Patents by Inventor Takashi Taruki

Takashi Taruki 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: 6354589
    Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding apparatus method and computer readable medium capable of performing an efficient reading operation includes a sheet table, a sheet transfer mechanism, and a controller. The sheet transfer mechanism performs first, second, and third transfer operations. In the first transfer operation, a sheet is separated from the sheet table and is transferred via a first connecting path to the reading position to receive a front-face sheet feeding operation. In the second transfer operation, the sheet is transferred via the first connecting path to the reading position to receive a rear-face sheet feeding operation. In the third transfer operation, the sheet is ejected. The sheet is reversed after passing by the reading position in each of the first and second transfer operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Taruki, Shinji Imoto
  • Patent number: 6254078
    Abstract: An ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for an image forming apparatus includes a drive roller and a driven roller constituting document send-out means located downstream of a contact glass for sending out a document. The driven roller is movable into and out of contact with the drive roller. The driven roller is spaced from the drive roller when a document sensor does not sense the arrival of the leading edge of the document at the document send-out means. When the document sensor senses the leading edge of the document, the driven roller is moved toward the drive roller in order to convey the document in cooperation with the drive roller. The ADF insures accurate reading of the document without varying the document conveying speed at an image reading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Taruki
  • Patent number: 6034792
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image reading device has a first document setting section for setting a document, and a second document setting section included in an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) which is capable of supporting and processing a document independently of the first document setting section. The second document setting section allows a number of documents to be stacked thereon. A switching device selectively causes either the document of the first document setting section or that of the second document setting section to be read. A control unit interrupts, when a read request requesting a first reading operation using the first document setting section is input while a second reading operation using the second document setting section is under way, the second reading operation, then executes the first reading operation, and then resumes the second reading operation after the first reading operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Nakazato, Takashi Taruki, Makoto Tanaka, Masashi Kohchi, Hisayo Ohshita
  • Patent number: 5971388
    Abstract: An automatic original document feeding device which can shorten a length of time required for refeeding sheets of the original document after a jamming of a sheet of the original document is cleared. When a trouble signal is received indicating that a sheet of the original document remains within a feed path due to an improper feeding or a jamming before the sheet is completely scanned, a side cover is opened and at the same time a driving mechanism is actuated for automatically lowering the sheets of the original document from a feeding position. If the jamming occurs at a later position in the paper path after the image has been completely scanned, the side cover does not have to be opened, the driving mechanism is not lowered, and the sheets of the original document remain in their feeding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Taruki, Hiroshi Kubo
  • Patent number: 5839044
    Abstract: An auto document feeder feeds and ejects original documents in order of the pages. A duplex and simplex image forming unit forms an image based upon information of the document read by a reading unit. The simplex or the duplex copy sheets are ejected into an injecting portion formed by an upper wall, a bottom wall and a side wall so that an operator can access the receiving portion from the front side of the image forming apparatus. A copy sheet inverting device between the auto document feeder and the ejection portion causes the copy sheets to be stacked on the receiving portion in order of the pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Taruki
  • Patent number: 5784680
    Abstract: A compact ADF (auto-document feeder) for feeding a duplex document includes, a first feeding path starting from a document setting table to an exposing area and is formed in a U-shaped state, a second feeding path starting from the exposing area to an ejecting roller, a switch-back path disposed downstream of the second feeding path and above a document ejecting tray, and an inverting path starting from an entrance of the switch-back path to the first feeding path. A switching gate is pivotally disposed downstream of the second feeding path and above the ejecting tray to selectively lead the document either to the ejecting tray, or the switch-back path, or to the inverting path each from the second feeding path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Taruki
  • Patent number: 5715500
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus with an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder), a conveyor mechanism sequentially conveys documents from a document feeding section to a document collecting section by way of a slit for scanning the documents. The feeding section and collecting section are disposed one above the other. The ADF including the feeding section and collecting section can be bodily pulled out toward the operator away from a scanner including a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, lens, and light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Nakazato, Shigeru Horiguchi, Takashi Taruki, Masashi Kouchi, Makoto Tanaka, Hisayo Ohshita
  • Patent number: 5401012
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder having a 2-in-1 mode which serially locates first and second documents adjacent to one another at a copying position. The document feeder includes a separating part for separating documents one by one from a bundle of documents, a document feeding part for feeding documents at a speed which is faster than the transport speed provided by a document transporting part, with the transporting part located downstream from the feeding part. Since the feeding speed is faster than the speed of the transporting part, a space controlling part is provided for controlling a space between the first and second documents, such that after said space controlling part achieves a spacing of a predetermined distance, the document feeding part and the document transporting part transport the first and second documents and the first and second documents are placed serially on the contact glass without any undesired or excessive spacing between the first and second documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Taruki
  • Patent number: 5240531
    Abstract: An endless conveyor belt that has a nonexpansible and noncontractive core member and an elastic laminate layer bonded to one of the core surfaces. The core member and the laminate layer are preformed as an endless belt, respectively, and bonded together to constitute an endless conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is used for conveying an original paper to a predetermined position on a contact glass where the original paper is operated a predetermined treatment. The conveyor belt is assembled within an ADF in cooperation with belt rollers to rotary drive the conveyor belt. The belt is formed by a method that includes: a core belt forming process in which an endless core belt is formed from a nonexpansible and noncontractive material; a laminate layer forming process in which a laminate layer in a form of an endless belt is formed from an elastic thermoplastic material; and a bonding process in which the laminate layer is bonded to at least one of the surfaces of the endless core belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Nitto Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Toda, Katuo Akimoto, Takashi Taruki, Goro Mori
  • Patent number: 4696463
    Abstract: An automatic original sheet feeding apparatus for carrying original sheets mounted on an original sheet mounting table to a predetermined work position and then through an ejection roller to an original sheet receiver, successively, is disclosed, in which the ejection roller is braked while ejecting the original sheet to thereby eject said original sheet onto a region in the vicinity of the ejection roller without substantial inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukitaka Nakazato, Kenji Hashimoto, Takashi Taruki