Patents by Inventor Shigeru Wakimoto
Shigeru Wakimoto 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).
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Patent number: 11529821Abstract: Provided is a book block feed device capable of feeding a book block always in an aligned state to a bookbinding machine. The book block feed device comprises an alignment unit and a press unit that are adjacently arranged in order along a conveying path of the book block from an inlet to an outlet of the conveying path. The alignment unit comprises a vibrator that vibrates the book block. The press unit includes a press surface that forms a part of a conveying surface of the conveying path, and a press plate that sandwiches and presses the book block between the press plate and the press surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2020Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Horizon International, Inc.Inventors: Kanta Kambara, Shigenobu Fukuda, Kohei Okamoto, Hiroto Otani, Takehito Yokogi, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Patent number: 11338605Abstract: A paper sheet S is intermittently transported by a transport mechanism 6 and each processing unit 7, 8 operates while the transport mechanism pauses the transport operation. An information acquisition unit 9 obtains paper information from the paper sheet. A control unit 10 stores the paper information of the paper sheet to be processed for each processing unit, updates the data of the memory in a manner such that the paper information of the paper sheet associated with the previous processing unit is associated with the next processing unit every time the transport mechanism transports, and configures the settings of each processing unit for the next processing operation based on the paper information every time the processing operation of the processing unit is completed.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Shigeru Wakimoto, Kohei Okamoto, Hiroto Otani
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Patent number: 11298910Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a sheet folding unit disposed to fold a sheet and a conveyance unit disposed to feed the sheet to the sheet folding unit in a feed direction orthogonal to a fold direction of the sheet folding unit while correcting a skew of the sheet. The conveyance unit includes an elongated reference guide, a conveyance mechanism disposed to convey the sheet in the feed direction while exerting a force on the sheet toward the reference guide, an adjustment mechanism disposed to adjust an inclination of the reference guide with respect to the feed direction. The apparatus further includes an input unit through which a user inputs a folding misalignment amount of the sheet folded by the sheet folding unit. The inclination of the reference guide is corrected by the adjustment mechanism based on at least the folding misalignment amount inputted through the input unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2017Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: HORIZON INTERNATONAL INC.Inventors: Hideaki Tabuchi, Hiroki Yamamoto, Shigeru Wakimoto, Yoshikazu Nakamura
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Patent number: 11267275Abstract: Provided is a book block aligning device that forms one processing line with paper processing devices on an upstream side and a downstream side, and is capable of stably performing alignment processing of a book block at a high speed. Provided is the book block aligning device comprising an air blowing control mechanism that controls start/stop of blowing of air from an air outlet, and an air volume of air, in accordance with timing when a book block passes through the air outlet opened in a conveying surface provided in a conveying path, and a vibration mechanism that vibrates a first conveying surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Horizon International, Inc.Inventors: Kohei Okamoto, Shigenobu Fukuda, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Patent number: 11180339Abstract: A conveying unit 2including conveyor belts 7, a stopper 3positioning a sheet S at a folding position P on a conveying path 2, a knife-type folding unit 4, an anti-bounce roller unit 16having rollers 25a, 25b, and a motor 22 are provided. The rollers can be moved back and forth. A roller rotational speed monitoring unit 31 and a roller position setting unit 32 operatively connected to the motor are further provided. In setting mode, the rollers are moved from an upstream or a downstream of a tail end of the sheet positioned at the folding position P toward the tail end at a constant speed and stopped when the rotational speed of the rollers changes.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Yoshikazu Nakamura, Shigeru Wakimoto, Hideaki Tabuchi
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Patent number: 11097567Abstract: A paper stack S supplied between clamping plates 1a, 1b of a carriage clamp 1 is pushed toward a positioning bar 2b by an alignment bar 5. A nip head 7 of a paper stack supplying unit 3 has first and second nip plates 9, 10, and a nip plate drive mechanism 11 moving each nip plate from a protruding position at which the nip plate protrudes from the nip head and a retracted position at which the nip plate retracts into the nip head, and translating the second nip plate taking the protruding position relative to the first nip plate taking the protruding position between a first position at which the first and second nip plates receive the paper stack therebetween and a second position at which the second nip plate cooperates with the first nip plate to grip the paper stack.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Kanta Kambara, Shigenobu Fukuda, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Patent number: 11091346Abstract: A sheet supplying unit 1 supplies sheets S one by one. A knife-type folding unit 5 folds the sheet. A first sensor 28 detects the sheet entering the folding position. A second sensor 30a, 30b detects the sheet passing through the opening. A timer 31 measures a time interval from end of sheet detection by the second sensor to start of sheet detection by the first sensor. A sheet feed interval change unit 33 calculates a reduction amount of the sheet feed interval using the measured values of the timer and changes the sheet feed interval based on the reduction amount each time a predetermined number of the sheets are folded.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Yoshikazu Nakamura, Shigeru Wakimoto, Hideaki Tabuchi
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Publication number: 20210138821Abstract: Provided is a book block aligning device that forms one processing line with paper processing devices on an upstream side and a downstream side, and is capable of stably performing alignment processing of a book block at a high speed. Provided is the book block aligning device comprising an air blowing control mechanism that controls start/stop of blowing of air from an air outlet, and an air volume of air, in accordance with timing when a book block passes through the air outlet opened in a conveying surface provided in a conveying path, and a vibration mechanism that vibrates a first conveying surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2020Publication date: May 13, 2021Applicant: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Kohei OKAMOTO, Shigenobu FUKUDA, Shigeru WAKIMOTO
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Publication number: 20210138822Abstract: Provided is a book block feed device capable of feeding a book block always in an aligned state to a bookbinding machine. The book block feed device comprises an alignment unit and a press unit that are adjacently arranged in order along a conveying path of the book block from an inlet to an outlet of the conveying path. The alignment unit comprises a vibrator that vibrates the book block. The press unit includes a press surface that forms a part of a conveying surface of the conveying path, and a press plate that sandwiches and presses the book block between the press plate and the press surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2020Publication date: May 13, 2021Applicant: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Kanta KAMBARA, Shigenobu FUKUDA, Kohei OKAMOTO, Hiroto OTANI, Takehito YOKOGI, Shigeru WAKIMOTO
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Publication number: 20210039415Abstract: A paper sheet S is intermittently transported by a transport mechanism 6 and each processing unit 7, 8 operates while the transport mechanism pauses the transport operation. An information acquisition unit 9 obtains paper information from the paper sheet. A control unit 10 stores the paper information of the paper sheet to be processed for each processing unit, updates the data of the memory in a manner such that the paper information of the paper sheet associated with the previous processing unit is associated with the next processing unit every time the transport mechanism transports, and configures the settings of each processing unit for the next processing operation based on the paper information every time the processing operation of the processing unit is completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Shigeru Wakimoto, Kohei Okamoto, Hiroto Otani
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Publication number: 20210039416Abstract: A paper stack S supplied between clamping plates 1a, 1b of a carriage clamp 1 is pushed toward a positioning bar 2b by an alignment bar 5. A nip head 7 of a paper stack supplying unit 3 has first and second nip plates 9, 10, and a nip plate drive mechanism 11 moving each nip plate from a protruding position at which the nip plate protrudes from the nip head and a retracted position at which the nip plate retracts into the nip head, and translating the second nip plate taking the protruding position relative to the first nip plate taking the protruding position between a first position at which the first and second nip plates receive the paper stack therebetween and a second position at which the second nip plate cooperates with the first nip plate to grip the paper stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Kanta Kambara, Shigenobu Fukuda, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Publication number: 20200346887Abstract: A paper folding machine comprising folding mechanisms (11, 15, 24) arranged at folding positions (A-C) on a transport path (1), respectively, guides (8, 19, 20, 28, 29) positioning a paper sheet (F) relative to the folding positions by engagement with at least one side edge of the paper sheet, stoppers (12, 15, 25) stopping and positioning the paper sheet at the folding positions by bringing a leading edge of the paper sheet into contact with the stoppers, a fold misalignment detection unit (50) detecting a fold misalignment amount of the paper sheet for each folding position, and a controller (42) controlling positions of the guides and stoppers. The controller calculates, for each folding position, an average fold misalignment amount, and adjusts the position of the guide and/or stopper associated with the corresponding folding position so as to correct fold misalignment corresponding to the average fold misalignment amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2017Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Shinya Watanabe, Yoshikazu Nakamura, Shigeru Wakimoto, Hideaki Tabuchi
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Publication number: 20200130981Abstract: A conveying unit 2including conveyor belts 7, a stopper 3positioning a sheet S at a folding position P on a conveying path 2, a knife-type folding unit 4, an anti-bounce roller unit 16having rollers 25a, 25b, and a motor 22 are provided. The rollers can be moved back and forth. A roller rotational speed monitoring unit 31 and a roller position setting unit 32 operatively connected to the motor are further provided. In setting mode, the rollers are moved from an upstream or a downstream of a tail end of the sheet positioned at the folding position P toward the tail end at a constant speed and stopped when the rotational speed of the rollers changes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Hiroki YAMAMOTO, Yoshikazu NAKAMURA, Shigeru WAKIMOTO, Hideaki TABUCHI
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Publication number: 20200122955Abstract: A sheet supplying unit 1 supplies sheets S one by one. A knife-type folding unit 5 folds the sheet. A first sensor 28 detects the sheet entering the folding position. A second sensor 30a, 30b detects the sheet passing through the opening. A timer 31 measures a time interval from end of sheet detection by the second sensor to start of sheet detection by the first sensor. A sheet feed interval change unit 33 calculates a reduction amount of the sheet feed interval using the measured values of the timer and changes the sheet feed interval based on the reduction amount each time a predetermined number of the sheets are folded.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Hiroki YAMAMOTO, Yoshikazu NAKAMURA, Shigeru WAKIMOTO, Hideaki TABUCHI
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Publication number: 20200039171Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a sheet folding unit disposed to fold a sheet and a conveyance unit disposed to feed the sheet to the sheet folding unit in a feed direction orthogonal to a fold direction of the sheet folding unit while correcting a skew of the sheet. The conveyance unit includes an elongated reference guide, a conveyance mechanism disposed to convey the sheet in the feed direction while exerting a force on the sheet toward the reference guide, an adjustment mechanism disposed to adjust an inclination of the reference guide with respect to the feed direction. The apparatus further includes an input unit through which a user inputs a folding misalignment amount of the sheet folded by the sheet folding unit. The inclination of the reference guide is corrected by the adjustment mechanism based on at least the folding misalignment amount inputted through the input unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2017Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Hideaki TABUCHI, Hiroki YAMAMOTO, Shigeru WAKIMOTO, Yoshikazu NAKAMURA
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Patent number: 8950994Abstract: A measurement unit (6) is provided with a fixed body (19) which is fixed on a base (17) and has a reference surface (19a). A movable body (21) slides in the base along a guide rail, and a measurement body (22) having a measuring surface (22b) slides in the movable body along the guide rail. The measurement body is always pressed against a first side wall (21a) of the movable body by a coil spring (24). A first sensor (27) to detect the time when a book body is located on the front side of the reference surface, and a second sensor (28) to detect the time when the measurement body is separated from the first side wall of the movable body by a predetermined distance, are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2011Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Shigeyoshi Tago, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Publication number: 20130294868Abstract: A measurement unit (6) is provided with a fixed body (19) which is fixed on a base (17) and has a reference surface (19a). A movable body (21) slides in the base along a guide rail, and a measurement body (22) having a measuring surface (22b) slides in the movable body along the guide rail. The measurement body is always pressed against a first side wall (21a) of the movable body by a coil spring (24). A first sensor (27) to detect the time when a book body is located on the front side of the reference surface, and a second sensor (28) to detect the time when the measurement body is separated from the first side wall of the movable body by a predetermined distance, are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2011Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Shigeyoshi Tago, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Publication number: 20120308334Abstract: A cover S is fed between pairs of first and second feed rollers 2, 3; 4, 5 which synchronously rotate in the same direction, each of first and second creasing units 13, 14 composed of a fixed die 15 and a movable die 16 is disposed between the pairs of first and second feed rollers, the fixed and movable dies are opposite to each other and with a feed path F of the cover therebetween, a sensor 29 is disposed between the pair of first feed rollers 2, 3 and the first creasing unit 13 for detecting a front end of the cover, rotation number of the pairs of first and second feed rollers is controlled, the pairs of first and second feed rollers are stopped, the creasing unit is operated, and the movable die is pressed on the fixed die every time the cover is fed by a predetermined length from the sensor so that at least one crease is formed on the cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2010Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicant: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Akira Nonoshita, Shinichi Takai, Nobuyuki Kojima, Shigeru Wakimoto, Takehito Yokogi
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Patent number: 8052135Abstract: While a book block (P) is nipped between a pair of clamping plates (1a, 1b) and passes through processing units (B to D) in succession, perfect book bind processing is carried out. Two or more of the processing units (B to D) have pairs of members (2b, 2c; 3c, 3d; 4a, 4b) which engage or come into contact with both sides of a back surface of the book block A thickness of the book block is measured by a measuring unit (6) before the book binding processing is started. When a thickness of next book block is measured by a measuring unit during the book bind processing of a previous book block, a control section (7) stores a measured value of the thickness of the next book block in a memory (8). When the previous book block reaches a predetermined position on a conveying path, a gap between the pair of members of the processing unit located upstream of a position of the previous book block is adjusted based on the measured value stored in the memory.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2009Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Eiji Katayama, Shinichi Takai, Masaru Kano, Shigeru Wakimoto
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Publication number: 20090297297Abstract: While a book block (P) is nipped between a pair of clamping plates (1a, 1b) and passes through processing Units (B to D) in succession, perfect book bind processing is carried out. Two or more of the processing units (B to D) have pairs of members (2b, 2c; 3c, 3d; 4a, 4b) which engage or come into contact with both sides of a back surface of the book block A thickness of the book block is measured by a measuring unit (6) before the book binding processing is started. When a thickness of next book block is measured by a measuring unit during the book bind processing of a previous book block, a control section (7) stores a measured value of the thickness of the next book block in a memory (8). When the previous book block reaches a predetermined position on a conveying path, a gap between the pair of members of the processing unit located upstream of a position of the previous book block is adjusted based on the measured value stored in the memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: Horizon International Inc.Inventors: Eiji Katayama, Shinichi Takai, Masaru Kano, Shigeru Wakimoto