Patents by Inventor Yutaka Shoji

Yutaka Shoji 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: 9483018
    Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa, Yasuaki Toda, Yutaka Shoji, Kenji Ishii, Makoto Nakura, Susumu Tateyama, Hiroaki Miyagawa, Keisuke Ikeda, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9372465
    Abstract: A recording-material cooling device is disposed downstream from a fixing device in a transport direction of a recording material. The fixing device includes a fixing member and a pressing member to fix an unfixed toner image on the recording material. The recording-material cooling device includes a first cooling unit disposed at a same side as the pressing member relative to the recording material, a second cooling unit disposed at a same side as the fixing member relative to the recording material, and a third cooling unit disposed at the same side as the pressing member relative to the recording material. The first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the third cooling unit are arranged in an order of the first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the third cooling unit from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Ikeda, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Yutaka Shoji, Kenji Ishii, Takeshi Watanabe, Susumu Tateyama, Hiroaki Miyagawa, Hiromitsu Fujiya
  • Publication number: 20160048106
    Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Tomoyasu HIRASAWA, Kenichi TAKEHARA, Hiromitsu FUJIYA, Keisuke YUASA, Yasuaki TODA, Yutaka SHOJI, Kenji ISHII, Makoto NAKURA, Susumu TATEYAMA, Hiroaki MIYAGAWA, Keisuke IKEDA, Takeshi WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9217979
    Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa, Yasuaki Toda, Yutaka Shoji, Kenji Ishii, Makoto Nakura, Susumu Tateyama, Hiroaki Miyagawa, Keisuke Ikeda, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9193550
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device may include a sheet conveyance path; a detecting unit configured to detect a side edge of a sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a stopper on an upstream side of the detecting unit and configured to open/close so as to allow/prevent passage of the sheet and to position a leading edge of the sheet; a first conveying unit on an upstream side of the stopper, the first conveying unit including a pair of first rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; a second conveying unit on an upstream side of the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit including a pair of second rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; and a horizontal movement unit configured to move the pair of first rollers in an axial direction based on a detection result output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Muneyasu, Junji Shirakawa, Yutaka Shoji, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9152119
    Abstract: A cooling device includes: a cooling roller that cools down a sheet-like member by coming into contact with the sheet-like member; a belt member that is rotatably extended by a plurality of extending members, presses the sheet-like member against the cooling roller, and holds and carries the sheet-like member; and a driving roller that serves as one of the plurality of extending members and drives to rotate the belt member, wherein the driving roller is axially divided into a plurality of rollers and each of the plurality of rollers has a crown-like shape whose outer diameter continuously becomes larger from both end parts to a center part in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Takai, Yutaka Shoji
  • Publication number: 20150151939
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device may include a sheet conveyance path; a detecting unit configured to detect a side edge of a sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a stopper on an upstream side of the detecting unit and configured to open/close so as to allow/prevent passage of the sheet and to position a leading edge of the sheet; a first conveying unit on an upstream side of the stopper, the first conveying unit including a pair of first rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; a second conveying unit on an upstream side of the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit including a pair of second rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; and a horizontal movement unit configured to move the pair of first rollers in an axial direction based on a detection result output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki MUNEYASU, Junji SHIRAKAWA, Yutaka SHOJI, Takeshi WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9046872
    Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling member to cool a recording material. The cooling member includes a cooling surface member, a heat exchanging member, and a fastening member. The cooling surface member has a cooling surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material and absorb heat of the recording material to cool the recording material. The heat exchanging member is directly or indirectly joined to the cooling surface member to radiate heat absorbed by the cooling surface member directly or indirectly via a radiation member. The fastening member fastens the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member to retain a joined state in which the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are directly or indirectly joined to each other. The cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are separable from the joined state to a separated state without damaging the fastening member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Ikeda, Makoto Nakura, Susumu Tateyama, Hiroaki Miyagawa, Yasuaki Toda, Yutaka Shoji, Kenji Ishii, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa, Shinji Kato, Tomoyasu Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 8985578
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device may include a sheet conveyance path; a detecting unit configured to detect a side edge of a sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a stopper on an upstream side of the detecting unit and configured to open/close so as to allow/prevent passage of the sheet and to position a leading edge of the sheet; a first conveying unit on an upstream side of the stopper, the first conveying unit including a pair of first rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; a second conveying unit on an upstream side of the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit including a pair of second rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; and a horizontal movement unit configured to move the pair of first rollers in an axial direction based on a detection result output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Muneyasu, Junji Shirakawa, Yutaka Shoji, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140308058
    Abstract: A recording-material cooling device is disposed downstream from a fixing device in a transport direction of a recording material. The fixing device includes a fixing member and a pressing member to fix an unfixed toner image on the recording material. The recording-material cooling device includes a first cooling unit disposed at a same side as the pressing member relative to the recording material, a second cooling unit disposed at a same side as the fixing member relative to the recording material, and a third cooling unit disposed at the same side as the pressing member relative to the recording material. The first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the third cooling unit are arranged in an order of the first cooling unit, the second cooling unit, and the third cooling unit from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the recording material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Keisuke IKEDA, Tomoyasu HIRASAWA, Yutaka SHOJI, Kenji ISHII, Takeshi WATANABE, Susumu TATEYAMA, Hiroaki MIYAGAWA, Hiromitsu FUJIYA
  • Publication number: 20140233996
    Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling member to cool a recording material. The cooling member includes a cooling surface member, a heat exchanging member, and a fastening member. The cooling surface member has a cooling surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material and absorb heat of the recording material to cool the recording material. The heat exchanging member is directly or indirectly joined to the cooling surface member to radiate heat absorbed by the cooling surface member directly or indirectly via a radiation member. The fastening member fastens the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member to retain a joined state in which the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are directly or indirectly joined to each other. The cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are separable from the joined state to a separated state without damaging the fastening member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Keisuke IKEDA, Makoto NAKURA, Susumu TATEYAMA, Hiroaki MIYAGAWA, Yasuaki TODA, Yutaka SHOJI, Kenji ISHII, Kenichi TAKEHARA, Hiromitsu FUJIYA, Keisuke YUASA, Shinji KATO, Tomoyasu HIRASAWA
  • Publication number: 20140186081
    Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa, Yasuaki Toda, Yutaka Shoji, Kenji Ishii, Makoto Nakura, Susumu Tateyama, Hiroaki Miyagawa, Keisuke Ikeda, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8659204
    Abstract: A stator includes a stator core, slots, coils, an interphase insulation sheet, and wedges. The interphase insulation sheet is provided between coil ends of adjacent coils having different phases among the coils. The interphase insulation sheet includes a first sheet body portion, a second sheet body portion, and a first bridge portion. The first and second sheet body portions respectively have first and second retaining pieces. The first retaining piece projects from the first sheet body portion toward the second sheet body portion in the developed state of the interphase insulation sheet. The second retaining piece projects from the second sheet body portion toward the first sheet body portion in the developed state of the interphase insulation sheet. The first and second retaining pieces are retained by projecting portions of the wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Takuo Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20130294804
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt-shaped image carrier that carries an image, an image transfer unit that transfers the image onto a recording medium, and a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium to the image transfer unit. The image carrier has a sloping surface that slopes down from upstream of the image transfer unit in a conveying direction. The conveying unit includes a linear conveying path that is arranged upstream of the image transfer unit in the conveying direction, below the sloping surface and above a horizontal line passing through the image transfer unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Patent number: 8498566
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt-shaped image carrier that carries an image, an image transfer unit that transfers the image onto a recording medium, and a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium to the image transfer unit. The image carrier has a sloping surface that slopes down from an upstream of the image transfer unit in a conveying direction. The conveying unit includes a linear conveying path that is arranged an upstream of the image transfer unit in the conveying direction, below the sloping surface and above a horizontal line passing through the image transfer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Publication number: 20130187331
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device may include a sheet conveyance path; a detecting unit configured to detect a side edge of a sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a stopper on an upstream side of the detecting unit and configured to open/close so as to allow/prevent passage of the sheet and to position a leading edge of the sheet; a first conveying unit on an upstream side of the stopper, the first conveying unit including a pair of first rollers configured to come in contact with/ separate from each other; a second conveying unit on an upstream side of the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit including a pair of second rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; and a horizontal movement unit configured to move the pair of first rollers in an axial direction based on a detection result output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Takayuki MUNEYASU, Junji Shirakawa, Yutaka Shoji, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8451466
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image transferring unit configured to transfer an image to a recording medium; a fusing unit provided downstream of the image transferring unit and configured to fuse the image transferred by the image transferring unit with the recording medium; a recording medium conveying unit provided between the image transferring unit and the fusing unit and configured to convey the recording medium from the image transferring unit to the fusing unit; a conveyance failure detecting unit configured to detect a conveyance failure of the recording medium; and a recording medium evacuation unit to which the recording medium can be evacuated in the event that the conveyance failure detecting unit detects the conveyance failure. Plural recording medium evacuation units are provided and plural recording media can be evacuated to each of the recording medium evacuation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Patent number: 8419013
    Abstract: A disclosed sheet aligning device includes a sheet conveyance path; a detecting unit configured to detect a side edge of a sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a stopper provided on an upstream side of the detecting unit and configured to open/close in such a manner as to allow/prevent passage of the sheet through the sheet conveyance path and to position a leading edge of the sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a first conveying unit provided on an upstream side of the stopper, the first conveying unit including a pair of first rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; a second conveying unit provided on an upstream side of the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit including a pair of second rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; and a horizontal movement unit configured to move the pair of first rollers in an axial direction of the first rollers based on a detection result output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Muneyasu, Junji Shirakawa, Yutaka Shoji, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8417176
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a main conveyance path configured to convey a recording medium from a paper feeding unit to a sheet discharge unit; a double-side reversing conveyance path configured to switch back a recording medium, one side of which has an image formed, so as to reverse the sides of the recording medium for double-sided image formation; a sheet resending conveyance path configured to resend the recording medium reversed in the double-side reversing conveyance path to the main conveyance path; and a double-side reversing open-space unit configured to provide a space for switching back the recording medium on the double-side reversing conveyance path. The double-side reversing open-space unit also serves as a temporary tray for storing misfed recording media and remaining recording media left inside the image forming apparatus when a jam occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Patent number: 8355642
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes a recording medium feeding unit that feeds a recording medium to a predetermined conveyance path; a conveyance unit that conveys the recording medium fed from the recording medium feeding unit on the conveyance path; a conveyance status detection unit that detects a conveyance status of the recording medium placed on the conveyance path; a control unit that controls operations of the recording medium feeding unit, the conveyance unit, and the conveyance status detection unit; and an accommodation unit that accommodates the recording medium. The control unit controls the feeding of the recording medium with the recording medium feeding unit and the conveyance of the recording medium with the conveyance unit based on a detection result of the conveyance status detection unit, thereby discharging the recording medium present in the image forming apparatus to the accommodation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu