Patents by Inventor Yukio Otome

Yukio Otome 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: 20240131842
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: multiple nozzles; multiple individual chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles; a common chamber communicating with each of the multiple individual chambers; multiple fluid restrictors between each of the multiple individual chambers and the common chamber; and multiple actuators driven to cause a liquid in the multiple individual chambers to be discharged from the multiple nozzles, a meniscus formed at each of the multiple nozzles has a natural period of vibration different from each of: a resonant period of the common chamber; half of the resonant period of the common chamber; and a quarter of the resonant period of the common chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Yukio OTOME, Tomoaki MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20220126575
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge a liquid, a pressure generation chamber facing the nozzle, a common liquid chamber to supply the liquid to the pressure generation chamber, a fluid restrictor communicating with the pressure generation chamber, and a guide channel communicating with the fluid restrictor and the common liquid chamber. The guide channel includes a first adjacent portion communicating with the fluid restrictor. The pressure generation chamber has a first resonance period, and the guide channel has a second resonance period different from the first resonance period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Yukio OTOME, Takayuki NAKAI
  • Patent number: 11207888
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge a liquid, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber to supply the liquid to the individual chamber, and a discharge channel communicating with the individual chamber to discharge the liquid in the individual chamber. A fluid resistance of the supply channel is greater than a fluid resistance of the discharge channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Iwata, Takahiro Yoshida, Yukio Otome, Tomoaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 10864746
    Abstract: A liquid circulating apparatus includes a circulation route configured to circulate liquid through a liquid ejecting head, the circulation route including: a supply-side tank leading to a supply port of the liquid ejecting head; and a discharge-side tank leading to a discharge port of the liquid ejecting head, wherein the liquid is circulated by setting pressure in the supply-side tank higher than pressure in the discharge-side tank, and a sum of the pressure in the supply-side tank and the pressure in the discharge-side tank is set smaller when initial filling for filling the circulation route with the liquid is performed than when the liquid is circulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Otome, Takahiro Yoshida, Takayuki Nakai, Ryuji Yoshida, Junichi Iwata
  • Publication number: 20200346457
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge a liquid, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber to supply the liquid to the individual chamber, and a discharge channel communicating with the individual chamber to discharge the liquid in the individual chamber. A fluid resistance of the supply channel is greater than a fluid resistance of the discharge channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Junichi Iwata, Takahiro Yoshida, Yukio Otome, Tomoaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 10759165
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge a liquid, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber to supply the liquid to the individual chamber, and a discharge channel communicating with the individual chamber to discharge the liquid in the individual chamber. A fluid resistance of the supply channel is greater than a fluid resistance of the discharge channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Iwata, Takahiro Yoshida, Yukio Otome, Tomoaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 10399355
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid, a plurality of individual chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of discharge channels communicating with the plurality of individual chambers, a plurality of supply-side common chambers connected to the plurality of individual chambers, and a plurality of discharge-side common chambers connected to the plurality of discharge channels. The plurality of discharge-side common chamber has a same fluid resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakai, Toshimichi Odaka, Takakazu Kihira, Takahiro Yoshida, Shiomi Andou, Yukio Otome, Katsuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 10286666
    Abstract: An ink discharge device is provided including an ink, an ink discharge head, and a circulator. The ink discharge head includes a nozzle, an individual liquid chamber communicated with the nozzle, a flow-in channel, and a flow-out channel. The circulator circulates the ink by letting the ink flow into the individual liquid chamber via the flow-in channel and flow out from the individual liquid chamber via the flow-out channel. A flow rate of the circulated ink is 0.10 to 1.50 times a maximum dischargeable rate of the ink discharge head. A dynamic surface tension A of the ink at 25° C. is 34.0 mN/m or less when measured by a maximum bubble pressure method at a surface lifetime of 15 msec, and the dynamic surface tension A and a static surface tension B of the ink at 25° C. satisfy the following relation: 10.0(%)?[(A?B)/(A+B)]×100?19.0(%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Ishikawa, Hiroshi Gotou, Takahiro Yoshida, Yukio Otome
  • Patent number: 10179452
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is discharged, a plurality of individual-liquid-chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a plurality of individual-drainage-channels communicating with the plurality of individual-liquid-chambers, respectively, a drainage-side common-liquid-chamber communicating with each of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels, a filter having filter holes and disposed between the plurality of individual-drainage-channels and the drainage-side common-liquid-chamber, and an intermediate-drainage-channel disposed between the filter and the plurality of individual-drainage-channels. The intermediate-drainage-channel faces the filter and communicates with two or more of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Iwama, Yukio Otome, Takahiro Yoshida, Takakazu Kihira, Takayuki Nakai, Shiomi Andou, Isamu Suzuki, Ryuji Yoshida, Kanshi Abe, Junichi Iwata, Katsuya Ishii, Toshimichi Odaka
  • Publication number: 20180272740
    Abstract: A liquid circulating apparatus includes a circulation route configured to circulate liquid through a liquid ejecting head, the circulation route including: a supply-side tank leading to a supply port of the liquid ejecting head; and a discharge-side tank leading to a discharge port of the liquid ejecting head, wherein the liquid is circulated by setting pressure in the supply-side tank higher than pressure in the discharge-side tank, and a sum of the pressure in the supply-side tank and the pressure in the discharge-side tank is set smaller when initial filling for filling the circulation route with the liquid is performed than when the liquid is circulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio OTOME, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Takayuki NAKAI, Ryuji YOSHIDA, Junichi IWATA
  • Publication number: 20180272709
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge a liquid, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber to supply the liquid to the individual chamber, and a discharge channel communicating with the individual chamber to discharge the liquid in the individual chamber. A fluid resistance of the supply channel is greater than a fluid resistance of the discharge channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Junichi IWATA, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Yukio OTOME, Tomoaki MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20180272743
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid, a plurality of individual chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of discharge channels communicating with the plurality of individual chambers, a plurality of supply-side common chambers connected to the plurality of individual chambers, and a plurality of discharge-side common chambers connected to the plurality of discharge channels. The plurality of discharge-side common chamber has a same fluid resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakai, Toshimichi Odaka, Takakazu Kihira, Takahiro Yoshida, Shiomi Andou, Yukio Otome, Katsuya Ishii
  • Publication number: 20180194135
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is discharged, a plurality of individual-liquid-chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a plurality of individual-drainage-channels communicating with the plurality of individual-liquid-chambers, respectively, a drainage-side common-liquid-chamber communicating with each of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels, a filter having filter holes and disposed between the plurality of individual-drainage-channels and the drainage-side common-liquid-chamber, and an intermediate-drainage-channel disposed between the filter and the plurality of individual-drainage-channels. The intermediate-drainage-channel faces the filter and communicates with two or more of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Masami IWAMA, Yukio OTOME, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Takakazu KIHIRA, Takayuki NAKAI, Shiomi ANDOU, Isamu SUZUKI, Ryuji YOSHIDA, Kanshi ABE, Junichi IWATA, Katsuya ISHll, Toshimichi ODAKA
  • Publication number: 20180126731
    Abstract: An ink discharge device is provided including an ink, an ink discharge head, and a circulator. The ink discharge head includes a nozzle, an individual liquid chamber communicated with the nozzle, a flow-in channel, and a flow-out channel. The circulator circulates the ink by letting the ink flow into the individual liquid chamber via the flow-in channel and flow out from the individual liquid chamber via the flow-out channel. A flow rate of the circulated ink is 0.10 to 1.50 times a maximum dischargeable rate of the ink discharge head. A dynamic surface tension A of the ink at 25° C. is 34.0 mN/m or less when measured by a maximum bubble pressure method at a surface lifetime of 15 msec, and the dynamic surface tension A and a static surface tension B of the ink at 25° C. satisfy the following relation: 10.0(%)?[(A?B)/(A+B)]×100?19.0(%).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Masahiko ISHIKAWA, Hiroshi Gotou, Takahiro Yoshida, Yukio Otome
  • Patent number: 9815285
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a channel plate. The channel plate includes a fluid restrictor, a channel, a first plate member, and a second plate member. The channel is disposed on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the fluid restrictor in a direction of flow of liquid. The channel has a greater width than a width of the fluid restrictor in a direction perpendicular to the direction of flow of liquid in an in-plane direction. The first plate member has a through hole including at least one broad portion and a narrow portion. The narrow portion is the fluid restrictor. The second plate member includes at least one through hole constituting part of the channel with the broad portion. The through hole is disposed opposite an end of the narrow portion at which the narrow portion is connected to the broad portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio Otome, Takahiro Yoshida, Takayuki Nakai, Shiomi Andou, Kanshi Abe, Kenshiroh Munetomo, Toshimichi Odaka
  • Publication number: 20170157924
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a channel plate. The channel plate includes a fluid restrictor, a channel, a first plate member, and a second plate member. The channel is disposed on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the fluid restrictor in a direction of flow of liquid. The channel has a greater width than a width of the fluid restrictor in a direction perpendicular to the direction of flow of liquid in an in-plane direction. The first plate member has a through hole including at least one broad portion and a narrow portion. The narrow portion is the fluid restrictor. The second plate member includes at least one through hole constituting part of the channel with the broad portion. The through hole is disposed opposite an end of the narrow portion at which the narrow portion is connected to the broad portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio OTOME, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Takayuki NAKAI, Shiomi ANDOU, Kanshi ABE, Kenshiroh MUNETOMO, Toshimichi ODAKA
  • Patent number: 9658576
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer, a developer regulator, a casing including an opposing face to oppose the developer bearer upstream from a developing range in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer, and first, second, and third seals. The first seal includes a first end secured to the casing and a second end to contact a latent image bearer upstream from the developing range in a direction of rotation of the latent image bearer. The second seal includes a first end secured to the opposing face of the casing, and a second end to contact the first seal upstream from the developing range. The third seal includes a first end secured to the opposing face of the casing, and a second end to contact developer on the developer bearer between the developer regulator and the developing range in the direction of rotation of the developer bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kimura, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Junichi Terai, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Yukio Otome, Hiroaki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9529297
    Abstract: A developing device to develop a latent image on a rotatable image bearer includes an upstream developing roller disposed opposite the image bearer at a first developing position, and a downstream developing roller disposed adjacent to and downstream from the upstream developing roller in a direction of rotation of the image bearer, disposed opposite the image bearer at a second developing position. Each of the upstream developing roller and the downstream developing roller has a most approachable surface that approaches closest to the image bearer and a most withdrawn surface that withdraws farthest from the image bearer. In a state in which a reference surface point of the image bearer is disposed opposite the most approachable surface of the upstream developing roller at the first developing position, the reference surface point opposes the most withdrawn surface of the downstream developing roller at the second developing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okamoto, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Junichi Terai, Hideki Kimura, Hiroshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9507313
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removable unit to be removably installed in the image forming apparatus, having a unit-side opening, a connectable device having an apparatus-side opening to be connected to the unit-side opening to send developer from one of the removable unit and the connectable device to the other, a receptacle disposed below the unit-side opening and the apparatus-side opening to receive and store developer dropping from above, and a drawer unit to be retractably drawn out from the image forming apparatus. The receptacle is united with the drawer unit to be drawn out from the image forming apparatus together with the drawer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Terai, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Yukio Otome, Hideki Kimura, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9395652
    Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer bearer to bear developer on a surface thereof, first and second developer conveyors each having a spiral blade mounted on a rotary shaft thereof parallel to a rotary axis of the developer bearer to convey developer in opposite directions to each other. A developer drain hole is provided at a given height in a side wall of a second developer conveyance channel to face a communication opening across the second developer conveyor. The first developer conveyor rotates in a direction with its spiral blade rising between the rotary shaft of the first developer conveyor and the communication opening. Rotational phases of the first developer conveyor and the second developer conveyor are fixed and synchronized with each other to weaken momentum of developer flow generated by the first developer conveyor toward the developer drain hole via the second developer conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kikuchi, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Junichi Terai, Hideki Kimura, Yukio Otome, Hiroaki Okamoto, Kazunori Suzuki