Responsive To Sheet-sensor Patents (Class 271/227)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9904952
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system for dynamically optimizing inventory picking paths within a physical store. The system performs operations including receiving merchandise requests from customers, providing the merchandise requests to merchandise pickers, and receiving, from the merchandise pickers, picking data identifying picking paths executed by the merchandise pickers when picking items within the physical store to fulfill the merchandise requests. The operations further include analyzing the merchandise requests and the picking data to identify an algorithm suitable for determining an optimized picking path, and, in response to receiving a new merchandise request, applying the algorithm to determine an optimized picking path for fulfilling the new merchandise request. The optimized picking path is provided to at least one of the merchandise pickers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mukesh M. Nair, Peter E. Stubbs
  • Patent number: 9896291
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first conveying portion conveying a sheet, a second conveying portion including an abutment portion against which a front end of the sheet conveyed by the first conveying portion abuts and conveying the sheet, a curved guide including a curved portion and forming a curved sheet conveying path between the first and second conveying portions, and a moving portion disposed to overlap widthwise with the curved portion and movable between a projecting position where the moving portion projects to the sheet conveying path and a recede position where the moving portion recedes. The moving portion is moved to from the projecting position to the recede position by being pressed by the sheet as the sheet is conveyed by the first conveying portion in a state in which the front end of the sheet abuts against the abutment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadahisa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9811767
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on image data generated based on an image of a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction, comprising: a horizontal edge detection unit configured to detect a horizontal edge included in the image data; a slanted edge detection unit configured to detect a slanted edge adjoining the horizontal edge included in the image data; a calculation unit configured to calculate coordinates of a distal end of the slanted edge, the other distal end of the slanted edge adjoining the horizontal edge; and a coordinate calculating unit configured to calculate coordinates related to an edge of the recording medium based on the horizontal edge and the coordinates of the distal end calculated by the calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takumi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 9737802
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for recognizing objects placed together using capacitance sensors in conjunction with the RFID technology. A structure that is made with a material of high dielectric constant and a RFID tag that comprises a unique identification code (UID) of an object is embedded with the object. With the objects recognized, the spatial structure or the spatial distribution formed by them is derived and corresponding sensory feedbacks are provided by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventors: Zheng Shi, Chunjiang Liu
  • Patent number: 9725251
    Abstract: A sheet processing system comprising: a plurality of sheet processing apparatuses; a conveying unit conveying a container containing a plurality of sheets; a distribution unit for distributing the container to any one of the plurality of sheet processing apparatuses; an identification information reading unit for obtaining identification information from the container; a communication unit for receiving information about the paper sheets contained in the container; and a controller for controlling a distribution destination of the container, on the basis of information about processing situations of the plurality of sheet processing apparatuses, the identification information about the container, and the information about the sheets contained in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ayaka Nakanishi, Hisashi Oosawa
  • Patent number: 9721194
    Abstract: There is provided an input device which accepts input with a simple operation. A printing device 100 is an input device which accepts the input of input data, including a motion detection section 100a, a determination section, and an acquisition section 100d. The motion detection section 100a detects the motion of the input device. The determination section determines whether an input condition is met. When the determination section determines that the input condition is met, the acquisition section 100d acquires a trajectory of the input device based on the motion of the input device detected by the motion detection section 100a to acquire, as input data, the layout of a pattern corresponding to the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi Naruse
  • Patent number: 9707780
    Abstract: A printing device includes a roller; a stepper motor; a head; and a controller. The roller is for conveying a printing medium in a conveying direction. The stepper motor is configured to rotate in synchronization with a pulse signal and rotate the roller. The head is configured to perform printing on the printing medium conveyed by the roller. The controller is configured to perform: decelerating the stepper motor from a first speed to a second speed; identifying a rotational speed of the stepper motor during deceleration of the stepper motor; performing synchronous printing in which the head is driven at timing in synchronization with the pulse signal when the rotational speed is greater than or equal to a prescribed speed; and performing timer printing in which the head is driven at a prescribed period when the rotational speed is less than the prescribed speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Jumpei Takata
  • Patent number: 9617109
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a casing; a sheet-feeder tray having a supporting surface for supporting a sheet-shaped recording medium; a recording unit which is configured to record an image on the recording medium fed from the sheet-feeder tray; a discharge roller pair configured to discharge, from the casing, the recording medium on which the image has been recorded by the recording unit; an opening-closing member which is provided on the downstream of the discharge roller pair in a direction in which the recording medium is discharged by the discharge roller pair and is rotatable between a first position where a discharging slot of the recording medium discharged by the discharge roller pair is closed and a second position where the discharging slot is open; and a restricting mechanism configured to restrict the rotation of the opening-closing member from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhira Ota, Noriyuki Kawamata, Motohiro Okamura
  • Patent number: 9567174
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a delivery roller that contacts a sheet on a sheet supply tray to deliver the sheet; a first detection sensor disposed upstream of the delivery roller so as to detect the sheet on the sheet supply tray; and a second detection sensor disposed downstream of the delivery roller so as to detect a leading end portion of the sheet on the sheet supply tray. The delivery roller is activated in a state where the first detection sensor detects the sheet on the sheet supply tray while the second detection sensor does not detect the leading end portion of the sheet on the sheet supply tray. Thus, all the actually feedable sheets placed on the sheet supply tray can be fed, thereby reducing a sheet setting failure on the sheet supply tray, which reduces trouble of performing a re-set operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Tsuyuki, Yoshihiko Minagawa, Koji Ueda
  • Patent number: 9550643
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention includes: a pair of conveying rollers 13 which nips and conveys a sheet; a reference member 31 which determines the position of a side edge of the sheet along the sheet conveyance direction; a plurality of pairs of skew feeding correcting rollers 32 which nip and convey the sheet conveyed by the pair of conveying rollers 13 and draw the side edge of the sheet to the reference member 31; and a switching unit which switches the pair of conveying rollers 13 and the pairs of skew feeding correcting rollers 32 between a state of nipping the sheet and a state of nip releasing the sheet, the switching unit releasing the nip of the sheet by the pair of conveying rollers 13 after the conveyed sheet is nipped by at least two of the pairs of skew feeding correcting rollers 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: So Matsumoto, Takashi Fujita
  • Patent number: 9365371
    Abstract: A sheet width aligning device includes an elevator tray, a pair of guides, and a pinion. The pinion is rotatably supported by inserting a shaft portion into a shaft hole formed in the pinion. The shaft portion projects from the elevator tray. The sheet width aligning device is configured to move the pair of guides so as to increase or decrease the distance between the guides in operative association with the pair of racks meshed with the pinion. The sheet width aligning device includes a pressing mechanism. The pressing mechanism is provided on the back face side of the elevator tray and includes an abutment member that abuts against the pinion. The pressing mechanism separates the abutment member away from the pinion at the lower position, while abutting the abutment member against the pinion to press the pinion at the upper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Tahara
  • Patent number: 9309076
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus capable of shortening time to align sheets. A first alignment member and a second alignment member are movable in a sheet width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction, and align a sheet. A CPU controls the first and second alignment members to be moved in the sheet width direction. A skew sensor detects a skew amount and skew direction of the sheet. The CPU causes the first and second alignment members to be positioned at respective predetermined standby positions before the sheet is received between the first and second alignment member. Further, the CPU causes one of the first and second alignment members to be moved in a direction toward the sheet, based on the detected skew amount and skew direction, during conveyance of the sheet between the first and second alignment members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Taishi Tomii
  • Patent number: 9309077
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for receiving and positioning veneers fed by a conveyor belt. The apparatus includes grippers controlled to be independently movable, for gripping the veneers, and detection means for detecting the location and/or position of the veneers on a conveyor belt. At least one gripper is disposed on both sides of the feeding direction center line of the veneer. The grippers are arranged to reciprocate at least in the feeding direction of the veneers, to grip each successive veneer on its leading edge side, and to align the leading edge side of the veneer to correspond to the position of the veneer in the veneer assembly, in response to information provided by the detection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Inventors: Marko Perttilä, Pertti Auvinen, Pekka Runonen
  • Patent number: 9291977
    Abstract: Provided is a printing medium conveying unit that includes: a first contact section; a second contact section disposed adjacent to the first contact section in a first direction; a printing medium conveying section configured to convey a printing medium in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction, in which the printing medium conveying section allows a first edge in the first direction of the printing medium to come into contact with one of the first contact section and the second contact section to displace one of the first contact section and the second contact section in the first direction; and a position detecting section configured to detect a position in the first direction of the first edge, based on an amount of the displacement of one of the first contact section and the second contact section that has come into contact with the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Kitamura
  • Patent number: 9242824
    Abstract: A transport mechanism includes a guide member that guides a transport object, which has a leading end and a trailing end, to be transported. The guide member includes a curved portion that is a curved portion of the guide member. The transport mechanism also includes a transport member that is disposed downstream of the curved portion in a transport direction in which the transport object is transported along the guide member, transports the transport object, and moves the transport object in an intersecting direction that intersects the transport direction. In the transport mechanism, when a length of the transport object in the transport direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined specified length that is greater than a distance between the transport member and the curved portion, the transport member does not move the transport object in the intersecting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mizuki Arai, Naohito Otsuki, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Yoichi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 9207619
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section; a pair of registration rollers; a displacement detection section; a displacement correction section; a translation amount determination section; and a control section configured to refer to a translation control table, operate the displacement correction section in accordance with a translation command value corresponding to a detection result obtained by the displacement detection section, obtain at a predetermined timing a relationship between the translation command value and a translation amount of the sheet, and update the translation control table on the basis of the relationship. The control section updates the translation control table when a displacement of a sheet is correctable, but does not update the translation control table when a displacement of a sheet is correctable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kawabata, Yusuke Kawanago, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 9197775
    Abstract: An image reading device includes: a placement stage on which document sheets bearing respective images are placed; a pair of guide members that hold the document sheets placed on the placement stage between them and guide a document sheet when it is conveyed, at least one of the pair of guide members being movable in a width direction that is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the document sheets placed on the placement stage; an interval-between-guide-members detecting unit that detects an interval between the pair of guide members; a document sheet conveying unit that conveys the document sheets placed on the placement stage sequentially one by one and thereby causes the document sheets to pass a reading position; a document reading unit as defined herein; a first inclination correction unit as defined herein; and a correction mode switching control unit as defined herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Koda, Akira Yamazaki, Tsuyoshi Mabara
  • Patent number: 9150039
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that can detect a leading edge of a tabbed sheet after skew correction with high accuracy and without increasing a size of the apparatus. A transfer unit transfers a toner image to the sheet, the skew of which having been corrected based on a detection result of a first skew detection unit, while the toner image is controlled to be synchronized with the sheet based on the detection result of the first skew detection unit and a detection result of a second skew detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaaki Moriya
  • Patent number: 9141066
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus that is capable of setting a sheet conveyance distance from a first detection to a second detection according to a sheet length. A sensor unit on which first and second sensors are arranged in a sheet width direction to detect a side end of a sheet in the sheet width direction. A moving unit moves the sensor unit in the sheet width direction. A setting unit sets up a second movement speed based on the sheet length obtained. A control unit controls the moving unit so as to move the sensor unit at a first movement speed, and so as to move the sensor unit at the second movement speed until the end section is detected by the second sensor after the side end is detected by the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukatsu, Taishi Tomii
  • Patent number: 9137403
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first conveying path which connects between a sheet feed portion and a sheet discharging portion, and on which a image forming portion is arranged. The image forming apparatus further includes a second conveying path configured to guide the sheet on which the image has been formed on one surface thereof by the image forming portion to the first conveying path again, a document conveying path, and a reading portion. The document conveying path includes a document feeding path, a document discharging path, and a common conveying path which serves as at least a part of the second conveying path, and guides the document from a document feed portion to a document discharging portion through the document feeding path, the common conveying path and the document discharging path without causing the document to pass through the image forming position. The reading portion reads a first face and a second face of the document which is fed from the document feed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogata, Ichiro Yasumaru, Kazushi Ino, Hiroshi Kato, Daisuke Kaneko, Tomoyuki Iwakoshi, Hiroto Endo
  • Patent number: 9126791
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus includes a pair of registration rollers configured to convey a print medium to a printing unit of a printing machine in a conveyance direction, a motor configured to rotate the registration rollers, and a controller configured to control the motor such that after the print medium strikes the registration rollers and thereby forms a predetermined amount of slack in the print medium, the motor starts rotating the registration rollers to convey the print medium, and the motor stops rotating the registration rollers once the print medium exits the registration rollers. In stopping rotating the registration rollers, the controller is configured to drive the motor to generate torque in a reverse rotational direction opposite from a rotational direction in which the motor generates torque to convey the print medium in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9126778
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a feed section, a transport section, a transport position adjuster, and a load-position moving unit. The feed section feeds a sheet. The transport section transports the sheet fed from the feed section. The transport position adjuster adjusts a position of the sheet in an intersecting direction that intersects with a transport direction of the sheet transported by the transport section. The load-position moving unit moves the position, in the intersecting direction, of the sheet loaded in the feed section so as to reduce an adjustment amount by which the position is adjusted in the intersecting direction by the transport position adjuster if the adjustment amount is larger than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuyoshi Kimura, Yoshinori Koike, Takehiko Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9075375
    Abstract: A driving device includes a motor, a pulley, a metal belt, a first unit, a second unit, a biasing member and a detector. The motor includes a drive shaft. The pulley includes an output shaft extending in parallel to the drive shaft. The pulley is rotatably supported on the first unit with the output shaft as a rotary shaft and the circumferential surface is arranged at a distance from the drive shaft in a radial direction of the rotation. The second unit supports the motor and is slidable relative to the first unit. The biasing member biases the second unit in a direction to move the drive shaft away from the output shaft in a state where the metal belt is mounted between the drive shaft and the pulley. The detector detects a change in an inter-axial distance between the drive shaft and the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Tsuji, Akihiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9045296
    Abstract: A conveying device includes a pair of first nipping rollers configured to be movable in a width direction while nipping a recording medium and rotate to convey the recording medium; a pair of second nipping rollers configured to be movable in the width direction while nipping the recording medium and rotate to convey the recording medium, the pair of second nipping rollers being arranged on an upstream side of the first nipping rollers in a conveying path; and a detecting unit configured to detect an amount of positional deviation in the width direction of the recording medium being conveyed in the conveying path. The pair of first nipping rollers is moved in the width direction based on a detection result of the detecting unit while the pair of first nipping rollers nips the recording medium so that a positional deviation of the recording medium in the width direction is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Tohru Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20150130128
    Abstract: Sheet length data is received for printed media sheets passed through a printing device. A length difference between the printed media sheets is calculated, and in response to the length difference exceeding a specified threshold, an alignment correction in a finishing device is initiated to align the printed media sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Lior JOSEPH, Avihay MENASHE, Itzik KENT
  • Publication number: 20150115525
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a moving unit configured to move a conveyance unit nipping the sheet in the width direction such that in a case where the position of the end of the sheet in the width direction detected by the detection unit is separated from a reference position by an amount which is greater than a first predetermined amount and less than or equal to a second predetermined amount, the moving unit to move the conveyance unit by a third predetermined amount which is less than or equal to the first predetermined amount, and to perform control, in a case where the position of the end of the sheet in the width direction detected by the detection unit is separated from the reference position by an amount which is greater than the second predetermined amount, to perform abnormality processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Kohei Deno
  • Patent number: 9016688
    Abstract: A system comprises a conveying unit configured to convey an original, a reading unit configured to read the original that is being conveyed by the conveying unit, a printing unit configured to print an image on a paper based on an image of the original read by the reading unit, a determination unit configured to determine an orientation of the original according to the image obtained by reading the original with the reading unit, and a deciding unit configured to decide an orientation of an image that is to be printed on the original, according to the orientation of the original determined by the determination unit, wherein the printing unit prints the image on the original, in the orientation of the image decided by the deciding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daijiro Miyamoto, Makiya Tamura
  • Publication number: 20150097333
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a feed section, a transport section, a transport position adjuster, and a load-position moving unit. The feed section feeds a sheet. The transport section transports the sheet fed from the feed section. The transport position adjuster adjusts a position of the sheet in an intersecting direction that intersects with a transport direction of the sheet transported by the transport section. The load-position moving unit moves the position, in the intersecting direction, of the sheet loaded in the feed section so as to reduce an adjustment amount by which the position is adjusted in the intersecting direction by the transport position adjuster if the adjustment amount is larger than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuyoshi KIMURA, Yoshinori KOIKE, Takehiko KOIZUMI
  • 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: 8985578
    Abstract: A sheet aligning device may include a sheet conveyance path; a detecting unit configured to detect a side edge of a sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path; a stopper on an upstream side of the detecting unit and configured to open/close so as to allow/prevent passage of the sheet and to position a leading edge of the sheet; a first conveying unit on an upstream side of the stopper, the first conveying unit including a pair of first rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; a second conveying unit on an upstream side of the first conveying unit, the second conveying unit including a pair of second rollers configured to come in contact with/separate from each other; and a horizontal movement unit configured to move the pair of first rollers in an axial direction based on a detection result output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Muneyasu, Junji Shirakawa, Yutaka Shoji, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8985577
    Abstract: A sheet conveyor device includes a registration roller, an intermediate roller, a first sheet detection section, a first drive controller, a second drive controller, and a third drive controller. The registration roller conveys a sheet toward an image forming section for image formation. The intermediate roller conveys the sheet toward the registration roller. The first sheet detection section is used for optically detecting the sheet between the registration roller and the intermediate roller. The first drive controller drives the intermediate roller, while suspending driving of the registration roller. The second drive controller drives the registration roller when a predetermined conveyance wait period elapses from detection of a sheet by the first sheet detection section. The third drive controller drives the registration roller when a predetermined forced conveyance period elapses from a start of conveyance of the sheet loaded on a sheet loading section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masaaki Maruta
  • Publication number: 20150076763
    Abstract: A paper conveying device includes: a registration roller pair provided along a paper conveying path; a pick-up roller, a paper feed roller and a separation roller for feeding sheets of paper to the paper conveying path; and a controller controlling conveyance of sheets of paper such that when a preceding sheet is stopped at the registration roller pair, a following, succeeding sheet is temporarily stopped at a prescribed position G downstream of a conveying roller in the paper conveying direction, and the succeeding sheet is re-conveyed toward the registration roller pair at a prescribed timing. The controller changes the timing to start re-conveyance of the succeeding sheet in accordance with paper length of the conveyed sheet of paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Norichika Katsura, Kohji Aoki, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Haruhisa Furumoto
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20150054212
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet discriminating device includes a first conveying structure and a second conveying structure that are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other in a conveying direction of a sheet and that are configured to convey the sheet, and an information detecting means that is provided between the first conveying structure and the second conveying structure such that a detection range thereof is not blocked, and that is configured to detect information from the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroaki Fujihara, Seiji Ikari, Tomonori Makino, Masakazu Itoya, Masahiro Nagao, Naoki Hori, Junji Miura
  • Publication number: 20150054217
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet supply tray having a plate for supporting a sheet to be supplied to an image forming unit, a first sheet positioning member configured to move relative to the plate and position the sheet, a moving member including a first detection portion and configured to move in a sheet supply direction in response to movement of the first sheet positioning member, a coupling member coupling the first sheet positioning member and the moving member and configured to move the moving member in response to the movement of the first sheet positioning member in the sheet supply direction, and a restriction mechanism configured to restrict movement of the coupling member according to an amount of the movement of the first sheet positioning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsuo Hirose
  • Patent number: 8958739
    Abstract: A conveying device has a conveying belt configured to convey a sheet. A printing device is configured to print an image on the sheet that is conveyed by the conveying device in a conveying direction. A plurality of sensors is arranged to be spaced away from each other in a main scanning direction that is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The plurality of sensors is configured to emit light to different detection regions on an outer peripheral surface of the conveying belt and to receive light reflected by the conveying belt. A controller is configured to execute a skew-detection-mark printing process of controlling the printing device to print a skew detection mark at positions passing the respective detection regions so that the skew detection mark extends over an end of the sheet in the conveying direction and the outer peripheral surface of the conveying belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 8958120
    Abstract: A print control apparatus includes an obtaining unit and a specification unit. The obtaining unit obtains positional information for specifying positions of ends of a print medium detected by a sensor when the print medium is conveyed along a conveyance path such that a print medium center is aligned with a conveyance path center. The specification unit specifies, when positions of both ends of the print medium are specified by the obtained positional information, a width of the print medium in accordance with the specified positions of both ends, and specifies, when the position of only one end of the print medium is specified by the positional information, a width corresponding to a length twice as long as a distance between the specified position of the one end of the print medium and a position corresponding to the conveyance path center as the width of the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Kitahara
  • Patent number: 8953231
    Abstract: Provided is a document reading apparatus capable of suppressing a shock that may occur when a trailing edge of a tabbed sheet passes through a roller pair. In an image reading section, when a document to be read is the tabbed sheet, a timing to start separation of the roller pair in response to detection of a trailing edge of the document is delayed by a time period corresponding to a tab length with respect to the timing to start separation when a document other than the tabbed sheet is conveyed. Thus, it is possible to prevent the shock when the trailing edge of the tabbed sheet passes through the roller pair, and to thereby suppress image reading failure due to the shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Asahiro Nakayoshi, Kenji Morita, Yohei Katto, Akiko Kanno, Hidenori Sunada, Satoshi Seki
  • Publication number: 20150014918
    Abstract: A system is described for tracking a position of a receiver medium as it travels along a media path. A heat source provides heat to the receiver medium in a localized area sufficient to form a hole through the receiver medium thereby forming a reference mark. A light source illuminates a first side of the receiver medium, and a sensor located on a second side of the receiver medium senses light transmitted through the receiver medium thereby providing a sensed light level signal. The sensed light level signal is analyzed to determine a position of the receiver medium by detecting light transmitted through the hole through the receiver medium associated with the reference mark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Piatt, Robert Edward Kauffman, James Douglas Wolf
  • Patent number: 8925919
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for aligning a bill supplied to a transfer path with a center line of the transfer path. The apparatus includes a fixed support unit which moves a bill in a transfer direction of the transfer path, a movable support unit which is disposed in succession to the fixed support unit and is provided so as to be movable in a lateral direction of the transfer path, a bill position sensor which senses the position of the bill that moves on the fixed support unit and the movable support unit, and a controller which is controls a lateral displacement of the movable support unit in response to information about the position of the bill, thus aligning the bill with the center line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Nautilus Hyosung Inc.
    Inventors: Chang Ho Park, Young Chul Lee, Jin Young Hwang, Jun Young Kim, Jong Seong Park
  • Patent number: 8919770
    Abstract: A printer extracts a media sheet from a plurality of media sheets in a media supply and moves the media sheet along a media path. A plurality of sensors on the media path generate signals as the media sheet moves past the sensors, and the printer identifies a cross-process direction dimension of the media sheet with references to signals generated by the sensors. The printer identifies the dimension of the print medium without requiring media size sensors in the media supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick T. Mattern, Brent Rodney Jones, Joseph Michael Ferrara, Adam Douglas Ledgerwood, Donald Richard Fess, Kenneth Paul Moore, Arthur Kahn, Gordon Byron Reid
  • Publication number: 20140374983
    Abstract: A recording medium setting device includes a base plate on which recording media are set; guide members being moved in a width direction of the recording media that are set on the base plate; a contact detection unit detecting a contact between the guide members and the recording media; an approach unit moving the guide members in a direction so as to sandwich the recording media set on the base plate until the contact detection unit detects the contact between the guide members and the recording media; and an additional approach unit moving the guide members, moved by the approach unit, at a predetermined distance in the direction to squeeze the recording media after the contact detection unit detects the contact between the guide members and the recording media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroshi ADACHI, Yuji IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20140366700
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a first aligner to push lateral edges of a sheet inward across a width direction of the sheet conveyed from an upstream side for alignment of the sheet, the width direction being orthogonal to a moving direction of the sheet; a second aligner to abut a front edge of the sheet conveyed from the upstream side for a predetermined period of time for alignment of the sheet; a first aligner driver to drive the first aligner; a second aligner driver to drive the second aligner; and a controller to control operations of the first aligner driver and the second aligner driver, wherein the controller activates or inactivates the first aligner driver and the second aligner driver depending on a predetermined parameter on the conveyed sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Ryosuke HABARA
  • Patent number: 8910936
    Abstract: When a bill is inserted into the bill acceptor, sensor components sense the insertion of bill, bill-pressing roller set of bill transmission mechanism is driven to press bill, bill-transfer roller set is driven to transfer bill the bill-pressing roller set is released from the bill, and step motors of alignment correction unit are controlled to move correction devices toward each other to align the bill with the center line of bill passage subject to a predetermined number of steps. If the resistance force from bill is larger than the thrust force produced during rotation of step motors, utilize the step loss status of step motors and enable transmission devices to move correction devices away from bill when the rotation of step motors reaches the predetermined number of steps, and then enable bill-pressing roller set to press bill again and then enable bill-transfer roller set to transfer bill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Currency Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Hua Tsou, Shao-Kai Chang, Fong-Cheng Wei
  • Publication number: 20140361482
    Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus including: a detection unit including a lever member having an abutment surface abutting a conveying sheet and a holding member configured to hold the lever member, the detection unit moved by the lever member pushed by the sheet; a first urging portion configured to urge the holding member to a waiting position after the sheet is separated from the abutment surface; a support portion configured to support the lever member movable with respect to the holding member to move the lever member to a retracted position for allowing the sheet to pass the lever member contacting a surface of the sheet when the holding member is in the waiting position; and a second urging portion configured to urge the lever member so that the lever member is moved from the retracted position to a position in which the abutment surface abuts a succeeding sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Yoichiro Iizuka
  • Patent number: 8905400
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device having: a first conveyance roller pair that feeds a sheet; a second conveyance roller pair that feeds the sheet, the second conveyance roller pair being provided downstream from the first conveyance roller pair in a feed direction in which the sheet is fed; and a third conveyance roller pair that feeds the sheet, the third conveyance roller pair being provided downstream from the second conveyance roller pair in the feed direction, in which, when an edge of the sheet that is located on the downstream side of the feed direction is skewed with respect to a direction perpendicular to the feed direction, the second conveyance roller pair slides in the perpendicular direction with the sheet slacking between the first conveyance roller pair and the second conveyance roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Umeno, Yoshiki Omichi
  • Publication number: 20140353899
    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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Lior Joseph, Avihay Menashe, Itzik Kent