Patents by Inventor Yuta Moriwaki
Yuta Moriwaki 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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Patent number: 11761973Abstract: A liquid surface imaging device includes an irradiator including a plurality of lightings, the irradiator configured to irradiate a liquid surface in a nozzle of a liquid discharge head with lights emitted from the plurality of lightings, and an imaging device configured to image the liquid surface. The plurality of lightings is arranged point-symmetrically with a center of the irradiator as a point of symmetry.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuta Moriwaki, Atsushi Yamamoto, Taku Hatakeyama, Takashi Watanabe
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Patent number: 11420442Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge device configured to discharge a liquid onto a discharge target from nozzles on a discharge surface of the liquid discharge device in a liquid discharge direction, an adhesion part including an adhesion surface to which mist of the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge device adheres, and a detector including a detection surface facing the adhesion surface of the adhesion part, the detector configured to detect a surface state of the adhesion surface of the adhesion part. The detection surface of the detector is above the discharge surface of the liquid discharge device in the liquid discharge direction, and the adhesion part is configured to move to change the adhesion surface facing the detection surface of the detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Yuta Moriwaki
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Patent number: 11312150Abstract: A liquid surface imaging device includes an irradiator including a plurality of lightings, the irradiator configured to irradiate a liquid surface in a nozzle of a liquid discharge head with lights emitted from the plurality of lightings, and an imaging device configured to image the liquid surface. The plurality of lightings is arranged point-asymmetrically with a center of the imaging device as a point of symmetry.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Yuta Moriwaki
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Publication number: 20210252866Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge device configured to discharge a liquid onto a discharge target from nozzles on a discharge surface of the liquid discharge device in a liquid discharge direction, an adhesion part including an adhesion surface to which mist of the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge device adheres, and a detector including a detection surface facing the adhesion surface of the adhesion part, the detector configured to detect a surface state of the adhesion surface of the adhesion part. The detection surface of the detector is above the discharge surface of the liquid discharge device in the liquid discharge direction, and the adhesion part is configured to move to change the adhesion surface facing the detection surface of the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventor: Yuta MORIWAKI
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Publication number: 20210060968Abstract: A liquid surface imaging device includes an irradiator including a plurality of lightings, the irradiator configured to irradiate a liquid surface in a nozzle of a liquid discharge head with lights emitted from the plurality of lightings, and an imaging device configured to image the liquid surface. The plurality of lightings is arranged point-asymmetrically with a center of the imaging device as a point of symmetry.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventor: Yuta MORIWAKI
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Publication number: 20210063427Abstract: A liquid surface imaging device includes an irradiator including a plurality of lightings, the irradiator configured to irradiate a liquid surface in a nozzle of a liquid discharge head with lights emitted from the plurality of lightings, and an imaging device configured to image the liquid surface. The plurality of lightings is arranged point-symmetrically with a center of the irradiator as a point of symmetry.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Yuta Moriwaki, Atsushi Yamamoto, Taku Hatakeyama, Takashi Watanabe
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Patent number: 10576749Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a liquid discharge head, a circulation channel through which a liquid is circulated via the liquid discharge head, a first liquid feed pump to supply the liquid to the liquid discharge head in a circulation direction, a second liquid feed pump to collect the liquid from the liquid discharge head in the circulation direction, a filter disposed in the circulation channel upstream from the first liquid feed pump and downstream from the second liquid feed pump in the circulation direction, and a decompression-side reverse channel to bypass the second liquid feed pump. One end of the decompression-side reverse channel is connected to the circulation channel upstream from the second liquid feed pump, and another end of the decompression-side reverse channel is connected to the circulation channel downstream from the filter in the circulation direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2018Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Yuta Moriwaki
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Patent number: 10549543Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including a supply port, a recovery port, and nozzles to discharge a liquid from the nozzles, a circulation channel connected to the supply port and the recovery port of the liquid discharge head to circulate the liquid through the liquid discharge head, and a cap to cap a nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head in which the nozzles are formed and to suck the liquid from the nozzles in a maintenance operation. The circulation channel includes an individual supply channel communicating with the supply port of the liquid discharge head, an individual recovery channel communicating with the recovery port of the liquid discharge head to circulate the liquid through the liquid discharge head, a supply-side fluid resistance variable section disposed in the individual supply channel to vary fluid a resistance of the individual supply channel.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2019Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takaya Kubodera, Yuta Moriwaki
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Patent number: 10391779Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a plurality of liquid discharge heads to discharge liquid, and a plurality of head tanks communicating with the plurality of liquid discharge heads, respectively. Each of the plurality of head tanks includes a liquid chamber to store the liquid and a gas chamber separated from the liquid chamber by a diaphragm, and the gas chamber of one of the plurality of head tanks communicates with the gas chamber of another of the plurality of head tanks.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2018Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Yuta Moriwaki, Satoru Yoshida
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Publication number: 20190232676Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including a supply port, a recovery port, and nozzles to discharge a liquid from the nozzles, a circulation channel connected to the supply port and the recovery port of the liquid discharge head to circulate the liquid through the liquid discharge head, and a cap to cap a nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head in which the nozzles are formed and to suck the liquid from the nozzles in a maintenance operation. The circulation channel includes an individual supply channel communicating with the supply port of the liquid discharge head, an individual recovery channel communicating with the recovery port of the liquid discharge head to circulate the liquid through the liquid discharge head, a supply-side fluid resistance variable section disposed in the individual supply channel to vary fluid a resistance of the individual supply channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Inventors: Takaya KUBODERA, Yuta Moriwaki
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Patent number: 10173436Abstract: There is provided a liquid circulation apparatus for circulating liquid through a plurality of discharge heads that includes discharge nozzles. The liquid circulation apparatus includes a liquid circulating channel to circulate the liquid via the plurality of discharge heads, a first manifold connected to each supply port of the plurality of discharge heads, a second manifold connected to each discharge port of the plurality of discharge heads, a discharging channel to discharge the liquid in the second manifold, and a bubble-discharging channel separate from the discharging channel, to discharge bubbles in the second manifold.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2017Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Yoshida, Yuta Moriwaki, Tomomi Katoh
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Publication number: 20180370245Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a liquid discharge head, a circulation channel through which a liquid is circulated via the liquid discharge head, a first liquid feed pump to supply the liquid to the liquid discharge head in a circulation direction, a second liquid feed pump to collect the liquid from the liquid discharge head in the circulation direction, a filter disposed in the circulation channel upstream from the first liquid feed pump and downstream from the second liquid feed pump in the circulation direction, and a decompression-side reverse channel to bypass the second liquid feed pump. One end of the decompression-side reverse channel is connected to the circulation channel upstream from the second liquid feed pump, and another end of the decompression-side reverse channel is connected to the circulation channel downstream from the filter in the circulation direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventor: Yuta MORIWAKI
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Publication number: 20180339519Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a plurality of liquid discharge heads to discharge liquid, and a plurality of head tanks communicating with the plurality of liquid discharge heads, respectively. Each of the plurality of head tanks includes a liquid chamber to store the liquid and a gas chamber separated from the liquid chamber by a diaphragm, and the gas chamber of one of the plurality of head tanks communicates with the gas chamber of another of the plurality of head tanks.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2018Publication date: November 29, 2018Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Yuta Moriwaki, Satoru Yoshida
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Publication number: 20180147854Abstract: There is provided a liquid circulation apparatus for circulating liquid through a plurality of discharge heads that includes discharge nozzles. The liquid circulation apparatus includes a liquid circulating channel to circulate the liquid via the plurality of discharge heads, a first manifold connected to each supply port of the plurality of discharge heads, a second manifold connected to each discharge port of the plurality of discharge heads, a discharging channel to discharge the liquid in the second manifold, and a bubble-discharging channel separate from the discharging channel, to discharge bubbles in the second manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2017Publication date: May 31, 2018Inventors: Satoru YOSHIDA, Yuta MORIWAKI, Tomomi KATOH
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Patent number: 9969169Abstract: A liquid discharger comprises a head including a nozzle face and a nozzle that discharges liquid droplets, the nozzle formed on the nozzle face, a carriage that mounts the moves the head in a train scanning direction, a driver that moves the carriage in the main scanning direction, a cap that contacts and covers the nozzle face, a cap mover that moves the cap between a capping position, in which the cap contacts the nozzle face, and an evacuation position, in which the cap is separated from the nozzle face, and processing circuitry configured to judge whether a capping failure has occurred based on a driving force that is measured when the carriage starts to move in the main scanning direction after the cap mover moves the cap to the capping position.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2016Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuta Moriwaki, Takahiko Sugiura
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Publication number: 20170106655Abstract: A liquid discharger comprises a head including a nozzle face and a nozzle that discharges liquid droplets, the nozzle formed on the nozzle face, a carriage that mounts the moves the head in a train scanning direction, a driver that moves the carriage in the main scanning direction, a cap that contacts and covers the nozzle face, a cap mover that moves the cap between a capping position, in which the cap contacts the nozzle face, and an evacuation position, in which the cap is separated from the nozzle face, and processing circuitry configured to judge whether a capping failure has occurred based on a driving force that is measured when the carriage starts to move in the main scanning direction after the cap mover moves the cap to the capping position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2016Publication date: April 20, 2017Inventors: Yuta MORIWAKI, Takahiko SUGIURA
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Patent number: 9486999Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, a temperature detector, a memory, and a controller. The temperature detector detects a temperature of the liquid discharge head. The memory stores the temperature of the liquid discharge head detected with the temperature detector. The controller controls a bubble purge operation to purge bubbles in the liquid discharge head. When a current temperature of the liquid discharge head acquired by the temperature detector is higher than a stored temperature stored in the memory and a deviation of the acquired current temperature and the stored temperature is equal to or more than a predefined threshold value, the controller executes control to execute the bubble purge operation, and when the current temperature acquired by the temperature detector is lower than the stored temperature, the controller executes control to update the stored temperature stored and retained in the memory with the acquired current temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuta Moriwaki, Hiroshi Sawase
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Publication number: 20160129693Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, a temperature detector, a memory, and a controller. The temperature detector detects a temperature of the liquid discharge head. The memory stores the temperature of the liquid discharge head detected with the temperature detector. The controller controls a bubble purge operation to purge bubbles in the liquid discharge head. When a current temperature of the liquid discharge head acquired by the temperature detector is higher than a stored temperature stored in the memory and a deviation of the acquired current temperature and the stored temperature is equal to or more than a predefined threshold value, the controller executes control to execute the bubble purge operation, and when the current temperature acquired by the temperature detector is lower than the stored temperature, the controller executes control to update the stored temperature stored and retained in the memory with the acquired current temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yuta Moriwaki, Hiroshi Sawase
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Patent number: 9126795Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an output unit, a pair of output rotary bodies, and a controller. A sheet having an image formed thereon is discharged to the output unit. When plural sheets are sequentially discharged to the output unit, the controller controls overlapping output operation to, with a trailing end portion of a preceding sheet of the plural sheets being held by the pair of output rotary bodies, feed a subsequent sheet of the sheets to between the pair of output rotary bodies to overlap a leading end portion of the subsequent sheet with the trailing end portion of the preceding sheet. With the leading end portion of the subsequent sheet overlapped with the trailing end portion of the preceding sheet, the controller controls the pair of output rotary bodies to rotate to discharge the preceding sheet to the output unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Naoki Saitoh, Tomomi Katoh, Hiroshi Noda, Yuta Moriwaki
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Patent number: 9050810Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a cap member, and release valves. The head has a nozzle face with nozzles to eject liquid droplets. The head is placed in the apparatus body so as to eject the droplets obliquely downward in any of the vertical or horizontal arrangement of the apparatus body. The cap member caps the nozzle face and has openings at opposed ends in a longitudinal direction of the cap member to communicate an inside of the cap member with an outside of the cap member. The valves open and close the openings relative to an atmosphere. One of the valves placed higher than another one of the valves in accordance with the vertical or horizontal arrangement is configured to open the inside of the cap member to the atmosphere through one of the openings placed higher than another one of the openings.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tetsuya Kaneko, Yuta Moriwaki