Patents by Inventor Kohji Kuwana

Kohji Kuwana 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: 20240066891
    Abstract: A heating apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a liquid discharge apparatus. The heating apparatus includes a heating roller having a heat source inside, an end holder in which a portion of the heat source is disposed, the end holder holding an axial end of the heating roller rotatably, and an air supply device configured to supply air into the end holder in a direction intersecting with an axial direction of the heating roller. The heating apparatus includes a heating roller having a heat source inside, and an end holder in which a portion of the heat source is disposed, the end holder rotatably holding an axial end of the heating roller. In the heating apparatus, the end holder has an air inlet opening through which air is supplied into the end holder and an air outlet opening through which air is ejected outside from inside the end holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Akitomo KUWABARA, Noriaki TAKENAGA, Hiroshi TAKAKI, Makoto KOBAYASHI, Kohji KUWANA, Junichi MORIBE, Takuto KIDO
  • Patent number: 9977378
    Abstract: A heating device including a heating member, a heat source, multiple non-contact temperature detectors, a contact temperature detector, a heat source drive controller, and a temperature detection abnormality detector is provided. The heating member contacts a heating target being conveyed. The heat source supplies heat to the heating member. Each of the non-contact temperature detectors detects a first temperature of the heating member without contacting the heating member. The contact temperature detector detects a second temperature of the heating member by contact with the heating member. The heat source drive controller controls drive of the heat source based on the first temperatures. The temperature detection abnormality detector performs a determination on whether each one of the non-contact temperature detectors has an abnormality or not while the heating target is not conveyed, by comparing the first temperature and the second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Takahiro Inoue
  • Publication number: 20170090361
    Abstract: A heating device including a heating member, a heat source, multiple non-contact temperature detectors, a contact temperature detector, a heat source drive controller, and a temperature detection abnormality detector is provided. The heating member contacts a heating target being conveyed. The heat source supplies heat to the heating member. Each of the non-contact temperature detectors detects a first temperature of the heating member without contacting the heating member. The contact temperature detector detects a second temperature of the heating member by contact with the heating member. The heat source drive controller controls drive of the heat source based on the first temperatures. The temperature detection abnormality detector performs a determination on whether each one of the non-contact temperature detectors has an abnormality or not while the heating target is not conveyed, by comparing the first temperature and the second temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Takahiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 9364847
    Abstract: A liquid coating device includes a container to store a liquid; a liquid reservoir having a greater air-tightness than that of the container; a liquid coating applicator to apply a liquid stored in the container to a target object; a liquid conveyer to convey the liquid stored in the container to the liquid reservoir; and a controller to control operation of the liquid coating device. When the liquid coating applicator is disabled, the controller conveys the liquid stored in the container to the liquid reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Moribe, Kohji Kuwana
  • Patent number: 9352922
    Abstract: A control unit allows a rotational position of a tension generating roller to be changed depending on a width of a web at time of the beginning of conveyance of the web, controls a motor according to a detection signal of a second sensor such that a tension guide maintains its position within a predetermined range during conveyance of the web, causes position data at time of keeping the same value of the position data of the motor for a predetermined period to be stored, calculates an initial operational position of the tension generating roller using the position data and a predetermined correction coefficient, and sets the calculated initial operational position as an initial operational position of the tension generating roller at time of the beginning of next conveyance of web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Masahiro Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20150360254
    Abstract: A liquid coating device includes a container to store a liquid; a liquid reservoir having a greater air-tightness than that of the container; a liquid coating applicator to apply a liquid stored in the container to a target object; a liquid conveyer to convey the liquid stored in the container to the liquid reservoir; and a controller to control operation of the liquid coating device. When the liquid coating applicator is disabled, the controller conveys the liquid stored in the container to the liquid reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Junichi MORIBE, Kohji KUWANA
  • Patent number: 9108438
    Abstract: A treatment liquid application apparatus including an application roller for applying treatment liquid; a press roller for pressing against the application roller an elongated recording medium which is placed between the press roller and the application roller; and a conveyance roller located downstream relative to the application roller on a conveyance path of the recording medium and conveying the recording medium is disclosed. The apparatus includes a control unit for causing the press roller to be pressed against the application roller when a value related to a conveyance amount of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance roller from a re-start of conveyance exceeds a value corresponding to a slack amount of the recording medium which occurs in an upstream side of the conveyance roller at a stopping of conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Hironori Numata
  • Patent number: 8955439
    Abstract: A printing system includes first and second printing apparatuses that form images on first and second surfaces of a continuous recording sheet, respectively. The second printing apparatus includes a printing unit that forms a toner image on the sheet; a conveying unit that conveys the sheet at a reference speed in the printing unit; a fixing-conveying unit that conveys the sheet and fixes the toner image adhered to the sheet; a buffer unit that takes up slack in the sheet generated because of a difference in conveyance between the conveying unit and the fixing-conveying unit; a determining unit that determines a brake force for stopping conveyance of the fixing-conveying unit, based on a buffer amount of the buffer unit, which corresponds to the slack in the sheet; and a conveyance control unit that performs control to stop conveyance of the sheet by the determined brake force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Masahiro Mizuno, Mitsunobu Gouda
  • Publication number: 20150015636
    Abstract: A treatment liquid application apparatus including an application roller for applying treatment liquid; a press roller for pressing against the application roller an elongated recording medium which is placed between the press roller and the application roller; and a conveyance roller located downstream relative to the application roller on a conveyance path of the recording medium and conveying the recording medium is disclosed. The apparatus includes a control unit for causing the press roller to be pressed against the application roller when a value related to a conveyance amount of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance roller from a re-start of conveyance exceeds a value corresponding to a slack amount of the recording medium which occurs in an upstream side of the conveyance roller at a stopping of conveyance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Hironori Numata
  • Publication number: 20130068814
    Abstract: A control unit allows a rotational position of a tension generating roller to be changed depending on a width of a web at time of the beginning of conveyance of the web, controls a motor according to a detection signal of a second sensor such that a tension guide maintains its position within a predetermined range during conveyance of the web, causes position data at time of keeping the same value of the position data of the motor for a predetermined period to be stored, calculates an initial operational position of the tension generating roller using the position data and a predetermined correction coefficient, and sets the calculated initial operational position as an initial operational position of the tension generating roller at time of the beginning of next conveyance of web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Kohji KUWANA, Masahiro MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20110176851
    Abstract: A printing system includes first and second printing apparatuses that form images on first and second surfaces of a continuous recording sheet, respectively. The second printing apparatus includes a printing unit that forms a toner image on the sheet; a conveying unit that conveys the sheet at a reference speed in the printing unit; a fixing-conveying unit that conveys the sheet and fixes the toner image adhered to the sheet; a buffer unit that takes up slack in the sheet generated because of a difference in conveyance between the conveying unit and the fixing-conveying unit; a determining unit that determines a brake force for stopping conveyance of the fixing-conveying unit, based on a buffer amount of the buffer unit, which corresponds to the slack in the sheet; and a conveyance control unit that performs control to stop conveyance of the sheet by the determined brake force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Kohji Kuwana, Masahiro Mizuno, Mitsunobu Gouda