Patents by Inventor Yoshinori Shirasaki

Yoshinori Shirasaki 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: 9164414
    Abstract: An optical writing control device includes a light emission control unit that controls light emission of a light source to exposes a photosensitive element. The light emission control unit is configured to draw two patterns as patterns for correction used to correct a transfer position of a developer image obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive element, the two patterns including a narrow width pattern where a width of the pattern corresponds to a width of a detection area of a sensor that detects the patterns, in the main-scanning direction, and a wide width pattern having a wider width than the narrow width pattern, and control the light emission, after calculation of a correction value based on a detection signal of the wide width pattern is properly completed, in a manner where the narrow width pattern is drawn upon the calculation of the correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masatoshi Murakami, Tatsuya Miyadera, Masayuki Hayashi, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Motohiro Kawanabe
  • Patent number: 9141893
    Abstract: In the invention, an inclination amount of sensors is reflected in positional deviation correction patterns, and for correcting formation positions of images of various colors, the positional deviation correction patterns are formed on a conveying belt. The positional deviation correction patterns are detected by the sensors. A control unit calculates positional deviation correction amounts based on detection results of the positional deviation correction patterns. Based on the calculated positional deviation correction amounts, the control unit performs calculation for correcting the positional deviation correction patterns, and cancels the inclination amount reflected in the calculation results to obtain final positional deviation correction amounts. Skew correction is performed based on the final positional deviation correction amounts, and thus, the positional deviations are corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Akinori Yamaguchi, Masayuki Hayashi, Hiroaki Ikeda, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera, Takeshi Shikama, Takuhei Yokoyama, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Motohiro Kawanabe
  • Publication number: 20150261118
    Abstract: An optical writing controller controls emission of a light source device including multiple light emitting element rows each constituted by multiple light emitting elements arranged in a sub-scanning direction to form an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor. The optical writing controller includes an image information acquisition unit to acquire image information on an image to be formed as the electrostatic latent image; a light source control unit to sequentially control emission of the multiple light emitting elements on the basis of information on pixels generated on the basis of the acquired image information; an error information acquisition unit to acquire information indicating an error of a direction in which the light emitting elements are arranged with respect to the sub-scanning direction; and an adjustment value generation unit to generate an adjustment value for adjusting a light quantity of each light emitting element on the basis of the error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masatoshi MURAKAMI, Masayuki HAYASHI, Motohiro KAWANABE, Yoshinori SHIRASAKI, Yuusuke KOHRI, Akinori YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150261121
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: a plurality of exposure units, each of the exposure units including a plurality of light emitting elements that are arranged in a main scanning direction; a calculating unit that, with respect to each of the exposure units, calculates a pre-charge period that is a period during which a pre-charge is performed on at least any of the light emitting elements included in a corresponding exposure unit; and an emission control unit that, with respect to each of the exposure units, causes the light emitting elements included in a corresponding exposure unit to emit light such that a pre-charge period of at least any of the exposure units is shifted with respect to pre-charge periods of remaining ones of the exposure units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Motohiro KAWANABE, Masayuki HAYASHI, Masatoshi MURAKAMI, Yoshinori SHIRASAKI, Yuusuke KOHRI, Akinori YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9104127
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: an image forming unit configured to form an image quality adjustment pattern image on an image carrier to be driven at a predetermined speed; a detector configured to detect the image quality adjustment pattern image; an image quality adjustment controller configured to control image quality adjustment processing in accordance with a detection result by the detector; a speed change unit configured to change an image formation speed indicating a speed at which an image is formed, and an interval change unit configured to change an interval at which the detector acquires a detection result in accordance with a change amount between the image formation speed before changed by the speed change unit and the image formation speed after changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Akinori Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Ikeda, Tomohiro Ohshima, Masayuki Hayashi, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 9036198
    Abstract: An optical-writing control device calculates correction values for use in correcting a transfer position at which developing-agent images are to be transferred onto a sheet, and overlaying positions at which the developing-agent images are to be overlaid, based on a detection signal output from a sensor upon detection of a correction pattern for use in correcting the transfer position and a correction pattern for use in correcting the overlaying positions. A timing of detecting the pattern for use in correcting the overlaying positions is determined based on a correction value calculated based on the detection signal output upon detection of the pattern for use in correcting the transfer position. The pattern for use in correcting the transfer position is caused to have a width, in the main-scanning direction, that is wider than the width in the main-scanning direction of the pattern for use in correcting the overlaying positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Masayuki Hayashi, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Masatoshi Murakami
  • Publication number: 20150125170
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure control unit that performs control, based on a shift-amount of an exposure position from an ideal position, the shift-amount being obtained from a detection-result of a misregistration correcting pattern image, to shift at least one of an exposure timing corresponding to first image data which is input to one of two electric cables in contact with a target electric cable and an exposure timing corresponding to second image data which is input to another one of the two electric cables, with respect to an exposure timing corresponding to target image data being input to the target electric cable both sides of which are in contact with the two other electric cables, among a plurality of the electric cables which corresponds respectively to a plurality of the exposure units provided for each of a plurality of colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshinori SHIRASAKI, Masayuki HAYASHI, Motohiro KAWANABE, Masatoshi MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 9019551
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including, at least, an image data storage unit that stores image data; an inclination amount detection unit that detects a first inclination amount of a portion of the image data spanning from one end to the other end relative to a main scanning direction; an inclination amount storage unit that stores, when a gradient of the image data changes at a point in the main scanning direction, a second inclination amount of a portion of the image data spanning from the one end to the point or from the other end to the point; a correction amount calculation unit that calculates correction amounts associated with the main scanning direction by switching, at the point, whether the first inclination amount is increased or decreased by the second inclination amount; and an image correction unit that corrects an image based on the correction amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Hayashi, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Masatoshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 9013532
    Abstract: A light source control apparatus which controls, based on image data input, light emission of a light source which forms an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing body in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is disclosed, including a pattern generating unit which generates an internal pattern for position aligning and concentration correcting according to the image data; and a mirroring processing unit which performs a process of mirroring the image data and the internal pattern at a later stage of the pattern generating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Komai, Masayuki Hayashi, Hiroaki Ikeda, Takeshi Shikama, Akinori Yamaguchi, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Takuhei Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8957933
    Abstract: An optical writing device forming an electrical latent image on a photoreceptor includes an optical writing unit configured to apply light to the photoreceptor, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the optical writing unit, a power supply status detector configured to detect a power supply status of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the optical writing unit, and output power supply information or power cutoff information, a power cutoff information retaining unit configured to retain the power cutoff information when the power cutoff information is output from the power supply status detector, and a power sensor configured to sense a power supply status of the power supplied by the power supply unit based on the power cutoff information retained by the power cutoff information retaining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shirasaki, Tatsuya Miyadera, Masayuki Hayashi, Motohiro Kawanabe, Hiroaki Ikeda, Tomohiro Ohshima, Akinori Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8879969
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus can transfer a plurality of color component images onto a surface of a recording medium to form an image on the recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes a pattern generation part to generate information about an alignment pattern to be used for a calibration of an image forming, a plurality of stations each including a photosensitive drum to form an alignment pattern corresponding to each of a plurality of color components onto a carry belt or the recording medium, and a read part to detect a plurality of alignment patterns formed by the plurality of stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Shikama, Masayuki Hayashi, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Hiroaki Ikeda, Akinori Yamaguchi, Takuhei Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8848238
    Abstract: An optical writing control device includes: a light emission control unit which controls light emission of multiple light sources for respective different colors and exposes multiple image carriers; and a correction amount calculating unit which calculates a correction amount for each of the different colors on the basis of a difference between a central value of a distribution range of positional deviation amounts in a sub-scanning direction for the respective different colors and the positional deviation amount for a corresponding color. The light emission control unit delays light emitting timing of a light source, which is to be delayed, by delaying reading timing of pixel information stored in a storage medium, and delays timing at which the pixel information about colors other than a color, light emitting timing of a light source for which is to be advanced, starts to be obtained from an image forming apparatus main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Masayuki Hayashi, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Hiroaki Ikeda, Akinori Yamaguchi, Tomohiro Ohshima
  • Patent number: 8817320
    Abstract: A line-head control device that controls a line head includes: a calculation unit that divides image data into a plurality of areas in sub-scanning direction and calculates a printing percentage for each of the areas; an allocation unit that allocates a total correction amount, for correcting magnification of the image data in the sub-scanning direction, to the areas according to the printing percentage for each of the areas calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit that changes an emission period of the light emitted from the line head so as to satisfy a partial correction amount that is an allocation of the total correction amount to each of the areas, exposes the image carrier to the light emitted from the line head with the changed light emission period, thereby causing a latent image to be formed on the image carrier based on the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shirasaki, Izumi Kinoshita, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera, Takeshi Shikama, Takuhei Yokoyama, Akinori Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8781343
    Abstract: A toner consumption calculator includes a plurality of line memories; a recorder that sequentially records image data including a plurality of pixels into the line memories; a skew correction unit that performs skew correction on the image data by sequentially reading the image data from the line memories while controlling read timing; and a counter that sequentially reads the image data from the line memories and counts toner consumption of a target pixel on the basis of light amounts of surrounding pixels of the target pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masayuki Hayashi, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Kunihiro Komai, Hiroaki Ikeda, Motoyoshi Takahashi, Fuminori Tsuchiya, Akinori Yamaguchi, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yasuo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8774700
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading part configured to optically read skew amount measurement patterns and opposite ends of a paper sheet; an image skew amount detecting part configured to detect skew amounts on a color basis based on the skew amount measurement patterns; a paper sheet skew amount detecting part configured to detect a skew amount of the paper sheet based on a displacement between the opposite ends of the paper sheet; a skew correction amount calculating part configured to calculate skew correction amounts of the respective colors based on the skew amounts; and a skew correcting part configured to shift the images to correct the skews by recording input image data in plural lines of a line memory, dividing the input image data into plural areas in a main scanning direction, and setting line delay amounts on an area basis based on the skew correction amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shikama, Tatsuya Miyadera, Izumi Kinoshita, Kunihiro Komai, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Akinori Yamaguchi, Takuhei Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20140153010
    Abstract: An optical-writing control device calculates correction values for use in correcting a transfer position at which developing-agent images are to be transferred onto a sheet, and overlaying positions at which the developing-agent images are to be overlaid, based on a detection signal output from a sensor upon detection of a correction pattern for use in correcting the transfer position and a correction pattern for use in correcting the overlaying positions. A timing of detecting the pattern for use in correcting the overlaying positions is determined based on a correction value calculated based on the detection signal output upon detection of the pattern for use in correcting the transfer position. The pattern for use in correcting the transfer position is caused to have a width, in the main-scanning direction, that is wider than the width in the main-scanning direction of the pattern for use in correcting the overlaying positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Tatsuya MIYADERA, MASAYUKI HAYASHI, MOTOHIRO KAWANABE, YOSHINORI SHIRASAKI, MASATOSHI MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20140153042
    Abstract: A data transmitting device is provided. The data transmitting device includes plural bundles of signal lines, each of which includes flatly arranged plural signal lines and which are overlaid in such a manner that surfaces of the bundles of signal lines are contacted with each other while the signal lines extend in a same direction, wherein signal transmission and reception are performed through the signal lines; a transmission timing adjuster to adjust signal transmission timing for each of the plural bundles of signal lines; and a transmission timing controller to perform time division control such that the transmission timing adjuster adjusts the signal transmission timing under the time division control for each of the plural bundles of signal lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro KAWANABE, Tatsuya MIYADERA, Masayuki HAYASHI, Yoshinori SHIRASAKI, Masatoshi MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20140152754
    Abstract: An optical writing control device includes a light emission control unit that controls light emission of a light source to exposes a photosensitive element. The light emission control unit is configured to draw two patterns as patterns for correction used to correct a transfer position of a developer image obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive element, the two patterns including a narrow width pattern where a width of the pattern corresponds to a width of a detection area of a sensor that detects the patterns, in the main-scanning direction, and a wide width pattern having a wider width than the narrow width pattern, and control the light emission, after calculation of a correction value based on a detection signal of the wide width pattern is properly completed, in a manner where the narrow width pattern is drawn upon the calculation of the correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masatoshi MURAKAMI, Tatsuya MIYADERA, Masayuki HAYASHI, Yoshinori SHIRASAKI, Motohiro KAWANABE
  • Patent number: 8744293
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive element; a writing light source; a conveying unit; a light-emitting unit; a detection unit; a writing control unit; and an adjustment unit. The detection unit detects reflected light from a recording medium. The writing control unit controls the writing light source based on operational timing when a signal output from the detection unit turns to a fixed threshold. The adjustment unit acquires information of a gloss level of the recording medium, and adjusts light emission intensity of the light-emitting unit according to the acquired information of the gloss level in such a manner that a signal output from the detection unit when the light-emitting unit irradiates a plain region of the recording medium approximates a certain reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shirasaki, Tatsuya Miyadera, Tomohiro Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20140146371
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including, at least, an image data storage unit that stores image data; an inclination amount detection unit that detects a first inclination amount of a portion of the image data spanning from one end to the other end relative to a main scanning direction; an inclination amount storage unit that stores, when a gradient of the image data changes at a point in the main scanning direction, a second inclination amount of a portion of the image data spanning from the one end to the point or from the other end to the point; a correction amount calculation unit that calculates correction amounts associated with the main scanning direction by switching, at the point, whether the first inclination amount is increased or decreased by the second inclination amount; and an image correction unit that corrects an image based on the correction amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Masayuki HAYASHI, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Masatoshi Murakami