Patents by Inventor Tatsuya Sugawara
Tatsuya Sugawara 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: 9926157Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an image forming system, includes a sheet loader on which a sheet bundle is loaded, an air blower to blow air to the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loader and float upper sheets of the sheet bundle, a loader elevation device to lift and lower the sheet loader, a reflective optical detector including a first reflective optical detector to detect the upper sheets floated by the air blower and a second reflective optical detector to detect multiple floating sheets located below the floating sheets detected by the first reflective optical detector, and a controller configured to control the loader elevation device to perform a lifting operation of the sheet loader based on a combination of an output value of the first reflective optical detector and an output value of the second reflective optical detector.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuya Sugawara, Takashi Fukumoto, Hideaki Takahashi, Hidetoshi Kojima
-
Patent number: 9926151Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet loader, an air blowing device, a regulator, a sheet attracting device, and a sheet conveying body. The sheet loader loads a sheet bundle including a sheet and a subsequent sheet placed below the sheet. The air blowing device blows air and lifts the sheet over the sheet bundle. The regulator regulates movement of the subsequent sheet, and includes an opposing portion located upper end and separated from the sheet loader toward the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction and an inclined portion upwardly inclined relative to a vertical axis from a same position as the sheet loader to the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction. The sheet attracting device attracts the sheet lifted over the sheet bundle. The sheet conveying body conveys the sheet in a sheet conveying direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2017Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideaki Takahashi, Takashi Fukumoto, Hidetoshi Kojima, Tatsuya Sugawara, Masato Hashimoto, Takaaki Sanpei, Kim Foon Lee
-
Publication number: 20170327329Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet loader, an air blowing device, a regulator, a sheet attracting device, and a sheet conveying body. The sheet loader loads a sheet bundle including a sheet and a subsequent sheet placed below the sheet. The air blowing device blows air and lifts the sheet over the sheet bundle. The regulator regulates movement of the subsequent sheet, and includes an opposing portion located upper end and separated from the sheet loader toward the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction and an inclined portion upwardly inclined relative to a vertical axis from a same position as the sheet loader to the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction. The sheet attracting device attracts the sheet lifted over the sheet bundle. The sheet conveying body conveys the sheet in a sheet conveying direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Masato HASHIMOTO, Takaaki SANPEI, Kim Foon LEE
-
Patent number: 9802775Abstract: A sheet separating device includes: a lifting nozzle configured to blow air against an end portion of a sheet bundle placed on a sheet loading portion to lift sheets; a separating nozzle configured to separate the sheets; a lifting-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the lifting nozzle; a separating-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the separating nozzle; a lifting-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the lifting-nozzle shutter member; a separating-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the separating-nozzle shutter member; and an open/close control unit configured to control the lifting-shutter driving mechanism and the separating-shutter driving mechanism such that the lifting-nozzle shutter member and the separating-nozzle shutter member are opened or closed simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2015Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Masato Hashimoto, Takashi Fukumoto, Hideaki Takahashi, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Munehisa Fuda, Yasuo Niikura, Masaki Ishizaki, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga
-
Patent number: 9796552Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes: a sheet loading unit for loading a bundle of sheets; a separation unit that separates a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets; a conveyance unit that conveys the separated topmost sheet; an end fence that is movable in a sheet conveyance direction, abuts trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction, and positions the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction; and a pressing unit that is provided in such a manner as to protrude from the end fence, and is able to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein the pressing unit has different pressing forces at an upper and a lower portion thereof, and has the lower pressing force stronger than the upper pressing force.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Hideaki Takahashi, Munehisa Fuda, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kiyotake Nakamura, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kohjiroh Haga
-
Patent number: 9725265Abstract: Provided are a floating restricting member restricting the floating position of a bundle of sheets; and a holding mechanism holding the floating restricting member relative to a side fence. The floating restricting member includes a sheet contact section being brought into contact with the sheets from above; and a sheet-floating restricting section restricting the floating position of the floating sheet that is floated while air is blown thereto. The holding mechanism sets the floating restricting member in the initial state where the sheet-floating restricting section restricts the floating position of the sheet, in the sheet-placing time retracted state where the sheets are pushed against the sheet contact section so that the floating restricting member is retracted, and in the sheet-ejecting time retracted state where, when the sheets are to be removed, the sheet is pushed against the sheet contact section from below so that the floating restricting member is retracted.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Masato Hashimoto, Takashi Fukumoto, Hideaki Takahashi, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Munehisa Fuda, Yasuo Niikura, Masaki Ishizaki, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga
-
Patent number: 9707200Abstract: The present invention provides a metabolism improving agent comprising an oxo fatty acid having 18 carbon atoms and a carbonyl group at the 10- or 12-position, and/or a hydroxy fatty acid having 18 carbon atoms and a hydroxyl group at the 10- and/or 12-position(s), and use of the metabolism improving agent as a food, a pharmaceutical product and the like.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignees: Kyoto University, Nitto Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Jun Ogawa, Shigenobu Kishino, Si-Bum Park, Teruo Kawada, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Goto, Hidekazu Kim, Tatsuya Sugawara, Takashi Hirata, Yasunori Yonejima
-
Publication number: 20170160689Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an image forming system, includes a sheet loader on which a sheet bundle is loaded, an air blower to blow air to the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loader and float upper sheets of the sheet bundle, a loader elevation device to lift and lower the sheet loader, a reflective optical detector including a first reflective optical detector to detect the upper sheets floated by the air blower and a second reflective optical detector to detect multiple floating sheets located below the floating sheets detected by the first reflective optical detector, and a controller configured to control the loader elevation device to perform a lifting operation of the sheet loader based on a combination of an output value of the first reflective optical detector and an output value of the second reflective optical detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2016Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Takashi Fukumoto, Hideaki Takahashi, Hidetoshi Kojima
-
Publication number: 20170081140Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes: a sheet loading unit for loading a bundle of sheets; a separation unit that separates a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets; a conveyance unit that conveys the separated topmost sheet; an end fence that is movable in a sheet conveyance direction, abuts trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction, and positions the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction; and a pressing unit that is provided in such a manner as to protrude from the end fence, and is able to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein the pressing unit has different pressing forces at an upper and a lower portion thereof, and has the lower pressing force stronger than the upper pressing force.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi FUKUMOTO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Munehisa FUDA, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Kazunori KONNO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Toshihiro OKUTSU, Kohjiroh HAGA
-
Patent number: 9540193Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes: a sheet loading unit for loading a bundle of sheets; a separation unit that separates a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets; a conveyance unit that conveys the separated topmost sheet; an end fence that is movable in a sheet conveyance direction, abuts trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction, and positions the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction; and a pressing unit that is provided in such a manner as to protrude from the end fence, and is able to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein the pressing unit has different pressing forces at an upper and a lower portion thereof, and has the lower pressing force stronger than the upper pressing force.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2015Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Hideaki Takahashi, Munehisa Fuda, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kiyotake Nakamura, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kohjiroh Haga
-
Publication number: 20170000752Abstract: The present invention provides an anti-inflammatory agent containing a rare fatty acid such as hydroxylated fatty acid, oxo fatty acid and the like, and further, food, pharmaceutical product and the like containing the anti-inflammatory agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2015Publication date: January 5, 2017Applicants: KYOTO UNIVERSITY, NITTO PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Jun OGAWA, Shigenobu KISHINO, Teruo KAWADA, Nobuyuki TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi GOTO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Yasunori YONEJIMA
-
Publication number: 20160264370Abstract: A paper sheet conveyance device includes a plurality of conveyance members and conveys a paper sheet while performing temporary stop of conveying and then restart of conveying. Two paper sheets sequential in a conveyance direction stop together in a state of the temporary stop, driving a first transfer member to which a preceding first paper sheet that is one of the two paper sheets is opposed and a second conveyance member to which a following second paper sheet that is the other paper sheet is opposed is stopped and restarted synchronously for the temporary stop and the restart. A stop position information acquisition unit acquires information on a position on the conveyance path at which the second paper sheet stops in the state of the temporary stop, and a timing for stopping the conveying after the conveying is restarted is controlled according to the acquired information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Applicant: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Toshihiro OKUTSU, Masaki ISHIZAKI, Yasuo NIIKURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Masato HASHIMOTO, Munehisa FUDA, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Kohjiroh HAGA, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Takashi FUKUMOTO
-
Patent number: 9415957Abstract: A sheet feed device that includes a sheet feed tray configured to be enabled to be drawn from a main body of an image forming apparatus; a bottom plate arranged in the sheet feed tray and configured to stack thereon a plurality of sheets; a driving unit configured to move the bottom plate upward; a drive transmitting unit configured to transmit a driving force from a drive source arranged on the main body to the driving unit; and a one-way rotation transmitting unit configured to unidirectionally transmit input from the drive transmitting unit to the driving unit and configured to be arranged on one side of the drive transmitting unit opposite to a side connected to the driving unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Munehisa Fuda, Takaya Ochiai, Kazuki Seto, Shinji Katsumata, Tatsuya Sugawara, Taewon Kim
-
Patent number: 9359158Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet stacking member; an air blowing unit configured to blow air onto the sheet bundle placed on the sheet stacking member to suspend multiple sheets of the sheet bundle; a lifting/lowering unit configured to lift/lower the sheet stacking member; an optical reflection sensor configured to detect a suspended sheet suspended by the air blowing unit; and a control unit configured to control the lifting/lowering unit based on an output value of the optical reflection sensor. The optical reflection sensor is configured to be capable of detecting an area corresponding to multiple sheets in a sheet suspension zone extending between a non-suspended sheet bundle and a conveying member configured to convey an uppermost sheet of the multiple suspended sheets. The non-suspended sheet bundle is made up of sheets not suspended during a period when air is blown by the air blowing unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2014Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Yasunori Hino, Chikara Akata, Tomoki Tamate, Hideaki Takahashi, Munehisa Fuda, Toshihiro Okutsu, Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Masaki Ishizaki, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga, Masato Hashimoto
-
Patent number: 9359157Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet feeding tray attached to a casing in a manner slidable into and out from the casing and including a stacking plate on which sheets are stacked; a conveying unit configured to convey the sheets in a direction orthogonal to both a sliding direction of the sheet feeding tray and a stacking direction of the sheets; an optional extension unit configured to be removably attached to an upstream side of the stacking plate in a conveying direction, and including an extension plate configured to extend the stacking plate; and a first locking unit configured to be capable of being held in a first lock position where the sheet feeding tray cannot be slide when the optional extension unit is attached while, when the optional extension unit is removed, held in a first unlock position where the sheet feeding tray can be slid.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2015Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Niikura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Yuuta Mori, Takashi Fukumoto, Kiyotake Nakamura, Munehisa Fuda, Hideaki Takahashi, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga, Toshihiro Okutsu
-
Publication number: 20160122144Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes: a sheet loading unit for loading a bundle of sheets; a separation unit that separates a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets; a conveyance unit that conveys the separated topmost sheet; an end fence that is movable in a sheet conveyance direction, abuts trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction, and positions the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction; and a pressing unit that is provided in such a manner as to protrude from the end fence, and is able to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein the pressing unit has different pressing forces at an upper and a lower portion thereof, and has the lower pressing force stronger than the upper pressing force.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2015Publication date: May 5, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takashi FUKUMOTO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Munehisa FUDA, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Kazunori KONNO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Toshihiro OKUTSU, Kohjiroh HAGA
-
Publication number: 20160107853Abstract: Provided are a floating restricting member restricting the floating position of a bundle of sheets; and a holding mechanism holding the floating restricting member relative to a side fence. The floating restricting member includes a sheet contact section being brought into contact with the sheets from above; and a sheet-floating restricting section restricting the floating position of the floating sheet that is floated while air is blown thereto. The holding mechanism sets the floating restricting member in the initial state where the sheet-floating restricting section restricts the floating position of the sheet, in the sheet-placing time retracted state where the sheets are pushed against the sheet contact section so that the floating restricting member is retracted, and in the sheet-ejecting time retracted state where, when the sheets are to be removed, the sheet is pushed against the sheet contact section from below so that the floating restricting member is retracted.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2015Publication date: April 21, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Masato HASHIMOTO, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Munehisa FUDA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Masaki ISHIZAKI, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Toshihiro OKUTSU, Kazunori KONNO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Kohjiroh HAGA
-
Publication number: 20160107854Abstract: A sheet separating device includes: a lifting nozzle configured to blow air against an end portion of a sheet bundle placed on a sheet loading portion to lift sheets; a separating nozzle configured to separate the sheets; a lifting-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the lifting nozzle; a separating-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the separating nozzle; a lifting-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the lifting-nozzle shutter member; a separating-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the separating-nozzle shutter member; and an open/close control unit configured to control the lifting-shutter driving mechanism and the separating-shutter driving mechanism such that the lifting-nozzle shutter member and the separating-nozzle shutter member are opened or closed simultaneously.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: April 21, 2016Inventors: Masato HASHIMOTO, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Munehisa FUDA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Masaki ISHIZAKI, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Toshihiro OKUTSU, Kazunori KONNO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Kohjiroh HAGA
-
Publication number: 20160016740Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet feeding tray attached to a casing in a manner slidable into and out from the casing and including a stacking plate on which sheets are stacked; a conveying unit configured to convey the sheets in a direction orthogonal to both a sliding direction of the sheet feeding tray and a stacking direction of the sheets; an optional extension unit configured to be removably attached to an upstream side of the stacking plate in a conveying direction, and including an extension plate configured to extend the stacking plate; and a first locking unit configured to be capable of being held in a first lock position where the sheet feeding tray cannot be slide when the optional extension unit is attached while, when the optional extension unit is removed, held in a first unlock position where the sheet feeding tray can be slid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Yasuo NIIKURA, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Yuuta MORI, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Kiyotake NAKAMURA, Munehisa FUDA, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Kazunori KONNO, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Kohjiroh HAGA, Toshihiro OKUTSU
-
Publication number: 20150342916Abstract: The present invention provides a metabolism improving agent comprising an oxo fatty acid having 18 carbon atoms and a carbonyl group at the 10- or 12-position, and/or a hydroxy fatty acid having 18 carbon atoms and a hydroxyl group at the 10- and/or 12-position(s), and use of the metabolism improving agent as a food, a pharmaceutical product and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2013Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Jun OGAWA, Shigenobu KISHINO, Si-Bum PARK, Teruo KAWADA, Nobuyuki TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi GOTO, Hidekazu KIM, Tatsuya SUGAWARA, Takashi HIRATA, Yasunori YONEJIMA