Patents by Inventor Satoshi Kunioka

Satoshi Kunioka 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: 20220134744
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a holder, a fixing member, multiple liquid dischargers, and multiple couplings. The fixing member is detachably attached to the holder. The multiple liquid dischargers are secured to the fixing member and arranged side by side in a vertical arrangement direction. The multiple liquid dischargers include respective liquid conveyors. The multiple couplings couple the respective liquid conveyors and respective liquid containers, One of the liquid conveyors of a lower one of the multiple liquid dischargers is longer in a direction intersecting the vertical arrangement direction than another one of the liquid conveyors of an upper one of the multiple liquid dischargers above the lower one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Patent number: 10889136
    Abstract: A printing target holder includes a platen to hold a printing target portion of a printing target to which printing is applied, and the platen is configured to hold the printing target in a flat state. The platen includes a support face disposed on a top side of the platen and configured to support the printing target portion of the printing target; and an escape portion lower in height than the support face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kunioka, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Masaharu Ohtani
  • Patent number: 10668740
    Abstract: A fabric printing apparatus includes a body and a cloth holder that holds a cloth and is movable in a moving direction. A receiver is disposed inside the body. The receiver removably holds the cloth holder. A printing device prints an image on the cloth placed on the cloth holder held by the receiver. A guide rail is mounted on both lateral ends of one of the cloth holder and the receiver in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cloth holder. The guide rail engages and holds both lateral ends of another one of the cloth holder and the receiver in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cloth holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kunioka
  • Publication number: 20200101769
    Abstract: A printing target holder includes a platen to hold a printing target portion of a printing target to which printing is applied, and the platen is configured to hold the printing target in a flat state. The platen includes a support face disposed on a top side of the platen and configured to support the printing target portion of the printing target; and an escape portion lower in height than the support face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kunioka, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Masaharu Ohtani
  • Patent number: 10464351
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing mechanism configured to print on a printing object held by a holder, a reciprocating mechanism configured to move the holder in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and controller circuitry configured to control the printing mechanism and the reciprocating mechanism. When the controller circuitry executes a superimposed printing on the printing object, the controller circuitry causes the printing mechanism to execute a pre-printing process and a post-printing process that prints on the image printed by the pre-printing process while the holder is moved in the first direction from a waiting position, and the controller circuitry causes the reciprocating mechanism to stop a movement of the holder for a predetermined time period after the pre-printing process is terminated and the holder has returned to the waiting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kunioka
  • Publication number: 20180345691
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing mechanism configured to print on a printing object held by a holder, a reciprocating mechanism configured to move the holder in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and controller circuitry configured to control the printing mechanism and the reciprocating mechanism. When the controller circuitry executes a superimposed printing on the printing object, the controller circuitry causes the printing mechanism to execute a pre-printing process and a post-printing process that prints on the image printed by the pre-printing process while the holder is moved in the first direction from a waiting position, and the controller circuitry causes the reciprocating mechanism to stop a movement of the holder for a predetermined time period after the pre-printing process is terminated and the holder has returned to the waiting position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Publication number: 20180147858
    Abstract: A fabric printing apparatus includes a body and a cloth holder that holds a cloth and is movable in a moving direction. A receiver is disposed inside the body. The receiver removably holds the cloth holder. A printing device prints an image on the cloth placed on the cloth holder held by the receiver. A guide rail is mounted on both lateral ends of one of the cloth holder and the receiver in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cloth holder. The guide rail engages and holds both lateral ends of another one of the cloth holder and the receiver in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cloth holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Publication number: 20170210068
    Abstract: A three-dimensional fabricating apparatus includes a chamber, a processing space heater, a fabrication unit, and an insulation-wall mover. The chamber includes insulation walls and a processing space surrounded by the insulation walls. The processing space heater heats the processing space in the chamber. The fabrication unit fabricates a three-dimensional fabrication object in the processing space heated to a target temperature by the processing space heater. The insulation-wall mover displaces at least a part of the insulation walls to increase or decrease a volume of the processing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Publication number: 20170129181
    Abstract: A three-dimensional fabricating apparatus includes a processing-space heater, a fabrication unit, a heat generator, a heat radiator, and a heat-transmission switching unit. The processing-space heater heats a processing space. The fabrication unit fabricates a three-dimensional object in the processing space heated to a target temperature. The heat generator generates heat to heat a heating target in a fabrication process of fabricating the three-dimensional object with the fabrication unit. The heat radiator radiates heat in the processing space. The heat-transmission switching unit causes the heat generated in the heat generator to be transmitted to the heat radiator in a preheating process of heating the processing space to the target temperature. The heat-transmission switching unit switches transmission of the heat from the heat generator to the heat radiator so that a transmission efficiency in transmitting the heat to the heat radiator is lower in the fabrication process than in the preheating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Patent number: 9031453
    Abstract: The present invention provides a retainer device capable of preventing a unit such as a transfer device from dropping when detached from an image forming apparatus. The retainer device includes a transfer device detachably attached to the image forming apparatus; a guide member to supportably guide the transfer device with respect to the image forming apparatus when the transfer device is detached from the image forming apparatus; and a stopper, disposed on the guide member, configured to contact the transfer device when the transfer device is moving in a direction separating from the image forming apparatus and stop the transfer device from dropping from the image forming apparatus. The guide member is switchable between a separation regulating state and a guidable state so that the transfer device is prevented from dropping when detached from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsushi Sakuma, Satoshi Kunioka
  • Publication number: 20140010575
    Abstract: The present invention provides a retainer device capable of preventing a unit such as a transfer device from dropping when detached from an image forming apparatus. The retainer device includes a transfer device detachably attached to the image forming apparatus; a guide member to supportably guide the transfer device with respect to the image forming apparatus when the transfer device is detached from the image forming apparatus; and a stopper, disposed on the guide member, configured to contact the transfer device when the transfer device is moving in a direction separating from the image forming apparatus and stop the transfer device from dropping from the image forming apparatus. The guide member is switchable between a separation regulating state and a guidable state so that the transfer device is prevented from dropping when detached from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Tetsushi SAKUMA, Satoshi Kunioka
  • Patent number: 8616546
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a stacker that accommodates multiple sheets of recording media, an elevation unit disposed in a downstream portion of the stacker in a sheet feeding direction and which ascends to lift a leading edge portion of the sheet in the sheet feeding direction, a rotary feeding member disposed facing the elevating unit and forming a nip in which the leading edge portion of the sheet is clamped together with the elevation unit when the elevation unit ascends, and a guide unit disposed adjacent to an outer circumference of the feeding member, facing an upper side of the leading edge portion of the sheet. The guide unit guides the leading edge portion of the sheet toward the nip between the feeding member and the elevation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kunioka
  • Patent number: 8573584
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a sheet container, a sheet stacking member to closably open the sheet container; a restriction unit to restrict a swinging movement of the sheet stacking member, and a stopper mechanism to restrict insertion of the sheet container into the image forming apparatus in a state in which the sheet stacking member swings open from the sheet container. The stopper mechanism includes a stopped member provided to the sheet container and being movable vertically along the swinging movement of the sheet stacking member, and a stopper member provided to the image forming apparatus and being contactable with the stopped member. The stopped member includes a stopped surface contacted by the stopper member in a state in which the stopped member is lifted; and a switching surface adjacent to the stopped surface and vertically moving the stopped member by contact against the stopper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoh Idehara, Satoshi Kunioka
  • Patent number: 8469352
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a sheet feed unit, a regulator, an image forming device, and a sheet output unit. The sheet feed unit is removably mounted to the body to store a recording medium. The regulator has a locking portion and is disposed in the sheet feed unit to regulate a position of the medium in a width direction of the medium. The image forming device forms an image on the medium conveyed from the sheet feed unit. The sheet output unit is disposed above the sheet feed unit to stack the medium on which the image is formed by the image forming device. When the sheet feed unit is drawn from the body to a predetermined position, the sheet feed unit is rotatable downward by weight of the sheet feed unit and the sheet output unit rotates upward with rotation of the sheet feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kunioka
  • Publication number: 20130134660
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a sheet container, a sheet stacking member to closably open the sheet container; a restriction unit to restrict a swinging movement of the sheet stacking member, and a stopper mechanism to restrict insertion of the sheet container into the image forming apparatus in a state in which the sheet stacking member swings open from the sheet container. The stopper mechanism includes a stopped member provided to the sheet container and being movable vertically along the swinging movement of the sheet stacking member, and a stopper member provided to the image forming apparatus and being contactable with the stopped member. The stopped member includes a stopped surface contacted by the stopper member in a state in which the stopped member is lifted; and a switching surface adjacent to the stopped surface and vertically moving the stopped member by contact against the stopper member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoh Idehara, Satoshi Kunioka
  • Publication number: 20120313310
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a sheet feed unit, a regulator, an image forming device, and a sheet output unit. The sheet feed unit is removably mounted to the body to store a recording medium. The regulator has a locking portion and is disposed in the sheet feed unit to regulate a position of the medium in a width direction of the medium. The image forming device forms an image on the medium conveyed from the sheet feed unit. The sheet output unit is disposed above the sheet feed unit to stack the medium on which the image is formed by the image forming device. When the sheet feed unit is drawn from the body to a predetermined position, the sheet feed unit is rotatable downward by weight of the sheet feed unit and the sheet output unit rotates upward with rotation of the sheet feed unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Publication number: 20110109037
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a stacker that accommodates multiple sheets of recording media, an elevation unit disposed in a downstream portion of the stacker in a sheet feeding direction and which ascends to lift a leading edge portion of the sheet in the sheet feeding direction, a rotary feeding member disposed facing the elevating unit and forming a nip in which the leading edge portion of the sheet is clamped together with the elevation unit when the elevation unit ascends, and a guide unit disposed adjacent to an outer circumference of the feeding member, facing an upper side of the leading edge portion of the sheet. The guide unit guides the leading edge portion of the sheet toward the nip between the feeding member and the elevation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD,
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Patent number: 7862037
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet feed cassette to store a sheet supplied to the image forming apparatus. The sheet feed cassette has a cassette body and a cassette cover. The cassette body stores the sheet and has first and second cassette portions coupled adjustably in length. The cassette cover is detachably mounted on the cassette body to cover its upper portion and has first and second cover portions coupled adjustably in length. The cassette cover has a fitting portion, and the cassette body has fitting receive portions in the first and second cassette portions. Each of the fitting receive portions is fittable with the fitting portion. The fitting receive portions overlap in a sheet feed direction when the cassette body is retracted. Of the fitting receive portions, one fitting receive portion not fitted with the fitting portion when the cassette body is extended is at least partially closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kunioka
  • Publication number: 20090041525
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet feed cassette to store a sheet supplied to the image forming apparatus. The sheet feed cassette has a cassette body and a cassette cover. The cassette body stores the sheet and has first and second cassette portions coupled adjustably in length. The cassette cover is detachably mounted on the cassette body to cover its upper portion and has first and second cover portions coupled adjustably in length. The cassette cover has a fitting portion, and the cassette body has fitting receive portions in the first and second cassette portions. Each of the fitting receive portions is fittable with the fitting portion. The fitting receive portions overlap in a sheet feed direction when the cassette body is retracted. Of the fitting receive portions, one fitting receive portion not fitted with the fitting portion when the cassette body is extended is at least partially closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kunioka