Patents by Inventor Yuuji OHMURA

Yuuji OHMURA 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: 11279155
    Abstract: A conveyance control device is configured to control conveyance of a sheet-shaped recording medium onto which a liquid is discharged by a liquid discharge device. The conveyance control device includes a conveyance driving roller, a non-contact conveyor, and processing circuitry. The conveyance driving roller is configured to control a conveyance speed of the recording medium. The non-contact conveyor includes a non-contact conveyance roller that constitutes part of a conveyance path of the recording medium. The non-contact conveyance roller has an outer peripheral surface in a non-contact state with the recording medium during conveyance of the recording medium. The processing circuitry is configured to control at least one of an operation of the conveyance driving roller and an operation of the non-contact conveyance roller such that a speed of the outer peripheral surface of the non-contact conveyance roller becomes a prescribed speed faster than the conveyance speed of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20200290378
    Abstract: A conveyance control device is configured to control conveyance of a sheet-shaped recording medium onto which a liquid is discharged by a liquid discharge device. The conveyance control device includes a conveyance driving roller, a non-contact conveyor, and processing circuitry. The conveyance driving roller is configured to control a conveyance speed of the recording medium. The non-contact conveyor includes a non-contact conveyance roller that constitutes part of a conveyance path of the recording medium. The non-contact conveyance roller has an outer peripheral surface in a non-contact state with the recording medium during conveyance of the recording medium. The processing circuitry is configured to control at least one of an operation of the conveyance driving roller and an operation of the non-contact conveyance roller such that a speed of the outer peripheral surface of the non-contact conveyance roller becomes a prescribed speed faster than the conveyance speed of the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji OHMURA
  • Patent number: 10596833
    Abstract: A conveying device includes a rotator, a drier, and a conveyance direction changer. The rotator winds a web-shaped recording medium around a predetermined region of an outer peripheral surface of the rotator with one side of the web-shaped recording medium facing outward and conveys the recording medium with rotation. The drier is disposed downstream from the rotator in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, to dry and convey the recording medium. The conveyance direction changer is disposed on a conveyance path of the recording medium between the rotator and the drier. The conveyance direction changer has an outer peripheral surface that includes an opposed region opposed to the one side of the recording medium. The opposed region has openings to blow gas toward the one side of the recording medium. The rotator and the drier are disposed at positions not overlapping with each other in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Hashimoto, Satoshi Takanashi, Genichiro Kawamichi, Hironobu Murai, Yuuji Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20190047298
    Abstract: A conveying device includes a rotator, a drier, and a conveyance direction changer. The rotator winds a web-shaped recording medium around a predetermined region of an outer peripheral surface of the rotator with one side of the web-shaped recording medium facing outward and conveys the recording medium with rotation. The drier is disposed downstream from the rotator in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, to dry and convey the recording medium. The conveyance direction changer is disposed on a conveyance path of the recording medium between the rotator and the drier. The conveyance direction changer has an outer peripheral surface that includes an opposed region opposed to the one side of the recording medium. The opposed region has openings to blow gas toward the one side of the recording medium. The rotator and the drier are disposed at positions not overlapping with each other in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Hashimoto, Satoshi Takanashi, Genichiro Kawamichi, Hironobu Murai, Yuuji Ohmura
  • Patent number: 9889679
    Abstract: An application device includes a conveyer to convey a recording medium, an application roller to apply a treatment liquid to the recording medium, a pressure roller to sandwich the recording medium with the application roller to press the recording medium against the application roller, and a winding member to form a curved conveying path to have the recording medium curved along a conveying direction to wind the recording medium around the pressure roller. The pressure roller comes in contact with the application roller when applying the treatment liquid and separates from the application roller when not applying the treatment liquid. A predetermined positional relationship is maintained between the pressure roller and the winding member while the pressure roller moves close to the application roller to be in contact with the application roller, or the pressure roller moves away from the application roller to be separated from the application roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akitomo Kuwabara, Kazuhiro Akatsu, Yutaka Nagasawa, Yuuji Ohmura, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Hirofumi Ohkushi
  • Patent number: 9798278
    Abstract: A recording medium heating device that can heat and dry a continuous recording medium, includes multiple heating rollers, including respective heaters, disposed on a conveying path of the recording medium; and a controller to control the heaters of the heating rollers. In a starting period during which the recording medium heating device is started, the controller sets temperatures of the heaters to starting temperatures where a temperature of a heating roller positioned closest to an exit side of the conveying path is lower than a temperature of a heating roller positioned away from the exit side of the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Nagayama, Takashi Ebihara, Genichiro Kawamichi, Yuuji Ohmura, Kahei Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20170165981
    Abstract: An application device includes a conveyer to convey a recording medium, an application roller to apply a treatment liquid to the recording medium, a pressure roller to sandwich the recording medium with the application roller to press the recording medium against the application roller, and a winding member to form a curved conveying path to have the recording medium curved along a conveying direction to wind the recording medium around the pressure roller. The pressure roller comes in contact with the application roller when applying the treatment liquid and separates from the application roller when not applying the treatment liquid. A predetermined positional relationship is maintained between the pressure roller and the winding member while the pressure roller moves close to the application roller to be in contact with the application roller, or the pressure roller moves away from the application roller to be separated from the application roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: RICHO COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akitomo Kuwabara, Kazuhiro Akatsu, Yutaka Nagasawa, Yuuji Ohmura, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Hirofumi Ohkushi
  • Patent number: 9616682
    Abstract: There is provided a process liquid coating apparatus comprising: a recording medium conveyance unit configured to convey a recording medium; a coating roller configured to rotate in accordance with the conveyed recording medium to apply process liquid on a surface of the recording medium; a pressure roller configured to cause the coating roller to apply the process liquid on the surface of the recording medium by forming an abutment part for nipping and pressing the recording medium with the coating roller; and a winding member configured to form a bent conveyance path along which the recording medium is bent with respect to a conveyance direction so that the recording medium is wound around the surface of the pressure roller, wherein the winding member is disposed adjacent to the pressure roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Akatsu, Yutaka Nagasawa, Akitomo Kuwabara, Yuuji Ohmura, Hirofumi Ohkushi, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Sho Sawahata
  • Publication number: 20160263913
    Abstract: There is provided a process liquid coating apparatus comprising: a recording medium conveyance unit configured to convey a recording medium; a coating roller configured to rotate in accordance with the conveyed recording medium to apply process liquid on a surface of the recording medium; a pressure roller configured to cause the coating roller to apply the process liquid on the surface of the recording medium by forming an abutment part for nipping and pressing the recording medium with the coating roller; and a winding member configured to form a bent conveyance path along which the recording medium is bent with respect to a conveyance direction so that the recording medium is wound around the surface of the pressure roller, wherein the winding member is disposed adjacent to the pressure roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro AKATSU, Yutaka NAGASAWA, Akitomo KUWABARA, Yuuji OHMURA, Hirofumi OHKUSHI, Hirotaka KOBAYASHI, Sho SAWAHATA
  • Patent number: 9375958
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; at least one image forming unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit; the outlet of the image forming unit matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; and the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuji Ohmura, Yasushi Hashimoto, Yoshikane Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9259947
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; at least one image forming unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit; the outlet of the image forming unit matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; and the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuji Ohmura, Yasushi Hashimoto, Yoshikane Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20150346659
    Abstract: A recording medium heating device that can heat and dry a continuous recording medium, includes multiple heating rollers, including respective heaters, disposed on a conveying path of the recording medium; and a controller to control the heaters of the heating rollers. In a starting period during which the recording medium heating device is started, the controller sets temperatures of the heaters to starting temperatures where a temperature of a heating roller positioned closest to an exit side of the conveying path is lower than a temperature of a heating roller positioned away from the exit side of the conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Shinji NAGAYAMA, Takashi Ebihara, Genichiro Kawamichi, Yuuji Ohmura, Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9150374
    Abstract: A dancer roller apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a dancer roller; a drive motor; and a dancer roller position changing unit, wherein the dancer roller position changing unit is provided with a one way clutch which allows the dancer roller to move in a long object slack direction, and wherein the drive motor is caused to rotate in a direction such that the dancer roller moves the one way clutch in a long object stretching direction during conveying of a long object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Patent number: 9025978
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body on which a toner image is formed; a transfer unit that functions to transfer the toner image formed on the image holding body onto a recording medium; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a gap between the transfer unit and the image holding body based on the rigidity of the recording medium, the recording medium being conveyed through the gap with respect to the image holding body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20140375741
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; at least one image forming unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit; the outlet of the image forming unit matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; and the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuji OHMURA, Yasushi HASHIMOTO, Yoshikane MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 8870328
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; at least one image forming unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit; the outlet of the image forming unit matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; and the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuji Ohmura, Yasushi Hashimoto, Yoshikane Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8613253
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including: a web conveyance unit that conveys a web; a printing unit that prints an image on the web; a web discharging unit that discharges the web on which the image is formed with the printing unit, the web discharging unit being placed downstream of the printing unit; and a web withdrawal unit that withdraws the web into the printing apparatus, the web withdrawal unit including a web withdrawal roller and at least one pressing roller. When the printing apparatus is in a print waiting state, the printing apparatus drives the web withdrawal roller intermittently, while a pressing force from the at least one of the pressing roller is maintained, so as to convey the web intermittently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20130277487
    Abstract: A dancer roller apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a dancer roller; a drive motor; and a dancer roller position changing unit, wherein the dancer roller position changing unit is provided with a one way clutch which allows the dancer roller to move in a long object slack direction, and wherein the drive motor is caused to rotate in a direction such that the dancer roller moves the one way clutch in a long object stretching direction during conveying of a long object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Yuuji OHMURA
  • Publication number: 20130201267
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; at least one image forming unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit; the outlet of the image forming unit matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; and the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuji OHMURA, Yasushi HASHIMOTO, Yoshikane MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120300235
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body on which a toner image is formed; a transfer unit that functions to transfer the toner image formed on the image holding body onto a recording medium; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a gap between the transfer unit and the image holding body based on the rigidity of the recording medium, the recording medium being conveyed through the gap with respect to the image holding body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuuji OHMURA