Patents by Inventor Kohta Fujimori
Kohta Fujimori 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: 9651910Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form a toner image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the toner image to a recording medium, a line sensor as an image density sensor to detect image density of the toner image, and a controller operatively connected to the image density sensor. The image density sensor is disposed so as to be shorter in a rotational direction of the image bearer than in a width direction of the image bearer perpendicular to the rotational direction of the image bearer. The controller forms a shading pattern image including a plurality of patches on the image bearer, and detects image density of the plurality of patches, so as to control image density. The shading pattern image is shorter in the rotational direction of the image bearer than in the width direction of the image bearer.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akio Kosuge, Natsumi Matsue, Keiko Matsumoto, Akira Yoshida, Yoichi Sakurai, Yuuichiroh Uematsu, Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka
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Patent number: 9625865Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer that bears a toner image, a sensor, an adhesion amount calculator, and a wavelength determiner. The sensor includes a light source that emit light onto the image bearer, and an image element that detects reflected light that is emitted from the light source and reflected from the image bearer. The adhesion amount calculator calculates a toner adhesion amount of the toner image on the image bearer based on the reflected light having at least one wavelength among a plurality of wavelengths detected by the sensor. The wavelength determiner determines, based on color information of the image bearer detected by the sensor, a wavelength to be used in calculation of the toner adhesion amount by the adhesion amount calculator.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Natsumi Matsue, Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka
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Patent number: 9606469Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer to rotate, an image forming unit including a charger and a developing device, a charge power supply to output a charging bias applied to a charger, a transfer device, a toner adhesion amount, and a controller. The controller causes the image forming unit to form a background fog pattern in a background area of the latent image bearer while changing a background potential, acquires toner adhesion amount values detected at different positions of the background fog pattern, having different potentials, sorts the toner adhesion amount values in an order of the background potential, determines a relation between the background potential and background fog amount based the toner adhesion amount values except any toner adhesion amount value out of monotonicity, and adjust the charging bias to an optimum value computed based on the determined relation.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2016Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Saki Izumi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Shunichi Hashimoto, Naoyuki Ozaki, Mikio Ishibashi, Kayoko Tanaka, Kohta Fujimori
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Publication number: 20160378040Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form a toner image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the toner image to a recording medium, a line sensor as an image density sensor to detect image density of the toner image, and a controller operatively connected to the image density sensor. The image density sensor is disposed so as to be shorter in a rotational direction of the image bearer than in a width direction of the image bearer perpendicular to the rotational direction of the image bearer. The controller forms a shading pattern image including a plurality of patches on the image bearer, and detects image density of the plurality of patches, so as to control image density. The shading pattern image is shorter in the rotational direction of the image bearer than in the width direction of the image bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2016Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Akio KOSUGE, Natsumi MATSUE, Keiko MATSUMOTO, Akira YOSHIDA, Yoichi SAKURAI, Yuuichiroh UEMATSU, Kohta FUJIMORI, Kayoko TANAKA
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Publication number: 20160349658Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer to rotate, an image forming unit including a charger and a developing device, a charge power supply to output a charging bias applied to a charger, a transfer device, a toner adhesion amount, and a controller. The controller causes the image forming unit to form a background fog pattern in a background area of the latent image bearer while changing a background potential, acquires toner adhesion amount values detected at different positions of the background fog pattern, having different potentials, sorts the toner adhesion amount values in an order of the background potential, determines a relation between the background potential and background fog amount based the toner adhesion amount values except any toner adhesion amount value out of monotonicity, and adjust the charging bias to an optimum value computed based on the determined relation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Saki IZUMI, Hiroyuki SUGIYAMA, Shunichi HASHIMOTO, Naoyuki OZAKI, Mikio ISHIBASHI, Kayoko TANAKA, Kohta FUJIMORI
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Publication number: 20160266532Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer that bears a toner image, a sensor, an adhesion amount calculator, and a wavelength determiner. The sensor includes a light source that emit light onto the image bearer, and an image element that detects reflected light that is emitted from the light source and reflected from the image bearer. The adhesion amount calculator calculates a toner adhesion amount of the toner image on the image bearer based on the reflected light having at least one wavelength among a plurality of wavelengths detected by the sensor. The wavelength determiner determines, based on color information of the image bearer detected by the sensor, a wavelength to be used in calculation of the toner adhesion amount by the adhesion amount calculator.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Natsumi MATSUE, Kohta FUJIMORI, Kayoko TANAKA
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Patent number: 9442420Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearer and a toner pattern bearer rotatable in a given direction of rotation to bear an adjustment toner pattern formed with the developer bearer. A toner pattern detector detects an amount of reflection light reflected by the adjustment toner pattern on the toner pattern bearer. A controller performs an adjustment mode to convert the detected amount of reflection light into a toner adhesion amount of toner of the adjustment toner pattern adhered to the toner pattern bearer. The controller forms an adhesion amount suppressing toner image on an upstream region on the toner pattern bearer that is upstream from the adjustment toner pattern in the direction of rotation of the toner pattern bearer. The upstream region is defined by a circumferential length of the developer bearer in the direction of rotation of the toner pattern bearer.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Akira Yoshida, Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka, Natsumi Matsue, Kazufumi Kimura
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Patent number: 9436135Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt-shaped image bearer that is rotatably supported and entrained around rollers; a transfer member positioned to contact an outer surface of the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer a toner image conveyed while being carried on the outer surface of the image bearer onto a transfer medium conveyed between the image bearer and the transfer member; a toner image sensor to detect the toner image transferred onto the transfer medium; and a conveyance speed controller to fine-tune a conveyance speed of the transfer medium. Based on fine-tuning data of the conveyance speed controller, a detection result of the toner image sensor is corrected and image forming conditions are corrected based on the corrected detection result.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Keita Sone, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Shinichi Akatsu, Tomohide Takenaka, Kohta Fujimori, Tetsuya Muto, Akira Yoshida, Keita Gotoh, Yuuichiroh Uematsu, Kazufumi Kimura
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Publication number: 20160131991Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearer and a toner pattern bearer rotatable in a given direction of rotation to bear an adjustment toner pattern formed with the developer bearer. A toner pattern detector detects an amount of reflection light reflected by the adjustment toner pattern on the toner pattern bearer. A controller performs an adjustment mode to convert the detected amount of reflection light into a toner adhesion amount of toner of the adjustment toner pattern adhered to the toner pattern bearer. The controller forms an adhesion amount suppressing toner image on an upstream region on the toner pattern bearer that is upstream from the adjustment toner pattern in the direction of rotation of the toner pattern bearer. The upstream region is defined by a circumferential length of the developer bearer in the direction of rotation of the toner pattern bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira YOSHIDA, Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka, Natsumi Matsue, Kazufumi Kimura
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Publication number: 20150362868Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt-shaped image bearer that is rotatably supported and entrained around rollers; a transfer member positioned to contact an outer surface of the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer a toner image conveyed while being carried on the outer surface of the image bearer onto a transfer medium conveyed between the image bearer and the transfer member; a toner image sensor to detect the toner image transferred onto the transfer medium; and a conveyance speed controller to fine-tune a conveyance speed of the transfer medium. Based on fine-tuning data of the conveyance speed controller, a detection result of the toner image sensor is corrected and image forming conditions are corrected based on the corrected detection result.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2015Publication date: December 17, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Keita Sone, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Shinichi Akatsu, Tomohide Takenaka, Kohta Fujimori, Tetsuya Muto, Akira Yoshida, Keita Gotoh, Yuuichiroh Uematsu, Kazufumi Kimura
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Patent number: 9031428Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a image forming unit; an image bearing member having a surface to bear a toner image and a test pattern; the surface having a first time-surface positioned identical to the test pattern, an integer multiple of revolutions upstream or downstream from the test pattern in a surface movement direction, and a second time-surface positioned different from the test pattern, shorter than one revolution upstream or downstream from the test pattern; a reflection light detector to detect the amount of light reflected from the test pattern and the first and second time-surfaces of the image bearing member; and a controller to control the image forming unit based on the detection result and determine whether to execute a first-surface control to detect at least the first time-surface or a second-surface control to detect only the second time-surface based on use condition of the image forming apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka, Keita Sone
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Patent number: 8942586Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control a toner-image forming device to form a toner patch; and a detector configured to detect the toner patch on the image carrier. During a non-printing period, the controller causes a toner-image forming device to form toner patches, causes the detector to detect densities of the toner patches, and adjusts an image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. During a printing period, the controller causes the toner-image forming device to form an output image in an image area and form fewer toner patches in a non-image area, causes the detector to detect densities of the fewer toner patches, and adjusts the image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. The fewer toner patches are selected from and fewer than the plurality of toner patches formed during the non-printing period.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone
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Patent number: 8942584Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a processor performs: a solid density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of solid toner images of solid tone patterns, a condition to form solid images with respective target image densities; a misregistration reduction of adjusting, in accordance with detection timing of position detection toner images of misregistration detection patterns, a condition to reduce misregistration of toner images; and a halftone density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of area coverage modulation toner images, a condition to form halftone images with respective target image densities.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2012Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone
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Patent number: 8811846Abstract: An optical sensor attached to an apparatus includes a substrate and a light emitting element mounted on a first surface of the substrate. The light emitting element emits a light to a detection object in parallel to the substrate. A light receiving element is mounted on the first surface of the substrate. The light receiving element receives a regular reflection light reflected by the detection object. The said first surface serves as a positioning reference for positioning the optical sensor on an optical sensor mounting member provided in the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira Yoshida, Hitoshi Ishibashi, Yoshiaki Miyashita, Kohta Fujimori, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Kayoko Tanaka
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Publication number: 20130236200Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control a toner-image forming device to form a toner patch; and a detector configured to detect the toner patch on the image carrier. During a non-printing period, the controller causes a toner-image forming device to form toner patches, causes the detector to detect densities of the toner patches, and adjusts an image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. During a printing period, the controller causes the toner-image forming device to form an output image in an image area and form fewer toner patches in a non-image area, causes the detector to detect densities of the fewer toner patches, and adjusts the image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. The fewer toner patches are selected from and fewer than the plurality of toner patches formed during the non-printing period.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Inventors: Kayoko TANAKA, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone
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Patent number: 8503893Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer unit to store two-component developer which includes toner and carrier and develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier, a toner concentration detector to detect toner concentration in the developer unit, a toner supply unit to supply toner to the developer unit, and a controller to control toner supply amount by controlling the toner supply unit by comparing an output value of the toner concentration detector with a reference value stored in a memory and correcting difference between output values of the toner concentration detector at two or more process linear velocities in accordance with the toner concentration in the developer unit. A compensation amount for correcting difference between output values of the toner concentration detector that differ depending on the process linear velocity is adjustable in accordance with the toner concentration in the development unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira Yoshida, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Shin Hasegawa, Yoshiaki Miyashita, Kohta Fujimori, Kayoko Tanaka
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Publication number: 20130156449Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a image forming unit; an image bearing member having a surface to bear a toner image and a test pattern; the surface having a first time-surface positioned identical to the test pattern, an integer multiple of revolutions upstream or downstream from the test pattern in a surface movement direction, and a second time-surface positioned different from the test pattern, shorter than one revolution upstream or downstream from the test pattern; a reflection light detector to detect the amount of light reflected from the test pattern and the first and second time-surfaces of the image bearing member; and a controller to control the image forming unit based on the detection result and determine whether to execute a first-surface control to detect at least the first time-surface or a second-surface control to detect only the second time-surface based on use condition of the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2012Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Kohta FUJIMORI, Kayoko Tanaka, Keita Sone
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Patent number: 8455851Abstract: An optical sensor includes: a light-emitting unit; a light-receiving unit that receives light radiated from the light-emitting unit and reflected from a detection target and that outputs an output value in response to the light received; and a correcting unit that corrects the output value of the light-receiving unit when receiving the light reflected from the detection target based on the output value of the light-receiving unit obtained by irradiating a detection area of the optical sensor with light without any light reflective objects being present in the detection area.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohta Fujimori, Shin Hasegawa, Yoshiaki Miyashita, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Akira Yoshida
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Publication number: 20120294637Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a processor performs: a solid density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of solid toner images of solid tone patterns, a condition to form solid images with respective target image densities; a misregistration reduction of adjusting, in accordance with detection timing of position detection toner images of misregistration detection patterns, a condition to reduce misregistration of toner images; and a halftone density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of area coverage modulation toner images, a condition to form halftone images with respective target image densities.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Inventors: Kayoko TANAKA, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone
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Patent number: 8233813Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms a plurality of tone patterns of different colors, each of which containing a plurality of toner patches having different toner densities. Some of the toner patches in each of the tone patterns are formed with a predetermined fixed developing bias and the rest of the toner patches in each of the tone patterns are formed with developing biases set based on previous developing biases that have been obtained through a previous control process. The largest toner density of the toner patches in each of the tone patterns is determined based on a magnitude relation of previous index values obtained through the previous control process.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Akira Yoshida, Shin Hasegawa, Hitoshi Ishibashi, Yoshiaki Miyashita, Kohta Fujimori, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Shuji Hirai, Kayoko Tanaka, Yushi Hirayama, Tetsuya Muto