Patents Examined by Anthony Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10129422
    Abstract: An image reader includes: a reading section reading a document; a document conveyance section being supported in an openable and closable manner with respect to the reading section; foamed synthetic resin members being supported on a lower surface of the document conveyance section; a document pressing plate being fitted to the document conveyance section with the foamed synthetic resin members in between; and height regulation sections being formed at the document conveyance section and being pressed by second platen glass with the document pressing plate in between, wherein the height regulation sections are located at positions overlapping with a region of the second platen glass when the document conveyance section is in a closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masayuki Kakuta
  • Patent number: 10115543
    Abstract: There is provided a keyboard cover including a first sheet material having a surface including a plurality of key tops configured of roughened surfaces and a base configured of a smooth surface connecting a plurality of the key tops, a plurality of the key tops being projected from the base viewed from the surface; and a second sheet material covering a rear surface of the first sheet material and having concave parts corresponding to a plurality of the key tops viewed from the rear surface. Also provided is an electronic apparatus, including a keyboard body and the keyboard cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiroto Kawaguchi, Akira Ebisui
  • Patent number: 10114327
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a sheet; a sheet moving motor configured to move the sheet in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet; and a controller configured to determine a movement amount of the sheet to be moved by the sheet moving motor for each sheet, wherein the controller sets a first movement amount for a first sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the first sheet, the controller sets a second movement amount for a second sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the second sheet, and controls the sheet moving motor such that the first sheet is moved in the width direction by the first movement amount when an image is formed on a second side of the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 10105969
    Abstract: An elastic roller includes an inner layer side elastic member around a roller shaft, and a coating layer surrounding around the inner layer side elastic member, the coating layer contacting a belt-shaped member. The coating layer is made of silicone resin having JIS-C hardness of 20 degrees or less. A base layer and an intermediate layer of the inner layer side elastic member have JIS-A hardness of 30 to 80 degrees. The rubber hardness of the base layer is higher than the rubber hardness of the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer has tearing strength of 25 N/mm or more, the tearing strength being measured using an unnicked angle-shaped test piece in accordance with JIS K 6252. The intermediate layer has internal grooves having a groove angle of 40 to 160 degrees and having a V-shaped cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Haruhiko Nitta
  • Patent number: 10097720
    Abstract: A sound absorber, which is included in a sheet feeder included in an image reading device, an image forming apparatus, and an electronic device, includes a cavity, a communication portion through which the cavity communicates with an outside of a sheet feeder, and a communication direction changing device configured to change a communication direction of the communicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaya Ochiai, Takeshi Akai, Ikuhisa Okamoto, Takehisa Shimazu, Youhei Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 10088783
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying unit configured to convey a long paper sheet; an image forming unit configured to form an image on the long paper sheet, the image forming unit including a transferring unit configured to transfer toner onto the long paper sheet with a transfer belt; a fixing unit configured to fix the image onto the long paper sheet having the image formed thereon by the image forming unit; and a control unit configured to control a sheet feed path of the long paper sheet with respect to the transfer belt in accordance with state information about the long paper sheet, the long paper sheet being conveyed to the transferring unit by the conveying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Shougo Fukai
  • Patent number: 10088793
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a post-processing section configured to execute post-processing on a sheet conveyed from an image forming section, and a controller configured to set a first post-processing speed or a first number of sheets to be post-processed if the post-processing section is performing the post-processing on first sheets, and a second post-processing speed or a second number of sheets to be post-processed if the post-processing section is performing the post-processing on second sheets. The second sheets are sheets that have been decolored at least a predetermined number of times, and the first sheets are sheets that have been decolored less than the predetermined number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Yokochi
  • Patent number: 10078294
    Abstract: In an example, a method of controlling voltage applied to a print blanket within a printing device includes printing a print job. During the printing, a null cycle trigger is received. In response to the trigger, contact between a print blanket and an impression drum is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Vitaly Portnoy, Michel Assenheimer, Amiran Lavon, Amir Ofir
  • Patent number: 10073404
    Abstract: The curl correction device includes a first guide that guides a sheet to a nip portion between a first rotation member and a second rotation member, a support portion that rotatably supports the first guide about a fulcrum on the downstream side of the first guide, and a restriction portion that restricts a rotation of the first guide rotating about the fulcrum by being in contact with the first guide. The first guide is rotatable about the fulcrum so as to become separated from the restriction portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 10065410
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning surfaces of a printing press has an adjusting device having a pressing element for pressing a cleaning element against the surface to be cleaned when needed. The adjusting device has a drive for moving the pressing element relative to the surface to be cleaned between a home position, in which the cleaning element is positioned at a distance from the surface to be cleaned, and a cleaning position in which the cleaning element is in contact with the surface to be cleaned or, respectively, is in the direct proximity of the surface to be cleaned. An overload safety device is configured to respond upon a critical force acting on at least one of the adjusting device or pressing element being exceeded and to move the pressing element into an overload position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: BALDWIN TECHNOLOGY, GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Ettler
  • Patent number: 10059138
    Abstract: Provided is a flexo printing plate which makes it possible to perform printing in which the discontinuity of density is not visually recognized by inhibiting the enlargement of halftone dots in the boundary between an image area having a low halftone dot rate and a non-image area. The flexo printing plate has a constitution in which the image area has a highlight halftone dot area having a halftone dot rate higher than 0% and equal to or lower than 10%, and within the highlight halftone dot area, among small dots constituting the highlight halftone dot area, at least one of the small dots adjacent to the non-image area that continues 10 mm or further from the edge of the highlight halftone dot area in a direction orthogonal to the edge has a distal end diameter smaller than the average of distal end diameters of the small dots in the highlight halftone dot area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10057440
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus has an image reading portion, a sheet feeding portion feeding the sheet to the image reading portion, a rotatably connecting portion which rotatably connects the sheet feeding portion to the image reading portion, a fixing member, a first fastening member for fastening the fixing member to a frame of the sheet feeding portion, and a second fastening member for fastening the fixing member to the rotatably connecting portion in a state where the frame is nipped between the rotatably connecting portion and the fixing member. When the fastening of the first fastening member is released and the fastening of the second fastening member is released, the fixing member is detachable from the frame and the rotatably connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahito Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10054895
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer body; an image formation unit, configured to form a toner image on the intermediate transfer body; a transfer unit, arranged opposite the intermediate transfer body, configured to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium at a secondary transfer position; a first cleaning unit configured to collect toner of the toner image; a conveyance unit configured to convey the recording medium along a conveyance path; a jam detection unit configured to detect a jam of the recording medium conveyed on the conveyance path; a jam processing unit configured to transfer residual toner, which is not transferred onto the recording medium when the jam is detected by the jam detection unit, from the intermediate transfer body to the transfer unit; and a second cleaning unit configured to collect the residual toner on the transfer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Nakagaki
  • Patent number: 10046554
    Abstract: A feeding system in a printing apparatus is disclosed. For example, the feeding system includes a feed roll, a retard roll, a movable arm, a spring and a temperature dependent flexible material. The movable arm is coupled to the retard roll. The spring is coupled to the movable arm. The temperature dependent flexible material is located below the spring to move the retard roll towards the feed roll via the spring coupled to the end of the arm to maintain a nip force applied by the retard roll against the feed roll as a temperature in a location of the printing apparatus changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastian Rodrigo de Echaniz, Benjamin Thomas Thurnell, Paul Simon Golding, Michael John Wilsher
  • Patent number: 10042306
    Abstract: The electro-photographic sheet of paper duplex printing machine includes a sheet supply section, a sheet positioning section which positions sheets and sends out sheets to a backup roller in an electro-photographic printing section, the electro-photographic printing section transfers an image which has been transferred onto the transfer roller onto the sheet, a chain delivery section, a delivery section and a sheet carrying section for turnover. The chain delivery section selectively transfers printed sheets, which has been transferred from the backup roller to the delivery section or sheet carrying section for turnover. The sheet carrying section for turnover supplies one side printed sheet to the sheet positioning section. The sheet fed from the sheet supply section and one side printed sheet fed from the sheet carrying section for turnover are alternately carried to the sheet positioning section and the toner image on the printed sheet is fixed by the fixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Kenji Takahashi, Yuuichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10042280
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body having an opening, an image forming unit, a storage portions, a moving unit, and a sensing unit. The storage portions store, inside the apparatus body, a sheet having an image. The moving unit can move the sheet stored in each storage portion and stop the sheet in an exposure state where the sheet is exposed outside the apparatus body through the opening. The moving unit moves a first stored sheet and stops the first sheet in the exposure state. If the sensing unit enters a state in which the first sheet is not sensed from a state in which the first sheet is sensed, the moving unit moves a second stored sheet and stops the second sheet in the exposure state where the second sheet is exposed outside the apparatus body through the opening through which the first sheet is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi Hirose, Hajime Sugaya
  • Patent number: 10036990
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming unit that forms a toner image on a sheet; a post-processing unit that performs post-processing to the sheet; a conveying unit that conveys the sheet from the image forming unit to the post-processing unit; a discharge member that is arranged between the image forming unit and the post-processing unit in a sheet conveying direction, and discharges static electricity from the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit; a voltage applying unit that applies to the discharge member a discharge voltage for discharging static electricity from the sheet; and a control unit that accelerates a conveying speed of the sheet when the discharge voltage is applied by the voltage applying unit, and controls the conveying unit to vary acceleration timing for accelerating the conveying speed of the sheet in accordance with a type of the post-processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yuki Adachi
  • Patent number: 10031465
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet binding device includes a tape support base, a slide base, a tape holder, a first displacement mechanism, and a second displacement mechanism. The tape support base supports a tape. The slide base is movable in a first direction. The tape holder is supported on the slide base and is movable in a second direction crossing the first direction. The first displacement mechanism displaces the tape holder in a second direction from a first position that is a position away from the tape to a second position at which the tape holder is capable of coming into contact with the tape. The second displacement mechanism displaces the tape holder in the second direction from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamitsu Sunaoshi, Misato Ishikawa, Takahiro Kokubo, Shunsuke Hattori, Kikuo Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10029452
    Abstract: A method for producing decorative prints having identical quality on at least two carrier materials includes the following steps: providing at least one print motif; converting the at least one print motif into at least one high resolution electronic data set; reducing the resolution of the at least one high resolution electronic data set; creating at least one first print decor on at least one first carrier material by means of the at least one resolution reduced electronic data set; creating at least one print cylinder for a gravure printing process by using at least one resolution reduced electronic data set, with the resolution reduced electronic data set identical to or different from the resolution reduced electronic data set used for the digital printing; and creating at least one second print decor on at least one second carrier material by using the at least one print cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Flooring Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Ingo Lehnhoff
  • Patent number: 10022994
    Abstract: A printing assembly has print heads, by the use of which, application locations for printing fluid are specified. A transport path through the printing assembly, and provided for print stock, is specified by at least two guide elements. One printing section of the transport path begins at a first application location and ends at a last application location. The application locations are arranged on that transport path having specifying guide elements, each having a pivot angle, and pivoting, in a pivoting manner, about at least one pivot axis, common thereto, which pivot angle equals at least 10°. A main conveying direction is specified by a linear connection between a first guide element based on the print section and a last guide element based on the print section. The main conveying direction is arranged, having guide elements arranged in the maintenance position thereof, under an angle of 30°, at maximum, to a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER, AG
    Inventors: Stefan Wander, Wolfgang Reder, Karl Schäfer