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: 9181063
    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 press a fold in a folded sheet bundle by holding the fold between the first pressing member and the second pressing member. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a moving unit configured to move a pressing position of the pressing unit in a direction of the fold in the sheet bundle; and a position changing unit configured to change relative positions of the first pressing member and the second pressing member in the direction of the fold in the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomomichi Hoshino, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Atsushi Kikuchi, Mamoru Kambayashi, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Satoshi Saito, Takao Watanabe, Takuya Sano
  • Publication number: 20150266697
    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: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi SAITO, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomomichi HOSHINO
  • Patent number: 9139399
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises a pressurizing unit including a first pressurizing member and a second pressurizing member; and a moving unit moving the pressurizing unit and including a driving motor, wherein the position where a sheet bundle is pressurized by the first pressurizing member and the position where the sheet bundle is pressurized by the second pressurizing member are shifted in the direction of the fold line of the sheet bundle, and a driving condition of the driving motor is changed between a first orientation in which the pressurizing unit moves in the positional relation that the first pressurizing member precedes the second pressurizing member and a second orientation in which the pressurizing member moves in the positional relation that the second pressurizing member precedes the first pressurizing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Hidaka, Takuya Sano, Takao Watanabe, Satoshi Saito, Shohichi Satoh, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9139398
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a flexure forming unit configured to flex sheets to include a portion on which no fold line is formed in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction; a first pressing member pair configured to press a flexure portion of the flexed sheets to form a fold line thereon; and a moving unit configured to move a pressing position of the first pressing member pair in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Satoshi Saito, Makoto Hidaka, Takuya Sano, Takao Watanabe, Shohichi Satoh
  • Publication number: 20150253716
    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: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: 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
  • Patent number: 9126797
    Abstract: The present invention is concerning to a sheet processing apparatus comprising: a pressing unit configured to provide additional folding to a fold line portion of a sheet bundle by pressing the fold line portion; a carriage unit configured to reciprocate the pressing unit in width directions of the sheet bundle; a guiding shaft configured to support the pressing unit and guides movement of the pressing unit; and a supporting unit configured to support the pressing unit and moves on a structure provided to the sheet processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Kikuchi, Takuya Sano, Takao Watanabe, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Shohichi Satoh, Tomomichi Hoshino, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20150225201
    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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Michitaka SUZUKI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Akira KUNIEDA, Yuji SUZUKI, Satoshi SAITO, Koki SAKANO
  • Patent number: 9085436
    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: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    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: 9075377
    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: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    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
  • Patent number: 9061859
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: an abutting member that abuts against a sheet surface to bend a sheet; a first moving unit that moves the abutting member; a folding unit that performs a folding process on the sheet bent by the abutting member; a pressing unit that presses a folded portion of the sheet subjected to the folding process; a second moving unit that moves the pressing unit in a direction along a fold of the sheet; and a single operation unit that allows the first moving unit and the second moving unit to be operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Kiyoshi Hata, Atsushi Kikuchi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Satoshi Saito, Takao Watanabe, Takuya Sano
  • Patent number: 9050772
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a pressing member that presses a fold part of a bundle of folded sheets so as to perform fold-enhancing; and a moving unit that moves a pressing position of the pressing member in a direction of a fold of the bundle of sheets. The moving unit starts pressing at an area located inside one end of the bundle of sheets while moving at a first velocity, and releases the pressing after passing through other end of the bundle of sheets during a forward movement, and starts pressing at an area located inside the other end of the bundle of sheets while moving at a second velocity that is higher than the first velocity, and passes through the one end of the bundle of sheets during a backward movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Shohichi Satoh, Mamoru Kambayashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9045310
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a folding unit that folds a sheet bundle; a pressing unit that presses a fold part of the sheet bundle, which has been folded by the folding unit, in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle to enhance folding of the fold part; and a moving unit that advances and returns the pressing unit in a width direction of the sheet bundle. The pressing unit starts pressing from a predetermined position in the width direction of the sheet bundle during advancing movement, and releases pressing after going past one end of the sheet bundle. The pressing unit starts pressing from the predetermined position during return movement and goes past the other end of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Comapny, Limited
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Atsushi Kikuchi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Mamoru Kambayashi, Shohichi Satoh, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito
  • Patent number: 9044915
    Abstract: A saddle stitching binding device includes an additional folding roller unit that presses a fold line portion of a folded sheet bundle and performs additional folding, and a unit movement mechanism that causes the additional folding roller unit to reciprocate in the width direction of the sheet bundle. The saddle stitching binding device further includes a sheet supporting device that is located on a movement path of the additional folding roller unit and supports the lower surface side of the sheet bundle when the sheet bundle after pressed is conveyed to the downstream side. In the saddle stitching binding device, a supporting position at which the sheet supporting device supports the sheet bundle and a retreat position at which the sheet supporting device permits the additional folding roller unit to move are set to the sheet supporting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomomichi Hoshino, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Atsushi Kikuchi, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Shohichi Satoh, Takao Watanabe, Takuya Sano
  • Publication number: 20150123342
    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: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: 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
  • Publication number: 20150115516
    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: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shohichi Satoh, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Mamoru Kambayashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8960660
    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: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    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
  • Publication number: 20150031520
    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: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Kyosuke NAKADA, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shuuya Nagasako, Michitaka Suzuki, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuji Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8936240
    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 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    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: 8931773
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet folding unit configured to perform folding on a sheet; and a sheet stacking unit configured to stack the folded sheet on a sheet stacking surface having an inclined surface and a horizontal surface in order from upstream to downstream in a sheet conveying direction. A downstream end of the inclined surface is higher than an upstream end of the inclined surface with respect to a horizontal plane. The sheet handling apparatus also includes a discharging unit configured to discharge the folded sheet to the sheet stacking unit; a sheet conveying unit configured to convey the discharged sheet from the inclined surface to the horizontal surface; and a conveying force applying unit configured to apply a conveying force to the sheet in contact with an upper surface of the sheet from above the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8925917
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is a sheet output device including: a sheet output unit configured to output a sheet; a tray unit on which the sheet output by the sheet output unit is to be stacked; an air blower unit configured to blow air onto the sheet output by the sheet output unit; and a control unit configured to control an airflow rate of the air blower unit according to an amount of the sheet output from the sheet output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Takamasa Matsumoto, Youhei Niitsuma, Kiichiro Goto