Patents by Inventor Junichi Tokita

Junichi Tokita 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: 7934714
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a moving member, and a discharging member. The moving member moves up the pile stacked on the sheet stacking unit to one of a plurality of scooping positions, and the discharging member receives the pile from the moving member at the one of the scooping positions and scoops up the pile by supporting a bottom edge of the pile for discharging the pile out of the sheet stacking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ichiro Ichihashi, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 7922163
    Abstract: A pressing unit presses vicinity of a trailing edge of a stack of sheets stacked in a tray. An aligning unit aligns the stack of sheets stacked in the tray. A stapling unit binds the stack of sheets aligned by the aligning unit. A discharging unit discharges the stack of sheets bound by the stapling unit. A control unit controls the pressing unit to keep a constant distance from a surface of a top sheet of the stack of sheets when the discharging unit discharging the stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Ichihashi, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 7905473
    Abstract: A pressing unit includes a pressure roller that slides on the folded side while rotating, an elastic biasing unit that presses the pressure roller in a thickness direction of the stack of sheets, and a driving unit that slides the pressure roller in a direction substantially perpendicular to a conveying direction of the stack of sheets. A lifting unit, when the pressure roller slides to a first position, temporarily lifts up the pressure roller, and when lifted-up pressure roller slides to a second position, lifts the lifted-up pressure roller down onto the folded side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Junichi Tokita, Takashi Saito, Hitoshi Hattori, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 7896341
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes entrance rollers and registration rollers. The entrance rollers convey a sheet received from delivery rollers to the registration rollers. The registration rollers correct skew of the sheet. A conveying path between the delivery rollers and the registration rollers is equal to or slightly longer than a length of a sheet in a maximum allowable size for skew correction in a conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed on the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Masahiro Tamura, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Ichiro Ichihashi, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 7893648
    Abstract: A stepping motor driving device drives a stepping motor according to a drive pulse of a step signal. A phase matching unit matches, at a time when there is a possibility that a rotor and a phase signal are out of phase with each other, phases of the rotor and the phase signal by applying at least one drive pulse after energizing the stepping motor for a predetermined time and applying a phase signal having a predetermined duration for a final pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomoichi Nomura, Hiroshi Maeda, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Akira Kunieda, Makoto Hidaka, Ichiro Ichihashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Tokita
  • Patent number: 7822378
    Abstract: A sheet finisher for performing preselected processing with a sheet or a sheet stack conveyed thereto of the present invention includes a cutter unit configured to cut the sheet or the sheet stack in a direction perpendicular to a direction of sheet conveyance. A guide member is positioned upstream of the cutter unit in the direction of sheet conveyance for guiding the sheet or the sheet stack being conveyed. A moving device moves the guide member in a direction parallel to the direction of sheet conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hiromoto Saitoh, Shuuya Nagasako, Junichi Iida, Hiroki Okada, Akihito Andoh, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Tokita
  • Patent number: 7802789
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveying unit that conveys a sheet in a sheet conveying direction; a measuring unit that measures a position of a side edge of the sheet in a measurement area; a shielding unit having an end portion that is projected into the measurement area for shielding the sheet; a first determining unit that determines whether the shielding unit is detectable in the measurement area; and a second determining unit that determines whether the measuring unit has been mounted in the sheet conveying device based on a result obtained in the first determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tokita, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Makoto Hidaka, Takashi Saito, Hitoshi Hattori, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 7798480
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking member for temporarily receiving a sheet conveyed thereto and stacking the sheet thereon and a conveyance unit for outputting the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking member therefrom, wherein the conveyance unit includes a sheet output face having a predetermined acute angle with respect to a sheet stacking face of the sheet stacking member and configured to output a stack of sheets by touching a back end of the stack of sheets and pushing the stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Kikkawa, Kenji Yamada, Hiroshi Kubo, Shingo Matsushita, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomoichi Nomura, Hiroshi Maeda, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Makoto Hidaka
  • Patent number: 7798950
    Abstract: A folding unit folds a sheet. A pressing unit presses a folded side of the folded sheet. A driving unit causes the pressing unit to slide in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction. A control unit independently sets number of slides at which the pressing unit is to slide on each of a plurality of sections of the folded side depending on a distance of each of the sections from a reference position, and controls the driving unit so as to slide in each of the sections for the number of slides set for that section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Atsushi Kuriyama, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Takashi Saito, Ichiro Ichihashi
  • Publication number: 20100207314
    Abstract: A sheet processing system includes a sheet processing device that includes a post-processing unit that performs a predetermined post-processing on a sheet member and a sheet supplying device that supplies the sheet member to the sheet processing device. The post-processing unit has two waiting positions including a first position that is a normal waiting position and a second position that is a position filling items to be used in the post-processing in the post-processing unit. When the post-processing unit moves from the second position to a post-processing position to perform the post-processing in response to a post-processing request, the sheet supplying device sets a supply time for supplying the sheet member to the sheet processing device longer than a time that is required for the sheet processing device to move from the first position to the post-processing position by a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Masahiro Tamura, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Atsushi Kuriyama, Akira Kunieda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Takashi Saito, Junichi Tokita, Naoyuki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7762170
    Abstract: A perforator configured to perforate a sheet includes a first frame and a blade. The first frame includes a first main face having a first hole, and is provided under a transport path of the sheet. The blade is moved into the first hole to perforate the sheet transported in the transport path. A bending strength of the first main face in a vertical direction with respect to the transport path of the sheet is smaller than a bending strength of the first main face in a parallel direction with respect to the transport path of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh, Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Hiromoto Saitoh, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Iida, Junichi Tokita, Shingo Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7744076
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus is configured so as to be capable of preventing the misalignment of the end edge of sheets to be scooped and transported from an intermediate tray, and reliably preventing the so-called displacement of end edges in the post-processing steps of sheets as a recording medium with an image formed thereon, and thereby preventing the inferior appearance during binding. A sheet folding apparatus enables a user to easily adjust the misalignment of the fold line of sheets that occurs during actual use, in the middle folding processing steps of sheets as a recording medium with an image formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Kenji Yamada, Hiromoto Saitoh, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Iida, Junichi Tokita, Shingo Matsushita, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako
  • Patent number: 7742716
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming mechanism configured to form an image on a sheet of a transfer material; a post-processor configured to perform post-processing on a plurality of sheets of transfer materials, respectively, there being on at least one of which a respective image has been formed by the image forming mechanism; a transporter to transport the sheets through the post-processor along one or more transport paths; and a controller operable to do the following including, determine a first stopping condition of whether the number of sheets exceeds a reference number, and detect a second stopping condition of whether a cumulative thickness of the sheets loaded in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness, and stop further image formation by the image forming mechanism when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Iida, Junichi Tokita, Shingo Matsushita, Kenji Yamada, Hiroshi Kubo, Naohiro Kikkawa
  • Publication number: 20100148417
    Abstract: A sheet aligning apparatus includes an alignment surface formed in a planar shape and that presses an end of a sheet to move and align the sheet; and a holding unit that holds the end of the sheet at a position contacting the alignment surface in a state that a curled end of the sheet contacts the alignment surface and the sheet is thus pressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Takashi Saito, Akira Kunieda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama, Hiroshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 7681881
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device includes a sheet feeder that discharges a sheet in a first direction, a sheet tray on which the sheet is stacked, a sheet jogger that aligns the sheet on the sheet tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a sheet detection filler that detects a state of the sheet on the sheet tray. The sheet detection filler detects a position of a topmost sheet in the stack of sheets on the sheet tray and determines an alignment position from where the sheet jogger is to begin alignment of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Masahiro Tamura, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Ichiro Ichihashi, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 7661669
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, an aligning unit, a moving member, a discharging member, and a discharging motor. The discharging motor drives the discharging member for discharging a pile of sheets in an operation pattern that is selected, depending on a predetermined condition, from among a plurality of operation patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ichiro Ichihashi, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura
  • Publication number: 20090283961
    Abstract: A sheet stacking unit that stacks sheets thereon is movable up and down. A lifting unit moves the sheet stacking unit up and down. A driving unit drives the lifting unit. A control unit controls a driving speed of the driving unit. A position detecting unit detects a position of the sheet stacking unit in an up-and-down direction. The control unit controls the driving speed according to the position of the sheet stacking unit detected by the position detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Takashi SAITO, Masahiro TAMURA, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Naohiro KIKKAWA, Kazuhiro KOBAYASHI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Hitoshi HATTORI, Junichi TOKITA, Akira KUNIEDA, Ichiro ICHIHASHI, Hiroshi MAEDA, Atsushi KURIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20090258774
    Abstract: In a sheet creaser, a sheet set is pushed between a pair of folding rollers to fold the sheet set. Then, a re-pressing roller re-presses the sheet set, which has been folded by the folding rollers, by rolling along the crease. Pressure applied on the sheet set by the folding rollers is released when the re-pressing roller re-presses the sheet set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Takashi Saito, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20090206547
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveying unit that conveys a sheet in a sheet conveying direction; a measuring unit that measures a position of a side edge of the sheet in a measurement area; a shielding unit having an end portion that is projected into the measurement area for shielding the sheet; a first determining unit that determines whether the shielding unit is detectable in the measurement area; and a second determining unit that determines whether the measuring unit has been mounted in the sheet conveying device based on a result obtained in the first determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Junichi Tokita, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Makoto Hidaka, Takashi Saito, Hitoshi Hattori, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama
  • Publication number: 20090200725
    Abstract: A pressing unit includes a pressure roller that slides on the folded side while rotating, an elastic biasing unit that presses the pressure roller in a thickness direction of the stack of sheets, and a driving unit that slides the pressure roller in a direction substantially perpendicular to a conveying direction of the stack of sheets. A lifting unit, when the pressure roller slides to a first position, temporarily lifts up the pressure roller, and when lifted-up pressure roller slides to a second position, lifts the lifted-up pressure roller down onto the folded side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Junichi Tokita, Takashi Saito, Hitoshi Hattori, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama