Patents by Inventor Masashi HOMMI

Masashi HOMMI 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).

  • Patent number: 11774878
    Abstract: An amount-of-remaining-toner detecting device includes: a toner housing portion in which a toner bottle is housed, the toner bottle having a bottle body that is cylindrical and in which toner is housed, and a cap that is attached to one end of the bottle body in an axial direction of the bottle body and from which the toner housed in the bottle body is discharged; and circuitry configured to detect an amount of remaining toner in the toner bottle housed in the toner housing portion. The toner housing portion includes a first pair of electrodes facing each other with the bottle body interposed between the first pair of electrodes, and a second pair of electrodes facing each other with the bottle body interposed between the second pair of electrodes, at respective positions closer to the cap than the first pair of electrodes are.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryotaro Konno, Junichi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Kubo, Yuki Osato, Yuusuke Tomura, Masashi Hommi
  • Patent number: 11611674
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reading table, an image reading device, an image forming device with an exposure device, and circuitry. The reading device reads a pattern on a recording medium on the table, and generates image data of the pattern. The exposure device includes a light emitting element to form an electrostatic latent image, based on which the image forming device forms the pattern. Based on first and second correction values, the circuitry calculates a third correction value to correct a light amount of the light emitting element. The exposure device includes a driving device that drives the light emitting element based on the third correction value. The circuitry sets at least two or more determination areas in each of a white area and a pattern area of the medium, and determines whether the medium has a rise based on density data in the determination areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidemasa Morimoto, Koichi Murota, Masashi Hommi, Yuki Osato, Yuusuke Tomura
  • Patent number: 11604423
    Abstract: A remaining toner amount detection device includes four electrodes and a controller. Each electrode has an arc shape along an outer circumferential surface of a toner bottle, and the four electrodes are spaced a certain distance apart in a circumferential direction so as to surround the toner bottle. The controller detects a remaining toner amount inside the toner bottle by using the four electrodes. The controller determines whether at least one of a first electrostatic capacity value between one pair of adjacent electrodes and a second electrostatic capacity value between the other pair of adjacent electrodes falls within a threshold range. In response to determination that at least one of the electrostatic capacity values falls within the threshold range, the controller detects a remaining toner amount inside the toner bottle based on an electrostatic capacity value, and outputs the detected remaining toner amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Osato, Masashi Hommi, Yuusuke Tomura, Ryotaro Konno, Junichi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Kubo
  • Publication number: 20220397853
    Abstract: An amount-of-remaining-toner detecting device includes: a toner housing portion in which a toner bottle is housed, the toner bottle having a bottle body that is cylindrical and in which toner is housed, and a cap that is attached to one end of the bottle body in an axial direction of the bottle body and from which the toner housed in the bottle body is discharged; and circuitry configured to detect an amount of remaining toner in the toner bottle housed in the toner housing portion. The toner housing portion includes a first pair of electrodes facing each other with the bottle body interposed between the first pair of electrodes, and a second pair of electrodes facing each other with the bottle body interposed between the second pair of electrodes, at respective positions closer to the cap than the first pair of electrodes are.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryotaro Konno, Junichi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Kubo, Yuki Osato, Yuusuke Tomura, Masashi Hommi
  • Publication number: 20220283533
    Abstract: A remaining toner amount detection device includes four electrodes and a controller. Each electrode has an arc shape along an outer circumferential surface of a toner bottle, and the four electrodes are spaced a certain distance apart in a circumferential direction so as to surround the toner bottle. The controller detects a remaining toner amount inside the toner bottle by using the four electrodes. The controller determines whether at least one of a first electrostatic capacity value between one pair of adjacent electrodes and a second electrostatic capacity value between the other pair of adjacent electrodes falls within a threshold range. In response to determination that at least one of the electrostatic capacity values falls within the threshold range, the controller detects a remaining toner amount inside the toner bottle based on an electrostatic capacity value, and outputs the detected remaining toner amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Osato, Masashi Hommi, Yuusuke Tomura, Ryotaro Konno, Junichi Matsumoto, Tatsuya Kubo
  • Publication number: 20210405562
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reading table, an image reading device, an image forming device with an exposure device, and circuitry. The reading device reads a pattern on a recording medium on the table, and generates image data of the pattern. The exposure device includes a light emitting element to form an electrostatic latent image, based on which the image forming device forms the pattern. Based on first and second correction values, the circuitry calculates a third correction value to correct a light amount of the light emitting element. The exposure device includes a driving device that drives the light emitting element based on the third correction value. The circuitry sets at least two or more determination areas in each of a white area and a pattern area of the medium, and determines whether the medium has a rise based on density data in the determination areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidemasa MORIMOTO, Koichi MUROTA, Masashi HOMMI, Yuki OSATO, Yuusuke TOMURA
  • Patent number: 11126111
    Abstract: A toner amount detector detects an amount of toner in a toner bottle. The toner amount detector includes at least one pair of electrodes disposed opposite each other via the toner bottle, grounding members disposed outboard of the at least one pair of electrodes and electrically grounded, circuitry to switch a first detection processing and a second detection processing, and an indicator to indicate that a positional deviation of the at least one pair of electrodes has occurred. The grounding members face the at least one pair of electrodes. The first detection processing detects the amount of toner based on a first capacitance between the at least one pair of electrodes, and the second detection processing detects a positional deviation based on a second capacitance between each of the grounding members and a corresponding one of the at least one pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Tomura, Masashi Hommi, Tetsuya Hara, Yuki Osato, Yuji Ieiri, Takumi Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 10859973
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an electrode pair including two electrodes facing each other; a powder container interposed between the two electrodes and including a storage medium that is communicably coupled to the image forming apparatus; a capacitance detector configured to detect capacitance between the two electrodes; a powder container mounting determiner configured to determine whether the powder container is mounted to the image forming apparatus based on the capacitance, upon detecting that communication is not possible between the image forming apparatus and the storage medium; and an image forming execution controller configured to cause the image forming apparatus to execute image formation, upon determining, by the powder container mounting determiner, that the powder container is mounted to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Hommi, Tetsuya Hara, Yuji Ieiri, Takumi Miyagawa
  • Publication number: 20200333725
    Abstract: A toner amount detector detects an amount of toner in a toner bottle. The toner amount detector includes at least one pair of electrodes disposed opposite each other via the toner bottle, grounding members disposed outboard of the at least one pair of electrodes and electrically grounded, circuitry to switch a first detection processing and a second detection processing, and an indicator to indicate that a positional deviation of the at least one pair of electrodes has occurred. The grounding members face the at least one pair of electrodes. The first detection processing detects the amount of toner based on a first capacitance between the at least one pair of electrodes, and the second detection processing detects a positional deviation based on a second capacitance between each of the grounding members and a corresponding one of the at least one pair of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Yuusuke TOMURA, Masashi HOMMI, Tetsuya HARA, Yuki OSATO, Yuji IEIRI, Takumi MIYAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200301357
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an electrode pair including two electrodes facing each other; a powder container interposed between the two electrodes and including a storage medium that is communicably coupled to the image forming apparatus; a capacitance detector configured to detect capacitance between the two electrodes; a powder container mounting determiner configured to determine whether the powder container is mounted to the image forming apparatus based on the capacitance, upon detecting that communication is not possible between the image forming apparatus and the storage medium; and an image forming execution controller configured to cause the image forming apparatus to execute image formation, upon determining, by the powder container mounting determiner, that the powder container is mounted to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi HOMMI, Tetsuya HARA, Yuji IEIRI, Takumi MIYAGAWA
  • Patent number: 10775729
    Abstract: A remaining toner amount detecting apparatus detects a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes; a first estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes; a second estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and an estimation selector configured to use either one of the first estimator or the second estimator to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hara, Masashi Hommi, Yuji Ieiri, Takumi Miyagawa
  • Publication number: 20200233361
    Abstract: A remaining toner amount detecting apparatus detects a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes; a first estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes; a second estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and an estimation selector configured to use either one of the first estimator or the second estimator to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya HARA, Masashi HOMMI, Yuji IEIRI, Takumi MIYAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200033752
    Abstract: A powder amount detector is configured to detect an amount of powder in a powder container. The powder amount detector includes a pair of electrodes configured to detect capacitance between the pair of electrodes to detect the amount of powder. The pair of electrodes is flat plate electrodes disposed outside and across the powder container in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kubo, Junichi Matsumoto, Hiroaki Okamoto, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Masashi Hommi, Daisuke Hirano
  • Patent number: 10459368
    Abstract: A powder detector includes a driver to drive a motor, a stirrer to stir powder in a vessel, a vibration plate disposed in the vessel and vibrated by a flip of the stirrer rotated by the motor, and circuitry. The circuitry detects a vibration of the vibration plate, estimates an amount of powder based on a detection result of the vibration, and causes the driver to drive the motor from a starting point, so as to move the stirrer to a preset halt position. The starting point is a rotation angle of the motor on detection of the vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Sumihiro Inokuchi, Hiroshi Adachi, Masashi Hommi, Naohiro Funada, Norio Muraishi, Kengo Tanaka, Shingo Nishizaki, Masaki Karakawa
  • Publication number: 20190196360
    Abstract: A powder detector includes a driver to drive a motor, a stirrer to stir powder in a vessel, a vibration plate disposed in the vessel and vibrated by a flip of the stirrer rotated by the motor, and circuitry. The circuitry detects a vibration of the vibration plate, estimates an amount of powder based on a detection result of the vibration, and causes the driver to drive the motor from a starting point, so as to move the stirrer to a preset halt position. The starting point is a rotation angle of the motor on detection of the vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Sumihiro INOKUCHI, Hiroshi ADACHI, Masashi HOMMI, Naohiro FUNADA, Norio MURAISHI, Kengo TANAKA, Shingo NISHIZAKI, Masaki KARAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10163045
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus to which a removable device can be set is provided. The removable device includes a first memory to store first status information indicating a status of the removable device, first identification information identifying the removable device, and second identification information identifying the electronic apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Tanaka, Kazushi Takei, Norio Muraishi, Sumihiro Inokuchi, Masashi Hommi, Atsushi Kuramoto, Takuya Kemmochi, Yoichi Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20170270395
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus to which a removable device can be set is provided. The removable device includes a first memory to store first status information indicating a status of the removable device, first identification information identifying the removable device, and second identification information identifying the electronic apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo TANAKA, Kazushi TAKEI, Norio MURAISHI, Sumihiro INOKUCHI, Masashi HOMMI, Atsushi KURAMOTO, Takuya KEMMOCHI, Yoichi KITAHARA
  • Patent number: 9757940
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of line heads disposed along a conveyance direction of a recording sheet and including a plurality of nozzles to discharge ink droplets, the plurality of nozzles disposed in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording sheet; a plurality of edge sensors corresponding to respective line heads, to detect a lateral edge of the recording sheet; a plurality of actuators corresponding to the respective line heads, to move to the respective line heads laterally in a sheet width direction; a head position adjustor to determine movement amounts of the respective line heads in accordance with outputs of the plurality of edge sensors; and a failure determiner to obtain outputs of the plurality of edge sensors simultaneously and identify a failure of the plurality of edge sensors based on a combination of the outputs from the plurality of edge sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Hommi
  • Publication number: 20160347050
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of line heads disposed along a conveyance direction of a recording sheet and including a plurality of nozzles to discharge ink droplets, the plurality of nozzles disposed in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording sheet; a plurality of edge sensors corresponding to respective line heads, to detect a lateral edge of the recording sheet; a plurality of actuators corresponding to the respective line heads, to move to the respective line heads laterally in a sheet width direction; a head position adjustor to determine movement amounts of the respective line heads in accordance with outputs of the plurality of edge sensors; and a failure determiner to obtain outputs of the plurality of edge sensors simultaneously and identify a failure of the plurality of edge sensors based on a combination of the outputs from the plurality of edge sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi HOMMI
  • Patent number: 9440431
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of line heads disposed along a conveyance direction of a recording sheet and including a plurality of nozzles to discharge ink droplets, the plurality of nozzles disposed in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording sheet; a plurality of edge sensors corresponding to respective line heads, to detect a lateral edge of the recording sheet; a plurality of actuators corresponding to the respective line heads, to move to the respective line heads laterally in a sheet width direction; a head position adjustor to determine movement amounts of the respective line heads in accordance with outputs of the plurality of edge sensors; and a failure determiner to obtain outputs of the plurality of edge sensors simultaneously and identify a failure of the plurality of edge sensors based on a combination of the outputs from the plurality of edge sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Hommi