Patents by Inventor Toshikane Nishii

Toshikane Nishii 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: 20110204556
    Abstract: A sheet discharge roller has a contact portion in contact with a feed roller and a noncontact portion not in contact with the feed roller. The sheet discharge roller includes a kick-out unit having a projected portion and a recess portion on one end of the noncontact portion in the circumferential direction. A reverse roller also has a contact portion in contact with the feed roller and a noncontact portion not in contact with the feed roller. The reverse roller includes a large-diameter portion on its one end in a direction opposite to a direction of the kick-out unit. The large-diameter portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the contact portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Masafumi Takahira, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Shigeo Nanno, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Mizuna Tanaka, Toshikane Nishii, Haruyuki Honda, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7992860
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a first roller that draws a recording medium at a first position and feeds the recording medium; a friction pad that comes into contact with the first roller with a predetermined contact pressure at a second position that is close to and downstream of the first position in a conveying direction of the recording medium and nips the recording medium with the first roller to convey the recording medium in the conveying direction; and a second roller that comes into contact with the first roller at a third position that is close to and downstream of the second position in the conveying direction and nips the recording medium with the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ippei Kimura, Yasuo Matsuyama, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Haruyuki Honda, Masafumi Takahira
  • Patent number: 7963520
    Abstract: A sheet cassette loads and houses therein a plurality of sheets. A separating unit separates the sheets loaded in the sheet cassette one by one. The separating unit is arranged in the sheet cassette in opposite to a feeding roller that conveys the sheets from the sheet cassette. A rib is formed on a rear surface of a bottom plate of the sheet cassette. The rib is pressed by a pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mizuna Tanaka, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Shigeo Nanno, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Haruyuki Honda, Ippei Kimura, Masafumi Takahira, Toshikane Nishii
  • Patent number: 7954814
    Abstract: A sheet discharge roller has a contact portion in contact with a feed roller and a noncontact portion not in contact with the feed roller. The sheet discharge roller includes a kick-out unit having a projected portion and a recess portion on one end of the noncontact portion in the circumferential direction. A reverse roller also has a contact portion in contact with the feed roller and a noncontact portion not in contact with the feed roller. The reverse roller includes a large-diameter portion on its one end in a direction opposite to a direction of the kick-out unit. The large-diameter portion has a diameter larger than a diameter of the contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Takahira, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Shigeo Nanno, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Mizuna Tanaka, Toshikane Nishii, Haruyuki Honda, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20110127707
    Abstract: In a color printer in which a drive force of a fixed gear that rotates not in both a forward direction and a reverse direction but in either one direction only is transmitted to a discharging unit, a swing gear is attached to a branch guide via a switching link and a transmission link as a link mechanism. When a solenoid mechanism starts driving, the transmission link rotates. In accordance with the rotation of the transmission link, the switching link rotates, so that a switching among a discharge conveying path, a duplex-printing conveying path, and a switchback conveying path by the branch guide and a switching of a rotating direction of a transmission gear can be simultaneously performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Haruyuki Honda, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Toshikane Nishii, Shigeo Nanno, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Masafumi Takahira
  • Publication number: 20110115154
    Abstract: In a recording medium conveyer, a driver drives a feeding member and a conveying member provided downstream from the feeding member in a recording medium conveyance direction independently. A controller stops driving the feeding member when a first time period elapses after a recording medium reaches the conveying member. When a selector judges that the thickness of the recording medium identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller does not drive the feeding member after the controller starts driving the conveying member, and when the selector judges that the recording medium has a thickness greater than a thickness of the recording medium that identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller restarts driving the feeding member no later than when the controller starts driving the conveying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujiwara, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Toshikane Nishii, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Haruyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 7918451
    Abstract: In a color printer in which a drive force of a fixed gear that rotates not in both a forward direction and a reverse direction but in either one direction only is transmitted to a discharging unit, a swing gear is attached to a branch guide via a switching link and a transmission link as a link mechanism. When a solenoid mechanism starts driving, the transmission link rotates. In accordance with the rotation of the transmission link, the switching link rotates, so that a switching among a discharge conveying path, a duplex-printing conveying path, and a switchback conveying path by the branch guide and a switching of a rotating direction of a transmission gear can be simultaneously performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Haruyuki Honda, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Toshikane Nishii, Shigeo Nanno, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Masafumi Takahira
  • Publication number: 20110058873
    Abstract: A conveyer includes a first rotating body; a second rotating body pair; and an intermediate rotating body arranged between the first rotating body and the second rotating body pair. A curl of the recording medium is corrected by winding and bending the recording medium around and with the intermediate rotating body at a bent angle formed by a tangent line shared by the intermediate rotating body and the first rotating body, and a line on which such a tangent line of the intermediate rotating body is connected to a nip point of the second rotating body pair. The intermediate rotating body includes an escape mechanism that is capable of causing the intermediate rotating body to escape in a direction to increase the bent angle depending on the width of the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruyuki Honda, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20110058829
    Abstract: The sheet thickness detector includes a fixed member, a displacement roller disposed opposite the fixed member and movable in such a linear direction as to be contacted with or separated from the fixed member when the sheet passes through a nip therebetween, bearings rotatably supporting a shaft of the displacement roller, a displacement member movable in the linear direction in conjunction with the displacement roller and integrated with at least one of the bearings, and a displacement sensor operatively connected to the displacement member and detecting displacement of the displacement member. The thickness of the sheet passing through the nip is determined based on the amount of displacement of the displacement member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Kondo, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Haruyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 7900917
    Abstract: In a recording medium conveyer, a driver drives a feeding member and a conveying member provided downstream from the feeding member in a recording medium conveyance direction independently. A controller stops driving the feeding member when a first time period elapses after a recording medium reaches the conveying member. When a selector judges that the thickness of the recording medium identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller does not drive the feeding member after the controller starts driving the conveying member, and when the selector judges that the recording medium has a thickness greater than a thickness of the recording medium that identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller restarts driving the feeding member no later than when the controller starts driving the conveying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujiwara, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Toshikane Nishii, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Haruyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20100314827
    Abstract: A sheet transport mechanism that can be incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes a first sheet transport member, a second sheet transport member disposed downstream from the first sheet transport member in a sheet transport direction, a sheet transport path defined by and curved between the first and second sheet transport members and including a downstream section recessed from an upstream section in the sheet transport direction, and a contact member disposed at the downstream section and including a first contact portion to which the leading edge of a sheet contacts to move the contact member in a direction to recess from the sheet transport path and a second contact portion connected to the first contact portion to advance toward the sheet transport path at a position upstream from the first contact portion in the sheet transport direction to contact the surface of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Toshikane Nishii, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Haruyuki Honda, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Mizuna Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100221051
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feed cassette, a bottom plate and an end wall mechanism. When the number of recording media sheets decreases, the bottom plate hinged at a trailing edge thereof rises about the hinged end to keep the top sheet of the recording media sheets in contact with a sheet feed roller. The end wall mechanism includes a first urging member, a first pressing member, a support member, and a second pressing member, and aligns and presses the trailing edge of the recording medium. The first pressing member urged by the first urging member and supported by the support member presses the trailing edge of the recording medium. The second pressing member urged by the second urging member moves down due to the weight of the recording medium on the second pressing member and moves up when the number of the recording media sheets decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Haruyuki Honda, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100201059
    Abstract: An open/close mechanism can be used for paper trays of an image forming apparatus. The open/close mechanism includes a plate member provided on a side of a housing of the image forming apparatus and configured to pivot upon an axis between an open position and a close position, and a box member that is arranged in the housing beneath the plate member and that can be drawn out of the housing from the side. The open/close mechanism includes also includes a restricting unit that is coupled to the plate member and that abuts against the box member when the box member is set in the housing and when the plate member is in the open position thereby restricting detachment of the box member from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Toshikane Nishii, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Mizuna Tanaka, Haruyuki Honda, Masafumi Takahira, Hiroshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7764905
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first housing, a rotary shaft attached to the first housing, a second housing supported by the first housing, and first and second open-close assist members. The second housing is configured to open and close with respect to the first housing by rotating around the rotary shaft. The first and the second open-close assist members are directly attached to the first housing and the second housing and configured to assist opening and closing the second housing. The first and the second open-close assist members share assistance in opening and closing the second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh, Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohta, Shigeo Nanno, Toshikane Nishii, Takuji Takahashi, Takamasa Shiraki, Takaaki Hagihara, Takayuki Andoh
  • Patent number: 7731182
    Abstract: A sliding mechanism includes a sheet position limiting member having a sheet position limiting surface, the sheet position limiting member being configured to slide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheet position limiting surface; and a guide member configured to guide the sliding of the sheet position limiting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikane Nishii, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Shigeo Nanno, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Masafumi Takahira
  • Patent number: 7731170
    Abstract: An open/close mechanism can be used for paper trays of an image forming apparatus. The open/close mechanism includes a plate member provided on a side of a housing of the image forming apparatus and configured to pivot upon an axis between an open position and a close position, and a box member that is arranged in the housing beneath the plate member and that can be drawn out of the housing from the side. The open/close mechanism includes also includes a restricting unit that is coupled to the plate member and that abuts against the box member when the box member is set in the housing and when the plate member is in the open position thereby restricting detachment of the box member from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikane Nishii, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Mizuna Tanaka, Haruyuki Honda, Masafumi Takahira, Hiroshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7677555
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet containing unit that contains sheets; a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheets; a separating unit that separates a single sheet from the sheets; a holding unit that holds the separating unit; and a vibration applying unit that applies a vibration to any one of the sheets conveyed by the sheet conveying unit and the separating unit before starting conveyance of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mizuna Tanaka, Yasuo Matsuyama, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Toshikane Nishii, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Haruyuki Honda, Ippei Kimura, Masafumi Takahira
  • Publication number: 20100059930
    Abstract: A paper feeder includes a sheet container including a platen member on which sheet-like recording media is placed, the platen member having one end portion on an upstream side of a paper feed direction rotatably supported to a spindle, such that the other end portion on a downstream side of the paper feed direction is lifted, and a paper feed member which draws and feeds the sheet-like recording media, and the sheet container includes a stepped portion which presses down the downstream side of the paper feed direction of the platen member when inserting the sheet container in the direction opposite to the paper feed direction, and a sliding portion which maintains the pressing down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Mizuna Tanaka, Haruyuki Honda, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Toshikane Nishii
  • Publication number: 20100019440
    Abstract: In a recording medium conveyer, a driver drives a feeding member and a conveying member provided downstream from the feeding member in a recording medium conveyance direction independently. A controller stops driving the feeding member when a first time period elapses after a recording medium reaches the conveying member. When a selector judges that the thickness of the recording medium identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller does not drive the feeding member after the controller starts driving the conveying member, and when the selector judges that the recording medium has a thickness greater than a thickness of the recording medium that identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller restarts driving the feeding member no later than when the controller starts driving the conveying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujiwara, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Toshikane Nishii, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Haruyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20090315250
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a first roller that draws a recording medium at a first position and feeds the recording medium; a friction pad that comes into contact with the first roller with a predetermined contact pressure at a second position that is close to and downstream of the first position in a conveying direction of the recording medium and nips the recording medium with the first roller to convey the recording medium in the conveying direction; and a second roller that comes into contact with the first roller at a third position that is close to and downstream of the second position in the conveying direction and nips the recording medium with the first roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Ippei Kimura, Yasuo Matsuyama, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Haruyuki Honda, Masafumi Takahira