Patents by Inventor Sota Hara

Sota Hara 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: 11144000
    Abstract: A paper ejection device includes: an ejection portion that ejects sheets of paper; a housing portion that houses the ejected sheets of paper in a sequentially stacked state; and a guiding portion that guides the sheets of paper, before being ejected, to the ejection portion while curving the sheets of paper. The housing portion is adjustable to plural angles including at least an angle at which the ejected sheets of paper are housed while being curved in a direction opposite to a direction in which the sheets of paper have been curved by the guiding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Honda, Yukihiro Ichiki, Sota Hara, Kenichi Ishikura, Kazuhiro Tobita, Sho Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10901347
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer device includes: an endless belt that circulates, receives transfer of a toner image at a first transfer position, and holds the toner image until the toner image reaches a second transfer position at which the toner image is transferred to a transfer receiver; a first cleaning unit that is disposed downstream of the second transfer position and upstream of the first transfer position in a circulation direction of the belt and removes residual toner from the belt after transfer; and a second cleaning unit that is disposed downstream of the first cleaning unit and upstream of the first transfer position in the circulation direction and removes residues from the belt after removal by the first cleaning unit, in which the second cleaning unit includes: a contact cleaning part that extends in a width direction intersecting the circulation direction and is in contact with the belt; and a support guide receiving part that supports the contact cleaning part, and receives a guide for attachme
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Ichiki, Sota Hara, Tomoya Oki
  • Patent number: 10871728
    Abstract: A cleaning device for a rotational body is provided. The cleaning device includes a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres. The scraping portion scrapes the toner off the rotational body. The cleaning device also includes a guide portion that guides a recording medium toward the rotational body, and a guide support portion that supports the guide portion. The guide support portion is disposed at a position separated from the scraping portion in a state in which the guide support portion is pressed by the guide portion that is guiding the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Ogishima, Sota Hara, Kazuhiro Saito, Yukihiro Ichiki, Hiroki Shiba, Akira Shimodaira
  • Publication number: 20200379370
    Abstract: A cleaning device for a rotational body is provided. The cleaning device includes a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres. The scaping portion scrapes the toner off the rotational body. The cleaning device also includes a guide portion that guides a recording medium toward the rotational body, and a guide support portion that supports the guide portion. The guide support portion is disposed at a position separated from the scraping portion in a state in which the guide support portion is pressed by the guide portion that is guiding the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya OGISHIMA, Sota HARA, Kazuhiro SAITO, Yukihiro ICHIKI, Hiroki SHIBA, Akira SHIMODAIRA
  • Publication number: 20200257231
    Abstract: A paper ejection device includes: an ejection portion that ejects sheets of paper; a housing portion that houses the ejected sheets of paper in a sequentially stacked state; and a guiding portion that guides the sheets of paper, before being ejected, to the ejection portion while curving the sheets of paper. The housing portion is adjustable to plural angles including at least an angle at which the ejected sheets of paper are housed while being curved in a direction opposite to a direction in which the sheets of paper have been curved by the guiding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fumiyuki HONDA, Yukihiro Ichiki, Sota Hara, Kenichi Ishikura, Kazuhiro Tobita, Sho Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20190384212
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that transports a sheet of paper carrying an unfixed image through a nip part to fix the unfixed image to the sheet, a first guide unit coming into contact with a side of the sheet that guides transport of the sheet, and a second guide unit coming into contact with an opposite side of the sheet that guides transport of the sheet. The first guide unit has a recess serving as a guide part, the recess being recessed in a direction away from a transport path of the sheet. The second guide unit has a bending part serving as a guide part, the bending part having a shape of a circular arc in cross-section, the bending part being disposed such that at least a portion of the bending part lies inside the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Ichiki, Kyogo Soshi, Akira Shimodaira, Sota Hara, Yosuke Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 10509345
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit that transports a sheet of paper carrying an unfixed image through a nip part to fix the unfixed image to the sheet, a first guide unit coming into contact with a side of the sheet that guides transport of the sheet, and a second guide unit coming into contact with an opposite side of the sheet that guides transport of the sheet. The first guide unit has a recess serving as a guide part, the recess being recessed in a direction away from a transport path of the sheet. The second guide unit has a bending part serving as a guide part, the bending part having a shape of a circular arc in cross-section, the bending part being disposed such that at least a portion of the bending part lies inside the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Ichiki, Kyogo Soshi, Akira Shimodaira, Sota Hara, Yosuke Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 9785097
    Abstract: A tension applying device that applies tension to a strip-shaped body supported on a support member, the tension applying device is provided with a moving body that supports the support member, a holding body movably supporting the moving body in a direction in which the tension is applied to the strip-shaped body, a tension spring exerting the tension to the strip-shaped body, a first spring support portion disposed in the holding body and supporting one end of the tension spring, a second spring support portion disposed in the moving body in order to support the other end of the tension spring and disposed on an upstream side from the first spring support portion in the direction in which the tension is applied, and an opening formed in the holding body and in a position corresponding to the second spring support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sota Hara, Hiroaki Yagi, Masaru Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20170269514
    Abstract: A tension applying device that applies tension to a strip-shaped body supported on a support member, the tension applying device is provided with a moving body that supports the support member, a holding body movably supporting the moving body in a direction in which the tension is applied to the strip-shaped body, a tension spring exerting the tension to the strip-shaped body, a first spring support portion disposed in the holding body and supporting one end of the tension spring, a second spring support portion disposed in the moving body in order to support the other end of the tension spring and disposed on an upstream side from the first spring support portion in the direction in which the tension is applied, and an opening formed in the holding body and in a position corresponding to the second spring support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sota HARA, Hiroaki YAGI, Masaru NOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170068190
    Abstract: Provided is a transfer device including a primary transfer roller that selectively takes a contact position where an intermediate transfer belt is brought into contact with an image holding member, and a separation position where the intermediate transfer belt is separated from the image holding member, a tension applying roller on which the intermediate transfer belt is wound thereon together with a driving roller and which is urged in a direction receding from the driving roller, and a relaxing member that is attached to a shaft portion of the tension applying roller, is urged by an urging unit in a direction approaching the driving roller, and relaxes an urging force of the tension applying roller in a direction receding from the driving roller when the primary transfer roller is at the separation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sota HARA, Yoshiyuki TAKASHIMA, Hiroaki YAGI, Masakazu SHIRAI, Koji DEGUCHI, Kentaro IWAMOTO, Yuta HIRAMINE
  • Patent number: 9581940
    Abstract: Provided is a transfer device including a primary transfer roller that selectively takes a contact position where an intermediate transfer belt is brought into contact with an image holding member, and a separation position where the intermediate transfer belt is separated from the image holding member, a tension applying roller on which the intermediate transfer belt is wound thereon together with a driving roller and which is urged in a direction receding from the driving roller, and a relaxing member that is attached to a shaft portion of the tension applying roller, is urged by an urging unit in a direction approaching the driving roller, and relaxes an urging force of the tension applying roller in a direction receding from the driving roller when the primary transfer roller is at the separation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sota Hara, Yoshiyuki Takashima, Hiroaki Yagi, Masakazu Shirai, Koji Deguchi, Kentaro Iwamoto, Yuta Hiramine