Patents by Inventor Teppei Kawata
Teppei Kawata 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).
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Patent number: 8909117Abstract: A fixing device that fixes an image on a recording medium includes a rotatable endless belt, deployed in a loop supported by rollers, a nip forming member provided inside the loop formed by the belt, a support member that supports the nip forming member, a counter rotation body disposed outside the loop formed by the belt and configured to form a nip with the belt by being in contact with the nip forming member through the belt, and a heat source configured to heat the belt directly by a radiant heat except at the nip. The support member includes a base portion that contacts the nip forming member and two arms extending from the base portion in a direction away from the nip forming member to partially surround a part of heat generating portion of the heat source.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2012Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kazuya Saito, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
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Patent number: 8891990Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device disposed downstream from an image forming device in a recording medium conveyance direction to fix a toner image formed by the image forming device on a recording medium. The fixing device includes a pressing rotary body separatably pressed against a fixing rotary body to form a nip therebetween through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes, and a moving assembly to move the pressing rotary body bidirectionally to press the pressing rotary body against the fixing rotary body and separate the pressing rotary body from the fixing rotary body. A controller controls the moving assembly to change a post-fixing pressing time period for which the moving assembly presses the pressing rotary body against the fixing rotary body after the recording medium bearing the toner image is discharged from the nip according to image data.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shuutaroh Yuasa, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Kensuke Yamaji
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Publication number: 20140334838Abstract: A method for forming a toner image on a recording medium includes receiving a job, rotating a pressing rotary body in a predetermined direction of rotation, rotating a flexible endless belt disposed opposite the pressing rotary body to form a nip therebetween, turning on a belt heater disposed opposite to an inner circumferential surface of the flexible endless belt, conveying the recording medium bearing the toner image through the nip, turning off the belt heater for a predetermined first time period after the recording medium is discharged from the nip while the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body rotate, stopping the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body, turning on the belt heater when a predetermined second time period elapses after stopping the flexible endless belt and the pressing rotary body, and turning off the belt heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Takamasa HASE, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Teppei Kawata, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Patent number: 8886103Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt and a belt holder contacting and rotatably supporting each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. A first protection ring and a second protection ring are interposed between the endless belt and the belt holder in the axial direction of the endless belt and rotatable in accordance with rotation of the endless belt to protect each lateral end of the endless belt as the endless belt is skewed in the axial direction thereof and brought into contact with the first protection ring. A friction coefficient between the first protection ring and the second protection ring is smaller than a friction coefficient between the first protection ring and the endless belt.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2013Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kensuke Yamaji, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Akira Suzuki
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Patent number: 8886101Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a nip formation assembly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. An opposed rotary body is pressed against the nip formation assembly via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and supports each lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. The belt holder is isolated from the opposed rotary body with a first interval interposed therebetween in the axial direction of the endless belt.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Teppei Kawata, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Kazuya Saito, Naoki Iwaya, Kensuke Yamaji, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Takuya Seshita, Takeshi Uchitani, Arinobu Yoshiura, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki
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Patent number: 8886090Abstract: A fixing device comprises a rotatable fixing member to heat a side of a recording medium bearing an unfixed image; a heat source to heat the rotatable fixing member; a rotatable pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against an outer side of the fixing member; a housing to accommodate the fixing member and the pressing member; a conveyance path defined internally within the fixing device to convey a recording medium therethrough and between the fixing member and the pressing member, and a shutter actuator to move the shutter to open and close the conveyance path. The housing holds the shutter and the shutter actuator.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Teppei Kawata, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Yuji Arai, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Takayuki Seki, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Kazuya Saito, Yutaka Ikebuchi
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Patent number: 8873984Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating a heating span of the fixing rotary body. A controller is operatively connected to a power supply that supplies power to the heater and a driver that rotates the fixing rotary body to control the power supply and the driver. The controller performs at least one of a rotation speed control that controls the driver to rotate the fixing rotary body at an increased rotation speed and a power supply control that controls the power supply to supply an increased amount of power to the heater.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Yuji Arai, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Akira Suzuki, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Tadashi Ogawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Teppei Kawata
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Patent number: 8855506Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device. The fixing device includes a rotatable endless fixing member, a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing member, a pressing member in contact with the nip forming member via the fixing member, and a heating source configured to heat the fixing member. When an abnormality occurs in at least one of the fixing device and other devices included in the image forming apparatus, a rotation of the fixing member is stopped prior to stopping a rotation driving of a discharging unit and, after stopping, the fixing member is controlled to rotate.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Takamasa Hase, Masahiko Satoh, Shinichi Namekata, Kenji Ishii, Takeshi Uchitani, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki
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Patent number: 8831498Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable, endless flexible belt, an elongated stationary pad, a rotatable pressure member, a rotary driver, a releasable biasing mechanism, a first guide member, and a second guide member. The endless flexible belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration. The elongated stationary pad is stationarily disposed inside the loop of the belt. The rotatable pressure member is disposed parallel to the stationary pad with the belt interposed between the pressure member and the stationary pad. The rotary driver is operatively connected with the pressure member to impart torque to the pressure member. The releasable biasing mechanism is operatively connected with the pressure member to apply a releasable pressure to the pressure member against the belt in a load direction. The first guide member defines a first elongated opening. The second guide member defines a second elongated opening.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Takeshi Uchitani, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Patent number: 8811843Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing a copier job and a printer job includes a controller operatively connected to a fixing rotary body heater and a pressing rotary body heater to control the fixing rotary body heater and the pressing rotary body heater. The controller activates a standby mode after the copier job and the printer job are finished in which the controller turns off at least the fixing rotary body heater and a subsequent off mode in which the controller turns off the pressing rotary body heater and the fixing rotary body heater, and identifies which of the copier job and the printer job is to be performed to turn on and off the pressing rotary body heater in the standby mode according to the identified job.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Teppei Kawata, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Patent number: 8750776Abstract: A fixing roller includes a fixing sleeve including a heat generating layer; and a support roll inserted into the fixing sleeve to support the fixing sleeve and including a foam layer constituting an outer circumferential surface of the support roll. The foam layer includes recesses exposing pores containing air; and non-recessed portions contiguous to the recesses and adhered to an inner circumferential surface of the fixing sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Takamasa Hase, Teppei Kawata, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Patent number: 8737861Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotation body heating and fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium; a pressing rotation body pressing the recording medium to the fixing rotation body; and a temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the pressing rotation body. Further, when a predetermined time period elapses since a warm-up operation has started before a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature or when the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit is equal to or greater than the predetermined temperature before the predetermined time period elapses since a warm-up operation has started, the fixing device determines that the warm-up operation is finished.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2011Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Masanao Ehara, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Teppei Kawata, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Publication number: 20140133879Abstract: In the present invention, upon return from a standby mode or sleep mode, image data is acquired as warming-up time estimate information for estimating the warming-up time to increase the temperature of a fixing belt to a target fixing temperature and, if the acquired image data is the data on a black-and-white image, control is performed to delay the heating start timing of the fixing belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takuya SESHITA, Masahiko SATOH, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Hiroshi YOSHINAGA, Naoki IWAYA, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Akira SUZUKI, Kenji ISHII, Tadashi OGAWA, Teppei KAWATA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Takeshi UCHITANI, Takamasa HASE, Shuutaroh YUASA
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Patent number: 8718502Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation to radiate infrared rays; a pressing rotary body, rotatable in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body, pressed against the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body; a temperature detector spaced apart from the fixing rotary body to detect a temperature of the fixing rotary body based on the infrared rays from the fixing rotary body and disposed below the fixing nip in a vertical direction; and a tube disposed between the fixing rotary body and the temperature detector, the tube through which the infrared rays from the fixing rotary body enter the temperature detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shuutaroh Yuasa, Masanao Ehara, Tadashi Ogawa, Satoshi Ueno, Hiroshi Seo, Teppei Kawata, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Kensuke Yamaji
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Publication number: 20140079453Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body. A heat shield is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and interposed between the heater and the fixing rotary body to shield the fixing rotary body from the heater. An overheating suppressor is interposed between the heater and the heat shield to shield the heat shield from the heater. The heat shield includes an intermediate portion spanning in the circumferential direction of the fixing rotary body and movable between a shield position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater directly and a retracted position where the intermediate portion is disposed opposite the heater via the overheating suppressor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Inventors: Yuji ARAI, Takayuki Seki, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kazuya Saito, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Takuya Seshita, Takeshi Yamamoto, Shuutaroh Yuasa
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Patent number: 8676078Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressing rotary body pressed against a fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a heater to heat the fixing rotary body, disposed opposite a circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body and upstream from the fixing nip a predetermined circumferential distance along the circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body in a direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body; a heater driver to turn on and off the heater; a timing calculator to calculate a reference time at which a trailing end portion of the recording medium in a conveyance direction of the recording medium reaches the fixing nip; and a heater driver controller to cause the heater driver to turn off the heater at a turn-off time earlier than the reference time.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kazuya Saito, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Publication number: 20140064804Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary fixing member, a heater, a pressing member, a nip formation member, a reinforcement member, a sliding sheet, and a holding member. The nip formation member is disposed at an inner circumferential side of the fixing member and pressed by the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nipping portion. The reinforcement member is stationarily disposed in an internal diameter area of the fixing member to support the nip formation member. The sliding sheet is disposed between the nip formation member and an inner circumferential face of the fixing member. The holding member is disposed at a member differing from the nip formation member to hold the sliding sheet in a state in which the sliding sheet is in close contact with a nipping face of the nip formation member facing the nipping portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Inventors: Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Takayuki Seki, Yuji Arai, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Kazuya Saito, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kensuke Yamaji, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Akira Suzuki
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Publication number: 20140016971Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a given direction of rotation and a pressing rotary body pressed against the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A heater is disposed inside the fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body. A reflector, disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body via the heater, reflects light emitted from the heater onto the fixing rotary body. The reflector includes a movable portion movable relative to the heater to direct the light emitted from the heater onto a variable heating span of the fixing rotary body spanning in an axial direction thereof. The variable heating span varies depending on a width of the recording medium in the axial direction of the fixing rotary body.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuji ARAI, Masaaki YOSHIKAWA, Kenji ISHII, Tadashi OGAWA, Teppei KAWATA, Arinobu YOSHIURA, Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Kensuke YAMAJI, Yoshiki YAMAGUCHI, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Naoki IWAYA, Takahiro IMADA, Hajime GOTOH, Akira SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20130251390Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a heater disposed opposite and heating a heating span of the fixing rotary body. A controller is operatively connected to a power supply that supplies power to the heater and a driver that rotates the fixing rotary body to control the power supply and the driver. The controller performs at least one of a rotation speed control that controls the driver to rotate the fixing rotary body at an increased rotation speed and a power supply control that controls the power supply to supply an increased amount of power to the heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Yuji Arai, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Akira Suzuki, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Tadashi Ogawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Teppei Kawata
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Publication number: 20130251422Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable, endless flexible belt, an elongated stationary pad, a rotatable pressure member, a rotary driver, a releasable biasing mechanism, a first guide member, and a second guide member. The endless flexible belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration. The elongated stationary pad is stationarily disposed inside the loop of the belt. The rotatable pressure member is disposed parallel to the stationary pad with the belt interposed between the pressure member and the stationary pad. The rotary driver is operatively connected with the pressure member to impart torque to the pressure member. The releasable biasing mechanism is operatively connected with the pressure member to apply a releasable pressure to the pressure member against the belt in a load direction. The first guide member defines a first elongated opening. The second guide member defines a second elongated opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Takeshi Uchitani, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji