Patents by Inventor Shiro AKAMA
Shiro AKAMA 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: 11774899Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an apparatus housing that encases an image forming device. The apparatus housing includes a housing side face, a handle member, and a frame. The housing side face is held when the apparatus housing is lifted. The handle member is provided on the housing side face. The handle member includes a portion recessed inward from the housing side face of the apparatus housing and a guide groove having a slot shape extending in a vertical direction of the apparatus housing. The frame includes a guide having a length substantially equal to a width of the guide groove. The handle member is movable in the vertical direction of the apparatus housing by the guide groove and the guide. The frame restricts movement of the handle member when the handle member moves upward and contact the frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Shiro Akama
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Publication number: 20230259064Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a detachable unit, and a guide. The detachable unit is attachable to and detachable from the housing. The guide guides the detachable unit when the detachable unit is attached to or detached. The guide includes a first guide portion inclined downward to guide the detachable unit such that the detachable unit moves downward in a direction in which the detachable unit is detached. The detachable unit includes a positioning portion that protrudes in a direction in which the detachable unit is attached to the housing. The housing includes a unit positioner that engages with the positioning portion of the detachable unit at a position above the guide to position the detachable unit. The guide includes a second guide portion that extends from an upper end of the first guide portion toward a side of the housing in which the unit positioner is disposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Shiro Akama
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Publication number: 20230109034Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an apparatus housing that encases an image forming device. The apparatus housing includes a housing side face, a handle member, and a frame. The housing side face is held when the apparatus housing is lifted. The handle member is provided on the housing side face. The handle member includes a portion recessed inward from the housing side face of the apparatus housing and a guide groove having a slot shape extending in a vertical direction of the apparatus housing. The frame includes a guide having a length substantially equal to a width of the guide groove. The handle member is movable in the vertical direction of the apparatus housing by the guide groove and the guide. The frame restricts movement of the handle member when the handle member moves upward and contact the frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Shiro Akama
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Patent number: 11209771Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a sheet feeder, and a housing. The image forming device forms an image on a recording medium. The sheet feeder stores the recording medium and conveys the recording medium toward the image forming device. The housing accommodates an electrical device in the housing. The housing includes a housing body and a drawer that is drawn out from the housing body. The drawer includes a bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable and a partition above the bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2020Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shiro Akama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Tatsuya Suzuki
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Publication number: 20210103247Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a sheet feeder, and a housing. The image forming device forms an image on a recording medium. The sheet feeder stores the recording medium and conveys the recording medium toward the image forming device. The housing accommodates an electrical device in the housing. The housing includes a housing body and a drawer that is drawn out from the housing body. The drawer includes a bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable and a partition above the bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2020Publication date: April 8, 2021Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shiro AKAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO, Tatsuya SUZUKI
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Patent number: 10606209Abstract: A housing includes a body portion, including an opening, and a cover portion that covers the opening. The cover portion includes a first cover and a second cover that is perpendicular to the first cover. The first cover includes a cover body that is platy. A projection projects from the cover body. A first attachment is mounted on the projection and attaches the first cover to the body portion. A second attachment is disposed on the first attachment and attaches the second cover to the first cover.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2019Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hiroki Ishimitsu, Shiro Akama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Tatsuya Suzuki
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Patent number: 10594880Abstract: A lock lever structure includes a shaft; a cam attached to the shaft to fit a different-shaped portion of the shaft to prevent rotation of the cam in a circumferential direction of the shaft, the different-shaped portion having a different shape in cross section from a round portion of the shaft; a lever having an inner hollow cylindrical portion larger than an outline of the shaft and attached to the shaft to be rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft; a spring attached to the shaft to press the cam and the lever in an axial direction of the shaft; and a retainer attached to the shaft to retain the spring, the cam, and the lever to the shaft. The cam has at least two valley portions. The lever has a contact portion to contact the cam. The contact portion has a base shape.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Sakie Higuchi, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Tsutomu Osawa, Yuta Ueda
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Publication number: 20190286047Abstract: A housing includes a body portion, including an opening, and a cover portion that covers the opening. The cover portion includes a first cover and a second cover that is perpendicular to the first cover. The first cover includes a cover body that is platy. A projection projects from the cover body. A first attachment is mounted on the projection and attaches the first cover to the body portion. A second attachment is disposed on the first attachment and attaches the second cover to the first cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Shiro AKAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO, Tatsuya SUZUKI
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Patent number: 9736327Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first human body detector, a second human body detector, and a controller. The first human body detector has a first detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The second human body detector has a second detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The controller changes a state of the image forming apparatus from a standby state to an operation state in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector. A first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mami Akiyama, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Yuta Ueda, Hiroki Ishimitsu, Sakie Higuchi
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Publication number: 20170163827Abstract: A lock lever structure includes a shaft; a cam attached to the shaft to fit a different-shaped portion of the shaft to prevent rotation of the cam in a circumferential direction of the shaft, the different-shaped portion having a different shape in cross section from a round portion of the shaft; a lever having an inner hollow cylindrical portion larger than an outline of the shaft and attached to the shaft to be rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft; a spring attached to the shaft to press the cam and the lever in an axial direction of the shaft; and a retainer attached to the shaft to retain the spring, the cam, and the lever to the shaft. The cam has at least two valley portions. The lever has a contact portion to contact the cam. The contact portion has a base shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2016Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Sakie Higuchi, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Tsutomu Osawa, Yuta Ueda
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Patent number: 9665062Abstract: A housing structure includes an exterior cover having an opening through which an interior of the exterior cover communicates with an exterior of the exterior cover, an interior cover disposed inside the exterior cover and facing the exterior cover with a clearance secured therebetween, an inward projection projecting from the exterior cover to the interior cover, and an outward projection projecting from the interior cover to the exterior cover. The inward projection and the outward projection define an airflow passage in the clearance between the exterior cover and the interior cover, and the airflow passage includes multiple bent portions. The outward projection is greater in width than the inward projection in an airflow direction toward the opening, and the airflow direction perpendicular to a direction in which the interior cover faces the exterior cover.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shiro Akama, Yuki Sato, Mami Akiyama, Yuta Ueda, Hiroki Ishimitsu, Sakie Higuchi
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Patent number: 9632468Abstract: An arrangement structure of a main power switch includes an apparatus body, the main power switch, and a movable member. The apparatus body has a dead space on a front side. The main power switch is disposed in the dead space. The movable member is disposed in the apparatus body to cover the main power switch. The movable member is drawable from the apparatus body in a horizontal direction. The movable member includes an opening opposed to the main power switch, to expose the main power switch to outside.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuta Ueda, Yuki Sato, Mami Akiyama, Shiro Akama, Hiroki Ishimitsu, Sakie Higuchi
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Publication number: 20160187825Abstract: An arrangement structure of a main power switch includes an apparatus body, the main power switch, and a movable member. The apparatus body has a dead space on a front side. The main power switch is disposed in the dead space. The movable member is disposed in the apparatus body to cover the main power switch. The movable member is drawable from the apparatus body in a horizontal direction. The movable member includes an opening opposed to the main power switch, to expose the main power switch to outside.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuta UEDA, Yuki SATO, Mami AKIYAMA, Shiro AKAMA, Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Sakie HIGUCHI
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Publication number: 20160182756Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first human body detector, a second human body detector, and a controller. The first human body detector has a first detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The second human body detector has a second detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The controller changes a state of the image forming apparatus from a standby state to an operation state in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector. A first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2015Publication date: June 23, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mami AKIYAMA, Yuki SATO, Shiro AKAMA, Yuta UEDA, Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Sakie HIGUCHI
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Publication number: 20160161903Abstract: A housing structure includes an exterior cover having an opening through which an interior of the exterior cover communicates with an exterior of the exterior cover, an interior cover disposed inside the exterior cover and facing the exterior cover with a clearance secured therebetween, an inward projection projecting from the exterior cover to the interior cover, and an outward projection projecting from the interior cover to the exterior cover. The inward projection and the outward projection define an airflow passage in the clearance between the exterior cover and the interior cover, and the airflow passage includes multiple bent portions. The outward projection is greater in width than the inward projection in an airflow direction toward the opening, and the airflow direction perpendicular to a direction in which the interior cover faces the exterior cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2015Publication date: June 9, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shiro AKAMA, Yuki SATO, Mami AKIYAMA, Yuta UEDA, Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Sakie HIGUCHI
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Patent number: 9229420Abstract: A cover open/close mechanism, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a cover having a free end and disposed movable between a closed state that a part of the apparatus body is covered and an open state that the covered part is exposed, a cover rotating shaft about which the cover rotates in a receding direction when the cover moves from the closed state to the open state, a support member rotating shaft disposed parallel to the cover rotating shaft, a cover rotating shaft support member to support the cover rotating shaft and to change a position of the cover rotating shaft with respect to the apparatus body by rotating about the support member rotating shaft, and a biasing member to bias the cover rotating shaft support member in a manner in which the cover rotating shaft support member rotates in an approaching direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mami Akiyama, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Yuta Ueda, Hidehiko Maeda
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Publication number: 20140248066Abstract: A cover open/close mechanism, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a cover having a free end and disposed movable between a closed state that a part of the apparatus body is covered and an open state that the covered part is exposed, a cover rotating shaft about which the cover rotates in a receding direction when the cover moves from the closed state to the open state, a support member rotating shaft disposed parallel to the cover rotating shaft, a cover rotating shaft support member to support the cover rotating shaft and to change a position of the cover rotating shaft with respect to the apparatus body by rotating about the support member rotating shaft, and a biasing member to bias the cover rotating shaft support member in a manner in which the cover rotating shaft support member rotates in an approaching direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Mami AKIYAMA, Yuki SATO, Shiro AKAMA, Yuta UEDA, Hidehiko MAEDA
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Publication number: 20130064567Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an imaging unit, a ventilator unit, and an electrical conductor. The imaging unit incorporates electrically powered equipment to which power is supplied from an external voltage source. The ventilator unit is connectable with the imaging unit to ventilate the imaging unit. The ventilator unit includes a fan and an air duct. The fan generates an airflow. The air duct extends from the fan to direct the airflow between the fan and the imaging unit. The electrical conductor is disposed within the air duct to electrically connect the imaging unit and the voltage source upon connection of the ventilator unit with the imaging unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shiro AKAMA, Yuki SATO, Nobuhiro SHIMA