Patents by Inventor Shinichi Namekata

Shinichi Namekata 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: 11099506
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in a fixing device and an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet contacting body and a lateral relative position shifting body. The sheet contacting body is configured to contact a sheet to be conveyed. The lateral relative position shifting body is configured to shift a passing position of the sheet being conveyed toward the sheet contacting body, in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction and a relative position to the sheet contacting body, each time the sheet is conveyed by a number of sheets based on a setting. The setting of the number of sheets varies based on information of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Hirose, Naoto Suzuki, Yohhei Watanabe, Akiyasu Amita, Masateru Ujiie, Shinichi Namekata, Takashi Sakamaki, Teppei Kawata
  • Patent number: 10488796
    Abstract: A fixing device controller includes a plurality of voltage detectors to detect voltages of a plurality of power sources for supplying power to a plurality of heaters to heat a fixing member of a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording medium and a heater controller to execute duty control to turn on the plurality of heaters. The heater controller corrects a duty of at least one of the plurality of heaters based on the voltages detected by the plurality of voltage detectors and rated output values of the plurality of heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Kawata, Shinichi Namekata, Akiyasu Amita, Masateru Ujiie, Yohhei Watanabe, Fumihiro Hirose, Takashi Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 10234798
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator, and a pressure assembly that forms a fixing nip therebetween and includes a first adjuster and a second adjuster. The first adjuster includes a pressure cam, a first biasing device, a first pressure lever that holds the pressure rotator, and a second pressure lever that moves with the pressure cam and presses against the first pressure lever via the first biasing device. The first adjuster adjusts a load of the first biasing device to adjust a pressure force from the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator. The second adjuster includes an adjustment screw is driven into the second pressure lever, and a retainer that retains an adjusted state between the adjustment screw and the first pressure lever. The second adjuster adjusts a holding position of the first pressure lever to hold the pressure rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohhei Watanabe, Naoto Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Akiyasu Amita, Takashi Sakamaki, Teppei Kawata, Masateru Ujiie, Fumihiro Hirose
  • Patent number: 10191423
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing belt stretched across a first roller and a second roller including an elastic layer. A pressure rotator presses against the second roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressure rotator and the fixing belt. A recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip. A clearance detector detects a clearance between the first roller and the second roller. A mover moves the pressure rotator with respect to the second roller in a pressing direction in which the pressure rotator presses against the second roller via the fixing belt and a separation direction in which the pressure rotator separates from the second roller. A controller controls an amount of movement of the pressure rotator moved by the mover toward the second roller based on the clearance detected by the clearance detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryohhei Sugiyama, Hironori Yamaoka, Takashi Sakamaki, Tetsuo Tokuda, Akiyasu Amita, Shinichi Namekata, Yohhei Watanabe, Fumihiro Hirose, Teppei Kawata, Masateru Ujiie
  • Publication number: 20190018351
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in a fixing device and an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet contacting body and a lateral relative position shifting body. The sheet contacting body is configured to contact a sheet to be conveyed. The lateral relative position shifting body is configured to shift a passing position of the sheet being conveyed toward the sheet contacting body, in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction and a relative position to the sheet contacting body, each time the sheet is conveyed by a number of sheets based on a setting. The setting of the number of sheets varies based on information of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Fumihiro HIROSE, Naoto SUZUKI, Yohhei WATANABE, Akiyasu AMITA, Masateru UJIIE, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Takashi SAKAMAKI, Teppei KAWATA
  • Publication number: 20190018348
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator, and a pressure assembly that forms a fixing nip therebetween and includes a first adjuster and a second adjuster. The first adjuster includes a pressure cam, a first biasing device, a first pressure lever that holds the pressure rotator, and a second pressure lever that moves with the pressure cam and presses against the first pressure lever via the first biasing device. The first adjuster adjusts a load of the first biasing device to adjust a pressure force from the pressure rotator to the fixing rotator. The second adjuster includes an adjustment screw is driven into the second pressure lever, and a retainer that retains an adjusted state between the adjustment screw and the first pressure lever. The second adjuster adjusts a holding position of the first pressure lever to hold the pressure rotator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohhei Watanabe, Naoto Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Akiyasu Amita, Takashi Sakamaki, Teppei Kawata, Masateru Ujiie, Fumihiro Hirose
  • Publication number: 20190011864
    Abstract: A fixing device controller includes a plurality of voltage detectors to detect voltages of a plurality of power sources for supplying power to a plurality of heaters to heat a fixing member of a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording medium and a heater controller to execute duty control to turn on the plurality of heaters. The heater controller corrects a duty of at least one of the plurality of heaters based on the voltages detected by the plurality of voltage detectors and rated output values of the plurality of heaters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Teppei KAWATA, Shinichi Namekata, Akiyasu Amita, Masateru Ujiie, Yohhei Watanabe, Fumihiro Hirose, Takashi Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 10162294
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a drive rotator, a driven rotator, a rotation detector, and circuitry. The drive rotator contacts and rotates the endless belt. The driven rotator contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The rotation detector detects a rotational speed of the driven rotator. The circuitry is operatively connected to the rotation detector to control a rotational speed of the drive rotator based on the rotational speed of the driven rotator detected by the rotational detector. The circuitry changes the rotational speed of the drive rotator when a recording medium bearing a toner image is not conveyed over the endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Namekata, Naoto Suzuki, Yohhei Watanabe, Takashi Sakamaki, Teppei Kawata, Masateru Ujiie
  • Patent number: 9983526
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kazuya Saito, Shinichi Namekata, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Yutaka Ikebuchi
  • Patent number: 9971289
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Masahiko Satoh, Shinichi Namekata, Kenji Ishii, Takeshi Uchitani, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20180088502
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing belt stretched across a first roller and a second roller including an elastic layer. A pressure rotator presses against the second roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressure rotator and the fixing belt. A recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip. A clearance detector detects a clearance between the first roller and the second roller. A mover moves the pressure rotator with respect to the second roller in a pressing direction in which the pressure rotator presses against the second roller via the fixing belt and a separation direction in which the pressure rotator separates from the second roller. A controller controls an amount of movement of the pressure rotator moved by the mover toward the second roller based on the clearance detected by the clearance detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Ryohhei SUGIYAMA, Hironori YAMAOKA, Takashi SAKAMAKI, Tetsuo TOKUDA, Akiyasu AMITA, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Yohhei WATANABE, Fumihiro HIROSE, Teppei KAWATA, Masateru UJIIE
  • Patent number: 9915901
    Abstract: A separation device includes an endless belt, a rotary body, a separation supporter, and a transfer mechanism. The separation supporter presses against an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt downstream from an area of contact between the endless belt and the rotary body in a recording medium conveyance direction to curve the endless belt toward an outer circumferential surface side of the endless belt at a greater curvature than a curvature of the endless belt at the area of contact between the endless belt and the rotary body. The transfer mechanism switches the separation supporter between a first position and a second position farther from the area of contact between the endless belt and the rotary body than the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Kawata, Shinichi Namekata, Naoto Suzuki, Takashi Sakamaki, Masateru Ujiie
  • Publication number: 20170357198
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a drive rotator, a driven rotator, a rotation detector, and circuitry. The drive rotator contacts and rotates the endless belt. The driven rotator contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The rotation detector detects a rotational speed of the driven rotator. The circuitry is operatively connected to the rotation detector to control a rotational speed of the drive rotator based on the rotational speed of the driven rotator detected by the rotational detector. The circuitry changes the rotational speed of the drive rotator when a recording medium bearing a toner image is not conveyed over the endless belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Namekata, Naoto Suzuki, Yohhei Watanabe, Takashi Sakamaki, Teppei Kawata, Masateru Ujiie
  • Patent number: 9785101
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a slider that slides over the fixing rotator. A cam presses the slider against the fixing rotator. The cam includes a cam rear disposed opposite a rear end of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof and a cam front disposed opposite a front end of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof. A controller rotates the cam to a first slide position where the cam rear presses the slider against the fixing rotator, a second slide position where the cam rear and the cam front press the slider against the fixing rotator, a third slide position where the cam front presses the slider against the fixing rotator, and an isolation position where the cam rear and the cam front do not press the slider against the fixing rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masateru Ujiie, Naoto Suzuki, Shinichi Namekata, Takashi Sakamaki, Teppei Kawata
  • Publication number: 20170277091
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Takeshi UCHITANI, Masahiko SATOH, Kenji ISHII, Tadashi OGAWA, Teppei KAWATA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Takamasa HASE, Shuutaroh YUASA, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Akira SUZUKI, Takuya SESHITA, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Kazuya SAITO, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Takayuki SEKI, Yuji ARAI, Ryuuichi MIMBU, Yoshiki YAMAGUCHI, Shuntaroh TAMAKI, Yutaka IKEBUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170255150
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Takamasa HASE, Masahiko SATOH, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Kenji ISHll, Takeshi UCHITANI, Tadashi OGAWA, Teppei KAWATA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Kazuya SAITO, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Shuutaroh YUASA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Naoki IWAYA, Takuya SESHITA, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Akira SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9715203
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heat source; a fixing member looped into a generally cylindrical shape to rotate in a circumferential direction thereof and partially heated by the heat source and to heat a surface of a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image to fix the unfixed toner image thereon in a fixing process; a rotary pressing member disposed facing the fixing member to form a nip therebetween, through which the recording medium is transported in a transport direction; and a rotation driver to rotate one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In a case in which the fixing member is halted for a reason other than the fixing process while power of the fixing device is on, electric power is not supplied to the heat source and the fixing member is rotated by a predetermined amount or more after the fixing member is halted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Uchitani, Masahiko Satoh, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kazuya Saito, Shinichi Namekata, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Yutaka Ikebuchi
  • Patent number: 9690243
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Masahiko Satoh, Shinichi Namekata, Kenji Ishii, Takeshi Uchitani, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9645535
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotational member configured to convey and heat a sheet-shaped recording medium, the rotational member including a first heating member and a second heating member provided in parallel to a rotational axis of the rotational member in an interior thereof, the first heating member including a first heat generation part, the second heating member including a second heat generation part and an auxiliary heat generation part adjacent to the second heat generation part, a common temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the first heating member and a temperature of the second heating member, and a control part configured to control a ratio of a rate of lighting of the first heating member and a rate of lighting of the second heating member based on the temperature of the first heating member and the temperature of the second heating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hironori Yamaoka, Shinichi Namekata, Tsukasa Satoh
  • Publication number: 20170097600
    Abstract: A separation device includes an endless belt, a rotary body, a separation supporter, and a transfer mechanism. The separation supporter presses against an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt downstream from an area of contact between the endless belt and the rotary body in a recording medium conveyance direction to curve the endless belt toward an outer circumferential surface side of the endless belt at a greater curvature than a curvature of the endless belt at the area of contact between the endless belt and the rotary body. The transfer mechanism switches the separation supporter between a first position and a second position farther from the area of contact between the endless belt and the rotary body than the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei KAWATA, Shinichi NAMEKATA, Naoto SUZUKI, Takashi SAKAMAKI, Masateru UJllE