Patents Examined by David Banh
  • Patent number: 10226949
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a box-like housing, a tape mounted within the housing, a hole and a first indicator portion. The housing includes a top wall having a top surface, a bottom wall having a bottom surface and opposing the top wall, and a front wall having a specified height and being formed along peripheries of the top wall and the bottom wall. The hole is provided in the front wall. The first indicator portion includes at least one first aperture and indicates a first element among a plurality of elements of a type of the tape. The first indicator portion is provided in a portion, spaced from the front wall, of the bottom wall. The hole and the one first aperture is located to intersect a virtual line orthogonal to the front wall when viewing along a vertical direction orthogonal to the top wall and the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Akira Sago, Takashi Horiuchi, Yasuhiro Iriyama, Yasuhiro Shibata, Tsuyoshi Nagae, Masato Kato, Teruo Imamaki
  • Patent number: 10207528
    Abstract: A mechanism that makes it possible to output a saddle-stitched brochure in a correct page order when a post-processing apparatus that executes a saddle-stitching process by switching back a sheet is caused to execute the saddle-stitching process. Sheets discharged from a printing apparatus are switched back by reverse rotation of a conveying roller pair, and are conveyed into a conveying path for a saddle-stitch bookbinding process. The sheets are accumulated in an accumulation tray for the saddle-stitch bookbinding process. When the saddle-stitch bookbinding process is caused to be executed on the accumulated sheets by the post-processing apparatus, the order of image formation is decided such that the order of pages of images printed on the saddle-stitched sheets becomes correct. The images are printed on the sheets in the decided order of image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 10203635
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second conveyance and calculation units, a reverse unit, a control unit, an image forming unit, and a stack unit to stack sheets. A recording material is conveyed from the stack unit to the image forming unit. The recording material is conveyed reversely, and is conveyed to a double-sided conveyance path and to the image forming unit. Without causing a recording material to wait in the reverse unit, a first recording material is conveyed from the stack unit, then a second recording material is conveyed, and subsequently a third recording material is conveyed. A conveyance interval time and a maximum waiting time are calculated. When the conveyance interval time exceeds the maximum waiting time, the second recording material conveyance starts at timing based on a waiting time after conveyance of the first recording material, and the third recording material conveyance starts at a timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Momiyama
  • Patent number: 10201965
    Abstract: A transfer device and a coating machine are disclosed. The transfer device includes a transfer plate and a printing roller. A projection is formed on a first surface of the transfer plate; a first recess corresponding to the projection is formed on the printing roller; and when the transfer plate covers a surface of the printing roller, the projection and the first recess are matched with each other to fix the transfer plate with the printing roller. The transfer plate in the transfer device will not be subjected to extended deformation and sliding even under an action of external force during printing process, so that the production quality can be maximally guaranteed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Hefei BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yangkun Jing, Mancheng Liu, Shengguang Sang
  • Patent number: 10203645
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus determines whether there is a possibility of tearing of the recording material occurring for a recording material. Furthermore, if there is the possibility of paper tearing, the apparatus locks an opening/closing unit related to the occurrence of the tearing of the recording material, displays a first screen indicating that the opening/closing unit is locked, and after the first screen is displayed displays a second screen indicating a procedure in which a jam processing unit is operating for resolving the jam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nozomu Iino
  • Patent number: 10201988
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a box-like housing, a tape mounted within the housing, a hole and a first indicator portion. The housing includes a top wall having a top surface, a bottom wall having a bottom surface and opposing the top wall, and a front wall having a specified height and being formed along peripheries of the top wall and the bottom wall. The hole is provided in the front wall. The first indicator portion includes at least one first aperture and indicates a first element among a plurality of elements of a type of the tape. The first indicator portion is provided in a portion, spaced from the front wall, of the bottom wall. The hole and the one first aperture is located to intersect a virtual line orthogonal to the front wall when viewing along a vertical direction orthogonal to the top wall and the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Akira Sago, Takashi Horiuchi, Yasuhiro Iriyama, Yasuhiro Shibata, Tsuyoshi Nagae, Masato Kato, Teruo Imamaki
  • Patent number: 10175625
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a reference roller, a detection roller, and a detection sensor. The detection roller can move, and makes contact with the reference roller, facing the reference roller. The detection sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the detection roller. The sheet is conveyed to a nip portion of the pair of rollers. At this time, the timing when an edge portion of the sheet being conveyed passes through the nip portion is detected. In response to the timing detected, the thickness of the sheet is detected, based on the signal output from the detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Takashi Watanabe, Akinori Kimata, Shiro Umeda
  • Patent number: 10144211
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to front-to-back registration of a printed content onto a print medium. In one example, a trigger signal generated by a sensor upon detection of a trigger mark on a first surface of a print medium is received. The trigger mark includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are non-parallel. Based on the trigger signal, a distance of the trailing edge from a point on the leading edge is determined. Once determined, a measure of lateral wander of the print medium with respect to the print path is obtained. The measure of the lateral wander is determined by comparing the distance between the leading edge and the trailing edge, with a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Cesar Fernandez, Srinivas Bhakthavatsalam, Carlos Millan
  • Patent number: 10144234
    Abstract: An example disclosed media processing device includes a consumable support assembly including a consumable support body, the consumable support body configured for manipulation between a first open position and a first closed position; a printhead assembly movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the printhead assembly positioned between a consumable supply spool and a consumable take-up spool in response to the consumable support body being in the closed position; and a lid movable between a second open position and a second closed position, wherein the lid is configured to, when in the closed position: engage the consumable support assembly in the first closed position; and preclude the consumable support assembly from being moved to the first open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Perry, Stephen L. Ijams, Keath Jason Lawson Irizarry, Robert D. Hunter, Caleb J. Bryant
  • Patent number: 10144209
    Abstract: A security paper printing machine has a printing unit comprising at least one imaging cylinder, at the printing point of which, the printing point, in sections, of passing printing material, in a cycle of a fixed printing length with respect to the printing material feed to the printing point, can be printed with print images of a same print image length. A dryer device has a dryer comprising one or a multi-part drying unit that, in the printing material path, is downstream of the printing point. Printing materials passing through the dryer can be subjected to radiation for the purpose of drying the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Franz, Michael Scheller
  • Patent number: 10137715
    Abstract: A printing system comprising an apparatus for defect detection in a printing system. The printing system comprises, an image forming device, a sensing unit for sensing a surface geometry of a sheet to be printed and for generating data representative of that surface geometry, a processor device for processing the data; and a controller for controlling further progress of the sheet along a transport path of the printing system in dependence upon the deformations in the surface geometry of the sheet detected and classified by the processor device. The operating conditions the sheet is exposed to at the sensing unit are similar to the operating conditions the sheet is exposed at the image forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: OCÉ-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Catharinus Van Acquoij, Daisuke Kawaguchi, Roy H. R. Jacobs, Ernest J. J. Clevers
  • Patent number: 10131137
    Abstract: A sheet-fed printing press includes a printing cylinder and a high-precision sensor system for monitoring a sheet run in the area of the printing cylinder. At least one gage, which is mounted on the printing cylinder, can be detected by the sensor system. It is particularly advantageous if the sensor system is configured to be self-calibrating. A method for calibrating a sensor system and a method for aligning a sensor system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Henn, Thomas Schmidt, Wolfgang Kabus, Stefan Knauf, Juergen Ritz, Olaf Lorenz, Christian Bull, Stefan Muench, Thomas Goebel
  • Patent number: 10120328
    Abstract: A drive device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive source, an input side rotary body, an output side rotary body, two drive transmission routes, a drive transmission state switcher, and a drive transmission changer. The input side rotary body receives a driving force from the drive source. The output side rotary body outputs the driving force to a driving target body. The drive transmission state switcher switches a first drive transmission route between a transmission state and a non transmission state. The drive transmission changer transmits the driving force via a second drive transmission route to the output side rotary body when the first drive transmission route is in the non transmission state and restricts the driving force from being transmitted via the second drive transmission route when the first drive transmission route to the output side rotary body is in the transmission state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10104869
    Abstract: A branding bracket is provided that has a bracket assembly and branding irons. The bracket assembly has a guide plate having two or more notches cut out of a top surface that receive the shaft of a branding iron. Guides are attached to the rear surface of the guide plate. When a branding iron is placed in the notch, a sleeve positioned on the shaft of the branding iron is slid over the guide to lock the branding iron to the bracket assembly, while still allowing the branding irons to move independently of one another. In one arrangement, the guide plate has multiple notches to allow the use of different sized branding irons, such as 3?, 4? and 5? irons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Inventor: Brian Kenny
  • Patent number: 10099470
    Abstract: A mandrel for use in a printing apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical mandrel shaft and plastic expansion rings that are slidably and coaxially mounted on the mandrel shaft. The mandrel also includes a locking assembly including a fixed stop ring and a single locking ring that is axially movably mounted on the mandrel shaft. The expansion rings are positioned between the stop ring and the locking ring. In the unlocked position of the locking ring the expansion rings are in a released state in which the axial compression and the radial expansion of the expansion rings are smaller than in a locked position of the locking ring. A printing cylinder sleeve can be fixedly connected to the mandrel by bringing the expansion rings in the radially expanded state. When the printing cylinder sleeve has to be exchanged, this is feasible when the expansion rings are in the released state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: MPS HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Hendrikus Theodorus Gerardus Wientjes
  • Patent number: 10073401
    Abstract: A post processing apparatus is attachable to an image forming apparatus. In a state in which a concavely curled recording material is placed on a second placement unit, when a plurality of the recording materials which are convexly curled are discharged to the second placement unit, a control unit causes a post processing unit to perform specified post processing on at least one recording material of the plurality of recording materials, causes a discharging unit to discharge the at least one recording material to the second placement unit, and after the discharge, causes the post processing unit to perform the specified post processing on the recording material or the recording materials of the plurality of recording materials other than the at least one recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Sato
  • Patent number: 10061256
    Abstract: A driving system comprises a driving gear, a first one-way transmission assembly, a second one-way transmission assembly. The driving gear configured to rotate forward or backward. The first one-way transmission assembly comprises a first gear and a second gear coaxially coupled with the first gear. The first gear is configured to join the second gear in a rotating process in a first direction to drive the second gear to rotate in the first direction. The first gear is disconnected with the second gear in a rotating process in a direction opposite to the first direction. The second one-way transmission assembly comprises a third gear and a fourth gear coaxially coupled with the third gear. The third gear is configured to join the fourth gear in a rotating process in a second direction to drive the second gear to rotate in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ZHUHAI SEINE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuechao Ge, Xining Ding, Juzheng Xia, Jie Xian
  • Patent number: 10054888
    Abstract: A device for detecting a travel distance of a sheet is provided. The device includes a light source for irradiating the sheet surface; an imaging sensor for capturing an image of a pattern of the sheet surface by light reflected from the sheet; a discrete Fourier transformation portion for performing discrete Fourier transformation on two patterns obtained by image capturing at a time interval by the imaging sensor; a high wave number component removal portion for using a threshold determined based on a cycle of concave-convex of the sheet surface to remove a high wave number component from the two patterns having been subjected to the discrete Fourier transformation; and a travel distance calculation portion for determining a travel distance of the sheet based on a phase relationship between the two patterns from which the high wave number component removal portion has removed the high wave number component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Kobayashi, Takaki Kato, Masayuki Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 10048635
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first holding unit configured to hold one or more sheets and movable in a sheet transport direction, a drive unit configured to move the first holding unit in the sheet transport direction, a biasing member, and a conversion unit. The biasing member biases the first holding unit in a second direction opposite to the sheet transport direction, stores elastic energy when the first holding unit is moved in the sheet transport direction, and moves the first holding unit in the second direction when the stored elastic energy in the biasing member is released. The conversion unit has a shaft configured to be rotated by the elastic energy stored in the biasing member to generate electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahide Kenmotsu
  • Patent number: 10046091
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein related to a printing system configured to print a three-dimensional object on a region of interest. The printing system can include one or more steerable actuators that are coupled to and configured to controllably steer the one or more dispense elements. Other embodiments disclosed herein also relate to methods of using such printing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Elizabeth A. Sweeney, Jordin T. Kare