Patents by Inventor Hidehiko Fujiwara

Hidehiko Fujiwara 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: 11442391
    Abstract: A drive control device is configured to control a plurality of drive sources configured to drive a single output shaft. The drive control device includes a control unit configured to generate a single drive control signal and transmit the drive control signal to the plurality of drive sources. The drive control device has, as operation modes, a first mode for driving the plurality of drive sources and a second mode for driving a part of the plurality of drive sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Jun Yamada, Takashi Saito, Ikuhisa Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10807827
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga
  • Patent number: 10689221
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet along a sheet conveyance path; a conveyance-path supporting unit configured to support both ends of the sheet conveyance path with respect to a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; a first stitching unit configured to stitch the sheets conveyed; a second stitching unit configured to stitch the sheets conveyed; a first moving unit configured to move the first stitching unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction; and a second moving unit configured to move the second stitching unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, wherein any one of the first stitching unit and the second stitching unit is movable to outside of the conveyance-path supporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Sakano, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Wataru Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
  • Publication number: 20200140222
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga
  • Publication number: 20200103811
    Abstract: A drive control device is configured to control a plurality of drive sources configured to drive a single output shaft. The drive control device includes a control unit configured to generate a single drive control signal and transmit the drive control signal to the plurality of drive sources. The drive control device has, as operation modes, a first mode for driving the plurality of drive sources and a second mode for driving a part of the plurality of drive sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Jun YAMADA, Takashi SAITO, Ikuhisa OKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10562733
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga
  • Patent number: 10513404
    Abstract: A sheet-material supply device includes a lift, a sheet-material detector, and a sheet-material retaining conveyor. The lift elevates sheet materials in a stacked state. The sheet-material detector detects that an uppermost sheet material of the sheet materials in the stacked state has reached a predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor retains and conveys the uppermost sheet material that has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material supply device stops elevation of the sheet materials in the stacked state when the sheet-material detector detects that the uppermost sheet material has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor is disposed to be movable in a direction in which the sheet materials in the stacked state elevate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Akai, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Satoru Takano, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 10384897
    Abstract: A sheet-member separation device includes a first air blower, an attractor, a conveyor, a second air blower, and an adjuster. The first air blower blows air onto a front side of a stack of sheet members in a sheet-member conveyance direction. The attractor attracts an uppermost sheet member floated from the stack of sheet members by the air blown from the first air blower. The conveyor conveys, in the sheet-member conveyance direction, the sheet member attracted by the attractor. The second air blower blows air toward a lateral side of the sheet member. The adjuster moves the second air blower and the attractor together to adjust positions of the second air blower and the attractor in the sheet-member conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Takano, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Takeshi Akai, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 10097711
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheets to obtain a sheet bundle; a stitched-sheet number acquiring unit configured to acquire a number of sheets in the sheet bundle, which is a target to be stitched; a permanent stitching unit configured to permanently stitch the sheet bundle; a temporary stitching unit configured to be capable of temporarily stitching a plurality of areas of the sheet bundle; a selecting unit configured to select any one of the permanent stitching unit and the temporary stitching unit to be used; and a stitching-process control unit configured to, when the temporary stitching unit is selected by the selecting unit, control the temporary stitching unit so as to change a number of areas that are stitched by the temporary stitching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: RIOCH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Wataru Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga, Akira Kunieda, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Yohsuke Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 10065824
    Abstract: A stacking apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a stacking unit, and a separation member supply unit. The conveyance unit conveys sheets for circuit board. The stacking unit stacks the sheets. The separation member supply unit supplies a separation member to separate the stacked sheets at any position. The separation member supply unit places the separation member on the sheet in being conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yousuke Edo, Yasufumi Takahashi, Yasuo Niikura, Satoru Takano, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Takeshi Akai, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa, Hiroshi Komuro, Masaru Yamagishi, Toshihiro Shimada, Satoshi Aizawa, Kenji Ishii
  • Patent number: 9944488
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first binding unit configured to bind a sheet bundle; a second binding unit with greater number of bindable sheets than number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit; and a number-of-sheets determining unit configured to determine whether number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit. The first binding unit moves to a binding position, and if the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the first binding unit moves away from the binding position. When the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the second binding unit moves to the binding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Wataru Takahashi, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Kota Nakashima, Shinji Tanoue, Takahiro Itou
  • Publication number: 20170305706
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA
  • Patent number: 9725276
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga
  • Publication number: 20170174453
    Abstract: A sheet-material supply device includes a lift, a sheet-material detector, and a sheet-material retaining conveyor. The lift elevates sheet materials in a stacked state. The sheet-material detector detects that an uppermost sheet material of the sheet materials in the stacked state has reached a predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor retains and conveys the uppermost sheet material that has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material supply device stops elevation of the sheet materials in the stacked state when the sheet-material detector detects that the uppermost sheet material has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor is disposed to be movable in a direction in which the sheet materials in the stacked state elevate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Takeshi AKAI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Yousuke EDO, Satoru TAKANO, Yasunori HINO, Tadashi MATSUOKA, Atsunori YOSHIDA, Ryo KANNO, Hikaru FUKASAWA
  • Publication number: 20170174458
    Abstract: A sheet-member separation device includes a first air blower, an attractor, a conveyor, a second air blower, and an adjuster. The first air blower blows air onto a front side of a stack of sheet members in a sheet-member conveyance direction. The attractor attracts an uppermost sheet member floated from the stack of sheet members by the air blown from the first air blower. The conveyor conveys, in the sheet-member conveyance direction, the sheet member attracted by the attractor. The second air blower blows air toward a lateral side of the sheet member. The adjuster moves the second air blower and the attractor together to adjust positions of the second air blower and the attractor in the sheet-member conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Satoru Takano, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Takeshi Akai, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa
  • Publication number: 20170174462
    Abstract: A stacking apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a stacking unit, and a separation member supply unit. The conveyance unit conveys sheets for circuit board. The stacking unit stacks the sheets. The separation member supply unit supplies a separation member to separate the stacked sheets at any position. The separation member supply unit places the separation member on the sheet in being conveyed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Yousuke EDO, Yasufumi TAKAHASHI, Yasuo NIIKURA, Satoru TAKANO, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Takeshi AKAI, Yasunori HINO, Tadashi MATSUOKA, Atsunori YOSHIDA, Ryo KANNO, Hikaru FUKASAWA, Hiroshi KOMURO, Masaru YAMAGISHI, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Satoshi AIZAWA, Kenji ISHII
  • Publication number: 20160360053
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheets to obtain a sheet bundle; a stitched-sheet number acquiring unit configured to acquire a number of sheets in the sheet bundle, which is a target to be stitched; a permanent stitching unit configured to permanently stitch the sheet bundle; a temporary stitching unit configured to be capable of temporarily stitching a plurality of areas of the sheet bundle; a selecting unit configured to select any one of the permanent stitching unit and the temporary stitching unit to be used; and a stitching-process control unit configured to, when the temporary stitching unit is selected by the selecting unit, control the temporary stitching unit so as to change a number of areas that are stitched by the temporary stitching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA, Akira KUNIEDA, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160340144
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet along a sheet conveyance path; a conveyance-path supporting unit configured to support both ends of the sheet conveyance path with respect to a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; a first stitching unit configured to stitch the sheets conveyed; a second stitching unit configured to stitch the sheets conveyed; a first moving unit configured to move the first stitching unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction; and a second moving unit configured to move the second stitching unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, wherein any one of the first stitching unit and the second stitching unit is movable to outside of the conveyance-path supporting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki SAKANO, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Akira KUNIEDA, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160340145
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first binding unit configured to bind a sheet bundle; a second binding unit with greater number of bindable sheets than number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit; and a number-of-sheets determining unit configured to determine whether number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit. The first binding unit moves to a binding position, and if the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the first binding unit moves away from the binding position. When the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the second binding unit moves to the binding position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira KUNIEDA, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Kota NAKASHIMA, Shinji TANOUE, Takahiro ITOU
  • Patent number: 9440478
    Abstract: A paper binding device comprises: a pair of binding members that has a pair of teeth portions, and presses to bind a bundle of paper sheets; a moving unit that causes one of the pair of binding members to move along with the other of the pair of binding members between a binding position at which the bundle of paper sheets is bound and a retracted position; a separating unit that moves coordinating with movement of the one of the pair of binding members, and when the one of the pair of binding members moves from the binding position to the retracted position, that contacts with the bundle of the paper sheets and causes the bundle of paper sheets to separate from the one of the pair of binding members; and a restricting member that stops the separating unit at a restricting position between the binding position and the retracted position, when the one of the pair of the binding members moves from the binding position to the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Makoto Hidaka, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Takuya Morinaga, Ryuji Yoshida