Lamination Patents (Class 399/342)
  • Patent number: 11886143
    Abstract: A sheet laminator laminates a two-ply sheet and a sheet-shaped medium inserted in the two-ply sheet. The sheet laminator includes a sheet feeder, a multi-feeding detector, a fixing device, an ejection device, a purging portion, a passage switcher, and circuitry. The sheet feeder feeds the two-ply sheet. The multi-feeding detector detects multiple feeding of the two-ply sheet. The fixing device fixes the two-ply sheet by application of heat and pressure. The ejection device ejects the two-ply sheet that has been fixed by the fixing device. The purging portion is disposed at a position different from the ejection device. The passage switcher switches a conveyance passage of the two-ply sheet to the fixing device or to the purging portion. The circuitry conveys the two-ply sheet to the purging portion and retries sheet feeding with another two-ply sheet, in response to detection of multiple feeding of the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Ruki Midorikawa, Shinya Monma, Sho Asano
  • Patent number: 11163249
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus comprises: a fixing member and a pressing member; and a pressing mechanism that forms a fixing nip part by pressing the pressing member against the fixing member. The pressing mechanism has: a pressure cam to press the pressing member against the fixing member; a camshaft that the pressure cam is attached to, and that is rotated integrally with the pressure cam; a stepping motor; and a power transmission part that transmits a driving force of the stepping motor to the camshaft. The power transmission part includes a worm provided on a power transmission path from the stepping motor to the camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshito Hashimura, Shimpei Kanamori
  • Patent number: 10671002
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a housing; a photoconductor; a developing unit configured to form a developer image on the photoconductor; a developer cartridge storing developer, the cartridge being removably mountable on the housing, a supplier configured to supply the developer from the developer cartridge to the developing unit; and a controller configured to execute a first printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer supplied from the developer cartridge, when the developer cartridge is being mounted on the housing, and a second printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer remaining in the developing unit, when a usage amount of the developing unit is not less than a predetermined value and the developer cartridge is not being mounted on the housing, wherein the controller does not execute the second printing process when the usage amount is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Yabuki, Yoshifumi Kajikawa, Takashi Suzuki, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10539890
    Abstract: A liquid silicone rubber mixture, includes an organopolysiloxane having two or more unsaturated aliphatic groups in a molecule thereof; an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having two or more hydrogen atoms bonded to a silicon atom in a molecule thereof; a hydrosilylation catalyst; hollow particles each having a layer containing a thermoplastic resin as a shell; a compound having a hydroxyl group and/or an ether bond in its molecule so that a sum of a number of the hydroxyl group and a number of the ether bond is two or more; and a polycarboxylic acid. A pressurizing member of a fixing device for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an elastic layer containing a silicone rubber on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Katsuhisa Matsunaka
  • Publication number: 20150063854
    Abstract: A printing control device includes a receiving unit and a replacing unit. The receiving unit receives a print job, which includes gloss control printing data indicating a type of surface effect by predetermined density information and table information capable of identifying a surface-effect selection table used in creation of the gloss control printing data, from a host device. The replacing unit replaces a part or whole of the surface-effect selection table implemented in the printing control device in advance on the basis of the table information included in the print job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Yuichi HABU
  • Patent number: 8934827
    Abstract: A print control apparatus includes a generating unit that generates clear-toner plane data based on gloss-control plane data, which contains a gloss control value for specifying a type of a surface effect being a visual or a tactile effect applied to the recording medium and for specifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium, and clear plane data, which contains a density value for specifying a transparent image other than the surface effect; and an outputting unit that outputs the clear-toner plane data. When a region where the gloss control value is specified in the gloss-control plane data and a region where the density value is specified in the clear plane data overlap each other, the generating unit sets a value of the clear-toner plane data to the gloss control value or the density value, based on a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Yoshikawa, Hiroaki Suzuki, Hiroo Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8867978
    Abstract: A method of forming an image comprising the steps of: forming an image on an image support to obtain an original image, and forming a gloss adjusting layer comprising a clear toner-fixed image comprising a clear toner on the original image, wherein the gloss adjusting layer comprises an aggregate of gloss adjusting units, wherein the gloss adjusting units each comprise a section where the clear toner is attached and a section where the clear toner is unattached, wherein a borderline between the section where the clear toner is attached and the section where the clear toner is unattached comprises a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michiyo Fujita, Tatsuya Nagase, Asao Matsushima, Yasuko Uchino, Aya Shirai, Ryuichi Hiramoto
  • Patent number: 8867979
    Abstract: Provided are an image forming method by which an image in which arbitrary glossiness is adjusted to any section is formed, and an image forming apparatus thereof. It is a feature that an image forming method possesses the steps of forming a gloss adjusting layer possessing a gloss adjusting toner-fixed image formed with a gloss adjusting toner, on an image support, and forming a toner-fixed image obtained from a toner, on the gloss adjusting layer, wherein the gloss adjusting layer possesses an aggregate of gloss adjusting units; the gloss adjusting units each possess a section where the gloss adjusting toner is attached and another section where the gloss adjusting toner is unattached; and a borderline between the section and the another section is a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michiyo Fujita, Tatsuya Nagase, Asao Matsushima, Yasuko Uchino, Aya Shirai, Ryuichi Hiramoto
  • Patent number: 8854685
    Abstract: Provided is an image determination device including a sheet detecting unit that detects a sheet on which a code image is printed, a first acquiring unit that acquires information on the code image and an absorption wavelength of the code image, a second acquiring unit that acquires a reading unit necessary for decoding a code portion of the code image, a third acquiring unit that acquires a document image of an electronic document, a dividing unit that divides the document image into plural blocks corresponding to the reading unit, a detecting unit that detects a block in which an image portion of the document image that uses a color having an absorption band at the absorption wavelength of the code image overlaps with the code portion of the code image as an undecodable block, and an output unit that outputs a warning indicating the generation of an undecodable area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Suguru Nakaso
  • Patent number: 8843049
    Abstract: An image forming method including forming an image of a toner including a wax on a recording medium; fixing the toner image using by an oil-less fixing device; and then forming an overcoat layer on the fixed toner image. When a portion of the fixed toner image having the heaviest toner weight is subjected to an ATR FT-IR analysis, a peak area ratio Ab/Aa falls in a range of 3.0 to 7.0 or a peak area ratio Ab?/Aa? falls in a range of 0.004 to 0.014, wherein Aa represents the area of a peak present in a range of 2896 cm?1 to 2943 cm?1, Ab represents the area of a peak present in a range of 2946 cm?1 to 2979 cm?1, Aa? represents the area of a peak present in a range of 791 cm?1 to 860 cm?1, and Ab? represents the area of a peak present in a range of 2834 cm?1 to 2862 cm?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kabata, Momoko Shionoiri, Masato Iio, Tsuyoshi Asami
  • Patent number: 8824949
    Abstract: An image forming method includes: performing a first gloss processing and a second gloss processing. The first gloss processing includes: heating and pressing a processed body which supports a first toner layer containing at least a clear toner [X] onto a first surface of a recording material, while allowing the first toner layer to be closely adhered to a gloss processing belt; and cooling the same. The second gloss processing includes heating and pressing a processed body which supports a second toner layer containing at least a clear toner [Y] onto a second surface of the recording material, while allowing the second toner layer to be closely adhered to the gloss processing belt; and cooling the same. Here, a storage elastic modulus G? X (150) at 150° C. of the clear toner [X] is lower than a storage elastic modulus G? Y (150) at 150° C. of the clear toner [Y].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aya Shirai, Asao Matsushima, Yoshiyasu Matsumoto, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Taiki Amemiya, Tatsuya Nagase
  • Patent number: 8811880
    Abstract: The processing apparatus includes: a first storage device that stores correction image information defining a correction image Ap formed on the surface of a to-be-processed medium S, in which the positional relationship relative to an output image formed on the surface of the to-be-processed medium S is known; a second storage device that stores processing area information defining an area of the surface of the to-be-processed medium S heated by a heating unit, in which the positional relationship with the output image formed on the surface of the to-be-processed medium S is known; and a control unit that uses a detection result of a correction image formed on the surface of the to-be-processed medium S detected by an image detection unit and the correction image information to correct a heating position on the surface of the to-be-processed medium S heated by the heating unit indicated by the processing area information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8787807
    Abstract: A printer having a body and a fixing mechanism is provided. The body has a first transporting track. The fixing mechanism has a heating mechanism and a pressurized mechanism, and the first transporting track is disposed between the heating mechanism and the pressurized mechanism. During a printing procedure, the heating mechanism provides a toner fixed temperature, and the pressurized mechanism provides a toner fixed pressure. During laminating procedure, the heating mechanism provides a laminating temperature, and the pressurized mechanism provides a laminating pressure. There is no additional laminating mechanism disposed inside the printer. The printer can execute a toner fixed function or a laminating function by adjusting the temperature and the pressure of the fixing mechanism originally disposed in the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited, Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kai-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 8755730
    Abstract: A glossing device includes a heater member, a stripper member, an endless rotary belt, a pressure member, and a belt cooler. The heater member is subjected to heating. The stripper member is disposed parallel to the heater member. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the heater member and the stripper member in a longitudinal, conveyance direction of the belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the heater member via the belt. The heater member and the pressure member press against each other via the belt to form a glossing nip therebetween. The recording medium after passage through the nip remains in contact with the belt as the belt moves from the heater member toward the stripper member, and separates from the belt as the belt passes around the stripper member. The belt cooler is disposed adjacent to the belt to cool the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyasu Amita, Hiroyuki Kunii, Satoshi Muramatsu, Kunihiko Tomita
  • Patent number: 8748163
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide methods for treating a xerographic printed substrate with an enzyme solution to increase the surface free energy of the substrate. Other exemplary embodiments provide methods for making an adhesive medium with an enzyme-treated substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Nicoleta Mihai, Guiqin Song, Valerie Farrugia, T. Brian McAneney
  • Patent number: 8699105
    Abstract: A group of spectral data of print mediums and a group of laminating film spectral data are stored, which correspond to a plurality of colors on a color chart. The type of print medium and the type of laminating film are entered. From the group of spectral data of print mediums and the group of laminating film spectral data, spectral data corresponding to the entered type of print medium are entered as first spectral data, and spectral data corresponding to the entered type of laminating film are entered as second spectral data. Colorimetric value data of the colors are calculated using the first spectral data and the second spectral data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Katayama
  • Publication number: 20130343792
    Abstract: A problem that setting (setting the kind of a paper or a printout method) for achieving the print effect (gloss effect or matte effect) at a maximum is very complicated and therefore, a manual setting thereof by a user is very difficult. When image data which a user desires to pint and a desire for a print effect to transparent form image data ate input, the paper type, conversion of the transparent form, image data and a printout method for realizing the print effect are automatically set and printed out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Osamu Iinuma
  • Patent number: 8543019
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes control device for selectively executing a first mode in which the non-transparent toner image is formed, then the transparent toner image is formed on the sheet not yet heated, then the sheet is subjected to the heating or a second mode in which the non-transparent toner image is formed, then the transparent toner image is formed on the sheet subjected to the heating, then the sheet is subjected to the heating; and storing device for storing selection information compared with information of amount of the non-transparent toner image, wherein the selection information indicates which mode provides larger difference in glossiness of the image fixed by the fixing device between when the transparent toner image of a predetermined amount is overlaid on the non-transparent toner image of a amount to be formed on the sheet and when the transparent toner image is not overlaid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichi Takemura
  • Patent number: 8520257
    Abstract: Color reproduction data of a print obtained by forming an image on a print medium corresponding to an input type thereof, and spectral data of a laminate film corresponding to an input type thereof are acquired. A reference color is determined based on color information of a designated color to be reproduced on a protective-film-covered print. Based on the acquired color reproduction data and the acquired spectral data, the determined reference color is converted into another reference color depending on the print without the laminate film thereon. A color value depending on a color patch that is selected as a color closest to the designated color, under a condition where the laminate film is not laminated, from a designated color adjusting color chart printed based on color values depending on the converted other reference color or colors close to the other reference color, is acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Teraue
  • Publication number: 20130089348
    Abstract: A printer having a body and a fixing mechanism is provided. The body has a first transporting track. The fixing mechanism has a heating mechanism and a pressurized mechanism, and the first transporting track is disposed between the heating mechanism and the pressurized mechanism. During a printing procedure, the heating mechanism provides a toner fixed temperature, and the pressurized mechanism provides a toner fixed pressure. During laminating procedure, the heating mechanism provides a laminating temperature, and the pressurized mechanism provides a laminating pressure. There is no additional laminating mechanism disposed inside the printer. The printer can execute a toner fixed function or a laminating function by adjusting the temperature and the pressure of the fixing mechanism originally disposed in the printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicants: Kinpo Electronics, Inc., Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited
    Inventor: Kai-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 8417171
    Abstract: A printing method for producing a textured thin film image (142) upon a receiver (20(R)) is provided. The method may include the steps of a. depositing one or more toner images (50) to form a predetermined adhesive image (50) with more than one level of height; and b. applying and fixing a foil (30) to at least a portion of the adhesive image to create a textured thin film image (142).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Leonard R. Christopher, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Patent number: 8412086
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming section which transfers a toner image according to image data onto a recording sheet, a first fixing section which fixes the toner image with heat of the first fixing roller, a clear layer forming section which forms a clear layer on the toner image which the first fixing section has fixed, a second fixing section which fixes the clear layer with heat of the second fixing roller and a control section which controls the clear layer forming section to increase the thickness of the clear layer in a recording sheet area corresponding to a fixed area during the second revolution of the first fixing roller on the recording sheet, compared with a recording sheet area corresponding to a fixed area during the first revolution thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadashi Matsudaira, Akihiro Hayashi, Youbao Peng, Satoshi Ogata, Takashi Nara, Toshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8346150
    Abstract: In a fixing device, an opposing member contacts a heating member to form a fixing nip between the heating member and the opposing member. A driver rotatively drives at least one of the heating member and the opposing member. A sheet supplier supplies and conveys a sheet to the fixing nip. A recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image is conveyed through a gap between the sheet and the opposing member at the fixing nip with a side of the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image facing the sheet. At least one of the rotating heating member and the rotating opposing member applies a driving force to the sheet supplied to the fixing nip while the sheet contacts the sheet supplier to apply tension to the sheet at a position upstream from the fixing nip in a sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Inoue, Shuuichi Nakagawa, Hidekazu Shono
  • Patent number: 8189246
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an obtaining unit that obtains image information including a grey-level value of a pixel; a modifying unit that modifies the grey-level value of the pixel included in the image information obtained by the obtaining unit; a color image forming unit that forms on a recording medium a color image in accordance with information showing the color image including the grey-level value of the pixel modified by the modifying unit; and a transparent image forming unit that forms on the recording medium a transparent image overlapping the color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeki Washino
  • Patent number: 8170460
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, an adhesion processing device, an adhesion device, and a fixing device. The image forming device forms an image on a light-transmitting medium with image formation toner. The adhesion processing device sets whether or not to make the light-transmitting medium contact a light-reflecting medium for each of multiple areas of the image. The adhesion device adheres adhesive toner to an area of the light-transmitting medium. The fixing device aligns the light-reflecting medium with the light-transmitting medium such that the light-reflecting medium contacts a surface of the light-transmitting medium to which the adhesive toner adheres and fixes the light-reflecting medium to the light-transmitting medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuki Matsushima
  • Patent number: 8165515
    Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of causing a clear coating apparatus to discharge processed sheets in proper page order, and improving usability and operability of the system by users. An image forming apparatus is set to perform single-sided image formation or double-sided image formation. A clear coating apparatus is set to perform single-sided clearing coating or double-sided clear coating. Whether to perform inverted discharge of sheets is controlled according to the settings of the image forming apparatus and the clear coating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akinobu Nishikata, Satoru Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8145114
    Abstract: In view of the above, this invention is directed to printing methods including electrographic printing wherein toner and/or laminates form one or more multi-channeled layers, with a particular pattern. The multi-channeled layers are printed, such as by electrographic techniques, using the steps of forming a desired image on a receiver member and incorporating channels of toner that form a microfluidic item. In the microfluidic items the channels act as interconnects to transfer fluids between incorporated micro-devices such as pumps, devices, and sensors. The channels can also be designed to act as splitters ports, reservoirs, filters, and separators to allow a variety of specialty micro-devices to be developed with the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Lee W. Tutt, Donna P. Suchy
  • Patent number: 8145115
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image formation method in which clear dots comprised of clear toner are formed on an image with a 75° glossiness of from 10 to 60, the image formation method comprising the steps of forming a clear toner image on the image, employing clear toner, and fixing the clear toner image by non-contact heat fixation to form clear dots in the form of protrusions, wherein the clear dots have an average height H and an average circle equivalent diameter R, a ratio H/R of the average height H to the average circle equivalent diameter R satisfying the following inequality: 0.005?H/R?10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takao Yamanouchi, Kazue Nakamura, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Michiyo Fujita
  • Patent number: 8086124
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including toner image forming means for forming a having chromatic toner image a transparent toner image; fixing means for heating and fixing the non-transparent toner image and the transparent toner image on recording material; glossiness detecting means for detecting a glossiness of an area in which the non-transparent toner image and the transparent toner image are overlaid and fixed; control means for controlling an amount of the transparent toner, per unit area, on the recording material on the basis of a result of detection by the detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Zaima
  • Patent number: 8059982
    Abstract: A method of using a printing device having a toner fuser to laminate a media sheet with at least one laminate material sheet, the method including receiving a laminate request, adjusting a characteristic of the toner fuser of the printing device, and passing the media sheet and the at least one laminate material sheet through the toner fuser to effect lamination within the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gary Carlson, George McIlvaine
  • Patent number: 8023877
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of using a recording medium having a transparent portion includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and an applicator. The image forming unit forms an image on a face of the recording medium. The fixing unit fixes the image, formed by the image forming unit, on the face of the recording medium. The applicator applies a non-transparent liquid to at least the fixed image on the face of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Sudo, Mikio Ishibashi, Yukiko Iwasaki, Megumi Ohtoshi, Reki Nakamura, Masafumi Yamada, Nobuyuki Koinuma, Takashi Sakamaki
  • Publication number: 20110217100
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a gloss applying mode for applying gloss to an image on a sheet and a non-gloss-applying mode. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device including a fixing member and a pressurizing member that is pressed into contact with the fixing member to form a fixing nip portion in which toner is fixed to the sheet; and a gloss applying device including a first roller including a heating unit and a second roller that is pressed into contact with the first roller to form a gloss applying nip portion in which gloss is applied to the toner. The fixing device and the gloss applying device are provided on a sheet conveying path line. When the sheet is conveyed in the non-gloss-applying mode, nip pressure of the gloss applying nip portion in the gloss applying device is lower than that in the gloss applying mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventor: Takahiro Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8005415
    Abstract: A tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus has five or more color printing stations or modules for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member to form a pentachrome color image in a single pass. A fuser station fuses the pentachrome color image. A clear toner overcoat is then applied to the fused pentachrome toner image and enhanced glossing of the image is provided by a belt glosser to improve color gamut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yee S. Ng, Robert C. Logel
  • Patent number: 7995959
    Abstract: A gloss-imparting method that includes (a) applying heat and pressure to one side of a recording material having an image of toner formed on both sides, and fixing the image to the one side of the recording material; (b) cooling the one side of the recording material; (c) applying heat and pressure to the other side of the recording material, and fixing the image to the other side of the recording material; and (d) cooling the other side of the recording material, in the step (a), the fixing being performed such that a value of exp(?T·tan ?0) will be approximately 0.85 or less, where tan ?0 is a loss tangent of the toner when measured by dynamic viscoelastic measurement at a frequency of approximately 1 rad/sec at approximately the same temperature as a fixing temperature of the step (a), and T is a fixing time in the step (a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakamura, Yutaka Nogami
  • Publication number: 20110188911
    Abstract: A gloss applicator, disposed downstream from a fusing device for fusing a non-fused image on a recording medium, includes a pair of pressure units, an endless belt, and a belt suction unit. The pair of pressure units define a gloss nip therebetween through which the recording medium is passed to enhance glossiness of the fused image. The endless belt, disposed in one of the pressure units in an extended loop configuration, transports the recording medium thereon. An outer face of the endless belt can contact the fused image on the recording medium. The belt suction unit, disposed inside the endless belt loop, exerts suction on the endless belt to locally deform a given portion of the endless belt and separate the recording medium from the endless belt at the given portion as a separation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kunii, Akiyasu Amita, Shuntaroh Tamaki
  • Patent number: 7970333
    Abstract: A system and a method to protect an image on a substrate. The method includes forming an unfused toner image, partially fusing the unfused toner image at a first temperature by exposing the composition to radiation to prevent disruption of the image upon application of the wax-hybrid composition to form a partially fused toner image, cooling the partially fused toner image to a second temperature, providing a protective coating composition comprising a wax-hybrid, applying the protective coating composition over the partially fused toner image, permanently fixing the protective coating composition and partially fused toner image to form a final printed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christine D. Anderson, T. Brian Mcaneney, Christopher A. Wagner, Edward G. Zwartz, Stephan V. Drappel
  • Publication number: 20110097655
    Abstract: Provided is an image-forming method, the method including: forming an electrostatic image on an electrostatic image bearing member which has been charged; developing the electrostatic image to form a toner image; transferring the toner image on the electrostatic image bearing member with or without mediating an intermediate transferring member onto a transfer material; and fixing the toner image on the transfer material, in which: the electrostatic image hearing member is a photosensitive member obtained by sequentially laminating a photoconductive layer and a surface layer formed of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, and a sum of an atomic density of silicon atoms and an atomic density of carbon atoms in the surface layer of the photosensitive member is 6.60×1022 atoms/cm3 or more; and the toner has a binder resin and magnetic iron oxide particles, and the magnetic iron oxide particles contain Fe(2+) at a content of 20.0 mass % or more and 25.0 mass % or lees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tooru Takahashi, Katsuhisa Yamazaki, Syuhei Moribe, Daisuke Yoshiba, Masami Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7933544
    Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of causing a clear coating apparatus to discharge processed sheets in proper page order, and improving usability and operability of the system by users. An image forming apparatus is set to perform single-sided image formation or double-sided image formation. A clear coating apparatus is set to perform single-sided clearing coating or double-sided clear coating. Whether to perform inverted discharge of sheets is controlled according to the settings of the image forming apparatus and the clear coating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akinobu Nishikata, Satoru Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20110013958
    Abstract: When a gloss application sheet is conveyed through a nip formed between a first nip formation member and a second nip formation member pressing against each other, the gloss application sheet is sandwiched between the first nip formation member and a recording medium simultaneously conveyed through the nip. The gloss application sheet includes a first contact surface contacting the first nip formation member and a second contact surface disposed opposite the first contact surface for contacting the recording medium. The first contact surface has a reduced adhesive force compared to the second contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Hidekazu SHONO, Shuuichi NAKAGAWA, Tomofumi INOUE
  • Patent number: 7869723
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a correction unit. The image forming unit superimposes toner images of a plurality of colors, one over the other, on a recording medium to form a composite color toner image thereon. The correction unit corrects an image condition of the toner images of the plurality of colors when the composite color toner image is formed on a transparent portion of the recording medium so as to be visible from a side opposite a side on which the composite color toner image is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Koinuma
  • Patent number: 7865121
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an image bearing member to bear a latent electrostatic image, a charging device to charge a surface of the image bearing member, an irradiating device to irradiate the surface of the image bearing member to form the latent electrostatic image thereon, a developing device to develop the latent electrostatic image, an optional cleaning unit to clean the surface of the image bearing member, a transfer device to transfer the developed image to an opaque medium, an optional cleaning device to clean a surface of the transfer device, a fixing device to fix the transferred image on the opaque medium, and an attachment device to attach the fixed image to a transparent medium after the opaque medium is overlaid with the transparent medium, and recording media for use in the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiko Iwasaki, Kazuhisa Sudo, Reki Nakamura, Mikio Ishibashi, Nobuyuki Koinuma, Toshihiro Sugiyama, Takashi Sakamaki, Megumi Ohtoshi, Masafumi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100322685
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image formation method in which clear dots comprised of clear toner are formed on an image with a 75° glossiness of from 10 to 60, the image formation method comprising the steps of forming a clear toner image on the image, employing clear toner, and fixing the clear toner image by non-contact heat fixation to form clear dots in the form of protrusions, wherein the clear dots have an average height H and an average circle equivalent diameter R, a ratio H/R of the average height H to the average circle equivalent diameter R satisfying the following inequality: 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takao Yamanouchi, Kazue Nakamura, Ryuichi Hiramoto, Michiyo Fujita
  • Patent number: 7787153
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of recording image information and additional information added separately from the image information to a photographic printing medium is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes: image information acquisition means for acquiring the image information, additional information acquisition means for acquiring the additional information, and recording means for recording the image information acquired by the image information acquisition means and the additional information acquired by the additional information acquisition means to the photographic printing medium, wherein the recording means can record the additional information by laminating a first transparent material that absorbs light of a specific wavelength and a second transparent material that does not absorb the light on a recording surface of the photographic printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Takizawa, Ken Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7787815
    Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed that is able to superpose a smooth sheet on a toner image on a recording sheet after common thermal fusing, perform re-melting and solidification, and then separate the smooth sheet, thereby, forming a high-gloss image easily. The image forming device includes a first fusing unit for the common thermal fusing, and a second fusing unit for fusing the toner image on a recording sheet after the common thermal fusing with a gloss application sheet superposed on the toner image, and a separation unit for separating the gloss application sheet from the recording sheet. The gloss application sheet is superposed on the recording sheet with a side of the gloss application sheet projecting out beyond a side of the recording sheet on a downstream side in the conveyance direction, and the gloss application sheet and the recording sheet are directed into the separation unit while being superposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Reki Nakamura, Kei Yasutomi, Hitoshi Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20100150620
    Abstract: A tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus has five or more color printing stations or modules for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member to form a pentachrome color image in a single pass. A fuser station fuses the pentachrome color image. A clear toner overcoat is then applied to the fused pentachrome toner image and enhanced glossing of the image is provided by a belt glosser to improve color gamut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Yee S. Ng, Robert C. Logel
  • Patent number: 7720425
    Abstract: A tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus has five or more color printing stations or modules for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member to form a pentachrome color image in a single pass. A fuser station fuses the pentachrome color image. A clear toner overcoat is then applied to the fused pentachrome toner image and enhanced glossing of the image is provided by a belt glosser to improve color gamut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yee S. Ng, Robert C. Logel
  • Patent number: 7720419
    Abstract: A glossy image forming system for forming a glossy image on a recording material having a surface resin material layer, the glossy image forming system includes a fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image formed on a surface of the recording material; a heaterless pressing device for pressing the recording material having the toner image fixed by the fixing device; a smoothing device for smoothing the surface of the recording material pressed by the heaterless pressing device with a pressure smaller than a pressure applied by the heaterless pressing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Haruhiko Omata
  • Patent number: 7657218
    Abstract: A disclosed gloss-providing sheet for providing high gloss to a toner image on a recording material by being placed on a toner image surface of the recording material, heated so as to fuse toner, and then separated from the recording material after the toner is cooled and solidified includes: a notification portion that changes a visual state thereof when a temperature of the gloss-providing sheet becomes equal to or lower than a glass transition temperature of the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Maruyama, Kei Yasutomi, Eisaku Murakami, Reki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20100021194
    Abstract: An image formation system includes image forming means for forming different color toner images on a recording material having a toner reception layer; first image heating means for heating and pressing the toner image on the recording material; second image heating means for heating and pressing the toner image on the recording material having been heated and pressed by the first image heating means; and wherein the first image heating means is operable so as to provide a granularity R of the toner image satisfying 0.5?R?4.0 and a glossiness G of the toner image satisfying 5?G?40, and the second image heating means is operable so as to provide a granularity R of the toner image satisfying not more than 4.0 and a glossiness G of the toner image satisfying not less than 60.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiro Toyohara, Takeshi Menjo, Jiro Ishiduka, Haruhiko Omata, Motohide Shiozawa, Tatsuomi Murayama
  • Publication number: 20090285612
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, an adhesion processing device, an adhesion device, and a fixing device. The image forming device forms an image on a light-transmitting medium with image formation toner. The adhesion processing device sets whether or not to make the light-transmitting medium contact a light-reflecting medium for each of multiple areas of the image. The adhesion device adheres adhesive toner to an area of the light-transmitting medium. The fixing device aligns the light-reflecting medium with the light-transmitting medium such that the light-reflecting medium contacts a surface of the light-transmitting medium to which the adhesive toner adheres and fixes the light-reflecting medium to the light-transmitting medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki MATSUSHIMA