Sheet Inverting Means Patents (Class 271/186)
  • Patent number: 11866287
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a reversing roller, a guide member and a rotatable member. The guide member includes a curved portion to curve inside a first surface of the sheet and guides the sheet along the curved portion in contact with a second surface opposite to the first surface of the sheet in a first direction. The rotatable member disposed opposed to a sheet guide surface in the curved portion with a gap and is rotated by contacting with the first surface of the sheet. When the sheet is fed by the reversing roller in a second direction, the rotatable member is rotated by contact of the first surface of the sheet with the rotatable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 11827475
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a sheet reversing roller portion, a first sheet feeding passage, a second sheet feeding passage, a sheet a guiding member forming a retraction feeding passage for guiding upward a leading end of the sheet fed from the reversing roller portion rotating in the first direction and then for guiding the sheet, guided upward, in a direction crossing a vertical direction, the guiding member having an inner surface curved to guide one side of the sheet, and a preventing member for preventing a droop of the leading end of the sheet by contact with the sheet guided in the direction crossing the vertical direction by the sheet guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Hayashi, Atsushi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11829824
    Abstract: A medium stacker includes a stacking portion, a rotary portion, a medium holder, a medium mover, and circuitry. The stacking portion has a stacking face to stack a sheet medium on which an image is formed. The rotary portion is configured to hold a leading end of the sheet medium in a sheet conveyance direction, reverse the sheet medium on the stacking face of the stacking portion, and convey the sheet medium. The medium holder is configured to hold the sheet medium when the sheet medium is conveyed by the rotary portion. The medium mover is configured to move the sheet medium to a predetermined position in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction of the sheet medium while the sheet medium is held by the rotary portion. The circuitry is configured to control the rotary portion and the medium mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11802018
    Abstract: During flipping sheets may fold upon themselves under the influence of gravity. To prevent a sheet stacker is provided with a holding device for releasably holding at least a portion of the sheet at least partially during the flipping of the sheet by a sheet flipping device, wherein the holding device is configured for movement of the held portion of the sheet in a first direction perpendicular to the flipping axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Erik P. J. Verhoeven, Johannes E. P. Peulen
  • Patent number: 11726425
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes an abutment that abuts on a sheet conveyance path through which a sheet is conveyed. A holder supports the abutment and pivots to move the abutment between an abutting position where the abutment abuts on the sheet conveyance path and a retracted position where the abutment retracts from the sheet conveyance path. A biasing member applies a biasing force to the abutment. The biasing force moves the abutment from the retracted position toward the abutting position. A restrictor restricts motion of the abutment against the biasing force at the abutting position. An adjuster adjusts the biasing force applied to the abutment situated at the abutting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuuji Meguro
  • Patent number: 11537077
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a transport guide for guiding, along its transport surface, a sheet in a transport direction, a first transport roller pair, a second transport roller pair, a skew roller pair, a reference wall, and an actuator. The skew roller pair alone transports, in a skewed manner toward an end of the transport surface in a width direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the sheet spaced from the first transport roller and the second transport roller. The reference wall is positioned at the end of the transport surface in the width direction and extends along the transport direction. The actuator is disposed downstream of the skew roller pair and upstream of the second transport roller pair in the transport direction and between the end and a center of the transport surface in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenta Tosuji, Yuichiro Ichinose
  • Patent number: 11448994
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor, an actuator, an image forming unit, a detection unit, and a controller. The conveyor transports a sheet having a length measured in a transport direction. The actuator drives the conveyor. The image forming unit forms an image on the sheet. The detection unit includes a first sheet detection sensor that outputs a detection signal indicating whether the sheet transported by the conveyor passes through a first predetermined detection position. The controller controls the actuator based on the length of the sheet in response to an indication that the detection unit is not operating normally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryosuke Kojima
  • Patent number: 11368597
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a discharge unit, a stacking portion and a swing guide. The stacking portion includes an upstream supporting portion, a wall surface portion, a first supporting portion provided downstream of the upstream supporting portion and including a first inclined surface, and a second supporting portion provided downstream of the upstream supporting portion and including a second inclined surface. The swing guide overlaps with the first supporting portion as viewed in a width direction of a sheet in a case where the swing guide is not in contact with a sheet discharged by the discharge unit, and swings upward in a case where the swing guide is pushed by a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11319176
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a first medium transport path, a reverse path for reversing a surface of a medium, a third medium transport path that guides the medium to the reverse path, a first drive roller configured to rotate in a forward rotation direction that sends the medium toward a discharge port and in a reverse rotation direction opposite to the forward rotation direction, and a second drive roller provided in the third medium transport path and configured to rotate only in the forward rotation direction for sending the medium toward the reverse path, in which a transport force applied to the medium by the first drive roller when the first drive roller rotates in the forward rotation direction is stronger than a transport force applied to the medium by the second drive roller when the second drive roller rotates in the forward rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Komuro, Shingo Waki
  • Patent number: 11292687
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit, a sheet inverting unit, a sheet guide plate, and a projection. The drawer unit is drawable from an apparatus body. The sheet inverting unit is disposed in the apparatus body, and pulls a sheet into a lower portion of the drawer unit to invert the sheet. The sheet guide plate is disposed on the sheet inverting unit to face the drawer unit, and includes a recess extending in a pull-out direction of the drawer unit that crosses a direction in which the sheet is transported. The projection protrudes toward the recess from a portion of a lower surface of the drawer unit facing the sheet guide plate near a pull-out start point in the pull-out direction and on a rear of a transport area of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Goto, Ryuga Oishi, Takuyoshi Kimura, Takehiko Koizumi, Natsumi Nakata
  • Patent number: 11196884
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, in which a recording material is conveyed by a reverse portion rotated in a first direction at a first velocity which is faster than a conveyance velocity of the recording material in a fixing portion after a rear end portion of the recording material passes through the fixing portion, and then, the recording material is conveyed to a conveying portion by the reverse portion rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction through a conveyance path at a second velocity which is faster than the conveyance velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion, and a conveyance velocity of the recording material is set to a third velocity which is slower than the second velocity at a predetermined timing before the rear end portion of the recording material reaches a curved portion of the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Sato
  • Patent number: 11123998
    Abstract: A medium transport device includes a first transport route for discharging a medium processed by a processing unit to an outer side of a housing in which the processing unit is provided, and a second transport route for discharging a medium processed by the processing unit to the outer side of the housing. The housing has an openable/closeable or detachable cover, and at least one of the first transport route and a route forming member constituting the first transport route and at least one of the second transport route and a route forming member constituting the second transport route to be exposed by opening or detaching of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Otsuka, Kazuhisa Takeda
  • Patent number: 11052688
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording section that performs a recording operation on a medium; a housing that contains the recording section; a storage section that stores the medium; and a reading unit disposed in an upper portion of the housing. The reading unit includes: a reading section that reads an original sheet; a guide member that guides the original sheet; and an aperture through which the original sheet that has been read by the reading section passes. By being rotated relative to the housing, the guide member is switched between a first position in which the aperture is exposed and the original sheet is to be guided and a second position in which the aperture is covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11046545
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first sheet conveyance passage, a second sheet conveyance passage, and a branching guide. The first sheet conveyance passage is a passage through which a sheet passes in a first direction. The second sheet conveyance passage shares a part of the first sheet conveyance passage and branches off from the first sheet conveyance passage in a second direction opposite the first direction of the first sheet conveyance passage. The branching guide is disposed at a position where the first sheet conveyance passage meets the second sheet conveyance passage. The branching guide is configured to move between a first position for the first direction and a second position for the second direction. A plurality of branching guides including the branching guide is spaced apart in a width direction of the sheet and separately switchable between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Mizuna Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10933664
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit, a first transport path through which a medium is transported in a first direction during recording, a second transport path through which the medium after the recording is transported along a path that is different from the first transport path in a second direction, a discharge roller pair that is disposed at a downstream position of the recording unit and that is configured to be displaced between a nipping position and a separation position, and a flap that is disposed downstream of the recording unit. When the following medium is transported on the first transport path, the preceding medium is transported on the second transport path, and the respective media are disposed at a position of the discharge roller pair at the same time, the discharge roller pair is disposed at the separation position, and the flap is disposed at an advanced position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shintaro Komuro
  • Patent number: 10897550
    Abstract: A medium transporting apparatus includes a first medium transport path in which a transport roller pair is provided, a second medium transport path for feeding a medium fed downstream in a medium transport direction from the transport roller pair to an upstream position of the transport roller pair in the first medium transport path, and a medium detection unit for detecting passage of a medium in the first medium transport path, in which a position at which the medium detection unit detects a medium is switched between a transport direction upstream position and a transport direction downstream position of the transport roller pair according to whether or not a medium is transported on the second medium transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Saka
  • Patent number: 10850935
    Abstract: A document feeder assisting device includes a document stacker to stack a document to be conveyed toward a feed port of an automatic document feeder, a pressing device to press the document toward a document placement surface of the document stacker, and a conveyance device to convey the document. The document is stacked on the document placement surface exposed above with the pressing device moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Noda
  • Patent number: 10841444
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a supply tray, which supports sheets to be supplied and includes a movable plate configured to move from a first position to a second position as the sheet supported by the supply tray is decreased, the second position being higher than the first position; a discharge tray; a conveyance guide; a reading sensor; a discharge unit, which includes a discharge opening to discharge the sheet conveyed by the conveyance guide to the discharge tray and is configured to move from a third position to a fourth position as the sheet supported by the paper feed tray is decreased, the fourth position being higher than the third position; and a first drive source, which generates a drive force, wherein the discharge unit is configured to move by receiving the drive force and to transmit the drive force to the movable plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Fujiwara, Kazutoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10838321
    Abstract: A toner container includes a container body containing a toner, a rotating member, a moving member, and a restricting mechanism. The container body has a discharging port discharging the toner. The rotating member is at least partly installed in the container body, engaged with an inner face of the container body, and rotated around a rotation axis extended in one direction. The moving member is attached to the rotating member, moved in the one direction in accordance with rotation of the rotating member, and conveys the toner in the container body to the discharging port. The restricting mechanism is provided in an engaging part of the rotating member and an inner face of the container body. The restricting mechanism allows rotation of the rotating member in a first rotating direction, and restricts rotation of the rotating member in a second rotating direction opposite to the first rotating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Riku Minamoto
  • Patent number: 10807818
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, and a sheet feeding unit having a rotary feeding member and a separation member defining a nip portion together with the rotary feeding member, with the nip portion separating the sheet fed by the rotary feeding member from another sheet. A load detecting unit detects a conveyance load acting on the sheet feeding unit while feeding the sheet, and a control unit controls the sheet feeding unit to start to feed a second sheet succeeding to a first sheet at a first timing in a case where the conveyance load detected while feeding the first sheet is less than a threshold value, and starts to feed the second sheet at a second timing which is later than the first timing in a case where the conveyance load detected while feeding the first sheet exceeds the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshinao Chiba
  • Patent number: 10800630
    Abstract: A discharge unit includes a first discharge guide which guides the sheet conveyed by the conveyance guide, a second discharge guide which includes the discharge opening, and guides the sheet guided by the first discharge guide toward the discharge tray, and a discharge roller and a discharge pinch roller which are provided in the second discharge guide. The first discharge guide is rotatable around a first axis which is parallel with an axial direction of the discharge roller. The second discharge guide is connected to the first discharge guide to be rotatable around a second axis which is parallel with the first axis. An angle at which the second discharge guide is inclined with respect to a sheet supporting surface in the discharge tray is constant while the discharge unit is moving from the third position up to the fourth position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10793387
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a supply tray which supports sheets and includes a movable plate configured to move in correspondence to reduction in a number of the sheets, a discharge tray which is located below the supply tray; a discharge unit which has a discharge opening for discharging the sheet and moves from a lower position and a higher position in correspondence to reduction in the number of the sheets supported on the supply tray, a controller which controls movements of the movable plate and the discharge unit, and a sheet detection unit which detects whether the sheets supported on the discharge tray is lower than a predetermined height. The controller determines a timing to move the discharge unit from the higher position toward the lower position based on a detection result of the sheet detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroaki Shigeno
  • Patent number: 10777033
    Abstract: The paper sheet redirecting unit (60) for changing a direction of a paper sheet configured to support one side of the paper sheet and change the direction of the paper sheet while transferring the paper sheet; and an other-side redirecting member (62) configured to support the other side of the paper sheet in a state of coming in contact with the one-side redirecting member (61) and to change the direction of the paper sheet while transferring the paper sheet, wherein if a power is transmitted to the one-side redirecting member (61) or the other-side redirecting member (62), the one-side redirecting member (61) and the other-side redirecting member (62) are operated in company with each other, thereby discharging the paper sheet while changing the direction of the paper sheet to be inputted between the one-side redirecting member (61) and the other-side redirecting member (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI TERMINAL SOLUTIONS KOREA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Chan Kim, Bong-Seob Oh, Seon-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 10659645
    Abstract: A scanner includes an image capturing module, a drive roller assembly, an idle roller assembly, and a guiding structure. The image capturing module is for capturing an image of an object. The drive roller assembly is for driving the object to move along a feeding direction. The idle roller assembly is for preventing a moving direction of the object away from the feeding direction by resiliently pressing the object. A feeding passage is formed between the drive roller assembly and the idle roller assembly. The guiding structure is disposed in front of the feeding passage and for guiding a normal direction of a leading edge of the object to be oblique relative to the feeding direction at an oblique angle. Therefore, the present invention can effectively reduce variation of a resistance force acting on the object as the object moves in the feeding path, which prevents image distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: AVISION INC.
    Inventors: Sheng-Yao Shih, Yung-Hung Tung
  • Patent number: 10640318
    Abstract: A paper reversing apparatus includes a main conveyance path, a reversing path, first and second guiding plates and a hardware processor. The reversing path is disposed so as to form a predetermined angle with respect to the main conveyance path. Paper enters the reversing path from the main conveyance path and leaves the reversing path to the main conveyance path by being sent backward. When paper enters the reversing path, the processor moves the first guiding plate to a position for the paper to follow the first guiding plate and moves the second guiding plate to a position to avoid the paper. When paper leaves the reversing path, the processor moves the second guiding plate to a position for the paper to follow the second guiding plate and moves the first guiding plate to a position to avoid the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masaaki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 10618760
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes an oblique-feed unit configured to nip and convey a sheet by imparting to the nipped sheet a force in a direction inclined relative to a sheet conveyance direction so that the sheet approaches an abutment surface in the width direction as the sheet proceeds downstream in the sheet conveyance direction; a drive unit configured to drive the oblique-feed unit; a change unit configured to change the force of the oblique-feed unit; and a control unit configured to control the drive unit and the change unit so that, after causing the sheet to abut against the abutment surface in a first state in which the oblique-feed unit is driven at a first speed, the oblique-feed unit is put into a second state in which the oblique-feed unit is driven at a second speed higher than the first speed and the force is weaker than in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Ishioka, So Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10583671
    Abstract: A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Kensuke Hirate, Yoshiyuki Washino
  • Patent number: 10583672
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a discharging roller pair, a discharge sheet holding portion, and a stopper member. The discharging roller pair discharges the sheet member outside from a sheet discharge port by rotating in a forward rotational direction. The discharging roller pair includes a first conveying roller, and a roller member. The discharge sheet holding portion is for holding the sheet member discharged outside by the discharging roller pair. The stopper member is swingably supported on a rotational shaft of the first conveying roller. The stopper member allows the sheet member to be discharged to the discharge sheet holding portion when the discharging roller pair rotates in the forward rotational direction, and prevents the sheet member from intruding into the nip portion from the discharge sheet holding portion when the discharging roller pair rotates in the reverse rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kuniaki Araishi
  • Patent number: 10577205
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet conveying apparatus, including: a conveying member configured to convey a sheet; a plurality of changing portions successively provided downstream of the conveying member in a conveying direction of the sheet, the plurality of changing portions being configured to change the conveying direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveying member by curving the sheet; and a control portion configured to control a conveying speed of the sheet. The control portion controls a conveying speed of the sheet such that V1<V2 where V1 indicates a conveying speed of a sheet conveyed by the conveying member, a leading end of which sheet passes through a specific changing portion among the plurality of changing portions, and V2 indicates a conveying speed of a sheet conveyed without passing through the specific changing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 10569576
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer including a memory that stores computer-executable instructions. When the instructions executed by a processor, printer performs an image expansion process, a reverse feeding process, and a printing process. In the image expansion process, image data corresponding to a print command analyzed by an analysis process is expanded. In the reverse feeding process, a feeder feeds a print-receiving medium in the reverse direction to move a tip of the print-receiving medium positioned in a vicinity of a cutting blade of a cutter in the reverse direction. In the printing process, the feeder and the printing head operate to form a print on a basis of the image data expanded in an image buffer. The printer executes the image expansion process and the reverse feeding process in parallel to each other when the instructions are executed by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaru Uno
  • Patent number: 10567594
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section for forming an image on a transfer medium, a conveyance section for conveying the transfer medium, and a control section for controlling image formation and conveyance. The control section is capable of acquiring an image reading result for a transfer medium on which an image is formed and determining whether the transfer medium is faulty, and, if the transfer medium is determined to be faulty and there are a plurality of output destinations for faulty transfer media which are the transfer medium determined to be faulty and transfer media having already been fed after the transfer medium determined to be faulty, gives a warning about removal of the faulty transfer media for each output destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Akio Ueda
  • Patent number: 10471742
    Abstract: A dual nip release mechanism includes: a rigid actuator body including a tail portion with a handle and a pivotally-mounted head portion having a nose member extending therefrom; a rocker arm pivotally mounted about a rocker arm shaft, the rocker arm having a proximal end for engagement with part of the nose member and a distal end engaged with a first shaft; and legs hingedly connected to the tail portion, each leg having a foot engaged with a second shaft and a heel for camming engagement with a fixed plate. During use, actuation of the handle causes simultaneous movement of the first and second shafts from a nip closed position to a nip open position via pivoting of the rocker arm and simultaneous camming engagement of the heel with the fixed plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventor: Dan Baterna
  • Patent number: 10466637
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and an image forming portion configured to form first and second toner images on the image bearing member. A control portion controls the image forming portion such that a first toner image is formed on a first image position of the image bearing member, and a second toner image is formed on a second image position of the image bearing member. The sheet moves to a first sheet position corresponding to the first image position based on a first detection position before the first toner image is transferred onto a first surface of the sheet and moves, after being inverted, to a second sheet position corresponding to the second image position based on a second detection position before the second toner image is transferred onto a second surface of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Deno
  • Patent number: 10435260
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member to convey a sheet in a first direction upon the first rotating member rotating, a third rotating member to convey the sheet in a second direction upon the first rotating member rotating, and a switching unit. The switching unit switches a position of the first rotating member between a first position at which the first and second or first and third rotating members convey the sheet, and a second position at which the first rotating member is retracted. Before a rear end of the sheet has been conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member, the switching unit moves the first rotating member from the first position towards the second position. The switching unit stops a movement of the first rotating member at a position between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogata, Motohiro Furusawa
  • Patent number: 10414174
    Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima, Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 10412238
    Abstract: A recording apparatus, comprising: an apparatus body; a recording device that is provided inside the apparatus body and performs recording on a medium; a supporting tray that is switchable between a drawn-out state and a housed state and, when in the drawn-out state, supports the medium that is to be fed toward the recording device, the drawn-out state being a state of being drawn out from the apparatus body, the housed state being a state of being housed in the apparatus body; and a unit that is detachably attached to the apparatus body and includes a reverse roller for reverse the medium, wherein the supporting tray has a portion that is configured to be on a path of attachment and detachment of the unit when in the housed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Otsuka
  • Patent number: 10369810
    Abstract: A first feeding unit is configured that is provided in a first printing unit that includes a first recording unit that executes a recording operation for a long strip-like recording medium pulled out from a first holding unit that holds the recording medium in a wound state. The first feeding unit further includes a pair of feeding rollers that sort the recording medium discharged from the first printing unit, to the side of a second printing unit stacked on the first printing unit or to the side opposite to that of the second printing unit. The first feeding unit temporarily accommodates the sorted recording medium and thereafter, feeds the recording medium to a guide path, and sorts the recording medium fed by the pair of feeding rollers, to the side of the second printing unit using a sorting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., CITIZEN SYSTEMS JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamazaki, Akira Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10353342
    Abstract: There is provided a medium cooling apparatus. A first cooling unit cools a medium by absorbing heat from the medium when the medium is in contact with an outer surface of the first cooling unit. A second cooling unit is arranged on the downstream side from the first cooling unit in a medium conveyance direction, and cools the medium by absorbing heat from the medium when the medium is in contact with an outer surface of the second cooling unit, and is set such that an amount of heat absorption is smaller than an amount of heat absorption of the first cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Nishikawa, Teruki Kishimoto, Takashi Saeki, Keijiro Hamaba, Shinji Kawashima, Yasunori Momomura, Shinya Mitorida
  • Patent number: 10298793
    Abstract: Examples of an imaging device (100) are described herein. In an example, the imaging device (100) includes a drive control assembly (110), a first drive assembly (106), a second drive assembly (108), a movable carriage (102), and a locking mechanism (112). The drive control assembly (110) can be used to regulate transmission of drive from an actuator (200) to the first drive assembly (106) and the second drive assembly (108). The locking mechanism (112) can lock the drive control assembly (110) in an engaged position with the first drive assembly (106) or the second drive assembly (108). The movable carriage (102) can actuate the locking mechanism (112) to lock the drive control assembly (110) in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Qian Tao
  • Patent number: 10203635
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second conveyance and calculation units, a reverse unit, a control unit, an image forming unit, and a stack unit to stack sheets. A recording material is conveyed from the stack unit to the image forming unit. The recording material is conveyed reversely, and is conveyed to a double-sided conveyance path and to the image forming unit. Without causing a recording material to wait in the reverse unit, a first recording material is conveyed from the stack unit, then a second recording material is conveyed, and subsequently a third recording material is conveyed. A conveyance interval time and a maximum waiting time are calculated. When the conveyance interval time exceeds the maximum waiting time, the second recording material conveyance starts at timing based on a waiting time after conveyance of the first recording material, and the third recording material conveyance starts at a timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Momiyama
  • Patent number: 10201992
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes first and second conveying passages, a recording portion for recording images, first and second conveying rollers, first and second motors, a power transmission mechanism switchable between a first state and a second state, and a controller. In the first state of the mechanism, the controller drives the first motor to rotate the first and second conveying rollers, thereby conveying a recording medium along the first conveying passage in a first conveying direction. During this conveyance, the controller controls the recording portion to record an image on one surface of the recording medium. Then, the controller switches the mechanism from the first state to the second state, and drives the second motor in the second state of the mechanism to rotate the second conveying roller independently of the first conveying roller, thereby conveying the recording medium along the second conveying passage in a second conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Masao Mimoto, Aya Kimura, Iwane Sano
  • Patent number: 10183835
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: one paper cassette configured to accommodate a paper sheet; an image forming section provided above the paper cassette to form an image on the paper sheet; a main conveying path configured to convey the paper sheet; and a reverse conveying path configured to reverse the paper sheet, wherein the reverse conveying path includes: a first reverse conveying path provided side by side with the paper cassette to extend vertically; a second reverse conveying path configured to connect from the first reverse conveying path and extend below the paper cassette; a guide plate configured to open and close the first reverse conveying path and release pressure of a pair of paper conveying rollers; and an entry restricting unit provided at a boundary point between the first reverse conveying path and the second reverse conveying path to open and close a conveying course of the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Akihiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 10160233
    Abstract: A printer having a beltless guide for guiding print media around a curved media feed path. The guide includes: first and second opposed guide surfaces for guiding print media therebetween; and a chicane corresponding to a point of inflection in the curved media feed path. The media path does not follow a curvature of the chicane and the chicane is configured to transfer print media from contact with the second surface to contact with the first surface or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: MEMJET TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: David Jensen, Paul Mackey, Saminda Jayatileke
  • Patent number: 10127757
    Abstract: The path switching structure according to the present disclosure includes a branch part from which a plurality of transfer paths along which a medium is transferred is branched, and a medium branch apparatus having a diverter guiding the medium introduced to the branch part along any one of the plurality of transfer paths to another transfer path among the plurality of transfer paths, wherein the plurality of transfer paths include a first transfer path along which the medium is introduced to the branch part, a second transfer path in which the medium is introduced to the branch part or the medium is discharged from the branch part, and a third transfer path in which the medium is introduced to the branch part or the medium is discharged from the branch part, and the diverter is rotated between a first position a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Hak Kyum Kim
  • Patent number: 10087029
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes first, second, and third rotating members and a switching unit. The first rotating member rotates in one direction. The second rotating member conveys a sheet in a first direction with the first rotating member rotating. The third rotating member conveys the sheet in a second direction, different from the first direction, in conjunction with the first rotating member rotating. The switching unit switches from a first state where the second rotating member contacts a sheet first surface and the first rotating member contacts a sheet second surface to a second state in which the first rotating member contacts the first surface of the sheet and the third rotating member contacts the sheet second surface by moving the second rotating member before a trailing edge of the sheet conveyed in the first direction is conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogata, Motohiro Furusawa, Akira Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10065825
    Abstract: An objective of the present disclosure is to prevent paper sheets from being folded or damaged when the paper sheets are stacked. A paper sheet stacking mechanism (banknote stacking mechanism 50) includes stacking wheels 52, rotary rollers 54, a transport mechanism 70 configured to insert a paper sheet between vanes 52b of the stacking wheels, and a guide (center guide 55) having a guide surface 551 configured to guide the paper sheet. The guide surface has a curved shape having a diameter about a rotary shaft, and the diameter gradually increases from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a rotation direction of the stacking wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventor: Eiji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10018953
    Abstract: A controller calculates a first time period T1 and a second time period T2. The first time period T1 is defined as a time period required for conveying the end portion of the sheet, which is conveyed in a first conveyance direction E, disposed on the upstream side in the first conveyance direction E up to a reversal position A3. The second time period T2 is defined as a time period required for conveying an end portion of the reversed sheet disposed on an upstream side in a second conveyance direction R from the reversal position A3 to a branching point A1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumitake Tajiri
  • Patent number: 10011446
    Abstract: A sheet paper conveyor includes pairs of conveyor guides that form a sheet paper conveyance path between guide surfaces which face each other with a predetermined conveyance path width between them and which are parallel to each other, and that are engaged with end portions of pairs of connection-side conveyor guides that form a conveyance path for the sheet paper using connection subject conveyance path guide surfaces that face each other with the conveyance path width between them and are parallel to each other, and with one end portions in a conveyance direction of the sheet paper. Supporting portions rotatably support the pairs of conveyor guides in accordance with positions of the pairs of connection-side conveyor guides such that the conveyance path width is maintained and such that the parallel state between the guide surfaces is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Iwasaki, Atsushi Takada, Madoka Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 10011458
    Abstract: A removable media handling module includes a body that is horizontally slidable into and removable from an imaging apparatus. The media handling module includes a lower media guide extending between a front and a rear of the body in a direction of insertion of the body into the imaging apparatus. With the media handling module inserted into the imaging apparatus, the lower media guide is positioned parallel to and spaced from a corresponding upper media guide mounted in the imaging apparatus to form at least a portion of a duplex media path therebetween. The media handling module includes a media feed through channel extending from a bottom of the body to an entrance of a simplex media path to allow media to be fed from a media tray below the media handling module and into the simplex media path when the media handling module is installed in the imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Paul Hale, Todd A. Quinn, Daniel Lee Thomas, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Patent number: 10009493
    Abstract: A document conveying apparatus includes a document reversing part, a stacking tray stacking the document, a discharge tray provided under the stacking tray, a lift member provided downstream in a document conveyance direction of the stacking tray and configured to be turnable upward such that a downstream end of the document stacked on the stacking tray comes into contact with a feed roller disposed above the stacking tray, a first document conveyance path defined downstream in the document conveyance direction of the feed roller to the document reading part, a second document conveyance path defined from the document reading part to the discharge tray, and a third document conveyance path defined from a middle of the second document conveyance path through the document reversing part, wherein a bottom surface part of the lift member defines a part of an upper part of the third document conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masayuki Kakuta