Patents by Inventor Yohei Osanai

Yohei Osanai 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: 20170134598
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming device, an image reading device coupled with the housing via a first hinge and switchable between an overlapping state and a standing state, the image reading device configured to read an image on an original document, an automatic document feeder coupled with the image reading device via a second hinge and switchable between an overlapping state overlapping the image reading device and a standing state standing at the image reading device, the automatic document feeder configured to turn the original document and convey the original document to an image position, and an automatic coupling device to couple the automatic document feeder and the image reading device when the image reading device is opened while the automatic document feeder is overlapped on the image reading device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki NAGANO, Yasunobu YOUDA, Yohei OSANAI, Satoshi NARAI, Toshiyuki HORIKAWA, Takuji KAWAI, Daisuke IMAKI, Takayuki ANDOH, Susumu MIYAZAKI, Yuki FUJII, Koichi ONO, Takeshi SHIKAMA, Hiroaki IKEDA, Shingo SHIRAMURA, Hideo TANAKA, Tetsuo INUI
  • Patent number: 9609159
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet mount on which a standard-sized sheet is mountable; a first conveyor to bring in the sheet from the mount, convey the sheet through a reverse conveyance path such that the sheet passes through a specific operation position, and eject the sheet into a sheet ejection area outside the mount; and a second conveyor to bring in a hard sheet with a higher bending rigidity than the sheet from one end of a straight conveyance path along a plane passing through the specific position of the reverse path, and eject the hard sheet conveyed along the straight path from another end of the straight path at a sheet ejection area side. The mount includes a hard sheet ejection port to let through at least a leading edge portion of the hard sheet to be ejected from the second conveyor in a sheet ejection direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hatayama, Yasunobu Youda, Yohei Osanai, Tatsuaki Nagano, Kazushige Kawamura, Toshiyuki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 9571690
    Abstract: An image scanner, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a stationary-document reading section, a moving-document reading section disposed at an angle to the stationary-document reading section, a reader movable between the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section, and a reading element movable to different angles while contacting the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section to selectively read a document placed on the stationary-document reading section and a document moving over the moving-document reading section. The image scanner further includes any one of position detector, a combination of a moving device and at least one position sensor, and a combination of at least one pressing member, a framework, and an angle changer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei Osanai, Yasunobu Youda, Tatsuaki Nagano, Takayuki Andoh, Kaoru Tada, Munekazu Hirata, Toshiyuki Horikawa, Kazushige Kawamura, Takuji Kawai, Koji Hatayama
  • Publication number: 20160368728
    Abstract: An automatic document feeding device includes a document tray, an ejection tray, and a document takeout port. The document tray is rotatably attached to a rotation fulcrum provided in a body of the automatic document feeder, to load a document. The document tray includes a first positioner and a second positioner. The first positioner is disposed at a front side of the body in a direction perpendicular to a document feed direction. The second positioner is disposed at a depth side of the body in the direction perpendicular to the document feed direction. The first positioner is disposed upstream from the rotation fulcrum in the document feed direction and above the document takeout port in the body. An upper portion and side surfaces of the first positioner in the direction perpendicular to the document feed direction are surrounded by the document tray in a closed state of the document tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Munekazu HIRATA, Takayuki ANDOH, Koji HATAYAMA, Kaoru TADA, Tatsuaki NAGANO, Yasunobu YOUDA, Toshiyuki HORIKAWA, Yohei OSANAI, Kazushige KAWAMURA, Takuji KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20160360073
    Abstract: An automatic document feeding device includes a conveyance unit, an image reading unit, a color reference member, a moving assembly, and a drive source. The conveyance unit conveys a document to an image reading position. The image reading unit reads an image of the document. The color reference member faces the image reading unit and includes a white reference face to correct shading. The moving assembly relatively moves the image reading unit and the color reference member. The movement regulator regulates a relative movement of the image reading unit and the color reference member by the moving assembly. The drive source includes a common rotation output shaft to drive the conveyance unit and the moving assembly. The drive source changes the rotation output shaft from a forward rotation direction to a reverse rotation direction to reversely rotate the rotation output shaft to a set reverse rotation angle set in advance, according to a condition of conveyance of the document by the conveyance unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji HATAYAMA, Takayuki ANDOH, Tatsuaki NAGANO, Kaoru TADA, Munekazu HIRATA, Kazushige KAWAMURA, Toshiyuki HORIKAWA, Takuji KAWAI, Yohei OSANAI, Yasunobu YOUDA
  • Publication number: 20160277624
    Abstract: An image scanner, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a stationary-document reading section, a moving-document reading section disposed at an angle to the stationary-document reading section, a reader movable between the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section, and a reading element movable to different angles while contacting the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section to selectively read a document placed on the stationary-document reading section and a document moving over the moving-document reading section. The image scanner further includes any one of position detector, a combination of a moving device and at least one position sensor, and a combination of at least one pressing member, a framework, and an angle changer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei OSANAI, Yasunobu YOUDA, Tatsuaki NAGANO, Takayuki ANDOH, Kaoru TADA, Munekazu HIRATA, Toshiyuki HORIKAWA, Kazushige KAWAMURA, Takuji KAWAI, Koji HATAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160127590
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet mount on which a standard-sized sheet is mountable; a first conveyor to bring in the sheet from the mount, convey the sheet through a reverse conveyance path such that the sheet passes through a specific operation position, and eject the sheet into a sheet ejection area outside the mount; and a second conveyor to bring in a hard sheet with a higher bending rigidity than the sheet from one end of a straight conveyance path along a plane passing through the specific position of the reverse path, and eject the hard sheet conveyed along the straight path from another end of the straight path at a sheet ejection area side. The mount includes a hard sheet ejection port to let through at least a leading edge portion of the hard sheet to be ejected from the second conveyor in a sheet ejection direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji HATAYAMA, Yasunobu YOUDA, Yohei OSANAI, Tatsuaki NAGANO, Kazushige KAWAMURA, Toshiyuki HORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150341515
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a primary conveyance roller to convey an original bearing an image in an original conveyance direction and an image reader disposed downstream from the primary conveyance roller in the original conveyance direction to read the image on the original. A moving original reading portion is disposed opposite the image reader. The image reader reads the image on the original through the moving original reading portion while the original moves over the moving original reading portion. A slope is disposed downstream from the moving original reading portion in the original conveyance direction. A spacer is interposed between the moving original reading portion and the slope in the original conveyance direction. A secondary conveyance roller has an original contact point to come into contact with the original. The original contact point is disposed opposite the spacer with an interval therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunobu YOUDA, Koji HATAYAMA, Tatsuaki NAGANO, Yohei OSANAI, Satoshi NARAI, Masafumi KISHI
  • Patent number: 8994963
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance unit including a sheet tray on which a stack of sheets is placed, a sheet feed member to feed sheets from the stack of sheets, a separation/feed unit to separate a topmost sheet from the rest of sheets fed by the sheet feed member and feed the topmost sheet to a predetermined position, and a pre-separation unit disposed between the sheet tray and the separation/feed unit. The pre-separation unit includes a downward sloped portion to guide a leading edge of each sheet diagonally downward, and an upward sloped portion provided downstream from the downward sloped portion in a conveyance direction of the sheets to guide the leading edge of each sheet diagonally upward. Both ends of the upward sloped portion in a lateral direction are sloped upward more gently than the center of the upward sloped portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Osanai, Yasunobu Youda, Taku Kudoh, Takayuki Andoh, Koji Hatayama
  • Patent number: 8947751
    Abstract: An image reading device, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes an image pickup device, a transparent member, a traveling body, and a housing. The traveling body includes a light source to emit light and guides the light reflected from a surface of the document to the image pickup device while moving in a sub scanning direction along the document surface on the transparent member. The housing accommodates the image pickup device and the traveling body, and includes a base member including a rectangular bottom surface and a side surface, and a rail member including a rail surface and a first vertical surface. The rail member further includes a fixing part that is a surface to be fixed to the bottom surface of the base member and to extend from one end of the rail member in the sub scanning direction to the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh, Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kusumoto, Tatsuaki Nagano, Yohei Osanai, Satoshi Narai, Masafumi Kishi, Toshiyuki Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20140347711
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi NARAI, Yasunobu YOUDA, Taku KUDOH, Takayuki ANDOH, Koji HATAYAMA, Yohei OSANAI
  • Patent number: 8861048
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Narai, Yasunobu Youda, Taku Kudoh, Takayuki Andoh, Koji Hatayama, Yohei Osanai
  • Patent number: 8800990
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes an upstream conveyance roller pair disposed upstream of an image reader including an upstream driving roller and an upstream driven roller; a downstream conveyance roller pair including a downstream driving roller and a downstream driven roller; an upstream auxiliary roller pair including upstream auxiliary rollers disposed coaxially on a shaft of the upstream driving roller and of the upstream driven roller, respectively, each formed of an elastic member and having a diameter greater than that of the adjacent upstream driving roller and of the adjacent upstream driven roller, respectively; and a downstream auxiliary roller pair including downstream auxiliary rollers each disposed coaxially on a shaft of the downstream driving roller and of the downstream driven roller, formed of a low-hardness elastic member and having a diameter greater than that of the adjacent downstream driving roller and of the adjacent downstream driven roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hatayama, Yasunobu Youda, Taku Kudoh, Takayuki Andoh, Yohei Osanai, Satoshi Narai, Takashi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20140211279
    Abstract: An image reading device, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes an image pickup device, a transparent member, a traveling body, and a housing. The traveling body includes a light source to emit light and guides the light reflected from a surface of the document to the image pickup device while moving in a sub scanning direction along the document surface on the transparent member. The housing accommodates the image pickup device and the traveling body, and includes a base member including a rectangular bottom surface and a side surface, and a rail member including a rail surface and a first vertical surface. The rail member further includes a fixing part that is a surface to be fixed to the bottom surface of the base member and to extend from one end of the rail member in the sub scanning direction to the other end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi KUSUMOTO, Tatsuaki NAGANO, Yohei OSANAI, Satoshi NARAI, Masafumi KISHI, Toshiyuki HORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20130335790
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi NARAI, Yasunobu YOUDA, Taku KUDOH, Takayuki ANDOH, Koji HATAYAMA, Yohei OSANAI
  • Publication number: 20130222826
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance unit including a sheet tray on which a stack of sheets is placed, a sheet feed member to feed sheets from the stack of sheets, a separation/feed unit to separate a topmost sheet from the rest of sheets fed by the sheet feed member and feed the topmost sheet to a predetermined position, and a pre-separation unit disposed between the sheet tray and the separation/feed unit. The pre-separation unit includes a downward sloped portion to guide a leading edge of each sheet diagonally downward, and an upward sloped portion provided downstream from the downward sloped portion in a conveyance direction of the sheets to guide the leading edge of each sheet diagonally upward. Both ends of the upward sloped portion in a lateral direction are sloped upward more gently than the center of the upward sloped portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Yohei OSANAI, Yasunobu YOUDA, Taku KUDOH, Takayuki ANDOH, Koji HATAYAMA
  • Patent number: 8382095
    Abstract: A sheet feeding unit has a main body, a sheet stack portion attached to the main body to accommodate a stack of sheets, a sheet feeding device disposed substantially above the sheet stack portion to feed the sheet onward, which is movable between a sheet feeding position at which the sheet feeding device contacts the sheet and feeds the sheet onward and a separating position at which the sheet feeding device separates from the sheet and does not feed the sheet onward, a separation unit to separate the sheets, a restriction member disposed between the sheet feeding device and the separation unit and is switchable between a sheet feeding state when the sheet feeding device is at the sheet feeding position and a sheet restriction state when the sheet feeding device is at the separation position, and a cover openably closable relative to the main body and constituted as an independent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Osanai, Kohji Hatayama, Takayuki Andoh
  • Patent number: 8322710
    Abstract: An automatic sheet feeder includes a sheet setting unit to set a sheet to be fed by a sheet feeding member, an openably closable cover rotatably disposed over an upper portion of the sheet setting unit, a sheet detector rotatably supported on the cover to detect whether or not a sheet is set on the sheet setting unit and including a detection member, a rotary shaft about which the detection member rotates, and a sensor to detect the setting of the sheet according to a movement of the detection member, and a rotating member to cause the detection member to rotate in a direction such that an angle between a line extending in a longitudinal direction of the detection member and a surface of the sheet set on the sheet setting unit decreases as the cover rotates from an open position to a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Andoh, Kohji Hatayama, Yohei Osanai, Satoshi Narai, Taku Kudoh
  • Publication number: 20120104676
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes an upstream conveyance roller pair disposed upstream of an image reader including an upstream driving roller and an upstream driven roller; a downstream conveyance roller pair including a downstream driving roller and a downstream driven roller; an upstream auxiliary roller pair including upstream auxiliary rollers disposed coaxially on a shaft of the upstream driving roller and of the upstream driven roller, respectively, each formed of an elastic member and having a diameter greater than that of the adjacent upstream driving roller and of the adjacent upstream driven roller, respectively; and a downstream auxiliary roller pair including downstream auxiliary rollers each disposed coaxially on a shaft of the downstream driving roller and of the downstream driven roller, formed of a low-hardness elastic member and having a diameter greater than that of the adjacent downstream driving roller and of the adjacent downstream driven roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hatayama, Yasunobu Youda, Taku Kudoh, Takayuki Andoh, Yohei Osanai, Satoshi Narai, Takashi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20110285078
    Abstract: An automatic sheet feeder includes a sheet setting unit to set a sheet to be fed by a sheet feeding member, an openably closable cover rotatably disposed over an upper portion of the sheet setting unit, a sheet detector rotatably supported on the cover to detect whether or not a sheet is set on the sheet setting unit and including a detection member, a rotary shaft about which the detection member rotates, and a sensor to detect the setting of the sheet according to a movement of the detection member, and a rotating member to cause the detection member to rotate in a direction such that an angle between a line extending in a longitudinal direction of the detection member and a surface of the sheet set on the sheet setting unit decreases as the cover rotates from an open position to a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Andoh, Kohji Hatayama, Yohei Osanai, Satoshi Narai, Taku Kudoh