Patents by Inventor Makoto Kurata
Makoto Kurata 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: 7909456Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading section; a sheet feeding section; an image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet of the receiving material fed from the sheet feeding section; and a sheet discharging section located below the image reading section and configured to discharge the sheet bearing the image fed from the image forming section, wherein the sheet discharging section includes an outlet from which the sheet bearing the image is drawn; an inlet which is located on an upstream side from the outlet relative to the sheet discharging direction and from which the sheet bearing the image is discharged by the image forming section; a sheet receiving portion which receives the sheet bearing the image discharged from the inlet; and a top wall, and wherein the top wall is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2007Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company LimitedInventors: Masato Suzuki, Makoto Kurata, Masahiro Yonekawa
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Patent number: 7764921Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reader, an image forming unit, an output portion, and a notifying mechanism for notifying the operator of the apparatus. The image reader is configured to read an image on an original sheet to create image data. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on a sheet according to the image data. The output portion is disposed between the image reader and the image forming unit and includes a bin tray configured to receive the sheet having the toner image. The notifying mechanism includes a signal generator and a notifying member. The signal generator is configured to generate a signal when the sheet is output onto the bin tray. The notifying member is configured to notify that the sheet is output on the bin tray in accordance with the signal generated by the signal generator.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2006Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Horiguchi, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: 7302204Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main body housing, an image reading block for reading a manuscript image, and an image forming block located below the image reading block and for forming an image on a recording sheet. Also included is an operation block located at a front side part of the image reading block, and a sheet discharge space provided between the image reading block and the image forming block, and for receiving a discharge recording sheet having the image formed by the image forming block. The sheet discharge space is opened at at least one side in a width-wise direction of the main body housing and at a front side so the at least one opened side communicates with the front side. Further, a front end portion of the image reading block is located above the sheet discharge space and is arranged at a position shifted toward a rear end side of the main body housing from a front outside wall surface of the main body housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2003Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Hideyuki Takemoto, Takuji Takahashi, Makoto Kurata
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Publication number: 20070236552Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading section; a sheet feeding section; an image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet of the receiving material fed from the sheet feeding section; and a sheet discharging section located below the image reading section and configured to discharge the sheet bearing the image fed from the image forming section, wherein the sheet discharging section includes an outlet from which the sheet bearing the image is drawn; an inlet which is located on an upstream side from the outlet relative to the sheet discharging direction and from which the sheet bearing the image is discharged by the image forming section; a sheet receiving portion which receives the sheet bearing the image discharged from the inlet; and a top wall, and wherein the top wall is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Inventors: Masato SUZUKI, Makoto Kurata, Masahiro Yonekawa
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Publication number: 20060210336Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reader, an image forming unit, an output portion, and a notifying mechanism for notifying the operator of the apparatus. The image reader is configured to read an image on an original sheet to create image data. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on a sheet according to the image data. The output portion is disposed between the image reader and the image forming unit and includes a bin tray configured to receive the sheet having the toner image. The notifying mechanism includes a signal generator and a notifying member. The signal generator is configured to generate a signal when the sheet is output onto the bin tray. The notifying member is configured to notify that the sheet is output on the bin tray in accordance with the signal generated by the signal generator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2006Publication date: September 21, 2006Inventors: Shigeru Horiguchi, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: 7108338Abstract: A storage table 2 is composed of a cabinet 10 open to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1, and a tray 11 able to move into and out of the cabinet 10. The tray 11 includes a base plate 15 and a front cover 16. The base plate 26 is a flat part installed so that the base plate 26 can freely slide in and out of the cabinet 10 by the guide rails 13. The front cover 16 is assembled at a front end along an in-and-out direction of the base plate 26. The front cover 16 is integrally formed with a size covering the whole opening of the cabinet 10. The double-deck paper-loading unit 20 mounted on the storage table 2 has an upper tray 21 loaded on a lower tray 22, so that the lower tray 21 can move into and out of the cabinet 10 and the lower tray 21 is detachable to the base plate for altering the function of the storage table.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2002Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Makoto Kurata
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Publication number: 20040114958Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main body housing, an image reading block for reading a manuscript image, and an image forming block located below the image reading block and for forming an image on a recording sheet. Also included is an operation block located at a front side part of the image reading block, and a sheet discharge space provided between the image reading block and the image forming block, and for receiving a discharge recording sheet having the image formed by the image forming block. The sheet discharge space is opened at at least one side in a width-wise direction of the main body housing and at a front side so the at least one opened side communicates with the front side. Further, a front end portion of the image reading block is located above the sheet discharge space and is arranged at a position shifted toward a rear end side of the main body housing from a front outside wall surface of the main body housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2003Publication date: June 17, 2004Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Hideyuki Takemoto, Takuji Takahashi, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: 6690901Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main body housing, an image reading block for reading a manuscript image, and an image forming block located below the image reading block and for forming an image on a recording sheet. Also included is an operation block located at a front side part of the image reading block, and a sheet discharge space provided between the image reading block and the image forming block, and for receiving a discharge recording sheet having the image formed by the image forming block. The sheet discharge space is opened at at least one side in a width-wise direction of the main body housing and at a front side so the at least one opened side communicates with the front side. Further, a front end portion of the image reading block is located above the sheet discharge space and is arranged at a position shifted toward a rear end side of the main body housing from a front outside wall surface of the main body housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Hideyuki Takemoto, Takuji Takahashi, Makoto Kurata
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Publication number: 20020195915Abstract: A storage table 2 is composed of a cabinet 10 open to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1, and a tray 11 able to move into and out of the cabinet 10. The tray 11 includes a base plate 15 and a front cover 16. The base plate 26 is a flat part installed so that the base plate 26 can freely slide in and out of the cabinet 10 by the guide rails 13. The front cover 16 is assembled at a front end along an in-and-out direction of the base plate 26. The front cover 16 is integrally formed with a size covering the whole opening of the cabinet 10. The double-deck paper-loading unit 20 mounted on the storage table 2 has an upper tray 21 loaded on a lower tray 22, so that the lower tray 21 can move into and out of the cabinet 10 and the lower tray 21 is detachable to the base plate for altering the function of the storage table.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Makoto Kurata
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Publication number: 20020150403Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main body housing, an image reading block for reading a manuscript image, and an image forming block located below the image reading block and for forming an image on a recording sheet. Also included is an operation block located at a front side part of the image reading block, and a sheet discharge space provided between the image reading block and the image forming block, and for receiving a discharge recording sheet having the image formed by the image forming block. The sheet discharge space is opened at at least one side in a width-wise direction of the main body housing and at a front side so the at least one opened side communicates with the front side. Further, a front end portion of the image reading block is located above the sheet discharge space and is arranged at a position shifted toward a rear end side of the main body housing from a front outside wall surface of the main body housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Hideyuki Takemoto, Takuji Takahashi, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D556821Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Horiguchi, Tamaki Someya, Masateru Kohno, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D557736Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Horiguchi, Tamaki Someya, Kazuyoshi Yamada, Osamu Miki, Masateru Kohno, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D558259Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masateru Kohno, Shigeru Horiguchi, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D559892Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Horiguchi, Tamaki Someya, Kazuyoshi Yamada, Osamu Miki, Masateru Kohno, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D589083Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masato Suzuki, Masahiro Yonekawa, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D589084Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masato Suzuki, Masahiro Yonekawa, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D727416Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Kurita, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D791779Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Naoto Tsuruoka, Makoto Kurata
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Patent number: D970605Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Makoto Kurata, Naoto Tsuruoka
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Patent number: D1001886Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shoichi Hibi, Sakiko Tomizawa, Ryuichi Shirane, Makoto Kurata