Patents by Inventor Hiroko Ohkura
Hiroko Ohkura 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).
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Patent number: 11780230Abstract: A wiper for wiping a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head that discharges liquid from the nozzle is provided. The wiper comprises a plurality of layers including at least a first layer, and the first layer has a surface that contacts the nozzle surface. The surface that contacts the nozzle surface has a maximum height of waviness Wz of from 100 to 600 ?m.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takumi Atake, Yohta Sakon, Hiroko Ohkura
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Publication number: 20230001696Abstract: A wiping method for wiping a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head includes the step of relatively moving the liquid discharge head and a wiper impregnated with a cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid contains a lactone compound in an amount of 5% by mass or more. The wiper includes a first layer configured to contact the nozzle surface and one or more layers other than the first layer. The first layer has a thickness of t1, the one or more layers other than the first layer have a total thickness of t2, and t1 is smaller than t2. A void ratio of the first layer is smaller than a void ratio of at least one of the one or more layers other than the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2020Publication date: January 5, 2023Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Ichiroh FUJII, Takumi ATAKE, Yohta SAKON, Akira IZUTANI, Hiroko OHKURA
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Publication number: 20220009233Abstract: A wiper for wiping a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head that discharges liquid from the nozzle is provided. The wiper comprises a plurality of layers including at least a first layer, and the first layer has a surface that contacts the nozzle surface. The surface that contacts the nozzle surface has a maximum height of waviness Wz of from 100 to 600 ?m.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Takumi ATAKE, Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA
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Patent number: 11179940Abstract: A liquid discharging device includes a liquid discharging head including a nozzle and having a nozzle forming surface, the liquid discharging head configured to discharge a liquid through the nozzle, a wiping member configured to wipe the nozzle forming surface, the wiping member having a first layer configured to be brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface and at least one more layer, and a cleaning liquid that is applied to the nozzle forming surface, wherein the static surface tension of the cleaning liquid is greater than the static surface tension of the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Takumi Atake, Yohta Sakon, Hiroko Ohkura
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Patent number: 11130343Abstract: A wiping device includes a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, the wiping member having a first layer configured to be brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface and at least one more layer, and a cleaning liquid that is applied to the nozzle forming surface, the cleaning liquid containing a compound represented by the following Chemical formula 1 and a glycol ether compound, where R1 represents an alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Takumi Atake, Yohta Sakon, Hiroko Ohkura
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Publication number: 20210016327Abstract: A wiping member to wipe a nozzle surface of a liquid discharging head includes a first layer configured to be brought into contact with the nozzle surface and one or more other layers, wherein the following relation is satisfied: t1<t2, where t1 represents the thickness of the first layer and t2 represents the thickness of the one or more other layers, wherein the porosity of the first layer is smaller than the porosity of at least one of the one or more other layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventors: Takumi ATAKE, Akira IZUTANI, Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA, Yuusuke FUJITA
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Patent number: 10889119Abstract: A wiping device includes a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, the wiping member containing fabric; and a pressing member configured to press the wiping member to the liquid discharging head, wherein the wiping member satisfies the following relationship 1: 0.8<(Sb/Ss)<1.2, relationship 1, where, at 60 seconds after a coloring liquid containing a coloring material and distilled water is dripped onto a surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Ss represents a spreading area of the coloring material on the surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Sb represents a spreading area of the coloring material on a surface of the wiping member not in contact with the nozzle forming surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2019Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohta Sakon, Hiroko Ohkura, Takumi Atake, Akira Izutani
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Patent number: 10759173Abstract: A wiping member that wipes a nozzle surface of a liquid discharging head, includes a first region having an average porosity P1, a second region disposed on the first region, having an average porosity P2 greater than P1, and a third region disposed on the second region having an average porosity P3 greater than P2, wherein the wiping member has a thickness t in the direction perpendicular to the surface that contacts the nozzle surface and each of the first region, the second region, and the third region has a thickness of t/3 in the direction, wherein P2/P1 is from 1.1 to 1.4.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroko Ohkura, Yohta Sakon, Akira Izutani, Takumi Atake
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Publication number: 20200207099Abstract: A wiping device includes a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, the wiping member containing fabric; and a pressing member configured to press the wiping member to the liquid discharging head, wherein the wiping member satisfies the following relationship 1: 0.8<(Sb/Ss)<1.2, relationship 1, where, at 60 seconds after a coloring liquid containing a coloring material and distilled water is dripped onto a surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Ss represents a spreading area of the coloring material on the surface of the wiping member in contact with the nozzle forming surface and Sb represents a spreading area of the coloring material on a surface of the wiping member not in contact with the nozzle forming surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA, Takumi ATAKE, Akira IZUTANI
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Publication number: 20200164652Abstract: A liquid discharging device includes a liquid discharging head including a nozzle and having a nozzle forming surface, the liquid discharging head configured to discharge a liquid through the nozzle, a wiping member configured to wipe the nozzle forming surface, the wiping member having a first layer configured to be brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface and at least one more layer, and a cleaning liquid that is applied to the nozzle forming surface, wherein the static surface tension of the cleaning liquid is greater than the static surface tension of the liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2019Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Akiko BANNAI, Takumi ATAKE, Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA
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Publication number: 20200164650Abstract: A wiping device includes a wiping member configured to wipe a nozzle forming surface of a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, the wiping member having a first layer configured to be brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface and at least one more layer, and a cleaning liquid that is applied to the nozzle forming surface, the cleaning liquid containing a compound represented by the following Chemical formula 1 and a glycol ether compound, where R1 represents an alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Akiko BANNAI, Takumi ATAKE, Yohta SAKON, Hiroko OHKURA
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Publication number: 20190366721Abstract: A wiping member that wipes a nozzle surface of a liquid discharging head, includes a first region having an average porosity P1, a second region disposed on the first region, having an average porosity P2 greater than P1, and a third region disposed on the second region having an average porosity P3 greater than P2, wherein the wiping member has a thickness t in the direction perpendicular to the surface that contacts the nozzle surface and each of the first region, the second region, and the third region has a thickness of t/3 in the direction, wherein P2/P1 is from 1.1 to 1.4.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Hiroko OHKURA, Yohta SAKON, Akira IZUTANI, Takumi ATAKE
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Publication number: 20160327315Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of plate fins including a plurality of flow channels in which a heat medium flows; a plurality of corrugated fins, the plurality of plate fins and the plurality of corrugated fins being arranged alternately; and a reaction portion solidified by crystallization of reaction material slurry filling gaps between the plurality of plate fins and the plurality of the corrugated fins, the reaction material slurry including a reaction material that reversibly reacts with a reaction medium in an exothermic manner and in an endothermic manner to exchange heat with the heat medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2016Publication date: November 10, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro MASUZAWA, Yasutomo AMAN, Yohei SHIREN, Hiroko OHKURA, Tomiko TAKAHASHI, Yoshifumi OHBA, Kohji TSUKAHARA
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Publication number: 20160290685Abstract: A heat storage and release unit includes a reactant formed body for reacting with a reaction medium to store and release heat; a reaction vessel for accommodating the reactant formed body and exchanging heat with the reactant formed body; a reaction medium flow path structure, connected to the reaction vessel, for supplying the reaction medium to the reaction vessel or discharging the reaction medium from the reaction vessel. The reactant formed body includes a plate-like heat transfer plate that contacts the reaction vessel, heat transfer elements extending from a surface of the heat transfer plate at substantially right angles, and a reactant formed unit that encloses the heat transfer elements in such a way that the heat transfer elements are partially exposed from the reactant formed unit, and the reaction vessel can change form by a pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the reaction vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Inventors: Yasutomo AMAN, Yohei SHIREN, Masahiro MASUZAWA, Hiroko OHKURA, Tomiko TAKAHASHI, Yoshifumi OHBA, Kohji TSUKAHARA, Kenichi HAYAKAWA
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Patent number: 9453659Abstract: A reaction material formed body into which a reaction material reacting with a reaction medium to store or release heat is formed includes first and second opposite surfaces and multiple heat transfer enhancing members extending at least from the first surface to the second surface. At least two or more of the heat transfer enhancing members are oriented in a predetermined single direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasutomo Aman, Yohei Shiren, Masahiro Masuzawa, Hiroko Ohkura, Yoshifumi Ohba
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Patent number: 9243179Abstract: A reaction material for a chemical heat pump includes type III anhydrous gypsum, a magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4. The reaction material for the chemical heat pump structurally changes between a compound including type III anhydrous gypsum, the magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4, and a compound including hemihydrate gypsum, a hydrate of the magnesium compound, and a hydrate of CaxMg1-xSO4 when subjected to heat storage process and heat release process. x is 0<x<1.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yohei Shiren, Masahiro Masuzawa, Hiroko Ohkura, Yasutomo Aman, Yoshifumi Ohba
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Publication number: 20140305142Abstract: A reaction material formed body into which a reaction material reacting with a reaction medium to store or release heat is formed includes first and second opposite surfaces and multiple heat transfer enhancing members extending at least from the first surface to the second surface. At least two or more of the heat transfer enhancing members are oriented in a predetermined single direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yasutomo AMAN, Yohei SHIREN, Masahiro MASUZAWA, Hiroko OHKURA, Yoshifumi OHBA
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Publication number: 20140231698Abstract: A reaction material for a chemical heat pump includes type III anhydrous gypsum, a magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4. The reaction material for the chemical heat pump structurally changes between a compound including type III anhydrous gypsum, the magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4, and a compound including hemihydrate gypsum, a hydrate of the magnesium compound, and a hydrate of CaxMg1-xSO4 when subjected to heat storage process and heat release process. x is 0<x<1.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yohei Shiren, Masahiro Masuzawa, Hiroko Ohkura, Yasutomo Aman, Yoshifumi Ohba
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Patent number: 8124315Abstract: An optical recording medium contains a recording layer being composed of a phase-change recording material where at least four elements, Ga, Sb, Sn and Ge are contained and the transfer linear velocity is 20 m/s to 30 m/s, and when the wavelength of a recording/reproducing light is within the range of 650 nm to 665 nm and the recording linear velocity is 20 m/s to 28 m/s, the refractive index Nc and the extinction coefficient Kc in a crystalline state and the refractive index Na and the extinction coefficient Ka in an amorphous state in the recording layer respectively satisfy the following numerical expressions: 2.0?Nc?3.0, 4.0?Kc?5.0, 4.0?Na?5.0, and 2.5?Ka?3.1, and information is recordable at the range of 20 m/s to 28 m/s of recording linear velocity.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2005Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyoshi Sekiguchi, Kazunori Ito, Hiroshi Deguchi, Hiroko Ohkura, Masaki Kato, Mikiko Takada
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Patent number: 8075974Abstract: An optical recording medium having first protective layer, recording layer, second protective layer, and reflective layer, wherein the recording layer contains a phase-change material represented by Formula (1?1), Formula (1-2), or Formula (1-3); the second protective layer contains one selected from zinc oxides, indium oxides, tin oxides, mixtures thereof, and materials Formula (2), and materials Formula (3). Formula (1?1): In?iSb?iX1?i(X1: Ge, Te, Zn, Mn, or mixture thereof, 0.10??1?0.25, 0.65??1?0.80, and 0.04??1?0.15) Formula (1-2): Ga?2Sb?2SnY2Ges2X2?2 (X2: Te, Zn, Mn, In, or mixture thereof, 0.04??2?0.09, 0.56?62?0.79, 0.05??2<0.30, 0.03??2?0.19, and 0??2?0.09) Formula (1-3): Mn?3Sb?3SnY3Ge?3X3?3 (X3: Te, In, Zn, Bi, or mixture thereof, 0.04??3?0.09, 0.56?63?0.79, 0.05??3?0.29, 0.03??3?0.23, and 0??3?0.09) Formula (2): ZnO—Al—Y [(100??4?64):?4:?4] (Y: Mn, Ge, Ti, or mixture thereof, 0.5??4?10.0, and 0?B4?25.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2007Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Deguchi, Eiko Hibino, Hiroko Ohkura, Kazunori Ito, Hajime Yuzurihara, Hiroyuki Iwasa