Patents by Inventor Shinichiro Yagi

Shinichiro Yagi 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: 7541128
    Abstract: A toner composition including toner particles including a binder resin including a modified polyester resin, and a second resin having a weight average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 10,000; a colorant; a release agent; and a particulate material which is present at least a surface portion of the toner particles while embedded into the surface portion, wherein the binder resin has a glass transition temperature not lower than 35° C. and lower than 55° C., and wherein the particulate material has an average particle diameter of from 0.002 to 0.2 times that of the toner particles. A developer including the toner composition and a carrier having a layer thereon which includes at least an acrylic resin and a silicone resin, and a method for fixing an image of the toner composition are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Yohichiroh Watanabe, Masanori Suzuki, Tsunemi Sugiyama, Hiroshi Yamashita, Takuya Saito, Naohiro Watanabe, Masami Tomita, Shigeru Emoto, Shinichiro Yagi, Hiroshi Yamada, Toshiki Nanya, Tadao Takigawa
  • Patent number: 7531281
    Abstract: A toner for developing a latent electrostatic image including a base of toner particle which contains a binder resin and a coloring agent, and an external additive. Herein, a plurality of the base of toner particle has a volume average particle diameter (Dv) of 3 ?m to 7 ?m, a ratio (Dv/Dn) of the volume average particle diameter (Dv) to a number average particle diameter (Dn) is 1.01 to 1.25, a plurality of the base of toner particle contains 15% by number or less of the base of toner particle having a particle diameter of 0.6 ?m to 2.0 ?m, a plurality of the base of toner particle has a circularity of 0.930 to 0.990 on average, the binder resin contains a modified polyester resin, and the toner contains 0.3 parts by weight to 5.0 parts by weight of the external additive, relative to 100 parts by weight of the base of toner particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Tomita, Tadao Takikawa, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Fumihiro Sasaki, Toshiki Nanya, Hiroto Higuchi, Shigeru Emoto, Shinichiro Yagi, Naohito Shimota, Maiko Kondo
  • Patent number: 7527908
    Abstract: A carrier contains a core material; and a coated film containing a binder resin, and a particulate material, the coated film covering the core material, wherein a ratio (D/h) of an average particle diameter (D) of the particulate material to an average thickness (h) of the coated film is from 0.01 to 1, and wherein the carrier has concavities and convexities on the surface of the carrier, the concavities and convexities having a difference of elevation of from 0.05 to 2.0 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iwatsuki, Tomio Kondou, Shinichiro Yagi, Kousuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7521164
    Abstract: A toner which includes a toner material, wherein the toner satisfies the following formula: 0° C.??Tm?20° C. where ?Tm represents Tma (° C.)?Tmb (° C.), Tma (° C.) is ½ flown-out temperature of the toner by a capillary type flow tester, and Tmb (° C.) is ½ flown-out temperature of a melt kneaded mixture of the toner by the capillary type flow tester, and wherein Tma is from 130° C. to 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Nakayama, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Akihiro Kotsugai, Masayuki Ishii, Osamu Uchinokura, Hisashi Nakajima, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata, Hideki Sugiura, Shigeru Emoto, Junichi Awamura, Masami Tomita, Takahiro Honda, Shinichiro Yagi, Tomomi Suzuki, Hiroshi Yamada, Toshiki Nanya, Hiroto Higuchi, Fumihiro Sasaki, Naohito Shimota
  • Publication number: 20090074450
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; and a developing device including a developer bearing member, a developer containing portion, a developer supplying passage supplying the developer to the developer bearing member while feeding the developer in a direction, and a developer agitating passage feeding a mixture of the developer fed through the developer supplying passage without used for developing, and the developer used for developing, in the opposite direction. The developer supplying passage, and developer agitating passage are separated from each other except for at least both the end portions. The developer includes a toner and a carrier having a cover layer thereon, which includes a binder resin and a particulate material. The ratio of the volume average particle diameter of the particulate material to the average thickness of the resinous portion of the cover layer is greater than 1 and less than 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Masashi NAGAYAMA, Tomio Kondou, Shinichiro Yagi, Hitoshi Iwatsuki
  • Publication number: 20090042364
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an SOI wafer in which a thickness of an SOI layer is increased by growing an epitaxial layer on the SOI layer of the SOI wafer having an oxide film and the SOI layer formed on a base wafer, wherein the epitaxial growth is performed in such a manner that a reflectivity of a surface of the SOI wafer on which the epitaxial layer is grown in a wavelength region of a heating light at the start of the epitaxial growth falls within the range of 30% to 80%. As a result, in the method for manufacturing the SOI wafer in which a thickness of the SOI layer is increased by growing the epitaxial layer on the SOI layer of the SOI wafer having the oxide film and the SOI layer formed on the base wafer, a method for manufacturing a high-quality SOI wafer with less slip dislocation and others is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichiro Yagi
  • Publication number: 20090017392
    Abstract: A toner composition including toner particles including at least a binder resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner composition satisfies at least one of the following relationships (1) and (2): B?14 when 155<A?180; and B?0.6A?79 when 145?A?155,??(1) wherein A represents a shape factor SF-1 of the toner composition and B represents a content of toner particles having a particle diameter not greater than 3 ?m; and B?14 when 0.920?A??0.950; and B?394?400A? when 0.950<A??0.965??(2) wherein A? represents an average circularity of the toner composition and B represents a content of toner particles having a particle diameter not greater than 3 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroto HIGUCHI, Fumihiro SASAKI, Shinichiro YAGI, Shigeru EMOTO, Junichi AWAMURA, Naohito SHIMOTA, Masami TOMITA, Toshiki NANYA, Takahiro HONDA, Maiko KONDO
  • Publication number: 20090010687
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charger; a light irradiator; a developing device; a transfer device; an image bearing member's cleaner; and a fixing device, wherein the fixing device includes a fixing member configured to fix a toner image upon application of heat and pressure thereto; a pressing member configured to press the recording material toward the fixing member; and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the fixing member and/or the pressing member, wherein the cleaning member has an outermost layer including a reactive material which increases viscoelasticity of a binder resin of the toner by reacting with the binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroshi YAMADA, Fumihiro Sasaki, Shigeru Emoto, Jun Okamoto, Shlnji Ohtani, Hiroto Higuchi, Naohito Shimota, Shinichiro Yagi, Junichi Awamura, Tomomi Suzuki, Masami Tomita, Toshiki Nanya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7473508
    Abstract: A toner composition including toner particles including at least a binder resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner composition satisfies at least one of the following relationships (1) and (2): B?14 when 155<A?180; and B?0.6A?79 when 145?A?155,??(1) wherein A represents a shape factor SF-1 of the toner composition and B represents a content of toner particles having a particle diameter not greater than 3 ?m; and B?14 when 0.920?A??0.950; and B?394?400A? when 0.950<A??0.965??(2) wherein A? represents an average circularity of the toner composition and B represents a content of toner particles having a particle diameter not greater than 3 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroto Higuchi, Fumihiro Sasaki, Shinichiro Yagi, Shigeru Emoto, Junichi Awamura, Naohito Shimota, Masami Tomita, Toshiki Nanya, Takahiro Honda, Maiko Kondo
  • Publication number: 20080268366
    Abstract: A toner which includes a toner material, wherein the toner satisfies the following formula: 0° C.??Tm?20° C. where ?Tm represents Tma (° C.)?Tmb (° C.), Tma (° C.) is ½ flown-out temperature of the toner by a capillary type flow tester, and Tmb (° C.) is ½ flown-out temperature of a melt kneaded mixture of the toner by the capillary type flow tester, and wherein Tma is from 130° C. to 200° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Shinya Nakayama, Satoshi Mochizuki, Yasuaki Iwamoto, Yasuo Asahina, Akihiro Kotsugai, Masayuki Ishii, Osamu Uchinokura, Hisashi Nakajima, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Tomoko Utsumi, Koichi Sakata, Hideki Sugiura, Shigeru Emoto, Junichi Awamura, Masami Tomita, Takahiro Honda, Shinichiro Yagi, Tomomi Suzuki, Hiroshi Yamada, Toshiki Nanya, Hiroto Higuchi, Fumihiro Sasaki, Naohito Shimota
  • Patent number: 7435521
    Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image which has a small particle size essential for attaining a high-quality image, and can output a high-quality image excellent in frictional charging property and free from scumming. The toner for developing an electrostatic image has the volume average particle diameter of 2.0 ?m to 7.1 ?m and the surface condition of the toner is in scab form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Yagi, Hiroshi Yamada, Hiroshi Yamashita, Naohiro Watanabe, Tsunemi Sugiyama, Shigeru Emoto, Masami Tomita, Toshiki Nanya, Tadao Takikawa
  • Patent number: 7437111
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charger; a light irradiator; a developing device; a transfer device; an imagebearingmember's cleaner; and a fixing device, wherein the fixing device includes a fixing member configured to fix a toner image upon application of heat and pressure thereto; a pressing member configured to press the recording material toward the fixing member; and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the fixing member and/or the pressing member, wherein the cleaning member has an outermost layer including a reactive material which increases viscoelasticity of a binder resin of the toner by reacting with the binder resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamada, Fumihiro Sasaki, Shigeru Emoto, Jun Okamoto, Shinji Ohtani, Hiroto Higuchi, Naohito Shimota, Shinichiro Yagi, Junichi Awamura, Tomomi Suzuki, Masami Tomita, Toshiki Nanya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7429442
    Abstract: A toner is provided that contains a binder resin; a colorant; a release agent; and an external additive, wherein the toner has an average circularity of from 0.940 to 0.965 and a crater having a depth of from 0.02 to 0.1 ?m, and wherein the crater has an amount of the external additive larger than an average amount thereof on the toner, along with a two-component developer containing the toner and an image forming apparatus using the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Honda, Masami Tomita, Toshiki Nanya, Fumihiro Sasaki, Shigeru Emoto, Hiroto Higuchi, Hiroshi Yamada, Shinichiro Yagi, Tomomi Suzuki, Junichi Awamura, Naohito Shimota
  • Publication number: 20080213684
    Abstract: To provide a carrier for electrophotographic developer including core particles and a cover layer covering the particles, wherein at least one of the carrier to be supplied in a developing apparatus and carrier contained in the developing apparatus has a weight average particle diameter Dw of 22 ?m or more and 32 ?m or less, a ratio Dw/Dp of the weight average particle diameter Dw to the number average particle diameter Dp that satisfies the relationship 1.00?Dw/Dp?1.20, particles whose particle diameter x (?m) is within a range of 0<x<20 in an amount of 7 wt % or less, and particles whose particle diameter y (?m) is within a range of 0<y<36 in an amount of 90 wt % or more and 100 wt % or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Masashi NAGAYAMA, Tomio Kondou, Shinichiro Yagi, Hitoshi Iwatsuki
  • Publication number: 20080213682
    Abstract: Provided is a toner for developing electrostatic image, comprising particles of oil phase containing at least a toner composition and/or toner composition precursor in an aqueous medium, wherein the toner composition and/or toner composition precursor comprises an organic-modified layered inorganic mineral prepared by modifying at least partially an ion of a layered inorganic mineral into an organic ion, and the organic ion-modification ratio X satisfies the relation of 100<X(%)<150 in the organic-modified layered inorganic mineral.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Akinori SAITOH, Masahide Yamada, Osamu Uchinokura, Junichi Awamura, Tomomi Suzuki, Shinichiro Yagi, Tomio Kondou, Masashi Nagayama, Hitoshi Iwatsuki
  • Publication number: 20080171274
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including at least an image bearer; a charger charging the image bearer; an irradiator irradiating the image bearer to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; an image developer developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer comprising a toner and a carrier to form a toner image on the image bearer; a developer feeder feeding a supplemental developer including the toner and the carrier into the image developer; and a developer collector collecting the developer in the image developer, wherein the developer feeder includes a cylindrical supplemental developer container containing the supplemental developer, including a spiral developer guide race on the inner circumferential surface thereof; and a sub-hopper configured to store the supplemental developer, and wherein the carrier includes a core material; and a layer coated on the core material, including a binder resin and non-black or a non-color inorganic particulate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Shinichiro Yagi, Tomio Kondou, Masashi Nagayama, Hltoahi Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 7396630
    Abstract: A toner composition including toner particles including a binder resin including a modified polyester resin, and a second resin having a weight average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 10,000; a colorant; a release agent; and a particulate material which is present at least a surface portion of the toner particles while embedded into the surface portion, wherein the binder resin has a glass transition temperature not lower than 35° C. and lower than 55° C., and wherein the particulate material has an average particle diameter of from 0.002 to 0.2 times that of the toner particles. A developer including the toner composition and a carrier having a layer thereon which includes at least an acrylic resin and a silicone resin, and a method for fixing an image of the toner composition are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Yohichiroh Watanabe, Masanori Suzuki, Tsunemi Sugiyama, Hiroshi Yamashita, Takuya Saito, Naohiro Watanabe, Masami Tomita, Shigeru Emoto, Shinichiro Yagi, Hiroshi Yamada, Toshiki Nanya, Tadao Takigawa
  • Publication number: 20080152393
    Abstract: A carrier for electrophotographic developer that comprises a particle of core material and a coating layer that coats the particle of core material, wherein a toner and a carrier are supplied into a developing device where a toner and a carrier being contained, and the surplus developer within the developing device is discharged, a coating layer on at least one of the supplied carrier and the carrier contained in the developing device comprises a white conductive fine particle that includes tin dioxide and indium oxide on a base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Masashi NAGAYAMA, Tomio Kondou, Shinichiro Yagi, Hitoshi Iwatsuki
  • Publication number: 20080138735
    Abstract: A toner for developing a latent electrostatic image including a base of toner particle which contains a binder resin and a coloring agent, and an external additive. Herein, a plurality of the base of toner particle has a volume average particle diameter (Dv) of 3 ?m to 7 ?m, a ratio (Dv/Dn) of the volume average particle diameter (Dv) to a number average particle diameter (Dn) is 1.01 to 1.25, a plurality of the base of toner particle contains 15% by number or less of the base of toner particle having a particle diameter of 0.6 ?m to 2.0 ?m, a plurality of the base of toner particle has a circularity of 0.930 to 0.990 on average, the binder resin contains a modified polyester resin, and the toner contains 0.3 parts by weight to 5.0 parts by weight of the external additive, relative to 100 parts by weight of the base of toner particle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Masami Tomita, Tadao Takikawa, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Fumihiro Sasaki, Toshiki Nanya, Hiroto Higuchi, Shigeru Emoto, Shinichiro Yagi, Naohito Shimota, Maiko Kondo
  • Patent number: 7384720
    Abstract: A toner for developing a latent electrostatic image including a base of toner particle which contains a binder resin and a coloring agent, and an external additive. Herein, a plurality of the base of toner particle has a volume average particle diameter (Dv) of 3 ?m to 7 ?m, a ratio (Dv/Dn) of the volume average particle diameter (Dv) to a number average particle diameter (Dn) is 1.01 to 1.25, a plurality of the base of toner particle contains 15% by number or less of the base of toner particle having a particle diameter of 0.6 ?m to 2.0 ?m, a plurality of the base of toner particle has a circularity of 0.930 to 0.990 on average, the binder resin contains a modified polyester resin, and the toner contains 0.3 parts by weight to 5.0 parts by weight of the external additive, relative to 100 parts by weight of the base of toner particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Tomita, Tadao Takikawa, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Fumihiro Sasaki, Toshiki Nanya, Hiroto Higuchi, Shigeru Emoto, Shinichiro Yagi, Naohito Shimota, Maiko Kondo