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).
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Patent number: 9128426Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ippei Fujimoto, Akira Shinshi, Naoki Iwaya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenichi Hasegawa
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Patent number: 9116481Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly contacting an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. An opposed rotator presses against the nip formation assembly via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A support, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, supports the nip formation assembly. A heater, disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, heats the fixing rotator. A reflector, disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, reflects heat radiated from the fixing rotator onto the fixing rotator. The reflector spans a circumferential span of the fixing rotator where the fixing rotator is spaced apart from the support with a decreased interval therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2014Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Takuya Seshita, Shuntaro Tamaki, Takeshi Yamamoto, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Kazuya Saito, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
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Publication number: 20150234329Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2015Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: 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
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Publication number: 20150227095Abstract: A fixing device capable of shifting to a sleep state includes a heat source; a rotatable fixing member that is partly heated by the heat source to heat an unfixed image carrying surface of a recording medium; a rotatable pressing member that is in pressure contact with the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation drive unit that directly or indirectly rotates the fixing member; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member; and a controller configured to prohibit the fixing device from shifting to the sleep state when the temperature of the fixing member in a region facing the heat source is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature T1 at a point when a predetermined time period t1 has elapsed from the stop of rotation drive of the rotation drive unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Takeshi UCHITANI, Masahiko SATOH, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Kenji ISHII, Tadashi OGAWA, Takahiro IMADA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Teppei KAWATA, Takamasa HASE, Hajime GOTOH, Takuya SESHITA, Kazuya SAITO, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Shuutaroh YUASA, Akira SUZUKI, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Ryota YAMASHINA, Yasunori ISHIGAYA
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Publication number: 20150212459Abstract: A fixing device including a fixing member, an opposing member, a plurality of heat sources, and a voltage detector. The opposing member is disposed opposite the fixing member to contact the fixing member to form a nip portion at which an unfixed image on a recording medium is fixed. The plurality of heat sources heats the fixing member. The voltage detector detects an applied voltage of at least one of the plurality of heat sources. Upon detection of the applied voltage of the heat sources by the voltage detector, a voltage is applied to at least one of the heat sources.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2015Publication date: July 30, 2015Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takamasa HASE, Masahiko SATOH, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Kenji ISHII, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Tadashi OGAWA, Takeshi UCHITANI, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Naoki IWAYA, Teppei KAWATA, Takuya SESHITA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Kazuya SAITO, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Shuutaroh YUASA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Akira SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20150185671Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first heater disposed opposite and heating at least a center of a fixing belt in an axial direction thereof and a second heater disposed opposite and heating at least a lateral end of the fixing belt in the axial direction thereof. A power supply supplies power to the first heater and the second heater. A controller that controls the power supply includes a calculator to calculate an elapsed time elapsed after at least one of the first heater and the second heater starts heating the fixing belt. The controller controls the power supply to supply power to the first heater and the second heater such that a power density of the second heater is greater than a power density of the first heater when the elapsed time calculated by the calculator is smaller than a predetermined time.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2014Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Yutaka IKEBUCHI, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Takayuki SEKI, Yuji ARAI, Ryuuichi MIMBU, Shuntaro TAMAKI, Kazuya SAITO, Shuutaroh YUASA, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Toshiharu HACHISUKA
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Patent number: 9069304Abstract: In the present invention, upon return from a standby mode or sleep mode, image data is acquired as warming-up time estimate information for estimating the warming-up time to increase the temperature of a fixing belt to a target fixing temperature and, if the acquired image data is the data on a black-and-white image, control is performed to delay the heating start timing of the fixing belt.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2013Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Takuya Seshita, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Naoki Iwaya, Hiromasa Takagi, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Takeshi Uchitani, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa
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Patent number: 9063480Abstract: In an embodiment, provided is a fixing device that includes: a fixing belt rotatable and endless; a belt holding member holding the fixing belt at each end part in an axial direction; a heat source heating the fixing belt; a nip forming member provided inside the fixing belt; an opposing rotator forming a nip portion between the opposing rotator and the fixing belt via the fixing belt; and a separating member that extends near the nip portion and separates a recording medium from a surface of the fixing belt. A leading end of the separating member is provided with a receding portion and an approaching portion that is at a different position from a position of the receding portion different in the axial direction. The approaching portion is provided nearer to the nip portion than the receding portion is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2012Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Arinobu Yoshiura, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Kazuya Saito, Naoki Iwaya, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Takuya Seshita, Takeshi Uchitani, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga
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Patent number: 9063493Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless flexible belt, an elongated stationary pad, a rotary pressure member, and a low-friction sheet. The endless flexible belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration extending in an axial direction thereof for rotation in a rotational, circumferential direction thereof. The elongated stationary pad is stationarily disposed inside the loop of the belt. The rotary pressure member is disposed parallel to the belt. The rotary pressure member presses against the stationary pad via the belt to form a nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed in a conveyance direction. The low-friction sheet of lubricant-impregnated material covers the stationary pad to supply a lubricant between the stationary pad and the belt across the nip. The low-friction sheet has one or more flow channels defined therein.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kensuke Yamaji, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Takuya Seshita, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Akira Suzuki
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Publication number: 20150168897Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2015Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: 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
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Publication number: 20150160591Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2014Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Takamasa HASE, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Takeshi UCHITANI, Yutaka IKEBUCHI, Takuya SESHITA, Shuutaroh YUASA
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Patent number: 9052658Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium includes a fixing belt, a nip forming member, an opposing rotary member, a heater, and a temperature detector. The fixing belt is formed into a loop to move endlessly and fix the unfixed image on the recording medium. The nip forming member is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt. The opposing rotary member contacts the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip portion therebetween while rotating. The heater heats the fixing belt at a place other than the nip portion. The temperature detector detects a temperature of the surface of the fixing belt. The temperature detector detects the temperature near a place of the fixing belt that easily deforms as the fixing belt is heated by the heater.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Kazuya Saito, Naoki Iwaya, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Takuya Seshita, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga
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Patent number: 9046838Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite 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. An overheating suppressor is interposed between the heater and the heat shield to shield the heat shield from the heater. The heat shield includes an intermediate portion spanning in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and movable between a shield position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater directly and a retracted position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater via the overheating suppressor.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Arai, Takayuki Seki, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kazuya Saito, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Takuya Seshita, Takeshi Yamamoto, Shuutaroh Yuasa
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Patent number: 9046839Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation, a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator, and an opposed rotator contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A heat shield interposed between the heater and the fixing rotator shields the fixing rotator from the heater. A support supports the heat shield. The heat shield includes a first section supported by the support and having a decreased thermal conductivity and a second section abutting the first section in an axial direction of the heat shield and having an increased thermal conductivity greater than the decreased thermal conductivity of the first section.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Arai, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Takayuki Seki, Takeshi Yamamoto, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Shuntaro Tamaki, Hajime Gotoh, Takahiro Imada, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yoshio Hattori
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Patent number: 9046837Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater to generate heat based on soft-start control. The heater is supplied with power using different power-turn-on-duty control patterns in accordance with power requirements and an operation mode of the fixing device.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Ikebuchi, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Yuji Arai, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa
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Patent number: 9042799Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 10, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takeshi Uchitani, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Shuutaroh Yuasa
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Patent number: 9042761Abstract: A fixing device capable of shifting to a sleep state includes a heat source; a rotatable fixing member that is partly heated by the heat source to heat an unfixed image carrying surface of a recording medium; a rotatable pressing member that is in pressure contact with the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation drive unit that directly or indirectly rotates the fixing member; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the fixing member; and a controller configured to prohibit the fixing device from shifting to the sleep state when the temperature of the fixing member in a region facing the heat source is equal to or more than a predetermined temperature T1 at a point when a predetermined time period t1 has elapsed from the stop of rotation drive of the rotation drive unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Takuya Seshita, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Akira Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Ryota Yamashina, Yasunori Ishigaya
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Patent number: 9037008Abstract: A fixing device including a fixing member, an opposing member, a plurality of heat sources, and a voltage detector. The opposing member is disposed opposite the fixing member to contact the fixing member to form a nip portion at which an unfixed image on a recording medium is fixed. The plurality of heat sources heats the fixing member. The voltage detector detects an applied voltage of at least one of the plurality of heat sources. Upon detection of the applied voltage of the heat sources by the voltage detector, a voltage is applied to at least one of the heat sources.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Teppei Kawata, Takuya Seshita, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
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Patent number: 9031439Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 30, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: 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
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Patent number: 9031485Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless flexible belt, a stationary pad, a rotary pressure member, and a lubrication mechanism. The endless flexible belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration extending in an axial direction thereof for rotation in a rotational, circumferential direction thereof. The stationary pad is stationarily disposed inside the loop of the belt. The rotary pressure member is disposed parallel to the belt. The rotary pressure member presses against the stationary pad via the belt to form a nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed in a conveyance direction. The lubrication mechanism supplies lubricant between the stationary pad and the belt, and includes a first sheet of lubricant-impregnated material and a second sheet of lubricant-impregnated material.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takeshi Uchitani, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Akira Suzuki