Patents by Inventor Tomomichi Hoshino

Tomomichi Hoshino 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: 10023423
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pressing unit including a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The pressing unit is configured to sandwich and press a fold part of a folded sheet bundle between the first pressing member and the second pressing member. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a moving unit configured to move a position pressed by the pressing unit in a direction of a fold of the sheet bundle. A position pressed by the first pressing member on the sheet bundle and another position pressed by the second pressing member on the sheet bundle are shifted with respect to each other in the direction of the fold of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Kiyoshi Hata, Atsushi Kikuchi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Satoshi Saito, Mamoru Kambayashi
  • Patent number: 9993987
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Michitaka Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Koki Sakano, Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9944490
    Abstract: A sheet is nipped and held by first and second bend forming rollers of which rotation axes are in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, the conveying speed of the held portion is made lower than a sheet conveying speed on the upstream side so that a bend is formed on the sheet, the sheet is conveyed toward the bend forming rollers such that the sheet conveying direction to the bend forming rollers passes through a line segment from the rotation axis of the first bend forming roller to a predetermined position on a surface of the first bend forming roller, and the bend formed on the conveyed sheet is pressed from the surface of the sheet in a position on the opposite side of the second bend forming roller with respect to the position where the sheet is in contact with the first bend forming roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Saito, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20170341885
    Abstract: A sheet folding device, which is included in an image forming system and uses a sheet folding method, includes first and second drive motors, a first sheet conveyor driven by the first drive motor and configured to receive and convey a sheet toward a downstream side of a sheet conveying direction, a second sheet conveyor driven by the second drive motor and configured to receive the sheet conveyed from the first sheet conveyor and to convey the sheet to the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction, and a controller configured to fold the sheet to a predetermined folding length set according to an amount of conveyance of the sheet by the second sheet conveyor while the sheet is being held between the first and second sheet conveyors, and to perform a feedback control with an integral gain to the second drive motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Yuuki NAKAGAWA, Tomomichi HOSHINO
  • Patent number: 9604814
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking unit that stacks a sheet conveyed thereto; a first alignment unit that aligns the sheet or a bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a sheet conveying direction; a second alignment unit that aligns the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction; a pressing unit that presses the bundle of sheets at an end portion thereof on a predetermined one side; and a control unit that causes at least one of the first and second alignment units to execute an alignment operation during a press operation of the sheet or the bundle of sheets performed by the pressing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Keisuke Sugiyama, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Takamasa Matsumoto, Junya Suzuki, Youhei Niitsuma, Kazunori Konno, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 9561927
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a shift tray 202 on which a sheet P1 is stacked, a discharging roller 6 that discharges a sheet P2 onto the shift tray 202, a blowing device 230 that sends air to a lower surface of the sheet P2 discharged by the discharging roller 6, a blocking member 231 that blocks air sent to the lower surface of the sheet P2 from a blowing port 230-2 of the blowing device 230, and a control unit that controls the blocking amount of the blocking member 231. The blocking amount is determined based upon sheet information including sheet-type information, sheet-size information, and sheet-thickness information, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomomichi Hoshino, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Youhei Niitsuma, Takamasa Matsumoto, Kiichiro Goto, Kazuhiko Kitano, Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Satoru Takano, Hidetoshi Kojima, Kei Sasaki, Yasushi Tsuruoka, Shintaro Matsumoto, Ryo Takahashi, Yuuta Mori, Kohjiroh Haga
  • Patent number: 9555998
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a folder that forms a plurality of folds on a sheet such that a fold part and a part with no fold of the sheet overlap with each other; a conveyance unit that conveys the sheen on which the folds are formed by the folder; and a pressing part that presses the fold part of the conveyed sheet in which the fold part and the part with no fold overlap with each other, from a side on which the fold part is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Koki Sakano
  • Patent number: 9533852
    Abstract: A sheet ejecting device includes: a sheet ejecting unit configured to eject a sheet; a stacking unit on which the sheet that is ejected by the ejecting unit is stacked; an aligning unit configured to align the sheet in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the sheet is ejected; and a blowing unit configured to be provided to the aligning unit and blow a wind toward the ejected sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Junya Suzuki, Kiichiro Goto, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Takamasa Matsumoto, Kazunori Konno, Youhei Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 9387643
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises a pressing member configured to press a fold line portion of a folded sheet bundle; and moving unit configured to move a position of pressing by the pressing member in a direction of a fold line of the folded sheet bundle, wherein the moving unit is configured to stand by at a pressing start position in which the pressing member is in a non-pressing state, before the folded sheet bundle is conveyed to the pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohichi Satoh, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Mamoru Kambayashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20160185552
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a shift tray 202 on which a sheet P1 is stacked, a discharging roller 6 that discharges a sheet P2 onto the shift tray 202, a blowing device 230 that sends air to a lower surface of the sheet P2 discharged by the discharging roller 6, a blocking member 231 that blocks air sent to the lower surface of the sheet P2 from a blowing port 230-2 of the blowing device 230, and a control unit that controls the blocking amount of the blocking member 231. The blocking amount is determined based upon sheet information including sheet-type information, sheet-size information, and sheet-thickness information, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomomichi HOSHINO, Masahiro TAMURA, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Kyosuke NAKADA, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Junya SUZUKI, Kazunori KONNO, Youhei NIITSUMA, Takamasa MATSUMOTO, Kiichiro GOTO, Kazuhiko KITANO, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Satoru TAKANO, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Kei SASAKI, Yasushi TSURUOKA, Shintaro MATSUMOTO, Ryo TAKAHASHI, Yuuta MORI, Kohjiroh HAGA
  • Publication number: 20160115000
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pressing unit including a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The pressing unit is configured to sandwich and press a fold part of a folded sheet bundle between the first pressing member and the second pressing member. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a moving unit configured to move a position pressed by the pressing unit in a direction of a fold of the sheet bundle. A position pressed by the first pressing member on the sheet bundle and another position pressed by the second pressing member on the sheet bundle are shifted with respect to each other in the direction of the fold of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Kiyoshi HATA, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Satoshi SAITO, Mamoru KAMBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160114999
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Yuji SUZUKI, Satoshi SAITO, Koki SAKANO, Takao WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9316986
    Abstract: A recording medium discharging device includes a discharging unit configured to discharge a recording medium from a discharge port; a tray unit on which the recording medium discharged from the discharging unit is stacked; and an air blower configured to blow air in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the recording medium is discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shuuya Nagasako, Masahiro Tamura, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Yasuo Niikura, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Publication number: 20160068359
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveying unit, a presser, an end detector, and a setting unit. The conveying unit conveys a sheet having a crease formed therein. The presser presses the crease in the sheet. The end detector detects an end in a conveying direction of the sheet at a position upstream of the presser in the conveying direction. The setting unit sets a crease position where the crease is to be formed. Upon detection of the end in the conveying direction, the conveying unit conveys the sheet to a position where the crease faces the presser, on the basis of the crease position set by the setting unit. The presser presses the crease in the conveyed sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Satoshi SAITO, Takahiro WATANABE, Takao WATANABE, Yuji SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20160060072
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a second conveying roller pair that receives and conveys a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller pair; a first folding roller pair that forms a first fold on the sheet; and a first rotation unit capable of rotating the second conveying roller pair and the first folding roller pair. One roller of the second conveying roller pair and one roller of the first folding roller pair are a common roller shared therebetween. The second conveying roller pair causes the sheet to be deflected and guided to the first folding roller pair, and the first folding roller pair forms the first fold on the deflected sheet by rotating the first rotation unit in a certain direction in a state in which the sheet is held by the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Yuji SUZUKI, Satoshi SAITO, Takao WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9260268
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pressing unit including a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The pressing unit is configured to sandwich and press a fold part of a folded sheet bundle between the first pressing member and the second pressing member. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a moving unit configured to move a position pressed by the pressing unit in a direction of a fold of the sheet bundle. A position pressed by the first pressing member on the sheet bundle and another position pressed by the second pressing member on the sheet bundle are shifted with respect to each other in the direction of the fold of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Kiyoshi Hata, Atsushi Kikuchi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Satoshi Saito, Mamoru Kambayashi
  • Patent number: 9260264
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a shift tray 202 on which a sheet P1 is stacked, a discharging roller 6 that discharges a sheet P2 onto the shift tray 202, a blowing device 230 that sends air to a lower surface of the sheet P2 discharged by the discharging roller 6, a blocking member 231 that blocks air sent to the lower surface of the sheet P2 from a blowing port 230-2 of the blowing device 230, and a control unit that controls the blocking amount of the blocking member 231. The blocking amount is determined based upon sheet information including sheet-type information, sheet-size information, and sheet-thickness information, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomomichi Hoshino, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Youhei Niitsuma, Takamasa Matsumoto, Kiichiro Goto, Kazuhiko Kitano, Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Satoru Takano, Hidetoshi Kojima, Kei Sasaki, Yasushi Tsuruoka, Shintaro Matsumoto, Ryo Takahashi, Yuuta Mori, Kohjiroh Haga
  • Patent number: 9212020
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including a first conveying member that conveys a sheet, a second conveying member that receives the sheet conveyed by the first conveying member and further conveys the sheet to a subsequent stage, a third conveying member that receives the sheet conveyed by the first conveying member and further folds the sheet, a guiding member that guides the sheet when the sheet is folded by the third conveying member, and is arranged between the second conveying member and the third conveying member. The sheet is guided along the guiding member when a bending part of the sheet is conveyed to the third conveying member by rotating the second conveying member in a reverse direction while the sheet is held by the first conveying member and the second conveying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nakada, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shuuya Nagasako, Michitaka Suzuki, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20150353315
    Abstract: A sheet ejecting device includes: a sheet ejecting unit configured to eject a sheet; a stacking unit on which the sheet that is ejected by the ejecting unit is stacked; an aligning unit configured to align the sheet in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the sheet is ejected; and a blowing unit configured to be provided to the aligning unit and blow a wind toward the ejected sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Junya SUZUKI, Kiichiro GOTO, Masahiro TAMURA, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Kyosuke NAKADA, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Takamasa MATSUMOTO, Kazunori KONNO, Youhei NIITSUMA
  • Patent number: 9187287
    Abstract: The present invention is concerning to a sheet processing apparatus comprising: a pressing member configured to press a folding line portion of a sheet bundle being folded; and a moving unit configured to move the pressing member to a folding line direction of the sheet bundle, wherein the pressing member pressurizes a part of the sheet bundle corresponding to a downstream side of a conveyance direction of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Kikuchi, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomomichi Hoshino, Mamoru Kambayashi, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Shohichi Satoh