Patents Issued in January 4, 2007
  • Publication number: 20070001351
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing burrs from inside slotted metal liners exposes the burrs to a high-intensity gas flame that effectively oxidizes or incinerates the burrs, without inducing undesirable temperature levels in the parent metal of the slotted liner. This is accomplished using a torch head assembly having multiple gas torch nozzles disposed radially around the circumferential perimeter of the torch head, such that when the torch head is passed through the interior of a slotted liner, the flames are directed toward the interior surface of the liner. Auxiliary oxygen is introduced at the nozzle outlets, resulting in a large increase in flame velocity and intensity and, in turn, an increase in the flame temperature. The auxiliary oxygen may be introduced through annular passages surrounding the nozzles, such that the auxiliary oxygen effectively forms a cylindrical curtain surrounding the flame at each nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Mike Claerhout
  • Publication number: 20070001352
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing characteristics of a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient testing of metal temperature and composition of molten metal during the melt cycle of the metal. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace probe is reciprocated through a furnace probe plug aperture, the furnace probe is retracted from the furnace probe plug aperture, a furnace probe is inserted through the furnace probe plug aperture, the furnace probe is retracted from the aperture, and the furnace probe aperture plug is inserted into the furnace probe plug aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Valery Shver
  • Publication number: 20070001353
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the molten metal melt in a furnace. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture plug is reciprocated through a furnace aperture, the furnace aperture plug is retracted from the furnace aperture, access is provided to the molten metal melt in the furnace, and the furnace aperture plug is reinserted into the furnace aperture when the access is concluded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Process Technology International
    Inventor: Valery Shver
  • Publication number: 20070001354
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for vibration isolation. The invention may be conceptualized as a vibration isolation mount. The vibration isolation mount mounts a first member to a second member for reducing the transmission of vibrations from the first member to the second member. The vibration isolation mount comprises a first mounting means for mounting to the first member, and a second mounting means for mounting to the second member. A spring means is arranged between the first and second mounting means, wherein said spring means is coupled to the first mounting means and provides a spring force between said first and second mounting means. The invention may also be conceptualized as a vibration isolation method. The method controls vibrations transmitted from a first member to a second member when the second member is mounted on the first member using a spring arrangement. The spring arrangement provides a delay in transmission of an impulse between the first and second members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Ian Stothers, Ivan Scon
  • Publication number: 20070001355
    Abstract: A fluid filled vibration-damping device includes an elastic body disposed between a first mounting member and a second mounting member and partially defines a fluid chamber having a non-compressible fluid sealed therein, and exhibits vibration damping action on the basis of flow action of the non-compressible fluid created within the fluid chamber during vibration input. At least one mounting member from among the first and second mounting members is formed independently of the elastic body and is disposed in abutment with the elastic body in an initial load acting direction, while making the mounting member displaceable away from the rubber elastic body in a opposite direction from the initial load acting direction. A rebound stop mechanism for limiting displacement of the mounting member away from the rubber elastic body in a cushion-wise fashion is disposed between the first and second mounting members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Tokai Rubber Industries, LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Maeno, Atsushi Muramatsu, Nobuhiro Yasumuro, Naoki Kaneda, Shigeki Okai
  • Publication number: 20070001356
    Abstract: A spring system for relatively displacing elements attached to end mounts of the rod assembly comprises a housing having a rod member movable between extended and retracted positions relative thereto, and a first spring in the housing surrounded by a second spring for biasing the rod member to one of an extended or retracted position relative to the housing. The two springs exert a non-linear load versus deflection curve as the rod member moves between an extended position and a retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jack Adoline, Bruce Fondren
  • Publication number: 20070001357
    Abstract: A damper (2) includes: a fixing member (12); a rotator (11) which is rotatably supported by the fixing member (12) and forms a gap (13) with the fixing member (12); a silicone-based unvulcanized rubber (15) disposed in the gap (13); and a one-way clutch means (16) which, in a lateral rotation (R1) of a rear seat (3) in a lowering direction, is adapted to transmit the lateral rotation (R1) in the lowering direction to the rotator (11) so as to cause the rotator 11 to undergo rotation about an axis X, and which, in the lateral rotation (R1) of the automobile rear seat (3) in a raising direction, is adapted to inhibit the transmission of the lateral rotation (R1) in the raising direction to the rotator (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Masamitsu Kojima, Yoshihiro Harada, Yoshiteru Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20070001358
    Abstract: A suspension top mount is provided with vibration isolating properties by using a rigid insert combined with a stiff elastomer and a soft elastomer to provide tunable combinations of stiffness and damping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership
    Inventors: Neil Cummings, Mickey Love
  • Publication number: 20070001359
    Abstract: A device for preparing food includes a stand having a plurality of legs for supporting at least one cutting board and lifting it off a work surface. The cutting board has a hole in it. A pan fits in or underneath the hole to catch juices, scraps or finished cut items cut on the cutting board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jayson Pearl, Michael Young, Paul Omdoll, Norm Faiola
  • Publication number: 20070001360
    Abstract: A plug portion (27) is projected from a reference member (2) so as to be inserted into a hole (5) opened in a movable member (3). A fitting surface (16) allowed to fit to an inner peripheral surface of the hole (5) is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the plug portion (27). In the fitting surface (16) are opened desirably a plurality of fluid flow holes (38), and when the fitting surface (16) comes into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hole (5), the fluid flow holes (38) are closed by the inner peripheral surface of the hole (5). Pressurized fluid supplied to a fluid port (39) is jetted from the fluid flow holes (38).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Yosuke Haruna
  • Publication number: 20070001361
    Abstract: A sheet transfer direction changing apparatus having a plurality of discharge sections, a direction changing device, discharge sheet transfer device and transfer device wherein a sheet transferred from an image forming apparatus is changed by its direction, obverse side and reverse side, and transfer direction according to a process command from the image forming apparatus and transferred to the discharged section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Hideki Nakamura, Eiji Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20070001362
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus conveys a posture corrected sheet bundle to a correct position, and includes a discharge path for conveying out a sheet, a tray device for stacking sheets conveyed from the discharge path in a bundle shape, and a gripping conveyance device for conveying the sheet bundle on the tray device to a predetermined finishing position. A finishing device finishes the sheet bundle gripped by the gripping device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Tsukui, Kouichi Kitta
  • Publication number: 20070001363
    Abstract: An infeed station for conveying and positioning a stack of carton blanks for sequential removal by a carton feeder, for automatically adjusting the rate of advancement of the carton blanks to compensate for excessive tilting and gaps between the carton blanks, and for providing alerts to signal the need for operator intervention or automatic shutdown. The infeed station includes a hopper and a magazine that receives carton blanks from the hopper. The magazine includes a sensing mechanism including a control sensor and a warning sensor mounted in proximity to the carton blanks in the infeed station, and a processor that, according to a condition signaled by the sensing mechanism, controls the rate at which advancing belts advance a queue of carton blanks toward the magazine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Flagg, John Cash, Rafe Patterson
  • Publication number: 20070001364
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an input tray, a paper picking device, and a paper separation device. The input tray is for placing a plurality of papers. The paper picking device is for performing a paper picking operation on the papers. The paper separation device, including a paper separation surface contacting with the papers placed on the paper tray, is for applying a paper separation force on each of the papers as fed in. When the paper picking device performs the paper picking operation on each of the papers, the paper separation forces applied on the papers are decreased as their paper separation paths are increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: BENQ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hai-Tao Ma, Ming-Jie Zhao
  • Publication number: 20070001365
    Abstract: Sheets (12, 14) of a print medium kept in a stack (10) are individually fed into an office machine. The edge of the uppermost sheet (12) is raised off the corresponding edge of the following second sheet (14). At least one band (32) is then inserted into the gap formed in this way, which separates the uppermost sheet (12) from the following sheet (14), reducing thereby the friction between the uppermost sheet (12) and the following sheet (14) when the uppermost sheet (12) is pulled off, and minimizing thereby any electrostatic charge of the sheets (12, 14) caused by such friction. The band (32) can be retracted into a band housing (36).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Helmut Steinhilber, Karl-Heinz Niggemann
  • Publication number: 20070001366
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention intends to reduce a difference of usage frequency among a plurality of sheet feeding section and comprises: a plurality of sheet feeding section capable of feeding different types of sheets; a printer main body for forming an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding section; an accumulation counter for counting the accumulation quantity of fed sheets of each of the plural sheet feeding section; and a controller for determining bias of usage frequency of each sheet feeding section based on a counting result of the accumulation counter and changing the allocation of the sheets of each sheet feeding section to reduce the bias of the usage frequency of each sheet feeding section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Yano
  • Publication number: 20070001367
    Abstract: A cash transaction machine includes a storage for storing paper media, a first transfer element transferring the paper media sheet by sheet from the storage, a temporary stack part located at an end portion of the first transfer element in order to stack the transferred paper media and vertically transfer a stack of the paper media, a second transfer element including an upper transfer part and a lower transfer part for transferring the stack of paper media, a rejecting element including a moving cover sliding right and left in an entry space provided at the lower transfer part, and a withdrawal extension part formed corresponding to the end portion structures of the second transfer element and the rejecting element and installed at the end portion to provide an extension path connected to the transfer path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Won Lee, Dong Lee, Joong Han, Jin Hwang
  • Publication number: 20070001368
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a surface of a conveyed sheet; a guide that guides the sheet conveyed from the image forming unit; a correction roller located downstream of the guide in a conveyance direction of the sheet, the correction roller correcting a curl of the sheet conveyed; a plurality of rollers disposed opposite the correction roller along the periphery of the correction roller, the rollers nipping the sheet with respect to the correction roller; and a guide member having a wheel that guides the sheet being guided by the guide and conveyed toward the correction roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Junki Ueyama
  • Publication number: 20070001369
    Abstract: Methods for moving a media sheet through the media path of an image forming device. In one embodiment, the media sheet may be moved by a pick mechanism having a pick roll from an input tray. The pick roll in the input tray may maintain contact with the media sheet and drive the sheet at a first elevated speed as it moves towards the nip. The pick roll may then slow as it brings the leading edge into contact with the nip. This slower speed may reduce the amount of nip shock or compression that may cause reengagement of the pick mechanism and an unintentional double sheet feed. Moving the media sheet at the fast speed a majority of the distance along the media path between the input tray and nip may increase media throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Niko Murrell, Samuel Sipper, William Cook, Thomas Fleming
  • Publication number: 20070001370
    Abstract: In an image forming device, a paper feed cassette accommodating a plurality of papers is removably inserted in a cassette accommodating portion of a device main body. A locking member and a lock releasing member maintain a flapper at a prescribed pressed-down position. When the paper feed cassette is inserted into the cassette accommodating portion, after the flapper at the prescribed pressed-down position is unlocked, the flapper is temporarily caught at a position within a vertical swinging range of the flapper. After the paper feed cassette is completely inserted, the flapper is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Takashi Konishi
  • Publication number: 20070001371
    Abstract: A paper feeder employs a retard roll mounted on a shaft that is controlled by a magneto Theological variable clutch. Current is adjusted to the magneto rheological variable clutch to produce a variable drag torque (from near zero to fully locked) on the retard roll. The current is adjusted based on various inputs, some of which include media type, temperature, humidity, media size, and transport speed. Variable drag on the retard roll results in a reduction in induced skew of sheet passing through a nip formed between the retard roll and a separation roll, as well as, less and more consistent wear of the retard roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Nidhi Sharma, Petrus De Koning, Guillermo Aristizabal, Raymond Ruthenberg, Gary Faguy
  • Publication number: 20070001372
    Abstract: A sheet cassette including a sheet stacking case configured to contain sheets, the sheet stacking case having a securing mechanism for securing an air supply unit supplying air, and a duct for sending the air supplied from the air supply unit to end portions of the contained sheets, thereby allowing the air supply unit to be attached to blow the air only when necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura
  • Publication number: 20070001373
    Abstract: A media input system for an image forming apparatus is disclosed. The media input system includes an input tray for holding a stack of media sheets, a scissor picking assembly for picking individual media sheets from the stack, and a transport roller assembly for transporting the picked media sheets to a media path in the image forming apparatus. The scissor picking assembly includes a pair of guide rails pivotally linked to a roller support frame. The guide rails and the roller support frame are pivotally connected to a common gear shaft such that the guide rails and the support frame can pivot about the longitudinal axis of the common gear shaft in a scissor-like fashion. One end of the roller support frame is coupled to a pick roller shaft having at least one pick roller rigidly mounted thereon, while the other end is configured to pivotally mount to the housing of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Eng-Leong Soo
  • Publication number: 20070001374
    Abstract: A paper feeding device and an electronic apparatus having the same include a pickup roller moving upwardly and downwardly to selectively contact a document stacked on a document tray. A restrainer moves in directions for blocking a leading end of a document stacked on the document tray from the feeding roller when the pickup roller is lifted, and for unblocking the leading end of document from the feeding roller when the pickup roller is lowered. Accordingly, unintended contact between the document and the feeding roller is prevented when stacking the document, thereby preventing damage of the document during paper feeding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Seung-jae Lee
  • Publication number: 20070001375
    Abstract: A printer. The printer comprises a base having an incline surface for paper on which a depression is formed, a shaft disposed above the incline surface, an arm pivoted on the shaft, a pick-up roller disposed on the tip of the arm, and a free arm with one end pivoted on the arm and the other end free. When the paper on the incline surface runs out, the free arm is rotated and the free end enters and abuts the depression, whereby the arm is supported by the free arm to maintain an appropriate distance to the incline surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Ying-Qi Zhu
  • Publication number: 20070001376
    Abstract: A print medium feeding apparatus, comprising: a knockup plate on which a ream of print medium is stacked thereon; a pickup roller for picking up a sheet of print medium stacked on the knockup plate; a sheet separation member installed in a manner to form a contact nip with the pickup roller, and supplying friction force for separating the print medium sheet by sheet; and a friction pad disposed at an upper side of the sheet separation member, being in front of the contact nip. The print medium feeding apparatus of the present invention features an improved paper feeding capacity in that variable friction force is applied for separating printing medium. Moreover, since the friction pad does not come in contact with the pickup roller, the abrasion rate of the friction pad is much reduced. Furthermore, the material cost can be reduced by reducing the size of the friction pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-taek Lim, Sang-yob Shin, Yong-kon Jo
  • Publication number: 20070001377
    Abstract: A sheet material dispenser comprising a container and a stack of folded sheet material, the container surrounding the sheet material and having an aperture through which the sheet material may be drawn in use of the dispenser, wherein the sheet material is folded within the container in a concertina manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Martin Smithson, Tien-Tjiu Tan
  • Publication number: 20070001378
    Abstract: A paper passageway delivers bills that have been picked from a bill supply container to a location at which the bills are to be dispensed, the paper passageway and the bill supply container are structurally coupled together at least temporarily to form an integrated bill dispensing structure, and at least one of the bill supply container and the paper passageway are functionally incomplete in the absence of the other. The paper passageway delivers bills alternatively to a location at which the bills are to be rejected, a reject container holds rejected bills in a stack in which the bills are oriented vertically, and the bills are accessible to a user from an open top of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Gregory Jantsch
  • Publication number: 20070001379
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a main body and optional trays and a communication method between the main body and the optional trays, the apparatus including: the main body having a main controller; at least one optional tray detachably set up in the main body and having a tray controller for communicating with the main controller to transmit and receive data; and communication lines forming a communication channel connecting the main controller and the tray controllers, for data exchange, and for informing the main controller that the data is provided from tray controllers to the main controller. Since the main body and the optional trays communicate through a single UART communication channel, the number of communication channels is decreased thereby saving time and simplifying protocol as well as reducing costs and simplify circuits. Also, it is possible to assign IDs rapidly and simply, prevent generation of errors in ID assignment, and make use of the image forming apparatus convenient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-sang Oh
  • Publication number: 20070001380
    Abstract: A sheet elevating apparatus for use in a sheet tray cassette detachably installable to an image forming apparatus includes an elevation driving source, a first coupling, an elevation member, a second coupling, and an elevation controller. The elevation driving source is mounted to the image forming apparatus. The first coupling is connected to the elevation driving source and has a home position. The elevation member elevates a plurality of recording sheets placed on an elevating base plate of the sheet tray cassette. The second coupling is connected to the elevation member and is engaged with the first coupling set at the home position when the sheet tray cassette is installed in the image forming apparatus. The elevation controller drives the elevation driving source to set the first coupling to the home position when the sheet tray cassette is pulled out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Tadashi Kusumi
  • Publication number: 20070001381
    Abstract: A transfer wheel removes flat products from one location, such as an overhead conveyor, spaces the products apart, reorients them and then transfers the products to a second conveyor or other location. The transfer wheel is eccentrically mounted within a circular frame. Grippers mounted on radially-moving spokes of the transfer wheel rotate as the wheel turns, to reorient the products, for example from vertical to horizontal, so they can be laid flat on the second conveyor. The eccentric mounting of the wheel causes the spokes to increase the spacing between adjacent products as the wheel turns, to prepare the products for later processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Harry Noll, Mike White
  • Publication number: 20070001382
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus is provided that includes a sheet feeding tray 21 that can rotate to open and close; a sheet positioning portion 25a disposed in a sheet feeding portion such that it can contact against a side end of stacked sheets S; an edge limiting member 211 disposed in the sheet feeding tray such that it can contact against a side end of the sheets on a side that is further upstream than the sheet positioning portion; and a control unit that controls an inverted posture of the edge limiting member in response to an operation to open or close the sheet feeding tray; wherein the edge limiting member rises accompanying an operation to open the sheet feeding tray and the edge limiting member collapses accompanying an operation to close the sheet feeding tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiya Matsumoto, Kazuo Ohyama
  • Publication number: 20070001383
    Abstract: A paper passageway delivers bills that have been picked from a bill supply container to a location at which the bills are to be dispensed, the paper passageway and the bill supply container are structurally coupled together at least temporarily to form an integrated bill dispensing structure, and at least one of the bill supply container and the paper passageway are functionally incomplete in the absence of the other. The paper passageway delivers bills alternatively to a location at which the bills are to be rejected, a reject container holds rejected bills in a stack in which the bills are oriented vertically, and the bills are accessible to a user from an open top of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Gregory Jantsch
  • Publication number: 20070001384
    Abstract: A bill processor includes a housing, a bill insertion slot, a bill transfer mechanism, a bill container and a bill pressing mechanism. The bill transfer mechanism transfers the bill inserted from the bill insertion slot and discharges the bill toward a bill pushing area positioned downstream. The bill pressing mechanism presses the bill discharged into the bill pushing area toward the bill container. The bill pressing mechanism includes a supporter attached to the housing, a pressing plate movable toward the bill container, a link member joining the supporter and the pressing plate. The link member has an opening and a moving member movable in the opening, and the moving member has a first end portion supported with respect to the supporter and a second end portion engaged with the pressing plate and movable with respect to the supporter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicants: Aruze Corp., Seta Corp.
    Inventor: Kazuei Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20070001385
    Abstract: A sheet brake for braking sheets made from a printing material contains circulating brake elements and at least one sheet support that is disposed between the brake elements and forms a blowing device. The sheet support contains a first nozzle array having air nozzles and a second nozzle array having air nozzles. The air nozzles of the first nozzle array are configured to produce blown air volumetric flows, which are smaller than blown air volumetric flows from the air nozzles of the second nozzle array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Andreas Muller, Andreas Detloff, Peter Hachmann, Andre Kreller, Michael Pasuch
  • Publication number: 20070001386
    Abstract: In a sheet feeding mechanism wherein a spring can be used to properly regulate a sheet feeding position, sheets are not deformed in spite of the urging force of the spring, and a required conveying force is prevented from being increased after sheet feeding. Specifically, immediately before a sheet is fed, a driving mechanism is used to move a slide plate leftward. A driving portion of the slide plate pushes an arm of a lever to rotate the lever counterclockwise against a tension spring. Thus, a connecting portion of the lever pushes an interlocking portion of a biasing plate downward. That part of the biasing plate rotates clockwise against the force exerted as a set spring portion is urged counterclockwise. In conjunction with this rotation, a biasing portion rotates clockwise to urge printing sheets to press them against a reference surface of a case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: MASAKAZU TAKU
  • Publication number: 20070001387
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a bent sheet feeding guide member in the transportation path for transporting the recording material with the inclination along the width direction of the guide surface configured by the bent sheet feeding guide member being variable, or provided with a pair of transporting rollers that transports a recording material in the transportation path for transporting a recording material with the inclination of the pair of transporting rollers along the axial direction being variable with respect to the transportation surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Satoshi Hamaya, Tetsu Sekine, Hideo Isohara, Yujiro Ishida
  • Publication number: 20070001388
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for managing media throughput in a printing device that may incorporate a sensing device. The gaps between feeding successive sheets of media may be controlled. The printing device may operate using different feeding modes having different gaps between the sheets of media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Douglas Able, Kevin Schoedinger, James Woods
  • Publication number: 20070001389
    Abstract: Media thickness and double sheet detection system includes a CPU for managing input and outputs to/from each operational module, media input handling and storage hardware, a pickup controller manages the input of media from the media input handling and storage hardware into the system, a speed sensor, detecting the speed of the media moving through the system, a thickness sensor detecting the thickness of the media moving through the system, a direction sensor detecting the movement direction of the media through the system, a friction sensor detecting tension of the media when movement of at least one roller that makes up a pair of complimentary pinch rollers is reversed while the other roller is held in a brake position, and a reverse roller and brake roller control module managing the reversal of the least one pinch roller and braking of the complimentary roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Ronald Goetz
  • Publication number: 20070001390
    Abstract: A bill handling machine according to one embodiment of the invention is provided with a casing having a bill insertion slot provided on a front face of the casing to enable a bill to be inserted therein; a bill feeding device having a feeding belt wound at opposite ends around at least tension rollers provided on the upstream and downstream sides respectively along the bill insertion direction, and pinch rollers in contact with the tension rollers on the upstream and downstream sides, to feed the bill inserted from the bill insertion slot along the bill insertion direction. The distance between the pinch rollers in contact with the respective tension rollers on the upstream and downstream sides is set to be shorter than the distance between the tension rollers on the upstream and downstream sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicants: Aruze Corp., Seta Corp.
    Inventor: Kazuei YOSHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20070001391
    Abstract: A printing and peeling arrangement comprises an impression drum for supporting a print medium during application of a printing image thereto, and one or more rotating vacuum fingers for applying vacuum via suction caps to the print medium to peel the print medium from the impression drum after printing. The vacuum finger is mounted for radial motion towards the impression drum and thereby avoids impact damage onto the print medium from the edges of the suction caps that results from a purely rotational approach to the drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Aron Shmaiser, Ayal Galili
  • Publication number: 20070001392
    Abstract: A conveying drum used in the tobacco-processing industry. The conveying drum comprises a drum body having at least one seat defined therein, and a lever segment pivotably mounted inside each seat. The lever segment includes at least one receiving trough for accommodating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco industry. At least one suction bore is located in the lever segment and extends between the respective seat and the at least one receiving trough. The suction bore extends exclusively in a substantially radial outward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: HAUNI Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Clemens Schmick, Siegfried Schlisio, Jurgen Maack, Gregor Wesner
  • Publication number: 20070001393
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sheet processing arrangement with a sheet processing device, at least two parallel running streams of sheets (D1, D2, E1, E2) being produced. The arrangement also has a merging device (11) for making the streams of sheets (D1, D2, E1, E2) merge into a single stream of sheets (F1, F2), the stream of sheets (F1, F2) being fed by a chain table (13) to a further processing machine arranged downstream of the merging device (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Maschinenbau Oppenweiler Binder GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eberhard Krieger, Georg Dannemann, Klaus Stocklossa
  • Publication number: 20070001394
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a guide member including a guide surface on which a conveyed sheet is guided, a plurality of sheet discharging rollers, which have an axis, arranged on a guide surface side of the guide member at intervals in a direction crossing a direction in which the sheet is conveyed, the sheet discharging rollers discharging the sheet guided on the guide surface, a sheet discharging tray on which sheets discharged by the sheet discharging rollers are stacked, and a plurality of projecting portions provided on the guide member and projecting from a plane on which the sheet discharging rollers contact the sheet, toward the axis of the sheet discharging rollers, to partly raise the sheet toward the axis of the sheet discharging rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Wataru Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20070001395
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to fully automated systems and methods for shuffling and scrambling playing instruments, such as cards, before being dealt to one or more players. In one embodiment, a rotating device is utilized to scramble playing instruments. In yet a further embodiment, the rotating device is coupled with air, vacuum, or combinations thereof to further scramble the cards. The scrambling device may be coupled to an aligning device for realigning the playing instruments upon being adequately shuffled. According to another aspect of the invention, physical cards are utilized in a gaming environment that may be scrambled, shuffled, and/or played remotely over a network. In one embodiment, the physical cards are traditional poker-style gaming cards. The cards include at least one identifier that may be read upon the card being dealt. The identifier may contain information that is remotely communicated to a player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Gioia Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Gene Gioia, Andrew Gioia, Brendan Fogarty
  • Publication number: 20070001396
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a gaming device such as a slot machine calculates a speed of game play, and in turn determines a pay schedule based on the speed of game play. The pay schedule for higher speeds of game play typically provides a higher payout percentage, which attracts players and provides an incentive to play faster and for longer periods of time. The greater speed of play and time period of playing may actually increase revenues derived from the gaming device even though the payout percentage is higher. Speed of game play may be calculated by measuring the number of games played in a predetermined time period, or the time elapsed between games. The gaming device may select a payout table from a plurality of payout tables based on this speed. Alternatively, the gaming device may determine a multiplier based on the speed of game play, and adjust a base payout table in accordance with the multiplier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jay Walker, James Jorasch, Thomas Sparico, Geoffrey Gelman
  • Publication number: 20070001397
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of playing a game provides a player with at least one option for playing at least one round of the game in accordance with at least one advantage and/or disadvantage. For example, a player may agree to play a current round of play and/or at least one future round of play in accordance with a revised rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jay Walker, James Jorasch, Peter Kim, Geoffrey Gelman, Peter Vogel, Michael Downs
  • Publication number: 20070001398
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of playing a game provides a player with at least one option for playing at least one round of the game in accordance with at least one advantage and/or disadvantage. For example, a player may agree to play a current round of play and/or at least one future round of play in accordance with a revised rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jay Walker, James Jorasch, Peter Kim, Geoffrey Gelman, Peter Vogel, Michael Downs
  • Publication number: 20070001399
    Abstract: A manual game is provided which simulates American football. The game has a playing surface with multiple openings having indicia associated with football activities, and players toss game pieces at the surface in order to achieve football action determined by the indicia of the opening into which a game piece drops. The game includes a goal the structure with a pair of uprights, and players attempt to score field goals and points after touchdown by tossing a game piece between the uprights. A plurality of template plates are provided to effect different games, and each template plate has a subset of the openings and covers at least one of them. As a result, different games are available with different patterns of openings. A blank, planar form is provided which can be folded and assembled into a game chassis which includes the playing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Staver, Lance White
  • Publication number: 20070001400
    Abstract: A target (1) for use with a projectile has a web (7) defining a target face and a back board (29). The target face is divided into multiple segments (3, 5). A cup (19) filled with a projectile-receptive insert material (27) is mounted for sliding within each segment. Each cup has one or more resilient cushions (35) between the cup and the back board. Each cushion has at least one electroconductive area. The back board has pairs of switch contacts (25), forming electrical switches. The projectile impacting a cup at the target face with sufficient force causes the cup to slide within the segment urging the electroconductive area of the one or more cushions to touch the switch contacts, resulting in closing of the switch defined by the switch contacts and signaling a hit to onboard electronic circuitry. The at least one cushions beneath that cup return the cup substantially to its original position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventor: Mark Stewart