Patents by Inventor Kenichi Takehara
Kenichi Takehara 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).
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Publication number: 20120070180Abstract: A cooling device to cool an apparatus includes a heat receiver to receive heat from a hot portion of the apparatus using a coolant while contacting the hot portion, a heat releaser to cool the heat-received coolant to release the heat from the hot portion to outside the apparatus, the heat releaser having a variable-speed fan of multiple operation speed modes including an off mode, a coolant circulation system through which the coolant is circulated between the heat receiver and the heat releaser, a variable-speed pump to move the coolant through the coolant circulation system, whose operation speed modes include an off mode and relate to a coolant flow rate of the pump, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature in the hot portion, and a controller to control the operation modes of the fan and the pump in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Inventors: Yasuaki IIJIMA, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Keisuke Ikeda, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
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Publication number: 20120061057Abstract: A liquid-cooling-type cooling device includes a circulatory path for coolant that cools a temperature rise portion; a heat absorbing unit that absorbs a heat from the temperature rise portion by the coolant; a heat radiating unit that radiate the heat from the coolant; a pump that circulates the coolant; and a plurality of liquid-contacting metal portions that comes into contact with the coolant, each of the liquid-contacting metal portions being made of a metal material. At least one of the liquid-contacting metal portions is grounded.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Satoshi Okano, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Keisuke Ikeda
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Patent number: 8068759Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image carrier and a development device, a transfer unit to transfer an image formed on the image carrier onto a sheet, a fixing device to fix the image on the sheet, a sheet transport unit, a sheet stack portion, an air duct, and a first liquid-cooling device. The first liquid-cooling device includes a first heat receiving member disposed in thermal contact with a first heated portion, a first heat releaser, a first circulation pipe connecting the first heat receiving member and the first heat releaser to circulate a coolant therebetween, a first transport member to transport the coolant through the first circulation pipe, and an airflow generator to generate an airflow with external air to cool the first heat releaser. The air duct guides the air taken in by the airflow generator to a second heated portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2009Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company LimitedInventors: Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Takayuki Nishimura, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Masanori Saitoh
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Patent number: 8036564Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a main body, a cooling device, and a coupling assembly. The cooling device cools a cooling target such as a heat generator, and includes a heat-receiving section forming a heat-receiving-section channel through which a coolant flows to absorb heat from the cooling target, a cooling section to cool the coolant, and a circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section, cooling the coolant at the heat-receiving section, and transporting the coolant back to the heat-receiving section. The cooling target is detachable from the main body together with the heat-receiving section. The cooling section is provided at the main body. The coupling assembly connects the heat-receiving-section channel and the circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section whether with the cooling target installed in or detached from the main body.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2009Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company LimitedInventor: Kenichi Takehara
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Publication number: 20110188880Abstract: Of a cooling device that is for use in an image forming apparatus and that includes: a heat receiving unit that receives heat from a cooling target and that is disposed to come into and away from contact with the cooling target; a heat radiating unit that radiates the heat received by the heat receiving unit; a heat conductive member disposed on at least one of a surface of the heat receiving unit on the side facing the cooling target and a surface of the cooling target on the side facing the heat receiving unit; and a protection member that is disposed on the heat conductive member to protect the heat conductive member, the protection member is substantially incompatible with binder resin of toner for use in the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Shingo Suzuki, Satoshi Okano, Masanori Saitoh, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Keisuke Ikeda, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
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Publication number: 20110170895Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that creates an image and a liquid cooling unit. The liquid cooling unit includes a heat receiving disposed in contact with a temperature rising portion, in the image forming unit, in which a temperature rises due to an image forming operation by the image forming unit, a heat radiating unit that radiates heat of a cooling liquid, a flow passage forming member that allows the cooling liquid to circulate between the heat receiving unit and the heat radiating unit, and a conveying unit that conveys the cooling liquid through the flow passage forming member. The heat radiating unit includes a radiator, and the radiator is disposed at a downstream side of the conveying unit in a cooling liquid flow direction and at an upstream side of the heat receiving unit in the cooling liquid flow direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Hiromitsu Fujiya, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Keisuke Yuasa, Satoshi Okano, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Tomoyasu Hirasawa
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Publication number: 20110164896Abstract: A cooling device includes a heat receiving unit disposed to contact a surface of a temperature-increasing part the temperature of which increases during an image forming process; a radiation unit transferring heat from a cooling liquid; a tube for circulating the cooling liquid between the heat receiving unit and the radiation unit in a liquid circulation direction; a conveying unit conveying the cooling liquid through the tube; a coupling having an internal flow path and including a first end to which a first part of the tube is connected and a second end to which a second part of the tube is connected; and an outlet for draining the cooling liquid from the tube. At least one of the first part of the tube and the second part of the tube extends to a position lower than the position of the coupling.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2010Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Satoshi Okano, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
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Publication number: 20110052249Abstract: Disclosed is a cooling device that includes a cooling part that is movably provided between a first position and a second position different from the first position with respect to an image forming apparatus main body and cools a periphery thereof with a cooling medium to be supplied; a cooling medium supply part that is provided in the image forming apparatus main body and cools and supplies the cooling medium to the cooling part; and a connecting member that connects the cooling part to the cooling medium supply part to circulate the cooling medium between the cooling part and the cooling medium supply part; wherein the connecting member is configured to include a flexible member and spirally provided with a moving direction of the cooling part as an axis center.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Yasuaki IIJIMA, Kenichi Takehara, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Takayuki Nishimura, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki
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Publication number: 20110052248Abstract: A cooling device is disclosed. The cooling device includes a cooling section which is moveably provided with respect to an image forming device body between a first location and a second location, the second location being different from the first location, and which cools surroundings with a cooling medium to be supplied; a cooling medium supply section which is provided at the image forming device body and which cools the cooling medium to supply the cooled cooling medium to the cooling section; and a connecting member which connects the cooling section and the cooling medium supply section to circulate the cooling medium between the cooling section and the cooling medium supply section, wherein the connecting member includes a flexible member and is supported by a guiding member which guides an operation of tracking the connecting member in conjunction with movement of the cooling section.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Takayuki Nishimura, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Masanori Saitoh, Shingo Suzuki, Takahiro Ogino
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Publication number: 20110052247Abstract: A cooling device includes a cooling roller having a dual tube structure including an inner tube disposed inside an outer tube, an outside flow passage and an inside flow passage in which a cooling medium flows, and an opening that allows the outside flow passage to communicate with the inside flow passage, a cooling medium transport unit, and a rotating tube joint unit mounted to one end side of the cooling roller. One end of the outer tube is coaxially rotatably fitted to a first fitting section of the rotating tube joint unit. One end of the inner tube is coaxially fitted into and rotatably or fixedly supported to a second fitting section of the rotating tube joint unit, and the other end is coaxially fitted into and rotatably or fixedly supported to a fitting section on the other end of the outer tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Saitoh, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Takayuki Nishimura, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Keisuke Yuasa
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Publication number: 20110030927Abstract: In a cooling device that includes a cooling roller that comprises a hollow tubular member and a cooling medium transport unit for transporting a cooling liquid to the inside of the cooling roller and contacts a sheet-like member to cool down the paper, a turbulence generating unit that generates turbulence in a cooling liquid is disposed near an inner wall of the outer tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Inventors: Satoshi OKANO, Takayuki NISHIMURA, Kenichi TAKEHARA, Yasuaki IlJIMA, Hiromitsu FUJIYA, Tomoyasu HIRASAWA, Masanori SAITOH, Shingo SUZUKI, Keisuke YUASA, Keisuke IKEDA
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Publication number: 20100244645Abstract: There is provided a frame for holding an electronic device, the frame including an inner member that has a shape of continuous or discontinuous loop, and is made of hollow metal having a closed cross-section; and a plurality of corner reinforcing members that are made of metal and are fixed at positions that cover curved portions of the inner member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Kenichi Takehara, Hideaki Sugata, Makoto Yoshioka, Koji Hanya, Koichi Sato, Tatsuya Sakiyama, Kenji Imai
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Publication number: 20100183323Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a target part to be cooled detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus, a cooling device including a heat receiving part provided to contact the target part to be cooled to receive heat from the target part to be cooled with a cooling medium provided within the heat receiving part, and a contact/separation mechanism to cause the heat receiving part to contact and separate from the target part to be cooled. The contact/separation mechanism includes a pressing unit to press the heat receiving part against the target part to be cooled. A reaction of a pressing force of the heat receiving part applied to the pressing unit when the heat receiving part is pressed against the target part to be cooled is directed onto a predetermined portion of the target part to be cooled.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventors: Hiromitsu Fujiya, Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iljima, Takayuki Nishimura, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Masanori Saitoh
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Publication number: 20100129107Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image carrier and a development device, a transfer unit to transfer an image formed on the image carrier onto a sheet, a fixing device to fix the image on the sheet, a sheet transport unit, a sheet stack portion, an air duct, and a first liquid-cooling device. The first liquid-cooling device includes a first heat receiving member disposed in thermal contact with a first heated portion, a first heat releaser, a first circulation pipe connecting the first heat receiving member and the first heat releaser to circulate a coolant therebetween, a first transport member to transport the coolant through the first circulation pipe, and an airflow generator to generate an airflow with external air to cool the first heat releaser. The air duct guides the air taken in by the airflow generator to a second heated portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Inventors: Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Hiromitsu Fujiya, Takayuki Nishimura, Satoshi Okano, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Shingo Suzuki, Masanori Saitoh
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Publication number: 20090269099Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a main body, a cooling device, and a coupling assembly. The cooling device cools a cooling target such as a heat generator, and includes a heat-receiving section forming a heat-receiving-section channel through which a coolant flows to absorb heat from the cooling target, a cooling section to cool the coolant, and a circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section, cooling the coolant at the heat-receiving section, and transporting the coolant back to the heat-receiving section. The cooling target is detachable from the main body together with the heat-receiving section. The cooling section is provided at the main body. The coupling assembly connects the heat-receiving-section channel and the circulation path to circulate the coolant between the heat-receiving section and the cooling section whether with the cooling target installed in or detached from the main body.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventor: Kenichi TAKEHARA
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Patent number: 7400842Abstract: Heat exhaust holes are provided in a unit frame at positions just above respective imaging units. An exhaust fan causes air heated at developing elements to be exhausted outside an apparatus via heat exhaust ducts and a common duct. The heat exhaust holes are formed in different sizes depending on a position of the imaging unit. The closer the position of the imaging unit is, the larger the heat exhaust hole provided above the imaging unit is.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Junya Takigawa, Tomoaki Suga
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Patent number: 7356277Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which prevents the rusting of metallic components and paper jams and improves the cooling capability of a heat pipe by ensuring that water droplets do not become adhered to the heat pipe, thereby reducing thermal resistance. A fixing apparatus and a printer engine are shielded from each other by a heat receiving plate, a thermal insulation member, and a heat radiating plate. A heat pipe is provided in the shielding member. One end side of the heat pipe is disposed between the fixing apparatus and printer engine to serve as a heat receiving portion, and the other end side of the heat pipe is disposed in a higher position than the one end side to serve as a heat radiating portion. The thermal insulation member covers the periphery of an intermediate portion of the heat pipe between the two end sides of the heat pipe.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2005Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuaki Iijima, Kenichi Takehara, Junya Takigawa, Katsuya Kondoh
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Image forming apparatus capable of effectively removing heated air undesirable to image reproduction
Patent number: 7224921Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism, a transfer mechanism, a fixing mechanism, and a heat radiation mechanism. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image which is transferred by the transfer mechanism transfers onto a recording sheet and is fixed by the fixing mechanism. The heat radiation mechanism is disposed between the image forming and fixing mechanisms and radiates heat generated by the fixing mechanism. The heat radiation mechanism includes a heat receiving member, a heat radiating member, and a heat conduction member. The heat receiving member receives heat generated by the fixing mechanism. The heat radiating member radiates the heat received by the heat receiving member. The heat conduction member has a thermal conductive property to efficiently conduct the heat from the heat receiving member to the heat radiating member.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2005Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuaki Iijima, Kenichi Takehara, Junya Takigawa, Keisuke Uchida -
Publication number: 20060120748Abstract: Heat exhaust holes are provided in a unit frame at positions just above respective imaging units. An exhaust fan causes air heated at developing elements to be exhausted outside an apparatus via heat exhaust ducts and a common duct. The heat exhaust holes are formed in different sizes depending on a position of the imaging unit. The closer the position of the imaging unit is, the larger the heat exhaust hole provided above the imaging unit is.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2005Publication date: June 8, 2006Inventors: Kenichi Takehara, Yasuaki Iijima, Junya Takigawa, Tomoaki Suga
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Publication number: 20060110172Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which prevents the rusting of metallic components and paper jams and improves the cooling capability of a heat pipe by ensuring that water droplets do not become adhered to the heat pipe, thereby reducing thermal resistance. A fixing apparatus and a printer engine are shielded from each other by a heat receiving plate, a thermal insulation member, and a heat radiating plate. A heat pipe is provided in the shielding member. One end side of the heat pipe is disposed between the fixing apparatus and printer engine to serve as a heat receiving portion, and the other end side of the heat pipe is disposed in a higher position than the one end side to serve as a heat radiating portion. The thermal insulation member covers the periphery of an intermediate portion of the heat pipe between the two end sides of the heat pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2005Publication date: May 25, 2006Inventors: Yasuaki Iijima, Kenichi Takehara, Junya Takigawa, Katsuya Kondoh