Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Ikeguchi

Hiroshi Ikeguchi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9482988
    Abstract: A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Kato, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Seiji Terazawa, Junji Yamabe, Kaori Mitsuishi, Toshihide Tomotaka, Tsunehiro Watanabe, Kenji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20160161885
    Abstract: A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shunji KATO, Shinji TAMAKI, Hiroshi IKEGUCHI, Seiji TERAZAWA, Junji YAMABE, Kaori MITSUISHI, Toshihide TOMOTAKA, Tsunehiro WATANABE, Kenji KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 9348259
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes a container body housing a toner; a conveying portion conveying the toner from one end of the container body, in a longer direction of the container body, to its other end at which a container opening portion is provided; a pipe receiving port receiving a conveying pipe fixed to a toner conveying device; and an uplifting portion moving the toner toward a toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Such toner has a molecular weight distribution having a peak in a range of 103 to 104, and has C/R of from 0.03 to 0.55 between peak height C attributed to crystalline polyester resin and R attributed to non-crystalline resin when measured by FT-IR after stored at 45° C. for 12 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Nagayama, Hisashi Nakajima, Yoshitaka Sekiguchi, Saori Yamada, Shinya Hanatani, Mariko Takii, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9261817
    Abstract: A replenishing developer housing container includes: a container body housing a replenishing developer; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion. The replenishing developer contains a toner and a carrier. The container body includes a protruding portion protruding from a container body interior side of the container opening portion toward one end of the container body and a curving portion curving so as to conform to the protruding portion. The uplifting portion includes an uplifting wall surface extending from an internal wall surface of the container body toward the protruding portion. When the replenishing developer housing container is mounted on the replenishing developer conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the replenishing developer receiving port of a conveying pipe being inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwatsuki, Shigenori Yaguchi, Hiroshi Tohmatsu, Toyoaki Tano, Hiroyuki Kishida, Kenichi Mashiko, Koichi Sakata, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9152084
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes: a container body housing a toner; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion. Flow rate index of the toner measured by powder rheometer and represented by “flow rate index=(total energy at a rotation speed of 10 mm/s)/(total energy at a rotation speed of 100 mm/s)” is in a range of “1.8?flow rate index?6.5”. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end of container body. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. When the toner housing container is mounted on the toner conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the toner receiving port of the conveying pipe being inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masana Shiba, Shingo Sakashita, Junichi Awamura, Tomoki Murayama, Chihiro Kikuchi, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9141031
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes: container body; conveying portion; pipe receiving port; and uplifting portion. Container body includes; protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion to one end of container body; and shutter member moving between closing and opening positions to close and open container opening portion. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. Shutter member moves from closing to opening position upon push by conveying pipe. When toner housing container is mounted on toner conveying device, protruding portion is present between curving portion and toner receiving port of conveying pipe inserted and extends along shutter member moving region. Toner has bulk density of ?0.399 g/cm3 when toner housing container is shaken up-and-down 10 times at 25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Seiji Terazawa, Shinji Tamaki, Kenji Kikuchi, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Ryoichi Teranishi, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9069288
    Abstract: Toner housing container includes: container body mountable on toner conveying device and housing toner supplied into toner conveying device; conveying portion provided in container body and conveying toner from longer direction one end of container body to other end at which container opening portion is provided; pipe receiving port provided at container opening portion and receiving conveying pipe fixed to toner conveying device; and uplifting portion to move toner conveyed by conveying portion toward toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Toner has loose apparent density of 0.28 g/cm3 to 0.53 g/cm3. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end. Uplifting portion includes uplifting wall surface extending from internal wall surface of container body toward protruding portion, and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kojima, Junichi Awamura, Tsuneyasu Nagatomo, Shingo Sakashita, Tomoki Murayama, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9057984
    Abstract: A powder container includes: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, that contains powder, and that has at least part thereof being deformable; and a discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction. The discharging unit includes a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside and a rotary shutter that is provided inside the discharge opening and that opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating about a rotating shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shunji Katoh, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Shinji Tamaki
  • Patent number: 8953986
    Abstract: A powder container includes: a powder containing unit which has an opening portion formed at one end portion thereof, contains a powder therein, and is formed of a flexible material; a discharging unit which is provided in the end portion provided with the opening portion, is fixed to a powder conveying apparatus, and discharges the powder delivered from the opening portion out to the powder conveying apparatus; and a portion to be locked which is provided in an end portion opposite to the opening portion and is locked to a locking portion of the powder conveying apparatus while a delivery member is biased in a direction opposite to the movement direction. When the delivery member is pressed inward from the outside of the powder containing unit so as to move toward the opening portion, the powder is delivered out from the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shunji Katoh, Hiroshi Ikeguchi
  • Publication number: 20140348552
    Abstract: A replenishing developer housing container according to the present invention includes: a container body housing a replenishing developer; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion, wherein the replenishing developer contains a toner and a carrier, wherein the container body includes a protruding portion protruding from a container body interior side of the container opening portion toward one end of the container body and a curving portion curving so as to conform to the protruding portion, wherein the uplifting portion includes an uplifting wall surface extending from an internal wall surface of the container body toward the protruding portion, wherein the protruding portion is provided such that when the replenishing developer housing container is mounted on the replenishing developer conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the replenishing developer receiving port of a conveying pipe being inserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwatsuki, Shigenori YAGUCHI, Hiroshi TOHMATSU, Toyoaki TANO, Hiroyuki KISHIDA, Kenichi MASHIKO, Koichi SAKATA, Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shunji KATOH, Shinji TAMAKI, Hiroshi IKEGUCHI, Kenji KIKUCHI, Michiharu SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20140348546
    Abstract: Toner housing container includes: container body mountable on toner conveying device and housing toner supplied into toner conveying device; conveying portion provided in container body and conveying toner from longer direction one end of container body to other end at which container opening portion is provided; pipe receiving port provided at container opening portion and receiving conveying pipe fixed to toner conveying device; and uplifting portion to move toner conveyed by conveying portion toward toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Toner has loose apparent density of 0.28 g/cm3 to 0.53 g/cm3. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end. Uplifting portion includes uplifting wall surface extending from internal wall surface of container body toward protruding portion, and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kojima, Junichi Awamura, Tsuneyasu Nagatomo, Shingo Sakashita, Tomoki Murayama, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140348545
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes: a container body housing a toner; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion. Flow rate index of the toner measured by powder rheometer and represented by “flow rate index=(total energy at a rotation speed of 10 mm/s)/(total energy at a rotation speed of 100 mm/s)” is in a range of “1.8?flow rate index?6.5”. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end of container body. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. When the toner housing container is mounted on the toner conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the toner receiving port of the conveying pipe being inserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masana Shiba, Shingo Sakashita, Junichi Awamura, Tomoki Murayama, Chihiro Kikuchi, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140348551
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes: container body; conveying portion; pipe receiving port; and uplifting portion. Container body includes; protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion to one end of container body; and shutter member moving between closing and opening positions to close and open container opening portion. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. Shutter member moves from closing to opening position upon push by conveying pipe. When toner housing container is mounted on toner conveying device, protruding portion is present between curving portion and toner receiving port of conveying pipe inserted and extends along shutter member moving region. Toner has bulk density of ?0.399 g/cm3 when toner housing container is shaken up-and-down 10 times at 25° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Seiji Terazawa, Shinji Tamaki, Kenji Kikuchi, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Ryoichi Teranishi, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140348550
    Abstract: Toner housing container includes: container body housing a toner; conveying portion conveying the toner from longer direction one end of container body to its other end at which container opening portion is provided; pipe receiving port receiving a conveying pipe fixed to toner conveying device; and uplifting portion moving the toner toward toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Toner has molecular weight distribution having a peak in a range of 103 to 104, and has C/R of from 0.03 to 0.55 between peak height C attributed to crystalline polyester resin and R attributed to non-crystalline resin when measured by FT-IR after stored at 45° C. for 12 hours. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side toward the one end. Uplifting portion includes uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion. Protruding portion is present between uplifting wall surface and toner receiving port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi NAGAYAMA, Hisashi NAKAJIMA, Yoshitaka SEKIGUCHI, Saori YAMADA, Shinya HANATANI, Mariko TAKII, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji KATOH, Shinji TAMAKI, Hiroshi IKEGUCHI, Kenji KIKUCHI, Michiharu SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8849163
    Abstract: A powder conveying apparatus includes a powder containing unit that contains powder and at least a portion of which is deformable; a discharging unit that discharges the powder from the powder housing unit to an outside; a delivery member that moves toward the discharging unit side while pushing the deformable portion of the powder containing unit inward to thereby convey the powder to the discharging unit; and an oscillation applying unit that applies oscillation to the discharging unit. Driving of the oscillation applying unit is controlled in response to an operation of the delivery member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Shunji Katoh, Keiichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140270859
    Abstract: A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shunji Kato, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Seiji Terazawa, Junji Yamabe, Kaori Mitsuishi, Toshihide Tomotaka, Tsunehiro Watanabe, Kenji Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8781375
    Abstract: A powder container includes: a powder containing unit that contains powder and at least a part of which is deformable; a discharging unit that receives the powder supplied from an opening of the powder containing unit via an inlet arranged on the discharging unit and discharges the powder to a supply destination; an elastic member that is arranged on a periphery of the inlet of the discharging unit; and a seal member that is arranged on the powder containing unit and seals the opening. The seal member is sandwiched between the discharging unit and the powder containing unit via the elastic member such that the seal member is removable from between the discharging unit and the powder containing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shunji Katoh, Hiroshi Ikeguchi
  • Patent number: 8611794
    Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developer to a development device includes a developer housing container configured to house the developer inside the container, a discharge outlet provided on the developer housing container and configured to discharge the housed developer outside the container, a conveying device provided between the discharge outlet and the development device, and configured to convey the developer in the developer housing container to the development device, and a motion providing device configured to provide a periodic motion to the developer housing container. The periodic motion is a circling motion, in which a trajectory of an arbitrary point of the developer housing container on a horizontal plane is at least one of circular and ellipsoidal trajectories, without a fixed rotation center on the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ikeguchi
  • Publication number: 20130039678
    Abstract: A powder container (61) includes a powder containing unit (66) which has an opening portion formed at one end portion thereof, is configured to contain a powder (T) therein and, is formed of a flexible material so as to be deformable. When a delivery member (81) is pressed inward from the outside of the powder containing unit (66) so as to move toward the opening portion, the powder (T) is delivered out from the opening portion. The end portion provided with the opening portion is provided with a discharging unit (67) which is fixed to a powder conveying apparatus, and discharges the powder (T) delivered from the opening portion out to the powder conveying apparatus. In addition, an end portion opposite to the opening portion is provided with a portion to be locked which is locked to a locking portion of the powder conveying apparatus while being biased in a direction opposite toward the movement direction of the delivery member (81).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shunji Katoh, Hiroshi Ikeguchi
  • Publication number: 20120219318
    Abstract: A powder container includes: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, that contains powder, and that has at least part thereof being deformable; and a discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction. The discharging unit includes a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside and a rotary shutter that is provided inside the discharge opening and that opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating about a rotating shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shunji Katoh, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Shinji Tamaki