Patents by Inventor Ryo Tanoue

Ryo Tanoue 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: 5909609
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner bank that is configured to hold a large-volume of toner that is ultimately used to develop a latent image formed on a latent image carrier. A developing apparatus develops the latent image into a visible image. The toner is supplied to the toner bank, which need not be located adjacent to the developing apparatus, using a mechanism that prevents the toner from becoming clogged while being transported to the developing apparatus from the toner bank. In the toner bank, more than one toner bottles are vertically set. The toner bottles are individually opened and closed at respective opening portions thereon with an opening/closing mechanism and are rotated so as to discharge toner therefrom. Toner discharged from the toner bottles is dropped into the toner bank and is supplied to a developing apparatus by a flexible toner delivering mechanism having a powder pump unit and a flexible toner supplying pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masasumi Yahata, Shunji Kato, Yuji Kitajima, Satoshi Takano, Nobuo Kikuchi, Shinichi Kawahara, Ryo Tanoue