Patents by Inventor Kohta HIRAKAWA

Kohta HIRAKAWA 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: 9188946
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section; a conveyance path to convey a recording medium to the image forming section; a drawer unit including the conveyance path and configured to be pulled out relative to the apparatus; an electrical cable to electrically connect the drawer unit and an interior of the apparatus even when the drawer unit is pulled out from the apparatus; and a cable holder (a first regulating member) to ensure that that the cable is securely prevented from protruding from the drawer unit. According to the present invention, the electric cable is prevented from running off from the drawer unit due to the folding of the cable caused by the regulating member, so that the electric cable is prevented from getting hung up on the parts disposed in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yusuke Funayama, Hidehiko Maeda, Junichi Kawase, Hiroshi Ishii, Joh Ebara, Kohta Takenaka, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Yusuke Masu, Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9176462
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording media are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohta, Joh Ebara, Hiroshi Ishii, Junichi Kawase, Kohta Takenaka, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Kohta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Yusuke Funayama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Yusuke Masu, Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9163429
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit configured to be drawn out from a body of the image forming apparatus. The drawer unit includes a carriage path for carrying a recording medium, a lock unit configured to lock the drawer unit in the body, a driving unit configured to drive the lock unit, the driving unit including at least a driving source, and a drawer unit cover configured to cover at least the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is a part of an outer cover of the body arranged on a side in a drawing direction of the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is attached to the drawer unit so that the drawer unit cover is removed from the drawer unit in a state where the drawer unit is attached to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kohta Takenaka, Joh Ebara, Hiroshi Ishii, Junichi Kawase, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Yusuke Funayama, Tsuyoshi Endo
  • Publication number: 20140167587
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit configured to be drawn out from a body of the image forming apparatus. The drawer unit includes a carriage path for carrying a recording medium, a lock unit configured to lock the drawer unit in the body, a driving unit configured to drive the lock unit, the driving unit including at least a driving source, and a drawer unit cover configured to cover at least the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is a part of an outer cover of the body arranged on a side in a drawing direction of the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is attached to the drawer unit so that the drawer unit cover is removed from the drawer unit in a state where the drawer unit is attached to the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kohta TAKENAKA, Joh EBARA, Hiroshi ISHII, Junichi KAWASE, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Yoshihide OHTA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140169828
    Abstract: The present invention is concerning to an image forming apparatus comprising: a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording mediums are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide OHTA, Joh EBARA, Hiroshi ISHII, Junichi KAWASE, Kohta TAKENAKA, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO, Yusuke MASU, Makoto SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20140055016
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section; a conveyance path to convey a recording medium to the image forming section; a drawer unit including the conveyance path and configured to be pulled out relative to the apparatus; an electrical cable to electrically connect the drawer unit and an interior of the apparatus even when the drawer unit is pulled out from the apparatus; and a cable holder (a first regulating member) to ensure that that the cable is securely prevented from protruding from the drawer unit. According to the present invention, the electric cable is prevented from running off from the drawer unit due to the folding of the cable caused by the regulating member, so that the electric cable is prevented from getting hung up on the parts disposed in the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Hidehiko MAEDA, Junichi KAWASE, Hiroshi ISHII, Joh EBARA, Kohta TAKENAKA, Yoshihide OHTA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke MASU, Makoto SUZUKI