Having Cover Patents (Class 399/380)
  • Patent number: 8027069
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that, is capable of physically preventing taking-out of the set document, even when a thick copy-prohibited document is set on a document reading device. The image forming apparatus is configured to place a document on a document table, and at least the document is read by closing a pivotally supported document cover portion to cover the document and the image forming apparatus comprises a read-out document determining portion and when the document is determined to be a copy-prohibited document, and prevents the document from being taken out from the document table by locking the rotation of the pivotally supported portion of the document cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihide Momose
  • Patent number: 8018628
    Abstract: To provide a technology which facilitates an operation for placing a document with a larger size than a size of a document table, on the document table. A document cover is positioned at a plurality of open positions to a document table. A pivot of a document table 2 and a hinge 7 is configured by two pivots A1, A2, and a constricted portion 1b and it is configured in such a manner that, in case of setting a document with a smaller size than that of the document table 2, the pivot A2 is pivoted at a convex portion 7a of the hinge 7, and in case of setting a document with a larger size than that of the document table 2, the convex portion 7a is moved to the pivot A1 side through the constricted portion 1b, and the pivot A1 is pivoted at the convex portion 7a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naho Kurokawa, Tsuyoshi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8014048
    Abstract: An image forming device including: a platen glass on which a document is placed; a platen cover that presses and retains the document placed on the platen glass; an engagement portion provided at a side surface of the platen cover; a link component attached to a side surface of the device main body to be movable in a substantially vertical direction; a groove portion provided at an upper end portion of the link component, that engages with the engagement portion when the link component is moved substantially upward from a housed position thereof, whereby the platen cover opens or closes due to movement of the link component, and that does not engage with the engagement portion when the link component is at the housed position; and an operating portion provided to be positioned beneath the platen cover, for moving the link component in the substantially vertical direction, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Koiwai, Kazuhiro Gotoh
  • Patent number: 7999976
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic sheet-feeding scanning apparatus having a movable guide rib device. The automatic sheet-feeding scanning apparatus includes a flatbed scanner and an automatic document feeder. The movable guide rib device is mounted in a housing of the flatbed scanner and includes a guide rib structure, at least one hollow portion, a plurality of elastic members and a fixing plate. The guide rib structure is movable upwardly or downwardly so as to avoid document damage even if the document is relatively large-sized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 7995254
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a scan bar having a scanner head. A drive mechanism is drivably coupled to the scan bar. A controller is communicatively coupled to the scanner head and the drive mechanism. A scanner body has a cover defining a scanner opening in which a document glass is mounted. The scan bar is located below the cover. The scanner body has a home position opening separate from the scanner opening that passes through the cover. A scanner lid is pivotably coupled to the scanner body. The scanner lid has a home protrusion located for mating engagement with the home position opening of the scanner body when the scanner lid is closed to define a home position for the scanner head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Edwards, Ricky Earl Robbins
  • Publication number: 20110176847
    Abstract: This invention provides a looped item or device attached to a document cover of a xerographic copier so that a wheelchair occupant can pull the document cover down over the platen glass. Better copies are obtained when the cover is down and the automatic document feeder is not accessible until the document cover is down over the platen glass. This invention provides a simple but effective way for a wheelchair occupant to easily use the automatic document feeder even when a previous user of the copier leaves the document cover up away from the platen glass. The loop provided in the looped item (lanyard or handle) is important to this invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: CHARLES RAYMOND BREWER, III
  • Patent number: 7949292
    Abstract: A hinge apparatus for a cover of an image forming apparatus has a hinge body with supporting brackets, movably inserted into a coupling hole positioned in a main body of the image forming apparatus, a hinge cam connected to the cover and pivotably connected to the supporting brackets, and a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam. Accordingly, the hinge apparatus can be implemented with a simple and easy assembly operation, since it is not a complicated structural connection among the component parts of the hinge apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-ha Choi
  • Patent number: 7944589
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of accurately reading out a document without various data transmission between a document feeding section and a document reading section. The reading position setter sets a fresh document reading position (RP3) at a position where no foreign object (F) adheres. A shift distance calculator calculates a shift distance (Z) between an upstream-most reading position (RP2) and the refresh document reading position (RP3). A delay time calculator calculates delay time based on the calculated shift distance (Z). A start signal sender instructs the document reading section to start reading a document (P) when the leading end of the document (P) reaches the upstream-most reading position (RP2). An ASIC outputs the instruction to start reading the document to an A/D with a delay of the feed delay time found by the delay time calculator to instruct an image sensor to start reading the document (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Harada
  • Patent number: 7900320
    Abstract: An original cover closer is described in which a compression coil spring can stably and surely work, an original cover can expeditiously and smoothly be operated, and the compression amount of the compression coil spring can be set and changed in an extremely easy manner. The cover closer comprises: a mounting member mounted to the main body of a copying machine; a supporting member pivotally attached to the mounting member and operable to support the original cover; a first slider and a second slider which are slidably installed in the supporting member; and a compression coil spring inserted between these sliders and operable to urge the original cover in the direction to open, wherein at least one of the sliders is formed integrally with a spring cover which covers the compression coil spring even when the original cover is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Inventors: Tsutomu Katsumata, Hirofumi Kohda
  • Patent number: 7894748
    Abstract: A multi-function printer is provided. A trigger piece is fixed to the first module and stretched into a second module. A wedging piece is disposed in the second module and protruded from the second module. An actuating piece and a join piece are disposed in the second module. The actuating piece has a first end connected to the actuating piece and a second end positioned close to the trigger piece. When the three modules are stacked together, the trigger piece goes against the wedging piece and the actuating piece goes against a third module. When the first module is rotated, the trigger piece is separated from the wedging piece such that the wedging piece can be wedge with the third module. When the second module is rotated, the actuating piece drives the joint piece to wedge with the trigger piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chiung-Yi Su, Ming-Hung Hsu, Chin-Chia Liu
  • Patent number: 7864300
    Abstract: A door opening and closing unit is provided for an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, and a door rotatably mounted on the main body. The door opening and closing unit includes a door speed control unit coupling the door to the main body that includes a coupling boss; and a guide groove that engages the coupling boss and along which the coupling boss moves as the door rotates relative to the main body; wherein the door speed control unit controls a frictional force between the coupling boss and the guide groove according to a rotating angle of the door relative to the main body to control a rotating speed of the door as the door rotates relative to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-soo Lee, Bong-hwan Choi
  • Patent number: 7822377
    Abstract: A cover assembly of an image capturing device is provided. The image capturing device includes a housing having a platen for supporting the document. The cover assembly includes a buffer, a background sheet and a stretching-compressing mechanism. The cover is pivotally connected to the housing and has an inner surface facing the platen. The buffer is disposed on the inner surface, and the background sheet is disposed on the buffer. The stretching-compressing mechanism connects the buffer and the inner surface for being compressed or stretched to apply a force on the buffer and the background sheet to make the buffer and the background sheet press the document on the platen or to make an end of each of the background sheet and the buffer part raised from the document and the other parts of the background sheet and the buffer press the document on the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Ju Liu
  • Patent number: 7805105
    Abstract: A closing auxiliary device includes an automatic sheet feeder, a closing auxiliary handle, and a magnet and a metal portion. The automatic sheet feeder is provided in the apparatus main body while being openable and closable by a hinge unit. The closing auxiliary handle is rotatably provided in one side portion of the automatic sheet feeder. The magnet and the metal portion fix the closing auxiliary handle and the automatic sheet feeder. When the automatic sheet feeder is opened to form a predetermined angle between the automatic sheet feeder and the apparatus main body, the closing auxiliary handle is released from the automatic sheet feeder to which the closing auxiliary handle is fixed by the magnet and the metal portion. A projection portion and a rotation control portion are provided in the closing auxiliary handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisaya Ishio
  • Patent number: 7796308
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of easily detecting the width of a document is provided that can reduce the number of component parts. A surface to be detected of a moving section that moves in linkage with the movement of a document guide is detected using an image pickup device, so that the width dimension of the document is detected. This allows the image reading apparatus to detect the width dimension of the document by using the image pickup device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakibara, Takashi Ohama
  • Patent number: 7773270
    Abstract: Systems are disclosed for detecting an unwanted artifact in an image scanner. An exemplary system includes a treated component of the image scanner, the treated component treated such that light reflects differently from the treated component than light reflected by an image being scanned by the image scanner. The light reflected from the treated component facilitates detection and removal of the unwanted artifact in the image being scanned, the unwanted artifact caused by the light reflected by the treated component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: William R. Haas, Kirk S. Tecu, James S. Voss
  • Patent number: 7769322
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit, a compression spring unit, a braking unit, and a switching unit. The compression spring unit serves as an opening and closing mechanism for the image reading unit. The braking unit brakes the opening and closing movement of the image reading unit. The switching unit transmits the rotation of the image reading unit to the braking unit when the image reading unit closes, but does not transmit the rotation of the image reading unit to the braking unit when the image reading unit opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishihara, Haruo Ishizuka, Tadashi Hanabusa, Katsumi Obana, Shinya Asano
  • Patent number: 7747208
    Abstract: A cover structure for a scan device comprises a cover mounted on a housing of the scan device and an angle-positioning mechanism disposed between the housing and the cover. The cover includes a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The angle-positioning mechanism includes at least a first locating device and a second locating device. When the first cover portion and second cover portion are lifted, the first locating device will produce an interference action to position the first cover portion at a desired opening angle, and the second locating device also will produce an interference action to position the second cover portion at a desired opening angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Sheng, Yuing Chang
  • Patent number: 7702276
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder (3) has a front plate (12) located on one of opposite sides of the document feeder in a direction orthogonal to a feeding direction of documents P on a document tray (4), and on the side opposed to an operator. A rear plate (13) is on the other side opposed to the front plate (12). An intermediate transport unit (32) located between the front plate (12) and the rear plate (13) has a frame with an outer wall surface (37) serving as a lower guide surface of document transport path. The front plate (12) has an outer edge (33) at a height equal to or lower than the outer wall surface (37), so as to allow the operator to visually check the document (P) on the outer wall surface (37) from the direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the documents (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke Kawashima
  • Patent number: 7697173
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved transparency scanning module, which is applied on a cover of scanning device. The transparency scanning module and the cover can be taken apart for different consuming groups. The features of the invention are that transparency scanning module is embedded in cover, and a slot of cover for holding transparency scanning module is set plural fillisters, and there are plural connectors set on the relative positions of transparency scanning module for connecting each other. When the fillisters connecting with the connectors, transparency scanning module is able to offer light and also transparency scanning module and cover are combined and fixed each other closely; on the other hand, rim of transparency scanning module is thinner, and most central part is protruding in z direction, thus transparency scanning module can be inserted and held in the slot of cover. This is another design for closely combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Inventor: Po-Hua Fang
  • Patent number: 7697174
    Abstract: In an image reader having a static-document reading function and a moving-document reading function, a static-document pressing member is movably arranged on a cover portion and a sheet passing opening is opened or closed by moving the static-document pressing member. Further, the image reader includes a moving-document pressing member for pressing a document being automatically fed when it come to a document reading position on a platen glass when the static-document pressing member is moved to open the sheet passing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakibara, Satoru Nakakita, Yasuhito Bandai
  • Publication number: 20100061782
    Abstract: A document pressing apparatus is provided with a document pressing cover including a first lateral part and a second lateral part facing the first lateral part and openable and closable with respect to a housing fitted with a contact glass, a supporting member for supporting the document pressing cover rotatably with respect to the housing at the side of the first lateral part, a plate member connected with the document pressing cover for pressing a document against the contact glass, a first resilient member arranged at the side of the first lateral part between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force to the document, and a second resilient member provided at the side of the second lateral part between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force smaller than that of the first resilient member to the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Harada
  • Patent number: 7676189
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus having an improved cover device. The image reading apparatus includes a main body having an upper surface on which a manuscript can be placed, a cover installed at an upper portion of the main body to cover the manuscript when scanning, and a pressing plate movably installed in the direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the cover at an inner portion of the cover so as to press the manuscript. In addition, an elastic member is additionally inserted between the pressing plate and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: In-Sik Seo
  • Patent number: 7672636
    Abstract: An image reader including a main body with a document bed for supporting an original document; and a document cover rotatably supported at one edge with respect to the main body and capable of rotating between a closed position for covering the document bed and an open position for exposing the document bed. The document cover has a main cover body and a document pressing plate formed of a synthetic resin. The pressing plate is supported on the main cover body with vertical clearance (in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the pressing plate) through the engagement of engaging pieces having through-holes. When the document cover is in the closed position, pressing parts press the center part of the pressing plate against the document bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akehiro Ono
  • Patent number: 7668499
    Abstract: An image reading and/or reproducing apparatus, including a single sided document feeding tray and a double sided document feed tray to each supply a stack of documents to the apparatus; a document feeding unit to feed a document from a top of the stack of documents in the single sided document feeding tray, and to feed a document from a bottom of the stack of documents in the double sided document feeding tray; and an image scan unit to scan an image of the document fed from the document feeding unit. The apparatus further includes a reverse unit to position the double-sided document, fed by the document feeding unit, upstream of the image scan unit as the image scan unit completes a scanning of the image on a first side of the document such that the image scan unit may scan the image on a second side of the document. According to the above structure, reducing a time required to scan an image is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-taek Kim
  • Publication number: 20100040398
    Abstract: A scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the same. The scanning apparatus includes: a main body having a scanning unit; a cover to open and close upon an upper surface of the main body; a hinge unit disposed on one of the main body and the cover so that the cover is rotatable with respect to the main body; a hinge accommodating unit disposed on the other of the main body and the cover to accommodate the hinge unit so that the cover is movable in an upward and downward direction with respect to the upper surface of the main body; and a movement restricting unit disposed on at least one of the hinge unit and the hinge accommodating unit to restrict a movement of the cover in the upward and downward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae-Lim SHIN
  • Patent number: 7637501
    Abstract: A document feeding device includes an upstream guide member that forms an upstream side of a document conveying path along which a document is guided from a sheet feeding tray to a platen, and a downstream guide member located between the upstream guide member and the platen. The document feeding device has a guide moving mechanism that slidably moves the downstream guide member away from an opposite guide member located opposite the downstream guide member upon a pivoting operation of the upstream guide member. Consequently, even if the document conveyed toward the platen is, for example, inappropriately conveyed to cause jamming, the document can be easily removed without being damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Akiyama, Motoaki Nakayama, Tetsuya Noda
  • Patent number: 7619789
    Abstract: To provide a technology which facilitates an operation for placing a document with a larger size than a size of a document table, on the document table. A document cover is positioned at a plurality of open positions to a document table. A pivot of a document table 2 and a hinge 7 is configured by two pivots A1, A2, and a constricted portion 1b and it is configured in such a manner that, in case of setting a document with a smaller size than that of the document table 2, the pivot A2 is pivoted at a convex portion 7a of the hinge 7, and in case of setting a document with a larger size than that of the document table 2, the convex portion 7a is moved to the pivot A1 side through the constricted portion 1b, and the pivot A1 is pivoted at the convex portion 7a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naho Kurokawa, Tsuyoshi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20090274502
    Abstract: A hinge apparatus for a cover of an image forming apparatus has a hinge body with supporting brackets, movably inserted into a coupling hole positioned in a main body of the image forming apparatus, a hinge cam connected to the cover and pivotably connected to the supporting brackets, and a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam. Accordingly, the hinge apparatus can be implemented with a simple and easy assembly operation, since it is not a complicated structural connection among the component parts of the hinge apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-Ha Choi
  • Patent number: 7595918
    Abstract: A reading apparatus comprising a plate on which a transparent original is placed, and a guide unit for setting the transparent original at a predetermined position on the original plate. A light source unit is settable at plural positions in contact with the guide unit for illuminating the transparent original which is urged against the original plate by the light source unit. A portion of the light source unit which is contacted with the transparent original is chamfered (R-worked) not to damage the transparent original. Further, a portion of the light source unit which is contacted with the transparent original is designed to urge the transparent original at an out of an image area of the original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Amimoto, Kimihiko Fukawa
  • Patent number: 7580163
    Abstract: A slip-resistant and portable scanner for scanning a document placed on a document platen includes a housing, a scan window, and a scanning module and a slip-resistant structure. The scan window is mounted on the housing to closely face the document. The scanning module is disposed in the housing to scan the document through the scan window. The slip-resistant structure is disposed on and attached to a surface of the scan window facing the document and in contact with the document or the document platen. Thus, it is possible to prevent the scan window from slipping relatively to the document and enhance the scan quality and convenience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventors: Bo-Hsiang Wang, Te-Chuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7570400
    Abstract: A document reading device includes a movable member and a flexible document holder. The document holder is fixed at a first end to a free end of the movable member. The document holder is also fixed at a second end to the vicinity of a right-side end of a bottom surface of the document reading device. A portion of the document holder positioned immediately below a pivot axis of the movable member is not fixed to the bottom surface. When the movable member is pivoted to expose a portion of a document transport path, the document holder, except for the first and second ends as fixed to the bottom surface, hangs down without being folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsushi Ito, Shinichiroh Hiraoka, Hisashi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7551332
    Abstract: A document reading apparatus has a slit along one side of a document support platen of a glass plate to insert one part of an opened book as a document to be read. An insertion pocket forming a recessed space contiguous with the slit and inclined diagonally is provided in the apparatus. A lid is operable between open and closed positions exposing and covering the slit. In the open position, one part of a book can be inserted into the slit with a page in the other part of the book being in intimate contact with the platen, while in the closed position, a sheet as a document can be placed at a proper position on the platen by contacting one side of the sheet to a rim of the lid. This apparatus prevents a problem of image deformation and black image in print output when reading the book.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Itoi
  • Publication number: 20090154974
    Abstract: An original cover closer of which the energy absorption capability can be freely adjusted by a damper is described. The adjustment of the energy absorption capability can be easily and quickly made by the user or serviceman without a need for disassembling. The original cover closer comprises: an attachment member to be mounted on the main body of a device; a support member pivotally connected to the attachment member and operable to support an original cover; a first and a second slider slidably installed in the support member; a compression coil spring interposed between the first and second sliders and operable to urge the original cover to open; and a fluid damper located in the compression coil spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: SIMOTEC INC.
    Inventors: Tsutomu KATSUMATA, Hirohumi Kohda
  • Publication number: 20090153833
    Abstract: An original cover closer of which the energy absorption capability can be freely adjusted by a damper is described. The development period for the original cover closer is therefore shortened. The original cover closer comprises: an attachment member to be mounted on the main body of a device; a support member pivotally connected to the attachment member and operable to support an original cover; a first and a second slider slidably installed in the support member; a compression coil spring interposed between the first and second sliders and operable to urge the original cover to open; and a fluid damper located in the compression coil spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Simotec Inc.
    Inventors: Tsutomu KATSUMATA, Hirohumi KOHDA
  • Patent number: 7536148
    Abstract: In an image scanning device, an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) frame accommodating an ADF is provided openable and closable on an upper surface of a device main body via a hinge member. In the hinge member, a frame supporting part fixed on one end part of the ADF frame and a base part fixed on the device main body are mounted in a manner capable of being swung. A rear side edge of the ADF frame is supported by the frame supporting part of the hinge member. The ADF frame is provided openable and closable so as to expose a bottom surface of the ADF frame to a front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Fukumura
  • Patent number: 7535604
    Abstract: A book scanner comprises a transparent platen, a carriage and a housing. The carriage is disposed in the housing, and the transparent platen with an angular structure is disposed on the housing for an original placed to be scanned. The carriage has a strip-shaped light tube disposed corresponding to the transparent platen. The part of the light source that has the highest luminance is disposed in the position farthest away from the transparent platen, while the part of the light source that has the lower luminance is disposed in the position closer to the transparent platen to assure a uniform and stable luminous intensity of light on each scan line when the light source illuminates the original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Sheng
  • Patent number: 7532851
    Abstract: A system and method for application in single-sheet-feed copiers that automatically tends to the handling of original sheets after they are sequentially and individually placed into the single sheet-feed copier, including depositing the original sheets in a receptacle in a collated manner, without the requirement of direct handling of the original sheets by a user to achieve the collation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Inventor: William C. King
  • Patent number: 7512376
    Abstract: An automatic original cover closer to practically realize an automatic opening and closing function of an original cover, has a hinge part to rotatably support an original cover to the main body of office equipment and a driving part to automatically drive the hinge part. The hinge part includes a mounting member to mount on the main body and a supporting member to support the original cover to be axially supported to this mounting member so as to be rotatable with a rotary shaft via the rotary shaft. The driving part includes a positively and reversely rotatable drive motor and a power transferring mechanism to decelerate and transfer the rotary driving power of this drive motor to a drive shaft. The rotary driving power of the drive motor is transferred to the supporting member via the drive shaft and the rotary shaft, by connecting the rotary shaft to the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naokazu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7490824
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a platen glass face provided in an apparatus body and having a reading area for reading a document set under a stationary condition thereof and an automatic reading area for reading the document while the document is guided past over this automatic reading area by an automatic document feeding mechanism, a cover means mounting said automatic document feeding mechanism and attached to the apparatus body via a pivot shaft to be pivoted for selectively opening/closing the platen glass face and a reading guide attached to the cover means and configured for guiding the document in opposition to the automatic reading area when the cover means is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Kakuta
  • Patent number: 7466462
    Abstract: A vertically oriented image scanning device includes a chassis with a vertically oriented scanning window and a flap cover pivoted to the chassis. A document support flange is formed along a lower edge of the scanning window for aligning a document with respect to the scanning window. A thin metal plate has opposite edges attached to an inner face of the flap cover and forms a convex configuration for elastic deformation and thus applies a force to retain the document against the scanning window. The convex configuration also helps guide the document into position. Alternatively, a resilient pad replaces the thin metal plate for applying a force to the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventor: Tsung-Yin Chen
  • Patent number: 7461933
    Abstract: An air bearing sheet heater assembly is provided for heating a sheet in an ink imaging printer. It includes a heater plate that has a heating element and defines a first side of a sheet path through the heater assembly. It also includes at least one movable platelet that defines a second side of the sheet path, as well as, an air bearing assembly mounted to the at least one platelet. The air bearing assembly controllably creates an air bearing between the second side and the first side of the sheet path for moving and pneumatically spacing the front surface of the at least one movable platelet from the front side of the heater plate, thereby reducing stiction forces and friction along the sheet path through the air bearing sheet heater assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Deily, Danielle R. Hall
  • Patent number: 7460281
    Abstract: A document holding fixture for a vertical optical scanner. The fixture has a main body, a transparent panel, four linking bars, a document cover panel, and a document backing plate. The document holding fixture uses a simple four linking bar system to maintain a constant parallelism between the document cover panel and the surface of the transparent panel. Weight of the document cover panel provides necessary pressure to press a scan document firmly onto the glass surface of the transparent panel. To facilitate single hand document insertion, a stationing device is used to freeze the document cover panel when the panel reaches a horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Inventor: Hsiu-O Hsu
  • Patent number: 7440712
    Abstract: An original cover closer has first and second parts for supporting the cover on a main body of office equipment. The first part supports a heavier side of the cover and a second part supports the lighter side of the cover. Both parts have a mounting member with a bottom plate mounted on the main body and a first supporting member having a top plate and side plates extending downwardly, and rotatably mounted via a hinge pin at respective ends of the mounting member. A first lifting member is mounted via a second hinge pin at respective ends of the top plate so that the first lifting member is rotatable in a reverse direction to the first supporting member. A resilient member rotationally urges the cover in an opening direction by applying force toward the first supporting member and applying force on another end toward the first lifting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tayayuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 7437117
    Abstract: A closing auxiliary device includes an automatic sheet feeder, a closing auxiliary handle, and a magnet and a metal portion. The automatic sheet feeder is provided in the apparatus main body while being openable and closable by a hinge unit. The closing auxiliary handle is rotatably provided in one side portion of the automatic sheet feeder. The magnet and the metal portion fix the closing auxiliary handle and the automatic sheet feeder. When the automatic sheet feeder is opened to form a predetermined angle between the automatic sheet feeder and the apparatus main body, the closing auxiliary handle is released from the automatic sheet feeder to which the closing auxiliary handle is fixed by the magnet and the metal portion. A projection portion and a rotation control portion are provided in the closing auxiliary handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisaya Ishio
  • Patent number: 7429039
    Abstract: A hinge device is configured that when a cover is opened, a support-section-side pivot shaft is guided upward by a fixed-section-side guide groove; and a fixed-section-side pivot shaft is guided while being restricted in downward movement by a support-section-side guide groove which tilts in accordance with a pivot operation of the cover. As a result, occurrence of interference between a frontward edge of the cover and an upper face of a document ejection tray can be prevented without causing the frontward edge to move lower than its position in a face-down state. In addition, chattering of the cover during the opening/closing operations can also be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Hattori, Atsuo Hirose
  • Patent number: 7406291
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided with a document glass stand on which a document is placed, and a document feeding portion having a platen roller for feeding out the document fed into the reading position of the document glass stand from the reading position and a pressure plate having elasticity and capable of pressing the document placed on the document glass stand against the document glass stand with the platen roller, and openable and closable relative to the document glass stand. A document reading sensor reads the document placed on the document glass stand while being moved below the document glass stand, and reads the document fed into the reading position while being stopped at the reading position. Design is made such that after the document feeding portion is closed and the document has been pressed against the document glass stand by the pressure plate, the platen roller presses the document against the document glass stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7392009
    Abstract: A feeding device to be incorporated in an image reading apparatus, including: (a) a feed-path definer defining a feed path along which an original is fed from a supply portion to an exit portion via a reading position, such that the fed original is brought into contact with an original supporting surface of an image reader in the reading position, whereby the image is read by the image reader; (b) a presser biased toward the original supporting surface and having a contact surface which is to be held in contact with the original or the original supporting surface; (c) a downstream-side feeder disposed on a downstream side of the presser and distant from a plane containing the original supporting surface, so that the original takes an inclined posture while bridging between the presser and the downstream-side feeder; and (d) a presser-displacement preventer disposed between the presser and the downstream-side feeder, for preventing displacement of the presser in a direction away from the original supporting su
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshitaka Iwago
  • Publication number: 20080106774
    Abstract: An image forming device including: a platen glass on which a document is placed; a platen cover that presses and retains the document placed on the platen glass; an engagement portion provided at a side surface of the platen cover; a link component attached to a side surface of the device main body to be movable in a substantially vertical direction; a groove portion provided at an upper end portion of the link component, that engages with the engagement portion when the link component is moved substantially upward from a housed position thereof, whereby the platen cover opens or closes due to movement of the link component, and that does not engage with the engagement portion when the link component is at the housed position; and an operating portion provided to be positioned beneath the platen cover, for moving the link component in the substantially vertical direction, is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo KOIWAI, Kazuhiro GOTOH
  • Publication number: 20080044209
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can eliminate an unnecessary digital process in a simple copying operation is provided. In the image forming apparatus including a reading portion which irradiates light on an original to read original information, and an image forming portion which selectively exposes an image bearing member to form an electrostatic latent image and develops the electrostatic latent image to form an image, the reading portion has an original pressing plate which holds the original, and electronic paper placed on an original pressing surface side of the pressing plate to make it possible to display image data sent from an external device on the electronic paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NAKANISHI
  • Patent number: 7320462
    Abstract: An automatic document transportation device includes a shutter, a stopper and a shutter releasing mechanism. The shutter is provided at upstream of a document feed roller and suspended from a cover under a freely swinging state. The stopper is provided on a pickup arm, stops a swing of the shutter so that the shutter restricts a position of a leading edge of an original document on a document tray when the pickup arm is under a standby state, and releases the stop of the shutter when the pickup arm operates in a direction to make contact with the original document. The shutter releasing mechanism moves the pickup arm under the standby state in the direction to make contact with the original document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naritoshi Takamatsu