Patents by Inventor Norio KUDOH

Norio KUDOH 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: 20150063887
    Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member including a brush rotary body that is disposed in contact with an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus and that removes toner on the image carrier and holds the toner thereon, a toner conveying rotary body to collect and convey the toner removed by the cleaning member, a flicker contacting the cleaning member to flick off the toner held on the cleaning member, and an agitator that has a free end contacting the toner conveying rotary body and vibrating due to rotation of the toner conveying rotary body. The agitator further has a trajectory being formed between the opening and the toner conveying rotary body by movement of the free end. Alternatively, the free end of the agitator is disposed facing the flicker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira ASAOKA, Toshiya SATO, Norio KUDOH, Hiroyuki UENISHI, Fumihito ITOH
  • 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