Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Masaki Tsugawa

Hayato Fujita

Yuji Ikeda

Keita Maejima

Yohei Kushida

Natsuko Ishizuka

Kazuyuki Sato

Shingo Nishizaki

Kazumasa Koike

Makoto Higashiyama

Toyokazu Aoki

Masatoshi Inoue

Emiko Kawarasaki

A water content measuring device measures water content of an object to be measured. The water content measuring device includes two plate members that are disposed facing each other, a current generating unit, a measuring unit, and an arithmetic processing unit. The current generating unit generates current supplied between the two plate members. The measuring unit measures electrostatic capacitance generated by the current supplied between the two plate members. The arithmetic processing unit is configured to convert the electrostatic capacitance measured by the measuring unit to water content. Two plate members each have a shape or are disposed such that at least two points on a leading edge of the object enter between the two plate members at different timings in a direction perpendicular to a passing direction in which the object passes through the two plate members.

Water content measuring device, measuring method, and image forming device

A thickness detector includes a rotator having different shape marks, disposed at different positions in a rotation direction; an opposing member disposed opposite the rotator; a detector to detect and output a displacement amount of the rotator or the opposing member in a sheet thickness direction; and a controller. The controller is configured to acquire first output values for one rotation from the detector, in a state without sheet; determine, based on a value output from the detector, whether one of the plurality of marks is detected in a state with the sheet held; acquire a predetermined number of second output values after one of the marks is detected; extract, from the first output values, values corresponding to the second output values, based on the value corresponding to the detected mark; and calculate a sheet thickness based on the second output values and the extracted first output values.

Thickness detector and image forming apparatus

A remaining powder amount detection device includes: a powder moving portion configured to change a distribution of powder in an inner space of a powder container containing the powder; a drive unit configured to drive the powder moving portion; a change value detector configured to detect a change value indicating a positional change of the powder container; and a remaining powder amount detector configured to detect a remaining amount of the powder contained in the powder container, based on the change value. The drive unit is configured to drive the powder moving portion so as to move the powder to near the change value detector. The remaining powder amount detector is configured to detect the remaining amount based on the change value in a state where the powder is moved to near the change value detector.

Remaining powder amount detection device, image forming device, and remaining powder amount detection method

An image forming apparatus includes a control unit that controls each component, a first storage unit that is a non-volatile and rewritable storage unit mounted on the control unit, a toner containing unit that contains toner to be used for an image forming, a second storage unit that is a non-volatile and rewritable storage unit mounted on the toner containing unit, and a detecting unit that detects an amount of the toner remained in the toner containing unit. The control unit stores count information into the second storage unit, the count information is copied from the second storage unit to the first storage unit, when the detecting unit detects that the amount of the toner remained in the toner containing unit is not enough, and the count information is kept on being stored into the first storage unit, until the toner containing unit is replaced with a new one.

Image forming apparatus, storage unit controlling method, and storage unit controlling program product

An image forming apparatus includes a rotating member that is rotatable, a communication medium, and a receiving unit. The communication medium that is attached to an outer circumference of the rotating member stores therein information on the rotating member and relays the information on the rotating member via wireless communication. The receiving unit receives the information on the rotating member from the communication medium.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Masaki Tsugawa