Plural Sensors Patents (Class 271/259)
  • Patent number: 11856168
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a speed detection roller that detects a conveyance speed of a sheet by coming into contact with the sheet being conveyed and being driven to rotate; and a hardware processor that performs temperature control to make an ambient temperature of the speed detection roller a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Harumitsu Fujimori, Shota Igo, Naoto Sugaya, Kenji Tamaki
  • Patent number: 11772923
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets is provided with a multi feed detecting section for detecting multi feed of conveyed sheets in a predetermined detection position of a conveyance path, and first and second discharge sections to which multi-fed sheets with the multi feed detected are discharged, and corresponding to one of a front end position of the multi-fed sheets at the time the multi feed detecting section detects the multi feed of sheets, a sheet storage state of the second discharge section, sheet storage states of the first and second discharge sections, a size of sheets and weighing, selects one of the first and second discharge sections to discharge the multi-fed sheets to the selected discharge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Jun Natori, Akiharu Higaki, Takuya Sakamoto, Naoki Yokoyama, Kazunori Hatakawa, Naoto Takeshita, Hiroshi Yazawa, Noritoshi Aikawa, Masatoshi Ozawa, Makoto Ozawa
  • Patent number: 11673756
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit to convey a sheet toward an image forming position, a torque detection unit to detect a load torque applied to a motor driving the conveyance unit, and a control unit to perform a speed control for changing a rotational speed of the motor such that an interval at which a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet pass through the image forming position approaches a target interval while the conveyance unit is conveying the succeeding sheet. The control unit executes an interval change processing for changing the target interval in the speed control based on a magnitude of a detected load torque when the conveyance unit is driven by the motor, the control unit controls power input to the motor by transmitting a command signal to a driving circuit of the motor, and the torque detection unit detects the command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatoshi Itoh
  • Patent number: 11548757
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a reversing portion configured to reverse the sheet received through a first feeding passage by feeding the sheet in a first direction and then in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a sheet feeding portion provided in a second feeding passage branching from the first feeding passage on a side upstream of the reversing portion with respect to the first direction, a first guiding surface forming the second feeding passage for guiding a first surface of the sheet fed by the feeding portion, and a second guiding surface for guiding a second surface, opposite from the first surface, of the sheet fed from the reversing portion in the second direction. The second guiding surface is movable with movement of the first guiding surface for opening the second feeding passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takezawa, Atsushi Yoshida, Hiroshi Kokubo, Noriaki Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 11440743
    Abstract: A motorized drive roller conveyor includes an upstream zone and a downstream zone, with each zone having a drive roller, an idler roller that is driven by the drive roller, and a sensor. The upstream zone and the downstream zone are controlled by a card, which measures a gap between a first item on the conveyor and a second item on the conveyor by beginning a counter when a trailing edge of the first item passes the sensor of the upstream zone and stopping the counter when a leading edge of the second item passes the sensor of the upstream zone to generate a counter value. If the first item is stopped in the downstream zone, the card of the upstream zone causes the drive roller of the upstream zone to advance the second item into the downstream zone for a distance derived from the counter value before stopping the transportation of the second item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Matthews International Corporation
    Inventors: Darin L. Danelski, Melvin W. Henry
  • Patent number: 11390477
    Abstract: A bunch of valuable media items are transported along a track surface within a deskew/pick module of a depository until a bottom item of the bunch covers a track sensor adjacent to an exit. Upper rollers are disengaged from a topmost item of the bunch and lower track-surface rollers are rotated in a direction that is perpendicular to a sidewall forcing a bottommost item of the bunch in alignment to the sidewall. Upper rollers are lowered onto the topmost item and pick rollers are activated to urge the bottommost item through the exit of the module. Upper rollers are raised off the topmost item and lower track-surface rollers are rotated; upper rollers are lowered onto the topmost item and pick rollers are activated to urge a next bottommost item through the exit. This process is repeated until no items are left in the bunch to process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Craig Rutherford
  • Patent number: 11316984
    Abstract: An image forming device including an image former, a primary controller, a secondary controller, one or more sensors, an interface, and a writer. The image former executes image forming processing to form an image on a sheet. The primary controller instructs the secondary controller to control the image former to execute the image forming processing. Each sensor detects a state of the image former and outputs sensor data to the secondary controller. The interface can be connected to a storage medium. The secondary controller generates diagnostic data based on the sensor data. The writer writes the diagnostic data to the storage medium via the interface. The diagnostic data is used by a diagnostic server to perform failure diagnostics and life prediction pertaining to the image forming device, after transfer to the diagnostic server via a transfer device when the storage medium is mounted to the transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Hitaka, Yasufumi Naitou
  • Patent number: 11292683
    Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a medium placing portion, a feeding roller that feeds paper, a medium movement detecting portion that is positioned on a placing region of the paper of the medium placing portion in a medium feeding direction and is capable of detecting movement of the paper being fed in a width direction intersecting the medium feeding direction, and a controller that stops feeding of the paper in a case in which a physical quantity relating to movement of paper in the width direction exceeds a predetermined threshold based on a detected result by the medium movement detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Shiota, Kazutoshi Nishida, Kiyotaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10894680
    Abstract: A multifeed detection device that detects multifeed by using an ultrasonic wave includes an ultrasonic emitting unit and an ultrasonic receiving unit arranged to oppose each other with a medium transport path interposed therebetween; judges occurrence of multifeed of media based on a detection intensity of an ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic receiving unit, and a multifeed threshold for judging multifeed of media; and acquires first information that is information relating to adjustment for the multifeed threshold, and second information for specifying that the first information is the information relating to the adjustment for the multifeed threshold, from a calibration sheet holding the first information and the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Nishizaka, Daisuke Honda
  • Patent number: 10815087
    Abstract: A conveyor apparatus, including: a tray; a feeder; a conveyance path; a conveyor; an upstream sensor; a downstream sensor; and a controller, wherein when it is determined that one certain recording medium has not yet reached a downstream detecting position of the downstream sensor at a time point when a first predetermined time elapses and the trailing edge of the recording medium has passed an upstream detecting position of the upstream sensor, the controller determines that a conveyance error is due to one of: a jam of the recording medium occurred in the conveyance path; and a slippage caused between the conveyor and the recording medium, if a medium length is less than a spacing distance between the upstream and downstream detecting positions while the controller determines that the conveyance error is due to the slippage if the medium length is equal to or larger than the spacing distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Motohiro Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 10730712
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus is capable of detecting the presence or absence of multi feeding with high accuracy even when a received waveform varies due to a “noise from the circuit” and an “influence due to vibrations,” which are fixedly generated noise components. The conveyance apparatus includes an original conveying motor configured to convey an original; an ultrasonic transmitter, which is arranged at one of positions sandwiching a conveyance path along which the original is conveyed, and transmits an ultrasonic wave toward the conveyance path; and an ultrasonic receiver, which is arranged at the other one of the positions sandwiching the conveyance path, and receives the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic transmitter. The conveyance apparatus compares a received wave amplitude exhibited with sheet-presence against a threshold value determined based on a received wave amplitude exhibited with sheet-absence to determine whether the original is conveyed with multi feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Arima
  • Patent number: 10642187
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, first and second rotatable members, a jam detecting portion, a detector, and a controller. When a sheet to be fed to a nip is a first sheet having a first length and a first width, the controller causes the first rotatable member rotating at a first speed to feed the first sheet. When the sheet is a second sheet having is a second length shorter than the first length and having the first width, the controller causes the first rotatable member rotating at a second speed slower than the first speed to feed the second sheet. The controller stops rotation of the first rotatable member in response to detection of the occurrence of a jam by the jam detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Youichi Chikugo
  • Patent number: 10466687
    Abstract: A method controls a folding box machine having a plurality of machining stations and a plurality of control devices for controlling the quality of folding boxes. Each control device controls different quality features of each folding box, and each control device transmits the result of the control to a control unit. Target values are stored in the control unit in order to classify the control results into results which meet the quality standard and results which do not meet the quality standard, and a folding box is discharged depending on an evaluation. The method advantageously reduces waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Masterwork Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Diehr, Mark Hammer, Frank Matthias Schmid
  • Patent number: 10160243
    Abstract: A digital printing press including a printing cylinder configured to transport a sheet, a driving device (41) configured to drive the printing cylinder, an encoder (44) configured to detect the phase of the printing cylinder, and first to fourth inkjet nozzle heads (23-26). The digital printing press further includes a floating detector (22) and configured to detect an abnormality of the sheet, and a control device (28) configured to control an operation of the driving device (41). The control device (28) stops the driving device (41) when the floating detector (22) detects a floating portion. The control device (28) operates the driving device (41) based on the phase of the printing cylinder when the floating detector (22) detects the floating portion and when the driving device (41) stops after floating detection and moving the floating portion detected by the floating detector (22) to a predetermined confirmation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: KOMORI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10120314
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image designated by a job on a sheet fed from one of a plurality of paper feed sources. The apparatus includes a detection unit that detects paper types of sheets respectively fed from the plurality of paper feed sources, a detection unit provided on a conveyance path, a memory device that stores a set of instructions, and at least one processor that executes the instructions to function as a first holding unit to hold paper sizes and paper types set by a user in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of paper feed sources, a second holding unit to hold the paper types detected by the detection unit in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of paper feed sources, and a third holding unit to hold a paper size designated by the job and a paper type. designated by the job or a condition related to setting of a paper type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidemi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10103504
    Abstract: An electric connector is provided to ensure reliable termination of cable wires having different sizes. The electric connector can include a housing, a plurality of contacts, and a wire holder. The wire holder includes a wire support extension configured to be at least partially inserted into the housing. The wire support extension defines a plurality of wire receiving passages configured to arrange a plurality of first wires thereon and align the first wires with contact insert slots of the housing, respectively, when the wire support extension is inserted to the housing. The wire holder further includes a plurality of wire support ribs configured to centralize second wires smaller than the first wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: CommScope Connectivity UK Limited
    Inventor: Gordon John White
  • Patent number: 10104268
    Abstract: While a cost is suppressed by providing no sensor configured to detect a size of a document, and a user's operation load for adjusting the position of the document is reduced, printing positions of an image on the surface of the document and an image on the back thereof are placed on the same location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Omata
  • Patent number: 10072170
    Abstract: An ink set that includes a first ink and a second ink each containing coloring agent, surfactant, organic solvent, resin, and water. The mix SP value of the organic solvent and the water of the first ink is larger than the mix SP value of the organic solvent and the water of the second ink. An ink-jet recording method using the ink set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hikaru Kobayashi, Tomohiro Nakagawa, Noriaki Okada
  • Patent number: 10031453
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes the following. A heating unit includes an outer surface driven to rotate and heats a sheet on which color material is transferred. A reflecting unit reflects heat emitted from the heating unit. The reflecting unit further includes, a covering unit which covers at least a portion of the outer surface of the heating unit so that there is a predetermined space; and a movable unit which is provided in the covering unit and which can be switched between a first position and a second position in which air in the space can flow more easily than the first position. The fixing apparatus also includes, a switching unit which switches the movable unit between the first position and the second position; and a controller which controls the switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Miho Yamano, Hiroyuki Maeda, Dai Suwama, Midori Shimomura, Tsuyoshi Tamaru
  • Patent number: 10008066
    Abstract: Input stacks of value documents are inserted in an input pocket of the value document processing apparatus, transported through the apparatus, checked and sorted into different deposit pockets of the value document processing apparatus, wherein reject value documents are deposited separately from the valid value documents. The reject value documents are automatically transported back to the input pocket with the aid of a reject transport device, to check the reject value documents again with the same value document processing apparatus (rerun). The reject transport device has several reject transport units, in which the reject value documents from the different input stacks are deposited separately from each other, and a reader for reading in the machine-readable identifier of the respective reject transport unit used for assigning the reject value documents of the respective reject transport unit to the input stack to which these reject value documents belong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Buntscheck, Markus Sperl
  • Patent number: 9764569
    Abstract: A printer includes a controller configured to perform a through-up printing process to print at least a part of a page while accelerating a conveyance speed of a print medium from zero at a particular acceleration, a constant-speed printing process to print at least a part of the page while maintaining a maximum conveyance speed after the conveyance speed reaches the maximum conveyance speed via the through-up printing process, a through-down printing process to print at least a part of the page while decelerating the conveyance speed at a particular deceleration after performing at least one of the through-up printing process and the constant-speed printing process, and a maximum speed setting process to set the maximum conveyance speed in accordance with a print amount of print data stored in a storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junya Kawai
  • Patent number: 9754364
    Abstract: Systems and methods using registration marks to detect page mismatches when making physical books are described. The system can be configured to capture an image of a plurality of pages, analyze the plurality of pages to determine whether a page does not include a registration mark, and provide results of the analyzing. In one example, if individual pages of the plurality of pages include the registration mark, then the results can include a message indicating that the plurality of pages are associated with the physical book. However, if one page of the plurality of pages lacks the registration mark, then the results can include a message indicating that the plurality of pages are associated with at least two physical books.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott William Horoho, Arun Lakshmi Narayanan
  • Patent number: 9533851
    Abstract: A control device includes a detection unit configured to detect a position of a fed sheet in a direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the sheet, and a setting unit configured to set a print start position in the direction intersecting with the conveyance direction based on the position of the sheet detected by the detection unit. The detection unit detects the position of the sheet in a case where the sheet is fed from a first feeding unit, and does not detect the position of the sheet in a case where the sheet is fed from a second feeding unit, the first feeding unit and the second feeding unit being among a plurality of feeding units that are different from each other in a distance to a printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Syunichi Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 9477220
    Abstract: A conveyor jam detection system and method includes a distance detector located on one side of a conveyor oriented to detect the distance from the detector to parcels on the conveyor. A controller is responsive to the distance detector and is configured to compare distance measurements, to reset a jam count if different distance measurements over time are greater than a threshold, to increment the jam count if different distance measurements over time are less than the threshold, and output a jam condition signal if the jam count exceeds a set limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Sick, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Shteinfeld, Richard Lydon
  • Patent number: 9475315
    Abstract: The liquid discharge apparatus includes a support member supporting a medium while rotating, a head facing the support member and discharging a liquid, a conveyance part conveying a medium between the support member and the head, and a foreign matter detection unit detecting a foreign matter heading toward between the support member and the head in association with the conveyance of the medium. The foreign matter detection unit has a movable roller that faces the support member upstream relative to the head in a conveyance direction of the medium, and nips the medium between the support member and the movable roller, a rotational support member rotatably supporting the movable roller to allow inclination of the movable roller relative to a rotational axis direction, which is a center of rotation of the support member, and a retention member movably retaining the rotational support member in a direction toward the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toyama, Tomoyuki Shiiya
  • Patent number: 9459581
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus performing automatic recovery from a paper non-feeding jam. It includes plural paper feeding cassettes, a sensing sensor, paper non-feeding jam determining part, and system control part. Plural paper feeding cassettes are detachably loaded inside apparatus main body. Sensing sensor is disposed in a carrying passage, and senses a paper sheet fed from paper feeding cassette. Paper non-feeding jam determining part determines whether or not a paper non-feeding jam has occurred in paper feeding cassette, on apparatus operation state and result of sensing by sensing sensor, and if a paper non-feeding jam has occurred, releases error state for paper non-feeding jam after a prescribed time period has elapsed, notifying that paper feeding is to be changed over. System control part controls changeover of paper feeding to that from another paper feeding cassette, on notification from paper non-feeding jam determining part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Naoki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9382081
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a medium container that contains media, a sheet feeding controller that feeds the media one sheet by one sheet, which is contained in the medium container, a detection part that detects a remaining amount of the media contained in the medium container, and a searching part that searches for another medium container that contains media that is the same as the media contained in the medium container. The sheet feeding controller, when the detection part detects that the remaining amount of the media contained in the medium container has reached a predetermined amount, feeds one of the media, which is contained in the another medium container that is found by the searching part, to a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Masakazu Hiroi
  • Patent number: 9372464
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance section (1) includes a roller (3a), a roll (3b), and a pressing member (5). The roller (3a) and the roll (3b) carry a sheet (P) by sandwiching the sheet P. The pressing member (5) presses the roll (3b) against the roller (3a). The roll (3b) is supported so as to be movable independently of the pressing member (5) on condition that the pressing by the pressing member (5) is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9272867
    Abstract: At occurrence of jamming, a downstream-side conveying roller pair is stopped, while an upstream-side conveying roller pair continuously rotates, whereby a sheet between the downstream-side conveying roller pair and the upstream-side conveying roller pair is ejected from a sheet conveying path opened by a movable guide portion. At this time, a conveying force of a stepping motor driving the upstream-side conveying roller pair is made larger than the conveying force before the occurrence of jamming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masahiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9039009
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus which includes a sheet feed tray in which a plurality of sheets is loaded in piles; a sheet feed roller which is provided at a forward position of the sheet feed tray in a sheet feed direction, and sends the loaded sheets inside thereof; and a lift detection sensor which detects, by using a movable lever, a lift of a sheet bundle which occurs when the sheet bundle, of which a rear or a side in a sheet feed direction is bound, is sent by the sheet feed roller therein, the lift detection sensor being provided at a side position of the sheet bundle in a width direction and at a backward position with respect to the center of the sheet bundle in the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oshiro, Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito, Jun Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150137444
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a media transition unit for altering orientation and/or direction of travel of media that defines a first edge and a second edge, which is shorter than the first edge. The media transition unit includes a first module having a first sensor and a first conveyor belt, and a second module having a second sensor and a second conveyor belt. The first module receives the media traveling along a first direction perpendicular to the first edge. The received media is detected by the first sensor that prompts the first conveyor belt to transport the media at a first speed in a second direction perpendicular to the second edge. Upon detecting the media adjacent to the second module, the second sensor prompts the second conveyor belt to transport the media at a second speed along the second direction. The second speed exceeds the first speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Mazhar Ibrahim, Hassan Gomaa, Atef Abdelaziz
  • Patent number: 9027925
    Abstract: Methods for picking a following sheet of media before the prior sheet of media has been detected exiting a media input tray in an imaging apparatus to increase media throughput. The methods may further include processes for shifting an image area to a shingled sheet of media without having to stop the imaging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Yusef Hassan Alaas, Kevin Dean Schoedinger
  • Patent number: 9027919
    Abstract: Provided are a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus that are capable of accurately detecting an abnormality of a feeding state without erroneously detecting when a trailing edge of a preceding sheet and a leading edge of a subsequent sheet are fed in an overlaid state. The sheet feeding device includes ultrasonic wave sensors 6 and 7 that detect an overlaid state of a preceding sheet Sa and a subsequent sheet Sb fed from feeding portions 51, 317 to 319 and a controller 1 that continuously performs a detection of the overlaid state of a sheet fed from the feeding portion at a predetermined number of detecting points along a sheet conveying direction at every predetermined time and determines a number of detecting points where detects. Based on the determined number of detecting points, the controller determines that the overlaid state is normal or abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuro Fukusaka, Yoshitaka Yamazaki, Taishi Tomii
  • Patent number: 9022378
    Abstract: In a sheet conveyance device, if a sheet has not been detected at a second position when a predetermined time has elapsed since the sheet has been detected at a first position, a separating portion switches operation thereof from a separating operation to a non-separating operation of conveying the sheet from upstream to downstream in a sheet conveyance path, and a sheet feed portion continues a feeding operation. If the sheet has not been detected at the second position by the time a predetermined time has elapsed since the separating portion has started the non-separating operation, the separating portion and the sheet feed portion stop driving, and if the sheet has been detected at the second position by the time, the separating portion switches operation thereof from the non-separating operation to the separating operation, and the sheet feed portion continues the feeding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kakuta, Yuki Tojo, Takuro Murata, Shinji Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 8998202
    Abstract: Provided is a technology capable of identifying presence/absence of buckling at an occurrence of a jam and determining more appropriately whether or not to perform automatic sheet discharge. A sound collecting device provided on a conveying path of an image forming apparatus is used to collect sound generated from a sheet at the occurrence of the jam. Generated spectrum data is obtained by analyzing characteristics of the collected sound. The generated spectrum data is compared with reference spectrum data, to thereby identify the presence/absence of the buckling and discriminate the conveyance propriety of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Teruhito Kai
  • Patent number: 8995849
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a print mechanism which performs a printing on a plurality of papers; a paper feed section on which the papers to be printed are placed; a paper discharge section on which the papers that have been printed are placed; a transport route which extends from the paper feed section to the paper discharge section via a printing position at which the printing is performed by the print mechanism; a transport mechanism which successively transports the papers along the transport route; and a controller which controls the transport mechanism. The controller controls the transport mechanism to perform a transportation of the papers by a plurality of transport modes including a first transport mode and a second transport mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Ota
  • Patent number: 8966983
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the contactless detection of laminated, flat objects, particularly sheet-like recording media. There is a galvanic separation and mechanical decoupling between the transmitter and receiver to improve detection. These measures can be further improved with correction characteristic methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbH
    Inventor: Dierk Schoen
  • Patent number: 8960671
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveying path, a brushed motor, a motor drive unit, a conveying unit, a sensor, and a processor. The motor drive unit is configured to rotate and halt the brushed motor. The conveying unit is configured to convey a sheet along the conveying path by driving force of the motor. The sensor is configured to detect the sheet. The processor is configured to function as a halting unit configured to control the motor drive unit to halt the brushed motor in different methods depending on detection result of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tasuku Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8960672
    Abstract: A sheet feeder control method for controlling a sheet feeder of an image forming apparatus includes feeding a sheet through a sheet feed path exposable to the exterior of the sheet feeder, detecting the feeding of the sheet at at least a first position on the sheet feed path, discharging the fed sheet to the exterior of the sheet feeder, detecting the discharge of the sheet at a second position downstream of the first position in a sheet feeding direction, detecting a sheet jam during the feeding and discharging of the sheet, and if the jammed sheet is detected at the second position but not at the first position, cancelling a malfunction state due to the sheet jam when the sheet stops being detected at the second position, irrespective of whether the sheet feed path is covered or exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company
    Inventor: Ryo Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20150014914
    Abstract: Provided are an auto document feeder (ADF), a scanner including the ADF, and a method of controlling auto document feeding. The ADF includes: a feed unit picking up a sheet of paper and carrying the sheet of paper to a scan unit; a feed control unit controlling the feed unit; and a retry control unit. If a sheet of paper is not normally picked up by the feed unit, the retry control unit decreases a speed of a motor driving the feed unit or increases a current supplied to the motor for picking up the sheet of paper. Therefore, although sheets of paper are not normally fed when a user intends to use various kinds of sheets of paper with the ADF, the retry control unit may stabilize feeding of the feeding of the sheets of paper. Thus, efficient, convenient, and high-quality paper feeding may be possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventor: Byung-jun SUNG
  • Patent number: 8899400
    Abstract: The check deposit apparatus of the present invention comprises an insertion part that is used to insert a check from outside for deposit, a feed part furnished with a feed roller that feeds the placed check along a feed path, an alignment part furnished with an alignment roller that feeds the check fed from the feed part to one side of the feed path and also aligns it, a check reading part that reads information of the check that has been aligned by the alignment part, first and second sensor groups that judge whether the check inserted into the insertion part has a specification that enables it to be fed and processed toward the alignment part normally, a third sensor group that judges whether the check aligned in the alignment part has a specification that enables it to be read and processed normally in the check reading part, and a control part that judges whether to deposit or return the check in question based on the information sensed by the first and second group or third sensor group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nautilus Hyosung Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Hoon Kwak, Woo Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8827267
    Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, a jam detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can improve the user friendliness in the recovery processing when determining that a jam has occurred during conveyance of a paper. The paper conveying apparatus includes a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal, a control module for stopping conveyance of a paper when the sound jam detector determines that the jam has occurred, a paper state detector for detecting a state of the paper, and a recovery processing module for automatically performing a recovery processing which resumes conveyance of the paper in accordance with a content of the detection of the paper state detector after stopping the conveyance of the paper by the control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi
  • Patent number: 8810874
    Abstract: A duplex scanning apparatus and a sheet-feeding control method thereof are provided. The duplex scanning apparatus includes a sheet feeding channel, a sheet transfer channel, an inverting channel, and a sheet sensing module. A first end of the inverting channel is connected to a junction between said sheet feeding channel and the sheet transfer channel. A second end of the inverting channel is connected to the sheet transfer channel. A distance between the sheet sensing module and the first end of the inverting channel is greater than a distance between the sheet sensing module and the second end of the inverting channel. When a document is transferred through the sheet sensing module at the second time, a next document is fed into the sheet feeding channel through a sheet entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping-Hung Kuo, Yi-Liang Chen, Wei-Hsun Hsu, Szu-Chieh Wu
  • Patent number: 8800989
    Abstract: A paper conveying device includes: a conveyance path, along which paper is conveyed; paper jam removal zones provided side by side along the conveyance path; paper detection sensors respectively provided in the paper jam removal zones for detecting the presence or absence of paper; a paper jam detecting section for detecting paper jam based on output signals from the paper detection sensors; a signal storing section for storing previous signal statuses just before current signal statuses of the output signals of the paper detection sensors; a display section for displaying one of the paper jam removal zones; and a display controlling section for identifying the one of the paper jam removal zones based on the current signal statuses and the previous signal statuses of the paper detection sensors when paper jam is detected, and displaying the identified paper jam removal zone on the display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Yousuke Minowa
  • Patent number: 8783684
    Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus, a jam detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can suppress erroneous detection of a jam. The paper conveying apparatus includes a sound signal generator for generating a sound signal, a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal, a special sound detector for determining whether a special sound has been generated based on a component of the sound signal, and a control module for performing abnormal processing when the sound jam detector determines that a jam has occurred and the special sound detector determines that a special sound has not been generated, and determining that no jam has occurred and not performing the abnormal processing when the sound jam detector determines that a jam has occurred and the special sound detector determines that a special sound has been generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Masanobu Hongo, Takayuki Umi
  • Patent number: 8764009
    Abstract: The unstacker device (1) for unstacking flat articles comprises: a magazine (3) in which the articles (2) to be unstacked are disposed on edge in a stack against a jogging edge (5) and facing an unstacking plate (4) arranged to separate a first article (2A) and to drive it in a certain unstacking direction (A) that is perpendicular to the jogging edge (5); a conveyor (7) for conveying the unstacked articles, the conveyor having an inlet (7A) downstream from the jogging edge (5); and retaining means (8) disposed between the jogging edge (5) and the inlet of the conveyor (7A) and actuated to exert a retaining force on an article (2A, 2B), which retaining force opposes movement of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Solystic
    Inventors: Agnes Philippe, Celine Guignard, Hicham El Bernoussi
  • Publication number: 20140147136
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus which includes a sheet feed tray in which a plurality of sheets is loaded in piles; a sheet feed roller which is provided at a forward position of the sheet feed tray in a sheet feed direction, and sends the loaded sheets inside thereof; and a lift detection sensor which detects, by using a movable lever, a lift of a sheet bundle which occurs when the sheet bundle, of which a rear or a side in a sheet feed direction is bound, is sent by the sheet feed roller therein, the lift detection sensor being provided at a side position of the sheet bundle in a width direction and at a backward position with respect to the center of the sheet bundle in the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Toshiaki OSHIRO, Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihasi, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito, Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 8727337
    Abstract: A vending machine system for stackable goods such as vehicle air fresheners includes a hopper and a reciprocating arm. The hopper is configured to hold a stack of the stackable goods. The hopper has an aperture formed in a base of the hopper for dispensing the stackable goods from the hopper. The reciprocating arm is disposed adjacent the aperture. The reciprocating arm is linearly movable between a retracted position and an extended position. One of the stackable goods is received by the reciprocating arm when the reciprocating arm is in the retracted position, and is pushed from the stack of stackable goods by the reciprocating arm when the reciprocating arm is in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventor: Kenneth F. Flower
  • Patent number: 8668300
    Abstract: A multifunction machine includes: a first feeding roller and a second feeding roller; an intermediate roller pair provided to a curved portion of a transport route; a main transporting roller pair; a recording head; a first drive motor and a second drive motor; and a control section. The control section intermittently drives the main transporting roller pair and makes the recording head jet ink during a period of time in which the main transporting roller pair is stopped, and performs pre-paper feeding processing for rotating the first feeding roller a predetermined amount in a paper feeding direction when a rear end of a paper is positioned between a first sensor and the first feeding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga, Keisuke Wakakusa
  • Patent number: 8636282
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus which includes a sheet feed tray in which a plurality of sheets is loaded in piles; a sheet feed roller which is provided at a forward position of the sheet feed tray in a sheet feed direction, and sends the loaded sheets inside thereof; and a lift detection sensor which detects, by using a movable lever, a lift of a sheet bundle which occurs when the sheet bundle, of which a rear or a side in a sheet feed direction is bound, is sent by the sheet feed roller therein, the lift detection sensor being provided at a side position of the sheet bundle in a width direction and at a backward position with respect to the center of the sheet bundle in the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oshiro, Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito, Jun Ishii