Patents Examined by Cheukfan Lee
  • Patent number: 11431864
    Abstract: This disclosure is related to a duplex scanning device. The automatic document feeder includes a paper feeder body, a paper inlet and a paper outlet. The paper cassette includes an upper paper tray and a lower paper tray adjacent to the paper inlet and the paper outlet. The cassette power module includes a motor set and a transmission part. The transmission part drives the paper cassette to move on one side of the automatic document feeder to control the lower paper tray to connect with the paper inlet or the paper outlet. Therefore, the double-sided scanning of the document is completed by two-pass duplex scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KINPO ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Po-Chih Chang, Sung-Po Lin, Tzu-Cheng Chang
  • Patent number: 11431863
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a scanner casing having a contact glass on an upper face, and located on an upper side of a main body frame of the image forming apparatus, a document retention member openably covering the upper face of the scanner casing, a hinge mechanism pivotably supporting the document retention member, a leg portion to an upper end portion of which the hinge mechanism is fixed, an insertion hole formed in the scanner casing, and having an opening oriented upward, in which the leg portion is inserted; and a reinforcing tube attached to an inner face of the insertion hole. The scanner casing includes a first housing, and a second housing mounted on an upper side of the first housing. The reinforcing tube is held between the first housing and the second housing in an up-down direction, and restricted from moving in the up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Naozumi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11418673
    Abstract: An illumination device and an image reading device are characterized by including: a rod-shaped light guide extending in a longitudinal direction and configured to guide light entering from an exterior and emit the light as linear light from a lateral surface; a light guide holding portion having a hole into which an end surface of the light guide is inserted; a supporter supporting the light guide holding portion slidably along the longitudinal direction; and a housing supporting or housing the light guide, the light guide holding portion and the supporter, at least the supporter being fixed to the housing, a direction of sliding of the light guide holding portion being restricted to the longitudinal direction by a supporter-side concave-convex portion that is a supporter-side groove portion or a supporter-side protruding portion at least one of which is formed on the supporter along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Matsui, Koki Takasaki
  • Patent number: 11418667
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a transparent member on which an original is placed, a reading unit configured to read the original placed on the transparent member while moving in a first direction, and at least one processor configured to detect at least one edge of the original based on a reading result by the reading unit, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a candidate of a size of the original placed on the transparent member based on an edge, among the at least one detected edge, in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the reading unit is configured to move in the first direction by a predetermined distance based on the candidate of the determined size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taishi Tomii
  • Patent number: 11418665
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a first conveyance roller, a second conveyance roller, a first conveyance guide, a second conveyance guide configured to move between an opposed position being opposed to the first conveyance guide and a retracting position being retracted from the opposed position, and an image reading unit opposed to the first conveyance guide and configured to move in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction and read image information on a sheet. The second conveyance guide is configured to move to the retracting position in response to the image reading unit moving in the width direction and reading the image information on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teppei Nagata, Yukihiro Soeta
  • Patent number: 11412100
    Abstract: An image forming system including: a conveyance unit configured to convey a first sheet on which an image has been formed by an image forming portion; a reading unit including a reading sensor configured to read the first sheet being conveyed by the conveyance unit through a transparent member at a reading position; a guide member configured to cover a reference member on a side opposite to the reading sensor with respect to the transparent member; and a controller configured to perform shading correction on a result of reading the first sheet based on image data obtained by the reading unit reading the reference member through the transparent member, and to control, based on an image subjected to the shading correction, a geometric characteristic of an image to be formed on a second sheet by the image forming portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Nakagawa, Teppei Nagata, Yukihiro Soeta, Shogo Terakawa
  • Patent number: 11412099
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a first image reading unit, a second image reading unit provided on a side opposite from the first image reading unit with respect to a sheet feeding passage, a first guiding member, a second guiding member, a first unit holding the first image reading unit and the second guiding member, and a second unit holding the second image reading unit and the first guiding member. One of the first unit and the second unit is movable relative to the other unit so as to open the sheet feeding passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Kazuhisa Okuda, Michiaki Endo
  • Patent number: 11405517
    Abstract: In an image reading device including a document platen, a document holder, multiple light sources, and a close contact type image sensor, the light sources are sequentially turned on and the image sensor individually reads light of multiple different colors reflected from a document in a main scanning direction. When the document holder is opened, in an area determination process, a first scanning area where a difference between output values of the image sensor when the light sources are sequentially turned on is within a predetermined threshold value range, and a second scanning area where the difference is outside the predetermined threshold value range are determined in an entire scanning area of the image sensor. A document size in the main scanning direction is detected based on a position of a boundary in the main scanning direction between the first and second scanning areas determined in the area determination process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shohichi Fukutome, Hisashi Yamanaka, Reishi Aoki
  • Patent number: 11392808
    Abstract: A paper management system setting a paper information piece of paper stored in a sheet feeding unit in an image forming apparatus from a list of paper information pieces registers the paper information pieces with a favorite group, displays a list of the paper information pieces for each favorite group, and enables the list of the paper information pieces to be associated with a paper feed unit through the screen displaying the list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Kimura, Yuzo Harano, Hideaki Ooba, Aya Ito, Nobuhiro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11388305
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a document placement unit, a document conveyance unit, a reading unit, a case, and a movable member. The document conveyance unit conveys a document, placed on the document placement unit, along a conveyance path. The case accommodates the reading unit and includes a transparent member which allows passing of light to receiving elements, and an opening. The movable member includes a cover portion and a connection portion and moves in an adjustment direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the case. The cover portion covers the case opening while being in contact with an outside of the case. The connection portion connects the reading unit and the cover portion. When the movable member moves in the adjustment direction, the reading unit moves within the case to change an angle of the reading unit with respect to a document conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Bungo Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11363153
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying roller to convey a medium, an imaging device to generate an input image acquired by imaging the conveyed medium, and a processor to extract edge pixels from the input image, detect a degree of roundness at a corner of the medium in the input image based on the edge pixels, determine whether the conveyed medium is an ID card based on the degree of roundness, and control the conveying roller based on a result of the determination or outputs the result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventor: Masaaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 11363159
    Abstract: In a line sensor including color filters that are periodically disposed in a light-receiving-element row, a problem called a “mixture of colors” occurs. A “mixture of colors” occurs when light that has been transmitted through a color filter differing from a color filter corresponding to a light receiving element is incident upon the light receiving element. In a CMOS sensor 107 including a light-receiving-element row in which a plurality of photodiodes 1204 are disposed side by side in a main scanning direction and a plurality of color filters 1202 that are disposed in correspondence with the plurality of photodiodes 1204, the center of each color filter 1202 is displaced in a direction of the center of the light-receiving-element row from the center of the photodiode 1204 corresponding to the color filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Akagi, Masanori Ogura, Jun Iba, Atsushi Furubayashi
  • Patent number: 11363154
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of performing a plurality of pieces of image processing including scan processing of a document in parallel with a scanner unit. In the scan processing, when the document is conveyed, the scanner unit receives a first instruction for setting a transfer rate and sets the transfer rate based on the first instruction, and when the image data is transferred, the scanner unit receives a second instruction for setting the transfer rate. When the transfer rate indicated by the first instruction and the transfer rate indicated by the second instruction are different, the image data is transmitted after changing the transfer rate, based on the second instruction. When the transfer rate indicated by the first instruction and the transfer rate indicated by the second instruction are identical, the image data is transmitted without changing the transfer rate set based on the first instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taku Shinohara
  • Patent number: 11350005
    Abstract: An image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The sheet is conveyed through a conveyance path after the image has been formed on the sheet. A reading unit reads the image formed on the sheet in the conveyance path. A conveyance guide constitutes a portion of the conveyance path and guides the sheet. A pressing unit presses the reading unit against the sheet. A connection unit connects the reading unit and the conveyance guide such that the reading unit and the conveyance guide move in an interlocked manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Ochi, Yohei Suzuki, Miho Kaiga, Koji Kawamura, Shinkichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11347178
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a first opening/closing unit to openably and closeably support a sheet conveyance portion with respect to an image reading portion, and a second opening/closing unit to openably and closeably support the sheet conveyance portion with respect to the image reading portion. The first opening/closing unit includes a first spring to urge the sheet conveyance portion in a direction in which the sheet conveyance portion moves from a closed position toward an opened position, and the second opening/closing unit includes a second spring to urge the sheet conveyance portion in the direction in which the sheet conveyance portion moves from the closed position toward the opened position and an oil damper to attenuate vibration energy of the sheet conveyance portion. The first opening/closing unit does not include an oil damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 11336787
    Abstract: An image scanning device according to aspects of the present disclosures includes a transparent plate member on which an original document can be placed, a line sensor configured to receive a light emitted from a light source and reflected by the original document, and output an electrical signal according to the reflected light, a holding member configured to cover an upper surface of the plate member, and a controller. The controller is configured to obtain a first electrical signal corresponding to a first reflected light when the light source emits light having a first light amount, obtain a second electrical signal corresponding to a second reflected light when the light source emits light having a second light amount, and determine a particular scanning mode for scanning the original document placed on the plate member based on an image difference value calculated from the first and second electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Sunako
  • Patent number: 11336784
    Abstract: A method of controlling an information processing apparatus includes acquiring information on a sheet size specified by a user and acquiring information on a sheet feeding direction to a printing apparatus for sheet corresponding to the specified sheet size. In a case where the sheet feeding direction is a predetermined direction, a predetermined control is executed. After the predetermined control, a drawing application is notified of information on a page setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukiyasu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11336792
    Abstract: Systems and methods relate generally to exposure correction of an image transparency. In an example method thereof, an adaptable filter having an adjustable transparency panel and a microcontroller is obtained. The image transparency is backlit to obtain first analog image information by the adaptable filter. An exposure level associated with the first analog image information is sensed. A transparency level of the adjustable transparency panel is adjusted responsive to the sensed exposure level. Second analog image information is obtained from the adjustable transparency panel provided to a sensor array. The second analog image information is the first analog image information with the adjusted transparency level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Pugh
  • Patent number: 11330135
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading an image of an original includes an illumination portion for illuminating the original with light, a reflection member including a reflecting surface for reflecting the light from the original; a converting portion for photoelectrically converting the light reflected by the reflection member, and a casing for accommodating the reflection member. The casing is provided with an opening which is open to an outside of the casing. A surface of the reflecting member opposite from the reflecting surface and a portion defining the opening are bonded to each other with an adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Otake
  • Patent number: 11330127
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: at least one processor configured to: set reading resolutions in a first and a second directions when reading an image of a document; determine an inclination amount of the document; correct an image to reduce the inclination amount; output image data indicative of an corrected image; and obtain information relating to a first direction length of the document. In a case where the first direction length of the document is less than a predetermined length and the processor outputs the image data indicative of the corrected image, whose resolution in the first direction is a first resolution and resolution in the second direction is a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the processor sets the reading resolution in the second direction to a third resolution higher than the second resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Akagi, Satoshi Seki, Kaoru Hamada