Patents Examined by Thomas A. Morrison
-
Patent number: 11472204Abstract: A transport device for transporting printing substrates includes a conveyor belt that is supported on its inner side by revolving profiles. Each profile has grooves, at least one of which has a first bore and a second bore. A vacuum is applied to the first bore and the second bore is in air-conducting connection with a longitudinal groove in a slide so that suction air flows out of the longitudinal groove, through the at least one groove and into the first bore. A printing machine is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventor: Markus Moehringer
-
Patent number: 11440756Abstract: A conveyance rotating body is rotatably supported by a support member. A second rotational axis at a rotation center of a driven transmission member is disposed at a position different from a position of a first rotational axis. When a feeding unit is attached to a sheet feeding apparatus, a drive transmission member and the driven transmission member engage with each other. When a driving force is transmitted from the drive transmission member to the driven transmission member, the feeding unit receives a force in an attachment direction of the feeding unit and is positioned with respect to the sheet feeding apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Satoshi Tsuda
-
Patent number: 11427423Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a plurality of position detectors, a leading end detector, and a position adjuster. The plurality of position detectors is configured to detect a position of a sheet. The leading end detector is configured to detect a leading end of the sheet. The position adjuster is configured to, based on a detection result obtained by the plurality of position detectors, rotate in a rotation direction of the sheet within a plane of conveyance of the sheet to change the position of the sheet the position adjuster grips the sheet under conveyance to cause the leading end detector to rotate with the position adjuster in the rotation direction of the sheet within the plane of conveyance of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yuichiro Maeyama, Tomohiro Egawa, Motoharu Takahashi
-
Patent number: 11404978Abstract: A breaking circuit applied to a motor comprises an actuator, an anti-reverse component and a limiting resistor. The actuator comprises a first electricity transmission terminal, a second electricity transmission terminal and a controlled terminal, with the controlled terminal configured to be connected with a power supply port, and the first electricity transmission terminal configured to be electrically connected with a power input terminal of the motor. The anti-reverse component is electrically connected between the controlled terminal and the first electricity transmission terminal of the actuator. The limiting resistor is electrically and serially connected with the first electricity transmission terminal or the second electricity transmission terminal of the actuator. When power supplied from the power supply port to the power input terminal is stopped, the actuator is conducted to form a discharge path from the power input terminal through the limiting resistor to a low electric potential end.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: AVISION INC.Inventors: Wei-Chin Cheng, Liu-Liang Lin
-
Patent number: 11390475Abstract: A sheet separating device includes a receptacle, a pickup rotator, an air supplier, and a sheet floating restraint. The receptacle is configured to hold a plurality of sheets. The pickup rotator is configured to feed the plurality of sheets one by one from the receptacle. The air supplier includes an air outlet disposed ahead of the receptacle in a sheet feeding direction in which the plurality of sheets is fed. The air supplier is configured to blow air out from the air outlet toward a leading end of the plurality of sheets, held on the receptacle, in the sheet feeding direction. The sheet floating restraint is configured to restrain floating of a part of the plurality of sheets separated from each other by the air blown out from the air outlet.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Ricoh Company, LTD.Inventors: Ryuhei Waragai, Naoki Oikawa, Kazuki Seto
-
Patent number: 11370630Abstract: A sheet storage device includes a reel around which a tape is wound, a drum onto which a sheet is wound together with the tape, an input and output opening through which the sheet is passed, and a frame that forms at least a portion of a transport path on which the sheet is transported from the input and output opening to the drum, the frame has a first and a second frame part, the first and second frame parts move relative to each other to switch between a state in which the transport path is formed and a state in which at least a portion of the transport path is open, the first frame part supports the reel, and forms a tape path extending from the reel to the drum, the first frame part moves together with the reel and the tape path relative to the second frame part.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: GLORY LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Yokawa, Kei Isshiki
-
Patent number: 11365080Abstract: In some examples, a gimbaled monoclamp can include a housing including a first opening, a second opening, and a pivot point, a clamp disposed at least partially in the housing and including a first pad and a second pad to extend through the first opening and the second opening, respectively, and a pin extending through an opening in the clamp into the pivot point to couple the clamp to the housing in a gimbaled manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Robert Scott Beale, Robert Yraceburu, Elliott Downing, Matthew Douglas Reier
-
Patent number: 11352225Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stack portion on which a sheet is to be stacked, a regulating portion, a first detection device which includes a rotary variable resistor, a second detection, and a control unit. The regulating portion regulates a position of an edge of the stacked sheet. The first detection device outputs a detection signal based on the rotary variable resistor. The rotary variable resistor rotates in accordance with the sheet edge position regulated by the regulating portion. The second detection device detects presence or absence of the stacked sheet. The control unit calculates a calculated sheet width of the stacked sheet based on the output detection signal. The control unit sets the calculated sheet width after a first predetermined time has elapsed since the second detection device detects that the sheet is stacked on the stack portion as a detected sheet width of the stacked sheet.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shinichiro Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 11339020Abstract: A paper stacking apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a stacking table, a first sensor, and a hardware processor. The stacking table includes an upper face on which papers are stacked, the stacking table being capable of being elevated and lowered by a drive mechanism. The first sensor is disposed at a first position and configured to detect the upper face of the stacking table or an upper face of stacked objects stacked on the stacking table. The hardware processor is coupled to the drive mechanism and the first sensor. The hardware processor is configured to determine that the stacking table is excessively elevated when an elapsed time after starting to detect the object by the first sensor is at least a first excessive-elevation determination value of time.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Eri Uchida
-
Patent number: 11339015Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a storage portion, a sheet supporting portion, a feed portion, a drive portion to output driving force that lifts the sheet supporting portion, and a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the storage portion and including an engaging portion disposed on one end side in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The engaging portion engages with the drive portion, and a pressing portion is fixed to the rotation shaft and presses the sheet supporting portion from below when the rotation shaft is rotated by the drive portion. A rotary damper joins with the rotation shaft on another end side of the rotation shaft and reduces rotary motion of the rotation shaft. The pressing portion is disposed between the engaging portion and the rotary damper in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yoshinao Chiba
-
Patent number: 11331812Abstract: The method of transporting a piece of fabric material using a Morton™ picker comprises the steps of aligning a weight vector of the piece of fabric material being lifted, from the gap between the toothed wheel and the pressing foot of the picker and into a region between a tangent to the toothed wheel and a right angle to the pressing surface of the pressing foot; and lifting and transporting the piece of fabric material while maintaining the alignment of the weight vector in that region. In another aspect, there is provided robotic installation comprising a robotic arm and a Morton™ picker for manipulating pieces of fabric material. The robotic arm is configured for simultaneously rotating an axis of the picker and moving the picker along a hyperbolic trajectory, in a single complex motion without jitter, while maintaining the aforesaid alignment of the weight vector.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2019Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Inventor: Michel St-Amand
-
Patent number: 11325798Abstract: A feeding device comprises a suction feeding unit having a belt for feeding a sheet in a suction state and a belt driving unit, a sheet detection sensor, and a control unit. The control unit controls the belt drive unit so as to feed the sheet in a feeding direction at a first speed. If the sheet does not arrive at the sheet detection sensor, the control unit controls the belt drive unit so as to execute a low-speed feeding of moving the belt in the feeding direction at a second speed lower than the first speed or so as to execute a reverse feeding of moving the belt in a reverse feeding direction opposite to the feeding direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2018Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: DUPLO SEIKO CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroki Ikeshita, Masayasu Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 11325799Abstract: A vacuum roller system and a method of operation the vacuum roller system can include an assembly of interdigitated rollers, and a vacuum system, wherein the assembly of interdigitated rollers is operably connected to the vacuum system to move sheets of media through a downstream dryer in a printer, wherein a vacuum is drawn between individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers so that the vacuum is distributed across a sheet of media and is split around the individual rollers. The spacing between the individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers is variable to vary the vacuum.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Douglas K. Herrmann, Seemit Praharaj, Michael J. Levy, Jason M. Lefevre, Paul McConville, Chu-heng Liu, Linn C. Hoover, David A. VanKouwenberg
-
Patent number: 11312586Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet storage portion attachable/detachable to/from the apparatus body, a regulating portion to regulate a position of an end portion of the sheet stored in the storage portion, a cam member slidably movable by interlocking with a movement of the regulating portion, and a slide member supported on the apparatus body and slidably movable by engaging with the cam member in a case where the storage portion is attached to the apparatus body. A sensor includes a moving portion supported on the apparatus body and movable by engaging with the slide member, and a variable resistor, supported on the apparatus body, whose resistance value varies in response to a position of the moving portion in the second direction. The sensor outputs a detection value that varies in response to the resistance value of the variable resistor.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tatsuo Nishiyama
-
Patent number: 11312589Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveyor, a guide, a rotary conveyor, a gripper, and an adjuster. The sheet conveyor is configured to convey a sheet. The guide is configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyor. The rotary conveyor is disposed downstream from the guide in a sheet conveyance direction. The gripper is mounted on the rotary conveyor, the gripper configured to grip a leading end of the sheet. The adjuster is configured to adjust a sheet entering range of the gripper to which the leading end of the sheet enters, along with conveyance of the sheet conveyor, in a direction intersecting a sheet surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2019Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Tomohiro Egawa
-
Patent number: 11312587Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a pickup roller, a feed roller, a retard roller, a conveyance rollers pair. The pickup roller contacts a sheet at a first contact point in a pickup position and rotates to convey the sheet in a predetermined conveyance direction. The feed roller is disposed on a downstream side of the pickup roller in the conveyance direction. The retard roller contacts the feed roller at a second contact point and conveys the sheet while separating the sheet. The conveyance rollers pair contacts each other at a third contact point and conveys the sheet passing through the second contact point to a conveyance path. The first contact point, the second contact point and the third contact point are disposed on a linear line in the conveyance direction, when viewed from axial directions of the rollers.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Hideaki Doyo
-
Patent number: 11305959Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a body portion and a guide unit having a first and second guides. Where an openable portion in the body portion is closed, a first conveyance path is formed between the first guide and a third guide in the openable portion and a second conveyance path is formed between the second guide and the body portion, and a sheet is conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path by passing through a gap between the guide unit and a downstream end of the third guide. In a state where the openable portion is open, the guide unit moves with respect to the openable portion so the second guide faces the third guide and the gap between the guide unit and the downstream end of the third guide becomes larger than the gap in a state where the openable portion is closed.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yuji Nakayashiki
-
Patent number: 11299360Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that can form images on both surfaces of a sheet, a first roller conveys a sheet conveyed from a reversal roller and a first motor drives the reversal and first rollers. A one-way clutch restricts transfer of a driving force from the first motor to the first roller while the reversal roller is conveying a sheet in a first direction, and permits transfer of a driving force from the first motor to the first roller while the reversal roller is conveying a sheet in a second direction. Second and third rollers are provided on a downstream side of the first roller. A second motor drives the second and third rollers. A controller drives both of the first and second motors when resuming conveyance of a sheet conveyed on a duplex conveyance path after causing the sheet to await abutment with the second roller.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yohei Katto
-
Patent number: 11293798Abstract: In a method and apparatus for length measurement of a flat good in a goods processing system having first and second stations, each having a sensor in the transport direction of the flat good, a control processor implements a path control and counts encoder pulses of an encoder in the first station. An event is determined by the sensor of the second station, and an associated numerical value Z1 of the encoder pulses is stored in the control processor, as is a numerical value Z2 for a distance between the two sensors is also stored. An additional event is determined by the sensor of the first station, and an associated numerical value Z3 of the encoder pulses is stored. As soon as both events are present, Z2 and the difference ?=Z3?Z1 are added by the control processor, and the sum is used to designate the length.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbHInventors: Frank Geserich, Volker Baum
-
Patent number: 11279579Abstract: Provided are: a sheet feed device that is capable of suppressing the occurrence of a sheet feeding fault by changing the pressing contact force of a retard roller against a feed roller; and an image formation device equipped with the same. This sheet feed unit (50) is provided with: a pickup roller (29); a feed roller (31); a retard roller (32); a holding member (40) that holds the retard roller (32); a first biasing member (42) that biases the holding member (40); and a pressing contact force changing mechanism (60) that changes the pressing contact force of the retard roller (32) against the feed roller (31).Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Kiyonori Yamamoto