Patents by Inventor Naohiro KAWASHIMA
Naohiro KAWASHIMA 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: 20240126189Abstract: A powder conveyance device includes a conveyor that rotates in a rotation direction to convey powder and a first conveyance tube accommodating the conveyor. A second conveyance tube extends in an angled direction that is angled with respect to the first conveyance tube. The second conveyance tube communicates with the first conveyance tube. A swing member is disposed inside the second conveyance tube. The swing member swings in accordance with rotation of the conveyor. The swing member has one end that is detachably attached to the conveyor. The one end is detached from the conveyor in a detaching direction. A restrictor is disposed inside one of the first conveyance tube and the second conveyance tube. The restrictor restricts motion of the swing member in the detaching direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Inventors: Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Kei SAITO
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Patent number: 11726418Abstract: A developer container to store developer includes a rotator, a bearing, and a seal. The rotator includes a rotary shaft made of metal. The bearing supports the rotary shaft. The seal is made of fiber, disposed toward an inside of the developer container in the bearing, and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Naohiro Kawashima, Kei Saito, Kentarou Matsumoto, Kunihiro Ohyama
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Patent number: 11454897Abstract: A developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on a surface of an image bearer includes a rotator, a bearing, a holder, a first regulator, and a second regulator. The rotator includes a rotation shaft. The bearing supports the rotation shaft. The holder holds the bearing. The first regulator, disposed on any one of the bearing and the holder, regulates movement of the bearing such that the bearing does not fall toward one end side in an axial direction of the rotation shaft relative to the holder. The second regulator regulates movement of the bearing such that the bearing does not fall toward another end side in the axial direction relative to the holder after the bearing is attached to the holder.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kei Saito, Kunihiro Ohyama, Kentarou Matsumoto, Naohiro Kawashima
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Publication number: 20220276586Abstract: A developer container to store developer includes a rotator, a bearing, and a seal. The rotator includes a rotary shaft made of metal. The bearing supports the rotary shaft. The seal is made of fiber, disposed toward an inside of the developer container in the bearing, and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2022Publication date: September 1, 2022Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Kei SAITO, Kentarou MATSUMOTO, Kunihiro OHYAMA
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Patent number: 11366410Abstract: A developer container to store developer includes a rotator, a bearing, and a seal. The rotator includes a rotary shaft made of metal. The bearing supports the rotary shaft. The seal is made of fiber, disposed toward an inside of the developer container in the bearing, and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2021Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Naohiro Kawashima, Kei Saito, Kentarou Matsumoto, Kunihiro Ohyama
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Patent number: 11275325Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a rotation shaft, a developing device, and a supply portion. The developing device includes a developing device main portion that rotates around the rotation shaft between a developing position and a retracted position and includes a developer, a developer bearer to face or be away from the image bearer depending on whether the developing device main portion is at the developing position or the retracted position, a replenishment portion having a replenishment port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft to replenish the developer, and a non-rotating portion. The supply portion has a supply port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft and facing the opposite surface of the replenishment port. The supply port communicates the replenishment port and supplies the developer to the developing device through the replenishment port.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hotaru Hashikawa, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Nobuo Takami, Ryusuke Mase, Kazuki Yogosawa, Tomohiro Kubota, Naohiro Kawashima, Yuuki Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 11256194Abstract: A developing device includes a developer conveyer, a bearing, a flange, and a developer mover. The developer conveyer is rotatable and configured to convey a developer. The bearing rotatably supports a support shaft of the developer conveyer. The flange is disposed at an end portion of the developer conveyor to regulate a movement of the developer in an axial direction of the developer conveyer. The developer mover is disposed on a surface of the flange facing the bearing and configured to move the developer that enters between the flange and the bearing.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuuki Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Ryusuke Mase, Naohiro Kawashima, Hotaru Hashikawa
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Publication number: 20210364950Abstract: A developer container to store developer includes a rotator, a bearing, and a seal. The rotator includes a rotary shaft made of metal. The bearing supports the rotary shaft. The seal is made of fiber, disposed toward an inside of the developer container in the bearing, and contacts an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Kei SAITO, Kentarou MATSUMOTO, Kunihiro OHYAMA
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Publication number: 20210364942Abstract: A developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on a surface of an image bearer includes a rotator, a bearing, a holder, a first regulator, and a second regulator. The rotator includes a rotation shaft. The bearing supports the rotation shaft. The holder holds the bearing. The first regulator, disposed on any one of the bearing and the holder, regulates movement of the bearing such that the bearing does not fall toward one end side in an axial direction of the rotation shaft relative to the holder. The second regulator regulates movement of the bearing such that the bearing does not fall toward another end side in the axial direction relative to the holder after the bearing is attached to the holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kei SAITO, Kunihiro OHYAMA, Kentarou MATSUMOTO, Naohiro KAWASHIMA
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Patent number: 11112731Abstract: A developer container includes a plurality of components combined together to form a space to store a developer. The plurality of components includes a first component and a second component. The developer container further includes a sealant to bond the first component and the second component, and a position regulator to regulate relative positions of the first component and the second component so as to maintain a distance between an adhesion portion of the first component and an adhesion portion of the second component.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Naohiro Kawashima, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Yuuki Tsuchiya, Ryusuke Mase, Tsutomu Iwata
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Patent number: 11086251Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including at least one stirring rotator configured to stir a developer in the developing device, a driver configured to drive the at least one stirring rotator in forward and reverse rotation, a device detector configured to detect whether the developing device is set in the image forming apparatus, and control circuitry configured to execute a warm-up operation. In the warm-up operation, the driver drives the at least one stirring rotator alternately in the reverse rotation and the forward rotation in response to a detection of setting of the developing device in the image forming apparatus by the device detector and a detection of a predetermined condition.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ryusuke Mase, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Naohiro Kawashima, Yuuki Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20210080856Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a rotation shaft, a developing device, and a supply portion. The developing device includes a developing device main portion that rotates around the rotation shaft between a developing position and a retracted position and includes a developer, a developer bearer to face or be away from the image bearer depending on whether the developing device main portion is at the developing position or the retracted position, a replenishment portion having a replenishment port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft to replenish the developer, and a non-rotating portion. The supply portion has a supply port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft and facing the opposite surface of the replenishment port. The supply port communicates the replenishment port and supplies the developer to the developing device through the replenishment port.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Hotaru HASHIKAWA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Nobuo TAKAMI, Ryusuke MASE, Kazuki YOGOSAWA, Tomohiro KUBOTA, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20210041806Abstract: A developing device includes a developer conveyer, a bearing, a flange, and a developer mover. The developer conveyer is rotatable and configured to convey a developer. The bearing rotatably supports a support shaft of the developer conveyer. The flange is disposed at an end portion of the developer conveyor to regulate a movement of the developer in an axial direction of the developer conveyer. The developer mover is disposed on a surface of the flange facing the bearing and configured to move the developer that enters between the flange and the bearing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Yuuki TSUCHIYA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Yuki OSHIKAWA, Ryusuke MASE, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Hotaru HASHIKAWA
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Patent number: 10705484Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a cover to cover the developing roller from above the developing roller, a filter to cover a vent of the cover to filter air and collect toner passing through the vent, and a pressing member engaged with the cover in which the filter is installed. The cover includes a projecting support to support the filter. The pressing member holds the filter between the pressing member and the cover. The projecting support is projected from one end toward the other end of the vent in a transverse direction of the vent at a part of the cover in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller to block the vent, and cantilevered on the one end. A gap is provided between a tip of the projecting support and an inner edge of the cover on the other end.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuki Oshikawa, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Naohiro Kawashima, Ryusuke Mase, Yuuki Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20200174400Abstract: A developer container includes a plurality of components combined together to form a space to store a developer. The plurality of components includes a first component and a second component. The developer container further includes a sealant to bond the first component and the second component, and a position regulator to regulate relative positions of the first component and the second component so as to maintain a distance between an adhesion portion of the first component and an adhesion portion of the second component.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Yuki OSHIKAWA, Yuuki TSUCHIYA, Ryusuke MASE, Tsutomu IWATA
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Publication number: 20200117119Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including at least one stirring rotator configured to stir a developer in the developing device, a driver configured to drive the at least one stirring rotator in forward and reverse rotation, a device detector configured to detect whether the developing device is set in the image forming apparatus, and control circuitry configured to execute a warm-up operation. In the warm-up operation, the driver drives the at least one stirring rotator alternately in the reverse rotation and the forward rotation in response to a detection of setting of the developing device in the image forming apparatus by the device detector and a detection of a predetermined condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Inventors: Ryusuke MASE, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Yuki OSHIKAWA, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20200103824Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a cover to cover the developing roller from above the developing roller, a filter to cover a vent of the cover to filter air and collect toner passing through the vent, and a pressing member engaged with the cover in which the filter is installed. The cover includes a projecting support to support the filter. The pressing member holds the filter between the pressing member and the cover. The projecting support is projected from one end toward the other end of the vent in a transverse direction of the vent at a part of the cover in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller to block the vent, and cantilevered on the one end. A gap is provided between a tip of the projecting support and an inner edge of the cover on the other end.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Yuki OSHIKAWA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Ryusuke MASE, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Patent number: 10317814Abstract: A powder supply device that includes a powder reservoir including a rotator having a rotation shaft, to store powder supplied from a powder container; and a powder amount detector. The powder amount detector includes a detected member disposed in the powder reservoir, a contact member attached to the rotation shaft, to contact the detected member to vibrate or move the detected member, a detector to detect vibration or a displacement of the detected member, and a detection result processor to detect the amount of the powder in the powder reservoir based on detection by the detector. The powder supply device further includes a controller to supply the powder from the powder container to the powder reservoir based on detection by the powder amount detector. The controller rotates the rotator in discharging the powder from the powder reservoir and supplying the powder from the powder container to the powder reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2016Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Nobuo Takami, Tetsuro Hirota, Kenji Kikuchi, Koichi Yamazaki, Atsushi Nakamoto, Naohiro Kawashima, Tatsuya Kubo, Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Kazunori Suzuki
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Patent number: 10007209Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a developer regulator disposed opposite the developer bearer across a first gap, and an opposing member having an opposing face disposed opposing the developer bearer across a second gap wider than the first gap. The opposing face is disposed adjacent to and upstream from the developer regulator in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer. The opposing face is inclined relative to an orthogonal plane direction orthogonal to a side face of the developer regulator. The opposing face is inclined to progressively reduce a distance from the developer bearer to the opposing face in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer. A difference between the second gap and the first gap is not greater than 1.75 times as large as the first gap.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2017Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Koichi Yamazaki, Nobuo Takami, Atsushi Nakamoto, Kazunori Suzuki, Naohiro Kawashima
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Patent number: 9897938Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry, by rotation, developer to a developing range, a casing including a developer container to contain the developer and housing the developer bearer, a gap retainer adjacent to the developer container and downstream from the developing range in a rotation direction of the developer bearer, an opposing wall opposing an end face of the gap retainer in an axial direction of the developer bearer, a first seal disposed between the end face of the gap retainer and the opposing wall, and a contact portion disposed adjacent to an end portion of the gap retainer in the axial direction of the developer bearer. The gap retainer secures a predetermined gap between the developer bearer and the gap retainer. The contact portion contacts, via a second seal, the gap retainer in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the developer bearer.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Koichi Yamazaki, Tatsuya Kubo, Atsushi Nakamoto, Nobuo Takami, Kazunori Suzuki, Naohiro Kawashima