Patents by Inventor Takaaki Shirai

Takaaki Shirai 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: 11767239
    Abstract: To provide a filter capable of efficiently removing metal ions in a treatment liquid, and capable of easily obtaining a solution having an extremely low metal ion content. A depth filter includes a porous molded article. The porous molded article is a sintered material of mixed powder or a swollen material of the sintered material. The mixed powder contains dried gel powder and thermoplastic resin powder. The dried gel powder contains an ion exchange resin including a sulfonic acid group, and a nitrogen-containing chelating resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kobayashi, Hideyuki Okada, Yukihisa Okada, Takaaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20220331726
    Abstract: A filter includes a porous molding, the porous molding being a sintered product of mixed powder containing dry gel powder including an ion exchange resin and thermoplastic resin powder, or a swelled body of the sintered product. When water having an electric resistivity value of 18 M?·cm or more is allowed to pass through a space velocity of 1200 hr?1, the electric resistivity value of water after passage is 15 M?·cm or more. To provide a filter that can efficiently remove metal ions in a solution to be treated, and easily acquire a solution having an extremely low content of metal ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kobayashi, Yukihisa Okada, Takaaki Shirai, Hideyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 11400399
    Abstract: A filter includes a porous molding, the porous molding being a sintered product of mixed powder containing dry gel powder including an ion exchange resin and thermoplastic resin powder, or a swelled body of the sintered product. When water having an electric resistivity value of 18 M?·cm or more is allowed to pass through a space velocity of 1200 hr?1, the electric resistivity value of water after passage is 15 M?·cm or more. To provide a filter that can efficiently remove metal ions in a solution to be treated, and easily acquire a solution having an extremely low content of metal ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kobayashi, Yukihisa Okada, Takaaki Shirai, Hideyuki Okada
  • Publication number: 20210230022
    Abstract: To provide a filter capable of efficiently removing metal ions in a treatment liquid, and capable of easily obtaining a solution having an extremely low metal ion content. A depth filter includes a porous molded article. The porous molded article is a sintered material of mixed powder or a swollen material of the sintered material. The mixed powder contains dried gel powder and thermoplastic resin powder. The dried gel powder contains an ion exchange resin including a sulfonic acid group, and a nitrogen-containing chelating resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kobayashi, Hideyuki Okada, Yukihisa Okada, Takaaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20210187422
    Abstract: A filter includes a porous molding, the porous molding being a sintered product of mixed powder containing dry gel powder including an ion exchange resin and thermoplastic resin powder, or a swelled body of the sintered product. When water having an electric resistivity value of 18 M?·cm or more is allowed to pass through a space velocity of 1200 hr?1, the electric resistivity value of water after passage is 15 M?·cm or more. To provide a filter that can efficiently remove metal ions in a solution to be treated, and easily acquire a solution having an extremely low content of metal ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kobayashi, Yukihisa Okada, Takaaki Shirai, Hideyuki Okada
  • Publication number: 20170348917
    Abstract: A dispensing device (20) for dispensing a tape T; a supporting device (3) that supports an inner panel (10) comprising a front surface (11a) and a rear surface with the tape T dispensed by the dispensing device (20) in contact with the inner panel (10), and bonds the tape T to the front surface (11a) and rear surface of the inner panel (10) by causing the inner panel (10) and the dispensing device (20) to engage in relative motion; a heat-providing device 4 that provides heat to the tape T in contact with the inner panel (10); and a roller (5f) that presses the tape T against the inner panel (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Taishi TOKUNAGA, Takaaki SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 9661169
    Abstract: An electric power supplying device includes a main power supply that supplies electric power to each component of an apparatus, an auxiliary power supply that supplies electric power to an assisted component in the apparatus, the assisted component requiring power supply during start-up time of the apparatus and having a whose start-up time being equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time, a discharging control circuit that controls the auxiliary power supply to cause the auxiliary power supply to output a voltage, the output voltage being lower than a voltage output by the main power supply and being equal to or more than a lower limit voltage of a voltage range that the assisted component is operable, and a power supply prevention circuit that prevents the auxiliary power supply from supplying power to a component other than the assisted component in the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Yamashita, Atsuki Iwata, Takuma Kasai, Norikazu Okada, Homare Ehara, Tetsuya Yano, Toshimasa Aoki, Ryohta Kubokawa, Shuntaroh Nakayama, Takaaki Shirai
  • Patent number: 9541867
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to fix an image on a recording medium by heating the recording medium, multiple heat storing devices to store heat generated at the fixing device, an electric generating element to generate power by converting the heat into power, and a switch to switch connection and disconnection between the electric generating element and at least one of the multiple heat storing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Rioch Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Homare Ehara, Takaaki Shirai, Norikazu Okada, Tomoyuki Yamashita, Ryohta Kubokawa, Takuma Kasai, Keita Maejima
  • Publication number: 20160344885
    Abstract: An electric power supplying device includes a main power supply that supplies electric power to each component of an apparatus, an auxiliary power supply that supplies electric power to an assisted component in the apparatus, the assisted component requiring power supply during start-up time of the apparatus and having a whose start-up time being equal to or longer than a predetermined period of time, a discharging control circuit that controls the auxiliary power supply to cause the auxiliary power supply to output a voltage, the output voltage being lower than a voltage output by the main power supply and being equal to or more than a lower limit voltage of a voltage range that the assisted component is operable, and a power supply prevention circuit that prevents the auxiliary power supply from supplying power to a component other than the assisted component in the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Yamashita, Atsuki Iwata, Takuma Kasai, Norikazu Okada, Homare Ehara, Tetsuya Yano, Toshimasa Aoki, Ryohta Kubokawa, Shuntaroh Nakayama, Takaaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20160336799
    Abstract: A commercial AC power shutdown detecting apparatus includes a photocoupler including a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, a lighting circuit that flows a pulsating current through the light-emitting element of the photocoupler to turn on and off light of the light-emitting element, a charging-discharging circuit including a capacitor and a resistor that charges the capacitor via the resistor when the light-emitting element is turned off, and discharges the capacitor via the light-receiving element and the a resistor when the light-emitting element is turned on, and a comparing circuit that compares a voltage value between capacitor terminals with a predetermined voltage value intermediate between a maximum voltage value between the capacitor terminals when the light-emitting element repeats turning light on and off and the consistent DC voltage value, and outputs a shutdown detection signal if the voltage value between the capacitor terminals exceeds the predetermined voltage value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuki Iwata, Takuma Kasai, Norikazu Okada, Homare Ehara, Tetsuya Yano, Toshimasa Aoki, Tomoyuki Yamashita, Ryohta Kubokawa, Shuntaroh Nakayama, Takaaki Shirai
  • Patent number: 9429909
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heat-generating component, a power generation device including a thermoelectric element, a heat radiation device, a cooling device, a temperature detector that detects a temperature increase of the heat-generating component, and a controller. The heat radiation device includes a first radiator plate interposed between the heat-generating component and a surface of the thermoelectric element and a second radiator plate attached to another surface of the thermoelectric element. The cooling device cools the first radiator plate. The controller controls operations of the cooling device and the power generation device by operating the cooling device if the detected temperature increase reaches at least a predetermined threshold value, and causing the power generation device to generate power without operating the cooling device to cool the first radiator plate passively if the detected temperature increase falls below the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takaaki Shirai, Satoru Tao, Takuma Kasai, Norikazu Okada, Homare Ehara, Keita Maejima, Tomoyuki Yamashita, Ryohta Kubokawa
  • Patent number: 9389573
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heat generator configured to generate heat in the image forming apparatus; a converter including a capacitor to convert AC power supplied from an external power supply into DC power for a load unit; a thermoelectric transducer configured to convert the generated heat into DC power for the load unit; a detector configured to detect a voltage of the AC power; and a controller configured to cause the converter to continue supplying the DC power to the load unit when a first elapsed time elapsed since the detected voltage drops below a rated voltage is shorter than a first time period shorter than an upper limit of a period of time over which the capacitor is dischargeable, and cause the thermoelectric transducer to supply the DC power to the load unit when the first elapsed time exceeds the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Norikazu Okada, Takaaki Shirai, Takuma Kasai, Keita Maejima, Tomoyuki Yamashita, Ryohta Kubokawa, Satoru Tao, Homare Ehara
  • Publication number: 20160077475
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to fix an image on a recording medium by heating the recording medium, multiple heat storing devices to store heat generated at the fixing device, an electric generating element to generate power by converting the heat into power, and a switch to switch connection and disconnection between the electric generating element and at least one of the multiple heat storing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Homare EHARA, Takaaki SHIRAI, Norikazu OKADA, Tomoyuki YAMASHITA, Ryohta KUBOKAWA, Takuma KASAI, Keita MAEJIMA
  • Patent number: 9286478
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a scanner to scan an image formed in a scannable area which is allocated on a sheet, an image obtainer to obtain a processible image formed in the scannable area and scanned by the scanner, a judging unit to judge as to whether the processible image obtained by the image obtainer includes an identifying image, which qualifies a predetermined authentication criterion, and a function controller to activate a predetermined function of the image processing device, which processes the processible image obtained by the image obtainer, when the judging unit judges that the obtained processible image includes the identifying image therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20150370216
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heat generator configured to generate heat in the image forming apparatus; a converter including a capacitor to convert AC power supplied from an external power supply into DC power for a load unit; a thermoelectric transducer configured to convert the generated heat into DC power for the load unit; a detector configured to detect a voltage of the AC power; and a controller configured to cause the converter to continue supplying the DC power to the load unit when a first elapsed time elapsed since the detected voltage drops below a rated voltage is shorter than a first time period shorter than an upper limit of a period of time over which the capacitor is dischargeable, and cause the thermoelectric transducer to supply the DC power to the load unit when the first elapsed time exceeds the first time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Norikazu OKADA, Takaaki SHIRAI, Takuma KASAI, Keita MAEJIMA, Tomoyuki YAMASHITA, Ryohta KUBOKAWA, Satoru TAO, Homare EHARA
  • Patent number: 9071794
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a scanner to scan an image formed on a sheet, a first image obtainer to read and obtain a first image being a processible image formed in a first area, the first area being allocated on the sheet, a second image obtainer to read and obtain a second image formed in a second area, the second area being allocated on the sheet separately from the first area, a judging unit to judge as to whether the second image obtained by the second image obtainer is qualifies a predetermined authentication criteria and is identical to a predetermined identifying image, and a function controller to activate a predetermined function of the image processing device, which processes the processible image obtained by the first image obtainer, when the judging unit judges that the second image is identical to the predetermined identifying image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20150177684
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heat-generating component, a power generation device including a thermoelectric element, a heat radiation device, a cooling device, a temperature detector that detects a temperature increase of the heat-generating component, and a controller. The heat radiation device includes a first radiator plate interposed between the heat-generating component and a surface of the thermoelectric element and a second radiator plate attached to another surface of the thermoelectric element. The cooling device cools the first radiator plate. The controller controls operations of the cooling device and the power generation device by operating the cooling device if the detected temperature increase reaches at least a predetermined threshold value, and causing the power generation device to generate power without operating the cooling device to cool the first radiator plate passively if the detected temperature increase falls below the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takaaki SHIRAI, Satoru TAO, Takuma KASAI, Norikazu OKADA, Homare EHARA, Keita MAEJIMA, Tomoyuki YAMASHITA, Ryohta KUBOKAWA
  • Patent number: 8922383
    Abstract: Electronic equipment includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; and a harness that connects the first substrate and the second substrate with other. The first substrate includes: a conversion unit that outputs converted power converted from supply of power supplied by a power source, and a control unit that outputs a control signal used to control output of the supply of power to the second substrate. The second substrate includes: a semiconductor circuit operated by the supply of power and the converted power, and a connector that outputs the control signal to the power source. The harness includes a signal line of the control signal and a power line through which the converted power is supplied from the first substrate to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Takaaki Shirai
  • Publication number: 20140029045
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a scanner to scan an image formed on a sheet, a first image obtainer to read and obtain a first image being a processible image formed in a first area, the first area being allocated on the sheet, a second image obtainer to read and obtain a second image formed in a second area, the second area being allocated on the sheet separately from the first area, a judging unit to judge as to whether the second image obtained by the second image obtainer is qualifies a predetermined authentication criteria and is identical to a predetermined identifying image, and a function controller to activate a predetermined function of the image processing device, which processes the processible image obtained by the first image obtainer, when the judging unit judges that the second image is identical to the predetermined identifying image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takaaki SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 8576423
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a scanner to scan an image formed on a sheet, a first image obtainer to read and obtain a first image being a processible image formed in a first area, the first area being allocated on the sheet, a second image obtainer to read and obtain a second image formed in a second area, the second area being allocated on the sheet separately from the first area, a judging unit to judge as to whether the second image obtained by the second image obtainer is qualifies a predetermined authentication criteria and is identical to a predetermined identifying image, and a function controller to activate a predetermined function of the image processing device, which processes the processible image obtained by the first image obtainer, when the judging unit judges that the second image is identical to the predetermined identifying image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Shirai