Patents by Inventor Takeshi Shintani
Takeshi Shintani 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: 9383715Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplier contacting an image bearer, a solid lubricant contacting the roller, a detector detecting a lubricant amount, and a controller controlling a supplying of the roller based on a detector detection. The detector outputs to the controller a first signal of a near-end state when the amount reaches a first amount, a second signal of an end state when the amount reaches a second amount smaller than the first amount, and a third signal of an absolute end state when the amount reaches a third amount smaller than the second amount. The controller temporarily stops the supplying when the second signal is output, cancels a roller temporary stopped state even when lubricant replacement is not completed after this state, stops the supplying when the third signal is output, and maintains a roller stopped state until the replacement is completed after this state.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Yasuhiro Maehata, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
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Patent number: 9367021Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller and multiple image forming units each of which includes an image bearer, a toner image forming device to form a toner image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium, a cleaning device to remove toner from a surface of the image bearer, a waste-toner tube through which toner removed by the cleaning device is transported, and a toner conveying member to transport toner by rotation and disposed inside the waste-toner tube. The controller changes a rotation speed of the toner conveying member for each of the multiple image forming units according to toner type including a first toner and a second toner having poorer flow properties than the first toner, and at least one image forming units uses the second toner and the rest use the first toner.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2015Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yusuke Ishizuka, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Kenji Honjoh, Yasuhito Kuboshima
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Publication number: 20160139555Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplier contacting an image bearer, a solid lubricant contacting the roller, a detector detecting a lubricant amount, and a controller controlling a supplying of the roller based on a detector detection. The detector outputs to the controller a first signal of a near-end state when the amount reaches a first amount, a second signal of an end state when the amount reaches a second amount smaller than the first amount, and a third signal of an absolute end state when the amount reaches a third amount smaller than the second amount. The controller temporarily stops the supplying when the second signal is output, cancels a roller temporary stopped state even when lubricant replacement is not completed after this state, stops the supplying when the third signal is output, and maintains a roller stopped state until the replacement is completed after this state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2015Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Yasuhiro Maehata, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
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Publication number: 20160011562Abstract: A process cartridge removably installable in an image forming apparatus includes a cartridge body including an image bearer; a cleaning unit removably attached to the cartridge body and including a lubricant supply device to lubricate the image bearer; a first contact terminal disposed in one of the cleaning unit and the cartridge body; and a second contact terminal disposed in the other of the cleaning unit and the cartridge body. The second contact terminal is disposed to contact the first contact terminal to establish electrical continuity between the cartridge body and the cleaning unit, and an end of the first contact terminal includes a sliding contact portion to slidingly contact the second contact terminal in attachment and removal of the cleaning unit to and from the cartridge body.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi SHINTANI, Yasuhito KUBOSHIMA, Yusuke ISHIZUKA, Kenji HONJOH, Nobuhiro KUWABARA
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Publication number: 20150370218Abstract: A lubricant supplying device used with a solid lubricant, includes a supplying member to supply lubricant taken from the solid lubricant to an object to be supplied with the lubricant, and a remaining amount detecting section to detect a remaining amount of the solid lubricant becoming below a predetermined value. A detection of the remaining amount of the solid lubricant is executed when an operation to supply the lubricant to the object to be supplied with the lubricant stops.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2015Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Kenji HONJOH, Takeshi SHINTANI, Kohsuke YAMAMOTO, Daisuke TOMITA, Norio KUDO
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Publication number: 20150355594Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2015Publication date: December 10, 2015Inventors: Hiroyuki UENISHI, Takeshi SHINTANI, Kenji HONJOH, Shinya KARASAWA, Daisuke TOMITA, Kohsuke YAMAMOTO, Norio KUDO
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Patent number: 9158267Abstract: An image forming apparatus including multiple image forming units; a waste-toner container; and a waste-toner conveyance device including a common conveyance channel member disposed in an arrangement direction of the image forming units and provided with toner inlets to receive the waste toner from toner outlets of the cleaning units, communicating channel members identical in structure and respectively disposed between the toner outlets and the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member, and a rotatable conveying member to transport the waste toner inside the common conveyance channel member linearly along a rotation axis thereof. The common conveyance channel member is shaped to equalize relative positions of each of the toner outlets and a corresponding one of the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member among the multiple image forming units among which a distance from the toner outlet to the rotation axis differs.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2014Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Nobuo Kuwabara, Shinichi Kawahara, Norio Kudoh, Takeshi Shintani, Kenji Honjoh, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
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Patent number: 9146517Abstract: A lubricant supplying device used with a solid lubricant, includes a supplying member to supply lubricant taken from the solid lubricant to an object to be supplied with the lubricant, and a remaining amount detecting section to detect a remaining amount of the solid lubricant becoming below a predetermined value. A detection of the remaining amount of the solid lubricant is executed when an operation to supply the lubricant to the object to be supplied with the lubricant stops.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Kohsuke Yamamoto, Daisuke Tomita, Norio Kudo
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Patent number: 9128452Abstract: A solid lubricant supply system includes a solid lubricant supplier to receive and supply solid lubricant to a solid lubricant supplying target. A pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes is opposed to each other. The second moveable planar electrode is partially moved toward the first moveable planar electrode as the solid lubricant is consumed. A residual solid lubricant quantity detecting unit is provide to detect a quantity of the residual solid lubricant at a first stage, in which the residual solid lubricant quantity is below a given level, by detecting electric conduction between the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes when the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes contacts each other. The first moveable planar electrode is enabled to further move together with the second moveable planar electrode when it is contacted and pressed by the second moveable planar electrode.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Hatori, Kenji Honjoh, Ryohta Gotoh, Akira Fujimori, Kaoru Yoshino, Naohiro Kumagai, Hideyasu Seki, Shinichi Kawahara, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Norio Kudoh, Daisuke Tomita
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Patent number: 9122225Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Uenishi, Takeshi Shintani, Kenji Honjoh, Shinya Karasawa, Daisuke Tomita, Kohsuke Yamamoto, Norio Kudo
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Publication number: 20150227107Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller and multiple image forming units each of which includes an image bearer, a toner image forming device to form a toner image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium, a cleaning device to remove toner from a surface of the image bearer, a waste-toner tube through which toner removed by the cleaning device is transported, and a toner conveying member to transport toner by rotation and disposed inside the waste-toner tube. The controller changes a rotation speed of the toner conveying member for each of the multiple image forming units according to toner type including a first toner and a second toner having poorer flow properties than the first toner, and at least one image forming units uses the second toner and the rest use the first toner.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yusuke ISHIZUKA, Takeshi SHINTANI, Nobuo KUWABARA, Kenji HONJOH, Yasuhito KUBOSHIMA
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Patent number: 9081347Abstract: In an embodiment, provided is a lubricant supplying device that includes: a solid lubricant; a supplying member that supplies lubricant of the solid lubricant to a lubricant supplying target; and a remaining amount detecting unit that detects an amount of the solid lubricant being at a given amount or less. The remaining amount detecting unit is provided on a downstream side in a rubbing direction of the supplying member with respect to the solid lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Akira Fujimori, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Kaoru Yoshino, Hideyasu Seki, Ryohta Gotoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Norio Kudo, Kenji Honjoh, Yuta Azeyanagi
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Patent number: 9052669Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a block of lubricant, a supply member contactable against the block of lubricant to scrape the block of lubricant, and a lubricant gauge including a first electrode and a second electrode. The lubricant gauge is electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value based on establishment of electrical continuity between the first electrode and the second electrode. One of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a projection projecting toward the other one of the first electrode and the second electrode.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Daisuke Tomita, Takeshi Shintani, Norio Kudo, Kenji Honjoh, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Akira Fujimori, Kaoru Yoshino, Yuta Azeyanagi, Hideyasu Seki, Ryohta Gotoh
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Patent number: 9037038Abstract: An image carrier surface treatment device is disposed opposite an image carrier rotatable in a first rotation direction and carrying a toner image. The image carrier surface treatment device includes a roller rotatable in a second rotation direction while contacting an outer circumferential surface of the image carrier. The roller includes a shaft projecting from each lateral end of the roller in an axial direction thereof. A rolling-element bearing is fitted on the shaft of the roller to support and position the roller inside the image carrier surface treatment device.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinya Karasawa, Takeshi Shintani, Kenji Honjoh, Hiroyuki Uenishi, Daisuke Tomita, Norio Kudo, Kohsuke Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20150078795Abstract: An image forming apparatus including multiple image forming units; a waste-toner container; and a waste-toner conveyance device including a common conveyance channel member disposed in an arrangement direction of the image forming units and provided with toner inlets to receive the waste toner from toner outlets of the cleaning units, communicating channel members identical in structure and respectively disposed between the toner outlets and the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member, and a rotatable conveying member to transport the waste toner inside the common conveyance channel member linearly along a rotation axis thereof. The common conveyance channel member is shaped to equalize relative positions of each of the toner outlets and a corresponding one of the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member among the multiple image forming units among which a distance from the toner outlet to the rotation axis differs.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Nobuo KUWABARA, Shinichi KAWAHARA, Norio KUDOH, Takeshi SHINTANI, Kenji HONJOH, Yasuhito KUBOSHIMA, Yusuke ISHIZUKA
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Patent number: 8913923Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, a charger, an irradiator, a developing device, a transfer device, a neutralizer, and a varying device is provided. The neutralizer is adapted to neutralize the image bearing member by emitting neutralization light thereto, after a toner image formed on the image bearing member is transferred therefrom. The varying device is adapted to vary an amount of the neutralization light to be emitted to the image bearing member by pulse-width modulation of a voltage to be supplied to the neutralizer. The image forming apparatus satisfies the following formula: f/V>5 wherein f (Hz) represents a frequency of the pulse-width modulation and V (mm/s) represents a linear speed of the image bearing member.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akio Kosuge, Shinichi Kawahara, Nobuo Kuwabara, Takeshi Shintani, Norio Kudo, Daisuke Tomita
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Publication number: 20140363178Abstract: A solid lubricant supply system includes a solid lubricant supplier to receive and supply solid lubricant to a solid lubricant supplying target. A pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes is opposed to each other. The second moveable planar electrode is partially moved toward the first moveable planar electrode as the solid lubricant is consumed. A residual solid lubricant quantity detecting unit is provide to detect a quantity of the residual solid lubricant at a first stage, in which the residual solid lubricant quantity is below a given level, by detecting electric conduction between the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes when the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes contacts each other. The first moveable planar electrode is enabled to further move together with the second moveable planar electrode when it is contacted and pressed by the second moveable planar electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2014Publication date: December 11, 2014Inventors: Satoshi HATORI, Kenji HONJOH, Ryohta GOTOH, Akira FUJIMORI, Kaoru YOSHINO, Naohiro KUMAGAI, Hideyasu SEKI, Shinichi KAWAHARA, Takeshi SHINTANI, Nobuo KUWABARA, Norio KUDOH, Daisuke TOMITA
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Patent number: 8761654Abstract: A cleaning device to remove untransferred toner from a surface of an image carrier rotatable in a predetermined direction. The cleaning device includes a lubricant supply roller contacting the surface of the image carrier to supply a lubricant carried thereon to the surface of the image carrier, a first blade provided upstream from the lubricant supply roller in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, and a second blade provided downstream from the lubricant supply roller. The first blade contacts the surface of the image carrier to level the untransferred toner attaching to the surface of the image carrier to a thin layer. The second blade contacts the surface of the image carrier to level the lubricant supplied to the surface of the image carrier by the lubricant supply roller to a thin layer and to remove the untransferred toner from the surface of the image carrier.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Kawahara, Nobuo Kuwabara, Takeshi Shintani, Akio Kosuge, Daisuke Tomita
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Patent number: 8725009Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a cleaning device that collects a waste toner attached to the surface of the image carrier using a cleaning member, a waste container that is removable from an image forming apparatus body, a temporary storage unit that is provided in the image forming apparatus body to temporarily store a waste including the waste toner collected in the cleaning device before the waste is transported to the waste container, and a waste transport unit that transports the waste to the temporary storage unit, wherein a discharge speed of the waste from the temporary storage unit by the waste discharge unit is lower than a transport speed of the waste to the temporary storage unit by the waste transport unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Daisuke Tomita, Shinichi Kawahara, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Akio Kosuge
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Patent number: 8718530Abstract: A lubricant supply device including a solid lubricant, a lubricant supply roller, a detector, and a varying device is provided. The lubricant supply roller is adapted to supply the lubricant to a toner image bearing member and is rotatable in a predetermined direction while slidably contacting both the solid lubricant and the toner image bearing member. The detector is adapted to detect an absolute humidity around the lubricant supply device. The varying device is adapted to vary an amount of the lubricant to be supplied to the toner image bearing member based on the absolute humidity detected by the detector.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Norio Kudo, Shinichi Kawahara, Nobuo Kuwabara, Takeshi Shintani, Akio Kosuge, Daisuke Tomita