Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120195652 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device, including a fixing member; an opposing member contacting the fixing member to form a fixing nip; plural separation assisting members; a contact direction biasing member contacting an end of the auxiliary separation members to the surface of the fixing member; a contact and release switching member switching contacting the end of the auxiliary separation members to the surface of the fixing member and releasing the end of the auxiliary separation members therefrom; a fixing exit guide member guiding a recording medium to a discharge direction and separated from the fixing member by the separation assisting member; a first rotating member near the auxiliary separation members downstream from an end thereof; and a second rotating member guiding a recording medium guided by the fixing exit guide member in the recording medium conveyance direction while rotating. | 08-02-2012 |
20130004214 | GUIDE DEVICE WITH MECHANISM CAPABLE OF MINIMIZING DAMAGE TO TONER IMAGE AND RECORDING MEDIUM AND FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A guide device includes a fixing exit guide, a first rotary body, a second rotary body disposed downstream from the first rotary body in a recording medium conveyance direction and partially protruding from a guide face through a slot of the fixing exit guide to contact and support an image side of a recording medium conveyed over the second rotary body, and at least one guide rib mounted on the guide face of the fixing exit guide and extending substantially in the recording medium conveyance direction. The guide rib includes a contact face contacting the image side of the recording medium and a downstream end disposed downstream from the contact face in the recording medium conveyance direction to overlap the second rotary body in cross-section taken along a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the second rotary body. | 01-03-2013 |
20130004217 | LEVER SWITCHER WITH MECHANISM FOR MINIMIZING MECHANICAL SHOCK AND SOUND AND FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING LEVER SWITCHER - A fixing device includes a first opposed body and a second opposed body pressed against the first opposed body. A resilient member exerts a resilient bias to the second opposed body that presses the second opposed body against the first opposed body. A lever assembly is swingable to move the second opposed body against the resilient bias exerted by the resilient member between at least a reduced pressure position where the second opposed body presses against the first opposed body with reduced pressure therebetween and an enhanced pressure position where the second opposed body presses against the first opposed body with enhanced pressure therebetween. A resistance applier engages the lever assembly to exert drag on the lever assembly when the lever assembly moves the second opposed body from the reduced pressure position to the enhanced pressure position. | 01-03-2013 |
20130004222 | MEDIA GUIDE MECHANISM, FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A mechanism for guiding a recording medium into a nip formed between a first rotary member subjected to heating, and a second rotary member pressed against the first rotary member includes a guide member and a biasing member. The guide member is disposed upstream from the nip to guide the recording medium therealong. The biasing member is connected to the guide member to mechanically bias the guide member. The guide member is subjected to a constant biasing force from the biasing member and to a pressure force from the recording medium. The pressure force is opposite the biasing force and variable with a stiffness of the recording medium being guided. The guide member is movable to different operational positions depending on the biasing and pressure forces acting thereon. | 01-03-2013 |
20140147166 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier unit that includes an image carrier and is configured to be capable of being housed in and removed from an image-forming-apparatus main body; an exposure device that is arranged close to the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image; a retracting mechanism that holds the exposure device close to the image carrier when the image carrier unit is housed in the image-forming-apparatus main body, and holds the exposure device away from the image carrier when the image carrier unit is being removed from the image-forming-apparatus main body; a covering member that covers the retracting mechanism in a state where backlash of the exposure device at least in a main-scanning direction is allowed; and a guide mechanism that positions the exposure device in the main-scanning direction when the exposure device comes closer to the image carrier through the retracting mechanism. | 05-29-2014 |
20150132018 | DEVELOPER AMOUNT DETECTOR, DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer inside a developer container includes a light-emitting element; a light-receiving element; a first light guide including a first end disposed to face the light-emitting element and a second end disposed inside the developer container, covered with a translucent cover including a light-emitting face; a second light guide including a first end disposed to face the light-receiving element, a second end disposed inside the developer container, covered with a translucent cover including a light-receiving face to face the light-emitting face across a gap; and a cleaner including a sliding portion to slidingly contact the light-emitting face and the light-receiving face. The cover of each of the first and second light guides includes a material lower in chargeability with the sliding portion than a material of a body of each of the first and second light guides. | 05-14-2015 |
20160109827 | TONER CONTAINER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner container includes a container body that is used to house a toner and that is detachably attachable to a mounting portion in a developing device; and an operating member that is used to open and close a shutter. The shutter as well as the operating member includes an engaging portion that can engage with a linking member which is disposed in the mounting portion and which can perform a reciprocating linear movement. In the state in which the container body is not mounted in the mounting portion, the shutter and the operating member are in a non-linked state with each other. In contrast, in the state in which the container body is mounted in the mounting portion, the shutter and the operating member become able to be linked to each other via the linking member. | 04-21-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090110449 | SEPARATING MEMBER, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a fixing roller and a pressing roller that are in pressure contact with each other. A separating plate is placed opposite to the fixing roller with a certain gap in between them. Positioning portions are installed on the separating plate to be in contact with width-direction ends of the fixing roller for determining the gap. The positioning portions are arranged such that edges of contact portions of the positioning portions on the width-direction center side in contact with the fixing unit are positioned outside an image area and inside a paper-passing area for a recording medium of a maximum passing-capable size. | 04-30-2009 |
20090129836 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus using this fixing device - A fixing device and an image forming apparatus using this, in which even if permanent warping is produced on a roller member that forms a fixing nip portion, no collision sound is produced due to the collision of gears, the fixing device including: two roller members that form a nip portion in which a recording medium is pressed by pressure means and transported; and a drive gear that engages with a shaft portion of one of the two roller members and transmits driving force to that roller member. A key is formed in the drive gear and a key groove having a gap opened therein is formed in the shaft portion, and when a rotation velocity of the roller member increases, transmission of driving force from the drive gear to the shaft portion is suspended and the drive gear slides on the shaft portion. | 05-21-2009 |
20090190949 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus enables a high-quality double-side printing of a transfer medium by one-pass method using a simple structure. A latent image is formed and developed on an image carrier (drum) in a process cartridge. A resultant toner image is transferred by a first transfer unit (roller) onto either an upper surface of the transfer medium or a first intermediate transfer body (roller) in a first transfer area. The toner image on the first intermediate transfer body is transferred onto a back surface of the transfer medium in a fourth transfer area via a second intermediate transfer body (belt) and a third intermediate transfer body (roller). The fourth transfer area is located downstream of the first transfer area along a transport path of the transfer medium. | 07-30-2009 |
20090238585 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, forming a color image by successively superposing color images, formed on image carriers of corresponding image forming parts arranged along a rotational direction of an endless moving member, onto the endless moving member or a recording medium conveyed thereby, includes a first part causing a color registration pattern to be created on the endless moving member or the recording medium; a second part obtaining a color registration pattern signal by detecting the color registration pattern; a third part changing image formation timing in the image forming parts based on the color registration pattern signal; and a fourth part causing the endless moving member to rotate in forward and reverse directions after the creation of the color registration pattern. The second part obtains the color registration pattern signal by detecting the color registration pattern during each of the forward and reverse rotations of the endless moving member. | 09-24-2009 |
20100239297 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a cylindrical fixing member, having an external circumferential surface including a crown portion curved radially outward and a inverted-crown portion curved radially inward, a pressing unit including a convexity and a concavity formed on a facing surface facing the fixing member, a first heating member to heat the fixing member, corresponding to the crown portion of the fixing member, a second heating member to heat the fixing member, corresponding to the inverted-crown portion of the fixing member, a temperature detector to detect a surface temperature of the fixing member, and a controller to control the first heating member and the second heating member independently. The pressing unit presses against the fixing member while the crown portion and the inverted-crown portion of the fixing member match the concavity and the convexity of the pressing unit, respectively, forming a curved fixing nip therebetween. | 09-23-2010 |
20110188896 | DEVELOPING UNIT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A developing unit includes: a developer carrier; a toner supplying member having a porous surface layer; a toner storage storing therein toner; a stirring member that is rotated to stir the toner; a toner amount detecting unit that detects an amount of the toner; a toner supplying unit that supplies new toner to the toner storage based on a detection result; and a toner removing member that removes the toner carried in the porous surface layer, wherein the toner removing member is arranged in a separable and contactable manner from and with the porous surface layer, and the developing unit has a stirring mode in which the toner removing member is brought into contact with the porous surface layer, and the toner supplying member is rotated while the stirring member is rotated to stir the toner. | 08-04-2011 |
20110194864 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER SUPPLY METHOD - A toner supplying method for supplying toner from a toner container to a developing part that causes toner to adhere to a latent image formed on a latent image carrying member and develops the latent image, includes detecting a toner amount in the developing part as being equal to or less than a predetermined toner amount value; forming a fog detecting image in a case where the toner amount in the developing part is equal to or less than the predetermined toner amount value, and detecting fog; and determining based on the detected fog whether to execute a toner ejecting process of ejecting the toner remaining in the developing part toward the latent image carrying member before supplying the toner to the developing part from the toner container. | 08-11-2011 |
20110217055 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER SUPPLY METHOD - Toner is supplied from a toner container to a developing part that causes the toner to adhere to a latent image formed on a latent image carrying member and develops the latent image, a pre-toner-supply operation of supplying a predetermined amount of toner to the developing part is carried out, a fog detecting image is formed and fog is detected in the fog detecting image, a toner supply amount to be supplied to the developing part is determined based on the fog detected in the detecting and an operational status of the developing part since the toner was supplied to the developing part the last time, and the toner supply amount of the toner determined in the determining is supplied to the developing part. | 09-08-2011 |
20120033997 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESSING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A development device includes a developer carrier configured to carry on a surface thereof a developer, the developer carrier being disposed to face a latent image carrier, a developer tank having the developer carrier, a developer container configured to house the developer to be supplied to the developer tank, the developer container being connected to the developer tank through a partition having an opening, and a developer carrier member configured to carry the developer in the developer container, the developer being supplied to the developer tank from the opening while being carried by the developer carrier member, and the amount of developer to be supplied to the developer tank from the opening being gradually increased in a developer carrying direction of the developer carrier member. | 02-09-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110123708 | MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR A LAMINATED BODY - A method for producing a layered article having a layer of particles stacked on a substrate, including the following steps: (1): preparing a mixed particle dispersion liquid by dispersing, in a liquid dispersion medium, inorganic particle chains (A) in a volume fraction of from 0.30 to 0.84, each of the chains being composed of three or more particles with a particle diameter of from 10 to 60 nm attached to each other in a chain form, inorganic particles (B) having an average particle diameter of from 1 to 20 nm in a volume fraction of from 0.10 to 0.45, and particles (C) having an average particle diameter Dc of larger than 20 nm in a volume fraction of from 0.06 to 0.25, (2): applying the mixed particle dispersion liquid onto the substrate, and (3): removing the liquid dispersion medium from the mixed particle dispersion liquid applied, thereby forming, on the substrate, the particle layer having a thickness of D that satisfies 0.5D≦Dc≦D. | 05-26-2011 |
20110292568 | ELECTRODE FILM, ELECTRODE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE ELECTRODE, AND ELECTRICAL STORAGE DEVICE - Provided is an electrode film comprising an active material having an average particle diameter being equal to or more than 2 μm and equal to or less than 50 μm and inorganic particles containing a conductive ion and having an average diameter being equal to or more than 1 nm and less than 2 μm, wherein the active material is bound by the inorganic particles, and an electrode in which the electrode film is stacked on a current collector is also provided. In addition, an electric storage device, comprising the above-mentioned electrode, in which two electrodes are arranged so that their electrode films may be opposed to each other, the electrode films are wound or stacked with a separator interposed between the electrode films, and the electrodes and the separator are enclosed together with an electrolyte solution in a metal container is provided. | 12-01-2011 |
20120114518 | Method for Producing Inorganic Particle Composite Body - A method for producing an inorganic particle composite body formed of a mixture of a plastically deformable metal, and inorganic particles that do not plastically deform under a condition under which the metal plastically deforms, wherein the method comprises: a step of preparing an inorganic particles structural body that is formed of a mixture of the metal and the inorganic particles and that contains a vacant space therein, and a step of plastically deforming the metal in the structural body. | 05-10-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100075229 | POSITIVE ELECTRODE FORMING MATERIAL, COMPONENT THEREOF, METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME AND RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM-ION BATTERY - Disclosed is a positive electrode forming material for a positive electrode of a battery, the material including particles of a positive electrode active material and fine carbon fibers adhering to surfaces of particles of the positive electrode active material in a shape of a network. The positive electrode active material is preferably fine particles having an average particle diameter of 0.03 to 40 μm. Each of the fine carbon fibers is preferably carbon nanofiber having an average fiber diameter of 1 to 100 nm and an aspect ratio of 5 or greater. The carbon nanofiber is surface-oxidized. The positive electrode forming material includes a binder. The content of the fine carbon fibers is 0.5 to 15 parts by mass and the content of the binder is 0.5 to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the positive electrode active material. | 03-25-2010 |
20130221284 | CARBON NANOFIBER DISPERSION LIQUID, COATING COMPOSTION, AND PASTE COMPOSITION - A carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid having an excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability. Also, coating paste compositions including the carbon nanofibers produced by using the dispersion liquid are provided. The carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid includes: a solvent; a carbon nanofiber; an alkanolamine; and a chelating agent. Preferably, in the carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid, the alkanolamine is at least one selected from a group consisting of monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, and triisopropanolamine. Also, in the carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid, the chelating agent is at least one selected from a group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a phosphonic acid chelating agent, a gluconic acid chelating agent, and an organic acid. | 08-29-2013 |
20140191164 | CARBON NANOFIBER, DISPERSION LIQUID AND COMPOSITION THEREOF - The carbon nanofiber has a content of oxygen controlled in a range of 8% by mass to 20% by mass and excellent dispersibility in polar solvents by means of an oxidization treatment carried out on a raw material of the carbon nanofiber. The above-described oxidization treatment is preferably carried out at 100° C. or higher using an mixed acid of nitric acid and sulfuric acid in which the nitric acid concentration is in a range of 10% by mass to 30% by mass. A carbon nanofiber dispersion liquid is obtained by dispersing the above-described carbon nanofiber in a polar solvent, and a carbon nanofiber composition contains the above-described dispersion liquid and a binder component. | 07-10-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090047492 | MULTILAYER STRUCTURE AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A MULTILAYER STRUCTURE - Disclosed is a multilayer structure including a first layer and a second layer adjacent to the first layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a first material comprising a first inorganic laminar compound and a second layer is formed of a second material comprising a second inorganic laminar compound with a volume fraction greater than the volume fraction of the first inorganic laminar compound in the first layer. The multilayer structure may includes a substrate layer. A method for producing the multilayer structure is also disclosed. | 02-19-2009 |
20090274843 | METHODS FOR PRODUCING RESIN FILM AND LAYERED ARTICLE - Methods for producing a resin film or a layered article which are excellent in gas barrier properties under high humidity conditions are disclosed. In the methods, a precursor film of a resin composition composed of alkali metal ions and a resin component having both hydroxyl groups and carboxyl groups is subjected to treatments including (i) dry heating treatment of holding the precursor film under an atmosphere characterized by a temperature not lower than 100° C. and a water vapor concentration less than 50 g/m | 11-05-2009 |
20100026939 | POLARIZER AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE - Provided are a polarizer containing a polarizing film having two surfaces opposing each other and one protective film layer, wherein the polarizing film has a resin film with dichroic dye molecules adsorbed on the resin film with uniaxial orientation, wherein the protective film layer is disposed on or over one of the surfaces of the polarizing film, and wherein the polarizer further has, on or over at least one of the surfaces of the polarizing film, an inorganic particle layer containing inorganic particles, and a polarizer having a polarizing film having two surfaces opposing each other and two protective film layers, wherein the polarizing film has a resin film with dichroic dye molecules adsorbed on the resin film with uniaxial orientation, wherein one of the protective film layers is disposed on or over one of the surfaces of the polarizing film and the other protective film layer is disposed on or over the other surface of the polarizing film, and wherein the polarizer further has, on or over at least one of the surfaces of the polarizing film, an inorganic particle layer containing inorganic particles. Furthermore, a liquid crystal display device composed of a combination of the polarizers and a liquid crystal cell is provided. | 02-04-2010 |
20100175822 | METHODS FOR PRODUCING CARBON PARTICLE FILM, LAMINATED ELECTRODE, AND ELECTRIC DOUBLE LAYER CAPACITOR - Provided is a method for producing a film comprising inorganic particles and carbon particles bound together with the inorganic particles, the method comprising a step of compressing a film composed of a mixture comprising carbon particles and inorganic particles at a temperature which is not higher than the melting point of the carbon particles and not higher than the melting point of the inorganic particles to increase the bulk density of the mixture. Moreover, a method for producing a laminated electrode and a method for producing an electric double layer capacitor, both using the foregoing method, are provided. | 07-15-2010 |
20100183802 | METHODS FOR PRODUCING SOLID PARTICULATE DISPERSION LIQUID, ELECTRODE, AND ELECTRIC DOUBLE LAYER CAPACITOR - Disclosed is a method for producing a dispersion liquid of solid particulates, the method comprising subjecting a mixture liquid comprising charged particles, solid particles greater in average particle diameter than the charged particles, and a liquid medium to pulverization. Moreover, a method for producing an electrode and a method for producing an electric double layer capacitor using the aforementioned method. | 07-22-2010 |
20110058309 | ELECTRODE FILM CONTAINING IONIC LIQUID, ELECTRODE, THEIR PRODUCTION METHODS, AND ELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE DEVICE - The electrode film of the present invention includes electrode material particles having an average particle diameter of Da, solid particles having an average particle diameter of Db, and an ionic liquid, wherein Da and Db satisfy a formula Db/Da≦1.0×10 | 03-10-2011 |
20110123708 | MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR A LAMINATED BODY - A method for producing a layered article having a layer of particles stacked on a substrate, including the following steps: (1): preparing a mixed particle dispersion liquid by dispersing, in a liquid dispersion medium, inorganic particle chains (A) in a volume fraction of from 0.30 to 0.84, each of the chains being composed of three or more particles with a particle diameter of from 10 to 60 nm attached to each other in a chain form, inorganic particles (B) having an average particle diameter of from 1 to 20 nm in a volume fraction of from 0.10 to 0.45, and particles (C) having an average particle diameter Dc of larger than 20 nm in a volume fraction of from 0.06 to 0.25, (2): applying the mixed particle dispersion liquid onto the substrate, and (3): removing the liquid dispersion medium from the mixed particle dispersion liquid applied, thereby forming, on the substrate, the particle layer having a thickness of D that satisfies 0.5D≦Dc≦D. | 05-26-2011 |
20110292568 | ELECTRODE FILM, ELECTRODE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE ELECTRODE, AND ELECTRICAL STORAGE DEVICE - Provided is an electrode film comprising an active material having an average particle diameter being equal to or more than 2 μm and equal to or less than 50 μm and inorganic particles containing a conductive ion and having an average diameter being equal to or more than 1 nm and less than 2 μm, wherein the active material is bound by the inorganic particles, and an electrode in which the electrode film is stacked on a current collector is also provided. In addition, an electric storage device, comprising the above-mentioned electrode, in which two electrodes are arranged so that their electrode films may be opposed to each other, the electrode films are wound or stacked with a separator interposed between the electrode films, and the electrodes and the separator are enclosed together with an electrolyte solution in a metal container is provided. | 12-01-2011 |
20120164413 | Inorganic Particle Composite Body and Method for Producing Inorganic Particle Composite Body - There is provided an inorganic particle composite body comprising a layer of a substrate formed of a plastically deformable solid material and an inorganic particle layer that is composed of inorganic particles that do not plastically deform under a condition under which the solid material plastically deforms, that contains gaps defined by the inorganic particles, and that adjoins the layer of the substrate, wherein part of the solid material is in at least part of the gaps in the inorganic particle layer. This inorganic particle composite body is produced by a method including a preparation step of preparing an inorganic particle structural body comprising a layer of a substrate formed of a plastically deformable solid material and an inorganic particle layer that is composed of inorganic particles that do not plastically deform under a condition under which the solid material plastically deforms, that contains gaps defined by the inorganic particles, and that adjoins the layer of the substrate; and a filling step of plastically deforming at least part of the solid material contained in the inorganic particle structural body, thereby filling at least part of the gaps in the inorganic particle layer with part of the plastically deformed solid material. | 06-28-2012 |