Patents by Inventor Shunji Katoh

Shunji Katoh 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: 9857729
    Abstract: A nozzle insertion member arranged in a powder container includes a nozzle insertion opening; an opening/closing member opening/closing the nozzle insertion opening; a supporting member supporting the opening/closing member; and a biasing member provided to the supporting member to bias the opening/closing member toward a closing position. When the powder is supplied to the conveying nozzle along with rotation of a rotary conveyor arranged inside the powder container, the supporting member rotates with the rotation of the conveyor. The opening/closing member is rotated by a drive transmitting mechanism with rotation of the supporting member. The mechanism includes an elongated member arranged on the opening/closing member and penetrating through an opening formed on the supporting member; and a drive transmitted portion formed on the elongated member; and a drive transmitting portion formed on an inner surface of the opening and configured to come into contact with the drive transmitted portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Shinji Tamaki, Shunji Katoh, Junji Yamabe
  • Publication number: 20170115604
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer including a magnetic field generator, a developer regulator disposed opposite the developer bearer across a regulation gap, a developer containing compartment disposed below the developer bearer, and a conveying screw disposed in the developer containing compartment and including a shaft having a diameter greater than a radius of the conveying screw. On a cross section perpendicular to an axial direction of the conveying screw, a developer scooping pole of the magnetic field generator to scoop the developer from the developer containing compartment onto the developer bearer is disposed between the regulation gap and a bisector dividing an angle extending from a first line, which connects a center of the developer bearer and a center of the conveying screw, to a second line, which connects the center of the developer bearer and the regulation gap, in a rotation direction of the developer bearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shinji TAMAKI, Keiichi YOSHIDA, Ichiro KADOTA, Shunji KATOH
  • Publication number: 20170068184
    Abstract: A powder container contains powder and is attached to an image forming apparatus including: a conveying nozzle to convey the powder; a powder receiving hole of the conveying nozzle to receive the powder from the powder container; an apparatus main-body gear to transmit a driving force to the powder container; and a container receiving section including the conveying nozzle and receiving the powder container. The powder container includes: an opening at one end of the powder container in a longitudinal direction; a nozzle receiver at the opening to receive the conveying nozzle; a conveyor to convey the powder; and a container gear to drive the conveyor by meshing with the apparatus main-body gear. The container gear is to mesh with the apparatus main-body gear at a position closer to the opening than the powder receiving hole in the longitudinal direction. The opening is to mate with the container receiving section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Kenji KIKUCHI, Shinji TAMAKI, Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shunji KATOH, Michiharu SUZUKI, Hideo YOSHIZAWA, Shingo KUBOKl
  • Publication number: 20170010564
    Abstract: A nozzle insertion member arranged in a powder container includes a nozzle insertion opening; an opening/closing member opening/closing the nozzle insertion opening; a supporting member supporting the opening/closing member; and a biasing member provided to the supporting member to bias the opening/closing member toward a closing position. When the powder is supplied to the conveying nozzle along with rotation of a rotary conveyor arranged inside the powder container, the supporting member rotates with the rotation of the conveyor. The opening/closing member is rotated by a drive transmitting mechanism with rotation of the supporting member. The mechanism includes an elongated member arranged on the opening/closing member and penetrating through an opening formed on the supporting member; and a drive transmitted portion formed on the elongated member; and a drive transmitting portion formed on an inner surface of the opening and configured to come into contact with the drive transmitted portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Shinji Tamaki, Shunji Katoh, Junji Yamabe
  • Patent number: 9513576
    Abstract: A powder container contains powder and is attached to an image forming apparatus including: a conveying nozzle to convey the powder; a powder receiving hole of the conveying nozzle to receive the powder from the powder container; an apparatus main-body gear to transmit a driving force to the powder container; and a container receiving section including the conveying nozzle and receiving the powder container. The powder container includes: an opening at one end of the powder container in a longitudinal direction; a nozzle receiver at the opening to receive the conveying nozzle; a conveyor to convey the powder; and a container gear to drive the conveyor by meshing with the apparatus main-body gear. The container gear is to mesh with the apparatus main-body gear at a position closer to the opening than the powder receiving hole in the longitudinal direction. The opening is to mate with the container receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Michiharu Suzuki, Hideo Yoshizawa, Shingo Kuboki
  • Patent number: 9507291
    Abstract: A magnetic permeability detector includes an LC oscillator circuit including a coil and a capacitor; and a resistor connected in series with the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Hirota, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Masayuki Yamane, Masahiro Watanabe, Shingo Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 9507290
    Abstract: A magnetic permeability detector includes an LC oscillator circuit including a coil and a capacitor; and a resistor connected in series with the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Hirota, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Masayuki Yamane, Masahiro Watanabe, Shingo Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 9465317
    Abstract: A nozzle insertion member arranged in a powder container includes a nozzle insertion opening; an opening/closing member opening/closing the nozzle insertion opening; a supporting member supporting the opening/closing member; and a biasing member provided to the supporting member to bias the opening/closing member toward a closing position. When the powder is supplied to the conveying nozzle along with rotation of a rotary conveyor arranged inside the powder container, the supporting member rotates with the rotation of the conveyor. The opening/closing member is rotated by a drive transmitting mechanism with rotation of the supporting member. The mechanism includes an elongated member arranged on the opening/closing member and penetrating through an opening formed on the supporting member; and a drive transmitted portion formed on the elongated member; and a drive transmitting portion formed on an inner surface of the opening and configured to come into contact with the drive transmitted portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Shinji Tamaki, Shunji Katoh, Junji Yamabe
  • Patent number: 9423720
    Abstract: A toner container which is a powder container includes a container body that stores toner which is powder; a nozzle receiver having a nozzle insertion opening which is a nozzle insertion opening through which a powder conveying nozzle of a powder conveying device is inserted in the container body; and an elastic sheet which is an elastic sheet member that blocks the nozzle insertion opening and is elastically deformed so that the powder conveying nozzle can pass through when the powder conveying nozzle is inserted. A plurality of elastic sheets is arranged so as to overlap at least partially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh
  • Patent number: 9348259
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes a container body housing a toner; a conveying portion conveying the toner from one end of the container body, in a longer direction of the container body, to its other end at which a container opening portion is provided; a pipe receiving port receiving a conveying pipe fixed to a toner conveying device; and an uplifting portion moving the toner toward a toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Such toner has a molecular weight distribution having a peak in a range of 103 to 104, and has C/R of from 0.03 to 0.55 between peak height C attributed to crystalline polyester resin and R attributed to non-crystalline resin when measured by FT-IR after stored at 45° C. for 12 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Nagayama, Hisashi Nakajima, Yoshitaka Sekiguchi, Saori Yamada, Shinya Hanatani, Mariko Takii, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9261817
    Abstract: A replenishing developer housing container includes: a container body housing a replenishing developer; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion. The replenishing developer contains a toner and a carrier. The container body includes a protruding portion protruding from a container body interior side of the container opening portion toward one end of the container body and a curving portion curving so as to conform to the protruding portion. The uplifting portion includes an uplifting wall surface extending from an internal wall surface of the container body toward the protruding portion. When the replenishing developer housing container is mounted on the replenishing developer conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the replenishing developer receiving port of a conveying pipe being inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwatsuki, Shigenori Yaguchi, Hiroshi Tohmatsu, Toyoaki Tano, Hiroyuki Kishida, Kenichi Mashiko, Koichi Sakata, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20160041495
    Abstract: A magnetic permeability detector includes an LC oscillator circuit including a coil and a capacitor; and a resistor connected in series with the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Tetsuro HIROTA, Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shunji KATOH, Masayuki YAMANE, Masahiro WATANABE, Shingo NISHIZAKI
  • Publication number: 20160041497
    Abstract: A magnetic permeability detector includes an LC oscillator circuit including a coil and a capacitor; and a resistor connected in series with the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Tetsuro Hirota, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji katoh, Masayuki Yamane, Masahiro Watanabe, Shingo Nishizaki
  • Publication number: 20160018758
    Abstract: A toner container which is a powder container includes a container body that stores toner which is powder; a nozzle receiver having a nozzle insertion opening which is a nozzle insertion opening through which a powder conveying nozzle of a powder conveying device is inserted in the container body; and an elastic sheet which is an elastic sheet member that blocks the nozzle insertion opening and is elastically deformed so that the powder conveying nozzle can pass through when the powder conveying nozzle is inserted. A plurality of elastic sheets is arranged so as to overlap at least partially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shunji KATOH
  • Publication number: 20160004184
    Abstract: A powder container contains powder and is attached to an image forming apparatus including: a conveying nozzle to convey the powder; a powder receiving hole of the conveying nozzle to receive the powder from the powder container; an apparatus main-body gear to transmit a driving force to the powder container; and a container receiving section including the conveying nozzle and receiving the powder container. The powder container includes: an opening at one end of the powder container in a longitudinal direction; a nozzle receiver at the opening to receive the conveying nozzle; a conveyor to convey the powder; and a container gear to drive the conveyor by meshing with the apparatus main-body gear. The container gear is to mesh with the apparatus main-body gear at a position closer to the opening than the powder receiving hole in the longitudinal direction. The opening is to mate with the container receiving section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji KIKUCHI, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Michiharu Suzuki, Hideo Yoshizawa, Shingo Kuboki
  • Patent number: 9170233
    Abstract: A magnetic permeability detector includes an LC oscillator circuit including a coil and a capacitor; and a resistor connected in series with the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Hirota, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Masayuki Yamane, Masahiro Watanabe, Shingo Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 9152084
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes: a container body housing a toner; a conveying portion; a pipe receiving port; and an uplifting portion. Flow rate index of the toner measured by powder rheometer and represented by “flow rate index=(total energy at a rotation speed of 10 mm/s)/(total energy at a rotation speed of 100 mm/s)” is in a range of “1.8?flow rate index?6.5”. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end of container body. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. When the toner housing container is mounted on the toner conveying device, the protruding portion is present between the curving portion and the toner receiving port of the conveying pipe being inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masana Shiba, Shingo Sakashita, Junichi Awamura, Tomoki Murayama, Chihiro Kikuchi, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9141031
    Abstract: A toner housing container includes: container body; conveying portion; pipe receiving port; and uplifting portion. Container body includes; protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion to one end of container body; and shutter member moving between closing and opening positions to close and open container opening portion. Uplifting portion includes: uplifting wall surface extending from container body internal wall surface toward protruding portion; and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion. Shutter member moves from closing to opening position upon push by conveying pipe. When toner housing container is mounted on toner conveying device, protruding portion is present between curving portion and toner receiving port of conveying pipe inserted and extends along shutter member moving region. Toner has bulk density of ?0.399 g/cm3 when toner housing container is shaken up-and-down 10 times at 25° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Seiji Terazawa, Shinji Tamaki, Kenji Kikuchi, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Ryoichi Teranishi, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9069288
    Abstract: Toner housing container includes: container body mountable on toner conveying device and housing toner supplied into toner conveying device; conveying portion provided in container body and conveying toner from longer direction one end of container body to other end at which container opening portion is provided; pipe receiving port provided at container opening portion and receiving conveying pipe fixed to toner conveying device; and uplifting portion to move toner conveyed by conveying portion toward toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Toner has loose apparent density of 0.28 g/cm3 to 0.53 g/cm3. Container body includes protruding portion protruding from container body interior side of container opening portion toward one end. Uplifting portion includes uplifting wall surface extending from internal wall surface of container body toward protruding portion, and curving portion curving to conform to protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kojima, Junichi Awamura, Tsuneyasu Nagatomo, Shingo Sakashita, Tomoki Murayama, Masaya Fukuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shunji Katoh, Shinji Tamaki, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Kenji Kikuchi, Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9057984
    Abstract: A powder container includes: a housing unit that is horizontally elongated, that contains powder, and that has at least part thereof being deformable; and a discharging unit that is attached to one end of the housing unit in a longitudinal direction. The discharging unit includes a discharge opening through which the powder in the housing unit is discharged outside and a rotary shutter that is provided inside the discharge opening and that opens and closes the discharge opening by rotating about a rotating shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shunji Katoh, Hiroshi Ikeguchi, Shinji Tamaki