Patents by Inventor Tetsuji Nishikawa

Tetsuji Nishikawa 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).

  • Publication number: 20240070615
    Abstract: A work support method, for supporting work performed by multiple users including a target user on an object in a virtual space where the object is placed, includes obtaining first information including at least one of sound information, input information, or schedule information; obtaining second information indicating manipulation of the object by the target user; determining whether the manipulation by the target user is to be applied to one or more other users among the multiple users based on the first information; generating images each viewed by a corresponding one of the one or more other users based on the result of the determining and the second information; and outputting the generated images to terminals of the one or more other users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kotaro SAKATA, Tsuyoki NISHIKAWA, Tetsuji FUCHIKAMI
  • Patent number: 10078301
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body accommodating an image forming device, a foreign object detector that detects a foreign object beside the apparatus body, and a detector holding unit that holds the foreign object detector. The foreign object detector and the detector holding unit are movable together into the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruki Midorikawa, Shogo Terakawa, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Hiroshi Ishii, Kohta Takenaka, Hiroaki Murakami, Hidehiko Maeda, Gaku Hosono
  • Patent number: 10048628
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body accommodating an image forming device, a foreign object detector that detects a foreign object beside the apparatus body, and a detector holding unit that holds the foreign object detector. The foreign object detector and the detector holding unit are movable together into the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruki Midorikawa, Shogo Terakawa, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Hiroshi Ishii, Kohta Takenaka, Hiroaki Murakami, Hidehiko Maeda, Gaku Hosono
  • Patent number: 9955595
    Abstract: A mount board tray is provided to hold multiple mount boards at different heights above and below the mount board tray. The mount board tray holds a topmost mount board placed at the topmost position among the multiple mount boards held by the mount board tray from below the topmost mount board. The mount board tray also holds a bottommost mount board placed at the bottommost position among the multiple mount boards from above the bottommost mount board at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shogo Terakawa, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Kohta Takenaka, Hiroshi Ishii, Kouta Hirakawa, Hidehiko Maeda, Gaku Hosono
  • Publication number: 20170235264
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body accommodating an image forming device, a foreign object detector that detects a foreign object beside the apparatus body, and a detector holding unit that holds the foreign object detector. The foreign object detector and the detector holding unit are movable together into the apparatus body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruki Midorikawa, Shogo Terakawa, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Hiroshi Ishii, Kohta Takenaka, Hiroaki Murakami, Hidehiko Maeda, Gaku Hosono
  • Publication number: 20170017190
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body; an openably closable drawer unit including an image forming section to form an image on a recording medium; and a circuit board. The circuit board is disposed in a substantial center of the drawer unit in a direction in which the drawer unit is pulled out of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: HIDEHIKO MAEDA, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Kohta Takenaka, Hiroshi Ishii, Kouta Hirakawa, Gaku Hosono, Shogo Terakawa
  • Publication number: 20160381815
    Abstract: A mount board tray is provided to hold multiple mount boards at different heights above and below the mount board tray. The mount board tray holds a topmost mount board placed at the topmost position among the multiple mount boards held by the mount board tray from below the topmost mount board. The mount board tray also holds a bottommost mount board placed at the bottommost position among the multiple mount boards from above the bottommost mount board at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shogo TERAKAWA, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Kohta TAKENAKA, Hiroshi ISHII, Kouta HIRAKAWA, Hidehiko MAEDA, Gaku HOSONO
  • Patent number: 9353553
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image; a drawer unit configured to be pulled out from a body of the image forming apparatus; a first lock unit configured to receive power from a power supply and perform at least one of lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body; and a second lock unit configured to perform lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body by a mechanical operation performed by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yusuke Funayama, Joh Ebara, Hiroshi Ishii, Junichi Kawase, Kohta Takenaka, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yoshihide Ohta, Kouta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Tsuyoshi Endo
  • Patent number: 9188946
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section; a conveyance path to convey a recording medium to the image forming section; a drawer unit including the conveyance path and configured to be pulled out relative to the apparatus; an electrical cable to electrically connect the drawer unit and an interior of the apparatus even when the drawer unit is pulled out from the apparatus; and a cable holder (a first regulating member) to ensure that that the cable is securely prevented from protruding from the drawer unit. According to the present invention, the electric cable is prevented from running off from the drawer unit due to the folding of the cable caused by the regulating member, so that the electric cable is prevented from getting hung up on the parts disposed in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yusuke Funayama, Hidehiko Maeda, Junichi Kawase, Hiroshi Ishii, Joh Ebara, Kohta Takenaka, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Yusuke Masu, Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9176462
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording media are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohta, Joh Ebara, Hiroshi Ishii, Junichi Kawase, Kohta Takenaka, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Kohta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Yusuke Funayama, Tsuyoshi Endo, Yusuke Masu, Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9163429
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit configured to be drawn out from a body of the image forming apparatus. The drawer unit includes a carriage path for carrying a recording medium, a lock unit configured to lock the drawer unit in the body, a driving unit configured to drive the lock unit, the driving unit including at least a driving source, and a drawer unit cover configured to cover at least the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is a part of an outer cover of the body arranged on a side in a drawing direction of the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is attached to the drawer unit so that the drawer unit cover is removed from the drawer unit in a state where the drawer unit is attached to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kohta Takenaka, Joh Ebara, Hiroshi Ishii, Junichi Kawase, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohta Hirakawa, Toshihiro Shimada, Yusuke Funayama, Tsuyoshi Endo
  • Patent number: 9058740
    Abstract: A state determining device includes a current detecting unit, a state determining unit, and a notifying unit. The current detecting unit detects a current value of a drive current which flows into a drive motor that rotary-drives a driven unit with a drive force according to the drive current. Based on the drive current value detected by the current detecting unit, the state determining unit determines a state of a driving system including the driven unit. The notifying unit notifies a user of a determination result of the state determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Takashi Kuwayama, Yuki Sato, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Nobuhiro Shima, Jo Ebara
  • Patent number: 8948679
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device for conveying a recording medium includes a fixed roller, a movable roller, an urging member, and a shock absorber, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet conveyance device. The position of the fixed roller is fixed. The movable roller is disposed opposite the fixed roller to contact the fixed roller, thereby defining a nip. The urging member urges the movable member to contact the fixed roller in the absence of the recording medium in the nip and allows the movable member to separate from the fixed roller by an amount corresponding to a thickness of a recording medium when the recording medium enters the nip. The shock absorber absorbs displacement energy generated when the urging member urges the movable roller to contact the fixed roller again after the recording medium passes through the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Murakami, Yasuhisa Ehara, Noriaki Funamoto, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yasuhiro Maehata, Jun Yasuda, Satoshi Araaki
  • Publication number: 20140167587
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit configured to be drawn out from a body of the image forming apparatus. The drawer unit includes a carriage path for carrying a recording medium, a lock unit configured to lock the drawer unit in the body, a driving unit configured to drive the lock unit, the driving unit including at least a driving source, and a drawer unit cover configured to cover at least the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is a part of an outer cover of the body arranged on a side in a drawing direction of the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is attached to the drawer unit so that the drawer unit cover is removed from the drawer unit in a state where the drawer unit is attached to the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kohta TAKENAKA, Joh EBARA, Hiroshi ISHII, Junichi KAWASE, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Yoshihide OHTA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140169828
    Abstract: The present invention is concerning to an image forming apparatus comprising: a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording mediums are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide OHTA, Joh EBARA, Hiroshi ISHII, Junichi KAWASE, Kohta TAKENAKA, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO, Yusuke MASU, Makoto SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20140167580
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image; a drawer unit configured to be pulled out from a body of the image forming apparatus; a first lock unit configured to receive power from a power supply and perform at least one of lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body; and a second lock unit configured to perform lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body by a mechanical operation performed by an operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Joh EBARA, Hiroshi ISHII, Junichi KAWASE, Kohta TAKENAKA, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Yoshihide OHTA, Kouta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Tsuyoshi ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140055016
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section; a conveyance path to convey a recording medium to the image forming section; a drawer unit including the conveyance path and configured to be pulled out relative to the apparatus; an electrical cable to electrically connect the drawer unit and an interior of the apparatus even when the drawer unit is pulled out from the apparatus; and a cable holder (a first regulating member) to ensure that that the cable is securely prevented from protruding from the drawer unit. According to the present invention, the electric cable is prevented from running off from the drawer unit due to the folding of the cable caused by the regulating member, so that the electric cable is prevented from getting hung up on the parts disposed in the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Hidehiko MAEDA, Junichi KAWASE, Hiroshi ISHII, Joh EBARA, Kohta TAKENAKA, Yoshihide OHTA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke MASU, Makoto SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20130308151
    Abstract: A state determining device includes a current detecting unit, a state determining unit, and a notifying unit. The current detecting unit detects a current value of a drive current which flows into a drive motor that rotary-drives a driven unit with a drive force according to the drive current. Based on the drive current value detected by the current detecting unit, the state determining unit determines a state of a driving system including the driven unit. The notifying unit notifies a user of a determination result of the state determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Takashi Kuwayama, Yuki Sato, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Nobuhiro Shima, Jo Ebara
  • Patent number: 8447212
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt member; a drive unit moving the endless belt member; a first detecting unit detecting a rotating speed of the drive unit; a second detecting unit detecting an endless transport speed of the endless belt member; and a control unit controlling the rotating speed of the drive unit based on a first detection signal from the first detecting unit or a second detection signal from the second detecting unit selectively depending on a selection condition. Upon selection of the first detection signal in accordance with the selection condition, the control unit corrects the rotating speed of the drive unit using the second detection signal such that an average value of the endless transport speed of the endless belt member approaches a target average value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriaki Funamoto, Yasuhisa Ehara, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Yasuhiro Maehata, Jun Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8346111
    Abstract: A main controlling part is configured to choose and execute either a constant belt speed control which controls a driving motor (a driving source for an intermediate transfer belt) to move the intermediate transfer belt at a predetermined target belt speed or a constant motor speed control which rotates the driving motor at a predetermined target rotational speed according to a print command, and then, prior to a first-time print job, after executing a writing position correcting process while moving the intermediate transfer belt under the constant belt speed control, forms a color shift detecting image by switching from the constant belt speed control to the constant motor speed control, measures a difference between amounts of color shift, and executes a speed correcting process for correcting the target rotational speed of the driving motor in the constant motor speed control based on the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maehata, Yasuhisa Ehara, Noriaki Funamoto, Tetsuji Nishikawa, Jun Yasuda, Hiroaki Murakami