Patents Examined by Leslie A. Nicholson, III
  • Patent number: 11970349
    Abstract: A cassette comprises a sheet housing portion that has an opening in an upper face and houses sheets, a cassette cover that can be attached and detached and covers at least a portion of the opening, a first protruding portion that is provided in one edge portion of the cassette cover and protrudes toward a bottom face of the sheet housing portion, and a second protruding portion that is provided in the other edge portion of the cassette cover and opposes the first protruding portion, wherein the sheet housing portion includes a projection-shaped portion that protrudes toward the first protruding portion and a position regulating portion that has a gap into which the second protruding portion enters, and the first protruding portion is provided with a receiving portion into which the projection-shaped portion enters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gakushi Tanaka, Akira Nakashima, Kazuto Ishihara, Yasuhito Tsubakimoto
  • Patent number: 11970360
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a plurality of folding devices, a control unit that controls a job involving a folding process, and an input unit that accepts settings for the job from a user. The input unit accepts, from the user, specification of a priority preference out of a plurality of predetermined preferences related to the folding process. The control unit selects, out of the plurality of folding devices, a folding device that can perform the folding process with the settings for the job made by the user as a target folding device. If a plurality of target folding devices are present, then based on the priority preference, the control unit determines, out of the plurality of target folding devices, a folding device with which to perform the folding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Ryota Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11970359
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus may comprise a first conveying roller configured to convey a sheet and a second conveying roller disposed on a downstream side of the first conveying roller in a conveyance direction of the sheet. In a case where the second conveying roller rotates at a first speed by a driving force being transmitted to the second conveying roller, the first conveying roller rotates by being driven with respect to the second conveying roller. In a case where the second conveying roller rotates at a second speed faster than the first speed by the driving force being transmitted to the second conveying roller, the first conveying roller rotates at the second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Tsuda, Takashi Yano
  • Patent number: 11958709
    Abstract: A recording material processing apparatus includes a processing tray, a detecting unit, a stapling unit, an instructing unit, a control unit, a switching unit, and a notifying unit. The detecting unit detects recording material placed in the processing tray. The stapling unit executes a stapling process for the recording material placed in the processing tray. The instructing unit outputs a stapling process execution instruction. Upon receipt of the execution instruction in a state in which the detecting unit has detected a recording material inserted in the processing tray from an outside of a main body of a main body apparatus, the control unit cause the stapling process to be executed. The switching unit switches a position of the stapling unit among a plurality of positions. The notifying unit provides notification of a placement position of the recording material in the processing tray corresponding to each of the plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Chihara, Kazuhisa Sato
  • Patent number: 11952237
    Abstract: A pneumatic transmission device includes a transmitting channel, an air inlet and an air supply device. The transmitting channel includes a first feeding path, a second feeding path, and a compressing path communicated between the first feeding path and the second feeding path. The compressing path is gradually inclined downward and rearward from a front end of the compressing path to a rear end of the compressing path. The second feeding path is equipped with a scanning unit. The air inlet is slantwise extended upward and frontward from a top wall of the transmitting channel. An inside of the air inlet defines a passageway. The passageway is connected with the second feeding path. The air supply device is connected to the passageway. The air supply device injects high pressure air into the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 11952236
    Abstract: To prevent displacement of first fold positions and collapse of discharged and stacked sheets when sheet fold processing is performed a plurality of times for each sheet. First fold processing is applied to a sheet conveyed to a conveying path by a rotating body pair 22. The sheet that has been subjected to the first fold processing is fed back to the conveying path while a first fold line is being opened. Then, second fold processing is applied to the sheet that has been fed back to the conveying path by the rotating body pair 22. The resultant sheet is discharged with the first fold line opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 11947301
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveying portion, a conveying path, a discharge port, a stacking portion, a manual setting portion, a binding device which binds a sheet bundle formed by the stacking portion and a sheet bundle set at the manual setting portion by a staple, a first regulating portion which regulates a position of the sheet bundle at a rear side of the apparatus in a width direction, and a second regulating portion which regulates a position of the sheet bundle in the conveying direction. The binding device is formed to be movable back and forth to a front side and the rear side of the apparatus. When a staple is replenished to the binding device, the binding device is positioned at the third position so that a cartridge of the staple is loaded into the binding device from the front side of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Yusuke Obuchi, Hideto Abe, Masaya Takahashi, Seiji Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 11945676
    Abstract: A folding apparatus includes: a folding unit configured to fold a recording medium at an intermediate portion in a transport direction of the recording medium; an upstream roller pair disposed on an upstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium with respect to the folding unit, and configured to transport the folded recording medium toward the folding unit with a fold as a leading end; and a downstream roller pair disposed on a downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium with respect to the folding unit, and configured to sandwich and transport the recording medium sandwiched between the upstream roller pair, the downstream roller pair being configured to apply a transport force to a portion of the recording medium that is connected to a portion of the recording medium that is sandwiched between the upstream roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Tetsu
  • Patent number: 11939166
    Abstract: A traveling roller includes a left roller, a right roller, a support shaft, a driving device and a sealing device, wherein the traveling roller may also include an intermediate roller; the support shaft is provided on an axis of the left and right rollers; inner walls of the left and right rollers are respectively connected to support plates; an outer ring of each of the support plates is provided with a notch for dust to flow out; the driving device includes an outer rotor motor sleeved on the support shaft; transmission devices are provided between two end cap seats of a rotor body of the outer rotor motor and the support plates; pawl members of the transmission devices are fixedly sleeved on the end cap seats, or driving planetary gears of the transmission devices are fixed to the rotor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Greenman Machinery Company
    Inventors: Huichang Cao, Min Li, Baobing Du
  • Patent number: 11939181
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus including a binding mechanism, a tray, a shift mechanism, and a control unit is provided. The binding mechanism is configured to apply binding to a sheet. The sheet applied with the binding is stacked on the tray. The shift mechanism is configured to perform a shift operation in which a side surface of the sheet is pushed and the sheet is deviated in a sheet width direction orthogonal to a discharge direction during discharge of the sheet to the tray. The control unit is configured to cause the shift operation to be performed by dividing the number of times for the shift operation into a plurality of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Sugizaki
  • Patent number: 11939183
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus (1) includes a first conveyance path (41), a first processing part (55), a second conveyance path (95) and a merging conveyance path (97), and the first processing part (55) includes a conveying rollers pair (80) including a first roller (81) and a second roller (83) conveying the sheet along a first direction; a first folding rollers pair (84) including the first roller (81) and a third roller (85) forming a first nip, conveying the sheet along a second direction and performing a folding processing along a first fold line; a second folding rollers pair (86) including the third roller (85) and a fourth roller (87) forming a second nip, conveying the sheet along a third direction and performing a folding processing along a second fold line; a first folding guide (89) movable to the first nip; and a second folding guide (91) movable to the second nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tadahisa Kishimoto, Yoshiaki Tashiro, Koji Murata, Masahiko Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11932492
    Abstract: A drive system for a net cleaner to produce efficient propulsion without damage to the cage net. The drive system includes flexible engagement stumps protruding from a base of a driving belt with tips or studs mounted on an end of the stumps. The tips or studs engage the net and propel the net cleaner. The stumps flex to insure that. if excessive pressure is applied to a stud, the stump will bend and the net will release without damage. A guard prevents the stump from directly engaging a cage net. A track belt produces efficient propulsion without damage to the cage net. The track belt includes flexible engagement stumps protruding from a base of a driving belt with tips or studs mounted on an end of the stumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Peter B. Lindgren
  • Patent number: 11926498
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a feeding portion, a conveying portion configured to convey the sheet fed by the feeding portion, a separation member, a returning portion, the returning portion pushing the sheet back toward the sheet supporting portion by moving from a retracting position to a protruding position, and a pressing portion including a contact portion configured to contact the sheet. The pressing portion is configured to press the sheet from above via the contact portion such that the sheet is pushed toward the returning portion in a state where the returning portion is positioned at the protruding position and below the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hosohara, Tomoya Tateishi
  • Patent number: 11926500
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a sheet conveyance path, a first folding conveyance path, a first folding roller pair, a first folding guide, and a conveyance roller. The first folding roller pair is composed of a first roller and a second roller forming a first folding nip by being brought into pressure contact with an upstream side of the first roller. The first folding guide is movable between a folding position at which it approaches the first folding nip, guiding a to-be-folded part of a sheet to the first folding nip, and a retracted position at which it is away from the first folding nip. The conveyance roller forms, together with the second roller, a first assist roller pair that conveys the sheet along the sheet conveyance path. The first folding guide has a pivot fulcrum on a downstream side relative to the first folding nip in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tadahisa Kishimoto, Koji Murata
  • Patent number: 11912504
    Abstract: A picking station (19) as well as a storage and order-picking system (1) for automatic picking and automatic packaging of articles (10a . . . 10p) is specified. An automated packaging machine (25) and a goods-out conveyor system (20) as well as different types of picking zones (24a . . . 24f), in which the articles (10a . . . 10p) for an order are picked and prepared for the packaging process, are included thereby. In particular, the articles (10a . . . 10p) are stacked on top of each other to form an article stack (41) and are subsequently discharged onto an automated feed conveyor system (26) leading to the automated packaging machine (25) or directly into the automated packaging machine (25). Moreover, a method for operating the picking station (19) described and/or the storage and order-picking system (1) described is specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Timothy Lindley, Gerald Kettlgruber, Harald Johannes Schroepf
  • Patent number: 11912525
    Abstract: An example finisher includes a first portion extending in a vertical direction, a second portion including an entrance to receive paper as a finishing process target, and a finishing unit to perform a finishing process, the second portion extending from the first portion in a lateral direction, a stacker to receive paper discharged from the finishing unit and which extends in an opposite direction to the second portion based on the first portion, and an elevation driving unit provided on the first portion to elevate the stacker in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Taehong Kim, Wonic Tae, Taejin Baek, Wonkeun Lee, Joonghyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11912514
    Abstract: Robot includes a propulsion system configured to transport the robot and a controller in communication with the propulsion system. A material handler is carried by the robot and configured for depositing articles into one or more destination containers. The material handler has a tilt tray having sections that are configured for tilting in any number of directions relative to a vertical of the robot. Each section of the tilt tray may include a respective conveyor that moves articles at variable speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Tompkins Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Futch, James M. Serstad
  • Patent number: 11905124
    Abstract: A sorter comprising: a rack; a track assembly comprising two ring-shaped tracks both installed on the rack, the tracks being respectively arranged in two mutually parallel vertical planes and being aligned with each other; a drive assembly comprising at least one sprocket sets that comprise a driving sprocket and a plurality of driven sprockets installed on the rack; at least one chain hooping on the driving sprocket and the driven sprockets and having the same shape as the tracks; an electric machine configured to drive the driving sprocket to rotate; a sorting cart comprising a carriage that is arranged between and slidably connected to the two ring-shaped tracks and is further hinged with the chain; a conveying assembly disposed above the carriage and carry and convey items, wherein a conveying direction of the conveying assembly is different from a moving direction of the sorting cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BEIJING JINGDONG QIANSHI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wenjun Shan
  • Patent number: 11897719
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes: a buffer unit that transports sheets such that at least two of the sheets are transported while being stacked on top of one another, the sheets being sent to the buffer unit from an image forming unit; and a compilation tray that is inclined with respect to a direction opposite to a direction in which the sheets are transported in the buffer unit such that the sheets, which are supplied from the buffer unit, are transported into the compilation tray from above the compilation tray and stacked onto a placement surface as a stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Eri Fukui, Takayuki Fukamachi, Koji Kawano, Yuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11897711
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet tray on which one or more sheets are placed, a pickup roller by which a sheet is picked up from the sheet tray, and an elevating mechanism. The elevating mechanism includes a shaft rotated by a motor, and a cam attached to the shaft and rotated together with the shaft to raise and lower the sheet tray with respect to the pickup roller. The sheet conveying device further includes a load applying mechanism contacting the shaft to apply a load thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizo Kurita, Naofumi Soga, Kenji Takashima, Toshiaki Oshiro