Patents by Inventor Nobuo Takami
Nobuo Takami 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: 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
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Publication number: 20180024466Abstract: A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Inventors: NOBUO TAKAMI, Noriyuki Kimura, Eisuke Hori, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Yuji Suzuki
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Publication number: 20170351195Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2017Publication date: December 7, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Koichi Yamazaki, Nobuo Takami, Atsushi Nakamoto, Kazunori Suzuki, Naohiro Kawashima
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Patent number: 9817335Abstract: A powder amount detector includes a vibration plate secured to a powder container to contain powder and positioned at a predetermined position in a stationary state, a shaft to rotate inside the powder container, a contact member attached to the shaft, a vibration detector to detect vibration of the vibration plate, and a detection result processor to determine an amount of the powder in the powder container according to a detection result generated by the vibration detector. The contact member is to flip the vibration plate to cause the vibration plate to repeat elastic deformation and reversion to vibrate. The contact member is to exit an area opposed to the vibration plate after the contact member flips the vibration plate by the time the vibration plate returns to the predetermined position.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naohiro Kawashima, Koichi Yamazaki, Nobuo Takami, Atsushi Nakamoto, Shinnosuke Koshizuka, Tatsuya Kubo, Kazunori Suzuki, Hiroshi Hosokawa, Tetsuro Hirota, Kenji Kikuchi
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Patent number: 9778596Abstract: A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Nobuo Takami, Noriyuki Kimura, Eisuke Hori, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Yuji Suzuki
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Publication number: 20170227922Abstract: A powder container is insertable in an image forming apparatus, and includes a main-body interlocking portion that is rotatable and protrudes toward an upstream side in an insertion direction in which the powder container is inserted, the image forming apparatus including an identifier protrusion that protrudes toward the upstream side in the insertion direction to identify a type of the powder container. The powder container includes a container interlocking portion configured to interlock with the main-body interlocking portion; and an interlocked portion configured to interlock with the identifier protrusion. The interlocked portion is provided in a front end of the powder container in the insertion direction. The container interlocking portion stands outward from an outer circumference of the powder container. The container interlocking portion and the interlocked portion are rotated integrally.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2015Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Nobuo TAKAMI, Kiyonori TSUDA, Ryoichi TERANISHI, Junichi MATSUMOTO, Toshio KOIKE, Yutaka TAKAHASHI, Junji YAMABE, Akihiro KAWAKAMI, Keinosuke KONDOH, Atsushi INOUE
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Publication number: 20170227885Abstract: A powder container includes a discharge port, and a container identifier shape portion provided on a front end surface of the powder container in an insertion direction and that functions to identify a type of the powder container, the insertion direction being a direction in which the container body is inserted. The powder container further includes a driven portion that interlocks with a first main-body interlocking portion of the image forming apparatus at the time of setting in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and an identifier opening group that starts to interlock with a second main-body interlocking portion of the image forming apparatus after the driven portion starts to interlock with the first main-body interlocking portion. A position of the identifier opening group relative to the driven portion in the circumferential direction varies depending on a type of the powder container to be identified.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2015Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Junji YAMABE, Nobuo TAKAMI
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Patent number: 9690232Abstract: A toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is parallel to a horizontal direction includes: a cylindrical container body that has an opening on one end thereof in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to convey toner contained therein toward the opening; a cap portion into which the opening of the container body is inserted, and which includes a toner outlet at a bottom portion thereof for discharging toner discharged from the opening of the container body to the outside of the toner container in a vertically downward direction; and a shutter member that is held on the bottom portion of the cap portion, and moves along an outer periphery of the cap portion to thereby open and close the toner outlet, wherein the cap portion is formed by integral molding.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2016Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Eisuke Hori, Noriyuki Kimura, Nobuo Takami, Yuji Suzuki, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Junji Yamabe, Masato Suzuki
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Publication number: 20170168421Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2016Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Shinnosuke KOSHIZUKA, Koichi YAMAZAKI, Tatsuya KUBO, Atsushi NAKAMOTO, Nobuo TAKAMI, Kazunori SUZUKI, Naohiro KAWASHIMA
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Publication number: 20170168418Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2016Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Nobuo TAKAMI, Tetsuro HIROTA, Kenji KIKUCHI, Koichi YAMAZAKI, Atsushi NAKAMOTO, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Tatsuya KUBO, Shinnosuke KOSHIZUKA, Kazunori SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20170115597Abstract: A powder amount detector includes a vibration plate secured to a powder container to contain powder and positioned at a predetermined position in a stationary state, a shaft to rotate inside the powder container, a contact member attached to the shaft, a vibration detector to detect vibration of the vibration plate, and a detection result processor to determine an amount of the powder in the powder container according to a detection result generated by the vibration detector. The contact member is to flip the vibration plate to cause the vibration plate to repeat elastic deformation and reversion to vibrate. The contact member is to exit an area opposed to the vibration plate after the contact member flips the vibration plate by the time the vibration plate returns to the predetermined position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: NAOHIRO KAWASHIMA, KOICHI YAMAZAKI, NOBUO TAKAMI, ATSUSHI NAKAMOTO, SHINNOSUKE KOSHIZUKA, TATSUYA KUBO, KAZUNORI SUZUKI, HIROSHI HOSOKAWA, TETSURO HIROTA, KENJI KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20170097586Abstract: A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2016Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventors: NOBUO TAKAMI, Noriyuki Kimura, Eisuke Hori, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Yuji Suzuki
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Patent number: 9547257Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer conveyance device to transport developer, using a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by changing a volume of an internal space thereof, a destination developer container to which the developer conveyance device transports developer, a sensor provided to the destination developer container, to detect developer in the destination developer container, and a controller to control the positive-displacement pump according to a detection result generated by the sensor. The controller disabled detection of developer by the sensor in a non-detection period that starts from a stop of the positive-displacement pump.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Kiyonori Tsuda, Nobuo Takami, Yutaka Takahashi, Kentaro Mikuniya, Keinosuke Kondoh, Akihiro Kawakami, Toshio Koike
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Patent number: 9541862Abstract: A system with a container including a protrusion, and a receiver to receive the container. The receiver includes a slide block that is movable relative to a body of the receiver, the slide block including two surfaces, a first surface, initially contacted by the protrusion of the container during insertion of the container into the receiver, having a first slope to resist movement of the container towards the receiver, and a second surface, subsequently contacted by the protrusion of the container during the insertion of the container into the receiver, having a second slope to interact with the protrusion of the container to assist movement of the container towards the receiver. This construction provides the user with a changing insertion force to indicate proper mounting of the container.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2016Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Nobuo Takami, Noriyuki Kimura, Eisuke Hori, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Yuji Suzuki
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Publication number: 20160342109Abstract: A toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is parallel to a horizontal direction includes: a cylindrical container body that has an opening on one end thereof in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to convey toner contained therein toward the opening; a cap portion into which the opening of the container body is inserted, and which includes a toner outlet at a bottom portion thereof for discharging toner discharged from the opening of the container body to the outside of the toner container in a vertically downward direction; and a shutter member that is held on the bottom portion of the cap portion, and moves along an outer periphery of the cap portion to thereby open and close the toner outlet, wherein the cap portion is formed by integral molding.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2016Publication date: November 24, 2016Inventors: Eisuke HORI, Noriyuki KIMURA, Nobuo TAKAMI, Yuji SUZUKI, Hideki KIMURA, Kenji KIKUCHI, Junji YAMABE, Masato SUZUKI
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Patent number: 9429874Abstract: A toner container that is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming apparatus such that a longitudinal direction of the toner container is parallel to a horizontal direction includes: a cylindrical container body that has an opening on one end thereof in the longitudinal direction, and is configured to convey toner contained therein toward the opening; a cap portion into which the opening of the container body is inserted, and which includes a toner outlet at a bottom portion thereof for discharging toner discharged from the opening of the container body to the outside of the toner container in a vertically downward direction; and a shutter member that is held on the bottom portion of the cap portion, and moves along an outer periphery of the cap portion to thereby open and close the toner outlet, wherein the cap portion is formed by integral molding.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Eisuke Hori, Noriyuki Kimura, Nobuo Takami, Yuji Suzuki, Hideki Kimura, Kenji Kikuchi, Junji Yamabe, Masato Suzuki
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Patent number: 9411268Abstract: A toner container and system for mounting and/or securing the toner container includes a toner container having a toner dispensing hole, a shutter, a protrusion. The shutter is movable relative to the toner dispensing hole, and is to selectively close the toner dispensing hole. The protrusion is connected to the shutter and movement of the protrusion causes the shutter to move relative to the toner dispensing hole to cover the toner dispensing hole. There is a receiver including a movable catch, the movable catch being in a first position when the toner container is initially inserted into the receiver, and the movable catch moving to a second position upon insertion of the toner container into the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTDInventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Eisuke Hori, Yuji Suzuki, Hideki Kimura, Nobuo Takami, Noriyuki Kimura
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Patent number: D781374Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Nobuo Takami
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Patent number: D781375Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Nobuo Takami