Patents by Inventor Akiyoshi Tanaka

Akiyoshi Tanaka 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: 8500240
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head configured to have a nozzle face on which nozzles that discharge liquid droplets are formed; a cap configured to cap the nozzle face of the recording head; a discharge path configured to be connected to the cap; a suction pump configured to be provided in the discharge path and be made of a tube pump; and an atmosphere opening part configured to open an airtight space, created when the nozzle face is capped by the cap, to the atmosphere. The atmosphere opening part is configured to communicate with the inside of the cap at a position higher than a surface of liquid discharged into the cap, and a check valve configured to prevent a flow of the liquid toward the cap from the suction pump is provided in the discharge path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuya Matsubara, Akiyoshi Tanaka, Yoichi Ito, Tomomi Katoh, Fumitaka Kikkawa, Soyoung Park, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Kazuki Suzuki, Kuniyori Takano, Honriku Jo, Yuji Tanaka, Satoshi Endoh
  • Patent number: 8485653
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Masaaki Kabumoto, Kanae Amemiya, Osamu Miki, Hideo Aoki, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8419156
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet amount detector to detect an amount of sheets accommodated in the sheet feeding tray, an ejected sheet amount detector to detect an amount of sheets ejected onto the sheet ejection tray, and a vibration damper to damp vibration of the image forming apparatus caused by movement of the carriage. A controller is provided to control the vibration damper to damp vibration of the image forming apparatus in accordance with respective amounts of sheets and ejected sheets detected by the sheet amount detector and the ejected sheet amount detector in prescribed acceleration and deceleration regions of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8342628
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a carriage including image forming units, the carriage driven reciprocally in a main scanning direction; a conveyance unit to convey a sheet of recording media to a position where the image forming units perform image formation; a first detector provided to the carriage, the first detector including a light emitting part and a light receiving part to periodically detect a surface of the sheet; a calculation unit to calculate a relative amount of movement between the sheet and the image forming units by comparing patterns periodically detected by the first detector; and a control unit to control a timing to perform image formation by the image forming units and an amount of conveyance of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit based on a result calculated by the calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Akiyoshi Tanaka, Tsuguyori Kemma
  • Patent number: 8336987
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a carriage, and a damping mechanism. The carriage includes an image forming mechanism and moves back and forth in a main scan direction. The damping mechanism generates an impact to suppress vibration caused by movement of the carriage. The damping mechanism suppresses vibration during at least one of acceleration and deceleration of the carriage, and is inactive during movement of the carriage at a constant speed. The damping mechanism suppresses vibration when acceleration of the carriage equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold acceleration. The damping mechanism includes a suppression member and a mass member that strikes the suppression member. The suppression member is at least one of a shock absorber and an elastic member. Shock absorbing characteristics of the shock absorber and elasticity of the elastic member are variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Akiyoshi Tanaka, Tsuguyori Kemma
  • Patent number: 8303077
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage, an image forming unit, a storage unit, a vibration absorber, and a controller. The carriage reciprocally moves in a main scan direction. The image forming unit is mounted on the carriage. The storage unit stores a speed profile of the carriage. The vibration absorber has controllable vibration reduction characteristics to reduce vibration. The controller controls the vibration reduction characteristics of the vibration absorber in accordance with the speed profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Tanaka, Yoichi Ito, Tsuguyori Kemma
  • Publication number: 20120155916
    Abstract: An opening and closing mechanism includes a movable member removably mounted relative to a main body of an apparatus, an opening and closing member having a cover portion, protrusions, and pivot shafts, and shaft position adjusters to change positions of the pivot shafts while the cover portion pivots between a closed position and an open position. The opening and closing member is arranged so that, on an imaginary plane perpendicular to a central axis of each pivot shaft on which each pivot shaft and the movable member are projected, a projected portion of each pivot shaft is positioned to interfere with a projected portion of the movable member when the cover portion is placed at the closed position, and the cover portion is positioned so as not to interfere with a trajectory of movement of the movable member while the cover portion pivots toward the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi ITO, Akiyoshi TANAKA, Kuniyori TAKANO, Yuuji TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20120147112
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device to form an ink image on a recording sheet, a discharger to discharge the sheet bearing the ink image in a face-down manner, and a stacker to stack the discharged sheet thereon. The stacker includes a first surface to deform a rear end portion of the sheet, and a second surface which has a surface to press a front end portion of the sheet and is slanting so as to rise in the sheet discharging direction. The first and second surfaces are arranged such that the first surface or an extended surface thereof intersects at an angle with the second surface or an extended surface thereof to form an intersection line and such that when the front edge of the recording sheet reaches the second surface, the rear edge of the recording sheet has not yet been discharged by the discharger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi TANAKA, Yoichi Ito, Kuniyori Takano
  • Publication number: 20120133707
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a recording head; a cap member capping the nozzle surface of the recording head and including a release port and a suction port; a suction unit in communication with the suction port; a switch unit opening and closing the release port to the air and capable of adjusting the opening amount of the release port to at least a first opening amount and a second opening amount larger than the first opening amount; and a control unit that controls the suction unit and the switch unit so that the release port is opened to the first opening amount to have a predetermined amount of air flow into the cap member after the cap member is suctioned by the suction unit, and the release port is then opened to the second opening amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumitaka KIKKAWA, Yoichi ITO, Tomomi KATOH, Mitsuya MATSUBARA, Kuniyori TAKANO, Soyoung PARK, Honriku JO, Satoshi ENDOH, Yuji TANAKA, Akiyoshi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20120113180
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyance belt, a reverse passage, and a charger. The belt is looped around at least two rollers to adhere a recording medium thereto by electrostatic force and convey the medium. The belt defines a normal conveyance area in which the medium is conveyed in a first direction with the medium facing the head. The reverse passage sends the medium back again to a portion of the belt upstream from the head in the first direction. The reverse passage includes an opposite conveyance area of the belt in which the medium is conveyed in a second direction and a bypass passage to guide the medium separated from the opposite conveyance area toward the normal conveyance area. The charger is disposed between the bypass passage and an outer surface of the belt to charge the outer surface of the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi TANAKA, Yoichi Ito, Kuniyori Takano, Hideaki Iijima
  • Publication number: 20120113204
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyance belt, a charger, a reverse passage, and an auxiliary conveyance roller. The belt is looped around at least two rollers to adhere a recording medium thereto by electrostatic force and convey the medium. The belt defines a normal conveyance area in which the medium is conveyed in a first direction. The reverse passage delivers the medium turned around in an area downstream from the belt in the first direction and sends the medium back again to a portion of the belt upstream from the head in the first direction. The reverse passage includes an opposite conveyance area of the belt in which the medium is conveyed in a second direction opposite the first direction. The auxiliary conveyance roller is disposed at least one of an entry part and an exit part of the opposite conveyance area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi TANAKA, Yoichi ITO, Kuniyori TAKANO, Hideaki IIJIMA
  • Patent number: 8152294
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Masaaki Kabumoto, Kanae Amemiya, Osamu Miki, Hideo Aoki, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120081487
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a conveyance unit to intermittently convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction, a carriage movable in a main scanning direction and including a recording head, a conveyance path having a curved portion provided downstream from an imaging range of the recording head, a first discharge member provided downstream from the imaging range to discharge the recording medium, and a second discharge member provided downstream from the first discharge member and having a nip to sandwich the recording medium to discharge the recording medium. A length of the conveyance path extending from a downstream edge of the imaging range to the nip is longer than a maximum length of the recording medium usable in the image forming apparatus to prevent a leading edge of the recording medium from being sandwiched by the second discharge member when the carriage performs last scanning movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi TANAKA, Yoichi Ito, Kuniyori Takano
  • Publication number: 20120056932
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head configured to have a nozzle face on which nozzles that discharge liquid droplets are formed; a cap configured to cap the nozzle face of the recording head; a discharge path configured to be connected to the cap; a suction pump configured to be provided in the discharge path and be made of a tube pump; and an atmosphere opening part configured to open an airtight space, created when the nozzle face is capped by the cap, to the atmosphere. The atmosphere opening part is configured to communicate with the inside of the cap at a position higher than a surface of liquid discharged into the cap, and a check valve configured to prevent a flow of the liquid toward the cap from the suction pump is provided in the discharge path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuya Matsubara, Akiyoshi Tanaka, Yoichi Ito, Tomomi Katoh, Fumitaka Kikkawa, Soyoung Park, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Kazuki Suzuki, Kuniyori Takano, Honriku Jo, Yuji Tanaka, Satoshi Endoh
  • Publication number: 20120056933
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a recording head having a nozzle surface in which nozzles to eject liquid droplets in a horizontal direction or a direction slanted from the horizontal direction are formed, the nozzle surface being disposed in a vertical direction or a direction slanted from the vertical direction; a head tank to supply liquid to the recording head; a suction cap to cap the nozzle surface of the recording head; a suction member connected to the suction cap to suck out liquid from the nozzles by the suction cap; a valve member to open or close a sealed space formed by capping the nozzle surface with the suction cap to atmosphere; a liquid supplier to supply the liquid to the head tank and return the liquid from the head tank; and a control unit to control servicing of the recording head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi TANAKA, Yoichi Ito, Soyoung Park, Kuniyori Takano
  • Publication number: 20110298873
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Goro KATSUYAMA, Masaaki Kabumoto, Kanae Amemiya, Osamu Miki, Hideo Aoki, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110141181
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet amount detector to detect an amount of sheets accommodated in the sheet feeding tray, an ejected sheet amount detector to detect an amount of sheets ejected onto the sheet ejection tray, and a vibration damper to damp vibration of the image forming apparatus caused by movement of the carriage. A controller is provided to control the vibration damper to damp vibration of the image forming apparatus in accordance with respective amounts of sheets and ejected sheets detected by the sheet amount detector and the ejected sheet amount detector in prescribed acceleration and deceleration regions of the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.,
    Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110109692
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head that discharges an electrically substantially neutral droplet of ink onto a recording medium; a transport unit that transports the recording medium such that a recording surface of the recording medium is substantially orthogonal with respect to an ink discharge direction of the recording head; and an electric field generating unit that generates an electric field when the recording head discharges the droplet of ink. The electric field is substantially parallel to the ink discharge direction in terms of intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi ITO, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7813074
    Abstract: A mechanical transport device includes a system for transport; and a hard disk drive attached to the system. The hard disk drive comprises a magnetic recording disk to record data, a head to read or write the data to or from the disk, and a drop sensor designed to sense a shock condition. The system for transport may be a vehicle such as a car. Additional systems are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Susumu Shimotono, Tetsuya Noguchi, Mitsuru Ogawa, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100207990
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a carriage, and a damping mechanism. The carriage includes an image forming mechanism and moves back and forth in a main scan direction. The damping mechanism generates an impact to suppress vibration caused by movement of the carriage. The damping mechanism suppresses vibration during at least one of acceleration and deceleration of the carriage, and is inactive during movement of the carriage at a constant speed. The damping mechanism suppresses vibration when acceleration of the carriage equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold acceleration. The damping mechanism includes a suppression member and a mass member that strikes the suppression member. The suppression member is at least one of a shock absorber and an elastic member. Shock absorbing characteristics of the shock absorber and elasticity of the elastic member are variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi ITO, Akiyoshi Tanaka, Tsuguyori Kemma