Patents by Inventor Satoshi Muramatsu

Satoshi Muramatsu 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).

  • BODY MEMBER OF A POWDER CONTAINER
    Publication number: 20070189813
    Abstract: The body member of a powder container of the present invention includes a bag-like powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, and a base member affixed to the opening of the powder storing body. The base member allows an outlet member, which is formed with a passage configured to deliver the powder from the powder storing body to an outlet and has a shutter function for selectively blocking or unblocking the passage, to be connected to or disconnected from the base member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: JUNICHI MATSUMOTO, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Goro Katsuyama
  • Body member of a powder container
    Patent number: 7257348
    Abstract: The body member of a powder container of the present invention includes a bag-like powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, and a base member affixed to the opening of the powder storing body. The base member allows an outlet member, which is formed with a passage configured to deliver the powder from the powder storing body to an outlet and has a shutter function for selectively blocking or unblocking the passage, to be connected to or disconnected from the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Goro Katsuyama
  • Developer container, developer supplying unit, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7245853
    Abstract: A developer container includes a developer storage unit made of a flexible sheet material for storing developer, and a cap unit from which the developer is discharged. The developer storage unit includes a holding member that holds a folded state when the developer storage unit is folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Iwata, Junichi Matsumoto, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Takayuki Koike
  • BODY MEMBER OF A POWDER CONTAINER
    Publication number: 20070122207
    Abstract: The body member of a powder container of the present invention includes a bag-like powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, and a base member affixed to the opening of the powder storing body. The base member allows an outlet member, which is formed with a passage configured to deliver the powder from the powder storing body to an outlet and has a shutter function for selectively blocking or unblocking the passage, to be connected to or disconnected from the base member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Goro Katsuyama
  • Body member of a powder container
    Patent number: 7221891
    Abstract: The body member of a powder container of the present invention includes a bag-like powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, and a base member affixed to the opening of the powder storing body. The base member allows an outlet member, which is formed with a passage configured to deliver the powder from the powder storing body to an outlet and has a shutter function for selectively blocking or unblocking the passage, to be connected to or disconnected from the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Goro Katsuyama
  • Toner Supply Unit And Image Forming Apparatus
    Publication number: 20070110480
    Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventors: Junichi MATSUMOTO, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
  • Apparatus and method for replenishing a developing device with toner while suppressing toner remaining
    Patent number: 7218880
    Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveyance path for connecting a toner storing device with a developing device, a toner conveying device for conveying the toner from the toner storing device to the developing device along the toner conveyance path, and an air supplying device connected to the toner conveyance path vie an air supply path for supplying the toner storing device with air from a bottom of the toner storing device so as to agitate the toner pooling in the toner storing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kazuhiko Yuuki, Akio Kosuge, Yoshinori Ozawa, Yoshi Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Kouta Fujimori, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
  • IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, POWDER SUPPLYING UNIT, TONER CONTAINER, POWDER CONTAINER, AND METHOD OF RECYCLING THE POWDER CONTAINER
    Publication number: 20070092303
    Abstract: A part of a toner supply path is formed in a setting unit (100), and a nozzle (110) coupled to a toner container (20) is provided, wherein the fitting direction of the toner container (20) to the setting unit (100) and the coupling direction of the nozzle (110) to the toner container (20) are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Nobuo Iwata, Nobuo Kasahara, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Toner supply unit and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7209689
    Abstract: A toner container includes a container body having a mouth-piece member positioned at a mouth of the container body. The mouth-piece member includes an opening to allow toner to be discharged from the container body, a valve configured to seal the opening and which allows a nozzle located at a setting portion of an image forming apparatus to protrude into the valve, and a least two guides provided at opposite sides of the mouth-piece member configured to engage with at least two setting guides at the setting portion of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
  • Image forming apparatus including a developer replenishing device for a two-ingredient type developer
    Publication number: 20070009289
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier with a two-ingredient type developer, i.e., a toner and carrier mixture. A toner replenishing device replenishes toner stored in a toner storing portion to the developing unit. A carrier storing portion, storing a carrier therein, is constructed independently of the toner storing portion. The carrier is fed from the carrier storing portion to the developing unit by a toner conveying force available with the toner replenishing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Iwata, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Junichi Matsumoto, Takayuki Koike, Eriko Maruyama
  • Toner, toner conveying apparatus and method, and image forming apparatus
    Publication number: 20060251983
    Abstract: A toner for forming a visual image on an image bearer having a maximum shearing stress of about 30 G (N/m2) when a maximum shearing stress test is performed using a uniaxial collapsing stress measuring method and a vertical stress 16 G (N/m2) is applied. Alternatively the toner has a uniaxial collapsing stress of about 50 G (N/m2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Toner supply unit and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7130558
    Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, LTD
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
  • Image forming apparatus including a developer replenishing device for a two-ingredient type developer
    Patent number: 7127198
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier with a two-ingredient type developer, i.e., a toner and carrier mixture. A toner replenishing device replenishes toner stored in a toner storing portion to the developing unit. A carrier storing portion, storing a carrier therein, is constructed independently of the toner storing portion. The carrier is fed from the carrier storing portion to the developing unit by a toner conveying force available with the toner replenishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Iwata, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Junichi Matsumoto, Takayuki Koike, Eriko Maruyama
  • Powder discharging device and image forming apparatus using the same
    Patent number: 7116928
    Abstract: A powder discharging device of the present invention includes a powder container storing powder therein and including a bottom wall formed with an outlet at one end portion for discharging the powder vertically downward. A container moving device moves the powder container toward the above end portion and then generates an acceleration opposite in direction to the movement of the powder container in the powder container to thereby cause the powder to move toward the outlet. The maximum value of the acceleration is between 40 m/sec2 and 200 m/sec2 while a period of time for which the container moving device continuously generates an acceleration of 20 m/sec2 or above is between 3 msec and 30 msec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Developing apparatus for image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7103305
    Abstract: A developing apparatus which uses a two-component developer consisting of a toner and carrier. The ratio between the amount of the developer M1 which is drawn onto a developing sleeve and refluxes while being regulated by a doctor blade, and the amount of the developer (drawn amount) M2 which passes through the doctor blade is M1/M2<10. The toner is a negatively-charged toner. In a charge amount distribution the number of toners of ?1 fc/10 ?m or more is 20% or less of the total number of toners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Koike, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Toner supply unit and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7088945
    Abstract: A container including a container body configured to hold toner and a mouthpiece configured to deliver toner from the container body. The mouthpiece includes a circular outlet and engagement portions configured as openings located at positions opposed to each other around the circular outlet. The circular outlet is positioned at a center location between the positions of the engagement portions, and the engagement portions are configured to engage with guide members provided at a setting portion on which the container is to be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Yoshio Hattori, Tomotoshi Nakahara, Takaaki Yanagisawa, Masumi Sato, Kouta Fujimori, Kazuhisa Sudo
  • Developer container for an image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7085522
    Abstract: A developer container storing a developer of the present invention includes a developer outlet formed in the side wall thereof, and a shutter member for selectively opening or closing the developer outlet. The shutter member opens the developer outlet when the developer container is mounted to the body of an image forming apparatus or closes it when the former is dismounted from the latter. The toner container with this configuration surely prevents the developer from leaking when the developer container is dismounted from an image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata
  • Toner, toner conveying apparatus and method, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7076191
    Abstract: A toner for forming a visual image on an image bearer having a maximum shearing stress of about 30G (N/m2) when a maximum shearing stress test is performed using a uniaxial collapsing stress measuring method and a vertical stress 16G (N/m2) is applied. Alternatively the toner has a uniaxial collapsing stress of about 50G (N/m2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobuo Kasahara, Nobuo Iwata, Junichi Matsumoto
  • Assembled battery
    Publication number: 20060145657
    Abstract: An assembled battery is equipped with an insulating support plate supporting bus bars, omits the bolting operation and can simplify the operation of electrically connecting the bus bars to electrode terminals. The assembled battery includes a plurality of battery modules having output terminals. An insulating bus bar plate (support plate) supports conductive bus bars that are electrically connected to the terminal surfaces. A guide movably guides the bus bar plate between a first position in which the bus bars are electrically connected to the terminal surfaces and a second position in which the bus bars are separated from the terminal surfaces. A lock supports the bus bar plate in the first position and maintains the bus bars in a state that is forcibly connected to the terminals surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Hashida, Teruo Segawa, Satoshi Muramatsu, Takahiro Iwasaki
  • Developing apparatus having improved agitation effect
    Publication number: 20060140679
    Abstract: A developing apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes a developing roller, a developing agent, a refilling port, a transport member, and an agitation enhancer. The developing agent includes toner particles and carrier particles and is refilled to the developing apparatus from the refilling port. The transport member transports the developing agent to the developing roller while agitating the developing agent. The agitation enhancer is provided on a peripheral portion of the transport member to increase agitation movement of the developing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Nobuo Iwata, Satoshi Muramatsu, Nobutaka Takeuchi, Junichi Matsumoto, Takayuki Koike