Feed By Successive Approach And Retraction Patents (Class 271/118)
  • Patent number: 7703763
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Shiohara, Keisuke Wakakusa, Tetsuo Asada
  • Patent number: 7694954
    Abstract: A sheet pick-up device includes a sheet pick-up arm, a driving shaft and a collar. The sheet pick-up arm has a sleeve at the outside surface thereof. The driving shaft is penetrated through the sheet pick-up arm and the sleeve. The collar is sheathed around the driving shaft and includes at least one flexible vane in contact with the inner surface of the sleeve. The height of the flexible vane relative to the outer surface of the collar is greater than the radial distance between the outer surface of the collar and the inner surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 7665724
    Abstract: Various embodiments and methods relating to a kicker are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Bingham, David F. D. Buck
  • Patent number: 7651084
    Abstract: A feeding device is provided including a stacking portion on which a plurality of recording media are stacked, a feed roller that feeds the recording medium stacked on the stacking portion, biasing means for applying biasing force to either the stacking portion or the feed roller to thereby decrease the distance between the stacking portion and the feed roller, and biasing force adjustment means for adjusting the magnitude of the biasing force of the biasing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7648134
    Abstract: A paper supply device and an image forming apparatus, capable of always maintaining a constant pickup force regardless of the amount of loaded sheets of paper. The paper supply device includes a paper supply cassette, a pickup unit to pick up the paper, a paper supply plate and a press spring to bias the paper toward the pickup unit, a first restraining device to restrain the paper supply plate and to release the restraint of the paper supply plate, a second restraining device to permit the pickup unit to move vertically when the pickup unit picks up the paper and restricts the vertical movement of the pickup unit when the pickup unit does not pick up the paper, and an elastic member to bias the pickup unit toward the paper to provide the pickup unit with a pickup force when the pickup unit picks up the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Taek Lim
  • Patent number: 7648133
    Abstract: Assemblies and methods to move media sheets from a media stack within an image forming apparatus. These may include a pivoting arm with an attached roller that contacts the media stack and rotates to move a top-most sheet from the media stack. A clutch may be operatively connected to the arm for the arm to pivot in a first direction to maintain the roller positioned on a top of the media stack as the media stack is depleted and a height of the media stack is reduced. The clutch may also reduce movement of the arm in a second direction beyond a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Niko Jay Murrell, Jason Lee Rowe
  • Patent number: 7631862
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprises a sheet feeding roller, having a first circumferential section and a second circumferential section, configured to rotate in a direction from the first circumferential section to the second circumferential section; and a pressure plate provided apart from the sheet feeding roller and configured to mount thereon a recording sheet stack having recording sheets ranging from a maximum number to a minimum number. The first circumferential section includes a first contact point for contacting, when the sheet feeding roller is rotated, a leading top edge of the recording sheet stack having the maximum number of recording sheets; and a second contact point for contacting, when the sheet feeding roller is rotated, a leading top edge of the recording sheet stack having the minimum number of recording sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Yorimoto, Mitsuru Yamada, Masashi Kimijima
  • Patent number: 7614621
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus, includes: a housing part which houses stacked sheets and has, a separating part which separates said sheets one by one; an arm member which is capable of pivoting about its one end, in accordance with the amount of said stacked sheets; and a first feeder rotating body disposed far from said one end and a second feeder rotating body disposed closer to said one end than is said first feeder rotating body, which are mounted to said arm member, abut on a top surface of said sheets, and separate and feed said sheets one by one while cooperating with said separating part. Which of said first feeder rotating body and said second feeder rotating body abuts on the top surface of said sheets depending on the amount of said stacked sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Asada
  • Patent number: 7607655
    Abstract: An over-stack protective portion is provided on a stopper member. When a sheet feeding device is in a standby position, the over-stack protective portion is held in a position in which the over-stack protective portion is in pressure contact with sheets having the maximum stacking height capable of being fed and supported by a sheet supporting portion. Also, when the sheets are to be fed, the pressure contact of the over-stack protective portion with the sheets having the maximum stacking height is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Oomori, Masao Amano, Eiichiro Kimizuka, Daisuke Aoki
  • Patent number: 7594652
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are disclosed separating sheets of media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wesley R. Schalk, Allan G. Olson
  • Patent number: 7595916
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a pickup roller R1 makes soft contact to an upper surface of a manuscript by being lowered incrementally in four raising-lowering operations S1 to S4 in which, when an electromagnetic clutch connects, the pickup roller is lowered, while being rotated, to approach the upper surface of the top manuscript and, when the electromagnetic clutch disconnects, the pickup roller, while stopping to rotate, is raised away from the upper surface of the top manuscript by an amount smaller than a lowering amount. Between an electromagnetic clutch-side engaging portion and a pickup roller-side engaging portion of a torque limiter, an elastic member is arranged that suppresses drive power load fluctuation produced by disconnection/connection of the electromagnetic clutch and applies a biasing force in a direction to raise the pickup roller when the electromagnetic clutch disconnects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasumasa Morimoto, Masato Tamehira
  • Patent number: 7584953
    Abstract: A media pick assembly has a media tray for retaining a stack of media in a peripheral device, an auto-compensating mechanism disposed adjacent to the media tray, the auto-compensating mechanism movable through an operating range including a starting angular position and an ending angular position, and a media biasing member engaging the auto-compensating mechanism and providing a discontinuous force on the auto-compensating mechanism through the operating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Matthew Johnson, Michael William Lawrence
  • Patent number: 7581830
    Abstract: A supporting member is swingable about an imaginary swing axis that is parallel to an imaginary rotational axis of a feeding roller. The imaginary swing axis is located above a recording medium accommodated in a recording-medium accommodating section and is located upstream in a feeding direction of the recording medium with respect to the imaginary rotational axis. A first urging member is configured to apply an urging force to the support member in such a manner that the feeding roller contacts the recording medium accommodated in the recording-medium accommodating section. A second urging member is configured to urge an end of the supporting member in a direction that increases the urging force of the first urging member when an angle between a surface of the recording medium and a plane containing both the imaginary rotational axis and the imaginary swing axis is smaller than a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Kozaki, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 7568693
    Abstract: A feeding tray is detachably mounted on a base member and includes a bottom portion. The bottom portion has a first side that is configured to hold a recording sheet and a second side opposite the first side. An image forming unit forms an image on the recording sheet. A feeding roller is configured to rotatingly contact the recording sheet held in the feeding tray, thereby feeding the recording sheet toward the image forming unit in a conveying direction. A roller arm has one end that rotatably supports the feeding roller and another end opposite the one end. The roller arm is configured to swing about the another end, thereby generating a pressing force for pressing the feeding roller against the recording sheet. A supporting member is provided at the second side of the bottom portion and is configured to support the bottom portion against the pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Izuchi, Yukio Shiohara
  • Patent number: 7559545
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes; a sheet feed roller that abuts against a topmost sheet of stacked sheets and rotates to convey the topmost sheet in a conveyance direction; an arm spanning across a drive shaft and the sheet feed roller; a rotating transmission member that transmits rotation of the drive shaft to the sheet feed roller, wherein the arm is provided with a cantilever shaft that supports the rotating transmission member, and an elastic member that faces an end face of the rotating transmission member to retain the rotating transmission member in the cantilever shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Asada
  • Patent number: 7543810
    Abstract: A feeder for an object to be conveyed has an arm having a base end and a distal end and swingable about the base end; a pair of support shafts rotatably provided on both sides of the distal end of the arm; a pair of rotary feeding members for feeding the objects to be conveyed piled in a holder while abutting on the objects to be conveyed, the pair of rotary feeding members being fitted on outer surfaces of the pair of support shafts, respectively; and a regulating unit for regulating orientations of the pair of rotary feeding members uniformly with respect to a direction in which the pair of rotary feeding members rotate, the regulating unit being provided in interfaces between the support shafts and the rotary feeding members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Koga, Daisuke Kozaki
  • Patent number: 7523928
    Abstract: A paper-feeding system includes a paper tray for positioning a print medium, a pickup roller installed in front of the paper tray for picking up the print medium, a pickup arm connected to the pickup roller including a first retainer, a first elastic component connected to the pickup arm for providing an elastic force to the pickup arm so that the pickup roller can press the print medium, and a swing arm fixed to a shaft at one end. The swing arm includes a second retainer installed at the other end for fixing the first retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Qisda Corporation
    Inventor: Chien-Chih Chen
  • Patent number: 7516953
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a casing, a sheet pick-up module, a stopper and a swing lever. The casing includes a sheet feeding channel therein. The sheet pick-up module is pivotally mounted above the sheet feeding channel, and movable between a sheet feeding position and a standby position. The stopper is disposed under the sheet feeding channel. The swing lever includes a first end part is pressed down by the sheet pick-up module and a second end part is pressed down by the stopper. When the sheet pick-up module is switched from the sheet feeding position to the standby position, the sheet pick-up module depresses the first end part of the swing lever, so that the stopper is raised by the second end part of the swing lever to be protruded to the sheet feeding channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 7506867
    Abstract: A paper feeding device comprises an upper frame, a pickup roller assembly connected to the upper frame and a lower frame. The pickup roller assembly includes a roller frame, a separating roller, a pickup roller, and a belt sleeved on both the separating roller and the pickup roller. The separating roller and the pickup roller are connected to the roller frame. The belt impels the separating roller and the pickup roller to press against the roller frame. When the separating roller rotates, the friction created between the separating roller and the roller frame and the friction created between the pickup roller and the roller frame drives the pickup roller assembly to rotate, then the paper is fed into the paper feeding device. The structure of the paper feeding device is simple and the cost is lower than the conventional one, moreover, it is convenient to assemble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yueh-Shing Lee, Kuo-Kuang Wu, De-You Chu
  • Patent number: 7490827
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus, an automatic draft conveying apparatus, a paper feeding apparatus, and an image forming apparatus capable of preventing self-oscillation of a conveying roller. When rigidity of an oscillation system of the conveying roller is K [N/m], the distance between a supporting point of an arm and a section of the arm to which an axis of the conveying roller is attached is L [mm], and arm angle, which is formed between a sheet and a line segment connecting the supporting point of the arm to the section of the arm to which the axis of the conveying roller is attached on an assumed plane perpendicular to a direction of the axis of the conveying roller, is ? [deg], ??(Pse×K?0.5)×(1/L) is satisfied, where Pse=37500.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Miki, Osamu Takehira, Yuko Hayama
  • Publication number: 20090026692
    Abstract: A paper-sheet feeding device including a kicker roller configured to contact a forefront paper-sheet of a plurality of stacked paper-sheets and kick out the forefront paper-sheet; a feed roller to feed-out the paper-sheets to be kicked out by the kicker roller; and a press-fitting roller press-fit against the feed roller to provide a gate unit adapted to separate the paper-sheets to be fed by the feed roller, into one sheet. The kicker roller includes a base part and a high friction part formed in part of the outer circumference of the base part along the circumferential direction and configured to kick out the forefront paper-sheet. The feed roller includes a base part and a high friction part formed over the entire outer circumference of the base part and configured to contact the surface of the paper-sheet to be kicked out by the kicker roller to perform feed-out of the paper-sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: GLORY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toyofumi Iwami, Hidehiko Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7481423
    Abstract: A print medium feeding apparatus, comprising: a knockup plate on which a ream of print medium is stacked thereon; a pickup roller for picking up a sheet of print medium stacked on the knockup plate; a sheet separation member installed in a manner to form a contact nip with the pickup roller, and supplying friction force for separating the print medium sheet by sheet; and a friction pad disposed at an upper side of the sheet separation member, being in front of the contact nip. The print medium feeding apparatus of the present invention features an improved paper feeding capacity in that variable friction force is applied for separating printing medium. Moreover, since the friction pad does not come in contact with the pickup roller, the abrasion rate of the friction pad is much reduced. Furthermore, the material cost can be reduced by reducing the size of the friction pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-taek Lim, Sang-yob Shin, Yong-kon Jo
  • Patent number: 7481422
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a paper pickup unit includes a power unit to drive a shaft of the paper pickup unit, wherein the paper pickup unit includes a pressing plate at which a recording medium, such as a sheet of paper, is stacked, a paper feed unit body to receive the pressing plate, a shaft rotatably mounted on a front end of the pressing plate, a pickup roller to rotatably engage the shaft to pick up the recording medium stacked on the pressing plate, and a guide cam installed at least one side of the shaft and having a shock absorbing part engaged with a guide part installed at the paper feed unit body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Kwang-Taek Lim
  • Publication number: 20090014944
    Abstract: A feeding device is provided including a stacking portion on which a plurality of recording media are stacked, a feed roller that feeds the recording medium stacked on the stacking portion, biasing means for applying biasing force to either the stacking portion or the feed roller to thereby decrease the distance between the stacking portion and the feed roller, and biasing force adjustment means for adjusting the magnitude of the biasing force of the biasing means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7464924
    Abstract: A sheet feeder device is provided with a pick-up roller driving section which is operative to position the pick-up roller into a retracted position spaced a predetermined distance apart from a stack of document sheets on a document tray before and after the operation for feeding the series of document sheets, into a sheet feed position in which the pick-up roller abuts against the stack of document sheets for feeding the document sheets at an occasion of feeding of each of the document sheets in the operation for feeding the series of document sheets, and into the standby position above and close to the height of a stack of a maximum load number of document sheets carried on the document tray during a period from a point in time just after feeding of one sheet to a point in time just before feeding of a succeeding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasumasa Morimoto, Yoshiyuki Nishizato, Masato Tamehira, Syoutaro Okamoto, Yoshiyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7464922
    Abstract: An image-recording apparatus including (a) a carriage carrying a recording head, (b) a maintenance unit disposed at a standby position located outside a recording area (L) of the recording head, (c) medium feeding devices to feed recording media from respective cassettes (d) first, second and third gears which are disposed outside the recording area and through which a drive force is selectively transmitted from a drive-force output gear to one of the medium feeding devices and the maintenance device, and (e) a power-transmission switching device having a shift gear which is moved for selective meshing engagement with the first, second and third gears according to a distance of movement of the carriage from the recording area toward the maintenance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Kozaki, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 7458571
    Abstract: When a print request signal for a single sheet is input after a sheet feeding cassette has been reset, lapse of a reference time “t” is waited after switching of a sheet feeding roller has been performed. After a sheet-pressing plate has been lifted from a loading position to a feeding position, rotational driving of the sheet feeding roller is performed, thereby effecting sheet-feeding operation. When a print request signal for a second sheet or subsequent sheets is input, the sheet-pressing plate has already been in the feeding position, and hence the rotational driving of the sheet feeding roller is performed immediately after switching of the paper-feeding roller 12 has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7448612
    Abstract: An auto-compensating mechanism lifter comprises an auto-compensating mechanism (ACM) and a lifter for moving a sheet of print media from a media feed tray in a document feeding device for printer, multifunction device or similar device. The auto-compensating mechanism includes a housing having a pick tire and drive train therein. The housing is pivotally mounted for movement in a first direction and a second direction. The pick tire is mounted to the housing and operably engaging the drive train and the print media. The auto-compensating lifter comprises a spring clutch coupling a drive shaft and the housing for rotating the ACM onto or away from the print media in the media feed tray depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive shaft. The pick roller is mounted distal to the pivotal connection of the auto-compensating mechanism to the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Rumford, Gregory P. Washnock
  • Patent number: 7445206
    Abstract: A sheet pick-up device for use in a document feeder includes a driving shaft, a sheet pick-up arm and a spring clutch. The spring clutch includes a spring and a collar. A retractable claw segment is extended from the collar and sheathed by the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Wen Lee
  • Publication number: 20080265491
    Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus used in a state where the apparatus accumulates paper sheets for an image forming apparatus to form images thereon and the paper feeding apparatus is attached to a main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein an engaging-holding member is provided for an exterior wall face of the paper feeding apparatus, and the engaging-holding member engages and holds the paper feeding apparatus with an exterior housing of the image forming apparatus so as to enable the paper feeding apparatus to move into/from the exterior housing of the image forming apparatus, is provided for an exterior wall face of the paper feeding apparatus, and wherein the engaging-holding member is provided for a specific one of the exterior wall faces of the paper feeding apparatus corresponding to the moving direction determined according to the specification of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Kohichi YAMAUCHI, Nobuo Manabe, Kohichi Nakamura, Shinichi Takeda, Ayumu Oda
  • Patent number: 7435025
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an accommodation section, an image recording section, an outer arcuate guide member, an inner arcuate guide member, and a feeding section. Recording media are stacked on the accommodation section. The image recording section forms an image on a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction. The outer arcuate guide member connects in a U-shape the accommodation section with the image recording section. The outer arcuate guide member guides the recording medium from a downstream end portion of the accommodation section to an insertion port of the image recording section. The inner arcuate guide member is disposed to be separate from the outer arcuate guide member. A passage is defined between the outer arcuate guide member and the inner arcuate guide member. The passage allows the recording medium to displace in a thickness direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naokazu Tanahashi, Yukio Shiohara, Yusaku Watanabe, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 7422205
    Abstract: An original feeding apparatus includes a feeder tray for stacking originals, a separating device for separating the originals into a single sheet, and a feeding device for feeding the original to the separating device. The feeding device is raised or lowered between a feeding position where the feeding device contacts an uppermost original stacked on the feeder tray, and a retracted position where the feeding device is separated from the uppermost original. A drive device and a control device are disposed for raising and lowering the feeding device. The control device adjusts a rotating speed of the drive device for raising and lowering the feeding device according to a reading mode, so that the feeding device is lowered at a different speed to touch the uppermost original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Akiyama, Eiichi Kubo, Sei Takahashi, Junko Kurakane
  • Patent number: 7401913
    Abstract: A conveying roller and a paper expelling roller provided upstream and downstream, respectively, of a recording portion in a conveyance direction are connected via an idler gear so as to be able to perform drive transmission, a rotation drive amount of the idler gear is detected, ends of a recording medium in the conveyance direction are detected, driving of a conveying motor is controlled based on detection signals of the rotation drive amount of the idler gear and the ends of the recording medium, and a control constant is made variable according to a position of the recording medium in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nozumu Nishiberi, Kentaro Onuma, Hiroyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 7398970
    Abstract: In the context of a structure wherein outer casing(s) is/are disposed so as to permit opening and closing about shaft(s), stopper member(s) and engagement piece(s) engaging with such stopper member(s) being disposed at such outer casing(s) so as to permit independent displacement in pivoting fashion about shaft(s) for each thereof, one end(s) of arm member(s) is/are supported by outer casing(s) so as to permit displacement in pivoting fashion, and shaft(s) of stopper member(s) is/are secured to other end(s) of such arm member(s). In addition, when bottom region(s) of stopper member(s) in engaged state(s) with engagement piece(s) abuts or abut and is/are pressed upward by original(s) loaded in original tray(s) during closing of outer casing(s) which had at least immediately prior thereto been in open state(s), this causes other end(s) of arm member(s) to be displaced upward in pivoting fashion, in accompaniment to which stopper member(s) is/are lifted upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasumasa Morimoto, Masato Tamehira, Yoshinori Shiraishi, Masatsugu Ohishi, Yoshiyuki Nishizato
  • Patent number: 7367556
    Abstract: A sheet-handling apparatus includes a base, a second motor and a sheet-fetching assembly driven by the second motor. The sheet-fetching assembly has a passive gear and a floating gear. When the passive gear rotates, the floating gear revolves around the passive gear. A plurality of driving rollers are driven by a first motor. A plurality of driven rollers are driven by driving rollers, respectively. A prop assembly includes a brace arranged in the base, a prop axel engaged in the brace, a twist arm fixed at the prop axel and having a plurality of teeth for contacting with the floating gear, a swimming arm sleeved and firmly engaged with the swimming arm and a spring component installed on a support board of the swimming arm. The passive gear drives the floating gear descending and ascending. There are two motors provided in the sheet-handling apparatus in order to simplify the structure of the sheet-handling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Lin, Chih-Yang Chen, Huan-Hsing Hsiao
  • Patent number: 7364152
    Abstract: In the course of sheet feeding by a sheet feeding roller, a depressing arm is depressed by a sheet feeding cam provided coaxially with the sheet feeding roller, whereby a depressing pawl is moved in a direction to be engaged with the stacking plate pawl of an stacking plate and further, with the depressing pawl engaged with the stacking plate pawl, the depressing arm is lowered by a constant amount to thereby depress the stacking plate, whereby irrespective of the amount of stacked sheets, the timing at which the sheets and the sheet feeding roller are spaced apart from each other is always the same and the amount by which the stacking plate is depressed also becomes constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Suwa
  • Patent number: 7331574
    Abstract: A media input system for an image forming apparatus is disclosed. The media input system includes an input tray for holding a stack of media sheets, a scissor picking assembly for picking individual media sheets from the stack, and a transport roller assembly for transporting the picked media sheets to a media path in the image forming apparatus. The scissor picking assembly includes a pair of guide rails pivotally linked to a roller support frame. One end of the roller support frame is coupled to a pick roller shaft having at least one pick roller rigidly mounted thereon, while the other end is configured to pivotally mount to the housing of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Eng-Leong Soo
  • Patent number: 7303189
    Abstract: A media handling system is disclosed, which system includes a media picking unit for picking up individual media sheets from a stack of media sheets and a media output unit for advancing a printed media sheet toward an output area. The media picking unit includes a rotatable lifting shaft, a rotatable pick roller shaft, a pick roller and a pick arm. The pick roller is rotatably connected to one end of a pick arm, and the one end of the pick arm is pivotally connected to the pick roller shaft. The media output unit includes at least one sheet support member operable to support the printed portion of the media sheet above the output area. The sheet support member is linked to the lifting shaft by a linking structure such that the sheet support member is movable between a supporting position and a retracted position by a rotational movement the lifting shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Xiaoxi Huang, Choon-Siang Peck, Wee-Lian Tan
  • Patent number: 7296790
    Abstract: An automatic document feeding apparatus includes a shaft, an ADF roller for feeding documents piece by piece by cooperating with a separating member, and a power switching member for selectively connecting a driving member with the shaft. The power switching member is installed on the shaft. The ADF roller is also mounted on the shaft such that the ADF roller can rotate by receiving a torque only in a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Taek Kim
  • Patent number: 7275741
    Abstract: A sheet handling assembly includes a frame, a first assembly, and a second assembly, each assembly rotatably supported by the frame and configured to contactingly transport sheet media. A member is configured to rotate the second assembly in response to rotation of the member in a first direction. The frame is configured to pivot in the first direction in response to rotating the member in the first direction, and pivot in a second direction, opposite the first direction, in response to rotating the member in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: A. Justine Worley, Long C. Doan, Kevin Bokelman, Allan Donley
  • Publication number: 20070176351
    Abstract: A feeding tray is detachably mounted on a base member and includes a bottom portion. The bottom portion has a first side that is configured to hold a recording sheet and a second side opposite the first side. An image forming unit forms an image on the recording sheet. A feeding roller is configured to rotatingly contact the recording sheet held in the feeding tray, thereby feeding the recording sheet toward the image forming unit in a conveying direction. A roller arm has one end that rotatably supports the feeding roller and another end opposite the one end. The roller arm is configured to swing about the another end, thereby generating a pressing force for pressing the feeding roller against the recording sheet. A supporting member is provided at the second side of the bottom portion and is configured to support the bottom portion against the pressing force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventors: Masatoshi Izuchi, Yukio Shiohara
  • Patent number: 7234610
    Abstract: An automatic napkin dispenser includes a housing having a rotatable feed roller with protrusions on an outer surface thereof for engaging a topmost napkin on a stack of napkins, and displacing the topmost napkin between a pair of counterrotating nip rollers that dispense the topmost napkin to a customer. The housing includes a motion translating assembly coupled to the feed roller and moving the feed roller back and forth relative to at least one of the nip rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Northern Products Development Group LLC
    Inventors: Thomas S. Skarda, David L. Jones, John E. Carter, Carl E Treankler
  • Patent number: 7232124
    Abstract: A sheet separator includes an advancing roller driven to rotate to move a sheet forwards along a sheet path, and a reversing roller driven to rotate to move a sheet backwards along the path. The reversing roller and advancing roller are mounted adjacently and are relatively movable between a pinched position and a separated position. The reversing roller has a torque limiter for allowing the reversing roller to slip and counter-rotate with the advancing roller when friction applied by the advancing roller on the pinched reversing roller exceeds a preset value. Overriding roller mounted therein allows a sheet to pass over a roller when the rollers are separated and to remain idle when the rollers are pinched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Seng San Koh, Cherng Linn Teo, Pui Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 7156389
    Abstract: A protecting cover and a pickup device, each having a hooking portion, are rotatably provided at the flank of an image forming apparatus. The rotational centers of the protecting cover and the pickup device and the hooking portions are arranged in such geometry that the hooking portions become engaged with each other only in the range from a predetermined trace intersection to the flank of the image forming apparatus when the protecting cover is rotated from its usage position toward its retracted position at the flank of the image forming apparatus. The pickup device is stopped at the starting position of engagement where the hooking portions are positioned at the trace intersection when sheet feed is not made, and is moved to the operating position when sheet feed is to be made. The protecting cover is constructed so as to rotate in linkage with the rotation of a paper feed tray which is rotatably provided at the flank of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Kadowaki, Tadasu Taniguchi, Mitsuyoshi Terada, Toshio Yamanaka, Osamu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7100912
    Abstract: Provided a paper feeding apparatus used with a printer includes a pickup roller which draws out a paper stacked in a cassette and conveys the paper to a printer, a conveying roller which conveys the drawn-out paper onto a paper feeding route, and a feeding roller which feeds the paper conveyed by the conveying roller to a printing portion. The conveying roller is driven when the paper supplied by the pickup roller is conveyed to the feeding roller, and after the paper is conveyed to the feeding roller, the conveying roller is isolated from the paper feeding route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seuk-jin Yun
  • Patent number: 7093830
    Abstract: A paper feeding device of an inkjet printer includes a motor generating a drive force, a pickup drive shaft rotated by the motor, a pivoting link housing disposed on the pickup drive shaft, a pickup roller connected to the ling housing, and a clutch enlinking the pickup drive shaft and the link housing enabling the link housing to pivot by a predetermined angle by rotation of the pickup drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-wook Kang
  • Patent number: 7059596
    Abstract: In a sheet feeder, when rotating force transmitted to a transmission gear is smaller than frictional force generated on a contact surface between a friction sheet and a transmission plate, the transmission plate is rotated together with the transmission gear, so that a drive shaft may rotate together with the transmission plate and the transmission gear. When the rotating force transmitted to the transmission gear is greater than the frictional force generated on the contact surface between the friction sheet and the transmission plate, each of surfaces of the friction sheet contacting the transmission plate and the transmission plate contacting the friction sheet slidably move, so that the transmission gear may rotate freely relative to the drive shaft. Thus, the sheet feeder restricts excessive rotating force being transmitted to a pick-up roller, so that damage or malfunction of the pick-up roller or a drive unit is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Morikazu Iwase
  • Patent number: 6991227
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for a printing device includes a pickup roller and a feeding roller picking up sheets loaded on a tray and feeding the sheets into a sheet feeding path, respectively, a rotation member installed on a rotation shaft of the feeding roller to support and rotate the pickup roller at a free end, a relay gear engaging the feeding roller and the pickup roller, a clutch unit selectively transferring a raising force of the rotation shaft to the rotation member, and a stopper installed in the rotation member to be elevated and lowered with respect to the rotation member to block a path between the pickup roller and the feeding roller. Accordingly, since the pickup roller is raised to allow the sheets to be loaded and then lowered after the sheets are loaded on the tray, front ends of the sheets are automatically inserted under the pickup roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-taek Kim
  • Patent number: 6988722
    Abstract: A paper pickup mechanism located on one side of a feeding paper tray consists of a pickup roller, a plurality of gears and a plurality of linkage bars to form a highly free mechanism that drives the pickup roller rotating in the paper feeding direction and generating a torque to enable the pickup roller exerting a force on the top paper of the paper tray and provide an automatic compensating paper pickup force. By rearranging the structural locations of the elements, fewer gears are required to transmit the driving power, and energy loss and noise generation are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Yu-Jen Su
  • Patent number: 6974127
    Abstract: A drive apparatus of an ink jet printer using a single motor in which convey failure does not occur by preventing power from being transferred to the convey roller when paper is fed by the feed roller. In an ink jet printer where a sheet of paper stacked in a paper feed cassette is picked up by a pickup roller, conveyed by a convey roller and a pinch roller, and then printed by a printer head while being line-fed by the feed roller, the drive apparatus includes a first gear train disposed on a feed roller shaft with the feed roller assembled to swing within a predetermined angle on the feed roller shaft in a feed roller shaft rotation direction, a second gear train disposed on a frame of the ink jet printer to be in contact with the first gear train, and a third gear train with a front end gear connected with the rear end gear of the second gear train and a rear end gear coaxially disposed on a convey roller shaft with the convey roller assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung-wook Kang