Patents by Inventor Kunio Hasegawa
Kunio Hasegawa 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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Patent number: 9989876Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner pattern bearer to bear a first toner pattern having a first image area and a second toner pattern having a second image area different from the first image area. A toner adhesion amount detector detects a toner adhesion amount of toner of each of the first toner pattern and the second toner pattern. A toner degradation rate calculator calculates a first deviation in the toner adhesion amount of the first toner pattern and a second deviation in the toner adhesion amount of the second toner pattern based on the toner adhesion amount detected by the toner adhesion amount detector. The toner degradation rate calculator compares the first deviation with the second deviation and calculates a toner degradation rate based on a comparison result.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2016Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mutsuki Morinaga, Tadashi Kasai, Jun Hitosugi, Takamasa Ozeki, Makoto Yasuda, Kunio Hasegawa, Emiko Shiraishi, Hitoshi Yamamoto, Masahiko Shakuto, Tetsuya Muto, Keiko Kajimura, Tomoya Ohsugi
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Publication number: 20170199480Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner pattern bearer to bear a first toner pattern having a first image area rate and a second toner pattern having a second image area rate different from the first image area rate. A toner adhesion amount detector detects a toner adhesion amount of toner of each of the first toner pattern and the second toner pattern. A toner degradation rate calculator calculates a first deviation in the toner adhesion amount of the first toner pattern and a second deviation in the toner adhesion amount of the second toner pattern based on the toner adhesion amount detected by the toner adhesion amount detector. The toner degradation rate calculator compares the first deviation with the second deviation and calculates a toner degradation rate based on a comparison result.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2016Publication date: July 13, 2017Inventors: Mutsuki MORINAGA, Tadashi KASAI, Jun HITOSUGI, Takamasa OZEKI, Makoto YASUDA, Kunio HASEGAWA, Emiko SHIRAISHI, Hitoshi YAMAMOTO, Masahiko SHAKUTO, Tetsuya MUTO, Keiko KAJIMURA, Tomoya OHSUGI
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Patent number: 9684259Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image formation processor to perform image formation to a recording medium with a primary color toner and a secondary color toner that is different from the primary color toner, a database to store multiple setting values, each of which corresponding a combination of a mode type depending on the primary color toner and the secondary color toner and a media type of the recording medium and being applied to a process of the image formation performed by the image forming processor, a database retriever to retrieve an optimum setting value from the multiple setting values stored in the database according to a specified combination of the mode type and the media type, and an operation setting arranger to perform the image formation based on the optimum setting value acquired from the database retriever.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2015Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takatsugu Komori, Emiko Shiraishi, Tadashi Kasai, Takamasa Ozeki, Jun Hitosugi, Kunio Hasegawa, Makoto Yasuda, Wakana Itoh, Mutsuki Morinaga, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9599946Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a developing device, a supplier, and a controller. The controller controls the supplier according to a detection result of a toner density by the toner density sensor and a toner density target value to adjust the toner density of developer in the developing device. The controller is configured to correct the toner density target value and an imaging condition affecting a toner adhesion amount of an output image separately from the toner density, according to a component adhesion deterioration degree being a deterioration degree of carrier due to adhesion of a toner component, obtained based on at least an average image area ratio of the output image, and a coating abrasion deterioration degree being a progression degree of deterioration due to coating abrasion of the carrier, obtained based on at least the average image area ratio of the output image.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mutsuki Morinaga, Tadashi Kasai, Jun Hitosugi, Takamasa Ozeki, Makoto Yasuda, Kunio Hasegawa, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Takatsugu Komori, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9588460Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a developing device, a toner container, a toner feed connector, a processor, and a notifier. The developing device develops, with toner, a latent image on the latent image bearer. The toner container contains the toner. The toner container is detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus. The toner feed connector guides the toner of the toner container to the developing device. The information detector detects identification information including toner type information and maintenance contract information stored in the toner container. The processor determines whether the toner type information of the toner container coincides before and after replacement and whether the maintenance contract information of the toner container is matched with maintenance contract information of the image forming apparatus. The notifier indicates a determination made by the processor.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tadashi Kasai, Jun Hitosugi, Kunio Hasegawa, Takamasa Ozeki, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Makoto Yasuda, Mutsuki Morinaga, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9513594Abstract: A protective layer forming device, including: a powdery image bearer protecting agent formed of a granulated product containing a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant; and a roller-shaped protecting agent supplying member configured to supply the powdery image bearer protecting agent to a surface of an image bearer.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kunio Hasegawa, Hiroshi Nakai, Kenji Komito, Tadashi Kasai, Takamasa Ozeki, Jun Hitosugi, Makoto Yasuda, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Takatsugu Komori, Mutsuki Morinaga, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9488931Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer; a developing device containing two-component developer and including a developer bearer, a development voltage source, and a toner concentration detector; a toner supply device to supply toner to the developing device; a transfer device; and a controller to keep a toner concentration in the developer in the developing device at a target toner concentration during image formation. The controller executes forced toner consumption in which the developing device supplies the toner to the latent image bearer the toner at a predetermined forced toner consumption timing, while inhibiting the toner supply device from supplying toner. When the toner concentration falls to a prescribed toner density lower than the target toner concentration, the controller completes the forced toner consumption and executes a post-consumption toner supply operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Yasuda, Jun Hitosugi, Takamasa Ozeki, Mutsuki Morinaga, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Hitoshi Yamamoto, Takatsugu Komori, Kunio Hasegawa, Tadashi Kasai, Kazuaki Kamihara, Kazumi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Kunii, Masaki Sukesako, Yuichi Aizawa, Masakazu Terao, Masayoshi Nakayama, Takuma Higa, Masahiro Katoh, Kohei Matsumoto
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Publication number: 20160313668Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, provided with for each toner category a supply toner conveyance path including, at least as components, a developing means, a toner container corresponding to the developing means, and a connection means corresponding to the developing means and the toner container, each of the components of the supply toner conveyance path being individually replaceable, and includes a toner category detection means configured to detect toner category used in each component; a reporting means configured to report whether toner categories respectively used in all components of the same supply toner conveyance path are the same; and a control means configured to control the reporting means, based on detection information by the toner category detection means, when the component of the supply toner conveyance path is replaced.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Tadashi KASAI, Makoto Yasuda, Mutsuki Morinaga, Hitoshi Yamamoto, Emiko Shiraishi, Yuichi Aizawa, Takamasa Ozeki, Jun Hitosugi, Kunio Hasegawa, Wakana Itoh, Takatsugu Komori
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Publication number: 20160170321Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image formation processor to perform image formation to a recording medium with a primary color toner and a secondary color toner that is different from the primary color toner, a database to store multiple setting values, each of which corresponding a combination of a mode type depending on the primary color toner and the secondary color toner and a media type of the recording medium and being applied to a process of the image formation performed by the image forming processor, a database retriever to retrieve an optimum setting value from the multiple setting values stored in the database according to a specified combination of the mode type and the media type, and an operation setting arranger to perform the image formation based on the optimum setting value acquired from the database retriever.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2015Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Takatsugu KOMORI, Emiko SHIRAISHI, Tadashi KASAI, Takamasa OZEKI, Jun HITOSUGI, Kunio HASEGAWA, Makoto YASUDA, Wakana ITOH, Mutsuki MORINAGA, Hitoshi YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20160147174Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer; a developing device containing two-component developer and including a developer bearer, a development voltage source, and a toner concentration detector; a toner supply device to supply toner to the developing device; a transfer device; and a controller to keep a toner concentration in the developer in the developing device at a target toner concentration during image formation. The controller executes forced toner consumption in which the developing device supplies the toner to the latent image bearer the toner at a predetermined forced toner consumption timing, while inhibiting the toner supply device from supplying toner. When the toner concentration falls to a prescribed toner density lower than the target toner concentration, the controller completes the forced toner consumption and executes a post-consumption toner supply operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Inventors: Makoto YASUDA, Jun HITOSUGI, Takamasa OZEKI, Mutsuki MORINAGA, Emiko SHIRAISHI, Wakana ITOH, Hitoshi YAMAMOTO, Takatsugu KOMORI, Kunio HASEGAWA, Tadashi KASAI, Kazuaki KAMIHARA, Kazumi KOBAYASHI, Hiroyuki KUNll, Masaki SUKESAKO, Yuichi AIZAWA, Masakazu TERAO, Masayoshi NAKAYAMA, Takuma HIGA, Masahiro KATOH, Kohei MATSUMOTO
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Publication number: 20160139537Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a developing device, a toner container, a toner feed connector, a processor, and a notifier. The developing device develops, with toner, a latent image on the latent image bearer. The toner container contains the toner. The toner container is detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus. The toner feed connector guides the toner of the toner container to the developing device. The information detector detects identification information including toner type information and maintenance contract information stored in the toner container. The processor determines whether the toner type information of the toner container coincides before and after replacement and whether the maintenance contract information of the toner container is matched with maintenance contract information of the image forming apparatus. The notifier indicates a determination made by the processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2015Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Tadashi KASAI, Jun Hitosugi, Kunio Hasegawa, Takamasa Ozeki, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Makoto Yasuda, Mutsuki Morinaga, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9316987Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image, a special color developing device to develop the latent image with a special color toner other than standard color toners to form a special color toner image, an adhesion amount adjuster to adjust a special color toner adhesion amount by changing an application bias between the photoconductor and a developing sleeve of the special color developing device, a setting unit to set brightness of the special color toner, and a developing-performance adjuster to adjust a developing performance of the special color developing device according to a setting value of the brightness set by the setting unit. The developing-performance adjuster adjusts the developing performance of the special color developing device to a developing performance different from a developing performance set to each of standard color developing devices in adjustment of densities of the standard color toners.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2015Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Jun Hitosugi, Takamasa Ozeki, Mutsuki Morinaga, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Hitoshi Yamamoto, Takatsugu Komori, Tadashi Kasai, Makoto Yasuda, Kunio Hasegawa
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Publication number: 20160070198Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a developing device, a supplier, and a controller. The controller controls the supplier according to a detection result of a toner density by the toner density sensor and a toner density target value to adjust the toner density of developer in the developing device. The controller is configured to correct the toner density target value and an imaging condition affecting a toner adhesion amount of an output image separately from the toner density, according to a component adhesion deterioration degree being a deterioration degree of carrier due to adhesion of a toner component, obtained based on at least an average image area ratio of the output image, and a coating abrasion deterioration degree being a progression degree of deterioration due to coating abrasion of the carrier, obtained based on at least the average image area ratio of the output image.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Mutsuki MORINAGA, Tadashi KASAI, Jun HITOSUGI, Takamasa OZEKI, Makoto YASUDA, Kunio HASEGAWA, Emiko SHIRAISHI, Wakana ITOH, Takatsugu KOMORI, Hitoshi YAMAMOTO
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Patent number: 9280125Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearer, a lubricant dispenser to apply lubricant to the first image bearer, and a controller to adjust a spatial interval during image formation between successive recording media on each of which an image is formed, according to a total amount of toner attached to the first image bearer for each of the successive recording media, to apply the lubricant to the first image bearer.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2015Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Wakana Itoh, Tadashi Kasai, Takamasa Ozeki, Jun Hitosugi, Emiko Shiraishi, Makoto Yasuda, Kunio Hasegawa, Mutsuki Morinaga, Takatsugu Komori, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20150370206Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image, a special color developing device to develop the latent image with a special color toner other than standard color toners to form a special color toner image, an adhesion amount adjuster to adjust a special color toner adhesion amount by changing an application bias between the photoconductor and a developing sleeve of the special color developing device, a setting unit to set brightness of the special color toner, and a developing-performance adjuster to adjust a developing performance of the special color developing device according to a setting value of the brightness set by the setting unit. The developing-performance adjuster adjusts the developing performance of the special color developing device to a developing performance different from a developing performance set to each of standard color developing devices in adjustment of densities of the standard color toners.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2015Publication date: December 24, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Jun Hitosugi, Takamasa Ozeki, Mutsuki Morinaga, Emiko Shiraishi, Wakana Itoh, Hitoshi Yamamoto, Takatsugu Komori, Tadashi Kasai, Makoto Yasuda, Kunio Hasegawa
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Patent number: 9217985Abstract: Provided is an image bearing member protecting agent which contains a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, wherein an aspect ratio (average major axis length/average minor axis length) of the inorganic lubricant is 60 to 400, and a mass ratio of the fatty acid metal salt to the inorganic lubricant (fatty acid metal salt/inorganic lubricant) is 98/2 to 85/15.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Komito, Hiroshi Nakai, Kunio Hasegawa, Takuya Sekine
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Patent number: 9182698Abstract: A method of transferring an image includes the steps of; bringing an image bearer bearing an image thereon as a transfer origin in contact with a transferring objective (onto which the image is transferred) as a transfer destination; moving at least one of the image bearer and the transferring objective in a prescribed direction; and sequentially transferring the image borne on the image bearer onto the transferring objective in a contacting section in which the image bearer and the transferring objective contact each other in a direction in which the image does not pass through the contacting section.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2014Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Ichikawa, Kenji Sengoku, Shinya Tanaka, Junpei Fujita, Kunio Hasegawa
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Publication number: 20150268618Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearer, a lubricant dispenser to apply lubricant to the first image bearer, and a controller to adjust a spatial interval during image formation between successive recording media on each of which an image is formed, according to a total amount of toner attached to the first image bearer for each of the successive recording media, to apply the lubricant to the first image bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2015Publication date: September 24, 2015Inventors: Wakana Itoh, Tadashi Kasai, Takamasa Ozeki, Jun Hitosugi, Emiko Shiraishi, Makoto Yasuda, Kunio Hasegawa, Mutsuki Morinaga, Takatsugu Komori, Hitoshi Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20150139710Abstract: A protective layer forming device, including: a powdery image bearer protecting agent formed of a granulated product containing a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant; and a roller-shaped protecting agent supplying member configured to supply the powdery image bearer protecting agent to a surface of an image bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kunio HASEGAWA, Hiroshi NAKAI, Kenji KOMITO, Tadashi KASAI, Takamasa OZEKI, Jun HITOSUGI, Makoto YASUDA, Emiko SHIRAISHI, Wakana ITOH, Takatsugu KOMORI, Mutsuki MORINAGA, Hitoshi YAMAMOTO
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Patent number: 8995899Abstract: A protecting agent-supplying device including: a rotation member configured to rotate in a certain direction; an image bearing member-protecting agent containing a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, and being in the form of a solid, wherein the agent is scraped off by the rotation of the rotation member, supplied to an image bearing member for protection thereof, and disposed to have a surface facing the rotation member, which surface has a width G in a direction along the certain direction, and wherein the position X (a center of the width G) is located upstream in the direction along the certain direction from the position Y (a line of intersection between the surface facing and a line extended from the rotational center of the rotation member perpendicular to the surface facing), and a distance d between these positions satisfies a formula 0<d?G/2.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2011Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kunio Hasegawa, Hiroshi Nakai, Shinya Tanaka, Kohsuke Yamamoto, Taichi Urayama