Patents by Inventor Chikara AKATA

Chikara AKATA 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).

  • Sheet feeding device, image forming apparatus, and image forming system
    Patent number: 9359158
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet stacking member; an air blowing unit configured to blow air onto the sheet bundle placed on the sheet stacking member to suspend multiple sheets of the sheet bundle; a lifting/lowering unit configured to lift/lower the sheet stacking member; an optical reflection sensor configured to detect a suspended sheet suspended by the air blowing unit; and a control unit configured to control the lifting/lowering unit based on an output value of the optical reflection sensor. The optical reflection sensor is configured to be capable of detecting an area corresponding to multiple sheets in a sheet suspension zone extending between a non-suspended sheet bundle and a conveying member configured to convey an uppermost sheet of the multiple suspended sheets. The non-suspended sheet bundle is made up of sheets not suspended during a period when air is blown by the air blowing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasunori Hino, Chikara Akata, Tomoki Tamate, Hideaki Takahashi, Munehisa Fuda, Toshihiro Okutsu, Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Masaki Ishizaki, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga, Masato Hashimoto
  • SHEET FEEDING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150166280
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet stacking member; an air blowing unit configured to blow air onto the sheet bundle placed on the sheet stacking member to suspend multiple sheets of the sheet bundle; a lifting/lowering unit configured to lift/lower the sheet stacking member; an optical reflection sensor configured to detect a suspended sheet suspended by the air blowing unit; and a control unit configured to control the lifting/lowering unit based on an output value of the optical reflection sensor. The optical reflection sensor is configured to be capable of detecting an area corresponding to multiple sheets in a sheet suspension zone extending between a non-suspended sheet bundle and a conveying member configured to convey an uppermost sheet of the multiple suspended sheets. The non-suspended sheet bundle is made up of sheets not suspended during a period when air is blown by the air blowing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasunori HINO, Chikara AKATA, Tomoki TAMATE, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Munehisa FUDA, Toshihiro OKUTSU, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Masaki ISHIZAKI, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Kazunori KONNO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Kohjiroh HAGA, Masato HASHIMOTO