Patents by Inventor Akira Izutani
Akira Izutani 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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Publication number: 20230001696Abstract: A wiping method for wiping a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head includes the step of relatively moving the liquid discharge head and a wiper impregnated with a cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid contains a lactone compound in an amount of 5% by mass or more. The wiper includes a first layer configured to contact the nozzle surface and one or more layers other than the first layer. The first layer has a thickness of t1, the one or more layers other than the first layer have a total thickness of t2, and t1 is smaller than t2. A void ratio of the first layer is smaller than a void ratio of at least one of the one or more layers other than the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2020Publication date: January 5, 2023Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Ichiroh FUJII, Takumi ATAKE, Yohta SAKON, Akira IZUTANI, Hiroko OHKURA
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Publication number: 20210016327Abstract: A wiping member to wipe a nozzle surface of a liquid discharging head includes a first layer configured to be brought into contact with the nozzle surface and one or more other layers, wherein the following relation is satisfied: t1<t2, where t1 represents the thickness of the first layer and t2 represents the thickness of the one or more other layers, wherein the porosity of the first layer is smaller than the porosity of at least one of the one or more other layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventors: Takumi ATAKE, Akira IZUTANI, Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA, Yuusuke FUJITA
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Patent number: 10889119Abstract: A wiping device includes a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, the wiping member containing fabric; and a pressing member configured to press the wiping member to the liquid discharging head, wherein the wiping member satisfies the following relationship 1: 0.8<(Sb/Ss)<1.2, relationship 1, where, at 60 seconds after a coloring liquid containing a coloring material and distilled water is dripped onto a surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Ss represents a spreading area of the coloring material on the surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Sb represents a spreading area of the coloring material on a surface of the wiping member not in contact with the nozzle forming surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2019Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohta Sakon, Hiroko Ohkura, Takumi Atake, Akira Izutani
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Patent number: 10759173Abstract: A wiping member that wipes a nozzle surface of a liquid discharging head, includes a first region having an average porosity P1, a second region disposed on the first region, having an average porosity P2 greater than P1, and a third region disposed on the second region having an average porosity P3 greater than P2, wherein the wiping member has a thickness t in the direction perpendicular to the surface that contacts the nozzle surface and each of the first region, the second region, and the third region has a thickness of t/3 in the direction, wherein P2/P1 is from 1.1 to 1.4.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroko Ohkura, Yohta Sakon, Akira Izutani, Takumi Atake
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Publication number: 20200254472Abstract: A liquid discharging device includes a liquid comprising two or more types of alcohols, a liquid discharging head configured to discharge the liquid from a nozzle, and a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of the liquid discharging head, wherein the wiping member comprises two or more layers, wherein a first layer of the two or more layers that is in contact with the nozzle forming surface has a porosity smaller than a porosity of at least one layer of the two or more layers other than the first layer, wherein the first layer has a thickness thinner than the total thickness of the two or more layers other than the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Ayaka Tanaka, Akira Izutani, Takumi Atake
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Publication number: 20200207096Abstract: A printer is provided. The printer includes a discharger and a wiper. The discharger has a nozzle surface and contains an ink comprising an organic solvent in an amount of more than 60% by mass of the ink. The discharger is configured to discharge the ink from the nozzle. The wiper is configured to wipe the nozzle surface. The wiper comprises a laminated body including a plurality of layers including a first layer that contacts the nozzle surface. A thickness t1 of the first layer and a total thickness t2 of one or more of the layers other than the first layer satisfy the following relation t1<t2. The first layer has a void ratio smaller than a void ratio of at least one of the layers other than the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: Shunsuke Horie, Takumi Atake, Akira Izutani
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Publication number: 20200207099Abstract: A wiping device includes a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, the wiping member containing fabric; and a pressing member configured to press the wiping member to the liquid discharging head, wherein the wiping member satisfies the following relationship 1: 0.8<(Sb/Ss)<1.2, relationship 1, where, at 60 seconds after a coloring liquid containing a coloring material and distilled water is dripped onto a surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Ss represents a spreading area of the coloring material on the surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Sb represents a spreading area of the coloring material on a surface of the wiping member not in contact with the nozzle forming surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA, Takumi ATAKE, Akira IZUTANI
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Publication number: 20190366721Abstract: A wiping member that wipes a nozzle surface of a liquid discharging head, includes a first region having an average porosity P1, a second region disposed on the first region, having an average porosity P2 greater than P1, and a third region disposed on the second region having an average porosity P3 greater than P2, wherein the wiping member has a thickness t in the direction perpendicular to the surface that contacts the nozzle surface and each of the first region, the second region, and the third region has a thickness of t/3 in the direction, wherein P2/P1 is from 1.1 to 1.4.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Hiroko OHKURA, Yohta SAKON, Akira IZUTANI, Takumi ATAKE
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Patent number: 10466627Abstract: Member for an image forming apparatus having an outer layer that includes polyethylene glycol and a polyether ester amide having therein a structural unit of polyethylene glycol.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hidetoshi Fujii, Akira Izutani, Ryoh Miyakoshi
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Patent number: 10078296Abstract: A member for an image forming apparatus includes a surface layer including a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer includes a polyamide block and a polyether block and the composition ratio of the polyether block to the polyamide block is from 0.2 to 1.5.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ryo Miyakoshi, Hidetoshi Fujii, Akira Izutani, Daisuke Asahina
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Patent number: 10001731Abstract: A composition for seamless belt includes a thermoplastic resin; and a conductive agent. A liquid extracted from the composition with methanol has an intensity not greater than 7×108 in a total ion chromatogram.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Makoto Matsushita, Akira Izutani, Hideaki Yasunaga, Keiichiro Juri, Ayano Momose, Yuri Haga, Hiroaki Takahashi
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Patent number: 9921526Abstract: A semiconductive resin composition includes at least two thermoplastic resins and a conductive filler. Each of the two thermoplastic resins has a sea-island structure, and 40% to 75% of the conductive filler are present in the thermoplastic resin in an island portion of the sea-island structure at an areal ratio of a cross section observed with a scanning electron microscope.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Hideaki Yasunaga, Akira Izutani, Makoto Matsushita, Keiichiro Juri, Yuri Haga, Ayano Momose
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Patent number: 9891558Abstract: A semiconductive resin composition includes a plurality of thermoplastic resins forming a sea-island structure including a sea portion and an island portion; and a plurality of conductive fillers. The sea portion includes at least two of the thermoplastic resins, at least one of the at least two of the thermoplastic resins is a copolymer, and the content of the copolymer is from 20% to 60% by weight per 100% by weight of the thermoplastic resins in the sea portion, and the following relation is satisfied: 1.5?B/A?10 wherein A represents an average primary particle diameter of one of the conductive fillers having the smallest average primary particle diameter and B represents an average primary particle diameter of one of the conductive fillers having the largest average primary particle diameter.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Makoto Matsushita, Akira Izutani, Hiroaki Takahashi, Yuri Haga, Keiichiro Juri, Hideaki Yasunaga
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Publication number: 20170351198Abstract: A member for an image forming apparatus includes a surface layer including a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer includes a polyamide block and a polyether block and the composition ratio of the polyether block to the polyamide block is from 0.2 to 1.5.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2017Publication date: December 7, 2017Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ryo MIYAKOSHI, Hidetoshi FUJII, Akira IZUTANI, Daisuke ASAHINA
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Patent number: 9778602Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least an image bearer; an electrostatic latent image former to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer; an image developer to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to from a toner image; a first transferer to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto an intermediate transfer belt; and a cleaner including a cleaning blade having a Martens hardness of from 0.8 to 10.0 N/m2, to clean the intermediate transfer belt while contacting the surface of the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt includes a thermoplastic resin and a conductive resin, and has a surface concentration of oxygen atoms derived from the conductive resin, measured by XPS, of from 1.0% to 3.0% by atom.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Keiichiro Juri, Hideaki Yasunaga, Akira Izutani, Makoto Matsushita, Hiroaki Takahashi, Ayano Momose, Yuri Haga
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Publication number: 20170227892Abstract: Member for an image forming apparatus having an outer layer that includes polyethylene glycol and a polyether ester amide having therein a structural unit of polyethylene glycol. Method. Image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2017Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Hidetoshi FUJII, Akira IZUTANI, Ryoh MIYAKOSHI
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Patent number: 9720354Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt for use in electrophotography is provided. The intermediate transfer belt includes a thermoplastic resin having a vinylidene difluoride (VdF) structure. The intermediate transfer belt has a degree of crystallinity in the range of 17% to 39%.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Keiichiro Juri, Hideaki Yasunaga, Akira Izutani, Makoto Matsushita, Ayano Momose
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Patent number: 9625858Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt includes a thermoplastic resin and a fibrous material. The fibrous material has an orientation angle Fa of from 5° to 30° in a direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Akira Izutani, Hideaki Yasunaga, Makoto Matsushita, Hiroaki Takahashi, Keiichiro Juri, Ayano Momose, Yuri Haga
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Publication number: 20160274500Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least an image bearer; an electrostatic latent image former to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer; an image developer to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to from a toner image; a first transferer to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto an intermediate transfer belt; and a cleaner including a cleaning blade having a Martens hardness of from 0.8 to 10.0 N/m2, to clean the intermediate transfer belt while contacting the surface of the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt includes a thermoplastic resin and a conductive resin, and has a surface concentration of oxygen atoms derived from the conductive resin, measured by XPS, of from 1.0% to 3.0% by atom.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2016Publication date: September 22, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Keiichiro JURI, Hideaki YASUNAGA, Akira IZUTANI, Makoto MATSUSHITA, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Ayano MOMOSE, Yuri HAGA
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Patent number: 9442432Abstract: An intermediate transfer member, including: a layer containing a thermoplastic resin, an electroconductive resin, and electroconductive inorganic particles, wherein the layer has a sea-island structure where discontinuous phases formed from the electroconductive resin are present in a continuous phase formed from the thermoplastic resin, wherein in a cross-sectional surface of the layer perpendicular to a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member, the discontinuous phases formed from the electroconductive resin each have a cross-sectional shape of an ellipse, and a minor axis b of the ellipse is from 0.5 ?m to 5.0 ?m, and wherein in the cross-sectional surface of the layer perpendicular to the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member, a rate ? of a total area of the discontinuous phases formed from the electroconductive resin in an area of the cross-sectional surface thereof is from 2.0% to 20.0%.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2014Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ayano Momose, Akira Izutani, Makoto Matsushita