Patents by Inventor Kentaro MIKUNIYA
Kentaro MIKUNIYA 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: 9921541Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a developing range facing a latent image bearer; a casing including a developer container and an opening to expose a part of the developer bearer disposed in the casing; an opposing face of the casing including a conductive material and opposing to a surface of the developer bearer downstream from the developing range in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer; a developing bias source to apply a developing bias to the developer bearer; and an insulation layer disposed on the opposing face of the casing. The opposing face is disposed across, from the developer bearer, a casing gap sized to allow the developer borne on the developer bearer to contact the opposing face.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yasunobu Shimizu, Akira Azami, Masaaki Yamada, Yoshiko Ogawa, Toshio Koike, Mutsuki Morinaga, Yutaka Takahashi, Keinosuke Kondoh, Kentaro Mikuniya, Yoshiharu Kishi
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Patent number: 9581936Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer bearer configured to bear developer thereon; a developer conveyance path for conveying developer to be fed to the developer bearer; a developer conveying member configured to convey the developer in the developer conveyance path; a developer discharge port disposed in the developer conveyance path to discharge developer from the developer conveyance path by overflow; and a contact member configured to be brought into contact with the developer conveyed toward the developer discharge port in the developer conveyance path, the developer conveyance path being configured to receive externally-supplied developer therein, the contact member being configured to repeat a sequence of movements including being elastically deformed by being brought into contact with the developer conveying member being driven and thereafter being elastically restored by being brought out of contact with the developer conveying member.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2016Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Teppei Kikuchi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Toshio Koike, Keinosuke Kondoh, Yutaka Takahashi, Hideki Kosugi
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Patent number: 9547257Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer conveyance device to transport developer, using a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by changing a volume of an internal space thereof, a destination developer container to which the developer conveyance device transports developer, a sensor provided to the destination developer container, to detect developer in the destination developer container, and a controller to control the positive-displacement pump according to a detection result generated by the sensor. The controller disabled detection of developer by the sensor in a non-detection period that starts from a stop of the positive-displacement pump.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Nobuo Takami, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Keinosuke Kondoh, Akihiro Kawakami, Toshio Koike
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Publication number: 20160223946Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer bearer configured to bear developer thereon; a developer conveyance path for conveying developer to be fed to the developer bearer; a developer conveying member configured to convey the developer in the developer conveyance path; a developer discharge port disposed in the developer conveyance path to discharge developer from the developer conveyance path by overflow; and a contact member configured to be brought into contact with the developer conveyed toward the developer discharge port in the developer conveyance path, the developer conveyance path being configured to receive externally-supplied developer therein, the contact member being configured to repeat a sequence of movements including being elastically deformed by being brought into contact with the developer conveying member being driven and thereafter being elastically restored by being brought out of contact with the developer conveying member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2016Publication date: August 4, 2016Inventors: Teppei KIKUCHI, Kentaro MIKUNIYA, Toshio KOIKE, Keinosuke KONDOH, Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Hideki KOSUGI
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Patent number: 9285714Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a development range facing a latent image bearer to bear a latent image. The developer bearer includes a magnetic field generator having multiple magnetic poles and a cylindrical developing sleeve to rotate and bear developer on an outer circumferential surface thereof with magnetic force of the magnetic field generator disposed inside the developing sleeve. The developing sleeve receives development voltage including an AC component having a frequency of 2.0 kHz or lower, and a duty ratio of a component having a polarity opposite a toner normal charge polarity of the AC component is within a range from 4% to 20%.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Keinosuke Kondoh, Kiyonori Tsuda, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Toshio Koike, Emiko Shiraishi
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Publication number: 20160026113Abstract: A developing device includes a developer including a toner, a developer carrier to carry the developer to an image forming area opposing to a latent image bearing member with rotate, a development casing storing the developer, and a developing bias applying member to apply a developing bias to the developer carrier. There is a contacting part to contact a contacting member grounded electrically and disposed at the development casing, and a gap adjusting member to form a gap between the gap adjusting member and the developing carrier. The gap adjusting member is disposed downstream of a rotating direction of the developer carrier. The development casing is conductive, and an insulation member to insulate the gap adjusting member from the development casing is disposed between the gap adjusting member and the development casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Toshio KOIKE, Keinosuke KONDOH, Akihiro KAWAKAMI, Kentaro MIKUNIYA
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Patent number: 9229361Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device; a developer conveyance device including a developer container, a developer reservoir to receive developer discharged from the developer container, and a positive-displacement pump to discharge, from the developer reservoir, developer supplied to the developing device by alternately generating positive pressure and negative pressure due to volume changes; and a controller to control driving of the positive-displacement pump. When the controller recognizes a developer end state of the developer container, the controller lowers a developer conveyance capability of the positive-displacement pump from a setting used before the developer end state is recognized.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Nobuo Takami, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Keinosuke Kondoh, Tetsuya Muto
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Publication number: 20150338824Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a developing range facing a latent image bearer; a casing including a developer container and an opening to expose a part of the developer bearer disposed in the casing; an opposing face of the casing including a conductive material and opposing to a surface of the developer bearer downstream from the developing range in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer; a developing bias source to apply a developing bias to the developer bearer; and an insulation layer disposed on the opposing face of the casing. The opposing face is disposed across, from the developer bearer, a casing gap sized to allow the developer borne on the developer bearer to contact the opposing face.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yasunobu Shimizu, Akira Azami, Masaaki Yamada, Yoshiko Ogawa, Toshio Koike, Mutsuki Morinaga, Yutaka Takahashi, Keinosuke Kondoh, Kentaro Mikuniya, Yoshiharu Kishi
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Patent number: 9182704Abstract: A developer conveyance device includes a developer reservoir for containing developer, and a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by varying a volume of space therein to transport developer from the developer reservoir to a destination. When Qp represents a volume of developer moved by a single pumping action of the pump, calculated by multiplying a maximum flow amount of the pump per unit time by an operation time of the pump; Qd represents a volume of developer contained in the developer reservoir; and Qe represents a volume of developer present in a virtual columnar space defined by vertically raising the developer outlet to a level of developer contained in the developer reservoir, either Qp>Qd or Qp>Qe is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2013Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Nobuo Takami, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya
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Patent number: 9176425Abstract: A developer replenishing device includes a container mount to hold a developer container to contain developer used in image formation, an installation completion detector to detect completion of installation of the developer container in the container mount, a replaceable containing portion to contain developer, a conveyance channel to which the containing portion is removably connected and through which developer is transported from the developer container held in the container mount to the containing portion, and a conveyance pump to transport developer from the developer container through the conveyance channel to the containing portion. In a state in which the developer container is not held in the container mount according to a detection result by the installation completion detector, the conveyance pump transports developer from the conveyance channel to the containing portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Nobuo Takami, Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya
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Patent number: 9176431Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and the developer bearer includes a magnetic field generator having multiple magnetic poles and a cylindrical developing sleeve to rotate and bear developer on an outer circumferential face thereof with magnetic force of the magnetic field generator provided inside the developing sleeve. The developing sleeve receives developing bias voltage including an AC component, and includes a base to maintain a cylindrical shape of the developing sleeve and a low friction surface layer including a material lower in friction coefficient with toner than a material of the base.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Koike, Kiyonori Tsuda, Yutaka Takahashi, Yuichi Aizawa, Keinosuke Kondoh, Kentaro Mikuniya
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Publication number: 20150227086Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a development range facing a latent image bearer to bear a latent image. The developer bearer includes a magnetic field generator having multiple magnetic poles and a cylindrical developing sleeve to rotate and bear developer on an outer circumferential surface thereof with magnetic force of the magnetic field generator disposed inside the developing sleeve. The developing sleeve receives development voltage including an AC component having a frequency of 2.0 kHz or lower, and a duty ratio of a component having a polarity opposite a toner normal charge polarity of the AC component is within a range from 4% to 20%.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Keinosuke KONDOH, Kiyonori Tsuda, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Toshio Koike, Emiko Shiraishi
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Publication number: 20150139671Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer conveyance device to transport developer, using a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by changing a volume of an internal space thereof, a destination developer container to which the developer conveyance device transports developer, a sensor provided to the destination developer container, to detect developer in the destination developer container, and a controller to control the positive-displacement pump according to a detection result generated by the sensor. The controller disabled detection of developer by the sensor in a non-detection period that starts from a stop of the positive-displacement pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Junichi MATSUMOTO, Kiyonori TSUDA, Nobuo TAKAMI, Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Kentaro MIKUNIYA, Keinosuke KONDOH, Akihiro KAWAKAMI, Toshio KOIKE
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Publication number: 20150078788Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer including toner and magnetic carrier to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and the developer bearer includes a magnetic field generator having multiple magnetic poles and a cylindrical developing sleeve to rotate and bear developer on an outer circumferential face thereof with magnetic force of the magnetic field generator provided inside the developing sleeve. The developing sleeve receives developing bias voltage including an AC component, and includes a base to maintain a cylindrical shape of the developing sleeve and a low friction surface layer including a material lower in friction coefficient with toner than a material of the base.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Toshio KOIKE, Kiyonori TSUDA, Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Yuichi AIZAWA, Keinosuke KONDOH, Kentaro MIKUNIYA
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Publication number: 20150055966Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device; a developer conveyance device including a developer container, a developer reservoir to receive developer discharged from the developer container, and a positive-displacement pump to discharge, from the developer reservoir, developer supplied to the developing device by alternately generating positive pressure and negative pressure due to volume changes; and a controller to control driving of the positive-displacement pump. When the controller recognizes a developer end state of the developer container, the controller lowers a developer conveyance capability of the positive-displacement pump from a setting used before the developer end state is recognized.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Junichi MATSUMOTO, Kiyonori TSUDA, Nobuo TAKAMI, Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Kentaro MIKUNIYA, Keinosuke KONDOH, Tetsuya MUTO
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Publication number: 20140248061Abstract: A developer replenishing device includes a container mount to hold a developer container to contain developer used in image formation, an installation completion detector to detect completion of installation of the developer container in the container mount, a replaceable containing portion to contain developer, a conveyance channel to which the containing portion is removably connected and through which developer is transported from the developer container held in the container mount to the containing portion, and a conveyance pump to transport developer from the developer container through the conveyance channel to the containing portion. In a state in which the developer container is not held in the container mount according to a detection result by the installation completion detector, the conveyance pump transports developer from the conveyance channel to the containing portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Inventors: Nobuo TAKAMI, Junichi MATSUMOTO, Kiyonori TSUDA, Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Kentaro MIKUNIYA
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Publication number: 20140133889Abstract: A developer conveyance device includes a developer reservoir for containing developer, and a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by varying a volume of space therein to transport developer from the developer reservoir to a destination. When Qp represents a volume of developer moved by a single pumping action of the pump, calculated by multiplying a maximum flow amount of the pump per unit time by an operation time of the pump; Qd represents a volume of developer contained in the developer reservoir; and Qe represents a volume of developer present in a virtual columnar space defined by vertically raising the developer outlet to a level of developer contained in the developer reservoir, either Qp>Qd or Qp>Qe is satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Inventors: Junichi MATSUMOTO, KIYONORI TSUDA, NOBUO TAKAMI, YUTAKA TAKAHASHI, KENTARO MIKUNIYA
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Publication number: 20130266345Abstract: A powder conveyance device including a reciprocating displacement pump, through which powder, together with air, passes to be conveyed from an origin to a destination using negative pressure and positive pressure alternately generated in the reciprocating displacement pump by changing an internal volume of the reciprocating displacement pump, and a drive part connected to the reciprocating displacement pump to drive the reciprocating displacement pump. A period of time to increase the internal volume of the reciprocating displacement pump to generate the negative pressure is set longer than a period of time to reduce the internal volume of the reciprocating displacement pump to generate the positive pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2013Publication date: October 10, 2013Inventors: Junichi MATSUMOTO, Atsushi KUROKAWA, Kentaro MIKUNIYA