Holder Adjustable To Size Of Sheet Patents (Class 271/171)
  • Patent number: 8472092
    Abstract: A document scanner (10) includes an input tray (30) for holding documents (20) prior to imaging; an output tray (150) for holding documents after the documents exit the scanner; an output image capture device (140) for capturing images of the output tray; an image processor for determining characteristics of the output tray or characteristic of the documents after the documents exit the scanner; and scanner functions are modified based on the output tray characteristics or the document characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David M. Schaertel, Daniel P. Phinney, Marybeth Schmidt, Bruce A. Link, Bruce A. Holroyd
  • Patent number: 8469357
    Abstract: A trailing end of a sheet stored in a cassette body is regulated by a first trailing end regulating member and a second trailing end regulating member. The first trailing end regulating member is provided to be slid in a cassette case where the sheet is stored, and the second trailing end regulating member is provided in the first trailing end regulating member to be slid. In addition, at positions according to a size of the sheet that is stored in the cassette case, the first trailing end regulating member is held by a first holding portion and the second trailing end regulating member is held by a second holding portion. In addition, holding of the first trailing end regulating member by the first holding portion and holding of the second trailing end regulating member by the second holding portion are released by the operation of a trailing end regulating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motohiro Furusawa
  • Publication number: 20130154183
    Abstract: A sheet guide includes a base on which a sheet is placed; a pinion which is rotatably provided on the base; a pair of racks which are extended in a sliding direction, which sandwich the pinion therebetween, which are engaged with the pinion to move opposite to each other in the sliding direction; a pair of positioning members which are provided at one end portions of the pair of racks respectively; a sliding guide which is formed in the base and which guides the pair of racks in the sliding direction; and a contact portion which is provided at a side of at least one rack of the racks; a first supporting member configured to press the contact portion to urge the at least one rack against the pinion; and a second supporting member configured to support the other end portion of the at least one rack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta UCHINO
  • Patent number: 8464438
    Abstract: A seasoning apparatus includes: a table on which a stack of paper sheets is loaded; a ceiling plate which is arranged above the table to cover an upper side of the paper stack on the table; a front side plate and a rear side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at front and rear sides of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the front and rear side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; a right-hand side plate and a left-hand side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at a right-hand side and a left-hand side of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the right-hand and left-hand side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; and an air blowing device which blows air horizontally toward the paper stack on the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Fujikura, Yuhei Chiwata, Masahiko Kondou, Hiroyuki Asakura
  • Publication number: 20130134658
    Abstract: A medium supply device includes a medium cassette that accommodates a medium, a dial that is rotatable around a predetermined rotation shaft, an angle-holding part to hold the dial, a subsidiary arm including arm parts that are independently displaceable, and a detection switch with switch parts that are pressed by arm parts of the subsidiary arm. The dial includes a display part on which display elements illustrating a medium size are arranged in a circumferential direction around the rotation shaft, a rotation lock part configured to be locked by the angle-holding part, and a projection formation part that includes projection parts configured to press the arm parts of the subsidiary arm in a circumferential direction around the rotation shaft. The projection parts selectively contact and displace the arm parts in accordance with the rotation angle of the dial to selectively press the switch parts of the detection switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Oki Data Corporation
  • Patent number: 8448940
    Abstract: A movable side regulating plate is provided on a frame body. The movable side regulating plate regulates side edges in a width direction of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking plate, and is movable in the width direction. A sheet pressing portion configured to press the side edges of the sheets and press the sheets onto a stationary side regulating plate is provided on the movable side regulating plate. The sheet pressing portion has a relief shape for reducing a pressing force exerted on the sheets when an amount of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The relief shape is formed so that a downstream edge in a sheet feeding direction of a lower surface is located higher than an upstream edge in the sheet feeding direction of an upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Kazushi Nishikata, Masato Tanabe, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 8444140
    Abstract: A sheet size setting device includes a first member and a second member. The first member includes a tubular holing portion having a first area and a second area in an axial direction. The second member is assembled with the first member movably in the axial direction of the tubular holding portion and includes a second indicator and a second detectable portion. A movement of the second member in the axial direction is restricted by a restricting portion. The restricting portion restricts the movement of the second member in the axial direction when the tubular holding portion is located at a first rotational position and permits the movement of the second member in the axis direction, thereby causing the second indicator to reach the first area and the second detectable portion to reach the second area, when the tubular holding portion is located at a second rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Keisuke Mizuguchi, Masaaki Maruta
  • Patent number: 8430399
    Abstract: A paper tray includes a first plate and an extension mechanism. The first plate includes a receiving space and a guiding groove. The extension mechanism includes a second plate, a paper stopper, and an elastic element. When the extension mechanism is moved to a first position in a direction opposite to the first plate and the paper stopper is rotated relative to the second plate in a first direction, the elastic element is pushed by an end of the paper stopper. Consequently, the elastic element generates an elastic potential energy. When the paper stopper is rotated relative to the second plate in a second direction, the elastic potential energy drives movement of the elastic element in a direction facing the first plate, so that the second plate is moved to a second position and the extension mechanism is automatically restored to the receiving space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-An Huang, Chao-Min Yang
  • Patent number: 8430398
    Abstract: A sheet positioning device includes a platen on which to place a sheet of recording media, a first and second regulation members disposed on the platen and movable along the platen, a drive source, a drive transmitter to transmit a drive force generated by the drive source to the first and second regulation members, and a sheet sensor unit. The sheet sensor unit includes a plurality of sheet detection levers, a biasing member, and a connecting member that connects the plurality of sheet detection levers so that the entire sheet sensor unit moves as a single unit between first and second positions reciprocally to detect the sheet on the platen according to the position of the sheet detection levers moving from the first position being biased by the biasing member to the second position in contact with the sheet placed on the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jumpei Kamichi
  • Patent number: 8419012
    Abstract: A placement plate for placing a recording sheet is provided in a case to be movable upward and downward. A regulating member is supported by the case to be slidable in the width direction of the recording sheet. A locking section is provided on at least one of the placement plate and the regulating member so as to lock the placement plate with respect to the regulating member when the regulating member is located in an area different from an area between the maximum size and the minimum size at the edge of the recording sheet in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Otsuki
  • Patent number: 8398074
    Abstract: A sheet guide includes a base on which a sheet is placed; a pinion which is rotatably provided on the base; a pair of racks which are extended in a sliding direction, which sandwich the pinion therebetween, which are engaged with the pinion to move opposite to each other in the sliding direction; a pair of positioning members which are provided at one end portions of the pair of racks respectively, and which come closer and move away from each other by movement of the pair of racks to position the sheet in the sliding direction; a sliding guide which is formed in the base and which guides the pair of racks in the sliding direction; and a pressing member which is provided on the base and which presses a portion of at least one rack of the racks to urge the at least one rack against the pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Uchino
  • Publication number: 20130062827
    Abstract: A sheet feeder is disclosed for feeding sheets from a stack by one sheet in a sheet feeding direction, the one sheet being an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack. The sheet feeder includes: a sheet stacker for accommodating the sheet stack therein; a side fence to regulate side ends of the sheets and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction; a slide shaft arranged in the side fence and extending in a vertical direction; a link member that swings as the side fence moves, a first end of the link member configured to be slidable along the slide shaft, and a second end of the link member configured to be pivotable about a pivot point, which is arranged on a side wall of the sheet stacker at a position lower than the first end; and a swing stopper unit that stops swing of the link member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Munehisa FUDA
  • Patent number: 8393611
    Abstract: A sheet-supply cassette including a main member which is open upward and which is adapted to store a plurality of recording sheets which are stacked on each other and each one of which is separated from the other recording sheets, and is fed in a sheet-feed direction, by a sheet feeder; an inclined sheet-separate plate which is provided in a downstream-side portion of the main member as seen in the sheet-feed direction, and which cooperates with the sheet feeder to separate the each recording sheet from the other recording sheets; and a plurality of back-surface support portions which are formed integrally with the downstream-side portion of the main member, such that the back-surface support portions are distant from each other in a perpendicular direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet-feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Kozaki
  • Patent number: 8393615
    Abstract: A document position-limiting mechanism includes a first paper guide plate, a second paper guide plate, a connecting wheel and a switching module. The first paper guide plate and the second paper guide plate are used for guiding a document on a paper input tray to be fed into an automatic document feeder. Through the connecting wheel, the first paper guide plate and the second paper guide plate are movable on the paper input tray. By means of the switching module, two operating modes of the document position-limiting mechanism can selected by the user in order to meet the requirements of different users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventor: Wei-Hsun Hsu
  • Publication number: 20130056925
    Abstract: A document position-limiting mechanism includes a first paper guide plate, a second paper guide plate, a connecting wheel and a switching module. The first paper guide plate and the second paper guide plate are used for guiding a document on a paper input tray to be fed into an automatic document feeder. Through the connecting wheel, the first paper guide plate and the second paper guide plate are movable on the paper input tray. By means of the switching module, two operating modes of the document position-limiting mechanism can selected by the user in order to meet the requirements of different users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventor: Wei-Hsun Hsu
  • Patent number: 8387971
    Abstract: A media-loaded device includes a main body and a guide unit. The main body, in which media are stackable, has a first engaging member. The guide unit is movable relative to the main body and has a disengaging member. The disengaging member has a second engaging member that engages with the first engaging member. The second engaging member is disengaged from the first engaging member by an external force applied to the disengaging member in a stacking direction of the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Sunohara
  • Patent number: 8387972
    Abstract: A media sheet tray includes a first media size sensor, a second media size sensor, a first circuit connected to the first media size sensor, a second circuit connected to the second media size sensor, and a switch within the second circuit. The switch can be in an open position disconnecting a continuity of the second circuit, or in a closed position maintaining the continuity of the second circuit. Media being within the media sheet tray closes the switch. Further, a combination of the first circuit connecting to the first media size sensor and the second circuit being discontinuous indicates that paper is absent from the media sheet tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Adam D. Ledgerwood, Douglas K. Herrmann, Derek A. Bryl
  • Publication number: 20130043644
    Abstract: A movable side regulating plate is provided on a frame body. The movable side regulating plate regulates side edges in a width direction of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking plate, and is movable in the width direction. A sheet pressing portion configured to press the side edges of the sheets and press the sheets onto a stationary side regulating plate is provided on the movable side regulating plate. The sheet pressing portion has a relief shape for reducing a pressing force exerted on the sheets when an amount of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The relief shape is formed so that a downstream edge in a sheet feeding direction of a lower surface is located higher than an upstream edge in the sheet feeding direction of an upper surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Publication number: 20130043649
    Abstract: A paper input tray includes a support plate for holding the sheets of paper, two latching members slidably connected to the support plate, a cover rotatably connected to the support plate, and a driving mechanism. Each latching member includes a latching plate. The cover is capable of being rotated open and rotated closed. When the cover is down in the closed position, the distance between the two latching plates is slightly less than that of the sheets. When the cover is rotated open, the two latching members are driven by the driving mechanism so as to increase the distance between the two latching plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SHAO-HUNG HSU
  • 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: 8366098
    Abstract: A medium storage device that is covered by a dust cover and that stores a recording medium, includes: a guide member that is extendably and retractably provided in the medium storage device and that restricts a position of an edge part of the recording medium; and a lock member that locks the guide member and that releases the lock status of the guide member when the lock member moves in a first direction so as to allow the guide member to extend and retract, wherein the movement of the lock member in the first direction is restricted by the dust cover so that the guide member is stably locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20130026701
    Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet cassette, a positioning member which includes a positioning pin arranged at one of the apparatus body and the sheet cassette and a positioning hole arranged at the other of the apparatus body and the sheet cassette and which performs positioning of the sheet cassette owing to fitting of the positioning pin with the positioning hole when the sheet cassette is slidingly moved to an attached position, and a restriction member which performs restriction of movement of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction being perpendicular to a sliding direction from a drawn position to a fitting beginning position where fitting of the positioning member begins and which releases restriction of the movement of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction from the fitting beginning position to the attached position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shunsuke Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8360419
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, including a size detecting portion, which has: a size detecting lever, which is disposed opposite to a side regulation member, and pivots in association with a movement of the side regulation member to a regulation position according to a size of a sheet; and a switch turned ON and OFF according to a pivotal position of the size detecting lever. The side regulation member is provided with a protrusion, which abuts the size detecting lever to amplify a pivotal amount of the size detecting lever pivoting in association with the movement of the side regulation member to the regulation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura
  • Patent number: 8360420
    Abstract: A paper adjusting device comprises a first and a second limiting plates; the second limiting plate substantially parallel to the first limiting plate; a first driving plate comprising a rotating end and a sliding end, the rotating end of the first driving plate is rotatably attached to the first limiting plate, and the sliding end of the first driving plate is slidably engaged with the second limiting plate; a second driving plate comprising a rotating end and a sliding end, wherein the rotating end is rotatably attached to the second limiting plate, and the sliding end is slidably engaged with the first limiting plate; and an operating member comprising a positioning plate and slidably connected to the first and the second driving plates; wherein the first and the second limiting plates, the second limiting plate are slidable to form a space to align a stack of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Fang Tsai
  • Publication number: 20130001854
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a first tray configured to accommodate one or more recording sheets to be supplied to an image forming unit, a pair of body frames disposed to sandwich therebetween an upper part of the first tray, a pair of expansion members disposed under the pair of body frames to sandwich therebetween a lower part of the first tray, a plurality of first connectors configured to connect the pair of body frames with the pair of expansion members, an under bar bridged between the pair of expansion members, and a second connector configured to connect one of the expansion members with the under bar. The expansion member connected with the second connector may be configured such that a phantom line, which extends through the expansion member in a direction parallel to the attaching-detaching direction of the first tray, is in line with the second connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masamitsu UKAI, Wei Ming WANG
  • Publication number: 20130001867
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer device including a sheet container tray and a guide member to restrict a position of edges of the sheets is provided. The sheet container tray includes a first engagement section. The guide member includes an arm part and a first engageable part being engageable with the first engagement section. One of the first engagement section and the first engageable part is formed to have a concave structure, and the other one of the first engagement section and the first engageable part is formed to have a convex structure. A first plane in the concave structure, which becomes slidably in contact with the convex structure when the guide member is moved in a pointing direction, is formed to incline in a more moderate angle than an angle of a second plane in the concave structure, which becomes separated from the convex structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasunori AKATSUKA
  • Publication number: 20130001866
    Abstract: A document position-limiting mechanism includes a first paper guide plate, a second paper guide plate, a connecting wheel and a switching module. The first paper guide plate and the second paper guide plate are used for guiding a document on a paper input tray to be fed into an automatic document feeder. Through the connecting wheel, the first paper guide plate and the second paper guide plate are movable on the paper input tray. Via the switching module, the document position-limiting mechanism can be operated in two operating modes to be selected by the user in order to meet the requirements of different users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventor: Wei-Hsun Hsu
  • Patent number: 8342515
    Abstract: To achieve high conveying accuracy by reducing back tension on a recording medium being conveyed. A feeding device includes a pressure plate on which recording media are loaded; feeding means for feeding the recording media; a regulating member configured to regulate a position of a side edge of the recording media; supporting means for supporting the regulating member, the supporting means having a bottom portion on which the recording media are partially loaded; and moving means for separating the regulating member from the side edge of the recording media. The feeding means starts to feed the recording medium while the position of the side edge of the recording media is being regulated by the regulating member, and the moving means separates the regulating member from the side edge of the recording media after a conveying means starts to convey the recording medium fed by the feeding means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Iwata
  • Patent number: 8336876
    Abstract: A repositionable side guide assembly with vertically repositionable side guides for use with a friction sheet feeding machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: StreamPeeder, LLC.
    Inventors: William L. Popejoy, Perry D. Bergman
  • Patent number: 8322704
    Abstract: A system that reduces pick skew and improves reliability of a picking mechanism by moving the pick arm to multiple locations across a media feed direction based on media size such that media pick forces are substantially balanced about the centerline of a media sheet to be picked. The system includes a pick arm slidably mounted on a shaft, at least one pick roller mounted to an end of the pick arm for contacting a top sheet of a stack of media sheets and driven to pick media sheets one at a time therefrom, and a pick arm translation mechanism for moving the pick arm along the shaft based on media sheet size of the media stack such that the at least one pick roller remains substantially evenly positioned about a centerline of a media sheet in a media feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Allen Blair, Niko Jay Murrell, Jason Lee Rowe, Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Patent number: 8317189
    Abstract: A movable side regulating plate is provided on a frame body. The movable side regulating plate regulates side edges in a width direction of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking plate, and is movable in the width direction. A sheet pressing portion configured to press the side edges of the sheets and press the sheets onto a stationary side regulating plate is provided on the movable side regulating plate. The sheet pressing portion has a relief shape for reducing a pressing force exerted on the sheets when an amount of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount. The relief shape is formed so that a downstream edge in a sheet feeding direction of a lower surface is located higher than an upstream edge in the sheet feeding direction of an upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ueda, Shuji Nishitani, Kazushi Nishitaka, Masato Tanabe, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 8292290
    Abstract: A feeding device includes a body having a sheet placement surface on which a sheet that is to be fed is placed; a cover rotatably provided at the body and supporting a back edge portion in a feeding direction of the sheet placed on the sheet placement surface when the cover is open; a moving member provided at the sheet placement surface so as to be movable in a direction parallel to the feeding direction; a linking member extending in a movement direction of the moving member from the moving member, one end portion thereof being rotatably linked to the moving member using a rotary shaft that is parallel to a rotary shaft of the cover; and a sheet back-edge regulating member provided at the linking member so as to be movable in the movement direction, and regulating a back edge in the feeding direction of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Ishii
  • Patent number: 8286962
    Abstract: A sheet member feeder device includes: a sheet member housing section that houses a sheet member for feeding; a guide member, provided so as to be movable in approach-separation directions that approach towards, or separate away from, an edge of the sheet member housed in the sheet member housing section, the guide member guiding the edge of the sheet member; a restricting member that is provided to the guide member, the restricting member engaging with an engaged portion provided to the sheet member housing section and restricting movement of the guide member in the approach-separation directions; and a pressing member that, when the restricting member is engaged with the engaged portion, presses the guide member towards the sheet member by the pressing member inserting further into a gap between the restricting member and the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8282094
    Abstract: A tray which holds documents to be fed has a document holding portion which holds document in a stacked state thereon and guide members which are arranged on the document holding portion in the cross direction (document width direction) and at least one of which is movable in the document width direction. The document feeding tray further has an extending portion which extends from the document holding portion in the feeding direction (document length direction) to freely increase or decrease the extending amount and a adjusting mechanism which decreases the extending amount of the extending portion as a distance between the guide members becomes narrower and increases the extending portion as the distance between the guide members becomes wider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakibara, Takashi Ohama
  • Patent number: 8272637
    Abstract: A sheet tray unit includes a particular feed tray configured to hold one or more sheets therein, and a discharge tray disposed on the particular feed tray and configured to receive a discharged sheet. The discharge tray includes a first discharge tray portion, a second discharge tray portion, and a third discharge tray portion. The first discharge tray portion is configured to support the second discharge tray portion such that the second discharge tray portion selectively slides in a first direction and in a second direction, which is opposite and substantially parallel to the first direction. The second discharge tray portion is configured to support the third discharge tray portion such that the third discharge tray portion selectively slides in the first direction and in the second direction. The first discharge tray portion includes a stopper configured to limit the third discharge tray portion from sliding in the first direction beyond a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Masatoshi Izuchi
  • Patent number: 8267397
    Abstract: A recording material mounting face portion is provided on which recording materials are stacked for being fed. A body slide portion is attached to the recording material mounting face portion to be slidable in a widthwise or a feeding direction of the recording material. A movable edge guide includes a body operating portion having a guide face that contacts a side of the recording material while being fed and a fixing means that fixes a position of the movable edge guide in a slide direction of the movable edge guide. The fixing means includes notch columns on a surface of the recording material mounting face portion along the slide direction of the movable edge guide and engaging protrusions on the movable edge guide and that engage notches of the notch columns to realize the fixed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masamitsu Shimazu, Yutaka Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120228820
    Abstract: A placement plate for placing a recording sheet is provided in a case to be movable upward and downward. A regulating member is supported by the case to be slidable in the width direction of the recording sheet. A locking section is provided on at least one of the placement plate and the regulating member so as to lock the placement plate with respect to the regulating member when the regulating member is located in an area different from an area between the maximum size and the minimum size at the edge of the recording sheet in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuyuki OTSUKI
  • Patent number: 8262081
    Abstract: An apparatus for a media feeding system having a trail edge guide, a frame, an elevator, a feed head and a stack of media including a plurality of sheets of media disposed on the elevator, wherein the plurality of sheets of media include an uppermost set of sheets of media located at a top portion of the stack of media. The apparatus includes a trail edge deflector having a body including an angularly disposed lower surface, at least one opening, and at least one stopping surface. The angularly disposed lower surface being shaped to contact and thereby shingle the uppermost set of sheets of media, the at least one opening being shaped for complimentary sliding engagement with the trail edge guide thereby permitting the trail edge deflector to slide along a portion of the trail edge guide and the at least one stopping surface being shaped to limit downward sliding movement of the trail edge deflector along the trail edge guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brian R. Ford, Kenneth E. Giunta, Douglas K. Herrmann
  • Patent number: 8256763
    Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus transports paper one by one through a transportation mechanism to an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus. The paper feeding apparatus includes a paper feed cassette to contain paper, a paper side guide arranged in the paper feed cassette to position the paper in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a transport direction of the paper, and a dust removing roller arranged in the paper side guide and in contact with the paper contained in the paper feed cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naritoshi Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 8246045
    Abstract: A holding mechanism which holds a rear end restricting plate at the restricting position in accordance with the sheet size is configured with a first rack tooth row and a second rack tooth row. The first rack tooth row and the second rack tooth row are arranged at the bottom surface of a cassette body to be the same height along the sheet restricting direction and a first tooth row and a second tooth row are arranged at a restricting member to be the same height along the sheet restricting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Kubo
  • Patent number: 8240656
    Abstract: To provide a paper feeding device that can switch setting information only with an easy action of sheet removal and setting in a predetermined position. The paper feeding device includes a first detecting unit that detects whether a sheet is set in a predetermined position, a second detecting unit that detects whether the sheet removal and setting is performed in the predetermined position after the setting of the sheet is detected by the first detecting unit, and a switching unit that switches setting information concerning the sheet when the sheet removal and setting is detected by the second detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Iizuka
  • Patent number: 8235381
    Abstract: A paper sheet processing apparatus allowing easy insertion of a paper sheet such as a bill into an insertion slot is provided, although it is difficult to push the paper sheet for insertion because it is easily bent. The bill processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: an open/close member to be opened and closed with respect to a frame; a bill insertion slot formed such that a bill is capable of being inserted therebetween when the open/close member is closed with respect to the frame; a frame member mounted to the bill insertion opening and having a vertical frame piece along a thickness direction of the bill insertion slot and a horizontal frame piece along a lateral direction formed integrally with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Nireki
  • Patent number: 8231121
    Abstract: A paper tray of printer is provided, which includes a paper tray body, a slide shaft, a first pick arm, a second pick arm and a paper width guide. The first pick arm is fixed on the slide shaft, and the second pick arm is slidely disposed on the slide shaft. The paper width guide is disposed on the paper tray body and is connected to the second pick arm through a linkage device to drive the second pick arm, so that a position of the second pick arm varies along with a position of the paper width guide. Accordingly, an interval between the first pick arm and the second pick arm can be varied along with a size of a paper, so as to avoid paper skew when the paper is fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Hwa Wang
  • Publication number: 20120187621
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheetlike items from a stack has an item feed means 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: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Neopost Technologies
    Inventor: Nicolas PICHON
  • Publication number: 20120187622
    Abstract: A sheet positioning device includes a platen on which to place a sheet of recording media, a first and second regulation members disposed on the platen and movable along the platen, a drive source, a drive transmitter to transmit a drive force generated by the drive source to the first and second regulation members, and a sheet sensor unit. The sheet sensor unit includes a plurality of sheet detection levers, a biasing member, and a connecting member that connects the plurality of sheet detection levers so that the entire sheet sensor unit moves as a single unit between first and second positions reciprocally to detect the sheet on the platen according to the position of the sheet detection levers moving from the first position being biased by the biasing member to the second position in contact with the sheet placed on the platen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jumpei KAMICHI
  • Patent number: 8226081
    Abstract: A paper tray of printer is provided, which includes a paper tray body, a slide shaft, a first pick arm, a second pick arm and a paper width guide. The first pick arm is fixed on the slide shaft, and the second pick arm is slidely disposed on the slide shaft. The paper width guide is disposed on the paper tray body and is connected to the second pick arm through a linkage device to drive the second pick arm, so that a position of the second pick arm varies along with a position of the paper width guide. Accordingly, an interval between the first pick arm and the second pick arm can be varied along with a size of a paper, so as to avoid paper skew when the paper is fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Hwa Wang
  • Patent number: 8223377
    Abstract: Illustrative systems and methods provide a graphical user interface for establishing parameters for printing and finishing print jobs. In an illustrative system and method, print job parameters are defined, for example: by establishing print parameters corresponding to the position of a document in a print job and/or the position of a page in document; by establishing associations between values of fields in file names and print parameters; and by establishing associations between text at a particular position on a page of a document and print parameters. The user's inputs defining the printing and finishing parameters are stored in a file such as, for example, an XML file. The system retrieves the printing and finishing parameters and formats PDL and JCL commands which can be forwarded onto the printing and finishing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventor: Pradip K. Shah
  • Patent number: 8210525
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet stacker includes a stacking table, a pair of side walls, and a sensor. The stacking table is configured to stack a sheet. The pair of side walls is configured to move symmetrically with respect to a center position to regulate both sides of the sheet in a width direction. The sensor is configured to detect a relative position of the center position against the stacking table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yousuke Ushiyama
  • Patent number: 8205870
    Abstract: A paper feeding device for feeding a sheet of printing paper to a printing position of a printing apparatus in order to print the paper is disclosed. The paper feeding device includes a paper tray that stores plural sheets of the paper, a transport unit that transports the paper from the paper tray to the printing position, a guide unit that is provided to adjust a guide width in accordance with the width of the paper which is substantially perpendicular to a feeding direction of the paper transported by the transport unit, and to guide the paper which is transported from the paper tray by the transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakagawa
  • Patent number: RE44135
    Abstract: A media storage apparatus includes a media storing body that stores recording media, a guide member slidably provided in the media storing body for guiding the recording media, a first positioning portion that positions the guide member at a predetermined position where the guide member guides regular-sized recording media, and a second positioning portion that positions the guide member at a position where the guide member guides irregular-sized recording media. The first positioning portion and the second positioning portion have different shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi