Responsive To Sheet-sensor Patents (Class 271/227)
  • Patent number: 11919741
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a pair of sheet alignment mechanisms disposed to face each other in a direction of conveyance of a sheet or in a direction orthogonal to the direction of conveyance. Each one of the pair of sheet alignment mechanisms includes an aligning member, an elastic member, a driver, and a driving source. The aligning member reciprocates with reference to the sheet. The elastic member extends due to reaction force generated in response to pressing force applied to an edge of the sheet by the aligning member when a size of the sheet is larger than a prescribed size. The driver is coupled to the aligning member via the elastic member. The driving source transfers a driving force to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ikumi Kazama
  • Patent number: 11866282
    Abstract: A sheet stacker includes a sheet stacking portion, a pair of sheet restrictors, a sheet feeder, and a position detector. A bundle of sheets is stacked on the sheet stacking portion in a stacking direction, and the sheet stacking portion moves in the stacking direction. The pair of sheet restrictors move in a width direction to regulate a position of the bundle of sheets in the width direction. The sheet feeder feeds a top sheet of the bundle of sheets at a sheet feeding position in a sheet feeding direction. The sheet feeding position is disposed at a top of the bundle of sheets in the stacking direction. The position detector is disposed between the pair of sheet restrictors in the width direction and above the sheet feeding position in the stacking direction. The position detector detects a position of the pair of sheet restrictors in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Ebihara
  • Patent number: 11802019
    Abstract: A post-processing device includes a processing tray on which a medium on which recording was performed by a recording unit is loaded, a rear end alignment unit that aligns a rear end (an example of an end portion) of the medium on the processing tray, a post-processing unit that performs post-processing on the medium aligned by the rear end alignment unit, and a pressing member that presses the rear end of the medium. The post-processing unit is configured to be movable. The pressing member is provided to be rotatable in conjunction with movement of the post-processing unit, in a state in which the pressing member is in contact with the medium aligned by the rear end alignment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Kawakami, Kazuhiro Fujita, Masaki Miyazawa, Shun Hara
  • Patent number: 11796943
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt, a heating roller that heats the fixing belt, a steering roller, and a pressurization rotating member. The steering roller is controlled to swing to move the fixing belt to a prescribed position. The pressurization rotating member pressurizes and forms a fixing nip portion with the fixing belt. When a recording material bearing unfixed toner is nipped and conveyed to the fixing nip portion, an unfixed toner image is fixed to the recording material. A single inclination operation that inclines the steering roller results in an inclination angle that is smaller when a recording material having a length greater than a predetermined length in a recording material conveying direction is conveyed to the fixing nip portion than when a recording material having a length less than or equal to the predetermined length in the conveying direction is conveyed to the fixing nip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shutaro Saito, Takeshi Kozuma
  • Patent number: 11787653
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a feeding roller that includes a first roller and a second roller provided at an interval in a width direction intersecting a medium feeding direction, and feeds a sheet from a placing section; and a skew detection section that detects skew of the sheet fed from the feeding roller. Skew is corrected by giving a difference between a rotation speed of the first roller and a rotation speed of the second roller with respect to at least one of the relevant sheet detected by the skew detection section and subsequent sheets fed following the relevant sheet based on a skew amount in the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tokujiro Okuno, Hiromichi Kitsuki
  • Patent number: 11693340
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a paper feeding part that houses a medium to be fed; a belt-shaped image holding part that holds an image on a surface of the image holding part and rotates; a transfer part disposed to face the image holding part and transfers an image onto a medium from the image holding part in a final transfer region; and a cleaning part that removes a deposit on the surface of the image holding part passed through the final transfer region, in which a downstream side of the paper feeding part in a transport direction of a medium is inclined to be closer than an upstream side of the paper feeding part to the final transfer region, and the image holding part is inclined upward on a downstream side of the final transfer region toward the downstream side in a rotation of the image holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Naoya Mitamura, Kanji Watanabe, So Endo
  • Patent number: 11677438
    Abstract: A method for initialization of a group of customer premises equipment devices (CPEs) during a training that registers capabilities of the CPEs is disclosed, wherein at least one CPE registers late to the training and cannot be registered. The method includes determining capabilities of the CPEs during a joining phase of the training, wherein it is determined whether a CPE device is capable of employing vectoring and placing in a hold status the at least one CPE that registers late by keeping a line active that is coupled to the at least one CPE. The method further includes providing another joining phase after the joining phase to register the at least one CPE that registers late.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Germany GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Pidder Kassel
  • Patent number: 11619194
    Abstract: A fuel booster system having a fuel inlet port, a fuel outlet port, and a fuel accumulator fluidically coupled to both ports. The fuel inlet port allows fuel to be delivered to the fuel accumulator and the fuel outlet port is in fluid communication with a combustion engine to deliver fuel from the fuel booster system to the combustion engine. A source of pressurized gas is also fluidically coupled to the fuel accumulator to deliver pressurized gas through a gas port in one end of the fuel accumulator. A piston is located within the fuel accumulator and the source of pressurized gas can be discharged into the fuel accumulator to force accumulated fuel from the fuel accumulator and to the engine when the fuel booster system determines that the engine needs more fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Pressure Drop Technology Integration, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Klier
  • Patent number: 11618645
    Abstract: Provided is a recording material processing apparatus including: a recording material support portion configured to support a recording material loaded thereon from below; a contact member disposed on a side of the recording material loaded on the recording material support portion and configured to be pushed by an edge portion of the recording material, the contact member being configured to move to a side opposite to the side of the recording material; an elastic member configured to receive a load from the contact member pushed by the edge portion of the recording material; and a member support portion disposed without contacting the recording material loaded on the recording material support portion and configured to support the contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoneyama, Shiro Ohashi, Naoto Hamabata, Taiki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11542111
    Abstract: A center-alignment apparatus for use in an ATM has a transport mechanism to transport a document into the ATM. One or more plates operable in tandem to move the document toward a centerline of a path the document is to travel. Edge-detection sensor(s) on the plate sense an edge of the document when the plate(s) is moved toward the centerline. A translate/rotate mechanism translates and rotates the document while the translate/rotate mechanism transversely moves the document toward the center until another edge-detection sensor detects an edge of the document to create a parallel-aligned document. The control logic controls the plate(s) to centers the parallel-aligned document about the centerline to create a centered document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf Incorporated
    Inventors: William Daniel Beskitt, Jasen James Smolk
  • Patent number: 11507010
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a plurality of feed rollers spaced in a direction perpendicular to a medium conveying direction, each of the feed rollers rotating independently at a respective speed to feed a medium, a plurality of brake rollers, each of the plurality of brake rollers being located to face a corresponding one of the plurality of feed rollers, a plurality of torque limiters separately provided between one of rotation shafts of the plurality of brake rollers and a corresponding one of the plurality of brake rollers, and a processor to detect a skew of the medium, and correct the skew of the medium by changing the speed of one of the plurality of feed rollers when the skew of the medium is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Umi, Shigeharu Okano
  • Patent number: 11472652
    Abstract: A sheet transport system for moving a sheet in a transport direction while adjusting a position of the sheet in a lateral direction normal to the transport direction to a target position, includes first and second pinch roller sets spaced apart from one another in the transport direction, each pinch roller set including two pairs of pinch rollers spaced apart from one another in the lateral direction, each pair forming a nip for pinching and driving the sheet with an individually controllable speed; a detection system for detecting a position of the sheet in the lateral direction while the sheet is pinched by the first pinch roller set; and a control system configured for carrying out the following actions: by controlling the speeds of the pinch rollers of the first pinch roller set before the sheet has reached the second pinch roller set, rotating the sheet by a first rotation angle for adjusting a given reference point on a leading part of the sheet to its target position; and when the sheet has left the fi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Sjirk H. Koekebakker, Joseph A. Schulkes, Johan P. Smits
  • Patent number: 11451682
    Abstract: A document feeding apparatus includes a document tray, a feed roller, a separation conveying unit, a first detecting unit and a control unit. The first detecting unit detects that the document is at the first detecting position when a protrusion amount of a flag member is a first amount and detects that no document is at the first detecting position when the protrusion amount is a second amount. The control unit executes an operation in a first mode in which a first detecting process is executed so as to detect the presence or absence of the document before starting to lower the feed roller and the presence or absence is determined, and in a second mode in which a second detecting process is executed so as to detect the presence or absence at the first detecting position after lowering said feed roller and the presence or absence is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Yoshiwara
  • Patent number: 11420841
    Abstract: A sheet stacker includes a housing, a fence, a first distance measurement sensor, and a second distance measurement sensor. The fence is movable in a fence moving direction on the housing and is configured to regulate a position of an end of a sheet. The first distance measurement sensor is configured to measure a distance between the fence and a first portion of the housing, the first portion being on one side of the housing with respect to the fence in the fence moving direction. The second distance measurement sensor is configured to measure a distance between the fence and a second portion of the housing, the second portion being on another side of the housing with respect to the fence in the fence moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Ebihara
  • Patent number: 11409217
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control a conveyance portion to apply a first suction force to a circumferential surface while conveying a sheet from a transfer portion to a fixing portion by a conveyance portion. The controller is configured to execute a first switching process of switching the suction force applied to the circumferential surface from the first suction force to the second suction force while rotating the belt, in a case where a leading end of the sheet has reached the fixing nip portion in a state in which the sheet is nipped by the transfer nip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sho Matsui
  • Patent number: 11402787
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a plurality of feed rollers spaced in a direction perpendicular to a medium conveying direction, each of the feed rollers rotating independently at a respective speed to feed a medium, a plurality of brake rollers, each of the plurality of brake rollers being located to face a corresponding one of the plurality of feed rollers, a plurality of torque limiters separately provided between one of rotation shafts of the plurality of brake rollers and a corresponding one of the plurality of brake rollers, and a processor to detect a skew of the medium, and correct the skew of the medium by changing the speed of one of the plurality of feed rollers when the skew of the medium is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Umi, Shigeharu Okano
  • Patent number: 11345559
    Abstract: There is provided a sheet conveyance device that includes a first conveyance roller and a second conveyance roller that are arranged at a position other than a center in a direction of sheet width in a sheet conveyance path, a roller selector that selects the first conveyance roller or the second conveyance roller as a roller to convey a sheet, and a controller that causes the roller selector to select the first conveyance roller or the second conveyance roller. The first conveyance roller is made of a material that causes a speed of the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance roller in contact with the first conveyance roller to be higher than a rotation speed of the first conveyance roller. The second conveyance roller is made of a material that causes a speed of the sheet conveyed by the second conveyance roller in contact with the second conveyance roller to be lower than a rotation speed of the second conveyance roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Makoto Fujii
  • Patent number: 11339019
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for document handling. Non-vision detection systems may be capable of detecting the dimensions, orientation, and/or position of a single sheet, or multiple stacked sheets. A document scanning arrangement may be capable of double sided scanning for sheets with various characteristics. The systems and methods provided may accommodate high throughput and rapid digitization of various types of documents, at a high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: RIPCORD INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Christopher Hall, Jens Jordan Hurley, Jonathan Floyd Grubb, Joseph David Dills Hartnagle, Arthur Joseph Petron, Alex Fielding, Kevin Jon Olson
  • Patent number: 11298910
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a sheet folding unit disposed to fold a sheet and a conveyance unit disposed to feed the sheet to the sheet folding unit in a feed direction orthogonal to a fold direction of the sheet folding unit while correcting a skew of the sheet. The conveyance unit includes an elongated reference guide, a conveyance mechanism disposed to convey the sheet in the feed direction while exerting a force on the sheet toward the reference guide, an adjustment mechanism disposed to adjust an inclination of the reference guide with respect to the feed direction. The apparatus further includes an input unit through which a user inputs a folding misalignment amount of the sheet folded by the sheet folding unit. The inclination of the reference guide is corrected by the adjustment mechanism based on at least the folding misalignment amount inputted through the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: HORIZON INTERNATONAL INC.
    Inventors: Hideaki Tabuchi, Hiroki Yamamoto, Shigeru Wakimoto, Yoshikazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11267241
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeder, a sheet conveyor, a line head, an image sensor, a moving mechanism, and a controller. The image sensor has a reading width in the main scanning direction smaller than main scanning direction widths of a largest printable size paper sheet. In setting for using a large width sheet, a controller controls a moving mechanism to move the image sensor toward one side so that a one side edge of the large width sheet can be read. Based on read image data obtained by reading, the controller recognizes a deviation direction and a deviation amount of a position of the conveyed large width sheet in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Masaaki Nishihara
  • Patent number: 11161134
    Abstract: A method of applying a coating product on a surface of a part, this method being carried out using an applicator including at least one row of nozzles, among which at least the first nozzle in the row includes a valve, the method including moving the applicator in a first direction to apply a first layer of coating product, and moving the applicator in a second direction substantially parallel to the first direction to apply a second layer of coating product adjacent to the first layer, comprising measuring at least one application distance of the first nozzle from a point in front of the first nozzle on a path of the applicator, and based on the measured application distance, opening or closing the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: EXEL INDUSTRIES
    Inventors: Cyrille Medard, David Vincent, Cédric Le Strat, Patrick Ballu
  • Patent number: 11148891
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a pair of rotary bodies configured to convey a sheet and correct a positional deviation of the sheet, a pair of downstream side sheet conveying bodies disposed downstream from the pair of rotary bodies in a sheet conveying direction and configured to convey the sheet, and a detector configured to detect separation of the pair of rotary bodies. The pair of rotary bodies moves the sheet by moving from a home position on a sheet conveyance passage through which the sheet passes. The pair of rotary bodies moves to the home position while the pair of downstream side sheet conveying bodies is conveying the sheet, in response to detection of the separation of the pair of rotary bodies by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Arai, Takehiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 11066263
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first detector to detect an angle deviation of a recording medium to a sheet conveying direction, a second detector to detect a lateral shift of the recording medium to a width direction, a third detector to detect at least one of the angle deviation and the lateral shift after correction of the angle deviation detected by the first detector and the lateral shift detected by the second detector, and a rotary body to perform a primary movement by (1) rotating in the sheet conveying direction and returning to a reference position and by (2) moving in the width direction and returning to the reference position, and a secondary movement by performing at least one of (1) and (2) after the primary movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Yamane, Hiromichi Matsuda, Katsuaki Miyawaki, Koichi Kudo, Tetsuo Watanabe, Toshihiro Okamoto, Hideyuki Takayama, Atsuyuki Oyamada
  • Patent number: 10988335
    Abstract: A transporting apparatus (for example, image reading apparatus) includes a transporting mechanism that transports a document along a transporting path and a processing unit that determines an inclination error of the document. The processing unit determines whether or not the inclination error has occurred in accordance with a document size and a tilt angle of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirayama, Wataru Beppu
  • Patent number: 10913628
    Abstract: A deskew module of a valuable media depository is selectively controlled to operate in two deskew modes of operation. One deskew mode of operation selectively activates a single angle drive idler in a first cell while simultaneously activating a single straight drive idler in second cell, which forces the media to self-align against an edge of the deskew module for exiting the deskew module deskewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Widsten, Jason Michael Gillier
  • Patent number: 10911630
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a discharging unit that discharges an original document read by a reading unit to a stacker, in which a controller of the image reading apparatus discharges a first original document at a first transporting speed caused when the original document specified from an original document length measured by the measuring unit is the first original document and discharges a second original document at a second transporting speed slower than the first transporting speed caused when the original document is the second original document longer than the first original document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Yoshikaie, Kazuhiko Arimori
  • Patent number: 10899566
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a banknote validator. The banknote validator comprises a banknote path formed within an interior of the banknote validator to transport a banknote from an opening of the banknote path through an interior of the banknote validator, a banknote imaging zone defined within a portion of the banknote path, the banknote imaging zone including a reflective region in a first portion of the banknote imaging zone, and a dark region in a second portion of the banknote imaging zone, and an image sensor configured to capture one or more images of at least a portion of the banknote imaging zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Fatiha Anouar, Mustafa Emresoy, Michael David Nunn, Ruben-Dario Gonzalez-Lizcano, Vasily Bobryshev
  • Patent number: 10875730
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a detector configured to detect an attitude of a conveyance target medium, a corrector configured to perform a correcting operation based on a detection result of the detector, and circuitry configured to calculate an angular displacement correction amount and a lateral displacement correction amount of the conveyance target medium, cause the corrector to perform the correcting operation in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, based on the lateral displacement correction amount, after the corrector grips the conveyance target medium, and cause the corrector to rotate by the angular displacement correction amount of the conveyance target medium before the corrector grips the conveyance target medium and to perform the correcting operation in a direction of rotation of the conveyance target medium, based on the angular displacement correction amount, after the corrector grips the conveyance target medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eri Uchida, Motoharu Takahashi, Yuichiro Maeyama, Tomohiro Egawa
  • Patent number: 10875728
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and a post processing device, includes multiple position detectors and a position corrector. The multiple position detectors are aligned along a sheet conveying direction and configured to detect a side end of a sheet. The position corrector is configured to convey the sheet and correct a position of the sheet based on a positional deviation amount of the sheet, obtained by a detection result of the multiple position detectors. The positional deviation amount of the sheet is obtained by an extreme downstream position detector in the sheet conveying direction, of the multiple position detectors. A position of a subsequent sheet is corrected based on a sum of the positional deviation amount of the sheet and a positional deviation amount of the subsequent sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yamane, Hiromichi Matsuda, Tetsuo Watanabe, Katsuaki Miyawaki, Hideyuki Takayama
  • Patent number: 10773913
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive device, a pair of sheet holding rollers to convey a sheet in a sheet conveying direction, a gate to which a leading end of the sheet contacts, a first detector disposed upstream from the pair of sheet holding rollers to detect a position of the sheet and a second detector disposed downstream from the pair of sheet holding rollers to detect a position of the sheet. The pair of sheet holding rollers performs a primary correction to detect and correct a lateral displacement amount of the sheet by moving the pair of sheet holding rollers while holding the sheet, and then performs a secondary correction to detect and correct at least one of a subsequent lateral displacement of the sheet and an angular displacement of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tohru Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10773912
    Abstract: A center-alignment apparatus for use in an ATM has a transport mechanism to transport a document into the ATM. One or more plates operable in tandem to move the document toward a centerline of a path the document is to travel. Edge-detection sensor(s) on the plate sense an edge of the document when the plate(s) is moved toward the centerline. A translate/rotate mechanism translates and rotates the document while the translate/rotate mechanism transversely moves the document toward the center until another edge-detection sensor detects an edge of the document to create a parallel-aligned document. The control logic controls the plate(s) to centers the parallel-aligned document about the centerline to create a centered document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
    Inventors: William Daniel Beskitt, Jasen James Smolk
  • Patent number: 10703596
    Abstract: A medium carrying device includes a first stopper, a second stopper, a lever, and a mechanism that, when the lever is positioned in a blocking area, places the first stopper at a first blocking position and places the second stopper at a second blocking position, when the lever is positioned in a opening area, releases the first stopper to be positioned at a first opening position and releases the second stopper to be positioned at a second opening position. When the lever is positioned at a boundary position in between the blocking area and the opening area, a lever portion of the lever gets positioned in between a first stopper portion of the first stopper positioned at the first blocking position and a second stopper portion of the second stopper positioned at the second blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: PFU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shogo Yoshita
  • Patent number: 10683182
    Abstract: A page registration system may include, in an example, a media edge sensor to detect a location of an edge of a print media along a media feed path and in a direction non-parallel to the media feed path and a calibration sensor downstream of the media edge sensor to detect changes in the location of the edge of the print media in the direction non-parallel to the media feed path, and provide calibration data to the page registration system to correct changes in the location of the edge of the print media in the direction non-parallel to the media feed path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Elliott Downing, Steve O Rasmussen, Al Olson
  • Patent number: 10618759
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes: a sheet stacking part on which a sheet is stacked; a tilt detection sensor arranged on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet of the sheet stacking part, and which detects a tail end in the conveying direction in the conveyed sheet; a pair of correction rollers arranged on a downstream side in the conveying direction of the tilt detection sensor and arranged immediately before an upstream side in the conveying direction of the sheet stacking part, and which corrects a tilt of the sheet; and a sheet holder that holds the sheet with the tilt corrected by the pair of correction rollers, and conveys and stacks the sheet on the sheet stacking part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Anezaki
  • Patent number: 10488805
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes the following. An upstream second conveying roller and a downstream second conveying roller form a loop on the long sheet. A deviation amount detector detects a deviation amount of the long sheet. A loop amount detector detects a loop amount in two positions in a width direction. A speed controller controls a rotating speed of the upstream second conveying roller and the downstream second conveying roller based on a deviation amount and a difference of loop amounts in two positions. Each of the upstream second conveying roller and the downstream second conveying roller includes a near roller and a far roller. The speed controller controls the rotating speed of the near roller and the far roller based on the deviation amount and the difference of the loop amounts in the two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Satoshi Miyajima, Takanobu Shiki, Hiroshi Oyama, Remi Ishikawa, Tadayuki Ueda
  • Patent number: 10435261
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a plurality of conveyors provided along a sheet conveying direction; a plurality of main driving parts that is respectively provided to the plurality of conveyors and independently drives the conveyors; an auxiliary driving part that drives the plurality of conveyors; and a transmitter that transmits driving force between the plurality of conveyors and transmits driving force of the auxiliary driving part to the plurality of conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Miyajima, Takanobu Shiki, Tadayuki Ueda, Hiroshi Oyama, Remi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10377128
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a web in a printing apparatus The printing apparatus includes a transport assembly for moving the web through a transport path along a printing unit for printing an image onto a print area of the web. The method includes feeding the web from a supply roll through the transport path to the transport assembly; and switching the printing apparatus to a ready-to-print mode, wherein the printing unit does not print an image on the web and the web is maintained ready to be printed on. In a printing mode after the ready-to print mode, the following steps are performed: moving the web through the transport path in a transport direction along the printing unit by the transport assembly; and printing the image onto the print area of the web by the printing unit. The image is printed by applying an image material, which solidifies on the web during the printing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: OCÉ HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Lodewijk T. Holtman, Maurice J. C. Lemmens, Jeroen J. G. Coenen
  • Patent number: 10370212
    Abstract: A registration system includes nip rollers for conveying a sheet in a process direction when the nip rollers are in an engaged position, and first and second sets of omnidirectional rollers arranged perpendicularly to each other, for conveying the sheet in the process and cross-process directions, respectively. The omnidirectional rollers each allow the sheet to slide, relative to the omnidirectional roller, in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the omnidirectional roller. The nip-rollers are movable from the engaged position to a disengaged position, in which the first pair of omnidirectional rollers convey the sheet in the process direction. A feedback system includes sensors for determining registration errors of the sheet and a control system controls the omnidirectional rollers to reduce the registration errors in the sheet while the nip-rollers are in the disengaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Douglas Atwood, Robert W. Phelps, Paul F. Sawicki, John R. Uchal, James Edward Williams
  • Patent number: 10227194
    Abstract: In a sheet conveyor, a stopper piece of a sheet stopper temporarily stops a sheet supported on a sheet tray, and a pickup roller conveys the sheet from the sheet tray in a sheet conveying direction. A first sheet sensor disposed upstream of a registration roller and downstream of the stopper piece in the sheet conveying direction detects a leading edge of the sheet, and a second sheet sensor disposed downstream of the registration roller detects the leading edge of the sheet. A first contact member of the first sheet sensor receives the leading edge of the sheet. A second contact member of the second sheet sensor receives the leading edge of the sheet. The stopper piece, the first contact member, and the second contact member are offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction and unaligned with each other in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michio Fujioka
  • Patent number: 10189670
    Abstract: A paper sheet handling machine (for example, a banknote handling machine (10)) includes: a storage unit (for example, an escrow unit (20), banknote storages (30), a banknote storage cassette (40)) configured to store a paper sheet transported from a transport unit (16); and a shifting unit (19) provided in the transport unit (16) and configured to shift the paper sheet transported by the transport unit (16), in a width direction orthogonal to a direction in which the paper sheet is transported, according to a position, in the width direction, of a specific member (for example, a tape (136) in the escrow unit (20), a pair of feed rollers of a banknote feeding mechanism (32, 42) provided in the banknote storages (30), a banknote storage cassette (40)) in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yokawa, Kazuaki Nishimura, Hirokazu Goto
  • Patent number: 10162298
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming part that forms an image on a sheet; a conveyor that conveys the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming part; a corrector including a swing member that moves the sheet conveyed by the conveyor in a main scanning direction of the image; and a hardware processor that rotates the image formed on the sheet after timing at which the swing member loses contact with the sheet when the swing member separates from the sheet or the sheet is conveyed to pass through the swing member in accordance with a bending amount of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiteru Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10114327
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a sheet; a sheet moving motor configured to move the sheet in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet; and a controller configured to determine a movement amount of the sheet to be moved by the sheet moving motor for each sheet, wherein the controller sets a first movement amount for a first sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the first sheet, the controller sets a second movement amount for a second sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the second sheet, and controls the sheet moving motor such that the first sheet is moved in the width direction by the first movement amount when an image is formed on a second side of the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 10035365
    Abstract: An example disclosed media processing device includes an image processing unit; a first optical registration sensor; and a second optical registration sensor spaced apart from the first optical registration sensor along a first axis by a first distance associated with a gap between media units on a web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Clive Hohberger, David Womack, Bruce N. Alleshouse, James Clark, Wolfgang Strobel
  • Patent number: 10011447
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a pair of rollers for conveying paper; a rocking mechanism for rocking the pair of rollers in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction, the first direction being a paper conveying direction; an upstream pair of rollers provided upstream of the pair of rollers in the paper conveying direction for conveying the paper; an upstream rocking mechanism corresponding to the upstream pair of rollers for rocking the upstream pair of rollers in the second direction; a first paper detector for detecting an end position of the paper in the second direction; and a controller controlling the rocking mechanism based on the paper end position to effect first rocking correction in which the pair of rollers is rocked, wherein the controller controls the upstream rocking mechanism to effect second rocking correction in which only the upstream pair of rollers is rocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masakazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10005631
    Abstract: A lateral positioning device (100) for a sheet element (20, 20?) in a sheet element processing machine; a detector lever (130) articulated relative to a horizontal axis, which performs a descending movement from a high position to a low position; a first end (132) of the detector lever (130) contacts, in a low position of the lever, with an upper face of the sheet element. A second end (133) of the detector lever (130) is fitted with a target (135) that cooperates with a position detector (140) to generate a signal dependent on the thickness of the sheet element (20, 20?) and the number of sheet elements (20, 20?) present at the level of the first end (132) of the detector lever (130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: BOBST MEX SA
    Inventors: Pierre-Frédéric Collomb, Yang Du, Daniel Hermann, David Guillaume-Gentil
  • Patent number: 9992370
    Abstract: A double-sided image reading device that reads an image on a first side of a document when the document that is being delivered through a feeding path passes a first reading part and thereafter reads an image on a second side of the document opposite to the first side when the document passes a second reading part, the double-sided image reading device including: an S-shaped path provided between the first reading part and the second reading part of the feeding path and including a lower end of a first curved path in a document feeding direction and an upper end of a second curved path curved to the side opposite to the first curved path in the document feeding direction connected to each other; and a pressing guide configured to press the document that is being delivered through the first curved path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Morioka
  • Patent number: 9975364
    Abstract: In some examples, a method of controlling printing to a print medium includes, while printing an image to a print surface of the print medium, determining deformations of slices of the image caused by deformation of the print medium. The determining includes reading first fiducial marks printed on the print medium, determining a first deformation of a first slice of the slices based on the first fiducial marks, reading second fiducial marks printed on the print medium, and determining a second deformation of a second slice of the slices based on the second fiducial marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Secundino Vicente Vicente, Xavier Domingo Reguant, Li Qian, Annarosa Multari
  • Patent number: 9975715
    Abstract: A document sheet conveyance device includes an inner guide and an outer guide defining a curved sheet conveyance passage for allowing conveyance of a document sheet from a document sheet feeding section to a predetermined document reading position, and a movable guide projectable into the sheet conveyance passage. The outer guide includes an outer curved guide surface defining an outer surface of the sheet conveyance passage. The inner guide includes an inner curved guide surface defining an inner surface of the sheet conveyance passage, and a first flat part. The movable guide includes a projecting portion projectable into the sheet conveyance passage, and a second flat part provided in the projecting portion. The movable guide is attached to the outer guide in such a way as to allow the first and second flat parts to face each other with the projecting portion projecting in the sheet conveyance passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kakuta, Kikunosuke Tsuji
  • Patent number: 9919886
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a pair of first rollers configured to nip a paper sheet in a reference position and convey the paper sheet, the pair of first rollers being pressed against each other; and a control unit configured to control operation of the pair of first rollers to correct a positional deviation in a width direction of the paper sheet, by moving the pair of first rollers from the reference position in the width direction perpendicular to a direction of conveyance of the paper sheet, wherein, the control unit controls the operation of the pair of rollers, to complete a series of operations for the pair of rollers to separate from each other, to return to the reference position, and to be again pressed against each other, before a bottom edge of the paper sheet nipped by the pair of rollers passes through the pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takahiro Okubo, Akihiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 9906665
    Abstract: Scanning devices include an input tray shaped to hold scannable items before scanning, an output tray shaped to hold the scannable items after scanning, a series of opposing belts positioned to transport the scannable items from the input tray to the output tray, and a round roller contacting a drum belt of the opposing belts. The opposing belts are positioned to have each of the scannable items constantly be held between the opposing belts or between the round roller and the drum belt of the opposing belts while the opposing belts are transporting the scannable items from the input tray to the output tray. A scanner is positioned in a gap between two of the opposing belts, and the gap is in a process direction that the opposing belts are moving the scannable items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Prince Bastin Philip, Michael John Wilsher, Simon N. Jowett, Jeremy Lewis