Patents by Inventor Hiroomi TAMURA
Hiroomi TAMURA 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: 10120303Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to more toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Kojima, Tomoya Ohmura, Sho Sekiguchi, Taichi Urayama, Kazuya Saitoh, Takuya Moriyama, Hiroomi Tamura, Tetsuto Ueda, Naoyuki Ozaki
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Patent number: 9709919Abstract: A developing device includes a casing containing a two-component developer including toner and carrier, a developer bearer to transfer the developer on the developer bearer to a developing area, a toner density sensor to output an output value based on toner density of the developer, a toner density detection module to detect the toner density based on the output value of the toner density sensor and output characteristics relating the toner density and the output value, an acquisition module to acquire the output characteristics based on the output value of the toner density sensor relating a new developer and a predetermined toner density of the new developer, a bulk density fluctuation estimating module to estimate bulk density fluctuation for bulk density of the new developer, and a correction module to correct the output value based on the estimated bulk density fluctuation.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2015Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kazuya Saitoh, Hiroomi Tamura, Tetsuto Ueda, Sho Sekiguchi
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Publication number: 20170115609Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to more toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Takeshi KOJIMA, Tomoya OHMURA, Sho SEKIGUCHI, Taichi URAYAMA, Kazuya SAITOH, Takuya MORIYAMA, Hiroomi TAMURA, Tetsuto UEDA, Naoyuki OZAKI
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Patent number: 9575441Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to move toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Kojima, Tomoya Ohmura, Sho Sekiguchi, Taichi Urayama, Kazuya Saitoh, Takuya Moriyama, Hiroomi Tamura, Tetsuto Ueda, Naoyuki Ozaki
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Patent number: 9454106Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which, during a continuous sheet passing, in the case where a between-sheets time is short, none of a cleaning mode and a drive OFF mode is performed; in the case where the between-sheets time is of a medium length of time, the cleaning mode is performed but the drive OFF mode is not performed; and in the case where the between-sheets time is long, both the cleaning mode and the drive OFF mode are performed. As a result, degradation of an image bearer due to the cleaning bias is alleviated, decreased productivity due to the cleaning mode is alleviated, a problem is alleviated in which a back surface of a recording medium gets dirty due to toner adhered to a transfer rotation body, and another problem is alleviated in which the service life of a driven member is shortened.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2015Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Sho Sekiguchi, Takeshi Kojima, Tomoya Ohmura, Hiroomi Tamura, Tetsuto Ueda, Kazuya Saitoh, Taichi Urayama, Takuya Moriyama, Naoyuki Ozaki
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Image forming apparatus and method of switching collected developer route in image forming apparatus
Patent number: 9442429Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a developing device; a transfer device; a waste-developer container; a developer collecting device including a collected-developer conveyor, a waste channel, a reuse channel, and a channel switching member to switch a route between the waste channel and the reuse channel; a switching determiner to determine whether to dispose or reuse collected developer; an operating condition data collector to collect and store operating condition data used as a degradation speed index of developer in the developing device; a determination type selector to select, according to the degradation speed index, one of a first determination type based on an operating amount and a second determination type based on developer replacement data indicating an amount of developer replaced with supplied developer in the developing device; and a switching controller to control the channel switching member according to determination made by the switching determiner.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tetsuto Ueda, Hiroomi Tamura, Kazuya Saitoh, Sho Sekiguchi, Hirokatsu Suzuki, Takeshi Kojima, Takuma Iwasaki, Taichi Urayama -
Publication number: 20160131999Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to move toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Takeshi KOJIMA, Tomoya OHMURA, Sho SEKIGUCHI, Taichi URAYAMA, Kazuya SAITOH, Takuya MORIYAMA, Hiroomi TAMURA, Tetsuto UEDA, Naoyuki OZAKI
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Patent number: 9316997Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an image bearer, a developing device to develop a latent image, a transfer device to transfer a developed image from the image bearer, a developer collecting device to collect developer remaining on the image bearer, and a waste-developer container to contain developer to be disposed. The apparatus also includes a switching determiner to perform a determination of a preferred transfer amount of developer in a target period, an estimation of an accumulative consumption of developer in the target period, a determination of whether to dispose or reuse collected developer, and a determination of whether to perform switching between disposal and reuse of the collected developer based on comparison between the preferred transfer amount and the estimated accumulative consumption of developer. The apparatus also includes a switching controller to cause the developer collecting device to perform the switching between disposal and reuse.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2015Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuto Ueda, Hiroomi Tamura, Kazuya Saitoh, Sho Sekiguchi, Hirokatsu Suzuki, Takeshi Kojima, Takuma Iwasaki
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Publication number: 20160041509Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which, during a continuous sheet passing, in the case where a between-sheets time is short, none of a cleaning mode and a drive OFF mode is performed; in the case where the between-sheets time is of a medium length of time, the cleaning mode is performed but the drive OFF mode is not performed; and in the case where the between-sheets time is long, both the cleaning mode and the drive OFF mode are performed. As a result, degradation of an image bearer due to the cleaning bias is alleviated, decreased productivity due to the cleaning mode is alleviated, a problem is alleviated in which a back surface of a recording medium gets dirty due to toner adhered to a transfer rotation body, and another problem is alleviated in which the service life of a driven member is shortened.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: Sho SEKIGUCHI, Takeshi KOJIMA, Tomoya OHMURA, Hiroomi TAMURA, Tetsuto UEDA, Kazuya SAITOH, Taichi URAYAMA, Takuya MORIYAMA, Naoyuki OZAKI
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IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SWITCHING COLLECTED DEVELOPER ROUTE IN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
Publication number: 20160041504Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a developing device; a transfer device; a waste-developer container; a developer collecting device including a collected-developer conveyor, a waste channel, a reuse channel, and a channel switching member to switch a route between the waste channel and the reuse channel; a switching determiner to determine whether to dispose or reuse collected developer; an operating condition data collector to collect and store operating condition data used as a degradation speed index of developer in the developing device; a determination type selector to select, according to the degradation speed index, one of a first determination type based on an operating amount and a second determination type based on developer replacement data indicating an amount of developer replaced with supplied developer in the developing device; and a switching controller to control the channel switching member according to determination made by the switching determiner.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tetsuto UEDA, Hiroomi TAMURA, Kazuya SAITOH, Sho SEKIGUCHI, Hirokatsu SUZUKI, Takeshi KOJIMA, Takuma IWASAKI, Taichi URAYAMA -
Publication number: 20150355572Abstract: A developing device includes a casing containing a two-component developer including toner and carrier, a developer bearer to transfer the developer on the developer bearer to a developing area, a toner density sensor to output an output value based on toner density of the developer, a toner density detection module to detect the toner density based on the output value of the toner density sensor and output characteristics relating the toner density and the output value, an acquisition module to acquire the output characteristics based on the output value of the toner density sensor relating a new developer and a predetermined toner density of the new developer, a bulk density fluctuation estimating module to estimate bulk density fluctuation for bulk density of the new developer, and a correction module to correct the output value based on the estimated bulk density fluctuation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2015Publication date: December 10, 2015Inventors: Kazuya SAITOH, Hiroomi Tamura, Tetsuto Ueda, Sho Sekiguchi
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Publication number: 20150227108Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a developing device to develop a latent image; a transfer device to transfer a developed image from the image bearer; a developer collecting device to collect developer remaining on the image bearer; a waste-developer container to contain developer to be disposed, a switching determiner to perform determination of a preferred transfer amount of developer in a target period, estimation of an accumulative consumption of developer in the target period, determination of whether to dispose or reuse collected developer collected by the developer collecting device, and determination of whether to perform switching between disposal and reuse of the collected developer based on comparison between the preferred transfer amount and the estimated accumulative consumption of developer; and a switching controller to cause the developer collecting device to perform the switching between disposal and reuse.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tetsuto Ueda, Hiroomi Tamura, Kazuya Saitoh, Sho Sekiguchi, Hirokatsu Suzuki, Takeshi Kojima, Takuma Iwasaki
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Patent number: 9052643Abstract: The image forming method comprising: forming a toner image on an image carrier; transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium; and transforming the toner image on the image carrier into a semi-film by applying a pressure. And the image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; a toner image forming unit configured to form a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium; and a toner image transforming unit configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier into a semi-film by applying a pressure to the toner image.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2012Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takashi Bisaiji, Hiroomi Tamura, Hirokatsu Suzuki, Takamasa Ozeki, Satoru Ishikake
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Patent number: 9026007Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of housing units that houses toners of mutually different colors, at least one toner inside of the plurality of housing units being to be used for forming a toner image on a recording medium; and a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium to the recording medium, wherein a housing unit among the plurality of housing units that houses a toner with a lowest peak temperature of loss elastic modulus is disposed in a portion with a lower temperature than a temperature of a portion where another housing unit is disposed, or in a position farther from the fixing unit than a portion where another housing unit is disposed.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Bisaiji, Hiroomi Tamura, Hirokatsu Suzuki, Satoru Ishikake, Ryuji Yoshida
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Publication number: 20130164053Abstract: The image forming method comprising: forming a toner image on an image carrier; transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium; and transforming the toner image on the image carrier into a semi-film by applying a pressure. And the image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; a toner image forming unit configured to form a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium; and a toner image transforming unit configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier into a semi-film by applying a pressure to the toner image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Inventors: Takashi BISAIJI, Hiroomi TAMURA, Hirokatsu SUZUKI, Takamasa OZEKI, Satoru ISHIKAKE
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Publication number: 20130156466Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of housing units that houses toners of mutually different colors, at least one toner inside of the plurality of housing units being to be used for forming a toner image on a recording medium; and a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium to the recording medium, wherein a housing unit among the plurality of housing units that houses a toner with a lowest peak temperature of loss elastic modulus is disposed in a portion with a lower temperature than a temperature of a portion where another housing unit is disposed, or in a position farther from the fixing unit than a portion where another housing unit is disposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2012Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Takashi BISAIJI, Hiroomi TAMURA, Hirokatsu SUZUKI, Satoru ISHIKAKE, Ryuji YOSHIDA