Patents Examined by Stefanos Karmis
-
Patent number: 8047526Abstract: A mail justifier system including at least one bucket for holding a flat article and a plurality of ramps configured to contact the flat article through an opening defined on the bucket to raise the flat article to a desired level. A plurality of parallel rollers is configured to enter into the opening and contact the flat article. The parallel rollers rotate causing the flat article to move within the bucket from a first position to a second position.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2008Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Sean B. Ledford, Pierre J. Campagnolle, Laurent Buffat
-
Patent number: 8047530Abstract: A rotary transfer mechanism for transferring flat sleeve cartons (20) from a magazine (22) to a receiving station (23) on a conveyor (24), with opening of the cartons ready to receive end-loaded product, is characterized in that the path of suction cups (32) for holding the cartons during transfer is basically determined by a continuous stationary cam track (34) permanently engaged by a cam follower (37) on a gear segment (35) pivotally mounted on carrier means (29) rotatable by a drive shaft (26), the suction cups (32) being carried by a support shaft (30) rotatable on the carrier means and coaxial with a pinion (38) meshing with the gear segment. (35), and the support shaft being connected to a bracket (48) carrying a manifold (47) for the suction cups (32) by a crank arm (53), which is connected by a link arm (54) to a rocker arm (55) freely rotatable on the drive shaft (26).Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2006Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Kliklok CorporationInventor: John Christopher Harston
-
Patent number: 8047542Abstract: In a printing apparatus, even when the measured paper size differs from the scheduled size, it is possible to reduce the frequency of requiring a recovery procedure, and prevent the productivity from decreasing by continuing the operation of the printing apparatus as much as possible. The printing apparatus includes a paper feeding unit for feeding a print sheet from a paper feed tray 120, 130a, 130b, 130c or 130d to a transportation route CR through a paper feed route FR, in-tray sensors 182, 183a, 183b . . . for measuring the paper size in the paper feed trays; a transportation sensor 181 for measuring the paper size on the transportation route, a transportation operation adjusting unit 332 for adjusting the transportation operation on the transportation or paper feed route according to the measurement result of the transportation sensor 181 when the measurement results of the transportation sensor 181 and in-tray sensors mismatch.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2009Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Riso Kagaku CorporationInventors: Masashi Hara, Tatsunori Kaneko, Atsushi Roppongi
-
Patent number: 8042801Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus can include an apparatus body, a cassette detachably mounted to the apparatus body, the cassette being configured to hold print media, and a sensor unit configured to sense whether the cassette is mounted, whether the print media are loaded, and/or whether the print media is properly positioned in the cassette.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Je Hwan You
-
Patent number: 8042808Abstract: The image forming system includes: a first transporting unit transporting paper sheets along a first transportation route; an image forming unit forming images on the paper sheets; a sheet supplying unit having a second transportation route, and transporting a sheet along the second transportation route to supply the sheet to a gap between the paper sheets sequentially transported along the first transportation route, the second transportation route joining the first transportation route at a position located on a downstream of the image forming unit in a transportation direction; and a controller outputting, to respective first and second output units, a paper sheet located on a downstream of the gap, and a paper sheet located on an upstream of the gap while causing the image forming unit to form an image on the paper sheet on the upstream of the image forming unit, when the sheet is not supplied.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ryuichi Sato
-
Patent number: 8042805Abstract: A machine for processing printed sheets includes a sheet delivery having a first conveying device for leading sheet ends, a second conveying device for trailing sheet ends, and a setting device for adjusting one of the two conveying devices relative to the other in a manner dependent on sheet format. The setting device includes a variable ratio gear unit for superimposing two movements.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventors: Uwe Angst, Andreas Fricke, Marco Krämer, Joachim Zarges
-
Patent number: 8045880Abstract: A sheet feeding device to feed a sheet in a sheet feeding path is provided. The sheet feeding device includes a plurality of feeding rollers to feed a sheet in the sheet feeding path, and a dust remover unit to remove dust adhered onto a surface of the sheet. The dust remover unit includes a dust absorber roller to absorb dust from a surface of the sheet, a dust remover member arranged to be in contact with a surface of the dust absorber roller to remove the dust from the surface of the dust absorber roller, a conveyer member, arranged to be opposed to the dust remover member, to convey the dust removed by the dust remover member, and a cutter member, arranged in an intervening position between the dust remover roller and the conveyer member, to cut the dust removed by the dust remover member into smaller pieces.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2008Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Atsuo Hirose
-
Patent number: 8038143Abstract: A sheet delivery device is disclosed that includes an openable and closable manual paper feeder, an openable and closable paper catch tray, a first open/close detection unit to detect an opened/closed state of the manual paper feeder, a second open/close detection unit to detect an opened/closed state of the paper catch tray, and a control unit. The control unit issues an alert in response to simultaneous occurrences of both a closed state of the paper catch tray detected by the second open/close detection unit and an open state of the manual paper feeder detected by the first open/close detection unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2006Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Koji Watanabe
-
Patent number: 8038149Abstract: An apparatus for registering sheet material while being conveyed along a feed path including: (i) a conveyance deck for conveying sheet material along a support surface, (ii) a registration member defining an abutment surface operative to align an edge of the sheet material as the sheet material is conveyed along the support surface of the conveyance deck, and (iii) a drive mechanism disposed adjacent to the registration member and along the conveyance deck. The drive mechanism includes a flexible belt disposed about and supported by at least two rolling elements, and a means for driving the flexible belt about the rolling elements. The flexible belt includes a twisted section defining a plurality of spiral edge segments operative to (i) frictionally engage a surface of the sheet material to urge the sheet material against the abutment surface and (ii) convey the sheet material along the conveyance deck.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Joseph A. Trudeau, Karel J. Janatka, Edward M. Ifkovits, Russell W. Holbrook
-
Patent number: 8038147Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an intermediate stacking portion which temporarily stacks, thereon, a sheet conveyed thereto; a discharge portion which discharges sheet stacked on the intermediate stacking portion; an aligning member which is provided downstream of the discharge portion in a sheet conveying direction and has a sheet holding surface capable of holding the lower surfaces of the sheet and a sheet aligning surface capable of abutting against end portions of the sheet in the widthwise direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction, the aligning member being movable in the widthwise direction; a first stacking portion which is provided below the aligning member and stacks, thereon, a sheet discharged from the discharge portion; and a second stacking portion which is provided above the aligning member and stacks, thereon, a sheet conveyed thereto; wherein a standby position of the aligning member is at a position more inward than the outermost position in the widthwise direction, withinType: GrantFiled: December 16, 2010Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Ogata, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Junichi Sekiyama, Hiroharu Tsuji, Akihiro Nakamura
-
Patent number: 8033544Abstract: According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a printmaking device, a method, and a system for calibrating sensors. The printmaking device includes a calibration system with a media path, a registration device, and at least one edge sensor. The registration device having a pair of nips connected by a lateral carriage and a calibration member disposed traversely and affixed to the lateral carriage. The lateral carriage is configured to move laterally relative to the media path. The at least one edge sensor may be configured to determine an extent of movement of a first portion of the calibration member. The registration device calibrates the at least one edge sensor by: moving the lateral carriage a predetermined distance; determining the extent of movement of the first portion of the calibration member; and comparing the predetermined distance and the extent of movement so as to determine the calibration factor.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2009Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Matthew Dondiego, Lloyd A. Williams, Joannes N. M. deJong
-
Patent number: 8033542Abstract: An equipment (43) for storing in an orderly way banknotes (52) and/or papers and the like, for instance banknotes (52) for an automatic machine (39), provided for the formation of a stack (53). The equipment (43) comprises two spiral elements (81; 82) defining coils with respective axes (83; 84) directed in the sense of the stacking and terminal sections (86) adjacent to a stacking surface (77) at an end of the stack. The spiral elements (81; 82) are rotatable around the axes (83; 84) and are arranged for laterally receiving between the coils a leading portion of the entering banknote (52), moving the banknote (52), through the coils and in consequence of the rotation, on the stacking surface (77), and disengaging the banknote from the coils adjacent to the terminal section (86).Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2007Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: CTS Cashpro S.p.A.Inventors: Dario Bisone, Mauro Martinotti, Mirko Billet, Paolo Donnis
-
Patent number: 8033545Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve the process sequence in a printing machine. Another object of the present invention is to increase the operational life of the printing machine. A method has been provided for transporting printing material (9) through a printing machine in which, in case of an occurrence of paper jam in the transport path (2), a flap (5) in the transport path (2) is actuated and a sheet of printing material (9) is transported along the flap (5) out of the transport path (2). Furthermore, a transport arrangement (1) for transporting printing material (9) along a transport path (2) in a printing machine is provided, comprising at least one transport path flap (5) actuated by a control arrangement (20) for opening and closing, and comprising an associated container (8) for receiving waste printing material when said flap (5) is open.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2005Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Matthias Prinz
-
Patent number: 8028989Abstract: A bottom surface of a stacking and accommodating portion is structured such as to be sloped to be lower in accordance with moving away from a paper carry-in side, and a push plate is controlled so as to be moved in a direction moving close to a carry-in port of the paper by detecting a stack paper width determined on the basis of a product of a stacked number count information of the papers and a thickness information per one paper, and the papers are accommodated.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, CorporationInventors: Naofumi Kitagawa, Shinji Shibata, Minoru Kadowaki
-
Patent number: 8028986Abstract: A printer having a switch gear, first driven gear and second driven gear. The switch gear has a spur gear and is slidable along a direction that is parallel to a rotation axis of the spur gear. The first driven gear has a first spur gear and a cylinder fixed to the first spur gear. The cylinder is concentric with respect to the first spur gear and extends along the above direction. A hole is formed on the second driven gear. The hole is concentric with respect to a second spur gear and extends along the above direction. The second driven gear is rotatably mounted on the first driven gear by inserting the cylinder of the first driven gear into the hole of the second driven gear. The switch gear slides between a first position for engagement with the first driven gear and a second position for engagement with the second driven gear along the above direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2006Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuji Koga, Daisuke Kozaki
-
Patent number: 8028991Abstract: A supporting unit is mounted on a body of an image forming apparatus in a swingable manner around a swing fulcrum. A through shaft serves as the swing fulcrum, which is inserted into the supporting unit through the swing fulcrum so that both ends of the through shaft are supported by supporting members. The through shaft includes at least one of an operation member that is slidable on the through shaft in an axial direction and a biasing unit that biases a sliding force in one direction of the axial direction. When the supporting unit is opened with respect to the body, at least a part of a conveying path on which the recording medium is conveyed is exposed.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Ryosuke Hirokawa, Hiroyuki Watase
-
Patent number: 8028985Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a composite feeding mechanism configured to process one or more jobs using a stack of feeder trays. The composite feeding mechanism can include the stack of feeder trays, a base unit, and a feeder unit. The feeder trays can hold substrate media to satisfy jobs and the base unit can support the stack of feeder trays. The feeder unit can remove the substrate media from a feeder tray located at the top of the stack to satisfy a job requirement.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Richard Campbell
-
Patent number: 8028988Abstract: A method includes receiving a sheet of material at a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a sensor configured to measure a property of the sheet. The method also includes stabilizing the sheet with respect to the sensor using a guide roller. Stabilizing the sheet includes using the guide roller to remove at least a portion of a first boundary layer of air moving towards the guide roller and to reform at least a portion of a second boundary layer of air moving away from the guide roller. For example, the guide roller could include a plurality of grooves or openings in a surface of the guide roller, or the guide roller could include a plurality of rings spaced apart from one another. Air could move from one side of the guide roller to another side of the guide roller through the grooves, through the openings, or between the rings.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: John F. Shakespeare, Tarja T. Shakespeare
-
Patent number: 8025285Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet take out apparatus includes a supply table on which sheets are stacked; a detecting portion configured to detect a state of a top surface of the stacked sheets; a cylindrical take out rotor which is rotatably provided so as to face an end portion on a take out side of a top sheet and partially includes a suction hole to attract the sheet, the take out rotor taking out the sheets one by one by attracting the end portion on the take out side of the sheet with rotation; a suction portion which is provided inside the take out rotor and includes an air hole to attract the sheet through the suction hole, the suction portion provided so as to allow the air hole to rotationally move between a first opening position and a second opening position, the first opening position having a first distance away from the end portion on the take out side of the sheet, the second opening position having a second distance, which is longer than the first distance, away from the end portion on theType: GrantFiled: February 26, 2010Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Naruaki Hiramitsu, Yoshihiko Naruoka
-
Patent number: 8025286Abstract: An improved document feeder flag assembly is disclosed. The improved document feeder flag assembly allows single handed, on the fly loading of a document sorter. A method for loading a document sorting machine with a single hand, while the method of operating the machine is also disclosed. The document feeder flag assembly includes a baseplate and a pivot post attached to the baseplate. Further, the assembly includes a flag arm having a first side and a second side, the first side of the flag arm is attached to the pivot post. There is also a feeder flag having a first side and a second side, the first side of the feeder flag being attached to a second side of the flag arm. The document feeder flag assembly also includes a resistance device attached between the feeder flag and the flag arm.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2009Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Burroughs Payment Systems, Inc.Inventor: David B. Tratar