Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Yoshinaga

Hiroshi Yoshinaga 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).

  • FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160246228
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first heater and a second heater to heat a fixing rotator. The first heater includes a first heat generator having a first heating span in a longitudinal direction of the first heater and a first support supporting the first heat generator. The second heater includes a second heat generator having a second heating span in a longitudinal direction of the second heater and a second support supporting the second heat generator. A screen screens one of the first heater and the second heater from another one of the first heater and the second heater. At least one of the first support and the second support is disposed in proximity to a lateral end of at least one of the first heat generator and the second heat generator in the longitudinal direction of the first heater and the second heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Ippei FUJIMOTO, Kenji ISHll, Kazuhito KISHI, Kazunari SAWADA, Takashi SETO, Susumu MATSUSAKA, Yasuhiko OGINO, Shohta KOBASHIGAWA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Takamasa HASE, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA
  • FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160238975
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first heater and a second heater disposed inside a fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. The first heater generates an increased amount of heat and includes a first heat generator having a first heating span in a longitudinal direction of the first heater. The second heater generates a decreased amount of heat and includes a second heat generator having a second heating span in a longitudinal direction of the second heater. A partition is interposed between the first heater and the second heater to define a first compartment having an increased size and accommodating the first heater and a second compartment having a decreased size and accommodating the second heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Takayuki SEKI, Susumu MATSUSAKA, Yasuhiko OGINO, Shohta KOBASHIGAWA, Kenji ISHll, Kazuhito KISHI, Takashi SETO, lppei FUJIMOTO, Kazunari SAWADA, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA
  • FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160231672
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad that presses against a pressure rotator via an endless belt to form a fixing nip between the belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A fixing heater is disposed opposite at least a center span of a conveyance span of the belt in an axial direction thereof where the recording medium is conveyed to heat the belt. A first lateral end heater and a second lateral end heater are mounted on the nip formation pad and disposed opposite a first lateral end span and a second lateral end span of an inner circumferential surface of the belt in the axial direction thereof, respectively, to heat the belt. The second lateral end heater is electrically connected in series to the first lateral end heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: TAKASHI SETO, KENJI ISHII, SUSUMU MATSUSAKA, YASUHIKO OGINO, SHOHTA KOBASHIGAWA, KAZUHITO KISHI, IPPEI FUJIMOTO, KAZUNARI SAWADA, HIROSHI YOSHINAGA, HIROMASA TAKAGI, TAKAMASA HASE, HIROSHI SEO
  • FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160223961
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a flexible, tubular fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and an opposed rotator disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A nip formation pad presses against the opposed rotator via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A fixing heater is disposed opposite at least a conveyance span of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof where the recording medium is conveyed to heat the fixing rotator. A lateral end heater is mounted on the nip formation pad and disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator at a lateral end of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof to heat the fixing rotator. A supplementary thermal conductor contacts the fixing rotator and the lateral end heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Hiromasa TAKAGI, Kenji ISHll, Kazuhito KISHI, Takashi SETO, Takayuki SEKI, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, lppei FUJIMOTO, Kazunari SAWADA
  • FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND FIXING METHOD
    Publication number: 20160223963
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and an opposed rotator pressed against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween. A primary heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator in a circumferential span of the fixing rotator other than the fixing nip in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A heat shield is interposed between the primary heater and the fixing rotator and disposed outboard from at least a decreased size recording medium conveyance span of the fixing rotator spanning in an axial direction of the fixing rotator where a recording medium having a decreased size in the axial direction of the fixing rotator is conveyed. The heat shield shields the fixing rotator from the primary heater. A secondary heater is mounted on the heat shield to heat the fixing rotator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Kenji Ishii, Kazuhito Kishi, Takashi Seto, Takayuki Seki, Ippei Fujimoto, Kazunari Sawada, Susumu Matsusaka, Yasuhiko Ogino, Shohta Kobashigawa
  • Fixing device capable of minimizing damage of endless rotary body and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 9405250
    Abstract: A fixing device includes at least one heater disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of an endless rotary body to heat the endless rotary body and a shield interposed between the endless rotary body and the at least one heater to shield the endless rotary body from heat radiated from the at least one heater. A first size recording medium passes over a first passage region of the endless rotary body and a second size recording medium passes over a second passage region of the endless rotary body. The shield includes a notch disposed opposite a lateral end of the second passage region of the endless rotary body in an axial direction thereof. The lateral end of the second passage region overlaps a non-passage region of the endless rotary body in the axial direction thereof where the first size recording medium does not pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ogawa, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
  • Fixing device and image forming device
    Patent number: 9405242
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is a fixing device that includes: a rotatable fixing member that heats a recording medium on a side carrying an unfixed image; a rotatable pressing member that is pressed and is contacted with the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a heat source heating the fixing member; a relay switch provided in an energizing path for the heat source; a temperature detection sensor detecting a temperature of the fixing member; and a control unit that controls energization of the heat source according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection sensor. The control unit keeps the relay switch in an off state if the temperature of the fixing member is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature when the fixing member has stopped rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Takeshi Uchitani, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takuya Seshita, Ryota Yamashina, Yasunori Ishigaya
  • Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and fixing method
    Patent number: 9389550
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body with releasable pressure therebetween to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body between a home position where the heat shield is disposed opposite the heater indirectly and a shield position where the heat shield is disposed opposite the heater directly to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. A controller is operatively connected to the heat shield to move the heat shield to the home position when a print job is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Saito, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaro Tamaki, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Shuutaroh Yuasa
  • Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and fixing method
    Patent number: 9383693
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater for heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body with releasable pressure therebetween to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable circumferential direct heating span of the fixing rotary body where the heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotary body directly. A controller is operatively connected to the heater and the heat shield to move the heat shield after the controller turns on the heater as a print job starts so as to change an area of the direct heating span of the fixing rotary body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuutaroh Yuasa, Shuntaro Tamaki, Takayuki Seki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kazuya Saito
  • Fixing device and image forming device
    Patent number: 9367010
    Abstract: According to an embodiments, provided is a fixing device that includes: an endless fixing belt, heats and melts a toner image, and has flexibility; a stationary member that is set stationary on an inner peripheral surface side of the fixing belt and comes into contact under pressure to form a nip portion; and a reinforcement member that is set stationary on the inner peripheral surface side of the fixing belt and comes into abutment with the stationary member. If it is assumed that a length of the nip portion in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium is designated as A; and a length between an upstream-side abutment portion and a downstream-side abutment portion at which the stationary member and the reinforcement member come into abutment with each other is designated as B, following relation is established: A<B, and interval B includes interval A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: RICOII COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takagi, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Kazuya Saito, Naoki Iwaya, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Takuya Seshita, Takeshi Uchitani, Arinobu Yoshiura, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki
  • FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160147185
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: TAKAMASA HASE, HIROSHI YOSHINAGA, TAKESHI UCHITANI, YUTAKA IKEBUCHI, TAKUYA SESHITA, SHUUTAROH YUASA
  • Fixing device including a reinforced heat shield and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9348272
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. A driver is connected to the heat shield to drive and move the heat shield between a shield position where the heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater and a retracted position where the heat shield is retracted from the shield position. A reinforcement is mounted on a long edge of the heat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuntaroh Tamaki, Takayuki Seki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9329542
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A heater is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A reflector is disposed opposite the heater to reflect light radiated from the heater onto the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A support mounts the reflector. A heater holder is mounted on the support to hold the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Arai, Yoshio Hattori, Kazuya Saito, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Shuntaro Tamaki
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9316968
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating the fixing rotary body. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. A driver is connected to the heat shield to drive and move the heat shield within a circumferential moving span in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body. An abnormal temperature detector detects an abnormal temperature of the fixing rotary body that is not lower than a predetermined temperature. The abnormal temperature detector is disposed opposite a circumferential outboard span outboard from the circumferential moving span of the heat shield in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Saito, Takayuki Seki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same
    Patent number: 9310733
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a substantially cylindrical metal member, a heater, an endless, flexible fixing member, a rotary pressing member, and a stationary member. The heater heats the metal member. The fixing member is disposed rotatable around the metal member. An inner circumferential surface of the fixing member is heated by the metal member to heat and fix a toner image. The rotary pressing member is disposed opposite the metal member and pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing the toner image passes. The stationary member is disposed in pressure contact with the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and has an opposing face opposing the rotary pressing member and having a curvature smaller than a curvature of the rotary pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenichi Hasegawa, Kenji Ishii, Akira Shinshi, Naoki Iwaya, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Ippei Fujimoto, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Takahiro Imada, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME
    Publication number: 20160098003
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Takeshi UCHITANI, Masahiko SATOH, Kenji ISHII, Tadashi OGAWA, Teppei KAWATA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Takamasa HASE, Shuutaroh YUASA, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Akira SUZUKI, Takuya SESHITA, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Kazuya SAITO, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Takayuki SEKI, Yuji ARAI, Ryuuichi MIMBU, Yoshiki YAMAGUCHI, Shuntaroh TAMAKI, Yutaka IKEBUCHI
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 9291967
    Abstract: A fixing device that fixes an image on a recording medium includes a rotatable endless belt, deployed in a loop supported by rollers, a nip forming member provided inside the loop formed by the belt, a support member that supports the nip forming member, a counter rotation body disposed outside the loop formed by the belt and configured to form a nip with the belt by being in contact with the nip forming member through the belt, and a heat source configured to heat the belt directly by a radiant heat except at the nip. The support member includes a base portion that contacts the nip forming member and two arms extending from the base portion in a direction away from the nip forming member to partially surround a part of heat generating portion of the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kazuya Saito, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9285724
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takeshi Uchitani, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Shuutaroh Yuasa
  • Image forming apparatus including a heat shield interposed between a heater and a fixing rotary body and image forming method
    Patent number: 9285728
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device including a fixing rotary body and a heater for heating the fixing rotary body. An opposed body contacts the fixing rotary body with releasable pressure therebetween to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed. A heat shield is interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body and movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater in a variable circumferential direct heating span of the fixing rotary body where the heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotary body directly. A controller halts the heat shield instantly when a fault occurs during a print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaro Tamaki, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160054691
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Takamasa HASE, Masahiko SATOH, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Kenji ISHll, Takeshi UCHITANI, Tadashi OGAWA, Teppei KAWATA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Kazuya SAITO, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Shuutaroh YUASA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Naoki IWAYA, Takuya SESHITA, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Akira SUZUKI