Patents by Inventor Junji Yamabe

Junji Yamabe 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20150147096
    Abstract: A toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is parallel to a horizontal direction includes: a cylindrical container body that has an opening on one end thereof in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to convey toner contained therein toward the opening; a cap portion into which the opening of the container body is inserted, and which includes a toner outlet at a bottom portion thereof for discharging toner discharged from the opening of the container body to the outside of the toner container in a vertically downward direction; and a shutter member that is held on the bottom portion of the cap portion, and moves along an outer periphery of the cap portion to thereby open and close the toner outlet, wherein the cap portion is formed by integral molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Eisuke HORI, Noriyuki KIMURA, Nobuo TAKAMI, Yuji SUZUKI, Hideki KIMURA, Kenji KIKUCHI, Junji YAMABE, Masato SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8989636
    Abstract: A toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is parallel to a horizontal direction is provided. The toner container includes: a cylindrical container body that has an opening on one end, and is configured to convey toner inside the body toward the opening; a cap portion into which the opening of the container body is inserted, and which includes a toner outlet at a bottom portion for discharging toner discharged from the opening of the container body to the outside of the toner container in a vertically downward direction; and a shutter member that is held on the bottom portion of the cap portion, and moves along an outer periphery of the cap portion to open and close the toner outlet. The cap portion is formed by integral molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Eisuke Hori, Noriyuki Kimura, Nobuo Takami, Yuji Suzuki, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Junji Yamabe, Masato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8973759
    Abstract: A sieving device including a hollow cylindrical body, a filter disposed at a bottom portion of the hollow cylindrical body, and a blade configured to rotate in close proximity to the filter around a rotation axis thereof crossing the filter to thereby stir powder supplied to the hollow cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Kaori Ozeki, Tatsushi Umayahara, Takashi Ono, Masayoshi Suzuki, Teruo Shibata, Keiichi Yano, Masato Suzuki, Eiichi Masushio, Hiroshi Sano, Yusuke Uchida, Junji Yamabe, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8934816
    Abstract: A sieve device is provided. The sieve device includes a sieve body and an inlet unit. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder is adapted to be supplied with a powder. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder within the cylinder to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The inlet unit is adapted to introduce the powder into the sieve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Hideo Ichikawa, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8929777
    Abstract: A sieve device is provided. The sieve device includes a sieve body and an introduction unit. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder is adapted to be supplied with toner particles. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the toner particles within the cylinder to allow the toner particles to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The introduction unit is adapted to introduce the toner particles passed through the filter outside the sieve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Hideo Ichikawa, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8929776
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided. The nozzle includes a gas injection unit, a sieve body, and a derivation unit. The gas injection unit is adapted to inject a gas into a powder container containing a powder. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder has a communication aperture for communicating the cylinder with the powder container. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder introduced into the cylinder from the powder container through the communication aperture upon injection of the gas into the powder container to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The derivation unit is adapted to derive the powder passed through the filter out of the powder container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Hideo Ichikawa, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8929780
    Abstract: A toner container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the toner container including: a cylindrical container which accommodates a toner; a cap portion which holds the cylindrical container such that the cylindrical container can rotate in a circular direction, with an end of the cylindrical container inserted in the cap portion; and a sealing member lying between the end and an inner surface of the cap portion, wherein the toner in the cylindrical container is discharged to an inside of the cap portion through an opening provided in the end and the toner in the cap portion is discharged to an outside through a toner discharge port provided in the cap portion, as the cylindrical container rotates, and wherein the cylindrical container is provided with a seal receiving surface for fixing the sealing member, and the sealing member is fixed to the seal receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Masato 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20140241757
    Abstract: A nozzle insertion member arranged in a powder container includes a nozzle insertion opening; an opening/closing member opening/closing the nozzle insertion opening; a supporting member supporting the opening/closing member; and a biasing member provided to the supporting member to bias the opening/closing member toward a closing position. When the powder is supplied to the conveying nozzle along with rotation of a rotary conveyor arranged inside the powder container, the supporting member rotates with the rotation of the conveyor. The opening/closing member is rotated by a drive transmitting mechanism with rotation of the supporting member. The mechanism includes an elongated member arranged on the opening/closing member and penetrating through an opening formed on the supporting member; and a drive transmitted portion formed on the elongated member; and a drive transmitting portion formed on an inner surface of the opening and configured to come into contact with the drive transmitted portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Shinji Tamaki, Shunji Katoh, Junji Yamabe
  • Publication number: 20130216271
    Abstract: A sieve device is provided. The sieve device includes a sieve body and an inlet unit. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder is adapted to be supplied with a powder. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder within the cylinder to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The inlet unit is adapted to introduce the powder into the sieve body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Hideo Ichikawa, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20130216270
    Abstract: A sieve device is provided. The sieve device includes a sieve body and an introduction unit. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder is adapted to be supplied with toner particles. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the toner particles within the cylinder to allow the toner particles to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The introduction unit is adapted to introduce the toner particles passed through the filter outside the sieve body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Junji YAMABE, Hideo Ichikawa, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20130216269
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided. The nozzle includes a gas injection unit, a sieve body, and a derivation unit. The gas injection unit is adapted to inject a gas into a powder container containing a powder. The sieve body includes a cylinder, a filter, and a blade. The cylinder has a communication aperture for communicating the cylinder with the powder container. The filter is disposed at a bottom of the cylinder. The blade is adapted to agitate the powder introduced into the cylinder from the powder container through the communication aperture upon injection of the gas into the powder container to allow the powder to pass through the filter. The blade is rotatable about a rotation axis that intersects with the filter in proximity to the filter. The derivation unit is adapted to derive the powder passed through the filter out of the powder container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Hideo Ichikawa, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20120321341
    Abstract: A toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is parallel to a horizontal direction includes: a cylindrical container body that has an opening on one end thereof in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to convey toner contained therein toward the opening; a cap portion into which the opening of the container body is inserted, and which includes a toner outlet at a bottom portion thereof for discharging toner discharged from the opening of the container body to the outside of the toner container in a vertically downward direction; and a shutter member that is held on the bottom portion of the cap portion, and moves along an outer periphery of the cap portion to thereby open and close the toner outlet, wherein the cap portion is formed by integral molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Eisuke Hori, Noriyuki Kimura, Nobuo Takami, Yuji Suzuki, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Junji Yamabe, Masato Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120301188
    Abstract: A toner container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the toner container including: a cylindrical container which accommodates a toner; a cap portion which holds the cylindrical container such that the cylindrical container can rotate in a circular direction, with an end of the cylindrical container inserted in the cap portion; and a sealing member lying between the end and an inner surface of the cap portion, wherein the toner in the cylindrical container is discharged to an inside of the cap portion through an opening provided in the end and the toner in the cap portion is discharged to an outside through a toner discharge port provided in the cap portion, as the cylindrical container rotates, and wherein the cylindrical container is provided with a seal receiving surface for fixing the sealing member, and the sealing member is fixed to the seal receiving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Masato Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120234735
    Abstract: A sieving device including a hollow cylindrical body, a filter disposed at a bottom portion of the hollow cylindrical body, and a blade configured to rotate in close proximity to the filter around a rotation axis thereof crossing the filter to thereby stir powder supplied to the hollow cylindrical body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo ICHIKAWA, Kaori Ozeki, Tatsushi Umayahara, Takashi Ono, Masayoshi Suzuki, Teruo Shibata, Keiichi Yano, Masato Suzuki, Eiichi Masushio, Hiroshi Sano, Yusuke Uchida, Junji Yamabe, Seiji Terazawa, Masashi Hasegawa