Patents by Inventor Takaaki Yanagisawa
Takaaki Yanagisawa 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: 6628908Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Ricoh Company, LtdInventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
-
Publication number: 20030138273Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, includes a shoulder portion adjoining a first end of a hollow body. The body is formed with a spiral guide for guiding a developer stored in the developer container. The shoulder portion forms a wall and includes an engaging portion engageable with driver that causes the body to rotate. The engaging portion includes a lug protruding from the shoulder portion which allows a characteristic of toner to be identified. The engaging portion has an outside surface of a guide portion that guides a developer stored in the developer container. Two engaging portions may be angularly spaced from each other by 180 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2002Publication date: July 24, 2003Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Patent number: 6591077Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a mount portion in which a toner container is expected to be set from above. When the toner container set in the mount portion runs out of toner, a spring causes the toner container to hop up away from a position where it is set. This promotes easy handling of the toner container in a limited space available in the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takaaki Yanagisawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Kazuhisa Sudo, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori
-
Patent number: 6567637Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveyance path for connecting a toner storing device with a developing device, a toner conveying device for conveying the toner from the toner storing device to the developing device along the toner conveyance path, and an air supplying device connected to the toner conveyance path vie an air supply path for supplying the toner storing device with air from a bottom of the toner storing device so as to agitate the toner pooling in the toner storing device.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2001Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kazuhiko Yuuki, Akio Kosuge, Yoshinori Ozawa, Yoshi Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
-
Publication number: 20030016966Abstract: A powder pump in a toner supply unit included in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is driven by its exclusive motor independently of main motor provided for driving major parts of the image forming apparatus. The toner supply unit is therefore capable of implementing responsive supply of the toner unaffected by the operation mode change of the image forming apparatus with simpler construction of the supply unit. A toner supply system is also provided in a similar manner using plural power pumps for an image forming apparatus with a plurality color developing stations. By considering the distance and elevation of toner transport path to the respective stations, the appropriate number of pump revolution can be determined for respective stations. As a result, desirable amounts of toner transport to respective stations are suitably achieved in relatively short time with simpler construction of the supply unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2002Publication date: January 23, 2003Inventors: Yoshio Hattori, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Kazuhisa Sudo
-
Patent number: 6507720Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2001Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Kabumoto, Goro Katsuyama, Kanae Amemiya, Masahiro Kurita, Masahiro Yonekawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 6501913Abstract: The container includes a container body that has a structure in which its walls constructing an interior space are collapsible and an aperture in one section of the body when constructed. Encasement is made up of a volume-reducible inflated body that can be accommodated inside the container body. This encasement encases a toner. Contents display sections that display information on the toner inside the encasement are provided on the encasement and the container body.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Kazuhisa Sudo, Kouta Fujimori, Masumi Sato
-
Patent number: 6418293Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, includes a shoulder portion adjoining a first end of a hollow body. The body is formed with a spiral guide for guiding a developer stored in the developer container. The shoulder portion forms a wall and includes an engaging portion engageable with driver that causes the body to rotate. The engaging portion includes a lug protruding from the shoulder portion which allows a characteristic of toner to be identified. The engaging portion has an outside surface of a guide portion that guides a developer stored in the developer container. Two engaging portions may be angularly spaced from each other by 180 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2001Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Patent number: 6393241Abstract: A toner conveying device for an image forming apparatus includes a nozzle capable of penetrating into a toner container when the toner container is mounted to the image forming apparatus. The nozzle has a tubular structure forming an air passage for sending air into the toner container and a toner passage for delivering toner discharged from the toner container. Air sent into the toner container via the air passage fluidizes toner existing in the toner container, so that the toner can be surely replenished to a developing unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Iwata, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
-
Publication number: 20020039502Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2001Publication date: April 4, 2002Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
-
Publication number: 20020031375Abstract: The container includes a container body that has a structure in which its wails constructing an interior space are collapsible and an aperture in one section of the body when constructed. Encasement is made up of a volume-reducible inflated body that can be accommodated inside the container body. This encasement encases a toner. Contents display sections that display information on the toner inside the encasement are provided on the encasement and the container body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2001Publication date: March 14, 2002Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Kazuhisa Sudo, Kouta Fujimori, Masumi Sato
-
Publication number: 20020009310Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2001Publication date: January 24, 2002Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Masaaki Kabumoto, Goro Katsuyama, Kanae Amemiya, Masahiro Kurita, Masahiro Yonekawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
-
Publication number: 20020001485Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, has a mouth portion at one end thereof which is smaller in diameter than a hollow cylindrical main body. At the end of the bottle provided with the mouth, a shoulder has the inner periphery thereof partly raised to the edge of the mouth portion to form a raised portion for scooping up a toner. In addition, a part of the inner periphery of the circumferential wall of the bottle which is contiguous with the raised portion is also raised toward the axis of the bottle about which the bottle is rotatable, thereby forming another raised portion. When the bottle is mounted to a bottle holder, which is included in the replenishing device, substantially horizontally with the mouth portion oriented sideways, the bottle is rotated to raise the toner from the bottom of the main body to the mouth portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2001Publication date: January 3, 2002Applicant: Ricoh Company Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Publication number: 20010051062Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a mount portion in which a toner container is expected to be set from above. When the toner container set in the mount portion runs out of toner, a spring causes the toner container to hop up away from a position where it is set. This promotes easy handling of the toner container in a limited space available in the apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2001Publication date: December 13, 2001Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takaaki Yanagisawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Kazuhisa Sudo, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori
-
Publication number: 20010021326Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveyance path for connecting a toner storing device with a developing device, a toner conveying device for conveying the toner from the toner storing device to the developing device along the toner conveyance path, and an air supplying device connected to the toner conveyance path vie an air supply path for supplying the toner storing device with air from a bottom of the toner storing device so as to agitate the toner pooling in the toner storing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2001Publication date: September 13, 2001Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kazuhiko Yuuki, Akio Kosuge, Yoshinori Ozawa, Yoshi Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 6289195Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, has a mouth portion at one end thereof which is smaller in diameter than a hollow cylindrical main body. At the end of the bottle provided with the mouth portion, a shoulder has the inner periphery thereof partly raised to the edge of the mouth portion to form a raised portion for scooping up a toner. In addition, a part of the inner periphery of the circumferental wall of the bottle, which is contiguous with the raised portion, is also raised toward the axis of the bottle, about which the bottle is rotatable, thereby forming another raised portion. When the bottle is mounted on a bottle holder, which is included in the replienishing device, substantially horizontally with the mouth portion oriented sideways, the bottle is rotated to raise the toner from the bottom of the main body to the mouth portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2000Date of Patent: September 11, 2001Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Patent number: 6075963Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, has a mouth portion at one end thereof which is smaller in diameter than a hollow cylindrical main body. At the end of the bottle provided with the mouth, a shoulder has the inner periphery thereof partly raised to the edge of the mouth portion to form a raised portion for scooping up a toner. In addition, a part of the inner periphery of the circumferential wall of the bottle which is contiguous with the raised portion is also raised toward the axis of the bottle about which the bottle is rotatable, thereby forming another raised portion. When the bottle is mounted to a bottle holder, which is included in the replenishing device, substantially horizontally with the mouth portion oriented sideways, the bottle is rotated to raise the toner from the bottom of the main body to the mouth portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1999Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Patent number: 5918090Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, has a mouth portion at one end thereof which is smaller in diameter than a hollow cylindrical main body. At the end of the bottle provided with the mouth, a shoulder has the inner periphery thereof partly raised to the edge of the mouth portion to form a raised portion for scooping up a toner. In addition, a part of the inner periphery of the circumferential wall of the bottle which is contiguous with the raised portion is also raised toward the axis of the bottle about which the bottle is rotatable, thereby forming another raised portion. When the bottle is mounted to a bottle holder, which is included in the replenishing device, substantially horizontally with the mouth portion oriented sideways, the bottle is rotated to raise the toner from the bottom of the main body to the mouth portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 1998Date of Patent: June 29, 1999Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Patent number: 5822663Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device with a developer, and a developer container for use therewith. The developer container, or toner bottle, has a mouth portion at one end thereof which is smaller in diameter than a hollow cylindrical main body. At the end of the bottle provided with the mouth, a shoulder has the inner periphery thereof partly raised to the edge of the mouth portion to form a raised portion for scooping up a toner. In addition, a part of the inner periphery of the circumferential wall of the bottle which is contiguous with the raised portion is also raised toward the axis of the bottle about which the bottle is rotatable, thereby forming another raised portion. When the bottle is mounted to a bottle holder, which is included in the replenishing device, substantially horizontally with the mouth portion oriented sideways, the bottle is rotated to raise the toner from the bottom of the main body to the mouth portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 1996Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Ichikawa, Takeshi Saito, Sunao Ikeda, Nobuhiro Makita, Seiji Ozawa, Shigeru Yoshiki, Takaaki Yanagisawa
-
Patent number: RE36301Abstract: An image forming apparatus has two units which are engageable with a photoconductive element and provided with a substantially identical configuration. Various electrophotographic process devices including a developing device and a cleaning device and to be arranged around the photoconductive element are selectively arranged in the two units. The photoconductive element is passed over two rollers such that part of the element forms parallel flat portions. The two units and the photoconductive element are rotatable integrally with each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1996Date of Patent: September 14, 1999Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tsukuru Kai, Masayuki Ohtani, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Hisashi Ishijima, Masaaki Nagano