Rotary Separator Patents (Class 271/10.09)
  • Publication number: 20120313493
    Abstract: A medium processing apparatus comprises a casing surrounded by a partitioning wall with an opening; a reel on which tape is wound; a fold-back section provided on an opposite side of the medium processing apparatus to the reel, so as to folded back the tape pulled out from the reel; a drum in the casing to be rotatable such that a rectangular shaped medium fed in the casing is wound onto the drum together with the tape that has been folded back on itself by the fold-back section; a winding guide provided further to a drum side than the tape, the winding guide closes off an internal space of the casing from the outside and presses the tape and the medium against a peripheral face of the drum; and an opening and closing section configuring a portion of the winding guide and opening or closing off the internal space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takamoto YOKOTE
  • Publication number: 20120292846
    Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a medium feeding unit that feeds a medium placed in a set position, and a friction separation member that is disposed downstream of the medium feeding unit and is configured to come into contact with the underside of the medium, the friction separation member being deformable, and feed path restriction members that are arranged such that the friction separation member is located between the feed path restriction members, the contact portion of the feed path restriction member which comes into contact with the topside of the medium being located at a position lower than the upper surface of the friction separation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshikazu KOTAKA
  • Publication number: 20120279173
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a feeding unit including a support surface inclined with respect to a vertical direction and a stacking surface substantially perpendicular to the support surface, a plurality of paper sheets being stacked on the stacking surface in such a manner that the paper sheets are inclined along the support surface, a pick up mechanism configured to pick up the paper sheets from a side of the stacking surface of the feeding unit, a conveying path configured to convey the picked up paper sheets, an inspection device configured to inspect the conveyed paper sheet, and an accumulation unit configured to accumulate the inspected paper sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sakoguchi, Kazuhiro Mukai, Hisashi Oosawa
  • Patent number: 8276904
    Abstract: A sheet pick-up module includes a driving shaft, a driving shaft sleeve, a pick-up driving roller, a pick-up roller sleeve and a sliding sleeve. When the driving shaft is rotated to drive rotation of the driving shaft sleeve, the driving shaft sleeve pushes the sliding sleeve toward the pick-up roller sleeve, and the sliding sleeve is rotated to push the pick-up roller sleeve, so that the pick-up driving roller and the pick-up roller sleeve are synchronously rotated to transport the document at a pick-up speed. When the feed roller is contacted with the document to transport the document at a feed speed faster than the pick-up speed, the pick-up driving roller is driven to rotate by the document, and the pick-up roller sleeve is rotate to push the sliding sleeve, so that the sliding sleeve is moved in a direction away from the pick-up roller sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Wang Ching-Tse
  • Patent number: 8245637
    Abstract: A device and a method for separating printing plates from a stack uses a lifting device for lifting the printing plates and at least one separating element to be moved under the lifted printing plates. The structurally simple device is able to react flexibly to different printing plate formats and, at the same time, avoids damage to a surface to be imaged of the individual printing plates. In order to avoid such problems, the device includes at least three separating elements which, as they move under a lifted printing plate at any time, are continuously disposed at distances from one another having a ratio that always remains constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Axel Trilk
  • Publication number: 20120153558
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeding device capable of prolonging the durability life span of the retard roller with a simple structure with ease and an image forming apparatus which includes the sheet feeding device. The sheet feeding device includes a feed roller 102 which rotates in a sheet feed direction, a retard roller 103 which is able to rotate in a reverse direction to the sheet feed direction which forms a separation nip portion. A torque limiter 202 which is interposed between a drive shaft 202b and a roller shaft 103b of the retard roller 103 to transfer a predetermined torque of the reverse direction to the retard roller 103; and a speed changing device 301 which is interposed between an output shaft 202a of the torque limiter 202 and the roller shaft 103b to change a magnitude of the predetermined torque transferred to the retard roller 103.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kakeru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8186666
    Abstract: A conveying device includes: a main body; a holding unit that holds media that is attached and detached to and from the main body; a third conveying member that conveys a single medium among the media held in the holding unit; a first conveying member that conveys the single media; a second conveying member that faces the first conveying member to pinch the media so as to conveys the single media with the first conveying member; a feed unit that feeds the single medium to the main body; an attaching part that is provided at the feed unit and enables the feed unit to attach to the holding unit; a positioning mechanism that positions the main body and the feed unit so that the second conveying member is located at a predetermined position relative to the first conveying member when the holding unit is loaded on the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Asaoka, Akira Sunazawa, Tomonari Sakurai, Katsunori Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120053035
    Abstract: A transporting apparatus for transporting flat, sheet-like material through one or more processing stations of a sheet-processing machine includes at least one upper conveying apparatus and at least one lower conveying apparatus with conveying devices which are in contact with one another. The upper and lower conveying apparatuses are fastened in such a way that they can be altered freely in length. A sheet-processing machine with a transporting apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG
    Inventors: WOLFGANG DIEHR, MARTIN MERTENS, SEDAT PADAR
  • Patent number: 8123210
    Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus for a printer includes a motor; a first roller assembly includes a first roller having a first end, a second end and an axis; a first gear disposed at the first end of the first roller, wherein the first gear is configured to be driven by the motor; and a second gear disposed at the second end of the first roller, wherein the second gear having a first bevel gear; a drive shaft including a first end, a second end and an axis, wherein the first end of the drive shaft having a second bevel gear that is configured to engage with the first bevel gear of the second gear of the first roller assembly, and wherein the second end of the drive shaft having a third bevel gear; and a second roller assembly having a second roller and a fourth bevel gear that is configured to engage with the third bevel gear at the second end of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Murray
  • Publication number: 20120043714
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device to convey a sheet in a sheet path is provided. The sheet conveying device includes a separator roller, which is arranged to be rotatably in contact with the sheet to apply conveying force to the sheet, a pad assembly including a separator pad, which is arranged to be in contact with the sheet stack to apply convey resistance to the sheet stack, and a holder, which is swingably attached to a base member and holds the separator pad, the base member being in a fixed position with respect to the separator roller, a spring, which urges the pad assembly toward the separator roller, and a slidable member, which is attached to the pad assembly to be integrally movable with the pad assembly and to be slidably in contact with a first slidable section in the base member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori HAMAGUCHI, Takaaki MUKAI, Ryoichi MATSUSHIMA, Kotaro KUROKAWA, Hiroyuki SHINGAI, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8104765
    Abstract: In a document feeder, a length of a discharge path from a reading position to a discharge position is longer than a length of a supply path from a feeding position to the reading position. An idling discharge position is disposed, where the distance with the discharge position through the discharge path is shorter than a distance between the feeding position and the reading speed switching position. A control device controls driving of registration rollers, conveyor rollers and discharge rollers simultaneously when a trailing edge of an original reaches the discharge idling position of the discharge path by the discharge rollers while the discharge rollers is stopped. The document feeder efficiently supplies originals sequentially to the reading position, stably reads the image of the original without discharging a previous original during a reading, and aligns and stores the originals in a discharge stacker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: NISCA Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Tsuchiya, Yoshihiko Minagawa
  • Patent number: 8056894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a feeder unit, and a frame unit. The frame unit includes a pair of plate-like metal frames, each plate-like metal frame having an inner surface extending in a parallel direction to a sheet feeding path and in a perpendicular direction of a surface of a recording sheet, and a plurality of connecting frames connecting and holding the metal frames to be apart from each other. The image forming unit is arranged in space defined by the connecting frames and held by the metal frames to be substantially fitted in between the metal frames. The feeder unit is attached to an end of each of the metal frames by an attachment system provided on each widthwise side of the feeder unit. The attachment system fixes the feeder unit along a direction in parallel with the inner surfaces of the metal frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8047528
    Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus that can highly accurately position and convey, even if an inter-sheet distance of sheets to be conveyed is reduced, the sheets from registration rollers to a transfer position when a toner image on an image bearing member moving at process speed is transferred onto the sheet in the transfer position. A sheet fed from a paper feeding cassette by a pulse-motor driven paper feeding roller is conveyed to pulse-motor driven registration rollers by pulse-motor driven conveying rollers. When the sheet is conveyed to the transfer position according to restart of the registration rollers, the sheet is conveyed by the registration rollers at sheet conveying speed different from the process speed before the leading end of the sheet reaches the transfer position and is conveyed at the process speed after that.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yasui, Masaya Arakawa
  • Patent number: 8038140
    Abstract: A document feeding device includes a carrying unit capable of carrying documents, a drawing device drawing and supplying the documents, a drawing device drive source driving the drawing device, a separation unit including a separation device to separate the documents one by one, a separation device drive source driving the separation device, a conveying device conveying the documents, a reading unit including a reading device to read information of the documents, a discharge device discharging the documents, a first document detector provided between a document set position and the separation unit to detect the documents, and a second document detector provided downstream of the separation unit and near a separation position to detect the documents. The first and second document detectors detect the trailing end of each of the documents to control the operation of the drawing device on the basis of the result of the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Norio Kimura, Hideki Tobinaga, Akira Hirose, Shinya Kitaoka, Motoya Sano, Atsushi Kanaya, Michitaka Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110227273
    Abstract: A separating device includes a carrying-out portion for carrying-out a medium, and a conveying portion for conveying the medium carried out by the carrying-out portion. A separating portion is provided between the carrying-out portion and the conveying portion, and is rotatable about a rotation fulcrum. The separating portion has an end portion separably contacts the carrying-out portion to separate the medium therefrom. The separating portion includes a first guiding portion rotatably provided for guiding the medium separated from the carrying-out portion to the conveying portion. The first guiding portion is provided between the carrying-out portion and the conveying portion, and has a rotation center located on the carrying-out portion side with respect to the rotation fulcrum. When a straight line is defined by connecting contact areas of the carrying-out portion and the conveying portion, the rotation center is located on the straight line side with respect to the rotation fulcrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Osaki
  • Patent number: 8006973
    Abstract: A replaceable unit includes a feeding roller that feeds a sheet from a sheet accommodation portion that accommodates the sheet; a conveyance roller that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding roller downstream; a first frame body that supports the feeding roller and the conveyance roller so as to be rotatable; and a second frame body that supports the first frame body so as to be movable and is removably mounted at a position at which the feeding roller can touch against the sheet accommodated at the sheet accommodation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takakiyo Toba, Kouta Tanaka, Nobutoshi Hamasaki, Hiroatsu Kazama, Takuya Ito
  • Publication number: 20110206435
    Abstract: A medium reversing apparatus, an image forming apparatus and an image reading apparatus that respectively have the medium reversing apparatus are supplied capable of avoiding medium damage and medium load abnormality. In the medium reversing apparatus that conveys a sheet-like medium back and reverses obverse side and reverse side of the medium, a medium ejection opening is used for ejecting at least a part of the medium; an ejecting member at least ejects the part of the medium from the medium ejection opening and conveys the medium back; and a bend forming section is set at the outside edge portion of the ejecting member and bends the medium from a clamp face of the medium clamped by the ejecting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi SAITO
  • Publication number: 20110176158
    Abstract: A rotation amount detecting device for a rotation body includes: a first rotation body having a first surface; a second rotation body having a second surface formed of a material different from that of the first surface and contacting the first surface, and rotating with rotation of the first rotation body; a first support member rotatably supporting the first rotation body at a first position and supporting thereof to be swingable around a first axis at a position different from the first position; a second support member rotatably supporting the second rotation body at a second position and supporting thereof to be swingable around a second axis provided at a position different from the second position, the second axis being the first axis or an axis in the first support member other than the first axis; and a detector that detects a rotation amount of the second rotation body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao FURUYA, Yoshinari Iwaki, Minoru Ohshima, Michio Taniwaki
  • Publication number: 20110156340
    Abstract: A sheet feed device includes: a sheet accommodation unit; a separation roller that applies conveyance force to sheets; and a separation resistance body including a friction portion facing the separation roller for separating the sheets one at a time. The sheet accommodation unit includes a guide portion provided at an upstream of the separation roller in a sheet feed direction for guiding the sheet. The separation resistance body includes an extension portion, which is pressed toward the separation roller while being supported to be contacted/separated to/from the separation roller, and which is extended upstream in the sheet feed direction from an upstream end portion of the separation resistance body. The guide portion and the extension portion are arranged in a line in a width direction. An upstream end portion of the extension portion is retreated with regard to a guide surface of the guide portion when feeding the sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuyuki OTSUKI
  • Publication number: 20110150553
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming part; a paper dust collecting roller that collects paper dust from a sheet; a conveying roller that is opposed to the paper dust collecting roller and conveys the sheet; a paper dust removing member that contacts the paper dust collecting roller for removing the paper dust therefrom; a supporting member that extends in a width direction of the sheet; a swing shaft for swinging the supporting member; and a pressing member that presses the supporting member for contacting the paper dust removing member with the paper dust collecting roller. The supporting member includes: a guiding surface that contacts the sheet conveyed along the conveying path for guiding the sheet toward the image forming part along the conveying path; and a paper dust receiving part which receives the paper dust removed by the paper dust removing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasunori AKATSUKA, Akira TERAO
  • Publication number: 20110135369
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus according to the present invention includes an object feeding path, a temporary object feeding path branched from the object feeding path, an object feeding unit arranged on the object feeding path, the object feeding unit feeding an object; and a pair of rollers arranged on the temporary object feeding path. The pair of rollers pinches the object and feeds the object from the object feeding path toward the temporary object feeding path while keeping one edge of the object as a feeding head. The pair of rollers pinches the object and feeds the object from the temporary object feeding path toward the object feeding path while keeping the other edge of the object as a feeding head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: NEC ACCESS TECHNICA, LTD.
    Inventor: Noriyuki HAGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110133389
    Abstract: A media processor is provided with includes a conveyance channel over which a paper sheet-like medium is conveyed, and an accumulation mechanism which accumulates the medium sent from the conveyance channel, the accumulation mechanism including a guide member for guiding and accumulating the medium sent from the conveyance channel and a conveyor for catching the medium guided by the guide member against the guide member to draw the medium onto the guide member. It is thus possible to shorten times required for the preparing operation to accumulate bills and for the bill accumulating operation, and further to prevent mechanical malfunction such as bill jamming from occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nemoto
  • Patent number: 7950658
    Abstract: A recording medium transporting device includes a transporting unit that transports a recording medium; a guide member that supports and guides the recording medium in a downstream direction, the guide member being disposed downstream of the transporting unit; and a restraining unit that includes a restraining member having a restraining section, the restraining section being movable relative to the guide member. The restraining section imposes a restraint on the recording medium to prevent the recording medium from rising above the guide member at a position downstream of the transporting unit. A restriction state of the restraining member is switchable between at least two states, and the restriction state is switched so that a degree of the restraint is reduced or the restraint is removed before a trailing edge of the recording medium passes the restraining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikazu Kotaka
  • Patent number: 7946326
    Abstract: An automatic sheet laminating apparatus includes a first sheet input tray, a second sheet input tray, a plurality of transfer roller assemblies, a separating roller assembly, a braking sensor, a braking element, a laminating module, and a control unit. The first sheet input tray is used for placing a pouch including a first film and a second film. The second sheet input tray is used for placing a sheet article. The separating roller assembly includes a separating driving roller and a separating follower roller. When the pouch is detected by the braking sensor, the braking element stops rotation of the separating follower roller. After a first predetermined time period, the separating follower roller is rotated again. As such, the rear ends of the first film and the second film are separated from each other, so that the sheet article could be inserted between the first film and the second film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Bin-Tao Lee, Jiang-Wei Wu, Xiao-Xiong Wei
  • Patent number: 7946573
    Abstract: A sheet feed device has a tray with holding surface for holding sheets, a feed unit for feeding sheets from the tray, and a separation plate. The separation plate has an inclined surface and two or more separation portions that separate a sheet from the sheets held in the tray. At least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface. The separation plate also has a projection positioned on the inclined surface that projects a second distance from the inclined surface. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A first of the separation portions is positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second of the separation portions positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Yukio Shiohara
  • Publication number: 20110079952
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transporting roller formed of a metal plate bent into a cylindrical shape. The transporting roller has a first driving member that transmits a rotational driving force to the transporting roller, and a second driving member that transmits the rotational driving force transmitted thereto to a processing unit that performs printing-related processing. The first and second driving members are provided on one end side of a transporting area where recording media are transported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsunori ONO, Koichi SAITO, Akio TODORIKI
  • Publication number: 20110074089
    Abstract: A media transport element comprises: a fixed roller, a first coupling connected an end of the fixed roller for receiving rotational motion therefrom, a second coupling connected to the first coupling for receiving rotational motion therefrom, and being rotatable about a pivot axis; and a pivoting roller mounted in registration with the fixed roller. The fixed roller and the pivoting roller define a media passage therebetween. The media transport element also comprises: a link coupled to the pivoting roller and mounted on a link shaft co-axial with the pivot axis. The fixed roller and the pivoting roller are both continuously driven even when media items pass through the media passage and move the pivoting roller away from the fixed roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventor: Scott H. Deas
  • Patent number: 7913992
    Abstract: The present application is directed to embodiments for moving a media sheet within a scanning device. The methods include moving the media sheet through a separation mechanism that prevents multiple media sheets from being moved simultaneously along the media path. Further, a buckle is formed in the sheet at a point upstream from a scanner. The buckle acts as a buffer to absorb any load release that could occur as the media sheet exits the separation mechanism. The load release could cause a change in the velocity of the media sheet as it moves across the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Brandon Langrel, Chengwu Cui
  • Publication number: 20110062650
    Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yusuke Mitsuya, Yukio Asari
  • Publication number: 20110057376
    Abstract: There is provided a technique which can greatly improve throughput at the time when, after a folding process is performed to a bundle of sheets, the bundle of sheets subjected to the folding process is transported to a downstream side, and can prevent a wrinkle from occurring in the bundle of sheets at the time of the folding process. A sheet transport speed of a pair of rollers is changed from a first transport speed to a second transport speed at a specified timing between when a folding blade finishes a pressing operation of the bundle of sheets and starts a return operation to a waiting position and when a rear edge of the bundle of sheets pressed into a nip of a pair of rollers by the folding blade passes through the nip of the pair of rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Shinichiro Mano
  • Publication number: 20100244363
    Abstract: The present invention provides a feeding mechanism and an image processing apparatus using the same. The feeding mechanism includes an upper casing, a lower casing disposed opposite the upper casing, a sheet tray, a main feeding roller, a sheet-separation member and a first auxiliary roller. The upper casing and the lower casing form a transporting path. The sheet tray for loading a sheet is coupled with the lower casing. The main feeding roller for feeding the sheet in a feeding direction is disposed in the lower casing. The sheet-separation member, disposed at a downstream position of the main feeding roller with respect to the feeding direction, separates the sheet from another sheet. The first auxiliary roller is disposed in the lower casing and on a lateral side of the main feeding roller for feeding the sheet in the feeding direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas SHENG, Ching-Jung Tu
  • Publication number: 20100230891
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus, including a sheet loading portion on which a plurality of sheets are loaded, a sheet take-in portion to take in the sheet loaded on the sheet loading portion, a first mechanism to displace between a first sheet and a second sheet in the sheets which are taken in from the sheet take-in portion and are overlapping up and down, and a second mechanism to sandwich and convey the first sheet displaced by the first mechanism to a following process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventor: Toshiyasu Omata
  • Publication number: 20100225048
    Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding apparatus includes a pick-up mechanism, a sheet transporting mechanism, a power source and a clutch. The sheet transporting mechanism transports a sheet picked up by the pick-up mechanism through and out of a passageway. The power source for driving the pick-up mechanism includes a power output shaft and a first transmission gear for respectively outputting and transmitting power. The clutch includes a second transmission gear and a power coupling component. The second and first transmission gears are disposed coaxially. The power coupling component is coaxially disposed between the first transmission gear and the second transmission gear and is coupled to the first transmission gear. The power coupling component reciprocates back and forth along an axis to selectively couple and drive the second transmission gear. The second transmission gear is coupled to the pick-up mechanism, and the power source selectively drives the pick-up mechanism through the clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventor: Sung-Po CHENG
  • Publication number: 20100225045
    Abstract: A document feeding device includes a carrying unit capable of carrying documents, a drawing device drawing and supplying the documents, a drawing device drive source driving the drawing device, a separation unit including a separation device to separate the documents one by one, a separation device drive source driving the separation device, a conveying device conveying the documents, a reading unit including a reading device to read information of the documents, a discharge device discharging the documents, a first document detector provided between a document set position and the separation unit to detect the documents, and a second document detector provided downstream of the separation unit and near a separation position to detect the documents. The first and second document detectors detect the trailing end of each of the documents to control the operation of the drawing device on the basis of the result of the detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Norio Kimura, Hideki Tobinaga, Akira Hirose, Shinya Kitaoka, Motoya Sano, Atsushi Kanaya, Michitaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7770882
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing sets of sheets. The apparatus includes a frame, a hopper for moving a stack of sheets, a pre-singulator for separating a portion of a sheet from the stack, a sheet peeler for peeling part of a pre-singulated sheet from the stack, a sheet picker for gathering peeled sheets into a set, and a sheet discharger for clearing the set of sheets. The sheet peeler may include at least one rotating drum. The sheet picker may include one or more augers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Wind Hill Concepts LLC
    Inventor: Michael Schum
  • Patent number: 7758038
    Abstract: A printer comprising: a support frame; and a sheet media pick-up device pivotally mounted to the support frame so as to be pivotable relative to a supply of sheet media, the pick-up device comprising: a driven roller arranged to be rotated so as to contact and pick-up sheet media from the supply of sheet media and deliver the picked sheet media to a sheet media transport mechanism of the printer; and a motor for rotatably driving the roller, wherein the motor and driven roller are arranged to pivot with the pick-up device, the pick-up device being configured to pivot so that the driven roller is consistently positioned to contact and pick-up the sheet media as the supply of sheet media is successively depleted after each pick-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King, Gregory Michael Tow, Attila Bertok, Geoffrey Philip Dyer, Robert John Brice, Paul Ian Mackey, Christopher Hibbard
  • Publication number: 20100164168
    Abstract: A printer is provided having a sheet media transport mechanism, a pick-up roller arranged to be rotated so as to contact and pick-up sheet media from a sheet media supply, and a gear assembly for communicating a driving force of a motor to the pick-up roller to rotate the pick-up roller. A first gear of the gear assembly is directly coupled with a second gear of the gear assembly which is concentric with the pick-up roller. The first gear is configured to disengage from the second gear substantially at the point of delivery of a leading edge of the picked sheet media to the sheet media transport mechanism so as to cease communication of the driving force of the motor to the pick-up roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King, Gregory Michael Tow, Attila Bertok, Geoffrey Philip Dyer, Robert John Brice, Paul Ian Mackey, Christopher Hibbard
  • Patent number: 7731172
    Abstract: A system that prevents the engagement of an intermediate gear and a driven gear from releasing due to a force from the driven gear without increasing an arrangement angle is described. A surface receiving a load acting on a rotation axis of a second groove that is used as an axle bearing formed on the side of a second gear part that engages with a driven gear is made to be an inclined receiving part. The second receiving surface touches the rotation axis of the second groove part. The surfaces are arranged such that the distance from the center of rotation of the driving gear increases as it moves away from the driven gear. By this arrangement, the inclined receiving part creates a force in the opposite direction of the direction to release the intermediate gear from the driven gear that acts upon the rotation axis as the counteraction of the force that acts on the rotation axis, so the intermediate gear does not separate from the driven gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Yano
  • Publication number: 20100133738
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device to convey a sheet which is stored within a sheet storing section, including: a plurality of sheet conveyance rollers, mounted on a sheet storing section, to be parallel to each other with respect to rotating centers, wherein the plurality of the sheet conveyance rollers come into contact with the sheet to convey the sheet toward an exterior of the sheet conveyance device; and a coupling section to couple the plurality of the sheet conveyance rollers and to rotate the plurality of the sheet conveyance rollers, wherein at least one of the plurality of the sheet conveyance rollers represents an irregularly shaped roller, wherein the irregularly shaped roller is coupled to another sheet conveyance roller by the coupling section, and wherein a distance between a rotation center and a peripheral surface of the irregularly shaped roller is inconstant, in a rotational direction of the irregularly shaped roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kunihiro KAWACHI, Kyoichi MIZUNO, Masahiro MATSUO
  • Publication number: 20100127448
    Abstract: A sheet separating device having a noise suppressing function is used with an auto document feeder. The sheet separating device includes a sheet separating pad, a sheet separating holder, a resilient element and a noise suppressing element. The sheet separating pad cooperates with a sheet separating roller to separate a paper sheet fed into a sheet-guiding path of the auto document feeder. The sheet separating pad is disposed on the sheet separating holder. The resilient element is sustained against or coupled to the sheet separating holder, so that sheet separating pad disposed on the sheet separating holder is urged against the sheet separating roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: TECO IMAGE SYSTEM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ping-Hung Kuo, Ke-Wei Chen, Cheng-Ming Liao, Chien-Min Chen
  • Patent number: 7719730
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes a document glass installed on an upper side of the image reading body on which a document is placed; an image reading sensor installed under the document glass for stopping after being transferred to a predetermined position or for reciprocating in a straight direction parallel to the document glass; a cover for opening and closing the upper surface of the document glass; an automatic document feeder (ADF) for feeding the document to the position to which the image reading sensor is fixed; a document discharging plate for discharging the document fed through the automatic document feeding unit; first and second guide members for guiding to allow the document fed through the automatic document feeding unit to be discharged to the document discharging plate, the first and second guide members being installed at a predetermined interval to expose the document toward the image reading sensor; and a guide film installed to cover the interval
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-cheol Park, Young-min Kim
  • Publication number: 20100096795
    Abstract: A substrate feeding apparatus and a printing machine is provided herein for feeding substrates from a substrate stack having a nudger roll being selectively movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the nudger roll is in contiguous contact with a first substrate of the substrate stack for advancing the first substrate from the substrate stack. The first substrate having a lead edge and a trail edge, with the lead edge leading in a direction of advancement. In the second position, the nudger roll is not in contiguous contact with the substrate stack or the first substrate. A feed roll for further advancing the first substrate in the direction of advancement. A retard member forming a nip with the feed roll. The retard member is used for separating the first substrate from an adjacent second substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henry T. Bober, Injae Choi, Linn C. Hoover, Peter J. Knausdorf
  • Patent number: 7694954
    Abstract: A sheet pick-up device includes a sheet pick-up arm, a driving shaft and a collar. The sheet pick-up arm has a sleeve at the outside surface thereof. The driving shaft is penetrated through the sheet pick-up arm and the sleeve. The collar is sheathed around the driving shaft and includes at least one flexible vane in contact with the inner surface of the sleeve. The height of the flexible vane relative to the outer surface of the collar is greater than the radial distance between the outer surface of the collar and the inner surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Wen Lee
  • Publication number: 20100059926
    Abstract: A rotation-body controlling apparatus including: a first motor configured to rotate a first rotation body; a second motor configured to rotate a second rotation body; a first rotation amount detecting portion configured to detect a rotation amount of the first rotation body rotated in synchronization with the first motor; a second rotation amount detecting portion configured to detect a rotation amount of a second rotation shaft rotated in synchronization with the second rotation body; a transmitting mechanism configured such that a rotation of the first rotation body is transmittable to the second rotation shaft; and an origin-position detecting portion configured to detect an origin position of a rotation phase of the first rotation body on the basis of a phase of the first rotation body at a time when the second rotation amount detecting portion has detected a rotation of the second rotation shaft, where the rotation of the first rotation body operated by the first motor is transmitted to the second rotati
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Publication number: 20100059924
    Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a first sheet cassette having an accommodating portion accommodating a first plurality of sheets and a second sheet cassette, disposed on the first sheet cassette, accommodating a second plurality of sheets. The sheet feed device also includes a sheet feeder configured to selectively feed the first plurality of sheets and the second plurality of sheets toward a sheet feed path, and a sheet separator configured to separate, one by one, the sheets fed by the sheet feeder. Specifically, the second sheet cassette is configured to move above the accommodating portion and with respect to the sheet feeder between a sheet feed position in which the sheet feeder contacts sheets accommodated in the second sheet feed cassette to a non-sheet feed position in which the second sheet feed cassette prevents the sheet feeder from contacting sheets accommodated in the second sheet feed cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukio SHIOHARA, Tetsuo ASADA, Yuji KOGA
  • Patent number: 7673870
    Abstract: A feeding roller is configured to be driven to rotate both in a forward direction for conveying the recording medium to an image forming position along a conveying path and in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction. A conveying roller is configured to driven to rotate both in a forward direction for allowing passage of the recording medium conveyed by the feeding roller and in a reverse direction for preventing the passage of the recording medium. A transmitting unit is capable of transmitting a rotational driving force to the feeding roller and the conveying roller, in such a manner that either one of the feeding roller and the conveying roller rotates in the forward direction and that the other one of the feeding roller and the conveying roller rotates in the reverse direction. The feeding roller has a predetermined play in a rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Koga, Daisuke Kozaki
  • Patent number: 7669845
    Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) includes at least one sheet dispensing mechanism (34, 36, 38, 40, 210). Each sheet dispensing mechanism includes a picking member (72, 212). The picking member rotates, and with each rotation causes an end sheet to be picked from a stack (42, 264) of sheets. The picking member (212) includes an arcuate projecting portion (258) that reduces the risk of damage to the leading edge areas of sheets due to opposed picking and stripping forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems division of Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: H. Thomas Graef, Ken Kontor, Michael Harty, Brian Jones
  • Patent number: 7635127
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for separating and feeding stacked sheets one by one, includes a separation roller which rotates and applies a feeding force to a sheet of stacked sheets, a friction member which opposes the separation roller and which applies friction against the feeding force, and a rotation speed controller which controls a rotation speed of the separation roller. The rotation speed of the separation roller varies between a first speed and a second speed. The separation roller rotates at the first speed when separating a first one of the stacked sheets. The separation roller rotates at the second speed when separating sheets after separating a predetermined number of the stacked sheets. The first speed is slower than the second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Kuse
  • Patent number: 7628393
    Abstract: A sheet takeout device includes a takeout belt brought into contact with a sheet set in a takeout position to generate negative pressure to adsorb the sheet, and traveled in a direction of an arrow T, and a separation roller which separates second and following sheets associatively taken out with the sheet. Triggered by detection of its leading end at a second sensor, an opposite-direction separation force is applied to the sheet to be conveyed via the separation roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yusuke Mitsuya, Tetsuo Watanabe, Naruaki Hiramitsu
  • Patent number: RE41513
    Abstract: A paper-separating plate is adapted for a paper-separating mechanism having a paper-separating roller. The paper-separating plate placed around a side of the paper-separating roller comprises a main body and a cushion. The main body has a surface and a plurality of grooves and the grooves are positioned on the surface. The cushion is positioned on the surface of the main body and covers the grooves. The cushion positioned over the partial grooves is elastically pressed onto the paper-separating roller. The grooves, neighboring one another or each other, linearly extend in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the paper-separating roller. Besides, the cushion is made of flexible material and the main body is made of rigid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventors: Yin-Chun Huang, Ji-Mei Tsuei