Control Of Separator Responsive To Sensing Of Sheet Patents (Class 271/110)
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Publication number: 20100327513Abstract: A sheet transport system and method including a first drive module including a frame. A first drive wheel is rotatably disposed on the frame. A first drive motor is operably connected to the first drive wheel and disposed on the frame. The first drive module is pivotally secured to a structure. A first idler wheel corresponds to the first drive wheel. An actuator is operably engagable with the first drive module. The actuator is configured to move the first drive module to cause the first drive wheel to move between an open position and a closed position. The first drive wheel is configured to propel a sheet in the closed position and to not propel a sheet in the open position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Paul N. Richards, Lloyd A. Williams, Joannes N.M. DeJong, Matthew Dondiego
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Patent number: 7828282Abstract: An imaging system includes a media holder configured to hold a plurality of sheets of media. A pick arm, including a pick roller, is positioned to contact an individual sheet of the plurality of sheets of media in the media holder. A member has a measurable property that is sensed by a sensor in correlation with a position of the individual sheet of the media in the media holder. The member or the sensor is movable by the pick arm along a path such that the measurable property is sensed by the sensor in order to provide a signal indicative of the position of the individual sheet of media in the media holder. The member produces zero drag upon the individual sheet of media.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Hongsheng Zhang
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Patent number: 7815183Abstract: A device (10) for extracting and feeding sheets from two trays, comprising a first tray (20) to contain a first ream (21a) of sheets (21), a second tray (30) to contain a second ream (31a) of sheets (31), and a feeding member (50, 53, 53a, 53b) for extracting and feeding one sheet (21, 31) at a time from said first ream (21a) or from said second ream (31a), wherein the two trays (20, 30) are positioned one on top of the other on the same side of the feeding member (50), and the second tray (30), in an intermediate position between the first tray (20) and the feeding member (50), comprises a fixed wall (32, 32a, 32b), to support the second ream (31a), which is configured in order to define an opening or cooperation zone (41) between the first tray (20) and the feeding member (50), so that, when the second ream is not present in the second tray (30) the feeding member (50, 53, 53a) and the first ream (21a) are intended to cooperate in contact with each other, through said cooperation zone (41) in order to extraType: GrantFiled: July 13, 2005Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.Inventors: Paolo Cappello, Daniele Mazzini
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Publication number: 20100258996Abstract: An air-suction sheet supplying device, including: a sheet stacking plate to stack recording sheets; an air-suction duct, arranged to face a top surface of the recording sheet stacked on the sheet stacking plate, and having an air-suction opening with a predetermined width; a belt member, rotatably arranged so as to cover the air-suction opening, and having plural areas having various distributions of suction holes in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction; a driving section to rotate the belt member; a detecting section to detect a position of the belt member in a rotating direction; and a control section to operate the driving section so as to set a starting position of suction work, in a conveying direction of the belt member, on an area having suitable distribution of the suction holes, based on information detected by the detecting section.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2010Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Akira KOSUGI
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Publication number: 20100237554Abstract: A movable component which can be moved between a protruding position in which the movable component protrudes from the outer chute into a curved path toward an inner chute so as to be able to contact the recording medium and a retracted position in which the degree of protrusion of the movable component from the outer chute into the curved path is smaller than the degree of protrusion in the protruding position, and the movable component is moved from the protruding position to the retracted position at a timing on or after a first timing and before a second timing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki Okumura, Yuji Sakano, Hideki Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20100213661Abstract: Provided is a diverter 15 capable of diverting banknotes in multiple directions and performing high-speed diversion of banknotes. A diversion member 21 rotationally moves to at least three stopping positions including a first stopping position connecting a first transport path 11 and a second transport path 12 to form a first transport passage, a second stopping position connecting the first transport path 11 and a third transport path 13 to form a second transport passage and a third stopping position connecting transport paths other than the first transport path 11 to form a third transport passage. The rotation speed of the diversion member 21 between the first stopping position and the second stopping position is lower than that between the first stopping position and the third stopping position and that between the second stopping position and the third stopping position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2008Publication date: August 26, 2010Inventors: Masaaki Fukazawa, Toshihiko Kobayashi, Tsuguo Mizoro, Hisayuki Utsumi
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Patent number: 7753360Abstract: A measuring device, wherein a feed-out member feeds out an uppermost one of plural sheet-shaped materials stacked on a base by rotating in contact with the uppermost sheet-shaped material, has a detector that detects a force imparted to the base and the sheet-shaped materials not in contact with the feed-out member, the force being generated by feeding-out the uppermost sheet-shaped material.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2008Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shin Takeuchi, Minoru Ohshima, Kazuyuki Tsukamoto, Takao Furuya, Yoshinari Iwaki, Kaoru Yoshida
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Publication number: 20100164164Abstract: A sheet carrying device includes: a sheet carrying unit having a first sheet carrying unit and a second sheet carrying unit, at least one of which has a sheet carrying force changing along a direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of a sheet, the first sheet carrying unit carrying the sheet in the traveling direction, the second sheet carrying unit carrying the sheet in the traveling direction together with the first sheet carrying unit; and a control unit which controls the carrying by the first sheet carrying unit and the carrying by the second sheet carrying unit on the basis of a result of detection from a detection unit which detects an inclination of the sheet that is traveling.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirofumi KONDO, Yoshinori TSUEDA
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Publication number: 20100156027Abstract: An item feeder includes a deck for supporting items, a transport element for transporting the items along the deck on a transport path from an upstream loading area through a downstream receiving passage, a drive element for driving the transport element, and a cover element comprising a leading edge. The cover element may be movable between a closed position in which the leading edge is disposed at a first distance from the deck, and an open position in which the leading edge is disposed at a second greater distance from the deck. The leading edge may engage transported items having a thickness greater than the first distance to move the cover element out of the closed position. The item feeder further includes a controller for controlling the drive element, wherein the controller is configured to stop the drive element when the cover element is moved out of the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2008Publication date: June 24, 2010Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Luciano P. Dos Santos, Anthony P. Muffatti, Norman C. Allie
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Publication number: 20100148419Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus including: a suction conveyance mechanism which suctions a topmost sheet of a plurality of sheets stacked and conveys the suctioned sheet to a sheet conveyance path; an outlet elevation mechanism which moves an air outlet to and from a first position at which the air outlet faces the side of the stacked sheets and a second position at which the air outlet faces a side of the sheet suctioned onto the suction surface; a suction detection sensor; a sheet supply detection sensor; and a control section which moves the air outlet to the first position or to the second position by controlling the outlet elevation mechanism based on detections by the sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2009Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Tomoo SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20100148426Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus, including a sensor unit which optically detects, at a measurement position, a surface of a sheet, for measuring a moving state of the sheet. The sensor unit measures the moving state of the sheet when the sheet is located at the measurement position, and measures a moving state of a surface of the rotary member when the sheet is not located at the measurement position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2009Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Haruo Uchida, Kenji Shigeno, Noriyuki Aoki, Kazuhisa Kawakami, Yuji Kanome, Kosuke Yamamoto, Masakazu Tsukuda, Yoshiaki Suzuki
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Patent number: 7731175Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a paper feeding method used with the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus includes: a paper feeding unit to accommodate a plurality of papers loaded thereon; a pick-up roller which picks up the papers loaded in the paper feeding unit and is set to rotate at multi-step speeds; a paper arrangement unit which aligns the papers to be transferred without skewing by applying a constant pressure to the front end of a paper transferred by a the pick-up roller; a printing unit which is disposed below the paper arrangement unit and forms a predetermined image on the transferred paper; a paper type sensing element which is disposed on a paper transfer path along which the paper feeding unit, the pick-up roller, the paper arrangement unit, and the printing unit are arranged; and a control unit which operates the pick-up roller at a rotation speed according to an identified paper type.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2006Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventor: Sung-wook Kang
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Publication number: 20100133740Abstract: A method for applying a pick retry using a modified pick roller force includes operating an actuator in a first duty cycle to cause a pick roller to impose a first force on a media stack ordinarily sufficient to pick and feed a top sheet from the media stack to a media path, sensing whether or not the sheet arrives in the media path, and retrying the actuator in a second duty cycle different than the first duty cycle to cause the pick roller to impose a second force on the media stack different from the first force in response to not sensing the arrival of the sheet in the media path. The second force may be greater than the first force. The second duty cycle may be longer than the first duty cycle. Also, the method includes rotating the pick roller concurrently with or subsequently to operating the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2008Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Adam Christopher Kelty, Charles Brandon Langrel
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Patent number: 7717415Abstract: A paper feeding device which includes a pickup roller assembly picking up a sheet of paper and transferring the paper, a stopper controlling the paper so that a front end of the paper is located on a lower portion of the pickup roller, a sensing unit sensing whether the paper is loaded or not on the paper feeding board, and a probe unit that is rotated with the stopper and turns on/off the sensor unit. Therefore, the probe unit for turning the sensor unit on/off is operated with the stopper to reduce the number of components, thus reducing the cost and stabling the quality of product.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Won-taek Kim, Myung-woo Yang
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Publication number: 20100117287Abstract: A sheet loading apparatus has an ejecting member to eject a sheet; a loading member to load the sheet ejected by the ejecting member; and a movable member capable of moving in a state keeping contact with ejecting member side ends of the sheets loaded on the loading member. The movable member moves a distance equal to a moving distance of the loading member in the moving direction of the loading member. The sheet loading apparatus has a screen which is located between the loading member and the ejecting member and moves up and down, while waits at a position capable of avoiding interruption to the ejection of the sheet; and a first rotating member mounted to the screen in a location above the loading member and suspending the movable member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2009Publication date: May 13, 2010Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasunobu TERAO, Katsuya SASAHARA
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Patent number: 7703762Abstract: When a paper feed cassette is again mounted, a pressing portion of a pressing member is brought into contact from the front side on a second surface of an extending portion of a contacting member, and the contacting member is pressed by the pressing member to be displaced from the retract position to the contact position. At this time, the pressing portion of the contacting member presses a pressed portion of a disc member to rotate a third cam itself in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing. Accordingly, the lift lever locked by the third cam is released, and an end portion of an arm member is allowed to move upward.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2008Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makoto Hattori
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Patent number: 7703763Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a tray having a bottom surface. The tray holds at least one sheet therein, and has a recess formed in the bottom surface. A rotating member moves between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the rotating member contacts a sheet held in the tray, and in the second position, the rotating member is separated from the tray. The rotating member selectively rotates to convey a sheet held in the tray in a when the rotating member is in the first position. An operative portion moves in and out of the recess in the bottom surface of the tray, and movement of the operative portion corresponds to a movement of the rotating member into the second position.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2008Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yukio Shiohara, Keisuke Wakakusa, Tetsuo Asada
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Publication number: 20100096798Abstract: A method and a module are described for storing and dispensing flat items such as banknotes or wads of banknotes, wherein the items are retained between ribbon means and deposited on a rotating support element having at least two faces comprising one or more flat or convex portions, after crossing a pair of feed-in/dispensing main rollers. Means are provided for adjusting the length of the ribbon means along the portion that extends between the points of contact with the main rollers and the points of contact with the supporting element and/or with the items stored on the same.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2008Publication date: April 22, 2010Inventor: Alberto Spinetti
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Patent number: 7699305Abstract: A method and device disclosed herein controls the movement of media sheets within an image forming device using a pick mechanism that contacts and moves a media sheet from an input area into a media path. One embodiment controls the rotational speed of the pick mechanism based on a filtered combination of a pick mechanism signal and an encoder signal. An encoder roller positioned to contact the media sheets in the input area senses the movement of the media sheet to generate the encoder signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Totsuka, John Spicer, Delbert Lester Elliott
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Publication number: 20100090389Abstract: This invention relates to a sheet-fed offset printing press including a gear driven by an upstream drive motor, a gear rotationally driven by the upstream drive motor through the gear, an impression cylinder of an upstream printing unit group, and a transfer cylinder of a downstream printing unit group. The impression cylinder is rotationally driven by the gear and has a holding portion for holding a paper sheet W. The transfer cylinder is rotationally driven by a downstream drive motor and has a holding portion for receiving the paper sheet W from the holding portion of the impression cylinder. The printing press further includes an impression-cylinder-side peripheral speed measuring device for measuring the peripheral speed of the impression cylinder and a transfer-cylinder-side peripheral speed measuring device for measuring the peripheral speed of the transfer cylinder.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Inventors: Hiromitsu NUMAUCHI, Isao UMETSU
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Publication number: 20100078874Abstract: A document feeder to reverse a document by conveying the document to a reverse path. The document feeder includes a conveyance roller to convey the document, a reverse roller provided along a conveyance path of the document conveyed by the conveyance roller to convey the document to the reverse path by changing a direction of conveyance of the document, and a reverse roller control unit to control the reverse roller to correct skew of the document. The reverse roller control unit controls the reverse roller to correct the skew of the document by striking the document conveyed by the conveyance roller against a nip formed between the reverse roller and a roller provided opposite the reverse roller to temporarily bend the document.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Inventor: Hiroaki NAGATA
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Publication number: 20100078365Abstract: A method for the operation of a transport system for bank notes whereby a bank note is conveyed from a tester unit to a bank note storage device, as well as a device for taking up bank notes in which a bank note storage and stacking unit is controlled by differing transport speeds such that the transport speed in the transport unit that takes up the bank note is higher than the transport speed in the device that delivers the bank note to a second transport unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Applicant: adp Gauselmann GmbHInventor: Paul Gauselmann
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Publication number: 20100072692Abstract: A sheet pre-processing device includes a space portion as a sheet receiving unit that receives a pre-processed sheet, a first sheet conveying path for discharging the sheet to the sheet receiving unit, and a second sheet conveying path for reversing the sheet. A sheet post-processing device is removably attached into the space portion. When the sheet post-processing device is attached into the space portion, a conveying path and a reversing path works are provided, which are switched over by a switching unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Inventors: Junichi Iida, Shinya Kitaoka, Shuuya Nagasako
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Publication number: 20100072691Abstract: In a recording sheet feeder, a recording sheet tray moving mechanism moves a recording sheet tray between an upper position, at which an uppermost recording sheet of a plurality of recording sheets loaded on the recording sheet tray contacts a feed roller, and a lower position, at which the uppermost recording sheet separates from the feed roller. A first eccentric cam and a second eccentric cam rotate to press down the recording sheet tray. A driving force switch member drives the recording sheet tray moving mechanism when a driver rotates in a first direction, and rotates a feed roller driving shaft mounted with the feed roller when the driver rotates in a second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Inventors: Masayuki Ueda, Hiroyuki Watase, Ryo Takenaka, Hiroshi Kajiyama
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Patent number: 7684091Abstract: Reference images on the respective surfaces of a reference document transported on a transportation path are read out by a first image reading section and a second image reading section, respectively. As a result a first reference readout image and a second reference readout image are acquired. in accordance with the difference between the changes in the sub-scanning direction in the first reference readout image and the changes in the sub-scanning direction in the second reference readout image, the reading cycle of the first image reading section X1 and the reading cycle of the second image reading section X2 are set. This makes it possible to equalize the magnifications of the respective images on the front and back sides of the document, even if the speeds of the document at the times of passing through readout positions for the front and back sides change over time, on account of the wear of a transportation roller.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Sohichi Takata, Yoshitaka Okahashi, Kohsuke Harada, Takao Horiuchi, Kenji Tanaka, Kouji Yamaji
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Patent number: 7677554Abstract: A recording medium transfer apparatus includes a motor control unit for controlling the motor to rotate at higher speed when the recording medium is fed to the liquid ejection area than that when the recording medium is discharged out of the liquid ejection area, and a feed control unit for controlling a next recording medium to be fed simultaneously with discharge of the recording medium, if a position of a rear end of the recording medium when recording or printing has been finished is situated upstream of a predetermined position, which is upstream of the discharge roller as much as a distance between a feed start position of the recording medium and the liquid ejection area, whereas controlling the next recording medium to start to be fed after discharge of the recording medium has been finished, if the position of the rear end of the recording medium when recording or printing has been finished is situated downstream of the predetermined position.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Yasuhiko Yoshihisa, Kosaku Nobuta
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Publication number: 20100061781Abstract: An automatic document feeder and a scanner having the same are provided. The automatic document feeder can include a transport unit configured to transport a document to a scanning unit, an apparatus main body configured to hold the transport unit, a cover configured to be rotatably disposed on the apparatus main body, and a sensing unit disposed on a document transportation path to sense whether the cover is open or closed, the position of the document, or both. The automatic document feeder and the scanner having the same are configured to allow a jammed document to be ejected without having the document be damaged.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2009Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Jung-Yun WON
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Publication number: 20100044953Abstract: A paper feeding cassette includes: a cassette case configured to store sheets; a sheet tray on which the sheets are stacked, the sheet tray being rotatably attached to the cassette case; a push-up member configured to push up the sheet tray and rotate the sheet tray in one direction when driving force is input and release the push-up of the sheet tray to allow rotation of the sheet tray in the other direction when the input of the driving force is interrupted; and a buffer member configured to be nipped by the cassette case and the sheet tray and elastically deformed when the sheet tray rotates in the other direction. The buffer member is located, when viewed from a stacking direction of the sheets, in an area closer to a rotation axis of the sheet tray than a distal end of the sheet tray that is most distant from the rotation axis in the sheet tray.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiro Ohno, Kazumasa Yasui
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Publication number: 20100032893Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which generation of a hollow at a separation roller can be prevented. A sheet separating and feeding portion 132 which separates and feeds sheets S one by one sent by a pickup roller 129 includes a feed roller 130 and a retard roller 131 which is arranged rotatably in the direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction and which is capable of rotating along with a rotation of the feed roller 130 while being press-contacted to the feed roller 130. Then, the feed roller 130 is rotated by a predetermined amount so as to rotate the retard roller 131 via the sheet S after job completion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2009Publication date: February 11, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroto Koga, Hisakazu Okubo, Shinsuke Ubayashi, Yusuke Imai
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Publication number: 20100019441Abstract: An imaging system includes a media holder configured to hold a plurality of sheets of media. A pick arm, including a pick roller, is positioned to contact an individual sheet of the plurality of sheets of media in the media holder. A member has a measurable property that is sensed by a sensor in correlation with a position of the individual sheet of the media in the media holder. The member or the sensor is movable by the pick arm along a path such that the measurable property is sensed by the sensor in order to provide a signal indicative of the position of the individual sheet of media in the media holder. The member produces zero drag upon the individual sheet of media.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2008Publication date: January 28, 2010Inventor: Hongsheng Zhang
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Patent number: 7644921Abstract: An image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention can include a conveying device capable of conveying a recording medium, a support shaft which capable of being movably supported between a medium sensing position near a conveyance path along which the conveying device conveys the recording medium and a retracting position kept away from the medium sensing position, wherein the support shaft is biased to the medium sensing position, a medium sensing member connected to the support shaft and is capable of rotating between a standby position wherein a portion of the support shaft is inside the conveyance path and a detection position wherein a portion of the support shaft is removed from the conveyance path by the recording medium passing along the conveyance path when the support shaft is in the medium sensing position, and a rotation detection device capable of detecting a rotary displacement of the medium sensing member.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2007Date of Patent: January 12, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshiteru Hattori
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Publication number: 20100001455Abstract: A sheet supplying unit that supplies sheets includes a sheet accommodation tray that accommodates the sheets in a stacked state, the sheets including a first sheet which is an uppermost sheet in the stack of the sheets and a second sheet which is immediately below the first sheet; a pick-up roller that conveys the sheets in a sheet conveying direction; a detection sensor that detects passage of the sheets and is disposed downstream of the pick-up roller in the sheet conveying direction; and a control unit that controls operations of the pick-up roller in accordance with outputs from the detection sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2009Publication date: January 7, 2010Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi MIWA, Makoto HATTORI
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Publication number: 20090322014Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing unit in which sheets are stacked, and a regulator in the housing unit including a body that has surfaces at which ends of the sheets are regulated. The apparatus further includes a stopper in the regulator, a retainer in the housing unit configured to engage with the stopper to lock the regulator to the housing unit, and a movement mechanism configured to move, when the body is pushed in a direction in which the regulator is to be moved, the stopper away from the retainer to disengage the stopper from the retainer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yusuke Imai
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Patent number: 7635127Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 26, 2007Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazutoshi Kuse
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Patent number: 7597313Abstract: A sheet transporting device includes: a sheet feeding cassette; a transporting unit that transports the sheet from the sheet feeding cassette; a swing member including a swing position, which changes among a first state in which the sheet feeding cassette is separated, a second state in which the sheet feeding cassette is mounted and the sheet is not transported, and a third state in which the sheet is transported; a detecting unit that detects whether the swing position of the swing member is in the second state; and a control unit, wherein when the detecting unit detects that the swing position of the swing member is in a state other than the second state within a predetermined time interval from the time that the transporting unit extracts the sheet from the sheet feeding cassette, the control unit determines that the swing position is in the third state.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2006Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenichi Dan
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Patent number: 7591460Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a multiple-feed detecting section that detects recording sheets to be transported by plural rolls in a direction; a separating section that separates an uppermost sheet of the recording sheets from the other; a slippage detecting section that detects a slippage of the uppermost recording sheet with respect to a roll; and a transporting-speed reduction suppressing section that suppresses a transporting-speed of the uppermost recording sheet from reducing from a value, the separation section including: a transporting roll that transports recording sheets in a transporting direction; and a separation roll that is placed to be opposed to and to be press-contacted with the transporting roll through a recording sheet, the transporting-speed reduction suppressing section changing a separation torque of the separation roll according based on a result of detection by the multiple-feed detecting section and a result of detection by the slippage detecting section.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Minoru Ohshima, Kaoru Yoshida, Yoshinari Iwaki, Takao Furuya, Shin Takeuchi, Ivutin Dmitry
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Patent number: 7566052Abstract: An automatic document feeder for electric equipment includes an input tray, a driving mechanism, and a block mechanism. The input tray has a receiving end, a discharge end, and a first path extending from the receiving end to the discharge end. The driving mechanism includes a separating-roller shaft disposed above the input tray and in proximity to the discharge end, and a separating roller sleeved fixedly on the shaft. The blocking mechanism includes a blocking member pivotable between a blocking position whereat the blocking member is disposed on the first path, and a non-blocking position whereat the blocking member is removed from the first path. A driven arm is connected to and co-rotatable with the separating-roller shaft so as to pivot the blocking member between the blocking position and the non-blocking position.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2007Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corp.Inventors: Tien-Ho Hsu, Hsuan-Yang Lin, Chung-Lung Yu, Yu-Jen Tsao
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Patent number: 7549622Abstract: A document feeder includes a tray for holding one or more document sheets and a first flag disposed adjacent to the tray so as to engage a document sheet in the tray. A second flag is disposed adjacent to the tray to engage the document sheet so that the first and second flags produce balanced amounts of friction on the document sheet.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2007Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: Chet Butikofer
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Patent number: 7537213Abstract: An individual sheet member output control method used in a sheet member dispenser to control reversing of a transferring roller set for a secondary dispensing by a dispensing roller set when a sensor detected delivery of overlapped sheet members toward a sheet member outlet. The reversing and re-dispensing procedure is repeated to have overlapped sheet members be separated, and the transferring roller set is reversed to move overlapped sheet members backwards and then the machine is shut down for examination if overlapped sheet members still cannot be separated after the reversing and re-dispensing procedure has been repeated a predetermined number of times.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2006Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: International Currency Technologies Corp.Inventors: Hung-Yi Chang, Chih-Ching Liao
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Patent number: 7503561Abstract: The present application is directed to methods and devices for determining the absence of media sheets within an image forming device. In one embodiment, a support section configured to hold a stack of media sheets is positioned in an input area of the image forming device. A pick mechanism is positioned to contact a top-most sheet in the support section. The pick mechanism may include a pick motor and a pick roller. A sensor roller may be positioned to contact the top-most media sheet at a position spaced away from the pick roller. A controller may determine the absence of a media sheet based on the movement of the sensor roller after a predetermined movement of the pick motor.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Totsuka, John Spicer, Franklin Joseph Palumbo
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Patent number: 7497430Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming and sheet feeding mechanisms. The sheet feeding mechanism includes a bottom plate, a first roller, a separator including second and third rollers, and a sensor. The bottom plate loads sheets. The first roller feeds an uppermost sheet of the sheets loaded on the bottom plate. The separator separates the uppermost sheet from the other sheets when a plurality of sheets are fed by the first roller. The sensor is disposed between heads of the sheets loaded on the bottom plate and the separator and detects the uppermost sheet fed by the first roller. The image forming apparatus further includes a controller for driving the first roller to feed a next uppermost sheet loaded on the bottom plate when the sensor does not detect the next uppermost sheet when a tail portion of the previous sheet passes the separator.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2006Date of Patent: March 3, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tadashi Kusumi
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Patent number: 7481421Abstract: There is provided a sheet feeding apparatus including a first feeding member that feeds at least one of the sheets from a feeding tray; a second feeding member that feeds the sheet fed by the first feeding member; a separating member, wherein a nip portion is formed between the separating member and the second feeding member, and when two sheets are entered the nip portion, the separating member separates one of the entered sheets from the other; an adjusting unit that changes a force of the separating member; a detecting unit that detects at least one of a distance by which the other of the entered sheets is transported beyond the nip portion and an advancing speed of the other of the entered sheets at the nip portion; and a controller that controls the adjusting unit based on a detection value of the detecting unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2004Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuyuki Tsukamoto, Shin Takeuchi, Katsumi Sakamaki
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Publication number: 20080315501Abstract: A device (10) for extracting and feeding sheets from two trays, comprising a first tray (20) to contain a first ream (21a) of sheets (21), a second tray (30) to contain a second ream (31a) of sheets (31), and a feeding member (50, 53, 53a, 53b) for extracting and feeding one sheet (21, 31) at a time from said first ream (21a) or from said second ream (31a), wherein the two trays (20, 30) are positioned one on top of the other on the same side of the feeding member (50), and the second tray (30), in an intermediate position between the first tray (20) and the feeding member (50), comprises a fixed wall (32, 32a, 32b), to support the second ream (31a), which is configured in order to define an opening or cooperation zone (41) between the first tray (20) and the feeding member (50), so that, when the second ream is not present in the second tray (30) the feeding member (50, 53, 53a) and the first ream (21a) are intended to cooperate in contact with each other, through said cooperation zone (41) in order to extraType: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2005Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: TELECOM ITALIA S.P.A.Inventors: Paolo Cappello, Daniele Mazzini
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Publication number: 20080315502Abstract: A feeding apparatus including a feeding roller for conveying a sheet, a separation roller for conveying the sheet in a reverse direction, a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the feeding roller, a limited force reverse transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the separation roller through a torque limiter, a forced reverse transmission mechanism for directly transmitting the rotational force to the separation roller, a temperature detector and a controller, wherein the controller controls the separation roller to receive rotational force through the forced reverse transmission mechanism after the limited force reverse transmission mechanism transmits the rotational force to the separation roller, then allows the limited force reverse transmission mechanism to transmit the rotational force to the separation roller, or to rotate the feeding via the transmission mechanism and the limited force transmission mechanism to transmit the rotational force to the separType: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2008Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daisuke Ueda, Akira Kosugi, Shigeru Okazaki, Takanori Kanda, Kenichi Hosoi
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Patent number: 7461840Abstract: A sheet supply device including: a device main body; a storage cassette having a stacking portion on which a sheet is loaded; a lifting mechanism that lifts up the stacking portion by using driving power supplied from a driving source; a delivery unit that is disposed above the stacking portion and performs a delivering operation in a contact state with the sheet on the stacking portion lifted up by the lifting mechanism, thereby delivering the sheet to a downstream side in a conveying direction; a control unit that controls the delivering operation of the delivery unit; and a detecting unit that detects whether the sheet is loaded on the stacking portion at a predetermine detecting position above the stacking portion; wherein, when the detecting unit detects that the sheet is in existence, the control unit starts the delivering operation of the delivery unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Makoto Hattori
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Publication number: 20080296830Abstract: A sound generator help system of a shredder is disclosed. A disorder signal during the operation of the shredder is transmitted to the sound generator help system which then suggests the user how to correct operate the shredder and fix the problem in voice. When a problem occurs, the system flashes light to notify the user. By making a switch, the user can determine whether to play voices of the suggestion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: December 4, 2008Inventor: William Huang
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Publication number: 20080265487Abstract: A document feeder includes a tray for holding one or more document sheets and a first flag disposed adjacent to the tray so as to engage a document sheet in the tray. A second flag is disposed adjacent to the tray to engage the document sheet so that the first and second flags produce balanced amounts of friction on the document sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2007Publication date: October 30, 2008Inventor: Chet Butikofer
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Publication number: 20080265488Abstract: Sheets fed out of a cassette supporting the sheets by a pickup roller are separated and fed by a sheet separation feeding unit having a feed roller and a separating roller which is rotatable in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction. A charge eliminating mechanism for eliminating charges of the separating roller is arranged on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction in a separation nip portion between the feed roller and the separating roller.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2008Publication date: October 30, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Takeshi Suga, Toshifumi Itabashi, Hajime Sekiguchi
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Patent number: 7431286Abstract: A system and method include a printer input, a feedhead assembly, first and second sensors and a controller. The printer input is configured to hold a stack of media. The first sensor is coupled to the feedhead assembly and configured to measure at a first location of the stack of media. The second sensor is coupled to the feedhead assembly and is configured to measure at a second location of the stack of media. The controller communicates with the feedhead assembly and the first and second sensors to calculate a curvature of the stack of media in the input feeder.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2005Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade A. Powell, Ronald Slutz
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Patent number: 7431283Abstract: A card-feeding mechanism has two rollers positioned before a limiting device, and a roller and a sensor positioned after the limiting device. When a motor rotates clockwise, a transmission device drives the three rollers simultaneously to deliver a card from a front end toward a rear end. When the sensor detects an edge of the card, the motor rotates counterclockwise, and only drives the roller after the limiting device. Then, the card is only driven by the roller after the limiting device, and the rollers before the limiting device are driven by the card.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2005Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: HiTi Digital, Inc.Inventor: Tung-Ming Hsieh