Patents by Inventor Naomi Kuroda

Naomi Kuroda has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7984902
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a loading portion configured to be loaded with a sheet, a lifting mechanism that lifts the loading portion in an operating state and stops the loading portion in an stopped state, a cam configured to be rotated alternately to a first rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the operating state and to a second rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the stopped state, a detecting unit having a contact portion movable up and down while contacting the sheet on the loading portion, which detects whether the sheet reaches a first height based upon the movement of the contact portion thereof, and a control unit configured to rotate the cam before the detecting unit detects that the sheet reaches the first height and to stop the cam in the second rotational position in response to the detection by the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naomi Kuroda
  • Sheet Feeding Device and Image Forming Apparatus
    Publication number: 20090008868
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a loading portion configured to be loaded with a sheet, a lifting mechanism that lifts the loading portion in an operating state and stops the loading portion in an stopped state, a cam configured to be rotated alternately to a first rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the operating state and to a second rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the stopped state, a detecting unit having a contact portion movable up and down while contacting the sheet on the loading portion, which detects whether the sheet reaches a first height based upon the movement of the contact portion thereof, and a control unit configured to rotate the cam before the detecting unit detects that the sheet reaches the first height and to stop the cam in the second rotational position in response to the detection by the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naomi KURODA