Patents by Inventor Nobuo Kuwahara

Nobuo Kuwahara 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: 7539451
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image support body configured to support a latent image, a charging member configured to provide a substantially uniform charge to a surface of the image support body and a spacer coupled to the charging member and configured to contact the image support body to maintain a gap between the image support body and the charging member. A cleaning part is configured to clean the surface of the image support body after developer is applied to the image support body and transferred to a recording medium. The cleaning part is configured to satisfy the relationship A+B?C, where A is a width of the effective charging area of the charging member that charges a surface of the image support body, B is a total width of the spacer that contacts the image support body, and C is a width of cleaning part that contacts the image support body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Kawasumi, Haruji Mizuishi, Tokuya Ojimi, Toshio Koike, Takeshi Shintani, Yuji Arai, Tazuki Yoneda, Ken Amemiya, Takaaki Tawada, Masami Tomita, Takeshi Uchitani, Nobuo Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Masato Yanagida
  • Patent number: 7433615
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, incorporating a process cartridge, capable of determining optimum light exposure conditions suitable for both a charging potential and a film thickness of image bearing member, and performing the image formation even during the period from initiating to completing the setting of light exposure conditions. The image forming apparatus includes at least a charger unit, a light exposure unit, a developer unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The detection unit is adapted to detect the total of rotation of the image bearing member. The control unit computes light exposure conditions to operate the light exposure unit based on an estimated thickness for a film of the image bearing member, which is calculated from the total of rotation obtained by the detection unit, and a first target uniform charging potential to control a uniform charging potential of the image bearing member, and to control the light exposure unit to be brought into the light exposure conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wakako Murakami, Nobuo Kuwahara, Atsushi Sampe, Yoshiyuki Kimura, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Hiroshi Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20060120741
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, incorporating a process cartridge, capable of determining optimum light exposure conditions suitable for both a charging potential and a film thickness of image bearing member, and performing the image formation even during the period from initiating to completing the setting of light exposure conditions. The image forming apparatus includes at least a charger unit, a light exposure unit, a developer unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The detection unit is adapted to detect the total of rotation of the image bearing member. The control unit computes light exposure conditions to operate the light exposure unit based on an estimated thickness for a film of the image bearing member, which is calculated from the total of rotation obtained by the detection unit, and a first target uniform charging potential to control a uniform charging potential of the image bearing member, and to control the light exposure unit to be brought into the light exposure conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Wakako Murakami, Nobuo Kuwahara, Atsushi Sampe, Yoshiyuki Kimura, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Hiroshi Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20060062594
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image support body configured to support a latent image, a charging member configured to provide a substantially uniform charge to a surface of the image support body and a spacer coupled to the charging member and configured to contact the image support body to maintain a gap between the image support body and the charging member. A cleaning part is configured to clean the surface of the image support body after developer is applied to the image support body and transferred to a recording medium. The cleaning part is configured to satisfy the relationship A+B?C, where A is a width of the effective charging area of the charging member that charges a surface of the image support body, B is a total width of the spacer that contacts the image support body, and C is a width of cleaning part that contacts the image support body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Masanori Kawasumi, Haruji Mizuishi, Tokuya Ojimi, Toshio Koike, Takeshi Shintani, Yuji Arai, Takuzi Yoneda, Ken Amemiya, Takaaki Tawada, Masami Tomita, Takeshi Uchitani, Nobuo Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Masato Yanagida