With Means To Bow Sheets Patents (Class 271/209)
  • Patent number: 8220796
    Abstract: A sheet output device includes a sheet receiver and a group of rollers. The group of rollers includes a plurality of output rollers arranged in the widthwise direction of the sheet and a plurality of pinch rollers arranged upward of the plurality of output rollers. The plurality of pinch rollers pinch the sheet with the plurality of output rollers and transport the sheet onto the sheet receiver. The sheet output device further includes at least one corrugation roller which is disposed between corresponding two of the plurality of output rollers and which has a diameter larger than the plurality of output rollers. The plurality of output rollers are rotatable relatively with respect to the at least one corrugation roller. The at least one corrugation roller rotates by being pushed by a leading end of the transported sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Muneaki Takahata
  • Patent number: 8210528
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which can secure a stacking ability even when a paper is curled. An apex portion is provided downstream in the sheet discharge direction with respect to a center of gravity of the sheets discharged on the discharge tray, and an upstream portion in the sheet discharge direction of the sheet is pushed downward by the image reading apparatus, with respect to a downstream end in the sheet discharge direction of the sheet stacked on the discharge tray, at the downstream portion in the sheet discharge direction with respect to the apex portion of the discharge tray, and the upstream portion of the sheet is pressed by a flag while the downstream portion in the sheet discharge direction of the sheet is bent with the apex portion of the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noritomo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8210527
    Abstract: A paper ejecting device with a plurality of swinging protruding members is provided which allows a sheet jumping from a paper ejecting device to a paper receiving tray to be ejected with a desired shape by changing the corrected shape of the sheet according to the kind (size, thickness) of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Duplo Seiko Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Kawaguchi, Katsunori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8186673
    Abstract: A roller storage system for storing sheet-type objects, in particular bank notes, is proposed, comprising a first film drum (3), which can be rotatably driven by a motor, with a first strip-shaped film (7) as a storage strip, comprising a second film drum (4), which can be rotatably driven by a motor, with a second strip-shaped film (11) as a cover strip, and comprising a winding drum (1), which can be rotatably driven by a motor. The films (7, 11), for the reception of the sheet-type objects (20), can be wound from the two film drums (3, 4) onto the winding drum (1) and, for the dispensing of the sheet-type objects (20), can be wound from the winding drum (1) onto the two film drums (3, 4). A first deviating roller (9) between the first film drum (3) and the winding drum (1) serves for the diversion of the first film (7). A second deviating roller (13) between the second film drum (4) and the winding drum (1) serves for the diversion of the second film (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH
    Inventor: Andre Michels
  • Patent number: 8185038
    Abstract: A curl correction device that corrects curl, including: a curl correction shaft that drives to carry a sheet; a first supporting member that supports the curl correction shaft; a curl correction roll that holds the sheet between the curl correction shaft and the curl correction roll and presses the sheet against the curl correction shaft; a second supporting member that supports the curl correction roll and rotates the curl correction roll around a first end in the longitudinal direction of the curl correction roll between closed state and open state; and a cam mechanism that provides, via a cam, the curl correction shaft with driving force for pressing the curl correction roll according to a position of the cam, the cam mechanism being provided with a cam shaft, a connecting member, a first cam receiving member, and a second cam receiving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakatsu Eda, Norio Ogawahara, Noriyuki Miyoshi, Nobuyoshi Komatsu, Tatsunori Izawa
  • Patent number: 8152163
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a discharging portion configured to discharge a sheet, a stacking portion configured to stack a discharged sheet, and a deforming member configured to deform the sheet to be discharged by the discharging portion, wherein the deforming member decreases a deformation amount of the sheet as a stacking amount of the sheets stacked on the stacking portion increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Kitan
  • Patent number: 8141869
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for conveying of sheets (2a, b), comprising upper and lower receiving rolls (3, 4), an upper belt element (5) and a receiving surface (6). The belt element (5) extends in a region above the receiving surface (6). The sheets (2a, b) are conveyed in a substantially horizontal direction of movement (7) towards the receiving rolls (3, 4), which receiving rolls (3, 4) during rotation move the sheets (2a, b) one after another between and past the receiving rolls (3, 4), during which the respective sheet (2a, b), after passing between and past the receiving rolls (3, 4), are situated between said receiving surface (6) and upper belt element (5). The sheets (2a, b) between the upper belt element (5) and the receiving surface (6) are placed on one another such that a rear edge (8) of a sheet (2a) passing through and between the receiving rolls (3, 4) is overlapped by a front edge (9) of a following sheet (2b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Lasermax Roll Systems AB
    Inventors: Peter Benjaminsson, Jan-Erik Persson
  • Patent number: 8145118
    Abstract: There is provided a paper curl correction apparatus including: an input curl determining unit that determines, on the basis of curl characteristic information of a first apparatus which processes a sheet, input curl information corresponding to an amount of curl of a sheet input from the first apparatus; a target curl acquiring unit that acquires, from a post-processing apparatus which performs a post process on a sheet, target curl information suited for the post process; a correction determining unit that determines, on the basis of the input curl information and the target curl information, an amount of curl correction for correcting an amount of curl of the sheet input from the first apparatus to an amount of curl suited for the post process; and a curl correcting unit that corrects the curl of the sheet input from the first apparatus in accordance with the amount of curl correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Seto
  • Patent number: 8128085
    Abstract: A sheet ejecting device having a pair of ejection rollers, a strengthener provided in a sheet ejection route, a tray for receiving ejected sheets and a driver for lifting up and down the tray. A sheet is ejected via the ejection rollers while being strengthened by the strengthener. A specified time after the sheet comes into contact with a stack of sheets on the tray, the tray is lifted up so that the contact point between the currently ejected sheet and the stack of sheets on the tray becomes nearer to the pair of ejection rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinobu Seki
  • Publication number: 20120038101
    Abstract: A medium discharging apparatus includes a pair of discharging rollers, a stacker, and a pressing member. The pair of discharging rollers are configured to rotate to discharge a sheet of medium held therebetween. The discharged sheet of medium and are stacked onto the stacker. The pressing member is disposed downstream of the discharging rollers with respect to a path into which the medium is discharged by the discharging rollers. The pressing member is configured to traverse the path and to swing about a shaft due to a gravity force thereof. When the sheet of medium is discharged by the discharging rollers, the pressing member interferes with the sheet of medium and exerts the gravity force on the sheet of medium downward toward the stacker while swinging about the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji OSAKI
  • Patent number: 8113508
    Abstract: The invention provides a bill processor that substantially horizontally delivers bills one by one to an upper space of a stacking unit from a delivery unit, downward strikes and drops the trailing edge of a delivered bill in its delivery direction by impellers, and stacks the bills in the stacking unit. The bill handling machine has a regulating member that engages the leading edge of the bill in its delivery direction, which is delivered to the upper space of the stacking unit from the delivery unit. The regulating member can be changed in position in the delivery direction according to the length of a bill in the delivery direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Laurel Precision Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Onodera, Toru Inage, Tomohisa Oe
  • Patent number: 8113507
    Abstract: A pair of conveyor rollers arranged in an image forming apparatus to convey a recording sheet which has been subjected to a fixing process toward outside of a body of the apparatus is configured to be shiftable relative to the body between a first position and a second position. A first holding member is configured to support one of the conveyor rollers in such a manner that a conveyor roller supported by the first holding member is swingable around a pivot located adjacent to a sheet conveyance path upstream of the supported conveyor roller to allow the pair of conveyor rollers to be shifted between the first position and the second position. The first holding member comprises a sheet guide portion which provides a variable-position guideway extending from a position located upstream along the sheet conveyance path toward a peripheral surface of the supported conveyor roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Ishida
  • Patent number: 8041283
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device, including: a first tray on which sheets to be fed are stacked; a second tray which is disposed above the first tray to provide a two-tier structure and on which the sheets after having fed from the first tray are stacked; a sheet-feed path extending from the first tray to the second tray; a sheet-feed mechanism which is operable to separate one of the sheets stacked on the first tray, to feed the one of the sheets into the sheet-feed path, and to discharge the one of the sheets to the second tray such that the one of the sheets slides under another of the sheets that has been discharged immediately before the one of the sheets; and at least one sheet guide which is configured to warp the sheets discharged to the second tray, in a direction perpendicular to a sheet-feed direction in which the sheets are fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunji Murai
  • Patent number: 8016287
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device for stacking conveyed sheets includes a stacking surface on which the sheets are stacked; a plurality of projections that project from the stacking surface. Wherein, the projections extend generally in a travel direction of the sheets, which is a direction in which the sheets travel when entering the sheet stacking device, the projections include outer projections and inner projections, the inner projections are located between the inner projections, and a projecting height of the inner projections from the stacking surface is greater than that of the outer projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110215520
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes an outer wall having a discharge port of sheets; a movable tray on which the sheets discharged from the discharge port are stacked, the movable tray vertically moving along the outer wall according to a stack amount of the sheets; a curl sensor that detects a curled state of the sheets before the sheets are discharged from the discharge port; and a control unit that controls at least one of a discharge speed of the sheets and a position of the movable tray according to the detected curled state of the sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko TSUCHIYA, Akira Suzuki, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8002273
    Abstract: A paper discharge apparatus that sequentially discharges paper through a discharge outlet, stacks and stores the paper is provided, the apparatus includes: a discharge tray including a fixed tray that is fixedly disposed spaced apart from the discharge outlet, and a swing tray that is disposed between the fixed tray and the discharge outlet and that is axially supported so as to be capable of swinging at or near an end portion of the fixed tray; and a drive control unit that controls an angle of inclination of a surface of the swing tray with respect to a surface of the fixed tray by swinging the swing tray. In this paper discharge apparatus, paper discharged from the discharge outlet is received on the fixed tray and the swing tray of the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Matsumoto, Toyoaki Nanba, Masaru Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7992863
    Abstract: A media sheet deformer provides an adjustable amount of media sheet deformation. The media sheet deformer nonpermanently deforms a media sheet in a printer to increase the beam strength of the media sheet temporarily. The device includes a deformer, a support member, and a positioning member. The deformer is positioned in a media path within a printer. The deformer is configured to deform a media sheet temporarily with an amount of media sheet deformation. The amount of media sheet deformation causes the media sheet to exhibit an arched profile that increases the beam strength of the media sheet. The support member is coupled to the deformer. The support member is movably coupled to a printer frame. The positioning member is coupled to the support member. The positioning member is configured to assert a force on the support member and alter the amount of media sheet deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jos Jacobs, Rob Huala
  • Patent number: 7976019
    Abstract: An improved sheet accumulator for stacking serially fed sheets transported on a paper path includes a guide deck. Above the guide deck, a plurality of parallel belts are positioned to provide a driving force for sheets on the deck. Within the accumulator, a ramp apparatus is positioned across the paper path whereby sheets driven by the belts on an upstream portion of the accumulator deck are driven over the ramp apparatus and deposited in an accumulating region of the accumulator deck on a downstream side of the ramp apparatus. Sheets are stopped by an accumulator stop mechanism located at a downstream end of the accumulating region that prevents movement of sheets by the belts while sheets for an accumulation are being collected. When an accumulation is completed, the accumulator stop mechanism allows sheets to be transported from the accumulating region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Masotta, William J. Wright, Robert E. Manna, Charles C. Fuller, John W. Sussmeier
  • Patent number: 7971873
    Abstract: An image forming device, which is configured to form an image on a sheet, includes a main body casing, a catch tray provided on the main body casing to be loaded with the sheet discharged in a first direction with the image formed thereon, and a cover configured to cover a downstream-side face of the main body casing in the first direction in an openable and closable manner. The catch tray is disposed such that a downstream-side end thereof in the first direction faces an upstream-side end of the cover in the first direction. The downstream-side end of the catch tray and the upstream-side end of the cover are configured to mutually overlap when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sakae Ito
  • Patent number: 7909322
    Abstract: A skew correction device including a first guide member which supports the sheet transported by the transport roller from a lower side thereof in a vertical direction and guides the sheet to the gate member, and a second guide member which is provided on an upper position from the first guide member in a vertical direction and which guides the sheet to the gate member. Here, the first guide member includes at least one rotating member which faces a transport passage of the sheet interposed between the first guide member and the second guide member and is rotatably provided at least in the center of the second guide member in a width direction intersecting a transport direction of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yutao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7909323
    Abstract: A skew correction device including a first guide member which supports the sheet transported from a lower side thereof in a vertical direction by the transport roller and which guides the sheet to the gate member and a second guide member which is provided on an upper position from the first guide member in a vertical direction and which guides the sheet to the gate member. Here, the second guide member includes at least one rotating member which faces a transport passage of the sheet interposed between the first guide member and the second guide member and is rotatably provided at least in the center of the second guide member in a width direction intersecting a transport direction of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yutao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7832977
    Abstract: Stacker carts for stacking media, printing apparatuses, and methods of stacking media on stacker carts are disclosed. An embodiment of the stacker carts includes a stacking surface including a first end and an opposite second end, the stacking surface sloping downwardly from the first end toward the second end; and a resiliently-biased stop at the second end of the stacking surface, the stop including at least one contact surface defining a height of the stop above the second end of the stacking surface. When the contact surface is in contact with a first surface, a height of the stop (i) decreases as the stacker cart is moved toward the first surface, and (ii) increases as the stacker cart is moved away from the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Brewer, III
  • Patent number: 7802787
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device and image forming apparatus are provided. The sheet discharging device includes a sheet discharging port; a sheet discharging tray which is provided correspondingly to the sheet discharging port, a sheet discharged from the sheet discharging port being stacked on the sheet discharging tray; and a plurality of sheet lifting members provided so as to be moveable between a retraction position and a protrusion position; wherein when a leading end portion of the sheet contacts with the sheet lifting members, the sheet lifting members move from the retraction position to the protrusion position, the sheet lifting members stay at the protrusion position and lift up the sheet while the sheet is discharged from the sheet discharging port to the sheet discharge tray, and the sheet lifting members return to the retraction position when the sheet has been discharged from the sheet discharging port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Miwa
  • Patent number: 7798488
    Abstract: An equipment for conveying sheet-shaped members, including a plurality of blower ducts being arranged in parallel; a common duct connected to outlets of the blower ducts; an air stream unit for generating air streams in the blower ducts; a plurality of sheet feeding units respectively connected to the blower ducts, the sheet feeding units feeding sheet-shaped members into the blower ducts; a plurality of open/close valves respectively provided to the blower ducts, the open/close valves opening and closing the blower ducts; a drive section for respectively driving the open/close valves; a collecting unit provided to a terminal end of the common duct, the collecting unit collecting the sheet-shaped members conveyed; and a control section for controlling the drive section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: WINTEC Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshikatsu Terashima
  • Patent number: 7793932
    Abstract: The present invention provides a paper collecting tray that reduces or eliminates paper curling. The collecting tray has a wire structure using springs or movable bands to support various size papers. These springs are provided in one embodiment to support paper sheets having 8.5 inch widths, 24 inch widths and 36 inch widths. These are configured to provide substantial support for the sheets and configured to prevent paper curling when the paper is passed to the collecting tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: David Alan Bartman
  • Patent number: 7766323
    Abstract: Together with a device for receiving mail items that has a conveyor belt designed to receive and to convey the mail items from a franking station of a mail handling machine, a device is provided for stacking mail items that has a plurality of rollers disposed in staggered manner on a plurality of axles whose ends are fixed to respective ones of two support walls between which the axles extend, which support walls are mutually parallel and are spaced apart by at least the width of said conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: NEOPOST Technologies
    Inventors: Romain Pillard, Cyril Janot
  • Patent number: 7762546
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device including: (a) a sheet discharger configured to discharge a sheet in a discharging direction; (b) a tray configured to receive the sheet discharged by the sheet discharger; (c) a stopper protruding upwardly from the tray; and (d) a guide provided by an upper surface of the tray and located on an upstream side of the stopper in the discharging direction, and configured to warp the discharged sheet such that the warped sheet has a downwardly convex shape in its cross section that is perpendicular to the discharging direction, for thereby allowing a leading end of the warped sheet to pass over the stopper and to be positioned on a downstream side of the stopper in the discharging direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Wakakusa, Masatoshi Izuchi
  • Patent number: 7748703
    Abstract: A device for stacking flat, flexible postal items in a stacking compartment in an upright position includes a stacking roller positionable in proximity of the stacking compartment. A covered belt system feeds the postal items consecutively to the stacking roller, wherein the belt system has a first belt and a second belt. A deflection roller on an axis deflects the first belt from the second belt so that the second belt continuous to transport a postal item to the stacking roller. A first profile roller on the deflection roller has a predetermined roller length and includes a number of diameter taperings over its roller length. Deflectable pressure means press the postal items into the diameter taperings of the first profile roller to reduce a free flexible lengths of a postal items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Schererz, Armin Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 7748705
    Abstract: A paper discharge tray 6 includes: a paper loading portion 7 provided in a bent form including a first tray surface 7a and a second tray surface 7b; a rear wall 8 for supporting and aligning the trailing end of paper discharged on the paper loading portion 7; and an installation portion 10 provided along the paper loading portion 7. On two portions of the first tray surface 7a, there are provided guide members 11 each having a first slope 11a that inclines upward in the paper discharge direction (direction indicated by an arrow A in the figure). When paper of a predetermined size is discharged on the guide members 11, the paper slides down along the first slopes 11a and the second tray surface 7c, and then is loaded with the trailing end of the paper aligned by the rear wall 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 7722034
    Abstract: A sheet discharge tray that can improve width direction alignment of discharged sheets of various sizes with a simple structure. Ribs are disposed on a sheet discharge tray. And a space between at least a pair of adjacent ribs among the ribs at a discharging direction upstream end portion is narrower than a space between the at least two adjacent ribs at a discharging direction downstream end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Kosuda, Jun Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7711310
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes multiple sheet discharge trays arranged on a downstream of a fixing unit in a layer structure, and multiple sheet-receiving units provided corresponding to the multiple sheet discharge trays arranged in the layer structure. Each of the sheet-receiving units respectively includes a climbing slope from a sheet discharge direction start point to a sheet discharge direction end point, and an angle of the climbing slope of a sheet-receiving unit is close to plane, as the sheet-receiving unit is arranged on a further downstream. It is thus possible to provide the image-forming apparatus in which discharged sheets of paper are not piled up on the sheet-receiving unit in a curled state or the discharged sheet does not push out the sheet piled on the sheet-receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shiroh Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7699309
    Abstract: A collector for stacking sheets of paper, plastics, and cardboard has a feeding device and a tray downstream of the feeding device in the feeding direction. The tray is arranged in a lowered position relative to the feeding device. A stop is provided downstream of the tray. At least one transport roll transports sheets individually from the feeding device onto the tray to form a stack. An adjusting element is arranged in an area where the feeding device and the tray adjoin, wherein the adjusting element is adjustable between a lowered rest position and a position of use lifted relative to the rest position. In the position of use, the adjusting element lifts a trail end of a first sheet that has reached the tray such that a following second sheet is moved into a position underneath the trail end of the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Mathias Bäuerle GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Markgraf
  • Patent number: 7686295
    Abstract: Curling of a printed sheet is corrected, friction is reduced on a paper transport surface, and the shape of the printed and ejected sheet is adjusted to a predetermined shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Kawaguchi, Katsunori Takahashi, Nobuki Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 7686296
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes: an evacuation section for transporting and ejecting sheets; a sheet exit tray for stacking the ejected sheets; an arm supporting member; and a sheet presser arm including a supported end at one end, a free end at the other end which is capable of pressing the sheets stacked on the sheet exit tray directly or via a contact member attached to the free end, and a flexure portion having flexibility between the supported end and the free end. The supported end is attached to the arm supporting member. The arm can apply, by the flexibility of the flexure portion, a pressing force to the sheets stacked on the sheet exit tray and a repulsive force to each of the ejected sheets when a front end of the ejected sheet strikes against the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kaneko, Masatsugu Hatanaka, Motokazu Nakao, Yoshinori Shiraishi, Hideshi Izumi, Toyokazu Mori, Yuhi Akagawa
  • Patent number: 7681880
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet delivery apparatus for delivering a sheet to a delivery tray, including: a pair of delivery rotary members for nipping and delivering the sheet guided by the guide portion; and a projection that rotates about an axis being the same as an axis of one of the pair of delivery rotary members, is abutted against a trailing end of the sheet, and pushes out the trailing end of the sheet toward a delivery tray side. The guide portion deforms the sheet so that the sheet does not contact the projection, and after the trailing end of the sheet has passed through the guide portion, the projection and the trailing end of the sheet are abutted against each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Sekiyama, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7673873
    Abstract: A tray for receiving printed media from a printer, the tray including a print well, a ramp and at least two side walls. There is at least one support member extending from the tray adapted to engage the printer and position the tray such that the print well is laterally offset from the exit slot of the printer and prints exiting from the printer overhang one of the side walls of the tray. A ledge feature projects from the side wall that exiting prints overhang, the ledge feature configured to bias movement of the printed media exiting the printer and in contact the ledge feature to fall into the print well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert F. Mindler, Robert C. Cohoon, Theodore J. Skomsky
  • Patent number: 7671885
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus is provided which can perform image recording on a recording medium being conveyed while restraining a curl at the front end of the recording medium. The ink-jet recording apparatus has an upstream curve forming portion that curves a recording medium being conveyed into a nearly U-shape when viewed in a cross selection orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording medium, and an upstream conveying direction change portion that shifts the conveying direction of the recording medium being conveyed from the feed tray to between a platen and a recording head such that the recording medium is curved to form a nearly U-shape when viewed in a cross section along the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiko Sasa
  • Patent number: 7661670
    Abstract: A sheet discharge device neatly and uniformly aligns edges of print sheets irrespective of the thickness of a print sheet, and exerts the same effect even at a low discharge speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Shinohara
  • Patent number: 7631864
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a catch tray may include a first end configured to connect to a document production resource, a second end and a top surface having a plurality of ribs. A rib may have a first end and a second end. At least one rib may extend from the first end of the catch tray toward the second end of the catch tray. The height of the rib at the first end of the rib may be larger than the height of the rib at the second end of the rib. The rib may include a first curved side portion, a second curved side portion, and a top portion connected to the first curved side portion and the second curved side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandria J. Howe, James Wood, Stephen Paul Wood
  • Patent number: 7621527
    Abstract: A sheet collecting device for collecting sheets leaving the printing device, which includes a delivery rack for collecting sheets, a front edge stopper for collecting the front edge of a sheet in a first position of the sheet collecting device in which the sheet is deposited on the delivery rack, and wherein the sheet collecting device can be placed in a second position in which the sheets can be deposited on the delivery rack without the intervention of the front edge stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Océ-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Antonius J. J. Van Gerven, Maurice J. C. Lemmens, Paul G. Van Veen, Robertus L. Zweerman
  • Patent number: 7575151
    Abstract: A printer is provided having a print media supply, at least one pagewidth printhead arranged to print on print media as it travels therepast on a media path from the print media supply, and a binder arranged on the media path for binding the print media printed on by the printhead. The print media supply, the printhead and the binder are arranged so that the media path is substantially straight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King
  • Patent number: 7556260
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a driving roller for transporting a medium; a follower roller disposed to face the driving roller for transporting the medium; a guide member for guiding the medium to change a transport direction thereof by an angle greater than 30°; and a rotational member disposed to be freely rotatable at a position corresponding to a side edge of the medium. Accordingly, after the driving roller and the follower roller transport the medium, when the medium contacts with the guide member, side edges of the medium contact with the guide member at an angle smaller than that of a center portion of the medium contacting with the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Yoshimoto, Takahiro Sunohara
  • Publication number: 20090121414
    Abstract: An image forming device, which is configured to form an image on a sheet, includes a main body casing, a catch tray provided on the main body casing to be loaded with the sheet discharged in a first direction with the image formed thereon, and a cover configured to cover a downstream-side face of the main body casing in the first direction in an openable and closable manner. The catch tray is disposed such that a downstream-side end thereof in the first direction faces an upstream-side end of the cover in the first direction. The downstream-side end of the catch tray and the upstream-side end of the cover are configured to mutually overlap when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sakae ITO
  • Patent number: 7494121
    Abstract: A system and method of stacking printed sheets with sheet curl stacking problems in an automatically variable configuration stacking system having a spaced array of repositionable initial sheet supporting surfaces providing a generally planar initial stack supporting configuration on which a limited amount of sheets initially stack, and then, in response to stacking additional sheets in said system, the stacking system automatically changes to a different, arcuate, stack supporting configuration by automatically lowering at least some of the spaced array of initial sheet supporting surfaces to arcuately bend the curled sheets in an arcuate direction transverse the sheet curl direction on a fixed stacking surface that is arcuate transversely of the sheet curl direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Herrmann, Richard P. Ficarra, Tina M. Burns, Bruce D. Caryl, Robert F. Rubscha
  • Patent number: 7484729
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a loading portion that is capable of receiving a recording sheet. The loading portion includes a correction member which has a bending portion, wherein the bending portion selectively moves between a first position and a second position, the second position being located higher than the first position, and a stopper that selectively moves between a closed position and an open position in which the stopper extends upward at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal surface when the stopper is at the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akehiro Ono, Masahiro Kamimura
  • Patent number: 7464925
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention an adjustable sheet feeder for use in an apparatus for feeding sheets from the top of a sheet supply stack is shown. The sheet supply stack has a center and marginal edges, each having a top. The adjustable sheet feeder comprises a sheet supply stack support, a sheet feed head assembly, a curl sensing device which senses the position of the stack edges relative to the position of the stack center top and provides feedback, an adjustment device, and a feed back display which displays the curl sensing device feedback. The adjustment device adjusts the position of the stack center top relative to the position of the stack marginal edges top based on the curl sensing device feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Dobbertin, Alan E. Rapkin
  • Patent number: 7461841
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet discharging apparatus in which an apparatus main body portion is provided with plural discharging rollers for discharging sheets by rotation, and a shaft coaxially fixed to the discharging rollers. The shaft has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the discharging roller. At the discharging roller side of the shaft is provided a small-diameter portion, with the outer diameter of the small-diameter portion smaller than the outer diameter of another portion. A projection projects from a portion of the apparatus main body portion, a tip end of the projection being disposed in a step between the small-diameter portion and the other portion of the shaft. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus having the sheet discharging apparatus, in which an image is formed on a sheet, and the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged by the sheet discharging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuki Tanaka, Keiji Sanekata
  • Patent number: 7451979
    Abstract: An improved sheet accumulator for stacking serially fed sheets transported on a paper path. The accumulator includes a guide deck. Above the guide deck, a plurality of parallel belts are positioned to provide a driving force for sheets on the deck. Within the accumulator, a ramp apparatus is positioned across the paper path whereby sheets driven by the belts on an upstream portion of the accumulator deck are driven over the ramp apparatus and deposited in an accumulating region of the accumulator deck on a downstream side of the ramp apparatus. Preferably, snap-down belts are provided between ramp structures snap transported sheets quickly into place on the stack and to hold them there. Sheets are stopped by an accumulator stop mechanism located at a downstream end of the accumulating region that prevents movement of sheets by the belts while sheets for an accumulation are being collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Masotta, William J. Wright, Robert E. Manna, Charles C Fuller, John W. Sussmeier
  • Publication number: 20080245852
    Abstract: A printer is provided having a print media supply, at least one pagewidth printhead arranged to print on print media as it travels therepast on a media path from the print media supply, and a binder arranged on the media path for binding the print media printed on by the printhead. The print media supply, the printhead and the binder are arranged so that the media path is substantially straight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King
  • Patent number: 7429038
    Abstract: A finisher for an image forming apparatus includes a pair of rotatable downstream rollers and a pair of rotatable upstream roller between which a path on which an imaged medium travels. The finisher determines when a trailing edge of the medium is about to leave a nip of the upstream rollers and then stops a leading edge of the medium. By stopping the leading edge of the medium, the medium buckles and the trailing edge registers against the upstream nip line. A finishing device performs a hole punch, staple, or other finishing operation to the medium when the trailing edge registers against the upstream nip line. The finishing operation is performed at a speed equal to or greater than a speed at which the image forming apparatus forms the image on the medium and outputs the medium to the finisher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond Matthew Ruthenberg, Joseph Andre Michel Loiselle, Robert Hugh Brown