Patents Examined by Patrick Mackey
  • Patent number: 9198526
    Abstract: A cup dispenser includes a body defining a storage region adapted for receiving for an associated stack of cup-shaped articles. The body includes an open end that provides access to the storage region. Multiple fingers are connected to the body for restricting the open end of the body. An adjustment ring is connected to the body and is movable relative to the body. Movement of the adjustment ring relative to the body alters a position of each of the fingers relative to the body. The adjustment ring includes a plurality of adjustment slots and the fingers each include an adjustment stud located in one of the adjustment slots. When the adjustment ring is rotated, the adjustment slots act as cams and the adjustment studs act as cam followers such that the fingers are simultaneously and uniformly adjusted in terms of their radial position relative to the body wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: The Meyer Company
    Inventors: Michael H. Meyer, Michael A. Kolar
  • Patent number: 9199425
    Abstract: A recording medium processing apparatus includes a folding position setting unit. The folding position setting unit sets, on the basis of a cutting position at which a recording medium is to be cut, a folding position at which the recording medium is to be folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9186882
    Abstract: A device and method for producing complex multipart collections (K1) of printed products includes at least two partial collections (T1, T2, T3) of precursors. The device comprises a collating device (6) having a conveyor track (41) on which a plurality of receptacle units (50) circulate in a closed circuit for receiving collated precursors, and on which a plurality of feeder apparatuses (101-112) are disposed in at least one collating region (11, 12), from which precursors are dispensed into the receptacle units (50) moving past on the conveyor track. A transfer apparatus (30) is disposed in at least one location of the conveyor track (42), transferring collated first partial collections (T1) from the receptacle units (50) for further processing, and a collator (31, 32) is disposed in at least one further location of the conveyor track (41, 43), collating further collated partial collections (T3, T4) from the receptacle units (50) into collections (K1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Markus Felix, Martin Ruge
  • Patent number: 9186925
    Abstract: An apparatus for post-processing sheets which have been discharged by a preset number of sheets and arranged in a compiler which is a temporary storage space. The apparatus is installed at a discharge end of a longitudinal discharge type image forming apparatus. The apparatus includes a sheet post-processing unit rotatably installed at one side of the compiler, which performs post-processing on a sheet stack, while being parallel to a longitudinal direction of the sheet stack which has been arranged according to a set value or being rotated by an arbitrary angle with respect to a corner end portion of the sheet stack. The sheet stack transfer unit transfers the sheet stack, which has been arranged in the compiler, in the same or an opposite direction to that in which the sheets have been discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: KRDC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong woo Lee, Myoung soo Kang
  • Patent number: 9189908
    Abstract: A projectile dispenser apparatus used as a novelty device to aim and rapidly dispense multiple pieces of materials such as currency at a target under the exclusive actuation and control of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Inventors: Kwasi D. Sampson, Gary R. McGowan
  • Patent number: 9174245
    Abstract: The invention relates to system conceived and designed to identify pieces of fruit, especially citrus fruits, affected by any amount of rot and to determine the automatic expulsion of these pieces from the conveyor moving them through the installation. The system comprises illuminating the fruits with UV-A band light in a computer vision unit, and capturing images of the illuminated fruits by means of a camera to send them to a general control member in order to detect fluorescences associated to the rot effect. The identified fruit is automatically expelled from the conveyor in an expulsion unit, the position of the defective fruit being determined with the aid of an encoder associated to the conveyor. The general control member is a PC type computer, equipped with specific application software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RODA IBERICA, S.L.U.
    Inventors: Philippe Gabriel Rene Blanc, Jose Blasco Ivars, Enrique Molto Garcia, Juan Gomez Sanchis, Sergio Cubero Garcia
  • Patent number: 9174816
    Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus includes a sheet discharge path having a sheet discharge outlet; a stack tray disposed on a downstream side of the sheet discharge outlet; a support device disposed between the sheet discharge outlet and the stack tray to load at least a part of a sheet; a sheet end regulation device for regulating a position of at least one end edge of the sheet supported by the support device; and an aligning transport device disposed in the support device to carry the sheet toward the sheet end regulation device. The aligning transport device includes a friction transport body and a transport body travel device, and the friction transport body has a rotating member rolling along the top surface of the sheet supported by the support device, and the rotating member rotates in a direction crossing the travel direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehiko Saito, Satoshi Yamanushi, Tatsuzo Aoyagi, Yuichi Ichinose, Yusuke Saito
  • Patent number: 9174821
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a first folding unit, a retreat path, a sheet retaining mechanism, and a second folding unit. The first folding unit forms a first fold in a sheet. The retreat path is entered by the sheet having the first fold formed by the first folding unit, and has a stop portion to be contacted by the first fold. The sheet retaining mechanism moves a movable member with respect to the sheet that enters the retreat path, and regulates movement of the sheet in the retreat path in a direction of thickness of the sheet. The second folding unit forms a second fold in the sheet having the first fold while allowing the sheet that has contacted the stop portion to exit the retreat path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Sachio Izumichi
  • Patent number: 9162844
    Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of, when a manual stapling process is to be carried out on sheets, reducing waiting time for a user and decreasing power consumption. The image forming system has an image forming apparatus, which forms images on sheets, and a sheet post-processing apparatus. When the sheet post-processing apparatus is to shift into a power-saving state, a movable stapler is moved to a manual stapling position. When it is detected that sheets have been set into a sheet setting unit in a state in which the image forming apparatus and the sheet post-processing apparatus have shifted into the power-saving state, the image forming apparatus is held in the power-saving state, and the sheet post-processing apparatus is returned from the power-saving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kakutani, Kazumi Sato, Takeyuki Suda, Yousuke Hata, Hirohisa Kato, Shinya Suzuki, Yoshitaka Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9150378
    Abstract: In an apparatus structure having a sheet discharge mode to store sheets at a stack tray from a sheet discharging path and a sheet discharge mode to store binding-processed sheet bundles with collating and stacking, sheet holding means is arranged above a sheet placement face of the stack tray as a sheet pressurization force being variable in two steps, and then, the pressurization force of the sheet holding means is adjusted in two steps in accordance with the sheet discharge mode for storing sheets at the stack tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION, NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhito Shimura, Seiji Ono, Makoto Shimizu, Akira Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9144952
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus, including a sheet processing section which performs predetermined processing on sheets of paper to form a booklet; a booklet ejection section which nips the booklet and ejects the booklet outside; an ejected paper stacking section on which the booklet ejected by the booklet ejection section is stacked; a shutter section which is provided between the booklet ejection section and the ejected paper stacking section and is openable and closable; and an opening and closing mechanism which performs an opening and closing operation that is opening the shutter section when the booklet is ejected by the booklet ejection section and closing the shutter section after the booklet is ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Keisuke Oshima
  • Patent number: 9139395
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises an ejecting unit configured to eject a sheet or a bundle of sheets, and a sheet stacking unit configured to stack the sheet or the bundle of sheets ejected by the ejecting unit. In the apparatus, the leading end portion of the sheet stacking unit on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction is rotatable downward and capable of dropping down the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit from the leading end portion of the sheet stacking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yasuo Niikura, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9138111
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dispensing cap adapted to be removably, or permanently affixed to a container comprising a plurality of interconnected individual wipes, which dispensing cap includes a partly stationary and partly moveable plate having a dispensing orifice a portion being defined by a stationary plate part, a further portion of the dispensing orifice being defined by a moveable plate part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Dennis Crudge, Jesse Del Gigante, Christopher Michael Evans, Christopher Leonard Padain
  • Patent number: 9126794
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus in which a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets discharged onto an intermediate processing tray is received in a receiving portion of a stapler and bound with use of a staple, and a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets discharged onto the intermediate processing tray is received in a receiving portion of a staple-less binding unit having a gap in the thickness direction of the sheets smaller than that of the receiving portion of the stapler and bound without using a staple, wherein when the stapler performs the binding process, the staple-less binding unit is arranged in a position shifted in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet discharge direction from a region on the intermediate processing tray, through which the sheets discharged by a sheet discharging portion pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideto Abe, Yusuke Obuchi
  • Patent number: 9117346
    Abstract: A vending machine includes a goods rack, a restricting piece, and a positioning piece mounted on the goods rack. The goods rack defines a goods accommodating space and an opening. The restricting piece is pivotally mounted on the goods rack to cover the opening. The restricting piece includes a clasp. The positioning piece defines a first engaging hole and a second engaging hole. The restricting piece can rotate on the goods rack between a first securing position and a second securing position. In the first securing position, the clasp engages in the first engaging hole, so that the restricting piece is set at a first height. In the second securing position, the clasp engages in the second engaging hole, so that the restricting piece is set at a second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yun-Lung Chen
  • Patent number: 9101531
    Abstract: The disclosed pill bottle allows for timed dispensing of medicine, as programmed by a doctor, pharmacist, or caregiver. The device has a slot for pill entry in any one of the walls, the slot being sealable and lockable. In an unlocked and open condition, the slot is a portal from the outside of the bottle into an inner cavity, the cavity being adapted for pill storage and extending between the slot/opening for pill entry and an exit tube. The exit tube is sized for single-file passage of a plurality of pills. A spring-loaded member is adapted to apply pressure in the exit tube on a single pill of the plurality of pills such that the pressure prevents exit of the single pill and the single pill blocks other pills of the plurality of pills from exiting. A button extends through a wall, such as the side wall, and is configured to release the pressure (defined as changing the static nature of the pill and spring placement) on the single pill, allowing it to fall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Inventor: Michael Song
  • Patent number: 9102492
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance unit to transport a sheet bundle including multiple sheets in a sheet conveyance direction and a binding device including a clamping unit. The clamping unit includes multiple projections and multiple recesses to engage the respective projections to clamp the sheet bundle inserted therebetween. At least one of the multiple projections includes an inclined portion facing a sheet conveyance direction, and an inclination of the inclined portion is 45 degrees or smaller relative to a face parallel to the sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Saito, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Shingo Matsushita, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Satoshi Saito, Makoto Hidaka, Akihiro Musha, Takuya Morinaga, Ikuhisa Okamoto, Shohichi Satoh, Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9102185
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a stacking unit that stacks conveyed sheets; an aligning unit that aligns the sheets stacked on the stacking unit in a sheet conveying direction; a binding unit that moves along an end portion of a bundle of the sheets on a binding portion side and performs a binding process for the bundle of the sheets that have been aligned by the aligning unit; a pressing unit that presses the bundle of the sheets at the end portion thereof on the binding portion side; and an interlocking unit that moves the pressing unit in association with a motion of the binding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limted
    Inventor: Kazuya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9087440
    Abstract: A dispensing device includes a cabinet, a door, a catching assembly, and a driving assembly. The cabinet includes a plurality of product boxes for receiving products. The door is pivotably mounted to the cabinet. The catching assembly includes a catch portion, a shipping portion, and a connecting portion connected between the catch portion and the shipping portion; and the connecting portion defining a goods channel communicating with the catch portion, the shipping portion, and the receiving opening. The connecting portion is scalable in a vertical direction. The catch portion is slidable relative to the cabinet. The driving assembly is capable of driving the catch portion to slide to a selected product box of the plurality of product boxes to catch a corresponding product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignees: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (WuHan) CO., LTD., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhi-Yong Gao, Yu-Lin Liu
  • Patent number: 9085406
    Abstract: The present application provides a dispensing carton for a number of sheet products therein. The dispensing carton may include a first wall, a dispensing aperture positioned in the first wall, a perpendicular second wall, and one or more support tabs positioned in the perpendicular second wall. The support tabs may be folded within the perpendicular second wall to support the number of sheet products therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Kip K. Decker, Abby Case, Walter O. Wruck