Having Temperature Or Humidity Detection Patents (Class 399/44)
  • Patent number: 9327523
    Abstract: A controller controls a first heating stage to heat a printing medium to a first temperature in a printing region when printing latex ink on the printing medium, and controls a second heating stage to heat the printing medium to a second temperature greater than the first temperature in a curing region to cure the latex ink on the medium. The controller controls a cooling stage located between the first and second heating stages to cool the printing medium after the printing medium has been heated by the first heating stage and prior to heating of the printing medium by the second heating stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Antonio Monclus, David Claramunt, Ezequiel Jordi Rufes, Cristina Sabater, Francisco Javier Rodriguez, Francisco Guerrero
  • Patent number: 9329533
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a plurality of cleaners. The plurality of cleaners includes at least a first cleaner, a second cleaner, and a third cleaner arranged next to each other in a traveling direction of a cleaning target. The first cleaner is disposed at an extreme upstream end of the traveling direction and supplied with a first voltage having a same polarity as a polarity of a normally-charged toner. The cleaners, other than the first cleaner, disposed downstream from the first cleaner, is supplied with a second voltage having a polarity opposite the polarity of the normally-charged toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Mitani, Kenji Sugiura, Yuuji Wada, Kazuki Yogosawa, Junpei Fujita, Seiichi Kogure, Naohiro Kumagai
  • Patent number: 9310722
    Abstract: [Problem to be solved] To provide an image forming apparatus for suppressing formations of white spots and achieving high quality images, while obtaining sufficient image densities in both of the recessed parts and the projected parts of a recording medium surface. [Solution] An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member 36 that abuts against a surface of an image carrier carrying a toner image and forms a transfer nip, and a power supply 39 that outputs a voltage (transfer bias) for causing the toner image on the image carrier to be transferred onto a recording medium P nipped in the transfer nip. The voltage is switched alternatingly between a transfer direction voltage for causing the toner image to be transferred from the image carrier onto the recording medium and a voltage having an opposite polarity of the transfer direction voltage when the toner image on the image carrier is to be transferred onto the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Naomi Sugimoto, Haruo Iimura, Shinji Aoki, Yasuhiko Ogino, Kazuchika Saeki, Keigo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9291949
    Abstract: A liquid development apparatus uses a developer to develop electrostatic latent images included in a plurality of image portion regions formed successively on an image carrier with an inter-image region being interposed. The liquid development apparatus includes a developer carrier and a control unit. Only a single developer carrier is provided so as to establish one-to-one relation with a single image carrier, it transports the developer to a development position opposed to the image carrier, and it develops the electrostatic latent image while it abuts to the image carrier. The control unit carries out prescribed control such that an amount of the developer supplied from the developer carrier to the inter-image region on the image carrier is reduced or set to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kunitomo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9285767
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body having a fusing unit, a first temperature sensor which is disposed in an external surface of the main body and measures an outside temperature, a humidity sensor which is disposed in the external surface of the main body and measures an outside humidity, a second temperature sensor which is disposed inside the main body and measures an inside temperature, at least one fan disposed in the main body, and a controller configured to calculate a dew point temperature using the inside temperature and the outside humidity and operate the at least one fan based on the calculated dew point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-jae Seong, Jin-ho Park, Young-min Yoon, Byung-jo Lee
  • Patent number: 9280099
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first transfer unit and a second transfer unit, and a control device. If a prescribed condition is satisfied, the control device sets a transfer current value for the second transfer unit so that an absolute value of a difference between the first current value and a second current value is greater than an absolute value of a difference between a third current value and a fourth current value. The first current value is set in a black-white mode, in which an image is formed by using black toner only, under the prescribed condition; the second current value is set if the prescribed condition is unsatisfied in the black-white mode; the third current value is set in a multi color mode, in which an multi-color image is formed, under the prescribed condition; and the fourth current value is set if the prescribe condition is unsatisfied in the multi color mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Makino, Yuji Takimoto
  • Patent number: 9274458
    Abstract: An image formation device comprises: a first image carrier for a first developer image; a second image carrier for a second developer image; an intermediate transfer body opposed to the first image carrier and the second image carrier; a first transfer unit to transfer the first developer image to the intermediate transfer body; a second transfer unit to transfer the second developer image onto the first developer image transferred onto the intermediate transfer body; a third transfer unit to transfer, to a recording medium, the first and second developer images transferred onto the intermediate transfer body; and a control unit to control a value of a voltage to be applied to each of the first and second transfer units, according to a type of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Rokugawa
  • Patent number: 9261847
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes photoconductors. Electrifiers uniformly electrify surfaces of the photoconductors. A power source applies an electrifying voltage to the electrifiers. A current measurer measures alternating current caused to flow by application of AC voltage by the power source. A controller calculates discharge starting voltage. Environment detectors detect an environment inside of the apparatus. The controller operates the current measurer at each predetermined timing to acquire the discharge starting voltage. When acquiring the discharge starting voltage, the controller changes peak-to-peak voltage at pre-discharge voltage and at post-discharge voltage. The current measurer measures alternating current at measurement points of each of the pre-discharge and post-discharge voltages. The controller calculates a voltage value at an intersection of a first line and a second line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Junji Murauchi, Morio Osada, Kazuki Kobori, Tomo Kitada
  • Patent number: 9256151
    Abstract: If the elapsed time since a sheet was stored in a sheet storage unit is less than or equal to a threshold value, control is performed such that the sheet is heated by a fixing unit before an image is transferred to the sheet, and if the elapsed time since the sheet was stored in the sheet storage unit exceeds the threshold value, control is performed such that processing for heating the sheet with the fixing unit before the image is transferred to the sheet is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9235165
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a transfer portion; a first electrostatic cleaning portion including a first electroconductive member; a second electrostatic cleaning portion including a second electroconductive member; a first detecting portion for outputting first information corresponding to a first current passing through the first electroconductive member; a second detecting portion for outputting second information corresponding to a second current passing through the second electroconductive member; and a controller for controlling, based on the first information and the second information, a transfer voltage so that the voltage is decreased when a decrease amount of the first current is larger than that of the second current and so that the voltage is increased when the decrease amount of the second current is larger than that of the first current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Makino
  • Patent number: 9229377
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer member and a cleaning member. The image forming apparatus: determines whether the electric resistance of a recording medium is low or high; applies a first transfer bias to the transfer member if the electric resistance is low; applies a second transfer bias to the transfer member if the electric resistance is high; applies a first cleaning bias to the cleaning member if the electric resistance is low; and applies a second cleaning bias to the cleaning member so that a potential difference between a portion of a surface of the image carrier against which the cleaning member is rubbed and the cleaning member becomes smaller than that in a case of applying the first cleaning bias if the electric resistance is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masatoshi Shiraki
  • Patent number: 9223265
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit having a heater, a temperature detection unit, a power control unit, and a conveyance control unit that controls conveying a recording material. The conveyance control unit executes, when the maximum power is greater than a threshold power, a first mode where conveyance is performed according to a time, and executes, in a case where the maximum power is less than the threshold power, a second mode where conveyance is performed according to the detected temperature. The power control unit sets a larger value to the threshold power when an option device is connected to the image forming apparatus as compared to when the option device is not connected to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Itoh, Tetsuya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9213279
    Abstract: The fixing apparatus includes a first rotary member that comes into contact with the unfixed toner image, a second rotary member that is heated by the first rotary member and forms the nip portion together with the first rotary member, and an air supply unit that supplies air to the second rotary member. The fixing apparatus is configured to execute a first mode of warming the first rotary member and the second rotary member as a warm-up while rotating the first rotary member and the second rotary member before the fixing process and supplying air with the air supply unit in the fixing process, and a second mode of performing the warm-up for a longer period than in the first mode and supplying air with the air supply unit in the fixing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuharu Hirado
  • Patent number: 9190919
    Abstract: A high voltage power supply system includes: a high voltage power supply; a current detector; a voltage detector; a conversion section configured to obtain a converted-current value by dividing a detected-current voltage value by a predetermined resistance value; a selector configured to select one of the detected-current voltage value and the detected-voltage voltage value; a resistance variable section configured to change the predetermined resistance value; a temperature detector; a humidity detector; and a control section configured to create a voltage setting signal, a selection signal, and a resistance variable signal on the basis of the detected-voltage voltage value, the detected-temperature value, and the detected-humidity value, and to apply the voltage setting signal to the high voltage power supply, the selection signal to the selector, and the resistance variable signal to the resistance variable section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyasu Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9170546
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit, a detection member, an execution unit and an adjustment unit. A toner image for adjustment formed on an upstream photoreceptor is made to pass a photoreceptor while facing an area exposed by a downstream image forming unit and is detected by a detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 9170542
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of accurately forming an image in a predetermined position on a sheet. An image forming unit forms a toner image on a drum. The toner image is transferred onto a belt. A motor drives the belt to convey the toner image to a transfer position where the toner image is transferred onto a sheet. An image position-detecting section detects that a patch image indicating the position of the toner image on the belt has reached a detection position upstream of the transfer position in an image conveying direction. A sheet position-detecting section detects that the leading edge of the sheet has reached a detection position upstream of the transfer position in a sheet conveying direction. An image speed-setting section controls the conveying speed of the belt based on timings of detection by the respective image position-detecting and sheet position-detecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Hiratsuka, Yasumi Yoshida, Takaaki Aoyagi, Takeshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 9157853
    Abstract: A moisture sensor for detecting moisture content of an object includes a light source to emit light having an infrared wavelength that is absorbed by water; an optical system to receive the light from the light source and output linearly polarized light having a first polarization direction in a direction toward the object, and to receive light scattered from the object and output linearly polarized light having a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction in another direction other than the direction toward the object; and a photodetector to receive the linearly polarized light having the second polarization direction output from the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ishii, Yoshihiro Oba, Fumikazu Hoshi, Satoru Sugawara
  • Patent number: 9152096
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a body housing; a paper feeding unit accommodated in the body housing and providing a recording medium; an image forming unit accommodated in the body housing and forming an image on the recording medium; a fixing unit accommodated in the body housing and fixing the image formed by the image forming unit; and a cooling unit including a channel including an inhalation part and a discharging part which are formed in the body housing for air to flow, extending between the inhalation part and the discharging part and formed adjacently to the fixing unit, and an air purification module installed in the channel and generating ions reacting to foreign substances in air traveling through the channel to purify the air, and discharging heat generated in the fixing unit to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gun-wook Kim, Jin-ho Park, Kwoang-joe Seorl, Byung-jo Lee
  • Patent number: 9141047
    Abstract: A fixing device capable of shifting to a sleep state includes a heat source; a rotatable fixing member that is partly heated by the heat source to heat an unfixed image carrying surface of a recording medium; a rotatable pressing member that is in pressure contact with the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation drive unit that directly or indirectly rotates the fixing member; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member; and a controller configured to prohibit the fixing device from shifting to the sleep state when the temperature of the fixing member in a region facing the heat source is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature T1 at a point when a predetermined time period t1 has elapsed from the stop of rotation drive of the rotation drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Takuya Seshita, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Akira Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Ryota Yamashina, Yasunori Ishigaya
  • Patent number: 9134646
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a development device that includes a developer bearing member in a development position opposite to the image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member, and a bias applying portion that applies a development bias to the developer bearing member. A degradation sensing portion senses information related to a level of degradation of toner stored in the development device, and an acquisition portion acquires information on a type of a recording material to which a toner image developed by the development device is transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Ishida
  • Patent number: 9128431
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing member rotatably supported for heating a developer; a pressure member pressing a recording medium upon sandwiching the recording medium with the fixing member; a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature of the fixing member; a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the fixing member; a rotation control unit for controlling rotation of the fixing member; an environment value detection unit for detecting an atmosphere temperature; a time measure unit for measuring time necessary for finish of warming up of the fixing member; and a rotation time setting unit for setting rotation time of the fixing member, wherein the rotation time setting unit changes the rotation time from a timing that the fixing member reaches a warming up temperature, based on a lapse time result provided from the time measure unit, where the atmosphere temperature is lower than a prescribed temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Wagatsuma
  • Patent number: 9128405
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming stations and a control portion configured to control an image forming operation. Each of the image forming stations includes an image bearing member configured to form a toner image on a surface thereof and a charging device configured to charge the image bearing member. The toner images formed on the image bearing members of the image forming stations are sequentially transferred to a transfer incurring member to be superimposed. The control portion sets a voltage applied to the charging device in forming an image in an image forming station which performs the transfer later based on image density information of the toner image transferred to the transfer incurring member by an image forming station which performs the transfer earlier in a sequence of the image forming operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Tetsuno, Hideaki Hasegawa, Takuya Kitamura
  • Patent number: 9091969
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging bias output device, a developing bias output device, a transfer bias output device, and a controller. The controller controls the transfer bias output device to supply a transfer bias from a time at which a first position of a photosensitive member arrives at a transfer position after the charging bias output device starts supplying a charging bias. An initial value of the transfer bias is controlled to be smaller than a normal set value for a predetermined time period which is a time after the transfer bias starts to be supplied and within a time corresponding to a rise time during which a surface potential of the photosensitive member reaches a predetermined potential after the charging bias starts to be output. The first position of the photosensitive member is a position at which the charging device starts charging the photosensitive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Yoshida, Hideki Zemba, Yusuke Mitani, Shotaro Hoshi, Masahiko Shakuto, Hiroaki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9075350
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power source to output a voltage having an alternating waveform to transfer a toner image from an image bearing member to a recording medium. A time-averaged value (Vave) of the voltage has a polarity in a transfer direction, in which the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member to the recording medium, and an absolute value of the time-averaged value is greater than a midpoint value (Voff) of the voltage intermediate between a maximum value and a minimum value of the voltage. As a roughness of the recording medium increases, a duty ratio (Duty) expressed by A/(A+B) is reduced, where A is an area of the waveform of the voltage in a return direction opposite the transfer direction relative to the midpoint value in one cycle and B is an area in the transfer direction relative to the midpoint value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Tanaka, Hirokazu Ishii, Yasunobu Shimizu, Keigo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9074852
    Abstract: An assessment method and system for characterizing the operation of an imaging system are disclosed. The assessment system can comprise a light source configured to illuminate the imaging system, a modulator configured to modulate light from the light source, a receiver configured to intercept communications from the imaging system, and an analyzer configured to analyze the intercepted communications. The assessment system can be used to determine the effectiveness of an image denial system that is used to prevent a surveillance satellite from providing imagery and can thereby provide an advantage on the battlefield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Edward Allen Adler, Douglas Anthony Galasso
  • Patent number: 9042760
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a heating device that includes a heating source, a non-contact thermistor, a contact thermistor and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control the heating source on the basis of the detected temperature of the non-contact thermistor and the detected temperature of the contact thermistor and control the heating member to a predetermined temperature. The control unit performs the temperature control using the detected temperature of the contact thermistor for temperature control from startup time to a target temperature and using the detected temperature of the non-contact thermistor if the temperature exceeds the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Mita
  • Patent number: 9042751
    Abstract: A high voltage power supply includes a developer carrier, an image carrier, a developing control unit, a load detection unit, a variation detection unit, and a voltage correction unit. The developing control unit applies a developing bias voltage to the developer carrier and thereby supplies the developer to the image carrier and develops an electrostatic latent image. The variation detection unit detects the variation in capacitance between the developer carrier and the image carrier detected by the load detection unit. The voltage correction unit corrects the developing bias voltage by decreasing the developing bias voltage as the variation increases, and increasing the developing bias voltage as the variation decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori Okada
  • Patent number: 9031492
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a curl correction device which corrects curl generated in a recording medium having passed through a fixing device; a temperature/humidity sensor unit which is installed in a conveying path between the fixing device and the curl correction device, and detects and outputs temperature and humidity near a surface of the recording medium; a calculation unit which calculates temperature and moisture content of the recording medium from the temperature and humidity output values output from the temperature/humidity sensor unit, and calculates curl correction efficiency of the curl correction device from the temperature and moisture content of the recording medium; a control value determination unit which determines a control value to perform a curl correction in the curl correction device, based on the curl correction efficiency calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit which controls the curl correction device by the control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shunichi Oohara, Yuko Hayama
  • Patent number: 9031428
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a image forming unit; an image bearing member having a surface to bear a toner image and a test pattern; the surface having a first time-surface positioned identical to the test pattern, an integer multiple of revolutions upstream or downstream from the test pattern in a surface movement direction, and a second time-surface positioned different from the test pattern, shorter than one revolution upstream or downstream from the test pattern; a reflection light detector to detect the amount of light reflected from the test pattern and the first and second time-surfaces of the image bearing member; and a controller to control the image forming unit based on the detection result and determine whether to execute a first-surface control to detect at least the first time-surface or a second-surface control to detect only the second time-surface based on use condition of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka, Keita Sone
  • Publication number: 20150125168
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charger to charge the image bearer; an electrostatic latent image former to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer; an image developer to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a visual toner image; a transferer to transfer the toner image on a transfer material; a toner concentration calculator to calculate a concentration of the toner; and an optical detector. At least a toner patch image is formed on the image bearer with an irradiation quantity set such that an irradiated part potential is larger than a developing condition, the toner patch image is read by the optical detector, and the charging condition is corrected on the basis of a difference between a toner concentration of the toner patch image and a target toner concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Keita GOTOH, Akira YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 9024477
    Abstract: A high voltage power source device includes piezoelectric transformers, each of the piezoelectric transformers being formed with a primary electrode and a secondary electrode on piezoelectric ceramics, receiving a primary voltage at the primary electrode, and generating a second voltage from the secondary electrode, switching elements, each of the switching elements driving a respective one of the piezoelectric transformers, and primary voltage supply devices, each of the primary voltage supply devices supplying the primary voltage to the primary electrode of the respective one of the piezoelectric transformers by driving the respective one of the switching elements when the secondary voltage is generated from the respective one of the second electrodes, wherein the respective one of the primary voltage supply devices supplies the primary voltage to the respective one of the primary electrodes by driving the respective one of the switching elements at the same frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 9025977
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of continuous image formation on multiple pages includes an image bearer to bear an image, a latent image forming unit to form a latent image on the image bearer, a developing device to develop the latent image with toner, a temperature sensor to detect temperature inside the developing device or adjacent to the developing device, a controller to impose a limit on a quantity of pages in continuous image formation and cancel the limit according to a detection result generated by the temperature sensor, and a report unit to report time data indicating when the limit is imposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Jun Yura, Masaki Sukesako, Hironobu Takeshita, Takuya Suganuma, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiroki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150117883
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier which carries thereon a developer image, a holding roller which holds thereon developer attached on the image carrier, a collection device which collects the developer on the holding roller via at least the image carrier, and a control device which executes a holding control of applying to the holding roller a holding bias having a polarity opposite to the developer such that the holding roller holds developer and a collection control of applying to the holding roller a discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer such that the developer held on the holding roller is moved to the image carrier and the collection device collects the developer via the image carrier. The control device starts the collection control at a timing after a predetermined point of time according to an estimated charge amount of the developer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki
  • Publication number: 20150117925
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus has an image forming unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a first conveying path, a second conveying path, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms a toner image. The control unit controls execution of a print-less sheet passing processing in which, in a state where a toner image forming operation of the image forming unit is stopped, the first conveying path and the second conveying path convey a sheet to the transfer unit again through the transfer unit and the fixing unit. The control unit controls the execution of the toner image forming operation to the sheet subjected to the print-less sheet passing processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroyuki FUSE
  • Publication number: 20150117882
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a holding roller which holds thereon developer attached on the image carrier, a transfer member which transfers a developer image on the image carrier to a transfer medium, a collection device which collects the developer on the holding roller via the image carrier, and a control device which executes a collection control of causing the developer held on the holding roller to move to the image carrier such that the collection device collects the developer via the image carrier. The control device applies to the holding roller a first discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer after the collection control starts until a first time elapses and thereafter applies to the holding roller a second discharge bias having a polarity same as the developer and having an absolute value larger than the first discharge bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Masatoshi Shiraki, Daisuke Ishizuka
  • Publication number: 20150117884
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member, a charging unit, a charging power source, a latent image writing unit, a development unit, a transfer unit, a toner detector, and a controller. The controller causes a background fog pattern to be formed on a surface of the latent image bearing member. In addition to the background fog pattern, the controller causes a latent image to be developed to form a toner image used for position identification on the surface of the latent image bearing member. The controller identifies a time when the toner image used for position identification has entered a detection range of the toner detector based on a change in outputs of the toner detector to determine a time when each of sections of the background fog pattern enters the detection range based on the identified time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SUGIYAMA, Takamasa OZEKI, Tomoko TAKAHASHI, Yoshinori NAKAGAWA, Masahiko SHAKUTO, Ryuji YOSHIDA, Taichi URAYAMA, Ryusuke MASE, Shotaro HOSHI
  • Patent number: 9020400
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to irradiate a measurement image with light, and measure the light reflected from the measurement image, a white reference plate disposed in a position opposite to the measurement unit, a correction unit configured to correct a measurement result of the measurement image, based on a measurement result of the white reference plate acquired by the measurement unit, and a temperature detection unit configured to detect temperature in a vicinity of the measurement unit, wherein the correction unit corrects, in a case where a difference between a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit and a temperature shown when previously measuring the white reference plate is less than a predetermined value, a measurement result of the measurement image using a previous measurement result of the white reference plate without measuring the white reference plate with the measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasutomo Furuta
  • Publication number: 20150110508
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is an image forming apparatus including a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a control unit. The control unit determines whether an environment of the apparatus is a dew condensation environment, based on a temperature of the apparatus detected by the temperature sensor and humidity in the apparatus detected by the humidity sensor. The control unit turns ON a dew condensation preventing heater when determining that the environment of the apparatus is the dew condensation environment in a case where a main power source of the apparatus is in an OFF state or the apparatus is in a power saving mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Takayuki NISHI
  • Patent number: 9014601
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a first temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of an exposure device, a second temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of a photosensitive member, a color registration pattern detection unit configured to detect a color registration pattern formed on a transfer member, an actual-measurement-based color registration adjustment value calculation unit configured to calculate an actual-measurement-based color registration adjustment value from a result of the detection of the color registration pattern detection unit, and a prediction-based color registration adjustment value calculation unit configured to calculate a prediction-based color registration adjustment value from the temperature of the exposure device detected by the first temperature detection unit and the temperature of the photosensitive member detected by the second temperature detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kengo Sato, Motohiro Ogura, Takashi Ueno, Shozo Aiba
  • Publication number: 20150104206
    Abstract: A controller determines a mode at a current time point, and corrects, on the basis of the determined mode and an elapsed time from a start time of the mode clocked by a timer to a current time point, an in-apparatus temperature detected by an in-apparatus temperature sensor on the basis of correction data so that the corrected temperature is calculated as an outside-air temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Masanori OKADA
  • Patent number: 9001377
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs density correction. An image forming section forms a density detection image on a belt. A light source irradiates the image with light. A light receiving section receives light reflected from the image and outputs a plurality of intensity signals of the received light. An intensity obtaining section drives the belt and the light source, thereby illuminating the image a first number of times at intervals of a first distance as the belt runs, and the light receiving section receives the light reflected from the image, the first number of times being determined by at least the first distance and a second distance in which the first distance lies. A selecting section selects a second number of levels of light intensity from the plurality of intensity signals. A density correcting section performs print density correction using the second number of levels of light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 8995853
    Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, an environment sensor, a resistance detecting sensor, and a speed ratio adjusting section. The toner images are transferred from the plurality of image carriers onto a surface of the intermediate transfer belt in a superimposed manner. The driving roller circumferentially and rotationally drives the intermediate transfer belt. The environment sensor detects a temperature or a humidity around the intermediate transfer belt. The resistance detecting section detects a change in a resistance value of the intermediate transfer belt. The speed ratio adjusting section controls a rotation speed of the driving roller according to results of detection by the environment sensor and the resistance detecting section, thereby adjusting a speed ratio Vb/Vd between a circumferential rotating speed Vb of the intermediate transfer belt and a rotation speed Vd of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Sadanori Nakae
  • Publication number: 20150063838
    Abstract: A cartridge comprises a housing configured to hold a color erasable material which is erasable by heating to a color erasing temperature. The cartridge further comprises a temperature sensing unit configured to detect a temperature of the housing and a recording section configured to record the detected temperature of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: NORIFUMI YAGI, Takao Ishida, Kanya Hiroi
  • Patent number: 8971737
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a first conductive member, a bias application device, and a control portion, and performs image formation on a surface of the image bearing member while making the image bearing member rotate. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing a heating-up mode in which, at the time of non-image formation, in a state where the image bearing member is made to rotate at a velocity lower than that used at the time of image formation, an alternating current bias having a frequency higher than that used at the time of image formation and a peak-to-peak value twice or more as large as a discharge start voltage between the first conductive member and the image bearing member is applied to the first conductive member to cause a surface of the image bearing member to be heated up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hayashi, Koichi Hayashi, Shigeki Tsukahara, Takahiko Murata, Ai Takagami, Yosuke Saito, Maki Ike, Masaki Kadota
  • Patent number: 8965255
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus corrects for color slippage in toner image of a plurality of colors that have been sequentially transferred onto moving transfer target from the plurality of respective image carriers. A temperature of an interior of image-developing device is detected by first detection part, and a temperature of an interior of exposure device is detected by second detection part. First determination part determines whether or not the correction with respect to color slippage during temperature elevation is to be carried out, on the basis of first temperature detected by first detection part and second temperature detected by first detection part earlier than first temperature. Second determination part determines whether or not the correction with respect to color slippage during temperature decrease is to be carried out, on the basis of third temperature detected by second detection part and fourth temperature detected by second detection part earlier than third temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Sadanori Nakae
  • Publication number: 20150050037
    Abstract: An information forming apparatus includes an execution unit configured to execute a setting mode which sets a voltage to be applied to the transfer member during an image formation operation and a correction mode which corrects the voltage set by the setting mode and a storage unit configured to store in advance a correction current difference based on the environment that is a difference between a current when a predetermined voltage is applied to the transfer member during the first period and a current when a predetermined voltage is applied to the transfer member during the second period. The execution unit corrects the voltage set by the setting mode in accordance with the correction current difference based on a detection result from the first detection member and a detection result from the second detection member in a case that the correction mode is executed during the first period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventor: Taisuke Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8958730
    Abstract: To accomplish this, an image forming apparatus of the present invention determines whether the temperature of an exposure unit is changing at a predetermined gradient or more, detects misregistration by forming patches and executes first registration adjustment amount calculation processing for detecting a registration adjustment amount, in a case where the temperature is not changing at the predetermined gradient or more, and executes second registration adjustment amount calculation processing for predicting the misregistration amount according to the temperature of the exposure unit measured by a first sensor, in a case where the temperature is changing at the predetermined gradient or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Miura
  • Patent number: 8948629
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image carrier carrying latent image, developer carrier supplying developer on the image carrier, transfer part transferring the developer on the image carrier, cleaning blade removing attachment that attaches to a surface of the image carrier, internal environment detection part detecting an internal environmental temperature in the apparatus, developer disposal control part controlling disposal of developer from the developer carrier to the image carrier, and voltage control part controlling an applied voltage to the transfer part. Wherein, the developer disposal control part determines an absolute value of the applied voltage larger, which is applied to the transfer part during disposing the developer, where the internal environment temperature is high, and the voltage control part controls the applied voltage to the transfer part based on the absolute value of the voltage decided by the developer disposal control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Fumitaka Ozeki
  • Patent number: 8942576
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image based on an electrophotographic process applied to image data that represents the image includes a device configured to perform a periodic movement for image formation, a storage unit configured to store a table for correcting density variation caused by the device, the table initially generated when a physical property of the device is in a reference state, a prediction unit configured to predict an amplitude of the variation caused when the physical property is in a state different from the reference state, and an adjustment unit configured to adjust the table based on the amplitude predicted by the prediction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Takikawa, Hideki Kubo
  • Patent number: 8942582
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor; an intermediate transfer belt to which a toner image formed on the photoconductor is transferred, the intermediate transfer belt holding the toner image transferred thereto; a first transfer roller that nips the intermediate transfer belt between the first transfer roller and the photoconductor to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor to the intermediate transfer belt; a second transfer roller that transfers the toner image held by the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium; a detection unit that detects an environmental condition; and a separation position changing unit that changes a first separation position in accordance with the environmental condition, the first separation position being a position at which the intermediate transfer belt becomes separated from the first transfer roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimasa Toyama, Yoko Miyamoto