Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Fujiwara
Yoshihiro Fujiwara 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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Publication number: 20240077813Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer rotatable in a rotation direction and forming a developing range, a holder, and an entrance seal. The holder has a facing face facing the developer bearer upstream from the developing range in the rotation direction, a support face defining a part of an outer face of the developing device, and a relay face extending from one end of the support face to one end of the relay face connected to the facing face to form an acute tip portion closer to the developing range than the one end. The entrance seal has a free end projecting from the one end as a cantilever, and a length of the entrance seal from a tip of the free end of the entrance seal to the one end is shorter than a length of the relay face from the acute tip portion to the one end.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventors: Kei SAITO, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Masaki TAKAHASHI, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Patent number: 11835887Abstract: A developer accommodating device includes a rotator including a rotation shaft, a collar that rotates together with the rotation shaft, and a bearing rotatably supporting the rotation shaft via the collar. The rotation shaft includes a resin material, and collar including a metal material. The collar includes a collar main portion to be in sliding contact with the bearing, and a flange portion closer to a center of the rotator in an axial direction of the rotator than the collar main portion. The collar main portion has a first outer diameter, and the flange portion has a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter of the collar main portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuuki Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Tomohiro Kubota, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Ryusuke Mase
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Publication number: 20230330582Abstract: A filter holding device includes an opening portion and a filter. The opening portion communicates an inside of the filter holding device with an outside of the filter holding device, and has a rim that extends in a communication direction from the inside of the filter holding device toward the outside of the filter holding device. The filter is disposed in the opening portion, and has a first side and a second side. The first side faces the inside of the filter holding device. The second side faces the outside of the filter holding device. The filter has a larger weight density per unit volume at the second side facing the outside of the filter holding device than at the first side facing the inside of the filter holding device in a state in which the filter is disposed in the opening portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2021Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Yuta YABUTA, Kazuki YOGOSAWA, Tatsuya KUBO, Takuya SUGANUMA, Hotaru HASHIKAWA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA
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Publication number: 20220397841Abstract: A developer accommodating device includes a rotator including a rotation shaft, a collar that rotates together with the rotation shaft, and a bearing rotatably supporting the rotation shaft via the collar. The rotation shaft includes a resin material, and collar including a metal material. The collar includes a collar main portion to be in sliding contact with the bearing, and a flange portion closer to a center of the rotator in an axial direction of the rotator than the collar main portion. The collar main portion has a first outer diameter, and the flange portion has a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter of the collar main portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2022Publication date: December 15, 2022Inventors: Yuuki TSUCHIYA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Tomohiro KUBOTA, Shuntaroh TAMAKI, Ryusuke MASE
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Patent number: 11275325Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a rotation shaft, a developing device, and a supply portion. The developing device includes a developing device main portion that rotates around the rotation shaft between a developing position and a retracted position and includes a developer, a developer bearer to face or be away from the image bearer depending on whether the developing device main portion is at the developing position or the retracted position, a replenishment portion having a replenishment port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft to replenish the developer, and a non-rotating portion. The supply portion has a supply port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft and facing the opposite surface of the replenishment port. The supply port communicates the replenishment port and supplies the developer to the developing device through the replenishment port.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hotaru Hashikawa, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Nobuo Takami, Ryusuke Mase, Kazuki Yogosawa, Tomohiro Kubota, Naohiro Kawashima, Yuuki Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 11256194Abstract: A developing device includes a developer conveyer, a bearing, a flange, and a developer mover. The developer conveyer is rotatable and configured to convey a developer. The bearing rotatably supports a support shaft of the developer conveyer. The flange is disposed at an end portion of the developer conveyor to regulate a movement of the developer in an axial direction of the developer conveyer. The developer mover is disposed on a surface of the flange facing the bearing and configured to move the developer that enters between the flange and the bearing.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuuki Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Ryusuke Mase, Naohiro Kawashima, Hotaru Hashikawa
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Patent number: 11112731Abstract: A developer container includes a plurality of components combined together to form a space to store a developer. The plurality of components includes a first component and a second component. The developer container further includes a sealant to bond the first component and the second component, and a position regulator to regulate relative positions of the first component and the second component so as to maintain a distance between an adhesion portion of the first component and an adhesion portion of the second component.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Naohiro Kawashima, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Yuuki Tsuchiya, Ryusuke Mase, Tsutomu Iwata
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Patent number: 11086251Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including at least one stirring rotator configured to stir a developer in the developing device, a driver configured to drive the at least one stirring rotator in forward and reverse rotation, a device detector configured to detect whether the developing device is set in the image forming apparatus, and control circuitry configured to execute a warm-up operation. In the warm-up operation, the driver drives the at least one stirring rotator alternately in the reverse rotation and the forward rotation in response to a detection of setting of the developing device in the image forming apparatus by the device detector and a detection of a predetermined condition.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ryusuke Mase, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Naohiro Kawashima, Yuuki Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20210080856Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a rotation shaft, a developing device, and a supply portion. The developing device includes a developing device main portion that rotates around the rotation shaft between a developing position and a retracted position and includes a developer, a developer bearer to face or be away from the image bearer depending on whether the developing device main portion is at the developing position or the retracted position, a replenishment portion having a replenishment port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft to replenish the developer, and a non-rotating portion. The supply portion has a supply port with an opposite surface formed by an arc drawn around the rotation shaft and facing the opposite surface of the replenishment port. The supply port communicates the replenishment port and supplies the developer to the developing device through the replenishment port.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Hotaru HASHIKAWA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Nobuo TAKAMI, Ryusuke MASE, Kazuki YOGOSAWA, Tomohiro KUBOTA, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20210041806Abstract: A developing device includes a developer conveyer, a bearing, a flange, and a developer mover. The developer conveyer is rotatable and configured to convey a developer. The bearing rotatably supports a support shaft of the developer conveyer. The flange is disposed at an end portion of the developer conveyor to regulate a movement of the developer in an axial direction of the developer conveyer. The developer mover is disposed on a surface of the flange facing the bearing and configured to move the developer that enters between the flange and the bearing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Yuuki TSUCHIYA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Yuki OSHIKAWA, Ryusuke MASE, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Hotaru HASHIKAWA
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Patent number: 10705484Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a cover to cover the developing roller from above the developing roller, a filter to cover a vent of the cover to filter air and collect toner passing through the vent, and a pressing member engaged with the cover in which the filter is installed. The cover includes a projecting support to support the filter. The pressing member holds the filter between the pressing member and the cover. The projecting support is projected from one end toward the other end of the vent in a transverse direction of the vent at a part of the cover in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller to block the vent, and cantilevered on the one end. A gap is provided between a tip of the projecting support and an inner edge of the cover on the other end.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuki Oshikawa, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Naohiro Kawashima, Ryusuke Mase, Yuuki Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20200174400Abstract: A developer container includes a plurality of components combined together to form a space to store a developer. The plurality of components includes a first component and a second component. The developer container further includes a sealant to bond the first component and the second component, and a position regulator to regulate relative positions of the first component and the second component so as to maintain a distance between an adhesion portion of the first component and an adhesion portion of the second component.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Yuki OSHIKAWA, Yuuki TSUCHIYA, Ryusuke MASE, Tsutomu IWATA
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Publication number: 20200117119Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including at least one stirring rotator configured to stir a developer in the developing device, a driver configured to drive the at least one stirring rotator in forward and reverse rotation, a device detector configured to detect whether the developing device is set in the image forming apparatus, and control circuitry configured to execute a warm-up operation. In the warm-up operation, the driver drives the at least one stirring rotator alternately in the reverse rotation and the forward rotation in response to a detection of setting of the developing device in the image forming apparatus by the device detector and a detection of a predetermined condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Inventors: Ryusuke MASE, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Yuki OSHIKAWA, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20200103824Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, a cover to cover the developing roller from above the developing roller, a filter to cover a vent of the cover to filter air and collect toner passing through the vent, and a pressing member engaged with the cover in which the filter is installed. The cover includes a projecting support to support the filter. The pressing member holds the filter between the pressing member and the cover. The projecting support is projected from one end toward the other end of the vent in a transverse direction of the vent at a part of the cover in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller to block the vent, and cantilevered on the one end. A gap is provided between a tip of the projecting support and an inner edge of the cover on the other end.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Yuki OSHIKAWA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Naohiro KAWASHIMA, Ryusuke MASE, Yuuki TSUCHIYA
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Patent number: 9897947Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation of the photoconductor with light, a charger, a developing device, a transfer device, a charge removal execution determiner, and a power supply controller. The charger receives a superimposed voltage of a DC voltage and an AC voltage to charge the photoconductor. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor into a toner image. The transfer device transfers the developed toner image to a recording medium. The charge removal execution determiner issues a charge removal command when a flow of electric charge from the transfer device into the photoconductor has occurred in an image forming outputting operation. The power supply controller applies only the AC voltage to the charger for a predetermined period in a state in which the photoconductor is rotated, when the charge removal command is issued.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuka Kanatani, Yuushi Hirayama, Kazufumi Kimura, Ryota Kidera, Masanori Moro, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Hideyasu Seki
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Patent number: 9772579Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer in a developing range to transport developer by rotation, a support to support the developer bearer and including a holder mount, a rod-shaped developer regulator disposed facing a surface of the developer bearer across a gap, and a holder secured to the holder mount of the support to hold the rod-shaped developer regulator. The rod-shaped developer regulator extends in an axial direction of the developer bearer.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuki Oshikawa, Akira Azami, Yoshiko Ogawa, Masaaki Yamada, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Noriyuki Kimura, Yoshiharu Kishi, Yasunobu Shimizu, Junichi Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Yuuji Ishikura, Kei Saito
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Publication number: 20170108795Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image hearer in a developing range to transport developer by rotation, a support to support the developer bearer and including a holder mount, a rod-shaped developer regulator disposed facing a surface of the developer bearer across a gap, and a holder secured to the holder mount of the support to hold the rod-shaped developer regulator. The rod-shaped developer regulator extends in an axial direction of the developer bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2016Publication date: April 20, 2017Inventors: Yuki OSHIKAWA, Akira Azami, Yoshiko Ogawa, Masaaki Yamada, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Noriyuki Kimura, Yoshiharu Kishi, Yasunobu Shimizu, Junichi Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Yuuji Ishikura, Kei Saito
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Patent number: 9625851Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer in a developing range to transport developer by rotation, a support to support the developer bearer and including a holder mount, a rod-shaped developer regulator disposed facing a surface of the developer bearer across a gap, and a holder secured to the holder mount of the support to hold the rod-shaped developer regulator. The rod-shaped developer regulator extends in an axial direction of the developer bearer.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuki Oshikawa, Akira Azami, Yoshiko Ogawa, Masaaki Yamada, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Noriyuki Kimura, Yoshiharu Kishi, Yasunobu Shimizu, Junichi Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Yuuji Ishikura, Kei Saito
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Publication number: 20170075264Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation of the photoconductor with light, a charger, a developing device, a transfer device, a charge removal execution determiner, and a power supply controller. The charger receives a superimposed voltage of a DC voltage and an AC voltage to charge the photoconductor. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor into a toner image. The transfer device transfers the developed toner image to a recording medium. The charge removal execution determiner issues a charge removal command when a flow of electric charge from the transfer device into the photoconductor has occurred in an image forming outputting operation. The power supply controller applies only the AC voltage to the charger for a predetermined period in a state in which the photoconductor is rotated, when the charge removal command is issued.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Yuka KANATANI, Yuushi HIRAYAMA, Kazufumi KIMURA, Ryota KIDERA, Masanori MORO, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Hideyasu SEKI
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Publication number: 20160238966Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer in a developing range to transport developer by rotation, a support to support the developer bearer and including a holder mount, a rod-shaped developer regulator disposed facing a surface of the developer bearer across a gap, and a holder secured to the holder mount of the support to hold the rod-shaped developer regulator. The rod-shaped developer regulator extends in an axial direction of the developer bearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Yuki OSHIKAWA, Akira AZAMI, Yoshiko OGAWA, Masaaki YAMADA, Yoshihiro FUJIWARA, Noriyuki KIMURA, Yoshiharu KISHI, Yasunobu SHIMIZU, Junichi MATSUMOTO, Yoshiyuki FUKUDA, Yuuji ISHIKURA, Kei SAITO