Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Mabuchi
Hiroyuki Mabuchi 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).
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Patent number: 9658576Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a developer regulator, a casing including an opposing face to oppose the developer bearer upstream from a developing range in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer, and first, second, and third seals. The first seal includes a first end secured to the casing and a second end to contact a latent image bearer upstream from the developing range in a direction of rotation of the latent image bearer. The second seal includes a first end secured to the opposing face of the casing, and a second end to contact the first seal upstream from the developing range. The third seal includes a first end secured to the opposing face of the casing, and a second end to contact developer on the developer bearer between the developer regulator and the developing range in the direction of rotation of the developer bearer.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Kimura, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Junichi Terai, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Yukio Otome, Hiroaki Okamoto
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Patent number: 9529297Abstract: A developing device to develop a latent image on a rotatable image bearer includes an upstream developing roller disposed opposite the image bearer at a first developing position, and a downstream developing roller disposed adjacent to and downstream from the upstream developing roller in a direction of rotation of the image bearer, disposed opposite the image bearer at a second developing position. Each of the upstream developing roller and the downstream developing roller has a most approachable surface that approaches closest to the image bearer and a most withdrawn surface that withdraws farthest from the image bearer. In a state in which a reference surface point of the image bearer is disposed opposite the most approachable surface of the upstream developing roller at the first developing position, the reference surface point opposes the most withdrawn surface of the downstream developing roller at the second developing position.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Okamoto, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Junichi Terai, Hideki Kimura, Hiroshi Kikuchi
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Patent number: 9507313Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removable unit to be removably installed in the image forming apparatus, having a unit-side opening, a connectable device having an apparatus-side opening to be connected to the unit-side opening to send developer from one of the removable unit and the connectable device to the other, a receptacle disposed below the unit-side opening and the apparatus-side opening to receive and store developer dropping from above, and a drawer unit to be retractably drawn out from the image forming apparatus. The receptacle is united with the drawer unit to be drawn out from the image forming apparatus together with the drawer unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Terai, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Hideki Kimura, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Okamoto
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Patent number: 9395652Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer bearer to bear developer on a surface thereof, first and second developer conveyors each having a spiral blade mounted on a rotary shaft thereof parallel to a rotary axis of the developer bearer to convey developer in opposite directions to each other. A developer drain hole is provided at a given height in a side wall of a second developer conveyance channel to face a communication opening across the second developer conveyor. The first developer conveyor rotates in a direction with its spiral blade rising between the rotary shaft of the first developer conveyor and the communication opening. Rotational phases of the first developer conveyor and the second developer conveyor are fixed and synchronized with each other to weaken momentum of developer flow generated by the first developer conveyor toward the developer drain hole via the second developer conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Kikuchi, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Junichi Terai, Hideki Kimura, Yukio Otome, Hiroaki Okamoto, Kazunori Suzuki
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Publication number: 20160202660Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removable unit to be removably installed in the image forming apparatus, having a unit-side opening, a connectable device having an apparatus-side opening to be connected to the unit-side opening to send developer from one of the removable unit and the connectable device to the other, a receptacle disposed below the unit-side opening and the apparatus-side opening to receive and store developer dropping from above, and a drawer unit to be retractably drawn out from the image forming apparatus. The receptacle is united with the drawer unit to be drawn out from the image forming apparatus together with the drawer unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2015Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Junichi TERAI, Tadashi OGAWA, Hiroyuki MABUCHI, Yukio OTOME, Hideki KIMURA, Hiroshi KIKUCHI, Hiroaki OKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20160202630Abstract: A developing device to develop a latent image on a rotatable image bearer includes an upstream developing roller disposed opposite the image bearer at a first developing position, and a downstream developing roller disposed adjacent to and downstream from the upstream developing roller in a direction of rotation of the image bearer, disposed opposite the image bearer at a second developing position. Each of the upstream developing roller and the downstream developing roller has a most approachable surface that approaches closest to the image bearer and a most withdrawn surface that withdraws farthest from the image bearer. In a state in which a reference surface point of the image bearer is disposed opposite the most approachable surface of the upstream developing roller at the first developing position, the reference surface point opposes the most withdrawn surface of the downstream developing roller at the second developing position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2015Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Hiroaki OKAMOTO, Tadashi OGAWA, Hiroyuki MABUCHI, Yukio OTOME, Junichi TERAI, Hideki KIMURA, Hiroshi KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20160170329Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a developer regulator, a casing including an opposing face to oppose the developer bearer upstream from a developing range in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer, and first, second, and third seals. The first seal includes a first end secured to the casing and a second end to contact a latent image bearer upstream from the developing range in a direction of rotation of the latent image bearer. The second seal includes a first end secured to the opposing face of the casing, and a second end to contact the first seal upstream from the developing range. The third seal includes a first end secured to the opposing face of the casing, and a second end to contact developer on the developer bearer between the developer regulator and the developing range in the direction of rotation of the developer bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2015Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Hideki KIMURA, Tadashi OGAWA, Hiroyuki MABUCHI, Junichi TERAI, Hiroshi KIKUCHI, Yukio OTOME, Hiroaki OKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20160170356Abstract: A toner bottle driving device control method includes driving one of multiple toner bottle driving devices connected to a single toner container at a time, detecting abnormality of a toner bottle driving device being driven, determining a first abnormality phase of the toner bottle driving device being driven when a number of times the abnormality is detected exceeds a threshold, inhibiting the toner bottle driving device being in the first abnormality phase from driving until the first abnormality phase is resolved, driving a drivable toner bottle driving device containing a non-empty toner bottle when the toner bottle contained in the toner bottle driving device being driven is determined as empty, determining that the multiple toner bottle driving devices are in a second abnormality phase when each of the multiple toner bottle driving devices is determined as being in the first abnormality phase, and inhibiting image formation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2015Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Hiroyuki MABUCHI, Hiroaki OKAMOTO, Junichi TERAI, Yukio OTOME, Tadashi OGAWA, Hiroshi KIKUCHI, Hideki KIMURA, Katsuya AKIBA
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Patent number: 9360816Abstract: A toner bottle driving device control method includes driving one of multiple toner bottle driving devices connected to a single toner container at a time, detecting abnormality of a toner bottle driving device being driven, determining a first abnormality phase of the toner bottle driving device being driven when a number of times the abnormality is detected exceeds a threshold, inhibiting the toner bottle driving device being in the first abnormality phase from driving until the first abnormality phase is resolved, driving a drivable toner bottle driving device containing a non-empty toner bottle when the toner bottle contained in the toner bottle driving device being driven is determined as empty, determining that the multiple toner bottle driving devices are in a second abnormality phase when each of the multiple toner bottle driving devices is determined as being in the first abnormality phase, and inhibiting image formation.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2015Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Hiroaki Okamoto, Junichi Terai, Yukio Otome, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Hideki Kimura, Katsuya Akiba
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Patent number: 9323176Abstract: A powder supply device to supply powder to a supply destination includes a body, a single holder including multiple mounts on which multiple powder containers are removably mounted respectively, and a reservoir disposed in the body and below the single holder to store powder discharged from the multiple powder containers; and the single holder is removably attachable to the body of the powder supply device including the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2015Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Terai, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Okamoto, Akira Fujimori, Tadashi Ogawa, Hideki Kimura
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Publication number: 20160070208Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer bearer to bear developer on a surface thereof, first and second developer conveyors each having a spiral blade mounted on a rotary shaft thereof parallel to a rotary axis of the developer bearer to convey developer in opposite directions to each other. A developer drain hole is provided at a given height in a side wall of a second developer conveyance channel to face a communication opening across the second developer conveyor. The first developer conveyor rotates in a direction with its spiral blade rising between the rotary shaft of the first developer conveyor and the communication opening. Rotational phases of the first developer conveyor and the second developer conveyor are fixed and synchronized with each other to weaken momentum of developer flow generated by the first developer conveyor toward the developer drain hole via the second developer conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi KIKUCHI, Tadashi OGAWA, Hiroyuki MABUCHI, Junichi TERAI, Hideki KIMURA, Yukio OTOME, Hiroaki OKAMOTO, Kazunori SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20160041498Abstract: A powder supply device to supply powder to a supply destination includes a body, a single holder including multiple mounts on which multiple powder containers are removably mounted respectively, and a reservoir disposed in the body and below the single holder to store powder discharged from the multiple powder containers; and the single holder is removably attachable to the body of the powder supply device including the reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: Junichi TERAI, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Okamoto, Akira Fujimori, Tadashi Ogawa, Hideki Kimura
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Patent number: 9031474Abstract: A powder feeding device includes a powder container, a feeding tank in communication with the powder container, a negative pressure room in communication with the feeding tank via a suction port communicating tube; an air suction device in communication with the negative pressure room via a negative pressure room communication tube; a suction port opening and closing unit that opens and closes the suction port communicating tube; a negative pressure room opening and closing unit that opens and closes of the negative pressure room communication tube; an output port opening and closing unit that opens and closes an output port of the feeding tank; and a controller that performs negative pressure generation control, powder supply control, and powder discharge control. Further, the controller simultaneously starts the negative pressure generation control and the powder discharge control.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2014Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yukio Otome, Masashi Nakayama, Hiroyuki Mabuchi
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Publication number: 20140341618Abstract: A powder feeding device includes a powder container, a feeding tank in communication with the powder container, a negative pressure room in communication with the feeding tank via a suction port communicating tube; an air suction device in communication with the negative pressure room via a negative pressure room communication tube; a suction port opening and closing unit that opens and closes the suction port communicating tube; a negative pressure room opening and closing unit that opens and closes of the negative pressure room communication tube; an output port opening and closing unit that opens and closes an output port of the feeding tank; and a controller that performs negative pressure generation control, powder supply control, and powder discharge control. Further, the controller simultaneously starts the negative pressure generation control and the powder discharge control.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yukio OTOME, Masashi NAKAYAMA, Hiroyuki MABUCHI
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Patent number: 8837992Abstract: A powder feeding device includes a powder container, a feeding tank in communication with the powder container, a negative pressure room in communication with the feeding tank via a suction port communicating tube; an air suction device in communication with the negative pressure room via a negative pressure room communication tube; a suction port opening and closing unit that opens and closes the suction port communicating tube; a negative pressure room opening and closing unit that opens and closes of the negative pressure room communication tube; an output port opening and closing unit that opens and closes an output port of the feeding tank; and a controller that performs negative pressure generation control, powder supply control, and powder discharge control. Further, the controller simultaneously starts the negative pressure generation control and the powder discharge control.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2011Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yukio Otome, Masashi Nakayama, Hiroyuki Mabuchi
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Publication number: 20120063814Abstract: A powder feeding device includes a powder container, a feeding tank in communication with the powder container, a negative pressure room in communication with the feeding tank via a suction port communicating tube; an air suction device in communication with the negative pressure room via a negative pressure room communication tube; a suction port opening and closing unit that opens and closes the suction port communicating tube; a negative pressure room opening and closing unit that opens and closes of the negative pressure room communication tube; an output port opening and closing unit that opens and closes an output port of the feeding tank; and a controller that performs negative pressure generation control, powder supply control, and powder discharge control. Further, the controller simultaneously starts the negative pressure generation control and the powder discharge control.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yukio Otome, Masashi Nakayama, Hiroyuki Mabuchi
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Patent number: 7970307Abstract: A transfer apparatus capable of suitably measuring the amount of electric charges transferred from a transfer member to a transfer body and performing a transfer process without degrading the image quality by supplying an amount of electric charges suitable for any type of transfer body onto which an toner image is to be transferred. The transfer apparatus in an image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic method includes the transfer member electrically charging the transfer body; a charging unit for electrically charging a surface of the transfer member; and voltage sensors for measuring the voltage at each of an upstream area and a downstream area on the transfer member with respect to a transfer nip section of the transfer member.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Akitomo Kuwabara
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Patent number: 7953335Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photoconductive drum or belt supporting a toner image, a transfer member transferring the toner image onto a recording medium, a transportation device transporting the recording medium to between the photoconductor and the transfer member, a charger charging a surface of the transfer member to the anti-polarity of the electric charge of the toner image, a rotation drive unit rotating the transfer member to the same direction of the recording medium transportation, a contacting/removing unit that contacts the transfer member to the image supported member for printing and removes the transfer member from the image supported member when not printing, and a drive force transferring/blocking unit that transfers the drive force from the rotation drive unit to the transfer member before print starting-up and blocking the drive force during printing.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2008Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akitomo Kuwabara, Tsukasa Onose, Sho Sawahata, Yukio Otome, Akihiko Yamazaki, Hiroyuki Mabuchi
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Patent number: 7873312Abstract: A transfer apparatus comprises a toner image supporting body and a corona transfer means, which are oppositely disposed, and a vibrating unit for exerting vibration force to the rear face of a toner supporting body, disposed opposite to the corona transfer means, wherein the vibrating unit has a cantilever structure for holding an end of a piezoelectric bimorph element in which a pair of piezoelectric bodies each having an electrode, are bonded to both sides of a conductive elastic member (a shim member). A protrusion portion is provided on the other end of the piezoelectric bimorph element.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takao Umeda, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Shunichi Oohara
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Patent number: 7643779Abstract: A developer transporting amount controlling member that is used in a developing apparatus is disclosed. The developing apparatus includes a recording unit having a surface that sustains an electrostatic latent image and attracts a developer, a developer transporting unit that transports the developer, and a developing unit that guides the developer to the recording unit. The recording unit, the developer transporting unit, and the developing unit have rotational center axes that are parallel to each other. The developer transporting amount controlling member includes a magnetic part and a nonmagnetic part that is harder than the magnetic part and is fixed to the developing apparatus such that a portion of the nonmagnetic part is disposed closest to the developing unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Takao Umeda