Patents by Inventor Katsuo Sakai
Katsuo Sakai 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: 6947691Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2004Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh, Takeshi Takemoto, Katsuo Sakai, Masanori Horike
-
Publication number: 20050175377Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device comprises a latent image supporter, wherein powder is adhered on the latent image supporter to develop a latent image on the latent image supporter; a transporting member arranged opposite to the latent image supporter; and a plurality of electrodes formed in the transporting member for generating a traveling-wave electric field to move the powder, wherein n-phase voltages are applied to the electrodes of the transporting member to form an electric field in a first direction so that the powder moves towards the latent image supporter at an image portion of the latent image and in a second direction so that the powder moves in a direction opposite to the latent image supporter at a non-image portion of the latent image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2005Publication date: August 11, 2005Inventors: Katsuo Sakai, Masanori Horike, Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh
-
Publication number: 20050158073Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that is able to improve transfer efficiency and image quality. The image forming apparatus includes an organic photo-conductor with latent images formed thereon, and a developing unit for developing the latent images. The organic photo-conductor has surface friction coefficient less than or equal to 0.3. The developing unit develops the latent images while transporting a two-composition developing agent including a toner T and a carrier C by a traveling wave electric field.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2004Publication date: July 21, 2005Inventors: Yasushi Nakazato, Masanori Horike, Yohichiroh Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh, Katsuo Sakai
-
Patent number: 6901231Abstract: A developing device including a latent image supporter. Powder is adhered on the latent image supporter to develop a latent image on the latent image supporter and a transporting member is arranged opposite to the latent image supporter. A plurality of electrodes are formed in the transporting member for generating a traveling-wave electric field to move the powder, and n-phase voltages are applied to the electrodes of the transporting member to form an electric field in a first direction so that the powder moves towards the latent image supporter at an image portion of the latent image and in a second direction so that the powder moves in a direction opposite to the latent image supporter at a non-image portion of the latent image.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2003Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Katsuo Sakai, Masanori Horike, Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh
-
Publication number: 20050025525Abstract: An image-forming device that is capable of minimizing toner charge deficiency while feeding an adequate amount of toner to an electrostatic toner transport substrate for transporting toner by an EH effect, having a first storage chamber for storing a mixture of toner and a friction-promoting substance; a second storage chamber; a first transport screw for stirring the mixture in the containers; a second transport screw; and a mesh provided to the first storage chamber; wherein a toner feeding unit is provided for sifting the toner in the mixture in the first storage chamber through the mesh and feeding the toner to a first electrostatic toner transport substrate (not pictured). A potential difference generator is also provided for creating an electrical potential difference between the first transport screw and the mesh, and between the mesh and the first electrostatic toner transport substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2004Publication date: February 3, 2005Inventors: Masanori Horike, Yoichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh, Katsuo Sakai
-
Publication number: 20040255854Abstract: It is an object to provide a cleaning method in a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 which is adhered to and deposited on the surfaces of an inner wall, an electrode and the like in a reaction chamber and the side wall of a piping of an exhaust path or the like at a film forming step, in which the amount of a cleaning gas to be discharged is very small, an influence on an environment such as global warming can also be lessened and a cost can also be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2004Publication date: December 23, 2004Inventors: Katsuo Sakai, Seiji Okura, Masaji Sakamura, Kaoru Abe, Hitoshi Murata, Etsuo Wani, Kenji Kameda, Yuki Mitsui, Yutada Ohira, Taisuke Yonemura, Akira Sekiya
-
Publication number: 20040250775Abstract: It is an object to provide a cleaning method in a CVD apparatus capable of efficiently removing a by-product such as SiO2 or Si3N4 which is adhered to and deposited on the surfaces of an inner wall, an electrode and the like in a reaction chamber at a film forming step, in which the amount of a cleaning gas to be discharged is very small, an influence on an environment such as global warming is also lessened and a cost can also be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2004Publication date: December 16, 2004Inventors: Katsuo Sakai, Seiji Okura, Masaji Sakamura, Kaoru Abe, Hitoshi Murata, Etsuo Wani, Kenji Kameda, Yuki Mitsui, Yutaka Ohira, Taisuke Yonemura, Akira Sekiya
-
Publication number: 20040240907Abstract: A toner supply device for preventing adverse influence caused by a charging failure of toner without scattering toner and generating ozone due to corona discharge and realizing low potential development according to an ETH phenomenon. The toner supply device is provided with the specific electrostatic toner transport substrate on which a plurality electrodes are disposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Inventors: Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Masanori Horike, Nobuaki Kondoh, Katsuo Sakai
-
Publication number: 20040156655Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2004Publication date: August 12, 2004Inventors: Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh, Takeshi Takemoto, Katsuo Sakai, Masanori Horike
-
Patent number: 6708014Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2002Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh, Takeshi Takemoto, Katsuo Sakai, Masanori Horike
-
Patent number: 6597884Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus of the present invention deposits charged toner on a latent image formed on a photoconductive drum or similar image carrier to thereby produce a corresponding toner image. The apparatus includes a toner flying device for electrostatically conveying the toner along the conveying surface of a conveyance board to one end of the conveyance board. The toner is caused to fly toward the image carrier from the end of the conveyance board.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohichiroh Miyaguchi, Takeshi Takemoto, Hiroyuki Okamoto, Chikara Imai, Katsuo Sakai, Nobuaki Kondou, Tsukuru Kai, Makoto Obu
-
Patent number: 6597887Abstract: In a duplex image transferring device of the present invention, a first bicolor toner image formed by a developing liquid is transferred to one side of a sheet. This toner image on the sheet includes a carrier liquid layer containing a liquid carrier of an amount not great enough to serve as an electrophoresis medium for a toner layer deposited on the sheet, but sufficient to serve as a parting agent for the toner layer and an intermediate image transfer belt contacting the toner image. Subsequently, a bicolor toner image of the same polarity as the toner layer is transferred to the other side of the sheet. It is possible to transfer the toner images to both sides of the sheet without switching back the one-sided sheet, without using two kinds of toner each being chargeable to particular polarity or without charging one toner image to the opposite polarity with a corona charger.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Katsuo Sakai, Shunuchi Abe, Yuichi Aoyama
-
Publication number: 20020131795Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2002Publication date: September 19, 2002Inventors: Yohichiro Miyaguchi, Nobuaki Kondoh, Takeshi Takemoto, Katsuo Sakai, Masanori Horike
-
Patent number: 6398345Abstract: An air flow is generated in a space adjacent to the toner control member 3, when an image is not being formed, and also a cleaning electric field for moving the toner away from the toner control member 3 is generated in the same space. For instance, a slit 2a is formed in an outer peripheral section of a cylindrical and rotatable counter electrode member 2, and an air flow generating source 10 such as a fan is connected to the counter electrode member 2. A convex cleaning electrode 11 is formed around the slit 2a of the counter electrode member 2, and a voltage for forming a cleaning electric field is applied from the power supply source for cleaning 8 to this cleaning electrode 11.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Assignees: Ricoh Co., Ltd., Array Printers ABInventors: Katsuo Sakai, Takahiko Tokumasu, Kiyoshi Ohshima, Osamu Endo, Per Klockar, Minoru Suzuki, Kiyotaka Ota
-
Publication number: 20020064403Abstract: In a duplex image transferring device of the present invention, a first bicolor toner image formed by a developing liquid is transferred to one side of a sheet. This toner image on the sheet includes a carrier liquid layer containing a liquid carrier of an amount not great enough to serve as an electrophoresis medium for a toner layer deposited on the sheet, but sufficient to serve as a parting agent for the toner layer and an intermediate image transfer belt contacting the toner image. Subsequently, a bicolor toner image of the same polarity as the toner layer is transferred to the other side of the sheet. It is possible to transfer the toner images to both sides of the sheet without switching back the one-sided sheet, without using two kinds of toner each being chargeable to particular polarity or without charging one toner image to the opposite polarity with a corona charger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2001Publication date: May 30, 2002Inventors: Katsuo Sakai, Shunichi Abe, Yuichi Aoyama
-
Publication number: 20020037182Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus of the present invention deposits charged toner on a latent image formed on a photoconductive drum or similar image carrier to thereby produce a corresponding toner image. The apparatus includes a toner flying device for electrostatically conveying the toner along the conveying surface of a conveyance board to one end of the conveyance board. The toner is caused to fly toward the image carrier from the end of the conveyance board.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2001Publication date: March 28, 2002Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohichiroh Miyaguchi, Takeshi Takemoto, Hiroyuki Okamoto, Chikara Imai, Katsuo Sakai, Nobuaki Kondou, Tsukuru Kai, Makoto Obu
-
Patent number: 5955228Abstract: A method of forming a powder image on a recording medium and an apparatus therefor are disclosed. The apparatus includes a toner carrier for carrying powdery toner in a layer or layers thereon, a counter electrode, and a flight control member having independent or continuous extremely small holes and a plurality of control electrodes for controlling the passage of toner through the holes. A voltage is applied to the control electrodes in accordance with an image signal in order to cause the toner to fly from the toner carrier toward the counter electrode via the holes. The toner deposits on the recording medium intervening between the flight control member and the counter electrode, forming an image on the recording medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1997Date of Patent: September 21, 1999Assignee: Ricoh Company, LtdInventors: Katsuo Sakai, Takahiko Tokumasu, Osamu Endo, Masami Kadonaga
-
Patent number: 5204716Abstract: An image recording apparatus capable of forming an image freely on the front side and the back side of a paper sheet and applicable to a laser printer, digital copier, etc. A toner image is formed on either one or both of a photoconductive element and an intermediate transfer body in the form of a belt and transferred to the adjoining side of a paper sheet. The paper sheet carrying a toner image on one or both sides thereof is fixed when passed through a fixing section only once.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1991Date of Patent: April 20, 1993Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Nobuo Kasahara, Katsuo Sakai
-
Patent number: 5121170Abstract: A device for use in electrostatographic image recording equipment for retaining and transporting a paper sheet, document or similar sheet member. A transporting member is implemented as an endless belt. An AC voltage is applied to the belt to form a charge density pattern on the surface of the belt, while the charge density pattern sets up a non-uniform electric field in close proximity to the surface of the belt. The non-uniform electric field urges the sheet member against the belt and thereby allows it to be surely transported by the belt to a predetermined position without being dislocated.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 1991Date of Patent: June 9, 1992Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kazunori Bannai, Noriyuki Kimura, Hideya Furuta, Kenichi Mizuma, Katsuo Sakai, Kazusige Taguchi, Mitsuru Mamizuka, Yoshihiro Sakai
-
Patent number: 4933727Abstract: A color recording apparatus has an electric charge carrier which is circulatingly movable, an electrostatic latent image forming unit for forming a latent image which corresponds to an original image on the carrier, a development unit for developing the latent image; a transfer unit for transferring the developed image formed on the carrier to a record paper in a transfer process, a conveyor for conveying the record paper forward and backward with respect to the transfer unit, and a control unit which repeats control operations for controlling the latent image forming unit to form a latent image on the carrier, for controlling the development unit to develop the latent image, for controlling the conveyor to convey the record paper forward, for controlling the transfer unit to transfer the developed image to the record paper, and for controlling the conveyor to convey the record paper backward at least for one time.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1989Date of Patent: June 12, 1990Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Mizuma, Yutaka Koizumi, Hideya Furuta, Mitsuru Mamizuka, Katsuo Sakai, Yoshihiro Sakai, Noriyuki Kimura, Kazunori Bannai, Kazushige Taguchi