Patents by Inventor Masahiro Yonekawa

Masahiro Yonekawa 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: 20070236552
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading section; a sheet feeding section; an image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet of the receiving material fed from the sheet feeding section; and a sheet discharging section located below the image reading section and configured to discharge the sheet bearing the image fed from the image forming section, wherein the sheet discharging section includes an outlet from which the sheet bearing the image is drawn; an inlet which is located on an upstream side from the outlet relative to the sheet discharging direction and from which the sheet bearing the image is discharged by the image forming section; a sheet receiving portion which receives the sheet bearing the image discharged from the inlet; and a top wall, and wherein the top wall is slanting upward in the sheet discharging direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventors: Masato SUZUKI, Makoto Kurata, Masahiro Yonekawa
  • Publication number: 20070139506
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a main unit including an image forming mechanism for forming an image and a replaceable component ordinarily replaced by a user, a first door arranged at a first part of a front side of the main unit, wherein the first door is configured to be openable and closable, and a second door arranged at a second part of the front side of the main unit, wherein the second door is configured such that it is difficult to attach and detach the second door to and from the main unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Masahiro YONEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20070140708
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as an ink jet printer or a laser beam printer include an ink or toner cartridge loading portion and a display portion to show the remaining amount of the ink or the toner. The ink or toner cartridge loaded in the ink or toner cartridge loading portion and the display portion are viewable together at once.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Ryota Yano, Hiroshi Obara, Masaaki Kabumoto
  • Publication number: 20070140731
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a door which is disposed on a rear surface of the image forming apparatus that allows a portion of the rear side thereof to open. The image forming apparatus further includes an image forming unit. The door is disposed at a position accessible to the image forming unit. The door includes a swelling portion which outwardly swells and receives parts and devices therein, for example, cables and tubes of the image forming apparatus. The swelling portion has an arc shape. The door on the rear surface of the image forming apparatus serves as a door for maintenance. The image forming unit includes an inkjet type image forming unit. The image forming unit includes a gel-inkjet type image forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Masahiro Yonekawa
  • Publication number: 20060082622
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of recording liquid cartridges, a cartridge holder, and a cover. The plurality of recording liquid cartridges contain recording liquids of colors different from each other. The cartridge holder holds the plurality of recording liquid cartridges in the apparatus. The cover includes a see-through portion through which the plurality of recording liquid cartridges are visible, and encloses the plurality of recording liquid cartridges held by the cartridge holder inside the apparatus. The cover is opened to allow an operator access to exchange each of the plurality of recording liquid cartridges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Ryota Yano, Hiroshi Obara
  • Patent number: 6507720
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Kabumoto, Goro Katsuyama, Kanae Amemiya, Masahiro Kurita, Masahiro Yonekawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20020043910
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a table top formed above a paper discharge area. The paper discharge area is formed on a top surface of a main body of the image forming apparatus. Support members are provided on the top surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the table top is supported by the support members. This structure allows the area above the paper discharge area on the top surface of the image forming apparatus not to be wasted and to be efficiently utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: MASANORI HASHIMOTO, TAKAFUMI HOSHIMURA, MASAHIRO YONEKAWA, MASAHIRO KURITA, KAZUYUKI SAITOH
  • Publication number: 20020009310
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Kabumoto, Goro Katsuyama, Kanae Amemiya, Masahiro Kurita, Masahiro Yonekawa, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Masumi Sato, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Yoshio Hattori, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6131902
    Abstract: A sheet transport system for an image-forming apparatus including a scanner unit on an upper part of an image-forming unit. A paper ejecting path ejects an image formed paper sheet to an ejected paper stacker via the image-forming unit. The paper ejecting path includes a straight sheet feeding path and a turn-around sheet feeding path. A scanning sheet path conveys an original document through an original document platform to a scanned paper stacker via the scanner unit. A sheet path selector selects one of the paper ejecting path or scanning sheet path, the scanning sheet path and the paper ejecting path crossing each other. A manual paper ejecting path selector allows manually selecting one of the straight sheet feeding path and the turn-around sheet feeding path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Takenaka, Masahiro Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 6057936
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an open interior space that retains ejected printed sheets. The apparatus includes a scanner that operates in a book-scanning mode of operation and a printer that includes a sheet ejection side wall in which an opening is formed for ejecting a printed sheet there through and a pair of support walls for supporting the scanner thereon. Each of the pair of support walls is orthogonal to the sheet ejection side wall and shorter in length than a length of the scanner in a longitudinal direction. In the image forming apparatus, the scanner is mounted on the sheet ejection side wall and the pair of support walls in a way such that a front part of the scanner projects in a horizontal direction from front edge sides of the sheet ejection side wall and the pair of support walls so that an interior space for handling the printed sheet is formed under a bottom part of the scanner that projects from the front edge sides of the sheet ejection side wall and the pair of support walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Obara, Masahiro Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 5930561
    Abstract: A method of assembling a process cartridge which includes a photosensitive-body case having a photosensitive drum stored therein and a development-body case having a development roller stored therein is proposed. The method includes the steps of positioning a rotation center of the photosensitive drum relative to a rotation center of the development roller by use of a fixture, and fixing relative positions of the photosensitive-body case and the development-body case while the fixture is in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hosokawa, Tetsuo Yamanaka, Masahiro Yonekawa, Nahoko Aizawa
  • Patent number: 5915157
    Abstract: A sheet transport system for an image-forming apparatus including a scanner unit on an upper part of an image-forming unit. A paper ejecting path ejects an image formed paper sheet to an ejected paper stacker via the image-forming unit. A scanning sheet path conveys an original document through an original document platform to a scanned paper stacker via the scanner unit. A sheet path selector selects one of the paper ejecting path or scanning sheet path, the scanning sheet path and the paper ejecting path crossing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Takenaka, Masahiro Yonekawa
  • Patent number: D443891
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Masaaki Kabumoto, Yoko Nakamura, Masahiro Kurita, Kanae Nomura
  • Patent number: D558818
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Tomohiko Sasaki, Masami Iida, Shigeru Horiguchi
  • Patent number: D566170
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Ryota Yano, Masaaki Kabumoto
  • Patent number: D566757
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Ryota Yano, Masaaki Kabumoto
  • Patent number: D490832
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Masayuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: D359484
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Yonekawa
  • Patent number: D433441
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonekawa, Nahoko Aizawa, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Tetsuo Yamanaka