Patents by Inventor Wataru NOZAKI

Wataru NOZAKI 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: 20230001731
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a sheet processing apparatus, a heat presser, an image forming apparatus, and control circuitry. The sheet processing apparatus separates a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet, and sandwiches a sheet medium between the sheets of the two-ply sheet. The heat presser heats and presses the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry performs a first mode to cause the sheet processing apparatus to sandwich the sheet medium, on which an image has been formed by the image forming apparatus, between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet and cause the heat presser to laminate the two-ply sheet, and a second mode to cause the heat presser to laminate a sheet set that includes the sheet medium sandwiched between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Sho ASANO, Yoshito SUZUKI, Shinya MONMA, Joji AKIYAMA, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220380166
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus laminates a partially joined two-ply sheet and a sheet medium inserted in the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a heat presser, an information acquisition device, and control circuitry. The heat presser heats and presses the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium. The information acquisition device acquires information on the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium. The control circuitry sets a fixing temperature of the heat presser in accordance with the information of the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium acquired by the information acquisition device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru NOZAKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Yoshito SUZUKI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Shinya MONMA, Joji AKIYAMA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Sho ASANO
  • Patent number: 11510850
    Abstract: A medication support apparatus includes a container, a medicine distribution member, a port, a take-out device, and a transfer device. The container is configured to store one-dose packages of medicines. The medicine distribution member includes a plurality of partitions configured to separately include the one-dose packages of medicines. The medicine distribution member is configured to enter and exit the medication support apparatus through the port. The take-out device is configured to take out a specific one of the one-dose packages of medicines from the container. The transfer device is configured to transfer the specific one of the one-dose packages of medicines taken out from the container. The one-dose packages of medicines are configured to be placed at predetermined positions partitioned by the plurality of partitions in the medicine distribution member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Hayashi, Akira Kojima, Takuya Morinaga, Norio Kimura, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11507000
    Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator that includes a first separator and a second separator. The first separator is inserted into a gap between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The second separator is inserted between the two sheets at said another end of the two-ply sheet that is opposite to the one end of the two-ply sheet and moves in a width direction of the two-ply sheet after the first separator is inserted into the gap and relatively moves from the one end to said another end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shinya Monma, Yoshito Suzuki, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11500323
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is configured to sandwich one or more sheet media in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to control insertion processing to insert the one or more sheet media into the two-ply sheet based on a length of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction, a length of one of the one or more sheet media in the conveyance direction, and a number of the one or more sheet media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Johji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11492222
    Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a winding roller and a gripper. The winding roller rotates and winds the two-ply sheet to separate the two-ply sheet. The gripper is disposed in the winding roller and configured to grip a gripped portion of the two-ply sheet at one end of the two-ply sheet without abutting a tip of the gripped portion at the one end of the two-ply sheet on a member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshito Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano, Wataru Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20220334523
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus sandwiches a sheet media in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a fixing device, a tray, and a roller. The fixing device applies heat and pressure to the two-ply sheet. The tray is disposed downstream from the fixing device in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet, to stack the two-ply sheet. The roller conveys the two-ply sheet vertically downward toward the tray after the two-ply sheet passes through the fixing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joji AKIYAMA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Sho ASANO, Yoshito SUZUKI, Shinya MONMA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220288910
    Abstract: A laminating device inserts a sheet-shaped medium into a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and partially bonded, and includes a loader, a fixing device, and control circuitry. The loader loads the sheet-shaped medium or a cleaning sheet. The fixing device laminates the two-ply sheet in which the sheet-shaped medium is sandwiched between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry performs a cleaning mode of conveying a plurality of cleaning sheets from the loader to clean the fixing device. The cleaning mode is to convey a subsequent cleaning sheet of the plurality of cleaning sheets at a position different from a position of a preceding cleaning sheet of the plurality of cleaning sheets in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the plurality of cleaning sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya MONMA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Sho ASANO, Yoshito SUZUKI, Joji AKIYAMA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Wataru NOZAKI, Suzuka FUJITA
  • Publication number: 20220289512
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveyor, a rotator, a separator, and control circuitry. The conveyor conveys a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The rotator winds the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a winding direction to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator such that a sagging space is created in the two-ply sheet, and causes the separator to insert into the sagging space to separate the two-ply sheet into two sheets. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a direction opposite the winding direction before an insertion of the separator into the sagging space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru TAKAHASHI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Shinya MONMA, Yoshito SUZUKI, Joji AKIYAMA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Sho ASANO, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220291620
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveyor, a rotator, a separator, and control circuitry. The conveyor conveys a sheet-shaped medium into a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and partially bonded, and includes a drive roller and a driven roller. The rotator winds the two-ply sheet. The separator separates the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a winding direction to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator to generate a space between the two sheets, and causes the separator to insert into the space between the two sheets to separate the two sheets. The drive roller and the rotator are disposed on a same side with respect to a sheet conveyance passage of the two-ply sheet, and the driven roller and the rotator are disposed on opposite sides with respect to the sheet conveyance passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Suzuka FUJITA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Yoshito SUZUKI, Shinya MONMA, Joji AKIYAMA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Sho ASANO, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220233406
    Abstract: An item storage apparatus includes a first storage to store items, a carrier to take an item from the first storage and convey the item, a first support supporting the carrier to be movable back and forth in a first horizontal direction, a second support supporting the first support to be movable back and forth in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a vertical moving mechanism supporting the second support to be movable back and forth in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction, and a second storage to store the item. At least one of the first or second storage has a multi-tier structure in which a space for movement of the carrier is between tiers. The first support has a cantilever structure in which one end is secured to the second support and another end is free.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira KOJIMA, Hirotaka HAYASHI, Hiroshi FUJIE, Takuya MORINAGA, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Patent number: 11385588
    Abstract: A sheet laminator includes a sheet separation device, a sheet insertion device, and circuitry. The sheet separation device is configured to perform a sheet separating operation to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, and a sheet inserting operation to insert an inner sheet between the two sheets. The sheet lamination device is configured to perform a sheet laminating operation on the two-ply sheet after the sheet separating operation and the sheet inserting operation. The circuitry is configured to cause the sheet lamination device to perform the sheet laminating operation on the two-ply sheet while causing the sheet separation device to perform the sheet separating operation on another two-ply sheet subsequent to the two-ply sheet or the sheet separating operation and the sheet inserting operation on said another two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Nozaki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 11375073
    Abstract: A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator, an abnormality detection device, and circuitry. The separator is configured to move to be inserted into a gap formed between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The abnormality detection device is configured to detect an abnormal state in which the gap larger than a predetermined size is not formed between the two sheets before the separator is inserted into the gap. The circuitry is configured to control movement of the separator based on a result detected by the abnormality detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Monma, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20220194071
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is configured to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing device includes a first sheet feeder configured to feed the two-ply sheet, a second sheet feeder configured to feed an inner sheet to be inserted between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet in a state in which the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet is separated, and circuitry configured to cause the first sheet feeder to feed the two-ply sheet, perform a sheet separating operation on the two-ply sheet to separate the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, and cause the second sheet feeder to start feeding the inner sheet before completion of the sheet separating operation on the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Joji AKIYAMA, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Sho ASANO, Yoshito SUZUKI, Shinya MONMA, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220169458
    Abstract: A sheet processing device sandwiches a sheet-shaped medium in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and partially bonded. The sheet processing device includes a separator, a conveyor, and a switching member. The separator separates the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The conveyor is disposed downstream from the separator in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the two-ply sheet. The switching member is disposed downstream from the conveyor in the sheet conveyance direction. The switching member switches a conveyance path of the two-ply sheet to convey the two-ply sheet to a fixing path on which fixing processing is performed on the two-ply sheet or a non-fixing path on which no fixing processing is performed on the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito SUZUKI, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Wataru TAKAHASHI, Sho ASANO, Shinya MONMA, Joji AKIYAMA, Wataru NOZAKI, Yohsuke HARAGUCHI, Yuji SUZUKI, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Takuya MORINAGA
  • Publication number: 20220157426
    Abstract: A medication support apparatus includes a storage unit, an extracting unit, a transfer unit, and a medicine distributing unit. The storage unit is configured to store, in a stacked manner, one-dose packages in each of which medicines are packed. The extracting unit is configured to extract a specific one-dose package from the storage unit. The transfer unit is configured to transfer the one-dose package extracted by the extracting unit. One-dose package transferred by the transfer unit is configured to be arranged on the medicine distributing unit. The extracting unit is configured to be located under the storage unit when the one-dose package is extracted from the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi FUJIE, Hirotaka HAYASHI, Akira KOJIMA, Takuya MORINAGA, Wataru NOZAKI
  • Patent number: 11292240
    Abstract: A sheet processing device is configured to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing device includes a first sheet feeder configured to feed the two-ply sheet, a second sheet feeder configured to feed an inner sheet to be inserted between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet in a state in which the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet is separated, and circuitry configured to cause the first sheet feeder to feed the two-ply sheet, perform a sheet separating operation on the two-ply sheet to separate the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, and cause the second sheet feeder to start feeding the inner sheet before completion of the sheet separating operation on the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Joji Akiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11269280
    Abstract: A sheet processing device inserts a sheet-shaped medium into a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and partially bonded. The sheet processing device includes control circuitry to execute a single insertion mode in which one sheet-shaped medium is inserted into the two-ply sheet and a multiple insertion mode in which a plurality of sheet-shaped media are inserted into the two-ply sheet along a conveyance direction. The control circuitry inserts the one sheet-shaped medium into the two-ply sheet in the single insertion mode and the plurality of sheet-shaped media into the two-ply sheet in the multiple insertion mode, with the two-ply sheet being stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takahashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Sho Asano, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11269273
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet separation device, a first sheet feeder, a second sheet feeder, an image forming device, a heat source, and a circuitry. The sheet separation device is configured to separate a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The first sheet feeder is configured to feed the two-ply sheet. The second sheet feeder is configured to feed an inner sheet to be inserted between the two sheets. The image forming device is configured to form an image on the inner sheet fed from the second sheet feeder. The heat source is disposed upstream from the sheet separation device in the sheet conveyance direction. The circuitry is configured to cause the two-ply sheet fed from the first sheet feeder, to detour the heat source to the sheet separation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Sho Asano, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Yoshito Suzuki, Shinya Monma, Johji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11261043
    Abstract: A sheet processing device sandwiches a sheet-shaped medium in a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlaid and partially bonded. The sheet processing device includes a separator, a conveyor, and a switching member. The separator separates the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The conveyor is disposed downstream from the separator in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the two-ply sheet. The switching member is disposed downstream from the conveyor in the sheet conveyance direction. The switching member switches a conveyance path of the two-ply sheet to convey the two-ply sheet to a fixing path on which fixing processing is performed on the two-ply sheet or a non-fixing path on which no fixing processing is performed on the two-ply sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshito Suzuki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Wataru Takahashi, Sho Asano, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Wataru Nozaki, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Yuji Suzuki, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Takuya Morinaga