Patents Examined by Howard J Sanders
  • Patent number: 11827480
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a media path to route media through the automatic document feeder, and an automated media tray to receive the media from the media path, with the automated media tray to be positioned based on input of the media to the media path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Rene O. Valenzuela-Rivas, Ryan M. Smith, Ki Jung Han, Michael V. Leman
  • Patent number: 11827039
    Abstract: An arrangement includes a receipt printer for printing a receipt arranged in a housing. The housing includes a pivoting lid which in an open state allows access to the receipt printer and in a closed state prevents access to the receipt printer. The lid has an opening through which a receipt printed by the receipt printer can be output in the closed state. The arrangement has a receipt output unit which in the closed state is arranged in the opening of the lid opposite to the receipt printer, at least a first receipt guiding unit and at least a first elastically deformable element for spring-mounting at least one component of the first receipt guiding unit. The receipt printer has a second receipt guiding unit. The first receipt guiding unit is engaged with the second receipt guiding unit when the lid is moved from the open state into the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Sascha Groepper
  • Patent number: 11827043
    Abstract: A knockdown apparatus for a finisher includes a register tray, a paddle coupled to a rotatable shaft to compile a recording medium toward an end of the register tray, and a knockdown device, provided above the register tray, to rotate to apply a downward force to the recording medium while the recording medium is in the register tray to decrease a curl in the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Taehong Kim, Kevin Lo, Matthew Raisanen, Stephen Thomas Rohman
  • Patent number: 11816945
    Abstract: A sheet handling device includes: a first storage; a second storage using a storage method different form that of the first storage; a transporter that transports a sheet; and a controller that controls the transporter to transport the sheet. When the second storage is neither a transport source of the sheet nor a transport destination of the sheet, the controller controls the transporter to transport the sheet at a first speed. When the second storage is at least the transport source of the sheet or the transport destination of the sheet, the controller controls the transporter to transport the sheet at a second speed lower than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Shibata, Keisuke Nada
  • Patent number: 11810417
    Abstract: A paper sheet storage device includes a storage unit, a conveyance mechanism including a carry-in path and a carry-out path, a gate member switched between a storage state and a passing state, a lock mechanism including a lock member which restricts a movement of the gate member, and an unlock member that unlocks a locked state. The unlock member is disposed so as to project from a side of one of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to outside of the paper sheet storage device. The lock member is disposed so as to project from a side of the other of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to the outside of the paper sheet storage device. When the paper sheet storage device is connected to another paper sheet storage device, the lock member is moved by the unlock member of the another paper sheet storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: FUJITSU FRONTECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoto Ikeda, Yuji Tanaka, Mitsutaka Nishida
  • Patent number: 11807484
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cover member for a storing means, a respective storing means and a gripping system, comprising said storing means. Further, the present invention relates to a method for gripping and separating stacked flat elements. The cover member is adapted for being installed on a top side of a storing means for storing a stack of multiple flat elements 100 having a predefined size. The cover member 1 defines a first opening 13 having a rim portion 13a, 13b, wherein the first opening 13 is adapted to be associated with at least one gripping unit 30, so that the gripping unit 30 can access the storing means for gripping and removing a flat element 102 through the first opening 13, when the cover member 1 is installed on the top side of the storing means 10. The first opening is sized so that a gripped flat element 102 abuts the rim portion 13a, 13b when being removed through the first opening 13 from the storing means, so as to be bend and separated from an underlying flat element 104.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Reger, Vitus Schönberger
  • Patent number: 11802014
    Abstract: A sheet-shaped-medium feeder includes a housing, a mount portion that is disposed to be vertically movable in the housing and that receives sheet-shaped media, a lift that vertically raises or lowers the mount portion, a discharger that transports the sheet-shaped media stacked on the mount portion to a transport portion by sucking the sheet-shaped media with a suction portion in order from an upper one of the sheet-shaped media, left and right side walls that come into contact with left and right edges, in a feed width, of the sheet-shaped media stacked on the mount portion, left and right air outlets that are disposed in the left and right side walls, and blow air to the sheet-shaped media stacked on the mount portion at the left and right edges in the feed width, left and right first limiters that are respectively disposed on the left and right side walls, and limit a height of at least one of the sheet-shaped media that floats with air blown by the left and right air outlets by coming into contact with an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shoichi Maeda, Masahito Niwa, Yuichi Araki
  • Patent number: 11780697
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: an output tray into which the paper sheet on which recording has been performed is outputted, wherein the output tray has a rib—includes a pair of first ribs disposed at an upstream position, the pair of first ribs being elongated in an output direction and protruding, and a pair of second ribs disposed at a downstream position, the pair of second ribs being elongated in the output direction and protruding, the output tray has an upstanding end portion (edge receiving section) formed at a downstream end in the output direction, the second rib is formed to be continuous from the edge receiving section, and each of the pair of first ribs and the pair of second ribs are symmetrically arranged to a center (center line) in a width direction, which is perpendicular to the output direction of the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Soshi Okawa, Ryoichi Morisawa, Satoshi Tamai, Yoshinori Yanagisawa, Shomaru Kondo
  • Patent number: 11780693
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a conveying roller; a separating roller which forms a nip portion by pressing the conveying roller and separates a sheet conveyed by the conveying roller one by one in the nip portion; a moving portion configured to move a stacking portion from a first position at which a sheet stacked in the stacking portion and a feeding roller are separated from each other to a second position at which the sheet stacked in the stacking portion abuts on the feeding roller; and a cover member which is movable between a third position to cover a rotation shaft of the separating roller and a fourth position to expose the rotation shaft of the separating roller, in which the cover member placed in the fourth position moves to the third position along with movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyuki Mitamura
  • Patent number: 11772917
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a placement tray, a presence detection sensor, and a control unit. The placement tray places a sheet thereon. The presence detection sensor detects the presence or absence of the sheet on the placement tray. The control unit delays a determination timing of the presence or absence of the sheet placed on the placement tray to a predetermined timing when a condition indicating that the remaining sheets placed on the placement tray are only a few is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 11772920
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a suctioner that suctions a medium of a plurality of media to a feed belt, a driver that moves the feed belt to feed the medium, a first side blower that blows air at a first airflow rate to a first end face of the medium, a second side blower that blows air at a second airflow rate to a second end face of the medium, and a controller that controls the first side blower to blow air to the first end face at a third airflow rate that is greater than the first airflow rate and the second airflow rate when the medium has not been auctioned to a first portion of the feed belt close to the first end face and has been auctioned to a second portion of the feed belt close to the second end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yasukawa, Naoto Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11767183
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a conveying roller; a separating roller which forms a nip portion by pressing the conveying roller and separates a sheet conveyed by the conveying roller one by one in the nip portion; a moving portion configured to move a stacking portion from a first position at which a sheet stacked in the stacking portion and a feeding roller are separated from each other to a second position at which the sheet stacked in the stacking portion abuts on the feeding roller; and a cover member which is movable between a third position to cover a rotation shaft of the separating roller and a fourth position to expose the rotation shaft of the separating roller, in which the cover member placed in the fourth position moves to the third position along with movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyuki Mitamura
  • Patent number: 11767182
    Abstract: An electric paper tray includes a base, a paper holding element pivotally mounted to at least one side of the base, a power unit arranged at the base, and a lifting module connected between the paper holding element and the power unit. The lifting module is movably mounted under the paper holding element. When the lifting module is driven by the power unit to move to a first position, with respect to the base, the lifting module drives the paper holding element to make the paper holding element rotate to a closed position, when the lifting module is driven by the power unit to move to a second position, with respect to the base, the lifting module drives the paper holding element to make the paper holding element rotate to an opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih Chao Kao, Ching Feng Liao, Jing Hua Fang, Pei Chun Lu
  • Patent number: 11760590
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a conveying roller; a separating roller which forms a nip portion by pressing the conveying roller and separates a sheet conveyed by the conveying roller one by one in the nip portion; a moving portion configured to move a stacking portion from a first position at which a sheet stacked in the stacking portion and a feeding roller are separated from each other to a second position at which the sheet stacked in the stacking portion abuts on the feeding roller; and a cover member which is movable between a third position to cover a rotation shaft of the separating roller and a fourth position to expose the rotation shaft of the separating roller, in which the cover member placed in the fourth position moves to the third position along with movement of the stacking portion from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyuki Mitamura
  • Patent number: 11745967
    Abstract: Provided is a paper sheet replenishing box (paper feed device) for replenishing reserve fund in each circulation-type paper sheet storage unit, wherein paper sheets of each denomination can be replenished from one paper sheet replenishing box in which paper sheets of different denominations having different sizes are accommodated together to a circulation unit of the respective circulation-type paper sheet storage units. The paper sheet replenishing box includes a first tray piece 201 in which a plurality of pieces of first paper sheets P1 are placed in a stacked state, a second tray piece 211 arranged immediately below the first tray piece, on which a plurality of pieces of second paper sheets P2 having a different longitudinal dimension from that of the first paper sheet are placed in a stacked state, and rear-end regulating members 204 and 214 that align front end positions in a transport direction of respective paper sheet bundles to predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN CASH MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichi Togano, Shinya Izawa
  • Patent number: 11745966
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, a lift plate, an actuating segment, driving unit, a sheet feeding portion, a first detecting portion, a remaining amount detection portion. The remaining amount detection portion includes a detection piece, a link mechanism, a second detecting portion, a controller. The link mechanism couples together the driving shaft and the detection piece at a coupling position attained by pivoting the lift plate through a predetermined angle from a lower limit position in rotation direction, so as to let the driving shaft and the detection piece rotate together. The second detecting portion senses whether or not the detection piece is present. The controller determines the remaining quantity level of the stacked sheets according to whether or not the second detecting portion is detecting the detection piece being present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Seiichi Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 11738963
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes a discharge port (25), a sheet stacking plate (41), a pair of cursors (43), a cursor driver (95), a pair of blowers (83) and a controller (37). Through the discharge port (25), a sheet formed an image is discharged. On the sheet stacking plate (41), the sheet discharged through the discharge port (25) is stacked. The pair of cursors (43) is supported on the sheet stacking plate (41) in a slidable manner in width directions perpendicular to a discharge direction of the sheet and comes into contact with both side edges of the sheet. The cursor driver (95) drives the pair of cursors (43). The pair of blowers (83) is provided in the pair of cursors (43) so as to blow air to both corners on an upstream side in the discharge direction of the sheet which is discharged through the discharge port (25), from above. The controller (37) controls the cursor driver (95) and the pair of blowers (83).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yusuke Takano
  • Patent number: 11731850
    Abstract: In some examples, a substrate handling system includes a sheet processing machine and at least one alignment device that includes at least four stops. At least one stop is configured as a front stop, at least one stop is configured as a rear stop, and at least two stops are configured as lateral stops. The at least two lateral stops are arranged opposite one another, and the at least one front stop and the at least one rear stop are arranged opposite one another. The alignment device includes at least one support element that is configured as a propping element for propping at least one partial stack of sheets in the alignment device. Further, at least one respective support element is arranged at the at least two lateral stops and at the at least one rear stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Hans Christiansen, Dragan Dragoz, Kurt Genefke, Kaj Verner Madsen, Kim Nielsen, Julian Schubert
  • Patent number: 11734983
    Abstract: A banknote transport mechanism comprising a plurality of driven roller shafts spaced apart in a direction of banknote transport along a transport path, wherein a plurality of driven rollers are positioned on each driven roller shaft, wherein each driven roller shaft rotates about a respective driven roller axis. The banknote transport mechanism further comprises a plurality of low friction rails, each low friction rail having and upper surface and a longitudinal axis generally parallel to a direction of banknote transport. The plurality of driven roller axes are oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of banknote transport along the transport path. The plurality of driven roller axes generally lie in a first plane and the upper surfaces of the low friction rails generally lie in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The driven rollers of each driven roller shaft are offset laterally in a direction transverse to the direction of banknote transport from the lateral location of each rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventors: Glenn S. Gordon, Douglas U. Mennie, Ricky Newsom, Roy C. Schoon, Joey D. Newsom
  • Patent number: 11718490
    Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to perform both judgment of necessity of maintenance of a circulation-type paper sheet storage device and the maintenance of the circulation-type paper sheet storage device in the same place. The paper sheet storage device is a paper sheet storage device attached to a paper sheet processing device having a storage function for receiving paper sheets transported thereto and storing the paper sheets in the paper sheet storage device and/or a feeding function for feeding paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage device. The paper sheet storage device includes a memory unit that memorizes therein specific information to be updated according to storage or feed of paper sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN CASH MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yasutaka