Patents Assigned to Ricoh Company, Limited
  • Patent number: 10180642
    Abstract: A pressure device applies pressure to a sheet medium on part of a surface of which an image bearer is formed. The pressure device includes: a driving unit that changes a distance between a first pressing unit and a second pressing unit; a control unit that controls the driving unit such that the distance between the first pressing unit and the second pressing unit becomes a set target value; and a target setting unit that sets the target value to a first distance that is larger than a thickness of the sheet medium when the sheet medium is not present between the first pressing unit and the second pressing unit, and sets the target value to a second distance for applying a target pressure to the sheet medium when the sheet medium and the image bearer are present between the first pressing unit and the second pressing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Ken Oikawa, Minoru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10171568
    Abstract: A selecting system selects, among controllers controlling a session between communication terminals, a controller to be connected to a communication terminal. The selecting system includes a state management unit, a load management unit, an accepting unit, a calculating unit, and a selecting unit. The state management unit manages, for each controller, state information indicating a state of communication of a communication terminal connected to the controller. The load management unit manages, for each state of communication, load information indicating a degree of load. The accepting unit accepts a connection request to the controller from a communication terminal not connected to the controller. The calculating unit calculates, for each controller, the degree of load related to the control based on the state information and the load information. The selecting unit selects a controller to be connected to the communication terminal as a connection requester terminal based on the degree of load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Naoki Umehara
  • Patent number: 10171469
    Abstract: An system comprises: a first storage that stores access destination information, characteristic information, and first identification information in a manner associated with one another; a transmitter that transmits a captured image of a medium; a first-acquiring-unit that extracts the characteristic information and acquires the access destination information and the first identification information associated with the characteristic information, access based on the access destination information being controlled by an authentication device comprising a second storage that stores second identification information allocated to each medium, third identification information corresponding to the first identification information, and collation information indicating an access source in a manner associated with one another; a second-acquiring-unit that acquires fourth identification information allocated to each medium from the captured image; and an access unit that transmits the first identification information,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hidenobu Kishi, Junko Nakano, Tetsuya Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10154063
    Abstract: A device management apparatus includes a setting information acquisition unit that acquires setting information of one or more security setting items from a device; a policy information acquisition unit that acquires policy information defining a single piece of compliant information, a plurality of pieces of compliant information, or a compliant range, for each security setting item; a determination unit that determines whether each of the setting information of the one or more security setting items conforms, based on the policy information; a change unit that changes, when the setting information of any security setting item does not conform, the setting information so as to conform; and a distribution unit that distributes the changed setting information of the security setting item to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Atsuhisa Saitoh
  • Patent number: 10146172
    Abstract: A cabinet structure includes multiple cover members configured to spatially partition an inside from an outside of a cabinet, and a clearance communicating between the inside and the outside of the cabinet is left between two cover members, the two cover members being adjacent to each other, of the cover members, and a passage defined by the clearance and leading from the inside to the outside of the cabinet through the clearance has a shape with multiple bends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Naoki Matsuda, Masahiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 10139757
    Abstract: A pressing apparatus includes a presser including a second member configured to come close to or separate from a first member; an elastic member configured to apply force in a direction in which the second member comes close to the first member to the presser, the elastic member being mounted on the presser; an actuator configured to apply force in a direction in which the second member comes close to the first member or separates from the first member to the presser, the actuator being mounted on the presser; an acquirer configured to acquire a parameter containing at least one of a position of the presser, a speed of the presser, and force applied by the actuator to the presser; and a controller configured to feedback-control the actuator based on the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Minoru Takahashi, Tetsuya Sonoda, Ken Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10133210
    Abstract: A nozzle receiver is to be arranged in a powder container used in an image forming apparatus. The nozzle receiver includes a nozzle receiving opening, in which a conveying nozzle for conveying powder supplied from the powder container is inserted in the image forming apparatus; an opening/closing member to open and to close the nozzle receiving opening; and a supporter to support the opening/closing member. The opening/closing member includes a sealing portion to seal the nozzle insertion opening. The supporter includes an end surface portion perpendicular to a moving direction of the opening/closing member. The projection area of the end surface portion in the moving direction of the opening/closing member is smaller than a projection area of the sealing portion in the moving direction of the opening/closing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Keiichi Yano, Michiharu Suzuki, Hideki Kimura, Hideki Zemba, Takahiro Ikuma, Seiji Terazawa
  • Patent number: 10133209
    Abstract: In a toner container, a powder container that includes a container body configured to store toner, and is rotated by input of rotational drive of a drive output section of an image forming device while being set in the image forming device, the toner container includes an incompatible hole group, as a container-side engagement portion, on a front end surface facing downstream in an insertion direction when inserted in a direction parallel to a rotational center line of the rotational drive and set in the image forming device, the incompatible hole group has a hole shape that is engaged with a body-side projection portion of the drive output section protruding upstream in the insertion direction, and the rotational drive is input by rotation of the drive output section with the incompatible hole group and the body-side projection portion engaged with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Junji Yamabe
  • Patent number: 10133456
    Abstract: A communication terminal includes a display control unit configured to display, on a display unit, a function selecting screen that contains a first icon for receiving a selection of a first communication function and a second icon for receiving a selection of a second communication function. The first communication function is to provide communication using a signaling protocol for connecting to or disconnecting from a destination of communication and an encoding protocol for encapsulating communication data in IP packets. The second communication function is to provide communication using the same signaling protocol and a different encoding protocol. The communication terminal also includes a receiving unit configured to receive a selection of the first icon or the second icon; and a starting unit configured to start the first communication function and the second communication function in response to the selection of the first icon and the second icon, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kanda, Takahiro Asai
  • Patent number: 10124981
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus that forms a folding line on a sheet includes first and second folding rollers that form a folding line on the sheet by rotating a bent sheet while pinching from sheet surfaces and a first pressing unit that presses the second folding roller against the first folding roller in an arbitrary portion in a rotating shaft direction of the second folding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Ken Sawada, Shigeru Mizuno, Hiroyuki Kuno, Takuya Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 10129433
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a provider identification information acquiring unit that acquires a piece of provider identification information for each of a plurality of devices that cooperatively execute a plurality of functions, based on device identification information of the device, the piece of provider identification information allowing identification of whether a provider of the device is a predetermined provider as a provider of a cooperating function; a determining unit that determines whether a non predetermined-provider device provided by a provider other than the predetermined provider exists among the devices based on pieces of the provider identification information; a charge processing unit that performs charge processing to profit the predetermined provider when the non predetermined-provider device exists; and a cooperation controlling unit that controls the devices to cooperatively execute the functions based on the cooperating function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takuya Mori, Junki Aoki, Yukinori Ishii, Atsushi Okazato, Fumiyoshi Kittaka, Tomohiro Kuroyanagi, Hiroyuki Sakuyama, Tohru Sasaki, Makoto Sasaki, Koichiro Maemura
  • Patent number: 10122768
    Abstract: A control system includes controllers controlling a session between communication terminals. Each controller includes a state management unit, first and second updating units, and a receiver. The state management unit manages state information of each terminal indicating a state of connection between the terminal and the controller. When the state of connection between a first terminal and the controller is changed, the first updating unit updates state information of the first terminal. When the state of connection between a second terminal and another controller is changed, the receiver receives, from the other controller, changed state information of the second terminal indicating a state of connection between the second terminal and the other controller after being changed. The second updating unit updates the state information of the second terminal based on the received changed state information. The controller controls the session between the terminals based on the state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Naoki Umehara
  • Patent number: 10116640
    Abstract: An image processing system includes: a first image processing device including: an input unit that receives an input of first authentication information for authenticating a user based on a first authentication method; an authentication unit that performs authentication on an own device by using the first authentication information; and a cooperating unit that uses a function of one or more second image processing devices. The authentication unit transmits, when the cooperating unit is to be operated, the first authentication information to the one or more second image processing devices, and transmits, when authentication to a second image processing device based on the first authentication information has failed, a transmission request of authentication method information indicating a second authentication method of the second image processing device to the second image processing device, the authentication to which based on the first authentication information has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Makoto Sasaki, Junki Aoki, Takuya Mori, Itaru Kodaira, Yukinori Ishii, Hiroaki Ikkanzaka, Tomohiro Kuroyanagi, Fumiyoshi Kittaka, Koichiro Maemura
  • Patent number: 10106353
    Abstract: An edge detection device that detects an edge position in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a conveyance object, and includes: a photoelectric converter that is arranged in a conveyance path of the object and includes photoelectric conversion elements aligned along the width direction; a binarizer that binarizes an output from each of the photoelectric conversion elements by threshold comparison; a detector that detects a position of the photoelectric converter at which a binarized value is switched; a storage that stores therein a detection range as a range used for edge detection among the photoelectric conversion elements for each size of the object; and a determiner that reads out the detection range corresponding to the size of the object from the storage and determines a position detected by the detector within the detection range to be an edge position in the width direction of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Ueda, Masumi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10106364
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a second conveying roller pair that receives and conveys a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller pair; a first folding roller pair that forms a first fold on the sheet; and a first rotation unit capable of rotating the second conveying roller pair and the first folding roller pair. One roller of the second conveying roller pair and one roller of the first folding roller pair are a common roller shared therebetween. The second conveying roller pair causes the sheet to be deflected and guided to the first folding roller pair, and the first folding roller pair forms the first fold on the deflected sheet by rotating the first rotation unit in a certain direction in a state in which the sheet is held by the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10104359
    Abstract: A disparity value deriving device includes a calculator configured to calculate costs of candidates for a corresponding region in a comparison image that corresponds to a reference region in a reference image, based on luminance values of the regions. The device also includes a changer configured to change a cost exceeding a threshold to a value higher than the threshold; a synthesizer configured to synthesize a cost of a candidate for a corresponding region for one reference region after the change and a cost of a candidate for a corresponding region for another reference region after the change; and a deriving unit configured to derive a disparity value based on a position of the one reference region and a position of the corresponding region in the comparison image for which the cost after the synthesis is smallest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kiichiroh Saitoh, Yoshikazu Watanabe, Soichiro Yokota, Ryohsuke Tamura, Wei Zhong
  • Patent number: 10089909
    Abstract: A display control method includes: inputting user's image including a drawing portion made by hand drawing and being a display target image; and performing image control including causing the input user's image to emerge from any one of a left end and a right end of a predetermined display region, on which the user's image is to be displayed, and moving the user's image that has emerged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Itoh, Aiko Ohtsuka, Tetsuya Sakayori, Hidekazu Suzuki, Takanobu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10073792
    Abstract: A device includes: a storage medium control unit provided for each type of storage medium to at least read out information from the storage medium; a linkage unit that determines an application program corresponding to a type of a storage medium from which information is to be read out, through a first acquisition unit that acquires first correspondence information in which each application program is associated with a type of a storage medium from which the application program uses information, and determines a storage medium control unit corresponding to the type of the storage medium, through a second acquisition unit that acquires second correspondence information in which a storage medium control unit is associated with a type of a storage medium from which the storage medium control unit can read out information; and a management unit that enables the determined application program to use the determined storage medium control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Jongsook Eun
  • Patent number: 10059558
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveying unit, a presser, an end detector, and a setting unit. The conveying unit conveys a sheet having a crease formed therein. The presser presses the crease in the sheet. The end detector detects an end in a conveying direction of the sheet at a position upstream of the presser in the conveying direction. The setting unit sets a crease position where the crease is to be formed. Upon detection of the end in the conveying direction, the conveying unit conveys the sheet to a position where the crease faces the presser, on the basis of the crease position set by the setting unit. The presser presses the crease in the conveyed sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Michitaka Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Satoshi Saito, Takahiro Watanabe, Takao Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10048615
    Abstract: A powder container includes a discharge port, and a container identifier shape portion provided on a front end surface of the powder container in an insertion direction and that functions to identify a type of the powder container, the insertion direction being a direction in which the container body is inserted. The powder container further includes a driven portion that interlocks with a first main-body interlocking portion of the image forming apparatus at the time of setting in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and an identifier opening group that starts to interlock with a second main-body interlocking portion of the image forming apparatus after the driven portion starts to interlock with the first main-body interlocking portion. A position of the identifier opening group relative to the driven portion in the circumferential direction varies depending on a type of the powder container to be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Junji Yamabe, Nobuo Takami