Patents by Inventor Ryo Morita

Ryo Morita 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: 9294640
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing device is mounted in an image forming apparatus that includes an image reading unit and an image forming unit. The image forming unit is located under the image reading unit with a space therebetween. The sheet post-processing device includes: a first tray that is located in the space and houses a sheet ejected from the image forming unit; a post-processing unit that is located in the space and performs post-processing on a sheet in the first tray; a transfer member that, after the post-processing is performed on a sheet in the first tray, transfers the sheet to a front side of the image forming apparatus; and a second tray that is located closer to the front side of the image forming apparatus than the first tray and houses a sheet transferred by the transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Riichi Hama, Ryo Morita, Akiyoshi Johdai, Shinobu Seki, Naoya Nakayama, Masaki Matsui, Hidehito Kishi, Shigeki Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20160080595
    Abstract: An image forming device having a printer unit, a post-processing unit, and an eject tray. The printer unit forms images on recording sheets, and the post-processing unit performs processing on a recoding sheet stack composed of one or more recording sheets output from the printer unit before the recording sheet stack is ejected onto the eject tray. The image forming device includes: a buffer unit that, while a first recording sheet resides in the post-processing unit for the post-processing, holds a second recording sheet therein, the second recording sheet output from the printer unit subsequent to the first recording sheet; and a reverse path that reverses recording sheets when the image forming device performs duplex printing. In a plan view of the image forming device taken along a vertical direction, the post-processing unit, the buffer unit, and the reverse path at least partially cover one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Masaki MATSUI, Naoya NAKAYAMA, Riichi HAMA, Hidehito KISHI, Ryo MORITA
  • Publication number: 20160009519
    Abstract: Sheet transport device including: first tray having receiving area receiving sheets ejected in first direction; second tray in second direction intersecting first direction with respect to first tray; transporter causing pushing member to move between first and second positions at respective sides of receiving area along second direction, second position closer to second tray than first position, transporter transporting first sheet set to second tray by putting pushing member in contact with end of first sheet set facing first position and causing pushing member to move from first to second position when first sheet set is ejected onto first tray; and direction changer causing guide member to guide, in subsequent second sheet set, at least sheet ejected while pushing member moves across receiving area and to change sheet traveling direction to upward direction over pushing member by putting guide member in predetermined angle with respect to horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Hidehito KISHI, Riichi HAMA, Ryo MORITA, Naoya NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150368059
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing device for, after sheets that are ejected from an image forming device are stored on a storage tray, transporting the sheets in a transport direction to a post-processing position and performing post processing at the post-processing position, including: an aligner configured to align sheets on the storage tray; and a transporter configured to transport to the post-processing position a stack of sheets aligned by the aligner. The transporter includes a first contact member and a second contact member, and transports the stack to the post-processing position by causing the first contact member and the second contact member to simultaneously move in the transport direction while causing the first contact member to be in contact with a rear end portion of the stack in the transport direction and the second contact member to be in contact with a leading end portion of the stack in the transport direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Naoya NAKAYAMA, Riichi HAMA, Ryo MORITA, Takuya INOUE
  • Publication number: 20150055200
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing device is mounted in an image forming apparatus that includes an image reading unit and an image forming unit. The image forming unit is located under the image reading unit with a space therebetween. The sheet post-processing device includes: a first tray that is located in the space and houses a sheet ejected from the image forming unit; a post-processing unit that is located in the space and performs post-processing on a sheet in the first tray; a transfer member that, after the post-processing is performed on a sheet in the first tray, transfers the sheet to a front side of the image forming apparatus; and a second tray that is located closer to the front side of the image forming apparatus than the first tray and houses a sheet transferred by the transfer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Riichi HAMA, Ryo MORITA, Akiyoshi JOHDAI, Shinobu SEKI, Naoya NAKAYAMA, Masaki MATSUI, Hidehito KISHI, Shigeki NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20140291911
    Abstract: An after-processing device for performing sheet folding includes a pair of folding rollers, a heating member, and a supporting unit. The pair of folding rollers is configured to fold a sheet. The heating member is located downstream of the pair of folding rollers in terms of a sheet conveyance direction. The supporting unit supports the heating member in a manner such that position of the heating member in terms of the sheet conveyance direction is changeable in accordance with an amount of conveyance imparted on the sheet by the pair of folding rollers after folding. The position of the heating member in terms of the sheet conveyance direction changes such that the heating member is in contact with a leading edge of a fold portion of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryo MORITA
  • Patent number: 8226080
    Abstract: To provide a sheet post-processing apparatus enabling a sheet to be aligned in a predetermined collection position irrespective of the basis weight of the sheet and image formation surface in dropping and collecting the sheet onto a tray from a sheet discharge outlet, the apparatus has a tray for collecting a sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, and a sheet discharge rotating body for transferring the sheet that is carried out to the tray toward a sheet end regulation member, and is configured to be able to adjust the timing of shifting the sheet discharge rotating body to an operation position engaging in the sheet from a withdrawal position above the tray corresponding to image formation conditions of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Morita, Takeharu Takusagawa, Toshikazu Tanaka, Hiroshi Mukoyama, Kazuhito Shimura, Eiji Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 8170427
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device having conveyer rollers for conveying sheets one by one, a jam treater having a space and sheet guides for regulating a front side and a back side of a conveyed sheet. In the space of the jam treater, a sheet is guided, and the jam treater is rotatable and can be drawn out of a housing of the sheet conveying device. The sheet guides have curved portions to form a space in which the jam treater rotates. In order to remove a jammed sheet from a sheet path in the sheet conveying device, an operator rotates the jam treater to wind the jammed sheet around the jam treater and draws the jam treater together with the jammed sheet out of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryo Morita
  • Patent number: 8011656
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which does not need height adjustment of the main body and the sheet post-processing device at the time of attaching the sheet post-processing device to the main body and which can prevent jam from occurring while securing the conveying force to convey paper sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryo Morita
  • Publication number: 20100066009
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which does not need height adjustment of the main body and the sheet post-processing device at the time of attaching the sheet post-processing device to the main body and which can prevent jam from occurring while securing the conveying force to convey paper sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryo MORITA
  • Publication number: 20090196635
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device having conveyer rollers for conveying sheets one by one, a jam treater having a space and sheet guides for regulating a front side and a back side of a conveyed sheet. In the space of the jam treater, a sheet is guided, and the jam treater is rotatable and can be drawn out of a housing of the sheet conveying device. The sheet guides have curved portions to form a space in which the jam treater rotates. In order to remove a jammed sheet from a sheet path in the sheet conveying device, an operator rotates the jam treater to wind the jammed sheet around the jam treater and draws the jam treater together with the jammed sheet out of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryo MORITA