Patents Examined by Leslie A. Nicholson, III
  • Patent number: 11591172
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus which arranges paper ejected from an ejection part of an image forming apparatus on a fence for post-processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventors: Yong Suk Choi, Yong Hun Choi
  • Patent number: 11586137
    Abstract: A conveyor includes: a receiver that detachably receives a roll-like sheet; a conveyance unit that conveys the sheet in a conveyance orientation along a conveyance surface; and a tensioner that applies tension to the sheet at a position upstream of the conveyance unit in the conveyance orientation. The tensioner includes: a frame having a groove pair extending in a first direction along the conveyance orientation; a guide having a curved surface that contacts the sheet and an engagement member pair that engages with the groove pair; a pivoting member that pivots around an axis extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel to the conveyance surface; a transmission member that transmits pivoting of the pivoting member to the guide; and an urging member that applies urging force including a component in the first direction to the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiya Tomatsu, Mitsugi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11577926
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a processing tray section having a sheet mounting surface on which a transported sheet is mounted and a processing section that performs processing on the sheet; a side edge alignment section that is provided on the processing tray section and aligns a side edge of the sheet; a lower support section that is provided downstream of the processing tray section in a transport direction of the sheet and supports the sheet from below; and a discharge tray located below the lower support section. The side edge alignment section performs a shift operation of shifting the sheet in a shift direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the sheet. The lower support section moves in the shift direction in conjunction with a movement of the sheet in a state of supporting the sheet from below during the shift operation by the side edge alignment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Furumido, Kenji Uchibori, Atsushi Nakazawa, Akinobu Nakahata
  • Patent number: 11577929
    Abstract: A stacking device which is detachably attached to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus having an abutting member that abuts on a recording material and on which a recording material is stacked includes: a first supporting unit that supports the recording material from a lower side of the recording material; and a second supporting unit that supports an end of the recording material in an attachment/detachment direction of the stacking device. The second supporting unit includes a corresponding region, and a position of the corresponding region agrees with a position of the abutting member abut with the recording material in a width direction which is orthogonal to the attachment/detachment direction. At least a height of the corresponding region in a direction orthogonal to the attachment/detachment direction and the width direction is lower than a height of the abutting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11577530
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cover portion and an auxiliary tray. The cover portion is displaced between a closing position for closing the supply port and an opening position for opening the supply port. The auxiliary tray is attached to a sheet stack surface of the cover portion, and supports the sheet, together with the cover portion at the opening position. The auxiliary tray is, either in a first attachment state or in a second attachment state, attached to the cover portion. In the first attachment state, a longitudinal direction of the auxiliary tray extends along a width direction that crosses a sheet insertion direction and the auxiliary tray is stored in the sheet stack surface. In the second attachment state, the longitudinal direction extends along the sheet insertion direction, and the auxiliary tray extends out from the cover portion toward an upstream in the sheet insertion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Danh Chien Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11572247
    Abstract: A sheet material cutting device includes a cutting blade and a guard member. The cutting blade is displaceably disposed and cuts a web-shaped sheet material. The guard member faces the sheet material and has a slit through which the cutting blade passes when the cutting blade is displaced to a cutting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaya Kawarada
  • Patent number: 11565905
    Abstract: A cutting device is configured to cut, in an arc shape, an end of a sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction. The cutting device includes an arc-shaped cutting blade; a switching mechanism; and a contact-and-separation mechanism. The switching mechanism is configured to switch a posture of the cutting blade in accordance with a position of the sheet facing the cutting blade. The contact-and-separation mechanism is configured to bring the cutting blade into contact with the sheet in a contact direction orthogonal to a surface of the sheet and away from the sheet in a separation direction opposite the contact direction, to cut the end of the sheet in the arc shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Shibasaki, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11565906
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a sheet conveying apparatus capable of reliably detecting a full-load state of a storage section for storing sheets discharged from a sheet conveyance path when an abnormality such as multi feed is detected, a sheet feed apparatus is provided with a multi feed sheet storage section disposed below a common conveyance path to store multi-fed sheets with multi feed detected, and a flap member rotating between a first rotation position for supporting a sheet in the common conveyance path to be able to convey to the downstream side in a conveyance direction, and a second rotation position for guiding to the multi feed sheet storage section, and determines that the multi feed sheet storage section is in a full-load state in detecting that the flap member does not return to the first rotation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Motoi Ariga
  • Patent number: 11565903
    Abstract: A sheet alignment apparatus includes a supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a first alignment member configured to abut an end portion in a first direction of the sheet supported by the supporting portion and align a position of the sheet in the first direction, a first moving unit configured to move the first alignment member in the first direction, a second alignment member configured to abut an end portion in a second direction of the sheet supported by the supporting portion and align a position of the sheet in the second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and a second moving unit configured to move the second alignment member in the second direction, wherein the first moving unit is disposed below the supporting portion, and wherein the second moving unit is disposed above the supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11564849
    Abstract: A method in which, while an article is carried with a main portion in contact with a carrying surface and a to-be-folded portion in contact with a folder plate, includes: a first guiding step, wherein a first guide surface guides the to-be-folded portion of the unfolded article, on a side of the carrying surface, in parallel to the carrying surface; a second guiding step, following the first guiding step, wherein a second guide surface, while being in contact with the to-be-folded portion, gradually raises the to-be-folded portion while moving downstream; and a third guiding step, following the second guiding step, wherein a third guide surface guides the to-be-folded portion so that the to-be-folded portion is folded onto the main portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ZUIKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji Utani, Daisuke Inoue
  • Patent number: 11560282
    Abstract: During flipping sheets may fold upon themselves under the influence of gravity. To prevent a sheet stacker is provided with a support device for supporting an inner surface of the sheet during flipping, the support device comprising a plurality of flexible fingers elements of different length, each configured to support a different inner area of the sheet during its flipping motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Hermanus M. Kuypers, Lodewijk T. Holtman, Fabian T. Rosenboom
  • Patent number: 11560283
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes an ejection tray, an ejector, an aligner, a pressing member, a friction member, and a switching device. The ejection tray stacks sheets. The ejector ejects a sheet to the ejection tray. The aligner is disposed downstream of the ejector in a direction of ejection of the sheet. The aligner is rotatable in a normal direction and a reverse direction. The pressing member applies pressure between the sheet and the aligner to enable the aligner to convey the sheet by rotation in the normal direction and the reverse direction. The friction member contacts the sheet ejected on the ejection tray to prevent conveyance of the sheet. The switching device switches contact and separation of the friction member with respect to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryohei Morisaki
  • Patent number: 11560286
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a folding rollers pair, a folding blade and a sheet guide. The folding rollers pair causes a sheet to pass through a first nip area to fold the sheet. The folding blade includes a blade portion and a pair of arm portions. The blade portion is selectively disposed in a folding position where the blade portion pushes a folded portion of the sheet into the first nip area and in a retracting position where the blade portion is retracted from the folding position. The pair of arm portions couples both end portions of the blade portion with the pivot shaft. The sheet guide can be passed between the pair of arm portions. Between the blade portion and the sheet guide, a retreating path in which a part of the sheet is retreated when the folded portion is pushed into the first nip area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Murata, Tadahisa Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11548751
    Abstract: A postprocessing apparatus includes: a first postprocessing member that performs postprocessing on a recording medium; a second postprocessing member that differs from the first postprocessing member and performs postprocessing on the recording medium; a mounting base to which the first and second postprocessing members are mounted; a support plate having a guide member that guides movement of the mounting base; and a moving mechanism that moves the mounting base along the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shoya Kinoshita, Jun Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11548750
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes: a binding device that performs a binding process on a bundle of sheets; a guide rail for moving the binding device; and a rotation mechanism that is arranged at a position adjacent to the guide rail and rotates the binding device that has moved on the guide rail along with movement of the binding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shoya Kinoshita, Jun Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11542114
    Abstract: A post-processing device includes: a passage that extends in one direction; a post-processing section that is movable on a plane along the passage and that is stopped at plural post-processing positions, including a stop position determined in advance, to perform post-processing on a recording medium; and a positioning portion which is provided at the stop position and against which an end portion of the recording medium abuts when the post-processing section performs the post-processing at a post-processing position other than the stop position, the positioning portion being retracted with respect to the post-processing section when the post-processing section passes through the stop position or is moved toward the stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11541679
    Abstract: A post-processing device (1) for simultaneously performing both square folding and trimming of a booklet (3), wherein the device (1) comprises a square folding assembly (8) and a cutting assembly (5) at least one of which is movably attached to the post-processing device (1), and a clamping assembly (17) for holding the booklet (3) static during operation of the square folding assembly (8) and the cutting assembly (5). Also, a method of operating such a device (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plockmatic International AB
    Inventor: Lennart Eriksson
  • Patent number: 11535479
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a rotating body pair capable of transporting a sheet in a first direction for nipping the sheet transported to a transport path thereby drawing the sheet for folding processing, and in a second direction for switching back the sheet to return to the transport path, a push member that pushes the sheet transported to the transport path to a nip portion of the rotating body pair, and a press member pressing one end portion of the sheet folded by the rotating body pair to guide, and including a press portion that presses the one end portion of the sheet in a direction of the transport path where the other end portion of the sheet exists, and a guide portion that guides the sheet pressed by the press portion to the guide face of the transport path where the other end portion of the sheet exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Takuya Katayama
  • Patent number: 11535478
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve throughput of continuous printing in an image printing apparatus having a cutting device that needs to be returned to a standby position for a next cutting operation. One embodiment of the present invention is an image printing apparatus having a printing unit, a conveyance unit capable of conveying a printing medium in a conveyance direction or in a returning direction opposite to the conveyance direction; and a cutting unit provided at a cutting position on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the printing unit and configured to cut the printing medium by moving in a first direction and return to a cutting standby position for a next cutting operation by moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takakazu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11535480
    Abstract: To enable highly accurate fold processing by properly moving a sheet that has been subjected to fold processing. In a sheet processing apparatus that that performs fold processing in such a manner as to apply first fold processing to a sheet and then apply second fold processing at a position different from a fold line formed in the first fold processing so as to make one end of the sheet folded in the first fold processing lie inside the folded sheet, the first fold processing is applied to a sheet conveyed to an intermediate tray by a fold roller pair and, when a regulating stopper is moved to move the folded sheet that has been subjected to the first fold processing to a predetermined position of the intermediate tray, the folded sheet is gripped by a grip unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Natsuki Shimizu, Takuya Katayama