Patents Examined by Leslie Nicholson, III
  • Patent number: 11858773
    Abstract: A post-processing device, includes a tray that accepts a carried sheet and places thereon; a post-processing unit that performs a post-processing to the sheet placed on the tray; and a controller that controls an operation of the post-processing unit. The controller that: obtains both of: a first sheet type specified by a user; and a second sheet type detected by a media detector that is installed on a sheet carrying path; and controls the operation of the post-processing unit based on the second sheet type when the first sheet type and the second sheet type are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yasuomi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 11858774
    Abstract: Folder systems and related methods are provided for accurately and efficiently folding a paper carrier that has a card attached without bending or dislodging the card from the carrier. A movable fold chute receives a portion of the carrier with the card attached and allows the carrier to fold while protecting the card portion of the carrier. The fold chute moves between different positions which allow the carrier to enter and exit through folding rollers along a generally straight paper path without forcing the cards around small radii, thereby preventing damage to the cards or causing them to separate from the carrier sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DMT Solutions Global Corporation
    Inventors: Brad Swinford, Robert J. Allen
  • Patent number: 11858771
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing device includes a first tray to receive sheets from an image forming unit, a second tray to receive sheets from the first tray, and a third tray to receive sheets from the second tray. The third tray is movable relative to the second tray. A bundle claw is configured to move sheets in a first direction from the second tray to the third tray. A controller is configured to move the third tray relative to the second tray according to the sheets on the second tray. Depending on various characteristics of the sheets on the second tray or the presence of sheets already on the third tray, the position of the third tray may be changed to reduce possible misalignments of sheets in the transfer from the second to third tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 11851301
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus laminates a partially joined two-ply sheet and a sheet medium inserted in the two-ply sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a heat presser, an information acquisition device, and control circuitry. The heat presser heats and presses the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium. The information acquisition device acquires information on the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium. The control circuitry sets a fixing temperature of the heat presser in accordance with the information of the two-ply sheet and the sheet medium acquired by the information acquisition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Nozaki, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Yoshito Suzuki, Wataru Takahashi, Shinya Monma, Joji Akiyama, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Sho Asano
  • Patent number: 11840419
    Abstract: A turnable sheet stopper blocks and passes a sheet conveyed on a sheet guide, and includes a proximal portion, a distal portion connected to the end of the proximal portion, and a folding mechanism that connects the distal portion to the proximal portion. The sheet stopper transitions between first and second positions. In the second position, the proximal and distal portions integrally turn to the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction to allow the sheet to pass. The sheet stopper transitions from the second position to a third position when a user draws out the sheet from an upstream side. In the third position, the distal portion folds toward the upstream side to allow the sheet to be drawn out. During transition from the second position to the third position, the edge of the distal portion is located on or away from an outer surface of the sheet guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junya Masuda
  • Patent number: 11840418
    Abstract: A post-processing unit includes a stapler, a driving section, and a controller. The stapler is moved in a Y direction and executes a stapling process on a paper sheet. The driving section moves the stapler in the Y direction. The controller controls an operation of the stapler and an operation of the driving section. The controller executes first control to supply a set current or a set voltage to the driving section, second control to supply, to the driving section, the same supply current as the set current or the same supply voltage as the set voltage, and third control to stop the supply of the supply current or the supply voltage. When the stapler executes the stapling process a plurality of times, the controller repeatedly executes the second control and the third control and causes the stapler to execute the stapling process during the execution of the second control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Namiki Hashiguchi, Masahide Moriyama, Masayoshi Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 11840417
    Abstract: A sheet bonding apparatus includes an electrophotographic unit configured to apply powder adhesive on a sheet by an electrophotographic process, a folding portion configured to fold the sheet on which the powder adhesive has been applied by the electrophotographic unit, and a bonding portion configured to heat the sheet folded by the folding portion to bond the sheet by the powder adhesive, wherein the bonding portion and the folding portion are disposed over the electrophotographic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Matsuda, Kentaro Kawata, Taku Watanabe, Atsushi Toda, Shun Sato
  • Patent number: 11827488
    Abstract: The rotation of a lifting and lowering plate 56 is controlled such that, in a case where the height of the sheet loaded in a manual feed tray 50 is maximum, a feed roller 51 abuts the sheet at a first abutment position at a first moving velocity slower than a second moving velocity at a position upstream in the movement direction of the feed roller 51 from the first abutment position, and, in a case where the height of the sheet loaded in the manual feed tray 50 is minimum, the feed roller 51 abuts the sheet at a second abutment position at a third moving velocity slower than the first moving velocity at the first abutment position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Wataru Murata
  • Patent number: 11827492
    Abstract: Provided is a moving handrail that can lengthen its lifetime. The moving handrail includes: a handrail main body portion; a fabric arranged on a guide surface of the handrail main body portion and extending in a handrail longitudinal direction; and a resin sheet arranged on the fabric so that the fabric is sandwiched between the handrail main body portion and the resin sheet, wherein a surface of the fabric facing a handrail guide has arranged thereon an end portion of the fabric in the handrail longitudinal direction, and wherein the end portion of the fabric in the handrail longitudinal direction is covered with the resin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuma Nakamura, Yoshitomo Nishimura, Hidetoshi Takeyama, Masashi Hara, Samito Nozue
  • Patent number: 11829824
    Abstract: A medium stacker includes a stacking portion, a rotary portion, a medium holder, a medium mover, and circuitry. The stacking portion has a stacking face to stack a sheet medium on which an image is formed. The rotary portion is configured to hold a leading end of the sheet medium in a sheet conveyance direction, reverse the sheet medium on the stacking face of the stacking portion, and convey the sheet medium. The medium holder is configured to hold the sheet medium when the sheet medium is conveyed by the rotary portion. The medium mover is configured to move the sheet medium to a predetermined position in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction of the sheet medium while the sheet medium is held by the rotary portion. The circuitry is configured to control the rotary portion and the medium mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11820620
    Abstract: A post-processing unit is disposed so as to face the apparatus side surface of a printer that has a manual feed tray protruding from the apparatus side surface. The post-processing unit has an ejection tray, which is movably provided in a unit body and to which paper accepted from the printer is ejected. In an apparatus height direction crossing a direction in which paper is ejected, the ejection tray can be moved to a first position at which ejected paper can be mounted and to a second position at which part of paper mounted on the manual feed tray can be supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Miyazawa, Hirohisa Adachi
  • Patent number: 11814258
    Abstract: A binding unit includes first and second movable bodies. The second movable body includes first and second shaft portions. A stapler is secured to the second movable body, and the second movable body is swingably supported with the stapler by the first movable body. A first groove includes a branch part between a middle area and one end area. A second groove branches off from the branch part and is parallel to the first groove. When in a first position, a movable guide portion guides the first shaft portion from the branch part to the second groove. When the first shaft portion moves to the second groove through the branch part, the movable guide portion swings from the first position to a second position. When the second shaft portion reaches the branch part, the movable guide portion in the second position guides the second shaft portion along the first groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Yonemoto
  • Patent number: 11813815
    Abstract: Apparatus for applying noise reducing elements to tyres for vehicle wheels. The apparatus includes a loading station of stacks of noise reducing elements, an extraction station of noise reducing elements from each stack placed downstream of the loading station, and a conveyor placed downstream of the extraction station and extending along a predefined path. The conveyor is configured for supporting and advancing in a row the noise reducing elements extracted from the stacks which are then applied to a radially inner surface of the tyres. The extraction of each of the noise reducing elements contemplates: retaining a first noise reducing element placed at the base of a stack; raising the remaining noise reducing elements of the stack from the first noise reducing element; moving away the first noise reducing element according to a set path; and lowering the remaining noise reducing elements of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Cristiano Puppi, Albert Berenguer, Ivan Gildo Boscaino
  • Patent number: 11807482
    Abstract: A sheet alignment apparatus includes a supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a first alignment member configured to abut an end portion in a first direction of the sheet supported by the supporting portion and align a position of the sheet in the first direction, a first moving unit configured to move the first alignment member in the first direction, a second alignment member configured to abut an end portion in a second direction of the sheet supported by the supporting portion and align a position of the sheet in the second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and a second moving unit configured to move the second alignment member in the second direction, wherein the first moving unit is disposed below the supporting portion, and wherein the second moving unit is disposed above the supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11796044
    Abstract: A gear device drivingly coupling a drive shaft with first and second axles is provided with a case coupled via gearing with the drive shaft, and rotatable about an axis; a hub that is couplable with the first axle; a clutch member retained by the case and disengageably engaged with the hub; a biasing element retaining the clutch member at a position where the clutch member engages with the hub; and a differential gear set coupling the case via gearing with the first and second axles and locked by the clutch member to prevent differential motion between the first axle and the second axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Manabu Endou, Kazuhiro Ohashi, Shungo Numabe
  • Patent number: 11795019
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a tray and a correcting member. On the tray, a sheet bundle in which a plurality of sheets are overlapped is stacked in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle. The correcting member moves relative to the tray in the thickness direction. The correcting member abuts against an upper layer portion of an outer peripheral portion of the sheet bundle on the tray, and presses the upper layer portion from an outside after abutting. The correcting member corrects a position of the upper layer portion in a lateral direction intersecting the thickness direction toward an inside from the outside of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 11795010
    Abstract: A container-transport machine that selectively ejects container includes a transporter that is movable relative to a base and grippers arranged at the transporter. Each gripper suspends a container that is to be transported. An actuator is arranged at the base so as to be stationary relative to the transporter. The actuator is disposed at an ejection position for participating in selectively ejecting an individual container. A selectively-actuatable air nozzle disposed on the base at the ejection position promotes ejection of a container when an opening lever of a gripper interacts with the actuator while the opening lever passes through an ejection position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Nils Schug, Andreas Fahldieck, Uwe Wolf
  • Patent number: 11795024
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a sheet eject tray; a movable guide arranged on an upstream side of the sheet eject tray with respect to a direction of conveyance of a sheet and being configured to be able to move to a protruding position and a retracted position; and a driving mechanism configured to cause the movable guide to move to the protruding position when a leading edge of a sheet is conveyed along the movable guide and cause the movable guide to move to the retracted position when a trailing edge of a sheet is conveyed along the movable guide, wherein the protruding position includes a first position at which the movable guide presses a sheet to the sheet eject tray and a second position between the first position and the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Fujikake, Tomohiro Suzuki, Waichiro Saiki, Ryo Kobayashi, Takeshi Koda, Toshiro Sugiyama, Tomoyuki Nagase
  • Patent number: 11795028
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a folding unit, a fold reinforcing unit, and a control unit. The folding unit folds a sheet and forms a fold line thereon. The fold reinforcing unit includes a fold reinforcing roller. The fold reinforcing roller sandwiches the fold line on the sheet formed by the folding unit and moves in a fold-line direction in which the fold line extends. The control unit moves the fold reinforcing roller from a first position close to a first end of the fold line on a first side in the fold-line direction to a second position close to a second end of the fold line on a second side opposite to the first side. The control unit can execute, at this time, a division movement mode including a reversal return operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mikio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11787658
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a conveying unit configured to have a roller that conveys a sheet in a conveyance direction; a first detecting device disposed downstream of the conveying unit in the conveyance direction; a second detecting device disposed downstream of the first detecting device in the conveyance direction; a boring unit configured to have a punch that performs boring in the sheet; and a control unit is used. The first detecting device and the second detecting device each detect passage of a leading edge of the sheet being conveyed. The control unit calculates an actual conveyance speed of the sheet on the basis of detection results of the first detecting device and the second detecting device, and controls rotation of the roller, on the basis of the actual conveyance speed, so that the sheet is conveyed at a predetermined target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakahara, Noriyuki Monden, Takahiro Endo