Patents by Inventor Junpei KAMICHI

Junpei KAMICHI 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).

  • Publication number: 20230249931
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei AOYAMA, Manabu NONAKA, Hajime NISHIDA, Hideki TOBINAGA, Junpei KAMICHI, Satoshi KUNO, Shun KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11667484
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jumpei Aoyama, Manabu Nonaka, Hajime Nishida, Hideki Tobinaga, Junpei Kamichi, Satoshi Kuno, Shun Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11618643
    Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus includes a sheet housing portion, a handle for drawing the sheet housing portion, and a cover member. The sheet housing portion is drawably disposed in the apparatus main body and configured to house a sheet. The cover member is mounted to an end portion of the sheet housing portion in a drawing direction and having, in a portion facing the handle, a recess toward a sheet housing portion. A contact portion configured to come into contact with the sheet housing portion is disposed at a position corresponding to a portion in which the recess is formed, on a facing surface of the cover member, the facing surface facing the sheet housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junpei Kamichi
  • Patent number: 11442390
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes conveyance passage forming bodies to define a sheet conveyance passage, a nip forming body to form a conveying nip region in the sheet conveyance passage, and a flexible plate body having a support portion to be attached to another body and having a downstream-side end portion as a free end in a sheet conveying direction. The support portion of the flexible plate body is located on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region. The free end being located on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuki Shiga, Hideto Higaki, Jumpei Aoyama, Hirofumi Horita, Junpei Kamichi
  • Publication number: 20210179373
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei AOYAMA, Manabu NONAKA, Hajime NISHIDA, Hideki TOBINAGA, Junpei KAMICHI, Satoshi KUNO, Shun KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210155426
    Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus includes a sheet housing portion, a handle for drawing the sheet housing portion, and a cover member. The sheet housing portion is drawably disposed in the apparatus main body and configured to house a sheet. The cover member is mounted to an end portion of the sheet housing portion in a drawing direction and having, in a portion facing the handle, a recess toward a sheet housing portion. A contact portion configured to come into contact with the sheet housing portion is disposed at a position corresponding to a portion in which the recess is formed, on a facing surface of the cover member, the facing surface facing the sheet housing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junpei KAMICHI
  • Patent number: 10968061
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jumpei Aoyama, Manabu Nonaka, Hajime Nishida, Hideki Tobinaga, Junpei Kamichi, Satoshi Kuno, Shun Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10865059
    Abstract: A sheet container includes a bottom plate, a regulating body, and a holding body. The bottom plate is disposed movable and has a bottom plate-side contact portion. The regulating body regulates a position of a trailing end of a sheet. The holding body has a holding body-side contact portion and to hold the regulating body. The bottom plate and the holding body have a gap between the bottom plate-side contact portion of the bottom plate and the holding body-side contact portion of the holding body in a state in which the bottom plate is not rotated. The bottom plate-side contact portion of the bottom plate and the holding body-side contact portion of the holding body contact with each other along with rotation of the bottom plate. The holding body moves to a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction in conjunction with the rotation of the bottom plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei Aoyama, Hirofumi Horita, Yuuki Shiga, Junpei Kamichi, Hideto Higaki, Fumihiro Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 10429786
    Abstract: A drive transmission device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive transmission body to which a drive force is applied from a driving source, and a rotary shaft having a press-in portion mounted on one end thereof in the axial direction. The press-in portion has multiple planes disposed parallel to an axial direction and configured to receive the drive transmission body. The multiple planes include upstream and downstream side planes disposed downstream from the upstream side plane in a press-in direction of the drive transmission body. The upstream and downstream side planes are aligned along the press-in direction of the drive transmission body and have respective distances different from each other from an axial center of the rotary shaft. A distance from the downstream side plane to the axial center is greater than a distance from the upstream side plane to the axial center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Tomita, Junpei Kamichi, Hiroaki Nieda, Kimihiro Tanaka, Hideto Higaki, Yuuki Shiga, Jumpei Aoyama, Hirofumi Horita
  • Publication number: 20190243296
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes conveyance passage forming bodies to define a sheet conveyance passage, a nip forming body to form a conveying nip region in the sheet conveyance passage, and a flexible plate body having a support portion to be attached to another body and having a downstream-side end portion as a free end in a sheet conveying direction. The support portion of the flexible plate body is located on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region. The free end being located on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuki Shiga, Hideto Higaki, Jumpei Aoyama, Hirofumi Horita, Junpei Kamichi
  • Publication number: 20190225438
    Abstract: A sheet container includes a bottom plate, a regulating body, and a holding body. The bottom plate is disposed movable and has a bottom plate-side contact portion. The regulating body regulates a position of a trailing end of a sheet. The holding body has a holding body-side contact portion and to hold the regulating body. The bottom plate and the holding body have a gap between the bottom plate-side contact portion of the bottom plate and the holding body-side contact portion of the holding body in a state in which the bottom plate is not rotated. The bottom plate-side contact portion of the bottom plate and the holding body-side contact portion of the holding body contact with each other along with rotation of the bottom plate. The holding body moves to a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction in conjunction with the rotation of the bottom plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei AOYAMA, Hirofumi HORITA, Yuuki SHIGA, Junpei KAMICHI, Hideto HIGAKI, Fumihiro TSUNODA
  • Patent number: 10202250
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jumpei Aoyama, Manabu Nonaka, Hajime Nishida, Hideki Tobinaga, Junpei Kamichi, Satoshi Kuno, Shun Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20190039842
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei AOYAMA, Manabu NONAKA, Hajime NISHIDA, Hideki TOBINAGA, Junpei KAMICHI, Satoshi KUNO, Shun KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190018353
    Abstract: A drive transmission device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive transmission body to which a drive force is applied from a driving source, and a rotary shaft having a press-in portion mounted on one end thereof in the axial direction. The press-in portion has multiple planes disposed parallel to an axial direction and configured to receive the drive transmission body. The multiple planes include upstream and downstream side planes disposed downstream from the upstream side plane in a press-in direction of the drive transmission body. The upstream and downstream side planes are aligned along the press-in direction of the drive transmission body and have respective distances different from each other from an axial center of the rotary shaft. A distance from the downstream side plane to the axial center is greater than a distance from the upstream side plane to the axial center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji TOMITA, Junpei Kamichi, Hiroaki Nieda, Kimihiro Tanaka, Hideto Higaki, Yuuki Shiga, Jumpei Aoyama, Hirofumi Horita
  • Patent number: 10167148
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a paper loading base on which manual-feed paper is loaded, a manual-feed paper conveying unit, and a dustproof cover which covers the paper loading base being in the overhang state. The paper loading base has a lower end rotatably supported on one outer surface portion of the device main body, and is opened from an upper end thereof and disposed at a predetermined oblique angle or in a horizontal overhang state such that an overhang side becomes an upper side in an oblique direction. The manual-feed paper conveying unit is conveys the manual-feed paper on the paper loading base onto a paper conveyance path one by one. The dustproof cover includes a base which engages with the paper loading base, and an opening-and-closing cover which is rotatably connected to the base and is opened upwardly on the overhang side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kuno, Hajime Nishida, Hideki Tobinaga, Jumpei Aoyama, Junpei Kamichi, Shun Kobayashi, Manabu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10059554
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a conveyance roller to convey a sheet, an ejection roller to eject the sheet from the sheet conveyance device, a conveyance relay roller disposed between the conveyance roller and the ejection roller, a driven roller disposed in contact with the conveyance relay roller to form a nip, and an openable portion to open and close relative to a housing of the sheet conveyance device. A pivotable roller holder to pivot relative to openable portion is attached to the openable portion. The pivotable roller holder holds the conveyance relay roller and the driven roller to maintain a nip pressure between the conveyance relay roller and the driven roller when the openable portion is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Junpei Kamichi
  • Patent number: 9869959
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet container, an image forming part to form an image, a sheet feeding rotary body to feed the recording medium, a sheet separating rotary body to contact the sheet feeding rotary body and rotate with the sheet feeding rotary body with a sheet separation nip region formed therebetween, a rotation adjusting unit to adjust rotation of the sheet separating rotary body, a sheet containing unit to contain the recording media therein, a sheet separating body storing unit disposed at one end of the sheet containing unit to store the sheet separating body therein, and a load resistance applying mechanism to apply a rotational load resistance different from a contact force generated by contacting of the sheet separating rotary body with the sheet feeding rotary body, to the sheet feeding rotary body with no rotation driving force applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Tobinaga, Hajime Nishida, Jumpei Aoyama, Junpei Kamichi, Satoshi Kuno, Shun Kobayashi, Manabu Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20170320687
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a conveyance roller to convey a sheet, an ejection roller to eject the sheet from the sheet conveyance device, a conveyance relay roller disposed between the conveyance roller and the ejection roller, a driven roller disposed in contact with the conveyance relay roller to form a nip, and an openable portion to open and close relative to a housing of the sheet conveyance device. A pivotable roller holder to pivot relative to openable portion is attached to the openable portion. The pivotable roller holder holds the conveyance relay roller and the driven roller to maintain a nip pressure between the conveyance relay roller and the driven roller when the openable portion is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junpei KAMICHI
  • Publication number: 20170227911
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a paper loading base on which manual-feed paper is loaded, a manual-feed paper conveying unit, and a dustproof cover which covers the paper loading base being in the overhang state. The paper loading base has a lower end rotatably supported on one outer surface portion of the device main body, and is opened from an upper end thereof and disposed at a predetermined oblique angle or in a horizontal overhang state such that an overhang side becomes an upper side in an oblique direction. The manual-feed paper conveying unit is conveys the manual-feed paper on the paper loading base onto a paper conveyance path one by one. The dustproof cover includes a base which engages with the paper loading base, and an opening-and-closing cover which is rotatably connected to the base and is opened upwardly on the overhang side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi KUNO, Hajime NISHIDA, Hideki TOBINAGA, Jumpei AOYAMA, Junpei KAMICHI, Shun KOBAYASHI, Manabu NONAKA
  • Publication number: 20170115618
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet container, an image forming part to form an image, a sheet feeding rotary body to feed the recording medium, a sheet separating rotary body to contact the sheet feeding rotary body and rotate with the sheet feeding rotary body with a sheet separation nip region formed therebetween, a rotation adjusting unit to adjust rotation of the sheet separating rotary body, a sheet containing unit to contain the recording media therein, a sheet separating body storing unit disposed at one end of the sheet containing unit to store the sheet separating body therein, and a load resistance applying mechanism to apply a rotational load resistance different from a contact force generated by contacting of the sheet separating rotary body with the sheet feeding rotary body, to the sheet feeding rotary body with no rotation driving force applied thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki TOBINAGA, Hajime Nishida, Jumpei Aoyama, Junpei Kamichi, Satoshi Kuno, Shun Kobayashi, Manabu Nonaka