Patents by Inventor Akiko Bannai

Akiko Bannai 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: 9757942
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method performed by inkjet recording device including nozzle plate with nozzle to eject droplets of ink; recording head including liquid chamber with which the nozzle is in communication, and pressure-generating unit configured to generate pressure in the liquid chamber; and signal-generating unit configured to generate signal applied to the pressure-generating unit, and allowing the droplets of the ink to eject by the pressure generated by the pressure-generating unit according to the signal, wherein the ink has static surface tension of 18.0 mN/m to 27.0 mN/m at 25° C., the ink has receding contact angle on the nozzle plate of less than 50°, the signal has two-step pull pulse for pulling the ink into the nozzle in two-step manner within one printing unit cycle, and the method includes pulling the ink located in proximity to nozzle outlet into the nozzle of the two-step pull pulse, to form meniscus at predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiminori Masuda, Akiko Bannai, Takashi Tamai, Naoko Kitaoka, Kohta Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20170247556
    Abstract: To provide an ink, which contains: water; a pigment; and a first water-soluble organic solvent, wherein the first water-soluble organic solvent contains a water-soluble organic solvent (G) having a boiling point of 280° C. to 300° C., a water-soluble organic solvent (X) having a boiling point of 180° C. to 190° C., and a water-soluble organic solvent (Y) having a boiling point of 190° C. to 200° C., wherein the first water-soluble organic solvent contains a water-soluble organic solvent (G) having a boiling point of 280° C. to 300° C., a water-soluble organic solvent (X) having a boiling point of 180° C. to 190° C., and a water-soluble organic solvent (Y) having a boiling point of 190° C. to 200° C., wherein the ink satisfies the following formulae: 24?X?40 2?X/Y?20 where X [% by mass] is an amount of the water-soluble organic solvent (X), and Y [% by mass] is an amount of the water-soluble organic solvent (Y).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Yuuki YOKOHAMA, Tsutomu MAEKAWA, Akiko BANNAI, Mariko KOJIMA, Hiroshi GOTOU, Tomohiro NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170183528
    Abstract: Provided is a cleaning solution used for cleaning an ink containing a resin in an amount of 5 percent by mass or greater, the cleaning solution including a mixture solvent containing water and a solvent, wherein a hydrogen bond term of a Hansen solubility parameter of the mixture solvent is 7.0 (cal/cm3)1/2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Shizuka KOHZUKI, Akiko Bannai
  • Patent number: 9505234
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method includes forming an image on a coated layer provided at least one side of the substrate of a recording medium with ink containing a colorant; and then applying a post-processing fluid comprising a resin to the image; wherein the application amount per unit area of the post-processing fluid to the image is controlled to be less than the application amount per unit area of the ink to form the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Hidefumi Nagashima, Mariko Kojima, Michihiko Namba
  • Publication number: 20160272828
    Abstract: An ink including water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a resin-coated pigment coaled with a resin (A), and a resin emulsion including a resin (B) is provided. The resin (B) has the same composition as the resin (A) and a volume average particle diameter of from 8 to 19 nm. The total content rate of the resin (A) and the resin (B) in the ink ranges from 2% to 11% by mass. The content of the resin (B) ranges from 30% to 55% by mass of the total content of the resin (A) and the resin (B).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Yukiko TAKAMURA, Tsutomu Maekawa, Yuuki Yokohama, Akiko Bannai, Shosuke Aoai
  • Publication number: 20160185110
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method performed by inkjet recording device including nozzle plate with nozzle to eject droplets of ink; recording head including liquid chamber with which the nozzle is in communication, and pressure-generating unit configured to generate pressure in the liquid chamber; and signal-generating unit configured to generate signal applied to the pressure-generating unit, and allowing the droplets of ink to eject by pressure generated by the pressure-generating unit according to the signal, wherein the ink has static surface tension of 18.0 mN/m to 27.0 mN/m at 25° C., the ink has receding contact angle on the nozzle plate of 50° or more, the signal has two-step pull pulse for pulling the ink into the nozzle in two-step manner within one printing unit cycle, and the method includes pulling the ink located in proximity to nozzle outlet into the nozzle of the two-step pull pulse, to form meniscus at predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Kiminori MASUDA, Mariko KOJIMA, Akiko BANNAI, Takashi TAMAI, Naoko KITAOKA, Tomohiko KOHDA
  • Publication number: 20160144620
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method performed by inkjet recording device including nozzle plate with nozzle to eject droplets of ink; recording head including liquid chamber with which the nozzle is in communication, and pressure-generating unit configured to generate pressure in the liquid chamber; and signal-generating unit configured to generate signal applied to the pressure-generating unit, and allowing the droplets of the ink to eject by the pressure generated by the pressure-generating unit according to the signal, wherein the ink has static surface tension of 18.0 mN/m to 27.0 mN/m at 25° C., the ink has receding contact angle on the nozzle plate of less than 50°, the signal has two-step pull pulse for pulling the ink into the nozzle in two-step manner within one printing unit cycle, and the method includes pulling the ink located in proximity to nozzle outlet into the nozzle of the two-step pull pulse, to form meniscus at predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Kiminori MASUDA, Akiko Bannai, Takashi Tamai, Naoko Kitaoka, Kohta Akiyama
  • Patent number: 9217092
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method, containing: applying a stimulus to an inkjet recording ink to jet the ink, to form an image on a recording medium, wherein the ink contains water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a colorant, and a surfactant, and has a predetermined surface life time as measured by a maximum bubble pressure method and a predetermined static surface tension, wherein the recording medium contains a support, and a recording layer provided at least one surface of the support, where the recording layer contains a cationic resin in a predetermined amount, and is a medium for a concealing postcard where the recording medium is folded to bond a surface of the recording layer to face each other with an adhesive after information is recorded on the surface of the recording layer, in which the surface of the recording layer has a predetermined 10-sec Cobb size degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiminori Masuda, Mariko Kojima, Tsutomu Maekawa, Akiko Bannai, Takashi Tamai
  • Patent number: 8979255
    Abstract: An ink cartridge including a holding member and an ink bag to accommodate ink, wherein the ink cartridge is replenished with pigment ink having a pH higher than a pH of residual ink remaining in the ink cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Tomohiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 8899711
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method is performed using an inkjet recording device including a recording head provided with a nozzle, a pressure chamber, a pressure generator and a driving signal generator, the method satisfying the following requirements (1) and (2): (1) it is required to use aqueous ink having a dynamic surface tension larger by 10 mN/m or more than a static surface tension when the surface life measured at 25° C. by a maximum foaming pressure method is 15 ms and a dynamic surface tension larger by 5 mN/m or more than a static surface tension when the surface life measured by a maximum foaming pressure method is 1500 ms and (2) it is required that the signals have a drawing pulse in one print period and a meniscus of the aqueous ink is drawn into the nozzle in two stages by the drawing pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiminori Masuda, Mariko Kojima, Akiko Bannai, Takashi Tamai, Tomohiko Kohda, Naoko Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20140253618
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method is performed using an inkjet recording device including a recording head provided with a nozzle, a pressure chamber, a pressure generator and a driving signal generator, the method satisfying the following requirements (1) and (2): (1) it is required to use aqueous ink having a dynamic surface tension larger by 10 mN/m or more than a static surface tension when the surface life measured at 25° C. by a maximum foaming pressure method is 15 ms and a dynamic surface tension larger by 5 mN/m or more than a static surface tension when the surface life measured by a maximum foaming pressure method is 1500 ms and (2) it is required that the signals have a drawing pulse in one print period and a meniscus of the aqueous ink is drawn into the nozzle in two stages by the drawing pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kiminori Masuda, Mariko Kojima, Akiko Bannai, Takashi Tamai, Tomohiko Kohda, Naoko Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20140192121
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method includes forming an image on a coated layer provided at least one side of the substrate of a recording medium with ink containing a colorant; and then applying a post-processing fluid comprising a resin to the image; wherein the application amount per unit area of the post-processing fluid to the image is controlled to be less than the application amount per unit area of the ink to form the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Hidefumi NAGASHIMA, Mariko KOJIMA, Michihiko NAMBA
  • Patent number: 8646886
    Abstract: An ink cartridge attachable to and detachable from an imaging apparatus, and including an ink accommodating unit; and a cartridge casing having an opening, whereby the ink accommodating unit includes: an ink accommodating body; and an ink supplying portion including a nozzle insertion path and connected to the ink accommodating body, whereby the ink supplying portion is held by the cartridge casing so that the ink supplying portion is rotatable between a position where the nozzle insertion path faces the opening and a position where the nozzle insertion path faces an inner wall surface of the cartridge casing, and when the ink cartridge is attached to the imaging apparatus the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the opening, and when the ink cartridge is detached the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the inner wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Hayakawa, Shotaro Takeuchi, Toshiroh Tokuno, Tomomi Katoh, Masanori Kusunoki, Akiko Bannai, Masahiro Kuwata, Ikoh Soh
  • Publication number: 20130307912
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method, containing: applying a stimulus to an inkjet recording ink to jet the ink, to form an image on a recording medium, wherein the ink contains water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a colorant, and a surfactant, and has a predetermined surface life time as measured by a maximum bubble pressure method and a predetermined static surface tension, wherein the recording medium contains a support, and a recording layer provided at least one surface of the support, where the recording layer contains a cationic resin in a predetermined amount, and is a medium for a concealing postcard where the recording medium is folded to bond a surface of the recording layer to face each other with an adhesive after information is recorded on the surface of the recording layer, in which the surface of the recording layer has a predetermined 10-sec Cobb size degree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Kiminori MASUDA, Mariko KOJIMA, Tsutomu MAEKAWA, Akiko BANNAI, Takashi TAMAI
  • Publication number: 20130242009
    Abstract: An ink cartridge including a holding member and an ink bag to accommodate ink, wherein the ink cartridge is replenished with pigment ink having a pH higher than a pH of residual ink remaining in the ink cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Tomohiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 8486185
    Abstract: An inkjet recording ink containing: water; a water-soluble organic solvent; a colorant; and at least one fluorochemical surfactant having a formula selected from the group consisting of (b), (a), (a?), and (h): [(RfSO2)2]N?M+??(a), [(RfSO2)(RSO2)]N?M+??(a?), [(FSO2)2]N?M+??(h), wherein M+ is Li+, Na+, K+, or NH4+, Rf is CF3, C2F5, C3F7, or C4F9, and R is C1-C10 alkyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kudoh, Mariko Kojima, Akiko Bannai, Keita Katoh
  • Patent number: 8474958
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a flexible container containing ink; and a restriction mechanism allowing the flexible container to deform only in the direction to decrease the volume of the flexible container. The ink cartridge is used for an image forming apparatus including an inkjet head for jetting ink from nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Tomomi Katoh, Toshiroh Tokuno, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masanori Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8454142
    Abstract: A liquid carrying container which is removably mounted to a body of an image forming device is disclosed. The liquid carrying container includes a liquid containing bag which contains liquid; and a supply port section which has an elastically deformable portion through which a hollow nozzle member is pierced from the side of the image forming device, wherein the supply port section is directly held within a recess section formed on the liquid containing bag, and the hollow nozzle member penetrates through the supply port section and the liquid containing bag to face inside the liquid containing bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Toshiroh Tokuno, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masanori Kusunoki, Tomomi Katoh, Masahiro Kuwata, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh
  • Patent number: 8454136
    Abstract: An ink cartridge removably mountable in an image forming apparatus includes a flexible storage member, a pressurization-space formation member, an output port, and an opening-and-closing assembly. The flexible storage member stores ink. The pressurization-space formation member hermetically houses the storage member and forms a pressurization space to which a fluid is supplied between the pressurization-space formation member and the storage member. The output port is connected to the storage member, through which the ink is supplied from the storage member to the image forming apparatus. The opening-and-closing assembly opens and closes between the output port and the storage member by the fluid supplied into the pressurization space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Toshiroh Tokuno, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiro Kuwata, Masanori Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8393721
    Abstract: An imaging-material container that stores imaging material to be supplied to an image forming device includes a flexible storage member, a pressure unit, a regulation member, and a pushing unit. The flexible storage member stores imaging material. The pressure unit applies pressure on the flexible storage member. The regulation member contacts the flexible storage member to deform the flexible storage member. The pushing unit moves the regulation member as the imaging material is consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiro Kuwata, Toshiroh Tokuno, Masanori Kusunoki