Patents by Inventor Toshitaka Iwago

Toshitaka Iwago 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).

  • Patent number: 9067748
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating-transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ohama, Yoshinori Osakabe, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 9064169
    Abstract: An information management apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform processes including acquiring stroke data, the stroke data being data representing a trajectory and being data that includes information indicating positions on the trajectory, identifying, based on first stroke data, a first character string that is a character string formed by a first trajectory, identifying, based on second stroke data, a second character string that is a character string formed by a second trajectory, generating an image file that is a data file representing a third trajectory based on third stroke data, storing the image file in storing portion as a file including at least the first character string in a file name, and storing the image file in the storing portion in association with data representing the second character string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Suzuki, Toshitaka Iwago, Takehiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20140119658
    Abstract: An information management apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform processes including acquiring stroke data, the stroke data being data representing a trajectory and being data that includes information indicating positions on the trajectory, identifying, based on first stroke data, a first character string that is a character string formed by a first trajectory, identifying, based on second stroke data, a second character string that is a character string formed by a second trajectory, generating an image file that is a data file representing a third trajectory based on third stroke data, storing the image file in storing portion as a file including at least the first character string in a file name, and storing the image file in the storing portion in association with data representing the second character string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichiro Suzuki, Toshitaka Iwago, Takehiko Inaba
  • Publication number: 20140070477
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating-transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi OHAMA, Yoshinori OSAKABE, Toshitaka IWAGO
  • Patent number: 8585035
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating-transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Ohama, Yoshinori Osakabe, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 8540238
    Abstract: An automatic sheet transporting apparatus includes a transporting unit with a discharge roller, the transporting unit discharge a sheet onto a discharge tray configured that support discharged sheets in a stack. A discharge guide, positioned on an upstream side of the discharge tray in a sheet discharging direction, guides a subsequent sheet transported by the transporting unit to a position between the discharge tray and a bottom surface of a previously discharged sheet in the stack. The discharge tray includes at least one rotating member that rotates when the discharge guide guides the subsequent sheet between the discharge tray and the bottom surface of the previously discharged sheet in the stack. The frictional resistance applied to the subsequent sheet is reduced to increase the number of sheets that can be stacked in the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Takaaki Mukai, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 8098411
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image reading apparatus which comprises a document feeder, a reading unit, and a guide device. The document feeder includes a feeder roller and feeds a document sheet with an image thereon, along an outer circumferential surface of the feeder roller. The reading unit has a reading surface opposed to the outer circumferential surface of the feeder roller, and reads, at a reading position, the image on the document sheet being fed. The guide device has a guide surface, and is disposed to be opposed to the reading surface of the reading unit, so as to guide the document sheet along the guide surface to the reading position. The outer circumferential surface of the feeder roller, and at least an opposed portion of the guide surface at which the guide surface is opposed to the reading surface, have a substantially same color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Takashi Ohama, Satoru Nakakita
  • Patent number: 7896343
    Abstract: Feeding systems for documents or other sheet materials include: (a) an inlet; (b) an outlet; (c) a feed path extending between the inlet and outlet; and (d) a feed system that moves materials along the feed path. The systems further may include: (e) a bidirectional feed path extending from the feed path; (f) a supply system that moves materials to the feed path; (g) a bidirectional drive system that moves materials along the bidirectional feed path; and/or (h) a bidirectional feed path access control system. Drive systems may be provided for driving the feed system and at least one of the supply system, the bidirectional drive system, and/or the access control system such that operation of the feed system is independent of operation of the other systems and/or such that a single motor may be used to drive any or all of the systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Ryoichi Matsushima, Yoichi Horaguchi
  • Patent number: 7885596
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a document feed unit that feeds a document along a document feed path extending from a document loading section to a document output section via a scanning position. The document feed unit includes a first feed roller pair nipping and feeding a document opposed to the scanning position at a position downstream in a feed direction from the scanning position, and a second feed roller pair nipping and feeding the document fed by the first feed roller pair at a document feed speed higher than that of the first feed roller pair at a position downstream in the feed direction from the first feed roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Ryoichi Matsushima, Yoichi Horaguchi
  • Patent number: 7843614
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first unit configured to form an image, in a recording part, on a first surface of a recording medium being fed from a storing member for storing the recording medium, reverse the recording medium and feed it again to the recording part, form an image on a second surface of the recording medium, and eject the recording medium through an outlet; and a second unit disposed above the first unit. The second unit includes a first reading part, the first reading part being movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the recording medium. The first unit and the second unit form a first space therebetween, and a length from a front end of the first unit to the outlet is greater than or equal to a length of a maximum sized recording medium capable of being stored in the storing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 7793928
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Ohama, Yoshinori Osakabe, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 7740242
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a conveying path extended from a document supplying position to a reading position, a first conveying roller pair provided upstream from the reading position and nipping and conveying the document, a second conveying roller pair provided downstream from the reading position and nipping and conveying the document faster than the first conveying roller pair, a post-reading conveying path extended downstream from a nipping position of the second conveying roller pair, the post-reading conveying path being located above a plane tangent to the second conveying roller pair at the nipping position running in a reverse sheet feed direction, and a third conveying roller pair provided on the post-reading conveying path and nipping and conveying the document conveyed from the second conveying roller pair at a conveying force equivalent to that of the second conveying roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuro Kusama, Toshitaka Iwago, Yoichi Horaguchi, Ryoichi Matsushima
  • Patent number: 7694963
    Abstract: In a document feeder, a driving control unit feeds a document by a switch-back feeding unit, guides again the document from a document feed path to a bidirectional feed path, and then discharges the document from the document feed path to a document discharging section, when the feeding of the document is in a double-sided scanning feeding mode and in a status during first side feeding. The driving control unit feeds the document by the switch-back feeding unit and then discharges the document from the document feed path, when the feeding of the document is in the double-sided scanning feeding mode and in the status during second side feeding. The driving control unit discharges the document from the document feed path without feeding the document in the switch-back manner, when the feeding of the document is in the double-sided scanning feeding mode and after the second side feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Ryoichi Matsushima, Yoichi Horaguchi, Nobuhiko Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100078881
    Abstract: An automatic sheet transporting apparatus includes a transporting unit with a discharge roller, the transporting unit discharge a sheet onto a discharge tray configured that support discharged sheets in a stack. A discharge guide, positioned on an upstream side of the discharge tray in a sheet discharging direction, guides a subsequent sheet transported by the transporting unit to a position between the discharge tray and a bottom surface of a previously discharged sheet in the stack. The discharge tray includes at least one rotating member that rotates when the discharge guide guides the subsequent sheet between the discharge tray and the bottom surface of the previously discharged sheet in the stack. The frictional resistance applied to the subsequent sheet is reduced to increase the number of sheets that can be stacked in the discharge tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Takaaki MUKAI, Toshitaka IWAGO
  • Patent number: 7688482
    Abstract: A document feeding apparatus in a cover body supported by a document reading table whose upper surface is at least partially constituted by a platen glass. The cover body is openable and closable relative to the table and covers the glass when closed. The apparatus feeds a document sheet along a feed path from at a document setting portion and to a document ejecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 7611145
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder, which is capable of feeding a document for double-sided reading, includes a document feed path connecting an input tray and an output tray, a bidirectional feed path connected to a connection position of the document feed path, a bypass diverged from a branch position of the document feed path and connected to the connection position, a guide flap that changes a position thereof between a first guide position and a second guide position, and a guide flap that changes a position thereof between a third guide position and a fourth guide position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Yoichi Horaguchi, Ryoichi Matsushima
  • Patent number: 7604228
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway with an upper feeding tray and a lower discharging tray, a separating-transporting device including a first rotation driving member and a first contacting member, a reverse transporting device including a second rotation driving member and a second contacting member and a pathway cover, which includes at least the second contacting member among the first and second contacting members, and capable of rotating about a rotational shaft closer to the discharging tray than the feeding tray. When the pathway cover is opened, at least the second contacting member of the first and second contacting members is separated from the second rotation member and at least a part of the document transporting pathway is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Ohama, Yoshinori Osakabe, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Publication number: 20090189328
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating-transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ohama, Yoshinori Osakabe, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 7472903
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a roller configured to feed a plurality of sheets one by one in a sheet feeding direction to a feed path, and a motor configured to drive the roller. The sheet feeder also includes a drive transmission mechanism configured to transmit a driving force from the motor to the roller, and the drive transmission includes a clutch configured to enable the roller to rotate within a predetermined range of rotation in the sheet feeding direction during an idle condition. Moreover, the sheet feeder includes a return mechanism configured to enable the roller to rotate within the predetermined range of rotation in a direction that is opposite to the sheet feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Nakakita, Takashi Ohama, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 7392009
    Abstract: A feeding device to be incorporated in an image reading apparatus, including: (a) a feed-path definer defining a feed path along which an original is fed from a supply portion to an exit portion via a reading position, such that the fed original is brought into contact with an original supporting surface of an image reader in the reading position, whereby the image is read by the image reader; (b) a presser biased toward the original supporting surface and having a contact surface which is to be held in contact with the original or the original supporting surface; (c) a downstream-side feeder disposed on a downstream side of the presser and distant from a plane containing the original supporting surface, so that the original takes an inclined posture while bridging between the presser and the downstream-side feeder; and (d) a presser-displacement preventer disposed between the presser and the downstream-side feeder, for preventing displacement of the presser in a direction away from the original supporting su
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshitaka Iwago