Patents by Inventor Akira Yashiro

Akira Yashiro 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: 9709933
    Abstract: A heating device includes: a heater; and a power distribution controller. The heater heats a predetermined heating target. The power distribution controller controls supply of AC power to the heater. The power distribution controller performs power distribution to the heater in units of AC half wave, and controls the power supply to the heater in accordance with power distribution control patterns respectively corresponding to a first time period as a power distribution start period, a third time period as a power distribution stop period, and a second time period between the first time period and the third time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Hayashi, Akira Yashiro, Kenji Sueyoshi, Hiroki Okada
  • Publication number: 20160266526
    Abstract: A heating device includes: a heater; and a power distribution controller. The heater heats a predetermined heating target. The power distribution controller controls supply of AC power to the heater. The power distribution controller performs power distribution to the heater in units of AC half wave, and controls the power supply to the heater in accordance with power distribution control patterns respectively corresponding to a first time period as a power distribution start period, a third time period as a power distribution stop period, and a second time period between the first time period and the third time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Takashi HAYASHI, Akira Yashiro, Kenji Sueyoshi, Hiroki Okada
  • Patent number: 9128422
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive element where a latent image is formed and developed into a toner image; an image carrier; an intermediate transfer driving roller that drives the image carrier; a primary transfer roller for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive element to the image carrier; a secondary transfer roller for secondary transfer of the toner image from the image carrier to a medium; a bias applying unit that applies, as a secondary transfer bias, a first bias and a second bias to the intermediate transfer driving roller and the secondary transfer roller, respectively; and a fixing unit that fixes the toner image onto the medium. The first bias is lower than a minimum voltage at which discharge to the primary transfer roller can occur. The second bias depends on the first bias and is opposite in polarity therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Akira Yashiro, Takayuki Kawamoto, Kunihiro Komai
  • Publication number: 20140270864
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive element where a latent image is formed and developed into a toner image; an image carrier; an intermediate transfer driving roller that drives the image carrier; a primary transfer roller for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive element to the image carrier; a secondary transfer roller for secondary transfer of the toner image from the image carrier to a medium; a bias applying unit that applies, as a secondary transfer bias, a first bias and a second bias to the intermediate transfer driving roller and the secondary transfer roller, respectively; and a fixing unit that fixes the toner image onto the medium. The first bias is lower than a minimum voltage at which discharge to the primary transfer roller can occur. The second bias depends on the first bias and is opposite in polarity therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Akira YASHIRO, Takayuki KAWAMOTO, Kunihiro KOMAI
  • Patent number: 8837975
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a voltage regulator to which a first high voltage is supplied, to operate at constant voltage and regulate the supplied first high voltage, and a first rectifier circuit to which the first high voltage is supplied, connected in parallel to the voltage regulator, to rectify the supplied first high voltage for output as a first DC voltage. When the first high voltage is a pseudo-alternating-current (AC) voltage consisting of two types of high voltages that alternate, the voltage regulator regulates each of the two different types of the voltages to output a desired pseudo-AC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Komai, Akira Yashiro, Motohiro Kawanabe, Takayuki Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 8699893
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing part fixing a toner image onto a recording medium by heating it, includes an ambient temperature predicting part predicting an ambient temperature from a fixing temperature rising period of time taken until the fixing part reaches a certain temperature; a member temperature predicting part predicting a member temperature of a member from the predicted ambient temperature and an operating state of the image forming apparatus; a cumulative-used-service-lifetime calculating part calculating a current cumulative used service lifetime from the predicted member temperature, the operating state of the image forming apparatus and an immediately preceding cumulative used service lifetime; a limit-of-usable-period-of-time calculating part calculating a limit of usable period of time by subtracting the calculated current cumulative used service lifetime from a service lifetime of the member; and a reporting part reporting the calculated limit of usable period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20130164017
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes a voltage regulator to which a first high voltage is supplied, to operate at constant voltage and regulate the supplied first high voltage, and a first rectifier circuit to which the first high voltage is supplied, connected in parallel to the voltage regulator, to rectify the supplied first high voltage for output as a first DC voltage. When the first high voltage is a pseudo-alternating-current (AC) voltage consisting of two types of high voltages that alternate, the voltage regulator regulates each of the two different types of the voltages to output a desired pseudo-AC voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Kunihiro KOMAI, Akira YASHIRO, Motohiro KAWANABE, Takayuki KAWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8422905
    Abstract: A power source unit includes an AC/DC converter to convert alternating current to direct current output, an auxiliary power source storing electric power, a load detector to detect a high/low level of direct current output to a DC-using load device from the AC/DC converter, and a power supply controller. When load to be required exceeds alternating current power source limits, the power supply controller shuts down output of direct current from the AC/DC converter, and instead uses the auxiliary power source to supply power to the DC-using load device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20120070161
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing part fixing a toner image onto a recording medium by heating it, includes an ambient temperature predicting part predicting an ambient temperature from a fixing temperature rising period of time taken until the fixing part reaches a certain temperature; a member temperature predicting part predicting a member temperature of a member from the predicted ambient temperature and an operating state of the image forming apparatus; a cumulative-used-service-lifetime calculating part calculating a current cumulative used service lifetime from the predicted member temperature, the operating state of the image forming apparatus and an immediately preceding cumulative used service lifetime; a limit-of-usable-period-of-time calculating part calculating a limit of usable period of time by subtracting the calculated current cumulative used service lifetime from a service lifetime of the member; and a reporting part reporting the calculated limit of usable period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Akira YASHIRO
  • Publication number: 20110064445
    Abstract: A power source unit includes an AC/DC converter to convert alternating current to direct current output, an auxiliary power source storing electric power, a load detector to detect a high/low level of direct current output to a DC-using load device from the AC/DC converter, and a power supply controller. When load to be required exceeds alternating current power source limits, the power supply controller shuts down output of direct current from the AC/DC converter, and instead uses the auxiliary power source to supply power to the DC-using load device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventor: Akira YASHIRO
  • Patent number: 7761017
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes an error detecting unit configured to perform error detection to detect that an output node and another node are placed in a short-circuit state or open-circuit state, a condition change detecting unit configured to detect a change in an external condition, and an operating-point changing unit configured to change an operating point of the error detection performed by the error detecting unit in response to the change detected by the condition change detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Patent number: 7598621
    Abstract: A device package, such as a BGA, to be mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB) is disclosed. The bottom electrodes of the device package are arranged in an array such that intervals between the edges of the bottom electrodes become different from place to place. The intervals may be set wider at the peripheral positions of the bottom electrodes. The PWB includes pads that are located at positions corresponding to the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Patent number: 7525817
    Abstract: A printed circuit board wiring system including a printed wiring circuit board having a plurality of conductive layers, at least one electronic part mounted on one side of the circuit board and configured to output signals via signal lines, and an auxiliary wiring package mounted on the other side of the circuit board and including a plurality of conductive layers configured to allow the signal lines from the electronic part to pass therethrough so as to be connected to the circuit board. Further, a first set of signal lines are immediately drawn from the at least one electronic part using half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board without passing through the auxiliary wiring package, and a second set of signal lines are drawn from the at least one electronic part through the circuit board and the auxiliary wiring package using the other half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20080150169
    Abstract: A device package, such as a BGA, to be mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB) is disclosed. The bottom electrodes of the device package are arranged in an array such that intervals between the edges of the bottom electrodes become different from place to place. The intervals may be set wider at the peripheral positions of the bottom electrodes. The PWB includes pads that are located at positions corresponding to the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20080138099
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes an error detecting unit configured to perform error detection to detect that an output node and another node are placed in a short-circuit state or open-circuit state, a condition change detecting unit configured to detect a change in an external condition, and an operating-point changing unit configured to change an operating point of the error detection performed by the error detecting unit in response to the change detected by the condition change detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Patent number: 7361997
    Abstract: A device package, such as a BGA, to be mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB) is disclosed. The bottom electrodes of the device package are arranged in an array such that intervals between the edges of the bottom electrodes become different from place to place. The intervals may be set wider at the peripheral positions of the bottom electrodes. The PWB includes pads that are located at positions corresponding to the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20050127520
    Abstract: A device package, such as a BGA, to be mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB) is disclosed. The bottom electrodes of the device package are arranged in an array such that intervals between the edges of the bottom electrodes become different from place to place. The intervals may be set wider at the peripheral positions of the bottom electrodes. The PWB includes pads that are located at positions corresponding to the bottom electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20050121228
    Abstract: A printed circuit board wiring system including a printed wiring circuit board having a plurality of conductive layers, at least one electronic part mounted on one side of the circuit board and configured to output signals via signal lines, and an auxiliary wiring package mounted on the other side of the circuit board and including a plurality of conductive layers configured to allow the signal lines from the electronic part to pass therethrough so as to be connected to the circuit board. Further, a first set of signal lines are immediately drawn from the at least one electronic part using half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board without passing through the auxiliary wiring package, and a second set of signal lines are drawn from the at least one electronic part through the circuit board and the auxiliary wiring package using the other half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Patent number: 6862192
    Abstract: A printed circuit board wiring system including a printed wiring circuit board having a plurality of conductive layers, at least one electronic part mounted on one side of the circuit board and configured to output signals via signal lines, and an auxiliary wiring package mounted on the other side of the circuit board and including a plurality of conductive layers configured to allow the signal lines from the electronic part to pass therethrough so as to be connected to the circuit board. Further, a first set of signal lines are immediately drawn from the at least one electronic part using half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board without passing through the auxiliary wiring package, and a second set of signal lines are drawn from the at least one electronic part through the circuit board and the auxiliary wiring package using the other half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro
  • Publication number: 20040002206
    Abstract: A printed circuit board wiring system including a printed wiring circuit board having a plurality of conductive layers, at least one electronic part mounted on one side of the circuit board and configured to output signals via signal lines, and an auxiliary wiring package mounted on the other side of the circuit board and including a plurality of conductive layers configured to allow the signal lines from the electronic part to pass therethrough so as to be connected to the circuit board. Further, a first set of signal lines are immediately drawn from the at least one electronic part using half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board without passing through the auxiliary wiring package, and a second set of signal lines are drawn from the at least one electronic part through the circuit board and the auxiliary wiring package using the other half of the plurality of conductive layers of the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventor: Akira Yashiro