Patents by Inventor Sakie HIGUCHI

Sakie HIGUCHI 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: 10594880
    Abstract: A lock lever structure includes a shaft; a cam attached to the shaft to fit a different-shaped portion of the shaft to prevent rotation of the cam in a circumferential direction of the shaft, the different-shaped portion having a different shape in cross section from a round portion of the shaft; a lever having an inner hollow cylindrical portion larger than an outline of the shaft and attached to the shaft to be rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft; a spring attached to the shaft to press the cam and the lever in an axial direction of the shaft; and a retainer attached to the shaft to retain the spring, the cam, and the lever to the shaft. The cam has at least two valley portions. The lever has a contact portion to contact the cam. The contact portion has a base shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sakie Higuchi, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Tsutomu Osawa, Yuta Ueda
  • Patent number: 9736327
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first human body detector, a second human body detector, and a controller. The first human body detector has a first detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The second human body detector has a second detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The controller changes a state of the image forming apparatus from a standby state to an operation state in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector. A first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mami Akiyama, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Yuta Ueda, Hiroki Ishimitsu, Sakie Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20170163827
    Abstract: A lock lever structure includes a shaft; a cam attached to the shaft to fit a different-shaped portion of the shaft to prevent rotation of the cam in a circumferential direction of the shaft, the different-shaped portion having a different shape in cross section from a round portion of the shaft; a lever having an inner hollow cylindrical portion larger than an outline of the shaft and attached to the shaft to be rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft; a spring attached to the shaft to press the cam and the lever in an axial direction of the shaft; and a retainer attached to the shaft to retain the spring, the cam, and the lever to the shaft. The cam has at least two valley portions. The lever has a contact portion to contact the cam. The contact portion has a base shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sakie Higuchi, Yuki Sato, Shiro Akama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Tsutomu Osawa, Yuta Ueda
  • Patent number: 9665062
    Abstract: A housing structure includes an exterior cover having an opening through which an interior of the exterior cover communicates with an exterior of the exterior cover, an interior cover disposed inside the exterior cover and facing the exterior cover with a clearance secured therebetween, an inward projection projecting from the exterior cover to the interior cover, and an outward projection projecting from the interior cover to the exterior cover. The inward projection and the outward projection define an airflow passage in the clearance between the exterior cover and the interior cover, and the airflow passage includes multiple bent portions. The outward projection is greater in width than the inward projection in an airflow direction toward the opening, and the airflow direction perpendicular to a direction in which the interior cover faces the exterior cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shiro Akama, Yuki Sato, Mami Akiyama, Yuta Ueda, Hiroki Ishimitsu, Sakie Higuchi
  • Patent number: 9632468
    Abstract: An arrangement structure of a main power switch includes an apparatus body, the main power switch, and a movable member. The apparatus body has a dead space on a front side. The main power switch is disposed in the dead space. The movable member is disposed in the apparatus body to cover the main power switch. The movable member is drawable from the apparatus body in a horizontal direction. The movable member includes an opening opposed to the main power switch, to expose the main power switch to outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Ueda, Yuki Sato, Mami Akiyama, Shiro Akama, Hiroki Ishimitsu, Sakie Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20160187825
    Abstract: An arrangement structure of a main power switch includes an apparatus body, the main power switch, and a movable member. The apparatus body has a dead space on a front side. The main power switch is disposed in the dead space. The movable member is disposed in the apparatus body to cover the main power switch. The movable member is drawable from the apparatus body in a horizontal direction. The movable member includes an opening opposed to the main power switch, to expose the main power switch to outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta UEDA, Yuki SATO, Mami AKIYAMA, Shiro AKAMA, Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Sakie HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160182756
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first human body detector, a second human body detector, and a controller. The first human body detector has a first detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The second human body detector has a second detection span to detect a human body to output a signal. The controller changes a state of the image forming apparatus from a standby state to an operation state in accordance with the output signal from each of the first human body detector and the second human body detector. A first center line of the first detection span intersects with a second center line of the second detection span at a portion where the first detection span and the second detection span overlap with each other in a planar view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mami AKIYAMA, Yuki SATO, Shiro AKAMA, Yuta UEDA, Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Sakie HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160161903
    Abstract: A housing structure includes an exterior cover having an opening through which an interior of the exterior cover communicates with an exterior of the exterior cover, an interior cover disposed inside the exterior cover and facing the exterior cover with a clearance secured therebetween, an inward projection projecting from the exterior cover to the interior cover, and an outward projection projecting from the interior cover to the exterior cover. The inward projection and the outward projection define an airflow passage in the clearance between the exterior cover and the interior cover, and the airflow passage includes multiple bent portions. The outward projection is greater in width than the inward projection in an airflow direction toward the opening, and the airflow direction perpendicular to a direction in which the interior cover faces the exterior cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiro AKAMA, Yuki SATO, Mami AKIYAMA, Yuta UEDA, Hiroki ISHIMITSU, Sakie HIGUCHI