Patents Examined by Patrick Cicchino
  • Patent number: 10789802
    Abstract: A paper sheet processing device includes: a charging inlet that takes in paper sheets in a conveyance direction, the paper sheets including at least one target sheet and a partition card overlapped on the target sheet, the partition card having a main surface portion having at least one identification hole group, the identification hole group having at least two through holes arranged along the conveyance direction; a detection unit that detects take-in of the paper sheets by the charging unit, and detects the identification hole group; and a control unit that determines a paper sheet is the partition card in a case where the identification hole group has been detected by the detection unit, and determines that a paper sheet is the target sheet in a case where the identification hole group has not been detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: LAUREL PRECISION MACHINES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji Tsuji, Akiyoshi Kuroe, Junji Ebine, Makoto Nakamura, Toru Inake
  • Patent number: 10788119
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a differential device. The differential device having a configuration in which a pinion shaft is inserted into and fixed to a differential case that is driven to rotate around a first axis in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first axis, a pair of pinion gears that are rotatably supported by the pinion shaft and a pair of side gears that are meshed with the pinion gears and are supported so that they are rotatable around the first axis are accommodated in the differential case, and rotational power input from a driving source (engine) to the differential case is distributed to left and right rear wheels (drive wheels) WR through a pair of left and right axles connected to the pair of side gears, wherein an opening is formed at the differential case and oil scraping-off plates are attached to the differential case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazushige Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10780575
    Abstract: A robotic system including a robot and an end effector cuff connected to the robot. The end effector cuff has a body and includes at least one fluid inlet, at least one fluid port fluidly connected to the at least one fluid inlet, at least one fluid valve fluidly connected to the at least one fluid port and housed within the body of the end effector cuff, and an electronic control unit operably coupled to the robot and housed within the body of the end effector cuff. The robotic system also includes an end effector connected to the end effector cuff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: PHD, Inc.
    Inventors: Cale M. Reese, James M. Davis, Brian M. Sutter, Scott A. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 10781849
    Abstract: An exemplary clip assembly for adjusting a length of a cable includes a base including a tab and a first stop member, a cover rotatably coupled to the base, and a barrel assembly nesting within the base and the cover. The base and the cover define a first passage extending longitudinally through the cover and the base. The barrel assembly includes a first barrel member having a first interaction surface and a first threaded channel, and a second barrel member includes a second interaction surface and a second threaded channel. The first and second interaction surfaces form a barrel interaction surface and the first and second channels define a second passage through the barrel assembly. The first and second passages have a common longitudinal axis and rotation of the barrel interaction surface results in longitudinal translation of the cable through the second passage of the barrel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Suhas G. Tonapi, James C O'Kane
  • Patent number: 10781747
    Abstract: A reciprocating-piston machine, in particular an internal combustion engine with a variable compression ratio, having a length adjustment device arranged in a connecting rod and can be activated by way of a switching unit arranged in the connecting rod, wherein an actuating mechanism is operatively connected to the switching unit in the region of a connecting rod bearing in order to introduce a switching pulse into the connecting rod. The actuating mechanism has a transmission means arranged in the region of the connecting rod bearing, and the switching unit has at least one switching valve which is arranged in the connecting rod body of the connecting rod and the valve body, which can be displaced substantially in the direction of the rotational axis of the connecting rod bearing, and can be deflected out of a dosed position into an open position by way of the transmission means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Krobath, Devaraj Doraiswamy, Bernhard Hausmann, Thomas Weberbauer, Jürgen Pichler
  • Patent number: 10775829
    Abstract: An adjustable vehicle pedal assembly is disclosed. The adjustable vehicle pedal assembly may include a tray sub-assembly and a push rod sub-assembly. The tray sub-assembly may include a vehicle pedal, a splined shaft, and a tray that is slidable, relative to the splined shaft, to permit a position of the vehicle pedal to be adjusted. The push rod sub-assembly may engage a valve based on actuation of the vehicle pedal. A mechanical linkage between the tray sub-assembly and the push rod sub-assembly being maintained when the position of the vehicle pedal is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Keegan Roach
  • Patent number: 10759617
    Abstract: A sheet feed portion feeds a sheet by performing a pickup operation in a cycle in which a pickup rotary member is switched from a released state to a contact state and then switched to the released state. A detection unit detects the sheet at a position downstream of the sheet feed portion in the sheet feeding direction. A control unit is capable of executing a first feed mode in which a first feed process of carrying out a pickup operation is executed, or a second feed mode in which the first feed process is executed and then a second feed process of carrying out an additional pickup operation is executed. The mode to be executed is determined based on a time when the sheet is detected by the detection unit and a length of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10761555
    Abstract: This shifting device is equipped with an operation unit that is operated for switching among a plurality of shift ranges of a transmission installed in a vehicle. The operation unit includes: a first operation portion that is operated by pressing; and a plurality of second operation portions that are arranged on either side of the first operation portion and are operated in different directions about their common turning axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Susumu Mega, Katsushi Miwa, Toshiharu Katagiri
  • Patent number: 10745231
    Abstract: A media stacker (100) comprises a stacking platform (102), a feed mechanism (104), a media arresting mechanism (106) and a controller (108). The feed mechanism conveys media sheets for dispensing onto the stacking platform, wherein the media sheets are dispensed onto the stacking platform with a momentum imparted by the feed mechanism. The media arresting mechanism reduces the momentum of media sheets. The controller determines that a trailing edge of a media sheet is to be dispensed onto the stacking platform, and further control the media arresting apparatus to reduce the momentum of the media sheet in response to the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Javier Deocon Mir, Eduardo Martin Orue, Josep Ortiz Mompel
  • Patent number: 10747157
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor that conveys a recording medium; an image former that performs image formation for the recording medium; a receiver that receives an instruction of adjustment start of post pressing condition by a post processing apparatus without stopping a print job during continuous output operation that performs image formation continuously for a plurality of recording mediums, performs post processing by the post processing apparatus, and outputs the plurality of recording mediums; and a hardware processor that performs interval widening control for the recording medium being conveyed on a conveyance passage so as to convey the recording medium by widening an interval with a preceding recording medium from a time when the instruction of adjustment start of the post processing condition has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yong Zuo
  • Patent number: 10737898
    Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a main tray, a discharge unit, and an expansion tray. The main tray is pivotable between a closed position and open position relative to a sheet discharge apparatus main body. The discharge unit discharges the sheet onto the main tray in the closed position. The expansion tray expands a main tray stacking area and is movable between a storage position where the expansion tray is stored in the main tray and an expansion position where the expansion tray is slid from the storage position in a sheet discharge direction and expands the stacking area. At the expansion position, the expansion tray is pivotable independently of the main tray. A direction in which the expansion tray is pivoted upward is the same as a direction in which the main tray is pivoted from the closed to the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Obara, Masaaki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10737892
    Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a medium placement portion on which a bunch of media is placed, a feed roller that feeds a lowermost medium of the bunch of media placed on the medium placement portion, a separation roller that is provided at a position facing the feed roller and separates a medium from the bunch of media, and a plurality of restricting portions that are provided on an upstream side of a nip position between the separation roller and the feed roller at an interval in a medium width direction which is a direction intersecting a medium feeding direction and come into contact with leading ends of upper media of the bunch of media excluding at least the lowermost medium such that the leading ends are restricted from coming into contact with the separation roller regardless of whether the separation roller is deformed or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Nishizaka, Masaki Namiki
  • Patent number: 10737896
    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: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Ito
  • Patent number: 10737897
    Abstract: A medium discharging device includes a discharge roller pair that discharges a medium, a discharge tray disposed below the discharge roller pair in a vertical direction and having a placement surface on which the discharged medium is placed, and a guide member that is advanced and retracted between an advanced position where the guide member is advanced inward in a width direction from opposite sides in the width direction intersecting a discharge direction of the medium and a retracted position where the guide member is retracted to an end portion position side in the width direction. When the guide member is disposed at the advanced position, an upstream side end portion of the guide member in the discharge direction is disposed between a discharge position by the discharge roller pair and a position of the placement surface of the discharge tray, in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Kondo, Masayoshi Miyakawa, Katsumi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10723573
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating device includes a first plate member on which sheets are mounted, a first biasing member, a second plate member; and a second biasing member, and has a configuration in which, according to a size of the sheets, the first biasing member presses up the first plate member or both the first and second biasing members press up both the first and second plate members. The first plate member is provided so as to be turnable with respect to the second plate member around a first fulcrum axis line extending along a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feed direction in which the sheets are fed. The second plate member is provided so as to be turnable with respect to a body of the sheet accommodating device around a second fulcrum axis line extending along the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruhisa Furumoto, Kohji Aoki
  • Patent number: 10710829
    Abstract: A paper conveyance device includes: an upstream roller and a downstream roller being arranged at an interval in a paper conveyance path; paper conveyance guides being arranged between the upstream and downstream roller in the paper conveyance path to guide both surfaces of paper along the paper conveyance path during paper conveyance; drivers that drive the upstream and downstream roller independently; and a processor that measures the load torques on the upstream and downstream roller, that judges whether or not the paper is rubbing against one of the paper conveyance guides with reference to the load torques on the upstream and downstream roller, the load torques being obtained by the processor, and that performs controlled paper conveyance with reference to the load torques on the upstream and downstream roller depending on the result of the judgment being obtained by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Hitoshi Asano, Toshikazu Higashi, Tomonobu Tamura
  • Patent number: 10710831
    Abstract: An apparatus for aligning notes of value along a transport path has a note reader with a scanning line with areas detection areas there along. The scanning areas are arranged along a line orthogonally with respect to a central axis of the transport path. A first and at least one second transport elements serve to transport the note along the transport path in at least one transport direction. The transport elements each contact the note in a contact area. At least one aligning apparatus is used for aligning the note, which is arranged between the first and second transport elements and forms a section of the transport path. The note reader detects the trailing edge of the note in a first scanning area and in a second scanning area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf International, GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Weigold, Sascha Ringel
  • Patent number: 10698437
    Abstract: A foot operated controlling device comprises an oriental base, a pedal, a sensing module and a transmission mechanism. The pedal is connected to the oriental base and tiltable relative to the oriental base. The sensing module comprises a first sensor and a second sensor. The transmission mechanism is connected to the pedal and the sensing module. The transmission mechanism comprises a transmission rod and a swing rod. The transmission rod is connected to the pedal. The swing rod is connected to the transmission rod, and an extension direction along which the swing rod is oriented is independent of an extension direction along which the transmission rod is oriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HIWIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Zi-Wei Kuo, Cheng-Tang Ke
  • Patent number: 10691158
    Abstract: A rotary controller selectively-disengageable locking knob assembly, including a hub having a longitudinal axis and an axial bore extending at least partially through the inner hub along the longitudinal axis, wherein the axial bore is configured to receive a shaft of a rotary controller arranged in or on a device surface. The hub includes a radial bore extending from an outer surface of the hub to the axial bore, wherein the radial bore is perpendicular to the axial bore. A knob is concentrically disposed about at least a portion of the hub, wherein the knob includes at least one central bore structured to receive at least a portion of the hub, a radial slot alignable with the radial bore, and a circumferential bottom surface having a first engagement arrangement. The knob is axially moveable on the hub to selectively disengage the first engagement arrangement from contact with the second engagement arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Inventor: Anthony Livolsi
  • Patent number: 10689219
    Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a main tray, a discharge unit, and an expansion tray. The main tray is pivotable between a closed position and open position relative to a sheet discharge apparatus main body. The discharge unit discharges the sheet onto the main tray in the closed position. The expansion tray expands a main tray stacking area and is movable between a storage position where the expansion tray is stored in the main tray and an expansion position where the expansion tray is slid from the storage position in a sheet discharge direction and expands the stacking area. At the expansion position, the expansion tray is pivotable independently of the main tray. A direction in which the expansion tray is pivoted upward is the same as a direction in which the main tray is pivoted from the closed to the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Obara, Masaaki Takeuchi