Patents by Inventor Kenji Honjoh
Kenji Honjoh 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: 20240337968Abstract: A developer supply device for supplying developer contained in a developer container toward a developing device in an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus includes a conveyance passage, a developer receiving portion, a sub-hopper, and a conveying tube. The conveyance passage delivers the developer discharged from the developer container. The developer receiving portion is detachable and attachable with respect to the developer container. The sub-hopper is detachable and attachable with respect to the developing device and stores the developer discharged toward the developing device. The flexible conveying tube has a first end portion coupled to the developer receiving portion and a second end portion coupled to the sub-hopper, and conveys the developer from the developer receiving portion to the sub-hopper. The developer supply device is detachable from and attachable to the apparatus body with a connection among the developer receiving portion, the sub-hopper, and the conveying tube being maintained.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2022Publication date: October 10, 2024Inventors: Michiharu SUZUKI, Naoto SUZUKI, Kenji HONJOH, Nobuo KUWABARA, Yuta AZEYANAGI, Haruki NAGATA, Shota YAMAMOTO
-
Patent number: 11256202Abstract: A snap ring is set to a set portion of a shaft of a rotator from a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the shaft. The snap ring includes a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion facing each other, being elastically deformable in directions away from each other, holding the set portion by elastic deformation restoring force. One ends of the first and second arcuate portions are away from each other to form an insertion portion to insert the set portion. When the snap ring is not used, the first arcuate portion has a same radius of curvature as the second arcuate portion and the set portion, and a center of curvature closer to the second arcuate portion than the first arcuate portion, and the second arcuate portion has a center of curvature closer to the first arcuate portion than the second arcuate portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yohhei Watanabe, Naoto Suzuki, Yuta Azeyanagi, Nobuo Kuwabara, Kenji Honjoh, Teppei Kawata, Haruki Nagata, Michiharu Suzuki
-
Publication number: 20210200124Abstract: A snap ring is set to a set portion of a shaft of a rotator from a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the shaft. The snap ring includes a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion facing each other, being elastically deformable in directions away from each other, holding the set portion by elastic deformation restoring force. One ends of the first and second arcuate portions are away from each other to form an insertion portion to insert the set portion. When the snap ring is not used, the first arcuate portion has a same radius of curvature as the second arcuate portion and the set portion, and a center of curvature closer to the second arcuate portion than the first arcuate portion, and the second arcuate portion has a center of curvature closer to the first arcuate portion than the second arcuate portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohhei WATANABE, Naoto SUZUKI, Yuta AZEYANAGI, Nobuo KUWABARA, Kenji HONJOH, Teppei KAWATA, Haruki NAGATA, Michiharu SUZUKI
-
Patent number: 10401764Abstract: A cam drive device includes a cam to rotate; a displacement body to be displaced in response to a change in a rotation position of the cam in contact with the displacement body; a motor to rotate the cam; and a power source to output an electric current to be supplied to the motor. An electric current to cause a stall torque to the motor being a stop state is changed in response to a change in a rotation stop position of the cam.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Haruki Nagata, Ryo Hasegawa, Atsushi Nagata, Kenji Honjoh
-
Patent number: 10261450Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a plurality of image bearers, an endless belt, a contact and separation mechanism to generate a first trajectory and a second trajectory of the endless belt, a sensor to detect an object on a surface of the endless belt, and a positioning mechanism to enable the sensor to detect the object in the first trajectory and the second trajectory of the endless belt. The positioning mechanism includes a stay to support the sensor, a first bracket, a second bracket, a first positioning portion attached to the apparatus body to position the sensor in a direction of rotation of the first bracket and the second bracket at a time of the first trajectory, and a second positioning portion attached to the second bracket to position the sensor in the direction of rotation of the first bracket at a time of the second trajectory.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Ryo Hasegawa, Kenji Honjoh, Atsushi Nagata, Haruki Nagata
-
Publication number: 20190025735Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a plurality of image bearers, an endless belt, a contact and separation mechanism to generate a first trajectory and a second trajectory of the endless belt, a sensor to detect an object on a surface of the endless belt, and a positioning mechanism to enable the sensor to detect the object in the first trajectory and the second trajectory of the endless belt. The positioning mechanism includes a stay to support the sensor, a first bracket, a second bracket, a first positioning portion attached to the apparatus body to position the sensor in a direction of rotation of the first bracket and the second bracket at a time of the first trajectory, and a second positioning portion attached to the second bracket to position the sensor in the direction of rotation of the first bracket at a time of the second trajectory.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Ryo HASEGAWA, Kenji HONJOH, Atsushi NAGATA, Haruki NAGATA
-
Publication number: 20180164720Abstract: A cam drive device includes a cam to rotate; a displacement body to be displaced in response to a change in a rotation position of the cam in contact with the displacement body; a motor to rotate the cam; and a power source to output an electric current to be supplied to the motor. An electric current to cause a stall torque to the motor being a stop state is changed in response to a change in a rotation stop position of the cam.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2017Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Haruki Nagata, Ryo Hasegawa, Atsushi Nagata, Kenji Honjoh
-
Patent number: 9798288Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a lubricant supply roller to supply lubricant to a surface of the image bearer, a rotation speed changer to change a rotation speed of the lubricant supply roller, and a controller to control the rotation speed changer to change the rotation speed of the lubricant supply roller to a target speed based on a predetermined condition. The controller is configured to control the rotation speed changer to avoid a predetermined speed range.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuhiro Maehata, Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Daisuke Tomita, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
-
Patent number: 9696648Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge that includes an image bearer including a rotary shaft and rotates about the rotary shaft; a charger to charge a surface of the image bearer; and a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearer into a visible toner image. The charger includes a charging roller that rotates about a shaft together with the image bearer during image formation and electrically charges a surface of the image bearer. A surface linear speed of the charging roller is made slower than a surface linear speed of the image bearer. The image forming apparatus includes a charging roller controller that switches the rotational speed of the charging roller to a first rotational speed slower than the linear speed of the image bearer and a second rotational speed identical to the linear speed of the image bearer.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2016Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuhiro Maehata, Nobuo Kuwabara, Kenji Honjoh, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka, Takeshi Shintani
-
Patent number: 9632475Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Uenishi, Takeshi Shintani, Kenji Honjoh, Shinya Karasawa, Daisuke Tomita, Kohsuke Yamamoto, Norio Kudo
-
Publication number: 20160334757Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a lubricant supply roller to supply lubricant to a surface of the image bearer, a rotation speed changer to change a rotation speed of the lubricant supply roller, and a controller to control the rotation speed changer to change the rotation speed of the lubricant supply roller to a target speed based on a predetermined condition. The controller is configured to control the rotation speed changer to avoid a predetermined speed range.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Yasuhiro MAEHATA, Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Daisuke Tomita, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
-
Patent number: 9436152Abstract: A lubricant supplying device used with a solid lubricant, includes a supplying member to supply lubricant taken from the solid lubricant to an object to be supplied with the lubricant, and a remaining amount detecting section to detect a remaining amount of the solid lubricant becoming below a predetermined value. A detection of the remaining amount of the solid lubricant is executed when an operation to supply the lubricant to the object to be supplied with the lubricant stops.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2015Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Kohsuke Yamamoto, Daisuke Tomita, Norio Kudo
-
Publication number: 20160209771Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge that includes an image bearer including a rotary shaft and rotates about the rotary shaft; a charger to charge a surface of the image bearer; and a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearer into a visible toner image. The charger includes a charging roller that rotates about a shaft together with the image bearer during image formation and electrically charges a surface of the image bearer. A surface linear speed of the charging roller is made slower than a surface linear speed of the image bearer. The image forming apparatus includes a charging roller controller that switches the rotational speed of the charging roller to a first rotational speed slower than the linear speed of the image bearer and a second rotational speed identical to the linear speed of the image bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2016Publication date: July 21, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuhiro Maehata, Nobuo Kuwabara, Kenji Honjoh, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka, Takeshi Shintani
-
Patent number: 9395686Abstract: A process cartridge removably installable in an image forming apparatus includes a cartridge body including an image bearer; a cleaning unit removably attached to the cartridge body and including a lubricant supply device to lubricate the image bearer; a first contact terminal disposed in one of the cleaning unit and the cartridge body; and a second contact terminal disposed in the other of the cleaning unit and the cartridge body. The second contact terminal is disposed to contact the first contact terminal to establish electrical continuity between the cartridge body and the cleaning unit, and an end of the first contact terminal includes a sliding contact portion to slidingly contact the second contact terminal in attachment and removal of the cleaning unit to and from the cartridge body.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Shintani, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka, Kenji Honjoh, Nobuhiro Kuwabara
-
Patent number: 9383715Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplier contacting an image bearer, a solid lubricant contacting the roller, a detector detecting a lubricant amount, and a controller controlling a supplying of the roller based on a detector detection. The detector outputs to the controller a first signal of a near-end state when the amount reaches a first amount, a second signal of an end state when the amount reaches a second amount smaller than the first amount, and a third signal of an absolute end state when the amount reaches a third amount smaller than the second amount. The controller temporarily stops the supplying when the second signal is output, cancels a roller temporary stopped state even when lubricant replacement is not completed after this state, stops the supplying when the third signal is output, and maintains a roller stopped state until the replacement is completed after this state.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Yasuhiro Maehata, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
-
Patent number: 9367021Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller and multiple image forming units each of which includes an image bearer, a toner image forming device to form a toner image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium, a cleaning device to remove toner from a surface of the image bearer, a waste-toner tube through which toner removed by the cleaning device is transported, and a toner conveying member to transport toner by rotation and disposed inside the waste-toner tube. The controller changes a rotation speed of the toner conveying member for each of the multiple image forming units according to toner type including a first toner and a second toner having poorer flow properties than the first toner, and at least one image forming units uses the second toner and the rest use the first toner.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2015Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yusuke Ishizuka, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Kenji Honjoh, Yasuhito Kuboshima
-
Publication number: 20160139555Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplier contacting an image bearer, a solid lubricant contacting the roller, a detector detecting a lubricant amount, and a controller controlling a supplying of the roller based on a detector detection. The detector outputs to the controller a first signal of a near-end state when the amount reaches a first amount, a second signal of an end state when the amount reaches a second amount smaller than the first amount, and a third signal of an absolute end state when the amount reaches a third amount smaller than the second amount. The controller temporarily stops the supplying when the second signal is output, cancels a roller temporary stopped state even when lubricant replacement is not completed after this state, stops the supplying when the third signal is output, and maintains a roller stopped state until the replacement is completed after this state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2015Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Kenji Honjoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Yasuhiro Maehata, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka
-
Publication number: 20160011562Abstract: A process cartridge removably installable in an image forming apparatus includes a cartridge body including an image bearer; a cleaning unit removably attached to the cartridge body and including a lubricant supply device to lubricate the image bearer; a first contact terminal disposed in one of the cleaning unit and the cartridge body; and a second contact terminal disposed in the other of the cleaning unit and the cartridge body. The second contact terminal is disposed to contact the first contact terminal to establish electrical continuity between the cartridge body and the cleaning unit, and an end of the first contact terminal includes a sliding contact portion to slidingly contact the second contact terminal in attachment and removal of the cleaning unit to and from the cartridge body.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi SHINTANI, Yasuhito KUBOSHIMA, Yusuke ISHIZUKA, Kenji HONJOH, Nobuhiro KUWABARA
-
Publication number: 20150370218Abstract: A lubricant supplying device used with a solid lubricant, includes a supplying member to supply lubricant taken from the solid lubricant to an object to be supplied with the lubricant, and a remaining amount detecting section to detect a remaining amount of the solid lubricant becoming below a predetermined value. A detection of the remaining amount of the solid lubricant is executed when an operation to supply the lubricant to the object to be supplied with the lubricant stops.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2015Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Kenji HONJOH, Takeshi SHINTANI, Kohsuke YAMAMOTO, Daisuke TOMITA, Norio KUDO
-
Publication number: 20150355594Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2015Publication date: December 10, 2015Inventors: Hiroyuki UENISHI, Takeshi SHINTANI, Kenji HONJOH, Shinya KARASAWA, Daisuke TOMITA, Kohsuke YAMAMOTO, Norio KUDO