By Oblique Conveyor Patents (Class 271/251)
  • Patent number: 12172864
    Abstract: In a centering mechanism and a paper sheet handling apparatus including the centering mechanism, a centering unit conveys a paper sheet in a pinched state, and centers a position of the paper sheet in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the paper sheet by inclining with respect to the conveyance direction. In addition, the paper sheet is delivered to a downstream side conveyance unit from the centering unit in a state in which the centering unit pinches the paper sheet, and the downstream side conveyance unit conveys the paper sheet while pinching the paper sheet at pinch pressure stronger than pinch pressure at which the centering unit pinches the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: FUJITSU FRONTECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Wada, Satoshi Hayashi, Tomoyuki Tamahashi, Atsushi Ando
  • Patent number: 12103815
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a stacking portion, a feeding unit, a reading unit, and a discharge portion provided below the stacking portion. The feeding unit feeds a sheet stacked on the stacking portion in a feeding direction. The reading unit reads an image on the fed sheet and the discharge portion discharges the read sheet. The stacking portion includes first and second support surfaces that support the sheet and first and second regulating units to regulate a position of the sheet in a widthwise direction using two opposing ends of the sheet. The second support surface is retractable from a predetermined section above the discharge portion. The first support surface includes a downstream support portion that supports the sheet on a downstream side of the predetermined section in the feeding direction. A part of the second regulating surface is positioned on the downstream support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shogo Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11952239
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding roller pair, a detecting portion, a first changing portion, a second changing portion, and a controller for controlling the first changing portion and the second changing portion. The controller starts a first feeding operation for feeding a sheet toward the obliquely feeding roller pair in a nipping state of the feeding roller pair and then starts a second feeding operation for feeding the sheet for abutting a side end of the sheet against the reference member in the nipping state of the obliquely feeding roller pair. The controller changes, after the first feeding operation is started and before the second feeding operation is started, a start timing of the second feeding operation on the basis of a detection result of a position of the side end of the sheet detected by the detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinao Chiba, Shingo Iwami, Koji Suzuki, Yuma Inui, Yoshiya Numata
  • Patent number: 11945683
    Abstract: A pair of regulating guides is disposed on both sides of a conveying belt in a sheet width direction Y, each having a support surface that supports an end edge in the width direction of the sheet conveyed while being nipped by the conveying belt and balls and a guide surface that faces the end edge of the sheet in the width direction. Each of the pair of regulating guides is movable to a first guide position at which the end edge of the sheet in the width direction is supported by the support surface and guided by the guide surface and to a second guide position at which the end edge of the sheet in the sheet width direction is supported by the support surface and which is retracting further away from the end edge in the sheet width direction than the guide position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Iwata, Yuuki Kubota, Tsukasa Kondo, Tetsuya Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11891271
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a configuration facilitating removal of a sheet stopped on a conveying belt. In a sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet using a conveying belt and balls, a sheet may be jammed and stopped on the conveying belt. In this case, it is difficult for a user to take out the sheet through a take-out port if the sheet is nipped by conveying roller pairs disposed upstream and downstream relative to the conveying belt in a sheet conveying direction. Thus, conveying roller pairs and the conveying belt are operated such that the sheet, which is stopped on the conveying belt and hence should be taken out through the take-out port, is brought into a state of being nipped only by the conveying belt and balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Iwata, Hiroshi Mochizuki, Tsukasa Kondo, Tetsuya Kawasaki, Yuuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 11884507
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a configuration facilitating removal of a sheet stopped on a conveying belt. Regulating guides are disposed on both sides of a conveying belt in a sheet width direction Y and can guide both end edges in the sheet width direction of a sheet S conveyed while being nipped by the conveying belt and the balls. A take-out port is provided on the side closer to the regulating guide in the sheet width direction Y, through which a sheet stopped on the conveying belt is taken out. A guide moving part moves the regulating guides. When a sheet is stopped on the conveying belt, the guide moving part moves the first and second regulating guides such that the regulating guide is retracted to a position at which a support surface does not support a first sheet end edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Iwata, Takato Mizuno, Tsukasa Kondo, Tetsuya Kawasaki, Yuuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 11780694
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus for conveying a sheet in a conveying direction includes a pair of conveying rollers receiving and conveying a sheet; an endless conveying belt conveying the sheet; a plurality of balls to be rotatable in any direction while nipping the sheet with the conveying surface; a pair of regulating guides disposed on both sides of the conveying belt; a guide moving unit that moves the pair of regulating guides; and a roller moving unit that moves at least one of the pair of conveying rollers to a nip position and a nip release position. Before a rear end of the sheet passes the pair of conveying rollers, the pair of conveying rollers is moved to the nip release position by the roller moving unit, and then, the guide moving unit makes each of the pair of regulating guides reach the guide position from the retracting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Kondo, Tetsuya Kawasaki, Yuuki Kubota, Toshiyuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 11691834
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a stacking portion, a feeding unit, a reading unit, and a discharge portion provided below the stacking portion. The feeding unit feeds a sheet stacked on the stacking portion in a feeding direction. The reading unit reads an image on the fed sheet and the discharge portion discharges the read sheet. The stacking portion includes first and second support surfaces that support the sheet and first and second regulating units to regulate a position of the sheet in a widthwise direction using two opposing ends of the sheet. The second support surface is retractable from a predetermined section above the discharge portion. The first support surface includes a downstream support portion that supports the sheet on a downstream side of the predetermined section in the feeding direction. A part of the second regulating surface is positioned on the downstream support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shogo Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11608239
    Abstract: A rotation device rotates a sheet on an upstream side of, in a sheet conveyance orientation, a working device positioned in a middle of a conveyance path, thereby changing an orientation of the sheet. An information acquiring portion acquires sheet size information and sheet orientation information representing a size and the orientation of the sheet in a sheet storing portion, and working position information representing a working position on the sheet. A rotation control portion controls the rotation device in accordance with the sheet orientation information and the working position information. The working control portion controls the working device in accordance with the orientation of the sheet after passing through the rotation device, and the sheet size information and the working position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11370625
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a correcting unit. The correcting unit corrects displacement of a sheet conveyed from an upstream side conveying path, and conveys the sheet to a downstream side conveying path. The correcting unit includes a first conveying part conveying the sheet, a first moving part moving a first frame supporting the first conveying part and a detecting part detecting a side end edge of the sheet at a reference position without displacement. The first conveying part stops conveyance of the sheet when a leading end of the sheet reaches the detecting part. While the driving of the first conveying part is stopped, the first moving part moves the first frame to move the sheet, and stops movement of the first frame, when detection result of the detecting part is changed, to position the side end edge to the reference position to correct displacement of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Seiji Okada, Masami Fuchi, Sachio Izumichi, Masayuki Kakuta, Risa Hibino
  • Patent number: 11365076
    Abstract: To provide a configuration for allowing a user to easily take out a sheet stopped on a conveying belt. Regulating guides are disposed on both sides of a conveying belt in a sheet width direction Y and can guide both end edges in the sheet width direction of a sheet S being conveyed while being nipped by the conveying belt and the balls. A take-out port is provided on a side close to the regulating guide in the sheet width direction and serves as an opening for taking out the sheet stopped on the conveying belt. The regulating guide on a side away from the take-out port moves in the sheet width direction Y toward the take-out port when the sheet is stopped on the conveying belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Kondo, Tetsuya Kawasaki, Yuuki Kubota, Toshiyuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 11136210
    Abstract: To correct a posture of a paper sheet inserted from various positions and angles to a normal transport state without causing any deformation due to contact with a side wall while transporting the paper sheet continuously and non-intermittently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: JAPAN CASH MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kohei Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 10852683
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first oblique-feed unit configured to convey a sheet by imparting to the sheet a force in a first direction inclined relative to the sheet conveyance direction so that the sheet approaches an abutment surface in the width direction as the sheet proceeds downstream in the sheet conveyance direction; and a second oblique-feed unit configured to convey the sheet by imparting to the sheet a force in a second direction inclined relative to the sheet conveyance direction so that the sheet approaches the abutment surface as the sheet proceeds downstream. An angle of the first direction with respect to the sheet conveyance direction is greater than an angle of the second direction with respect to the sheet conveyance direction, and the second oblique-feed unit is disposed at a position closer to the abutment surface than the first oblique-feed unit in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: So Matsumoto, Koki Sato, Daisuke Yamabe
  • Patent number: 10747161
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first oblique-feed unit and a second oblique-feed unit configured to convey the sheet while approaching the sheet to an abutment surface; a changeover unit configured to change over an abutment pressure of the first oblique-feed unit on the sheet; and a control unit configured to execute a first operation for driving the first oblique-feed unit at a first speed and the second oblique-feed unit at a second speed and a second operation for driving the first oblique-feed unit at a third speed higher than the first speed and the second oblique-feed unit at a fourth speed higher than the second speed after the sheet is abutted against the abutment surface by the first operation. The control unit controls the changeover unit so that the abutment pressure of the first oblique-feed unit in the second operation is higher than that in the first operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Nakamura, So Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10597245
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit and at least one driving roller. The accommodation unit accommodates a paper sheet therein. The at least one driving roller is disposed contactably with the paper sheet. A rotation direction of the at least one driving roller with respect to the paper sheet at a contact part between the paper sheet and the roller intersects a carrying direction of the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Takashima
  • Patent number: 10289048
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt, an image forming unit, a transfer unit, a roller configured to transport the sheet to the transfer unit, a light emitting unit configured to irradiate a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt along a width direction of the intermediate transfer belt, a light reception unit configured to detect a quantity of light reflected from the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt, and a pressure applying unit arranged between the roller and the transfer unit in a sheet conveying direction, and configured to press a portion of the sheet in a width direction of the sheet that overlaps with the portion of the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masato Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 10207884
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a reference guide, an oblique conveyer roller, and a curve guide, is provided. The reference guide is arranged on one side in a widthwise direction with respect to a widthwise center in a sheet conveyer path and regulates a widthwise position of the sheet. The oblique conveyer roller applies a conveying force acting in a direction toward downstream along a conveying direction and toward the reference guide to the sheet. The curve guide is arranged upstream with respect to the oblique conveyer roller along the conveying direction and forms a curve. The curve guide includes an inner guide and an outer guide. The outer guide has a constant curvature throughout a width regardless of a widthwise position therein. The inner guide has a protrusive portion protruding toward the outer guide at a position on the other side in the widthwise direction with respect to the widthwise center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Kamikawa, Shoichiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10160237
    Abstract: A media handling system for contacting a sheet of media against an alignment stop. The system including a pre-registration device and a cross roll registration device. The pre-registration device is configured to position the sheet of media at an approach angle and a cross process offset relative to the alignment stop. The cross roll registration device is configured to move the sheet of media positioned at the approach angle and the cross process offset into contact with the alignment stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas K. Herrmann
  • Patent number: 10081509
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit and at least one driving roller. The accommodation unit accommodates a paper sheet therein. The at least one driving roller is disposed contactably with the paper sheet. A rotation direction of the at least one driving roller with respect to the paper sheet at a contact part between the paper sheet and the roller intersects a carrying direction of the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Takashima
  • Patent number: 10035672
    Abstract: A printing device is described in which there is a media guide that is arranged to guide a printable media substrate from an upstream media path towards an input of the printing device or away from an output of the printing device towards a downstream media path. The media guide is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the media guide is arranged to guide the printable media along a respective media path. In the second position, which is spaced apart from the first position, the media guide forms a buffer region into which a variable amount of media substrate can collect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Javier Deocon Mir, Daniel Gonzalez Perello, Carlos Ciuraneta Sanchez
  • Patent number: 10000350
    Abstract: A conveyor comprises a first conveyor roller unit and a side position adjustment mechanism. The side position adjustment mechanism includes a guide member and a position adjustment roller unit. The position adjustment roller unit includes a first position adjustment roller and a second position adjustment roller which holds a sheet-shaped medium with the first position adjustment roller. An angle between a rotational axial line of the first position adjustment roller and a part of a guide face of the guide member which part is on the downstream of an intersection between the rotational axial line of the first position adjustment roller and the guide face is an acute angle. The conveyor further comprises a first support member which supports a first driven roller of the first conveyor roller unit to allow a rotational axial line of the first driven roller to be swingable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Hirata
  • Patent number: 9992374
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit configured to execute, in forming an image on both surfaces of a sheet, image processing including skew correction to deform the image in advance to offset distortion to be caused in the image to be formed on the sheet, wherein, the image processing unit receives specification of any of one side, two sides, and an external form of the sheet, as a reference position of the image processing for the image to be formed on the both surfaces of the sheet, and executes the image processing including the skew correction based on the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 9676577
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet transport path, a pinch and drive mechanism disposed at an entry side of the transport path for conveying the sheets in a transport direction X along the transport path, at least one liftable pinch and drive mechanism disposed at the transport path downstream of said entry side pinch and drive mechanism, a sheet alignment mechanism disposed further downstream at the transport path and arranged to impart a movement in a direction Z normal to the transport direction X to at least a part of a sheet that passes through, and a controller arranged to receive a sheet length signal and to control said at least one liftable pinch and drive mechanism in accordance with the sheet length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Erik Jozef Wilhelmus Schoenmakers, Rob Josephus Elisabeth Looijmans
  • Patent number: 9588476
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a duplex conveyance path through which the sheet having the image formed by the image forming unit on a first side passes when an image is formed on a second side that is a back side of the first side, a guiding member provided along the duplex conveyance path, a reversing roller pair capable of rotating in a forward direction and in a reverse direction, h, and a conveyance roller pair provided on the duplex conveyance path, wherein at least one of the reversing roller pair is inclined to the width direction so that, in the width direction, the side end of the sheet being conveyed by the reversing roller pair rotating in the reverse direction moves closer to the contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Terutaka Endo
  • Patent number: 9156292
    Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus including a first accommodating section, a transporting mechanism, a first path which includes a curved path portion, a second path which is extended linearly, a third path which includes a curved path portion, and a fourth path which is extended linearly, and a recording section. The transporting mechanism includes a guide surface extended linearly, which is configured to define the second path, and to guide one side end of the recording medium, and a pair of inclined feeding rollers which is configured to transport the recording medium with respect to the guide surface to bring the one side end of the recording medium to the guide surface. The recording section is arranged along the fourth path. The first accommodating section, the second path, and the fourth path are overlapped in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Sakano
  • Patent number: 9138989
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus capable of printing the same pixel by a plurality of print elements, a print speed is increased, and further, a partial frequency of use of each of the print elements is reduced, so as to prolong the lifetime of the print head. In view of this, dithering is used as a pseudo-halftone representing method, and further, a distribution pattern for use in creating image data to be distributed to each of the plurality of print elements is switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihiro Kawatoko, Yutaka Kano
  • Patent number: 9114942
    Abstract: The present disclosure involves systems and methods for performing automatic document alignment. One example system includes a document staging area including an alignment surface extending in a document feed direction; an alignment roller supported to rotate about an axis and intermittently contact a document in the document staging area while rotating to move the document to abut the alignment surface; and a feed roller support to rotate in the document feed direction to feed the document in the document feed direction after the alignment roller has rotated to move the document to abut the alignment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Digital Check Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Fahilga, Glenn Embury, Christian Chu
  • Patent number: 9085435
    Abstract: The device (10) for stacking sheets (40) arranged to form stacks (4) downstream of a sheet cutting line and comprises an unroller, a printer and a cutter (6). The device has a stacking table (20) located in the same plane as an evacuation conveyor (5) and the device includes an unloading conveyor (7) with first and second ends (70, 71). The unloading conveyor (7) is arranged to transfer the cut sheets (40), one by one, from the cutter outfeed conveyor (3) towards the stacking table (20) and is coupled with driving mechanism arranged to move the second end (71) between a low position in which the second end (71) is located at the level of the stacking table (20), and a high position in which the second end (71) is located at a height corresponding to that of the complete stack (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Kern A.G.
    Inventors: Christian Jiwan, Pascal Leissier, Frederic Eitel
  • Patent number: 8944433
    Abstract: A device for handling notes of value including a transport unit for transport of the notes of value in a transport direction along a transport path, and an aligning unit for alignment of the notes of value. The device further includes a sensor arranged upstream of the aligning unit for determining at least one feature of the notes of value, and a control unit that controls the aligning unit such that the aligning unit aligns each note of value depending on the determined expression of the feature of the note of value in a preset first target alignment or at least in a preset second target alignment that is different from the first target alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Fehrenbach, Hendrik Hoeschen, Udo Petermann, Paul Freitag, Richard Duesterhus
  • Patent number: 8919772
    Abstract: A transport apparatus includes: a guide surface which extends in a transport direction for transporting a medium and which is configured to guide the medium to be transported; a first roller which is a driving roller for transporting the medium; a second roller which is a driven roller arranged to face the first roller; and a roller support member which rotatably supports the second roller and which is configured to be pivotable about a support shaft perpendicular to an axis of a rotational shaft of the second roller between a first position and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Okumura
  • Patent number: 8915497
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for properly orienting and aligning flat sheets or strip material, such as in the form of folding carton blanks, on a conveying system such as used in carton folders/gluers is disclosed. A moving sheet is engaged on at least one surface by plural non-driven movable casters oriented at an angle relative to the sheet's intended direction of travel, or target direction. The casters apply a lateral force to the sheet so that a linear lateral edge of the sheet is brought into contact with an adjacent guide member aligned with the target direction, with the sheet assuming a predetermined orientation relative to the target direction. Each caster is resiliently biased such as by a spring at a predetermined angle relative to the target direction. With the sheet's lateral edge in intimate contact with the guide member, the moving sheet is in the aforementioned predetermined orientation relative to, and is displaced in, the target direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Tamarack Products, Inc.
    Inventor: David E. Machamer
  • Patent number: 8814162
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus are provided. An upper guide opposed to a lower guide is structured as another member, and a positional relation is set such that a nip line of a pair of obliquely feeding is offset toward the lower guide with respect to a center line of a gap portion between the upper and lower guides. Accordingly, a sheet being conveyed is once guided by an inclined face of the lower guide to the upper guide, and is then caused to abut the abutting reference surface while being in sliding contact with the upper guide member. Therefore, a disadvantage that a side edge of the sheet is caught in a joint can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8794423
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, methods and assemblies comprising one or more tapered feed rolls. Tapered feed rolls may be used to change the rate and direction of workpiece travel along a processing line while retaining the workpieces in sequential order. Routing workpiece flow with tapered feed rolls may allow the workpieces to be tracked along one or more processing lines, and may reduce the operational space required for workpiece processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: USNR, LLC
    Inventors: Petri Sasstamo, Christopher W. Blomquist, Mike Dockter
  • Patent number: 8789828
    Abstract: A banknote inclination correction device and an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) including the banknote inclination correction device. The banknote inclination correction device includes: an inner channel board (008); an outer channel board (009); a banknote transfer channel formed between the inner channel board (008) and the outer channel board (009); a reference wall (008a) arranged on one side of the inner channel board (008) and the outer channel board (009); a transfer wheel (011) located at the inlet of the banknote transfer channel, and arranged on the inner channel board (008) or the outer channel board (009); multiple inclination correction wheel groups (014) configured on the inner channel board (008) or the outer channel board (009); and a transfer side wheel (019) located between the reference wall (008a) and the multiple inclination correction wheel groups (014), the transfer side wheel (019) is parallel to the reference wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: GRG Banking Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peng Wang, Dongbo Liu
  • Patent number: 8764008
    Abstract: A medium transporting device includes: a transporting path; a contacted member that is provided on the transporting path to be movable in a medium width direction orthogonal to a medium transporting direction; a line-up member on the transporting path that lines up a position of the medium by sending the medium transported on the transporting path to the contacted member to bring the end of the medium in the medium width direction into contact with the contacted member; a displacement amount calculation unit that sets on a downstream side of the line-up member in the medium transporting direction, and calculates a misregistration amount of the medium in the medium width direction; and a contacted position control unit that controls a position of the contacted member by moving the contacted member in a direction of reducing the misregistration amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohito Otsuki, Michio Tada, Takashi Abe, Yousuke Hasegawa, Shouichi Maeda, Youichi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8746693
    Abstract: A reference member which regulates a position of one side end of a sheet along the sheet conveying direction is provided at one side of a sheet conveying path in the width direction so as to follow the sheet conveying direction and to be rotatable about its downstream end portion in the sheet conveying direction. Then, one side end of the sheet is skew-conveyed toward the reference member by a plurality of pair of skew-conveying rollers which is arranged in the sheet conveying path along the sheet conveying direction. Then, when forming an image on both faces of the sheet, a control portion rotates the reference member so that the sheet is displaced to the center side in the sheet conveying path compared to the case of forming an image on one face of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8695974
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a sheet container, an image former that forms an image on a surface of a sheet conveyed from the sheet container, and a re-conveyor that re-conveys the sheet to the image former which forms another image on an opposite surface of the sheet. The re-conveyor includes a first conveyance roller set and a second conveyance roller set that convey the sheet therebetween. The first conveyance roller set includes a first driving roller that receives a driving force and a first pinch roller that contacts the surface. The second conveyance roller set includes a second driving roller that receives the driving force and a second pinch roller that contacts the surface. The first driving roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the first pinch roller. The second pinch roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the first pinch roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hikaru Iino, Hiroshi Nobe
  • Patent number: 8684354
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a sheet conveyor, an image former that forms an image on a surface of a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyor, and a re-conveyor that re-conveys the sheet to the image former which forms another image on an opposite surface of the sheet. The re-conveyor includes a guide member including upper and lower conveyance members, a regulation member that regulates a position of the sheet, a conveyer roller set that conveys the sheet therebetween, an urger that urges a pinch roller toward a driving roller, and a roller holder disposed above the upper conveyance member. The upper conveyance member has ends which are secured independently to the lower conveyance member. The roller holder secures the pinch roller overlaps the upper conveyance member in a vertical direction, and secures the pinch roller, such that the pinch roller contacts the sheet through the upper conveyance member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hikaru Iino, Hiroshi Nobe
  • Patent number: 8684355
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a guide unit for guiding the side end of the sheet; a first roller pair arranged on the downstream side of the guide unit for conveying the sheet, including a driven roller held in contact with a whole sheet in a sheet width direction; and a second roller pair having a conveyance roller arranged on the downstream side of the roller and adapted to convey the sheet, and a plurality of pinch rollers pinching the sheet in cooperation with the conveyance roller, wherein each of the plurality of pinch rollers applies to the sheet a conveyance force inclined toward a conveyance path side end, which is nearer to the pinch roller, and wherein the smaller the distance between the pinch roller and the conveyance path side end, the greater the inclination of the conveyance force thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kengo Nieda, Koichiro Kawaguchi, Toshiki Takeuchi, Ryosuke Sato, Shigeru Toriihara
  • Patent number: 8585047
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a first guide located downstream of the first conveyance unit in a conveyance direction and configured to guide a first side end of the conveyed sheet, a skew unit configured to convey the sheet in an oblique direction to come closer to the first guide, a second guide configured to contact a second side end opposite the first side end to guide the second side end, a second conveyance unit located downstream of the first guide in the conveyance direction, and a control unit configured to perform control so that, after conveying the sheet by the skew unit with the first guide contacting the first side end while the second guide is separated from the second side end, the second guide moves to a position close to the second side end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Sato, Kenji Shigeno, Koichiro Kawaguchi, Toshiki Takeuchi, Kengo Nieda
  • Patent number: 8585049
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a reference surface extending along a sheet conveyance direction and configured to regulate the position of a side edge of a sheet to be conveyed, a skew conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sheet obliquely so that the side edge of the sheet collides against the reference surface, and a sheet deforming unit configured to deform the side edge of the sheet when the sheet is conveyed toward the reference surface by the skew conveyance mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Fujita, Takayuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8573383
    Abstract: Provided is a medium transferring apparatus, which comprises a plurality of side guides, one or more transfer rollers, and one or more aligning rollers. The side guides constitute both side surfaces of a medium transferring path. The transfer rollers are rotatable between the side guides, and transfer a medium in a medium transferring direction. The aligning rollers align the medium in a direction inclined from the medium transferring direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: LG CNS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun Hyung Koo
  • Patent number: 8534668
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a sheet container unit that stores a plurality of sheets, an image forming unit that forms an image on a particular surface of a sheet that is conveyed from the sheet container unit, and a re-conveying unit that re-conveys the sheet to the image forming unit. The re-conveying unit includes a conveyor roller set that conveys the sheet. The conveyor roller set includes a pinch roller and a driving roller that receives a driving force and that contacts the particular surface of the sheet. The driving roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the pinch roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hikaru Iino, Hiroshi Nobe
  • Patent number: 8534667
    Abstract: A medium alignment apparatus may include an alignment body to form a transfer path is formed for passage of a medium and include an alignment reference surface for alignment of the medium is formed, an alignment roller portion mounted to the alignment body to align the medium while driving the medium simultaneously, and at least one alignment sensor portion to detect whether the medium is aligned by detecting a position of the medium passing along the transfer path. The alignment body may include a first body forming a transfer path for the medium, to which the alignment roller portion is mounted, and a second body disposed at one side of the first body to be movable relative to the first body at a speed corresponding to a transfer speed of the medium, providing a side directed to the first body as the alignment reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nautilus Hyosung Inc.
    Inventor: Jin Hwan Cha
  • Patent number: 8469358
    Abstract: A sheet medium transport apparatus has a sheet guide mechanism with drive rollers and reaction rollers mounted for gripping a sheet guided by the guide mechanism. The drive rollers provide a drive component in a transport direction and a transverse drive component for driving a sheet so that a side edge of the transported sheet lodges against a registration plate. Once the sheet is registered against the registration plate, drive from the drive rollers causes the sheet edge to slide past the registration plate in the transport direction with the drive rollers sliding over the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Delphax Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Hongcai Wen
  • Patent number: 8447223
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a reference guide in which a reference surface that is elongated in a sheet conveying direction and abuts against an end portion of a sheet, an inclined surface which is provided upstream of the reference guide and which is inclined in a width direction intersecting with the sheet conveying direction so that an edge of the sheet is guided, the inclined surface intersecting the reference guide at an intersection, a sheet guide portion, a passage portion having an upstream area which is wider than the sheet guide portion in a vertical direction, a downstream area which is narrower than the upstream area in a vertical direction, and an inclined guide which is provided between the inclined surface and the reference surface, wherein a position of an upstream edge of the downstream area is provided between the intersection and the oblique conveying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumiki Inui
  • Patent number: 8393619
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame, an image forming unit and a transporting unit. The transporting unit includes a transporting tray, a side guide, a plate, a skew roller and an urging member. The transporting tray is configured to support the recording medium which is being transported. The side guide is configured to abut with an end of the recording medium in a width direction. The plate is facing the transporting tray. The skew roller is rotatably supported by the plate and is configured to skew the recording medium toward the side guide. The urging member is configured to urge a portion of the plate toward the transporting tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8382104
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing a jam and correcting misalignment of a sheet due to a buckling of the sheet certainly. A skew correction unit conveys a sheet while contacting one of side edges of the sheet with a reference member that is arranged in parallel to a conveyance direction in order to correct a skew of the sheet conveyed along a conveyance path. A misalignment correction unit moves the sheet that the skew has been corrected in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. A sheet position detection unit detects a position of the other of the side edges of the sheet that the skew has been corrected. A moving amount determination unit determines a moving amount by which the misalignment correction unit moves the sheet in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Yasumoto
  • Patent number: 8353510
    Abstract: A print media feed system for media of variable thickness having a slanted loading platform with drive wheels to direct print media to a feed zone having a belt system and hanging friction wheels to draw out single print medium of varying thickness and feed the medium to a print zone for a ink jet, laser or other printer wherein the print zone includes a floating deck to maintain a constant clearance distance between the printhead and the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Inventors: Brett A. Lindsay, Jerry A. Carper
  • Patent number: 8342520
    Abstract: A medium registration apparatus for an image forming apparatus. The registration apparatus includes: a subassembly including a first guide plate that guides a medium along a medium transferring direction, and a side guide disposed adjacent to one side of the first guide plate, in parallel with the medium transferring direction and is a side registration reference; a subassembly moving guide that supports the subassembly, so that the subassembly can move in a direction crossing the medium transferring direction; and a subassembly driver that drives the subassembly. The image forming apparatus includes: the registration apparatus; an image forming part; a reverse roller that reverses a transferring direction of a medium printed on by the image forming part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-tae Kim