Patents by Inventor Kahei Nakamura

Kahei Nakamura 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: 11904604
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head, processing circuitry, and a memory. The head includes a plurality of nozzle rows in each of which a plurality of nozzles are arranged. The processing circuitry detects landing positions of the liquid discharged from the plurality of nozzle rows and corrects the landing positions of the liquid based on a result of detecting the landing positions of the liquid. The memory stores data related to a relation among the landing positions of the liquid. The processing circuitry detects landing positions of the liquid discharged from one representative nozzle row. The processing circuitry corrects landing positions of the liquid discharged from all of the plurality of nozzle rows based on a result of detecting the landing positions of the liquid discharged from the one representative nozzle row and the data related to the relation among the landing positions stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11654700
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing device to print an image on a sheet, a carriage mounting the printing device, the carriage to scan in a main-scanning direction, a detector on the carriage, the detector to detect a presence and an absence of the sheet, and circuitry to detect an edge position of the sheet in the main-scanning direction based on a detection result by the detector while the printing device prints a first scan of the image on the sheet, adjust a print start position at which the printing device starts printing a second scan of the image on the sheet based on the edge position detected in the first scan, and control the printing device to print the second scan of the image from the print start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20230067871
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head, processing circuitry, and a memory. The head includes a plurality of nozzle rows in each of which a plurality of nozzles are arranged. The processing circuitry detects landing positions of the liquid discharged from the plurality of nozzle rows and corrects the landing positions of the liquid based on a result of detecting the landing positions of the liquid. The memory stores data related to a relation among the landing positions of the liquid. The processing circuitry detects landing positions of the liquid discharged from one representative nozzle row. The processing circuitry corrects landing positions of the liquid discharged from all of the plurality of nozzle rows based on a result of detecting the landing positions of the liquid discharged from the one representative nozzle row and the data related to the relation among the landing positions stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11090959
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an apparatus body, a carriage, an encoder, a detection target member, a detector, and circuitry. The encoder detects an amount of movement of the carriage in a main scanning direction. The target member on the carriage has a cutout portion halfway in the main scanning direction. The detector on the body detects the target member. The circuitry controls a position setting operation for setting a home position of the carriage based on a detection result of detection or non-detection of the target member. The circuitry measures an output pulse of the encoder from when the detection result changes from detection to non-detection until when the detection result changes from non-detection to detection, and determines whether a measured value of the output pulse is equal to or greater than a predetermined value set based on a width of the cutout portion in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10946680
    Abstract: A guide device includes a guide configured to movably hold and guide a moving-object, and a stay to which the guide is attached. The stay includes an attachment portion including an attachment surface to which the guide is attached, a facing portion facing the attachment portion, and an adjuster configured to change a distance between the attachment portion and the facing portion to partially displace the attachment surface. The adjuster includes an adjustment plate arranged between the attachment portion and the facing portion, and a push member configured to push the adjustment plate to move the attachment portion of the stay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20210046772
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing device to print an image on a sheet, a carriage mounting the printing device, the carriage to scan in a main-scanning direction, a detector on the carriage, the detector to detect a presence and an absence of the sheet, and circuitry to detect an edge position of the sheet in the main-scanning direction based on a detection result by the detector while the printing device prints a first scan of the image on the sheet, adjust a print start position at which the printing device starts printing a second scan of the image on the sheet based on the edge position detected in the first scan, and control the printing device to print the second scan of the image from the print start position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20200207129
    Abstract: A guide device includes a guide configured to movably hold and guide a moving-object, and a stay to which the guide is attached. The stay includes an attachment portion including an attachment surface to which the guide is attached, a facing portion facing the attachment portion, and an adjuster configured to change a distance between the attachment portion and the facing portion to partially displace the attachment surface. The adjuster includes an adjustment plate arranged between the attachment portion and the facing portion, and a push member configured to push the adjustment plate to move the attachment portion of the stay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10399803
    Abstract: A feeding device includes a plurality of suction units, disposed above a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker, to attract the conveyed medium. At least one of the plurality of suction units includes a rotary fan including a board and a plurality of walls extending from the board; and a driver to rotate the rotary fan. The at least one of the plurality of suction units generates a vortex air with a side of the board with the plurality of walls directed to the conveyed medium. The at least one of the plurality of suction units being a suction unit generates a vortex air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nakada, Kiyoshi Hata, Mamoru Yorimoto, Yuichiro Maeyama, Isao Matsushima, Takeshi Watanabe, Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20190217641
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an apparatus body, a carriage, an encoder, a detection target member, a detector, and circuitry. The encoder detects an amount of movement of the carriage in a main scanning direction. The target member on the carriage has a cutout portion halfway in the main scanning direction. The detector on the body detects the target member. The circuitry controls a position setting operation for setting a home position of the carriage based on a detection result of detection or non-detection of the target member. The circuitry measures an output pulse of the encoder from when the detection result changes from detection to non-detection until when the detection result changes from non-detection to detection, and determines whether a measured value of the output pulse is equal to or greater than a predetermined value set based on a width of the cutout portion in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10252517
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device; an imaging device; and at least one processor including a pattern forming unit to cause a recording head to form a pair of first marks, with first and second nozzles disposed at a first distance from each other in a direction of conveyance of a recording medium, while the recording head moves in a first direction and cause the recording head to form a second mark while the recording head moves in a second direction, a position detector to detect positions of the first and second marks in a captured image, a ratio calculator to calculate a ratio between a distance between the first marks in the captured image and a deviation of the second mark in the captured image, and distance calculator to calculate a distance of the deviation based on the first distance and the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kahei Nakamura, Masaya Kawarada, Kohta Aoyagi, Suguru Yokozawa, Nobuyuki Satoh
  • Patent number: 10081506
    Abstract: A feeding device to feed a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker, includes a first suction unit, a second suction unit, and third suction units. The first suction unit includes a suction chamber; a suction fan to exhaust air from the suction chamber; and a first driver to rotate the suction fan. The suction units are disposed above the conveyed medium stacked on the stacker. The second suction unit includes a rotary fan including a board and a plurality of walls extending from the board; and a second driver to rotate the rotary fan. The second suction unit generates a vortex flow directed to the conveyed medium. The plurality of third suction units is disposed in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the conveyed medium and attracts ends of the conveyed medium in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Kyosuke Nakada, Kiyoshi Hata, Mamoru Yorimoto, Yuichiro Maeyama, Isao Matsushima, Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20180147835
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device; an imaging device; and at least one processor including a pattern forming unit to cause a recording head to form a pair of first marks, with first and second nozzles disposed at a first distance from each other in a direction of conveyance of a recording medium, while the recording head moves in a first direction and cause the recording head to form a second mark while the recording head moves in a second direction, a position detector to detect positions of the first and second marks in a captured image, a ratio calculator to calculate a ratio between a distance between the first marks in the captured image and a deviation of the second mark in the captured image, and distance calculator to calculate a distance of the deviation based on the first distance and the ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kahei Nakamura, Masaya Kawarada, Kohta Aoyagi, Suguru Yokozawa, Nobuyuki Satoh
  • Patent number: 9798278
    Abstract: A recording medium heating device that can heat and dry a continuous recording medium, includes multiple heating rollers, including respective heaters, disposed on a conveying path of the recording medium; and a controller to control the heaters of the heating rollers. In a starting period during which the recording medium heating device is started, the controller sets temperatures of the heaters to starting temperatures where a temperature of a heating roller positioned closest to an exit side of the conveying path is lower than a temperature of a heating roller positioned away from the exit side of the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Nagayama, Takashi Ebihara, Genichiro Kawamichi, Yuuji Ohmura, Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20170210579
    Abstract: A feeding device to feed a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker, includes a first suction unit, a second suction unit, and third suction units. The first suction unit includes a suction chamber; a suction fan to exhaust air from the suction chamber; and a first driver to rotate the suction fan. The suction units are disposed above the conveyed medium stacked on the stacker. The second suction unit includes a rotary fan including a board and a plurality of walls extending from the board; and a second driver to rotate the rotary fan. The second suction unit generates a vortex flow directed to the conveyed medium. The plurality of third suction units is disposed in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the conveyed medium and attracts ends of the conveyed medium in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi WATANABE, Kyosuke NAKADA, Kiyoshi HATA, Mamoru YORIMOTO, Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Isao MATSUSHIMA, Kahei NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170210578
    Abstract: A feeding device includes a plurality of suction units, disposed above a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker, to attract the conveyed medium. At least one of the plurality of suction units includes a rotary fan including a board and a plurality of walls extending from the board; and a driver to rotate the rotary fan. The at least one of the plurality of suction units generates a vortex air with a side of the board with the plurality of walls directed to the conveyed medium. The at least one of the plurality of suction units being a suction unit generates a vortex air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kyosuke NAKADA, Kiyoshi HATA, Mamoru YORIMOTO, Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Isao MATSUSHIMA, Takeshi WATANABE, Kahei NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 9233557
    Abstract: A treatment liquid coating apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a recording medium; a coating roller, to apply treatment liquid on the recording medium, driven to rotate with the conveyance of the conveyance member; a pressure roller to press against the coating roller to hold the recording medium that is placed between the coating roller and the pressure roller; and a reciprocating mechanism to reciprocate the coating roller in a width direction of the recording medium during printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Hoshina, Yasushi Hashimoto, Sho Sawahata, Akitomo Kuwabara, Hironori Numata, Tetsuya Ohba, Jun Ogino, Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20150346659
    Abstract: A recording medium heating device that can heat and dry a continuous recording medium, includes multiple heating rollers, including respective heaters, disposed on a conveying path of the recording medium; and a controller to control the heaters of the heating rollers. In a starting period during which the recording medium heating device is started, the controller sets temperatures of the heaters to starting temperatures where a temperature of a heating roller positioned closest to an exit side of the conveying path is lower than a temperature of a heating roller positioned away from the exit side of the conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Shinji NAGAYAMA, Takashi Ebihara, Genichiro Kawamichi, Yuuji Ohmura, Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9193197
    Abstract: A liquid droplet detecting device includes nozzles arranged in a paper width direction orthogonal to a paper conveying direction to discharge liquid droplets, a light emitting element provided on one side of the paper width direction to emit a light beam for liquid droplet detection, a light receiving element provided on the other side of the paper width direction to receive the light beam, a storage in which correspondence information on each of the nozzles and a scan position of the light beam when discharge of a liquid droplet from each of the nozzles is detected is stored, a controller to allow the light beam to scan according to the correspondence information, and a detector to determine presence or absence a liquid droplet discharged from each nozzle from an output of the light receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Genichiro Kawamichi, Shigeru Morinaga, Hideharu Miki, Hiroshi Ando, Kahei Nakamura, Kazuhiro Akatsu, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Keiichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9162485
    Abstract: A treatment liquid application device for use in an inkjet printer includes an application roller to apply a treatment liquid to a recording medium before an image is formed on the recording medium, a squeeze roller disposed below the application roller and to make a pressure-contact with the application roller, a treatment liquid supply unit to supply the treatment liquid to a nip part between the application roller and the squeeze roller, and a pressure roller disposed above the application roller and to cause the recording medium to make a pressure-contact with the application roller. When the application roller applies the treatment liquid to the recording medium, a position of the application roller is not restricted in approximate load directions of the squeeze roller and the pressure roller but is restricted in directions other than the approximate load directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ohba, Akitomo Kuwabara, Hironori Numata, Masaru Hoshina, Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20150224802
    Abstract: A liquid droplet detecting device includes nozzles arranged in a paper width direction orthogonal to a paper conveying direction to discharge liquid droplets, a light emitting element provided on one side of the paper width direction to emit a light beam for liquid droplet detection, a light receiving element provided on the other side of the paper width direction to receive the light beam, a storage in which correspondence information on each of the nozzles and a scan position of the light beam when discharge of a liquid droplet from each of the nozzles is detected is stored, a controller to allow the light beam to scan according to the correspondence information, and a detector to determine presence or absence a liquid droplet discharged from each nozzle from an output of the light receiving element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Genichiro Kawamichi, Shigeru Morinaga, Hideharu Miki, Hiroshi Ando, Kahei Nakamura, Kazuhiro Akatsu, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Keiichi Watanabe