Patents by Inventor Osamu Satoh
Osamu Satoh 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: 9229409Abstract: A cleaning blade failure prediction processor for an image forming apparatus includes a pixel count acquisition circuit to acquire pixel count data of a cleaning target of a cleaning blade. The cleaning target is divided into a plurality of areas in a main scanning direction of the cleaning target. The pixel count acquisition circuit acquires a pixel count for each of the plurality of areas of the cleaning target. The cleaning blade failure prediction processor also includes a first cumulative pixel count calculation circuit to calculate a cumulative pixel count for each of the plurality of areas of the cleaning target, a second cumulative pixel count calculation circuit to calculate a cumulative pixel count per distance traveled of the cleaning target, and a deformation identification circuit to determine whether or not the cleaning blade shows signs of deformation according to the cumulative pixel count per distance traveled.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2015Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mikiko Imazeki, Yasushi Nakazato, Akira Takehisa, Osamu Satoh
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Patent number: 9141063Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a deterioration determining device to determine a deterioration degree of a latent image bearer based on a potential detected by a surface potential detector. The deterioration determining device calculates a relative value indicating the deterioration degree based on the aggregated number of pixels and a time value for each of virtually divided regions. The deterioration determining device determines a deterioration degree of a detecting target region of the virtually divided region based on a potential detected by the surface potential detector. The deterioration determining device further determines deterioration degrees of non-detecting target respective regions of the virtually divided regions based on the relative values of the non-detecting target respective regions, the relative value of the detecting target region, and the deterioration degree of the detecting target region.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2014Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira Takehisa, Yasushi Nakazato, Osamu Satoh, Mikiko Imazeki
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Publication number: 20150253714Abstract: A cleaning blade failure prediction processor for an image forming apparatus includes a pixel count acquisition circuit to acquire pixel count data of a cleaning target of a cleaning blade. The cleaning target is divided into a plurality of areas in a main scanning direction of the cleaning target. The pixel count acquisition circuit acquires a pixel count for each of the plurality of areas of the cleaning target. The cleaning blade failure prediction processor also includes a first cumulative pixel count calculation circuit to calculate a cumulative pixel count for each of the plurality of areas of the cleaning target, a second cumulative pixel count calculation circuit to calculate a cumulative pixel count per distance traveled of the cleaning target, and a deformation identification circuit to determine whether or not the cleaning blade shows signs of deformation according to the cumulative pixel count per distance traveled.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventors: Mikiko Imazeki, Yasushi Nakazato, Akira Takehisa, Osamu Satoh
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Patent number: 9091990Abstract: A device failure predictor includes data acquisition unit to acquire internal data of a target device, a peak value calculator to calculate a plurality of peak values of the internal data for a prescribed period of time, and a failure sign identification unit to set individual criteria for the plurality of peak values and determine whether or not the target device shows signs of failure according to the plurality of peak values and the individual criteria.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2014Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Mikiko Imazeki, Yasushi Nakazato, Akira Takehisa, Osamu Satoh
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Publication number: 20150132017Abstract: A device failure predictor includes data acquisition unit to acquire internal data of a target device, a peak value calculator to calculate a plurality of peak values of the internal data for a prescribed period of time, and a failure sign identification unit to set individual criteria for the plurality of peak values and determine whether or not the target device shows signs of failure according to the plurality of peak values and the individual criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2014Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: Mikiko IMAZEKI, Yasushi Nakazato, Akira Takehisa, Osamu Satoh
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Patent number: 8953957Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a latent image carrier, a charging device, a latent image writing device, and a development device; a cumulative value calculation device that calculates, for each of regions of a surface of the image carrier, a cumulative value of the area of a latent image formed in the region; a surface potential detector that detects the surface potential of the image carrier in one of the regions as a detection region; and a determination device that determines the deterioration degree of the detection region on the basis of the detected potential, and determines the deterioration degree of a region other than the detection region on the basis of the detected potential, the cumulative value for the detection region, and the cumulative value for the region other than the detection region.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Akira Takehisa, Yasushi Nakazato, Mikiko Imazeki, Osamu Satoh
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Publication number: 20140348520Abstract: An area calculating unit calculates an image area of a toner image formed on a sheet recording member. A behavior detecting unit detects behavior of the recording member fed out of a conveying nip formed by a pair of conveying members. A thickness obtaining unit obtains thickness information of the recording member. An index calculating unit calculates an index value indicating windability of the recording member with respect to the conveying members based on the image area, the behavior, and the thickness information.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventors: Osamu SATOH, Yasushi NAKAZATO, Kohji UE, Jun YAMANE
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Publication number: 20140321865Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a deterioration determining device to determine a deterioration degree of a latent image bearer based on a potential detected by a surface potential detector. The deterioration determining device calculates a relative value indicating the deterioration degree based on the aggregated number of pixels and a time value for each of virtually divided regions. The deterioration determining device determines a deterioration degree of a detecting target region of the virtually divided region based on a potential detected by the surface potential detector. The deterioration determining device further determines deterioration degrees of non-detecting target respective regions of the virtually divided regions based on the relative values of the non-detecting target respective regions, the relative value of the detecting target region, and the deterioration degree of the detecting target region.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Inventors: Akira TAKEHISA, Yasushi NAKAZATO, Osamu SATOH, Mikiko IMAZEKI
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Patent number: 8843004Abstract: An area calculating unit calculates an image area of a toner image formed on a sheet recording member. A behavior detecting unit detects behavior of the recording member fed out of a conveying nip formed by a pair of conveying members. A thickness obtaining unit obtains thickness information of the recording member. An index calculating unit calculates an index value indicating windability of the recording member with respect to the conveying members based on the image area, the behavior, and the thickness information.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2012Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Satoh, Yasushi Nakazato, Kohji Ue, Jun Yamane
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Patent number: 8768186Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method of predicting failure of a fixing device of an image forming apparatus are provided. Based on a plurality of sheet transfer time values of the fixing device, a first characteristic value that is an average value of the plurality of sheet transfer time values, and at least one of a second characteristics value that indicates the variance of the plurality of sheet transfer time values and a third characteristics value that indicates the maximum value of the plurality of sheet transfer time values are calculated. Using a determination result generated based on the first characteristics value and the at least one of the second and third characteristics values, failure of the fixing device is predicted.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Mikiko Imazeki, Yasushi Nakazato, Osamu Satoh, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane, Kohji Ue
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Publication number: 20140016951Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a latent image carrier, a charging device, a latent image writing device, and a development device; a cumulative value calculation device that calculates, for each of regions of a surface of the image carrier, a cumulative value of the area of a latent image formed in the region; a surface potential detector that detects the surface potential of the image carrier in one of the regions as a detection region; and a determination device that determines the deterioration degree of the detection region on the basis of the detected potential, and determines the deterioration degree of a region other than the detection region on the basis of the detected potential, the cumulative value for the detection region, and the cumulative value for the region other than the detection region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Inventors: Akira TAKEHISA, Yasushi NAKAZATO, Mikiko IMAZEKI, Osamu SATOH
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Patent number: 8531696Abstract: A management apparatus includes: a receiver that receives, via a network, status data based on control system data for stabilizing image forming from an image forming apparatus formed by image forming units; an inference unit that determines abnormality occurrence symptom, and calculates an index of the abnormality occurrence symptom, of the image forming units based on the received status data; a replacement part information acquisition unit that acquires information including a replacement date from a maintenance management system via the network when receiving a diagnosis request from a terminal of a maintenance person; a judgment table generator that calculates weight information of the symptom determination index value; a integrated diagnostic information generator for the image forming units based on the symptom determination index value and the weight information; and a integrated diagnostic information notification unit transmitting the integrated diagnostic value information to the terminal of the maType: GrantFiled: September 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Masaichi Sawada, Yasushi Nakazato, Kohji Ue, Mikiko Imazeki, Osamu Satoh, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane
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Patent number: 8478561Abstract: A rotation measuring mechanism capable of measuring a rotation amount and a displacement amount of a rotary member in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is provided. An exemplary combination of the rotation measuring mechanism includes a detection target rotating in synchrony with the rotary member and range sensors. Each time the detection target rotates once, each sensor outputs one cycle of a sine wave. The amplitude of the sine wave output from the sensor varies in accordance with the displacement of the detection target together with the rotary member in the direction perpendicular to the axis, thereby obtaining the rotation amount and the displacement amount of the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Satoh, Yasushi Nakazato, Kohji Ue, Mikiko Imazeki, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane
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Patent number: 8413984Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a conveying path for conveying a sheet, an optical displacement sensor that detects displacement of the sheet, and a calculating unit that calculates a movement index value indicating moving distances of the sheet in a conveying direction and a direction perpendicular thereto based on an output from the optical displacement sensor. The optical displacement sensor includes a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a matrix array. A row alignment direction and a column alignment direction of the light receiving elements are tilted with respect to the conveying direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2009Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Osamu Satoh, Tsutomu Kawase
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Patent number: 8385756Abstract: A first feature quantity computing unit that computes a first feature quantity representing an average of a plurality of driving loads recorded by a driving load of a fixing section recording unit of an image forming device that records the driving load acquired by a driving load acquiring unit that acquires the driving load, a second feature quantity computing unit that computes a second feature quantity representing a deviation of the plurality of the driving loads, and a diagnosis unit that performs failure diagnosis including estimation of a cause of a failure of the fixing section using the first feature quantity and the second feature quantity are used.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2010Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Ryota Yamashina, Yasushi Nakazato, Osamu Satoh, Kohji Ue, Mikiko Imazeki, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane
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Publication number: 20130028615Abstract: An area calculating unit calculates an image area of a toner image formed on a sheet recording member. A behavior detecting unit detects behavior of the recording member fed out of a conveying nip formed by a pair of conveying members. A thickness obtaining unit obtains thickness information of the recording member. An index calculating unit calculates an index value indicating windability of the recording member with respect to the conveying members based on the image area, the behavior, and the thickness information.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2012Publication date: January 31, 2013Inventors: Osamu SATOH, Yasushi Nakazato, Kohji Ue, Jun Yamane
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Patent number: 8358941Abstract: A management device for an image forming apparatus including a status data collection unit where multiple types of status data are received from the image forming apparatus and stored in a status database, a target data creation unit where multiple types of target data are created based upon the multiple types of status data, a first stage determination unit where the multiple types of target data are identified as being above or below reference values set for each type, and a second stage determination unit where a weight value set for each status data type is attached to the determination results of the multiple types of status data of the first stage determination unit and as a whole of the multiple types of status data determined with majority logic for abnormal occurrence prediction.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2011Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Nakazato, Kohji Ue, Jun Yamane, Osamu Satoh, Masahide Yamashita
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Patent number: 8339637Abstract: A data collecting unit receives a plurality of types of status data from an image forming apparatus and stores the status data in a status database. A data generating unit generates a plurality of types of target data for determining a maintenance sign, based on the status data. A first determining unit determines whether each of the status data exceeds a predetermined reference value. A second determining unit performs weighted majority decision based on a determination result from the first determining unit and a weight value set for each of the status data, and determines whether there is a maintenance sign taking all the status data into consideration.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2008Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Nakazato, Takenori Oku, Jun Yamane, Osamu Satoh, Kohji Ue, Masahide Yamashita
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Patent number: 8294918Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a failure prediction unit, an image identification unit, a simulated-image generating unit, and an output unit. The failure prediction unit prepares an index value indicating a condition of the image forming apparatus based on multidimensional signal, obtained by monitoring the image forming apparatus, and compares the index value with a first threshold value to predict a failure mode of the image forming apparatus. The image identification unit identifies types of abnormal images based on the failure mode predicted by the failure prediction unit. An identified abnormal image is predicted to be appear a given time later. The simulated-image generating unit generates a simulated image of the identified abnormal image. The output unit outputs the identified abnormal image as the simulated image.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2007Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Satoh, Yasushi Nakazato, Kohji Ue, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane, Masaichi Sawada, Noriyuki Ochiai, Shintaroh Takahashi
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Patent number: 8200101Abstract: A system abnormality determining method comprises the steps of transmitting fake abnormal information representing an abnormal condition of the target instrument from the target instrument to a condition determination device via a network during a test operation of the target instrument instead of condition information, determining if the condition determination device can determine the target instrument as being abnormal based on the fake abnormal information, and operating the target instrument in a normal operation condition when the condition determination device can determine the target instrument as being abnormal.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kohji Ue, Yasushi Nakazato, Osamu Satoh, Masahide Yamashita, Jun Yamane