Patents by Inventor Kaoru Shoji

Kaoru Shoji 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: 10144599
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container to accommodate a recording medium, a sheet feeding body to press a surface of the recording medium in the sheet container and feed the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction, a pair of sheet position regulators to regulate a position of the recording medium in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, and a load applier to contact the surface of the recording medium and apply a load to the recording medium at the surface. The recording medium is brought to move toward one of the pair of sheet position regulators while the recording medium is being fed. A lower face position in a standby state of the sheet feeding body is lower than a lower face position in a standby state of the load applier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Wakabayashi, Kaoru Shoji, Masashi Sato, Shohei Shinkawa, Tetsutaro Oishi, Rie Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 9701499
    Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes an attraction body disposed facing a bundle of sheets, a charger to charge the attraction body to electrostatically attract an uppermost sheet of the bundle of sheets to the attraction body, a liquid supplier to supply a liquid to dissolve discharge products to the attraction body, and a liquid remover to remove the liquid from the attraction body. Further, a method of removing discharge products includes counting the number of sheets fed from a sheet container, determining that the number of sheets reaches a predetermined threshold value, confirming that a current time falls within a predetermined period of time or receiving a turn off signal to turn off a power supply, removing the discharge products from a surface of an attraction body, and resetting the number of sheets or further turning off the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Shoji, Manabu Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20170185025
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container to accommodate a recording medium, a sheet feeding body to press a surface of the recording medium in the sheet container and feed the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction, a pair of sheet position regulators to regulate a position of the recording medium in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, and a load applier to contact the surface of the recording medium and apply a load to the recording medium at the surface. The recording medium is brought to move toward one of the pair of sheet position regulators while the recording medium is being fed. A lower face position in a standby state of the sheet feeding body is lower than a lower face position in a standby state of the load applier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: YU WAKABAYASHI, Kaoru Shoji, Masashi Sato, Shohei Shinkawa, Tetsutaro Oishi, Rie Ohtsuka
  • Publication number: 20160272444
    Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes an attraction body disposed facing a bundle of sheets, a charger to charge the attraction body to electrostatically attract an uppermost sheet of the bundle of sheets to the attraction body, a liquid supplier to supply a liquid to dissolve discharge products to the attraction body, and a liquid remover to remove the liquid from the attraction body. Further, a method of removing discharge products includes counting the number of sheets fed from a sheet container, determining that the number of sheets reaches a predetermined threshold value, confirming that a current time falls within a predetermined period of time or receiving a turn off signal to turn off a power supply, removing the discharge products from a surface of an attraction body, and resetting the number of sheets or further turning off the power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru SHOJI, Manabu NONAKA
  • Patent number: 6025858
    Abstract: A recording head includes a recording element having a plurality of light-emitting elements, a first substrate on which the recording element is mounted, a driving unit for driving the recording element, a second substrate on which the driving unit is mounted, and bonding wires. The recording element has bonding pads, and the second substrate has through holes. The bonding wires connect the bonding pads and the inner surfaces of the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Canon Component Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tanioka, Kaoru Shoji, Seiji Kakimoto, Toshihiko Ohtsubo, Mitsuru Amimoto, Mitsuo Shiraishi, Nobuhiko Watanabe