Patents by Inventor Shozo SAKURA
Shozo SAKURA 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: 11794416Abstract: A fabrication table includes a separable portion and a supporter. The separable portion is formed of a heat-resistant member on which a three-dimensional fabricated object is to be placed. The supporter is formed of a rigid material and configured to support the separable portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2021Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20230271256Abstract: There is provided a method of fabricating a three-dimensional object. The method includes supplying, flattening, and collecting. The supplying supplies, with a powder supplier, powder to a fabrication chamber. The fabrication chamber includes a fabrication stage to store powder and an outer edge portion outside the fabrication stage, the outer edge portion having one bottom surface. The flattening flattens, with a flattener, the powder supplied by the supplying. The collecting collects, with a powder collector, the powder having overflowed from the fabrication stage to the outer edge portion by the flattening into the fabrication stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kohichiroh Tanaka, Shozo Sakura, Yohei Osanai, Yunsheng Sun
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Publication number: 20210299969Abstract: A fabrication table includes a separable portion and a supporter. The separable portion is formed of a heat-resistant member on which a three-dimensional fabricated object is to be placed. The supporter is formed of a rigid material and configured to support the separable portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Shozo SAKURA
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Patent number: 10464301Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system includes a reservoir, a feeder, a solidifier, and a controller. The reservoir is configured to store powder, the powder being to be solidified inside the reservoir to form a three-dimensional object. The feeder is configured to move the powder from a predetermined location in a predetermined conveying direction, thereby feeding the powder to the reservoir. The solidifier is configured to perform a process of solidifying the powder in the reservoir in accordance with a control signal. The controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form a first auxiliary object between the three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the reservoir, the wall surface being at a position downstream from the three-dimensional object in the conveying direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shozo Sakura
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Patent number: 10265769Abstract: A three-dimensional fabricating apparatus includes a fabrication chamber, a supply chamber, a flattening unit, and a controller. In the fabrication chamber, powder is layered to form a powder layer and bonded together in a desired shape to form a layered fabrication object. The supply chamber stores the powder. The flattening unit is reciprocally movable above the supply chamber and the fabrication chamber, to transfer the powder and flatten the powder in the fabrication chamber to form the powder layer. The controller is configured to control the flattening unit to move in a first direction to transfer and supply the powder from the supply chamber to the fabrication chamber. The controller is configured to control the flattening unit to move in a second direction opposite the first direction to form the powder layer and transfer an unused portion of the powder from the fabrication chamber to the supply chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shozo Sakura, Shinichiroh Satoh
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Patent number: 10207326Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object includes a fabrication stage and a flattener. A fabrication layer in which powder particles are bound together is formed layer-by-layer on the fabrication stage. The flattener relatively moves in a moving direction along a stage surface of the fabrication stage and flattens a surface of powder on the fabrication stage to form a powder layer. The fabrication stage and the flattener are arranged to be relatively movable in a height direction. In formation of the powder layer on the fabrication layer formed on the fabrication stage, the apparatus performs an operation to increase a distance between the flattener and the fabrication stage in the height direction when the flattener moves to a position near an edge of the fabrication layer in the moving direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Soyoung Park, Shinichi Kakuda, Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20170305141Abstract: An apparatus includes a small-diameter-particle powder supplier to supply a small-diameter-particle powder to a surface of an object faulted by binding fabrication powder. The small-diameter-particle powder and the fabrication powder are identical in composition. An average particle diameter of the small-diameter-particle powder is smaller than an average particle diameter of the fabrication powder.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shozo SAKURA
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Patent number: 9694542Abstract: A method for molding a three-dimensional object, includes building up layers formed of bonded powder to form a three-dimensional object; and forming a support below the three-dimensional object. The method is performed by a three-dimensional object molding apparatus that includes a powder lamination molding apparatus to form a three-dimensional object by building up layers formed of bonded powder; and a molding data generator to generate data for each layer of the three-dimensional object that the powder lamination molding apparatus laminates, in which a support is formed below the three-dimensional object.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20170120521Abstract: A three-dimensional fabricating apparatus includes a fabrication chamber, a supply chamber, a flattening unit, and a controller. In the fabrication chamber, powder is layered to form a powder layer and bonded together in a desired shape to form a layered fabrication object. The supply chamber stores the powder. The flattening unit is reciprocally movable above the supply chamber and the fabrication chamber, to transfer the powder and flatten the powder in the fabrication chamber to form the powder layer. The controller is configured to control the flattening unit to move in a first direction to transfer and supply the powder from the supply chamber to the fabrication chamber. The controller is configured to control the flattening unit to move in a second direction opposite the first direction to form the powder layer and transfer an unused portion of the powder from the fabrication chamber to the supply chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2016Publication date: May 4, 2017Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shozo SAKURA, Shinichiroh SATOH
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Publication number: 20170072646Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system includes a reservoir, a feeder, a solidifier, and a controller. The reservoir is configured to store powder, the powder being to be solidified inside the reservoir to form a three-dimensional object. The feeder is configured to move the powder from a predetermined location in a predetermined conveying direction, thereby feeding the powder to the reservoir. The solidifier is configured to perform a process of solidifying the powder in the reservoir in accordance with a control signal. The controller is configured to generate the control signal so as to form a first auxiliary object between the three-dimensional object and a wall surface of the reservoir, the wall surface being at a position downstream from the three-dimensional object in the conveying direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Shozo SAKURA
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Publication number: 20160236422Abstract: A powder removal device includes an air spray configured to blow an airflow including powder against a three-dimensional object including a plurality of fabrication layers, to remove unbonded powder from the three-dimensional object. Each of the plurality of fabrication layers includes bonded powder.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20160075084Abstract: A method for molding a three-dimensional object, includes building up layers formed of bonded powder to form a three-dimensional object; and forming a support below the three-dimensional object. The method is performed by a three-dimensional object molding apparatus that includes a powder lamination molding apparatus to form a three-dimensional object by building up layers formed of bonded powder; and a molding data generator to generate data for each layer of the three-dimensional object that the powder lamination molding apparatus laminates, in which a support is formed below the three-dimensional object.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2015Publication date: March 17, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20150343533Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object includes a fabrication stage and a flattener. A fabrication layer in which powder particles are bound together is formed layer-by-layer on the fabrication stage. The flattener relatively moves in a moving direction along a stage surface of the fabrication stage and flattens a surface of powder on the fabrication stage to form a powder layer. The fabrication stage and the flattener are arranged to be relatively movable in a height direction. In formation of the powder layer on the fabrication layer formed on the fabrication stage, the apparatus performs an operation to increase a distance between the flattener and the fabrication stage in the height direction when the flattener moves to a position near an edge of the fabrication layer in the moving direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2015Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Soyoung Park, Shinichi Kakuda, Shozo Sakura
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Patent number: 8910587Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an application device. The application device has an application roller to apply a treatment liquid onto a recording medium before an image is formed on the recording medium. The application roller has a core member serving as a rotation shaft of the application roller and an elastic surface member disposed around the core member. The core member has a plurality of convex ring portions formed along a circumferential direction of the core member around a circumferential surface of the core member and a plurality of concave ring portions formed between the plurality of convex ring portions. The convex ring portions and the concave ring portions are alternately arranged.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2011Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shozo Sakura, Satoshi Kitaoka, Shinji Imoto, Hiroyoshi Komaba
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Patent number: 8770686Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device forming an image on a surface of a recording material; a recording material passage; a treatment liquid applicator including a tray containing a treatment liquid, a first roller applying the treatment liquid to the surface of the recording material, and a second roller drawing the treatment liquid from the tray to supply the treatment liquid to the first roller; a liquid level inclination detector detecting whether the surface of the treatment liquid is inclined; a treatment liquid supplying device supplying the treatment liquid to the tray; and a controller connected with liquid level detector and the treatment liquid supplying device. The controller stops the operation of the treatment liquid supplying device when determining according to the detection result of the liquid level detector that the surface of the treatment liquid is inclined in a predetermined amount or more.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyoshi Komaba, Shinji Imoto, Satoshi Kitaoka, Seiji Hoshino, Shozo Sakura
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Patent number: 8573732Abstract: A treatment-liquid application device includes a treatment-liquid container, a liquid supply unit, a liquid chamber unit, a treatment-liquid carrier, a transport unit, a treatment-liquid applicator, and a partition. The partition is disposed in an area of the chamber unit defined by an imaginary entry plane, an imaginary exit plane, a carrying surface of the carrier, and a bottom face of the chamber unit. The entry plane includes an entry line at which the carrying surface enters treatment liquid in the chamber unit, and vertically extends from the entry line. The exit plane includes an exit line at which the carrying surface exits from the liquid in the chamber unit, and vertically extends from the exit line. The partition extends in a longitudinal direction of the carrier and has an edge portion adjacent to the carrying surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2012Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Seiji Hoshino, Satoshi Kitaoka, Shinji Imoto, Hiroyoshi Komaba, Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20120262519Abstract: A treatment-liquid application device includes a treatment-liquid container, a liquid supply unit, a liquid chamber unit, a treatment-liquid carrier, a transport unit, a treatment-liquid applicator, and a partition. The partition is disposed in an area of the chamber unit defined by an imaginary entry plane, an imaginary exit plane, a carrying surface of the carrier, and a bottom face of the chamber unit. The entry plane includes an entry line at which the carrying surface enters treatment liquid in the chamber unit, and vertically extends from the entry line. The exit plane includes an exit line at which the carrying surface exits from the liquid in the chamber unit, and vertically extends from the exit line. The partition extends in a longitudinal direction of the carrier and has an edge portion adjacent to the carrying surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Seiji HOSHINO, Satoshi Kitaoka, Shinji Imoto, Hiroyoshi Komaba, Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20120249627Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device forming an image on a surface of a recording material; a recording material passage; a treatment liquid applicator including a tray containing a treatment liquid, a first roller applying the treatment liquid to the surface of the recording material, and a second roller drawing the treatment liquid from the tray to supply the treatment liquid to the first roller; a liquid level inclination detector detecting whether the surface of the treatment liquid is inclined; a treatment liquid supplying device supplying the treatment liquid to the tray; and a controller connected with liquid level detector and the treatment liquid supplying device. The controller stops the operation of the treatment liquid supplying device when determining according to the detection result of the liquid level detector that the surface of the treatment liquid is inclined in a predetermined amount or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hiroyoshi KOMABA, Shinji Imoto, Satoshi Kitaoka, Seiji Hoshino, Shozo Sakura
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Publication number: 20120160161Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an application device. The application device has an application roller to apply a treatment liquid onto a recording medium before an image is formed on the recording medium. The application roller has a core member serving as a rotation shaft of the application roller and an elastic surface member disposed around the core member. The core member has a plurality of convex ring portions formed along a circumferential direction of the core member around a circumferential surface of the core member and a plurality of concave ring portions formed between the plurality of convex ring portions. The convex ring portions and the concave ring portions are alternately arranged.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shozo SAKURA, Satoshi Kitaoka, Shinji Imoto, Hiroyoshi Komaba