Patents by Inventor Shingo MASAOKA
Shingo MASAOKA 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).
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Patent number: 11104138Abstract: A cap for capping a nozzle surface of liquid discharge head, the cap includes a rod in the cap. The rod has a circular outer shape or a polygonal outer shape in a cross-section perpendicular to an axial direction of the rod.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tetsu Morino, Shingo Masaoka
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Patent number: 10946660Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a liquid discharge apparatus capable of sucking liquid in a cap member while suppressing generation of bubbles by a suction assisting member detachable from a cap member. A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head (6) to discharge liquid from a plurality of nozzles, and a suction mechanism (8) to suck the liquid from the liquid discharge head (6).Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shotaro Ueda, Shingo Masaoka, Isamu Kubo
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Publication number: 20200369032Abstract: A cap for capping a nozzle surface of liquid discharge head, the cap includes a rod in the cap. The rod has a circular outer shape or a polygonal outer shape in a cross-section perpendicular to an axial direction of the rod.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Tetsu MORINO, Shingo MASAOKA
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Publication number: 20190381798Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a liquid discharge apparatus capable of sucking liquid in a cap member while suppressing generation of bubbles by a suction assisting member detachable from a cap member. A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head (6) to discharge liquid from a plurality of nozzles, and a suction mechanism (8) to suck the liquid from the liquid discharge head (6).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2018Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Shotaro UEDA, Shingo MASAOKA, Isamu KUBO
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Patent number: 9694584Abstract: A liquid ejector includes a head having a plurality of nozzles arranged along a first direction of a nozzle surface of the head to eject a droplet from the nozzles, and an ejection detector to detect whether or not a droplet is ejected from the plurality of nozzles of the head by detecting an electrical change generated when the droplet lands onto the ejection detector. The ejection detector includes a droplet landing surface arranged opposed to the nozzle surface, a wiper to wipe the droplet off the droplet landing surface along the first direction, and a cleaner having a contact surface to remove the droplet adhered to the wiper after the wiper wipes the droplet landing surface. The contact surface has a curvature such that side ends of the wiper contacts with the contact surface at first, and then a center part of the wiper contacts the contact surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shingo Masaoka, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiko Hisada, Kenta Takahashi
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Publication number: 20160325550Abstract: A liquid ejector includes a head having a plurality of nozzles arranged along a first direction of a nozzle surface of the head to eject a droplet from the nozzles, and an ejection detector to detect whether or not a droplet is ejected from the plurality of nozzles of the head by detecting an electrical change generated when the droplet lands onto the ejection detector. The ejection detector includes a droplet landing surface arranged opposed to the nozzle surface, a wiper to wipe the droplet off the droplet landing surface along the first direction, and a cleaner having a contact surface to remove the droplet adhered to the wiper after the wiper wipes the droplet landing surface. The contact surface has a curvature such that side ends of the wiper contacts with the contact surface at first, and then a center part of the wiper contacts the contact surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2016Publication date: November 10, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shingo Masaoka, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiko Hisada, Kenta Takahashi
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Patent number: 9221264Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, that includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles to discharge droplets; and a droplet discharge sensor unit to detect whether a droplet has been discharged from the plurality of nozzles of the recording head or not. The droplet discharge sensor unit includes a resistor, on which the droplets discharged from the nozzles of the recording head lands, the resistor disposed opposite the recording head; and a sensor to detect a change in electrical resistance of the resistor when the droplets discharged from the plurality of nozzles of the recording head landed on the resistor.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shotaro Takeuchi, Shingo Masaoka, Masahiko Hisada, Kyohei Matsumura
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Patent number: 9028039Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, an ejection detector, a cleaner and cleaning ejection controller. The ejection detector has a droplet landing member disposed in an area in which the droplet landing member faces the head. The ejection detector detects ejection or non-ejection by detecting electric change caused by landing of the droplets on the droplet landing member. The cleaner cleans a droplet landing surface of the droplet landing member. The cleaning ejection controller controls the recording head to eject droplets on the droplet landing surface for cleaning the droplet landing surface before cleaning the droplet landing surface by the cleaner. A quantity of the droplets for cleaning the droplet landing surface is greater than a quantity of the droplets for detecting ejection or non-ejection.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shingo Masaoka, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiko Hisada
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Publication number: 20150097894Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, an ejection detector, a cleaner and cleaning ejection controller. The ejection detector has a droplet landing member disposed in an area in which the droplet landing member faces the head. The ejection detector detects ejection or non-ejection by detecting electric change caused by landing of the droplets on the droplet landing member. The cleaner cleans a droplet landing surface of the droplet landing member. The cleaning ejection controller controls the recording head to eject droplets on the droplet landing surface for cleaning the droplet landing surface before cleaning the droplet landing surface by the cleaner. A quantity of the droplets for cleaning the droplet landing surface is greater than a quantity of the droplets for detecting ejection or non-ejection.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2014Publication date: April 9, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shingo Masaoka, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiko Hisada
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Patent number: 8998371Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a conveyance unit, a correction unit, and an attitude controller. The image forming device forms an image on a printing medium. The conveyance unit is disposed opposing the image forming device to convey the printing medium. The correction unit corrects an attitude of a leading edge of the printing medium sent out from the conveyance unit. The attitude controller controls correction of the attitude of the leading edge of the punting medium performed by the correction unit. The attitude controller determines whether or not the correction of the attitude of the leading edge of the printing medium is to be performed, and causes the correction unit to perform the correction when the attitude controller determines that the correction is to be performed.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2014Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tomoaki Nakano, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Shingo Masaoka, Yasukazu Kitamura, Namio Ogihara, Yoshimitsu Ogura, Makoto Kikura, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yuuzoh Obata, Norikazu Yanase, Yoshinori Uchino, Gaku Hosono, Takao Otsuka, Seiya Ogawa, Yuuichiroh Tsujiguchi, Masashi Ohnishi
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Publication number: 20150062223Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, that includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles to discharge droplets; and a droplet discharge sensor unit to detect whether a droplet has been discharged from the plurality of nozzles of the recording head or not. The droplet discharge sensor unit includes a resistor, on which the droplets discharged from the nozzles of the recording head lands, the resistor disposed opposite the recording head; and a sensor to detect a change in electrical resistance of the resistor when the droplets discharged from the plurality of nozzles of the recording head landed on the resistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2014Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shotaro Takeuchi, Shingo MASAOKA, Masahiko HISADA, Kyohei MATSUMURA
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Patent number: 8967759Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, an ejection detection unit, a cleaner, and a holder member. The ejection detection unit has an electrode member disposed in an area in which the electrode member is opposable to the head. The cleaner includes a cleaning member to remove droplets adhering to the electrode member. The ejection detection unit detects ejection or non-ejection of droplets by detection of electric changes of the electrode member generated when droplets ejected from nozzles of the head land on the electrode member in a state in which a potential difference is created between a nozzle face of the head and the electrode member and the nozzle face is opposed to the electrode member. The holder member supports the electrode member, and holds the cleaning member movable in parallel to a nozzle array direction in which the nozzles is arrayed in the head.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2014Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shingo Masaoka, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiko Hisada, Kyohei Matsumura
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Patent number: 8911054Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a belt member, a reflection-type photosensor, and a reflection member. The belt member includes plural suction holes to attract a printing medium onto the belt member. The reflection member reflects light from the reflection-type photosensor through the suction holes. The reflection member is disposed inside the belt member. The reflection member has a reflection rate at which, when the reflection-type photosensor receives reflection light at positions of the suction holes with a transparent printing medium being not present on the belt member, a sensor output of the reflection-type photosensor is lower than a predetermined reference value, and when the reflection-type photosensor receives reflection light at the positions of the suction holes with the transparent printing medium being present on the belt member, a sensor output of the reflection-type photosensor is equal to or greater than the predetermined reference value.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasukazu Kitamura, Yoshimitsu Ogura, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Tomoaki Nakano, Namio Ogihara, Shingo Masaoka
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Publication number: 20140267487Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a belt member, a reflection-type photosensor, and a reflection member. The belt member includes plural suction holes to attract a printing medium onto the belt member. The reflection member reflects light from the reflection-type photosensor through the suction holes. The reflection member is disposed inside the belt member. The reflection member has a reflection rate at which, when the reflection-type photosensor receives reflection light at positions of the suction holes with a transparent printing medium being not present on the belt member, a sensor output of the reflection-type photosensor is lower than a predetermined reference value, and when the reflection-type photosensor receives reflection light at the positions of the suction holes with the transparent printing medium being present on the belt member, a sensor output of the reflection-type photosensor is equal to or greater than the predetermined reference value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY. LTD.Inventors: Yasukazu KITAMURA, Yoshimitsu OGURA, Kazuyoshi MATSUMOTO, Tomoaki NAKANO, Namio OGIHARA, Shingo MASAOKA
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Publication number: 20140253623Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a conveyance unit, a correction unit, and an attitude controller. The image forming device forms an image on a printing medium. The conveyance unit is disposed opposing the image forming device to convey the printing medium. The correction unit corrects an attitude of a leading edge of the printing medium sent out from the conveyance unit. The attitude controller controls correction of the attitude of the leading edge of the punting medium performed by the correction unit. The attitude controller determines whether or not the correction of the attitude of the leading edge of the printing medium is to be performed, and causes the correction unit to perform the correction when the attitude controller determines that the correction is to be performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tomoaki Nakano, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Shingo Masaoka, Yasukazu Kitamura, Namio Ogihara, Yoshimitsu Ogura, Makoto Kikura, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yuuzoh Obata, Norikazu Yanase, Yoshinori Uchino, Gaku Hosono, Takao Otsuka, Seiya Ogawa, Yuuichiroh Tsujiguchi, Masashi Ohnishi
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Publication number: 20140253626Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, an ejection detection unit, a cleaner, and a holder member. The ejection detection unit has an electrode member disposed in an area in which the electrode member is opposable to the head. The cleaner includes a cleaning member to remove droplets adhering to the electrode member. The ejection detection unit detects ejection or non-ejection of droplets by detection of electric changes of the electrode member generated when droplets ejected from nozzles of the head land on the electrode member in a state in which a potential difference is created between a nozzle face of the head and the electrode member and the nozzle face is opposed to the electrode member. The holder member supports the electrode member, and holds the cleaning member movable in parallel to a nozzle array direction in which the nozzles is arrayed in the head.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shingo Masaoka, Shotaro Takeuchi, Masahiko Hisada, Kyohei Matsumura
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Patent number: 8622515Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage movable in a main scanning direction in the image forming apparatus; a recording head mounted on the carriage to eject droplets; a maintenance unit disposed outboard of a recording area in the main scanning direction of the carriage and including a first liquid receptacle to collect droplets not used for image formation; a first space provided between the recording area and the maintenance unit; and a first sloped member provided at a side of the first space close to the maintenance unit. The sloped member has a sloped portion inclined downwardly from an upper side toward a lateral side close to the recording area to guide droplet mist generated by ejection of droplets from the head to a lower part of the first space with movement of the carriage from a position facing the maintenance unit to a position facing the recording area.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2011Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Norikazu Yanase, Makoto Kikura, Tsuguyori Kemma, Shingo Masaoka
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Publication number: 20110273511Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage movable in a main scanning direction in the image forming apparatus; a recording head mounted on the carriage to eject droplets; a maintenance unit disposed outboard of a recording area in the main scanning direction of the carriage and including a first liquid receptacle to collect droplets not used for image formation; a first space provided between the recording area and the maintenance unit; and a first sloped member provided at a side of the first space close to the maintenance unit. The sloped member has a sloped portion inclined downwardly from an upper side toward a lateral side close to the recording area to guide droplet mist generated by ejection of droplets from the head to a lower part of the first space with movement of the carriage from a position facing the maintenance unit to a position facing the recording area.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Norikazu YANASE, Makoto Kikura, Tsuguyori Kemma, Shingo Masaoka
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Publication number: 20100002048Abstract: A waste ink treatment system employed for an ink jetting system having a jetting head includes a rotating member and a scraping member. The rotating member, rotatable in a given rotation direction, receives ink discharged from the jetting head. The discharged ink adheres to the rotating member. The scraping member, disposed adjacent to the rotating member, removes the discharged ink adhering to the rotating member while the rotating member is rotated. The scraping member disperses the removed ink over multiple discontinuous areas along the rotation direction of the rotating member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2009Publication date: January 7, 2010Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Shingo MASAOKA