Patents by Inventor Sho ASANO

Sho ASANO 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: 12343969
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus sandwiches a sheet media in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a fixing device, a tray, and a roller. The fixing device applies heat and pressure to the two-ply sheet. The tray is disposed downstream from the fixing device in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet, to stack the two-ply sheet. The roller conveys the two-ply sheet vertically downward toward the tray after the two-ply sheet passes through the fixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joji Akiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20250206560
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a manual feed processing unit and a binder. A sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets stacked is manually fed into the manual feed processing unit. The binder binds a leading end of the sheet bundle downstream in a manual feed direction of the sheet bundle in a state where the sheet bundle is manually fed into the manual feed processing unit. The manual feed processing unit includes a guide. The guide includes a bending guide portion to bend a portion upstream from the leading end of the sheet bundle in the manual feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun YAMADA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Yusuke HIRONO, Atsushi SHINODA, Shuuto TOHKAISHI, Sho ASANO, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Kotomi KAMEYAMA, Satoshi HIRATA, Shingo YOSHIZAWA, Suzuka FUJITA, Naofumi YOSHIDA, Ryota TAKAYAMA, Hirotaka YASUKAWA, Yoshito SUZUKI, Shinya MONMA, Takahiro WATANABE, Yuji SUZUKI, Wataru NOZAKI, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Naohiro YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20250128905
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyor, a first folding roller, a second folding roller, a return conveyance passage, and a third folding roller. The conveyor conveys a sheet along a main conveyance passage in a conveyance direction. The second folding roller facing the first folding roller across the main conveyance passage conveys the sheet by a first conveyance amount. The return conveyance passage having a curvature is branched from the main conveyance passage at a branching position and is merged to the main conveyance passage at a merging position. The third folding roller facing the second folding roller across the return conveyance passage conveys the sheet by a second conveyance amount smaller than the first conveyance amount of the second folding roller. The second folding roller is on an outer peripheral side and the third folding roller is on an inner peripheral side of the return conveyance passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2024
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Atsushi SHINODA, Shuuto TOHKAISHI, Sho ASANO, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Kotomi KAMEYAMA, Satoshi HIRATA, Shingo YOSHIZAWA, Suzuka FUJITA, Naofumi YOSHIDA, Ryota TAKAYAMA, Hirotaka YASUKAWA, Yoshito SUZUKI, Shinya MONMA, Yuji SUZUKI, Wataru NOZAKI, Jun YAMADA, Naohiro YOSHIDA, Yusuke HIRONO, Takahiro WATANABE, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 12264028
    Abstract: A sheet stacker for use in a device including a stacker portion, a fence, and a guide face. The stacker portion includes a stacker face that is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal plane and receives a plurality of sheets ejected from above and stack the plurality of sheets on the stacker face. The fence includes an angled face to contact an end of the plurality of sheets stacked on the stacker face. The angled face rises in a direction in which the plurality of sheets is stacked, with respect to a lower side of the stacker face. The guide face guides the sheet conveyed along the lower side toward an outlet port to a lower end of the outlet port, the outlet port opening in an exterior of the device to remove the sheet to an outside of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho Asano, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Ruki Midorikawa, Shinya Monma
  • Patent number: 12233632
    Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a winding roller, a conveyance roller pair, and a separation claw. The winding roller rotates and winds the two-ply sheet. The conveyance roller pair conveys the two-ply sheet toward the winding roller. The separation claw is inserted into a gap between the two sheets at a position between the winding roller and the conveyance roller pair. The separation claw is disposed in a space that is bounded by an imaginary plane and includes the winding roller. The imaginary plane passes through a nip of the conveyance roller pair and a winding start position at which the two-ply sheet starts to be wound around the winding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho Asano, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 12194720
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveyor, a rotator, a separator, and control circuitry. The conveyor conveys a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The rotator winds the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a winding direction to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator such that a sagging space is created in the two-ply sheet, and causes the separator to insert into the sagging space to separate the two-ply sheet into two sheets. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a direction opposite the winding direction before an insertion of the separator into the sagging space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shinya Monma, Yoshito Suzuki, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 12105465
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is configured to sandwich one or more sheet media in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to control insertion processing to insert the one or more sheet media into the two-ply sheet based on a length of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction, a length of one of the one or more sheet media in the conveyance direction, and a number of the one or more sheet media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Johji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20240253341
    Abstract: A sheet processing system includes a sheet processing device and a lamination processing device. The sheet processing device includes a sheet separator that separates a two-ply sheet and inserts an inner sheet between the two-ply sheet to form a first enclosed two-ply sheet. The lamination processing device bonds the first enclosed two-ply sheet, and bonds a second enclosed two-ply sheet in which the inner sheet is inserted outside the sheet separator. The sheet processing system includes a relay conveyor that conveys the first enclosed two-ply sheet from the sheet separator to the lamination processing device attachable to a sheet feeder to directly feed the second enclosed two-ply sheet to the lamination processing device. The sheet processing device includes a cord holder to hold the power cord of the lamination processing device at a position where feeding and ejecting the two-ply sheet after bonding the two-ply sheet are not hindered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki SHIMODATE, Naoki TAKAI, Yuichiro KATO, Sho ASANO, Ruki MIDORIKAWA, Yosuke SAITO
  • Publication number: 20240246329
    Abstract: A sheet separation device for separating two sheets of a two-ply sheet, in which the two sheets are overlapped and a part of the two sheets are joined, and inserting at least one sheet medium between the two sheets includes an upper surface, an ejection tray, and a conveyor. A lamination fixing device that laminates the two-ply sheet including the at least one sheet medium inserted between the two sheets is to be mounted on the upper surface. The ejection tray is disposed on the upper surface. The two-ply sheet laminated and ejected from an ejection port of the lamination fixing device is to be stacked on the ejection tray. The conveyor is coupled to the lamination fixing device to convey the two-ply sheet including the at least one sheet medium from the sheet separation device to the lamination fixing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki TAKAI, Ruki MIDORIKAWA, Kazuki SHIMODATE, Yuichiro KATO, Sho ASANO, Yosuke SAITO
  • Publication number: 20240239092
    Abstract: A lamination processing system includes a sheet separation device, a lamination fixing device, and a conveyor. The sheet separation device separates a two-ply sheet to insert a sheet medium between two sheets of the two-ply sheet to form an enclosed two-ply sheet. The lamination fixing device includes an inlet port and a heater. The conveyor conveys the enclosed two-ply sheet from the sheet separation device to the lamination fixing device in a conveyance direction. The conveyor includes a conveyance passage and a guide. The conveyance passage guides the enclosed two-ply sheet from the sheet separation device toward the lamination fixing device. The guide guides the enclosed two-ply sheet to the inlet port. The guide forms a space accommodatable a deflected part of the enclosed two-ply sheet formed by a difference in a conveyance speed of the enclosed two-ply sheet between the sheet separation device and the lamination fixing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke SAITO, Yuichiro KATO, Sho ASANO, Ruki MIDORIKAWA, Naoki TAKAI, Kazuki SHIMODATE
  • Publication number: 20240190121
    Abstract: A laminating system sandwiches a sheet medium in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and partially joined together and applies heat and pressure to bond the two-ply sheet. The laminating system includes a sheet separating device, a laminate-fixing device, and a conveyor. The sheet separating device separates the two sheets of the two-ply sheet and sandwiches the sheet medium between the two sheets. The laminate-fixing device heats and presses the two-ply sheet sandwiching the sheet medium. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet sandwiching the sheet medium from the sheet separating device to the laminate-fixing device. The laminate-fixing device is disposed above the sheet separating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2023
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruki MIDORIKAWA, Kazuki SHIMODATE, Yuichiro KATO, Naoki TAKAI, Sho ASANO, Yosuke SAITO
  • Patent number: 11981525
    Abstract: A sheet processing device sandwiches a sheet-shaped medium in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and partially bonded. The sheet processing device includes a separator, a conveyor, and a switching member. The separator separates the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The conveyor is disposed downstream from the separator in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the two-ply sheet. The switching member is disposed downstream from the conveyor in the sheet conveyance direction. The switching member switches a conveyance path of the two-ply sheet to convey the two-ply sheet to a fixing path on which fixing processing is performed on the two-ply sheet or a non-fixing path on which no fixing processing is performed on the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshito Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Wataru Nozaki, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Yuji Suzuki, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Takuya Morinaga
  • Patent number: 11975520
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is configured to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing device includes a first sheet feeder configured to feed the two-ply sheet, a second sheet feeder configured to feed an inner sheet to be inserted between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet in a state in which the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet is separated, and circuitry configured to cause the first sheet feeder to feed the two-ply sheet, perform a sheet separating operation on the two-ply sheet to separate the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, and cause the second sheet feeder to start feeding the inner sheet before completion of the sheet separating operation on the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Joji Akiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11947287
    Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator that includes a first separator and a second separator. The first separator is inserted into a gap between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The second separator is inserted between the two sheets at said another end of the two-ply sheet that is opposite to the one end of the two-ply sheet and moves in a width direction of the two-ply sheet after the first separator is inserted into the gap and relatively moves from the one end to said another end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shinya Monma, Yoshito Suzuki, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11926133
    Abstract: A sheet laminator includes a sheet lamination device, a heater, and circuitry. The sheet lamination device performs a sheet laminating operation on an object by application of heat and pressure. The heater heats the sheet lamination device. The circuitry changes between a first mode in which the heater constantly heats the sheet lamination device while the sheet lamination device is turned on and a second mode in which the heater starts heating the sheet lamination device in response to a request of the sheet laminating operation and stops heating the sheet lamination device after a given time has elapsed from completion of the sheet laminating operation. The circuitry adjusts the given time in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Monma, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Ruki Midorikawa, Sho Asano
  • Patent number: 11886143
    Abstract: A sheet laminator laminates a two-ply sheet and a sheet-shaped medium inserted in the two-ply sheet. The sheet laminator includes a sheet feeder, a multi-feeding detector, a fixing device, an ejection device, a purging portion, a passage switcher, and circuitry. The sheet feeder feeds the two-ply sheet. The multi-feeding detector detects multiple feeding of the two-ply sheet. The fixing device fixes the two-ply sheet by application of heat and pressure. The ejection device ejects the two-ply sheet that has been fixed by the fixing device. The purging portion is disposed at a position different from the ejection device. The passage switcher switches a conveyance passage of the two-ply sheet to the fixing device or to the purging portion. The circuitry conveys the two-ply sheet to the purging portion and retries sheet feeding with another two-ply sheet, in response to detection of multiple feeding of the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Ruki Midorikawa, Shinya Monma, Sho Asano
  • Patent number: 11884503
    Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a winding roller and a gripper. The winding roller rotates and winds the two-ply sheet to separate the two-ply sheet. The gripper is disposed in the winding roller and configured to grip a gripped portion of the two-ply sheet at one end of the two-ply sheet without abutting a tip of the gripped portion at the one end of the two-ply sheet on a member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11858287
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a sheet processing apparatus, a heat presser, an image forming apparatus, and control circuitry. The sheet processing apparatus separates a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet, and sandwiches a sheet medium between the sheets of the two-ply sheet. The heat presser heats and presses the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry performs a first mode to cause the sheet processing apparatus to sandwich the sheet medium, on which an image has been formed by the image forming apparatus, between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet and cause the heat presser to laminate the two-ply sheet, and a second mode to cause the heat presser to laminate a sheet set that includes the sheet medium sandwiched between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yohsuke Haraguchi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11851301
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus laminates a partially joined two-ply sheet and a sheet medium inserted in the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a heat presser, an information acquisition device, and control circuitry. The heat presser heats and presses the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium. The information acquisition device acquires information on the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium. The control circuitry sets a fixing temperature of the heat presser in accordance with the information of the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium acquired by the information acquisition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Nozaki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Yoshito Suzuki, Wataru Takahashi, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano
  • Patent number: 11845254
    Abstract: A sheet separation device is configured to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a conveyance roller pair and circuitry. The conveyance roller pair is configured to convey the two-ply sheet while nipping the two-ply sheet, when separating the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The circuitry is configured to control sheet conveyance. The circuitry is configured to stop the conveyance roller pair, cause a leading end of the two-ply sheet conveyed toward the conveyance roller pair to contact a nip region of the conveyance roller pair while the conveyance roller pair is stopped, and start the conveyance roller pair to rotate to nip the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki