Patents by Inventor Ichirou Komuro

Ichirou Komuro 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).

  • Image forming apparatus having recycling of residual toner
    Patent number: 6112046
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of collecting toner left on an image carrier after image transfer during an electrophotographic process, and returning the toner to a developing unit for reuse in the form of an air-toner mixture is disclosed. A toner conveying device includes a screw pump and a hopper portion positioned upstream of the screw pump in the intended direction of toner conveyance. When the collected toner accumulating in the hopper portion reaches a preselected amount, the toner conveying device is caused to start and stop operating at a specific timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Suzuki, Hiroshi Saitoh, Hiroshi Ishii, Ichirou Komuro, Toshihiro Sugiyama, Takashi Hodoshima, Nobuo Kasahara, Satoshi Muramatsu