Means To Change Orientation Or Direction Of Sheets During Delivery Patents (Class 271/184)
  • Patent number: 8838008
    Abstract: A device for switching a transport direction of a recording material includes a switching unit and a movement unit. The switching unit switches a transport direction of a recording material by being selectively moved to a first position or a second position. The movement unit moves the switching unit between the first position and the second position by increasing or reducing a force exerted on the switching unit. The movement unit changes, on the basis of a temperature of the movement unit, timing at which the force exerted on the switching unit is increased or reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Nara, Masahiro Mori
  • Patent number: 8787816
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a discharge port, a plurality of photosensitive bodies mounted in the housing, a transfer unit to transfer visible images formed on the plurality of photosensitive bodies onto a printing medium, a fusing unit to fuse transferred visible images to the printing medium, and a reverse unit to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium, after the printing medium has passed through the fusing unit. As the moving direction of the printed printing medium is reversed by the reverse unit, the printing medium may be discharged while a printed surface of the printing medium is directed downward, allowing a user to easily draw out the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Young Jang, Chang Kyung Ko
  • Patent number: 8755731
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a feeding path and a plurality of feed roller sets. Through the feeding path, an original document is fed in one direction from a paper supply port to a paper discharge port. The plurality of the feed roller sets are arranged along the feeding path to be spaced apart from each other. When one side of an original document is scanned and when both sides of an original document are scanned, the plurality of the feed roller sets nip the original document to feed the original document along the feeding path. In this case, the plurality of the feed roller sets are all involved in feeding the original document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Yasui, Satoshi Washida, Osamu Otsuki
  • Patent number: 8746686
    Abstract: When a first elapse time ?t3 from time point t1 of stop of a transport motor reaches a first specified time S1, a registration roller electromagnetic clutch is engaged. At time point t2 at which the first elapse time ?t3 reaches 50 ms, normal rotation of the transport motor is started. At time point t3 at which a second elapse time ?t4 from the time point t2 reaches a second specified time S2 (a given length of time), a reverse roller electromagnetic clutch is switched from an engaged state to a disengaged state, rendering reverse rollers and sheet discharge rollers freely rotatable. At subsequent time point t4, a coil of a solenoid is de-energized, to separate the reverse rollers from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Tamehira, Yasumasa Morimoto, Kenji Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8746687
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a rockable member which is configured to rotate about an axis defined at a first end portion among: a first position at which a second end portion at a downstream side in the forward feed direction with respect to the first end portion is supported by the guide member having the first orientation; a second position at which the second end portion is located at a higher position that the second end portion when located at the first position; and a third position at which the second end portion is located at a lower position that the second end portion when located at the first position; and a signal generating unit configured to output a signal corresponding to the position of the rockable member. A photo sensor is provided to generate a signal in accordance with an orientation of the rockable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga, Takashi Omura
  • Patent number: 8746690
    Abstract: A duplexing unit for reversing an orientation of a sheet in an imaging apparatus, the duplexing unit includes an outer member including an inner surface; and an inner member that is housed within the outer member, the inner member including: a stationary structural element having an outer surface with a radius of curvature; and a freely rotatable element having a radius that is larger than the radius of curvature of the stationary structural element, wherein a duplexing path is provided between the inner surface of the outer member and a contact surface of the freely rotatable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Venkatesh Mysore Nagaraja Rao, Ang Beng Keong
  • Patent number: 8746685
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing apparatus that can prevent the occurrence of a transport error and prevent useless printing even when the sheet size of the actually fed sheet is different from the sheet size specified in the printing setting. The printing apparatus forms an image on one side of a recording medium first and then forms an image on another side of the recording medium. A determination section determines the medium length of the recording medium, and a control section causes the recording medium to be ejected to a sheet ejection port after the image is formed on the one side of the recording medium, when the determined medium length is outside of a preset threshold range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yasufumi Fukuzawa, Kiyotaka Yamamoto, Kouji Umeno
  • Publication number: 20140151955
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a relay unit and a guide plate. The relay unit is detachably mounted in the in-body discharge section and receives a sheet discharged from the first exit port and conveys the sheet. The guide plate switches a conveyance path for the sheet discharged from the first exit port between a first path via the relay unit and a second path other than the first path. The relay unit includes a conveyance roller and a drive device. The conveyance roller conveys the sheet. The drive device rotates the conveyance roller. The drive device changes the posture of the guide plate between a first posture corresponding to the first path and a second posture corresponding to the second path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Takeshi YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20140151956
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a paper discharge device includes a discharged-sheet receiving part that can be opened and closed on a side surface of an apparatus body, is closed on the side surface and receives a recording medium dropped from above along the side surface after image formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: SHINICHI ITO
  • Patent number: 8720885
    Abstract: A form conveyance device can reverse a form without pulling another form already stored in a storage unit into the conveyance path. A form conveyance device conveys a form on edge in forward and reverse directions and feeds the form into the storage unit. Such device includes a cylindrical support shaft, and a paper feed roller that is axially supported on the support shaft and can rotate in forward and reverse directions. Also included is an in-feed roller that is axially supported on the support shaft, can rotate only in the forward direction, and on the outside surface has in-feed tabs extending in the axial direction. A power transfer unit of the device is disposed between the paper feed roller and in-feed roller, and transfers drive power from the paper feed roller to the in-feed roller only when the paper feed roller rotates in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Mizuyama
  • Patent number: 8708337
    Abstract: Provided herein is sheet inverter apparatus which includes a diverter gate which diverts the sheet to one of at least two paths, a first paper path, and a second paper path. The first and second path each include a rotatable nip assembly, the rotatable nip assembly including a nip drive roll and a nip idler roll positioned so as to define a nip therebetween, the nip serving as a rotatable axis around which the nip drive roll and the nip idler roll rotate to invert the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce Allen Thompson, Frank Albert Porter, Michael J. Linder, William Matthew Harney, Robert Rinefierd
  • Patent number: 8695972
    Abstract: A reversing apparatus within a media path comprises an input nip moving sheets of media in a first direction, and a reversing nip positioned to receive the sheets of media from the input nip. The reversing nip stops the sheets and moves the sheets in a second direction opposite the first direction. Also included is an output nip positioned to receive the sheets of media from the reversing nip, and an actuator connected to the reversing nip. The actuator moves the reversing nip relative to a position of the input nip and the output nip, based on a characteristic of the sheets of media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Injae Choi, Joannes N. deJong, Steven R. Moore
  • Patent number: 8672321
    Abstract: A method of controlling the average sheet velocities in the separate paths in a parallel architecture to prevent sheet collision and provide for sheet arrival in the proper order at the sheet merger point(s) in the media path. Modifying the travel time of the sheets, or re-phasing strategy, at various points along the media path ensure that sheet collision is avoided even at maximum capacity. Adjusting the velocity of the sheets allow for the printer to run at maximum capacity without jamming and collision of the sheets running therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Krucinski
  • Patent number: 8660476
    Abstract: An image formation device is configured such that a feed roller and a discharge roller are rotated in a first direction so that the sheet is fed from the fixing unit to the discharge opening at a first speed V1, in a second direction so that the sheet is fed from the discharge opening to the diverging point at a second speed V2 if the entire sheet has reached a discharge opening side with respect to the diverging point, and the feeding speed is changed to a third speed V3 if the sheet has reached a position where it is nipped by the sheet feed rollers after the sheet was started to be fed at the second speed V2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yosuke Aoi
  • Patent number: 8651478
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first conveying unit configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction; a conveying path configured to guide the sheet to the first conveying unit, the sheet having been conveyed by the first conveying unit in a direction opposite to the conveying direction; a second conveying unit configured to convey the sheet in the conveying path; a rotation direction detecting unit configured to detect a rotation direction of the second conveying unit; and a control unit configured to perform control, at startup, to drive the first conveying unit in a direction that causes the sheet to be conveyed in the conveying direction, and if the rotation direction detecting unit detects rotation of the second conveying unit, to drive the second conveying unit in the rotation direction that is detected by the rotation direction detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumie Kameyama, Hiroyuki Saito, Nobuhiro Toki, Kenji Shigeno
  • Patent number: 8608163
    Abstract: An approach is provided for inverting a sheeted substrate processed by a printing system while continuously running the sheeted substrate through the printing system without stopping. The approach involves a series of rolls that cause an orientation of the sheeted substrate to be changed such that the sheeted substrate may be returned to a first process path when inverted for duplex printing, or otherwise diverted to a bypass path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Herrmann, Bruce Allen Thompson
  • Patent number: 8585045
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing a recording medium with embedded information is disclosed, which comprises: a Y shape channel mechanism including a first channel, a second channel and a third channel, wherein all the channels are joined with each other at the inner end; a processing device including a magnetic head mechanism which is located in the first channel and used for reading magnetic information of the recording medium and a print mechanism located on one side of the third channel or one side of the second channel ; and a guide mechanism, located at the joining position of the first channel, a second channel and the third channel and used for guiding the recording medium to be conveyed among the channels. A method for processing a recording medium with embedded information is also disclosed. The solution can realize the reading of the magnetic information and the overturn of the recording medium so that the printing on both sides of the recording medium can be realized by using one print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Shangdong New Beiyang Information Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Zheng, Lei Che, Qiangzi Cong, Tianxin Jiang, Mingdong Huang
  • Patent number: 8579280
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus can include an image forming member that forms an image on a sheet, an ejecting transport member that can transport the sheet in first and second directions, and a switching unit. The guide member can move to a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position. At the first predetermined position, the guide member can apply a pushing force to the sheet. At the second predetermined position, the guide member can either apply a smaller pushing force to the sheet than at the first predetermined position, or provide a clearance between the guide member and the sheet. The switching unit can switch the guide member into the first and second predetermined positions based on the sheet transporting direction of the ejecting transport member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takemasa Ishikuro
  • Patent number: 8567780
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device, comprising: a housing including a first wall; a discharge section configured to discharge a sheet to an outside of the housing through a slit defined in the first wall; a pressing portion attached to the housing so that the pressing portion presses the sheet discharged through the slit outside the slit; and a moving unit configured to move the pressing portion along the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8540237
    Abstract: An auto document feeder includes a lead path, a first reverse path, a second reverse path, and a both surfaces eject path. The lead path guides a document from a left side to a right side of a read position. The first and second reverse paths are connected to the lead path, and reverse the document to guide the document from the right side to the left side of the read position. A both surfaces eject path is connected to the first and second reverse paths and guides the document whose image information of a second surface has been read to eject further to the right side than the read position. A shared curve path shared by the lead path and the both surfaces eject path includes a portion between the read position and a portion in which a lead curve path protrudes the most.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nose, Toshihiro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8523174
    Abstract: An improved rotator/translator mechanism includes multiple thin discs that mate with an idler roll to distribute nip pressure and spin at different rotational velocities to produce the same linear velocity at the nip and thereby reduce marking on certain media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Derek A Bryl, Adam D Ledgerwood, Aaron M Moore, Matthew M Storey
  • Patent number: 8480079
    Abstract: A sheet reversing apparatus including: a right angle reversing conveyance section which reverses front/back sides of a sheet while changing a conveyance direction of the sheet, being conveyed in a first conveyance direction, to a second conveyance direction perpendicular to the first conveyance direction; a sheet skew sensor which detects a sheet skew of the sheet being conveyed by the right angle reversing conveyance section; and a sheet skew correction mechanism which corrects the sheet skew of the sheet while the sheet is being conveyed by the right angle reversing conveyance section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi Sugano, Akinori Kimata, Katsunori Takahashi, Akifumi Isobe, Kenji Tamaki, Satoshi Shimao
  • Patent number: 8480080
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a conveyance member, an elastic plate member, a first conveyance path, and a second conveyance path. The conveyance member conveys a sheet of recording media with the sheet attached thereon and has a circumferential portion to separate the sheet from the conveyance member by a curvature of the conveyance member. The first conveyance path is formed by the conveyance member. The second conveyance path is disposed downstream from the first conveyance path and includes a reversal conveyance path to reverse the sheet. A face continuous to a front edge of the elastic plate member, except for the front edge, is positioned in an attachment weakened area of the circumferential portion of the conveyance member in which an attachment force of the sheet on the circumferential portion is weakened by separation of the sheet from the conveyance member by the curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masateru Ujiie
  • Patent number: 8472858
    Abstract: A sheet discharge unit of an image forming apparatus includes a first path discharging the sheet to the outside, a second path for feeding the sheet again to the image forming unit in the case of performing a duplex image forming process, a sheet conveyor conveying the sheet from the first path to the outside, and a corrugating member corrugating the sheet in a width direction of the sheet orthogonal to a conveying direction of the sheet to give the sheet stiffness when the sheet conveyor conveys the sheet. The second path includes an upstream path section having a width that extends in a thickness direction of the sheet, the width being set to be narrow to such a degree that the corrugation of the sheet is reduced when the sheet passes the upstream path section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8439357
    Abstract: A paper transport device includes a transport section that transports paper on a first transport path, and reverses a transport direction to transport the paper onto a second transport path, and a detecting section that detects that the paper has arrived at the reversal position, wherein the detecting section includes a first member that is arranged on the first transport path, and changes posture thereof among a first posture, a second posture, and a third posture, a second member that changes posture thereof between a fourth posture and a fifth posture, a detector that detects whether the second member is in the fourth posture or in the fifth posture, and a joint member that couples the first member and the second member together, allows the second member to be in the fourth posture, rotates the second member to the fifth posture, and keeps the second member in the fourth posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiichirou Arikawa, Masami Ishida, Shigeru Watanabe, Yoshiro Konishi
  • Patent number: 8437684
    Abstract: In case of both sides printing, the sheet S having an image formed on the obverse surface is conveyed to the first reversal section of the reversal device 50 disposed in a reversal path R3. In the first reversal section, the sheet S is conveyed to a U-turn reversal path by the reversal roller 56 with the first side section of the sheet S as the leading edge section. In the U-turn reversal path, a position of the first side surface section and a position of the second side surface section of the sheet S are exchanged and the sheet S is conveyed to the second reversal section. In the second reversal section, the sheet having been turned over is fed again to the register rollers 16 with a leading edge section at image forming on the obverse surface as the leading edge side. Whereby the same edge of the sheet S contacts with the register rollers 16 when the image is formed on the obverse side and when the image is formed on the reverse side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoichi Mizuno, Kunihiro Kawachi, Takahiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20130093134
    Abstract: To provide a sheet storage apparatus for enabling sheets that are carried out of an image formation apparatus or the like on the upstream side to be loaded and stored in a predetermined position with a correct posture neatly at high speed, a sheet discharge roller and a reverse roller spaced a distance are disposed in a sheet discharge outlet and a tray, a kick member is provided to be swingable in a vertical direction passing a sheet discharge path of a sheet discharged from the sheet discharge outlet, and a posture of the kick member is controlled by shift means. The shift means controls the kick member among a waiting posture retracted upward from the sheet discharge path, an engagement posture for imposing a load on the sheet to engage, and an actuation posture dropping onto the tray together with the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventor: NISCA CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8417176
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a main conveyance path configured to convey a recording medium from a paper feeding unit to a sheet discharge unit; a double-side reversing conveyance path configured to switch back a recording medium, one side of which has an image formed, so as to reverse the sides of the recording medium for double-sided image formation; a sheet resending conveyance path configured to resend the recording medium reversed in the double-side reversing conveyance path to the main conveyance path; and a double-side reversing open-space unit configured to provide a space for switching back the recording medium on the double-side reversing conveyance path. The double-side reversing open-space unit also serves as a temporary tray for storing misfed recording media and remaining recording media left inside the image forming apparatus when a jam occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Patent number: 8408537
    Abstract: A sheet reversing mechanism for an image forming apparatus including a switchback reverse path for reversing print sheets, including a transfer roller, a drive motor, and a driving force transmission mechanism. The transfer roller transfers a print sheet along the switchback reverse path. The drive motor rotates in a forward direction and in a reverse direction. The driving force transmission mechanism transmits driving force generated by rotation of the drive motor to the transfer roller. The driving force transmission mechanism includes a clutch configured to connect or disconnect transmission of the driving force to the transfer roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Katada, Atsushi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8412090
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a discharge port, a plurality of photosensitive bodies mounted in the housing, a transfer unit to transfer visible images formed on the plurality of photosensitive bodies onto a printing medium, a fusing unit to fuse transferred visible images to the printing medium, and a reverse unit to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium, after the printing medium has passed through the fusing unit. As the moving direction of the printed printing medium is reversed by the reverse unit, the printing medium may be discharged while a printed surface of the printing medium is directed downward, allowing a user to easily draw out the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Young Jang, Chang Kyung Ko
  • Patent number: 8398075
    Abstract: An auto document feeder includes a lead path, a first reverse path, a second reverse path, and a both surfaces eject path. The lead path guides a document from a left side to a right side of a read position. The first reverse path and the second reverse path are connected to the lead path, and reverse the document to guide the document from the right side to the left side of the read position. A both surfaces eject path is connected to the first reverse path and the second reverse path and guides the document whose image information of a second surface has been read so as to eject further to the right side than the read position. Further, the lead path includes a lead curve path which protrudes to the left side and is arranged more to the left side than the read position. A shared curve path shared by the lead path and the both surfaces eject path includes a portion between the read position and a portion in which the lead curve path protrudes the most.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nose, Toshihiro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8371582
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body having a side wall in which an opening is formed; a cover for opening and closing the opening; and a guide member for guiding a printed recording sheet, arranged in a position facing to the opening. The guide member is pivotally supported at its lower end portion on the main body. When the cover is being opened and the guide member is pivoted around its lower end portion as a pivot axis so that an upper end portion of the guide member is tilted toward the opened cover and into a lying-back position, a second sheet-output passage is formed which extends from the image forming unit toward the opened cover through the opening. The guide member is movable to a position away from the opened cover when it is in the lying-back position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuji Matsuno, Kazuyoshi Minaminaka
  • Patent number: 8366099
    Abstract: A media retraction and recycler system for use with image processing devices such as automatic document feeders and printers that concurrently supports two media sheets for duplex printing or scanning in a partial overlapping configuration in a variable nip pressure exit roll assembly allowing use of a media path that is shorter than the total media length of the two media sheets to facilitate an increased throughput during duplex scanning or printing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: William Paul Cook
  • Patent number: 8358962
    Abstract: In an image recording apparatus according to an aspect of the invention, a recording medium is allowed to be conveyed on a conveying path. An inversion guide portion connects a first portion of the conveying path positioned downstream of a recording unit to a second portion of the conveying path positioned upstream of the recording unit. A path changeover unit is disposed at the first portion of the conveying path and swingable between a recording medium discharge position and a recording medium inversion position. When the path changeover unit is positioned at the recording medium discharge position, the forward rotation of the roller pair allows the recording medium to be sent to a discharge portion. When the path changeover unit is positioned at the recording medium inversion position, the rearward rotation of the roller pair allows the recording medium to be sent to the inversion guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Sugiyama, Takashi Ohama, Noriyuki Kawamata, Yuta Uchino
  • Publication number: 20120326384
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a banknote storing/feeding unit which is capable of effectively utilizing winding spaces of a drum and a reel, to increase the number of banknotes to be stored. The banknote storing/feeding unit includes the drum which winds and rewinds a banknote together with a tape, and the reel which winds and rewinds the tape on and from the drum. A guide body swinging according to winding and rewinding of the tape and the banknote on and from the drum is provided between the drum and the reel. The guide body has a guide passage that guides the tape and the banknote to be wound and rewound on the drum. The guide body swings centering on a supporting point located within a region parallel to a virtual line connecting a rotational center of the drum and a rotational center of the reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Jun ARIKATA, Shigenobu Nishida
  • Patent number: 8336878
    Abstract: A paper discharge device includes a waiting path having one side connected to an input port and another side connected to a discharge port, and a collection path having one side connected to the waiting path through a merged portion and another side connected to a collection chamber. Conveyance mechanisms convey a paper which was conveyed through the input port to the discharge port in a forward direction, and convey, after lapse of a given period of time after the conveyance of the paper, the paper in a reverse direction through the merged portion to feed into the collection path. An input mechanism provided in the collection path conveys the paper fed from the waiting path through the collection path into the collection chamber while sandwiching the paper between rollers to form folds across a total length of the paper along the paper conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Tozaki, Takumi Seino
  • Patent number: 8328195
    Abstract: An exit path assembly for an imaging device according to one embodiment includes a first exit nip formed by a first roller and a second roller and a second exit nip formed by the second roller and a third roller. The rotational direction of the second roller is opposite the rotational direction of the first and third rollers. The exit path assembly further includes a common drive linkage for driving the rotation of the first, second and third rollers. The common drive linkage has a one-way clutch coupled to the third roller for limiting the drive of the third roller to one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Julian Rosacker, Scott Stephen Williams
  • Patent number: 8322713
    Abstract: When the sheet (100) is mounted onto the conveyance surface (20), the alignment guide (3) is located at the retraction position by the alignment guide moving mechanism, and after the sheet (100) is mounted onto the conveyance surface (20), the alignment guide (3) is located at the guide position by the alignment guide moving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Oota, Hideki Oiwa, Masasuke Funase, Takaaki Maeda, Akihiko Toki
  • Patent number: 8292292
    Abstract: A paper sheet obverse and reverse side arranging device according to the present invention, includes: a reversible conveying section which includes a rotor reversibly conveying paper sheets in two directions opposite to each other, and two inlet and outlet sections provided in front of the two directions, respectively; a sorting section which is provided in an upstream conveying path upstream from the reversible conveying section, and which sorts paper sheets to either one of the two inlet and outlet sections; two guiding sections which are provided in the two inlet and outlet sections, respectively, and which guide paper sheets conveyed from the reversible conveying section; two guide conveying sections which convey paper sheets guided from the reversible conveying section by the two guiding sections towards a downstream conveying path provided downstream; and a control section which controls the reversible conveying section and the sorting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Laurel Precision Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Onodera
  • Patent number: 8276913
    Abstract: A 3-way letterbox media diverter directs and controls media in 2 forward directions and 1 reverse direction within a printer's paper path. The letterbox design enables actuation of the diverter from a first position to a second position just as the trail edge of a sheet passes a post fuser nip. Once the diverter reaches the second position, an invert nip now controlling the sheet is reversed to thereby invert the sheet. Thus, inversion of the sheet is accomplished in a small space envelope, time to reverse direction is reduced, process speed can be reduced and additional paper guides are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Nicola M Bianco, Richard G Hubbard
  • Patent number: 8276743
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus enable the reversal of direction in a transport of articles, in particular flat mail items. The length of the leading article is measured. The two articles are transported, with a gap between them, to a direction reversal device. The direction reversal device possesses a “head station” and transports the two articles over a transport path in a transport direction and, subsequently, over the same transport path in the opposite transport direction. If the measured length is greater than a stipulated standard maximum length, the leading article is additionally transported over an additional transport route which follows the transport path, specifically, first, in the transport direction and, subsequently, in the opposite transport direction. The two articles are subsequently transported away in succession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Armin Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8249494
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of properly discharging a medium has a first medium stacking unit, a second medium stacking unit, and a guiding member for guiding the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in an opened state and guiding the medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in a closed state. Since the guiding member guides the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the opened state and guides medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the closed state, the medium can be discharged to the second medium stacking unit in a case that large normal curling occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takemasa Ishikuro
  • Patent number: 8235385
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the image forming apparatus are provided. When a finisher is installed onto the image forming apparatus and a communication failure between the finisher and the image forming apparatus is detected, the image forming apparatus causes both of a post processing operation and a double-sided printing operation to be unavailable for selection by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kiichirou Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8235614
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming portion that forms an image on a surface of a sheet, a feeding device that feeds the sheet in a sheet feeding direction, a sheet receiving portion, and an engagement portion selectively moves between a first position and a second position. When the engagement portion is in the first position, the engagement portion engages the leading end of the sheet. When the engagement portion is in the second position, the engagement portion does not engage the sheet. When the engagement portion is in the first position, the engagement portion engages a leading end of the sheet before a trailing end of the sheet passes the feeding device. The sheet receiving portion receives the sheet after the engagement portion engages the leading end of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Takata, Yoshikazu Takahashi, Kazama Goto, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8210526
    Abstract: A device for horizontally rotating flat articles supplied along a transport line (L) has a sliding plane (2) for restively receiving articles (F) in transit between the upstream and downstream branches (RM, RV). Two drawing groups are flanked and activated independently, each constituted by a lower roller (13, 14) and an upper roller (23, 24) rotating in an opposite direction, the rollers adheringly engaging with upper and lower surfaces of the flat articles (F). Command organs (10) activate the first and second drawing groups (3, 4), first in a same direction in phase relation with an entry of a flat article (F) arriving from the upstream branch (RM) and then in opposite directions in order to horizontally rotate the flat article (F) by a predetermined angle, and once more in a same direction for directing the rotated flat article (F) towards the downstream branch (RV) of the transport line (L), in a direction parallel to the entry direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: C.M.C. S.r.l.
    Inventor: Francesco Ponti
  • Patent number: 8208847
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a fan folding unit that fan folds a folded-back sheet into a width or length of the regular size to file the sheet in the regular-size folder such that the sheet forms layers along a traveling direction of the sheet; first and second punching units that punch the filing hole in the sheet fan folded, respectively, into the width and the length of the regular size at the portion to be punched to file the sheet in the regular-size folder; and a sheet-processing setting unit that sets a fold mode of the fan fold and selects one of the first punching unit and the second punching unit for use in punching of the filing hole in the sheet based on a size and orientation of the delivered sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yusuke Harasawa
  • Patent number: 8200139
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently scanning a duplex document in which a scan unit sequentially scans both sides of a sheet of a duplex document by moving the sheet across a reader, and a reverse output unit to output the sheet after turning over the sheet. Therefore, since the sheet of a document can be fed and scanned while the second side of the previous sheet of the document is scanned, scanning time can be reduced. Particularly, the reduction in scanning time is very useful when multiple sheets of a duplex document need to be scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-cheol Park, Yong-kon Jo
  • Patent number: 8181951
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus allowing a printing section inside of a casing to print paper and discharging the printed paper from the casing through a discharge port of the casing includes a discharge tray configured such that the position thereof is switchable from a placement position for covering the surface of a feeding belt and receiving the paper discharged from the casing to an exposure position for exposing the surface of the feeding belt, and vice versa, wherein a surface of the discharge tray has a coefficient of friction lower than the surface of the feeding belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Betto, Seiji Minamiyama
  • Patent number: 8172228
    Abstract: An integrated module for installation within a printer may include a module frame and a plurality of printer subsystem components. The module frame is configured to fit within a predetermined space within a printer and to connect to a printer frame positioned about the predetermined space. The plurality of printer subsystem components are configured to mount to the module frame. At least one printer subsystem component includes a default module media path and at least one diverter-directed module media path within the printer subsystem component. The at least one printer subsystem component is configured to connect to the module frame at a position that enables the default module media path and the at least one diverter-directed module media path to complete a printer media path through the predetermined space when the module frame having the printer subsystem component is connected to the printer frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Rob Huala, Jos Jacobs, David B. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8172225
    Abstract: A feeding device has a conveying roller that rotates in a forward direction and a reverse direction, to selectively convey a sheet in a conveying direction and a reverse conveying direction. A particular guide member is positioned on an upstream side, guides the conveyed sheet toward the conveying roller, and has a stopper that contacts an end portion of the sheet, thereby stopping movement of the sheet in the reverse conveying direction. A control unit causes the conveying roller to rotate the conveying roller in the forward direction, such that the sheet is conveyed to a predetermined position, then to rotate the conveying roller in the reverse direction, wherein the end portion of the sheet contacts the stopper while the conveying roller rotates in the reverse direction, and then to again rotate the conveying roller in the forward direction, such that the sheet is conveyed toward the conveying roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naokazu Tanahashi