Including Pivoted Pack Holder Patents (Class 271/127)
  • Patent number: 12147184
    Abstract: A paper feeder includes a main body and a paper feed cassette, the main body has a pull-in device that pulls the paper feed cassette to a mounting position, and a support member that supports the paper feed cassette, the paper feed cassette has a rail that contacts a top of the support member; in an area where the rail contacts the support member when the paper feed cassette is pulled in by the pull-in device, the rail includes a first inclination that is higher toward a pull-out direction of the paper feed cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinori Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 11874622
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a sheet load tray on which a sheet is loaded, a detector that detects whether or not the sheet exists on the sheet load tray, a feeder that feeds the sheet one-by-one from the sheet load tray, and a sheet-load-tray ascend-descend unit that moves the sheet in a sheet loading direction to set an uppermost sheet at a sheet feed position of the feeder, and a controller. In a case where the sheet is detected by the detector, the controller causes the sheet load tray to ascend or descend before the feeder starts to feed the sheet so that ascending-descending operation for moving the sheet load tray between the sheet feed position and a descent position located below the sheet feed position is performed at least once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Miho Morita
  • Patent number: 11820615
    Abstract: In a sheet conveyance apparatus a control unit controls lifting and lowering of a sheet supporting portion by a lifting unit and executes a mixed feeding in one of a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode. The mixed feeding is an operation in which a plurality of sheets having different lengths in a width direction orthogonal to a feed direction of a sheet feeding unit are fed by the feeding unit, wherein in the first mode, the control unit causes the lifting unit to move the supporting portion from the second position to the first position based on an instruction to start sheet feeding, and in the second mode, the control unit causes the lifting unit to move the supporting portion from the second position to the first position based on a detection of a sheet by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junichi Suwa
  • Patent number: 11722613
    Abstract: An image forming device and a sheet conveyance method are provided. An image forming device includes a feeder, a first conveyor, a second conveyor, and a conveyance controller. The feeder aligns a sheet and feeds the sheet to a transfer system that transfers an image to the sheet. The first conveyor is arranged at a first position on an upstream side of the feeder in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet to the feeder. The second conveyor is arranged at a second position on an upstream side of the first conveyor in the sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet to the first conveyor. The conveyance controller performs high-speed control for causing a conveyance speed of the second conveyor to exceed a conveyance speed of the first conveyor when a specific sheet different from a normal sheet is fed by the feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryuta Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11634288
    Abstract: According to aspects of the present disclosure, there is provided a tray swinging mechanism including a document tray. A movable plate of the document tray is configured to be swingable about a tray shaft and extends leftward. A lifter is configured to be swingable about a lifter shaft extending in the front-rear direction at a position different from the tray shaft. On a lower surface of the movable plate, a cam surface configured to contact a tip of the lifter is formed. The cam surface includes a parallel part parallel to an upper surface of the movable plate and a curved part spaced from the upper surface farther toward a right side. According to a shape of the cam surface, each time the lifter is rotated by a particular angle, the tip of the movable plate moves by a particular amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Okamoto, Tomoyuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11530101
    Abstract: A control unit is capable of selectively executing a first mode and a second mode, the first mode being a mode in which a plurality of sheets having different sizes including a non-standard size are fed by the feeding unit, and the second mode being a mode in which a plurality of sheets having different sizes including only standard sizes are fed by the feeding unit. If the detection unit detects a sheet in a state where the supporting portion is located at the second position and the first mode is selected, the control unit waits for an instruction to start sheet feeding without causing the lifting unit to lift the supporting portion to the first position, and causes the lifting unit to lift the supporting portion to the first position in response to the instruction to start sheet feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junichi Suwa
  • Patent number: 11459197
    Abstract: The document feeder includes a lift plate, a pickup roller, a lift motor, a retard roller, and a control unit. In a manual feed mode, the control unit rotates the retard roller to feed a document in a document conveyance direction. Further, the control unit causes the lift motor to start lowering the lift plate while the pickup roller is feeding a document after starting to rotate the pickup roller. When there is a document set on the lift plate at the time when the pickup roller stops, the control unit automatically resumes the feeding in the manual feed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Koji Fujii, Taro Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 11400738
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an apparatus body, a feeding cassette, a pin member, a lever, an elastic member, and a guide mechanism. The feeding cassette is insertable into and ejectable from the apparatus body in one direction and includes an insertion position for insertion into the apparatus body and an ejection position for ejection from the apparatus body. The pin member is connected to the feeding cassette. The lever is rotatable around an axis in a first direction, and includes a pin engagement portion engaging with the pin member at a tip end in the axial direction. The elastic member includes a tip end connected between the rotation axis of the lever and the pin engagement portion of the lever, and adds a force for rotation in an insertion direction. The guide mechanism shortens a distance between the pin member and the rotation axis of the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mikio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11339015
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a storage portion, a sheet supporting portion, a feed portion, a drive portion to output driving force that lifts the sheet supporting portion, and a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the storage portion and including an engaging portion disposed on one end side in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The engaging portion engages with the drive portion, and a pressing portion is fixed to the rotation shaft and presses the sheet supporting portion from below when the rotation shaft is rotated by the drive portion. A rotary damper joins with the rotation shaft on another end side of the rotation shaft and reduces rotary motion of the rotation shaft. The pressing portion is disposed between the engaging portion and the rotary damper in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 11339014
    Abstract: An attachment is attachable to and detachable from a sheet stacking board. The attachment includes an end fence configured to restrict a position of a trailing end of a sheet in a conveying direction. The end fence includes a facing surface facing the trailing end of the sheet. The facing surface includes an inclined surface inclined with respect to a vertical direction of a stacking surface on which the sheet is stacked, such that a higher part of the facing surface is located more upstream in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsutaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11192735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body that forms an image on a recording material; a drawn-out unit that is provided so as to be drawable from the apparatus body and has a mount region on which the recording material is mounted; and a guide unit that is provided on the drawn-out unit and guides the recording material to a position where the recording material is to be mounted on the mount region. The guide unit has a guide surface that guides an end of the recording material, a hook part that is hooked onto the drawn-out unit and determines a position relative to the drawn-out unit, and a release part that releases the hook part from the drawn-out unit by being operated by a user from a guide surface side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Yuji Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11124375
    Abstract: A paper feeding device has a paper feed tray, a device body, a fan, a rectifying member, and a retreat mechanism. A paper bundle in which a plurality of sheets of paper are stacked can be placed on the paper feed tray. The rectifying member is positioned above the paper bundle placed on the paper feed tray in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in an accommodating part of the device body. The rectifying member generates a negative pressure between the rectifying member and an uppermost sheet of paper of the paper bundle using airflow from the fan in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in the accommodating part. The retreat mechanism displaces the rectifying member in conjunction with the paper feed tray so that the rectifying member retreats from the paper feed tray in at least one of a pull-out operation and a push-in operation of the paper feed tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kei Matsuoka, Kohei Nara, Takahiro Kokubo, Takamitsu Sunaoshi, Shunsuke Hattori
  • Patent number: 10967656
    Abstract: A front plate is rotatably supported at an end portion of a tray in a pulling direction. The front plate rotatably moves between: a first position at which the front plate extends diagonally upward in the pulling direction from a first end portion at which a rotational axis is located toward a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and a second position at which the second end portion of the front plate is located at a position that is higher than the second end portion at the first position and that is shifted in an insertion direction from the second end portion at the first position. The front plate includes a grip and a surface. The surface of the front plate faces in the pulling direction and downward in a state where the front plate is located at the first position, wherein the surface surrounds the grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Yoichiro Nishimura, Asami Hashimoto, Gakuro Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 10934114
    Abstract: Some examples include a media level state indicator of an image forming apparatus. The media level state indicator including a gear assembly of interconnected gears including a first gear, a second gear, and a cam fixedly disposed on the first gear, the second gear coupled to a media lift system and rotatable with a shaft of the media lift system, the first gear and the cam rotatably coupled to the second gear, a cam follower to selectively contact the cam, the cam follower moveable in response to contacting rotational movement of the cam, and a signal device coupled to the cam follower, the signal device having a first media level state and a second media level state, the signal device to move between the first media level state and the second media level state as the media lift system changes a position of a lift plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jesse Philips, Matias Negatu, Alexander M Nameroff, John Pruyn, Joshua Peter Yasbek, Michael A Fairchild
  • Patent number: 10730710
    Abstract: In a paper cassette, a guide slides on a tray to place a sheet at a proper position. A lift mechanism uses a restoring force of an elastic member to push up the tray and make the sheet on the tray approach a pickup roller. When the paper cassette is pushed by a user from an opened position, which is out of the housing of a printer, to a closed position, which is in the housing, an adjuster mechanism mechanically converts a force of the user pushing the paper cassette to the restoring force of the elastic member from a time the guide reaches a specific point on a trajectory along which the guide travels together with the paper cassette, thus adjusting the strength of the restoring force continuously to a distance by which the guide overruns the specific point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuki Doshida, Masanobu Tomiyasu, Shigeru Sawano
  • Patent number: 10723573
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating device includes a first plate member on which sheets are mounted, a first biasing member, a second plate member; and a second biasing member, and has a configuration in which, according to a size of the sheets, the first biasing member presses up the first plate member or both the first and second biasing members press up both the first and second plate members. The first plate member is provided so as to be turnable with respect to the second plate member around a first fulcrum axis line extending along a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feed direction in which the sheets are fed. The second plate member is provided so as to be turnable with respect to a body of the sheet accommodating device around a second fulcrum axis line extending along the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruhisa Furumoto, Kohji Aoki
  • Patent number: 10647532
    Abstract: A sheet storing cassette includes a cassette base, a sheet stacking plate, a cursor rail, a regulation cursor, and an adjustment member. The regulation cursor has a first regulating portion which forms a first sheet regulating face for positioning the sheets placed on the sheet stacking plate in the sheet feeding direction. The cursor rail has a plurality of engaged portions with which an engaging portion provided on the regulation cursor meshes when the regulation cursor is moved such that the first sheet regulating face is arranged at standard-size positions corresponding to a standard-size sheet. The adjustment member has a second regulating portion that offsets, when the adjustment member is attached to the regulation cursor arranged at one of standard-size positions, the first sheet regulating face to a second sheet regulating face corresponding to a non-standard size sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Keisuke Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 10604363
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a casing that comprises a sheet feeding port, a first sheet feed tray in which a first medium is loaded and that is arranged along a sheet feeding port, and a cover that rotates from a position opposite the first sheet feed tray of the casing to a first sheet feed tray side and covers the sheet feeding port. The cover includes a second sheet feed tray that causes a second medium differing in size from the first medium to be capable of being loaded in the sheet feeding port when the cover covers the sheet feeding port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Takagi, Masanori Yamada, Daisuke Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10585389
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 100 includes a cassette fitting portion 1 which is provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 and a paper feed cassette 30 which includes a sheet storage portion S. In the cassette fitting portion 1, a lift plate 50 is provided which raises and lowers a sheet 18. In the cassette base 31 of the sheet storage portion S, an opening portion 31a is formed in a position opposite the lift plate 50. The lift plate 50 is arranged selectively either in a lowered position in which the lift plate 50 is arranged below the cassette base 31 or in a raised position in which the lift plate 50 is protruded above the cassette base 31 through the opening portion 31a so as to allow the sheet 18 to be fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuki Uohashi
  • Patent number: 10511735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former, a conveyance path, a flipping conveyance path, a conveying mechanism and a hardware processor. The flipping conveyance path includes a side path connecting a first branch point in a downstream of the conveyance path to a junction in an upstream of the conveyance path and a re-feeding path connecting a second branch point in the side path to a re-feeding point in an upstream of the conveyance path. The hardware processor controls the conveying mechanism to perform (i) a conveyance operation to convey the sheet along the conveyance path, (ii) a draw-in operation to draw the sheet with the image into the side path, and (iii) a re-feeding operation to convey the sheet in a reverse direction to re-feed the flipped sheet from the re-feeding point to the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Kawakami, Yasuo Shiokawa, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10494206
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating device includes a first plate member on which sheets are mounted, a first biasing member that presses up the first plate member, a second plate member disposed on a side of the first plate member opposite to a side of the first plate member on which the sheets are mounted; and a second biasing member that presses up the second plate member, and has a configuration in which, according to a size of the sheets, the first biasing member presses up the first plate member or both the first and second biasing members press up both the first and second plate members. An area of the first plate member is smaller than an area of the second plate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruhisa Furumoto, Kohji Aoki
  • Patent number: 10457509
    Abstract: A card transport device transports one or more cards while reducing failures of its feed unit in feeding the cards. A card transport device includes a support surface that supports one or more cards thereon, a feed unit facing the support surface for feeding the one or more chards, a separator located downstream from the feed unit in a transport direction, a slope connected to a downstream support end of the support surface in the transport direction and extending obliquely upward downstream in the transport direction toward the separator, and a restrictor located on the support surface. The restrictor restricts a position of an upstream end of a particular card directly supported on the support surface, out of the one or more cards, thereby positioning a downstream end of the particular card to be downstream from the feed unit in the transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichiro Kuriki
  • Patent number: 10392208
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet support portion to support a sheet, an ascending portion to raise the sheet support portion, a feeding portion to feed the sheet, a moving portion to move the feeding portion between a separated position and a feeding position, a holding portion to move between a holding position and an allowing position, a drive source, and a transmission unit including a first transmission portion to transmit the driving force to the ascending portion and a second transmission portion to transmit the driving force to the holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yoshida, Shunsuke Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10359724
    Abstract: A printer includes a casing, a print mechanism disposed inside the casing, and a motor. A sheet cassette has an attached position in which the sheet cassette is supported by the casing and a separated position in which the sheet cassette is at least partially separated from the casing. The sheet cassette includes a movable sheet support plate configured to support a sheet stack including one or more sheets. An actuator, such as a clutch, has a transmission mode in which the drive force is allowed to be transmitted from the motor to the sheet support plate to move the sheet support plate, and an interruption mode in which the drive force is prevented from being transmitted from the motor to the sheet support plate. The actuator is configured to be selectively placed in one of the transmission mode and the interruption mode. A controller is configured to selectively place the actuator into the transmission mode and the interruption mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Yasuda, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10351367
    Abstract: In an example implementation, a media tray assembly for use in an imaging device includes a media width adjuster having a bottom portion and a top portion. The top portion of the media width adjuster is extendable between a first stable position and a second stable position. The media tray assembly also includes a tension spring to drive the top portion to the stable positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Layce Barmaki, Randall West, Jesse Phillips
  • Patent number: 10301128
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including a first tray having a first holding portion for holding sheets, a second tray disposed above the first tray and including a second holding portion for holding sheets, a sheet feeder that selectively feeds a sheet from one of the first tray and the second tray in a sheet feed direction, a recording unit that records an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, and a discharge roller that discharges the sheet on which the image is recorded by the recording unit. The second holding portion of the second tray moves above the first holding portion of the first tray. The second tray further includes a discharged sheet receiving portion for receiving the sheet discharged by the discharge roller. The second tray including the discharged sheet receiving portion pivots relative to the first tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Shiohara, Tetsuo Asada, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 10273098
    Abstract: A cassette push plate locking device capable of absorbing impact to the cassette push plate according to the present disclosure, includes a cassette push plate disposed in a cassette, a locking lever that is movable by switching of a cassette door; and a locking unit including a torque limiter that allows the cassette push plate to move over a predetermined force and prevents the cassette push plate from moving under the predetermined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ATEC AP CO., LTD
    Inventor: Do Wan Kim
  • Patent number: 10266352
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a sheet cassette including a first housing, a pressing plate, a raising plate, a first resilient member, and a second resilient member; a second housing; a sheet-cassette accommodating portion; a first electrode; a second electrode; a sheet conveyor; a driver; a first output device that outputs a first signal and a second signal; a second output device that outputs a rotation pulse signal; and a controller that receives the first signal, the second signal, and the rotation pulse signal. The controller counts pulses of the rotation pulse signal received from the second output device, determines the number of pulses of the rotation pulse signal, and determines an amount of upward movement of the pressing plate based on the number of pulses of the rotation pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masafumi Inoue, Yoshiyuki Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 10233044
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes: a casing formed with a first sheet-conveyance passage and a second sheet-conveyance passage positioned inwardly as compared with the first sheet-conveyance passage; a cover member including a first resin member having a first guide surface for defining the first sheet-conveyance passage, a second resin member attached to the first resin member and located on an inner side of the casing than the first guide surface and defining the first sheet-conveyance passage, and a third resin member attached to the second resin member at a position opposite to the first resin member with respect to the second resin member and having a third guide surface for defining the second sheet-conveyance passage; and a metal frame attached to the second resin member at a position between the second resin member and the third resin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatomo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10233040
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a housing; a sheet supply tray; and a dust proof cover including a first cover and a second cover. The sheet supply tray is supported to the housing and pivotally movable between a closed position and an open position. The first cover is supported to the housing and pivotally movable between a first position in proximity to the sheet supply tray and a second position away from the sheet supply tray. The second cover is connected to the first cover and pivotally movable about a second pivot axis between a third position in proximity to the sheet supply tray and a fourth position away from the sheet supply tray. The second cover has a center of gravity positioned closer to the housing than the second pivot axis is to the housing in a state where the sheet supply tray is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Ozeki, Shinya Yamada, Shoko Kodama
  • Patent number: 10207883
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance paths that eventually merge together. A guide member pair constituting the first conveyance path includes a second path guide member disposed on the second conveyance path side among the guide member pair and having a straight portion and a curved portion provided continuously downstream of the straight portion. A downstream end portion of the guide member is positioned in a merging portion of the first and second conveyance paths. The straight portion includes a plurality of ribs and a slope portion formed thereon. The plurality of ribs project perpendicularly from a base portion and are parallel to the sheet conveyance direction. The slope portion is provided between two of the plurality of ribs adjacent to each other and is inclined from the base portion toward the ridges of the plurality of ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kozo Inoue
  • Patent number: 10185271
    Abstract: A sheet accommodating cassette includes a sheet accommodating section, a sheet loading plate, and a lift mechanism. The lift mechanism includes a rotary shaft, a push-up plate, a coupling member, an actuator, and an urging member. The push-up plate lifts up and down the sheet loading plate by pivoting about the rotary shaft. Driving force is input from a cassette attachment section to the coupling member. The actuator projects from an end of the rotary shaft. The urging member urges the actuator in a direction in which the sheet loading plate pivots toward the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Nishioka
  • Patent number: 10173853
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting member, a feeding member, and a lift unit. The lift unit lifts and lowers the sheet supporting member to abut a sheet stacked on the sheet supporting member against the feeding member. The lift unit includes an urging member that biases the sheet supporting member towards the feeding member, a moving member that moves in a first direction different from a sheet supporting member lifting direction, and a contact member in contact with the moving member. The contact member includes a curved cam surface in a region that comes in contact with the moving member. A contact state between the moving member and the contact member is changed by moving the moving member in the first direction and the curved cam surface. Regarding changing the contact state, the sheet supporting member can be moved to a feed position and a retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Fujinaka, Fuyuto Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10093495
    Abstract: A self-closing device is configured to retract a unit capable of being pulled out with respect to an apparatus main body, to the apparatus main body. The self-closing device includes a plurality of retracting modules configured to retract the unit from a retracting start position towards a retracting end position. The plurality of retracting modules are provided such that retracting strokes from the retracting start position to the retracting end position partially overlap each other and the retracting start positions are different from each other in the retracting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshio Sugishima, Hiroaki Takai
  • Patent number: 10093496
    Abstract: A stacking device which stacks a sheet includes a stacking unit on which the sheet is configured to be stacked, a regulating member, a moving member, and a restricting member. The regulating member is provided to be movable in a first direction and a second direction, which is a direction opposite to the first direction, and to regulate a position of the sheet stacked on the stacking unit. The moving member moves in a direction that is the same as a moving direction of the regulating member in accordance with the regulating member. The restricting member restricts movement of the moving member. So that the regulating member moves independently of the moving member, the restricting member restricts the movement of the moving member in a partial range of a range in which the regulating member moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taisuke Hyodo
  • Patent number: 10040647
    Abstract: When a paper feeding ray is set, an arm of a one-armed pinion makes a contact with an abutting member formed in a main unit to which the paper feeding tray is attached. When the paper feeding tray is pushed in, the arm is pushed by the abutting member, the one-armed pinion rotates as the rack member moves, and the one-armed pinion moves in a direction into the paper feeding tray. When a spring is stretched, a bottom plate push-up member rotates up on its rotation center and rises by a predetermined angle to press a bundle of stacked paper sheets against a feed roller, so that the paper sheets can be fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Ryuhei Waragai, Toshiaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9914616
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a discharge roller discharges a sheet conveyed by a first conveying path. The discharge roller switches between: a mode of conveying a sheet in a sheet discharging direction to discharge a sheet; and a mode of reversing a direction of conveying a sheet from the sheet discharging direction and feeding a sheet to a re-conveying path. A pivot plate at an open position constitutes a second conveying path. The pivot plate at a closed position closes the second conveying path. The pivot plate is provided with a penetrating portion penetrating the pivot plate over an entire thickness of the pivot plate. The penetrating portion constitutes part of the re-conveying path when the pivot plate is disposed at the closed position. Part of the pivot plate is exposed outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Miwa, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 9896284
    Abstract: A sheet material feeding device includes: a housing; a cassette configured to accommodate a sheet material therein and capable of being pulled out of the housing; a pushing-up plate which is on the cassette and configured to fluctuate and a position thereof is changed to a feeding position or a retracted position; a rear-end regulating member for regulating a position of an upstream end of the sheet material; a rear-end displacement member which is supported by the rear-end regulating member and configured to fluctuate and a position thereof is changed to a feeding position or a retracted position; a pushing-up plate displacing device configured to change the position of the pushing-up plate to the feeding position; and a rear-end displacement member displacing device configured to complete a position change of the rear-end displacement member to the feeding position before a position change of the pushing-up plate to the feeding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shuan Yang, Junichi Tanimoto, Yuki Doshida
  • Patent number: 9890000
    Abstract: There is provided a sheet conveyance apparatus, including: a casing; a sheet support unit including a first surface inclined to a placement surface; a separation unit arranged in the sheet support unit on a side of the placement surface and abutting against edges of the sheets supported by the first surface; a first plate member including a second surface arranged in the sheet support unit on a side opposite to the separation unit and faces in the same direction as the first surface; and a feed unit which feeds the sheet supported by the first surface and the distal end of the second surface to the conveyance path while slidably moving the sheet with respect to the separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Sugiyama, Yuta Uchino, Ryuji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9855775
    Abstract: A printhead protection apparatus moves between printheads in a printer between a position where cross-members in a frame block media irregularities from striking the faces of the printheads and a position where the cross-members are retracted between adjacent printheads to enable the faces of the printheads to be wiped. The frame of the apparatus encompasses the printheads and the cross-members connected to the frame move between adjacent printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Herrmann, Jason M. LeFevre, Derek A. Bryl
  • Patent number: 9851676
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes: a casing formed with a first sheet-conveyance passage and a second sheet-conveyance passage positioned inwardly as compared with the first sheet-conveyance passage; a cover member including a first resin member having a first guide surface for defining the first sheet-conveyance passage, a second resin member attached to the first resin member and located on an inner side of the casing than the first guide surface and defining the first sheet-conveyance passage, and a third resin member attached to the second resin member at a position opposite to the first resin member with respect to the second resin member and having a third guide surface for defining the second sheet-conveyance passage; and a metal frame attached to the second resin member at a position between the second resin member and the third resin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatomo Yamaguchi, Kenji Samoto
  • Patent number: 9840382
    Abstract: A sheet supporting apparatus includes a body, a supporting portion configured to be held in an elevating manner by the body and to support a sheet, a sheet regulation portion regulating a position of the sheet supported on the supporting portion, a movement portion capable of moving between a first position where the sheet regulation portion regulates the position of the sheet supported on the supporting portion, and a second position where the supporting portion is regulated from elevating with respect to the body, and a movement regulation unit regulating the movement portion from moving to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Okazaki, Akira Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9828196
    Abstract: A cassette in which sheets are stacked is electable from an apparatus main body. An intermediate plate is provided in the cassette that is movable to raise and lower the stacked sheets. A securing member that restricts the cassette from being raised when at a restricted position is provided, where, in response to movement of ejecting the stacking unit from the apparatus main body, the securing member moves to a permitted position that enables the movable member to rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuko Harada
  • Patent number: 9764911
    Abstract: A sheet member supply device (40) of an image forming apparatus (1) includes a sheet member stacking plate (43) in which sheet members (S) are stacked on the upper surface, a pickup roller (51) which makes contact with, from above, the uppermost layer of the sheet members (S) stacked on the sheet member stacking plate (43), a stacking plate displacement mechanism (44) which displaces the sheet member stacking plate (43) upward, a motive power transmission mechanism (60) which transmits motive power obtained from a drive source (45) to the stacking plate displacement mechanism (44) and a paradox planetary gear mechanism (65) which is provided in the motive power transmission mechanism (60). In this way, with a simple configuration, it is possible to reduce the unintentional downward displacement of the stacking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Toso, Shoichi Yoshikawa, Atsuhiko Shimoyama, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Masahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9714146
    Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus includes a storage apparatus body, a sheet stacking portion, a rear end regulation member, and a rear end regulation attachment. The sheet stacking portion has an opening opened in an upward and downward direction, and is movable upward and downward with respect to a bottom portion of the storage apparatus body. The rear end regulation attachment is detachably attached to the rear end regulation member, which regulates an upstream end position in the sheet feed direction of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion. The rear end regulation attachment includes a regulating portion that extends toward the bottom portion through the opening. The rear end regulation attachment regulates the upstream end of the sheet on a position downstream, in the sheet feed direction, of a regulating position of the rear end regulation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Ishida, Yusuke Obuchi
  • Patent number: 9696676
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a sheet supply tray, and a restriction member configured to restrict movement of the sheet supply tray to outside of the main body and including an arm configured to move between a restriction position and a withdrawal position, and a restriction release surface. One of the main body and the sheet supply tray includes the restriction member. The other one includes a first inclined surface and a contact surface. The restriction release surface is configured to, when the sheet supply tray moves from an inside position toward outside of the main body, contact the restriction member to cause the restriction member to move from the restriction position to the withdrawal position by that the sheet supply tray located at the outside position pivots around a downstream end of the sheet supply tray in the attachment direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Morita, Yoshihiro Takeda, Makoto Mori
  • Patent number: 9671737
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a conveyance unit, an intermediate roller unit, and a guide section. The intermediate roller unit includes an intermediate roller at a facing surface thereof that faces a sheet conveyance path. The conveyance unit includes a conveyance roller at a facing surface thereof that faces the sheet conveyance path. The guide section guides movement of the intermediate roller unit relative to the casing such that the conveyance roller pushes the intermediate roller in association with closing movement of the conveyance unit relative to the casing to close the intermediate roller unit relative to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Susumu Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9656818
    Abstract: A paper feeding device of an image forming device includes a flotation air blowing unit and a separation air blowing unit. The flotation air blowing unit floats stacked uppermost paper through air blowing. The separation air blowing unit blows an end of other paper floated together with the floated uppermost paper to separate the other paper from the uppermost paper, the end being on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction. The flotation air blowing unit floats an end of the stacked uppermost paper, the end being on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction. The paper feeding device includes a resistance force applying mechanism which applies resistance force that gives a load against movement along the paper feeding direction to an end of stacked upper paper, the end being on the upstream side in the paper feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Wataru Furuichi, Kazuyoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9611110
    Abstract: A sheet feed cassette includes a cassette main body, a sheet loading plate, a regulating member, and an auxiliary member. The sheet loading plate has a support surface and an opening. The support surface supports a sheet sheaf of one or more sheets. The regulating member is slidable within the opening in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet feed direction. The regulating member regulates the sheet sheaf by coming into contact with an edge of the sheaf. The auxiliary member is supported by the sheet loading plate. The auxiliary member is in contact with the regulating member. The auxiliary member is turnable in parallel to the support surface in accompaniment to sliding of the regulating member. The auxiliary member supports a part of the sheet sheaf located over the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Nishioka, Hironori Daigo
  • Patent number: 9604473
    Abstract: A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Kensuke Hirate, Yoshiyuki Washino