Patents Examined by Prasad Gokhale
  • Navigation apparatus
    Patent number: 8548737
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus comprises a map display control unit that displays a map on a display monitor, a voice information outputting unit that outputs voice information related to traveling of a vehicle, and a highlighting unit that highlights a part of the map that corresponds to the voice information in synchronization with output of the voice information by the voice information outputting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Yuta Kobayashi, Noriyuki Abe, Katsuya Asada, Shigeru Shimada, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Retard feeder
    Patent number: 8540233
    Abstract: A method for providing increased performance in fully active retard feeders includes driving a feed roll and retard roll pair of a reprographic apparatus backwards periodically at the start of the machine or during idle periods to compensate for contamination buildup and/or roll “set” when left in position overnight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ian A Parks, Neil Flynn, Samuel Hagos, Christopher Pearce, Stephen P Wood, Richard G Hubbard, Allan D Mciver, Justin Chase
  • Paper stopper mechanism for paper-feeding apparatus
    Patent number: 8540231
    Abstract: A paper stopper mechanism for paper-feeding apparatus, which has simplified structure and commonly uses one motor to stop papers. The paper stopper mechanism includes a rotary shaft driven by a drive shaft via a gear assembly, a stopper plate disposed on the rotary shaft, which is movable between a first position and a second position along with the rotation of the rotary shaft, and a resilient member positioned between the rotary shaft and a transmission gear of the gear assembly. There is frictional force between the rotary shaft and the transmission gear, whereby the transmission gear can drive the rotary shaft to rotate. When the stopper plate and the rotary shaft stop at the second position, the transmission gear can still transmit power to a pickup roller to feed a paper into the paper-feeding apparatus without any error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Liu Shi-Ze
  • Stopper, paper feeding device and multi-function printer
    Patent number: 8540232
    Abstract: A stopper, a paper feeding device including an inner and outer cases, a first and second axels, a first and second rollers, a pair of stoppers and a tray, and a multi-function printer are provided. The outer case has two side walls and two protrusions disposed on the side walls. The inner case is between the two side walls. The first axel pivots the inner case and the side walls. The first roller covers the first axel. The stoppers are disposed at outer side of the side walls, wherein each of the stoppers has a C-ring, a connecting portion and a stopping portion. Each C-ring pivoted to the first axel has a first and second ends, and the protrusions prop against to the first ends. The second axel pivots the inner case, and the second roller covers the second axel. The tray is disposed below the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited, Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chung-Liang Huang
  • Method of detecting sheet in transport device, transport device, image reading device, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8528894
    Abstract: A transport device includes a set section, a sheet sensor, and a feeding member. When a detection member does not retract, the sheet sensor outputs an OFF-detection signal. The feeding member is displaced between a feed position and a non-feed position on the basis of the detection signal. At the feed position, the feeding member comes in contact with the sheet set in the set section from above and feeds the sheet toward the downstream side on a transport path. At the non-feed position, the feeding member is separated upward from the feed position. A method, which detects a sheet in the transport device, includes displacing the feeding member from the non-feed position to the feed position, and detecting that the sheet does not exist in the set section when an OFF-detection signal is output from the sheet sensor while the feeding member is positioned at the feed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kotaka, Yosaku Tamura, Seiji Kawabata, Kensuke Tamai, Hidetoshi Kodama, Soichiro Kii
  • Generating photogenic routes from starting to destination locations
    Patent number: 8532927
    Abstract: A method of computing at least one photogenic route from a starting location to a destination location, including; computing photogenic values for images in a large collection representing a geographic region that includes the starting location and the destination location; computing a photogenic index for each route segment based on computed photogenic values of images taken along the route segment; computing at least one photogenic route from the starting location to the destination location and presenting the route(s) to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC
    Inventors: Dhiraj Joshi, Jiebo Luo, Jie Yu
  • Conveying apparatus
    Patent number: 8523177
    Abstract: When continuous-conveying control is executed in a conveying apparatus which can handle various sizes of sheet, a conveying apparatus which can efficiently detect a conveying error by a required minimum conveyed amount or conveying time according to a sheet size is provided. For that purpose, a maximum conveyed amount from start of sheet feeding of the subsequent page to determination to be a sheet-feeding error is set based on a detection result of a rear end portion on a previous page by a PE sensor. The maximum conveyed amount when the rear end portion of the previous page is detected is set smaller than the maximum conveyed amount when not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeto Sakai
  • Paper feeder and image forming apparatus including the same
    Patent number: 8523171
    Abstract: In a paper feeder, an air hole that allows air to pass through is formed on a paper transport belt, a fan for breathing and exhausting air and an exhaust duct having an opening for exhausting air. Air is exhausted from the fan through the exhaust duct, the fan and an air intake duct for breathing air are connected to each other, and air is breathed from the air hole through the air intake duct towards the fan. This paper feeder includes: an air state detection unit for detecting at least one of an air pressure and an air flow rate in the air intake duct; an opening and closing unit provided to the air intake duct for opening and closing the opening; and a control unit for opening and closing the opening based on a result of detection by the air state detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Fujita, Masaharu Kimura, Yasuaki Fukada, Susumu Hashimoto
  • Automatic document feeder
    Patent number: 8511667
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a paper pick-up device, a first roller assembly, and a second roller assembly. The first roller assembly includes a first shaft, a first roller, and a power coupling device. When the power coupling device is connected with the first shaft and the first roller for transmitting a paper, the first roller is driven to be rotated by the first shaft. When the front edge of the paper is moved to the second roller assembly, the first roller is driven to be rotated at a higher speed by the paper. Consequently, a power connection between the first roller and the first shaft is released by the power coupling device. Then, the first roller reaches a static status in order to correct the skew phenomenon of the next paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Hung Kuo
  • Sheet discharging tray device and image forming system provided therewith
    Patent number: 8505911
    Abstract: A sheet discharging tray device includes: a discharging section from which a sheet is discharged; a discharging tray on which the sheet discharged from the discharging section is stacked sequentially; a tray drive section which drives the discharging tray in a tray shift direction that is perpendicular to a sheet discharging direction from the discharging section with reference to a sheet surface; a controller which conducts a tray shift operation that shifts a position of the discharging tray under a condition of the number of sheets stacked on the discharging tray, and a sheet detection section which detects an alignment deviation in the tray shift direction. The controller changes an operation status of the discharging tray when a tray shift operation is conducted and changes a discharging operation of a sheet to the discharging tray, based on a detected result of the sheet detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tamada, Eiji Sugimoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideo Yamane
  • Automatic document feeder
    Patent number: 8496240
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes an upper cover, a document pick-up module, and a conveying channel. The upper cover has a first hooking element. The document pick-up module is arranged between the upper cover and the conveying channel. In addition, the document pick-up module has a second hooking element. When the automatic document feeder is operated in a standby mode, the document pick-up module is swung to a position near the upper cover and the second hooking element is engaged with the first hooking element, so that the document pick-up module is fixed on the upper cover. Since the document pick-up module is not contacted with the document when the automatic document feeder is operated in the standby mode, the possibility of causing an erroneous action of the document pick-up module will be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tung-Wen Tu, Long-Chao Zhao
  • Sheet feeder, image scanner provided with the sheet feeder, and printer provided with the image scanner
    Patent number: 8496241
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a separation roller having a circumferential surface that contacts a first sheet to be fed first among stacked sheets and picks up the first sheet and one or more second sheets adjacent to the first sheet, a separation arm that is closer to the circumferential surface of the separation roller downstream in a feeding direction and configured to apply higher frictional resistance to the second sheets than the first sheet to feed the first sheet ahead of the second sheets, and a guide member including a guide portion that has a lower-friction surface than the separation arm and extends from the separation arm with a distal end thereof in contact with or close to the circumferential surface of the separation roller. The guide portion guides the first and second sheets along the circumferential surface of the separation roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Takayuki Akimatsu
  • Recording medium support device and recording apparatus
    Patent number: 8490966
    Abstract: A recording medium support device includes the following elements. A feed tray is capable of receiving stacked recording media. A recording medium support is pivotably connected to the feed tray. The support is switchable between a closing position and an opening position by pivoting. An anti-falling section prevents the recording medium support from falling to the closing position by coming into contact with the base of the recording medium support in the opening position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Iwama, Mami Hashizume, Kenji Oshima
  • Sheet sorter and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8485523
    Abstract: A sheet sorter includes a sheet discharge tray, a sheet conveyance unit, and a sheet pressing guide. The sheet conveyance unit is configured to convey sheets in a conveyance direction and configured to be shifted in a shift direction along a sheet plane and in a shift direction that intersects the conveyance direction, so as to sort the sheets loaded onto the sheet discharge tray from the sheet conveyance unit. The sheet pressing guide is configured to contact and press the sheets, configured to move together with the sheet conveyance unit in conjunction with the sheet conveyance unit moving in the shift direction, and configured to contact a topmost sheet among the sheets loaded on the sheet discharge tray only at a downstream edge of the topmost sheet in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kimura, Norichika Katsura, Yasuaki Fukada, Haruhisa Furumoto
  • Vehicular propulsion systems and methods for managing the same
    Patent number: 8483897
    Abstract: Vehicular propulsion systems and methods for managing propulsion systems are provided. The remaining energy in an energy supply coupled to a propulsion actuator on-board a vehicle is monitored. The energy provided to an on-board auxiliary non-propulsion load device from the energy supply is automatically limited based on the remaining energy in the energy supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: James D. Marus, James C. Gibbs
  • Sheet conveying device, image forming apparatus, sheet conveying motor control system, and storage medium
    Patent number: 8474816
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first rotator, a second rotator, and a third rotator, at least one of which is configured to convey a sheet medium; a first detection unit configured to detect a first control factor for controlling a first motor that rotates the first rotator; a second detection unit configured to detect a second control factor for controlling a second motor that rotates the second rotator; a motor control unit configured to control a rotational speed of a third motor that rotates the third rotator; and a speed control unit configured to request the motor control unit to change the rotational speed of the third motor based on the sum of the first control factor and the second control factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Ishizaki, Takahisa Koike, Minoru Takahashi
  • Image recording apparatus
    Patent number: 8474809
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus according to one aspect comprises: a first tray disposed within an opening of a main body to allow a recording medium to be placed thereon; a second tray disposed above the first tray, the second tray having a second end portion located on a side of the opening; a conveying unit; and a recording unit. The second tray is movable between a first posture and a second posture. When the second tray is in the first posture, a top surface of the second tray in the vicinity of the second end portion is positioned at a predetermined height relative to the first tray. When the second tray moves from the first posture to the second posture, the top surface in the vicinity of the second end portion is moved toward the first tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Izuchi, Yuji Koga, Keisuke Wakakusa, Kenji Samoto
  • Sheet feeder and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8469355
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a casing having a loading surface, a supply roller, a drive mechanism, a blocking member, and an interlocking mechanism. The supply roller is configured to feed recording sheets on the loading surface toward the image forming unit. The drive mechanism is configured to move the supply roller. The blocking member is disposed upstream from the supply roller in a sheet feed direction and includes a block surface configured to be moved between a first position and a second position. The block surface is configured to block insertion of a recording sheet to a downstream side when in the first position, and configured to allow insertion of the recording sheets on the loading surface when in the second position. The interlocking mechanism is configured to receive a drive force from the drive mechanism to move the blocking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Miwa
  • Printing apparatus, method for controlling printing apparatus, program, and storage medium
    Patent number: 8469353
    Abstract: A printing apparatus performs printing with the use of sheets of paper set in any of a plurality of paper-feeding units. The print apparatus is controlled by a method including: determining whether the amount of sheets of paper remaining in a first paper-feeding unit has reached a predetermined amount; and if so switching from the first paper-feeding unit to a second paper-feeding unit. If it is determined that the amount of sheets of paper that remain in the first paper-feeding unit has reached the predetermined amount, control is performed so that the paper-feeding unit that is used for printing should be changed after the ejection of the last one of a plurality of sheets of paper that are included in one set thereof set in the first paper-feeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouichi Unno
  • Paper sheet pickup device
    Patent number: 8459634
    Abstract: A paper sheet pickup device includes a pickup belt configured to run along one of accumulated paper sheets, which is positioned at the most downstream side with respect to a direction of accumulation, and a negative pressure chamber provided inside the pickup belt. The negative pressure chamber is connected to a pump, and a valve unit is interposed therebetween. Further, an air inlet tube is connected to the negative pressure chamber for supplying air therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yukio Asari, Yusuke Mitsuya, Yoshihiko Naruoka, Toru Todoriki