Patents by Inventor Ryoichi SHUTO

Ryoichi SHUTO has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11936823
    Abstract: There is provided a medium transport device including a placement section on which a medium is placed, a transport path through which the medium is transported, a feeding roller that feeds the medium, a set guide configured to switch between a contact position where the medium and the feeding roller are brought into contact and a separation position where the medium and the feeding roller are separated, a restricting section configured to switch between a restricting position for restricting feeding of the medium by coming into contact with a leading end of the medium and an allowing position for allowing the feeding of the medium, and a drive source that generates power for switching of the set guide and switching of the restricting section. The set guide and the restricting section are provided below the transport path in a direction of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhito Noda, Ryoichi Shuto, Masaki Namiki
  • Publication number: 20240025685
    Abstract: The medium feeding device includes a skew correction mechanism including a first lever member and a second lever member displaceable between an advanced position contactable with a document and a retracted position retracted from a transport path, and a first load member and a second load member displaceable between a blocking position at which a part of the transport path in a width direction is blocked and an opening position at which the transport path is opened without being blocked, and the first load member and the second load member overlap at least a part of a transport roller when seen in the width direction when they are located at the blocking position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Masaki NAMIKI, Ryoichi SHUTO
  • Publication number: 20240015253
    Abstract: There is provided a medium transport device including a placement section on which a medium is placed, a transport path through which the medium is transported, a feeding roller that feeds the medium, a set guide configured to switch between a contact position where the medium and the feeding roller are brought into contact and a separation position where the medium and the feeding roller are separated, a restricting section configured to switch between a restricting position for restricting feeding of the medium by coming into contact with a leading end of the medium and an allowing position for allowing the feeding of the medium, and a drive source that generates power for switching of the set guide and switching of the restricting section. The set guide and the restricting section are provided below the transport path in a direction of gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Kazuhito NODA, Ryoichi SHUTO, Masaki NAMIKI
  • Patent number: 11785155
    Abstract: An apparatus body of an image reading apparatus is turnably provided to a body supporting portion. The apparatus body is turned so as to be switchable between a first posture and a second posture that forms an angle between a reading transportation path and a mounting surface being smaller than the corresponding angle formed in the first posture. A transportation path switching unit couples the reading transportation path to a reverse transportation path when the apparatus body takes the first posture, and couples the reading transportation path to a non-reverse transportation path when the apparatus body takes the second posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Koyanagi, Keiichiro Fukumasu, Ryoichi Shuto, Yoichiro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20230262179
    Abstract: Provided is an image reading apparatus in which at least part of a feeding roller that feeds out a document placed on a document support unit to a first transport roller is present within a region of the first transport roller in an apparatus depth direction and a position at which the feeding roller and a document are brought into contact with each other is present within the region of the first transport roller in the apparatus depth direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Ryoichi SHUTO, Yoichiro NISHIMURA, Hiroki NAKASHIMA, Shinsuke KOGI, Tokujiro OKUNO, Noriyuki KOYANAGI
  • Publication number: 20230242360
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a medium supporting portion supporting a medium, a feeding roller that feeds the medium, a separation portion configured to advance and retreat with respect to the feeding roller, a path forming member that is a member positioned upstream in a medium feeding direction with respect to a contact position between the feeding roller and the separation portion, that is configured to advance and retreat with respect to the feeding roller, and that is configured to narrow a medium feeding path directed toward the contact position, and a first pressing portion pressing the path forming member toward the feeding roller, in which the path forming member displaces the separation portion in a direction away from the feeding roller when the path forming member is pushed down in a direction retreating from the feeding roller by a medium having a thickness exceeding a predetermined thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Ryoichi SHUTO, Kazuhito NODA, Kiyotaka NAKAMURA, Takayuki SHIOTA
  • Patent number: 11683426
    Abstract: A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section onto which a medium to be fed is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium mounted on the medium mounting section; and a supporting member that supports an end in a width direction of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and that supports the medium at a higher position than the medium mounting section in a direction of loading of the medium, the width direction being a direction crossing a feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoichi Shuto, Yoichiro Nishimura, Yuhei Hamada
  • Publication number: 20230095138
    Abstract: An apparatus main body of an image reading apparatus is capable of being switched between a first posture and a second posture in which an inclination angle is smaller than that of the first posture. The image reading apparatus is capable of switching between a separation state in which a separation roller separates a document and a non-separation state in which the separation roller does not separate the document. The image reading apparatus puts the separation roller in the separation state when the apparatus main body is in the first posture and puts the separation roller in the non-separation state when the apparatus main body is in the second posture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventor: Ryoichi SHUTO
  • Publication number: 20230102828
    Abstract: An apparatus body of an image reading apparatus is turnably provided to a body supporting portion. The apparatus body is turned so as to be switchable between a first posture and a second posture that forms an angle between a reading transportation path and a mounting surface being smaller than the corresponding angle formed in the first posture. A transportation path switching unit couples the reading transportation path to a reverse transportation path when the apparatus body takes the first posture, and couples the reading transportation path to a non-reverse transportation path when the apparatus body takes the second posture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Noriyuki KOYANAGI, Keiichiro FUKUMASU, Ryoichi SHUTO, Yoichiro NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 11339013
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a medium mounting section, a movable edge guide that guides both edges of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and has a first edge guide and a second edge guide, a feeding section, and a width adjuster configured to adjust a guide width depending on the medium. The width adjuster includes a first adjuster having a first holding section and a first guiding section, and the second adjuster having a second holding section and a second guiding section. The first holding section holds a part of the first edge guide, the first guiding section guides the edge of the medium between the first edge guide and the second guiding section, the second holding section holds a part of the second edge guide, and the second guiding section guides the edge of the medium between the second edge guide and the first guiding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Shuto, Kazuhito Noda
  • Publication number: 20220070320
    Abstract: A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section onto which a medium to be fed is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium mounted on the medium mounting section; and a supporting member that supports an end in a width direction of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and that supports the medium at a higher position than the medium mounting section in a direction of loading of the medium, the width direction being a direction crossing a feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ryoichi SHUTO, Yoichiro NISHIMURA, Yuhei HAMADA
  • Patent number: 11050895
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a feeding roller configured to feed a document, a separation roller configured to pinch the document with the feeding roller at a nipping position for separation, a first sending roller located downstream of the feeding roller and configured to send the document downstream, a read sensor located downstream of the first sending roller and configured to read the document, and a second sending roller located downstream of the read sensor and configured to send the document downstream. A guide surface is disposed downstream of the nipping position and below a common tangent line to the first sending roller and the second sending roller. The guide surface is positioned to come in contact with a front end of the document sent downward from the nipping position beyond the common tangent line to guide the document upward toward the common tangent line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Sekito Masaru, Ryoichi Shuto, Kiyotaka Nakamura, Masaki Namiki, Kazuhito Noda
  • Patent number: 10961067
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller, a separation roller which nips a medium between the separation roller and the feeding roller to separate the medium and to which a driving torque is applied by a driving source in a second rotation direction that is opposite to a first rotation direction in which the medium is fed to a downstream side, and a torque limiter that causes the separation roller to idle in the first rotation direction when a rotational torque applied to the separation roller in the first rotation direction exceeds a limit torque that is a predetermined upper torque limit, in which separation setting including a pressing load of the separation roller, a rotational speed of the separation roller, and the limit torque is changeable according to condition of feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Shuto, Tsuyoshi Yamanaka, Kazuya Yoshikaie, Shinsuke Kogi
  • Publication number: 20210024306
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a medium mounting section, a movable edge guide that guides both edges of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and has a first edge guide and a second edge guide, a feeding section, and a width adjuster configured to adjust a guide width depending on the medium. The width adjuster includes a first adjuster having a first holding section and a first guiding section, and the second adjuster having a second holding section and a second guiding section. The first holding section holds a part of the first edge guide, the first guiding section guides the edge of the medium between the first edge guide and the second guiding section, the second holding section holds a part of the second edge guide, and the second guiding section guides the edge of the medium between the second edge guide and the first guiding section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Ryoichi SHUTO, Kazuhito NODA
  • Publication number: 20210029263
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a feeding roller configured to feed a document, a separation roller configured to pinch the document with the feeding roller at a nipping position for separation, a first sending roller located downstream of the feeding roller and configured to send the document downstream, a read sensor located downstream of the first sending roller and configured to read the document, and a second sending roller located downstream of the read sensor and configured to send the document downstream. A guide surface is disposed downstream of the nipping position and below a common tangent line to the first sending roller and the second sending roller. The guide surface is positioned to come in contact with a front end of the document sent downward from the nipping position beyond the common tangent line to guide the document upward toward the common tangent line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Sekito MASARU, Ryoichi SHUTO, Kiyotaka NAKAMURA, Masaki NAMIKI, Kazuhito NODA
  • Patent number: 10584005
    Abstract: A medium feed device includes a feed roller provided to a device body and configured to feed paper, a separator roller provided at a position on the device body facing the feed roller and configured to separate the paper, and a medium support section configured to support the medium in an inclined state upstream of the feed roller. The medium support section is configured with a variable contact angle between the paper supported by the medium support section and the separator roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Harada, Ryoichi Shuto, Keiichiro Fukumasu, Kazuhiko Tsuyama, Tomoyuki Mokuo, Tokujiro Okuno
  • Publication number: 20190193967
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller, a separation roller which nips a medium between the separation roller and the feeding roller to separate the medium and to which a driving torque is applied by a driving source in a second rotation direction that is opposite to a first rotation direction in which the medium is fed to a downstream side, and a torque limiter that causes the separation roller to idle in the first rotation direction when a rotational torque applied to the separation roller in the first rotation direction exceeds a limit torque that is a predetermined upper torque limit, in which separation setting including a pressing load of the separation roller, a rotational speed of the separation roller, and the limit torque is changeable according to condition of feeding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Ryoichi SHUTO, Tsuyoshi YAMANAKA, Kazuya YOSHIKAIE, Shinsuke KOGI
  • Publication number: 20180194579
    Abstract: A medium feed device includes a feed roller provided to a device body and configured to feed paper, a separator roller provided at a position on the device body facing the feed roller and configured to separate the paper, and a medium support section configured to support the medium in an inclined state upstream of the feed roller. The medium support section is configured with a variable contact angle between the paper supported by the medium support section and the separator roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Hidenori HARADA, Ryoichi SHUTO, Keiichiro FUKUMASU, Kazuhiko TSUYAMA, Tomoyuki MOKUO, Tokujiro OKUNO
  • Patent number: 10015335
    Abstract: A medium transport device includes a feeding roller which sends a medium to a downstream side; and a detecting unit which can detect the medium sent by the feeding roller at a predetermined position on a transport path, in which the detecting unit includes a lever member of which a posture is changed when being in contact with the medium, and a detecting portion which detects a change in posture of the lever member, and the lever member applies an external force which causes at least a part of the medium to be bent in a gravity direction by being in contact with the medium in a predetermined posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoichi Shuto
  • Patent number: 9724934
    Abstract: A printer includes a carriage which includes an ink jet recording head and is movable in a first direction and a second direction that is an opposite direction to the first direction, a gear group which transmits power of a motor to a sheet transporter, a transporter drive motor which transmits power to the gear group, and a carriage drive motor which drives the carriage. At least a portion of the carriage drive motor and at least a portion of the gear group are at the same position as each other in a movement direction (x direction) of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Shuto, Kazuhiko Tsuyama, Naoki Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Tajima