Responsive To Sheet Sensor Patents (Class 271/258.01)
  • Patent number: 7883088
    Abstract: Apparatus for singling sheet material, in particular bank notes, which is inputted into an input area of the apparatus as a stack and is transported up to a singler, which transfers individual pieces of sheet material of the stack of sheet material to a sheet transport system, which transports the singled sheet material in a transport direction, a sensor disposed in transport direction upstream of the singler, which substantially extends over the width of the input area, generating signals which specify whether and in which area of the width of the input area the sheet material is present, and a control device evaluating the signals of the sensor during a transport of the stack of sheet material to the singler and comparing occurring fluctuations and changes of the signals of the sensor regarding the presence or absence of sheet material with predetermined threshold values for fluctuations and changes of the signals of the sensor, in order to derive a statement from the occurring fluctuations and changes of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik Nützel, Franz Reuter, Xavier Thum
  • Patent number: 7883087
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a judging unit for judging as to whether paper jamming occurs in the medium feeding unit at a time that the paper jamming occurs in the medium conveyance route and a controller for controlling the medium positioned on an upstream side of the medium feeding unit to be conveyed into the medium feeding unit when judging that no paper jamming occurs in the medium feeding unit, to allow the feeding unit detaching from the apparatus body without tearing or breaking the jammed paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Isao Kitano
  • Patent number: 7871068
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus for conveying a recording medium includes an apparatus body and a conveying control unit. A paper feeding unit is detachable mounted to the apparatus body and includes a record medium enclosing section and a paper feeding section. First and second conveying sections are downstream from the paper feeding section. A third conveying section is between the paper feeding section and the first conveying section. The conveying control unit controls the third conveying section to convey the record medium before the front edge of the record medium arrives at the first conveying section, controls the first and the third conveying sections to convey the record medium before the front edge of the record medium arrives at the second conveying section and stops the third conveying section from operating after the front edge of the record medium arrives at the second conveying section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7862029
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an input unit for input of setting information, an image forming unit, a conveying unit, a control unit, and a jam detecting unit, wherein a set of a plurality of different kinds of special sheets disposed in a predetermined order is used. When occurrence of a jam is detected by the jam detecting unit, the control unit recognizes whether a special sheet having been fed is present in the image forming system, and if it is recognized that a special sheet is present in the image forming system, the control unit controls the conveying unit, after the jam being released, to eject a special sheet or sheets as unnecessary up to one that is disposed preceding a special sheet that is of the same kind as a most front one that was present in the image forming system at the time of the occurrence of the jam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Yokobori, Takao Kurohata, Shoichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7856340
    Abstract: A multi-functional sensor for deriving information on a recording sheet material comprising an impact-applying unit for applying an external mechanical force onto the recording sheet material, a signal-detecting unit for detecting a signal of response of the recording sheet material to the external mechanical force, a signal-processing unit for processing the signal, and a signal-judging unit for deriving a property of the recording sheet material by comparison of a signal from the signal-detecting unit or the signal processing unit with information memorized preliminarily, wherein the signal-processing unit comprises a separation section for separating the signal from the signal-detecting unit into output signals on the properties of the recording sheet material, and a processing section for deriving, by statistical treatment, a correlation equation showing a correlation between the separated output signal and the properties of the recording sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Kaneko, Takehiko Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7835540
    Abstract: A method of detecting bunched-together overlapping postal items includes the steps of moving the postal items on edge above a camera, forming grayscale images including the bottom sides of the postal items, and analyzing the image for the purpose of detecting the presence of any overlapping postal items. The method further includes the steps of transforming each grayscale image into a binary image that causes a boundary defined by a “pale” zone to appear that represents the bottom side of at least one postal item and that extends between two “dark” zones, the boundary having a “right” first profile and a “left” second profile, and the method further includes the step of analyzing the right and left profiles for the purpose of detecting any profile discontinuity that is indicative of the presence of overlapping postal items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Solystic
    Inventors: Agnès Philippe, Hicham El Bernoussi, Claude Mitte
  • Patent number: 7817957
    Abstract: The invention provides a double feed sensing device capable of sensing double feed of paper sent out for the first time. The double feed sensing device includes a thickness sensing unit for sensing thickness of cut paper conveyed, a rigidity sensing unit for sensing bending rigidity of the conveyed paper, and a double feed determining unit for comparing a value of the thickness of the paper sensed by the thickness sensing unit and a value of the bending rigidity of the paper sensed by the rigidity sensing unit with threshold values of thickness and rigidity of the paper set based on values of thickness and bending rigidity of one sheet of the paper and values of thickness and bending rigidity of stacked sheets of the paper, so as to determine whether the paper is double-fed or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Oohara, Kunio Satou, Masuo Furutono
  • Patent number: 7810716
    Abstract: A detector for a deposit accepting apparatus of an automated banking machine or for another sheeting handling system includes an ultrasonic transmitter driven by a driving signal operative to cause the ultrasonic transmitter to transmit an ultrasonic sound signal through a sheet pathway of the detector. The detector also includes an ultrasonic receiver operative to generate a receiver signal responsive to the ultrasonic sound signal. The detector further includes first and second correlation filters. The first and second correlation filters are operative to generate first and second outputs responsive to the receiver signal. At least one processor is operative responsive to the first and second outputs of the correlation filters to determine information associated with changes in phase of the ultrasonic sound signal and to distinguish between single and multiple sheets in the pathway responsive to the information associated with changes in phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems
    Inventors: Songtao Ma, Edward L. Laskowski
  • Patent number: 7809290
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus which can promptly detect whether or not a jam has been removed in the case of occurrence of the jam such as a paper jam. A paper feeding apparatus 1b includes a paper feed tray 11, a pickup roller 61, a paper roller 63, a sorting roller 64, feeding rollers 66a, resist rollers 67, a paper ejection roller 73, a passage detection sensor 69, an overlapped feeding detection sensor 68 and a second detection apparatus 71. An image processing apparatus 100 includes a position detection portion 41 for detecting a location of a jam which occurs during feeding of recording paper, a determination portion 42 for determining a jam state based on a detection result of the position detection sensor 69, an examination portion 43 for examining whether the jam has been resolved and a resuming portion 44 for resuming the processing when an examination of the jam location by the examination portion 43 is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Tamagaki
  • Patent number: 7802791
    Abstract: An image forming system including an image forming apparatus and a sheet feeding apparatus. The system includes: a first conveying unit conveying to the image forming apparatus a recording material; a second conveying unit conveying to an image forming unit of the image forming apparatus the recording material; a detector detecting a recording material type while the second conveying unit halts conveying the recording material; a first controller, based on detection by the detector, determining a speed for conveying the recording material to the image forming unit, and conveying the recording material at the conveying speed; and a second controller controlling recording material conveying speeds of the first conveying unit. Before the recording material reaches the second conveying unit, the second controller maintains a first conveying speed, and after the recording material reaches the second convey unit, maintains a second conveying speed determined by the first control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuichi Yoshizawa, Atsuya Takahashi, Akihiro Nakamura, Tadashi Okanishi, Kazuhisa Maruyama, Kaoru Sato
  • Patent number: 7802792
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 1 has an intermediate transfer belt 17 that rotates in synchronization with the operation of a photoconductive section 11 where a toner image is formed, and a secondary transfer section S at which paper P temporarily adhering to a surface of this intermediate transfer belt 17 can be separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 17. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a distance detecting unit 66 that detects a distance “L” to the paper P sent out from this secondary transfer section S, and a control section 74 that judges whether or not the paper P is normally separated from the secondary transfer section S based on distance data fed from this distance detecting unit 66.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7792609
    Abstract: A gripping device for a manipulation system, particularly a robot, for receiving workpieces and feeding them from a readied stack of the workpieces to a manufacturing plant such as a metal sheet folding machine, punching press, welding plant, etc. The device has a gripper head fitted with gripping means such as suction cups, magnets, tongs, etc., and a detection system for detecting characteristics of the workpiece gripped by the gripping means. A pulse emitter excites vibrations in the workpiece and the vibration spectrum of the workpiece is compared to reference vibration data to determine characteristics of the gripped workpiece, such as whether two or more workpieces are stuck together, or whether the workpiece is the correct workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Trumpf Maschinen Austria GmbH & Co. Kg.
    Inventors: Hagen Strasser, Gerhard Sperrer
  • Publication number: 20100213659
    Abstract: An open/close mechanism of a media feed path for feeding a sheet medium from a media insertion unit can be rendered with a small parts count without requiring a large installation space. An open/close lever 27 and paper pressure member 26 of a check feeding device 9 can pivot horizontally on a first vertical support shaft 32 and a second vertical support shaft 33. When the paper pressure member 26 is caused to pivot and press against the delivery roller 25, the back end part 27b of the open/close lever 27 is pushed by the paper pressure member 26, the open/close lever 27 pivots, and the front end part 27a thereof retracts from the check feed path 23.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shogo Mizuyama
  • Patent number: 7775519
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking section configured to stack a number of sheets, a sheet feeding mechanism configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking section one by one, and an intermediate conveying device configured to convey the sheet fed from the sheet feeding mechanism to an image forming apparatus. The intermediate conveying device includes a plurality of sheet conveying devices arranged in an intermediate sheet conveying path at certain intervals to convey the sheet fed from the sheet feeding mechanism, at least one driving device configured to drive each of the plurality of sheet conveying devices, and a plurality of sheet detecting devices arranged in the intermediate sheet conveying path at certain intervals to detect a sheet length by detecting at least one of a leading edge and a trailing edge of the conveyed sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mituru Takahashi, Tomotaka Osada
  • Publication number: 20100176546
    Abstract: An apparatus for collating or inserting inserts including a raceway for transporting sets of inserts at a raceway transport rate and an insert feed line for feeding an individual insert to each of the sets of inserts on the raceway at the raceway transport rate. The insert feed line having a singulater for separating the individual insert from bundles of inserts at a separation rate, the singulater including a lifter lifting at least one insert from the bundles of inserts, the lifting effecting separation of the individual insert from the bundles of inserts at the separation rate wherein, the singulater has a controller for controlling the singulater separation rate so that the singulater separation rate is variable with respect to a predetermined raceway transport rate, to allow the insert feed line to feed the individual insert to each set of inserts transported on the raceway at the raceway transport rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Terje Gulbrandsen, Roye Weeks
  • Patent number: 7753371
    Abstract: This invention relates to a media jam and media bent corner detector, comprising: a carriage; a transducer operatively connected to or adjacent to the carriage; and a piezoelectric film beam operatively connected to the transducer such that a portion of the beam substantially extends into a media path to detect the presence of a media jam or a media bent corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Algird M Gudaitis, Tod S. Heiles, Kit Hui
  • Patent number: 7753369
    Abstract: Various embodiments and methods relating to a mechanically triggered nip drive shaft are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wesley R. Schalk, Allan G. Olson, Raymond C. Sherman
  • Patent number: 7746523
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for forming image, digital image information is generated by conveying a document and scanning an image recorded on the document while conveying the document. When an image is scanned with a high resolution that is greater than a default resolution, a document is conveyed at a default speed at an initial stage and the document is conveyed at a speed slower than the default speed during an image scanning operation. The image forming apparatus includes a scan unit scanning the image recorded on the document, and a conveying unit which conveys the document at a default speed in an initial stage of conveying the document, and which conveys the document at a speed slower than the default speed while scanning the image in a high resolution scanning operation that has higher resolution than a default resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yun-su Kim
  • Publication number: 20100156033
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a paper feeding device and an image forming apparatus capable a convenient removal a paper jammed between a pickup unit and a multi-sheet feeding prevention unit. The multi-sheet feeding prevention unit may be moveable in cooperation with a detachable paper cassette such that the multi-sheet feeding prevention member supported on the moveable multi-sheet feeding prevention unit moves toward and away from the pickup unit so that the pressing force between the pickup unit and the multi-sheet feeding prevention unit may be released to allow the jammed paper to be removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jin Soo LEE
  • Patent number: 7742736
    Abstract: A sheet size detecting apparatus having a first arm moved by a moving sheet contacting therewith, a second arm moved by the moving sheet contacting therewith, the second arm being disposed at a location differing from that of the first arm in a direction orthogonal to the movement direction of the sheet, and a sensor, wherein the output level of the sensor when only one of the first arm and the second arm has been moved is the same as the output level thereof when neither of the first arm and the second arm is moved, and the output level of the sensor when both of the first arm and the second arm have been moved differs from the output level thereof when neither of the first arm and the second arm is not moved. Thereby, the cost can be suppressed and yet, the wrong detection of the sheet size can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsuke Kobayashi, Jun Agata
  • Patent number: 7726214
    Abstract: A method and device for the contactless detection of flat objects, particularly in sheet form, such as paper, films, foils, plates, labels, splices, break points, tear-off threads and similar flat materials or packs. A sensor device, such as a receiver-following evaluating device, is supplied with at least one correction characteristic, by means of which a measuring signal input voltage characteristic in the receiver is simulated as a function of the gram weight or weight per unit area of the flat objects as a target characteristic in such a way that there is obtained a linear or almost linear dependence or a characteristic approximated to the ideal single sheet detection characteristic in the form of a target characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
    Inventor: Dierk Schoen
  • Publication number: 20100117287
    Abstract: A sheet loading apparatus has an ejecting member to eject a sheet; a loading member to load the sheet ejected by the ejecting member; and a movable member capable of moving in a state keeping contact with ejecting member side ends of the sheets loaded on the loading member. The movable member moves a distance equal to a moving distance of the loading member in the moving direction of the loading member. The sheet loading apparatus has a screen which is located between the loading member and the ejecting member and moves up and down, while waits at a position capable of avoiding interruption to the ejection of the sheet; and a first rotating member mounted to the screen in a location above the loading member and suspending the movable member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasunobu TERAO, Katsuya SASAHARA
  • Patent number: 7715735
    Abstract: An image forming system that has an apparatus that receives recording media from an apparatus upstream from it, executes image formation processing, and conveys the recording media to an apparatus positioned downstream from it. The apparatus controls whether to continue conveyance of recording media, change their discharger, and accept recording media in accordance with condition of its own or the downstream apparatus regardless of the configuration of the entire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akinobu Nishikata, Ichiro Sasaki, Mitsuhiko Sato, Hidenori Sunada, Manabu Yamauchi, Naoto Watanabe, Takayuki Fujii, Shunsuke Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7712386
    Abstract: A method and device for the contactless detection of flat objects, particularly in sheet form, such as paper, films, foils, plates, and similar flat materials or packs. At least one correction characteristic is supplied to an evaluating device downstream of a sensor device, specifically a receiver, by means of which the characteristic of an input voltage of a measuring signal in the receiver is so simulated as a function of the gram weight or weight per unit area of flat objects as a target characteristic that there is a linear or almost linear dependence or a characteristic approximated to the ideal characteristic for single sheet detection in the form of a target characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Pepperl + Füchs GmbH
    Inventor: Dierk Schoen
  • Patent number: 7694963
    Abstract: In a document feeder, a driving control unit feeds a document by a switch-back feeding unit, guides again the document from a document feed path to a bidirectional feed path, and then discharges the document from the document feed path to a document discharging section, when the feeding of the document is in a double-sided scanning feeding mode and in a status during first side feeding. The driving control unit feeds the document by the switch-back feeding unit and then discharges the document from the document feed path, when the feeding of the document is in the double-sided scanning feeding mode and in the status during second side feeding. The driving control unit discharges the document from the document feed path without feeding the document in the switch-back manner, when the feeding of the document is in the double-sided scanning feeding mode and after the second side feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Ryoichi Matsushima, Yoichi Horaguchi, Nobuhiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7690649
    Abstract: A method of synchronizing the feeding and printing of sheets of media, i.e., paper, envelopes, post cards, etc. even though shingled feeds have occurred in the system. The foregoing is accomplished by utilizing two sensors and counters to monitor two sheets of paper to allow two software tasks to stay in synchronization and release the appropriate print data to the printer even when a sheet of paper was not detected in the feeder appears at the print head. The feeder sensor has a counter for its Lead Edge as does the Start of Print Sensor that is in the system's transport paper path. The feeder sensor counter and the start of print counter are incremented and decremented as the paper approaches the sensor and leaves the sensor. If the lead edge counter of the feeder sensor goes negative, then the feeder has shingled and the data for that sheet of paper must be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Brad L. Davies, Keith M. Smith, Wesley A. Kirschner, Elaine B. Cristiani, Gary S. Jacobson
  • Patent number: 7690651
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that detects a sheet remaining between a transfer unit and fixing unit using a loop sensor. The loop sensor is configured to detect a loop of a sheet conveyed between the transfer unit and the fixing unit. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit to control, in accordance with an output from the loop sensor, a sheet conveyance speed of the fixing unit so as to form the loop of the sheet conveyed by the transfer unit and the fixing unit. If the loop sensor detects a presence of the sheet while driving of the transfer unit and the fixing unit for conveying the sheet has stopped, the control unit determines that a remaining sheet is present, and outputs a warning signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Kubochi
  • Publication number: 20100072695
    Abstract: A method and a device for ejecting a defective sheet at a feeder of a processing machine, in particular a sheet-fed rotary printing machine, include a transporting device, which can be regulated independently of machine operation, for transporting a sheet identified as a defective sheet with deceleration in such a way that gripper devices of a cylinder cannot grip the sheet and the sheet is transported to a depositing location by the transporting device and a guide. A feeder of a sheet-fed rotary printing machine having an ejecting device, is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG
    Inventors: George GRASMÜCK, Andreas MÜLLER, Burkhard Wolf
  • Publication number: 20100061781
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder and a scanner having the same are provided. The automatic document feeder can include a transport unit configured to transport a document to a scanning unit, an apparatus main body configured to hold the transport unit, a cover configured to be rotatably disposed on the apparatus main body, and a sensing unit disposed on a document transportation path to sense whether the cover is open or closed, the position of the document, or both. The automatic document feeder and the scanner having the same are configured to allow a jammed document to be ejected without having the document be damaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung-Yun WON
  • Patent number: 7673874
    Abstract: A paper-money receipt/payment machine comprises a conveyance path, on which paper sheet can be conveyed in dual directions, and a paper-money discrimination unit provided midway the conveyance path to discriminate the paper sheet. The machine further comprises a temporary holding unit for storage of rejected paper sheet to be rejected, and an exclusive storage box, separately provided from the temporary holding unit, for storage of jammed paper sheet. The exclusive storage box is arranged at one end or both ends of the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corp.
    Inventors: Kentaro Arai, Atsuko Uozumi, Takeshi Kanagawa
  • Patent number: 7673875
    Abstract: Based on the type of sheet and the detection result of double feed, carrying a sheet is stopped. Carrying of a predetermined type of sheet is not stopped even when double feed is detected. The predetermined type of sheet is a sheet having air space inside thereof (an envelope, an OHP sheet, Kent paper, or the like).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneyuki Motohashi, Tsuyoshi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7654521
    Abstract: A document processing device that processes a plurality of articles and is capable of detecting a multifeed or a condition that may represent a multifeed may be configured to determine criteria of the multifeed or condition. This is particularly useful for configuring the document processing device to ignore multifeeds or conditions that are considered acceptable. For instance, a user may set predefined overlap criteria. If a detected multifeed criteria or condition criteria meets the predefined overlap criteria, a detection of the multifeed or condition may be ignored. However, if it does not meet the predefined overlap criteria, the detection of the multifeed or condition may cause the document processing device to take predetermined post-processing actions, for example to set an alarm message or halt operation entirely. Alternatively, if a condition is expected, predetermined post-processing actions can be taken if the condition is not detected or does not meet the specified criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Roland Simonis, Paul Ridl
  • Patent number: 7654526
    Abstract: A correction method of a transport amount includes: detecting a movement amount of a medium while transporting the medium using a transport roller, the transport roller being for transporting the medium by rotating, an actual movement amount of the medium, when the transport roller transports the medium by a predetermined transport amount, changing in accordance with a rotational position of the rotating transport roller; specifying the rotational position of the transport roller based on the detected movement amount, and transporting property information of the transport roller, which indicates a change in the actual movement amount according to the rotational position; and correcting the transport amount when the transport roller transports the medium after the rotational position has been specified, based on rotational position information, which indicates the specified rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Sudo, Hirokazu Nunokawa
  • Patent number: 7651092
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a convenient printing system applicable not only to the office environment but also to the POD environment. To accomplish this, a printing system capable of supplying a print medium to a printing apparatus from a plurality of feeding apparatuses each having a feeding unit for feeding a print medium, a multi feed detection unit for detecting occurrence of multi feed of overlapping print media, and a multi feed discharge unit for discharging multi-fed print media includes a multi feed discharge destination setting unit for, when the multi feed detection unit detects occurrence of multi feed, setting which of multi feed discharge units is to accept multi-fed print media, and a control unit for controlling the feeding apparatus to discharge the multi-fed print media to the multi feed discharge unit set by the multi feed discharge destination setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyomi Hirao, Kouichi Unno
  • Publication number: 20100001455
    Abstract: A sheet supplying unit that supplies sheets includes a sheet accommodation tray that accommodates the sheets in a stacked state, the sheets including a first sheet which is an uppermost sheet in the stack of the sheets and a second sheet which is immediately below the first sheet; a pick-up roller that conveys the sheets in a sheet conveying direction; a detection sensor that detects passage of the sheets and is disposed downstream of the pick-up roller in the sheet conveying direction; and a control unit that controls operations of the pick-up roller in accordance with outputs from the detection sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi MIWA, Makoto HATTORI
  • Patent number: 7635129
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a sheet serving as a recording medium and effectively reduces energy consumption includes a movable sheet supporting device configured to support sheets, a sheet size detecting device configured to detect a size of the sheets by detecting a location of the sheet supporting device, a gap detecting device configured to detect a gap between the sheets and the sheet supporting device, and a reporting device configured to notify an operator of a gap detected by the gap detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventor: Nobuo Inoue
  • Patent number: 7628400
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes a conveyor roller, an angular velocity detection device, and a rotation angle calculation device. The conveyor roller conveys a conveyance object by a rotation thereof. The angular velocity detection device is provided to one of the conveyor roller and a rotating portion rotating with the conveyor roller such that an angular velocity detection axis is parallel with a rotation shaft of the conveyor roller. The rotation angle calculation device calculates a rotation angle of the conveyor roller based on an angular velocity detected by the angular velocity detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kan Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7627281
    Abstract: A sheet tray (1) includes at least one sheet detecting sensor (10) for detecting a sheet set on a sheet setting surface (2). The sheet detecting sensor (10) includes (i) a movable detecting section having a projecting section which projects from the sheet setting surface (2), and (ii) a detecting section for detecting rotation of the movable detecting section, and the projecting section have a ball-like shape. This makes it possible to provide (i) a sheet tray which is able to prevent breakage of sheet and breakage of the projecting section even when setting the sheet on the sheet setting surface from any direction and any angle; (ii) a sheet transporting apparatus including the sheet tray; and (iii) an image forming apparatus including the sheet tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Tanaka, Yoshiyuki Nishizato, Kenji Nakanishi, Tomohiko Okada, Akira Kohno
  • Patent number: 7618039
    Abstract: In a sheet detecting sensor, light emitted from a linear light emitting element is blocked by a sheet from entering a light receiving element which is located immediately below the sheet. Only light receiving elements which are not immediately below the sheet, receive light from the linear light emitting element. Light passing through a point in a vicinity of an edge portion of the sheet enters only a light receiving element which is located immediately below that point, but not the other light receiving elements. In addition, even when the position of a sheet varies vertically, the same light receiving element receives light passing through the same point in a vicinity of the edge portion of the sheet. Therefore, even when the position of a sheet varies vertically, the edge position of the sheet can be accurately detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenobu Mandai, Masaru Tsuji, Osamu Fujimoto, Masaki Saka
  • Patent number: 7600752
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a stacking plate, a moving mechanism, a pick-up device, a detection plate, a detecting device, and a control section. The stacking plate is movably supported inside the sheet feeding device. The mechanism moves the stacking plate up and down. The pick-up device sends a top one of sheets stacked on the stacking plate, out in a direction from a sheet feeding position within a predetermined level range. The detection plate is mounted above the position and below a top inner surface of the sheet feeding device, with a lower surface thereof facing an object to be placed on the stacking plate. The detection plate is movably supported at a support portion provided at a predetermined location in an upper surface thereof. The detecting device detects upward and downward displacement of the detection plate. According to the detection result, the section controls operation of the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Nakashima, Toyoaki Nanba
  • Patent number: 7593683
    Abstract: A paper arranging device includes a driving roller and an idle roller disposed adjacent to each other to form a nip, a first sensor to sense a location of moving paper, and a lever having a first end which extends to a perimeter of the nip to block a tip of the paper moving toward the nip and the other end which extends to a perimeter of the sensor, the lever being rotatable with respect to a predetermined pivot axis between the first end and the second end of the lever. When the first end of the lever is pressed by the tip of the moving paper and reaches a first position, the first sensor determines that the tip of the paper is entering the nip and generates a first sensing signal. When the first end of the lever is pressed by the tip of the moving paper and reaches a second position at which the paper has proceeded farther than at the first position, the first sensor determines that the tip of the paper passes through the nip and generates a second sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woo-seog Kim, Nao-wan Kang
  • Patent number: 7556265
    Abstract: A document processing system includes a document track composed of a pair of opposing rigid track walls. The documents are moved along the document track in a series to allow operations to be performed on the documents. An apparatus for detecting a document with an attachment includes a strike plate formed by a separate section of a wall of the document track. A magnet is arranged to attract material toward the strike plate. An accelerometer is mounted to the strike plate. The accelerometer detects an impact of an attachment to the strike plate when a document with an attachment passes the strike plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Johan P. Bakker, J. Michael Spall, Thomas J. Shelton
  • Patent number: 7556253
    Abstract: An auto document feeder cooperated with an image processing machine defines a feeding path and has a base, a frame and a sensor device. The base has a background under the feeding path. The frame is mounted on the base. The sensor couples with the frame and has a sensor arm. The sensor arm has an optical sensor located in the feeding path and faced to the background of the base. The sensor device recognizes a sheet is present in the feeding path or not by that the optical sensor recognizes the energy of the light reflected from the background and the sheet. The sensor device also recognizes characteristic of the sheet by that the optical sensor recognizes the energy of the light reflected from the sheet. Therefore, the image processing machine executes different processes for the sheet according to the characteristic of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Yuan Peng, Min-Hsi Liu, Wei-Fong Liu
  • Publication number: 20090166961
    Abstract: An image scanning apparatus includes a paper thickness detection unit arranged to detect a paper thickness of an original document based on a reception signal, and a multiple-feeding detection unit arranged to detect, based on the reception signal, whether or not the original document that is being transported has been multiply fed. Based on a detection result obtained by the paper thickness detection unit and the multiple-feeding detection unit, the transportation speed is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi NAMIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090160126
    Abstract: To achieve a high-speed feeder, improvement of a rotational rate is required similarly in a feed motor and a conveyance motor, resulting in high costs. Moreover, in simultaneous control of paper feed and discharge, improvement of a conveyance rate leads to a high discharge rate to deteriorate alignment of discharged paper sheets. To solve the problems, the rate of the feed roller is set higher than the rate of the conveyance roller. The rate of the feed roller is determined based on the rate of the conveyance roller and an allowable amount of a loop formed by a rate difference between the two rollers. In the simultaneous control of paper feed and discharge, a distance between pages is detected by a sensor to determine whether the distance is sufficient, from the relation between current feed and conveyance rates. In the case of insufficient distance, the conveyance roller is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20090159631
    Abstract: A sheet material feeder includes a sheet material web, a vacuum box applying a tension force to a portion of the sheet material web extending into the vacuum box by applying a first vacuum force on the sheet material web, a first drive feeding the sheet material web into the vacuum box, a second drive pulling the sheet material web out of the vacuum box, and a system for applying a braking force to the sheet material web proximate to the vacuum box only during a decelerating movement of the sheet material web at the second drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur H. DePoi, Boris Rozenfeld, Anthony E. Yap
  • Patent number: 7547010
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an input unit for input of setting information, an image forming unit, a conveying unit, a control unit, and a jam detecting unit, wherein a set of a plurality of different kinds of special sheets disposed in a predetermined order is used. When occurrence of a jam is detected by the jam detecting unit, the control unit recognizes whether a special sheet having been fed is present in the image forming system, and if it is recognized that a special sheet is present in the image forming system, the control unit controls the conveying unit, after the jam being released, to eject a special sheet or sheets as unnecessary up to one that is disposed preceding a special sheet that is of the same kind as a most front one that was present in the image forming system at the time of the occurrence of the jam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Yokobori, Takao Kurohata, Shoichi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090127776
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a transport belt, a pressure device, a sheet detection device, an ejection/transport device, and a control device. The control device controls generating a first stop timing of the sheet transportation by the transport belt, at which first stop timing the transfer belt stops transporting the sheet, and that controls a predetermined delay time after which a second stop timing is generated, at which second stop timing the ejection/transport device stops transporting the sheet, and that shortens the delay time after the sheet detection device detects a trailing edge of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventor: Yohzoh Dohki
  • Patent number: 7526969
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the contactless detection of flat objects, particularly in sheet form, such as paper, films, foils, plates and similar flat materials or packs. In said methods and devices, e.g. in the printing industry there is a need for bringing about a reliable, precise detection of single, missing or multiple sheets, particularly double sheets of the flat objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Pepper1 + Fuchs GmbH
    Inventor: Dierk Schoen
  • Publication number: 20090091076
    Abstract: An auto document feeder cooperated with an image processing machine defines a feeding path and has a base, a frame and a sensor device. The base has a background under the feeding path. The frame is mounted on the base. The sensor couples with the frame and has a sensor arm. The sensor arm has an optical sensor located in the feeding path and faced to the background of the base. The sensor device recognizes a sheet is present in the feeding path or not by that the optical sensor recognizes the energy of the light reflected from the background and the sheet. The sensor device also recognizes characteristic of the sheet by that the optical sensor recognizes the energy of the light reflected from the sheet. Therefore, the image processing machine executes different processes for the sheet according to the characteristic of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: FOXLINK IMAGE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Yuan Peng, Min-Hsi Liu, Wei-Fong Liu