Patents by Inventor Yasuo Niikura
Yasuo Niikura 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).
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Patent number: 11117770Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an ejector, a stacker, a wall, and an upper surface detector. The ejector ejects a sheet, and the stacker stacks the sheet ejected from the ejector. The wall contacts a trailing end of the sheet ejected from the ejector in an ejection direction to align the sheet. The upper surface detector detects an upper surface on a trailing end side of the sheet stacked on the stacker in the ejection direction. When the sheet moves toward the wall, the upper surface detector moves from a home position in which the upper surface detector detects the upper surface of the sheet to a retracted position in which the upper surface detector does not contact the sheet moving toward the wall.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2020Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kei Sasaki, Junya Suzuki, Koji Furuta, Yasuo Niikura, Kazuki Mishina, Kenji Hari, Yuuta Mori, Yuusuke Shibasaki
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Patent number: 11066268Abstract: A binding device includes a stacking device configured to receive sheets, a sheet alignment member configured to align the sheets on the stacking device, a binder configured to bind the sheets on the stacking device, a binder moving device configured to move the binder, and a retreat device configured to retreat the sheet alignment member from a range of movement of the binder. The retreat device retreats the sheet alignment member in response to a pressing force acting on the sheet alignment member in a direction of movement of the binder.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kei Sasaki, Junya Suzuki, Koji Furuta, Yasuo Niikura, Kazuki Mishina, Kenji Hari, Yuuta Mori, Hisayoshi Sugawara
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Patent number: 11014772Abstract: A fold-enforcing assembly includes a fold-enforcing device, a moving device to move the fold-enforcing device in a direction of a fold of a sheet bundle, and control circuitry. The fold-enforcing device includes a pressing member pair to nip and press the fold of the sheet bundle in a direction of thickness, a pressing mechanism to pressurize and depressurize the pressing member pair, and a driver to drive the pressing mechanism. Controlled by the control circuitry, the moving device moves the fold-enforcing device in accordance with a size of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; pressing mechanism pressurizes the pressing member pair to press a first end portion of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; the moving device moves the fold-enforcing device to a second end portion of the sheet bundle; and pressing mechanism depressurizes the pressing member pair in the second end portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuuta Mori, Kei Sasaki, Junya Suzuki, Koji Furuta, Yasuo Niikura, Kazuki Mishina, Kenji Hari, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Yuusuke Shibasaki
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Publication number: 20200307944Abstract: A binding device includes a stacking device configured to receive sheets, a sheet alignment member configured to align the sheets on the stacking device, a binder configured to bind the sheets on the stacking device, a binder moving device configured to move the binder, and a retreat device configured to retreat the sheet alignment member from a range of movement of the binder. The retreat device retreats the sheet alignment member in response to a pressing force acting on the sheet alignment member in a direction of movement of the binder.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Kei SASAKI, Junya SUZUKI, Koji FURUTA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Kazuki MISHINA, Kenji HARI, Yuuta MORI, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA
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Publication number: 20200307945Abstract: A fold-enforcing assembly includes a fold-enforcing device, a moving device to move the fold-enforcing device in a direction of a fold of a sheet bundle, and control circuitry. The fold-enforcing device includes a pressing member pair to nip and press the fold of the sheet bundle in a direction of thickness, a pressing mechanism to pressurize and depressurize the pressing member pair, and a driver to drive the pressing mechanism. Controlled by the control circuitry, the moving device moves the fold-enforcing device in accordance with a size of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; pressing mechanism pressurizes the pressing member pair to press a first end portion of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; the moving device moves the fold-enforcing device to a second end portion of the sheet bundle; and pressing mechanism depressurizes the pressing member pair in the second end portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuuta MORI, Kei SASAKI, Junya SUZUKI, Koji FURUTA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Kazuki MISHINA, Kenji HARI, Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI
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Publication number: 20200307936Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an ejector, a stacker, a wall, and an upper surface detector. The ejector ejects a sheet, and the stacker stacks the sheet ejected from the ejector. The wall contacts a trailing end of the sheet ejected from the ejector in an ejection direction to align the sheet. The upper surface detector detects an upper surface on a trailing end side of the sheet stacked on the stacker in the ejection direction. When the sheet moves toward the wall, the upper surface detector moves from a home position in which the upper surface detector detects the upper surface of the sheet to a retracted position in which the upper surface detector does not contact the sheet moving toward the wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Ricoh Company, LtdInventors: Hisayoshi SUGAWARA, Kei SASAKI, Junya SUZUKI, Koji FURUTA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Kazuki Mishina, Kenji Hari, Yuuta Mori, Yuusuke Shibasaki
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Patent number: 10513404Abstract: A sheet-material supply device includes a lift, a sheet-material detector, and a sheet-material retaining conveyor. The lift elevates sheet materials in a stacked state. The sheet-material detector detects that an uppermost sheet material of the sheet materials in the stacked state has reached a predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor retains and conveys the uppermost sheet material that has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material supply device stops elevation of the sheet materials in the stacked state when the sheet-material detector detects that the uppermost sheet material has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor is disposed to be movable in a direction in which the sheet materials in the stacked state elevate.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Akai, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Satoru Takano, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa
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Patent number: 10494207Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprises a bottom plate, an auxiliary tray and a tilt table. The bottom plate is configured to move along a vertical axis. The auxiliary tray is disposed on the bottom plate. The tilt table includes a lower table disposed on the bottom plate, an upper table rotatably connected to the lower table at one end of the upper table by a pivot, and a resilient member disposed between the upper table and the lower table, the resilient member configured to press the upper table upward. The auxiliary tray and the upper table are configured to receive and hold sheets in a stack.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Yasuo Niikura
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Sheet-member separation device, sheet-member separation method, program, and image forming apparatus
Patent number: 10384897Abstract: A sheet-member separation device includes a first air blower, an attractor, a conveyor, a second air blower, and an adjuster. The first air blower blows air onto a front side of a stack of sheet members in a sheet-member conveyance direction. The attractor attracts an uppermost sheet member floated from the stack of sheet members by the air blown from the first air blower. The conveyor conveys, in the sheet-member conveyance direction, the sheet member attracted by the attractor. The second air blower blows air toward a lateral side of the sheet member. The adjuster moves the second air blower and the attractor together to adjust positions of the second air blower and the attractor in the sheet-member conveyance direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Takano, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Takeshi Akai, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa -
Publication number: 20180346265Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprises a bottom plate, an auxiliary tray and a tilt table. The bottom plate is configured to move along a vertical axis. The auxiliary tray is disposed on the bottom plate. The tilt table includes a lower table disposed on the bottom plate, an upper table rotatably connected to the lower table at one end of the upper table by a pivot, and a resilient member disposed between the upper table and the lower table, the resilient member configured to press the upper table upward. The auxiliary tray and the upper table are configured to receive and hold sheets in a stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventor: Yasuo NIIKURA
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Patent number: 10065824Abstract: A stacking apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a stacking unit, and a separation member supply unit. The conveyance unit conveys sheets for circuit board. The stacking unit stacks the sheets. The separation member supply unit supplies a separation member to separate the stacked sheets at any position. The separation member supply unit places the separation member on the sheet in being conveyed.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yousuke Edo, Yasufumi Takahashi, Yasuo Niikura, Satoru Takano, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Takeshi Akai, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa, Hiroshi Komuro, Masaru Yamagishi, Toshihiro Shimada, Satoshi Aizawa, Kenji Ishii
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Patent number: 10017340Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a placement part configured such that stacked sheets are disposed on the placement part; a housing including an open/close part and accommodating the placement part, at least a portion of the open/close part being configured to be opened and closed; and a suction unit connected with the housing, and configured to draw gas from an interior of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tadashi Matsuoka, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Satoru Takano, Yasunori Hino, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa
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Patent number: 10017342Abstract: A paper sheet conveyance device includes a plurality of conveyance members and conveys a paper sheet while performing temporary stop of conveying and then restart of conveying. Two paper sheets sequential in a conveyance direction stop together in a state of the temporary stop, driving a first transfer member to which a preceding first paper sheet that is one of the two paper sheets is opposed and a second conveyance member to which a following second paper sheet that is the other paper sheet is opposed is stopped and restarted synchronously for the temporary stop and the restart. A stop position information acquisition unit acquires information on a position on the conveyance path at which the second paper sheet stops in the state of the temporary stop, and a timing for stopping the conveying after the conveying is restarted is controlled according to the acquired information.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2016Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Toshihiro Okutsu, Masaki Ishizaki, Yasuo Niikura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Masato Hashimoto, Munehisa Fuda, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hideaki Takahashi, Takashi Fukumoto
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Patent number: 9802775Abstract: A sheet separating device includes: a lifting nozzle configured to blow air against an end portion of a sheet bundle placed on a sheet loading portion to lift sheets; a separating nozzle configured to separate the sheets; a lifting-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the lifting nozzle; a separating-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the separating nozzle; a lifting-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the lifting-nozzle shutter member; a separating-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the separating-nozzle shutter member; and an open/close control unit configured to control the lifting-shutter driving mechanism and the separating-shutter driving mechanism such that the lifting-nozzle shutter member and the separating-nozzle shutter member are opened or closed simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2015Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Masato Hashimoto, Takashi Fukumoto, Hideaki Takahashi, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Munehisa Fuda, Yasuo Niikura, Masaki Ishizaki, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga
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Patent number: 9796552Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes: a sheet loading unit for loading a bundle of sheets; a separation unit that separates a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets; a conveyance unit that conveys the separated topmost sheet; an end fence that is movable in a sheet conveyance direction, abuts trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction, and positions the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction; and a pressing unit that is provided in such a manner as to protrude from the end fence, and is able to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein the pressing unit has different pressing forces at an upper and a lower portion thereof, and has the lower pressing force stronger than the upper pressing force.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Hideaki Takahashi, Munehisa Fuda, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Kiyotake Nakamura, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kohjiroh Haga
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Patent number: 9725265Abstract: Provided are a floating restricting member restricting the floating position of a bundle of sheets; and a holding mechanism holding the floating restricting member relative to a side fence. The floating restricting member includes a sheet contact section being brought into contact with the sheets from above; and a sheet-floating restricting section restricting the floating position of the floating sheet that is floated while air is blown thereto. The holding mechanism sets the floating restricting member in the initial state where the sheet-floating restricting section restricts the floating position of the sheet, in the sheet-placing time retracted state where the sheets are pushed against the sheet contact section so that the floating restricting member is retracted, and in the sheet-ejecting time retracted state where, when the sheets are to be removed, the sheet is pushed against the sheet contact section from below so that the floating restricting member is retracted.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Masato Hashimoto, Takashi Fukumoto, Hideaki Takahashi, Hisayoshi Sugawara, Munehisa Fuda, Yasuo Niikura, Masaki Ishizaki, Kiyotake Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kojima, Toshihiro Okutsu, Kazunori Konno, Tatsuya Sugawara, Kohjiroh Haga
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Publication number: 20170174453Abstract: A sheet-material supply device includes a lift, a sheet-material detector, and a sheet-material retaining conveyor. The lift elevates sheet materials in a stacked state. The sheet-material detector detects that an uppermost sheet material of the sheet materials in the stacked state has reached a predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor retains and conveys the uppermost sheet material that has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material supply device stops elevation of the sheet materials in the stacked state when the sheet-material detector detects that the uppermost sheet material has reached the predetermined height. The sheet-material retaining conveyor is disposed to be movable in a direction in which the sheet materials in the stacked state elevate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Takeshi AKAI, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Yousuke EDO, Satoru TAKANO, Yasunori HINO, Tadashi MATSUOKA, Atsunori YOSHIDA, Ryo KANNO, Hikaru FUKASAWA
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SHEET-MEMBER SEPARATION DEVICE, SHEET-MEMBER SEPARATION METHOD, PROGRAM, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
Publication number: 20170174458Abstract: A sheet-member separation device includes a first air blower, an attractor, a conveyor, a second air blower, and an adjuster. The first air blower blows air onto a front side of a stack of sheet members in a sheet-member conveyance direction. The attractor attracts an uppermost sheet member floated from the stack of sheet members by the air blown from the first air blower. The conveyor conveys, in the sheet-member conveyance direction, the sheet member attracted by the attractor. The second air blower blows air toward a lateral side of the sheet member. The adjuster moves the second air blower and the attractor together to adjust positions of the second air blower and the attractor in the sheet-member conveyance direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Satoru Takano, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Takeshi Akai, Yasuo Niikura, Yousuke Edo, Yasunori Hino, Tadashi Matsuoka, Atsunori Yoshida, Ryo Kanno, Hikaru Fukasawa -
Publication number: 20170174454Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a placement part configured such that stacked sheets are disposed on the placement part; a housing including an open/close part and accommodating the placement part, at least a portion of the open/close part being configured to be opened and closed; and a suction unit connected with the housing, and configured to draw gas from an interior of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Tadashi MATSUOKA, Yasuo NIIKURA, Yousuke EDO, Satoru TAKANO, Yasunori HINO, Atsunori YOSHIDA, Ryo KANNO, Hikaru FUKASAWA
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Publication number: 20170174462Abstract: A stacking apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a stacking unit, and a separation member supply unit. The conveyance unit conveys sheets for circuit board. The stacking unit stacks the sheets. The separation member supply unit supplies a separation member to separate the stacked sheets at any position. The separation member supply unit places the separation member on the sheet in being conveyed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2016Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Yousuke EDO, Yasufumi TAKAHASHI, Yasuo NIIKURA, Satoru TAKANO, Hidehiko FUJIWARA, Takeshi AKAI, Yasunori HINO, Tadashi MATSUOKA, Atsunori YOSHIDA, Ryo KANNO, Hikaru FUKASAWA, Hiroshi KOMURO, Masaru YAMAGISHI, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Satoshi AIZAWA, Kenji ISHII