Copy Patents (Class 399/381)
  • Patent number: 11724520
    Abstract: A peripheral with a pivotal turn-over guiding mechanism includes: a transporting mechanism; first to third passages; an image processing unit disposed on the first passage, wherein after the image processing unit performs a first image process on a first side of a medium, the transporting mechanism transports the medium into, partially out of and back into the second passage, into the third passage, and then into the first passage, and the image processing unit performs a second image process on a second side of the medium; and a guide member, which is rotatably disposed at a connection portion of the third passage, the second passage and the first passage, normally closes a forward path from the first passage to the second passage, and normally opens a reverse path from the second passage to the third passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: AVISION INC.
    Inventors: Shao-Lan Sheng, Min-Tung Huang
  • Patent number: 11460793
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a first rotary member and a second rotary member, a reciprocation mechanism configured to reciprocally move the fixing unit in a width direction, a duplex conveyance unit configured to reverse a recording material of which a toner image is fixed on a first surface and reconvey the recording material to the image forming unit in a double-sided image formation in which toner images are formed and fixed on the first surface and second surfaces of the recording material, and a control unit configured to control the reciprocation mechanism not to move the fixing unit in the width direction while the fixing unit is nipping and conveying the recording material at a fixing nip portion for fixing the toner image on the first surface of the recording material in the double-sided image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daigo Matsuura, Kengo Sato
  • Patent number: 11330139
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a first roller pair forming a first nip portion, a second roller pair forming second nip portions, an image information reading unit, and a sheet detecting unit. The second roller pair includes a recessed portion formed between the second nip portions of the second roller pair with respect to a rotational axis direction. The sheet detecting unit is provided so that at least a part thereof enters the recessed portion. The first roller pair forms the first nip portion so as to nip a sheet in a region overlapping with the recessed portion with respect to the rotational axis direction and to deliver the sheet, nipped in the first nip portion, to the second nip portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akito Sekigawa
  • Patent number: 11167945
    Abstract: For a printing apparatus, a first conveyance speed for a first printing medium is determined according to first print data to be printed on the first printing medium and a second conveyance speed for a second printing medium is determined according to second print data to be printed on the second printing medium that follows the first printing medium along a conveying path. In a case where the second conveyance speed is equal to the first conveyance speed, a conveyance operation of the second printing medium is started before the first printing medium is discharged from the conveying path. In a case where the second conveyance speed is different from the first conveyance speed, the conveyance operation of the second printing medium is started after the first printing medium is discharged from the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Matsuura, Seiji Ogasawara, Takaaki Ishida, Masakazu Tsukuda, Shuichi Tokuda, Kazuki Matsuo
  • Patent number: 11104535
    Abstract: A printer as a medium processing apparatus includes a transport path through which a paper being transported passes, a recording head that records on the paper on the transport path, and a platen that forms at least a portion of the transport path as a path forming member with which the paper comes into contact, in which a surface resistance value of the path forming member changes according to an applied voltage of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Waki, Kazuhiro Hashii, Satoshi Nakata, Fumiaki Akahane
  • Patent number: 11079708
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: a sheet feeder; an image former that forms an image on a paper sheet; a conveyor that conveys a paper sheet to a sheet ejection destination; a switcher that switches sheet ejection destinations; a reader that optically reads a paper sheet, and outputs a read image; an abnormal sheet detector that detects an abnormal paper sheet by analyzing the read image; a storage; a display; and a hardware processor that performs: ejection destination switch control to control the switcher to eject an abnormal paper sheet and a succeeding paper sheet to a second ejection destination different from a regular ejection destination; storage control, for each of the abnormal paper sheet and the succeeding paper sheet, to associate sheet information, the read image, and a stacking order with one another, and store them into the storage; and display control to cause the display to display them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazunari Shimono
  • Patent number: 11001055
    Abstract: A recording system includes: a recording apparatus; a post-processing apparatus; and a transport apparatus which transports the medium to which the recording is performed to the post-processing apparatus, and the transport apparatus includes a transport mechanism which transports a medium to which the recording is performed to the post-processing apparatus, and a loading stand which loads the discharged medium without transporting the medium to which the recording is performed to the post-processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kodama
  • Patent number: 10935923
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a developing cartridge including a developing roller; a developing pressing member for pressing the developing cartridge; a first developing guide; and a second developing guide. The developing cartridge is movable among a detachable position; a contact position at which the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum; and a separated position at which the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing pressing member presses the developing cartridge to place the developing cartridge at the contact position. The developing pressing member is disabled from pressing the developing cartridge to place the developing cartridge at the separated position lower than the contact position. The first developing guide can guide movement of the developing cartridge between the detachable position and the contact position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10809660
    Abstract: A unit casing (1) is mounted in a casing (120) included in an image forming apparatus (100). The unit casing (1) includes a main body (2) and a positioning section (3). The positioning section (3) positions the main body (2) relative to the casing (120). The main body (2) includes a first frame segment (21) and a second frame segment (22) located opposite to the first frame segment (21). The positioning section (3) includes a positioning frame segment (31) extending in parallel to the first frame segment (21) and at least one penetrating member (32) extending from the positioning frame segment (31) and penetrating through the first and second frame segments (21) and (22). The at least one penetrating member (32) has a tip end held by the casing (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kuniaki Araishi
  • Patent number: 10754290
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing including a first opening and a cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position; and a cartridge, which is capable of accommodating a toner and is mountable to the main body casing in a state where the cover is positioned in the open position; wherein the main body casing includes: a first tray, which is provided on the cover and is capable of placing a print medium thereon; a second opening, through which the print medium on the first tray passes; a first conveyance roller, which conveys the print medium passed through the second opening; a third opening, which is positioned between the first opening and the second opening; and a guide, which guides the print medium passed through the third opening to the first conveyance roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Aya Adachi, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10564593
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body of an apparatus, a door, an image forming unit, a sensor that outputs a predetermined signal when the door is opened, and a control unit that determines that the door is open if the predetermined signal is output from the sensor for a threshold time. When the door is opened, the image forming unit changes to a state where image formation is not executable. The control unit sets a first time as the threshold time, in a period in which the image forming unit contributes to image formation on a recording material. The control unit sets a second time longer than the first time as the threshold time, in a period in which the image forming unit does not contribute to image formation on a recording material or a period in which no image is formed on a recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuya Kojima
  • Patent number: 10407268
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sheet post-processing apparatus which facilitates eliminating of a jammed sheet occurring in the path when sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus are stored as being sorted into two directions. The present invention comprises a sheet post-processing apparatus including a first conveying path through which a sheet introduced from a first introducing port is conveyed, a second conveying path through which a sheet introduced from a second introducing port is conveyed, and a stack portion which stacks sheets conveyed through the second conveying path and which is configured to have at least a part of the stack portion be swingable about an axis intersecting with a sheet conveyance direction of a sheet conveyed to the second conveying path between a stack position where sheets are stacked and an open position where the first introducing port of the first conveying path is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Yuki Nishi, Tatsuya Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10359721
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detecting element that detects a temperature of a heat generating member, a counter that counts a value corresponding to a cumulative time in which an endless belt is heated, and a controller that controls a timing of a start of image formation by an image forming portion depending on an output of the detecting element. When the value counted by the counter corresponds to a first cumulative time, the controller starts the image formation at a first timing when the detecting element carries out an output corresponding to a first temperature, and, when the value counted by the counter corresponds to a second cumulative time longer than the first, the controller starts the image formation at a second timing when the detecting element carries out an output corresponding to a lower second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keigo Kaji
  • Patent number: 10346113
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes first and second acquisition units. First sheet information related to a predetermined sheet attribute set in the printing apparatus and second sheet information related to the predetermined sheet attribute set as a print setting is acquired. Where first and second sheet information do not match, the display unit displays a first part of notification information for notifying a user that they do not match and a predetermined display item of a first display item related to the first sheet information and a second display item related to the second sheet information. Even when no user instruction is given where the first part and the predetermined display item are displayed, a second part of the notification information and an other display item of the first display item and the second display item are displayed instead of the first part and the predetermined display item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuki Futatsumori
  • Patent number: 10241464
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first opening/closing member that can move between a first opening position in which the first opening/closing member opens an inside of a body of the image forming apparatus, and a first closing position in which the first opening/closing member closes the inside of the body of the image forming apparatus; a second opening/closing member that can move around a rotation shaft and between a second closing position in which the second opening/closing member closes an opening formed in the first opening/closing member, and a second opening position in which the second opening/closing member opens the opening, the second opening/closing member being removably attached to the body of the image forming apparatus; and a supported portion that is provided in the first opening/closing member so as to be supported on a support portion of the second opening/closing member, as defined herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Ao
  • Patent number: 10216136
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a movable unit relatively movable between a first position and a second position, a lock portion configured to lock the movable unit to the apparatus body and an urging portion. The lock portion includes a locked member provided on one of the movable unit and the apparatus body, and a locking member provided on the other of the movable unit and the apparatus body and configured to move between a lock position and a retracting position. The urging portion is configured to urge the movable unit located at a position between the first position and the second position, toward the first position. The position between the first position and the second position is a position at which the locking member in the lock position and the locked member contact each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Suzuki, Takuya Matsumura, Nobuhiro Tani
  • Patent number: 10185272
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds an image, which is formed by developing a latent image and which is transferred onto a recording medium, a developing device that is disposed adjacent to the image carrier and that develops the latent image, a light-reflection-type sensing unit that is disposed below the developing device in a vertical direction and that detects the image on the image carrier, and a guiding member that guides the recording medium, which is transported between the developing device and the sensing unit, and that covers an upper side of the sensing unit in the vertical direction in a state where a space is ensured on an optical path of the sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Gen Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10086629
    Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima, Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 9897961
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image-forming mechanism; a reconveying roller; an electric motor; and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to operate in one of a reverse-rotation transmission mode for reversing a direction of a rotational force received from the electric motor to transmit the reversed rotational force to the reconveying roller and a normal-rotation transmission mode for transmitting the rotational force to the reconveying roller without reversing the direction of the rotational force. The transmission mechanism includes an interrupting unit for interrupting transmission of a rotational force from the reconveying roller to the electric motor at least when a sheet is being conveyed in the image-forming mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to interrupt transmission of the rotational force received from the electric motor to the reconveying roller when a sheet is being conveyed in the image-forming mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9751711
    Abstract: An aligning unit stores a paper bundle that is formed by inserting a medium that is different from printed body text paper sheets conveyed from a printer into the printed body text paper sheets. A manual paper feeding unit stores a medium that is manually fed. A conveyance control unit makes the medium be conveyed from the manual paper feeding unit to the aligning unit after the body text paper sheets that include a page specified by a print job are stored in the aligning unit and before the body text paper sheet conveyed from the printer immediately afterwards is stored in the aligning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideaki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9568878
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention(s) has the following feature(s): When first and second recording materials have a first length and a sum of the first length and an interval is less than a distance from a regulation position, where an accommodation unit regulates a leading edge of a recording material, to a second position, a feeding unit feeds a second recording material in accordance with a timing in which a first detecting unit detects the first recording material. When the first and second recording materials have a second length that is longer than the first length and a sum of the second length and the interval is greater than or equal to the distance from the regulation position to the second position, the feeding unit feeds the second recording material in accordance with a timing in which the second detecting unit detects the first recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosuke Ogino
  • Patent number: 9383707
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention(s) has the following feature(s): When first and second recording materials have a first length and a sum of the first length and an interval is less than a distance from a regulation position, where an accommodation unit regulates a leading edge of a recording material, to a second position, a feeding unit feeds a second recording material in accordance with a timing in which a first detecting unit detects the first recording material. When the first and second recording materials have a second length that is longer than the first length and a sum of the second length and the interval is greater than or equal to the distance from the regulation position to the second position, the feeding unit feeds the second recording material in accordance with a timing in which the second detecting unit detects the first recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosuke Ogino
  • Patent number: 9188912
    Abstract: A sheet guiding unit separating mechanism includes a pair of first and second sheet guiding units disposed facing first and second sides of a recording medium, respectively, to guide a recording medium discharged from a fixing nip downstream. One of the pair of sheet guiding units facing the first side includes a first sheet guiding element disposed immediately downstream of the fixing nip and a second sheet guiding element disposed downstream of the first sheet guiding element. The second sheet guiding element is displaceable substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium and separate from the sheet guiding unit facing the second side when the sheet guiding unit separating mechanism is moved to separate from the fixing nip. The first and second sheet guiding elements together pivot around a first rotation fulcrum to separate from the fixing nip after the second sheet guiding element is displaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9096381
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an endless belt having a meandering prevention guide, wherein the meandering prevention guide is heat-treated, and thermoplastic double-sided adhesive tape exhibiting adhesivity using heat is applied to the meandering prevention guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: KOLON INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Chun Im Lee, Sang Kyun Kim, Ki Nam Kwak, Sung Hoon Back, Sang Min Song
  • Patent number: 9056732
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus includes a lifting/lowering plate, a drive portion, a determination portion, and a remaining amount detecting portion. The lifting/lowering plate has a sheet mounting surface on which one or more sheets are placed, and is attached to the sheet feed apparatus in such a manner that the sheet mounting surface can be lifted and lowered. The lifting/lowering plate is made of a flexible material. The drive portion drives and lifts and lowers the lifting/lowering plate. The determination portion determines whether or not the lifting/lowering plate has a warpage. The remaining amount detecting portion detects a remaining amount detection value which indicates a remaining amount of sheets placed on the sheet mounting surface. The remaining amount correcting portion corrects the remaining amount detection value detected by the remaining amount detecting portion, based on a determination result of the determination portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tsubasa Miyamae
  • Publication number: 20150093171
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, a fixing unit that performs fixing of the sheet on which the image is formed, a first conveyance route that has a reverse conveyance route and a second conveyance route that does not pass the reverse conveyance route, and a control unit that performs first control for conveying a previously printed sheet which is printed previously via the first conveyance route and second control for conveying a subsequently printed sheet which is printed subsequently via the second conveyance route, and exerts control to feed the previously printed sheet and the subsequently printed sheet in an overlapped manner after the first conveyance route and the second conveyance route merge together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Miho YAMANO, Hiroshi MATSUMOTO, Kazunori NISHINOUE, Taizou OONISHI, Atsushi NAKAMURA, Makoto FUJII
  • Patent number: 8988726
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a high speed correction mode in which, at the time of a successive image forming process on a plurality of recording sheets, a preset number of recording sheets among the plurality of recording sheets are subjected to image formation based on a corrected image writing position, and other recording sheets are subjected to image formation based on the corrected image writing position; and a linear correction mode in which the plurality of recording sheets are subjected to image formation based on the corrected image writing position; and performs switching to either one of the high speed correction mode and the linear correction mode according to a correction amount ?b for a recording sheet detected at the time of image formation with respect to a correction amount ?a for the preset number of recording sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Atsumi
  • Publication number: 20150072112
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image holding member, a transfer unit, and a supply unit. The toner image holding member holds a toner image. The transfer unit transfers the toner image held by the toner image holding member to a recording medium. The supply unit supplies powder such that the powder is interposed between an end portion of the recording medium and the toner image holding member and/or the transfer unit if the recording medium includes an intermediate adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka KIUCHI, Sakon TAKAHASHI, Masayo HIGASHIMURA, Atsumi KURITA, Kunihiko SATO, Kosuke YAMADA, Kazuhiko ARAI
  • Publication number: 20150063888
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first conveying path, a second conveying path and a third conveying path, a switching guide, a conveying roller, a driving mechanism, a transmission mechanism. The second conveying path and the third conveying path are formed by diverging from the first conveying path. The switching guide switches the conveying path between the second conveying path and the third conveying path. The switching guide enables to change between a first position in which the sheet is conveyed into the second conveying path and a second position in which the sheet is conveyed into the third conveying path. The conveying roller is arranged on the third conveying path to convey the sheet. The driving mechanism generates a rotational driving force that rotates the conveying roller. The transmission mechanism transmits the rotational driving force to the conveying roller in accordance with the position of the switching guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Tomoya Hotani
  • Publication number: 20150003882
    Abstract: In an electrophotographic sheet-fed front/back printing machine which is capable of duplex printing and which can be installed in a reduced space, sheets of paper fed from a sheet supply are fed out by a sheet transport conveyer onto an impression cylinder of an electrophotographic printing section in which each of the sheets are printed on one side. The sheets printed on one side are turned over from front to back by a sheet turnover transport unit and are allowed to fall and be supplied onto the sheet transport conveyer. The sheets are each fed again onto an impression cylinder and printed on the remaining other side. Sheets printed on both sides are transported by a printed-sheet transport unit to a print output receptacle in which they are received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo IZAWA, Junichi SETOYAMA, Kenji TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8915432
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus concerned about global environment, which enables its user to be convinced of his/her commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions accompanying power consumption by letting the user purchase a consumable goods/replacement part to lead the user to join greenhouse gas emissions reduction. The electronic apparatus is configured as a printer, etc. that operates with attached a refill cartridge (consumable goods), which is replaceable in the apparatus body and affixed with information by which a greenhouse gas emission right accordance is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignees: Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Casio Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kataoka, Kenji Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8913946
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is orientatable in either a first position or a second position, the second position being different from the first position in inclination with respect to a horizontal plane, comprising: a platform configured to be stacked with a plurality of recording sheets used for image formation; a pickup roller in contact with the recording sheets and configured to pick up the recording sheets one at a time; a pressing member applying pressure to the platform against the pick-up roller; and a pressure changer causing the pressing member to change an amount of the pressure according to whether the image forming apparatus is in the first position or in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeru Sawano, Masashi Kawai, Naoki Nonoyama
  • Patent number: 8909123
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a first transport unit; a second transport unit that is installed in a recording portion side of the downstream from the first transport unit and transports the medium to an upstream side and the downstream side; a first transport path that guides the medium between the first transport unit and the second transport unit; a second transport path that reverses both sides of the medium; and a third transport path that is installed on the second transport path, the second transport unit reversely transports the medium to the upstream side at a transport speed V1 and put it into the second transport path, the transport speed of the third transport unit, which is driven at the transport speed V1, is changed to a transport speed V2 which is higher than the transport speed V1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuji Moriyama
  • Patent number: 8867980
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a pair of registration rollers which are moved in the width direction so that a sheet side end position is within a predetermined range in the width direction based on sheet side end position information from a lateral registration detection sensor. In the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to a sheet processing portion without being reversed, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the first range, and in the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to the sheet processing portion, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the second range being different from the first range before reversing and within the first range after reversing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshige Inoue
  • Patent number: 8787816
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a discharge port, a plurality of photosensitive bodies mounted in the housing, a transfer unit to transfer visible images formed on the plurality of photosensitive bodies onto a printing medium, a fusing unit to fuse transferred visible images to the printing medium, and a reverse unit to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium, after the printing medium has passed through the fusing unit. As the moving direction of the printed printing medium is reversed by the reverse unit, the printing medium may be discharged while a printed surface of the printing medium is directed downward, allowing a user to easily draw out the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Young Jang, Chang Kyung Ko
  • Patent number: 8777208
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding delay control unit to control a delay in feeding image formation media to a conveying unit and a counting unit to count a number of image formation media discharged to a discharge tray. When a count value of the counting unit reaches a threshold, the feeding delay control unit causes a feeding unit to switch a feeding mode from a small spacing mode, in which a next image formation medium is fed while a previously-fed image formation medium is on a conveying path, to a large spacing mode, in which an image formation medium is fed after a previously-fed image formation medium is discharged from the conveying path. When a number of image formation media on which images have been formed is smaller than a upper limit, the feeding mode is returned from the large spacing mode to the small spacing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masataka Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20140178115
    Abstract: A transport device includes an endless belt having a recording-medium transport surface provided with multiple holes; stretching members between which the endless belt is stretched so as to be able to revolve; and a suction unit provided inside the endless belt. The suction unit has an opening having a larger width than the endless belt. The opening is exposed at both sides of the endless belt in the width direction. The suction unit draws air through the opening to cause the recording medium to stick to the endless belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Yuichi Fujisawa, Akihiro Ouchi, Hiroaki Yagi, Arichika Tanaka, Koichi Sato, Kazuyuki Yagata, Koji Deguchi, Hibiki Sasaki, Kaoru Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20140161502
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of easily recovering a jam sheet nipped by a fixing roller and a pressure roller. In an entrance guide which guides a sheet to a fixing nip portion between a fixing roller and a pressure rolle, a bending portion is provided on a back side of a guide face which guides the sheet to the fixing nip portion. Then, when the sheet to be discharged toward the entrance guide by a manual discharge member enters the back side of the entrance guide, a downstream side end in a discharging direction of the sheet is locked to the bending portion, and thus the central portion of the sheet in the sheet discharging direction is bent along the surface of the guide face by discharging the sheet in a state where the downstream side end in the discharging direction is locked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michiaki Endo
  • Publication number: 20140140745
    Abstract: A power transmitting apparatus includes a driving source, a driving member rotated by the driving source, a driven member linked with the driving member to rotate, a transmitting member disposed between the driving member and the driven member, the transmitting member being rotated by the driving member, axially moved along a rotation direction of the driving member so that the transmitting member is connected to the driven member, and an elastic member disposed between the transmitting member and the driven member, the elastic member providing an elastic bias into the transmitting member so that the transmitting member is separated from the driven member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Jung-hoon CHOI, Hyun-soo KIM
  • Publication number: 20140133884
    Abstract: A mechanism for electrifying a rotator that is used in an image forming apparatus includes a cloth-like or sheet-like conductive member, wherein part of the conductive member comes into contact with an object to be electrified and the other part of the conductive member comes into surface contact with any one contact member of the rotator, a rotating shaft that rotates together with the rotator, and a shaft where the rotator is rotatably supported, so that the object to be electrified and the contact member are electrically connected to each other through the conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Minoru TOYODA, Hirobumi OOYOSHI
  • Patent number: 8712299
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image carrier; a first image forming unit that forms an image; an intermediate transfer belt; a primary transfer unit that primarily transfers the image onto the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer unit that secondarily transfers the image transferred further onto a recording medium; a second image carrier that transfers the image onto the recording medium; a second image forming unit that forms an image on the second image carrier; a direct transfer unit that directly transfers the image onto the recording medium; a recording medium carriage belt, and a driving roller that drives the recording medium carriage belt; a speed fluctuation detecting unit; and a drive control unit that controls driving of the driving roller so as to reduce the cyclic speed fluctuation of the carriage belt based on a detection result of the speed fluctuation detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Narumi Sugita, Toshiyuki Uchida, Yohei Miura, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20140105661
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a roll body including a print medium wound around, the medium having an adhesive face, an image forming unit to form an image on the adhesive face, a conveyance unit having a pair of a conveyance rotor and an opposed rotor to convey the medium with the medium interposed between the conveyance rotor and the opposed rotor and an adhesive face guide unit to guide the medium when the conveyance unit returns the medium in a return direction opposite a conveyance direction of the medium. The adhesive face guide unit has a downstream rotor disposed downstream from the opposed rotor in the return direction and an endless adhesive face guide member wound around the opposed rotor and the downstream rotor. The adhesive face guide member is configured to receive and guide the adhesive face of the medium returned, in a separable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Kondo, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Makoto Kikura, Yuuzoh Obata, Norikazu Yanase, Gaku Hosono, Yoshinori Uchino, Masateru Ujiie, Shu Kanno
  • Publication number: 20140105662
    Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit that includes a development agent container, a development device that supplies development agent in the development agent container to an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductive body and forms a development agent image on the photoconductive body, a transfer unit transferring, onto a sheet, the development agent image on the photoconductive body, and a fixing unit fixing the development agent image on the sheet, a feed tray disposed under the image forming unit, a pickup unit feeding a sheet placed on the feed tray toward the image forming unit in a U-turn manner, a first conveying path tilted to extend downward obliquely from the pickup unit, and a second conveying path tilted to extend toward the fixing unit obliquely from a continuous section between the first conveying path and the second conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shougo SATO
  • Patent number: 8693017
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of realizing a trial printing function that minimizes unnecessary consumption of time and supplies. Images that are inputted are accumulated in a memory. An output mode is set and a setting is made as to whether trial printing is to be carried out in the output mode or not. A CPU provides control to read out a corresponding image from the memory according to the set output mode and form the readout image on a sheet. When it is determined that the trial printing is to be carried out during image formation according to the set output mode, the CPU provides control to set the number of trial print pages according to predetermined conditions and carry out the trial printing for the set number of trial print pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiju Kuboki
  • Patent number: 8693010
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit. In combined processing to perform two types of processing including one-sided image formation and two-sided image formation, if the one-sided image formation is performed, an image is formed on one side of the sheet by the second image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mika Sumii, Hiroshige Inoue
  • Patent number: 8682238
    Abstract: A grounding structure includes a rotation shaft and a grounding member. The rotation shaft has a non-circular cross section, and rotates. The grounding member is attached to the rotation shaft to electrically communicate with the rotation shaft, and rotates together with the rotation shaft. The grounding member includes a first grounding portion, a grounding retainer and a second grounding portion. An outer shape of the first grounding portion is a circular shape. The grounding retainer is provided on a side of the first grounding portion in a shaft direction of the rotation shaft, and has an outside diameter being larger than an outside diameter of the first grounding portion. The second grounding portion is elastically held in contact with the first grounding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuya Okamura
  • Patent number: 8644729
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body unit having a first supported portion and an image holding body that is rotated while holding an image on a surface of the image holding body; and a conveying unit that is disposed below the image holding body unit and has conveying members for conveying a medium on which the image formed on the surface of the image holding body is to be recorded, image holding body support portions that supports both end portions, in an axial direction, of the image holding body, and a first support portion that supports the first supported portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhide Saito
  • Publication number: 20130343794
    Abstract: A belt unit, including an endless belt, a first roller, a second roller, and a guiding member, is provided. The endless belt includes a belt strip and a guided section protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the belt strip. The guiding member with a groove is arranged on one of axial-end sides of the first roller coaxially with the first roller. The guided section of the endless belt is set in the groove. The groove includes a first face and a second face facing each other along a direction in parallel with a central axis of the first roller. The guiding member includes a first piece containing the first face and a second piece containing the second face. The first face protrudes outwardly with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the belt strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kotaro Takifuji, Hiroshi Nakano, Wataru Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130322943
    Abstract: A rotating member provided on an end of a stretching member is rotatable around a rotating axis inclined with respect to the shaft of the stretching member. In order that, when a belt end winds around the rotating member, the belt end winds around an outer side of an entry position where the belt end enters the rotating member, an outer circumferential surface of the rotating member in an area in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the belt is inclined with respect to a belt contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Iwakoshi, Atsushi Ogata, Hiroshi Kato
  • Publication number: 20130279960
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance roller configured to convey recording sheets; a brush motor configured to drive the conveyance roller to rotate; and a control unit configured to control a rotational speed of the brush motor, wherein while the conveyance roller conveys a recording sheet, (i) the control unit applies voltage to an outer circumferential surface of a commutator of the brush motor to drive the brush motor to rotate by a predetermined rotation amount, so as to perform a cleaning operation to remove a film deposited on the outer circumferential surface, and (ii) the control unit reduces the rotational speed of the brush motor while not performing the cleaning operation, so as to correct a conveyance distance of the recording sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji KOBAYASHI, Takaki Kato, Yuta Tachibana, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Satoshi Teshima