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).

  • Patent number: 8755097
    Abstract: An image reading device includes an upstream-side conveying unit configured to convey an original; a reading unit configured to read an image of the original conveyed by the upstream-side conveying unit; and a guide unit arranged between the upstream-side conveying unit and the reading unit to guide the original. As seen from a direction parallel to a reading surface of the reading unit and perpendicular to an original conveying direction in a reading position of the reading unit, an original conveying position for applying a conveying force to the original using the upstream-side conveying unit is arranged in a lower side from the reading position in a direction perpendicular to the reading surface of the reading unit, and the guide unit is configured such that the original passing through the original conveying position is guided to an upper direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Atushi Fujita, Hideki Tobinaga, Takashi Fukumoto, Michitaka Suzuki, Mamoru Kambayashi, Masataka Fukuchi, Kazuki Morita
  • Publication number: 20140147184
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a folding processing unit that folds a sheet by reversely rotating a second conveying member in a condition in which the sheet is held by a first and the second conveying members; a calculating unit that calculates an amount of deflection of the sheet held by the first and second conveying members from timings at which the sheet is detected by first and second detecting units disposed upstream of the first conveying member and downstream of the second conveying member and a distance between disposed positions of the first and second detecting units; and a control unit that sets, from the calculated amount of deflection of the sheet, an amount of conveyance for the first conveying member in a direction opposite to a sheet conveying direction in a condition in which the sheet is held by the first and second conveying members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Akira KUNIEDA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Michitaka SUZUKI, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Kyosuke NAKADA, Takahiro WATANABE, Yuuji SUZUKI, Kiichiro GOTO
  • Patent number: 8736926
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a loading section, a sheet feeding unit, a separation section disposed downstream in a sheet conveyance direction from the sheet feeding unit, a conveyance member to transport a sheet separated by the separation section, a trailing-edge detector disposed at a first conveyance distance (L1) downstream from a separation position (Ab) and including a rotary follower and a rotation detector, a first leading-edge detector disposed downstream from the trailing-edge detector, and a controller. The trailing-edge detector A detects a sheet length in the sheet conveyance direction. The controller causes the sheet feeding unit to start sheet feeding in response to detection of the leading edge of the sheet by the first leading-edge detector when the detected sheet length equals a predetermined reference length and in other cases in response to detection of the trailing edge of the sheet by the trailing-edge detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito Suzuki, Hideki Tobinaga, Atsushi Kanaya, Shinya Kitaoka, Norio Kimura, Mamoru Kambayashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Kenichiro Morita
  • Publication number: 20140141956
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a first pair of conveying members that convey a sheet; a second pair of conveying members that receive the sheet conveyed by the first pair of the conveying members and further conveys the sheet to a subsequent stage; and a third pair of conveying members that fold the sheet by rotating the second pair of the conveying members in a reverse direction while the sheet is held by the first pair of the conveying members and the second pair of the conveying members. One of the conveying members of the second pair serves as one of the conveying members of the third pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuuji SUZUKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Akira KUNIEDA, Michitaka SUZUKI, Kyosuke NAKADA, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Takahiro WATANABE, Kiichiro GOTO
  • Publication number: 20140084531
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a separation sheet feeding mechanism having a paper feeding belt and a separation roller; and an adjustment mechanism that changes contact state of the paper feeding belt to the separation roller by changing relative position of the paper feeding belt and the separation roller, and changes and adjusts separation performance of the separation roller for the subsequent sheet, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a cam follower member changing the relative position of the feeding belt and the separation roller, the cam member includes a first cam face and a second cam face which are formed at each rotation radius position in accordance with the rotation angle position, and are spaced apart in the rotation radius direction, and the cam follower member has a contact unit guided by the first cam face and the second cam face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi FUKUMOTO, Mamoru KAMBAYASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Atsushi FUJITA, Masataka FUKUCHI, Ryuji YOSHIDA, Hideki TOBINAGA, Norio KIMURA, Kenichiro MORITA, Koki SAKANO, Takuya SANO, Takuya MORINAGA, Takashi NAKANO
  • Patent number: 8641035
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a sheet housing unit that houses sheets in a stacked manner; a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet to a predetermined conveyance target position; a sheet pick-up unit that picks up outermost one of the sheets housed in the sheet housing unit for conveying to a sheet conveying unit side; a separating and conveying unit that separates the next sheet from the outermost sheet, and conveys only the outermost sheet to the sheet conveying unit; and a sheet-conveyance-movement detecting unit that detects presence or absence of movement of a sheet in the conveying direction. The sheet-conveyance-movement detecting unit is arranged at a position at which the outermost sheet and the next sheet may overlap each other, and a separation portion is located downstream of the pick-up position and is an area where a separation action of the separating and conveying unit works.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mamoru Kambayashi, Hideki Tobinaga, Shinya Kitaoka, Atsushi Kanaya, Norio Kimura, Michitaka Suzuki, Yoshito Suzuki, Kenichiro Morita
  • Patent number: 8636275
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a separating and feeding unit which has a separating member and a paper feeding member coming into contact with the separating member at a predetermined separating pressure, and separates and feeds an original sheet by sheet from a bundle of originals placed on an original placing table; a conveying unit which conveys the original separated by the separating and feeding unit toward a scanning position; a separating pressure switching unit which applies and releases the separating pressure and which is controlled by a control unit to release the separating pressure after a leading edge of a preceding sheet of the original has passed through the separating and feeding unit and to apply the separating pressure before a sheet of original separated and fed next to the preceding sheet of original is fed from the bundle of original to the separating and feeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mamoru Kambayashi, Motoya Sano, Hideki Tobinaga, Shinya Kitaoka, Atsushi Kanaya, Norio Kimura, Michitaka Suzuki, Yoshito Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130320611
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device such as a feed mechanism includes a pick-up roller and a cover member. The pick-up roller feeds, into an apparatus, a sheet such as a document on a placing table such as a document placing table on which the sheet is placed. The cover member such as a pick-up cover covers the pick-up roller. The cover member is supported at both ends thereof on a shaft of the pick-up roller or on shaft bearings that receive the shaft of the pick-up roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUBO, Shinya KITAOKA, Takehisa SHIMAZU, Takeshi AKAI, Takuma ARIGA, Fumiyuki HEISHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Yoshito SUZUKI, Norio KIMURA, Hiroaki UTAGAWA, Kenji HAYASAKA, Jun YAMADA, Kenichiro MORITA, Ikuhisa OKAMOTO, Satoshi SAITO
  • Publication number: 20130242359
    Abstract: A document conveying device includes a document table on which a stack of document sheets is placed; a rotating shaft member detachably provided on a main body of the document conveying device; a feeding member configured to contact and feed a topmost sheet of the stack of document sheets, the feeding member being attached to the rotating shaft member via a driving force transmitting member; a separating unit configured to separate the topmost sheet from one or more sheets that are fed together with the topmost sheet, rotating members rotatably attached to the rotating shaft member; a holding member configured to hold the feeding member and the driving force transmitting member; and a rotating member position restricting unit configured to restrict a position of the rotating members other than the holding member to a given predetermined position with reference to a position of the holding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Fumiyuki HEISHI, Hiroshi KUBO, Takashi FUJII, Shinya KITAOKA, Takeshi AKAI, Takehisa SHIMAZU, Takuma ARIGA, Michitaka SUZUKI, Yoshito SUZUKI, Jun YAMADA, Satoshi SAITO, Kenichiro MORITA, Ikuhisa OKAMOTO, Kenji HAYASAKA, Hiroaki UTAGAWA
  • Patent number: 8444135
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a loading section, a first conveyance member a separation section, a first sheet length detector to detect whether the sheet is longer than a predetermined length slightly longer than a specific sheet size in the sheet conveyance direction, a trailing-edge detector disposed downstream from the separation section, a leading-edge detector disposed downstream from the trailing-edge detector a distance smaller than the specific sheet size and from the first conveyance member a distance longer than the specific sheet size, and a controller. When the sheet is equal to or greater than the predetermined length, the controller starts sheet feeding when the trailing-edge detector detects the trailing edge of the sheet, and when the sheet is smaller than that, the controller starts sheet feeding when either the leading-edge detector detects the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing-edge detector detects the trailing edge thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Morita, Hideki Tobinaga, Shinya Kitaoka, Mamoru Kambayashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Atsushi Kanaya, Norio Kimura, Yoshito Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120314267
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a loading section, a sheet feeding unit, a separation section disposed downstream in a sheet conveyance direction from the sheet feeding unit, a conveyance member to transport a sheet separated by the separation section, a trailing-edge detector disposed at a first conveyance distance (L1) downstream from a separation position (Ab) and including a rotary follower and a rotation detector, a first leading-edge detector disposed downstream from the trailing-edge detector, and a controller. The trailing-edge detector A detects a sheet length in the sheet conveyance direction. The controller causes the sheet feeding unit to start sheet feeding in response to detection of the leading edge of the sheet by the first leading-edge detector when the detected sheet length equals a predetermined reference length and in other cases in response to detection of the trailing edge of the sheet by the trailing-edge detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshito Suzuki, Hideki Tobinaga, Atsushi Kanaya, Shinya Kitaoka, Norio Kimura, Mamoru Kambayashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Kenichiro Morita
  • Publication number: 20120236375
    Abstract: An image reading device includes an upstream-side conveying unit configured to convey an original; a reading unit configured to read an image of the original conveyed by the upstream-side conveying unit; and a guide unit arranged between the upstream-side conveying unit and the reading unit to guide the original. As seen from a direction parallel to a reading surface of the reading unit and perpendicular to an original conveying direction in a reading position of the reading unit, an original conveying position for applying a conveying force to the original using the upstream-side conveying unit is arranged in a lower side from the reading position in a direction perpendicular to the reading surface of the reading unit, and the guide unit is configured such that the original passing through the original conveying position is guided to an upper direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Atushi Fujita, Hideki Tobinaga, Takashi Fukumoto, Michitaka Suzuki, Mamoru Kambayashi, Masataka Fukuchi, Kazuki Morita
  • Publication number: 20120119436
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a loading section, a first conveyance member a separation section, a first sheet length detector to detect whether the sheet is longer than a predetermined length slightly longer than a specific sheet size in the sheet conveyance direction, a trailing-edge detector disposed downstream from the separation section, a leading-edge detector disposed downstream from the trailing-edge detector a distance smaller than the specific sheet size and from the first conveyance member a distance longer than the specific sheet size, and a controller. When the sheet is equal to or greater than the predetermined length, the controller starts sheet feeding when the trailing-edge detector detects the trailing edge of the sheet, and when the sheet is smaller than that, the controller starts sheet feeding when either the leading-edge detector detects the leading edge of the sheet or the trailing-edge detector detects the trailing edge thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Morita, Hideki Tobinaga, Shinya Kitaoka, Mamoru Kambayashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Atsushi Kanaya, Norio Kimura, Yoshito Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120119432
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a sheet housing unit that houses sheets in a stacked manner; a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet to a predetermined conveyance target position; a sheet pick-up unit that picks up outermost one of the sheets housed in the sheet housing unit for conveying to a sheet conveying unit side; a separating and conveying unit that separates the next sheet from the outermost sheet, and conveys only the outermost sheet to the sheet conveying unit; and a sheet-conveyance-movement detecting unit that detects presence or absence of movement of a sheet in the conveying direction. The sheet-conveyance-movement detecting unit is arranged at a position at which the outermost sheet and the next sheet may overlap each other, and a separation portion is located downstream of the pick-up position and is an area where a separation action of the separating and conveying unit works.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mamoru Kambayashi, Hideki Tobinaga, Shinya Kitaoka, Atsushi Kanaya, Norio Kimura, Michitaka Suzuki, Yoshito Suzuki, Kenichiro Morita
  • Publication number: 20120057212
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a sheet loading unit; a pick-up roller that draws a sheet from a stack of sheets set on the sheet loading unit; a moving unit that causes the pick-up roller to separate from or press against a top-surface of the sheet; a feeding member; a prevention member that prevents an original from being conveyed by the feeding member; a separation unit that separates and conveys each sheet, which is fed by the pick-up roller, to downstream in a conveying direction; and a detection unit that detects whether the original moves, the detection unit being arranged in a position near the separation unit or in upstream of the separation unit in the conveying direction. At least when the stack of sheets is being set on the sheet loading unit, the detection unit is not in contact with the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hideki Tobinaga, Norio Kimura, Atsushi Kanaya, Michitaka Suzuki, Yoshito Suzuki, Kenichiro Morita, Shinya Kitaoka, Mamoru Kambayashi
  • Publication number: 20110304092
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a separating and feeding unit which has a separating member and a paper feeding member coming into contact with the separating member at a predetermined separating pressure, and separates and feeds an original sheet by sheet from a bundle of originals placed on an original placing table; a conveying unit which conveys the original separated by the separating and feeding unit toward a scanning position; a separating pressure switching unit which applies and releases the separating pressure and which is controlled by a control unit to release the separating pressure after a leading edge of a preceding sheet of the original has passed through the separating and feeding unit and to apply the separating pressure before a sheet of original separated and fed next to the preceding sheet of original is fed from the bundle of original to the separating and feeding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mamoru Kambayashi, Motoya Sano, Hideki Tobinaga, Shinya Kitaoka, Atsushi Kanaya, Norio Kimura, Michitaka Suzuki, Yoshito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8038140
    Abstract: A document feeding device includes a carrying unit capable of carrying documents, a drawing device drawing and supplying the documents, a drawing device drive source driving the drawing device, a separation unit including a separation device to separate the documents one by one, a separation device drive source driving the separation device, a conveying device conveying the documents, a reading unit including a reading device to read information of the documents, a discharge device discharging the documents, a first document detector provided between a document set position and the separation unit to detect the documents, and a second document detector provided downstream of the separation unit and near a separation position to detect the documents. The first and second document detectors detect the trailing end of each of the documents to control the operation of the drawing device on the basis of the result of the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Norio Kimura, Hideki Tobinaga, Akira Hirose, Shinya Kitaoka, Motoya Sano, Atsushi Kanaya, Michitaka Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100225045
    Abstract: A document feeding device includes a carrying unit capable of carrying documents, a drawing device drawing and supplying the documents, a drawing device drive source driving the drawing device, a separation unit including a separation device to separate the documents one by one, a separation device drive source driving the separation device, a conveying device conveying the documents, a reading unit including a reading device to read information of the documents, a discharge device discharging the documents, a first document detector provided between a document set position and the separation unit to detect the documents, and a second document detector provided downstream of the separation unit and near a separation position to detect the documents. The first and second document detectors detect the trailing end of each of the documents to control the operation of the drawing device on the basis of the result of the detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Norio Kimura, Hideki Tobinaga, Akira Hirose, Shinya Kitaoka, Motoya Sano, Atsushi Kanaya, Michitaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7583316
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital camera and a portable telephone equipped with a digital camera in which while a user views one monitor screen, the user can selectively photograph an image located in the side of the face of the user and an image located in an opposite side to the face of the user without turning out the digital camera or the portable telephone having the digital camera under a state that the user holds the digital camera or the portable telephone having the digital camera. The digital camera and the portable telephone having the digital camera of the present invention include a first camera mounted on a first surface of a casing member, a second camera mounted on a second surface in the back side of the first surface of the casing member and a camera selecting unit for selecting a photographing camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Miyashita, Kiyoshi Nakanishi, Toshiyuki Tsumura, Fumihiro Muramatsu, Michitaka Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20060044396
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital camera and a portable telephone equipped with a digital camera in which while a user views one monitor screen, the user can selectively photograph an image located in the side of the face of the user and an image located in an opposite side to the face of the user without turning out the digital camera or the portable telephone having the digital camera under a state that the user holds the digital camera or the portable telephone having the digital camera. The digital camera and the portable telephone having the digital camera of the present invention include a first camera mounted on a first surface of a casing member, a second camera mounted on a second surface in the back side of the first surface of the casing member and a camera selecting unit for selecting a photographing camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Miyashita, Kiyoshi Nakanishi, Toshiyuki Tsumura, Fumihiro Muramatsu, Michitaka Suzuki