the blade. The weld mark may be formed by irradiating a laser beam onto the blade while moving the laser beam or the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Yokoi, Hikaru Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 8995891
    Abstract: Developing cartridges include a main body, a developer transport member, and a developer thickness regulating member. The main body includes a first and second side portions separated from each other along a direction. The developer thickness regulating member regulates a developer thickness and extends in a direction between the first and second side portions. The developer thickness regulating member includes an end portion, which is disposed near the first side portion, and a first protrusion, which extends along the particular direction from the end portion to at least the first side portion. The main body forms a cavity in the first side portion. The cavity is defined by at least a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a second protrusion that protrudes from the first surface toward the second surface. The first protrusion is fixed at a position between the second protrusion and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 8995872
    Abstract: The developing device includes a casing, a developing roller, a thickness regulating blade, and a seal member. The developing roller has an outer peripheral surface carrying developer. The thickness regulating blade is configured to regulate a thickness of the developer carried on the outer peripheral surface and has an opposed surface confronting the casing. The thickness regulating blade further has one end part supported on the casing and another end part provided with a press member in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface. The press member is located on the opposed surface and protrudes toward the developing roller. The press member is formed with a receiving portion depressed inward at its widthwise ends in an axial direction of the developing roller. The seal member is disposed between the thickness regulating blade and the casing and contacting at least a part of the receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ito, Hirofumi Kuriki, Ryuya Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20150086249
    Abstract: A cartridge include a housing configured to accommodate a developing agent therein, a developing agent carrying member configured to carry the developing agent, a layer thickness restricting member disposed between the housing and the developing agent carrying member and configured to restrict a layer thickness of the developing agent carried by the developing agent carrying member, and a spacer disposed between the housing and the layer thickness restricting member in a first direction in which the developing agent carrying member and the layer thickness restricting member face one another and in which is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the developing agent carrying member. The spacer includes a first engaged portion configured to be engaged. The layer thickness restricting member includes a first engaging portion configured to engage with the first engaged portion such that relative movement of the spacer and the layer thickness restricting member is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kuriki, Takashi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20150086248
    Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a supply roller, a first regulating member, a second regulating member, a communication portion, and a conveying member. The second regulating member contacts with the supply roller. The housing has a first part and a second part. The first part is downstream of the second regulating member in a rotating direction of the supply roller, and a second part is upstream of the second regulating member in the rotating direction. The communication portion provides communication between the first part and the second part. The conveying member is in the first part and configured to convey the developing agent in the first part to the communication portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takahashi, Kazutoshi Kotama
  • Publication number: 20150086236
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a housing configured to accommodate a developing agent and including a first frame and a second frame, a developing agent carrying member rotatable on an axial line and configured to carry the developing agent, and a layer thickness regulating member configured to regulate a layer thickness of the developing agent carried by the developing agent carrying member. The first frame has a first facing surface facing the layer thickness regulating member. The second frame has a second facing surface facing the layer thickness regulating member. A welded region where the first frame and the second frame are welded and include a first welded portion extending from the first facing surface in a first direction intersecting with and away from the first facing surface, and a second welded portion extending from the first welded portion inward in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Fan Xu, Takashi Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20150078789
    Abstract: In a developing apparatus, a sealing member has a first part contacting an axial end part of a developing roller and a second part including a first side surface. A roller body of a supply roller includes a contact surface that contacts the peripheral surface, and a second side surface located at an end of the contact surface in the axial direction. The restricting member has a one side and another side. The one side is opposed to the second side surface in the axial direction. The another side is opposed to the first side surface in the axial direction with a gap. The gap is communicated with an interior space of a developer accommodating frame such that the developer is capable of moving away from a nip position between the supply roller and the developing roller toward the bottom wall of the developing frame in the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shougo SATO, Xu FAN
  • Patent number: 8983346
    Abstract: A development device includes a first frame and a second frame. The second frame is configured to be combined with the first frame by fixing first, second and third walls of the first frame to the second frame. The first and second walls are disposed opposite to each other, and the third wall is configured to connect the first and second walls. An opening is formed by the combined first and second frames. The first frame includes first and second engageable portions, and the second frame includes third and fourth engageable portions, such that engagement of the first and second engageable portions with the third and fourth engageable portions brings the first and second frames into alignment. The first and second engageable portions are disposed between the first wall and the second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Fukamachi
  • Publication number: 20150055989
    Abstract: First and second dielectric portions and colored particles have ? polarity, and a regulating portion and an externally added particles have + polarity; concerning triboelectric series, (?)<second dielectric portion<first dielectric portion<regulating portion (+) and (?) colored particles<second dielectric portion<first dielectric portion<externally added particles (+); and concerning work functions, the difference between the colored particles and the second dielectric portion<the difference between the second dielectric portion and the externally added particles, the difference between the colored particles and the first dielectric portion<the difference between the first dielectric portion and the externally added particles, and the difference between the colored particles and the regulating portion>the difference between the regulating portion and the externally added particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Gosuke Goto, Masato Koyanagi, Kazutoshi Ishida
  • Publication number: 20150055990
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing agent bearing member and a regulating member. The developing agent bearing member bears on a surface thereof a developing agent including colored particles and additive particles disposed on the surface of the colored particles. The surface of the developing agent bearing member includes first and second dielectric portions. The regulating member regulates the thickness of a layer of developing agent borne by the developing agent bearing member. In triboelectric series, the first dielectric portion is between the regulating member and the additive particles, the additive particles are between the first dielectric portion and the second dielectric portion, and the second dielectric portion is between the additive particles and the colored particles. The difference between the work functions of the colored particles and second dielectric portion is smaller than that between the second dielectric portion and additive particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Masato Koyanagi, Gosuke Goto, Kazutoshi Ishida
  • Publication number: 20150055987
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer and a regulation member. The developer bearer bears developer on a surface thereof. The developer bearer is rotatable forward and in reverse. The regulation member is disposed in contact or non-contact with the surface of the developer bearer to regulate amount of the developer on the developer bearer. In a non-development period, when the developer bearer rotates in a direction of reverse rotation opposite to a direction of forward rotation in which the developer bearer rotates in a development period, the developer bearer stops a series of rotating operations after the developer bearer rotates in the direction of forward rotation as a last rotating operation. A total rotation amount of forward rotation is set to be greater than a total rotation amount of reverse rotation in the series of rotating operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshio SAKAGAWA, Shin Murayama, Yasuhide Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20150055991
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member that bears a developer on its surface to supply the developer to an image bearing member having a first dielectric portion and a second dielectric portion in its surface, a regulating member that regulates a thickness of a layer of the developer carried by the developer bearing member, and a flexible sheet-like charging auxiliary member disposed so as to be in contact with the developer bearing member at a position downstream of a contact portion between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member and upstream of a contact portion between the developer bearing member and the regulating member in a rotational direction of the developer bearing member, where the charging auxiliary member charges the developer carried by the developer bearing member. In a triboelectric series, the charging auxiliary member is positioned between the first and second dielectric portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Kazunori Hashimoto, Masato Koyanagi, Gosuke Goto
  • Publication number: 20150055988
    Abstract: In a developing assembly, the surface of a developer bearing member on which a developer is borne is provided with a first dielectric portion and a second dielectric portion. A regulating portion that regulates the layer thickness of the developer borne on the developer bearing member, the first dielectric portion, and the second dielectric portion each have a charge polarity opposite to the charge polarity of the developer. In a triboelectric series, one of the first dielectric portion and the second dielectric portion is positioned between the developer and the other dielectric portion, and the other dielectric portion is positioned between the one of the dielectric portions and the regulating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Gosuke Goto, Masato Koyanagi, Kazutoshi Ishida