Patents by Inventor Yuko Harasawa

Yuko Harasawa 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: 5978617
    Abstract: An image transferring device incorporated in an image forming apparatus and capable of surely preventing a sheet from wrapping around a photoconductive element. The image transferring device includes a transfer belt contacting an image bearing member to form a nip portion and which is supported by first and second rollers. A contact electrode connected to a power source contacts the inner surface of the belt and is located downstream of the nip for applying a transfer bias to the belt. A discharge electrode is located downstream of the contact electrode and separate from the first and second rollers for dissipating transfer charge on the belt. A controller controls the power source such that a relation: I.sub.1 -I.sub.2 =I.sub.out is satisfied, where I.sub.1 is the transfer current, 1.sub.2 is the feedback current flowing from the discharge electrode and I.sub.out is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Takano, Itaru Matsuda, Yuko Harasawa
  • Patent number: 5897241
    Abstract: An image transferring device incorporated in an image forming apparatus and capable of surely preventing a sheet from wrapping around a photoconductive element. The image transferring device includes a transfer belt contacting an image bearing member to form a nip portion and which is supported by rollers one which is made from insulating material. A contact electrode contacts the inner surface of the belt and is located downstream of the nip for applying a transfer bias to the belt. A power source is connected to the contact electrode. A discharge electrode is located downstream of the contact electrode for dissipating transfer charge on the belt. A controller controls the power source such that a relation: I.sub.1 -I.sub.2=I.sub.out is satisfied, where I.sub.1 is the transfer current, I.sub.2 is the feedback current flowing from the discharge electrode and I.sub.out is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Takano, Itaru Matsuda, Yuko Harasawa
  • Patent number: 5666622
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a photoconductive element and a transfer belt, with an electrode or bias applicator located downstream from a nip formed between the photoconductive element and the transfer belt. Upstream from the nip, a roller is provided which can also act as an electrode, or which can be held in an electrically floating state. A bias voltage can be provided to the roller upstream from the nip, with the voltage equal to or less than the voltage applied to the downstream electrode so as form a potential gradient. In addition, the applied voltages can be varied based upon the position of a sheet of paper, or in response to changes in humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Harasawa, Itaru Matsuda, Satoshi Takano, Hideo Yu, Yasunori Kawaishi, Hideki Kamiyama, Toshiaki Motohashi, Mitsuru Takahashi, Takashi Bisaiji
  • Patent number: 5659843
    Abstract: An image transferring device for image forming equipment and capable of insuring desirable image transfer by obviating premature image transfer, print, and the leak of transfer bias. A belt causes a toner image to be transferred from an image carrier to a transfer medium while conveying it. A bias member applies a charge to the belt. A feedback current from the belt flows through a feedback electrode. A constant current control device executes constant current control such that the difference between a current to flow from the bias member to the belt and the feedback current to flow from the belt to the feedback electrode remains constant. The constant current control is based on PWM having a spatial frequency of either lower than 0.5 cycles/mm or higher than 1.5 cycles/mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Takano, Itaru Matsuda, Yuko Harasawa, Hitoshi Ishibashi, Masumi Sato, Megumi Otoshi
  • Patent number: 5640660
    Abstract: An image transferring device incorporated in an image forming apparatus and capable of surely preventing a sheet from wrapping around a photoconductive element and from being incompletely separated from a transfer belt. A transfer bias and discharge are effected to prevent changes in the resistances of the transfer belt and sheet ascribable to changes in environment from translating into changes in a current to flow to the photoconductive element, and to efficiently dissipate a charge deposited on the belt. Various members constituting the device are positioned relative to one another such that the discharging effect is achievable most effectively while preventing the transfer bias from causing dielectric breakdown in any constituent part. For example, if a discharge member is spaced from a transfer electrode by L.sub.3 and if the transfer electrode is spaced from a nip portion between the transfer belt and image bearing member by a distance L.sub.2, than L.sub.3 .gtoreq.L.sub.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Takano, Itaru Matsuda, Yuko Harasawa
  • Patent number: 5631725
    Abstract: In an image transfer device for an image forming equipment, a bias for image transfer is applied from a power source to an endless transfer belt via a bias roller. A current from the Transfer belt is released to ground via a ground electrode. Transfer control means variably controls a current I.sub.1 output from the power source that the difference between the current I.sub.1 and a current I.sub.2 flowing from the power source to the ground via the transfer belt, i,e., I.sub.out =I.sub.1 -1.sub.2 remains at a preselected target current. Setting means sets the target current on the basis of a set condition or conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Harasawa, Itaru Matsuda, Satoshi Takano, Akio Kutsuwada, Hirokazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 5557384
    Abstract: An image transferring device incorporated in an image forming apparatus and capable of surely preventing a sheet from wrapping around a photoconductive element and from being incompletely separated from a transfer belt. A transfer bias and discharge are effected to prevent changes in the resistances of the transfer belt and sheet ascribable to changes in environment front translating into changes in a current to flow to the photoconductive element, and to efficiently dissipate a charge deposited on the belt. Various members constituting the device are positioned relative to one another such that the discharging effect is achievable most effectively while preventing the transfer bias from causing dielectric breakdown in any constituent part. A bias roller is held in contact with the transfer belt which is made of a dielectric material. A current I.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Takano, Itaru Matsuda, Yuko Harasawa
  • Patent number: 5515146
    Abstract: An image forming device incorporated in an image forming apparatus and capable of cleaning a residual toner on a transfer belt. A transfer belt transports a sheet to a nip portion of an image carrier and the transfer belt. A transfer bias current It1 is applied to the transfer belt from a power source, so that a toner image on the image carrier is transferred to the sheet at the nip portion. A cleaning bias current It2 is applied to a cleaning bias roller which is held in contact with the transfer belt so as to transfer the residual toner and paper particles from the transfer belt to the cleaning bias roller. An electric current Ir is returned from the transfer belt to a transfer control board which is also connected to the power source. The transfer control board controls the current It1 to satisfy an equation "(It1+It2)-Ir=IOUT" where IOUT is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Harasawa, Itaru Matsuta, Satoshi Takano, Hirokazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 5495317
    Abstract: An image transfer device for a copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus. A transfer belt is rotated and applied with a charge from a first electrode in contact with the transfer belt to transfer a toner image from an image carrier to a transfer medium carried on the transfer belt or to the transfer belt itself. A second electrode contacts the transfer belt. A variable resistance element is connected between the second electrode and ground. A controller produces a ratio of a current applied from the first electrode to the transfer belt and a current from the transfer belt to the second electrode and controls a resistance of the variable resistance element such that the ratio has a predetermined value. Additionally, the resistance of the transfer belt to the variable resistance element is one of 1:1-100, 10:1-100 and 100:1-100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Itaru Matsuda, Satoshi Takano, Yuko Harasawa
  • Patent number: 5461461
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive element and a transfer belt, with an electrode or bias applicator located downstream from a nip formed between the photoconductive element and the transfer belt. Upstream from the nip, a roller is provided which can also act as an electrode, or which can be held in an electrically floating state. A bias voltage can also be provided to the roller upstream from the nip, with the voltage equal to or less than the voltage applied to the downstream electrode. In addition, the applied voltages can be varied based upon the position of a sheet of paper, or in response to changes in humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Harasawa, Itaru Matsuda, Satoshi Takano, Hideo Yu, Yasunori Kawaishi, Hideki Kamiyama, Toshiaki Motohashi, Mitsuru Takahashi, Takashi Bisaiji