Patents Examined by Prasad V Gokhale
  • Patent number: 11021336
    Abstract: A sheet transfer apparatus and a method for transferring a sheet using a sheet transfer apparatus are provided. A sheet transfer apparatus includes: a table on which two or more sheets, which are continuously laminated, are configured to be seated; a sheet adsorbing part on the table to adsorb a first sheet, which is at an uppermost portion, of the two or more laminated sheets at a pressure; and an air discharge part on the table and adjacent to the sheet adsorbing part, and the air discharge part is configured to discharge air to a surface of the first sheet adsorbed to the sheet adsorbing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gyuwon Park, Hoeoun Kim, Jungsoo Ok, Pilseon Ji
  • Patent number: 11021341
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device includes a support member, a regulation member, a regulation member moving mechanism, and an alignment member. The support member supports leading ends of sheets. The regulation member is connected to the support member and is provided to face an inclined tray in such a way as to define a sheet entry space in which the leading ends of the sheets enter. The regulation member moving mechanism is configured to, each time a sheet is conveyed onto the inclined tray, move the regulation member in a separating direction to widen the sheet entry space, and then in an approaching direction to narrow the sheet entry space. The alignment member aligns the sheets by abutting on rear ends of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tadahisa Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11021338
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveying body, a pressing body, and an attracting device. The conveying body conveys a sheet. The pressing body presses the sheet to a circumferential surface of the conveying body at an upstream side from an operation start position at which an operation with respect to the sheet starts, in a sheet conveying direction. The attracting device sucks and attracts the sheet onto the conveying body. The attracting device includes an attracting unit having an attracting region extending shorter than a distance between the pressing body and the operation start position. The attracting unit rotate together with the conveying body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Patent number: 11016520
    Abstract: An adjustable pedal for a motor vehicle, including a pedal arm rotatably mounted on a bearing block, a pedal base body adjustably mounted relative to the pedal arm, as well as a pedal plate provided with an actuation surface arranged on the lower end of the pedal base body. The pedal base body is rotatably mounted on the pedal arm in such a way that an adjustment causes an arcuate movement of the pedal base body and of the pedal plate arranged therein. The pedal plate is rotatably mounted on the pedal base body about a pivot point so that the pedal plate is operatively connected to the mechanism which causes during an adjustment of the pedal base body relative to the pedal arm a forcibly guided rotational movement of the pedal plate about the pivot point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Oliver Schmidt, Rene Pahlig
  • Patent number: 11014251
    Abstract: A joint structure for a robot includes a first link and a second link rotatably coupled to each other through a joint part and a linear-motion actuator coupling the first link to the second link at a part separated from the joint part. The linear-motion actuator has a casing, and a pair of first shaft parts integrally formed with an outer surface of the casing. The first link is supported by the first shaft part so as to be pivotable with respect to the linear-motion actuator. The first link relatively pivots to the second link by the linear-motion actuator reciprocating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayuki Kamon
  • Patent number: 11001468
    Abstract: A mount apparatus to be mounted on a top surface, in a vertical direction, of a main body of an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, includes a latch member extending toward the main body from a surface facing the top surface of the main body and being rotatable around a rotational axis extending in a direction along a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, and a biasing member configured to bias the latch member in a predetermined rotation direction. The latch member is inserted into the main body through an opening that is provided on the top surface of the main body and is engaged with the main body by a biasing force of the biasing member in a state where the mount apparatus is mounted on the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11001294
    Abstract: A steering column power assist assembly housing includes a worm bearing sleeve, a gear bearing sleeve, and an over-molded portion of the housing formed on the worm bearing sleeve and the gear bearing sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Andrzej W. Buchacz, Andrzej Baier, Krzysztof Z. Herbuś, Piotr G. Ociepka, Łukasz M. Grabowski, Michal Sobek, Jacek Wyjadlowski
  • Patent number: 10994957
    Abstract: A roller structure is disclosed and includes at least one roller unit. The roller unit includes a base, an elastic portion, a supporting portion and a rotating wheel. The base is configured to detachably assemble the roller unit on an accommodation seat. The base includes a first lateral edge. The elastic portion is disposed on the base and connected with the first lateral edge. The elastic portion includes a bent section having an end extending and bent from the first lateral edge. The supporting portion is disposed on the elastic portion and connected to the other end of the bent section. The rotating wheel is pivotally connected to the supporting portion. When the rotating wheel is pressed by a driving wheel, the supporting portion is driven to compress the elastic portion to move the rotating wheel toward the base, and the rotating wheel is driven to rotate relative to the supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TECO IMAGE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ting-Chun Chen, Ming-Chieh Chung
  • Patent number: 10988332
    Abstract: There is provided a processing apparatus including: a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; a placement unit on which the medium is placed in a first posture; a medium feeding unit that feeds the medium from the placement unit toward the processing unit; and a feed unit that is detachably disposed on the placement unit. The feed unit causes the medium to be placed in a second posture which is different from the first posture. The first posture is a posture in which a surface of the medium is placed along a placement surface of the placement unit, and the second posture is a posture in which sides of a plurality of media are brought into contact with the placement surface of the feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Tanjo, Chiaki Shimada
  • Patent number: 10988334
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first guide provided in an apparatus body, a second guide provided in an openable portion, a flag member supported by the apparatus body pivotally, a detection unit configured to detect pivoting of the flag member, and a jam release guide provided in the apparatus body. In a state where the openable portion is open, the flag member is protruded into a space that is created between the openable portion and the apparatus body by an opening operation of the openable portion. The jam release guide is disposed at a position not hampering conveyance of the sheet in a state where the openable portion is closed, and is disposed to come in contact, together with the flag member, with a jammed sheet to regulate a posture of the jammed sheet in a state where the openable portion is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 10967524
    Abstract: A Link Stacking Actuator is a scalable device that will contract or expand upon the application of rotational force. This rotational force is converted into linear force in contraction and this contraction can be released for expansion. Contraction and expansion are determined by the relative direction of rotational force applied. The device only generates linear force when contracting. Expansion is simply a relaxation of the device. The conversion of rotational force to contraction is achieved by mechanical stacking of interconnected links that fold or stack into a structure when rotational torsion is applied from a motor against a fixed mount-point or another counter-rotating motor. When used in oppositional pairs, these devices can be used to actuate hinged beams such as robotic arms, legs, and fingers. The device can also be used for direct lift applications when configured in multiple parallel sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: James P. Morgan
  • Patent number: 10961074
    Abstract: An image reading device includes: a controller which performs a first drive operation for rotating the discharge roller, and a second drive operation for moving the discharge guide between the third position and the fourth position. The controller stops the first drive operation when performing the second drive operation, and stops the second drive operation when performing the first drive operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Miwa
  • Patent number: 10955870
    Abstract: Disclosed are backhoe pedal guards for covering and protecting the foot pedals of heavy equipment machinery, including backhoes. The backhoe pedal guards are made of steel plate material, or other suitable material. They are configured for installation on or near the floorboard, partially enclosing and protecting the foot pedals, while allowing uninhibited access to the foot pedals by an operator. The backhoe pedal guards act as a safety device to prevent inadvertent engagement of a foot pedal, such as by dropping a tool onto the pedal. In an embodiment, a pair of backhoe pedal guards may be a unitary body connected by a front cross member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Inventors: Mike Schern, Justin Naylor, Phil Woody
  • Patent number: 10954091
    Abstract: A suction mechanism for suctioning a loop transporting belt a medium processed by a processing unit, a rotation mechanism for rotating the transporting belt, a stacker for stacking the medium transported by the transporting belt, and a change mechanism for changing a movable area are included. The rotation mechanism, after suctioning the medium to the transporting belt to rotate in a first rotation direction to transport the medium in a first transport direction, rotates the transporting belt in a second rotation direction to transport the medium in a second transport direction to stack the medium on a stacker. The change mechanism narrows a movable area when the medium is transported in the second transport direction compared to an area when the medium is transported in the first transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ohashi, Akinobu Nakahata, Tsuyoshi Furumido
  • Patent number: 10941859
    Abstract: A shift lever device has a shift lever that is moved and whose shift position is changed, and a detent plate that is displaced due to the shift lever being moved. The shift lever device has a first lock bar and a second lock bar that can move toward the detent plate side or a side opposite from the detent plate, and, due to the first lock bar and the second lock bar engaging with portions of the detent plate, a range over which the detent plate is displaced is restricted, and a range of movement of the shift lever is restricted. The shift lever device has a cam that has a single engaged-with portion with which the first lock bar and the second lock bar engage, and, due to the cam being displaced, the first lock bar and the second lock bar are moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Hironori Watanabe, Koji Imai, Munetoshi Makimura
  • Patent number: 10939970
    Abstract: A robotic surgery system includes a control unit assembly that supports and operates one or more robotic tools and a mechanical arm assembly that movably supports the control unit assembly in space. The mechanical arm assembly includes a boom assembly with one or more boom arms rotatably coupled to each other via one or more joints and having one or more actuators. An elevating linkage assembly is coupled to the boom assembly and has an actuator operable to allow vertical movement of the control unit assembly in a substantially weightless manner. Yaw and pitch control assemblies are interposed between the elevating linkage assembly and the control unit assembly and have actuators operable to allow movement of the control unit assembly in yaw and pitch. The one or more actuators are actuatable to allow movement of the control unit assembly in space upon actuation of one or more user interfaces of the control unit assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Aki Hannu Einari Laakso, Hans Christian Pflaumer, Abraham Allen Shipley, Nathan Wagner Ginsberg, Yahia Laouar, Cara Lee Coad, Michael James Ross, John Michael Burton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10934117
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is described. The sheet processing apparatus includes a housing section, a conveyance mechanism and a controller. The housing section accommodates a sheet. The conveyance mechanism conveys the sheet accommodated in the housing section to a predetermined position at the downstream side in a sheet conveyance direction. The controller controls the conveyance mechanism to remove a needle-free binding section of a sheet bundle if a conveyance jam of the sheet occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 10934115
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding a sheet includes a first lift tray configured to move up or down in a first lift range and to support a sheet; a sheet feeding unit configured to feed a sheet supported by the first lift tray; and a second lift tray configured to move up or down in a second lift range and to support a sheet in cooperation with the first lift tray. A lowest position in the second lift range is a position above a lowest position in the first lift range, and the second lift range is a range which is narrower than the first lift range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yazawa, Kei Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10934114
    Abstract: Some examples include a media level state indicator of an image forming apparatus. The media level state indicator including a gear assembly of interconnected gears including a first gear, a second gear, and a cam fixedly disposed on the first gear, the second gear coupled to a media lift system and rotatable with a shaft of the media lift system, the first gear and the cam rotatably coupled to the second gear, a cam follower to selectively contact the cam, the cam follower moveable in response to contacting rotational movement of the cam, and a signal device coupled to the cam follower, the signal device having a first media level state and a second media level state, the signal device to move between the first media level state and the second media level state as the media lift system changes a position of a lift plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jesse Philips, Matias Negatu, Alexander M Nameroff, John Pruyn, Joshua Peter Yasbek, Michael A Fairchild
  • Patent number: 10926833
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal system for connecting a shoe to a bicycle pedal includes a cleat plate, adopted for mounting onto a sole of the shoe, and a pedal body. The pedal body has a first surface, an opposing identically shaped second surface with multiple slots therein, and the cleat plates having attachment members of complementary shapes engaging selectively with the pedal and positioning the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventor: Martin Feuerhahn