Patents by Inventor Hiroaki NISHINA

Hiroaki NISHINA 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: 10520850
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes circuitry, a reader, and an exposure device that drives lighting elements aligned in a main scanning direction to form a first test image. The circuitry acquires density of first sub-areas, into which the first test image is divided in the main scanning direction, and calculates first correction data based on density of each of the first sub-areas and average density of the first sub-areas, to correct light amounts of the lighting elements. The exposure device forms a second test image with the light amounts corrected. The circuitry acquires density of second sub-areas, into which the second test image is divided in the main scanning direction, and calculates second correction data based on density of a second sub-area adjacent to each of the second sub-areas, to further correct the light amounts. The second sub-areas are differently located from the first sub-areas in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nishina, Koichi Murota, Yoshinobu Sakaue, Masashi Suzuki, Susumu Narita, Takuma Nishio, Ryo Sato
  • Patent number: 10514646
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a latent image writing device, a developing device, a conveyance unit to convey a recording medium, a transfer device, a length data acquisition unit to obtain a length of the recording medium in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, an image forming processor to form a test pattern, and a light quantity correction calculator that acquires image density data of the test pattern and calculates a light quantity correction value to correct a light quantity. The image forming processor sets a position of the test pattern on the recording medium in the conveyance direction of the recording medium and a length of the test pattern in the conveyance direction of the recording medium based on the length of the recording medium in the conveyance direction of the recording medium obtained by the length data acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Narita, Yoshinobu Sakaue, Ryo Sato, Koichi Murota, Masashi Suzuki, Takuma Nishio, Hiroaki Nishina
  • Patent number: 10437188
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading device; an image forming device including a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure device including a light-emitting element, a memory to store a first correction value for correction a light emission amount of the light-emitting element, and a driver to drive the light-emitting element, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing device. The image forming apparatus further includes a processor to calculate a second correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on density data of image data of a predetermined pattern on a recording medium; calculate a third correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on the first correction value and the second correction value; and determine, before calculating the third correction value, whether placement of the recording medium on the reading table is correct based on the density data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuma Nishio, Yoshinobu Sakaue, Susumu Narita, Ryo Sato, Koichi Murota, Masashi Suzuki, Hiroaki Nishina
  • Publication number: 20190286005
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes circuitry, a reader, and an exposure device that drives lighting elements aligned in a main scanning direction to form a first test image. The circuitry acquires density of first sub-areas, into which the first test image is divided in the main scanning direction, and calculates first correction data based on density of each of the first sub-areas and average density of the first sub-areas, to correct light amounts of the lighting elements. The exposure device forms a second test image with the light amounts corrected. The circuitry acquires density of second sub-areas, into which the second test image is divided in the main scanning direction, and calculates second correction data based on density of a second sub-area adjacent to each of the second sub-areas, to further correct the light amounts. The second sub-areas are differently located from the first sub-areas in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroaki NISHINA, Koichi MUROTA, Yoshinobu SAKAUE, Masashi SUZUKI, Susumu NARITA, Takuma NISHIO, Ryo SATO
  • Publication number: 20190094776
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading device; an image forming device including a photoconductor, a charger, an exposure device including a light-emitting element, a memory to store a first correction value for correction a light emission amount of the light-emitting element, and a driver to drive the light-emitting element, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing device. The image forming apparatus further includes a processor to calculate a second correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on density data of image data of a predetermined pattern on a recording medium; calculate a third correction value for correcting the light emission amount, based on the first correction value and the second correction value; and determine, before calculating the third correction value, whether placement of the recording medium on the reading table is correct based on the density data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: TAKUMA NISHIO, Yoshinobu Sakaue, Susumu Narita, Ryo Sato, Koichi Murota, Masashi Suzuki, Hiroaki Nishina
  • Publication number: 20180356759
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a latent image writing device, a developing device, a conveyance unit to convey a recording medium, a transfer device, a length data acquisition unit to obtain a length of the recording medium in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, an image forming processor to form a test pattern, and a light quantity correction calculator that acquires image density data of the test pattern and calculates a light quantity correction value to correct a light quantity. The image forming processor sets a position of the test pattern on the recording medium in the conveyance direction of the recording medium and a length of the test pattern in the conveyance direction of the recording medium based on the length of the recording medium in the conveyance direction of the recording medium obtained by the length data acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Narita, Yoshinobu Sakaue, Ryo Sato, Koichi Murota, Masashi Suzuki, Takuma Nishio, Hiroaki Nishina
  • Publication number: 20170290856
    Abstract: Activated carbon (for example medicinal carbon), which has long been used for adsorbing and removing harmful substances from the digestive system, has the drawback of causing constipation, and the production of a spherical adsorbent carbon that is believed to overcome this drawback from a petroleum-based hydrocarbon requires a complicated production process. These issues can be addressed by an oral adsorbent, a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for kidney disease, and a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for liver disease, containing a fibrous carbonaceous substance obtained by carbonizing cotton fiber. The issues can also be addressed by an oral adsorbent, a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for kidney disease, and a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for liver disease, containing a fibrous carbonaceous substance having a twisted hollow ribbon-like structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Applicant: Power Japan Plus Inc.
    Inventors: Dou KANI, Hiroaki NISHINA, Kaname TAKEYA, Masami KIDO, Nobuo KUBO
  • Patent number: 9242478
    Abstract: The invention is concerning the writing controlling apparatus that includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a plurality of light amounts of a light source driven while changing an input current in non-effective scanning periods during which an image carrier is not irradiated with light from the light source, as a plurality of output results; a detecting unit configured to detect characteristics of the light source using the output results thus acquired; and a correcting unit configured to correct a current to be applied to the light source based on the characteristics thus detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masashi Suzuki, Katsuhiko Maeda, Yoshio Kanzaki, Masahiko Oikawa, Yasuhiro Abe, Hiroaki Nishina, Yuuki Honda
  • Patent number: 9201331
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: at least one first image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image writing unit; a second image carrier configured to move along a transfer position facing to the at least one first image carrier; a first transfer unit provided opposite to the at least one first image carrier; a second transfer unit configured to transfer the subject image to a transfer material; a test pattern detection unit configured to detect the test pattern image; a control unit configured to correct an image forming condition of the subject image based on a result from the detection of the test pattern image, wherein the test pattern image is provided on the second image carrier at an area being out of the image forming area and being at the same range as the subject image in a scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tadashi Shinohara, Yasuhiro Abe, Hiroaki Nishina, Yutaka Ohmiya
  • Patent number: 9091987
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms toner images based on image data on first image carriers; a second image carrier, on which the toner images formed on the first image carriers are transferred; a second image forming unit that transfers the toner images transferred on the second image carrier onto a transfer medium; a test pattern generating unit that generates a test pattern group with a predetermine length in a moving direction of the second image carrier; and an adjusting unit that determines a method to adjust an image formation condition for the first image forming unit using the test pattern group, based on a relationship between the predetermined length and a length of an image area, in which a print image based on the image data is formed, in a sub-scanning direction corresponding to the moving direction of the second image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yutaka Ohmiya, Tadashi Shinohara, Yasuhiro Abe, Hiroaki Nishina
  • Patent number: 8929783
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one first image carrier; an image writing unit configured to write the electrostatic latent image including a test pattern; a second image carrier configured to move along a transfer position facing to the at least one first image carrier; an image forming unit configured to transfer the subject image transferred on the second image carrier to a transfer material; a detector configured to detect the test pattern image; and a controller configured to correct an image forming condition of the subject image, wherein during a period from the detection of the test pattern to the writing a subsequent subject image, the controller calculates a correction amount of a correction matter, and reflects the calculated amount in the image forming condition of the subject image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nishina, Tadashi Shinohara, Yasuhiro Abe, Yutaka Ohmiya
  • Publication number: 20140168343
    Abstract: The invention is concerning the writing controlling apparatus that includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a plurality of light amounts of a light source driven while changing an input current in non-effective scanning periods during which an image carrier is not irradiated with light from the light source, as a plurality of output results; a detecting unit configured to detect characteristics of the light source using the output results thus acquired; and a correcting unit configured to correct a current to be applied to the light source based on the characteristics thus detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masashi SUZUKI, Katsuhiko MAEDA, Yoshio KANZAKI, Masahiko OIKAWA, Yasuhiro ABE, Hiroaki NISHINA, Yuuki HONDA
  • Publication number: 20140072316
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: at least one first image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image writing unit; a second image carrier configured to move along a transfer position facing to the at least one first image carrier; a first transfer unit provided opposite to the at least one first image carrier; a second transfer unit configured to transfer the subject image to a transfer material; a test pattern detection unit configured to detect the test pattern image; a control unit configured to correct an image forming condition of the subject image based on a result from the detection of the test pattern image, wherein the test pattern image is provided on the second transfer unit at an area being out of the image forming area and being at the same range as the subject image in a scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Tadashi Shinohara, Yasuhiro Abe, Hiroaki Nishina, Yutaka Ohmiya
  • Publication number: 20140072315
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms toner images based on image data on first image carriers; a second image carrier, on which the toner images formed on the first image carriers are transferred; a second image forming unit that transfers the toner images transferred on the second image carrier onto a transfer medium; a test pattern generating unit that generates a test pattern group with a predetermine length in a moving direction of the second image carrier; and an adjusting unit that determines a method to adjust an image formation condition for the first image forming unit using the test pattern group, based on a relationship between the predetermined length and a length of an image area, in which a print image based on the image data is formed, in a sub-scanning direction corresponding to the moving direction of the second image carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yutaka OHMIYA, Tadashi SHINOHARA, Yasuhiro ABE, Hiroaki NISHINA
  • Publication number: 20140072351
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one first image carrier; an image writing unit configured to write the electrostatic latent image including a test pattern; a second image carrier configured to move along a transfer position facing to the at least one first image carrier; an image forming unit configured to transfer the subject image transferred on the second image carrier to a transfer material; a detector configured to detect the test pattern image; and a controller configured to correct an image forming condition of the subject image, wherein during a period from the detection of the test pattern to the writing a subsequent subject image, the controller calculates a correction amount of a correction matter, and reflects the calculated amount in the image forming condition of the subject image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroaki NISHINA, Tadashi SHINOHARA, Yasuhiro ABE, Yutaka OHMIYA