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).

  • 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: 8876107
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes: a stacking unit that stacks thereon a sheet discharged in a sheet discharging direction; a conveying unit that performs a moving-back operation of conveying the stacked sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet discharging direction; a pressing unit that performs a pressing operation of pressing the conveyed sheet; and a driving unit that drives the conveying unit and the pressing unit by a same driving source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Junya Suzuki, Kiichiro Goto, Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Shintaro Matsumoto, Satoru Takano, Hidetoshi Kojima, Kei Sasaki, Kazunori Konno, Yuuta Mori, Kohjiroh Haga, Takamasa Matsumoto, Ryo Takahashi, Youhei Niitsuma
  • Publication number: 20140203501
    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: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    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
  • Patent number: 8770569
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is disclosed which includes front and back trailing-end reference fences that are movable and on which the sheet trailing-end abuts to align the sheet trailing-end; a side-stitching stapler that moves along the sheet trailing-end and binds a bundle of sheets aligned; a length-direction moving mechanism that moves the trailing-end reference fences in a sheet conveying direction; and a position changing unit that drives the length-direction moving mechanism to change the position of one of the trailing-end reference fences in the sheet conveying direction relative to the position of the other one. The front and back trailing-end reference fences are moved to change binding positions such that the distances from the sheet trailing-end to staple positions are made equal in front-side binding and in back-side binding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Publication number: 20140159301
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes: a stacking unit that stacks thereon a sheet discharged in a sheet discharging direction; a conveying unit that performs a moving-back operation of conveying the stacked sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet discharging direction; a pressing unit that performs a pressing operation of pressing the conveyed sheet; and a driving unit that drives the conveying unit and the pressing unit by a same driving source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Junya SUZUKI, Kiichiro GOTO, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Shintaro MATSUMOTO, Satoru TAKANO, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Kei SASAKI, Kazunori KONNO, Yuuta MORI, Kohjiroh HAGA, Takamasa MATSUMOTO, Ryo TAKAHASHI, Youhei NIITSUMA
  • Publication number: 20140145395
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus including: a discharge unit configured to discharge a sheet through a discharge port; a stack unit configured to stack the discharged sheet thereon; and a plurality of blowing units configured to supply air to a discharge side of the discharge unit while the sheet is discharged, wherein the blowing units are disposed, below the discharge port, aligned with a direction perpendicular to a sheet discharge direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoru TAKANO, Kiichiro GOTO, Takashi FUKUMOTO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Shintaro MATSUMOTO, Hidetoshi KOJIMA, Kei SASAKI, Junya SUZUKI, Kazunori KONNO, Yuuta MORI, Kohjiroh HAGA, Yasushi TSURUOKA, Takamasa MATSUMOTO, Ryo TAKAHASHI, Youhei NIITSUMA
  • Patent number: 8727345
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes: sheet discharging rollers that receive each of sheets conveyed thereto and discharge the sheets one by one; a shift tray on which the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging rollers are to be stacked; an air blower; and a CPU. The air blower forms an air layer between the shift tray and a sheet when the sheet is discharged onto the shift tray by the sheet discharging rollers, or between a sheet and the sheet that is already placed on the shift tray when the sheet is discharged. The CPU controls an air velocity of air to be delivered by the air blower based on sheet information, thereby causing the air layer to extend to the entire surface of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazunori Konno, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8702087
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet reception unit configured to receive a sheet; an alignment unit configured to align the sheet in a conveying direction of the sheet, a trailing edge of the sheet in the conveying direction coming into contact with the alignment unit; and a moving unit configured to move the alignment unit along the sheet reception unit in the conveying direction. A first position for aligning and binding sheets and a second position located above the first position in the sheet reception unit are set for the alignment unit as receiving positions at which the sheet is received from the sheet reception unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Publication number: 20140011656
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises an ejecting unit configured to eject a sheet or a bundle of sheets, and a sheet stacking unit configured to stack the sheet or the bundle of sheets ejected by the ejecting unit. In the apparatus, the leading end portion of the sheet stacking unit on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction is rotatable downward and capable of dropping down the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit from the leading end portion of the sheet stacking unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuo NIIKURA, Keisuke SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20130236228
    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: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    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
  • Publication number: 20130228965
    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: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    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
  • Patent number: 8485514
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a sheet stacking unit on which sheets are accommodated and stacked as a sheet bundle; an aligning member that is movable along a trailing end, in a conveying direction, of the sheet bundle stacked on the sheet stacking unit and that aligns the trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveying direction by abutting thereon; a binding unit that moves along the trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveying direction and binds the aligned sheet bundle; and a moving unit that moves the aligning member in the sheet conveying direction. A distance from the trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveying direction to a binding position is adjusted by moving the aligning member in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Yasuo Niikura, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Publication number: 20130147105
    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 nearly 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 nearly 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: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    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
  • Publication number: 20130134659
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes: sheet discharging rollers that receive each of sheets conveyed thereto and discharge the sheets one by one; a shift tray on which the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging rollers are to be stacked; an air blower; and a CPU. The air blower forms an air layer between the shift tray and a sheet when the sheet is discharged onto the shift tray by the sheet discharging rollers, or between a sheet and the sheet that is already placed on the shift tray when the sheet is discharged. The CPU controls an air velocity of air to be delivered by the air blower based on sheet information, thereby causing the air layer to extend to the entire surface of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Kazunori KONNO, Masahiro TAMURA, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Kyosuke NAKADA, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Junya SUZUKI, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro YOSHIZAKI, Kiichiro GOTO
  • Publication number: 20130113154
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including front and back trailing-end reference fences that are movable along a sheet trailing-end and on which the sheet trailing-end abuts to align the sheet trailing-end, a side-stitching stapler that moves along the sheet trailing-end and binds a bundle of sheets aligned, a length-direction moving mechanism that moves the trailing-end reference fences in a sheet conveying direction, and a position changing unit that drives the length-direction moving mechanism to change the position of one of the trailing-end reference fences in the sheet conveying direction relative to the position of the other one. The front and back trailing-end reference fences are moved by the position changing unit in the sheet conveying direction to change binding positions such that the distances from the sheet trailing-end to staple positions are made equal in front-side binding and in back-side binding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Masahiro TAMURA, Shuuya NAGASAKO, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Yuusuke SHIBASAKI, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Kyosuke NAKADA, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Yasuo NIIKURA, Junya SUZUKI, Kazunori KONNO, Akira KUNIEDA, Takahiro WATANABE, Tomohiro YOSHIZAKI, Kiichiro GOTO
  • Patent number: 8393618
    Abstract: A skew correction device includes a first conveying unit arranged in a sheet conveying path; a second conveying unit arranged downstream of the first conveying unit in a conveying direction of a sheet; and a skew correction unit. When the sheet is unfolded paper, the skew correction unit performs a first skew correction that corrects for the skew of the sheet so that a leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit abuts on the second conveying unit that is stopped. When the sheet is fold paper, the skew correction unit performs a second skew correction that corrects for the skew of the sheet so that a leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit abuts the second conveying unit and the second conveying unit is driven in a reverse direction to the conveying direction at a predetermined operational timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nakada, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Junya Suzuki, Yasuo Niikura, Kazunori Konno, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto, Kazuya Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120282004
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet reception unit configured to receive a sheet; an alignment unit configured to align the sheet in a conveying direction of the sheet, a trailing edge of the sheet in the conveying direction coming into contact with the alignment unit; and a moving unit configured to move the alignment unit along the sheet reception unit in the conveying direction. A first position for aligning and binding sheets and a second position located above the first position in the sheet reception unit are set for the alignment unit as receiving positions at which the sheet is received from the sheet reception unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Publication number: 20120267846
    Abstract: A skew correction device includes a first conveying unit arranged in a sheet conveying path; a second conveying unit arranged downstream of the first conveying unit in a conveying direction of a sheet; and a skew correction unit. When the sheet is unfolded paper, the skew correction unit performs a first skew correction that corrects for the skew of the sheet so that a leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit abuts on the second conveying unit that is stopped. When the sheet is fold paper, the skew correction unit performs a second skew correction that corrects for the skew of the sheet so that a leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit abuts the second conveying unit and the second conveying unit is driven in a reverse direction to the conveying direction at a predetermined operational timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nakada, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Keisuke Sugiyama, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Junya Suzuki, Yasuo Niikura, Kazunori Konno, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto, Kazuya Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120153556
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a sheet stacking unit on which sheets are accommodated and stacked as a sheet bundle; an aligning member that is movable along a trailing end, in a conveying direction, of the sheet bundle stacked on the sheet stacking unit and that aligns the trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveying direction by abutting thereon; a binding unit that moves along the trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveying direction and binds the aligned sheet bundle; and a moving unit that moves the aligning member in the sheet conveying direction. A distance from the trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveying direction to a binding position is adjusted by moving the aligning member in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kyosuke Nakada, Kazuya Yamamoto, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Yasuo Niikura, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro GOTO