Control Of Separator Responsive To Sensing Of Sheet Patents (Class 271/110)
  • Patent number: 11563867
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray, a paper feed roller that conveys a sheet, a first sensor that detects a front end and a rear end of the sheet, a second sensor that detects the front end of the sheet, and a scanner that reads an image on a front side of the sheet and reads an image on a back side of the sheet. A controller determines a first time duration that elapses from the detection of the front end of the sheet by the first sensor to the detection of the rear end of the sheet by the first sensor and operates the scanner to read the image on the back side of the sheet over a second time duration equal in length to the first time duration. The second time duration begins after the front end of the sheet is detected by the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Onuma
  • Patent number: 11407603
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a feeding roller, a conveyance roller, a first driving unit configured to drive the conveyance roller, a second driving unit configured to drive the feeding roller, a control unit configured to control the first and second driving units, a detection unit configured to detect an error related to the second driving unit, and a determination unit configured to determine, when the detection unit has detected the error related to the second driving unit, whether to continue the conveyance of a first print medium based on a leading edge position of a second print medium. In a case in which an error is detected by the detection unit, the control unit controls the conveyance of the first print medium by the conveyance roller based on a determination result of the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Fujino
  • Patent number: 11368596
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a stacking tray for stacking a sheet; a sheet detector for detecting presence/absence of the sheet on the stacking tray; a feeder for feeding the sheet detected by the sheet detector; an LED, provided adjacent to the sheet stacked on the stacking tray, for emitting light; a display, provided substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the LED, for being illuminated by the light emitted from the LED; a reflector, provided opposed to the display portion, for reflecting and scattering the light emitted by the LED, toward the display; and a controller for controlling emission of the light of the LED on the basis of a signal outputted by the sheet detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyuki Mitamura
  • Patent number: 11277476
    Abstract: A method and a content receiver configured as an Internet of Things (IoT) gateway are provided. The content receiver receives a first signal transmitted by an IoT device in accordance with an IoT protocol and demodulates and decodes the first signal. The content receiver generates one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets or non-IP packets representative of the first signal and sends the one or more IP packets or non-IP packets to an external server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: DISH Wireless L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kevin Yao
  • Patent number: 11203496
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding unit, a detection unit provided downstream of the feeding unit, a measurement unit that measures a measured time from the start of conveyance of a recording material to the detection of the recording material, and a determination unit that performs renewal determination for determining whether the feeding unit has been replaced with a new feeding unit. Thus, replacement of the feeding unit with a new feeding unit can automatically be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Tsuda, Yasuhiko Fuse, Takashi Kuwata, Yoshiteru Kaida, Shoichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 11167571
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable sublimation printer capable of simultaneously controlling up/down of a platen roller of a portable thermal sublimation printer and up/down of a printing medium pickup roller with a rack and pinion mechanism. A portable sublimation printer having a small thickness and a light weight to a rack apparatus of a portable sublimation printer is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: PRINICS CO., LTD
    Inventor: Kwang-Ho Noh
  • Patent number: 11142418
    Abstract: An image forming device comprising: a tray in which multiple number of sheets are stored; a feeder that feeds the sheet stored in the tray; and a hardware processor that: measures a carrying speed of the sheet fed by the feeder; determines whether or not the measured carrying speed is affected by the following sheet; corrects the carrying speed upon determining the carrying speed is affected by the following sheet; and detects a wear status on the feeder based on the measured carrying speed or the corrected carrying speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Hitaka
  • Patent number: 11014384
    Abstract: A pick attempt of a media sheet from a media tray is initiated by rotating a pick roller a number of rotations that is set to greater than one in response to the sheet having been designated as a special media sheet type and that is set to one in response to the sheet not having been so designated. In response to a pick sensor detecting the sheet after the pick attempt has been attempted, a turn roller is rotated to advance the sheet to a print engine, and while the turn roller is rotating, the pick roller is rotated to assist advancement of the media sheet. A controller manages per-sheet and per-tray pick attempt counters while the sheet is individually attempted to be picked and advanced, using the counters to determine whether to initiate another pick attempt of the sheet when a current pick attempt has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alexander Toia, Kevin Witkoe, Jerrod Houston Tyler, Bruce A Axten
  • Patent number: 10906760
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion on which a sheet is stacked, and a one-way clutch configured such that (i) in delivering the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion toward a separation nip, rotation of a drive shaft in a first rotational direction is transmitted through the one-way clutch, a drive gear and a gear train rotate a pick-up roller without slipping of the one-way clutch, and (ii) after a leading edge of the sheet has reached the separation nip, the pick-up roller is dragged and rotated by the sheet conveyed by a feed roller, rotation of the pick-up roller is transmitted through the gear train to the drive gear, and the drive gear is rotated in the first rotational direction with respect to the drive shaft that is rotated in the first rotational direction while the one-way clutch is slipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satohisa Tateishi
  • Patent number: 10882707
    Abstract: There is provided a feed apparatus including a support unit having a support surface, a feed roller, a first arm to support the feed roller, a recess portion on the support surface, a second arm swingable, with a side of the one end as a swing shaft, between a first position at which the other end of the second arm is in the recess portion and a second position at which the other end is outside the recess portion; and a biasing member. In a case that the second arm is the first position, a guide surface of the second arm is positioned on an upstream side of the feed roller in the feed direction and in a case that the second arm is the second position, the other end of the second arm is positioned on a downstream side of the feed roller in the feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Uchino
  • Patent number: 10850936
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. A feeder serially feeds envelope from a stack of mail. Two cutters at a cutting station cuts one or two edges of the envelopes. As the envelopes travel from the feeder to the cutters the envelope is jogged on two edges to justify the contents with the envelopes. Additionally, an improved feeder is provided to reduce the number of jams created when feeding the envelopes from the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: OPEX Corporation
    Inventors: John Allen, Robert R DeWitt, Joseph Valinsky
  • Patent number: 10703597
    Abstract: A recording device includes: a transport unit configured to transport a medium in a plurality of transport speed modes; a driving unit configured to drive the transport unit with a plurality of speed profiles, each corresponding to one of the plurality of transport speed modes; a current sensor configured to measure a reference current the driving unit, the reference current being a current flowing in the driving unit when the medium is transported in a loosened state; and a control configured to acquire a plurality of current profiles, each corresponding to one of the speed profiles, based on the reference current. The control unit is configured to acquire a first current profile based on the reference current when the medium is transported in a first transport speed mode, and to generate a second current profile based on the first current profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryo Hamano
  • Patent number: 10683179
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet tray configured to hold sheets, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed sheets from the sheet tray, and a lift unit configured to move the sheet tray up and down. When the type of sheets to be held on the sheet tray is to be changed to another type, the lift unit moves the sheet tray up or down to a sheet holding position set for sheets of the other type. Thus, the position where the sheet tray can hold sheets is changed in accordance with the material or size of the sheets. The largest number, in which sheets can be mounted on the sheet tray, can thereby be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yazawa, Kei Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10662021
    Abstract: A sheet sorting apparatus includes a first tray detachable from an apparatus main body, a second tray arranged below the first tray, a discharge unit to discharge a sheet to the first or second tray, a tray detecting unit to detect that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body, a full stack detecting unit to detect a fully stacked condition of the first tray, and a control unit to control the discharge unit. In a case where the tray detecting unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body, the control unit controls the discharge unit not to discharge a sheet to the second tray when a number of sheets discharged to the second tray reaches a threshold number of sheets, even though the full stack detecting unit does not detect the fully stacked condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Sato, Genki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10643417
    Abstract: A money processing device includes a storage unit that stores money, a quantity measurement unit that measures a quantity of the money stored in the storage unit during examination processing, and a control unit that performs control of calculating a remaining time or a degree of progress of the examination processing and notifying the calculated remaining time or degree of progress of the examination processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Morinobu, Yuta Miyasaka, Atsushi Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 10625964
    Abstract: A controller performs a positioning operation by driving an elevator motor before starting a paper feed operation using a paper feed roller unit. While the controller performs the paper feed operation using the paper feed roller unit after an upper limit sensor is brought into an on-state by the positioning operation, when the upper limit sensor is brought into an off-state, the controller performs a paper feed position following operation by driving the elevator motor to raise a paper feed tray until the upper limit sensor is brought into the on-state. The controller controls the elevator motor with setting a current limit in the positioning operation such that a current flowing to the elevator motor does not exceed a predetermined current limit value and controls the elevator motor without the current limit in the paper feed position following operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Terakado, Yukihiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 10526148
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes: a casing; a first roller; a pressing portion; a first spring; and a second spring. The pressing portion is movable between a first position and a second position via a third position. The pressing portion in the first position faces the first roller within a conveying region defined in the casing. The pressing portion in the second position is separated from the first roller farther than in the first position. The third position is located between the first position and the second position. The first roller is exposed to the conveying region. The first spring urges the pressing portion toward the first roller when the pressing portion is disposed between the first position and the second position. The second spring urges the pressing portion toward the first roller when the pressing portion is disposed between the second position and the third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Kuriki
  • Patent number: 10520873
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form an image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the image formed on the image bearer onto a sheet, a storage to store the sheet, a sheet feeder to convey the sheet one by one to the transfer device, and a slip amount prediction controller. The slip amount prediction controller calculates a predicted slip amount between the sheet feeder and the sheet before forming the image and, subsequently calculates an interval between images based on the predicted slip amount. The slip amount prediction controller controls the image forming device based on the calculated interval between images to form the image on the image bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuya Ozaki, Kazutaka Takeda, Kohji Yoshimura, Mizuna Tanaka, Takashi Oida
  • Patent number: 10486928
    Abstract: A sheet detecting device includes a moving member supported movably from a standby position to a detecting position detecting a sheet by being pushed by the sheet moving on a sheet stacking portion toward a first direction and a detecting sensor detecting the move of the moving member. The sheet detecting device also includes a retracting mechanism retracting the moving member movably to the detecting position in associate with a move of the sheet to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichiro Mizobe, Yoshinori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10472191
    Abstract: A tiltenator of a media separator module (integrated within a valuable media depository) adaptively controls pressure maintained against a bunch of media as individual items from the bunch are fed through the media separator module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Michael Gillier, Matthew Sonnenberg, Benjamin T. Widsten
  • Patent number: 10364109
    Abstract: The feeding apparatus includes a pick-up roller, a feed roller, a separation roller which forms a separation nip portion with the feed roller, an encoder, and an engine control unit. The engine control unit obtains variation in rotation speed of the separation roller based on a detection result of the encoder, and determines a life condition of the separation roller based on the obtained variation in rotation speed of the separation roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuya Hirano, Fumiaki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10351371
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes: a loading unit configured to load a plurality of sheet-like media in a stacked state; a feeding roller configured to feed the media by rotating while abutting against the media loaded on the loading unit; an arm configured to rotatably support the feeding roller and configured to be swingable about a support shaft; at least one actuator supported by the arm to be swingable about a fulcrum provided between the support shaft and a leading end of the arm, the arm being on the same side as the feeding roller with respect to the support shaft and being farthest away from the support shaft; and at least one sensor configured to output a signal which differentiates a first posture of the at least one actuator with respect to the arm, from a second posture different from the first posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotaka Aoki, Kenji Samoto
  • Patent number: 10315868
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a feed member feeding a sheet, and a sheet storage member having first and second sheet storage portions. A sheet shifting portion pushes an upstream end of the sheet in the second sheet storage portion in a first direction so as to shift the sheet in the second sheet storage portion to the first sheet storage portion in the first direction. A driving motor generates a driving force moving the sheet shifting portion, and a moving portion moves the sheet shifting portion from a first position to a second position farther from the first sheet storage portion in a state in which the sheet shifting portion does not receive the driving force from the driving motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohito Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10290189
    Abstract: An automated banking machine operative to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader that is operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine is operative responsive to the card data to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The automated banking machine is further operative to provide users with a receipt for transactions conducted. The automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser operative to dispense cash to machine users and to cause the value of cash to be assessed to financial accounts corresponding to card data. The automated banking machine is further operative to receive currency bills or other sheets from a user and to process and store such sheets through operation of a currency accepting device. The account corresponding to card data may be credited for the value of bills or other sheets received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Eastman, Brian Jones, Michael S. Johnson, Shawn Griggy, Jeff A. Brannan, Michael J. Harty, Robert W. Barnett, Eric S. VanKeulen, Mike P. Ryan, William D. Beskitt, Kenneth Turocy
  • Patent number: 10196221
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer, including a tray, a pickup roller, a separator roller, a separator pad, a driving source, a roller holder with an arm, an engagement member engageable with the arm, a load applier lever, and a first urging member coupled with the load applier lever, is provided. The load applier lever is movable between a first position, wherein the load applier lever supports the first end of the first urging member at a position where the first urging member causes the engagement member to be urged against the arm and to apply a load that acts in a direction to cause the pickup roller to be pressed against the sheets to the arm; and a second position, wherein the load applier lever supports the first end of the first urging member at a position where the first urging member is in the natural length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10160614
    Abstract: An automated teller machine can use an array of pressure sensors, such as piezo-resistive sensors, to detect the presence of foreign objects, such as staples, paper clips, or rubber bands, in a stack of banknotes. A user can insert a stack of banknotes into an automated teller machine. A pair of opposing clamping surfaces can apply pressure to the stack of banknotes. An array of pressure sensors can sense non-uniformities in pressure over the area of the array. If circuitry coupled to the pressures sensors senses a presence of a high pressure area in the surface area of the banknotes, then the circuitry can generate a signal indicating that one or more foreign objects has been detected. The automated teller machine can then prompt the user to remove the stack of banknotes and remove the foreign object from the stack of banknotes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Keith Staff, Alexander Stuart MacDonald
  • Patent number: 10155636
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that reduces image artifacts caused by the back tension of a separating unit. A control unit decreases the number of rotations (the rotational speed) of a resist roller pair after the leading edge of a sheet reaches a transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Motoyasu Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 10150634
    Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus has an abutment member against which a leading edge of a conveyed sheet abuts, a holding member with a positioning portion to hold the abutment member, and an indicator flag moving in association with movement of the abutment member. The abutment member moves between an abutment position and a retracted position, the holding member moves between a first position and a second position retracted from the first position, the abutment member is pushed by the leading edge of the sheet when the holding member is at the first position, with the push moving the holding member to the second position, the holding member is moved in a direction away from the first position so that the leading edge of the sheet is separated from the abutment surface, and the holding member moves from the second position to the first position when the abutment member is pushed by the sheet to the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Iizuka
  • Patent number: 10144599
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container to accommodate a recording medium, a sheet feeding body to press a surface of the recording medium in the sheet container and feed the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction, a pair of sheet position regulators to regulate a position of the recording medium in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, and a load applier to contact the surface of the recording medium and apply a load to the recording medium at the surface. The recording medium is brought to move toward one of the pair of sheet position regulators while the recording medium is being fed. A lower face position in a standby state of the sheet feeding body is lower than a lower face position in a standby state of the load applier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Wakabayashi, Kaoru Shoji, Masashi Sato, Shohei Shinkawa, Tetsutaro Oishi, Rie Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 10131512
    Abstract: A document feeder, which may be incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet conveying guide, at least one recess, a frame, and at least one protrusion. The sheet conveying guide is disposed facing an exposure glass on an apparatus body and guides an original document passing over the exposure glass when the document feeder is closed to the apparatus body. The recess is disposed on the apparatus body at both ends of the exposure glass in a lateral direction orthogonal to a document conveying direction. The frame is openably closable about one end side of the apparatus body in the lateral direction and vertically movably holds the sheet conveying guide. The protrusion is disposed on the frame facing the recess. The sheet conveying guide and the frame are secured to each other while the recess and the protrusion are engaged with each other in the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Tada, Takayuki Andoh, Yohei Osanai, Tatsuaki Nagano, Koji Hatayama, Munekazu Hirata, Toshiyuki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 10106352
    Abstract: A media separator module of a valuable media depository is selectively controlled to progressively and selectively activate drives for double feed media recovery processing when two items of media are detected within the media separator module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Michael Gillier, Benjamin T. Widsten
  • Patent number: 10099877
    Abstract: A sheet feed conveyance device includes a warning section, a pickup roller that feeds a sheet, a separation section, a speed sensor that detects a conveyance speed of the sheet, and a controller. The separation section includes a feed roller that feeds downstream the sheet fed by the pickup roller and a retard roller that returns a sheet involved in multiple sheet feeding toward the pickup roller. The controller recognizes the conveyance speed based on output of the speed sensor, integrate conveyance speeds detected in a measurement time period from rotation start of the pickup roller to elapse of a specific time period, and determines necessity for maintenance of the pickup roller according to a measurement distance as a result of integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10053312
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeding apparatus including: a tray unit provided rotatably with respect to an apparatus main body; a sheet stacking member which can be moved to a stand-by position for waiting for sheet feeding and a feeding position at which a sheet can be fed; a moving portion which abuts against the sheet stacking member from below and to move the sheet stacking member to the feeding position and the stand-by position, the moving portion being movable to a first position at which the moving portion locates the sheet stacking member at the stand-by position and to a second position at which the moving portion locates the sheet stacking member at the feeding position; and a restricting portion which restricts movement of the sheet stacking member by interfering with the moving portion located at the first position when the sheet stacking member moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9902580
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a document mounting board, in which a downstream end of the document mounting board in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism is connected to a scanner body so as to be rotatable about a first turning shaft parallel to a rotation shaft of a pickup roller, the first turning shaft is located downstream from the feed mechanism in the feeding direction of the documents in the feed mechanism, a mounting surface of the document mounting board on which the documents are mounted is located above the pickup roller when the documents are mounted on the document mounting board, and the document mounting board turns about the first turning shaft such that the mounting surface moves downward and the mounting surface moves downward from a contact portion of the pickup roller with the document when the documents mounted on the document mounting board are fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Hideyuki Okumura, Masanobu Hongo
  • Patent number: 9898900
    Abstract: An automated banking machine operative to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader that is operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine is operative responsive to the card data to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The automated banking machine is further operative to provide users with a receipt for transactions conducted. The automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser operative to dispense cash to machine users and to cause the value of cash to be assessed to financial accounts corresponding to card data. The automated banking machine is further operative to receive currency bills or other sheets from a user and to process and store such sheets through operation of a currency accepting device. The account corresponding to card data may be credited for the value of bills or other sheets received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Eastman, Brian Jones, Michael S. Johnson, Shawn Griggy, Jeff A. Brannan, Michael J. Harty, Robert W. Barnett, Eric S. Vankeulen, Mike P. Ryan, William D. Beskitt, Kenneth Turocy
  • Patent number: 9889998
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit which performs recording on a recording medium, a tray which stores the recording medium, a tray storage portion which stores the tray, a feed roller which feeds the recording medium out from the tray, and a roller support member which supports the feed roller and causes the feed roller to be lifted and lowered in relation to the tray by changing posture, in which a cam shaft capable of rotating is provided in the tray storage portion, in which the cam shaft is provided with a first engaging portion which engages with the tray and a second engaging portion which engages with the roller support member, and in which the roller support member is configured to change posture due to the tray causing the cam shaft to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Narihiro Oki, Kazuo Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9878863
    Abstract: Provided are a device and method for controlling a paper interval in a paper feeder of an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the device. The device includes: a leading edge sensor configured to detect a leading edge of a sheet of paper when the sheet of paper is picked up and fed as a printing medium; a feed unit configured to accelerate the sheet of paper; and a control unit. If the sheet of paper arrives late at a paper sensing position of the leading edge sensor, the control unit measures a travel time during which the sheet of paper is fed to the paper sensing position, and according to the measured travel time, the control unit varies a time point at which the sheet of paper starts to be accelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-bok Lee, Sang-cheol Kim, Taiichi Ominami, Jin-soo Lee
  • Patent number: 9833965
    Abstract: In a sealed letter producing device which folds and seals, with a content, an envelope sheet on which pressure-sensitive adhesives are provided, sealing with pressure rollers smaller than in conventional rollers is achieved. Pressure-sensitive adhesives 106 are provided in both edge portions in the width direction of an envelope sheet 100, and remoistening paste 107 is provided inwardly of both edge portions. The remoistening paste is moistened when the envelope sheet wrapping a content is bent and formed into an envelope 50, the entire surface of the envelope is pressurized by low-pressure rollers and adhered with the remoistening paste, and further only both edge portions of the envelope 50 are pressurized by an upper and lower set and a left and right pair of the pressure rollers 80, 80 having a small width to adhere the pressure-sensitive adhesive 106.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadayuki Wakatabi, Yasuhiro Katada
  • Patent number: 9828200
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeder unit, a separating unit, a conveying unit disposed downstream of the separating unit in a sheet feeding direction, an image forming unit disposed downstream of the conveying unit in the sheet feeding direction, a drive unit, and a control unit. The feeder unit feeds a sheet. The separating unit separates sheets fed by the feeder unit one by one. The conveying unit conveys the sheet. The image forming unit forms, while the sheet is being conveyed, an image on the sheet. The drive unit drives the conveying unit. The control unit controls the drive unit. After the conveyed sheet reaches the image forming unit, the control unit reduces a conveyance speed of the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Motoyasu Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9821970
    Abstract: A sheet feeder including a tray, a feeder roller, a guide, a separator, a motor, a controller, and a sensor, is provided. The sheet feeder separates an object sheet from other sheets in the tray and feed the object sheet through the guide and the separator by rotation of the feeder roller. The controller determines a remaining volume of the sheets in the tray based on a signal from the sensor; generate a velocity profile so that the object sheet is fed at a lower velocity in an earlier first period than a velocity in a later second period; based on the determined remaining volume of the plurality of sheets, modify at least one of a length of the first period and the target velocity in the first period of the velocity profile; and after modification of the velocity profile, control the motor in compliance with the modified velocity profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Arai
  • Patent number: 9815650
    Abstract: A sheet skew feed correcting apparatus is provided which includes: a driving rotation member that is driven to rotate; a first driven rotation member that is pressure contacted against the driving rotation member; a first holder rotatably holding the first driven rotation member; a second driven rotation member that is pressure contacted against the driving rotation member; a second holder rotatably holding the second driven rotation member; and a shutter portion with which a leading end of a sheet comes into contact for skew feed correction, the shutter portion moving pivotally with one end portion thereof supported by the first holder and another end portion thereof supported by the second holder; wherein the shutter portion has abutting portions with which the leading end comes into contact, and a coupling portion extending so as to couple the abutting portions together between the first and the second driven rotation members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 9815645
    Abstract: There is provided a conveyance apparatus including: a main body including a drive source, and a conveyance portion to which a drive force is transmitted from the drive source; an equipped unit including a drive portion to which the drive force is transmitted from the drive source in the main body; a first gear provided in the main body and rotated by the drive force transmitted thereto from the drive force; a first gear holder provided swingably in the main body to support the first gear; a second gear provided in the equipped unit to transmit the drive force to the drive portion; a second gear holder provided swingably in the equipped unit to support the second gear; and a third gear supported by a connecting shaft connecting the first and second gear holders to engage respectively with the first and second gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9815643
    Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a first tray, a first elevation motor for moving up the first tray, a second tray for placing paper sheets, a second elevation motor for moving up the second tray, a separation plate disposed between the first tray and the second tray, an upper sensor unit and a lower sensor unit attached to the first tray, a light blocking plate attached to the second tray, and a controller. The paper feeding device has a tray parallel elevation mode in which both the trays are moved up in parallel in a state where the separation plate is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yukio Tanisaki
  • Patent number: 9738473
    Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus including: a detection unit including a lever member having an abutment surface abutting a conveying sheet and a holding member configured to hold the lever member, the detection unit moved by the lever member pushed by the sheet; a first urging portion configured to urge the holding member to a waiting position after the sheet is separated from the abutment surface; a support portion configured to support the lever member movable with respect to the holding member to move the lever member to a retracted position for allowing the sheet to pass the lever member contacting a surface of the sheet when the holding member is in the waiting position; and a second urging portion configured to urge the lever member so that the lever member is moved from the retracted position to a position in which the abutment surface abuts a succeeding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Iizuka
  • Patent number: 9718634
    Abstract: A sheet thickness detector incorporated in a sheet conveyor and/or an image forming apparatus includes multiple first rollers aligned in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, multiple second rollers facing the respective first rollers, a first roller shaft supporting two first rollers, at least one second roller shaft supporting rollers other than the two first rollers, at least one third roller shaft to support at least three second rollers, a first roller shaft holder supporting the first roller shaft to move from the at least one third roller shaft in a contact/separation direction, a biasing member biasing the first roller shaft toward at least one third roller shaft, and a displacement amount detector detecting an amount of displacement of the first roller shaft. A thickness of a sheet between the first and second rollers is detected based on a detection result by the displacement amount detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Mamoru Kambayashi
  • Patent number: 9574652
    Abstract: A driving device used in a paper separation mechanism includes an internal gear, an external gear sheathed around the internal gear, a shell of which an inner front face protrudes backward to form a hollow cylinder which the internal gear is sheathed around, an elastic element restrained between a front end of the internal gear and the inner front face of the shell, and a driving member rotatably on the rear of the shell. The driving device utilizes the cooperation of a guide block of the internal gear and a guide groove of spiral shape of the hollow cylinder, the cooperation of a locking arm of the shell and an outer ratchet of the external gear, the cooperation of a slope of the external gear and pushing blocks of the driving member to make a clockwise rotation angle of the driving member be greater than a counterclockwise rotation angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I Chuan Hong, Lung Chen, Wen Ching Liao, Shih Chao Kao, Jing Hua Fang, Ming Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 9555990
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a printing apparatus comprises a light receiving section, a determination section and a printing section. The light receiving section receives light emitted from a light emitting section which emits light, and detects a voltage level corresponding to the quantity of the received light. The determination section determines the residual quantity of sheets according to the detected voltage level. The printing section carries out printing on a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryosuke Kanetoku
  • Patent number: 9546057
    Abstract: A sheet material storage includes a housing space structure that forms a housing space to house a sheet material and an acoustic device that uses a Helmholtz resonator. At least a part of a cavity of the Helmholtz resonator is formed in the housing space structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9527687
    Abstract: Printing apparatus comprise a printing table, a loader to load sheets of print media to the printing table, and a moveable tray on which at least one row of media sheets can be placed, the tray being moveable between a position in which it is accessible to an operator for placing media sheets thereon and another position in which at least part of the tray is accessible to the loader for picking the print media sheets but inaccessible to the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing LTD.
    Inventor: Ehud Zondiner
  • Patent number: 9452903
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus includes a main body including a drive source, and a conveyance portion to which a drive force is transmitted from the drive source. An equipped unit includes a drive portion to which the drive force is transmitted from the drive source in the main body. A first gear is provided in the main body and is rotated by the drive force transmitted thereto from the drive force. A first gear holder is provided swingably in the main body to support the first gear, and a second gear is provided in the equipped unit to transmit the drive force to the drive portion. A second gear holder is provided swingably in the equipped unit to support the second gear, and a third gear is supported by a connecting shaft connecting the first and second gear holders to engage respectively with the first and second gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Shimizu