Patents by Inventor Mikio Ohashi
Mikio Ohashi 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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Patent number: 9409400Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a maintenance unit, a cover, and a controller. The recording head has a nozzle face and nozzles in the nozzle face to eject droplets of liquid. The maintenance unit has a cap to protect the nozzle face of the recording head. The cover opens an interior of the apparatus body to an outside of the apparatus body. The controller performs a normal control to cap the nozzle face of the recording head with the cap on opening of the cover and a special control to expose the nozzle face of the recording head to an area opened by the cover on receipt of an external instruction.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Soyoung Park, Mikio Ohashi, Yoichi Ito, Fumitaka Kikkawa
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Patent number: 9296209Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a receiving face member, and a cleaner. The recording head discharges droplets. The receiving face member includes a receiving face to receive dummy discharge droplets discharged from the recording head and not contributing to image formation. With rotation of the receiving face member, the receiving face movable between a facing position at which the receiving face faces the recording head and a retracted position at which the receiving face does not face the recording head. The cleaner cleans the receiving face of the receiving face member.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2014Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Soyoung Park, Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Yoshinori Uchino, Noriyuki Sai
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Patent number: 9272550Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a medium; a reciprocally moving carriage on which to mount the image forming unit; a carriage position detector to detect a position of the carriage; a conveyance unit to convey the medium; a conveyance path of the medium; a regulator to regulate a distance between the medium and the image forming unit and movable in a moving direction of the carriage; a regulator detector, mounted on the carriage, to detect the regulator; a drive unit to move the regulator; and a controller that controls a position of the regulator based on a reading from the carriage position when the regulator detector detects the regulator.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino
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Publication number: 20150251467Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a medium; a reciprocally moving carriage on which to mount the image forming unit; a carriage position detector to detect a position of the carriage; a conveyance unit to convey the medium; a conveyance path of the medium; a regulator to regulate a distance between the medium and the image forming unit and movable in a moving direction of the carriage; a regulator detector, mounted on the carriage, to detect the regulator; a drive unit to move the regulator; and a controller that controls a position of the regulator based on a reading from the carriage position when the regulator detector detects the regulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino
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Patent number: 9108442Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a conveyor, and a string-shaped regulation member. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The conveyor is disposed opposing the image forming unit to convey the recording medium along a conveyance passage. The string-shaped regulation member is disposed between the image forming unit and the conveyance passage to regulate a distance between the recording medium and the image forming unit within a certain range.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino, Mikio Ohashi, Tadayasu Enomoto
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Publication number: 20150183221Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a receiving face member, and a cleaner. The recording head discharges droplets. The receiving face member includes a receiving face to receive dummy discharge droplets discharged from the recording head and not contributing to image formation. With rotation of the receiving face member, the receiving face movable between a facing position at which the receiving face faces the recording head and a retracted position at which the receiving face does not face the recording head. The cleaner cleans the receiving face of the receiving face member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2014Publication date: July 2, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Soyoung PARK, Yoichi ITO, Mikio OHASHI, Yoshinori UCHINO, Noriyuki SAI
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Patent number: 8992006Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium; and a feeding unit feeding the recording medium in first and second directions opposite to each other relative to the image forming unit. Further when the recording medium is supplied from a first or second side of the feeding unit, while the feeding unit feeds the recording medium in the first or second feeding direction, the image forming unit forms an image on the recording medium, and the feeding unit further feeds the recording medium to the second or first side, respectively, of the feeding unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Fumitaka Kikkawa, Naoki Saitoh, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino
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Publication number: 20150054897Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a conveyor, and a string-shaped regulation member. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The conveyor is disposed opposing the image forming unit to convey the recording medium along a conveyance passage. The string-shaped regulation member is disposed between the image forming unit and the conveyance passage to regulate a distance between the recording medium and the image forming unit within a certain range.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino, Mikio Ohashi, Tadayasu Enomoto
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Publication number: 20140204413Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a maintenance unit, a cover, and a controller. The recording head has a nozzle face and nozzles in the nozzle face to eject droplets of liquid. The maintenance unit has a cap to protect the nozzle face of the recording head. The cover opens an interior of the apparatus body to an outside of the apparatus body. The controller performs a normal control to cap the nozzle face of the recording head with the cap on opening of the cover and a special control to expose the nozzle face of the recording head to an area opened by the cover on receipt of an external instruction.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2014Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Soyoung Park, Mikio Ohashi, Yoichi Ito, Fumitaka Kikkawa
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Patent number: 8770739Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body; an openable and closable cover provided at the apparatus body; a conveyance unit to convey a recording medium upward and downward; a recording head to eject liquid droplets to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit; and an opening authorization mechanism to authorize moving of the conveyance unit from a first open position to a second open position, the conveyance unit having a greater opening amount at the second open position than at the first open position, wherein the conveyance unit is disposed between the cover and the recording head, and configured to be openable to the first open position when the cover is in the open position, and openable to the second open position when the opening authorization mechanism authorizes the moving of the conveyance unit from the first open position to the second open position.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2013Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Fumitaka Kikkawa, Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Soyoung Park
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Publication number: 20140092153Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body; an openable and closable cover provided at the apparatus body; a conveyance unit to convey a recording medium upward and downward; a recording head to eject liquid droplets to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit; and an opening authorization mechanism to authorize moving of the conveyance unit from a first open position to a second open position, the conveyance unit having a greater opening amount at the second open position than at the first open position, wherein the conveyance unit is disposed between the cover and the recording head, and configured to be openable to the first open position when the cover is in the open position, and openable to the second open position when the opening authorization mechanism authorizes the moving of the conveyance unit from the first open position to the second open position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Fumitaka Kikkawa, Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Soyoung Park
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Publication number: 20140078231Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium; and a feeding unit feeding the recording medium in first and second directions opposite to each other relative to the image forming unit. Further when the recording medium is supplied from a first or second side of the feeding unit, while the feeding unit feeds the recording medium in the first or second feeding direction, the image forming unit forms an image on the recording medium, and the feeding unit further feeds the recording medium to the second or first side, respectively, of the feeding unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Mikio Ohashi, Fumitaka Kikkawa, Naoki Saitoh, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino
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Patent number: 7794034Abstract: An image formation apparatus is disclosed, wherein a time interval between a first ink drop and a second ink drop is set at 1.5×Tc, a time interval between the second ink drop and a third ink drop is set at 1.5×Tc, and a time interval between the third ink drop and a fourth ink drop is set at 2×Tc, where Tc represents the specific vibration cycle of a pressurized ink chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2004Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuru Shingyohuchi, Mikio Ohashi, Hiroshi Noda
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Patent number: 7751155Abstract: In an ink-jet printing device which has an ink-jet recording head in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, and forms an image based on multi-level image data, a gamma correction parameter is selected according to discharging characteristics of the recording head to an input gradation level or according to lightness characteristics of a printed image to an input gradation level, and an image is formed based on the selected gamma correction parameter. For example, even when there is a variation in lightness characteristics of recording heads as in FIG. 9, an optimal gamma correction parameter is selected for each recording head and the image is formed. Thus, a constant image quality is obtained even if the recording heads are exchanged.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2003Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Kimura, Masakazu Yoshida, Masanori Hirano, Toshihito Kamei, Mikio Ohashi, Taeko Takahashi
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Publication number: 20070097163Abstract: An image formation apparatus is disclosed, wherein a time interval between a first ink drop and a second ink drop is set at 1.5×Tc, a time interval between the second ink drop and a third ink drop is set at 1.5×Tc, and a time interval between the third ink drop and a fourth ink drop is set at 2×Tc, where Tc represents the specific vibration cycle of a pressurized ink chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2004Publication date: May 3, 2007Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Mitsuru Shingyohuchi, Mikio Ohashi, Hiroshi Noda
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Publication number: 20060092206Abstract: In an ink-jet printing device which has an ink-jet recording head in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, and forms an image based on multi-level image data, a gamma correction parameter is selected according to discharging characteristics of the recording head to an input gradation level or according to lightness characteristics of a printed image to an input gradation level, and an image is formed based on the selected gamma correction parameter. For example, even when there is a variation in lightness characteristics of recording heads as in FIG. 9, an optimal gamma correction parameter is selected for each recording head and the image is formed. Thus, a constant image quality is obtained even if the recording heads are exchanged.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2003Publication date: May 4, 2006Inventors: Takashi Kimura, Masakazu Yoshida, Masanori Hirano, Toshihito Kamei, Mikio Ohashi, Taeko Takahashi
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Patent number: 6923520Abstract: A head driving unit the generates a driving waveform, each driving waveform including a plurality of driving pulses, and selects one or more driving pulses to be applied to a liquid drop discharging head in response to data corresponding to an image. By selecting a plurality of selection signals that defines the driving pulses to be applied to the liquid discharging head, the head driving unit can change a recording density or record multiple value images.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2002Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuhiko Oikawa, Toshihito Kamei, Takashi Kimura, Sumiaki Aoki, Mikio Ohashi
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Publication number: 20030011653Abstract: A head driving unit the generates a driving waveform, each driving waveform including a plurality of driving pulses, and selects one or more driving pulses to be applied to a liquid drop discharging head in response to data corresponding to an image. By selecting a plurality of selection signals that defines the driving pulses to be applied to the liquid discharging head, the head driving unit can change a recording density or record multiple value images.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2002Publication date: January 16, 2003Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd,Inventors: Tatsuhiko Oikawa, Toshihito Kamei, Takashi Kimura, Sumiaki Aoki, Mikio Ohashi
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Patent number: 6026346Abstract: A navigation method and apparatus and a navigation program are provided for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route. An off-route detection unit detects an off-route condition when the vehicle is displaced from the guide route and a guide route searching unit searches or determines, when the off-route detection unit detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or return point on the guide route. The guide route determining or searching unit includes a weight factor determining unit for determining a weighting value to modify or scale a road parameter used in determining the guide route, a modifying unit for modifying the parameter based on the weighting value, and a calculating unit for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter. A display is provided for displaying the guide route to the operator of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 1996Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Alpine Electronics, Inc.Inventors: Mikio Ohashi, Kan Shishido, Satoshi Tanimoto
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Patent number: 6014028Abstract: In a surface potential sensing device, a sense electrode electrically independent of an object is located at a preselected distance from the object for sensing the surface potential of the object Electrostatic capacitance between the object and the sense electrode is varied in order to detect two or more variables in a potential signal output from the sense electrode. The potential detection signal is corrected on the basis of the two or more variables.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1996Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mikio Ohashi, Mitsuru Shingyouchi