Having Detection Of Size Or Type Patents (Class 399/389)
  • Patent number: 8670703
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus receives input of sheet information of a print sheet designated as a print destination of print data by a predetermined information processing apparatus as first sheet information, and stores therein sheet information of a print sheet designated as a print destination in advance by the image forming apparatus as second sheet information. A feed-timing determining unit compares the first sheet information with the second sheet information and determines the feed timing of a print sheet contained in a feed tray in accordance with the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yasumasa Mihara
  • Publication number: 20140056629
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which forms an image at an image forming interval and feeding timing corresponding to a predetermined recording material size, includes a control unit (a controller unit and an engine control unit) for controlling the feeding timing to be earlier, when the size of a recording material detected by a detection unit (the engine control unit and an registration sensor) is smaller than the predetermined recording material size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naohiro Obata
  • Patent number: 8659783
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set information for determining output paper information before receiving the print data in response to an instruction entered via an operation panel of the printing apparatus, a determination unit configured to determine, based on page size information specified in the print data, fixed-size paper corresponding to the page size information, and an image output unit configured to print, when the fixed-size paper corresponding to the page size information cannot be determined by the determination unit, the print data using paper selected by the set information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidemi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20140037351
    Abstract: A recording material detecting apparatus includes a light guiding unit that allows first and second light to enter a surface of a recording material, respectively, in two directions which are not parallel; an imaging device that images a first light irradiated area and a second light irradiated area, on the surface of the recording material; and an output device that outputs information on a surface condition of the recording material based on an output of the imaging device. When viewed in a direction along the center optical axes of first and second light sources which are of the same type, the first and second light sources are arranged such that the respective reference lines of the rotational phases around the center optical axes are rotated in opposite directions by approximately the same angles from a line perpendicular to the direction where the first and second light sources are arrayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norio Matsui, Tsutomu Ishida
  • Patent number: 8639174
    Abstract: A disclosed to-be-transferred object length measurement device includes a first rotating body; a passage detection unit detecting a passage of the to-be-transferred object; a rotation amount measurement unit measuring a rotation amount of the first rotating body in a first measurement period; a second rotating body feeding the to-be-transferred object; a speed detection unit detecting a first feeding speed and a second feeding speed of the to-be-transferred object; and a calculation unit calculating a feeding distance of the to-be-transferred object per a predetermined rotation amount of the first rotating body based on the first feeding speed, and further calculating a length of the to-be-transferred object based on the rotation amount of the first rotating body in the first measurement period, the feeding distance, and the second feeding speed of the to-be-transferred object in the second measurement period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ashikawa, Tatsuya Watahiki, Minoru Takahashi, Hideyuki Takayama, Takahisa Koike, Masaru Yamagishi, Takuhei Minami, Takuro Kamiyai, Junya Takigawa, Hiroaki Takagi, Koichi Kudo, Katsuya Kawagoe
  • Patent number: 8635912
    Abstract: The timing of obtaining an output value for use in a determination of a recording medium is generated from a received ultrasonic wave and a waveform generated by delaying the ultrasonic wave, whereby it is possible to reduce an influence of a reflection wave from the peripheral members and an influence of a change in the environment to improve the accuracy of determination of the recoding medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaru Aoki
  • Patent number: 8632070
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing image formation on a fed sheet includes a feeding unit, a detecting unit, a conveying control unit, and a first, second, and third determining unit. The feeding unit feeds a sheet of an irregular size onto a conveyance path. The detecting unit detects timings at which a leading edge and trailing edge of the fed sheet pass through a conveyance path predetermined position. The first determining unit determines a length of the sheet in a width direction. The conveying control unit discharges the sheet to a discharge destination without performing image formation on the sheet. The second determining unit determines a length of the sheet in the conveyance direction. The third determining unit determines a sheet size of the sheet of the irregular size from the length of the sheet in the width direction and the length of the sheet in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8611772
    Abstract: A recording medium imaging apparatus includes an irradiation unit configured to irradiate a recording medium with light, an imaging unit configured to capture reflected light which is irradiated by the irradiation unit and reflected by the recording medium as a surface image, and a reference plate which includes a background that reflects light irradiated by the irradiation unit, and a mark that has a different reflectance ratio to the background, wherein the imaging unit captures reflected light reflected by the reference plate as a surface image and includes a control unit that determines a type of the recording medium based on the surface image of the reference plate and the surface image of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaru Aoki
  • Patent number: 8582990
    Abstract: An effective image area can be properly corrected in accordance with the quantity of light from an irradiation unit by selecting, as the effective image area, pixels having light quantities more than or equal to a threshold value that allows accurate acquisition of a surface image of a recording medium, on the basis of a light quantity distribution of the light from the irradiation unit. This reduces the influence of mounting accuracy of the irradiation unit, and allows the recording medium to be identified accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ishida, Shunichi Ebihara, Norio Matsui, Shoichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 8564817
    Abstract: In a case where a first identifier that is communicated between the printing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in order to specify a type of a printing medium that is used in the printing apparatus, and a second identifier unique to each of a plurality of types of printing media are set in both the printing apparatus and the information processing apparatus, the second identifier set in each of the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus is obtained. Based on the second identifier set in each of the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus, the first identifier set in each of the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus is determined, such that the types of printing medium corresponding to the first identifier set in the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus match, and a different first identifier is set regarding a printing medium of a different type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Otaka
  • Patent number: 8554125
    Abstract: An image forming device makes a sheet pass between first rotating member and separator in a pressed position, causes second rotating member pair to transport a sheet, transports the sheet from second rotating member pair with the sheet held between third rotating member and image carrier in a transfer position, transfers an image formed on image carrier onto the sheet, and suspends rotation of first rotating member when a portion of the sheet, which is distance L away from the sheet's rear end, passes the pressed position. Provided that length 1?(M+L) and length 2<(M+L) where M is a distance from the pressed position to the transfer position, when the sheet has length 2 in a transport direction, the device delays image formation start and/or advances sheet transport start, by a predetermined time period as compared to when the sheet has length 1 in the transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nukumi
  • Patent number: 8538280
    Abstract: An image erasing apparatus includes a scanning unit, a memory unit, an erasing unit, and a carrying unit. The scanning unit converts an image formed on a sheet into image data which is electronic data. The memory unit stores the image data converted by the scanning unit. The erasing unit erases the image formed on the sheet. The carrying unit carries the sheet to the scanning unit and the erasing unit in this order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Yahata, Ken Iguchi, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 8538311
    Abstract: A sheet measuring apparatus includes a first rotating member including a first peripheral surface portion that contacts a transported sheet; a second rotating member including a second peripheral surface portion that contacts the first peripheral surface portion; a first rotation amount detecting unit that detects a first rotation amount of the first rotating member; a second rotation amount detecting unit that detects a second rotation amount of the second rotating member; a sheet calculation unit that obtains a first rotating member correction value for correcting an error that is superposed on the second rotation amount due to a radius distribution of the first rotating member and that performs calculation related to the transported sheet; a radius distribution calculating unit that calculates a new radius distribution of the first rotating member; and an updating unit that updates the first rotating member correction value to a new first rotating member correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Ohshima, Michio Taniwaki
  • Patent number: 8514469
    Abstract: An imaging system that includes a sheet media stack over a recording unit. Image data is generated in response to radiation received from a field of view encompassing sheet media edges of individual media within the sheet media stack. Edges of individual media are detected within the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Machida
  • Patent number: 8515331
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section that adheres toner to a sheet to form a toner image, a discharge unit into which the sheet is discharged, a conveying unit that conveys the sheet on which the toner is adhered by the toner image forming section and discharges the sheet to the discharge unit, a cooling section that cools the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit, a sheet type instructing section that instructs the type of the sheet, and a controller that controls, in accordance with the type instructed by the sheet type instructing section, the conveyance speed when the conveying unit conveys the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kurita
  • Patent number: 8515311
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt member which bears a toner image, a transfer portion for forming a transfer nip portion, a changing unit for changing an advancing angle of the belt member advancing into the transfer nip portion, a guide member which is arranged at an upstream side of the transfer nip portion in a recording material conveying direction and face to a untransfered face of the recording material and guide a recording material to the transfer nip portion, and a controller for controlling the changing unit so that a belt face advancing into the transfer nip portion and conveying a recording material having a first thickness is at a position farther from the guide member than the belt face advancing into the transfer nip portion and conveying a recording material having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehiro Kishi
  • Patent number: 8515329
    Abstract: A sheet is placed on a sheet feed unit. A main-scanning sensor detects first detection information for identifying a sheet size in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning sensor detects second detection information for identifying a sheet size in a sub-scanning direction. A sheet sensor detects presence of the sheet on the sheet feed unit. It is monitored whether the sheet sensor has detected a sheet and a timer starts counting a first elapsed time from a time point at which the sheet sensor detects a sheet. A size identifying unit identifies, when the first elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined set time, a sheet size based on the first and the second detection information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kiichirou Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8503041
    Abstract: Disclosed are a scanner and an image reading apparatus including the same. The scanner can include a transparent plate, a scanning unit configured to scan a document on the transparent plate, a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is positioned in a first document zone that is associated with an area in which a first document type is to be positioned based on a first alignment reference point provided on the transparent plate. The second sensor is positioned in a second document zone that is associated with an area in which a second document type of a different size is positioned based on a second alignment reference point provided on the transparent plate. The first document zone and the second document zone are non-overlapping zones. The document type and/or orientation can be determined based on the detection signals from the first and second sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Taek Kim
  • Patent number: 8493611
    Abstract: There is provided a print job control apparatus including an acquiring unit configured to acquire post-processing function information of a digital printing apparatus, a determination unit configured to reference the post-processing function information and the print job, and determine to use either a post-processing function of the digital printing apparatus or a post-processing apparatus for post-processing, a first generating unit configured to generate a print job to be executed using the post-processing function of the digital printing apparatus, a second generating unit configured to generate a print job to be executed using a post-processing apparatus, and a sending unit configured to send the print jobs generated by the first or second generating units to the digital printing apparatus and the post-processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 8493609
    Abstract: A printing method is described where, when a print job requires printing multiple copies of a document and a simulated insert sheet option is selected as a part of the print job requirements, simulated insert sheets are automatically generated and inserted between the printed copies that are outputted to the output tray of the printer. The simulated insert sheets are printed using the same paper as the document. The simulated insert sheets may be numbered, and may include a printed pattern extending to an edge of the sheets. The layout and content of the simulated insert sheets may be specified by the printer driver or the printer itself. The method can also be used with copiers when making multiple copies of an original document. Further, simulated insert sheets can be used to separate groups of pages within a single document, such as chapters or sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Duc Phu Truong
  • Patent number: 8490963
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of printing a non-standard size image on a sheet of a size as desired by the user as possible, and preventing stoppage of printing the image even when there is no sheet of the size desired by the user in a sheet feeder. When image data is for a non-standard size, if there is a sheet feeder accommodating recording sheets of which vertical and lateral lengths corresponding to vertical and lateral lengths represented by the image data are designated, a control unit feeds the sheets from the sheet feeding cassette. If there is no such a sheet feeder, the control unit feeds recording sheets of a free size from a manual feed tray accommodating the recording sheets of the free size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuaki Miyahara
  • Patent number: 8482789
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a feeder, a first reading unit, a first memory which stores image data of the surface of the document read by the first reading unit, a second reading unit located at an upstream side of the first reading position, a second memory which stores image data of the document read by the second reading unit and a controller configured to control the feeder, the first reading unit and the second reading unit. The controller controls to execute pre-scanning the document by the second reading unit over a predetermined range shorter than a separation distance between the first reading position and the second reading position in a transporting direction from a leading edge of the document when the document reaches the second reading position. The controller further controls to execute storing obtained pre-scanned image data into the second memory and measuring the size of the document based on the pre-scanned image data stored in the second memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayoshi Oosaki
  • Patent number: 8478155
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus to output, to an image forming apparatus, a print job using paper stored in paper feed units includes an acquisition unit, a generation unit, an addition unit, and a transmission unit. The acquisition unit acquires configuration information for each paper feed unit including type and number of sheets of paper capable of storage in each paper feed unit. The generation unit generates, based on type and number of sheets of paper required to be used for an externally acquired print job and the acquired configuration information, paper allocation information for associating a paper feed unit with type and number of sheets of paper in such away as to reduce replacement of paper. The addition unit adds the generated paper allocation information to the print job. The transmission unit transmits the print job with the added paper allocation information to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8463173
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a first sheet discharging path having a first dischargeable minimum sheet length; a second sheet discharging path having a second dischargeable minimum sheet length that is shorter than the first dischargeable minimum sheet length; a measuring unit that measures a length of the sheet; and a control unit. When the length of the sheet is shorter than the first dischargeable minimum sheet length in a state in which the first sheet discharging path is selected, the control unit is configured to: control the image forming unit to form the image on the measured sheet; convey the measured sheet downstream in a sheet conveying direction from the image forming unit; and stop conveyance of a sheet subsequent to the measured sheet at a position upstream in the sheet conveying direction from the measured sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Okano
  • Patent number: 8456674
    Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided methods and systems that incorporate a model predictive controller (MPC) in an image reproduction machine with known disturbance information. The MPC uses the control action at a current time in order to minimize the impact of an impending disturbance as well as to maximize current control performance. The impending disturbance is used by the MPC to determine an incremental change that combines steady state and transient state impact on the image reproduction machine. Disturbance such as print media type, image content type, physical dimension of the print media, weight of the print media, and print job data can be employed. Further, control of the image reproduction machine is generated in real time over a receding horizon, for the purpose of minimizing a cost function indicative of image variation, energy consumption, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Faming Li, Eric Scott Hamby, Yongsoon Eun
  • Patent number: 8452196
    Abstract: A device for measuring a length of a recoding material, includes: a rotating body that rotates in contact with a recording material which is transported; a length measuring unit that measures a length of the recording material based on a rotation of the rotating unit; a detecting unit that detects at least one of a rotation and an oblique advance of the recording material; and a correcting unit that corrects a value measured by the length measuring unit based on an output of the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kazama, Koji Morofuji, Takeshi Kato, Kozo Tagawa
  • Patent number: 8447202
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing without margins-enabled image forming apparatus that forms toner image matched to the size and position of the conveyed printing material and suppresses waste toner generation. To accomplish this, the present image forming apparatus includes a printing material detection unit that detects orthogonal direction length, conveying direction length, orthogonal direction position, and conveying direction position associated with the conveyed printing material when a printing without margins is selected by the selection unit. In addition, the present image forming apparatus includes a matching unit which, based on the detected length and conveying position, matches the size of the toner image formed on the printing material to the size of the printing material and matches the formation position of the toner image to the position of the printing material conveyed along the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8441679
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming device that includes a conveyor section, an image forming section, an accessing section and a control unit. The conveyor section conveys recording media in a conveying path, the recording media including a recording medium having a data storage unit attached thereto and a recording medium with no data storage unit attached thereto, the data storage unit storing data or being capable of storing data. The image forming section forms an image on the recording medium. The accessing section is disposed at an access position along the conveying path and accesses the data storage unit to execute an access operation to write data into or read data from the data storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 8430583
    Abstract: Provided is a printing device including: a transport unit configured to transport a sheet-shape printing medium; a printing unit configured to print an image on the printing medium transported by the transport unit; a shape detection unit configured to detect the shape of edges of the printing medium; a position detection unit configured to detect the positions of the edges when an image is printed on the printing medium by the printing unit; and a first determination unit configured to determine the attitude of the printing medium based on the shape of the edges detected by the shape detection unit and the positions of the edges detected by the position detection unit, wherein the printing unit controls a printing position based on the attitude of the printing medium determined by the first determination unit and performs printing on the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8416448
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is disclosed, which includes: a printing unit including print sheets having different sizes, the printing unit being able to print selectively on any of the print sheets; an original document size determining unit to determine the size of an original document; a scanning unit to scan the original document; a region recognizing unit to recognize a region to be printed in the original document; a deciding unit to decide a print sheet size being larger than the region to be printed and smaller than the size of the original document by comparing the sizes of the print sheets with the size of the original document and the size of the region to be printed; and a controlling unit to cause printing of the image of the region to be printed at 100% magnification on the print sheet of the decided size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Saito
  • Patent number: 8396409
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including one or more feeding units includes: a sheet size determining unit which determines a sheet size of a sheet, on which print data are printed, in predetermined order; a print control unit which stores a designated size, which is the sheet size determined by the sheet size determining unit, in a storage unit; a feeding unit selector which selects the feeding unit on the basis of the designated size; and a process selection information storing unit which stores process selection information used to designate a process executed by the print control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Azami, Ryoji Tamaoki, Yasushi Otaki
  • Patent number: 8396384
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet type determination apparatus includes a tray, light source, detection unit, database, and operation unit. The tray is configured to hold a sheet bundle formed by stacked sheets. The light source emits illumination light to a first region. The detection unit detects a light intensity distribution of transmitted light emerging from a second region. The transmitted light is generated as the illumination light passes through the sheet bundle, and the second region is different from the first region. The database stores a table describing a relation between reference attenuation rates and types. The operation unit is configured to calculate an attenuation rate of the transmitted light based on the light intensity distribution, and determine a type of the sheets by comparing the attenuation rate with the reference attenuation rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiromichi Hayashihara, Masataka Shiratsuchi, Takeshi Morino, Hiroshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 8391735
    Abstract: A recording material determination apparatus includes a first detection unit configured to detect a characteristic corresponding to a surface condition of a recording material based on a captured image of a surface of the recording material, a second detection unit configured to detect a characteristic corresponding to a grammage of the recording material based on an ultrasonic wave detected via the recording material by irradiating the recording material with an ultrasonic wave, and a conveyance unit configured to convey the recording material. The first detection unit and the second detection unit are located opposite each other with respect to the conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimi Kuramochi, Shoji Maruyama, Tsutomu Ishida, Shunichi Ebihara
  • Patent number: 8391770
    Abstract: A measuring device of a length of a recording material includes: a rotary unit that rotates while coming into contact with the recording material; a pulse signal output unit that outputs a pulse signal in response to a rotation angle of the rotary unit; first and second detection units that detect the recording material; and a calculation unit that calculates a length of the recording material. The calculation unit calculates a piece of the length of the recording material corresponding to a time below pulse interval of the pulse signal and then calculates the total length in the transport direction of the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Morofuji, Takeshi Kato, Toshiyuki Kazama, Kozo Tagawa
  • Patent number: 8385758
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a first medium container for a first printing medium; a second medium container for a second printing medium; a medium feeder for feeding one of the first and second media from one of the first and second medium containers; a special process unit that performs a special process on the first printing medium fed by the medium feeder when image data, including instruction information instructing the special process, is received; a detector that detects a characteristic of the first printing medium; a special process capability determination unit for determining whether or not the special process can be performed based on the characteristic; and a control unit that ejects the printing medium and that causes the second medium to be fed from the second medium container when the special process capability determination unit determines that the special process cannot be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsunori Nakai
  • Patent number: 8364064
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer device including an intermediate transfer body having a primary transfer portion and a secondary transfer portion which bears a secondary image formed by transferring a primary image from an image bearing member; a pair of secondary transfer rollers having a secondary transfer roller and a support roller provided in contact with each other via the intermediate transfer body at the secondary transfer portion, which transfers the secondary image to a recording medium at the secondary transfer portion; a variation detection device that detects an amount of variance occurring to a transfer rotation body when the recording medium is transferred to the secondary transfer portion; and an adjustment device that adjusts the distance between the pair of the secondary transfer rollers according to the amount of variance detected by the variation detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ashikawa, Takahisa Koike, Hideyuki Takayama, Yoshihiro Asano, Minoru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8340563
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including: a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a sensor unit configured to output a signal according to a characteristic of the sheet which is conveyed through the sheet conveying path; a pressure unit configured to press the sheet against the sensor unit; and a moving member protruding into the sheet conveying path, the moving member being moved by being pushed by the sheet passing through the sheet conveying path, wherein the pressure unit is interlocked with the moving member so that the sheet is pressed by the pressure unit against the sensor unit when the moving member is not pushed by the sheet, and a pressure force on the sheet applied by the pressure unit is released or reduced when the moving member is pushed by the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Nakajima, Takashi Kuwata
  • Patent number: 8340564
    Abstract: The sheet thickness detector includes a fixed member, a displacement roller disposed opposite the fixed member and movable in such a linear direction as to be contacted with or separated from the fixed member when the sheet passes through a nip therebetween, bearings rotatably supporting a shaft of the displacement roller, a displacement member movable in the linear direction in conjunction with the displacement roller and integrated with at least one of the bearings, and a displacement sensor operatively connected to the displacement member and detecting displacement of the displacement member. The thickness of the sheet passing through the nip is determined based on the amount of displacement of the displacement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Kondo, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Haruyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 8335442
    Abstract: Hard imaging devices and hard imaging methods are described. According to one embodiment, a hard imaging device includes an image engine configured to provide a marking agent upon media to form hard images, and a media sensing system configured to sense the media and to provide at least one signal comprising information indicative of a direction of grain of the media responsive to the sensing of the media, and processing circuitry configured to receive the at least one signal provided by the media sensing system and to control an operation of the hard imaging device using the information indicative of the direction of the grain of the media of the at least one signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Robert Louis Cobene, II
  • Patent number: 8320814
    Abstract: A length measurement apparatus including: a measurement portion that measures a sheet length based on a rotational amount of a length measurement roll for a first detection period in which first and third sensors detect the sheet, and a sheet length based on a rotational amount of the length measurement roll for a second detection period in which the second sensor and any one of the first and third sensors detect the sheet, the any one of the first and third sensors being disposed at a position opposite to the second sensor via the length measurement roll; and a whole length calculation portion that selects the sheet length nearer to integral multiples of the circumference length of the length measurement roll from the sheet lengths measured for the first and second detection periods, and calculates the whole length of the sheet by using the selected sheet length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tsukamoto, Takao Furuya, Minoru Oshima, Yoshinari Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8285191
    Abstract: A sheet size detecting apparatus having a first arm moved by a moving sheet contacting therewith, a second arm moved by the moving sheet contacting therewith, the second arm being disposed at a location differing from that of the first arm in a direction orthogonal to the movement direction of the sheet, and a sensor, wherein the output level of the sensor when only one of the first arm and the second arm has been moved is the same as the output level thereof when neither of the first arm and the second arm is moved, and the output level of the sensor when both of the first arm and the second arm have been moved differs from the output level thereof when neither of the first arm and the second arm is not moved. Thereby, the cost can be suppressed and yet, the wrong detection of the sheet size can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsuke Kobayashi, Jun Agata
  • Patent number: 8265498
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining media thickness in a feeder section of an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving one or more multi-dimensional images of a media stack from an imaging device, the media stack including one or more media clips that each contain a plurality of media sheets, deriving a multi-dimensional feature signal from the received one or more multi-dimensional images, converting the derived multi-dimensional feature signal to a one-dimensional feature signal, estimating media clip thickness using the one-dimensional signal, estimating media sheet thickness using the estimated media clip thickness, and adjusting at least one image production device parameter based on the estimated media sheet thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Fan, Michael D. Borton
  • Patent number: 8249495
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet supply unit for supplying a printing medium; and a sheet discharge unit for discharging the printing medium after an image is transferred to the printing medium. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a transport path medium number storage unit for storing a transport path medium number; a discharge number storage unit for storing a discharge number; an upper limit print number storage unit for storing an upper limit print number; an addition unit for calculating an addition sum of the discharge number and the transport path medium number; a number comparison unit for comparing the addition sum with the upper limit print number; and a sheet supply stop unit for stopping the sheet supply unit when the addition sum exceeds the upper limit print number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Kohara
  • Patent number: 8233810
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image according to a specified printing time, including: an image forming condition setting unit for setting an image forming condition including an information related to the specified printing time and an information related to recording material; a control unit adapted to calculate a recording material acquisition startup time for starting to acquire a recording material based on the image forming condition set by the image forming condition setting unit, and adapted to issue a warning related to a replenishment of the recording material, and/or to inhibit formation of image, after the recording material acquisition startup time, in the case where there is no recording material specified under the image forming condition or in the case where the recording material is insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Daisuke Genda
  • Patent number: 8226309
    Abstract: A printing apparatus according to this invention contains a moving unit for moving a feed unit or a recording medium stacked on a stacking unit in a direction to separate them from one another or in a direction to render one in contact with the other based on a result of comparison between information, relating to the recording medium, included in image information and information, relating to the recording medium, input with an information input unit. With such the printing apparatus, a user can replace the recording medium stacked on the stacking unit in a short time without waiting for a feed unit or a recording medium to be moved, even where the information input with the information input unit differs from the information included in the image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Funatsu
  • Patent number: 8223407
    Abstract: An imaging system that includes a sheet media stack over a recording unit. Image data is generated in response to radiation received from a field of view encompassing sheet media edges of individual media within the sheet media stack. Edges of individual media are detected within the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Machida
  • Patent number: 8213046
    Abstract: A print method and apparatus for minimizing effects of error in repositioning during printing process may include generating successive scans of a recording head, wherein the scans may partially overlap to account for the error in repositioning. As an example, after the recording head makes one scan across the document being printed, the document (or the head) may be repositioned for the next scan so that several print elements of the recording head are aligned to lie between certain rows of dots printed in the previous scan, resulting in a higher number of rows in the overlapping portion of the scans. Additional features may include varying the row/column arrangement of dots in the overlap portion, or performing error diffusion and correction for different areas of resolution in the scans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Ueda, Hirotoshi Maehira
  • Patent number: 8213820
    Abstract: A toner amount measuring unit irradiates a toner image formed on an image carrying member with light, and an image capturing unit captures an image of a reflected waveform according to light reflected by the toner image. Then, an amount of applied toner is calculated based on the peak position or peak height of the reflected waveform in accordance with information associated with the density of the toner image to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Atsumi, Kunitoshi Aoki, Yukio Nagase
  • Patent number: 8185037
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device including a sheet feed cassette. The sheet feed cassette includes a tray extendable and contractible in a direction of sheet feed; a guide member having a long groove provided on a bottom plate of the sheet feed cassette in the direction of sheet feed; a pressing member having a shaft in a lower portion thereof loosely inserted into the guide member, the pressing member movable along the guide member and contacting a rear edge of a sheet stored in the sheet feed cassette; a link cam plate having a long guide groove into which the shaft of the pressing member is movably inserted, the link cam plate being swingably provided on the bottom plate of the sheet feed cassette; and a sheet size detector including a convex portion and a size detector to detect a size of the sheet stored in the sheet feed cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masashi Kimijima
  • Patent number: 8179559
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming images on recording media of different sizes are provided. The image forming procedure may include reading setting information which includes the size of a substitute recording medium for each user from a memory and, when the size of the recording medium specified by the print instruction is not available, executing a print instruction by automatically changing the size of a recording medium to be used to the size of the substitute recording medium based on the setting information. Additional computer-readable storage media storing image forming procedures are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nozomi Sawada