Patents Examined by Patrick Cicchino
  • Patent number: 11802018
    Abstract: During flipping sheets may fold upon themselves under the influence of gravity. To prevent a sheet stacker is provided with a holding device for releasably holding at least a portion of the sheet at least partially during the flipping of the sheet by a sheet flipping device, wherein the holding device is configured for movement of the held portion of the sheet in a first direction perpendicular to the flipping axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Erik P. J. Verhoeven, Johannes E. P. Peulen
  • Patent number: 11787653
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a feeding roller that includes a first roller and a second roller provided at an interval in a width direction intersecting a medium feeding direction, and feeds a sheet from a placing section; and a skew detection section that detects skew of the sheet fed from the feeding roller. Skew is corrected by giving a difference between a rotation speed of the first roller and a rotation speed of the second roller with respect to at least one of the relevant sheet detected by the skew detection section and subsequent sheets fed following the relevant sheet based on a skew amount in the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokujiro Okuno, Hiromichi Kitsuki
  • Patent number: 11772918
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a first optical sensor located on an upper part of the housing and in a central part of the housing in a direction perpendicular to a medium conveying direction, a second optical sensor located on an upper part of the housing and on a side of the first optical sensor in the direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction, and a processor to detect a folding of a medium based on the first signal or the second signal, and stop feeding of the medium by the feed roller in accordance with a detection result of the folding of the medium. The first light emitter emits first light toward a downstream side of the medium in the medium conveying direction, and the second light emitter emits second light toward an upstream side of the medium in the medium conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Kiichiro Shimosaka, Masato Shimura
  • Patent number: 11767185
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a pair of rollers, a biasing member, a guide member, a biasing support, and a biasing force changer. The pair of rollers includes a first roller and a second roller disposed in contact with the first roller. The pair of rollers is configured to hold a sheet between the first roller and the second roller. The biasing member is configured to bias the first roller toward the second roller. The biasing support is configured to support the biasing member and has a guide target member configured to slide along the guide member to move the biasing support. The biasing force changer is configured to change a biasing force of the biasing member along with movement of the biasing support. The guide target member has a portion projecting into a sheet conveyance passage through which the sheet is conveyed by the pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhide Fukushima, Yu Wakabayashi, Yuuki Shiga, Kazuya Yamamoto, Ryohhei Ohya
  • Patent number: 11760587
    Abstract: To enable placement of a regulating member which regulates a position of an end of a paper sheet at a desired position, and stable sheet feeding. A fixing member for standard size is guided to engage with a fixing hole for standard size and, in a state where the fixing member for standard size positions a trailing end regulator, a fixing member for non-standard size does not engage with a rack gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Fuse, Shoichi Zensai, Takehito Osada
  • Patent number: 11753266
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a stacker, a detector, a blower, and a moving device. A sheet is stacked on the stacker. The detector detects a stacking amount of the sheet on the stacker. The blower blows air to the sheet stacked on the stacker. The moving device moves the blower with respect to the stacker based on the stacking amount of the sheet detected by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ruki Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 11724899
    Abstract: A first roller pair disposed upstream of a second roller pair is separated from each other by a separating mechanism. A control portion is configured to start rotating the second roller pair after a leading edge of a sheet in a sheet conveyance direction is abutted against the second roller pair in a stopped condition. The control portion is configured to execute, based on the information concerning the sheet length acquired by the acquisition portion, either one of a plurality of modes including a first mode of rotating an upstream roller pair and the first roller pair to convey the sheet while the first roller pair is in a contact condition and a second mode of operating the separating mechanism to separate the first roller pair and of rotating the upstream roller pair to convey the sheet while the first roller pair is in a separated condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryota Takane, Yasuhiro Takeichi
  • Patent number: 11713205
    Abstract: A switching device for switching transport directions of a recording medium includes a switching member and at least one rotation stopper. The switching member is configured to switch transport paths of the recording medium. The at least one rotation stopper is configured to hit the switching member to stop rotation of the switching member. The at least one rotation stopper is disposed asymmetrically in a direction perpendicular to a transport direction in which the switching member transports the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Jun Sawamura
  • Patent number: 11691841
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer having a conveyer path to convey a sheet therein, a first path and a second path branched from the conveyer path, a flapper, a pair of pivot-shaft portions, and a supporting section, is provided. The flapper is movable between a first position to guide the sheet from the conveyer path to the first path and a second position to guide the sheet from the conveyer path to the second position. The pivot-shaft portions are located apart from each other in a widthwise direction. The pivot-shaft portions support the flapper pivotably. The supporting section is located between the pair of pivot-shaft portions in the widthwise direction. The supporting section supports the flapper pivotably. The supporting section includes a rotation-shaft portion being rotatable, a bearing portion, in which the rotation-shaft portion is fitted, and a buffer member located between the rotation-shaft portion and the bearing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuji Noda, Yusuke Ikegami
  • Patent number: 11685622
    Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a storage unit that stores media in a form of a sheet, a delivery unit that is disposed downstream in a medium delivery direction relative to the media stored in the storage unit and that delivers the media individually, a transfer unit that is disposed above the storage unit and that sticks by suction to each of the media stored in the storage unit and transfers the media to the delivery unit individually, and a fluffing unit that is disposed beside the media stored in the storage unit in a direction intersecting the medium delivery direction. The fluffing unit fluffs an upper-side region of the media in a state of being separated by blowing air toward a side of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Masahito Niwa, Yuichi Araki, Shoichi Maeda
  • Patent number: 11680624
    Abstract: A flywheel system comprises a flywheel rotor comprising a rotor disc and a rotor shaft and has a longitudinal axis extending centrally through the rotor disc and the rotor shaft. The system further comprises a journal assembly configured to facilitate rotation of the flywheel rotor. The journal assembly comprises a sleeve having an aperture extending therethrough from a first end to a second, opposite end, a rod at least partially disposed within the aperture of the sleeve, and a nut coupled to a portion of the rod. The rod has a length greater than the sleeve such that a portion of the rod extends axially beyond the first end of the sleeve. A method of forming the flywheel comprises coupling the rod to the rotor shaft and pulling the second end of the rod to tension the rod. The nut maintains the tension in the rod when coupled thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Gagne, Sebastien Arcand, Nicolas Doyon
  • Patent number: 11667484
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet container accommodating a recording medium therein, a sheet separating feeder including a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body, an image forming part, and a bend applier. The sheet feeding body feeds the recording medium along with a surface movement thereof while the recording medium contacting the surface thereof. The sheet separating body forms a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body and sandwiches the recording medium in the sheet separation nip region. The sheet separating feeder separates and feeds the recording medium contacting the sheet feeding body. The image forming part forms an image on the recording medium. The bend applier having a leading end of an elastic material contacts and bends the recording medium before the sheet separation nip region and generates a wrinkle extending on the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jumpei Aoyama, Manabu Nonaka, Hajime Nishida, Hideki Tobinaga, Junpei Kamichi, Satoshi Kuno, Shun Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11655112
    Abstract: A medium regulating component for use in a medium feeding device feeding sheet media accommodated in an accommodating unit, the component for regulating excessive floating of a medium accommodated in the accommodating unit, the component includes: a regulating member protruding in a horizontal direction from an accommodating unit periphery and contacting the floating medium; a holding member holding the regulating member in a non-contact state with the medium; a first rotating shaft rotatably supporting the regulating member relative to the holding member; and a second rotating shaft rotatably supporting the holding member relative to the accommodating unit, in which when the regulating member receives a pressing force from below in a gravitational direction, rotates about the first rotating shaft in a state where movement of the holding member is suppressed, and pushes the holding member to rotate about the second rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shoichi Maeda, Teruki Naganuma
  • Patent number: 11629018
    Abstract: A feeding roller structure includes a fastening frame, a transmission component, a transmission roller and a floating coupler. The transmission component is assembled in the fastening frame. The transmission component includes a drive shaft mounted on two sides of the fastening frame. The transmission roller is concentrically arranged around the drive shaft. The floating coupler is mounted to the fastening frame. The floating coupler is coupled between the drive shaft and the transmission roller. Two opposite ends of the floating coupler are adjacent to and spaced from the two sides of the fastening frame to form two gaps. Each gap is formed between one end of the floating coupler and one side of the fastening frame. The two gaps limit an angular displacement of the floating coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuan Ting Chen, Jing Hua Fang, Pei Chun Lu
  • Patent number: 11629021
    Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes a first direction changing roller arranged along a transport path, wherein a sheet is transported along the transport path; a second direction changing roller disposed on the transport path, wherein the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller are next to each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport path, and the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller change an orientation of the sheet from a first orientation to a second orientation; and a control circuit configured to control one of the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller so that the first direction changing roller rotates slower than the second direction changing roller so as to change the orientation of the sheet from the first orientation to the second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventor: Kojiro Itotani
  • Patent number: 11623837
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, includes: a supply tray; a discharge tray; a conveyance guide; a reading sensor; a discharge unit, which includes a discharge opening to discharge the sheet conveyed by the conveyance guide to the discharge tray and is configured to move from a third position to a fourth as the document supported by the paper feed tray is decreased, the fourth position being higher than the third position; a first drive source, which generates a drive force; a first rotation body, which moves the movable plate by transmitting the drive force from the first drive source to the movable plate; and a second rotation body, which moves the discharge unit by transmitting the drive force from the first drive source to the discharge unit, wherein a diameter of the first rotation body and a diameter of the second rotation body are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Ito
  • Patent number: 11604429
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a rotary member and an opposing member to convey a sheet in a conveyance nip, and an abutting member abutting a surface of the rotary member, which is supported between a first position and a second position with respect to the abutting member. When the sheet is not passing through the conveyance nip the rotary member is positioned at the first position and abuts the opposing member, and when the sheet is passing through the conveyance nip the rotary member is positioned at the second position which is more separated from the opposing member than the first position. The abutting member abuts the rotary member regardless of which of the first position and the second position the rotary member is positioned at, and the opposing member and the abutting member are supported so they do not move in a radial direction of the rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoji Kamizato
  • Patent number: 11548746
    Abstract: A conveying device includes: a first conveyance member that is provided upstream of the conveyance path; a guide member that is disposed, along the conveyance path, downstream of the first conveyance member in the conveying direction; and a second conveyance member that is disposed downstream of the guide member in the conveying direction and conveys the envelope guided by the guide member, downstream in the conveying direction, wherein the guide member has a flapper relief that has retracted away from the conveyance path such that a rise portion of the flapper generated due to the curve of the conveyance path passes through the flapper relief.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Katsuhisa Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11535477
    Abstract: A medium processing device includes a conveyance guide that forms first, second and third conveyance paths that intersect, a blade configured to be rotatable around a blade center point, and that switches a conveyance route of the medium by connecting any two of the three conveyance paths with each other, and a first pair, second pair and third pair of conveyance rollers that are rotatable and are configured to hand off the medium between two conveyance paths connected by the blade. The first pair of conveyance rollers includes a first roller and a second roller. The second roller is closer than the first roller to the third pair of conveyance rollers. A radius of the second roller is larger than a radius of the first roller. A first center holding distance is different from one or both of a second center holding distance and a third center holding distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Madoka Wakabayashi, Toshitaka Saitou
  • Patent number: 11537077
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a transport guide for guiding, along its transport surface, a sheet in a transport direction, a first transport roller pair, a second transport roller pair, a skew roller pair, a reference wall, and an actuator. The skew roller pair alone transports, in a skewed manner toward an end of the transport surface in a width direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the sheet spaced from the first transport roller and the second transport roller. The reference wall is positioned at the end of the transport surface in the width direction and extends along the transport direction. The actuator is disposed downstream of the skew roller pair and upstream of the second transport roller pair in the transport direction and between the end and a center of the transport surface in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenta Tosuji, Yuichiro Ichinose