Patents Examined by Leslie Nicholson, III
  • Patent number: 12054353
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit and first and second moving members respectively including first and second projection portions. When the first projection portion contacts a sheet, the first moving member is moved from a first projection position, where the first projection portion projects to a conveyance path, to a first retraction position, where the first projection portion is retracted from the first projection position. When the first moving member moves to the first retraction position, the second moving member moves from a second retraction position, where the second projection portion is retracted from the second projection position, to a second projection position, where the second projection portion projects to the conveyance path. When a sheet pushes the second projection portion, the second moving member is moved from the second projection position to the second retraction position with the first moving member located at the first retraction position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Sasaoka
  • Patent number: 12054348
    Abstract: A method for generating decks of sheet elements (18) comprises the steps of positioning a set of numerous sheet elements (18) onto a transport surface of a transport device (30) to partly overlap in transport direction (T). The set of overlapping sheet elements (18) is moved against a stop member (44). The stop member (44) is moved in the transport direction (T) with a lower velocity than a velocity of the transport surface. By maintaining displacement of sheet elements (18) which are not yet contacting stop member (44) all sheet elements are shifted towards stop member (44) to define a deck. The method is carried out by a corresponding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: BOBST MEX SA
    Inventor: Pierre Robadey
  • Patent number: 12054349
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording unit, first and second rollers, a guide member, and a cutting unit. The recording unit performs image recording on a sheet conveyed in a conveying direction on a first conveyance path. The first roller is located further downstream than the recording unit in the first conveyance path. The second roller is located further downstream than the first roller in the first conveyance path. The guide member has a guide surface that forms a second conveyance path extending from a connection position of the first conveyance path between the first roller and the second roller. The cutting unit is located between the connection position and the second roller, cuts a sheet, and has a cutter. The guide member changes in posture between a first posture for forming the second conveyance path and a second posture for opening the second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Nishikawa, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takuya Tsuji, Kosuke Inuzuka, Yoshimitsu Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 12054350
    Abstract: A medium processing device includes a plurality of crimping teeth and circuitry. The plurality of crimping teeth presses and deforms a position on a sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle. The sheet bundle is a bundle of stacked sheet-shaped media. The plurality of crimping teeth flattens the position pressed and deformed to unbind the sheet bundle. The circuitry causes the plurality of crimping teeth to sandwich the position on the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Ibuka, Kei Sasaki, Kazuki Seto
  • Patent number: 12053993
    Abstract: A transport device includes a transporting belt having a support face configured to support a medium and configured to transport the medium, a device main body in which the transporting belt is provided, and a cleaning unit configured to clean the support face with a liquid. The cleaning unit includes a storage unit in which the liquid is stored, a flow path member through which the liquid discharged from the storage unit and returned to the storage unit passes, and a filter unit detachably provided to the flow path member. Here, the filter unit is configured to be pulled out in a direction away from the device main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Yoshihisa Horikawa
  • Patent number: 12049376
    Abstract: A paper folding device that folds a planar paper sheet while conveying the paper sheet along a paper sheet conveyance surface includes a pair of first conveyance rollers disposed on an upstream side in a paper sheet conveyance direction, a pair of second conveyance rollers disposed on a downstream side in the paper sheet conveyance direction, a switching gate plate installed on the paper sheet conveyance surface between both pairs of the rollers, a folding plate disposed above the switching gate plate, and a control unit that controls an operation of an entire device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: DUPLO SEIKO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chikara Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 12043507
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus includes a sheet feed cassette, an air blowing device, and an air blowing control portion. The air blowing device blows warm air to a sheet stack in the sheet feed cassette. The air blowing control portion controls the air blowing device to adjust an air volume and a temperature of the warm air. The air blowing control portion adjusts the air volume and the temperature of the warm air in accordance with the amount of sheets in the sheet feed cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Shinya Aono
  • Patent number: 12043508
    Abstract: A medium processing apparatus includes a conveyor, a liquid applier, and a crimper. The conveyor conveys a medium. The liquid applier performs liquid application of applying liquid to a part of the medium conveyed by the conveyor, the medium being at least one medium. The crimper presses and deforms a bundle of media including the medium to which the liquid is applied by the liquid applier, to bind the bundle of media. The liquid applier adjusts an application amount of the liquid in the liquid application according to an environmental condition that is a factor that affects a binding strength with which the bundle of media is bound by pressing and deforming of the crimper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Oikawa, Kei Sasaki, Kazuki Seto
  • Patent number: 12044998
    Abstract: A post-processing device includes a paper alignment tray on which a plurality of papers is aligned and a stapleless binder including a stapleless binding portion to compress and bind the plurality of papers and a nozzle in the stapleless binding portion that supplies water vapor to the plurality of papers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Eiji Fukasawa, Seounguk Han, Jeong-Yeon Park
  • Patent number: 12036809
    Abstract: An electric stapler includes a binding unit configured to perform binding processing on a sheet bundle by sequentially executing a clamping process of clamping the sheet bundle, a penetration process of penetrating a staple through the clamped sheet bundle, and a clinching process of pressing leg portions of the staple penetrating through the sheet bundle, a motor configured to drive the binding unit, and a controller configured to control the motor. The controller is configured to control the motor to execute the clamping on the sheet bundle or the pressing on the leg portions multiple times in the clamping process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Max Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kishi, Toshiya Ishida
  • Patent number: 12041207
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet tray, a blower, a feeder, an illuminator, an imager, and circuitry. The sheet tray stacks sheets. The blower blows air to the sheets stacked on the sheet tray and floats an uppermost sheet of the sheets. The feeder feeds the uppermost sheet. The illuminator illuminates the uppermost sheet floating. The imager captures an image including the uppermost sheet illuminated by the illuminator. The circuitry adjusts an imaging condition based on the image captured by the imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryohsuke Akaishi
  • Patent number: 12024386
    Abstract: An output tray for a printer, a printer comprising the output tray, and a kit of parts including the output tray. The output tray comprises a spool, a guide member, and a sheet attached between to the spool and the guide member. The guide member is movable between a stowed and one or more deployed positions. The sheet is deployed from a stored configuration to one or more in-use positions upon movement of the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Marta Ramis Llinares, Alberto Arredondo Rosales, Felix Ruiz Martinez, Ferran Esquius Rafat
  • Patent number: 12024392
    Abstract: A platen conveyance device includes a first conveyance path, a platen supporter, a second conveyance path, and a positioner. The first conveyance path is configured to convey a platen to a pretreatment device. The platen supporter is configured to support the platen conveyed by the first conveyance path. The second conveyance path is provided with the platen supporter. The second conveyance path is configured to convey the platen supporter to a printer. The positioner is configured to position the platen supported by the platen supporter at a prescribed printing position in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Shuichi Tamaki, Yutaka Takagiwa
  • Patent number: 12024379
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet supporting unit, a sheet feeding unit, and a regulating member. The regulating member includes a supporting surface portion on which the sheet is placed, and a regulation surface portion provided continuously with the supporting surface portion and configured to regulate the position of the sheet in a width direction. The supporting surface portion includes a supporting surface color indicating portion including an end portion of the supporting surface portion on a side of the regulation surface portion and having a color with brightness of 7 or less in the Munsell color system. The regulation surface portion includes a regulation surface color indicating portion including an end portion of the regulation surface portion on a side of the supporting surface portion and having a color with brightness higher than the brightness of the supporting surface color indicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideki Mori
  • Patent number: 12017898
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, an article feeding device that reliably and consistently outputs properly oriented articles includes an input configured to receive articles, an output configured to dispense properly oriented articles, an orientation alteration portion between the input and output, and an orientation control system. The orientation alteration portion includes a first track configured to allow properly oriented articles to pass therethrough without alteration and a second track configured to alter the orientation of improperly oriented articles. The orientation control system is configured to detect orientation of the articles at the input and to send the articles to either the first track or the second track depending upon the detected orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: ARTHUR G. RUSSELL CO.
    Inventors: Christian Mauriz-Barcos, Rande King
  • Patent number: 12017466
    Abstract: Provided are a transporting belt including a support face configured to support a medium, the transporting belt being configured to transport the medium; a wiper configured to wipe the support face; an attachment portion to which the wiper is attached; and a holding portion configured to switch between a pressing state in which the wiper is pressed against the attachment portion and a release state in which the pressure of the wiper against the attachment portion is released, in which the wiper includes a base portion attached to the attachment portion, either one of the base portion and the attachment portion includes at least one pin, and the other one includes a hole through which the at least one pine is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Yoshihisa Horikawa
  • Patent number: 12006179
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a housing configured to house a recording portion recording an image on a sheet and to have a side including an opening through which the sheet passes, a tray configured to rotate about a rotation shaft, relative to the housing, between a closed position at a first angle for closing the opening and an open position at a second angle for loading the sheet, and an urging mechanism configured to urge the tray toward the closed position when an angle about the rotation shaft of the tray is between the first angle and a third angle and to urge the tray toward the open position when an angle about the rotation shaft of the tray is between the third angle and the second angle. The third angle is an angle between the first angle and the second angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Takano, Tetsu Hamano, Atsushi Ikeda, Masaaki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 12006174
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance section, the conveyance section including a roller rotatable in a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction, a guide member configured to move between a first position and a second position, a drive source, a drive switching unit including an input unit, an output unit, and a switching unit, a drive interruption unit configured to transition between a transmission state and a non-transmission state. The roller is configured to rotate by the driving force output from the output unit of the drive switching unit while the guide member moves between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Takeuchi, Yusuke Niikawa, Hiroki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 12006157
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a measurement system for determining and localizing incorrect positioning of support rollers (1) in support roller stations (13) of belt conveyor installations, wherein a unit of pressure sensors (4) is detachably mounted on the underside of a conveyor belt (2); the number of pressure sensors (4) corresponds at least to the number of support rollers (1) of a support roller station (13); and as the sensor (4) is led over a support roller (1), a signal of the contact pressure point is generated upon contact and the signal is measured and evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: OTTO-VON-GUERICKE-UNIVERSITAT MAGDEBURG
    Inventors: Andre Katterfeld, Hendrik Otto, Lisa Wonner
  • Patent number: 12005702
    Abstract: A suction apparatus includes a support portion, a plurality of suction holes formed in the support portion, a suction mechanism configured to perform suction from an outer side of the support portion toward an inner side through the plurality of suction holes, a lighting unit provided on the inner side of the support portion for each region of the support portion, a light transmitting portion configured to transmit light emitted by the lighting unit to the outer side of the support portion, and a control unit configured to control the lighting unit, in which the control unit makes a lighting state of the lighting unit corresponding to a suction region in which suction at the support portion is enabled different from a lighting state of the lighting unit corresponding to a non-suction region in which the suction at the support portion is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Eishin Yoshikawa