Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha

Brother Industries, Ltd.

Junichi Yokoi

Nao Itabashi

Yosuke Sugiyama

Toshio Sakai

Takamasa Tsukada

Yasuo Tamaru

Shougo Sato

Hikaru Yoshizumi

Koji Abe

Hiroki Mori

Hiromitsu Mizutani

Takuya Yamaguchi

Shogo Mori

Yohei Hashimoto

Toshio Furukawa

Shinya Kusuda

Masahiko Hayakawa

Kensuke Miyahara

Hikaru Iino

Jun Mihara

Ryosuke Sakai

Yoshihiro Oyama

Masaya Takasu

Junichi Hiraoka

Takuro Kusama

A scanning optical device includes a semiconductor laser, a coupling lens, a condenser lens, a deflector, a scanning optical system, a frame, and a first cover. The coupling lens converts light emitted by the first semiconductor laser to a light beam. The light beam received from the coupling lens is concentrated through the condenser lens. The deflector includes a polygon mirror configured to deflect the light beam received from the condenser lens. The scanning optical system directs the light beam deflected by the deflector toward an image plane. The deflector and the scanning optical system are fixed to the frame. The first cover covers at least a portion of the frame on which the deflector is located. The frame includes a wall having an opening through which a light beam traveling toward the polygon mirror passes. The condenser lens closes the opening.

Scanning optical device

A scanning optical device includes a light source, a deflector, a scanning optical system, and a frame. The deflector includes a polygon mirror rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction to deflect light beam from the light source. The scanning optical system is configured to form an image on an image plane using the light beam from the polygon mirror. The light source, the deflector, and the scanning optical system are fixed to the frame. The frame includes: a base wall on which the deflector is mounted; a first wall extending from the base wall toward one side in the first direction; a crossing wall extending in a direction crossing the first direction from the first wall; a second wall extending toward another side in the first direction from the crossing wall; and a positioning part provided on the crossing wall.

Scanning optical device having positioning part on reinforced wall for positioning of the device relative to main body of image-forming apparatus

A developing cartridge may include: a casing configured to accommodate developer therein, the casing extending in the first direction; a coupling rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction, the coupling being positioned at one side of the casing in the first direction; a detection gear rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the detection gear being positioned at another side of the casing in the first direction; and a storage medium including an electric contact surface, the electric contact surface being positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction.

Developing cartridge capable of reducing size of image forming apparatus

A scanning optical device includes: a first semiconductor laser; a second semiconductor laser; a first coupling lens configured to convert light from the first semiconductor laser into a first light beam; a second coupling lens configured to convert light from the second semiconductor laser into a second light beam; a deflector configured to deflect the first light beam and the second light beam; a first optical sensor configured to detect the deflected first light beam; a second optical sensor configured to detect the deflected second light beam; a first scanning optical system configured to form an image using the deflected first light beam; a second scanning optical system configured to form an image using the deflected second light beam; and a circuit board. The first semiconductor laser, the second semiconductor laser, the first optical sensor, and the second optical sensor are mounted on the circuit board.

Scanning optical device including first semiconductor laser, second semiconductor laser, first optical sensor, and second optical sensor which are mounted on circuit board

A developing cartridge may include: a casing to accommodate developer; a storage medium including an electric contact surface; an elastic member extending in a first direction crossing the electric contact surface, and configured to be compressed or stretched in the first direction between a first state and a second state; and a holder including an outer surface positioned toward a side of the holder in the first direction, the electric contact surface positioned at the outer surface, and movable between first and second positions in the first direction relative to the casing. A length of the elastic member in the first direction is greater in the first state than in the second state. The electric contact surface is in the first position when the elastic member is in the first state, and the electric contact surface is in the second position when the elastic member is in the second state.

Developing cartridge

An image forming apparatus including a main body casing, a drum cartridge, a developing cartridge, and an intermediate transfer belt. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a drum frame, and a first memory. The intermediate transfer belt is positioned above of the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are attached to the main body casing. The drum frame includes a first end and a second end being apart from the first end in an up-down direction. The photosensitive drum is positioned at the first end. The first memory is positioned at the second end.

Image forming apparatus with a memory positioned on a drum frame

An image forming apparatus, having a photosensitive drum assembly, an exposure head, and a bearing, is provided. The photosensitive drum assembly includes a photosensitive drum and a flange disposed at an end of the photosensitive drum in an axial direction of an axis of the photosensitive drum. The flange contacts an inner surface of the photosensitive drum. The exposure head includes a plurality of light emitters aligned along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, a lens array focusing light from the light emitters on the photosensitive drum, and a head frame to support the light emitters and the lens array. The bearing has a first contact face to contact the exposure head to define a distance between the lens array and the photosensitive drum along a direction of an optical axis of the light.

Image forming apparatus

An image-forming apparatus includes: a housing having an opening; a top cover configured to cover the opening; a short-range wireless communication circuit board attached to the top cover; a relay circuit board attached to the top cover; and a first wiring connecting the short-range wireless communication circuit board and the relay circuit board to each other. The short-range wireless communication circuit board includes: an antenna configured to transmit/receive radio waves; and a circuit electrically connected to the antenna. At least a part of the circuit and at least a part of the relay circuit board are overlapped with each other in an up-down direction.

Image-forming apparatus including short-range wireless communication circuit board and relay circuit board arranged to partially overlap with each other

In an image forming device, a controller converts continuous-tone image data to raster image data using a dither matrix. The continuous-tone image data includes pixels each has a tone value. The raster image data is binary image data corresponding to exposure areas. The dither matrix includes threshold values. The dither matrix is configured so that as an exposure area percentage of the raster image data increases, growth of the exposure area progresses according to a growth process including: a stage at which an exposure area extends in a predetermined screen direction from an isolated exposure area to connect with another isolated exposure area; and a stage at which after the isolated exposure area connects with another isolated exposure area, the exposure area extends in a crossing direction crossing the predetermined screen direction. The controller controls the exposure device to expose the photosensitive drum based on the raster image data.

Image forming device converting image data to raster image data using dither matrix

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Junichi Yokoi