Patents Examined by Prasad V Gokhale
  • Patent number: 11339858
    Abstract: An actuator that can convert rotary motion into reciprocating motion. The actuator has a drive shaft and one or more ride plates mounted at an adjustable angle on the drive shaft. A reciprocating output element is coupled to the ride plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventor: Matthew Hwong
  • Patent number: 11332337
    Abstract: In example implementations, a flexible bail of a printing device is provided. The flexible bail comprises a rigid bail coupled to a rotational motor, a flexible portion and a controller. The flexible portion is coupled to an end of the rigid bail. The flexible portion includes a plurality of segments that are unidirectionally flexible. The controller is communicatively coupled to the rotational motor to control movement of the rigid bail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Darryl L. Beemer, Daniel Scott Ellis, Jeffrey C. Madsen
  • Patent number: 11312590
    Abstract: An auto-adjusting separation mechanism, comprising: a bracket with at least one side arm, a sensor module arranged on the side arm, a rotary shaft arranged at the front end of the bracket; a separation roller set pivotally arranged on the rotary shaft, a sensor wheel arranged to couple with the sensor module, and a torque limiter arranged at the front end of the bracket; wherein, by monitoring the rotation of the sensor wheel with the sensor module, the separating force of the separation roller set is adjustable via a microcontrollers which is capable to adjust the transmission gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen Ching Liao
  • Patent number: 11305954
    Abstract: A used paper supply device includes a first paper feed unit and a second paper feed unit for feeding used paper and cleaning unit for cleaning a surface of a roller of the paper feed units, in which when the used paper is fed from the first paper feed unit, the surface of the roller of the second paper feed unit is cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 11305955
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet being conveyed on a horizontal path and a double feed sensor configured to execute double feed detection processing of detecting a state in which a plurality of sheets being conveyed on the horizontal path are conveyed in a duplicate manner. The image forming apparatus includes a double feed detection function table, in which whether to enable or disable the double feed detection processing is set according to a type of a sheet. The image forming apparatus determines whether to execute the double feed detection processing at a time of image formation in accordance with sheet setting information including information on a characteristic of a sheet to be used for the image formation and setting information on whether to execute the double feed detection processing, and the double feed detection function table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita, Yutaka Ando
  • Patent number: 11292680
    Abstract: Sheet feeder (4) for a machine (1) for the processing of sheet material such as paper or films, having a drive shaft (10), which extends substantially perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction and is provided with at least one suction gripper (12), which is rotated above the sheet material, when the drive shaft (10) is driven, wherein the suction gripper (12) is repositionable between an inactive position, in which it does not cooperate with the sheet material, and an active position, in which it can grip on the top side of the sheet material and carry this along.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Bobst Grenchen AG
    Inventor: Stefan Wick
  • Patent number: 11286128
    Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus includes a sheet supporting surface, a first sensor flag including a first flag portion, a first contact portion, and a third contact portion, a second sensor flag including a second flag portion, and a second contact portion, a first detection sensor configured to transit to a first state of outputting a first detection signal and to a second state of outputting a second detection signal, the first detection sensor transiting to one of the first state and the second state in response to a position of the first flag portion, and a second detection sensor configured to transit to a third state of outputting a third detection signal and to a fourth state of outputting a fourth detection signal, the second detection sensor transiting to one of the third state and the fourth state in response to a position of the second flag portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinichiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11286125
    Abstract: A measuring device, includes a physical property value detector and a push contact member that pushes to bring a sheet material in contact with the physical property value detector; and further includes a first processor that stops conveyance of the sheet material, pushes to bring the sheet material in contact with the physical property value detector, and detects a physical property value of the sheet material; a second processor that, after having detected the physical property value, cancels the pushing by the push contact member, separates the sheet material from the physical property value detector, and starts conveyance of the sheet material; and a physical property value specifier that specifies the physical property value on a basis of physical property values of a plurality of positions within a surface of the sheet material detected by executing the first processing and the second processing repeatedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yumiko Izumiya, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Hitoshi Asano, Hirotada Seki, Akimasa Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11279575
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet loader, a sheet feeder, and an end fence. The sheet loader is configured to load a sheet bundle including sheets. The sheet feeder is configured to feed an uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loader. The end fence is disposed movable in a sheet feeding direction of the uppermost sheet and is configured to contact a trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet feeding direction to regulate a position of the trailing end of the sheet bundle. The end fence includes an elastic body configured to contact the trailing end of the sheet bundle at a portion other than at least an upper portion of the end fence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Hayasaka, Takashi Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 11274000
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a housing, a sheet storage cassette, a slide rail and an upper contact member. The housing has a pair of inner walls facing each other. The sheet storage cassette is attached between the inner walls in an insertable and drawable manner along a first direction. The sheet storage cassette has a pair of wall parts facing the pair of inner walls. The slide rail includes an outer rail and an inner rail. The outer rail extends along the first direction on the inner wall and the inner rail extends along the first direction on the wall part. The inner rail is supported by the outer rail in a movable manner. The upper contact member is provided on the wall part and moves on an upper face of the outer rail when the sheet storage cassette is inserted and drawn with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takuya Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11274005
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a transmitter circuit, a receiver circuit, an integrator circuit which performs charging of electric charge outputted from the transmitter circuit and outputs a judgment voltage, a drive circuit, and a control circuit. The drive circuit feeds a drive signal to the transmitter circuit. At a lapse of a wait time after changing a level of a transmission instruction signal to a level instructing to feed the drive signal to the transmitter circuit, the control circuit makes the integrator circuit start to perform charging. When adjusting the wait time, the control circuit performs processing for adjustment a plurality of times. The control circuit makes the wait time different in each execution of the processing for adjustment. The control circuit determines a new wait time based on a magnitude of the judgment voltage recognized in each execution of the processing for adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tadaharu Kusumi
  • Patent number: 11274001
    Abstract: A recording medium feeder includes: a first cassette and a second cassette that are disposed side by side in a cross direction and can be pulled out in the same pull-out direction; a housing that houses the first cassette and the second cassette; a transport unit that is disposed above the second cassette in the housing and transports a recording medium sent from the first cassette; and a feeding unit that is disposed in the housing and feeds a recording medium stored in the first cassette toward the transport unit, wherein the transport unit can be pulled out in the same direction as the first cassette and the second cassette, the feeding unit includes a first roller and a second roller that sandwich and transport a recording medium, and the first roller or the second roller releases the sandwiching when the first cassette is pulled out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Makoto Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11254528
    Abstract: A paper feed tray includes a cassette, a regulation plate which is slidably attached to the cassette, a cover provided to the regulation plate, a locking portion which is covered with the cover and engages with the cassette to fix a position of the regulation plate, and a lever. The lever includes a coupling portion coupled with the locking portion, a depression portion configured to be depressed toward one side in a direction of sliding of the regulation plate, and an intermediate portion provided between the coupling portion and the depression portion. The lever operates the locking portion to be disengaged from the cassette upon the depression portion being depressed toward the one side. The cover includes an extension extending while facing the intermediate portion. A space, which is open at a tip to which the extension extends, is formed between the extension and the intermediate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshitada Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11254532
    Abstract: A medium transport apparatus includes: a medium mounting section configured to mount a medium; a feed roller configured to feed the medium from the medium mounting section; a separation roller configured to nip and separate the medium from the feed roller; a plurality of sensors disposed at positions facing a surface of the medium and configured to detect movement of the medium; and a control unit configured to stop feeding of the medium based on detection values received from the sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors are disposed upstream of a nipping position by the feed roller and the separation roller with a gap in a width direction being a direction intersecting a medium feed direction and detect movement of the medium in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Arimori
  • Patent number: 11247861
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveyance roller to convey a medium, a motor to drive the conveyance roller, a signal generator to output a pulse signal, a pulse width of which changes according to a rotation speed of the motor, and a processor to rotate the conveyance roller by controlling the motor, and detect a fluctuation of the pulse width caused by a load fluctuation when the conveyance roller conveys a medium to determine a thickness of the medium according to the pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuta Arai, Shingo Kanaya
  • Patent number: 11247856
    Abstract: A sheet positioning member is provided on a sheet placing surface in such a way as to be movable in a predetermined first direction. The sheet positioning member includes a moving body, an abutting portion, an operation member, and a cam portion. The moving body moves in the first direction on the sheet placing surface. The abutting portion has an abutting surface that abuts on the side end portion when the sheet positioning member positions the sheet. The operation member is supported by the moving body so as to be pivotable around a support shaft that extends in the first direction, on a side of a back surface of the abutting portion. The cam portion displaces the abutting portion toward the side end portion by being pressed by the operation member in response to a pivoting operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Dang Long Bui
  • Patent number: 11230451
    Abstract: Examples for estimating quantity of print media available in a device, are described. In one example, the device comprising includes a series of proximity sensors to sense level of a stack of print media. The sensors are mounted on an internal vertical wall of the media tray with each of the plurality of sensors mounted at a different vertical height. Based on the sensing by the sensors, an estimate count of the print media available in a media tray of the device is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shinoj Bhaskaran, Subhash Pulikkara Veedu, Vineeth R, Sharmakumar Ponnarassery Sasankan, Anoop Vembanat, Cijo Robert
  • Patent number: 11220410
    Abstract: A sheet suction device includes a sheet carrier, a suction unit, and a rotary body. The sheet carrier has a carrying region. The carrying region includes a plurality of suction openings. The sheet carrier is configured to rotate while holding a sheet. The suction unit is configured to communicate with the plurality of suction openings and suck air via the plurality of suction openings. The rotary body is disposed between the plurality of suction openings and the suction unit. The rotary body is configured to rotate to change a number of suction openings that communicate with the suction unit, among the plurality of suction openings of the sheet carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 11220407
    Abstract: A medium conveyance device includes a guiding member that is movably supported on a frame, a pick roller that is rotatably supported on the guiding member and that rotates to feed a medium that is placed on a tray to a feed roller, and a joint unit that transmits a rotation force from a drive shaft to the pick roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shuichi Morikawa
  • Patent number: 11214453
    Abstract: A media transfer system comprising a media drive component and a vent. The media drive component supports and transfers a media in a drive direction. The vent directs air flow towards the leading edge of the media in the drive direction to exert a separating force on the leading edge of the media, the separating force acting on the media away from the media drive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Marcel Llorach To, Javier Deocon Mir, Daniel Gonzalez Perello, Joan Singla Mila, Ricardo Sanchis Estruch, Javier Onecha Celestino