With Means To Align Sheet Patents (Class 271/226)
  • Patent number: 12145356
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a feed tray accommodating a roll body, a first sheet-shaped medium being rolled in a roll shape as the roll body; and a feed roller configured to apply a conveying force to the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body and to feed the first sheet-shaped medium from the feed tray. The feed tray includes: a first accommodation portion accommodating the roll body; a second accommodation portion accommodating a plurality of second sheet-shaped media stacked in a first direction; and a path member located between the first accommodation portion and the feed roller. The path member includes a partition member partitioning the second sheet-shaped medium accommodated in the second accommodation portion and the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kengo Noda, Gakuro Kanazawa, Satoshi Miyase
  • Patent number: 12134535
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a pair of conveying rollers configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction, a recording unit located downstream of the pair of conveying rollers in the conveying direction and configured to record an image on the sheet, a first side-guide located upstream of the pair of conveying rollers in the conveying direction and configured to come into contact with at least one of opposite ends of the sheet in a width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The first side-guide is movable in the width direction. The image recording apparatus further includes a second side-guide located downstream of the pair of conveying rollers and upstream of the recoding unit in the conveying direction, the second side-guide being configured to come into contact with at least one of opposite ends of the sheet in the width direction and movable in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiya Tomatsu
  • Patent number: 12116226
    Abstract: In some examples, a printing press includes a non-impact printing device, and further includes a plurality of processing stations that each process sheets. In the printing press, at least one lifting nozzle is arranged in a profile element of a guide device. The lifting nozzle is configured to open in a direction of a tip of a tapered profile element. A suction belt feed table includes a catching device having a catching position, which is assumed as a result of an actuation, for adjacent individual sheets that follow one another. The catching device, in its catching position, catches sheets on the suction belt feed table that are fed from a first transport device, which is arranged upstream from the suction belt feed table, to the suction belt feed table, before the sheets are transferred to a transport device arranged downstream from the suction belt feed table and stacked there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Heinz Michael Koch, Benjamin Gohl, Volker Kessler
  • Patent number: 12116239
    Abstract: A medium transport device includes a positional corrector configured to transport a medium and correct a position of the medium in a width direction of the medium by moving the medium in the width direction, and an inclination corrector configured to transport the medium and correct an inclination of the medium relative to a transport direction of the medium on an upstream side of the positional corrector in the transport direction, the inclination corrector being disposed at a position where the medium is transported in a flat posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hirotake Eguchi, Nobuhiro Hiroe, Koji Deguchi, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Yasunobu Goto, Yoshinori Koike, Natsumi Nakata, Yoshiki Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 12098044
    Abstract: An example finisher includes a first portion extending in a vertical direction and including a height adjustment unit, a second portion extending from the first portion in a lateral direction and including a finishing unit to perform a finishing process, and a stacker to receive paper discharged from the finishing unit, the stacker extending in an opposite direction to the second portion in the lateral direction. The height adjustment unit is to adjust a height of the second portion from an installation surface and includes a base plate including a horizontal slot, a guide plate including an inclined slot, and a slide lever coupling the horizontal slot and the inclined slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Taejin Baek, Taehong Kim, Wonic Tae, Joonghyun Kim, Jewon Jeong, Wonkeun Lee
  • Patent number: 12061433
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light beam scanner to scan an image bearer by a light beam according to data on a pattern for image positional deviation correction and a developing device to develop a latent image of the pattern. The pattern is formed on the image bearer by scanning performed by the light beam scanner. The image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt to transfer the pattern to a medium, a sensor to read the pattern to obtain an amount of image positional deviation, a skew correction device to adjust a tilt of an optical member of the light beam scanner according to a skew amount to correct a skew and perform the image positional deviation correction according to the amount of image positional deviation, and circuitry to drive the skew correction device before the image positional deviation correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 12053991
    Abstract: The invention relates to a print system comprising at least two page-wide arrays of ink jet print heads, positioned in a frame over a conveyor belt for transporting a substrate underneath the arrays, three sensors for reading markers on the conveyor belt and a control unit that is configured to derive control signals from encoder signals of the three sensors. Two sensors are directly connected to the frame and a third sensor is connected to one of the said two sensors by an element with virtually no thermal expansion, extending in transport direction. The control signals, comprising signals for controlling a transport speed of the conveyor belt and line pulses for the at least two print heads, are derived in such a way that an amount of thermal expansion of the frame is determined and an absolute print resolution is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Mark Rietbergen, Johan P. Smits, Sjirk H. Koekebakker
  • Patent number: 12043936
    Abstract: A pick-up device picking up stacked sheet-shaped workpieces from the top, the device includes a nozzle mechanism that includes a pick-up nozzle pulling up a first workpiece from the top of the stacked workpieces by air blowing, and a holding mechanism that holds the first workpiece from the top. The pick-up nozzle includes a ventilation groove provided on a bottom surface opposite to an upper surface of the first workpiece from the top and passing through to an air blowing side end part of the bottom surface, and a nozzle port blowing air toward the air blowing side end part of the bottom surface along the inside of the ventilation groove, and the air blowing side end part of a groove inner bottom surface of the ventilation groove is formed in a shape directed in a direction of being separated from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: JUKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Uehara, Takeshi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11987047
    Abstract: Various embodiments illustrated herein disclose a printing apparatus comprising a media supply spool configured to supply print media along a media path. The printing apparatus further comprises a first media sensor positioned in a first plane in the printing apparatus. Further, the printing apparatus comprises a second media sensor positioned in a second plane in the printing apparatus. Additionally, the printing apparatus comprises a first media guide defining a section of the media path, wherein extremities of the first media guide are positioned to be at a negative offset from the second plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Sebastien d'Armancourt, Han Tiong Tong, Chin Young Wong
  • Patent number: 11970358
    Abstract: A medium feeding mechanism includes a feeder that feeds a medium, a transportation path that is coupled to the feeder and includes a bent portion, a transporter that transports the medium on the transportation path, and a transportation control unit that controls the transporter, wherein the transportation control unit adjusts a transportation velocity of the medium transported by the transporter on the basis of medium information of the medium and a transportation route shape for the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke Miyachi, Yuzuru Iioka
  • Patent number: 11943412
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion to form an image on a sheet, a tray on which sheets to be fed are stacked, and a swing member supported by the tray and configured to swing in a case where the swing member is pushed by a discharged sheet. A stacking portion includes a first surface on an upper portion of a first portion, and a moving member in contact with the discharged sheet. The moving member can be positioned at a position downstream of the first surface in the discharge direction, wherein the swing member overlaps with the first surface as viewed in the sheet width direction in a case where the swing member is not in contact with a discharged sheet, and the swing member is arranged such that a lower end of the swing member is not in contact with the stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11858776
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus for feeding sheets into a processing apparatus is discloses which comprises a plurality of nips within which sheets are gripped and driven along a conveying direction towards the processing apparatus, each nip being defined between a respective drive wheel and an opposing reaction surface. The drive wheels are omni-wheels configured to apply a frictional force to advance the sheets in the conveying direction while permitting free movement of the sheets in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the reaction surfaces permitting free movement of the sheets in the transverse direction, and an elongate guide is arranged on one side of the conveying apparatus, to extend generally parallel to the conveying direction, the conveying apparatus being configured to urge conveyed sheets in the transverse direction into contact with the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HIGHCON SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Aron Shmaiser, Nuriel Amir
  • Patent number: 11802016
    Abstract: A sheet guide comprising a first straight portion in an upstream end of the sheet guide in a conveyance direction of a sheet, a curved portion having a curvature, the curved portion continued from the first straight portion in the conveyance direction, and a second straight portion continued from the curved portion in a downstream end of the sheet guide in the conveyance direction. The curved portion includes a pair of guide plates defining a conveyance path through which the sheet is guided, and a shape retention member retaining a part of the pair of guide plates in a curved shape, the shape retention member holding each end of the pair of guide plates in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Takayasu
  • Patent number: 11782372
    Abstract: A detection device includes a first detection unit that detects a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion of a medium before the medium is heated, and a second detection unit that differs from the first detection unit and that detects the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion of the medium after the medium is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Naohito Otsuki, Takehiko Koizumi, Yuta Chino
  • Patent number: 11738959
    Abstract: Alignment apparatuses include a frame and contact elements connected to the frame. The contact elements contact items that are to be transported in a processing direction relative to the frame. The contact elements are in permeant fixed positions relative to the frame, and do not move relative to the frame. Adjustable mounts are connected to the frame and move the frame in the processing direction and in a perpendicular cross-processing direction. A controller is electrically connected to the adjustable mounts, and the controller is adapted to control the adjustable mounts to simultaneously move the frame and all the contact elements in the cross-processing direction and the processing direction while rotating the frame. Methods laterally shift imaging on sheets that have had rotational correction performed by such alignment apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew L. Gesner, Kenneth E. VanDeWater, Husein Naser Kasim Rashed, Jason M. LeFevre, Douglas K. Herrmann, Paul J. McConville, Chu-heng Liu, Seemit Praharaj
  • Patent number: 11724524
    Abstract: A detection device includes a transport passage along which a medium is transported and a detection unit that detects a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion of the medium in the transport passage while transportation of the medium is stopped and while the medium is pulled in a pulling direction along the transport passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Naohito Otsuki, Takehiko Koizumi, Yuta Chino
  • Patent number: 11401124
    Abstract: In an example of the disclosure, a driver correction specification is calculated based upon a time differential between a first sensor detection of a first portion of a leading edge of a media sheet and second sensor detection of a second portion of the leading edge. The driver correction specification is for causing skew correction of the media sheet as the media sheet moves along a media path to impact a blocker element. The driver is caused to operate according to the calculated driver correction specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jonathan Nir, Hagay Shkalim
  • Patent number: 11001465
    Abstract: A device having a receiving device for receiving at least one ribbon-shaped substrate and with a first and a second driving means, wherein the first and the second driving means for the transport of the ribbon-shaped substrate in x-direction are designed to cooperate such that the first driving means engages in the region of the one edge of the ribbon-shaped substrate and the second driving means engages in the region of the other edge of the ribbon-shaped substrate, wherein both driving means can be controlled such that they can drive the edge area of the ribbon-shaped substrate assigned to each driving means at adjustably different drive speeds. At least the first driving means is arranged in the device via a first displacement device allowing for a displacement essentially limited to the y-direction of the first driving means, relative to the receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: DURST PHOTOTECHNIK DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Jakob Obererlacher, Reinhard Schneeberger, Peter Weingartner
  • Patent number: 10974533
    Abstract: A device for alignment of a book block consisting of single sheets and/or signatures is useable in a processing machine, in which manufacturing of books or printed products is carried out. The device is arranged upstream of a first processing station within the processing machine. The book block is feedable directly or indirectly into the device automatically or by hand. An alignment station has a base plate with a substantially vertically extending stop surface at an end thereof. The base plate has a movable part configured to carry out a movement with respect to the stop surface such that the movement of the movable part, in an operative connection to the stop surface, brings about an alignment of the single sheets and/or signatures at a book block edge, and such that, following alignment, the book block is grippable by at least one transport clamp for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Pietro De Tommaso
  • Patent number: 10894681
    Abstract: Alignment apparatuses include a frame and contact elements connected to the frame. The contact elements contact items that are to be transported in a processing direction relative to the frame. The contact elements are in permeant fixed positions relative to the frame, and do not move relative to the frame. Adjustable mounts are connected to the frame and move the frame in the processing direction and in a perpendicular cross-processing direction. A controller is electrically connected to the adjustable mounts, and the controller is adapted to control the adjustable mounts to simultaneously move the frame and all the contact elements in the cross-processing direction and the processing direction while rotating the frame. Methods laterally shift imaging on sheets that have had rotational correction performed by such alignment apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew L. Gesner, Kenneth E. VanDeWater, Husein Naser Kasim Rashed, Jason M. LeFevre, Douglas K. Herrmann, Paul J. McConville, Chu-heng Liu, Seemit Praharaj
  • Patent number: 10787332
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus that conveys a sheet along a curved path shorter than the sheet and corrects skew of the sheet, includes: a conveyance roller that sends the sheet into the curved path; a guide that guides the sheet along the curved path; and a gate that is hinders advance of the leading end, generates a moment about a normal of the sheet passing through the leading end, and allows advance of the leading end by being pushed away by the leading end, wherein the guide includes a projection projecting toward a movement space for the sheet on a surface facing the movement space, and the projection abuts a center portion of the sheet in a longitudinal direction and generates a moment about an axis parallel to an advance direction of a portion that has come into contact with the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Matsui, Koji Soda, Yasuaki Tomoda
  • Patent number: 10710830
    Abstract: A paper feed apparatus for a multifunction image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding portion that sends-out a paper placed in a paper placing tray. The paper feed apparatus comprises a first regulating portion and a second regulating portion arranged in the vicinity of a downstream side of a paper feeding position by the paper feeding portion. The first regulating portion is arranged outside a second width paper passage area to regulate a movement of a first width paper placed in the paper placing tray toward a feeding direction. The second regulating portion is arranged inside the second width paper passage area to regulate a movement of a second width paper placed in the paper placing tray toward a feeding direction. By this arrangement, the second width paper such as a name card can be fed in addition to the first width paper such as A4 paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasumasa Morimoto
  • Patent number: 10669110
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus conveying a sheet includes a conveyance roller and first and second rotary members. A first virtual line and a second virtual line cross each other when viewed in the rotation axis direction of the conveyance roller, with the first virtual line passing through the rotation center of a first longitudinal end of the first rotary member and a rotation center of a second longitudinal end of the first rotary member when viewed in the rotation axis direction of the conveyance roller. A second virtual line passes through the rotation center of a third longitudinal end of the second rotary member and the rotation center of a fourth longitudinal end of the second rotary member when viewed in the rotation axis direction of the conveyance roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10543999
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance portion, a reverse conveyance portion, and first and second conveyance regulating portions. An engagement portion contacts the first conveyance regulating portion so that it pivots in a first pivoting direction in an interlocked manner with the second conveyance regulating portion. The first and second conveyance regulating portions are arranged between the conveyance portion and the reverse conveyance portion in a first sheet conveyance direction, and an urging member urges the first and second conveyance regulating portions toward a position where the first and second conveyance regulating portions project to a first conveyance path through which the sheet conveyed from the conveyance portion toward the reverse conveyance portion is conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Furukawa, Tatsuo Nishiyama, Shigeo Murayama, Kenji Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 10530961
    Abstract: A copying apparatus capable of calibrating a copy position comprises a scanning module scanning an original to obtain an original image; and a processing module being electrically connected to the scanning module and recognizing whether the original image contains an original mark corresponding to a template mark. If the original image contains the original mark, then the processing module generates print data for being printed out according to the original image and a position parameter of the template mark. A copying method capable of calibrating the copy position is also provided. Thus, the copy position can be calibrated according to the mark of the original to prevent the copy result from having a positional offset. Consequently, no positional offset occurs even if the original is copied multiple times based on the previous generation of original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: AVISION INC.
    Inventors: Chen-Chang Li, Cheng Chen Tseng
  • Patent number: 10442645
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control portion configured to control, based on a detection position of a sheet in a width direction, in a case where a center of an image formed on a first surface at an image forming portion in the width direction is displaced from a center of the sheet in the width direction at the image forming position and an image is to be formed on a second surface of the sheet, a moving portion to move the sheet in the width direction such that a position of the center of the sheet on a conveyance path in the width direction at the sheet forming position when the image is formed on the first surface and a position of a center of the sheet on the conveyance path in the width direction at the sheet forming position when the image is formed on the second surface coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Deno
  • Patent number: 10442644
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises at least one roller disposed in a sheet conveyance path and configured to convey a plurality of sheets; a sheet sensor disposed in the sheet conveyance path and configured to detect each sheet as it is conveyed by a particular roller of the at least one roller and to generate sensor information indicative of the detection; and a controller configured to: use the sensor information to calculate a sheet passage interval for each sheet; count a first number of times the sheet passage interval is greater than a first threshold corresponding to abnormally slow sheet conveyance and a second number of times the sheet passage interval is lower than a second threshold corresponding to abnormally fast sheet conveyance; determine whether an alert condition has been met based on the counts of the first and second numbers of times; and generate a control signal after the alert condition has been met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Y. Zakharov, Yuka Matsukawa
  • Patent number: 10266358
    Abstract: A deskew module of a valuable media depository is selectively controlled ejection processing. Upon detection of a jammed item of media within the deskew module, angled drives are activated to lift a jammed corner of the item off a track base of the deskew module and free the item's jammed corner. Next, straight drives are activated to eject the item from the deskew module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Widsten, Sandeep Singh Gill, Jason Michael Gillier
  • Patent number: 10191419
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a door for accessing the fixing unit and a member positioned on an upstream side of the fixing unit in a conveyance direction of the recording material, a conveyance path for a recording material having a length in the conveyance direction equal to or longer than a predetermined length, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording material. The fixing unit fixes the formed image on the recording material at a nip portion. The recording material with fixed image is conveyed on the conveyance path. In a case where a predetermined recording material is conveyed to the conveyance path when a length of the predetermined recording material in the conveyance direction is shorter than the predetermined length, the control unit stops conveyance of the nipped predetermined recording material at the nip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Haruna
  • Patent number: 9933743
    Abstract: A recording material processing apparatus includes: a first stacking unit configured to stack a recording material; a second stacking unit provided on a downstream side of the first stacking unit in a conveyance direction of the recording material; an alignment unit configured to align the recording material stacked in the first stacking unit before the recording material is discharged to the second stacking unit; and a control unit configured to perform control of discharging the recording material to the second stacking unit by switching between first control not to align the recording material by the alignment unit and second control to align the recording material by the alignment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Genki Takahashi, Kazuhisa Sato, Seiji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9856101
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a skew detection section configured to detect a tilt of a sheet to be conveyed; two skew correction roller sections that are arranged side by side in a sheet width direction and are independently able to be driven; a downstream-side conveying roller section arranged at a downstream side of the skew correction roller sections in a sheet conveying direction; and a control section configured to control conveying operations of the skew correction roller sections based on a detection result of the skew detection section, wherein at least one of the skew correction roller sections is configured to be movable in the sheet width direction, and the control section moves at least one of the skew correction roller sections outward in the sheet width direction at predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kyoichi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9843693
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a scanner structured to reads an image formed on a medium which is conveyed; a calibration member located opposite to the scanner and structured to reflect irradiation light to be radiated to the medium when reading an image; a first roller arranged in a fixed position and structured to guide a conveying direction of the medium passing between the scanner and the calibration member; and a second roller arranged in a variable position in accordance with the stiffness of the medium and structured to guide the conveying direction of the medium passing between the scanner and the calibration member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Akihiko Ooishi
  • Patent number: 9695001
    Abstract: A control system for pressing an abutting object against an abutted object includes: a mechanical device including a motor and causing a force from the motor to act on the abutting object to displace the abutting object toward the abutted object, a driving device driving the motor according to an inputted operation amount, a measuring device measuring a physical amount related to displacement of the abutting object, and a controller. The controller executes: a position control process to calculate the operation amount to be inputted to the driving device, a reaction force estimation process to estimate a reaction force acting on the abutting object, and a compliance control process to correct the operation amount which is calculated in the position control process and to be inputted to the driving device by a compliance control based on an estimate value of the reaction force estimated in the reaction force estimation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 9628649
    Abstract: A scanning apparatus is controlled to extract edges of an original document from an image scanned by a scanning device, execute an end obtaining process which causes the scanning apparatus to obtain a leading end of the original document and a trailing end of the original document based on the edges extracted in the extraction process, an inclination obtaining process to obtain a first inclination of the leading end and a second inclination of the trailing end, and a determination process to determine that a rotational skew has occurred when a difference between the first inclination and the second inclination is greater than a rotational skew threshold, the rotational skew being a change of inclination of the original document during conveyance of the original document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroko Mori
  • Patent number: 9618649
    Abstract: A method of detecting an overall dimension of a plate-shaped workpiece to be processed on a processing machine by a contactless-acting sensor includes moving the workpiece by a motion device of the processing machine in a predetermined direction until the sensor detects a first workpiece edge by a first change of state, detecting a first position of the workpiece where the first change of state happens by an evaluation device connected to the sensor, moving the workpiece by the motion device in a direction toward a second workpiece edge until the sensor detects the second workpiece edge by a second change of state, detecting a second position of the workpiece where the second change of state happens by the evaluation device, and determining an overall dimension of the workpiece by a determination of a distance between the first position and the second position of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Stefan Kerscher
  • Patent number: 9571683
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes, in an apparatus body, a sensing portion which senses presence or absence of depression by a paper feed unit. The sensing portion includes a slider provided to be slidingly movable along a mounting direction of the paper feed unit, a push switch arranged behind the slider along the mounting direction, and a first elastic body and a second elastic body for elastically biasing the slider toward a direction away from the push switch. The first elastic body is interposed between the slider and a portion which does not relatively move with respect to the apparatus body, and the second elastic body is interposed between the slider and a switch portion of the push switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hideji Higashimura, Yoshitada Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9555992
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a transport path along which a sheet is transported in one direction; a sheet butting portion against which a side edge of the sheet on the transport path is butted, the sheet butting portion being provided at one side of the transport path; a butting section that moves the sheet toward the one side to butt the side edge against the sheet butting portion; and a sheet rotating section located on the upstream side of the butting section in a sheet transport direction, the sheet rotating section having two sheet transport parts provided so as to be shifted from each other in a direction intersecting the one direction, at least one of the sheet transport parts being configured to have a variable sheet transport speed, the sheet rotating section rotating the sheet by utilizing a difference in transport speed between the two sheet transport parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Yamashita, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Toshitaka Tanaka, Junji Hagihara, Yuta Chino
  • Patent number: 9393812
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus has a first conveying path and a second conveying path which joins the first conveying path. The image forming apparatus includes an actuator configured to be pivoted by a recording sheet conveyed through the first conveying path. The image forming apparatus further includes ribs disposed adjacent to the actuator in an axial direction of the actuator. The image forming apparatus has a first recess which faces at least one of the ribs and is recessed in a direction opposite to the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunori Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 9370943
    Abstract: A conveyor device includes a conveyor belt and a suction section. The conveyor belt conveys a recording medium. The suction section sucks on the recording medium through the conveyor belt. The suction section has a plurality of through holes. The suction section includes an air flow chamber. The air flow chamber has an air outlet in a bottom thereof. The bottom has first regions and a second region. The first regions are each located at a position opposite to a corresponding one of the through holes. The first regions are each located adjacent to the second region. The air outlet is located within the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Jumpei Hobo, Takeshi Watanabe, Hidenori Takenaka, Tomohisa Soda, Masami Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9266347
    Abstract: A device for erasing an image on a sheet according to an embodiment includes a reading unit that reads an image formed on the sheet. An erasing unit erases the image formed on the sheet by heating the sheet. A conveyance path for the sheet between the reading unit and the erasing unit is formed guide plates arranged in an opposed manner. A cooling unit cools the sheet which passes through the conveyance path and includes at least one fan that supplies cooling air generally along a sheet conveying direction. A plurality of slits is formed in each of the guide plates such that cooling air from the at least one fan flows through the slits into the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Yokochi, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 9174817
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet holding and conveying roller pair having two rollers to convey a sheet while holding the sheet between the two rollers at a nip where the two rollers contact each other, and a gate member disposed movable with rotation of the sheet holding and conveying roller pair to correct skew of the sheet in a sheet conveying direction when a leading end of the sheet in the sheet conveying direction abuts against the gate member. The gate member has a contact surface against which the sheet abuts. The contact surface of the gate member is disposed upstream from the nip of the sheet holding and conveying roller pair in the sheet conveying direction. A setting position of the contact surface is adjusted according to thickness of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Maruta, Kohsuke Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20150130127
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a first guide that defines a conveyance path and rotates about a fulcrum with the opening of the cover, the fulcrum being provided at a lower portion of the first guide, the conveyance path extending upward and downward and through which the sheet is conveyed; and a second guide that defines the conveyance path in combination with the first guide, the second guide being rotatable with the cover being open. The second guide moves in a direction away from the fulcrum with the opening of the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Saito
  • Publication number: 20150091240
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor, a supporting section which supports a sheet to be fed to the conveyor and a guide section which is provided on the supporting section and configured to guide a sheet to the conveyor. The supporting section includes a first support region and a second support region which support a sheet. The first support region is provided at a position on an upstream side from the second support region in a sheet conveyance direction. The first support region extends substantially horizontally, and the second support region is inclined in a lower direction toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction. The guide section includes a first portion which extends substantially horizontally along the first support region, and a second portion which is connected to the first portion and extends obliquely in the lower direction along the second support region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Katsuro Miura, Tsuyoshi Suganuma, Takuya Naniwa
  • Publication number: 20150084272
    Abstract: A sheet feed device of an image forming apparatus includes an outside cover and an inside cover. The outside cover opens and closes a side of a housing. The inside cover is disposed more inside of the housing than the outside cover. Each of the covers is rotatably supported with a lower end thereof as a fulcrum by the housing. A first locking piece is provided in the upper end of the outside cover, and a second locking piece is disposed below the first locking piece. A coupled portion configured to be selectively coupled with the first locking piece or the second locking piece is provided in the inside cover. During the process where the outside cover is rotationally moved in the opening direction, the coupled portion is once released from the coupling with the first locking piece, and then is coupled with the second locking piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Kei Maruyama, Yoshiyuki Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20150084273
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including: a cover that is provided in an apparatus main body in an openable and closable manner to open a sheet conveying path through which the sheet is conveyed, by rotating in an open direction from a closed position; a guide member that is movably provided in the cover and forms the sheet conveying path; and a moving portion that is provided with a contact portion coming into contact with the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveying path, and is movably provided in the guide member; wherein the guide member moves with respect to the cover by rotating the cover in the open direction from the closed position, and thereby the moving portion moves by its own weight in a direction in which the contact portion of the moving portion is retracted from the sheet conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimoi
  • Patent number: 8989650
    Abstract: A printing medium alignment device and an image forming apparatus having the same, the image forming apparatus includes a printing medium supply unit to supply a printing medium, a printing unit to print an image on the printing medium supplied from the printing medium supply unit, and a printing medium alignment device to align the printing medium fed toward the printing unit. The printing medium alignment device includes: a register roller; an idle roller to form a nip with the register roller, to feed the printing medium to the printing unit; a register to move to a first position to block the printing medium from entering the nip, to align the printing medium, and to move to a second position to allow the printing medium to enter the nip; and a shutter roller mounted in the register shutter. When the register shutter is in the second position, the shutter roller rolls while in contact with the printing medium, to decrease a friction between the printing medium and the register shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun Seung Yang
  • Publication number: 20150071692
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet holding and conveying roller pair having two rollers to convey a sheet while holding the sheet between the two rollers at a nip where the two rollers contact each other, and a gate member disposed movable with rotation of the sheet holding and conveying roller pair to correct skew of the sheet in a sheet conveying direction when a leading end of the sheet in the sheet conveying direction abuts against the gate member. The gate member has a contact surface against which the sheet abuts. The contact surface of the gate member is disposed upstream from the nip of the sheet holding and conveying roller pair in the sheet conveying direction. A setting position of the contact surface is adjusted according to thickness of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya MARUTA, Kohsuke YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 8967611
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to receive sheet length data for two paper sheets of a same standard dimension passing consecutively through a printing device. The processor calculates a length difference between the two paper sheets, and when the length difference exceeds a two-sheet threshold, it initiates an alignment correction cycle in a paper finishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Lior Joseph, Avihay Menashe, Itzik Kent
  • Patent number: 8960660
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking unit that stacks a sheet conveyed thereto; a first alignment unit that aligns the sheet or a bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a sheet conveying direction; a second alignment unit that aligns the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction; a pressing unit that presses the bundle of sheets at an end portion thereof on a predetermined one side; and a control unit that causes at least one of the first and second alignment units to execute an alignment operation during a press operation of the sheet or the bundle of sheets performed by the pressing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Keisuke Sugiyama, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Takamasa Matsumoto, Junya Suzuki, Youhei Niitsuma, Kazunori Konno, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8955966
    Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus including a recording section and a transport mechanism, which has a guide surface, a driving roller, and a driven spur. A length X (mm) of a front end surface of the driven spur and an angle Y of the driven spur are configured to be within a first area surrounded by a mathematical expression 1 which is X>0, a mathematical expression 2 which is Y>0, a mathematical expression 3 which is Y=40.1X+1.6, a mathematical expression 4 which is Y=?9.0X+5.6, a mathematical expression 5 which is Y=?12.1X+6.0, and a mathematical expression 6 which is Y=?14.7X+7.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Norikane, Masayuki Okumura