Patents by Inventor Ichiro Kadota

Ichiro Kadota 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: 10317839
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer the surface of which moves with a developer thereon, a development housing including the developer in an inner space thereof and an opening through which the surface of the developer bearer is partially exposed in a direction of surface movement thereof to face a latent image bearer a surface of which moves with a latent image thereon, a drive assembly disposed in the development housing, configured to drive members in the development housing driven by a driven force of the drive assembly, and a collision assembly including a collision member, the collision assembly being configured to move the collision member away from the development housing and toward the development housing to collide the collision member with the development housing, utilizing the drive force of the drive assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Tamaki, Ichiro Kadota, Junichi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Kubo, Hiroaki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10295931
    Abstract: A developing device includes a casing to contain developer and define a developer circulation passage, a developing roller to bear the developer, and at least one developer conveyor to convey the developer. The developer conveyor is disposed in the developer circulation passage and lower than the developing roller. The developing device satisfies M1/L2>0.56 g/cm and M1/M2>0.50, where M1 represents an amount of developer borne on the developing roller, L1 represents a width in which the developing roller bears the developer in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller; and M2 represents an amount of developer stored in the casing and excluding the amount of developer borne.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Tamaki, Ichiro Kadota, Keiichi Yoshida, Hiroshi Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20180348698
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer the surface of which moves with a developer thereon, a development housing including the developer in an inner space thereof and an opening through which the surface of the developer bearer is partially exposed in a direction of surface movement thereof to face a latent image bearer a surface of which moves with a latent image thereon, a drive assembly disposed in the development housing, configured to drive members in the development housing driven by a driven force of the drive assembly, and a collision assembly including a collision member, the collision assembly being configured to move the collision member away from the development housing and toward the development housing to collide the collision member with the development housing, utilizing the drive force of the drive assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Shinji TAMAKI, Ichiro Kadota, Junichi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Kubo, Hiroaki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10126682
    Abstract: A developing device includes a casing to contain developer, a developer bearer disposed in the casing and opposite a latent image bearer in a developing range, at least one developer contact face to which the developer adheres in image formation, and a vibrator to give vibration to the developer contact face in a non-image formation period. The developer bearer is to rotate to supply the developer to the latent image bearer in the developing range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okamoto, Tatsuya Kubo, Junichi Matsumoto, Shinji Tamaki, Ichiro Kadota
  • Patent number: 10088776
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer including a magnetic field generator, a developer regulator disposed opposite the developer bearer across a regulation gap, a developer containing compartment disposed below the developer bearer, and a conveying screw disposed in the developer containing compartment and including a shaft having a diameter greater than a radius of the conveying screw. On a cross section perpendicular to an axial direction of the conveying screw, a developer scooping pole of the magnetic field generator to scoop the developer from the developer containing compartment onto the developer bearer is disposed between the regulation gap and a bisector dividing an angle extending from a first line, which connects a center of the developer bearer and a center of the conveying screw, to a second line, which connects the center of the developer bearer and the regulation gap, in a rotation direction of the developer bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Shinji Tamaki, Keiichi Yoshida, Ichiro Kadota, Shunji Katoh
  • Publication number: 20180120737
    Abstract: A developing device includes a casing to contain developer, a developer bearer disposed in the casing and opposite a latent image bearer in a developing range, at least one developer contact face to which the developer adheres in image formation, and a vibrator to give vibration to the developer contact face in a non-image formation period. The developer bearer is to rotate to supply the developer to the latent image bearer in the developing range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki OKAMOTO, Tatsuya KUBO, Junichi MATSUMOTO, Shinji TAMAKI, Ichiro KADOTA
  • Publication number: 20170115604
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer including a magnetic field generator, a developer regulator disposed opposite the developer bearer across a regulation gap, a developer containing compartment disposed below the developer bearer, and a conveying screw disposed in the developer containing compartment and including a shaft having a diameter greater than a radius of the conveying screw. On a cross section perpendicular to an axial direction of the conveying screw, a developer scooping pole of the magnetic field generator to scoop the developer from the developer containing compartment onto the developer bearer is disposed between the regulation gap and a bisector dividing an angle extending from a first line, which connects a center of the developer bearer and a center of the conveying screw, to a second line, which connects the center of the developer bearer and the regulation gap, in a rotation direction of the developer bearer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Shinji TAMAKI, Keiichi YOSHIDA, Ichiro KADOTA, Shunji KATOH
  • Publication number: 20170115605
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to bear developer, a developer containing compartment disposed lower than the developer bearer, and a conveying screw disposed in the developer containing compartment. The developing device further includes an inclined face extending from an inner wall of the developer containing compartment obliquely upward toward the developer bearer, and the inclined face opposes the conveying screw from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Yoshida, Shinji Tamaki, Ichiro Kadota, Hiroshi Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 9594332
    Abstract: A developing device includes a casing to contain developer and a developer bearer disposed in the casing to bear developer, and a rough face repellent to developer is disposed inside the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Yuuji Ishikura
  • Patent number: 9335662
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry developer, a first developer compartment from which developer is supplied to the developer bearer, a second developer compartment from which developer is sent to the first developer compartment, and first and second communicating portions through which developer is circulated between the first and second developer compartments. The second communicating portion to send developer from the second developer compartment to the first developer compartment is constructed of multiple openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Takahiro Adachi
  • Publication number: 20160062274
    Abstract: A developing device includes a casing to contain developer and a developer bearer disposed in the casing to bear developer, and a rough face repellent to developer is disposed inside the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Ichiro KADOTA, Yuuji Ishikura
  • Patent number: 9176424
    Abstract: A toner container for use with an image forming apparatus. The toner container comprises a toner storage section, a toner outlet at a circumferential surface of the toner container, and a shutter at the circumferential surface of the toner container. The toner container further comprises an electronic element, disposed at the same end of the toner container as the toner outlet to communicate with the image forming apparatus. The toner outlet and the electronic element are disposed along a line which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the toner storing section. Further, there is a projection on the circumferential surface of the toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Kunihiro Ohyama, Masayuki Yamane, Takeshi Uchitani, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Satoru Yoshida, Takuya Seshita
  • Patent number: 9128416
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a first developer compartment to supply developer to the developer bearer, a second developer compartment to supply developer to the first developer compartment and positioned adjacent to the first developer compartment, a partition to divide, at least partly, the first developer compartment from the second developer compartment, a communicating opening in the opening, through which developer is transferred from the second developer compartment to the first developer compartment, a rotary conveyor to transport developer inside the second developer compartment to the communicating opening and a flexible sheet provided to the rotary conveyor and positioned facing the communicating opening. The flexible sheet rotates integrally with the rotary conveyor and projects through the communicating opening into the first developer compartment as the rotary conveyor rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Yuuji Ishikura
  • Publication number: 20150147094
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a first developer compartment to supply developer to the developer bearer, a second developer compartment to supply developer to the first developer compartment and positioned adjacent to the first developer compartment, a partition to divide, at least partly, the first developer compartment from the second developer compartment, a communicating opening in the opening, through which developer is transferred from the second developer compartment to the first developer compartment, a rotary conveyor to transport developer inside the second developer compartment to the communicating opening and a flexible sheet provided to the rotary conveyor and positioned facing the communicating opening. The flexible sheet rotates integrally with the rotary conveyor and projects through the communicating opening into the first developer compartment as the rotary conveyor rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ichiro KADOTA, Yuuji ISHIKURA
  • Publication number: 20150086244
    Abstract: A toner container and an image forming apparatus are disclosed. The toner container includes a guiding member formed at a part surrounding a toner outlet to be protruded from a circumferential surface of the toner container for guiding an opening or closing operation of a shutter member in a circumferential direction of the toner container. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus main body includes a main body side shutter for opening or closing a toner supplying opening to be connected to the toner outlet. When the shutter member is opened, an end surface of the guiding member pushes the main body side shutter together with the opening operation of the shutter member, and the toner supplying opening is opened and is connected to the toner outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Ichiro KADOTA, Kunihiro OHYAMA, Masayuki YAMANE, Takeshi UCHITANI, Nobuyuki TAGUCHI, Satoru YOSHIDA, Takuya SESHITA
  • Patent number: 8958718
    Abstract: A toner container and an image forming apparatus are disclosed. The toner container includes a guiding member formed at a part surrounding a toner outlet to be protruded from a circumferential surface of the toner container for guiding an opening or closing operation of a shutter member in a circumferential direction of the toner container. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus main body includes a main body side shutter for opening or closing a toner supplying opening to be connected to the toner outlet. When the shutter member is opened, an end surface of the guiding member pushes the main body side shutter together with the opening operation of the shutter member, and the toner supplying opening is opened and is connected to the toner outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Kunihiro Ohyama, Masayuki Yamane, Takeshi Uchitani, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Satoru Yoshida, Takuya Seshita
  • Publication number: 20140212180
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry developer, a first developer compartment from which developer is supplied to the developer bearer, a second developer compartment from which developer is sent to the first developer compartment, and first and second communicating portions through which developer is circulated between the first and second developer compartments. The second communicating portion to send developer from the second developer compartment to the first developer compartment is constructed of multiple openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Takahiro Adachi
  • Publication number: 20140050509
    Abstract: A toner container and an image forming apparatus are disclosed. The toner container includes a guiding member formed at a part surrounding a toner outlet to be protruded from a circumferential surface of the toner container for guiding an opening or closing operation of a shutter member in a circumferential direction of the toner container. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus main body includes a main body side shutter for opening or closing a toner supplying opening to be connected to the toner outlet. When the shutter member is opened, an end surface of the guiding member pushes the main body side shutter together with the opening operation of the shutter member, and the toner supplying opening is opened and is connected to the toner outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Ichiro KADOTA, KUNIHIRO OHYAMA, MASAYUKI YAMANE, TAKESHI UCHITANI, NOBUYUKI TAGUCHI, SATORU YOSHIDA, TAKUYA SESHITA
  • Patent number: 8600262
    Abstract: A toner container and an image forming apparatus are disclosed. The toner container includes a guiding member formed at a part surrounding a toner outlet to be protruded from a circumferential surface of the toner container for guiding an opening or closing operation of a shutter member in a circumferential direction of the toner container. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus main body includes a main body side shutter for opening or closing a toner supplying opening to be connected to the toner outlet. When the shutter member is opened, an end surface of the guiding member pushes the main body side shutter together with the opening operation of the shutter member, and the toner supplying opening is opened and is connected to the toner outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Kunihiro Ohyama, Masayuki Yamane, Takeshi Uchitani, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Satoru Yoshida, Takuya Seshita
  • Patent number: 8488992
    Abstract: A development device includes a toner-containing chamber for containing supplied toner having an interior wall, a developer-containing chamber for containing developer including toner and carrier communicating with the toner-containing chamber; and a transport screw to transport the supplied toner from the toner-containing chamber to the developer-containing chamber, disposed in the toner-containing chamber so that there is no gap between the outer edge of the transport screw and the interior wall of the toner-containing chamber in a portion lower than a level of the supplied toner in the toner-containing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ichiro Kadota, Kunihiro Ohyama, Masayuki Yamane, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoru Yoshida, Takuya Seshita