Means Temporarily Interposed Between Conveyor And Receiver Patents (Class 271/189)
  • Patent number: 12054377
    Abstract: Provided is a stacker including a stacking shelf on which printed paper from a printer is received and stacked, a lifting and lowering mechanism that lifts and lowers the stacking shelf, and a stacker control unit that controls the lifting and lowering mechanism. The stacker control unit controls the lifting and lowering mechanism to lift and lower the stacking shelf to a first predetermined height corresponding to the printer at a receiving position for receiving the paper from the printer, and to lift and lower the stacking shelf to a second predetermined height corresponding to a sheet processing machine at a paper supply position for supplying paper to the sheet processing machine, the paper supply position being different from the receiving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Horizon Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Kohei Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 12006172
    Abstract: A device for changing a sheet pile (14) in a sheet feeder (10) for a sheet treating machine comprises a main pile supporting unit (18) with a main pile actuating unit (20) for lifting and lowering the main pile supporting unit (18), wherein the main pile supporting unit (18) comprises a supporting surface (22) adapted to support a pallet (16) carrying a sheet pile (14). The device further comprises a residual pile supporting unit (24) with a residual pile actuating unit (26) for lifting and lowering the residual pile supporting unit (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: BOBST MEX SA
    Inventors: Jérémy Cordelier, Quentin Freymond
  • Patent number: 11932507
    Abstract: The invention relates to a station for receiving sheet-form elements and discharging bundles of sheet-form elements for a packaging manufacturing machine, comprising: an arrangement for feeding sheet-form elements successively one after the other (8), a lift table (16), mobile in a vertical direction, comprising several continuous conveyor belts (17) extending in a longitudinal horizontal direction, for receiving the sheet-form elements in bundle form, an output conveyor (14), for discharging the sheet-form elements in bundle form, and a separator (21), mobile in the vertical direction, comprising several reception arms (22) being deployed in the longitudinal horizontal direction, for transiently receiving the sheet-form elements in bundle form, the arms (22) being disposed so as to be able to cross in the vertical direction without interacting with the belts (17) of the table (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BOBST LYON
    Inventors: Thibault Corread, Denis Busa, Claude Convert
  • Patent number: 11912525
    Abstract: An example finisher includes a first portion extending in a vertical direction, a second portion including an entrance to receive paper as a finishing process target, and a finishing unit to perform a finishing process, the second portion extending from the first portion in a lateral direction, a stacker to receive paper discharged from the finishing unit and which extends in an opposite direction to the second portion based on the first portion, and an elevation driving unit provided on the first portion to elevate the stacker in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Taehong Kim, Wonic Tae, Taejin Baek, Wonkeun Lee, Joonghyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11897719
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes: a buffer unit that transports sheets such that at least two of the sheets are transported while being stacked on top of one another, the sheets being sent to the buffer unit from an image forming unit; and a compilation tray that is inclined with respect to a direction opposite to a direction in which the sheets are transported in the buffer unit such that the sheets, which are supplied from the buffer unit, are transported into the compilation tray from above the compilation tray and stacked onto a placement surface as a stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Eri Fukui, Takayuki Fukamachi, Koji Kawano, Yuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11772926
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a guide member configured to guide a lower surface of a sheet, a discharge roller pair, a stacking portion, and a first moving member and a second moving member each configured to move to a first position and a second position, the first position being a position where the first moving member and the second moving member protrude downstream of the discharge roller pair in the sheet discharge direction, the second position being a position located upstream of the first position in the sheet discharge direction. Support portions of the first moving member and the second moving member in the first position protrude upward in a height direction with respect to a tangent of a lower roller of the discharge roller pair when viewed in a sheet width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamano, Shinya Noda
  • Patent number: 11713198
    Abstract: The present invention provides a medicine checking assembly line. The present invention solves a problem of low automation degree of the existing medicine checking assembly line. The medicine checking assembly line includes a conveying device, a turnover device, a separation device, a medicine bottle recycling device, a medicine bag stacking device and a medicine basket stacking device, which are connected sequentially. The conveying device is used for transferring medicine baskets between medicine dissolving personnel and medicine checking personnel; the turnover device is used for turning over the medicine baskets; the separation device is used for separating the medicine baskets, medicine bottles and medicine bags; the medicine bottle recycling device is used for recycling the used medicine bottles; the medicine bag stacking device is used for stacking and collecting the medicine bags; and the medicine basket stacking device is used for stacking and recycling the medicine baskets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Shengjie Wu
  • Patent number: 11618270
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes, among a plurality of branch conveyance passages, ones with different conveyance distances for a recording medium. Based on the timing of the sensing of the recording medium by a recording medium sensor, a controller controls a switching portion to make it switch the destination of the conveyance of the recording medium to one of the branch conveyance passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Okito Ogasahara
  • Patent number: 11530106
    Abstract: A first transport path is put into a first state capable of transporting a paper sheet when a first portion and a second portion engage with each other, and put into a second state in which the second portion is swingable with respect to the first portion about a first swing axis extending in a direction orthogonal to a first direction and horizontal when engagement between the first portion and the second portion is released. A contact portion comes into contact with the second portion, thereby engaging the second portion with the first portion when a second unit in which the first transport path is in the second state is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventor: Takaaki Imoto
  • Patent number: 11495823
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating battery plates includes a work surface for receiving a stack of battery plates, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the battery plates on the work surface. The work surface is movable between a first position in which it is angled with respect to a horizontal plane and a second position in which it is substantially aligned with the horizontal plane. When the work surface moves between the first and second position adjacent battery plates of the stack are displaced relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TBS ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventor: Chris Barge
  • Patent number: 11390473
    Abstract: An automated system for transferring articles from a container. An item transfer system includes a frame configured to receive a first tray and a second tray, a movable paddle assembly, a frame, and a plurality of actuators. The system is configured to transfer articles from the first tray to the second tray by an automated process including securing the articles within the first tray with the paddle assembly, moving a lifting assembly or an item support platform such that the articles are in a slidable configuration relative to the first tray, moving the paddle assembly and/or the item support platform in one or more linear translations to remove the items from the first tray and place the items above the second tray, and releasing the items into the second tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Wayne R. Perry-Eaton, George W. Potts, Jr., Daniel Radtke
  • Patent number: 11161167
    Abstract: Two-dimensional material sheets are stacked in a stacking device. One of a printing machine and a coating machine has at least one stacking unit having a stacking space. Material sheets are conveyed, via the stacking space of the stacking unit, comprised by the stacking device, and are deposited into a stack on top of one another on a loading aid. For two different production runs, the stacks are formed on the loading aid with the four corners of their areas in mutually different relative orientations with respect to the loading aid, which is arranged, in each case, in the stacking space of the stacking unit and is larger-format compared with the material sheets to be deposited in each case. For the two production runs, in each case, one loading aid of the same format is positioned on different positions, as seen in projection in the horizontal, in the stacking space of the stacking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER METALPRINT GMBH
    Inventor: Björn Michel
  • Patent number: 11084679
    Abstract: A paper stacking device includes: a stacker on which paper is stacked; a paper ejector that ejects the paper; an aligning plate that is provided on a side of the paper, and aligns a side end of the paper; a paper floating member that is provided in the aligning plate, and supports, from below, the side end of the paper; and a blower that is provided on the side of the paper across the aligning plate, and blows air, wherein the aligning plate includes a blowing opening through which air from the blower is blown, the paper floating member is switched between: a paper floating position; and a retreat position, when the paper floating member is located in the paper floating position, the blowing opening is opened, and when the paper floating member is located in the retreat position, the blowing opening is shielded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 10953669
    Abstract: Examples of a paper-clearance apparatus for removing jammed paper from a printer are described herein. The paper-clearance apparatus includes an outer shaft mounted transversely above a printing medium path of a printer; an inner shaft movably disposed inside the outer shaft; a roller assembly including a sliding bush mounted over the outer shaft; and a handle connected inside the inner shaft from outside a printer housing. The handle is being rotatable so that the roller connected with the inner shaft touches the jammed paper and rotates along with the jammed paper to grip the jammed paper. Further, the handle is being pullable away from the printer housing so as to pull out the jammed paper beneath the printer housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Senthil Sivaraman, Ramesh Karuppasamy, Sivakumar Mani
  • Patent number: 10717622
    Abstract: A delivery device for a sheet-processing machine, comprises at least one deposition station and a conveyer station, by the use of which, upstream-processed sheets of printed material can be picked up in a transfer location, and can be conveyed through the deposition station via a first conveying system, where they can be deposited optionally to form a stack, or can be conveyed beyond that stack. A holding device, which holds down the uppermost sheet of the stack during the transfer of a sheet to be conveyed against an entrainment or a lifting, is provided with one or with a plurality of holding assemblies which are spaced apart from each other transversely to the transport direction. A sheet-guiding element may be provided, which adjoins the deposition station and which is variable in its vertical position with at least its upstream end by the use of an actuating drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Michael Koch, Volker Taschenberger, Jens Bellmann, Dietmar Aust, Jörg Reber, Volker Kessler, Tino Morgenstern, Steffen Piesch
  • Patent number: 10662004
    Abstract: A truss stacking system has a main conveyor for conveying trusses of a plurality of diverse designs out of a production facility and into a stack building yard or warehouse. The main conveyor is attended by a dedicated truss stacking station for each of the diverse designs, and which station includes a truss lift sub-station and a stack-forming sub-station. Each truss lift sub-station has at least a pair of traveling masts that each raises and lowers at least one bunk (eg., fork). The bunks are raised to lift a selected truss off the outflow conveyor, the masts are driven on an outbound journey to support the lifted bunk in the airspace above the stack-forming station, and then the bunks are lowered to rest the truss on the stack. Stop posts assist in stripping the truss off the bunks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Inventors: Jared A. Schulz, Jack A. Schulz
  • Patent number: 10377602
    Abstract: The sheet stacker includes a sheet conveyor arrangement, configured for feeding a plurality of sheets and having a sheet discharge end, and a stacking bay. In the stacking bay sheets delivered by the sheet conveyor arrangement are formed into stacks. A stack conveyor is provided in the stacking bay and is movable in a conveyor direction parallel to a sheet feeding direction, according to which the sheets are fed from the sheet discharge end onto the stack conveyor. The sheet discharge end is configured and controlled such that it is gradually lifted during sheet stacking, in order to accommodate a growing stack of sheets being formed on the stack conveyor. A stop plate is positioned in the stacking bay above the stack conveyor and in front of the sheet discharge end of the sheet conveyor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Guangdong Fosber Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mauro Adami
  • Patent number: 10150644
    Abstract: A delivery system is used for delivering printed sheets which can be fed in a region of an inlet side of a delivery device. The delivery device includes at least one first discharge station and one second discharge station which is mounted downstream of the first discharge station, which is upstream in the transport path. The delivery stations are associated respectively with a format or transport-relevant device which can be controlled by a drive including a control element for adapting or correcting the guiding and delivery of the sheets in the relevant discharge station. At a delivery device level upstream of a lateral inlet in a stacking space of the upstream second discharge station, at least one operator interface, with at least one actuating device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
    Inventors: Karsten Grossmann, Jens Bellmann, Volker Taschenberger, Michael Koch
  • Patent number: 10053264
    Abstract: An assembly (10) to dispatch bags (14). The assembly (10) includes a conveyor (12) that provides rows of bags (14), with the rows of bags (14) supported on a first delivery assembly (18) that moves each row downward to form stacks (47) of bags (14) on a second delivery assembly (34). Stacks (14) of the bags (14) are then moved downward to be moved into containers or boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: TNA Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: Lawrence Roos, Brian Pearson
  • Patent number: 9714135
    Abstract: A container for solar string transportation includes, on the inside of a solar-string storing section, a long-side side plate, and a short-side side plate, and has an upper opening of the solar-string storing section for loading and unloading, and a pair of solar-string lifting/lowering devices along the inner wall of the long-side side plate. The solar-string lifting/lowering device includes a driving gear section set on the bottom plate side, an endless chain member that revolves around a direction changing gear section set on the upper opening side, a plurality of solar-string placing devices fixed to the endless chain member and including, on the outer side thereof, a projecting section for placing the lower surface of an end edge of the solar string, and a shock absorbing member fixed to the back of the solar-string placing devices. The shock absorbing member holds the end edge upper surface of the solar string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignees: CLEAN ENERGY FACTORY CO., LTD., MERS FORS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kamata
  • Patent number: 9546067
    Abstract: In a method for forming product stacks of folded or unfolded product blanks made of paper or chemical pulp, product blanks are supplied consecutively to a stacking surface and placed in an upright position. A separating element is inserted between two consecutive product blanks as the product blanks are moved against a channel wall of a discharge channel for temporary support of a rear side of the product blanks, to thereby form a first product stack with a predetermined number of product blanks between the separating element and the channel wall. The channel wall is opened to thereby allow the first product stack to be transferred to the discharge channel, and a sliding element is inserted between the product stack and a subsequent second product stack, as the first product stack is moved to the discharge channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: WINKLER + DÜNNEBIER GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Rinke, Rolf Majeweski, Konrad Popp, Thorsten Tews, Frank Jungbluth, Jürgen Vieweg, Wolthmann Cord
  • Patent number: 9156646
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming stacks of printed products supplied in an overlapping flow by an endless conveyor to a stacking shaft. A main stack is formed on a stack support in the stacking shaft. An auxiliary rake is moved from an idle position outside of the stacking shaft to an end position inside the stacking shaft. The stack support is lowered to form an intermediate space below the auxiliary rake between the main stack and a partial stack. An intermediate element is extended into the intermediate space to an end position in the stacking shaft. The printed products are deposited on the intermediate element or on previously deposited printed products, wherein a partial stack forms on the intermediate element. The main stack is carried away from the stacking shaft and the auxiliary rake is retracted to its idle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: MUELLER MARTINI HOLDING AG
    Inventor: Peter Maier
  • Patent number: 9027922
    Abstract: A system and method are provided improving stack integrity for a set of image receiving media substrates at an output of a compiler in an image forming device by supplementing a compiler shelf with a pair of augers having a unique planar lead-in for a top surface of the augers. The vertical compiler components reduce a “stepped” configuration of conventional compiler systems to keep a bottom sheet substantially “flat” thereby reducing a tendency for the bottom sheet to disadvantageously shift during in-set alignment processing. The large flat surface at the top of the augers effectively extends the plane of the lead edge shelf. A larger contact area with the sheets/sets of image receiving media substrates, along with the flatter shape of the sets, results in a more stable stack with a lesser tendency of individual sheets to migrate away from a registration edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: XEROX Corporation
    Inventors: Billy T. Stojanovski, Gerald Roy Curry, Thomas Crofton Hatch, Michael J. Linder, Todd Maurice Uthman, Donald R. Fess
  • Publication number: 20150102547
    Abstract: A system and method are provided improving stack integrity for a set of image receiving media substrates at an output of a compiler in an image forming device by supplementing a compiler shelf with a pair of augers having a unique planar lead-in for a top surface of the augers. The vertical compiler components reduce a “stepped” configuration of conventional compiler systems to keep a bottom sheet substantially “flat” thereby reducing a tendency for the bottom sheet to disadvantageously shift during in-set alignment processing. The large flat surface at the top of the augers effectively extends the plane of the lead edge shelf. A larger contact area with the sheets/sets of image receiving media substrates, along with the flatter shape of the sets, results in a more stable stack with a lesser tendency of individual sheets to migrate away from a registration edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: XEROX Corporation
    Inventors: Billy T. STOJANOVSKI, Gerald Roy CURRY, Thomas Crofton HATCH, Michael J. LINDER, Todd Maurice UTHMAN, Donald R. FESS
  • Publication number: 20150097332
    Abstract: A device for filling a transport container with sheet-shaped notes of value includes a feeding unit and a removal unit. Notes of value are fed via a vane wheel for forming a stack. The removal unit has an elastic guiding element which limits the movement of the note of value fed by the vane of the vane wheel and falling down vertically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Mirko DUCHSTEIN
  • Publication number: 20150091246
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a loading tray on which a sheet is loaded; a pair of ejection rollers that eject the sheet to the loading tray and in which a pair or roller members are configured to be able to contact with and separate from each other; a pair of shift rollers that is provided upstream of the pair of ejection rollers in a sheet conveyance direction, are movable in a sheet width direction that is a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, convey the sheet towards the loading tray, and performs a shift operation of shifting the sheet to a different position in the sheet width direction; and a control unit that performs control to change, based on sheet information, a shift operation timing of the sheet by the pair of shift rollers and a contacting and separating timing of the pair of ejection rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuji Yoshida, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Makoto Hidaka, Wataru Takahashi, Takuya Morinaga
  • Patent number: 8955838
    Abstract: A paper mount surface is disposed while being inclined in the sheet discharge direction or sheet-discharge orthogonal direction, and first and second support members that support the sheet rear and portion in the sheet discharge direction and rear end portion are disposed to be able to shift between actuation positions inside the tray and retract positions. Then, after collecting sheets on both support members, the support member positioned in the direction orthogonal to the inclined direction of the paper mount surface is first retracted from above the tray, and next, the support member positioned in the inclined direction is retracted to the waiting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Saito, Satoshi Yamanushi, Tatsuzo Aoyagi, Yuichi Ichinose
  • Publication number: 20150042039
    Abstract: In order to enable simple and easy handling of a large number of large format sheets, an output assembly is provided. The output assembly comprises a lower output tray element for receiving the sheets. In order to reliably transport and deposit a large format sheet from the printing device onto the lower output tray element, a guide element is provided just below an output opening of the printing device such to guide a leading edge of the sheet onto the lower output tray element. Once the leading edge is supported by the lower output tray element, the guide element is retracted such to enable a trailing edge to be deposited on the lower output tray element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: OCE-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Anne A. WIND, Lamberdina J.A.M. DRIESSEN-OLDE SCHEPER, Maurice J.C. LEMMENS, Ronnie E.A. BLOM, Leonardus R.A. WILLEMS, Antonius J.J. VAN DE PASCH
  • Patent number: 8910934
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet ejecting device. The sheet ejecting device includes a sheet stacking section; a bumping section; a sheet ejecting section; a mode selecting section; and a control section. The sheet ejecting section includes a pair of sheet clamping members which clamps one sheet or a plurality of overlapped sheets at a sheet clamping position and moves the one sheet or the plurality of overlapped sheets to a sheet stacking position in the sheet stacking section. The mode selecting section allows selection of an operation mode of the pair of sheet clamping members between a normal mode in which speed of the pair of sheet clamping members is a normal speed and a low speed mode in which a speed is lower than the normal speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8910935
    Abstract: In an apparatus for stacking and feeding sheet products discharged successively from a discharge position, catcher bars 4 are bent to be accumulated at an accumulated position. The sheet products collide against shutter bars 9 to fall onto a conveyor 3 after being discharged successively, for stacking the sheet products on the conveyor 3. The catcher bars 4 are pushed out of the accumulated position to pass between the shutter bars 9 and protrude toward the discharge position so that coming products should be received on the catcher bars 4 after stacking the sheet products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Totani Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Totani
  • Patent number: 8746688
    Abstract: An apparatus for accumulating sheet material in a sheet handling system including a first conveyance, a second conveyance, an auxiliary conveyance and a processor to control the conveyances based upon a selected operating mode. The first conveyance receives singulated sheets and conveys the sheets to an accumulator station to produce completed collations. The second conveyance is operative to dispense completed collations from the accumulator station and, receives the completed collations from the first conveyance, in one operating mode, and from the auxiliary conveyance in another operating mode when the first conveyance is inoperative. The processor is responsive to a next collation signal, to control the conveyances based upon a selected one of the operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony E. Yap, Mark Macleod, Richard Stengl, Andrew J. Nikolatos, Gerald Leitz, Iskander Tokmouline
  • Patent number: 8695971
    Abstract: In a sheet processing apparatus, a pair of regulating members is provided at a pair of joggers so that the regulating members are movable together with the joggers. When the pair of joggers is laterally moved, the pair of regulating members also laterally moves together with the pair of joggers. By moving the pair of joggers to passage positions, the pair of regulating members regulates the lateral ends of a sheet, which falls and is stacked on a first stacking tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Sekiyama, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Hiroharu Tsuji, Yuri Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8662284
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for locating at least one item of media at a desired location. The apparatus includes a first and further transport element for transporting an item of media along a transport path having a pre-determined plane of transport. The apparatus also includes at least one abutment surface that locates respective first and second lateral edge regions of the item or a central region of the item to a side of the plane of transport to provide an arcuate cross-section in at least a region of the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Suttie
  • Patent number: 8646773
    Abstract: A device (1) for conveying sheet documents between upstream and downstream sheet document processors is disclosed. The device (1) is independent from the upstream and downstream sheet document processors and comprises a receiving section (4) adapted to receive, in use, sheet documents discharged by the upstream sheet document processor into an output pocket of the upstream sheet document processor, and a transport (7, 8) extending from the receiving section (4) to an output section (26). The transport (7, 8) is adapted to convey sheet documents received at the receiving section (4) to the output section (26). The sheet documents are then discharged from the output section (26), in use, to the downstream sheet document processor. A corresponding method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Cash Dynamics Limited
    Inventor: Robert Wright
  • Patent number: 8550461
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an endless belt member onto which sheets are stacked and which moves rotationally to convey the sheets; a plurality of holding members that is provided on the belt member and that holds the sheets down to a sheet stacking surface of the belt member to nip the sheets; and sheet detecting portions which detect presence or absence of sheets between the holding members and the sheet stacking surface of the belt member, the sheet detecting portions each include a light emitting portion that emits light and a light receiving portion that receives the light, and the light emitting portions and the light receiving portions are fixedly provided below the sheet stacking surface of the belt member so that the light emitting portions and the light receiving portions detect presence or absence of a sheet at times when facing the holding members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akito Sekigawa, Daisaku Kamiya, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Yusuke Obuchi, Hideki Kushida
  • Publication number: 20130187328
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet ejecting device. The sheet ejecting device includes a sheet stacking section; a bumping section; a sheet ejecting section; a mode selecting section; and a control section. The sheet ejecting section includes a pair of sheet clamping members which clamps one sheet or a plurality of overlapped sheets at a sheet clamping position and moves the one sheet or the plurality of overlapped sheets to a sheet stacking position in the sheet stacking section. The mode selecting section allows selection of an operation mode of the pair of sheet clamping members between a normal mode in which speed of the pair of sheet clamping members is a normal speed and a low speed mode in which a speed is lower than the normal speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventor: Masaru YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 8360421
    Abstract: With representative configurations of the sheet processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the sheet processing apparatus which includes an intermediate stacking portion in which a sheet is temporarily placed, an aligning portion which supports a part of a lower surface of the sheet stacked in the intermediate stacking portion and which presses a lateral surface end portion of a sheet width direction to align the sheet, and a stapler which processes the sheet aligned by the aligning portion, includes a sheet supporting member which can support the lower surface of the sheet conveyed while sheet stacked in the intermediate stacking portion is processed and a sheet discharging member which presses the rear end of the sheet processed by the stapler and discharges the sheet to the stack tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroharu Tsuji, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Junichi Sekiyama, Tomooku Koyama, Masatoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8351088
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus with a structure capable of reliably discharging a document, and a multi-functional machine having the same are disclosed. The image reading apparatus includes a document feed path having a document outlet, a reading unit which reads an image of a document fed through the document feed path, and a guide member which is disposed at the document outlet downstream of the reading unit to form a curl on the trailing end portion of the document. The curl formed on the document may make it possible for a subsequent document being discharged to push the curled document out of the document outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Hoon Choi, Yong Sok Yang
  • Patent number: 8240660
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a recording head configured to record an image on a recording medium; a conveying mechanism disposed so as to face the recording head and configured to convey the recording medium in a medium conveyance direction that is horizontal; a maintenance unit disposed, in its standby state, alongside the recording head in the medium conveyance direction and configured to perform maintenance of the recording head; a retaining portion disposed above the recording head and configured to hold and retain the recording medium on which the image has been recorded by the recording head, such that the recording medium is held and retained in a horizontal posture; and a medium receiving portion which is disposed alongside the retaining portion and to which the recording medium on which the image has been recorded by the recording head is discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8220797
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a recording head configured to record an image on a recording medium; a conveying mechanism disposed so as to face the recording head and configured to convey the recording medium in a medium conveyance direction that is substantially horizontal; a retaining portion disposed configured to hold and retain the recording medium on which the image has been recorded by the recording head, such that the recording medium is held and retained in a substantially horizontal posture; and a medium receiving portion to which the recording medium on which the image has been recorded by the recording head is discharged, wherein the recording head, the retaining portion, and the medium receiving portion are arranged in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Yamamoto, Kiyoshi Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8136810
    Abstract: A sheet alignment and ejection mechanism includes a sheet alignment device, a sheet ejection device, a power device and a transmission unit. The sheet alignment device includes a first one-way element. The sheet ejection device includes a second one-way element. The transmission unit includes plural gears. The transmission unit is connected with the power device, the first one-way element and the second one-way element for driving rotation of the first one-way element and the second one-way element. The first one-way element and the second one-way element are rotated in opposite directions. When the first one-way element is rotated in a first direction, the sheets aligned on a sheet placement tray are aligned by the sheet alignment device. When the second one-way element is rotated in the first direction, the stapled sheets are ejected out of the sheet placement tray by the sheet ejection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Ching-Tse Wang, Chung-Kai Wang, Ming-Han Chiu
  • Patent number: 8070155
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes first rollers that convey a sheet, a waiting tray that includes a pair of sheet supporting units movable in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the sheet and on which the sheet conveyed via the first rollers is stacked, second rollers that are provided downstream the waiting tray along the conveying direction of the sheet and are suspended, when projection of a leading end of the sheet from the waiting tray reaches a predetermined projection amount according to the conveyance of the sheet, simultaneously with the first rollers disposed upstream the waiting tray, and an aligning unit that stacks the sheet and continuously-conveyed plural sheets dropped after a trailing end of the sheet is discharged onto the waiting tray by the first rollers and the second rollers and aligns a bundle of the plural sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Sasahara, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7992864
    Abstract: A sheet processor includes a processing tray with a first surface that receives sheets and forms a pile of sheets. An endless belt circulates by way of first and second surface sides on a side opposite the first surface of the processing tray. A first roller reverses a circulation path of the endless belt from the first surface side to the second surface side. A second roller is disposed at an interval from the first roller and reverses the circulation path from the second surface side. First and second abutments are attached to the belt and abut an end edge of the pile of sheets. The abutments are attached to the belt so that the first abutment is positioned near the first roller and on the second surface side and the second abutment is near the second roller on the second surface side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Seiichi Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 7954818
    Abstract: A discharged sheet is conveyed, by a sheet conveying portion movable above sheet stacking portions while supporting a sheet, to selected one among plural sheet stacking portions. When the sheet is conveyed to the selected sheet stacking portion by the sheet conveying portion, a member for preventing a bringing-together provided in the main body of the apparatus prevents a sheet bundle, stacked in a sheet stacking portion at the upstream side of the selected sheet stacking portion, from being brought together by the sheet conveyed above the upstream sheet stacking portion by the sheet conveying portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukatsu, Tsuyoshi Moriyama, Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7950652
    Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a discharge portion configured to discharge sheets, a wall member provided below the discharge portion, a tray configured to receive the discharged sheets from the discharge portion, and a holding member provided on the wall member to approach relatively the tray, holding the sheets between itself and the tray, and moving linearly by holding the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Hiromasa Harashina
  • Patent number: 7909321
    Abstract: A linkage arrangement for handling sheets in a sheet accumulator including an accumulation gate and a locking over center mechanism. The accumulation gate pivotally mounts to a support structure of the accumulator and includes a stop surface for traversing the sheet path. The stop surface is movable between an interference position and a release position wherein the interference position inhibits the travel of sheets along the sheet path, and the release position releases the sheets for continued travel along the sheet path. The locking over center mechanism includes longitudinally aligned actuating and connecting arms. The actuating arm pivotally mounts to the support structure about a rotational axis while the connecting arm pivotally mounts to the accumulation gate at one end and pivotally mounts to the actuating arm at the other end. The locking over center mechanism inhibits motion of the accumulation gate in response to a force applied to the accumulation surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Ltd.
    Inventors: Geoffrey A. Farmer, Keith G R Watts
  • Patent number: 7905480
    Abstract: A job separator has a first roller unit and a second roller unit adjacent to the first roller unit. The first roller unit has a first driven roller and a first drive roller, which receive and convey a sheet between them. The second roller unit has a second driven roller and a second drive roller, which also receive and convey a sheet between them. The second drive roller may selectively move between a first position, in which the second drive roller is below the second driven roller, and a second position in which the second drive roller is above the second driven roller. An image processing apparatus has the job separator, a recording unit, an output tray, and a control unit for controlling the second drive roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shingo Ito, Noritsugu Ito, Wataru Sugiyama, Naokazu Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 7874558
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an intermediate stacking portion which temporarily stacks, thereon, a sheet conveyed thereto; a discharge portion which discharges sheet stacked on the intermediate stacking portion; an aligning member which is provided downstream of the discharge portion in a sheet conveying direction and has a sheet holding surface capable of holding the lower surfaces of the sheet and a sheet aligning surface capable of abutting against end portions of the sheet in the widthwise direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction, the aligning member being movable in the widthwise direction; a first stacking portion which is provided below the aligning member and stacks, thereon, a sheet discharged from the discharge portion; and a second stacking portion which is provided above the aligning member and stacks, thereon, a sheet conveyed thereto; wherein a standby position of the aligning member is at a position more inward than the outermost position in the widthwise direction, within
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogata, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Junichi Sekiyama, Hiroharu Tsuji, Akihiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7871070
    Abstract: A conveyor conveys sheets and deposits the sheets at a location to be stacked. The conveyor includes a sensor for determining the presence of a sheet before the sheet arrives at the location. A controller is coupled to the sensor and responsive to sensor inputs for controlling a movable support for projecting into a projected orientation to receive the sheets as the sheets exit the conveyor. The movable support moves to a retracted orientation to assist a stack to be withdrawn therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Padana AG
    Inventors: Arlington D. Ruff, Clifford A. Ruff, Jürgen F. Trost
  • Patent number: 7850166
    Abstract: In a sheet delivery/guide apparatus, a sheet released from a convey device and falling piles on a first pile device. A first blowing device is arranged above the first pile device and blows toward the first pile device. An air controller selectively performs switching between an air supply state and an air supply stop state of the first blowing device for the sheet. A guide member is supported movably and guides the sheet that passes the first pile device while being held by the convey device. A guide member switching unit switches the guide member between a guide position to enter a sheet falling path, extending from the convey device to the first pile device, to guide the sheet, and a retreat position to retreat from the sheet falling path. A controller controls the air controller and the guide member switching unit on the basis of a convey speed of the convey device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Komori Corporation
    Inventor: Shoichi Ichimura