Holder Movable Relative To Feed Position Patents (Class 271/162)
  • Patent number: 8393612
    Abstract: A removable currency storage device is arranged to monitor and record access to the contents of the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: MEI, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael D. Nunn
  • Patent number: 8395828
    Abstract: A stacking device includes a contact section with which top ends of the recording media in a conveying direction, conveyed into the storage space, make contact so stop the recording media at a storage position, a media move section which comprises a plurality of partition members, forms a plurality of spaces capable of storing the recording media between the partition members, stores the recording media stopped at the storage position into arbitrary one of the plurality of spaces, and moves the partition members thereby to move at least a part of the top ends of the recording media to a pushup position different from the storage position, and a lift section which pushes up, to the carry-out section, the recording media moved to the pushup position by the media move section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20130056924
    Abstract: A sheet feeder is provided that includes a housing, a feed tray having a loading surface, and a swingable opening cover including a sliding contact portion, extending in a direction perpendicular to a width direction of a sheet. The sliding contact portion is configured to slide in contact with a feed tray in a swing motion of the feed tray from a first position where the loading surface is directed downward above the housing to a second position where the loading surface is directed upward at an upstream side relative to the housing in a feeding direction. The sliding contact portion is disposed on at least one of ends of the opening cover in the width direction, and exposed to an outside of the sheet feeder when the feed tray is in the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatsugu MIZUNO, Kouji WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8387970
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet storage portion mounted on a device main body so as to be drawn from the device main body and the sheet storage portion stores sheets, a sheet feeding portion that feed a sheet from the sheet storage portion, a pushing portion that applies a force to the sheet storage portion in a drawing direction where the sheet storage portion is drawn from the device main body, a locking mechanism configured to lock the sheet storage portion in the device main body, and a pressing operation member that is pressed in a direction opposite to the drawing direction. A lock of the locking portion is released while interlocking the release of the press of the pressing operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinsuke Ubayashi
  • Publication number: 20130049291
    Abstract: A paper feeder according to the present invention includes a paper entrance block arranged above a flapper on au upstream side of a paper feed roller in a paper feeding direction. The flapper is configured to be capable of swinging in a vertical direction so as to alter its position between a first position in which part of a top face thereof on a downstream side in the paper feeding direction comes into contact with the paper feed roller and a second position in which the part thereof is located lower than the first position. The paper entrance block is configured so that when the flapper is in the first position, the lower end thereof comes into contact with the flapper and when the flapper is in the second position, a clearance is formed in a vertical direction between the paper entrance block and the flapper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryohei Ohtsuki
  • Patent number: 8382091
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording section that performs recording on a recording medium, a housing that stores the recording section, a recording medium cassette that is detachably mounted on the housing and has a cassette body that holds the recording medium in the vertical position, and a holder that holds the recording medium that has been fed from the cassette body and has been recorded in the recording section on the outer surface of the cassette body in the vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoda, Takehiko Saito, Sanshiro Takeshita, Hidenao Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8376350
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an upper paper feeding frame that is pivotally rotated in linkage with a paper feeding tray pivotally rotatably installed to a body of the apparatus, resulting in a size reduction of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Myung Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 8376354
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheetlike items from a stack has an item feed for separating and feeding a single item from the stack. A holder receives the stack and has a platform for supporting the stack, and a first and a second side guide for guiding items in a feeding direction. The platform is movable into a feeding position in which separating and feeding of a single item is enabled and into a loading position in which the holder is able to receive a stack. A side guide adjustment mechanism is provided for moving at least one side guide toward and away from the other side guide. A drive device is operably connected to the side guide adjustment mechanism. The drive device is out of engagement with the side guide adjustment mechanism when the platform is in the feeding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Neopost Technologies
    Inventor: Nicolas Pichon
  • Patent number: 8376352
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a sheet storage unit into which a sheet is inserted in a generally vertical direction through a sheet inlet, the sheet storage unit having a first opening portion formed on a front of the sheet storage unit, a second opening portion formed on a rear thereof, and a third opening portion formed on a top thereof; a pressure plate having a bottom portion on which the sheet inserted into the sheet storage unit is placed, and a rear portion formed on rear of the bottom portion, the pressure plate being disposed in a manner slidable in front and rear directions; a moving device configured to slide the pressure plate in the front direction so that the rear portion presses the sheet through the second opening portion; and a roller rotatably disposed so as to contact with the sheet through the first opening portion, the roller moving the sheet in a vertical direction in response to rotation of the roller, to output the sheet through the third opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8360418
    Abstract: A sheet supplying device that is incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a recording media container, a sheet feeding unit to feed a recording medium from the recording media container, a frame to support the recording media container and the sheet feeding unit, and a holder to hold the recording media container by surrounding an outer circumference of the recording media container. The recording media container is detachably attachable to the frame in a first operation in which the recording media container is moved in a direction parallel to a sheet conveyance direction and the recording media container is separated from the frame and the holder with the holder remaining in the frame, and a second operation in which the recording media container is moved in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction and the recording media container is separated from the frame together with the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh, Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Matsuyama, Takamitsu Ikematsu, Kaoru Tada, Ippei Kimura, Ikuo Fujii
  • Publication number: 20130011174
    Abstract: A cover opening and closing unit includes a cover installed to be opened from and close a main body and a manual paper feed tray that is rotatably installed on the cover. The cover is connected to the main body by a link element and a connection link is connected to the link element and the manual paper feed tray so that, when the cover is opened from the main body when the manual paper feed tray is in an opened state with respect to the cover, an open angle of the manual paper feed tray with respect to a vertical direction is maintained within 90 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-wuk LEE, Je-won Jung
  • Patent number: 8348258
    Abstract: A driving force transmitting device comprising: an output shaft which can output a rotating force, and a casing which supports the output shaft so that a leading tip part of the output shaft can expose the outside, wherein the output shaft is provided on the casing so that the tip end surface thereof is flash with or substantially flash with an outer surface of the casing or the tip end surface thereof is recessed interior of the outer surface, and wherein the tip end surface thereof is provided with an engaging part which is insertable/removable to/from an engaged part provided on a driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kato, Masanobu Yamagata, Katsuhiko Hanagaki, Toshio Yanata, Tsuyoshi Hashiyada, Toshiki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20130003134
    Abstract: A sheet loading apparatus includes a loading member which loads the sheet discharged by the discharge member, a tip support member which abuts against the leading edge of the sheet discharged by the discharge member in the sheet discharge direction, a rotation member which abuts against an upper surface of the sheet discharged to the loading member, and is rotated to transport the sheet to the stopper side, and a control section which controls a transport amount of the sheet through the rotation member based on a loading amount of the sheet loaded on the loading member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroyuki HAZU, Ken IGUCHI, Yuichi SAITO, Isao YAHATA, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI, Yoshiaki SUGIZAKI, Kikuo MIZUTANI, Hiroyuki TAKI, Hiroyuki TSUCHIHASHI, Chiaki IIZUKA, Hidetoshi YOKOCHI, Toshiaki OSHIRO, Yoichi YAMAGUCHI, Hiroyuki SUGIYAMA, Jun ISHII
  • Patent number: 8342514
    Abstract: Sheets fed out from a sheet feeding portion, which is brought into pressure contact with the sheets by the upward movement of a sheet stacking portion to feed out the sheets, are separated and conveyed one by one while being upwardly curved. During the sheet feeding operation, the sheet stacking portion is sequentially moved up, and when the sheet feeding operation is completed, the sheet stacking portion is moved down. Further, a remaining amount indicating member moved with the upward movement of the sheet stacking portion to indicate the remaining amount of sheets is held at a position before the sheet stacking portion is moved down, by a holding mechanism, when the sheet feeding operation is completed and the sheet stacking portion is moved down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisayuki Tomura, Kei Sawanaka, Akio Nemoto, Kazushi Nishikata, Masato Suzuki, Atsuya Takahashi, Shotaro Yoshimura, Mitsunari Ito
  • Patent number: 8342513
    Abstract: When a sheet cassette (10a) is pulled out of the body of an image forming apparatus (100), winding pulleys (40a and 40b) are rotated by the weight of a lift plate. An idle gear (47) also is rotated by a predetermined amount, so that the engagement portion (47b) thereof engages with a second arm portion (50c) of a torsion spring (50). Since a force exerted by the torsion spring (50) is set greater than the force that rotates the idle gear (47) by downward movement of lift plate (30), rotation of the idle gear (47) and winding pulley (40a) is regulated, and thus the upper surface of lift plate (30) stops in a substantially constant position with respect to sheet supply opening portions (31a and 31b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20120313310
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a sheet feed unit, a regulator, an image forming device, and a sheet output unit. The sheet feed unit is removably mounted to the body to store a recording medium. The regulator has a locking portion and is disposed in the sheet feed unit to regulate a position of the medium in a width direction of the medium. The image forming device forms an image on the medium conveyed from the sheet feed unit. The sheet output unit is disposed above the sheet feed unit to stack the medium on which the image is formed by the image forming device. When the sheet feed unit is drawn from the body to a predetermined position, the sheet feed unit is rotatable downward by weight of the sheet feed unit and the sheet output unit rotates upward with rotation of the sheet feed unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi KUNIOKA
  • Patent number: 8328185
    Abstract: A medium stack tray comprises a stacking member that stacks a sheet medium and is configured to be wound in a roll, a winding mechanism that winds the stacking member, a regulating mechanism that regulates the stacking member being pulled out to be wound by the winding mechanism, and a releasing mechanism that releases regulation for winding the stacking member by the regulating mechanism. In the stacking member being pulled out, at least a portion of a cross section thereof, in a perpendicular direction to a pull-out direction of the stacking member, has a curved shape. Alternatively, the stacking member is configured to have greater minimum area moment of inertia of a cross section when pulled out, than when wound up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Masanari Takabatake, Mieko Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8322703
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes an accommodating unit, a conveying roller, a driving member, and a clutch mechanism. The accommodating tray has a sheet accommodating unit. The conveying roller is for conveying a sheet. The driving member supplies a drive force to the conveying roller. The clutch mechanism includes a link that moves in mechanical conjunction with the attachment or detachment of the accommodating tray and a movable member that moves in association with the movement of the link. The clutch mechanism selectively connects and disconnects a drive force transmitting path by the movement of the movable member. The clutch mechanism disconnects the drive force transmitting path when the accommodating tray is detached, and the clutch mechanism connects the drive force transmitting path when the accommodating tray is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Miwa
  • Patent number: 8322711
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a vibration sensor that transmits a detection signal in response to a vibration pattern and a sheet feeder cassette unit that stores recording papers, is opened/closed by extraction/insertion, and generates a specific vibration pattern while being opened or closed. The image forming apparatus includes an open/close detector unit that detects an opened/closed state of the sheet feeder cassette unit when detecting a predetermined vibration pattern based on the detection signal of the vibration sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Satoru Hayama, Chikashi Kajikawa
  • Patent number: 8317188
    Abstract: A modular print system which includes media cartridges instead of manually loaded feed trays. The print system includes a print module including a keyed entrance, and sealed cartridge containing media and including a keyed exit corresponding to the keyed entrance. The cartridge is removably attached to the print module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Horng Jaan Lin, Dale R. Lyons
  • Publication number: 20120292847
    Abstract: Means (17, 22, 23, 24, 25) is provided for intermittently lifting a stack (13) of paper so that the topmost sheet is captured by the suction of a traction device (15) and carried forward by the endless belt of the latter to the input end (21) of a laminating machine. Before the trailing end of the captured sheet has left the traction device (15) the lifting means again lifts the stack (13) so that the next sheet is captured in an overlapping relation to the first.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: VIVID LAMINATING TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: Sebastien De La Hamayade
  • Patent number: 8297614
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a cassette having a stacking region for stacking recording materials mounted to main assembly of the recording apparatus; a feeder for feeding the recording material stacked to the cassette; a sheet discharge portion for sheet discharging the recording material having been subjected to a recording operation; a tray movable between a first position where the recording material is incapable of being discharged from the sheet discharge portion and a second position where the recording material is capable of being discharged from a main assembly of the recording apparatus; a holding portion, disposed on the tray, for holding the recording material discharged when the tray is at the second position; an auxiliary portion disposed on the tray and capable of stacking the recording material with the stacking region when the tray is at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Takeuchi, Haruo Uchida
  • Publication number: 20120242034
    Abstract: A printing device includes: a moveable guided portion; and a guide rail that guides the guided portion between a lower position at a lower side in a vertical direction, and a retained region being at an upper side from the lower position and in which the guided portion is retained; the retained region being provided with a receiving portion that receives a lower end of the guided portion, and a first guiding element that changes an attitude of the guided portion such that the lower end of the guided portion is conducted to an upper portion of the receiving portion accompanying an upward movement of the guided portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuto Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120235351
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a paper sheet handling apparatus includes a supply unit including a support surface which tilts from a vertical direction, and a mounting surface substantially perpendicular to the support surface, and configured to receive a plurality of paper sheets which tilt along the support surface and are stacked on the mounting surface, a pick up mechanism configured to pick up the paper sheets from a mounting surface side of the supply unit, a conveyance path configured to convey the picked up paper sheet, an inspection device configured to inspect the conveyed paper sheet, and an accumulation unit configured to accumulate the inspected paper sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sakoguchi, Kazuhiro Mukai, Hisashi Oosawa
  • Patent number: 8262083
    Abstract: A media cassette includes a body having a removable lid. The media cassette comprises a housing defining a closeable pick window; an urging plate biased towards the pick window for urging a stack of media items towards the pick window; a detent located distal from the pick window for limiting movement of the urging plate; and a detent moving mechanism operable to move the detent. The detent moving mechanism may be operated by engaging the removable lid or by insertion of the cassette into a media handler. The media cassette allows the urging plate to exert less force on the stack of media items by expanding the space available for media items located within the cassette by activating the detent moving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Scott H. Deas, Shoaib A. Khan
  • Patent number: 8262084
    Abstract: The detachment of a feed roller rotatably supported by a holding portion provided in the main body of an apparatus, and held detachably in the axial direction thereof is restricted by a locking device. The locking device is made movable to a lock position and a lock releasing position for permitting the detachment of the feed roller. Further, when the locking device is in the lock releasing position when a sheet stacking portion is mounted, the locking device is moved to the lock position by a position changeover device in operative association with the mounting operation of the sheet stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Nishikata, Hisayuki Tomura, Akio Nemoto, Kei Sawanaka, Masato Suzuki, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa
  • Publication number: 20120193869
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a stopper located in a sheet feeding route and supported rotatably about a pivot point. The posture of the stopper is changed among a restricting posture in which a contact end contacts a leading end SU of a sheet S in a feeding direction to restrict the leading end SU before a feeding of the sheet S by a feeding mechanism, a feed allowing posture assumed during feeding and in which the contact end is separated from the leading end SU in a first direction F in which the sheet S is fed, and a rotational posture reached by rotating the stopper about the pivot point so that the contact end faces in a second direction opposite the first direction. The second direction is a direction in which the sheet S is pulled out from the feeding mechanism when a jam occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Hanamoto
  • Patent number: 8226309
    Abstract: A printing apparatus according to this invention contains a moving unit for moving a feed unit or a recording medium stacked on a stacking unit in a direction to separate them from one another or in a direction to render one in contact with the other based on a result of comparison between information, relating to the recording medium, included in image information and information, relating to the recording medium, input with an information input unit. With such the printing apparatus, a user can replace the recording medium stacked on the stacking unit in a short time without waiting for a feed unit or a recording medium to be moved, even where the information input with the information input unit differs from the information included in the image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Funatsu
  • Publication number: 20120181746
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the position of adjustable feeder tray side guides in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include detecting an amount of a continuously variable sloped shape marker, determining a position of the adjustable feeder tray side guide of a feeder tray based on the detected amount of the continuously variable sloped shape marker, and outputting the determined position of the adjustable feeder tray side guide of a feeder tray to a user interface of the image production device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Douglas K. HERRMANN, Martin E. Hoover
  • Patent number: 8215634
    Abstract: Provided is a paper sheet processing device having a paper currency receiving section which can be attached to and detached from a frame and can receive a paper currency, the pressing plate which is, in the paper currency receiving section, moved between a pressing position for pressing a paper currency and an initial position for permitting conveyance of the paper currency into the paper currency receiving section, a detection member which can move as the pressing plate moves, a sensor which detects movement of the detection member by detecting movement of the pressing plate to the pressing position, and a movement mechanism which, when the paper currency receiving section is detached from the frame, moves the detection member so that the detection member can be detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Nireki
  • Patent number: 8215636
    Abstract: A printing medium transferring device and an image forming apparatus having the same, which are capable of stably conveying a printing medium supplied to a printing engine while ensuring a manual feeding path for the printing medium includes a conveyer roller which conveys a printing medium to the printing engine, a plurality of printing medium pressing devices which include pressing rollers installed along an outer circumference of the conveyer roller such that the printing medium is pressed in a normal direction of a surface of the conveyer roller, and a releasing device which allows at least one pressing roller to be moved apart from the conveyer roller in order to provide a manual feeding function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Min Youn
  • Patent number: 8210524
    Abstract: The inclination in the sliding direction to an inner rail of the sheet cassette is limited by a swing lever which is provided at a roller bearing support member so as to be protruded through the side of the upper guide surface of the inner rail when the sheet cassette is moved and the limitation of the inclination of the sheet cassette by the swing lever is released when the sheet cassette is pulled out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 8205875
    Abstract: A functional unit positioning device for positioning a functional unit detachably attachable to an apparatus body, includes a biasing device that biases the functional unit in a unit-out direction; and a stopper mechanism having a first stopper and a second stopper, the stopper mechanism exerting and releasing control over release of the functional unit. The biasing device biases the functional unit by the biasing device so that the second stopper comes in contact with the first stopper to set the functional unit in a locked position in a unit in-out direction. The biasing device is also configured to change the magnitude of a bias force on the functional unit from low to high when the functional unit is inserted and advanced up to a predetermined position into the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kusumi
  • Patent number: 8201821
    Abstract: A paper feeding cassette includes: a cassette case configured to store sheets; a sheet tray on which the sheets are stacked, the sheet tray being rotatably attached to the cassette case; a push-up member configured to push up the sheet tray and rotate the sheet tray in one direction when driving force is input and release the push-up of the sheet tray to allow rotation of the sheet tray in the other direction when the input of the driving force is interrupted; and a buffer member configured to be nipped by the cassette case and the sheet tray and elastically deformed when the sheet tray rotates in the other direction. The buffer member is located, when viewed from a stacking direction of the sheets, in an area closer to a rotation axis of the sheet tray than a distal end of the sheet tray that is most distant from the rotation axis in the sheet tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Ohno, Kazumasa Yasui
  • Patent number: 8202015
    Abstract: A media tray assembly for a printer includes an output tray that is removably and pivotally mounted onto an input tray. The output tray is configured such that it can be easily installed into and quickly removed from the printer. In addition, the output tray can be pivoted upward from a substantially horizontal position and latched into an inclined position in one continuous motion by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Choon Siang Peck, Shivaprasad AradhyA.B.S., Wan Yen Bernice Ong
  • Patent number: 8196920
    Abstract: A media cassette comprises a housing defining a closeable pick window; an urging plate biased towards the pick window for urging a stack of media items towards the pick window; a detent located distal from the pick window for limiting movement of the urging plate when the pick window is closed; and a detent moving mechanism operable to move the detent when the pick window is opened. The media cassette allows the urging plate to exert less force on the stack of media items by expanding the space available for media items located within the cassette by activating the detent moving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Scott H. Deas
  • Patent number: 8186670
    Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus includes a supply portion with a sheet bundle supplied via an opening portion, a take-out portion to move the sheet bundle supplied to the supply portion to a take-out position and take out sheets one by one starting from a sheet on an uppermost surface of the sheet bundle, a first door with the opening portion arranged openably which is opened when the sheet bundle is supplied to the supply portion, a second door arranged openably on a middle position when the sheet bundle supplied to the supply portion moves to the take-out position, and a controller to control the first door and second door to open or close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Haruhiko Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8186666
    Abstract: A conveying device includes: a main body; a holding unit that holds media that is attached and detached to and from the main body; a third conveying member that conveys a single medium among the media held in the holding unit; a first conveying member that conveys the single media; a second conveying member that faces the first conveying member to pinch the media so as to conveys the single media with the first conveying member; a feed unit that feeds the single medium to the main body; an attaching part that is provided at the feed unit and enables the feed unit to attach to the holding unit; a positioning mechanism that positions the main body and the feed unit so that the second conveying member is located at a predetermined position relative to the first conveying member when the holding unit is loaded on the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Asaoka, Akira Sunazawa, Tomonari Sakurai, Katsunori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8186665
    Abstract: A locking device locks or separates a first paper feed tray to a second paper feed tray in a state where the first paper feed tray and the second paper feed tray being arranged in parallel at a storage position of an image forming apparatus. The locking device includes an engaging mechanism that can be set to an interlocked state. When the engaging mechanism is in an interlocked state, and when a drawing tray is drawn out from the storage position, a drawn tray is drawn out after the drawing tray is drawn out for a predetermined distance from the storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akema
  • Publication number: 20120119435
    Abstract: A sheet alignment apparatus includes: a sheet storage section for storing sheets; a sheet push-up section for conveying the sheets in the sheet discharge direction; a sheet discharge section having a pair of forward and reverse rotatable rollers configured to align sheet between the rollers and the sheet push-up section and to then discharge the sheets by sandwiching the sheet in the nip portion between the pair of rollers; and a sheet width direction alignment section located between the sheet storage section and the sheet discharge section and configured to align the sheets in the width direction perpendicular to the sheet discharge direction, wherein the sheet discharge section causes the pair of rollers in the reverse direction so as to separate the sheet edge in the sheet discharge section from the nip portion before the lateral alignment performed by the sheet width direction alignment section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Masahiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20120112407
    Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette which lifts up and lifts down a bottom plate each time when a paper is fed, a recording material sensor detects that no recording materials exist when the bottom plate rises over a predetermined position. Accordingly, by measuring a period of time when it is detected that no recording materials exist during a sheet feeding operation, a stacking amount of the recording materials in a sheet feeding cassette can be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Marehiko Hirajima
  • Patent number: 8172222
    Abstract: Provided is a stacking mechanism that includes a paper feed tray including a paper inlet through which a recording medium to undergo a recording process is to be supplied; a paper output tray on which the recording medium that has undergone the recording process and been transported is to be stacked, the paper output tray being superposed on the paper feed tray; a pivotal shaft that allows the paper output tray to pivot with respect to the paper feed tray so as to expose the paper inlet of the paper feed tray; and a lock mechanism that locks the paper output tray displaced about the pivotal shaft, at a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoda, Shigeto Omatsu
  • Publication number: 20120104682
    Abstract: A removable input tray assembly for an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a media tray having a bottom surface and a wall extending upward from the bottom surface. The bottom surface defines a media storage location for storing a stack of media sheets. The assembly further includes a housing having an opening therein to receive the media tray. An inclined media dam is formed in the wall and has a media contact surface for directing media advanced from the media storage location. A channel is provided in the wall and extends the height of the wall for directing media passing therethrough. A roller nip is formed in the channel within the media tray by a pair of rollers for advancing media through the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Brian Allen Blair, Stacey Vaughan Mitchell, Daniel Lee Thomas, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Publication number: 20120104686
    Abstract: A system for positioning and feeding media in an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a raisable lift plate having a top surface for receiving a stack of media sheets and a pick mechanism for feeding the media sheets into a media feed path. The system further includes a drive transmission having a single input, a first output connected to the pick mechanism for driving the pick mechanism, a second output connected to the lift plate for raising the lift plate, a first clutched gear connected to the first output of the drive transmission, and a second clutched gear connected to the first clutched gear and the second output of the drive transmission. The second clutched gear has an engagement opposite the first clutched gear. A single motor is connected to the input of the drive transmission for raising the lift plate and driving the pick mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Brian Allen Blair, Dustin Daniel Fichter, Derek Masami Inouye, Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Publication number: 20120104687
    Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette (10), wall portions (25a to 25d) are provided upright at four peripheral end portions of a cassette base (25). Of the wall portions (25a to 25d), the wall portion (25a) positioned on a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction has a first notch portion (41) formed at a substantially center portion in a longitudinal direction of the wall portion (25a), the first notch portion (41) facing a feeding roller (30a) provided on an image forming apparatus (100) main body side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuuya SHIMOHORA
  • Publication number: 20120086164
    Abstract: A recording apparatus of the disclosure includes a recording unit that performs a recording process on a subject recording medium, a cassette body that accommodates the subject recording medium, a subject recording medium cassette opening that is provided in the cassette body and supplies the subject recording medium therefrom, a movable portion that switches to a closed state in which the subject recording medium cassette opening is closed or an opened state in which the subject recording medium is able to be supplied from the subject recording medium cassette opening, a lock portion that locks the movable portion in the closed state, and an insertion portion that is provided in the movable portion so that a feeding roller is able to be inserted therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki KONDO, Shintaro KOMURO, Satoshi KAWAMURA, Shoma KUDO
  • Patent number: 8152295
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a holding tray, a transport driving roller that applies a transport force to the other surface of the holding tray, and an ejection driving roller located downstream of the recording unit such that the ejection driving roller is placed on the same side as the transport driving roller. The other surface of the holding tray has an irregular pattern including a protrusion or a flat portion and a recess, the protrusion coming into contact with the outer surface of the transport driving roller, the recess being located so as to face the ejection driving roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Komuro, Nobuhiko Shinozaki, Yu Shinagawa, Sanshiro Takeshita
  • Patent number: 8152155
    Abstract: An envelope feed apparatus comprises a main body having a bottom; top (located opposite the bottom); and sides (located between the bottom and the top). The main body top has a flat surface that supports, for example, a stack of envelopes. The envelope feed apparatus also has a slider that includes sides contacting at least two of the main body sides. The slider sides move in a parallel direction to the main body sides as the slider moves relative to the main body. The slider has at least one roller connected to opposing slider sides. The roller(s) are positioned adjacent the main body top. The roller(s) move in a perpendicular direction to the flat surface of the main body top as the slider moves relative to the main body. The roller(s) contact the stack of envelopes when the stack of envelopes is on the flat surface of the main body top and apply pressure to the stack of envelopes in the perpendicular direction toward the flat surface of the main body top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel Seok Jae Jeong, Ian Joseph Frank
  • Publication number: 20120074640
    Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Heon Chae, Min Gi Kim
  • Publication number: 20120074642
    Abstract: A trailing end of a sheet stored in a cassette body is regulated by a first trailing end regulating member 4 and a second trailing end regulating member 5. the member 4 is provided to be slid in a cassette case 3 where the sheet is stored, and the member 5 is provided in the member 4 to be slid. In addition, at positions according to a size of the sheet that is stored in the cassette case 3, the member 4 is held by a first holding portion and the member 5 is held by a second holding portion. In addition, holding of the member 4 by the first holding portion and holding of the member 5 by the second holding portion are released by the operation of a trailing end regulating lever 61.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Motohiro FURUSAWA