Patents by Inventor Yuichiro Maeyama

Yuichiro Maeyama 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: 8593651
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading unit disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus, an image forming unit disposed below the image reading unit to form an image on a sheet fed from a sheet roll, a pair of flange members attached to both lateral ends of the sheet roll in a width direction of the sheet roll, a sheet roll supporter disposed below the image reading unit in a rear portion of the image forming apparatus to support the sheet roll, an opening through which the sheet roll is set to the sheet roll supporter, and a guide assembly provided at upper and lower parts of the opening to position at least one of the pair of flange members attached to the sheet roll in the width direction to guide the sheet roll to the sheet roll supporter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa, Shigeru Morinaga, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu
  • Publication number: 20130240593
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes: a sheet transporting unit that transports a sheet; a sheet guiding member that is divided into plural member portions and guides the sheet transported from the sheet transporting unit; and a common locating member that is arranged on sides of the sheet guiding member which sandwich the member portions of the sheet guiding member, and collectively locates and holds the member portions of the sheet guiding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Publication number: 20130195536
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device to cut a sheet conveyed through a conveyance path to a predetermined length, including a cutter casing movable in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction while retracted from the sheet conveyance path after cutting of the sheet, a movable member separate from the cutter casing in the sheet conveyance direction and movable in the sheet width direction, a connection member to connect the cutter casing and the movable member, and a restriction unit to transform a state of the cutter casing between a displacement restriction state in which displacement of the cutter casing is restricted during the cutting of the sheet and a released state in which the restriction of displacement of the cutter casing is released while the cutter casing is retracted from the sheet conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yoshinuma, Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Publication number: 20130095990
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a carnage, a sheet cutting device, a cutter position detecting device, and a controller. The cutting device includes a cutter and a cutter unit holding the cutter. A movement area of the carriage overlaps a movement area of the cutter unit in a thickness direction of a sheet. The detecting device detects a position of the cutter unit. The controller performs initial operation upon power on of the apparatus to move the cutter unit to a cutter home position located at one end of the movement area of the cutter unit. The cutter unit, after cutting the sheet, is movable in a width direction of the sheet with the cutter unit retracted from a sheet feed path in the thickness direction. The controller determines whether or not to perform the initial operation based on detection results of the detecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Toshihiro Yoshinuma
  • Publication number: 20120222531
    Abstract: A moving unit of a sheet cutting device is movable in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet feed direction in which a sheet of recording media is fed along a sheet feed path. A cutter holder accommodates a cutter, is connected to the moving unit and is rotatable in a thickness direction of the sheet relative to the moving unit. A guide member is disposed along the sheet width direction to guide the moving unit in the sheet width direction. A drawing member is mounted on the moving unit to draw the moving unit toward a downstream side in a cutting direction in which the cutter holder moves to cut the sheet. The moving unit is connected to the cutter holder at a position downstream in the cutting direction from an accommodated position of the cutter in the cutter holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato OGAWA, Kazuhiro WAKAMATSU, Masahiko YAMADA, Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Toshihiro YOSHINUMA
  • Publication number: 20120222532
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device includes a cutter holder, a moving unit, and a guide member. The cutter holder accommodates a cutter. The cutter has opposed blades opposing each other to cut a sheet of recording media fed along a sheet feed path of a feed guide plate unit. The moving unit holds the cutter holder and is movable in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet feed direction in which the sheet is fed along the sheet feed path. The guide member is disposed along the sheet width direction to guide the moving unit in the sheet width direction. The cutter holder partially overlaps with the feed guide plate unit in a thickness direction of the sheet perpendicular to both the sheet width direction and the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko YAMADA, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa, Toshihiro Yoshinuma
  • Publication number: 20120222530
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device includes a cutter holder, a moving unit, a connecting member, and a drawing member. The cutter holder accommodates a cutter. The cutter has opposed blades opposing each other to cut a sheet of recording media fed along a sheet feed path. The moving unit is disposed away from the cutter holder in a sheet feed direction in which the sheet is fed along the sheet feed path. The moving unit is reciprocally movable in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet feed direction. The connecting member connects the cutter holder to the moving unit. The drawing member is mounted on the moving unit to draw the moving unit in the sheet width direction. The cutter holder is pivotable around the connecting member in a thickness direction of the sheet relative to the moving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro YOSHINUMA, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Masahiko Yamada, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20120210838
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a carriage, a sheet cutting device, a cutter position detecting device, and a notification device. The carriage mounts the recording head and is reciprocally movable in a width direction of a sheet perpendicular to a sheet feed direction. The sheet cutting device includes a cutter and a cutter holder. A movement area of the carriage overlaps, in a thickness direction of the sheet, a movement area of the cutter holder in which the cutter holder moves to cut the sheet with the cutter. The cutter holder, after cutting the sheet, is movable in the width direction of the sheet with the cutter holder being retracted from the sheet feed path in the thickness direction of the sheet. The notification device notifies a user of an abnormality of the cutter holder based on a detection result of the cutter position detecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Masahiko Yamada, Masato Ogawa, Toshihiro Yoshinuma
  • Publication number: 20120140010
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a head holder, a cutter, and a cutter holder. The recording head ejects ink onto a sheet of recording media fed along a sheet feed path to record an image on the sheet. The head holder holds the recording head. The cutter includes opposed blades opposing each other with the sheet interposed therebetween. The cutter holder holds the cutter and is reciprocally movable in a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to a sheet feed direction in which the sheet is fed along the sheet feed path. The cutter holder is disposed downstream from the recording head in the sheet feed direction and within a width of the head holder in the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Ogawa, Masahiko Yamada, Yuichiro Maeyama, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Toshihiro Yoshinuma
  • Publication number: 20120140011
    Abstract: A sheet cutting device includes a cutter including opposed blades to cut a sheet fed along a sheet feed path to the device, a cutter holder holding the cutter and reciprocally movable in a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to a sheet feed direction in which the sheet is fed, and a guide member including a first path to guide the holder in the width direction of the sheet to cut the sheet with the cutter and a second path to guide the holder in the width direction after the sheet is cut. The second path is disposed away from the first path in a thickness direction of the sheet perpendicular to both the sheet feed direction and the width direction of the sheet. When the holder moves along the second path, the holder is retracted away from the sheet feed path in the thickness direction of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Yamada, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa, Toshihiro Yoshinuma
  • Publication number: 20120139987
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed device to feed a sheet along a sheet feed path, a sheet cutting device including a cutter and a cutter holder to cut the sheet to a desired length, a controller to control the sheet feed device and the cutter holder. The cutter holder holds the cutter and is reciprocally movable in a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to a sheet feed direction. The cutter holder, after cutting the sheet, is movable in the width direction with the cutter holder retracted away from the sheet feed path in a thickness direction of the sheet perpendicular to both the sheet feed direction and the width direction. The controller controls the sheet feed device to feed the sheet while the cutter holder moves in the width direction with the cutter holder retracted away from the sheet feed path in the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Masahiko Yamada, Masato Ogawa, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Toshihiro Yoshinuma
  • Patent number: 8167307
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes an image forming unit that forms an image and a conveyance unit that conveys a medium to be recorded opposing the image forming unit. The conveyance unit includes a platen member that guides the medium to be recorded and has plural suction holes formed therein, plural air chambers that the plural suction holes formed in the platen member face, and plural suction units that suction air inside the plural air chambers through the suction holes. At least two or more of the plural air chambers are arranged in a direction crossing a conveyance direction of the medium to be recorded. One of the plural air chambers is connected to one of the plural suction units, and one or two or more of the plural air chambers is connected to at least one of the plural suction units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Maeyama, Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Masato Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8132883
    Abstract: An inkjet-type image forming apparatus includes a recording head configured to eject ink to form an image; a carriage where the recording head is provided, the carriage being configured to reciprocate in a direction orthogonal to a sheet transport direction; a transport unit disposed upstream of a print area in the sheet transport direction, the transport unit being configured to intermittently transport a sheet to the print area; a transport control unit configured to control the transport unit; a platen guide plate; a suction unit configured to suction the sheet onto the platen guide plate; and a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Niihara, Mamoru Yorimoto, Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Publication number: 20110229242
    Abstract: A rolled paper driving apparatus includes supporting rollers that support rolled paper in such a manner that an axis line of the rolled paper extends between the supporting rollers, the rolled paper having a core pipe in a shape of a pile; a driving roller that is pressed onto an inner circumferential surface of the core pipe of the rolled paper and gives force to rotate the rolled paper; a driving force transmission part that rotates the driving roller; and a pressing force adjustment part that adjusts a state of the driving roller being pressed onto the inner circumferential surface of the core pipe of the rolled paper. The driving roller is disposed in the inside of a triangle that has vertexes corresponding to the supporting rollers and a center of the rolled paper, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru MORINAGA, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Masahiko Yamada, Takayuki Niihara, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8011611
    Abstract: In a recording medium transporting mechanism, a flange member is attached on either side of a roll paper and the flange member has a diameter smaller than a maximum outer diameter of a roll paper. Support rollers support a corresponding one of the flange members in a rotatable manner. The support rollers are moveable along the axis of rotation of the roll paper. The sum of an outer diameter of corresponding one of the flange members and the support rollers is greater than a maximum outer diameter of the roll paper. A rewinding roller of at least a length equivalent to a distance between both sets of support rollers when the sets of support rollers are farthest apart is engaged with a support roller within the set of support rollers and can rotate the flange member in a rewinding direction over a desired amount of continuous time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akito Yoshimaru, Yuichiro Maeyama, Yoshio Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20110211210
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading unit disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus, an image forming unit disposed below the image reading unit to form an image on a sheet fed from a sheet roll, a pair of flange members attached to both lateral ends of the sheet roll in a width direction of the sheet roll, a sheet roll supporter disposed below the image reading unit in a rear portion of the image forming apparatus to support the sheet roll, an opening through which the sheet roll is set to the sheet roll supporter, and a guide assembly provided at upper and lower parts of the opening to position at least one of the pair of flange members attached to the sheet roll in the width direction to guide the sheet roll to the sheet roll supporter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa, Shigeru Morinaga, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu
  • Publication number: 20110064497
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters, an upper edge of the opening for the upper sheet roll supporter having a sloped portion tilting downward from the front surface to the back of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Masato Ogawa, Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Publication number: 20110063644
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading unit to read an image of a document, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; an image forming unit to form the image on a sheet, disposed below the image reading unit; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters from a front surface side of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20110057380
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes an image forming unit that forms an image and a conveyance unit that conveys a medium to be recorded opposing the image forming unit. The conveyance unit includes a platen member that guides the medium to be recorded and has plural suction holes formed therein, plural air chambers that the plural suction holes formed in the platen member face, and plural suction units that suction air inside the plural air chambers through the suction holes. At least two or more of the plural air chambers are arranged in a direction crossing a conveyance direction of the medium to be recorded. One of the plural air chambers is connected to one of the plural suction units, and one or two or more of the plural air chambers is connected to at least one of the plural suction units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro MAEYAMA, Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Masato Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7735828
    Abstract: In a sheet conveyance device, a plurality of driving rollers opposes a plurality of driven rollers to form nip portions between the plurality of driving rollers and the plurality of driven rollers. A center portion of a driving shaft for supporting the plurality of driving rollers in an axial direction of the driving shaft is bent downstream in a sheet conveyance direction so that the plurality of driving rollers is shifted downstream in the sheet conveyance direction and tilted with respect to the sheet conveyance direction in a V-like shape about a center line in a width direction of a sheet. The plurality of driven rollers is shifted downstream in the sheet conveyance direction by an amount determined by an amount by which the plurality of driving rollers is shifted downstream in the sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Maeyama