Patents by Inventor Naohiro Kumagai

Naohiro Kumagai 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).

  • Publication number: 20150037054
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a toner image forming unit, a transfer unit, a detector, and a controller. The toner image forming unit forms a plurality of types of density detection patterns on the surface of the image bearer in mutually-different positions in a surface-movement direction of the image bearer. The density detection patterns have mutually-different lengths in a direction orthogonal to the surface-movement direction of the image bearer. The transfer unit transfers the density detection patterns onto the surface of the transfer member. The detector detects image densities of the density detection patterns transferred on the surface of the transfer member. The controller calculates an image density difference between the density detection patterns on a basis of a detection result obtained by the detector, and corrects a transfer bias for transferring a toner image on a basis of a value of the image density difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi NAGATA, Kenji SUGIURA, Naohiro KUMAGAI, Seiichi KOGURE, Junpei FUJITA, Yuuji WADA, Yusuke MITANI, Kazuki YOGOSAWA
  • Publication number: 20140363178
    Abstract: A solid lubricant supply system includes a solid lubricant supplier to receive and supply solid lubricant to a solid lubricant supplying target. A pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes is opposed to each other. The second moveable planar electrode is partially moved toward the first moveable planar electrode as the solid lubricant is consumed. A residual solid lubricant quantity detecting unit is provide to detect a quantity of the residual solid lubricant at a first stage, in which the residual solid lubricant quantity is below a given level, by detecting electric conduction between the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes when the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes contacts each other. The first moveable planar electrode is enabled to further move together with the second moveable planar electrode when it is contacted and pressed by the second moveable planar electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Satoshi HATORI, Kenji HONJOH, Ryohta GOTOH, Akira FUJIMORI, Kaoru YOSHINO, Naohiro KUMAGAI, Hideyasu SEKI, Shinichi KAWAHARA, Takeshi SHINTANI, Nobuo KUWABARA, Norio KUDOH, Daisuke TOMITA
  • Patent number: 8909122
    Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes: lubricant; a supplying member; a housing case; a pushing mechanism that includes a pair of swing members supported swingably in the housing case and a biasing unit urging the pair of swing members to swing; and a remaining amount detecting unit that detects that a remaining amount of the lubricant is equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The remaining amount detecting unit includes: first detection members provided at respective positions different from respective sliding areas of the member on which the swing members slide, on which sliding areas the respective swing members slide, and second detection members attached to the respective swing members such that the second detection members abut or face the respective first detection members when swing postures of the respective swing members reach respective swing postures corresponding to that the remaining amount of the lubricant is the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ryohta Gotoh, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Akira Fujimori, Kaoru Yoshino, Hideyasu Seki
  • Patent number: 8855507
    Abstract: In the present invention, a lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant end determining unit that determines that a solid lubricant is in an end state when the amount of a lubricant supplying operation reaches a threshold after a residual amount detecting unit detects that the residual amount of the solid lubricant is equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The lubricant end determining unit makes a threshold of the amount of the lubricant supplying operation at temperature or humidity of equal to or lower than a predetermined value lower than a threshold of the amount of the lubricant supplying operation at temperature or humidity of higher than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hideyasu Seki, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Kaoru Yoshino, Akira Fujimori, Ryohta Gotoh, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Yuta Azeyanagi, Yasuhito Kuboshima
  • Publication number: 20140270881
    Abstract: A lubricant supply device includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant holder to hold the solid lubricant, a lubricant supply member to supply lubricant to a lubrication target, a pressing member to press the solid lubricant toward the lubricant supply member, and a pressing force adjuster to change an amount of pressing force exerted by the pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryohta GOTOH, Kaoru YOSHINO, Satoshi HATORI, Hiromichi NINOMIYA, Nobuyuki TAGUCHI, Yasuhito KUBOSHIMA, Naohiro KUMAGAI, Shinichi KAWAHARA, Nobuo KUWABARA, Hideyasu SEKI, Yuta AZEYANAGI
  • Publication number: 20140199091
    Abstract: A detachable device, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a unit drive mechanism, and a cover disposed at one end and an opposite end in the given attachment/detachment direction to cover the unit drive mechanism thereof. The cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover includes at least one first inlet port to intake air from the apparatus body and guide the air to the detachable unit. The second cover includes a second inlet port to intake the air guided into the detachable unit and an air outlet port to exhaust the air introduced from the second inlet port to the apparatus body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Yuta AZEYANAGI, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Kaoru Yoshino, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Hideyasu Seki, Ryohta Gotoh
  • Publication number: 20140147170
    Abstract: An image carrier includes a tubular image carrier body to carry an image on an outer circumferential surface thereof, a shaft disposed inside the image carrier body, a first flange mounted on the shaft, and a second flange spaced apart from the first flange in an axial direction of the image carrier and mounted on the shaft. Each of the first flange and the second flange includes a through-hole contacting the shaft, a first engagement portion to engage a lateral end of the image carrier body in the axial direction of the image carrier, and a second engagement portion, constituting at least a part of the through-hole, to engage the shaft. The second engagement portion is disposed inboard from the first engagement portion in the axial direction of the image carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki TAGUCHI, Satoshi HATORI, Naohiro KUMAGAI, Kaoru YOSHINO, Hiromichi NINOMIYA, Yuta AZEYANAGI, Yasuhito KUBOSHIMA, Hideyasu SEKI, Ryohta GOTOH
  • Publication number: 20140113985
    Abstract: To provide a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam having a higher biomass degree than a conventional flexible polyurethane foam and excellent in foam physical properties and its appearance. A polymer-dispersed polyol obtained by polymerizing a vinyl monomer in the presence of the following polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil and/or the following polyoxyalkylene polyol (a2) is used: Polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil: a polyol derived from a natural fat/oil, which is obtained by providing a natural fat/oil with hydroxy groups by chemical reaction, and which has a hydroxy value of from 20 to 250 mgKOH/g and a molecular weight distribution of at least 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki SASAKI, Yasuyuki Sasao, Naohiro Kumagai, Chitoshi Suzuki, Shigeru Ikai
  • Publication number: 20140037302
    Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a block of lubricant, a supply member contactable against the block of lubricant to scrape the block of lubricant, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether a remaining amount of lubricant is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a pivot, a pressing member disposed opposite the rotary member to rotate the rotary member by pressing a contact part of the rotary member as the block of lubricant is consumed, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the pivot of the rotary member. A length of the rotary member from the pivot to the detection part is longer than a length of the rotary member from the pivot to the contact part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Ryohta GOTOH, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Kaoru Yoshino, Akira Fujimori, Hideyasu Seki
  • Publication number: 20140037303
    Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a block of lubricant, a supply member contactable against the block of lubricant to scrape the block of lubricant, and a lubricant gauge including a first electrode and a second electrode. The lubricant gauge is electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value based on establishment of electrical continuity between the first electrode and the second electrode. One of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a projection projecting toward the other one of the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Daisuke TOMITA, Takeshi Shintani, Norio Kudo, Keji Honjoh, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Akira Fujimori, Kaoru Yoshino, Yuta Azeyanagi, Hideyasu Seki, Ryohta Gotoh
  • Patent number: 8642668
    Abstract: To provide a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam having a higher biomass degree than a conventional flexible polyurethane foam and excellent in foam physical properties and its appearance. A polymer-dispersed polyol obtained by polymerizing a vinyl monomer in the presence of the following polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil and/or the following polyoxyalkylene polyol (a2) is used: Polyol (a1) derived from a natural fat/oil: a polyol derived from a natural fat/oil, which is obtained by providing a natural fat/oil with hydroxy groups by chemical reaction, and which has a hydroxy value of from 20 to 250 mgKOH/g and a molecular weight distribution of at least 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Sasaki, Yasuyuki Sasao, Naohiro Kumagai, Chitoshi Suzuki, Shigeru Ikai
  • Publication number: 20140010579
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner conveying device including a primary conveyor to convey waste toner discharged from a plurality of primary cleaners and a secondary conveyor to convey waste toner discharged from a secondary cleaner. A relay conveyor conveys the waste toner discharged from the primary conveyor and the secondary conveyor. A waste toner container receives the waste toner discharged from the relay conveyor. The primary conveyor, the secondary conveyor, and the relay conveyor are disposed at one end of the image forming apparatus in a front-to-rear direction thereof. A secondary conveyor outlet of the secondary conveyor is disposed below a primary conveyor outlet of the primary conveyor and above an inlet of the waste toner container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru YOSHINO, Satoshi HATORI, Naohiro KUMAGAI, Akira FUJIMORI, Hideyasu SEKI, Ryohta GOTOH
  • Patent number: 8620199
    Abstract: A cleaning blade which is provided in a cleaning device that removes non-transferred toner remaining on an image carrier includes: a blade member in which an edge thereof is in contact with the image carrier over a longitudinal direction thereof; and a holder member that holds the blade member and has an L-shape in a cross-section that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The holder member includes a supporting portion that cantilevers the blade member on a surface thereof such that the edge of the blade member protrudes toward the image carrier, and a bent portion that is connected to the supporting portion to form the L-shaped cross-section and is formed to have a lateral length that is shorter at least a lateral length at one end portion in the longitudinal direction thereof than at a middle portion thereof in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Naohiro Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20130279923
    Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes: lubricant; a supplying member; a housing case; a pushing mechanism that includes a pair of swing members supported swingably in the housing case and a biasing unit urging the pair of swing members to swing; and a remaining amount detecting unit that detects that a remaining amount of the lubricant is equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The remaining amount detecting unit includes: first detection members provided at respective positions different from respective sliding areas of the member on which the swing members slide, on which sliding areas the respective swing members slide, and second detection members attached to the respective swing members such that the second detection members abut or face the respective first detection members when swing postures of the respective swing members reach respective swing postures corresponding to that the remaining amount of the lubricant is the predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Ryohta Gotoh, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Akira Fujimori, Kaoru Yoshino, Hideyasu Seki
  • Publication number: 20130251380
    Abstract: In an embodiment, provided is a lubricant supplying device that includes: a solid lubricant; a supplying member that supplies lubricant of the solid lubricant to a lubricant supplying target; and a remaining amount detecting unit that detects an amount of the solid lubricant being at a given amount or less. The remaining amount detecting unit is provided on a downstream side in a rubbing direction of the supplying member with respect to the solid lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Akira FUJIMORI, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Kaoru Yoshino, Hideyasu Seki, Ryohta Gotoh, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Norio Kudo, Kenji Honjoh, Yuta Azeyanagi
  • Publication number: 20130251381
    Abstract: In the present invention, a lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant end determining unit that determines that a solid lubricant is in an end state when the amount of a lubricant supplying operation reaches a threshold after a residual amount detecting unit detects that the residual amount of the solid lubricant is equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The lubricant end determining unit makes a threshold of the amount of the lubricant supplying operation at temperature or humidity of equal to or lower than a predetermined value lower than a threshold of the amount of the lubricant supplying operation at temperature or humidity of higher than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Hideyasu Seki, Satoshi Hatori, Naohiro Kumagai, Kaoru Yoshino, Akira Fujimori, Ryohta Gotoh, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Yuta Azeyanagi, Yasuhito Kuboshima
  • Publication number: 20130243449
    Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes: lubricant; a supplying member that supplies the lubricant to a lubricant supply target; and a remaining amount detecting unit that detects that a remaining amount of the lubricant is equal to or smaller than a certain amount. The remaining amount detecting unit includes a first electrode member and a second electrode member. The lubricant supplying device further comprises a member that causes at least a part of the second electrode member to move and causes the second electrode member to abut the first electrode member with an increase in consumption of the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Satoshi Hatori, Ryohta Gotoh, Akira Fujimori, Naohiro Kumagai, Kaoru Yoshino, Hideyasu Seki, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Hiromichi Ninomiya, Yuta Azeyanagi, Yasuhito Kuboshima
  • Patent number: 8487015
    Abstract: A process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, which comprises reacting a polyol mixture with a polyisocyanate compound in the presence of a urethane-forming catalyst and a blowing agent, characterized in that the polyol mixture comprises the following polyol (A) and the polyol (B), and the proportion of the polyisocyanate compound to the polyol mixture is at least 90 by isocyanate index, and the total amount of Zn and Co contained in the polyol mixture is from 0.1 to 200 ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Sasaki, Daisuke Kaku, Naohiro Kumagai, Hideo Sakurai, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8472856
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units that are arranged in parallel so as to be opposed to an intermediate transfer belt or a transfer carriage belt. A black image forming unit that forms a black toner image is arranged at a downstream end or upstream end in the running direction of the intermediate transfer belt or the transfer carriage belt with respect to the other image forming units. The black image forming unit is configured so that its lubricant supplying unit contains a larger amount of lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiromichi Ninomiya, Hiroshi Mizusawa, Naohiro Kumagai, Hiroki Matsuura, Yoshinori Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8452199
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an image former forming a toner image on an image bearer; a transferer transferring the toner image onto a recording medium; a cleaner collecting a waste toner remaining on the image bearer after transfer of the toner image; a waste toner collection container accumulating the waste toner therein; a detector detecting whether the container is properly set in the image forming apparatus; and another detector detecting that the container is nearly full of the waste toner, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a determiner determining a quantity of the waste toner in the container; another determiner determining whether the container is properly exchanged with a vacant container; and a limiter limiting a printable quantity after the container is detected to be nearly full of the waste toner, based on the another determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventor: Naohiro Kumagai