Patents by Inventor Masatoshi Sakakitani

Masatoshi Sakakitani 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: 8172362
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an idle ejection receiving part for receiving idle-ejected waste liquid from a liquid jet head and a waste liquid tank provided below the idle ejection receiving part for collecting the waste liquid dropping from the idle ejection receiving part. The image recording apparatus further includes a rotating member having a peripheral surface for rotating and receiving the waste liquid, and a wiping member that contacts or faces the peripheral surface for wiping the waste liquid on the peripheral surface of the rotating member. The wiping member is configured to move in a peripheral direction of the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Patent number: 8157342
    Abstract: A disclosed liquid-jet device includes a liquid-jet head configured to jet liquid droplets; a pattern formation control unit configured to control the liquid-jet head and thereby to form a test pattern composed of separate liquid droplets on a water-repellent part; a detecting unit including a light-emitting element configured to illuminate the test pattern on the water-repellent part and a light-receiving element configured to receive specularly reflected light from the illuminated test pattern and to output a detection signal proportional to the received specularly reflected light; and a landing position adjusting unit configured to adjust landing positions of the liquid droplets based on the detection signal from the light-receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsu Morino, Noboru Sawayama, Kenichi Kawabata, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tetsuro Hirota, Takumi Hagiwara, Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Patent number: 8042903
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a head part with an ejection port configured to eject ink, a discarded-ink tank configured to collect ejected or absorbed ink in order to restore a function of the ejection port, and a sensing device configured to sense the discarded ink collected in the discarded-ink tank, the sensing device including an absorber configured to absorb the ink and an optical sensor configured to sense the light received from the absorber is disclosed, wherein the apparatus uses ink having a characteristic such that the discarded ink is accumulated in a mountain-like shape in the discarded-ink tank, and the absorber is arranged at the location, at which discarded ink can be absorbed when a mountain top of the discarded ink accumulated in a mountain-like shape reaches a predetermined height so that the discarded ink flows along a slope of the discarded ink accumulated in a mountain-like shape to the absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawashima, Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Patent number: 7905584
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one liquid discharging head and a pressure release member. The at least one liquid discharging head is configured to discharge a liquid to form an image. The pressure release member is configured to adjust an inner air pressure in the at least one liquid discharging head to be continuously equivalent to an outer air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20100149299
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus provides an improved printing speed and improved convenience of use. A recording head discharges droplets of a recording liquid onto a paper so as to form an image on the paper. A belt conveyance mechanism has a belt onto which the paper is electrostatically attached. The paper attached onto the belt is conveyed in a direction perpendicular to a carding direction of the paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Hajime NISHIDA, Manabu Nonaka, Eiki Yoshimizu, Shinichiro Naruse, Yasuhiro Kawashima, Hideki Sueoka, Tetsu Morino, Kazumasa Ishikawa, Yasunobu Youda, Akihiro Fujita, Shoji Asanuma, Masatoshi Sakakitani, Taku Kudoh, Shigeyuki Ito, Yohzoh Dohki, Koji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7712892
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus provides an improved printing speed and improved convenience of use. A recording head discharges droplets of a recording liquid onto a paper so as to form an image on the paper. A belt conveyance mechanism has a belt onto which the paper is electrostatically attached. The paper attached onto the belt is conveyed in a direction perpendicular to a carding direction of the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Nishida, Manabu Nonaka, Eiki Yoshimizu, Shinichiro Naruse, Yasuhiro Kawashima, Hideki Sueoka, Tetsu Morino, Kazumasa Ishikawa, Yasunobu Youda, Akihiro Fujita, Shoji Asanuma, Masatoshi Sakakitani, Taku Kudoh, Shigeyuki Ito, Yohzoh Dohki, Koji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7621619
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a maintenance recovery unit for maintaining and recovering a state of the recording head, a waste liquid tank removably loaded to the maintenance recovery unit to store a waste liquid from the maintenance recovery unit, a shutter mechanism arranged between the maintenance recovery unit and the waste liquid tank and including a shutter member which moves between a closed position at which the maintenance recovery unit is isolated from the waste liquid tank and an open position at which the maintenance recovery unit is linked to the waste liquid tank and a close mechanism which causes the shutter member to stay at the closed position, and a holding member removably inserted to the ink jet recording apparatus in a first direction and causes the shutter member to move to the open position in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20090278886
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an idle ejection receiving part for receiving idle-ejected waste liquid from a liquid jet head and a waste liquid tank provided below the idle ejection receiving part for collecting the waste liquid dropping from the idle ejection receiving part. The image recording apparatus further includes a rotating member having a peripheral surface for rotating and receiving the waste liquid, and a wiping member that contacts or faces the peripheral surface for wiping the waste liquid on the peripheral surface of the rotating member. The wiping member is configured to move in a peripheral direction of the rotating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD
    Inventor: Masatoshi SAKAKITANI
  • Patent number: 7510263
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a maintenance recovery mechanism for maintaining and restoring a condition of a recording head. An opening larger than an outline of a frame of the maintenance recovery mechanism is formed in a side plate to which an end of a guide rod is attached. The frame of the maintenance recovery mechanism is secured and held at the upper side of the opening. The maintenance recovery mechanism can be removed in a scanning main direction through the opening of the side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20080225068
    Abstract: A disclosed liquid-jet device includes a liquid-jet head configured to jet liquid droplets; a pattern formation control unit configured to control the liquid-jet head and thereby to form a test pattern composed of separate liquid droplets on a water-repellent part; a detecting unit including a light-emitting element configured to illuminate the test pattern on the water-repellent part and a light-receiving element configured to receive specularly reflected light from the illuminated test pattern and to output a detection signal proportional to the received specularly reflected light; and a landing position adjusting unit configured to adjust landing positions of the liquid droplets based on the detection signal from the light-receiving element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsu MORINO, Noboru Sawayama, Kenichi Kawabata, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tetsuro Hirota, Takumi Hagiwara, Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Patent number: 7419241
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a head part with an ejection port configured to eject ink, a discarded-ink tank configured to collect ejected or absorbed ink in order to restore a function of the ejection port, and a sensing device configured to sense the discarded ink collected in the discarded-ink tank, the sensing device including an absorber configured to absorb the ink and an optical sensor configured to sense the light received from the absorber is disclosed, wherein the apparatus uses ink having a characteristic such that the discarded ink is accumulated in a mountain-like shape in the discarded-ink tank, and the absorber is arranged at the location, at which discarded ink can be absorbed when a mountain top of the discarded ink accumulated in a mountain-like shape reaches a predetermined height so that the discarded ink flows along a slope of the discarded ink accumulated in a mountain-like shape to the absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawashima, Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20080012893
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one liquid discharging head and a pressure release member. The at least one liquid discharging head is configured to discharge a liquid to form an image. The pressure release member is configured to adjust an inner air pressure in the at least one liquid discharging head to be continuously equivalent to an outer air pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20070013735
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a maintenance recovery unit for maintaining and recovering a state of the recording head, a waste liquid tank removably loaded to the maintenance recovery unit to store a waste liquid from the maintenance recovery unit, a shutter mechanism arranged between the maintenance recovery unit and the waste liquid tank and including a shutter member which moves between a closed position at which the maintenance recovery unit is isolated from the waste liquid tank and an open position at which the maintenance recovery unit is linked to the waste liquid tank and a close mechanism which causes the shutter member to stay at the closed position, and a holding member removably inserted to the ink jet recording apparatus in a first direction and causes the shutter member to move to the open position in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20060181569
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a head part with an ejection port configured to eject ink, a discarded-ink tank configured to collect ejected or absorbed ink in order to restore a function of the ejection port, and a sensing device configured to sense the discarded ink collected in the discarded-ink tank, the sensing device including an absorber configured to absorb the ink and an optical sensor configured to sense the light received from the absorber is disclosed, wherein the apparatus uses ink having a characteristic such that the discarded ink is accumulated in a mountain-like shape in the discarded-ink tank, and the absorber is arranged at the location, at which discarded ink can be absorbed when a mountain top of the discarded ink accumulated in a mountain-like shape reaches a predetermined height so that the discarded ink flows along a slope of the discarded ink accumulated in a mountain-like shape to the absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawashima, Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20060050104
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a maintenance recovery mechanism for maintaining and restoring a condition of a recording head. An opening larger than an outline of a frame of the maintenance recovery mechanism is formed in a side plate to which an end of a guide rod is attached. The frame of the maintenance recovery mechanism is secured and held at the upper side of the opening. The maintenance recovery mechanism can be removed in a scanning main direction through the opening of the side plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Inventor: Masatoshi Sakakitani
  • Publication number: 20050194730
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus provides an improved printing speed and improved convenience of use. A recording head discharges droplets of a recording liquid onto a paper so as to form an image on the paper. A belt conveyance mechanism has a belt onto which the paper is electrostatically attached. The paper attached onto the belt is conveyed in a direction perpendicular to a carding direction of the paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Inventors: Hajime Nishida, Manabu Nonaka, Eiki Yoshimizu, Shinichiro Naruse, Yasuhiro Kawashima, Hideki Sueoka, Tetsu Morino, Kazumasa Ishikawa, Yasunobu Youda, Akihiro Fujita, Shoji Asanuma, Masatoshi Sakakitani, Taku Kudoh, Shigeyuki Ito, Yohzoh Dohki, Koji Watanabe