With Movable Sheet-surface Support Patents (Class 271/213)
  • Patent number: 8104706
    Abstract: It is presented a note transport unit for feeding notes one after the other to and from a note handling unit. The note transport unit comprises at least one note storage drum to and from which input notes and output notes, respectively, are transported. A bidirectional roller is arranged to transport notes along a first guide surface towards and from the at least one note storage drum. Moreover, first and second films are provided, between which films notes are stored on the at least one note storage drum. Several converging areas are used for the capturing of both input notes and output notes when notes are transferred between the note handling unit and the at least one note storage drum. It is also presented a method for bidirectional transfer of notes to and from the note transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Scan Coin AB
    Inventors: Per Christian Aas, John-Haakon Lippert, Anders Ekberg
  • Patent number: 8096550
    Abstract: A paper-out mechanism includes a paper out wall and a paper out board. The paper out wall defines a paper out opening. The paper out opening includes a first edge and a second edge facing to the first edge. The paper out board is slidably mounted on the paper out wall below the paper out opening. The paper out board includes an adapter portion which includes a first side and a second side. A distance between the first side and second side is greater than a distance between the first edge and the second edge. The paper out board is slidable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the first side is in alignment with the first edge. In the second position, the second side is in alignment with the second edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Kun Shih, Chen-Lu Fan, Chun-Hsien Lin
  • Publication number: 20110285077
    Abstract: A second stacker is provided with base-end projection portions and leading-end projection portions that protrude outward in the width direction from the second stacker from both sides of the second stacker at the base end of the second stacker in the pull-out direction thereof. A first stacker is provided with guide rails on which the stated projection portions slide when the second stacker is pulled out; contact portions that do not make contact with and allow the leading-end projection portions to pass when the second stacker is pulled out but prevent the base-end projection portions from passing; and a support portion that supports the leading-end projection portions when the base-end projection portions are in contact with the contact portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aya OTANI, Shinichiro YOSHIKAWA, Satoshi TAMAI
  • Patent number: 8041285
    Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a stacking plate for stacking sheets. The stacking plate is movable vertically within a range from a lower limit position to a pick-up position. The stacking plate has a first surface facing the lower limit position and a second surface facing the pick-up position. The paper feeding device also includes a driving device for driving the stacking plate. The paper feeding device has a locking member for locking the staking plate in the lower limit position. The locking member has a deformable section for contact with the second surface of the stacking plate. The deformable section becomes deformed by a driving force applied through the stacking plate as locked in the lower limit position by the driving device, to unlock the stacking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Hashimoto, Toshiki Ohgita, Hidetoshi Kaneko, Masayuki Nagatani
  • Patent number: 8038145
    Abstract: A printer comprising a cover, and a stacker that is attached to the cover, the stacker being supported pivotably about a pivot axis on the cover between a protruding position where the stacker receives paper discharged from the printer, and a retracted position rotated a predetermined angle from the protruding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Hirabayashi, Shinsuke Tomomatsu
  • Patent number: 8033543
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet stacking apparatus including a tray on which sheets are stacked, and an aligning member aligning the sheets stacked on the tray. The aligning member aligns sheets stacked, on a sheet previously stacked on the tray, with a displacement in an aligning direction of the aligning member with respect to the sheet previously stacked. An aligning operation of the aligning member is changed on the basis of whether or not the number of the sheets stacked on the sheets previously stacked is a predetermined number or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8028989
    Abstract: A bottom surface of a stacking and accommodating portion is structured such as to be sloped to be lower in accordance with moving away from a paper carry-in side, and a push plate is controlled so as to be moved in a direction moving close to a carry-in port of the paper by detecting a stack paper width determined on the basis of a product of a stacked number count information of the papers and a thickness information per one paper, and the papers are accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Kitagawa, Shinji Shibata, Minoru Kadowaki
  • Publication number: 20110233853
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a movable tray having a sheet stack part whose center part is dented downward as the number of discharged and stacked sheets increases, and a movement control mechanism part to move and control the movable tray up and down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuhisa NARAOKA
  • Publication number: 20110215523
    Abstract: With representative configurations of the sheet processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the sheet processing apparatus which includes an intermediate stacking portion in which a sheet is temporarily placed, an aligning portion which supports a part of a lower surface of the sheet stacked in the intermediate stacking portion and which presses a lateral surface end portion of a sheet width direction to align the sheet, and a stapler which processes the sheet aligned by the aligning portion, includes a sheet supporting member which can support the lower surface of the sheet conveyed while sheet stacked in the intermediate stacking portion is processed and a sheet discharging member which presses the rear end of the sheet processed by the stapler and discharges the sheet to the stack tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroharu Tsuji, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Junichi Sekiyama, Tomooku Koyama, Masatoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8010036
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body that performs image forming processing to a recording sheet; a sheet receiving member provided on a top surface of the apparatus main body and provided with a sheet receiving surface; a sheet discharge port through which a recording sheet bearing thereon a formed image is discharged toward the sheet receiving surface; and a swinging mechanism that allows the sheet receiving member to swing. The swinging mechanism allows the sheet receiving member to swing for the sheet receiving surface to change a posture between a first state where the sheet receiving surface sinks on the sheet discharge port side and a second state where the sheet receiving surface on the sheet discharge port side is closer to horizontal than in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Fuchimoto
  • Patent number: 8002274
    Abstract: A sheet stacking unit that stacks sheets thereon is movable up and down. A lifting unit moves the sheet stacking unit up and down. A driving unit drives the lifting unit. A control unit controls a driving speed of the driving unit. A position detecting unit detects a position of the sheet stacking unit in an up-and-down direction. The control unit controls the driving speed according to the position of the sheet stacking unit detected by the position detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Saito, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Atsushi Kuriyama
  • 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: 7997578
    Abstract: A recording apparatus has a stacker that receives a discharged recording medium. An engagement mechanism removably attaches the stacker to a discharge section of the apparatus and includes a first engagement portion provided in the discharge section; a second engagement portion, on the stacker, that engages with the first engagement portion; and a guidance portion that guides the second engagement portion into the first engagement portion and extends in an upward direction. The second engagement portion is biased, by a biasing unit on the stacker, in the upward direction so as to move in the guidance portion. When an external force that opposes the biasing force is applied to the stacker and that external force is released, the second engagement portion rises due to the biasing force, is guided by the guidance portion, and engages with the first engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Saito, Junya Kato
  • Patent number: 7997577
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a sheet loader, the sheet loader including: a discharger configured to discharge a first sheet and a second sheet after the first sheet; a tray configured to support the second sheet on the first sheet; a support configured to support the first sheet on the tray; a controller configured to control the support to lower a first angle than a second angle, the first angle being an angle of the first sheet against a direction to which the discharger discharges the second sheet at a position where the second sheet hits on the first sheet, the second angle being an angle of the tray against the direction at a position where the first sheet hits on the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Taki, Yasunobu Terao, Isao Yahata, Tomomi Iijima, Shoichi Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20110182646
    Abstract: A stacking unit accommodates sheets stacked on it. The stacking unit is capable of moving up and down within an operation range from a predetermined upper limit to a predetermined lower limit. A determination unit releases a determination of the fully loaded state if elapsed time from the time when the determination unit determines that the stacking unit has been fully loaded with sheets to the time when a sheet detection unit again detects an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets as a result of the stacking unit being lifted up when the sheet detection unit can no longer detect the sheet after detection of the sheet exceeding a first threshold time preset in correspondence with the amount of curl imparted to the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akihiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7976020
    Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus capable of bringing a delivery tray to an open state automatically when a sheet material is conveyed without the need for a solenoid to open the delivery tray, and preventing the delivery tray from opening inadvertently except during recording. The recording apparatus includes a delay mechanism having plural ring members rotatable with some delay in sync with a delivery roller, and a control mechanism having plural link members, and plural elastic members. Plural cam portions rotatable together with the plural ring members, and a phase control unit for controlling the phases of the plural cam portions are provided in the delay mechanism. One link member of the control mechanism is connected to a delivery tray. When the phases of the plural cam portions match, the delivery tray is opened through the control mechanism by a drive of the delivery roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Awai
  • Patent number: 7971875
    Abstract: A sheet accumulation apparatus includes a tray moving device elevatably provided at an apparatus frame and having a fork member; a tray device detachably attached to the fork member; a driving device for elevating the tray moving device; and a carrier device having a hand truck frame with a fork member. An operation handle is connected to the hand truck frame for accommodating the tray device separated from the tray moving device to transport the tray device from the tray moving device. The tray moving device and the carrier device are structured so that the tray device is transferred between the tray moving device and the carrier device at an attachment/detachment position at which the tray moving device is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Iino, Hiroto Akiyama, Tomohisa Shimizu, Masato Hosaka, Masaki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7963524
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a sheet of recording media includes a discharge port formed in an upper portion of a main body of the image forming apparatus and exposed from above, a discharge portion to which the sheet is discharged, disposed downstream from the discharge port in a direction in which a sheet is discharged, a discharge roller disposed at the discharge port, a facing member disposed facing the discharge roller, forming a discharge nip together with the discharge roller, and a rotatable sheet discharge member. The sheet discharge member is provided in the discharge portion to form a sloped portion continuous with a downstream side of the discharge port in the direction in which the sheet is discharged. Rotation of the sheet discharge member causes a position of the discharge nip to change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihide Ohta
  • Patent number: 7963523
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet stacking apparatus, whose lifting and lowering mechanism having excellent assembly properties and maintenance properties. A sheet stacking apparatus includes: a stacking portion which stacks a discharged sheet thereon; a housing portion which can support the stacking portion so as to lift and lower the stacking portion; and a lifting and lowering mechanism which lifts and lowers the stacking portion. In the sheet stacking apparatus, the stacking portion has a connecting portion which connects the stacking portion to the housing portion. The connecting portion can connect the stacking portion to the housing portion in a direction perpendicular to the lifting and lowering direction of the stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuri Yoshimura, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Junichi Sekiyama, Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7963516
    Abstract: A media reproduction device has an input tray and an output tray. Commencement of a print job causes the output tray to move from a closed position to an open position. A gear attaches to the output tray, the gear being engaged with a pick transmission to move the output tray to the open position and being disengaged from the pick transmission so the output tray freely rotates while in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Bokelman, Ryan M. Smith, Gustaf L. Belt
  • Publication number: 20110115153
    Abstract: A paper discharge apparatus including, a paper loading portion for loading a paper which is discharged; a paper rear-end abutting portion which a rear end of paper in a paper conveying direction abuts; a pair of paper holding members for holding the paper at the paper holding position when the paper is discharged; a paper holding member moving device which is connected to at least one of the pair of the paper holding members and moves the pair of the paper holding members from a paper holding position to a paper loading position; when the pair of the paper holding members reach the paper loading position, the paper holding member moving device moves at least one of the pair of the paper holding members in the opposite direction of the paper conveying direction and makes the rear end of the holding paper abut the paper rear-end abutting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masaaki Uchiyama, Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, Tsutomu Anezaki
  • Patent number: 7938274
    Abstract: A paper sheet processing apparatus has a take-in device which takes in notes set in a setting unit, a judgment device which judges the quality and condition of a note taken in by the take-in device, a stacking box which stacks the note judged the quality and condition by the judgment device, a backup which is provided movably up and down in the stacking box and stacks notes, and a control device which variably controls the position of the backup based on the result of judgment by the judgment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Akihiro Yui
  • Patent number: 7938390
    Abstract: A document feeding device comprises a document input tray, a document output tray placed above the document input tray, and a feeding mechanism provided for a feeding path (connecting the document input tray and the document output tray via a scanning position) to feed each document along the feeding path. The document output tray includes a reference tray and a pivoting tray (on the downstream side of the reference tray) pivotable with respect to the reference tray around a pivot shaft on the upstream side of the pivoting tray. The pivoting of the pivoting tray is restricted at a retracted position by a pivot restricting part when the pivoting tray has pivoted from a document stacking position to the retracted position. The pivot shaft is situated above an upstream end of a stacking surface of the pivoting tray when the pivoting tray is placed at the document stacking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Patent number: 7931273
    Abstract: A discharge tray which needs to turn as a cover of an apparatus body opens and closes can be folded. When the cover is opened, the discharge tray is folded, and a wide installation area and a wide occupying area are not required. An image forming apparatus includes the apparatus body which forms an image on a recording paper sheet, an upper cover 130 which opens and closes the apparatus body, and a discharge tray 200 on which a sheet discharged from the apparatus body is stacked. The discharge tray is divided into a sheet stacking portion 133 and trays 210, 220 and 230 in a discharge direction of the recording paper sheet, and the discharge tray is provided over the apparatus body and the cover. The trays are turnably connected such that they can be folded as the upper cover opens and they can be extended as the upper cover closes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouhei Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 7922172
    Abstract: A bottom surface of a stacking and accommodating portion is structured such as to be sloped to be lower in accordance with moving away from a paper carry-in side, and a push plate is controlled so as to be moved in a direction moving close to a carry-in port of the paper by detecting a stack paper width determined on the basis of a product of a stacked number count information of the papers and a thickness information per one paper, and the papers are accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Kitagawa, Shinji Shibata, Minoru Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 7905482
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discharging roller for discharging, from a main assembly of the apparatus, a recording material having been subjected to a recording operation by recording means; an openable and closable sheet discharge tray for supporting the recording material discharged by the discharging roller; locking means for holding the sheet discharge tray at a closed position; drive transmitting means for transmitting a driving force to release the locking means in interrelation with main assembly driving means; and advancing and retracting means for advancing and retracting the drive transmitting means relative to the main assembly driving means in interrelation with a position of the sheet discharge tray, wherein the locking means is effective to release the locking means by the main assembly driving means so as to permit the drive transmitting means to retract away from the main assembly driving means by a weight of the sheet discharge tray and an urging force of urging means when the sheet disc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7871070
    Abstract: A conveyor conveys sheets and deposits the sheets at a location to be stacked. The conveyor includes a sensor for determining the presence of a sheet before the sheet arrives at the location. A controller is coupled to the sensor and responsive to sensor inputs for controlling a movable support for projecting into a projected orientation to receive the sheets as the sheets exit the conveyor. The movable support moves to a retracted orientation to assist a stack to be withdrawn therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Padana AG
    Inventors: Arlington D. Ruff, Clifford A. Ruff, JĂĽrgen F. Trost
  • Publication number: 20110006471
    Abstract: A paper sheet processing apparatus including a housing part capable of stacking a paper sheet in a stable condition. A bill processing apparatus includes: a bill housing part capable of stacking the bill having been inserted into a bill insertion slot. The bill housing part includes a regulatory member having an opening through which a bill to be received; and a contact face which regulates a movement of the bill by contacting. The regulatory member is configured to make a coefficient of friction on the contact face contacting the bill greater than a coefficient of friction caused between stacked and housed bills.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Nireki
  • Patent number: 7866936
    Abstract: A system and method for transferring mail between containers in an orderly and secure manner. The system and method utilize ejection rods to lift mail from an input tray into a transfer box assembly that deposits the mail into an output tray in an orderly, stable and secure manner, ensuring that mail is not shuffled or lost during the transfer process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Karl Lewis Schuck, Jacob L. Timm, Stanley Katsuyoshi Wakamiya, Patrick Cowgill, Stephanie Lauretano Miskiewicz, Charles Stewart Shaw
  • Patent number: 7857306
    Abstract: A medium stacker apparatus comprising a stacking portion for stacking a medium discharged from a delivery section formed at an upper portion of an apparatus housing, has a top cover which can be open and closed with respect to the apparatus housing, and a part of said stacking portion is formed at the top cover. The stacking portion is constituted of a first stacking portion formed as secured to the apparatus housing, and a second stacking portion serving as a part of the top cover and pivoting openably as separately from the first stacking portion. Printing media therefore do not interfere with the delivery section in a case where the top cover as the second stacking portion is made to be pivotally moved as opened while the printing media are stacked on the stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20100320681
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a sheet discharge section that feeds a sheet supplied from an image forming apparatus to a post-processing section and leads the sheet that has passed through the post-processing section to a sheet discharge port; a sheet discharge tray that receives a sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and can move to a first standby position and a second standby position higher than the first standby position and nearer to the sheet discharge port; and a controller that controls the height position of the sheet discharge tray by identifying the type of the sheet. The controller changes the height position of the sheet discharge tray to allow the sheet discharge tray to receive the discharged sheet at the first standby position in the case where the sheet is a first type while to receive the discharged sheet at the second standby position in the case where the sheet is a second type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Mikio Yamamoto, Sadayoshi Mochida, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7850167
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing sheets in a machine that preferably processes sheets by graphic means, in particular for a printing machine, preferably for an electrophotographically operating machine, comprising at least one deposit tray for depositing and preferably also for stacking processed sheets. Furthermore, the invention relates to a deposit tray for a device of the aforementioned type. The object of the invention is to provide a device or a deposit tray of the aforementioned type, which permits a controlled depositing and stacking of sheets, in particular, at greater sheet-processing speeds, and, preferably, in a cost-effective manner. In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in that a deposit surface of the deposit tray is arranged, or can be arranged, at an angle that deviates from the horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Soenke C. Bluethgen, Soenke Dehn, Frank Nagel, Dieter R. Gritzuhn
  • Patent number: 7850165
    Abstract: A paper sheet storing apparatus is configured to collect and accumulate multiple different types of paper sheets in different sizes. The paper sheet storing apparatus has: a paper sheet cartridge configured to have a feeder provided on a side wall thereof for externally feeding paper sheets and arranged to accumulate and keep the paper sheets therein; and a stack guide member configured to introduce the paper sheets, which are fed by the feeder into the paper sheet cartridge, downward in the paper sheet cartridge and to press down surface of an uppermost paper sheet located on a top of the paper sheets accumulated and kept in the paper sheet cartridge. The stack guide member is structured in a specific shape to enable the surface of the uppermost paper sheet to be pressed downward in a vertical direction, with regard to all the multiple different types of paper sheets. This arrangement effectively reduces the potential for paper jams and relevant troubles and ensures stable accumulation of paper sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corp.
    Inventors: Akihiro Nagura, Yasuhiro Nakata
  • Patent number: 7850170
    Abstract: A first tray is adapted to stack a paper discharged from a discharge port thereon. A lifter is operable to raise or lower the first tray. A detector is operable to detect a stacked state of the paper and the first tray. In a case where the paper is discharged onto the first tray, the first tray is raised or lowered based on the stacked state detected by the detector so as to keep a distance from the discharge port to an uppermost paper of the paper stacked on the first tray within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Matsue, Takumi Nakayama, Mitsuhiro Shikan
  • Publication number: 20100301544
    Abstract: A sheet ejector, configured to eject sheets so as to insert a later-ejected sheet under an earlier-ejected sheet on a catch tray, includes a feed roller provided to the catch tray, wherein the feed roller is configured to feed, in a predetermined ejecting direction, the later-ejected sheet that is inserted under the earlier-ejected sheet, and a switching mechanism configured to switch a state of the feed roller relative to a sheet on the catch tray between a contact state where the feed roller contacts the sheet on the catch tray and a non-contact state where the feed roller is kept from contacting the sheet on the catch tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SHINGAI
  • Patent number: 7832725
    Abstract: There is described a paper sheet post processing apparatus that includes a paper sheet stacking apparatus in which the paper sheet stacking operation can be smoothly and stably conducted during a high-speed post processing of paper sheets. The paper sheet stacking apparatus includes: a paper sheet stacking tray that is inclined with respect to a horizontal line; an ejecting member to press-push a lower end portion of the paper sheets stacked on the paper sheet stacking tray, so as to eject the paper sheets outside the paper sheet stacking apparatus; and a protrusion member to push up substantially a center portion of the paper sheets stacked on the paper sheet stacking tray. The protrusion member is formed as a separate member being independent of the ejecting member. Further, the height of the protrusion member is lower than that of the ejecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hisao Hosoya, Hiroto Ito
  • Patent number: 7828289
    Abstract: A stacker tray assembly for a photocopier is easily mounted or removed from the copier, and permits facile handling of large copies. The stacker tray assembly for a photocopier for producing large copies has a main plate which has a copy side for insertion into the copier and a copy receiving end for receiving copies oppositely disposed therefrom. The stacker tray assembly also has a tilt plate at the copy receiving end to support the copies, as they exit the copier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventor: Willard G. Mumford
  • Publication number: 20100244355
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main housing, a post-processing unit including a pivotable processing tray, and a recording medium discharging outlet. The processing tray includes a lock member, urging member and lock releasing member. The lock member is supported movably between first and second positions. The lock member engages with an engaging hole at the first position and disengages from the engaging hole at the second position. The urging member urges the lock member towards the first position. The lock releasing member resists a force applied by the urging member so as to allow the lock member to travel to the second position. A recording medium depressing member is disposed within a pivotal range of the lock member. A first slope is provided on at least one of a contact portion of the lock member and a contact portion of the recording medium depressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Yoshiyuki Asakawa
  • 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: 7793931
    Abstract: A paper sheet accumulating/feeding apparatus to execute an accumulating processing, in which paper sheets conveyed by a conveyance unit are accumulated in an accumulating unit in a direction of accumulation, and a feeding processing, in which paper sheets accumulated in the accumulating unit are fed to the conveyance unit, comprising a rotating member including one or more pieces, which spread radially from an axis thereof, the rotating member being provided in the vicinity of a connection between the conveyance unit and the accumulating unit to enable the piece or pieces to slap and move a paper sheet in the accumulating unit in the direction of accumulation at the time of accumulating processing, and a guide member provided to guide the piece or pieces to enable the same to be stored toward the axis of the rotating member, whereby the paper sheet accumulating/feeding apparatus is able to readily set the piece or pieces long and endures an operation over a long term and frequent operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminial Solutions, Corp.
    Inventor: Sho Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7779982
    Abstract: A method and device for evaluating currency bills using a strapping unit that allows a currency evaluating device to automatically strap stacks of currency bills. Currency bills are placed in an input receptacle and an evaluating unit processes each currency bill one at a time. The currency bills are then transported to a plurality of output receptacles within a strapping unit. A stack moving mechanism transports a stack of currency bills, which contains a predetermined number of currency bills, from each of the plurality of output receptacles to the strapping unit or a strapping position. Each stack of currency bills is strapped using strapping material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Robert B. Fitzgerald, Robert J. Klein, Mark B. Renz, Alan T. Lynch
  • 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: 7766324
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus having: a sheet discharge tray to move upward and downward; an alignment section including first and second regulating members to align a side edge of a sheet on the tray; a first drive section for moving the tray upward or downward; a second drive section for moving the regulating members in a conveyance width direction; and a control section for controlling the first and the second drive sections so as to: align the side edge of the sheet discharged on the tray on the basis of the position of the first regulating member; when a predetermined amount of the sheets are discharged on the tray, separate the sheets from the first regulating member and the second regulating member by moving the tray or the alignment section and, after that, move the regulating members in the conveyance width direction; and align the side edge of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tamura, Masaaki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7762543
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a document tray, an output tray on which the document for which image reading is finished is placed, a roller applying carrying force to the document by rotating and contacting the document, and a movable ejection flap. The ejection flap is movable between a first position where the document for which image reading is finished is sunk into a position between the output tray and a bottom of a document already stacked on the output tray and a second position where the document is ejected on the output tray without being sunk into the position between the output tray and the bottom of the stacked document. The automatic document feeder also includes a switching unit to switch between a first motion of transmitting driving force of a driving source to the movable ejection flap and a second motion of transmitting driving force to the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryoichi Matsushima
  • 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: 7726931
    Abstract: A rotary lift table. The rotary lift table as claimed in the invention is equipped with a rotary lift table board for bearing flat objects, said rotary lift table board having a bearing surface which is pulvinated towards the top with a transverse ridge region whose longitudinal extension runs at least approximately at a right angle to a discharge direction. The flat objects lying on top of one another in a stack arrangement are adapted to the arched bearing surface and give the stack improved stability thanks to its profiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Werner Heuberger
  • 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: 7712735
    Abstract: An unstacker device for unstacking flat objects comprises a motor-driven feed magazine controlled so as to move flat objects in a stack and on edge facing an unstacking head provided with a motor-driven drive having a perforated belt and a suction chamber, which motor driven drive is actuated so as to separate a current first object from the stack and so as to eject it in a direction that is transverse to the direction in which the stack of flat objects is moved, in which device the motor-driven drive is actuated and stopped each time a current object is unstacked, and the stack of flat objects is straightened up in the magazine in response to detection of signals delivered by a plurality of sensors disposed in the unstacking head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Solystic
    Inventors: Pierre Chorier-Pichon, Stephane Ambroise, Stephane Samain
  • 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