Patents Examined by Jeremy R. Severson
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Patent number: 11279581Abstract: A sheet conveyance device, an image forming apparatus, and a sheet conveying method that convey a sheet in a predetermined sheet conveyance direction make a surface moving speed of a driven roller higher than a surface moving speed of a drive roller when a rotational driving force from the drive roller is transmitted to the driven roller, and by a one-way clutch that is provided at any place in a drive transmission path from the drive roller to the driven roller, restrict relative rotation of the driven roller in a first rotation direction, which is the sheet conveyance direction, with respect to the drive roller while allowing relative rotation of the driven roller in a second rotation direction, which is a direction opposite to the first rotation direction, with respect to the drive roller.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yuhhi Akagawa
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Patent number: 11274009Abstract: A stacker device includes: a discharger that discharges sheets in response to a print job; a first tray on which the discharged sheets are stacked; a second tray that serves as a delivery destination of the sheets stacked on the first tray; a shutter that covers an opening on a front side of a housing; a driver that moves the first tray in an up-down direction; and a hardware processor that shuts off power to the driver based on a height position of the shutter and a position of the second tray in a front-rear direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2019Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Tatsuo Ishizuka, Akira Okamoto, Teruhiko Toyoizumi
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Feed pull roll system with detachable elastomeric feed-roll covers and process for cover replacement
Patent number: 11274004Abstract: An improved elastomer covered feed roll assembly (32R) for use in a feed/pull roll set combination (36) in a sheet finishing machine (12) comprises a roll core (50) having a cylindrical surface (60) with multiple longitudinally spaced and circumferentially offset elongated keyways (80, 82, 84, 86) each configured as a locking slot. Multiple replaceable flexible feed cover sections (52, 54, 56) each incorporating a flexible backing (120) and an elastomeric layer or coating (122) are removably mounted on the roll core by locking components (74, 76) on opposite ends (70, 72) of each of said replaceable flexible feed cover sections, the locking components of each replaceable flexible feed cover section engaging a locking slot (80, 82, 84, 86) corresponding to the feed cover section. The keyways draw together the opposite ends (70, 72) of corresponding cover sections to form corresponding end joints (96, 98, 100).Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2017Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Inventor: Joseph A. Porcella -
Patent number: 11261562Abstract: A conveyor device for a folding apparatus for folding textiles includes an infeed region for a textile and an outfeed region for a folded textile. A first belt conveyor conveys the textile on a first conveyor plane from the infeed region to a first transfer unit, which feeds the textile to a second conveyor plane of a second belt conveyor. At least one second transfer unit and at least one additional belt conveyor having an additional conveyor plane are disposed downstream of the belt conveyor. At least two subassemblies, each configured as modular conveyor units are provided, into which one belt conveyor and at least one transfer unit are each integrated. The conveyor device is modularly configured, in that a plurality of modular conveyor units are disposed one atop the other and connected to each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2018Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbHInventors: Kai Nitschmann, Martin Schubert, Oliver Wuttge
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Patent number: 11261051Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus include a first conveyance unit, a second conveyance unit including a cover and configured to be movable between a first position where a sheet conveyed from the first conveyance unit can be conveyed to a sheet conveyance path and a second position separated from the first position, and a retaining portion configured to retain the cover at an open position and to retain the second conveyance unit at the second position through the cover retained at the open position in a case where the cover is positioned at the open position in a condition in which the second conveyance unit is positioned at the second position.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenichirou Isobe
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Patent number: 11254537Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus comprising: a discharging unit configured to convey and discharge print media; a tray configured to receive print media discharged in a first direction from the discharging unit; and a drive unit configured to move the tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In discharging print media, the tray is moved in the second direction to thereby receive the discharged print media at a plurality of different positions on the tray. The tray is movable to a take-out position being a position closer in the second direction to a take-out side where print media are taken out than any of the positions at which the tray receives the print media discharged from the discharging unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuki Emoto, Kosuke Yamamoto, Norio Sakurai, Toshiaki Somano
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Patent number: 11231107Abstract: A seal structure can include a protruding portion of an outer surface of a body. An inner surface of the protruding portion may define at least a portion of a channel. The protruding portion may be configured to engage and at least partially deform into the channel in response to a load generated by pressing an outer surface of the protruding portion against a contact surface of a contact member to provide a seal between the body and the contact member. The seal structure may be integrally formed within the body as a monolithic object. The body may face towards the contact surface of the contact member during operation of the seal structure. A method may include forming a monolithic body with an integral seal structure by additively fusing material so that the body has an outer surface facing towards a contact surface of a contact member.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLCInventors: Uday Prakash Karmarkar, Dennis Richter, Krishna Kumar Gupta, Jaime Jesus Garcia, Erik W. Miller
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Patent number: 11230454Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance path, a detection portion, a second conveyance path, a discharge unit, and a controller. The discharge unit is movable in a width direction and is configured to perform a discharge operation of discharging a sheet onto a first discharge portion and a reversing operation of reversing and conveying the sheet to the second conveyance path. The controller is configured to control the discharge unit and to execute a first alignment control when the reversing operation is performed. The first alignment control is a control in which the discharge unit moves the sheet in the width direction based on a position of the sheet detected by the detection portion to align the sheet at a target position.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Jun Haruna
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Patent number: 11225389Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a sheet cassette attachable to the main body and configured to support one or more sheets to be supplied to the image forming unit, and a controller. The main body includes an electrode movable relative to the main body, a capacitance detector configured to output a signal indicating a value corresponding to a quantity of electricity stored in the electrode, and a wire. The sheet cassette includes a metal member, and a sheet supporting plate made of metal, movable relative to the sheet cassette in an up-down direction, and configured to support one or more sheets from below. The controller is configured to determine whether the sheet cassette is at an installation position in the main body from a level of the value of the signal outputted from the capacitance detector connected to the electrode via the wire.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Ono
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Patent number: 11220408Abstract: A feeding system for carton blanks is disclosed, comprising a pivotable linkage, a gripper head connected to the pivotable linkage at a first rotational axis. The feeding system comprises a magazine configured to store a plurality of stacked carton blanks in a stacking direction. The carton blanks are confined in a cassette being dimensioned so that the carton blanks are confined to extend between proximal and distal internal surfaces of the cassette along a cassette direction which is perpendicular to the stacking direction and the first rotational axis. The proximal internal surface is arranged to align proximal edges of the carton blanks in a proximal alignment plane being perpendicular to the cassette direction, the proximal alignment plane extending between the gripper head and said first rotational axis. The first rotational joint is positioned in relation to the magazine such that there is a separation distance between the proximal alignment plane and the first rotational axis.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2018Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.Inventor: Richard Persson
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Patent number: 11220001Abstract: The disclosure relates to an articulated robot having a serial kinematic mechanism for positioning an end effector, the kinematic mechanism having at least one part kinematic mechanism with a robot joint, with a robot limb mounted upstream of the robot joint, and with a robot limb mounted downstream of the robot joint. The at least one part kinematic mechanism has a linear drive, with a drive element, and a coupler with two coupler joints which are spaced apart from one another along the coupler extent, wherein the linear drive is arranged on a first robot limb of the part kinematic mechanism, and wherein the coupler is articulated on one side on the drive element of the linear drive and on the other side on the second robot limb of the part kinematic mechanism, spaced apart from the geometric axis of the robot joint of the part kinematic mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: Broetje-Automation GmbHInventor: Torsten Logemann
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Patent number: 11208286Abstract: A sheet discharge device includes a discharge conveyance path, a pair of discharge rollers, a side wall, a sheet stacking tray, a first fan, and a second fan. The discharge conveyance path communicates with a discharge port through which a sheet having passed through a fixing portion is discharged. The pair of discharge rollers convey the sheet along the discharge conveyance path and discharge the sheet from the discharge port. The side wall extends downward from the discharge port. The sheet stacking tray extends from the side wall in a sheet discharge direction in which the sheet is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers. The first fan is disposed below the discharge conveyance path and blows air toward the discharge conveyance path. The second fan is disposed above the discharge port and blows air from above the discharge port toward the sheet stacking tray.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Takahito Morita
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Patent number: 11204570Abstract: A contact-separation mechanism includes a cam to rotate to move a contact-separation member to and from a counterpart member, a detection target to rotate together with the cam, and a detector to detect presence or absence of the detection target in a detection area of the detector, and circuitry. The cam has a reference range. The circuitry issues a rotation stop instruction of the cam after a target time elapses from passing of the reference range of the detection target through the detection area, and sets the target time based on a duration of an immediately preceding passing of the reference range through the detection area.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shigeo Nanno, Kimihiro Tanaka, Tamotsu Ikeda, Kenji Tomita, Osamu Saito
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Patent number: 11192737Abstract: In a copier, printer, or similar device, paper is loaded in large quantities. To separate a top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet, a dam is used, which is an element having an inclined surface in the path of the top sheet. This invention addresses devices with variably compliant separation strips, preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as Pellethane®, that are part of the dam, so that the leading edge of a media sheet will strike the inclined surface of the separation strip. By adjusting the compliance of the separation strip, different weights of media may be accommodated while minimizing the multi-feeds that may cause jamming of the device.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Chad Michael Piening, Todd Allison Quinn, Curtis Duane Woodson, Clark Edwin Jarnagin, Donald Eugene Proffitt, Louann Behymer Samuels
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Patent number: 11181380Abstract: Product transport structures are provided which include a self-stabilizing platform assembly configured to support a product on a deck of the self-stabilizing platform assembly and to stabilize the product during moving of the self-stabilizing platform assembly and product. The self-stabilizing platform assembly includes multiple torque-generating devices and a stability control system. The multiple torque-generating devices are controllable to produce a stabilization torque within the self-stabilizing platform assembly, and the stability control system is configured to control operation of the multiple torque-generating devices. The stability control system is configured to adjust operation of one or more torque-generating devices of the multiple devices to produce the stabilization torque to facilitate stabilizing the product during moving of the self-stabilizing platform assembly and product.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Suraush Khambati, Budy D. Notohardjono, Shawn M. Canfield, Richard M. Ecker
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Patent number: 11179907Abstract: A device and a method for feeding a sheet material are provided. A conveying machine is disposed above a holding machine. A sensor detects a lateral position of a rubber sheet fed from the holding machine. At a position between a grip position below the conveying machine and a release position at an upstream side in a conveying direction above the conveying machine, a leading edge of the rubber sheet is gripped by a gripping machine. The gripping machine is revolved and moved to the release position using, as a revolution center, a position in a vertical direction midway between the grip position and the release position. The leading edge being released is pressed against a placement surface of the conveying machine by a pressing portion. The rubber sheet is placed on the placement surface and conveyed to a downstream side in the conveying direction by the conveying machine.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Inventor: Haruhisa Hasegawa
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Patent number: 11162398Abstract: A cam having at least two part cams are arranged axially behind one another along a longitudinal axis includes an undercut between the cam parts. The part cams have running faces which lie radially on the outside of the part cams and have different variable running face contours. The undercut has a profile with a variable contour which is dependent in each case on that adjacent running face contour which is at a smaller radial spacing from the longitudinal axis than the other running face contour.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Neumayer Tekfor Engineering GmbHInventor: Daniel Schoener
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Patent number: 11161707Abstract: A paper sheet feeding apparatus includes an inserting unit in which a paper sheet is inserted, a pick-up roller for picking up a paper sheet inserted in the inserting unit, a rotating shaft for rotating the pick-up roller, a detecting member that is supported by the rotating shaft so as to be able to rotate around the rotating shaft and is rotated by a bundling member that bundles paper sheets together, and a first detecting unit that detects rotation of the detecting member.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: FUJITSU FRONTECH LIMITEDInventors: Mitsutaka Nishida, Hayato Minamishin, Naoto Ikeda, Tatsuya Shimamura
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Patent number: 11148897Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method involve storing value documents, in particular bank notes, to a storage device and to a value-document processing system. A stacker wheel is arranged to receive value documents and dispense them one after the other. A transport device is arranged to receive the value documents dispensed one after the other by the stacker wheel and to transport them in such a way that the value documents come to lie on top of each other in a shingled manner. A storage device for storing the value documents lying on top of each other in a shingled manner is provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBHInventor: Steffen Held
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Patent number: 11136211Abstract: An image scanner is configured to perform: controlling the sheet feed roller to feed the document supported on the sheet feed tray, controlling the conveyor to convey the fed document to the reading position, controlling the image sensor to read the image of the document at the reading position, and controlling the sheet discharge unit to discharge the read document to the sheet discharge tray; in response to detecting, by the sheet feed sensor, a state change from the first state to the second state, moving the movable plate upward until the sheet feed roller changes from the second state to the first state; after moving the movable plate, controlling the distance sensor to detect the document distance; and moving the sheet discharge unit vertically based on the detected document distance.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Isamu Fujii