Patents by Inventor Shinya Kitaoka

Shinya Kitaoka 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: 7869755
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder, for transferring a document through a scanning position three times, includes: a first transfer mechanism to reverse a given document via a reversing path, and transfer the same to a scanning position; a second transfer mechanism to transfer the given document from the scanning position to one of a switchback path and a document discharging part; a switchback mechanism to transfer the given document to a lay-by on the switchback path, and then transfer the given document towards the reversing path via a re-entry path; and a control unit to control the mechanisms so that a second original document passes through the scanning position a first time before a first original document passes through the scanning position a third time, and to pause travel of the second original document at the lay-by as the first original document is passed through the scanning position a third time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoya Sano, Hideki Tobinaga, Takashi Fujii, Yasuo Kosuga, Shinya Kitaoka, Tatsuaki Nagano, Norio Kimura
  • Publication number: 20100225045
    Abstract: A document feeding device includes a carrying unit capable of carrying documents, a drawing device drawing and supplying the documents, a drawing device drive source driving the drawing device, a separation unit including a separation device to separate the documents one by one, a separation device drive source driving the separation device, a conveying device conveying the documents, a reading unit including a reading device to read information of the documents, a discharge device discharging the documents, a first document detector provided between a document set position and the separation unit to detect the documents, and a second document detector provided downstream of the separation unit and near a separation position to detect the documents. The first and second document detectors detect the trailing end of each of the documents to control the operation of the drawing device on the basis of the result of the detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Norio Kimura, Hideki Tobinaga, Akira Hirose, Shinya Kitaoka, Motoya Sano, Atsushi Kanaya, Michitaka Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100119274
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet of recording media, an image reading unit to read image data of an original document, disposed above the image forming unit, a sheet discharge space defined by the image reading unit and the image forming unit and disposed therebetween, a discharge port formed in a first inner side wall of a main body of the image forming apparatus, through which the sheet is discharged into the sheet discharge space, a positioning member to position and detachably mount a positioning member to position and detachably mount an auxiliary unit adjacent to the discharge port in the sheet discharge space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Shuuya Nagasako, Junichi Iida, Shinya Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20100072692
    Abstract: A sheet pre-processing device includes a space portion as a sheet receiving unit that receives a pre-processed sheet, a first sheet conveying path for discharging the sheet to the sheet receiving unit, and a second sheet conveying path for reversing the sheet. A sheet post-processing device is removably attached into the space portion. When the sheet post-processing device is attached into the space portion, a conveying path and a reversing path works are provided, which are switched over by a switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Junichi Iida, Shinya Kitaoka, Shuuya Nagasako
  • Publication number: 20100027081
    Abstract: In an image reader, a reading member fixedly mounted in the image reader reads an image on a sheet conveyed into the image reader. A guide is disposed opposite the reading member to support the sheet with respect to the reading member. A guide moving member moves the guide with respect to the reading member in a main scanning direction in which the reading member reads the image on the sheet. A guide rotating member rotates the guide in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. A controller controls the reading member to scan different positions on the guide moved by the guide moving member and rotated by the guide rotating member to generate shading data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Motoya Sano, Takashi Fujii, Hiroshi Kubo, Shinya Kitaoka, Takeshi Akai, Atsushi Kanaya, Shingo Matsushita, Norio Kimura, Kenichiro Morita
  • Publication number: 20070264063
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder, for transferring a document through a scanning position three times, includes: a first transfer mechanism to reverse a given document via a reversing path, and transfer the same to a scanning position; a second transfer mechanism to transfer the given document from the scanning position to one of a switchback path and a document discharging part; a switchback mechanism to transfer the given document to a lay-by on the switchback path, and then transfer the given document towards the reversing path via a re-entry path; and a control unit to control the mechanisms so that a second original document passes through the scanning position a first time before a first original document passes through the scanning position a third time, and to pause travel of the second original document at the lay-by as the first original document is passed through the scanning position a third time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Motoya Sano, Hideki Tobinaga, Takashi Fujii, Yasuo Kosuga, Shinya Kitaoka, Tatsuaki Nagano, Norio Kimura
  • Patent number: 7004464
    Abstract: An ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for an image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a separating and feeding device for feeding one document from a stack of documents while separating the document from the others. A conveying device temporarily stops the document fed by the separating and feeding device at a position preceding a reading position and again conveys, on the elapse of a preselected period of time, the document toward the reading position. A controller controllably drives the separating and feeding device and conveying device. The controller drives the conveying device by controlling the time interval between the restart of conveyance of the preceding document and the restart of conveyance of the following document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Hiroshi Fukano, Motoya Sano, Takashi Fujii, Hiroshi Kubo, Shinya Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20040004319
    Abstract: An ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for an image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a separating and feeding device for feeding one document from a stack of documents while separating the document from the others. A conveying device temporarily stops the document fed by the separating and feeding device at a position preceding a reading position and again conveys, on the elapse of a preselected period of time, the document toward the reading position. A controller controllably drives the separating and feeding device and conveying device. The controller drives the conveying device by controlling the time interval between the restart of conveyance of the preceding document and the restart of conveyance of the following document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Hiroshi Fukano, Motoya Sano, Takashi Fujii, Hiroshi Kubo, Shinya Kitaoka