Patents by Inventor Koki SAKANO

Koki SAKANO 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: 20180236744
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Koki Sakano, Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9993987
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Michitaka Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Koki Sakano, Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9944488
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first binding unit configured to bind a sheet bundle; a second binding unit with greater number of bindable sheets than number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit; and a number-of-sheets determining unit configured to determine whether number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit. The first binding unit moves to a binding position, and if the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the first binding unit moves away from the binding position. When the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the second binding unit moves to the binding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Wataru Takahashi, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Kota Nakashima, Shinji Tanoue, Takahiro Itou
  • Publication number: 20170305706
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA
  • Patent number: 9725276
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga
  • Publication number: 20170217239
    Abstract: A sheet binding unit includes a first sheet binder having first and second dentate uneven sheet binding elements to conduct a first sheet binding process by engaging each other by a prescribed meshing depth while sandwiching the sheet bundle therebetween to form a dentate unevenness on the sheet bundle at a first sheet binding portion of the sheet bundle, and a second sheet binder having third and fourth dentate uneven sheet binding elements to conduct a second sheet binding process by engaging each other by a greater meshing depth than that made by first and second dentate uneven sheet binding elements of the first sheet binder while sandwiching the sheet bundle therebetween to form a dentate unevenness on the sheet bundle at a second sheet binding portion different from the first sheet binding portion of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Takuya MORINAGA, Koki SAKANO
  • Publication number: 20170174465
    Abstract: A pair of binding teeth is configured to apply pressure to a sheet bundle to crimp-bind the sheet bundle. The pair of binding teeth includes a binding unit configured to have two or more binding areas which differ in tooth height and crimping portions thereof come in contact when the binding teeth are pressed against each other in the binding areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Morinaga, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Wataru Takahashi, Koki Sakano
  • Patent number: 9555998
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a folder that forms a plurality of folds on a sheet such that a fold part and a part with no fold of the sheet overlap with each other; a conveyance unit that conveys the sheen on which the folds are formed by the folder; and a pressing part that presses the fold part of the conveyed sheet in which the fold part and the part with no fold overlap with each other, from a side on which the fold part is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Koki Sakano
  • Publication number: 20160360053
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheets to obtain a sheet bundle; a stitched-sheet number acquiring unit configured to acquire a number of sheets in the sheet bundle, which is a target to be stitched; a permanent stitching unit configured to permanently stitch the sheet bundle; a temporary stitching unit configured to be capable of temporarily stitching a plurality of areas of the sheet bundle; a selecting unit configured to select any one of the permanent stitching unit and the temporary stitching unit to be used; and a stitching-process control unit configured to, when the temporary stitching unit is selected by the selecting unit, control the temporary stitching unit so as to change a number of areas that are stitched by the temporary stitching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA, Akira KUNIEDA, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160340144
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet along a sheet conveyance path; a conveyance-path supporting unit configured to support both ends of the sheet conveyance path with respect to a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; a first stitching unit configured to stitch the sheets conveyed; a second stitching unit configured to stitch the sheets conveyed; a first moving unit configured to move the first stitching unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction; and a second moving unit configured to move the second stitching unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, wherein any one of the first stitching unit and the second stitching unit is movable to outside of the conveyance-path supporting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki SAKANO, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Akira KUNIEDA, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160340145
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first binding unit configured to bind a sheet bundle; a second binding unit with greater number of bindable sheets than number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit; and a number-of-sheets determining unit configured to determine whether number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit. The first binding unit moves to a binding position, and if the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the first binding unit moves away from the binding position. When the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the second binding unit moves to the binding position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira KUNIEDA, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Kota NAKASHIMA, Shinji TANOUE, Takahiro ITOU
  • Publication number: 20160114999
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Yuji SUZUKI, Satoshi SAITO, Koki SAKANO, Takao WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9238559
    Abstract: An auto document feeder includes a movable document table on which documents are stacked, a pickup roller that feeds a topmost document among the documents on the movable document table to a feed position via a feed opening, and a shielding member that is arranged on the upstream side of the pickup roller and above the topmost document, and that shields the feed opening. At least an end portion of the shielding member on the document table side is made of a flexible member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Akai, Shinya Kitaoka, Koki Sakano, Fumiyuki Heishi
  • Publication number: 20150360899
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru TAKAHASHI, Katsuhiro KOSUGE, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Koki SAKANO, Takuya MORINAGA
  • Publication number: 20150225201
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a folder that forms a plurality of folds on a sheet such that a fold part and a part with no fold of the sheet overlap with each other; a conveyance unit that conveys the sheen on which the folds are formed by the folder; and a pressing part that presses the fold part of the conveyed sheet in which the fold part and the part with no fold overlap with each other, from a side on which the fold part is located.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Akira KUNIEDA, Yuji SUZUKI, Satoshi SAITO, Koki SAKANO
  • Patent number: 9013763
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a transmitting glass; and a step member that is located upstream of a reading position, at which an image of a conveyed document is read by a reading unit via a transmitting glass, in a conveying direction of the document, and has a document guiding surface at a position away from a surface of a transmitting glass by a prescribed distance and forms a step between the document guiding surface and the transmitting glass. The step member is provided with a protrusion protruding downstream in the conveying direction of the document to form space between the transmitting glass and a downstream part of the step member in the conveying direction of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubo, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Atsushi Kanaya, Shinya Kitaoka, Takeshi Akai, Fumiyuki Heishi, Takehisa Shimazu, Koki Sakano, Takuya Sano
  • Patent number: 8950743
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an ADF that feeds and conveys original document sheets one sheet by one sheet from a tray unit to a read position on a document glass by motive power from a driving motor includes: an opening/closing unit operable to open and close relative to the document glass; an open/close detection sensor that detects an open/closed state of the opening/closing unit; a first interlock switch, which is arranged between a power source and the driving motor, that is on when the opening/closing unit is closed, and vice versa; and a control circuit that determines the open/closed state of the opening/closing unit based on detection outputs of the first interlock switch and the open/close detection sensor. The control circuit determines that the opening/closing unit is in the closed state when the first interlock switch is on and the open/close detection sensor is detecting the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Koki Sakano, Hiroshi Kubo, Shinya Kitaoka, Takeshi Akai, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Atsushi Kanaya, Fumiyuki Heishi, Takuya Sano
  • Patent number: 8840103
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a separation sheet feeding mechanism having a paper feeding belt and a separation roller; and an adjustment mechanism that changes contact state of the paper feeding belt to the separation roller by changing relative position of the paper feeding belt and the separation roller, and changes and adjusts separation performance of the separation roller for the subsequent sheet, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a cam follower member changing the relative position of the feeding belt and the separation roller, the cam member includes a first cam face and a second cam face which are formed at each rotation radius position in accordance with the rotation angle position, and are spaced apart in the rotation radius direction, and the cam follower member has a contact unit guided by the first cam face and the second cam face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Fukumoto, Mamoru Kambayashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Atsushi Fujita, Masataka Fukuchi, Ryuji Yoshida, Hideki Tobinaga, Norio Kimura, Kenichiro Morita, Koki Sakano, Takuya Sano, Takuya Morinaga, Takashi Nakano
  • Publication number: 20140239573
    Abstract: An auto document feeder includes a movable document table on which documents are stacked, a pickup roller that feeds a topmost document among the documents on the movable document table to a feed position via a feed opening, and a shielding member that is arranged on the upstream side of the pickup roller and above the topmost document, and that shields the feed opening. At least an end portion of the shielding member on the document table side is made of a flexible member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takeshi AKAI, Shinya KITAOKA, Koki SAKANO, Fumiyuki HEISHI
  • Publication number: 20140177012
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a transmitting glass; and a step member that is located upstream of a reading position, at which an image of a conveyed document is read by a reading unit via a transmitting glass, in a conveying direction of the document, and has a document guiding surface at a position away from a surface of a transmitting glass by a prescribed distance and forms a step between the document guiding surface and the transmitting glass. The step member is provided with a protrusion protruding downstream in the conveying direction of the document to form space between the transmitting glass and a downstream part of the step member in the conveying direction of the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUBO, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Atsushi KANAYA, Shinya KITAOKA, Takeshi AKAI, Fumiyuki HEISHI, Takehisa SHIMAZU, Koki SAKANO, Takuya SANO