With Means To Bow Sheets Patents (Class 271/209)
  • Patent number: 12024386
    Abstract: An output tray for a printer, a printer comprising the output tray, and a kit of parts including the output tray. The output tray comprises a spool, a guide member, and a sheet attached between to the spool and the guide member. The guide member is movable between a stowed and one or more deployed positions. The sheet is deployed from a stored configuration to one or more in-use positions upon movement of the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Marta Ramis Llinares, Alberto Arredondo Rosales, Felix Ruiz Martinez, Ferran Esquius Rafat
  • Patent number: 10732727
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to handheld input devices having pressable user input mechanisms configured to move in a manner that adapts to different hands. One disclosed example provides a handheld input device comprising a body configured to be held by a hand such that one or more fingers of the hand are curved at least partially toward a palm of the hand, a pressable user input mechanism positioned on the body at such a location as to be in contact with a palm-side surface of a finger when the handheld input device is held, and a hinge coupling between the body and the pressable user input mechanism, the hinge coupling comprising an axis of rotation that varies based upon a characteristic of force applied to the pressable user input mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Shea Robinson, Aaron Schmitz, Gabriel Michael Rask Gassoway, Andrew McKinley Schroeder
  • Patent number: 10112273
    Abstract: When taking out flattened tube fins that have been stacked in a stacker apparatus from the stacker apparatus while maintaining the stacked state, an apparatus is provided for taking out the stacked flattened tube fins from the stacker apparatus that stacks the flattened tube fins having cutaway portions into which flattened tubes are inserted. The apparatus includes a first member including a base plate and an erected portion, a second member that is disposed at a position facing the first member and together with the first member clamps the flattened tube fins, and a moving mechanism that causes the first member and the second member to move toward and away from the flattened tube fins on the stacker apparatus and moves the flattened tube fins and the stacker apparatus apart while the flattened tube fins of the stacker apparatus are clamped by the first member and the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: HIDAKA SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masanao Karasawa
  • Patent number: 10035364
    Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of closing a pivotable discharge portion with respect to a body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikazu Kotaka
  • Patent number: 9809406
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device has a pair of upper discharge rollers including a first discharge roller and a first following roller, a second discharge tray, a corrugation member, and a moving mechanism. The first discharge roller is rotatable in forward and reverse directions. The corrugation member corrugates the sheet by making contact with its sheet face. The moving mechanism moves the corrugation member between a first position, where it makes contact with the sheet face of the sheet, and a second position, where it is located above, away from, the nip portion of the pair of upper discharge rollers. An image forming apparatus incorporates such a sheet conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuzo Onishi
  • Patent number: 9738096
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a roller pair for conveying a sheet in a conveying direction along a conveyance path; a head for ejecting liquid; a platen opposite the head; contact portions, spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction and opposite the platen, for contacting the sheet between the roller pair and nozzles of the head; first and second guide members disposed upstream of the roller pair in the conveying direction and disposed in the conveyance path nearer to the head and the platen, respectively; a rotatable lever including an arm protruding from the first guide member toward the second guide member into the conveyance path; and a sensor for detecting rotation of the lever. The arm in the widthwise direction overlaps at least one of the contact portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masao Mimoto
  • Patent number: 9625868
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes an apparatus body (2) including an image forming part (5) implementing an image forming process on a recording material (S); and a discharge tray (7) disposed at an upper part of the apparatus body (2), the discharge tray including a stacking surface (22) receiving the recording material (S) discharged after the image forming process; an outer edge part (23) located above the stacking surface (22) and provided while surrounding a periphery of the stacking surface (22); and a connecting surface (24) provided between the stacking surface (22) and the outer edge part (23), wherein the stacking surface (22) being formed such that a width thereof in a direction orthogonal to a discharge direction downstream in the discharge direction is wider than the width thereof upstream in the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kuroki
  • Patent number: 9592986
    Abstract: A component supplying apparatus comprises a tape guide surface facing a lower surface of the carrier tape, a preceding tape contact part climbing onto a upper surface of the preceding carrier tape, and a subsequent tape blocking part configured to wait on the upstream side of the preceding tape contact part in a tape feeding direction while keeping a distance from the tape guide surface so as to enable the carrier tape to pass between the subsequent tape blocking part and the tape guide surface, and to move downwardly toward the preceding carrier tape when the preceding tape contact part is climbed onto the preceding carrier tape. The subsequent tape blocking part keeps the subsequent carrier tape waiting by contacting a front end of the subsequent carrier tape stacked on the preceding carrier tape onto which the preceding tape contact part climbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minoru Kitani, Kazunori Kanai, Kazuo Kido, Seikou Abe, Motohiro Higuchi, Shigeru Matsukawa
  • Patent number: 9580262
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device including a conveying section configured to convey a sheet in a predetermined conveying direction, a discharge section configured to discharge the sheet onto a stacking surface and configured to support the sheet, which is discharged by the discharge section, from below, a first contact portion provided on the stacking surface at a middle portion of the stacking surface in a width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction; a second contact portion provided on the stacking surface at one side with respect to the first contact portion in the width direction; and a third contact portion provided on the stacking surface at an other side with respect to the first contact portion in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kotaro Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9513589
    Abstract: A support unit is provided at a downstream side of a tray surface tilted upward in a sheet discharge direction so as to be movable in the sheet discharge direction and a reverse direction of the sheet discharge direction. The support unit has a support plate that supports a discharge sheet from below. The support plate is tilted in a vertical direction by being supported at an upstream end of the support plate in as a fulcrum and is raised and downed with respect to the tray surface so as to change an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Shingo Arimura
  • Patent number: 9357099
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus including an area determination unit, an area processing unit and an area adjustment unit. Upon acquiring multiple image data, the area determination unit is configured to determine whether a text area or an image area of one image data matches an initial text area or an initial image area that has initially appeared in another image data. When the text area or image area of the image data matches the initial text area or initial image area as a result of the determination, the area processing unit is configured to execute processing of reducing the image data of the matching text area or image area. The area adjustment unit is configured to generate image data which is a composite of the data-reduced area resulting from the processing, and a mismatched text area or image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Toru Honda
  • Patent number: 9302876
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for stacking media items, comprising a base member for supporting a stack of media items, at least one first registration member extending generally upwardly with respect to the base member, and at least one further registration member extending generally upwardly with respect to the base member and spaced apart from the first registration member, wherein at least a one of the first and further registration members is selectively moveable towards or away from a remainder one of the first and further registration members in an input direction of the media items. A method of stacking media items is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Joanna Phillips, Gordon Burke, Kenneth Peters, Joshua Bruce
  • Patent number: 9290353
    Abstract: In a paper money accumulation unit (paper money accumulation device) of a paper money handling device, rollers sequentially input paper money from an upper side into a paper money accumulation space. Then, a support member is arranged in a state where the height with respect to an extended line of an input direction becomes large as being away from the rollers to the input direction of the paper money.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU FRONTECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Shoichi Deguchi, Hiroshi Yanagida, Shohei Koizumi
  • Patent number: 8991817
    Abstract: A paper conveyance apparatus includes a roller pair including a drive roller and a driven roller configured to discharge a paper from a main body of an image forming apparatus. The paper conveyance apparatus further includes a corrugation component configured to abut against the paper discharged by the roller pair to corrugate the paper as the paper is discharged, and an elastic component configured to push the corrugation component against the discharged paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Shoichi Dobashi
  • Patent number: 8985574
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming unit disposed inside the housing, a discharging portion, a stacking unit and a pressing member. The discharging portion is configured to discharge a sheet medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit. The stacking unit is configured to stack the sheet medium discharged from the discharging portion. The stacking unit includes a stacking surface portion on which the sheet medium is stacked. The stacking surface portion includes a planar portion formed flat and a protruding portion configured to protrude upwardly from the planar portion. The pressing member is disposed in contact with an upper surface of the sheet medium stacked on the stacking surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8985575
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium, an output unit that outputs the recording medium on which the image has been formed while providing the recording medium with a wave-like shape in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a transport direction of the recording medium, and a member having an opening through which the recording medium is output. The opening has a shape corresponding to the wave-like shape of the recording medium provided by the output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Yamagiwa, Hiroshi Kawamoto, Akihiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8960667
    Abstract: A sheet discharge tray according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an inclined support surface and a rib. The inclined support surface is inclined downward toward a sheet discharge portion and is configured to support a paper sheet discharged from the sheet discharge portion. The rib is provided along the inclined support surface. The rib has a larger elevation angle relative to a horizontal plane as compared to an angle of the inclined support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8960668
    Abstract: The sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet-discharge fan that blows air downward of a sheet-discharged by an upper sheet-discharge roller, and a control portion configured to control an air velocity of air blown from the sheet-discharge fan according to a basis weight of the sheet. In the case where the basis weight of the sheet is a predetermined value or less, the control portion increases the air velocity of the sheet-discharge fan according to the basis weight of the sheet based on basis weight information from an input portion for inputting the basis weight information of the sheet. The control portion also controls the air velocity of the sheet-discharge fan to be a velocity at which the sheet whose rear edge contacts the sheet-stacking wall does not move in a sheet-discharge direction in the case where the basis weight of the sheet exceeds the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Obuchi
  • Patent number: 8958740
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to discharge sheets may include pressing mechanism configured to downwardly press discharged sheets. For example, the pressing mechanism may include a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The first pressing member and the second pressing member may be located at least partially overlapping positions in the width-wise direction of the sheet. Additionally or alternatively, each of the first pressing member and the second pressing member may be configured to contact the sheet at different positions along a discharge direction. In one example, the different portions may be spaced apart from each other in the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunori Watanabe, Tatsuya Koyama
  • Publication number: 20150001790
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to curl control assembly for use in a printing device having an output for printed media. One such example includes an ejection flap assembly adjacent the output con Figured to controllably assume a first predetermined position designed to help control a first amount of curl of the printed media and a second predetermined position designed to help control a second amount of curl of the printed media. The example additionally includes a positioning assembly adjacent the ejection flap assembly configured to selectively position the ejection flap assembly in either the first predetermined position or the second predetermined position and an actuator coupled to the positioning assembly that has a latched state that helps prevent movement of the positioning assembly and an unlatched state that permits movement of the positioning assembly. An example of a curl control method for use in a printing device is additionally disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin Lo, David Whalen, Raymond C. Sherman, Terry Lngmann
  • Publication number: 20140374987
    Abstract: A sheet discharge device includes a fixing device that fixes a sheet, a curl correcting device that corrects a curl of the fixed sheet, a first guiding member that guides the fixed sheet in a sheet discharging direction, a second guiding member that guides the fixed sheet in the sheet discharging direction and is arranged on a side opposite to the first guiding member, a support part that rotatably supports the first guiding member, and an engaging part that engages with the support part. The curl correcting device includes a correcting roller that is attached to the first guiding member. The engaging part includes a hole including an oblong shape so that the first guiding member is movable apart from the second guiding member. An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet, and the sheet discharge device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Kentaro UEHARA, Tamotsu IKEDA, Yoo DONGKYU, Park SUNGKYU
  • Patent number: 8864133
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for correcting an edge portion of a sheet material, including a first roller provided in a sheet material conveying path, a second roller including a center shaft and side rollers provided at both sides thereof, the center shaft having an outer diameter less than a minimum diameter of the side rollers, each of the side rollers having an outer diameter increasing from a center side to an outer side thereof, and a pressing unit configured to cause the second roller to bend toward the first roller to press the side rollers of the second roller against the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Takai, Toshihiro Nakagaki
  • Publication number: 20140300048
    Abstract: A sheet discharge tray according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an inclined support surface and a rib. The inclined support surface is inclined downward toward a sheet discharge portion and is configured to support a paper sheet discharged from the sheet discharge portion. The rib is provided along the inclined support surface. The rib has a larger elevation angle relative to a horizontal plane as compared to an angle of the inclined support surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8820735
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet storing apparatus including a processing tray and a stack tray arranged respectively at the downstream side of a path sheet discharging port of a sheet discharging path and at the downstream side of the processing tray as forming a step respectively, and a reversing roller arranged at a tray sheet discharging port as being capable of rotating forwardly and reversely to convey a sheet conveyed from the path sheet discharging port selectively to the processing tray and the stack tray, so that a sheet to be conveyed to the processing tray from the path sheet discharging port is conveyed in a state of having corrugations formed thereon and a sheet to be conveyed to the stack tray from the sheet discharging port is stored at the stack tray in a flat shape as having the corrugations corrected after passing through the reversing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Riso Kagaku Corporation, Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsunori Ishikawa, Hideki Mimura
  • Patent number: 8801173
    Abstract: A sheet-discharge device, including: a sheet-discharge mechanism having a discharge opening from which a sheet is discharged in a discharge direction; a stopper having a hitting portion against which a leading edge, in the discharge direction, of the discharged sheet hits, so that the sheet is bounced back; a discharge tray having a support surface on which the sheet bounced back by the stopper is supported; and a sheet-discharge controller configured to control the sheet-discharge mechanism such that the discharged sheet flies above the support surface, wherein the hitting portion is provided at a position where a one-side portion of the leading edge first hits the hitting portion, the one-side portion of the leading edge being nearer to a one-side end of the sheet than a center of the leading edge in an orthogonal direction parallel to a horizontal plane and orthogonal to the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhito Ode
  • Patent number: 8783679
    Abstract: A sheet loading device includes a housing, a sheet discharge portion, a sheet loading portion, a plurality of ribs, an actuator, and a sheet detecting portion. A shaft is disposed above the sheet loading portion, and extends in a sheet width direction intersecting a discharge direction. A contact piece extends from the shaft to the sheet loading portion, and rotates integrally with the shaft when a sheet discharged to the sheet loading portion comes into contact with the contact piece. A sheet detecting portion detects, in accordance with the rotation of the contact piece about the shaft, a state where one sheet is loaded on the sheet loading portion, and a state where sheets as many as a predetermined number of sheets regarded as a full load state are loaded on the sheet loading portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Ono
  • Patent number: 8777218
    Abstract: A media processor is provided with includes a conveyance channel over which a paper sheet-like medium is conveyed, and an accumulation mechanism which accumulates the medium sent from the conveyance channel, the accumulation mechanism including a guide member for guiding and accumulating the medium sent from the conveyance channel and a conveyor for catching the medium guided by the guide member against the guide member to draw the medium onto the guide member. It is thus possible to shorten times required for the preparing operation to accumulate bills and for the bill accumulating operation, and further to prevent mechanical malfunction such as bill jamming from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nemoto
  • Patent number: 8777217
    Abstract: A sheet stacking device for stacking conveyed sheets includes a stacking surface on which the sheets are stacked; a plurality of projections that project from the stacking surface. Wherein, the projections extend generally in a travel direction of the sheets, which is a direction in which the sheets travel when entering the sheet stacking device, the projections include outer projections and inner projections, the inner projections are located between the inner projections, and a projecting height of the inner projections from the stacking surface is greater than that of the outer projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8714546
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a paper discharge roller of a paper discharge unit has an upper roller as a driving roller and a lower roller as a driven roller. The lower roller has a nip roller which is fixed to a shaft and holds paper between the nip roller and the upper roller, and forming rollers having a diameter larger than that of the nip roller and arranged on both sides of the nip roller. Since a conveyance speed of the paper is constant, the number of revolutions of the forming roller having a large outer diameter is smaller than that of a nip roller having a small outer diameter. The friction between the forming roller and the paper is lower than that in conventional art. Attachment and accumulation of ink are suppressed, and inconvenience of contamination of the paper with ink upon paper discharge hardly occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsunori Saito
  • Patent number: 8714547
    Abstract: A paper discharge apparatus including, a paper loading portion for loading a paper which is discharged; a paper rear-end abutting portion which a rear end of paper in a paper conveying direction abuts; a pair of paper holding members for holding the paper at the paper holding position when the paper is discharged; a paper holding member moving device which is connected to at least one of the pair of the paper holding members and moves the pair of the paper holding members from a paper holding position to a paper loading position; when the pair of the paper holding members reach the paper loading position, the paper holding member moving device moves at least one of the pair of the paper holding members in the opposite direction of the paper conveying direction and makes the rear end of the holding paper abut the paper rear-end abutting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Uchiyama, Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, Tsutomu Anezaki
  • Patent number: 8672316
    Abstract: A paper sheet seasoning apparatus includes a mount on which a plurality of sheet-like recording media are loaded. A central portion of the mount is curved in a convex shape when seen in a first direction. The apparatus also includes a blowing member that blows air in the first direction onto end portions of the recording media loaded on the mount. The apparatus further includes a pair of side panels that support both end portions in a direction that intersects the first direction of the recording media on the mount, and a top panel disposed with a gap in a vertical direction between the top panel and the uppermost recording medium on the mount. On at least one of the side panels, there is disposed an approaching surface that approaches the opposing side panel as the approaching surface heads upward in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yuhei Chiwata
  • Patent number: 8668196
    Abstract: A device and a method for the stacking of sheets in a printing press are disclosed. The device and correspondingly the method have at least two laterally spaced sheet transport roll pairs to transport the sheets in a transport plane. A stacking tray is furthermore provided to accommodate the sheets transported out of the printing press. A sheet contacting unit is arranged in the direction of transport behind the sheet transport roll pairs such that it deflects at least a partial region of the sheet out of the transport plane at least in a first direction, wherein the sheet undergoes a deformation transversely to the direction of transport, and wherein the at least two sheet transport roll pairs and the sheet contacting unit are arranged in a projection onto the transport plane in a triangular arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Dimitrios Kostudis
  • Patent number: 8651479
    Abstract: A sheet delivery device (80) includes a sheet presser member (61), which is positioned in the vicinity of a sheet delivery port (53) on a downstream side in a sheet delivery direction, for pressing a trailing end of a sheet to be delivered from the sheet delivery port (53). The sheet presser member (61) includes a side surface portion (61a), which is positioned to face a leading end of the sheet to be delivered from the sheet delivery port (53) and a bottom surface portion (61b) which is projected from a lower end of the side surface portion (61a) toward the downstream side in the sheet delivery direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuzo Onishi
  • Patent number: 8639175
    Abstract: A curl correcting unit can be attached in a normal orientation and inverse orientation. In the normal orientation, a sponge roller being on the lower side, a sliding plate is pressed down by a curl-correction-amount adjusting mechanism. When the sliding plate is pressed down, a roller-side plate is lifted up via a link, where the link works as a shaft of a seesaw that connects the sliding plate and the roller-side plate. As a result, the sponge roller moves up and comes into press-contact with a metallic roller. In the inverse orientation, the sponge roller being on the upper side, the roller-side plate is directly pressed down by the curl-correction-amount adjusting mechanism and thereby the sponge roller comes into press-contact with the metallic roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Takeshi Goto
  • Patent number: 8579282
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming unit disposed inside the housing, a discharging portion, a stacking unit and a pressing member. The discharging portion is configured to discharge a sheet medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit. The stacking unit is configured to stack the sheet medium discharged from the discharging portion. The stacking unit includes a stacking surface portion on which the sheet medium is stacked. The stacking surface portion includes a planar portion formed flat and a protruding portion configured to protrude upwardly from the planar portion. The pressing member is disposed in contact with an upper surface of the sheet medium stacked on the stacking surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8573590
    Abstract: In a sheet finisher which receives a sheet from an image forming apparatus, conducts a sheet finishing onto the sheet and feeds out the sheet, the sheet finisher includes: a stacking section which stores temporarily one or more sheets; and a sheet finishing section which conducts the sheet finishing onto the sheet stored in the stacking section. The stacking section having a first guide member which forms a stacking surface to guide the sheet, and a second guide member which faces the first guide member and is spaced apart from the first guide member by a predetermined distance, and is provided obliquely from a horizontal direction, and the stacking surface formed by at least a part of the first guide member, is formed to be curved in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoru Shimizu, Zen Kayaba
  • Patent number: 8550455
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which can secure a stacking ability even when a paper is curled. An apex portion is provided downstream in the sheet discharge direction with respect to a center of gravity of the sheets discharged on the discharge tray, and an upstream portion in the sheet discharge direction of the sheet is pushed downward by the image reading apparatus, with respect to a downstream end in the sheet discharge direction of the sheet stacked on the discharge tray, at the downstream portion in the sheet discharge direction with respect to the apex portion of the discharge tray, and the upstream portion of the sheet is pressed by a flag while the downstream portion in the sheet discharge direction of the sheet is bent with the apex portion of the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noritomo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8538316
    Abstract: With front face printing, the sheet fed from a sheet feeding unit is led into a nipped position between a first pinch roller and a decurling roller from a first direction, and is discharged by decurling force being applied thereto at the decurling roller. On the other hand, the sheet fed from a reverse unit is led into the nipped position from a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is discharged by decurling force being applied thereto at the decurling roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Shigeno, Tetsuhiro Nitta, Masato Izumi, Ryosuke Sato
  • Patent number: 8528897
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a holding unit that holds the recorded recording medium fed out from the medium discharge unit in a standing position; and a medium pressing unit that protrudes to the holding unit with respect to a virtual surface in the feeding-out direction of the recording medium by the nip roller of the medium discharge unit, opposite to the holding unit, and presses the recorded recording medium fed out from the medium discharge unit against the holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Sanshiro Takeshita, Takehiko Saito, Hidenao Suzuki, Hiroyuki Yoda
  • Patent number: 8515332
    Abstract: In an image forming device, a fixing unit thermally fixes a development image transferred onto a first surface of a recording medium, the recording medium having a second surface opposite to the first surface. The conveying wall defines a conveying path, along which the recording medium is conveyed from the fixing unit in a conveying direction, the recording medium being conveyed along the conveying path with the first surface of the recording medium confronting the conveying wall, the recording medium having a pair of lateral parts in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, the recording medium being curled at the pair of lateral parts to bring the first surface to face outwardly and the second surface to face inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuji Matsuno
  • Patent number: 8465018
    Abstract: An air blowing apparatus includes: a paper stack accommodating section which forms a paper stack accommodating space for accommodating a stack of paper; and an air blowing device which blows air toward an edge of each sheet of paper of the stack of paper accommodated in the paper stack accommodating space, wherein the paper stack accommodating section includes a curved surface which faces a paper surface of the stack of paper, and the curved surface extends in an air blowing direction of the air blowing device and has a curvature in a direction perpendicular to the air blowing direction of the air blowing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Fujikura, Yuhei Chiwata
  • Patent number: 8459638
    Abstract: A system and method for decurling a sheet medium including a first penetrating roller and a second elastomeric roller mounted substantially parallel. A pressure-sensitive electrically conductive material has properties that vary with its state of compression. An actuator is operative for moving the first penetrating roller and the second elastomeric roller in a direction towards each other, to penetrate the body of the second elastomeric roller with the body of the first penetrating roller. The pressure-sensitive electrically conductive material is subject to pressure by the penetration of the first penetrating roller into the second elastomeric roller. A pair of electrical terminals applies an electrical charge across the pressure-sensitive electrically conductive material. In further embodiments, an electrical property is substantially continuously measured and the depth of penetration is substantially continuously controlled based upon closed-loop feedback of the substantially continuously measuring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas K. Herrmann
  • Patent number: 8408538
    Abstract: A discharge mechanism includes a rotary shaft, a roller member, and a deforming unit. The roller member has a peripheral surface that is coaxial with the rotary shaft, rotates together with the rotary shaft, and discharges a medium that is in contact with the peripheral surface. The deforming unit deforms the medium in such a way that a part of the medium, the part being not in contact with the peripheral surface, passes through a position that is closer to the rotary shaft than the peripheral surface is. A part of the peripheral surface, the part being in contact with the medium, is continuously displaced in an axial direction and in a rotation direction of the rotary shaft when the roller member is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Megumi Miyazaki, Yukihiro Ichiki, Motoyuki Yagi
  • Publication number: 20130001853
    Abstract: A device and a method for the stacking of sheets in a printing press are disclosed. The device and correspondingly the method have at least two laterally spaced sheet transport roll pairs to transport the sheets in a transport plane. A stacking tray is furthermore provided to accommodate the sheets transported out of the printing press. A sheet contacting unit is arranged in the direction of transport behind the sheet transport roll pairs such that it deflects at least a partial region of the sheet out of the transport plane at least in a first direction, wherein the sheet undergoes a deformation transversely to the direction of transport, and wherein the at least two sheet transport roll pairs and the sheet contacting unit are arranged in a projection onto the transport plane in a triangular arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventor: Dimitrios Kostudis
  • Patent number: 8342523
    Abstract: A pair of conveyor rollers arranged in an image forming apparatus to convey a recording sheet is configured to be shiftable relative to the body between a first position and a second position. A first holding member is configured to support one of the conveyor rollers so that the supported conveyor roller is swingable around a pivot to allow the pair of conveyor rollers to be shifted between the first position and the second position. The first holding member including a sheet guide portion which provides a variable-position guideway extending from a position located upstream along the sheet conveyance path toward a peripheral surface of the supported conveyor roller, where the sheet guide portion moves to a position suitable to guide the recording sheet to be nipped by the pair of conveyor rollers at least when the pair of conveyor rollers is shifted to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20120319349
    Abstract: An output mechanism for transferring a print medium is disclosed. The output mechanism includes an output tray, a stand connected to the output tray, a roller assembly rotatably coupled to the stand, and a block member connected to the stand adjacent to the roller assembly. The roller assembly transfers the print medium onto the output tray. The block member contacts an end of the print medium and allows the print medium to be curl upward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: YI-LONG LEE, WEN-CHUNG LO
  • Patent number: 8267402
    Abstract: A medium reversing apparatus, an image forming apparatus and an image reading apparatus that respectively have the medium reversing apparatus are supplied capable of avoiding medium damage and medium load abnormality. In the medium reversing apparatus that conveys a sheet-like medium back and reverses obverse side and reverse side of the medium, a medium ejection opening is used for ejecting at least a part of the medium; an ejecting member at least ejects the part of the medium from the medium ejection opening and conveys the medium back; and a bend forming section is set at the outside edge portion of the ejecting member and bends the medium from a clamp face of the medium clamped by the ejecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 8262085
    Abstract: A decurler to decurl a curled printing media being transported into a release area, the decurler comprising: a) at least one guide arm against which the printing media presses, positioned and adapted to bend the printing media along an axis substantially in a direction of transport thereof; and b) a hinge on which the guide arm is mounted, the hinge being oriented at an angle of between 0.25 degrees and 20 degrees from vertical, wherein a reaction force that the guide arm exerts on the printing media is suitable for decurling the printing media. Another decurler with a flexible strip which hangs down and presses against a middle portion of the printing media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Alex Feygelman
  • Patent number: 8265541
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a humidifier that humidifies a sheet; a curl correcting section that corrects a curl by applying mechanical bending force on a sheet; and a control section that causes humidification by the humidifier and curl correction by the curl correcting section to be possible for a prescribed sheet, and causes either one of humidification by the humidifier and curl correction by the curl correcting section to be possible for sheets other than the prescribed sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masashi Kougami
  • Patent number: 8240659
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus including: a conveyance unit which conveys a sheet, having been carried-in, to a selected conveying destination among a plurality of conveying destinations; a stiffness imparting unit which imparts stiffness to the sheet being conveyed by the conveyance unit; and a control section which controls the stiffness imparting by the stiffness imparting unit, wherein the control section controls whether to impart or not to impart stiffness to the sheet, according to the selected conveying destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keisuke Oshima, Naoki Matsui