Patents by Inventor Michitaka Suzuki
Michitaka Suzuki 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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Publication number: 20220380168Abstract: An enclosing apparatus for enclosing an enclosure into an envelope at an enclosing position includes a conveyance roller that conveys the envelope to the enclosing position and an envelope conveyance path through which the envelope is conveyed. An enclosing support is disposed in the envelope conveyance path and supports enclosing of the enclosure into the envelope. The enclosing support retracts a flap of the envelope from the envelope conveyance path while the conveyance roller conveys the envelope to the enclosing position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Shinji ASAMI, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Takahiro MATSUDA, Makoto HIDAKA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Shingo YOSHIZAWA, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Takuya MORINAGA, Atsushi SHINODA
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Publication number: 20220379653Abstract: An enclosing-sealing apparatus includes a flap opener that opens a flap of an envelope while the envelope is conveyed to an enclosing position. A first envelope detector is disposed upstream from the flap opener in an envelope conveyance direction and detects both ends of the envelope in the envelope conveyance direction. A second envelope detector is disposed downstream from the flap opener in the envelope conveyance direction and detects both ends of the envelope in the envelope conveyance direction in an open state in which the flap opens. A controller determines the open state of the flap based on a first detection result sent from the first envelope detector and a second detection result sent from the second envelope detector. The controller performs troubleshooting for enclosing the enclosure into the envelope if the controller determines that the open state of the flap is faulty.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira KUNIEDA, Michitaka SUZUKI, Shinji ASAMI, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Takahiro MATSUDA, Makoto HIDAKA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Shingo YOSHIZAWA, Takahiro WATANABE, Takuya MORINAGA
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Publication number: 20220363088Abstract: An envelope processing apparatus for enclosing an enclosure into an envelope conveyed to an enclosing position includes a conveyance roller that conveys the envelope to the enclosing position. A first envelope length calculator calculates a first envelope length of the envelope in an envelope conveyance direction in which the envelope is conveyed in a close state in which a flap of the envelope closes. A flap opener opens the flap while the conveyance roller conveys the envelope. A second envelope length calculator calculates a second envelope length of the envelope in the envelope conveyance direction in an open state in which the flap opens. A controller calculates a flap length of the flap in the envelope conveyance direction based on the first envelope length and the second envelope length. The controller controls enclosing of the enclosure into the envelope based on the flap length.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shingo YOSHIZAWA, Michitaka SUZUKI, Nobuyoshi SUZUKI, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Shinji ASAMI, Takahiro MATSUDA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Makoto HIDAKA, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Takuya MORINAGA
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Patent number: 11485602Abstract: An embodiment of this disclosure provides a folding apparatus configured to stack and fold a designated number of sheets at a time. The folding apparatus includes a conveyor configured to sequentially convey the designated number of sheets, a stacker configured to temporarily store a sheet conveyed by the conveyor to stack the designated number of sheets, a sheet folding device configured to fold the designated number of sheets at a time, and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to cause the sheet folding device to fold the stored sheet in response to an occurrence of a sheet jam upstream from the stacker in a direction of sheet conveyance, in processing the designated number of sheets.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Makoto Hidaka, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Kazuyoshi Matsuo, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Takahashi
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Publication number: 20220153008Abstract: A sheet separation device includes a rotator, a nipping member to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, a first conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a first direction toward the rotator and a second direction reverse thereto, a winding member to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator, a second conveyor to convey a sheet medium in the second direction, a separation claw to move in a width direction; a sheet guide to guide the separated two sheets to different passages; and control circuitry. The first conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet to the rotator with a bonded portion at an upstream end. The control circuitry inserts the separation claw into a space between the two sheets, adjusts a projection amount of the two-ply sheet from a nip of the first conveyor in the second direction, and inserts the sheet medium in two-ply sheet adjusted in the projection amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Wataru TAKAHASHI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Fumiharu YONEYAMA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Makoto HIDAKA, Koki SAKANO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
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Patent number: 11273629Abstract: A sheet separation device includes a rotator, a nipping member to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, a first conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a first direction toward the rotator and a second direction reverse thereto, a winding member to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator, a second conveyor to convey a sheet medium in the second direction, a separation claw to move in a width direction; a sheet guide to guide the separated two sheets to different passages; and control circuitry. The first conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet to the rotator with a bonded portion at an upstream end. The control circuitry inserts the separation claw into a space between the two sheets, adjusts a projection amount of the two-ply sheet from a nip of the first conveyor in the second direction, and inserts the sheet medium in two-ply sheet adjusted in the projection amount.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Kazuyoshi Matsuo, Makoto Hidaka, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
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Patent number: 11267671Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a roller pair configured to convey a sheet, a sheet bundle conveyer configured to convey a sheet bundle to the roller pair, and circuitry configured to cause the sheet bundle conveyer to contact leading edges of sheets of the sheet bundle to the roller pair and cause the roller pair to rotate in reverse to align the leading edges of the sheets of the sheet bundle.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yohsuke Haraguchi, Shinji Asami, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Makoto Hidaka, Koki Sakano
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Patent number: 11161710Abstract: A sheet separation device to open a two-ply sheet includes a rotator; a nipping member disposed opposite the rotator and configured to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator; a conveyor configured to convey the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the nipping member, and a winding member disposed adjacent to the rotator. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet. The winding member winds the two-ply sheet around the rotator, to create a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets and separate the two sheets.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Akihiro Iwasaki, Michitaka Suzuki, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Tomomichi Hoshino, Wataru Takahashi, Takuya Morinaga, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Makoto Hidaka
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Patent number: 11111098Abstract: A sheet folding system includes a plurality of sheet folding apparatuses configured to receive and perform a folding process on a sheet and circuitry configured to distribute sheets to the plurality of sheet folding apparatuses. Each of the plurality of sheet folding apparatuses includes a folding device configured to fold the sheet, a first conveyance passage configured to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction without passing through the folding device, a second conveyance passage configured to convey the sheet to the folding device, a third conveyance passage configured to convey the sheet from the folding device downstream in the sheet conveyance direction, and a junction between the first conveyance passage and the third conveyance passage. The circuitry controls sheet conveyance to prevent an interference, at the junction, between the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance passage and the sheet conveyed from the third conveyance passage.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Michitaka Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Makoto Hidaka, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
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Patent number: 11099507Abstract: A sheet separation device configured to separate a two-ply sheet, in which two sheets are bonded together at a portion, includes a rotator, a nipping member disposed opposite the rotator and configured to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, a conveyor configured to convey the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the nipping member, and a winding member disposed adjacent to the rotator. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet. The winding member winds the two-ply sheet around the rotator, to create a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets and separate the two sheets. The sheet separation device further includes control circuitry configured to adjust a winding amount of the two-ply sheet around the rotator.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Wataru Takahashi, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Kazuyoshi Matsuo, Makoto Hidaka, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
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Patent number: 11097920Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a sheet from an ejection member at a first speed lower than a conveyance speed by the ejection member or a second speed substantially same as or higher than the conveyance speed; a registration member; a pair of first and second rollers to rotate in forward and reverse directions; a plurality of folding rollers downstream from the second roller, to rotate in forward and reverse directions to fold the sheet; and circuitry to determine whether the sheet is equal to or smaller than a reference length from an exit position from the ejection member to a folding start position downstream from the pair of the first and second rollers. The circuitry performs first-speed folding when the sheet is equal to or smaller than the reference length and performs second-speed folding when the sheet is longer than the reference length.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2020Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Wataru Takahashi, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Kazuyoshi Matsuo, Makoto Hidaka, Takahiro Watanabe, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
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Patent number: 11084682Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a second conveying roller pair that receives and conveys a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller pair; a first folding roller pair that forms a first fold on the sheet; and a first rotation unit capable of rotating the second conveying roller pair and the first folding roller pair. One roller of the second conveying roller pair and one roller of the first folding roller pair are a common roller shared therebetween. The second conveying roller pair causes the sheet to be deflected and guided to the first folding roller pair, and the first folding roller pair forms the first fold on the deflected sheet by rotating the first rotation unit in a certain direction in a state in which the sheet is held by the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Takao Watanabe
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Patent number: 10974923Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveying unit, a presser, an end detector, and a setting unit. The conveying unit conveys a sheet having a crease formed therein. The presser presses the crease in the sheet. The end detector detects an end in a conveying direction of the sheet at a position upstream of the presser in the conveying direction. The setting unit sets a crease position where the crease is to be formed. Upon detection of the end in the conveying direction, the conveying unit conveys the sheet to a position where the crease faces the presser, on the basis of the crease position set by the setting unit. The presser presses the crease in the conveyed sheet.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Michitaka Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Satoshi Saito, Takahiro Watanabe, Takao Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki
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Patent number: 10953622Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Michitaka Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Koki Sakano, Takao Watanabe
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Patent number: 10899572Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding device to fold a sheet and a fold-enhancing device to press a folded portion of the sheet folded by the folding device to perform enhanced folding processing on the sheet whose trailing edge has exited the folding device.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Koki Sakano, Shinji Asami, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Makoto Hidaka, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
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Patent number: 10899573Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an entry portion, a sheet conveyance path extending from the entry portion, a skew correction roller pair that contacts a leading edge of a sheet conveyed in a predetermined direction from the entry portion to correct skew of the sheet, and a receiving path. The skew correction roller pair conveys the skew-corrected sheet in a direction opposite the predetermined direction. The receiving path branches from the sheet conveyance path from the entry portion to the skew correction roller pair to receive the sheet conveyed in the direction opposite the predetermined direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shinji Asami, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Makoto Hidaka, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
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Publication number: 20200407187Abstract: An embodiment of this disclosure provides a folding apparatus configured to stack and fold a designated number of sheets at a time. The folding apparatus includes a conveyor configured to sequentially convey the designated number of sheets, a stacker configured to temporarily store a sheet conveyed by the conveyor to stack the designated number of sheets, a sheet folding device configured to fold the designated number of sheets at a time, and control circuitry. The control circuitry is configured to cause the sheet folding device to fold the stored sheet in response to an occurrence of a sheet jam upstream from the stacker in a direction of sheet conveyance, in processing the designated number of sheets.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto HIDAKA, Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Fumiharu YONEYAMA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Koki SAKANO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI
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Publication number: 20200385231Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a sheet from an ejection member at a first speed lower than a conveyance speed by the ejection member or a second speed substantially same as or higher than the conveyance speed; a registration member; a pair of first and second rollers to rotate in forward and reverse directions; a plurality of folding rollers downstream from the second roller, to rotate in forward and reverse directions to fold the sheet; and circuitry to determine whether the sheet is equal to or smaller than a reference length from an exit position from the ejection member to a folding start position downstream from the pair of the first and second rollers. The circuitry performs first-speed folding when the sheet is equal to or smaller than the reference length and performs second-speed folding when the sheet is longer than the reference length.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira KUNIEDA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Fumiharu YONEYAMA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Makoto HIDAKA, Takahiro WATANABE, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
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Patent number: 10857776Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are bonded together at a portion. The sheet separation device includes a rotator, a nipping member opposite the rotator, to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, a conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the nipping member, a winding member adjacent to the rotator, to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator, and control circuitry. In winding the two-ply sheet, the control circuitry rotates the rotator at a first speed faster than a second speed at which the two-ply sheet moves to the rotator via the conveyor, and creates a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets, thereby separating the two sheets. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2020Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takuya Morinaga, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Tomomichi Hoshino, Wataru Takahashi, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Makoto Hidaka, Kazuyoshi Matsuo, Takahiro Watanabe
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Publication number: 20200341414Abstract: A sheet separation device configured to separate a two-ply sheet, in which two sheets are bonded together at a portion, includes a rotator, a nipping member disposed opposite the rotator and configured to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, a conveyor configured to convey the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the nipping member, and a winding member disposed adjacent to the rotator. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet. The winding member winds the two-ply sheet around the rotator, to create a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets and separate the two sheets. The sheet separation device further includes control circuitry configured to adjust a winding amount of the two-ply sheet around the rotator.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2020Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Fumiharu YONEYAMA, Kazuyoshi MATSUO, Makoto HIDAKA, Koki SAKANO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takuya MORINAGA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI