Patents Examined by Jeremy R. Severson
  • Patent number: 11512770
    Abstract: A gearbox assembly comprising a plurality of component parts in torque transmission connection via gear, shaft and/or housing components; the assembly further comprising means for providing redundancy at selected locations where failure can lead to loss of torque transmission between component parts of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: RATIER-FIGEAC SAS
    Inventors: Adil Sardi, Sébastien Caminade, Frédéric Vermande, Eric Delbos
  • Patent number: 11498790
    Abstract: A sheet-processing machine includes a turning device. Sheets can be conveyed, by a sheet conveyor system, from a sheet guide cylinder in the turning device, and can be conveyed in a sheet conveyor direction on a sheet conveyor path. A sheet guide element is provided beneath or along the sheet conveyor path. A deionization device is assigned to the sheet guide element. The deionization device can provide positive and negative ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Heinz Michael Koch, Mario Herzog, Tilo Hanke, Dietmar Lange, Michael Geihsler
  • Patent number: 11492221
    Abstract: An agitator for agitating sheets of material passing through a sheet transport device that has upper and lower guide sections defining a sheet transport path therebetween. The agitator includes first and second sets of rollers each having a roller axis of rotation and a width, and the rollers are mounted to at least one holder such that the axes of rotation of the rollers are radially spaced from a line and such that rotating the at least one holder around the line causes the rollers to orbit around the line. At least one support supports the holder for rotation around the line, and the set of first rollers is spaced from the set of second rollers in the direction of the line by a distance greater than the width of the rollers. Also a sheet transport device including the agitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: A.G. STACKER INC.
    Inventor: Dalton Hege
  • Patent number: 11492218
    Abstract: A sheet supporting apparatus includes a positioning device to position a regulating portion to a sheet support. The positioning device includes a first group of teeth provided on the sheet support, a second group of teeth disposed at a position different from the first group of teeth provided on the sheet support, a third group of teeth provided on a regulator and capable of transiting to a first state of engaging with the first group of teeth and to a second state of engaging with less area of the first group of teeth than that in the first state, and a fourth group of teeth provided on the regulator and capable of transiting to a third state of engaging with the second group of teeth and to a fourth state of engaging with less area of the second group of teeth than that in the third state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shunsuke Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11492226
    Abstract: A method of transporting a plurality of sheet-like members containing a magnetic material includes a first step of placing one of the members on an endless belt, and a second step of releasing the member from a portion of the endless belt which is moved and folded back along a roller. The endless belt includes a first magnetic force generating portion that generates first magnetic force, and a second magnetic force generating portion that generates second magnetic force that is stronger than the first magnetic force. In the first step, the member is placed on the belt, such that a first portion of the member containing the magnetic material is located in the first magnetic force generating portion, and a second portion of the member containing the magnetic material and located rearward of the first portion in a conveying direction is located in the second magnetic force generating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Sukeda, Naoki Hirai, Akinori Tomioka
  • Patent number: 11485596
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus capable of switching between a first feeding mode and a second feeding mode, in which in the first feeding mode, when a first detection section positioned downstream of a feeding roller in a medium feeding direction detects passage of a trailing end of a preceding medium in a feeding standby state in which driving of the feeding roller that feeds the medium is stopped, starting the driving of the feeding roller to perform feeding of a succeeding medium, and in the second feeding mode, when a second detection section positioned downstream of the first detection section in the medium feeding direction detects the passage of the trailing end of the preceding medium in the feeding standby state, starting the driving of the feeding roller to perform the feeding of the succeeding medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Namiki, Yoichiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11472656
    Abstract: A conveyor device for conveying a single face corrugated web on a bridge is disclosed. The conveyor device includes a lower guide roller, around which the single face corrugated web is guided. The conveyor device further includes an upper pinching and conveyance nip formed by a pair of nip members in pressure contact with one another. At least one of the nip members is motor-driven. The pinching and conveyance nip is configured to pull the single face corrugated web upwards from the lower guide roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Guangdong Fosber Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mauro Adami
  • Patent number: 11465870
    Abstract: A printer extension kit that modifies a printer to receive and output longer pieces of paper. The printer extension kit includes an input extension part, an output extension part, and an output extension clip. The paper tray of a printer is extended by the input extension part allowing the printer to hold longer pieces of paper. The input extension part is attached to the paper tray of a printer. The output extension part allows a printer to output longer pieces of paper. In more detail, the output extension part prevents longer pieces of paper from falling of the catch tray of a printer. The output extension part is attached into the catch tray of a printer. The output extension clip provides another means for a printer to output longer pieces of paper. In more detail, the output extension clip is attached along the output paper catch of a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: John Latsko
  • Patent number: 11465869
    Abstract: A roller for guiding a sheet (101) by friction has a contact surface (2) designed to be in contact with the sheet (101), the contact surface (2) having, overall, a shape of revolution when the roller (1) is at rest, a central portion (6) configured to mechanically connect the roller (1) to a rotating drive element, and a deformation portion (10) located between the contact surface (2) and the central portion (6), the deformation portion (10) being configured to deform elastically when the roller (1) guides the sheet (101) by friction. The deformation portion (10) comprises at least one cut (12) extending from the contact surface (2) to the central portion (6), the cut (12) being arranged such that the deformation portion (10) comprises at least one elastically deformable segment (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BOBST MEX SA
    Inventors: Paul Hornick, Gilles Pillonel
  • Patent number: 11453229
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: an apparatus body that includes a recorder that performs recording on a medium; an opening-and-closing member that is able to be opened away from and closed toward the apparatus body; a unit module that is detachably attached to an attachment portion configured to become exposed by opening the opening-and-closing member, and constitutes a part of a first medium transportation path when attached to the attachment portion; a second medium transportation path that is provided above the first medium transportation path; and a path forming member that is located above the attachment portion and forms a part of the second medium transportation path; wherein the path forming member is retracted from the second medium transportation path and advances onto the opening-and-closing trajectory of the opening-and-closing member when the unit module is detached from the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 11442391
    Abstract: A drive control device is configured to control a plurality of drive sources configured to drive a single output shaft. The drive control device includes a control unit configured to generate a single drive control signal and transmit the drive control signal to the plurality of drive sources. The drive control device has, as operation modes, a first mode for driving the plurality of drive sources and a second mode for driving a part of the plurality of drive sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Jun Yamada, Takashi Saito, Ikuhisa Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11414284
    Abstract: An accommodating device includes: a main body portion; a pulling-out portion on which recording media are loaded, the pulling-out portion being capable of being pulled out from the main body portion; a prevention portion configured to prevent the pulling-out portion from being pulled out by being locked to the main body portion in a state where the pulling-out portion is housed in the main body portion; and a fixing portion configured to fix the pulling-out portion to the main body portion in the state where the pulling-out portion is housed in the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shoichi Maeda, Teruki Naganuma, Yohei Onoue, Yoshiki Kimura
  • Patent number: 11407603
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a feeding roller, a conveyance roller, a first driving unit configured to drive the conveyance roller, a second driving unit configured to drive the feeding roller, a control unit configured to control the first and second driving units, a detection unit configured to detect an error related to the second driving unit, and a determination unit configured to determine, when the detection unit has detected the error related to the second driving unit, whether to continue the conveyance of a first print medium based on a leading edge position of a second print medium. In a case in which an error is detected by the detection unit, the control unit controls the conveyance of the first print medium by the conveyance roller based on a determination result of the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Fujino
  • Patent number: 11407602
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed cassette. The sheet feed cassette has a cylinder lock having a cylinder, and a turning unit coupled to the cylinder to be rotatable integrally with the cylinder. A switch switching part of the turning unit is configured to switch a power switch such that the power switch is in an ON state when an inner cylinder of the cylinder lock is at an unlocked position, and the power switch is in an OFF state when the inner cylinder is at a locked position. A cassette locking part of the turning unit is configured to place a sheet feed cassette of a standard sheet feeder in an unlocked state when the inner cylinder of the cylinder lock is at the unlocked position and place the sheet feed cassette in a locked state when the inner cylinder is at the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Koji Tanio
  • Patent number: 11401127
    Abstract: A post-processing device includes an output unit that outputs a medium; a stacking unit on which the medium that is output is stacked; and a blow-out unit that is disposed below the output unit and that blows gas toward the medium that is output, wherein a direction in which the gas is blown differs in accordance with a type of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshiji Kano, Shinya Takahashi, Tomoko Taguchi, Masaaki Takahashi, Hiroshi Ashizawa
  • Patent number: 11396434
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit on which sheets are stacked, a sheet regulating unit, and a cover member. The sheet regulating unit includes a main body having a regulating surface regulating a position of the sheet on the sheet stacking unit, and an operating portion movably supported on the main body and having an operating surface. The operating portion is movable from a first to a second position by operating the operating surface. The sheet regulating unit is locked to the sheet stacking unit when the operating portion is in the first position, and unlocked when in the second position. The cover member includes a first surface covering the operating surface and a second surface covering an upper surface of the operating portion, and covers the operating portion with at least the first surface and the second surface so that the operating portion is not visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Ishida, Fumihiko Hayayumi
  • Patent number: 11396438
    Abstract: A medium transport device includes a feeding unit that transports a medium, a stack portion that receives the medium transported by the feeding unit between a support surface for supporting the medium in an inclined posture in which a downstream side in a transport direction is directed downward and an opposing surface opposing the support surface and stacks the medium, an alignment portion that aligns a downstream end of the medium stacked in the stack portion, a paddle that is provided between the feeding unit and the alignment portion in the transport direction and moves the medium toward the alignment portion by rotating while being in contact with the medium, and a control unit that controls an operation of the paddle, in which the control unit controls the operation of the paddle according to a condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Ueno, Nobuyuki Mizushima, Yutaro Harada, Shunpei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11377318
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for a roller body of a rotation roller with an outer hollow body that has a cylindrical shape and is built with an internal cavity, an inner body that has a cylindrical shape and is arranged in an assembly with the outer hollow body in the internal cavity of the outer hollow body, and a centring device that is used during installation of the assembly to centrally position the inner body in the internal cavity; a relevant material bridge in the opposing end sections of the assembly, whereby the relevant material bridge is formed by a filler, which is applied and cured in a space at the end section of the assembly between an inner surface of the outer hollow body and an outer surface of the inner body, which is in contact with the inner surface of the outer hollow body and the outer surface of the inner body and is fully formed between this area and forms a dimensionally stable connection between the outer hollow body and the inner body in the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: INOMETA GMBH
    Inventors: Olaf Neumann, Stephan Lorig, Marc Wuensche, Michael Gaidetzka
  • Patent number: 11364530
    Abstract: A wedge drive designed to redirect a vertical pressing force into a horizontal, linear working motion, comprising a sliding element and a sliding element holder which are two guide elements on which a guide device with a sliding plate assembly which has two side sliding plates and the central guide is arranged, which sliding plates are distanced from each other in the transverse direction perpendicular to the sliding direction. The central guide is arranged between the two sliding plates and is fastened to the sliding element. Each sliding plate lies against the sliding element holder by at least the following contact surfaces wherein one contact surface lies on a first plane and extends in the transverse direction and a second contact surface lies on a second plane at a distance from the first plane and also extends in the transverse direction and a third contact surface extends perpendicularly thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: FIBRO GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Meyer
  • Patent number: 11365083
    Abstract: To provide a sheet stacking apparatus and image forming system capable of improving alignment characteristics also in the case where an aligning section is not able to act on a sheet discharged onto a stacking tray, the sheet stacking apparatus and image forming system include a stacking tray stacking discharged sheets, a pair of aligning sections capable of shifting in a width direction to align the width direction crossing a direction in which the sheet to stack on the stacking tray is discharged, and a control section that controls a relative position of the aligning sections and the sheet to discharge so that one of the pair of the aligning sections regulates a shift of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray to one direction side in the width direction, when a sheet with a predetermined width in the width direction of the sheet is discharged to the stacking tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Iwata