Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Umemura

Kazuhiko Umemura 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).

  • Publication number: 20190249020
    Abstract: An ink comprises a pigment, a quinacridone derivative represented by the following Chemical formula 1. where R1, R2, R3, and R4 each, independently represent hydrogen atoms, halogen atoms, or alkyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. R5 and R6 each, independently represent alkyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and m and n each, independently represent 0, 1, or 2, excluding a case where both m and n are simultaneously 0, and a solvent A having an SP value of from 9.0 to 11.0, wherein the proportion of the solvent A in the ink is less than 10 percent by mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Akihiko MATSUYAMA, Yuuki Yokohama, Amika Sagara, Masaki Kudo, Kazuhiko Umemura, Yukihiro Imanaga, Mayumi Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 10328722
    Abstract: An image forming method is provided. The method includes the steps of: applying a liquid composition, comprising a pigment, water, a resin, and an organic solvent, to a recording medium having water-absorptivity to form an image thereon; and winding up the recording medium in a roll form after the applying, wherein the following formulae are satisfied: 1.00×10?3?A?4.00×10?1 0.010?B/A?0.100 where B (mg/cm2) represents an amount of the organic solvent contained in the image after the winding and A (mg/cm2) represents a total amount of the organic solvent contained in the image and the recording medium after the winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Katoh, Hiroshi Gotou, Masayasu Nonogaki, Kazuhiko Umemura, Masaki Kudo
  • Publication number: 20190185690
    Abstract: An ink includes at least one polyether-modified siloxane compound, and at least one aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide compound. The mass ratio of the polyether-modified siloxane compound to the aliphatic alcohol alkylene oxide compound in the ink is from 95/5 to 50/50.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Kazuhiko UMEMURA, Yuuki YOKOHAMA, Akihiko MATSUYAMA, Amika SAGARA, Masaki KUDO, Mayumi YOSHIHARA, Kento SUGITA
  • Publication number: 20180339525
    Abstract: An image forming method is provided. The method includes the steps of: applying a liquid composition, comprising a pigment, water, a resin, and an organic solvent, to a recording medium having water-absorptivity to form an image thereon; and winding up the recording medium in a roll form after the applying, wherein the following formulae are satisfied: 1.00×10?3?A?4.00×10?1 0.010?B/A?0.100 where B (mg/cm2) represents an amount of the organic solvent contained in the image after the winding and A (mg/cm2) represents a total amount of the organic solvent contained in the image and the recording medium after the winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Keita KATOH, Hiroshi Gotou, Masayasu Nonogaki, Kazuhiko Umemura, Masaki Kudo
  • Publication number: 20170107389
    Abstract: Ink includes water, a pigment, an organic solvent including glycol ether, and a surfactant including a silicone-based surfactant and a salt of sulfo succinic acid dialkyl ester. As measured by maximum bubble pressure technique at 23 degrees C., the dynamic surface tension of the ink at 15 msec is not greater than 31 mN/m and the difference between the dynamic surface tension of the ink at 15 msec and the dynamic surface tension of the ink at 1,500 msec is not greater than 4.0 mN/m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhiko UMEMURA, Hiroyuki FUSHIMI, Yoshihiro MORIYA, Tamotsu ARUGA
  • Patent number: 8195070
    Abstract: A toner bottle includes: a bottle main part to contain toner therein and having a rotational axis; an outlet at an end of the bottle main part; a spiral raised ridge in an inner wall of the bottle main part and arranged to deliver the toner contained in the bottle main part to the outlet by rotation of the bottle main part around the rotational axis; a plurality of toner guiding portions on a side of the spiral raised ridge adjacent to the outlet and arranged to move the toner to the outlet beyond the spiral raised ridge; and a gear adjacent to the outlet to rotate the bottle main part around the rotational axis. The bottle main part has a diameter larger than a diameter of the outlet, and the gear is formed integrally with the bottle main part between the outlet and the plurality of toner guiding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Publication number: 20110249991
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for use with a toner container which dispenses toner to the image forming apparatus, depending on an angular position of a rotatable cap of the toner container. The rotatable cap has a handle attached thereto. There is a toner container holder to support the toner container which permits the cap of the toner container to rotate. The image forming apparatus has a cover to selectively cover and uncover the toner container. There is also a device which moves with movement of the cover which interacts with the handle of the toner container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 8005406
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for use with a toner container which dispenses toner to the image forming apparatus, depending on an angular position of a rotatable cap of the toner container. The rotatable cap has a handle attached thereto. There is a toner container holder to support the toner container which permits the cap of the toner container to rotate. The image forming apparatus has a cover to selectively cover and uncover the toner container. There is also a device which moves with movement of the cover which interacts with the handle of the toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Publication number: 20110026973
    Abstract: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is provided adjacent to the outlet and has a small-diameter portion an inside diameter of which is smaller than a diameter of the container main part wherein, when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the input unit is engaged with a drive motor of the image forming apparatus to receive a rotating force of the drive motor. A developer guiding unit causes the developer inside the developer container to be moved to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion of the input unit by rotation of the developer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 7835673
    Abstract: A method of installing a toner container and a container. The container includes a body for storing toner, a handle attached to an end of the container, an opening for discharging the toner to an image forming device, and a shutter which selectively opens and closes the opening due to rotation of the handle. There is a gear which protrudes through the end of the container, and rotation of the gear causes toner in the body to be moved from the body of the container into the end of the container and subsequently out through the opening of the end of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 7749674
    Abstract: A toner including toner particles including a binder resin, a colorant, and an inorganic particulate material present on a surface of the toner particles. The toner particles have a surface roughness (Ra) of from 1 to 30 nm, a standard deviation of the surface roughness of from 10 to 90 nm and include 1 to 20 convexities per 1 ?m, which have a height not less than 10 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Kazuhiko Umemura, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinya Nakayama, Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Utsumi
  • Patent number: 7697870
    Abstract: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is provided adjacent to the outlet and has a small-diameter portion an inside diameter of which is smaller than a diameter of the container main part wherein, when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the input unit is engaged with a drive motor of the image forming apparatus to receive a rotating force of the drive motor. A developer guiding unit causes the developer inside the developer container to be moved to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion of the input unit by rotation of the developer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 7611815
    Abstract: An external additive for a toner for electrophotography which contains oxide fine particles which contain silicon, in which the oxide fine particles have a primary particle diameter of 30 nm to 300 nm in number average, a standard deviation ? of a particle size distribution of the primary particle diameter satisfies a relation of: R/4???R, in which the R expresses the primary particle diameter, the oxide fine particles are substantially spherical having a circularity SF1 defined as equation (1) of 100 to 130 and a circularity SF2 defined as equation (2) of 100 to 125; SF1=(L2/A)×(?/4)×100??equation (1) SF2=(P2/A)×(1/4?)×100??equation (2), in the equations, “L” expresses the absolute maximum length of the oxide fine particles; “A” expresses a projected area of the oxide fine particles; and “P” expresses a maximum perimeter of the oxide fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Kazuhiko Umemura, Shinya Nakayama, Yasuo Asahina
  • Publication number: 20090175660
    Abstract: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is provided adjacent to the outlet and has a small-diameter portion an inside diameter of which is smaller than a diameter of the container main part wherein, when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the input unit is engaged with a drive motor of the image forming apparatus to receive a rotating force of the drive motor. A developer guiding unit causes the developer inside the developer container to be moved to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion of the input unit by rotation of the developer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroshi HOSOKAWA, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 7519317
    Abstract: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises a rotation unit which is rotatable to the developer container main part and having an outlet to discharge developer from the developer container, a shutter provided on the rotation unit to open and close the outlet by rotation of the rotation unit, and an engagement unit provided on the periphery side portion of the rotation unit in order to prevent rotation of the rotation unit when attached to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 7480476
    Abstract: A toner bottle has a main body, an opening, a gear, and an intermediate area. The main body includes a guide used to guide the toner. The intermediate area is located between the main body and the opening. Both the main body and the intermediate area include a guide for guiding toner. An angle of the guide of the main body relative to the axis of rotation of the toner bottle is larger than an angle of the guide of the intermediate area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Publication number: 20080286013
    Abstract: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is provided adjacent to the outlet and has a small-diameter portion an inside diameter of which is smaller than a diameter of the container main part wherein, when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the input unit is engaged with a drive motor of the image forming apparatus to receive a rotating force of the drive motor. A developer guiding unit causes the developer inside the developer container to be moved to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion of the input unit by rotation of the developer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura
  • Patent number: 7413838
    Abstract: An external additives for electrophtographic toner comprising finely divided oxide particulate including a silicon compound and a compound for doping said oxide particulate, wherein particle diameter of the primary particle of said finely divided oxide particulate is in the range of 30 nm to 150 nm, and the primary particle of said finely divided oxide particles is substantially spherical shape having the roundness in the range of 0.95 to 0.996, is provided. And this external additives is capable of evading from the embedding of external additives into toner even if after the toner is held in the storage under the condition of high temperature and high humidity, thereby the additives is capable of showing sufficient functions as fluidizing agent and charge supplement agent, and is capable of inhibiting an abnormal charge elevation even after being stored under the low temperature and low humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: RICOH Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sugiura, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Kazuhiko Umemura
  • Patent number: 7398038
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a process cartridge including a developing device that includes a developer carrier and a toner storing portion storing toner for replenishment. The developer carrier conveys a developer deposited thereon to a developing zone where the developer carrier faces and image carrier. The developing device feeds the toner from the toner storing portion to the developer carrier or the developer deposited on the developer carrier. A toner container stores toner to be replenished to said the storing section. The process cartridge and toner container each are removably mounted to the apparatus independently of each other. A toner conveying device configured to convey the toner from toner container to toner storing portion by using the weight of the toner is mounted on the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyonori Tsuda, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Masanori Kawasumi, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Yuji Arai
  • Patent number: 7321744
    Abstract: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is provided adjacent to the outlet and has a small-diameter portion an inside diameter of which is smaller than a diameter of the container main part wherein, when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the input unit is engaged with a drive motor of the image forming apparatus to receive a rotating force of the drive motor. A developer guiding unit causes the developer inside the developer container to be moved to the outlet beyond the small-diameter portion of the input unit by rotation of the developer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Narumi, Ryuta Takeichi, Yuji Arai, Masanori Kawasumi, Kazuhiko Umemura, Hiroshi Ishii, Yutaka Fukuchi, Kazuki Suzuki, Yuusuke Noguchi, Kazuosa Kuma, Makoto Kikura