Responsive To Delivered Sheet Patents (Class 271/176)
  • Patent number: 11958710
    Abstract: A sheet detection device includes, as detection pieces, a first detection piece integrally provided on a rotary shaft and a second detection piece attached to the first detection piece via a biasing member. The second detection piece is capable of rotation in conjunction with the first detection piece under a biasing force of the biasing member. When the second detection piece is brought into contact with a ceiling at an upper part of the rotary shaft, the second detection piece stops further rotation while the first detection piece is capable of rotation together with the rotary shaft against the biasing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Taniguchi, Tsuyoshi Shibayama
  • Patent number: 11518638
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a controller controlling a driver to cause a guide to start rotation in a state in which a trailing end in a sheet conveyance direction of a preceding sheet conveyed by a roller pair having a first roller and a second roller such that the trailing end of the preceding sheet is moved from the position above a first guide to a position between a second guide and a sheet support by the rotation of the guide and that a succeeding sheet conveyed by the roller pair subsequently to the preceding sheet passes the position above the first guide after the rotation of the guide. The first roller is rotated by a driving force supplied from a driving source, and the guide rotates about a rotation axis of the first roller while rotating relatively to the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamano, Jun Agata, Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11383952
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a frame, a round member directly or indirectly connected to the frame, and an arm directly or indirectly connected to the frame. The arm is rotatable to rotate between a first position and a second position. The arm is positioned to bias sheets toward the round member when in the first position, and the arm is positioned to bias the sheets away from the round member when in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Ruiz, Bruce A. Thompson, Derek A. Bryl, Arthur H. Kahn, Paul F. Brown, II
  • Patent number: 11340549
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a retransport assembly, and a controller. The retransport assembly includes a first transport roller pair, a second transport roller pair, and a skew roller pair configured to alone transport, in a skewed manner, a sheet spaced from the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair, and a reference wall. The controller controls the retransport assembly and executes a waiting operation to cause the sheet to wait at the retransport assembly. The controller is configured to execute the waiting operation by stopping the skew roller pair and one of the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair in a state in which the sheet is nipped by the skew roller pair and the one of the first transport roller pair and the second transport roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenta Tosuji, Yuichiro Ichinose, Masafumi Inoue
  • Patent number: 11279588
    Abstract: A method for stacking a ply (50) which is transferred from a rubber mixing system to a stacking system (100) comprises the steps of transferring the ply (50) to a stacking head (120) of the stacking system (100); passing the ply (50) to a motorized belt (110) of the stacking system (100), the motorized belt (110) being able to turn in both directions and being able to move in translation, and the motorized belt (110) being situated between the stacking head and a pallet (P) chosen from a pallet (P) with edges and a pallet (Q) without edges; and setting the motorized belt (110) into movement in translation so as to move along a path such that the motorized belt (110) receives the ply (50) from the stacking head (120) and makes a downstream end (50b) of the ply (50) to be stacked accessible in order to connect it to an upstream end (52a) of a ply (52) of a successive pallet and form a butt joint between the plies (50, 52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Sebastien Dubouis, Romain Saccomano
  • Patent number: 11274012
    Abstract: A sheet binding device includes a first binding unit that performs a first binding process of binding a sheet bundle having a first thickness or less without using a staple, and a second binding unit that performs a second binding process of binding the sheet bundle having a second thickness or less exceeding the first thickness using a staple, the first binding process by the first binding device is preferentially executed when the thickness of the sheet bundle is the first thickness or less, and the second binding process by the second binding unit is executed when the thickness of the sheet bundle exceeds the first thickness and is equal to or less than the second thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Keisuke Egawa
  • Patent number: 11230126
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharge rollers pair, a sheet pressing member and a discharge tray. The sheet pressing member includes a first rotational shaft, a detection piece and a corrugation piece. The corrugation piece protrudes in a radial direction different from a protruding direction of the detection piece from the first rotational shaft. When the detection piece is turned at a first angle into a first posture, the corrugation piece is changed into a contact posture where the corrugation piece comes into contact with the sheet to apply stiffness on the sheet. When the detection piece is turned at a second angle into a second posture, the corrugation piece is changed into a retracting posture where the corrugation piece separates from the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Yasuhiro Miyake
  • Patent number: 11230451
    Abstract: Examples for estimating quantity of print media available in a device, are described. In one example, the device comprising includes a series of proximity sensors to sense level of a stack of print media. The sensors are mounted on an internal vertical wall of the media tray with each of the plurality of sensors mounted at a different vertical height. Based on the sensing by the sensors, an estimate count of the print media available in a media tray of the device is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shinoj Bhaskaran, Subhash Pulikkara Veedu, Vineeth R, Sharmakumar Ponnarassery Sasankan, Anoop Vembanat, Cijo Robert
  • Patent number: 11186095
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a medium conveying apparatus in which unjamming can be efficiently performed. The medium conveying apparatus includes conveyance rollers configured to convey a card, a rotary unit configured to hold and rotate the card, sensors SN2 and SN26 configured to detect the distance the card has been conveyed, and a control section. If the distance the card has been conveyed that has been detected by the sensors SN2 and SN26 differs from a preset distance L1 (Yes in Step S320), the control section determines (in S328 and S336) whether the card can be positioned in a direction to be delivered from the rotary unit. If the card can be so positioned, a drive motor is controlled, rotating the rotary unit to position the card to be delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Yuichi Aihara
  • Patent number: 11130649
    Abstract: A sheet discharge device includes a discharge member, a discharge tray and a stopper. The discharge tray includes a groove and a fixed magnetic body. The groove is formed along a discharge direction. The fixed magnetic body is disposed at a predetermined position along the groove. The stopper includes a guide piece, a contact piece and a moving magnet body. The guide piece is engaged with the groove in a slidable manner. With the contact piece, the leading edge of the sheet is allowed to be come into contact. The moving magnetic body generates a magnetic force in a direction in which the moving magnetic body and the fixed magnetic body are attracted each other. When the guide piece is slid along the groove and the moving magnetic body reaches the predetermined position, a resistance is applied to a sliding movement of the guide piece by the magnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takehiko Okada
  • Patent number: 11124376
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a first detecting portion provided in an apparatus body and configured to detect a move of a movable member in a state where a movable tray is at an upper limit position in a moving direction of the movable tray, wherein a detection result of the first detecting portion changes depending on a position of the movable tray in the moving direction. In addition, a second detecting portion detects the position of the movable tray in the moving direction, and a control portion, in a case where the second detecting portion detects that the movable tray is at the upper limit position, determines whether a sheet is present on the movable tray based on the detection result of the first detecting portion. When the second detecting portion does not detect that the movable tray is at the upper limit position, the control portion determines that a sheet is present on the movable tray regardless of the detection result of the first detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomooku Koyama
  • Patent number: 11091336
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a first detecting portion provided in an apparatus body and configured to detect a move of a movable member in a state where a movable tray is at an upper limit position in a moving direction of the movable tray, wherein a detection result of the first detecting portion changes depending on a position of the movable tray in the moving direction. In addition, a second detecting portion detects the position of the movable tray in the moving direction, and a control portion, in a case where the second detecting portion detects that the movable tray is at the upper limit position, determines whether a sheet is present on the movable tray based on the detection result of the first detecting portion. When the second detecting portion does not detect that the movable tray is at the upper limit position, the control portion determines that a sheet is present on the movable tray regardless of the detection result of the first detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomooku Koyama
  • Patent number: 11027938
    Abstract: A medium transport device includes a transporting member, a medium offsetting member, a guide member, and an interlocking member. The guide member is located upstream of the transporting member in a medium transport direction. The guide member is movable between a first position, in which the guide member guides the medium toward the medium accommodating member, and a second position, in which the guide member guides the medium to a destination different from the medium accommodating member, to guide the medium. The interlocking member moves the guide member between the first position and the second position in conjunction with a movement of the medium offsetting member in a width direction of the medium offsetting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Satoshi Watanabe, Kiminobu Tsutada, Masato Minagawa, Hiroshi Kawamoto, Riwako Miyauchi, Tomohiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 10894685
    Abstract: A sheet collection device includes a discrimination portion that discriminates the type of sheet, a plurality of containers that store sheets, a transport portion that transports the sheets to any one container from among the plurality of containers based on the discrimination result by the discrimination portion, an accumulation portion that accumulates progress information of a storage amount of sheets in the container, and a notification portion that predicts a time at which the storage amount of the sheets that are stored in the containers based on the progress information reaches a first predetermined amount and notifies the predicted time to a terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kaneo Yoda, Seiichi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10773919
    Abstract: A controller of a sheet handling apparatus (for example, banknote handling machine) stops an operation of storing a sheet in a storage bag (for example, banknote storage bag) on the condition that the number of sheets (for example, banknotes) received by a number information receiver is less than a predetermined number, when a distance between a receiver (for example, each stage) and a presser (for example, pressing plate) that is pressing the sheets stored in a storage bag which is supported by a support (for example, each holding member), toward the receiver, is greater than a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10766731
    Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus (for example, a banknote storage mechanism) includes an entering unit (for example, a pushing unit) configured to enter into a storage bag (for example, a banknote storage bag) supported by a supporter (for example, holding members) and a controller configured to control the driving unit (for example, a motor) for driving the entering unit. The controller controls the driving unit such that the entering unit enters into the storage bag supported by the supporter and comes in contact with the sheet stored in the storage bag to detect an upper end position of the sheet stored in the storage bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yokoo, Youichi Takemura
  • Patent number: 10737893
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second sheet storages, a sheet conveyer, an image reading unit configured to read a surface of a sheet conveyed from the first sheet storage by the sheet conveyer, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet conveyed from the image reading unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an amount of a color material appearing on the surface of the sheet based on image data generated by the image reading unit, determine one of the image forming unit and the second sheet storage as a sheet feeding destination, based on the determined amount of the color material and a threshold value that is associated with at least one of a type and content of an image to be formed on the sheet, and control the sheet conveyer to convey the sheet to the sheet feeding destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 10525768
    Abstract: A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub body, and a sprocket support structure. The hub axle includes an axle through-bore that has an axle minimum inner diameter equal to or larger than 13 mm. The hub body has a first body end and a second body end opposite to the first body end in an axial direction with respect to a rotational center axis. The sprocket support structure is rotatably mounted on the hub axle about the rotational center axis. The sprocket support structure includes a first torque-transmitting profile and a first externally-threaded portion. The first torque-transmitting profile is configured to transmit a rotational force. The first externally-threaded portion is configured to threadedly engage with a first internally-threaded portion of a first lock member. The first torque-transmitting profile is closer to the first body end than the first externally-threaded portion in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Komatsu, Koji Yuasa, Takehiko Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10377174
    Abstract: A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub body, and a sprocket support body. The hub body includes a first spoke-mounting portion, a second spoke-mounting portion, and a first axial length. The first axial length is defined between a first axially outermost part of the first spoke-mounting portion and a second axially outermost part of the second spoke-mounting portion in an axial direction with respect to a rotational center axis. The first axial length is equal to or larger than 55 mm. The sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle about the rotational center axis. The sprocket support body includes at least ten external spline teeth configured to engage with a bicycle rear sprocket assembly. Each of the at least ten external spline teeth has an external-spline driving surface and an external-spline non-driving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujita, Kazuki Koshiyama, Takashi Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 10379480
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an image forming apparatus has an image forming device, a discharge port of a recording medium, a conveying device of the recording medium, and a controller. The controller judges a kind of the recording medium and the discharge port that is a conveying destination of the recording medium. The controller controls a conveying speed of the recording medium to be discharged from the discharge port by the conveying device, in accordance with the kind of the recording medium and the conveying destination of the recording medium which have been judged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriyuki Takuwa
  • Patent number: 10244134
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a paper feed section and a processing section. The paper feed section stores paper. The processing section executes a decoloring processing for decolorizing an undecolored paper stored in the paper feed section, and issues a warning indicating that the paper stored in the paper feed section is taken out when the decoloring processing is stopped, or does not issue the warning when the decoloring processing is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10185285
    Abstract: A common media redrive system for use with either a hot roll fuser assembly and a belt roll fuser assembly installed an imaging device. The redrive systems includes an access door movable between a raised closed and a lowered open position. The access door has a media path channel and a deflector mounted over the channel. The deflector has a pivotable gate and includes upper and lower media guide members forming a media entrance and two exits for directing a media sheet from the fuser assembly exits to an output area and duplex path portion, respectively, via the gate and the first and second exits, respectively. A pair of media exit guide portions cantilever from the rear portion of the fuser assembly. The lower media guide members includes a pair of cutouts that receive the pair of media exit guide portions when the access door is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Karen Elaine Ballman, Gregory Daniel Creteau, Donald Eugene Proffitt, II
  • Patent number: 10165140
    Abstract: A medium discharging device includes a discharging unit which discharges a medium; and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium discharged by the discharging unit, and is switched between an extended state and an accommodated state, in which the medium receiving tray is provided with a base tray, a main extendeding unit that is accommodated or extended, and at least one sub-extendeding unit that is accommodated or extended, and in which the base tray forms an accommodating space for accommodating at least the one sub-extendeding unit, and is provided with a first protrusion portion protruding toward the accommodating space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Mokuo, Hidenori Harada
  • Patent number: 10150637
    Abstract: There is provided a stacking apparatus capable of stably conveying and stacking sheets without occurrence of damage or buckling of the sheets in the structure of discharging the curled sheets one by one. In regard to each of a plurality of clamp guides which project toward stacking trays from a conveyor to guide sheets S, the projecting position varies in accordance with a size and an amount of stacked sheets on the stack trays. The stacking tray comprises an inclined surface and a curved surface. An upper guide is located to face the inclined surface by a predetermined interval, and the upper guide is located not to face the curved surface or is located to face it by an interval larger than a predetermined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Wakayama, Shuichi Masuda, Takakazu Ohashi, Ryohei Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10144609
    Abstract: A media-sheet stacking system (10) for stacking media sheets on a device output tray (OT) comprises a kicker (25) to advance a media sheet along the output tray by pushing a trailing edge of the media sheet as it exits the device, and a movable element (32a) arranged to face the output tray across a space that receives media sheets exiting the device. A drive mechanism (33) is provided to drive the movable element in the direction of advance of the media sheet along the output tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel Gonzalez Perello, Andreu Oliver, Ismael Chanclon Fernandez, Joseba Ormaechea Saracibar, Xavier Miguel Royo, Ruben Prats Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 10137701
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a printing system for cut sheets. The printing system comprises a control unit for controlling the printing of image data on a plurality of sheets which comprise at least one speciality sheet intended to be one-sided printed and at least one duplex sheet intended to be two-sided printed. The control unit schedules the plurality of sheets in a printing order. A paper path of the printing system comprises a duplex printing loop, a first turn station arranged in the duplex printing loop for turning a sheet of the plurality if both sides of the sheet are scheduled to be printed in two passes along a print engine arranged in the duplex printing loop and configured to dispose marking material on the sheets according to the image data, in two passes, one side per pass, and a second turn station arranged in an output section for turning the sheet before laying the sheet off in an output holder of the output section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: OCÉ HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Abraham Thijssen, Henricus J. A. Van De Sande, Rob Hoogendijk
  • Patent number: 10001740
    Abstract: A curl correcting apparatus includes rollers, a motor, and a clutch portion. The rollers are curl correction-use rollers which are arranged in parallel to each other in a pressure-contact state and which are different in hardness. The motor is a motor capable of rotating in forward and reverse directions relative to a correction-amount adjusting portion that changes and adjusts a distance to the rollers as a result of an eccentric cam that integrally rotates in accordance with a rotation amount of a rotation shaft, pressing against the rollers. The clutch portion transmits a rotary driving force of the motor to the rollers during the forward rotation and to a rotation shaft during the reverse rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takenori Ohtoshi, Yoshitaka Matsumoto, Sohichi Takata, Junya Masuda, Yoshiharu Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9981818
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a sheet container; a sheet conveyer; a sheet detector; and a controller, wherein, in a case where a leading edge of a first sheet is positioned downstream of a first position in a conveyance direction and a trailing edge of a second sheet preceding the first sheet is positioned downstream of a second position located downstream of the first position when the first and second sheets are stopped based on a result of the sheet detector, the controller causes the sheet conveyer to convey the first sheet in the conveyance direction, and in a case where the leading edge of the first sheet is positioned upstream of the first position when the first and second sheets are stopped, the controller causes the sheet conveyer to convey the first sheet in an opposite direction to return the first sheet to the sheet container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nozomi Kumakura, Seita Inoue, Kunio Takane
  • Patent number: 9957128
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a sheet discharge roller disposed in a conveying path of sheets so as to discharge a sheet being conveyed to a sheet discharge tray; a conveying unit that conveys sheets on a side of the conveying path closer to an upstream side than the sheet discharge roller; a motor that rotates at a constant system speed during conveying of sheets to drive the conveying unit; a transmission mechanism that transmits power of the motor to the sheet discharge roller to rotate the sheet discharge roller; and a controller that controls an operation of the transmission mechanism, wherein the transmission mechanism changes a circumferential speed of the sheet discharge roller, and the controller performs speed reduction control of controlling the operation of the transmission mechanism to temporarily reduce the circumferential speed of the sheet discharge roller when a sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Katsuhisa Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9896296
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes: receiving trays including (i) a lowest tray, (ii) a first receiving tray different from the lowest tray, and (iii) at least one second receiving tray including one second receiving tray disposed just below the first receiving tray; a conveying mechanism; and a supporter supporting the receiving trays. The conveying apparatus further includes a transmission mechanism configured to perform at least one of: transmission of upward movement of the first receiving tray from a receiving position to an upper position, to downward movement of the one second receiving tray from the receiving position to a lower position; and transmission of the downward movement of the one second receiving tray to the upward movement of the first receiving tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadanobu Chikamoto, Hideki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9848092
    Abstract: An image reading device reads an image of an original document and includes a conveyance roller, an image reading section, a first determination section, a second determination section, and a conveyance stopping section. The conveyance roller conveys the original document. The image reading section reads the image of the original document. The first determination section determines whether or not the original document has a punched hole based on the image read by the image reading section. The second determination section determines, upon determination that the original document has the punched hole, whether or not the punched hole is to travel on an edge of the conveyance roller. The conveyance stopping section stops conveyance of the original document upon determination that the punched hole is to travel on the edge of the conveyance roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takuro Murata, Shinya Matsui
  • Patent number: 9828185
    Abstract: A Stacking Apparatus is proposed that performs the purpose of receiving the boxes being produced by a Rotary Die Cutter and transporting the boxes through the apparatus such that stacks of the boxes are created and exit from the discharge end of the apparatus. It embodies the four functional modules, Layboy Function, Shingling Function, Stacking Function and Hopper Function. These four functions are embodied such that it has the advantages of a fixed position Hopper Function and still provides Die Board Access, Running Layboy Roll Out and Sample Sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Geo. M. Martin Company
    Inventors: Daniel J. Talken, Jonathan R. Ames
  • Patent number: 9830542
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing unit that prints images on sheets, a sheet processing unit that executes bookbinding processing on sheets on which images have been printed by the printing unit, a stack control unit that stacks, in a stacking unit, bookbinding products on which bookbinding processing has been executed by the sheet processing unit, a setting unit that sets whether or not to activate a stacking limit of bookbinding products to be stacked on the stacking unit by the stack limiting unit, and a control unit that performs control so as to stop stacking in the stacking unit by the stack control unit in accordance with the stacking limit in the case where the stacking limit of bookbinding products has been set to activated by the setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Unno
  • Patent number: 9771227
    Abstract: A layboy conveyor includes a first end and a second end and an upper conveyor having a top and a bottom and a first end and a second end and a lower conveyor having a top and a bottom and a first end and a second end. The lower conveyor top is disposed adjacent to the upper conveyor bottom and defines with the upper conveyor bottom a transport path configured to transport a sheet of material in a direction from the first end of the layboy conveyor to the second end of the layboy conveyor. A drive is operably connected to the upper conveyor and to the lower conveyor, and the drive is configured to drive the upper conveyor bottom and the lower conveyor top in the direction. A length of the lower conveyor top is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: A.G. STACKER INC.
    Inventors: Clarence C. Allen, Jr., Kevin G. Gorby, Eric H. Crowe, Samantha L. J. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 9561928
    Abstract: A banknote temporary storage unit of a banknote processing device includes a box body, and further includes a controllable telescopic rod having one end configured to be fixed at a transaction port of the banknote processing device and a telescopic end articulated to the box body. The box body is slidably arranged at the transaction port, and in the case that the controllable telescopic rod is at a terminal of a telescoping stroke of the controllable telescopic rod, the box body is located outside the transaction port, and a banknote dispensing space in the box body is in a visible area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: GRG Huitong Financial Services Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Panfeng Luo, Gaofeng Du, Yang Chang, Chaoyang Xu, Jianzheng Yang, Qunwei Ning
  • Patent number: 9555994
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus controls feeding of a paper to an image forming unit and re-feeding of a paper to the image forming unit by a re-feeding unit that re-feeds the paper held by a double-sided paper feed path. The apparatus changes a print setting of a paper that is the single-sided printing into a forcible double-sided printing that uses the double-sided paper feed path, if a paper whose print setting is double-sided printing and a paper whose print setting is single-sided printing are mixed in a print job, and if there is no paper held in the double-sided paper feed path and the print setting of a paper to be fed is the forcible double-sided printing, the apparatus changes the print setting of the paper to be fed into single-sided printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Muto
  • Patent number: 9540205
    Abstract: A sheet sorting apparatus includes a discharge port through which sheets are discharged, a stacking tray on which the sheets discharged from the discharge port are stacked, a sheet sorting member provided on a stacking surface on which the sheets of the stacking tray are stacked, and an operation mechanism for operating the sheet sorting member. The sheet sorting member is provided to be able to rise from the stacking surface by employing one end of the sheet sorting member as a pivot point, at a position at which the sheets fall from the discharge port. The sheet sorting member rises from the stacking surface by the operation mechanism, thereby forming an inclined surface, guiding the sheets placed on the inclined surface along the inclined surface, and shifting the sheets stacked on the stacking tray to a discharge direction of the sheets and a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Hideki Okamura
  • Patent number: 9511973
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus for performing post-processing on sheets received from an image forming apparatus and discharging the processed sheets. A stacking tray has the received sheets stacked thereon. A CPU controls a tray lifting/lowering motor to drive the stacking tray to be lifted or lowered. The CPU determines a vertically moving state of the stacking tray. When the stacking tray is not lowered though the tray lifting/lowering motor is controlled to lower the stacking tray, the CPU notifies the image forming apparatus that a job should be suspended. After notifying, the CPU controls the tray lifting/lowering motor to lift the stacking tray. Then, when the stacking tray can be lifted, the CPU notifies the image forming apparatus that the job is to be resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Ando, Mitsuhiko Sato, Takashi Yokoya, Hiromasa Maenishi, Akihiro Arai
  • Patent number: 9492984
    Abstract: System and methods of treating or handling cardboard sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: HIGHCON SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: David Ben-David, Yaki Stern, Yaron Smirnov, Tal Harmon
  • Patent number: 9373229
    Abstract: An automated banking machine operative to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader that is operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine is operative responsive to the card data to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The automated banking machine is further operative to provide users with a receipt for transactions conducted. The automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser operative to dispense cash to machine users and to cause the value of cash to be assessed to financial accounts corresponding to card data. The automated banking machine is further operative to receive currency bills or other sheets from a user and to process and store such sheets through operation of a currency accepting device. The account corresponding to card data may be credited for the value of bills or other sheets received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems, Division of Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Eastman, Brian Jones, Michael S. Johnson, Shawn Griggy, Jeff A. Brannan, Michael J. Harty, Robert W. Barnett, Eric S. Vankeulen, Mike P. Ryan, William D. Beskitt, Kenneth Turocy
  • Patent number: 9300826
    Abstract: A multi-function peripheral including an opening-closing member supported by a main body to be swingable around a first axis parallel to a side surface of the main body, between a closed position and an open position, a sheet supporter supported by the main body to be swingable around a second axis parallel to the first axis, between a first position to be on a trajectory of the opening-closing member and a second position to be slanted relative to the side surface, a hinge disposed between the main body and the opening-closing member and including a base attached to the main body to be movable in a vertical direction together with the first axis, and a link mechanism disposed between the base and the sheet supporter and configured to move the sheet supporter to the second position in conjunction with an upward movement of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Muneaki Takahata, Yuta Uchino, Tianjin Xie
  • Patent number: 9085847
    Abstract: The feeder comprises a spreader device 4, 5 that is configured for seizing two adjacent corners of a piece of laundry and for subsequently shifting the two adjacent corners away from each other, to the effect that a first side edge of the piece of laundry, which side edge is situated between the two adjacent corners, is straightened. By use of two conveyors 6, 11 for advancing the piece of laundry it is enabled that the piece of cloth is turned between the two conveyors whereby a higher productivity is obtained by use of the feeder due to it being necessary to reject fewer pieces of laundry due to misaligned introduction of the pieces of laundry into the feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: JENSEN DENMARK A/S
    Inventor: Morten Engel Lundt
  • Patent number: 9081649
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a motor, a movable partition, a controller, a sensor, and a power source. The movable partition is operably coupled with the motor. The controller is associated with the movable partition and is configured to detect a resting position of the movable partition. The sensor is coupled with the controller and is configured to detect a vehicular condition. The power source is in electrical communication with the motor and the controller and is configured to facilitate passage of electrical current to each of the controller and the motor. Passage of electrical current to the motor facilitates movement of the movable partition. If passage of electrical current to the motor is interrupted, the controller is configured to detect the resting position of the movable partition after passage of a delay time. The delay time changes in response to changes in the vehicular condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joseph P. W. Whinnery, Wesley W. Kim
  • Patent number: 9042806
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a recording medium stacking unit including a stacking member having a stacking surface on which the recording medium having the image formed by the image forming unit is stacked, an outside member that is located at the outside of the stacking surface so as to extend in a substantially vertical direction to the stacking surface and detachably mounted in the recording medium stacking unit, and a support member having a support portion that supports the stacking member; an outside member recognizing unit that recognizes whether the outside member is mounted on the recording medium stacking unit, or not; and a controller that controls one of a maximum number of recording media to be stacked and a maximum height of stack of recording media in the recording medium stacking unit according to whether the outside member recognizing unit recognizes that the outside member is mounted, or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Tamura, Yoshiyuki Takaishi, Ryuichi Sato, Noriyoshi Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20150108712
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet processing apparatus including an intermediate processing tray on which a sheet conveyed by a discharge roller is stacked, a proximal aligning plate and a distal aligning plate moving in a sheet width direction for aligning the sheet conveyed onto the intermediate processing tray, and a finisher controller for moving and controlling the proximal aligning plate and the distal aligning plate to align, when a sheet having a length in the sheet conveyance direction shorter than a predetermined length in the sheet conveyance direction is conveyed, the sheet at a position shifted nearer to a take-out port side A in the sheet width direction than a position in the sheet width direction at which a sheet having a length in the sheet conveyance direction equal to or more than the predetermined length in the sheet conveyance direction is aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Rikiya Takemasa, Yusuke Obuchi
  • Patent number: 8985573
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming system including: the relay apparatus; the image forming device which is connected to the first communication control unit of the relay apparatus and which acquires the sheet interval information of the downstream post-processing device through the first communication system; and the second post-processing device which is connected to the second communication control unit of the relay apparatus, the second post-processing device being compliant with the second communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Konishi
  • Patent number: 8979089
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a machine body, a first roller pair, a tray, a second roller pair, a driving unit, an inlet sensor, a receiving unit and a control unit. The inlet sensor is configured to detect presence or absence of the sheet in the first roller pair driven by the driving unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive, from an image forming apparatus, sheet length information in the sheet conveying direction of the sheet as a target to which the print job is applied. The control unit is configured to control the driving unit to rotate, if the sheet length information indicates special length and the inlet sensor detects a trailing end of the sheet, at least rollers of the second roller pair a predetermined number of times and stop the rollers, the second roller pair nipping the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichiro Mano
  • Publication number: 20150042039
    Abstract: In order to enable simple and easy handling of a large number of large format sheets, an output assembly is provided. The output assembly comprises a lower output tray element for receiving the sheets. In order to reliably transport and deposit a large format sheet from the printing device onto the lower output tray element, a guide element is provided just below an output opening of the printing device such to guide a leading edge of the sheet onto the lower output tray element. Once the leading edge is supported by the lower output tray element, the guide element is retracted such to enable a trailing edge to be deposited on the lower output tray element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: OCE-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Anne A. WIND, Lamberdina J.A.M. DRIESSEN-OLDE SCHEPER, Maurice J.C. LEMMENS, Ronnie E.A. BLOM, Leonardus R.A. WILLEMS, Antonius J.J. VAN DE PASCH
  • Patent number: 8939444
    Abstract: The printing apparatus of the present invention includes a delay mechanism that can transmit, with a delay, the rotational force of a discharge roller to a discharge tray. When the reverse rotation of the discharging roller has been begun, the delay mechanism accumulates the length of the delay, or, when the forward rotation of the discharge roller is performed for a longer period than the accumulated length of the delay, opens the discharge tray. When the feeding of a sheet is not performed during a sheet feeding operation accompanied by the reverse rotation of the discharging roller, the discharging roller is rotated forward to cancel out the length of the delay accumulated in the delay mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Omori
  • Publication number: 20150014915
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which enables double-sided image formation using a sheet feeding unit, and is capable of discharging a sheet, whose sheet length is undetermined by the time the sheet reaches a branch area in conveyance for double-sided image formation, without guiding it to a sheet inverting unit. A conveying flapper switches a destination for a sheet to a first conveying path leading to a sheet inverting unit or a second conveying path leading to a sheet discharge tray. A length of a sheet in a conveying direction is detected while the sheet is being conveyed. When a size of the sheet is undetermined, and the length of the sheet is not detected by the time the sheet reaches the conveying flapper, the conveying flapper is controlled so as to convey the sheet with an image formed on a first side thereof to the second conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Keita Takahashi, Hidenori Matsumoto