Patents by Inventor Masahiro Kuwata

Masahiro Kuwata 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: 20160234275
    Abstract: A delivery managing device to which a plurality of terminals are connected through a network includes a creating unit that creates display information based on operation information indicating an operation input accepted by a terminal; a converting unit that converts the display information into video information; and a delivery unit that delivers the video information to a terminal. When non-public operation information is received from a terminal, the non-public operation information indicating operation information not to be published to another terminal, the delivery unit delivers video information that is converted from display information not based on the non-public operation information, to the other terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro KUWATA, Kiyoshi KASATANI
  • Patent number: 9310936
    Abstract: An input device for inputting coordinates to a coordinate detector includes an operation detector to detect whether a coordinate input operation to the coordinate detector is conducted; a signal generation unit to generate an operation-in-progress signal indicating an operation is in progress when the operation detector detects the coordinate input operation; a signal outputting unit to output the operation-in-progress signal generated by the signal generation unit; and a light guide member to guide the operation-in-progress signal output by the signal outputting unit to an exit position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Kuwata
  • Patent number: 8911062
    Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes a channel plate forming an individual liquid chamber in communication with nozzles configured to eject liquid drops, a wall surface member forming a wall surface of the individual liquid chamber, and a drive unit disposed on the wall surface member side and configured to generate a pressure applied to a drive region inside the individual liquid chamber. In the liquid-jet head, a fluid resistance part is formed by disposing an island part in a liquid supply channel configured to supply a liquid to the individual liquid channel, and the island part includes a gradient part on the channel plate side, at least a part of the gradient part being formed such that the part of the gradient part faces the drive region inside the individual liquid chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Satoru Tobita
  • Publication number: 20140354600
    Abstract: An input device for inputting coordinates to a coordinate detector includes an operation detector to detect whether a coordinate input operation to the coordinate detector is conducted; a signal generation unit to generate an operation-in-progress signal indicating an operation is in progress when the operation detector detects the coordinate input operation; a signal outputting unit to output the operation-in-progress signal generated by the signal generation unit; and a light guide member to guide the operation-in-progress signal output by the signal outputting unit to an exit position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: Masahiro KUWATA
  • Publication number: 20140218344
    Abstract: A pen-type input device includes a body shaped like a pen; a penpoint movable portion inserted into a front end recess included in the body; and a transmission part which transmits a transcription detecting signal of a contact position when the penpoint movable portion is caused to touch a display face of an electronic information board, wherein the penpoint movable portion includes a penpoint member, which is made of an elastic member and includes a front end portion caused to touch the display face, and a penpoint holding portion, which has a rigidity higher than that of the penpoint member, fits around an outer periphery of a base end portion of the penpoint member, and holds the penpoint member so as to prevent deformation of the outer periphery of the base end portion of the penpoint member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro KUWATA
  • Patent number: 8714708
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a nozzle plate having a nozzle array constructed of multiple nozzles, a channel member that forms multiple individual channels communicating with the multiple nozzles, a pressure generator to pressurize liquid within the multiple individual channels, and a common channel member that forms a common channel from which the liquid is supplied to the multiple individual channels. The channel member includes a first surface facing the common channel, a second surface provided at both ends of the channel member and protruding beyond the first surface toward a direction opposite a direction of flow of the liquid, and a third surface that connects the first and second surfaces. At least a gap between the common channel member and a part of the second surface is sealed by a seal member that forms a wall of the common channel between the channel member and the common channel member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Kuwata
  • Patent number: 8684498
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a nozzle plate having a nozzle array constructed of multiple nozzles from which liquid droplets are ejectable; a channel plate in which grooves that form part of multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles are provided with partition walls interposed therebetween, a wall member that covers the grooves to form part of walls of the pressure chambers, and multiple first through-holes formed in the channel plate to connect the nozzles and the pressure chambers, respectively. The multiple first through-holes are provided with partition walls interposed therebetween, and each of the multiple first through-holes has a first opening and a second opening. The second opening is offset from the first opening in a direction in which the nozzle arrays extend. Each of the multiple first through-holes further has a portion between the first and second openings to change a direction of flow of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Kuwata
  • Patent number: 8646886
    Abstract: An ink cartridge attachable to and detachable from an imaging apparatus, and including an ink accommodating unit; and a cartridge casing having an opening, whereby the ink accommodating unit includes: an ink accommodating body; and an ink supplying portion including a nozzle insertion path and connected to the ink accommodating body, whereby the ink supplying portion is held by the cartridge casing so that the ink supplying portion is rotatable between a position where the nozzle insertion path faces the opening and a position where the nozzle insertion path faces an inner wall surface of the cartridge casing, and when the ink cartridge is attached to the imaging apparatus the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the opening, and when the ink cartridge is detached the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the inner wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Hayakawa, Shotaro Takeuchi, Toshiroh Tokuno, Tomomi Katoh, Masanori Kusunoki, Akiko Bannai, Masahiro Kuwata, Ikoh Soh
  • Patent number: 8632161
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a common-chamber formation member including a common chamber to supply liquid to pressure chambers communicating nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets, a flexible thin-film member to form part of a wall face of the common chamber, and a thin-film support member bonded to the thin-film member with glue. The support member has an opening or a recessed portion at least partially having a shape that is broad in an area proximal to a first surface of the support member bonded to the thin-film member and becomes narrower as an area of the opening or the recessed portion is more distant from the first surface. The opening or the recessed portion is sealed with the thin-film member. A portion of the thin-film member corresponding to the opening or the recessed portion has the glue on only a periphery area of the portion that contacts the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Daisuke Takagi, Kazuo Haida
  • Publication number: 20130242001
    Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes a channel plate forming an individual liquid chamber in communication with nozzles configured to eject liquid drops, a wall surface member forming a wall surface of the individual liquid chamber, and a drive unit disposed on the wall surface member side and configured to generate a pressure applied to a drive region inside the individual liquid chamber. In the liquid-jet head, a fluid resistance part is formed by disposing an island part in a liquid supply channel configured to supply a liquid to the individual liquid channel, and the island part includes a gradient part on the channel plate side, at least a part of the gradient part being formed such that the part of the gradient part faces the drive region inside the individual liquid chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Satoru Tobita
  • Patent number: 8474958
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a flexible container containing ink; and a restriction mechanism allowing the flexible container to deform only in the direction to decrease the volume of the flexible container. The ink cartridge is used for an image forming apparatus including an inkjet head for jetting ink from nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Tomomi Katoh, Toshiroh Tokuno, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masanori Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8454136
    Abstract: An ink cartridge removably mountable in an image forming apparatus includes a flexible storage member, a pressurization-space formation member, an output port, and an opening-and-closing assembly. The flexible storage member stores ink. The pressurization-space formation member hermetically houses the storage member and forms a pressurization space to which a fluid is supplied between the pressurization-space formation member and the storage member. The output port is connected to the storage member, through which the ink is supplied from the storage member to the image forming apparatus. The opening-and-closing assembly opens and closes between the output port and the storage member by the fluid supplied into the pressurization space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Toshiroh Tokuno, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiro Kuwata, Masanori Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8454142
    Abstract: A liquid carrying container which is removably mounted to a body of an image forming device is disclosed. The liquid carrying container includes a liquid containing bag which contains liquid; and a supply port section which has an elastically deformable portion through which a hollow nozzle member is pierced from the side of the image forming device, wherein the supply port section is directly held within a recess section formed on the liquid containing bag, and the hollow nozzle member penetrates through the supply port section and the liquid containing bag to face inside the liquid containing bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Bannai, Toshiroh Tokuno, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masanori Kusunoki, Tomomi Katoh, Masahiro Kuwata, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh
  • Publication number: 20130070026
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a nozzle plate having a nozzle array constructed of multiple nozzles, a channel member that forms multiple individual channels communicating with the multiple nozzles, a pressure generator to pressurize liquid within the multiple individual channels, and a common channel member that forms a common channel from which the liquid is supplied to the multiple individual channels. The channel member includes a first surface facing the common channel, a second surface provided at both ends of the channel member and protruding beyond the first surface toward a direction opposite a direction of flow of the liquid, and a third surface that connects the first and second surfaces. At least a gap between the common channel member and a part of the second surface is sealed by a seal member that forms a wall of the common channel between the channel member and the common channel member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro KUWATA
  • Publication number: 20130070025
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a nozzle plate having a nozzle array constructed of multiple nozzles from which liquid droplets are ejectable; a channel plate in which grooves that form part of multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles are provided with partition walls interposed therebetween, a wall member that covers the grooves to form part of walls of the pressure chambers, and multiple first through-holes formed in the channel plate to connect the nozzles and the pressure chambers, respectively. The multiple first through-holes are provided with partition walls interposed therebetween, and each of the multiple first through-holes has a first opening and a second opening. The second opening is offset from the first opening in a direction in which the nozzle arrays extend. Each of the multiple first through-holes further has a portion between the first and second openings to change a direction of flow of liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro KUWATA
  • Patent number: 8393721
    Abstract: An imaging-material container that stores imaging material to be supplied to an image forming device includes a flexible storage member, a pressure unit, a regulation member, and a pushing unit. The flexible storage member stores imaging material. The pressure unit applies pressure on the flexible storage member. The regulation member contacts the flexible storage member to deform the flexible storage member. The pushing unit moves the regulation member as the imaging material is consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiro Kuwata, Toshiroh Tokuno, Masanori Kusunoki
  • Publication number: 20130010038
    Abstract: An ink cartridge attachable to and detachable from an imaging apparatus, and including an ink accommodating unit; and a cartridge casing having an opening, whereby the ink accommodating unit includes: an ink accommodating body; and an ink supplying portion including a nozzle insertion path and connected to the ink accommodating body, whereby the ink supplying portion is held by the cartridge casing so that the ink supplying portion is rotatable between a position where the nozzle insertion path faces the opening and a position where the nozzle insertion path faces an inner wall surface of the cartridge casing, and when the ink cartridge is attached to the imaging apparatus the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the opening, and when the ink cartridge is detached the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the inner wall surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Tadashi HAYAKAWA, Shotaro Takeuchi, Toshiroh Tokuno, Tomomi Katoh, Masanori Kusunoki, Akiko Bannai, Masahiro Kuwata, Ikoh Soh
  • Patent number: 8336998
    Abstract: A liquid discharging-type image forming apparatus capable of securely eliminating mixed air bubbles from the ink liquid and forming a stable image. The apparatus includes: a sub tank 35 of which negative pressure amount is detected; a pump 115 sucking ink when the detected amount of the sub tank 35 is lower than a predetermined amount so that the sub tank 35 and recording heads 34 have negative pressure; a second backflow prevention unit 203 to stop the sent ink to be reserved in a second liquid container 201, which is pressurized as ink increases. When the ink is again filled in the sub tank 35, the ink is sent from the second liquid container 201 before being sent from the first liquid container. Accordingly, ink is not accumulated in the second liquid container 201, allowing the second liquid container 201 to be smaller and the image forming apparatus as a whole to be more compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Tadashi Hayakawa, Ikoh Soh, Toshiroh Tokuno, Tomomi Katoh, Akiko Bannai, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masanori Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8292414
    Abstract: An ink cartridge attachable to and detachable from an imaging apparatus, and including an ink accommodating unit; and a cartridge casing having an opening, whereby the ink accommodating unit includes: an ink accommodating body; and an ink supplying portion including a nozzle insertion path and connected to the ink accommodating body, whereby the ink supplying portion is held by the cartridge casing so that the ink supplying portion is rotatable between a position where the nozzle insertion path faces the opening and a position where the nozzle insertion path faces an inner wall surface of the cartridge casing, and when the ink cartridge is attached to the imaging apparatus the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the opening, and when the ink cartridge is detached the ink supplying portion is rotated to direct the nozzle insertion path toward the inner wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Hayakawa, Shotaro Takeuchi, Toshiroh Tokuno, Tomomi Katoh, Masanori Kusunoki, Akiko Bannai, Masahiro Kuwata, Ikoh Soh
  • Publication number: 20120069093
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a common-chamber formation member including a common chamber to supply liquid to pressure chambers communicating nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets, a flexible thin-film member to form part of a wall face of the common chamber, and a thin-film support member bonded to the thin-film member with glue. The support member has an opening or a recessed portion at least partially having a shape that is broad in an area proximal to a first surface of the support member bonded to the thin-film member and becomes narrower as an area of the opening or the recessed portion is more distant from the first surface. The opening or the recessed portion is sealed with the thin-film member. A portion of the thin-film member corresponding to the opening or the recessed portion has the glue on only a periphery area of the portion that contacts the support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro KUWATA, Daisuke Takagi, Kazuo Haida