Responsive To Sheet Sensor Patents (Class 271/265.01)
  • Patent number: 8322717
    Abstract: A media transport apparatus includes a first media transport, having a first transport surface and a first drive unit, to convey the substrate media. A second media transport having a second transport surface and a second drive unit receives the substrate media from the first. A first force transducer outputs a force signal associated with a first force between the media transports. A control unit receives the force signal, and outputs a control signal to at least one of the first and second drive units that is dependent upon a comparison of the first relative force signal with a predetermined value. The control signal commands the first or second drive unit to drive the motion of the respective first or second media transport to maintain the force signal at or about no greater than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joannes N. M. de Jong, Steven R. Moore, Peter J. Knausdorf
  • Publication number: 20120299235
    Abstract: A printing stock feeder system may include, but is not limited to: a support stand; a feed deck rotatably coupled to the support stand; a printing stock storage stack; and a printing stock transfer mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: James P. Schmidt, Jeffrey Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8317193
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a conveying portion which conveys a sheet, a lever which is pushed by the sheet conveyed by the conveying portion, and moves from a standby position, a detecting portion which generates a signal corresponding to a position of the lever, and generates a first signal when the detecting portion detects movement of the lever in a first moving area from the standby position to a predetermined position and generates a second signal when the detecting portion detects movement of the lever in a second moving area beyond the predetermined position, and a biasing portion which does not apply to the lever a biasing force when the lever is in the first moving area, and applies to the lever a biasing force opposite in a direction in which the lever is pushed by the sheet and moves when the lever is in the second moving area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Yano
  • Patent number: 8317190
    Abstract: A right angle turn module having a first transport that transports side-by-side sheets in a first direction. Downstream of the first sheet transport a barrier is positioned to stop the sheets. A sensor device detects an arrival of the side-by-side sheets at the stop arrangement. Then, an actuated second sheet transport, triggered by the sensor device, is activated to transport the sheets serially in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. In a preferred embodiment, a horizontal guide plate is positioned at a downstream end of the first sheet transport. With the guide plate thus positioned, a sheet traveling in the first direction and a sheet traveling in the second direction can temporarily be overlapped and a collision can be avoided. In a further preferred embodiment, the first transport further comprises overhead belts to urge the side-by-side pair of sheets in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Masotta, Robert E. Manna, Daniel J. Williams
  • Patent number: 8313100
    Abstract: A paper sheet or bill processing apparatus capable of reliably detecting a paper sheet or bill present in a traveling route. The paper sheet or bill processing apparatus includes: a motor for a paper sheet or bill conveyance mechanism which can be driven to convey a paper sheet or bill along a traveling route; a discharge sensor which detects whether or not the paper sheet or bill is present in the traveling route; and control means which carries out a redetection process to detect whether or not the paper sheet or bill is present in the traveling route again by the discharge sensor after the motor is driven if the paper sheet or bill is not detected by the discharge detection sensor in a detection process in a condition that driving of the conveyance mechanism is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Nireki
  • Publication number: 20120286469
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus that is capable of aligning sheets in a sheet longitudinal direction with high accuracy when bundling the sheets. A conveyance unit conveys a sheet. A stacking unit stacks a plurality of sheets that are conveyed by the conveyance unit. A grasping member performs a grasping operation that grasps the rear end of the sheet surface of the sheets stacked on the stacking unit. A driving unit moves the grasping member. A control unit controls the driving unit so as to align the sheets stacked on the stacking unit in a sheet conveyance direction by making the grasping member contact the rear end of the stacked sheets after the sheets are stacked on the stacking unit, and controls the driving unit so that the grasping member performs the grasping operation when a following sheet is stacked on the stacked sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoharu SATO, Hitoshi KATO, Naoki ISHIKAWA, Yasuo FUKATSU
  • Patent number: 8305658
    Abstract: The invention provides an automatic document feeder for a scanning apparatus. The automatic document feeder includes a feeding passage, a feeding mechanism, a shaft, an idle roller, and a detecting device. The feeding mechanism is used for transporting a document along the feeding passage. The shaft is disposed at the feeding passage, and the idle roller is sleeved on the shaft. When the document is transported through the feeding passage, the idle roller is driven to rotate by the document. The detecting device detects a rotational speed of the idle roller and outputs a detection signal according to the rotational speed of the idle roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Avison Inc.
    Inventor: Sung-Po Cheng
  • Publication number: 20120267848
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a curved sheet conveyance path through which a sheet passes, and a sensor that is disposed in the sheet conveyance path and detects the passing sheet. The sensor includes a light-emitting portion that collects light from a light source and irradiates the passing sheet in an irradiating range which is broader in a sheet conveyance direction than a width direction, and a light-receiving portion that receives the light arriving at and reflected from the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Saito
  • Patent number: 8292295
    Abstract: A sheet measuring apparatus includes a first rotating member that includes a first peripheral surface portion that contacts a transported sheet; a second rotating member that includes a second peripheral surface portion made of a material different from that of the first peripheral surface portion, the second peripheral surface contacting the first peripheral surface portion and not contacting the sheet; a first rotation amount detecting unit that detects a first rotation amount that is a rotation amount of the first rotating member; a second rotation amount detecting unit that detects a second rotation amount that is a rotation amount of the second rotating member, the second rotation amount being used for a calculation related to the transported sheet; and a fault detecting unit that detects a fault that has occurred in the first rotating member on the basis of the first rotation amount and the second rotation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Ohshima, Michio Taniwaki
  • Patent number: 8292294
    Abstract: A sheet transportation device includes a transportation path for transportation of a sheet, a transportation unit for applying force to a sheet on the transportation path, and an electromagnetic component for driving the transportation unit by receiving supply of electric power. At the sheet transportation device, the absence/presence of a sheet is detected at a downstream side of the region where the transportation unit applies force to a sheet in the transportation path, and counter electromotive force induced in response to electric power being supplied to the electromagnetic component is supplied as the electric power for the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junichi Masuda, Masayuki Watanabe, Takeshi Ishida, Takahiro Tsujimoto, Takahiro Yokoya
  • Publication number: 20120242031
    Abstract: The control unit 60 controls driving units 45b, 45c and 45d in such a manner that, when the detecting unit 36b detects at least the one paper sheet P2, the detected paper sheet P2 and the bundled of paper sheet P1 escrowed in the loop portion are merged to each other, and that the merged paper sheets P1 and P2 are escrowed in the loop portion. At this time, the control unit 60 controls the drive units 45b, 45c and 45d such that, after the detected paper sheet P2 and the escrowed bundle of paper sheet P1 have been merged or partly merged to each other, the merged or partly-merged paper sheets P1 and P2 are accelerated in at least the loop portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventor: Tetsuya TANIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20120242038
    Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method with the object of preventing the feed of a sheet that is not the feeding target when performing sheet re-feeding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuji Yatsunami, Yoshikane Tsuchihashi, Akinobu Nakahata
  • Patent number: 8272640
    Abstract: A first lower layer control unit controls a conveyance unit, that conveys the medium in a first conveyance section of a conveyance path. A second lower layer control unit controls a conveyance unit, that conveys the medium in a second conveyance section located downstream of the first conveyance section. An upper layer control unit determines whether the medium is at a position where both the first lower layer control unit and the second lower layer control unit engage with conveyance control of the medium, instructs the first lower layer control unit and the second lower layer control unit to operate in synchronization with each other when the medium is at the position, and instructs the second lower layer control unit to operate asynchronously to the first lower layer control unit when the medium is not at the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Keita Takahashi, Atsushi Otani, Shoji Takeda, Hirotaka Seki
  • Publication number: 20120235351
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a paper sheet handling apparatus includes a supply unit including a support surface which tilts from a vertical direction, and a mounting surface substantially perpendicular to the support surface, and configured to receive a plurality of paper sheets which tilt along the support surface and are stacked on the mounting surface, a pick up mechanism configured to pick up the paper sheets from a mounting surface side of the supply unit, a conveyance path configured to convey the picked up paper sheet, an inspection device configured to inspect the conveyed paper sheet, and an accumulation unit configured to accumulate the inspected paper sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sakoguchi, Kazuhiro Mukai, Hisashi Oosawa
  • Patent number: 8267401
    Abstract: Provided is a recording apparatus for performing recording on a medium, including: a transporting unit which transports the medium; a recording unit which performs the recording on the transported medium; a control unit which controls the transporting unit and the recording unit; and a detection unit which detects presence or absence of the medium at a predetermined position in a transporting path, wherein, during or after the transporting of the medium, after the detection unit detects medium absence if the detection unit detects medium presence during an interval until the transporting for a regulated distance, which is set as a value of a diameter or more of a hole provided to the medium, is finished, the control unit determines erroneous operation and performs a predetermined process so as to remove the erroneous operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norihiko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20120228819
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet feeding channel, a sheet feeding structure, a sheet stopping structure, plural sensing arms, an optical sensor and a controller. By the sheet feeding structure, a paper sheet is fed into the sheet feeding channel. The sheet stopping structure is used for stopping the paper sheet from being moved forwardly. During the process of feeding the paper sheet, the plural sensing arms are pushed by the paper sheet to be rotated. According to the rotating statuses of the sensing arms, the optical sensor issues different signals to the controller. According to these signals, the controller will control the operations of the sheet stopping structure and the sheet feeding structure, thereby correcting the skew condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Primax Electronics Ltd
    Inventor: Kuan Chien-Kuo
  • Patent number: 8262088
    Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes: a medium conveying member that conveys a medium; a rotation start position detecting unit as defined herein; a driving start timing determining unit that determines whether a time reaches a driving start timing when rotation driving by the medium conveying member is started or not; and a medium conveying member controlling unit that controls the rotation driving of the medium conveying member, and that, in case the driving start timing determining unit determines that the time reaches the driving start timing and the rotation driving is started from one of the rotation start positions, the rotation driving is stopped at another one of the rotation start positions that is different from the rotation start position where the rotation driving is started, based on a result of the detection by the rotation start position detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobutaka Uji, Yasuhiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8264732
    Abstract: A system and method for continuously printing images on a web material and continuously transferring the images to identity documents. A print component prints images on the web material. A registration component registers select images to identity documents. An applicator component applies the select images to the identity documents. A controller maintains throughput of the web material through the print component, registration component, and applicator component. The controller allows the system to continuously print images on the web material and continuously transfer the images to identity documents, in that it synchronizes cycles of the components, so that the components have simultaneous processing cycles and have simultaneous intervals between processing cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: DataCard Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Anderson, James M. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8262079
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including a recording portion for recording image on a top face of a sheet; a supplying roller which is to be in contact with a bottom face of the sheet held in a tray so as to supply the sheet toward a curved conveyance path, a drive roller which is to be in contact with the top face of the sheet so as to convey the sheet supplied from the supplying roller, and a controlling portion which is configured, upon receipt of a command requesting start of conveyance of the sheet, to cause the supplying roller to be rotated without causing the drive roller to be rotated, and is configured, upon judgment that a leading end portion of the sheet has reached a flat surface extending away from the drive roller toward the recording portion, to cause the drive roller to be rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Uchino
  • Patent number: 8256768
    Abstract: A method of aligning transport modules in a printing system, the method including passing at least one substrate media in a process direction through two adjacent belt driven transport modules with one of the two transport modules having a belt steering control disabled. Each of the two transport modules including a transport belt for engaging and conveying the at least one substrate media, which transfers skew between the two adjacent transport modules. The method including detecting a first cross-process position of the transport belt in one of the two adjacent transport modules using a first edge sensor and detecting a second cross-process position of the transport belt in the other of the two adjacent transport modules using a second edge sensor. Further, aligning the two adjacent transport modules based on a relative skew between the two transport modules indicated by the first cross-process position and the second cross-process position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Krucinski
  • Publication number: 20120217700
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a loading surface, a supply roller configured to feed recording sheets loaded on the loading surface, an overload prevention member disposed upstream from the supply roller in a sheet feed direction, and a movable member disposed downstream from the overload prevention member in the sheet feed direction. The overload prevention member includes a restriction surface configured to be moved between a first position and a second position. The movable member is configured to be moved from a third position to a fourth position by being pushed by leading ends of the recording sheets. The movable member and the overload prevention member are configured to interlock each other such that, when the movable member is in the third position, the restriction surface is in the first position, and when the movable member is in the fourth position, the restriction surface is in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi MIWA
  • Publication number: 20120217702
    Abstract: A jam-processing assisting device that performs a jam removal process for removing a sheet jammed at a carriage roller by rotating the carriage roller includes: a motor that drives the carriage roller to rotate; a rotation-direction detecting unit that detects a direction of rotation in which the motor is required to rotate for removing a jam; and a motor-driving controlling unit that drives the motor to rotate in the direction that has been detected. The rotation-direction detecting unit determines, based on a detection of a pulling-out direction in which the jammed sheet is pulled by an external force, the pulling-out direction that has been detected as the direction of rotation of the motor and drives the motor in the direction that has been determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Takeo Seki
  • Patent number: 8251365
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for monitoring the separation of a sheet product, particularly of banknotes. The invention is based on a device and a method for monitoring the separation of a sheet product, particularly of banknotes, by means of a separator (1, 2, 3) having a drive (4, 7) and a controller (8) for monitoring and controlling the angular speed (w) of the separator, and is based on monitoring of the angular speed of the separator by the controller for changes and the determination of faulty separation, if the change of the angular speed is greater than a permitted deviation, or if the angular speed falls below a threshold value (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Reuter
  • Publication number: 20120205857
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding media sheets in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include applying air downward to a top of a trailing edge of a media sheet located at a top of a media stack that is to be fed to an image production section of the image production device, the applied air causing the top media sheet to separate from the media stack, and feeding the separated top media sheet to the image production section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Douglas K. HERRMANN
  • Publication number: 20120193870
    Abstract: A sheet processing system, comprising a number of drums for processing sheets, one of the drums comprising a seam area and a non-seam area, a gap between the drums, an actuator for displacing one of the drums for setting the gap, a manager, comprising a memory and a processor, that regulates the actuator current when the non-seam area passes through a nip so as to maintain a nip pressure, and signals the actuator to adjust the gap according to a predetermined gap setpoint profile when the seam area passes through the nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventor: Elad Taig
  • Publication number: 20120181741
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet detecting apparatus that detects a sheet, the sheet detecting apparatus comprising: a lever member; a biasing portion that biases the lever member for a first position where the abutting surface abuts against the leading end of the sheet; a supporting mechanism that movably supports the lever member to move in an order of the first position, a second position to which the lever member moves by the sheet against the biasing force of the biasing member, and a third position where the lever member abuts on a surface of the sheet and waits in order to move to the first position when a trailing end of the sheet passes the lever member, while keeping a abutting surface of lever member facing upstream; an interlocking portion that interlocks with the lever member; and a detector that detects a position of the interlocking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yohei Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120161387
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a first roller configured to feed a sheet in a first direction along a first feed path, a second roller arranged on a downstream side of the first roller and configured to feed the sheet in the first direction along the first feed path, a sheet detection unit arranged between the first roller and the second roller. A rotation amount of the second roller from detection of the leading end of the sheet by the sheet detection unit to arrival of the sheet at a predetermined position on the downstream side is compensated based on the rotation speed of the first roller within a first period, which is a period from start of feeding of the sheet as the first roller is started to be driven to the detection of the leading end of the sheet by the sheet detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta HORADE
  • Patent number: 8205881
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device intermittently feeds a sheet according to commanded feeding amounts included in successively generated feeding commands. The sheet feeding device includes upstream and downstream feeding rollers rotated by respective first and second amounts of rotation corresponding to the commanded feeding amount. The sheet feeding device includes an obtaining portion for obtaining an overrun amount of the sheet immediately after a trailing edge of the sheet member has left the upstream feeding roller, based on a difference obtained by subtracting a product of a first radius and the first amount of rotation of the upstream feeding roller, from a product of a second radius and the second amount of rotation of the downstream roller. The obtained overrun amount is subtracted from the next commanded feeding amount, when estimating that the trailing edge leaves the upstream feeding roller during feeding of the sheet according to the next feeding command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Publication number: 20120153566
    Abstract: When a sheet is transported as passed through a first roller pair equipped with a torque limiter and through a second roller pair, a loop formed in the sheet between the first roller pair and the second roller pair is cleared by a method wherein the amount of sheet loop is decreased by driving the second roller pair and disabling the first roller pair and wherein at the time when the sheet loop is decreased to a predetermined amount, a velocity of clearing the loop is lowered by rotating the first roller pair at a lower peripheral velocity than that of the second roller pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takayuki ITO, Shigeru Tashiro, Naotoshi Kawai, Hiroaki Umemoto
  • Publication number: 20120147435
    Abstract: A method for providing increased performance in fully active retard feeders includes driving a feed roll and retard roll pair of a reprographic apparatus backwards periodically at the start of the machine or during idle periods to compensate for contamination buildup and/or roll “set” when left in position overnight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ian A. Parks, Neil Flynn, Samuel Hagos, Christopher Pearce, Stephen P. Wood, Richard G. Hubbard, Allan D. Mciver, Justin Chase
  • Patent number: 8196917
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, a detection unit arranged near a feed roller is rotatably arranged. A space where the feed roller is attached and detached is formed by rotating the detection unit. The detection unit is rotated in accordance with an operation of attaching and detaching the feed roller to and from a shaft, and the maintenance of the feed roller is performed while the formed space is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Shiba
  • Patent number: 8186675
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling substrate flatness for sensor measurements in printing device using vacuum and/or the flow or air. A source of low pressure, such as a vacuum, may be provided. A printed sheet of media may be transported between upper and lower transport baffles that are generally spaced apart to permit the sheet of media to pass. Located on one of transport baffles may be a sensor to measure a property of the printed sheet. The source of low pressure is connected to the one of the transport baffle so as to draw the surface of the sheet toward the sensor. In addition, air flow may be directed to the opposite surface of the sheet to urge it toward the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Francisco Zirilli
  • Patent number: 8181958
    Abstract: A stiffness detector includes a bending portion configured to bend a paper sheet to be carried. The stiffness detector transmits acoustic waves to an incidence point on an inner surface of the paper sheet which is bent by the bending portion and is carried, thereby exciting Lamb waves. The stiffness detector receives leaky waves of the Lamb waves emitted from a detection point on the inner surface of the paper sheet. The stiffness detector specifies a maximum crest value based on the received signals, and judges whether the paper sheet is an unimpaired sheet based on the specified maximum crest value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Itsumi, Seiji Ikari, Takanobu Nishimura, Yoshihiko Naruoka, Toru Todoriki, Junji Miura, Takahisa Nakano
  • Publication number: 20120119438
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording medium overturning mechanism, comprising: a bracket (100); an entry (50) and an exit (60), arranged in the bracket (100); a first channel (10), communicating the entry (50) with the exit (60) to convey a recording medium which does not need to be overturned; a second channel (20), communicating with the entry (50) to convey a recording medium which needs to be overturned; a third channel (30), communicating with the exit (60) and the second channel (20) to convey the overturned recording medium, wherein the first channel (10), the second channel (20) and the third channel (30) are basically arranged in an inverted triangle and joined with each other; a channel switching mechanism (40), arranged on the bracket (100) and located at a joining area between the first channel (10) and the second channel (20); and an overturning roller (70), arranged on the bracket (100) and located at a joining area between the second channel (20) and the third channel (30), the overturnin
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Shandong New Beiyang Information Technology Co Ltd
    Inventors: Ming Gao, Zhenxing Zhao, Zhigang Xu, Qiangzi Cong, Tianxin Jiang
  • Publication number: 20120112407
    Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette which lifts up and lifts down a bottom plate each time when a paper is fed, a recording material sensor detects that no recording materials exist when the bottom plate rises over a predetermined position. Accordingly, by measuring a period of time when it is detected that no recording materials exist during a sheet feeding operation, a stacking amount of the recording materials in a sheet feeding cassette can be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Marehiko Hirajima
  • Patent number: 8172227
    Abstract: A sheet detecting device includes a rotation unit having an abutment surface, a positioning unit configured to position the rotation unit in a standby position where the leading edge of the conveyed sheet abuts the abutment surface, and a detecting unit configured to detect the conveyed sheet on the basis of the rotation of the rotation unit pressed by the conveyed sheet, wherein the rotation unit rotates to a sheet passage posture where the sheet is allowed to pass after being pressed by the leading edge of the conveyed sheet and, when the trailing edge of the conveyed sheet passes the rotation unit, the rotation unit is rotated from the sheet passage posture in the same direction as a sheet conveying direction and is positioned in the standby position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohiro Furusawa, Kenji Watanabe, Minoru Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8172218
    Abstract: In a paper feed system where a first paper feed mechanism takes out and transfers one by one a plurality of papers placed on a paper feed table in a stack and a second paper feed mechanism transfers the papers transferred by the first paper feed mechanism to an image forming section at a predetermined timing. A paper edge detector is provided between the first and second paper feed mechanisms to detect an edge of the paper, and the first paper feed mechanism is controlled to transfer the papers at a first speed and then at a second speed not higher than the first speed when the paper edge detector detects the leading edge of the paper, the second speed being determined on the basis of the timing at which the leading edge of the paper is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Suzuki, Hitoshi Arai
  • Publication number: 20120099875
    Abstract: A discharge device includes a transport unit that transports a medium in the form of a sheet having a first surface and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface; a contact member that comes into contact with the second surface of the medium transported by the transport unit, and that moves in a first direction in which the contact member presses the medium to a side of the first surface, and in a second direction opposite to the first direction within a predetermined range; a guide member provided so that the guide member does not come into contact with the contact member, that guides the medium transported by the transport unit while contacting the first surface of the medium, after the contact member comes into contact with the medium; and a discharge unit that discharges the medium guided by the guide member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoyuki YAGI, Yukihiro ICHIKI
  • Publication number: 20120098190
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a guide unit for guiding the side end of the sheet; a first roller pair arranged on the downstream side of the guide unit for conveying the sheet, including a driven roller held in contact with a whole sheet in a sheet width direction; and a second roller pair having a conveyance roller arranged on the downstream side of the roller and adapted to convey the sheet, and a plurality of pinch rollers pinching the sheet in cooperation with the conveyance roller, wherein each of the plurality of pinch rollers applies to the sheet a conveyance force inclined toward a conveyance path side end, which is nearer to the pinch roller, and wherein the smaller the distance between the pinch roller and the conveyance path side end, the greater the inclination of the conveyance force thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Nieda, Koichiro Kawaguchi, Toshiki Takeuchi, Ryosuke Sato, Shigeru Toriihara
  • Patent number: 8157261
    Abstract: A paper sheet conveying device is equipped with a conveying path (2) formed of conveying roller pairs and a controlling section conveying rollers. The conveying path (2) is composed of a first-half conveying path (2A) and a last-half conveying path (2B). The first-half conveying path (2A) has a first-half driving mechanism for controlling the rotational speed of the lower conveying rollers and a first-half vertically moving mechanism for vertically moving the upper conveying rollers. The last-half conveying path (2B) has a last-half driving mechanism for controlling the rotational speed of the lower conveying rollers and a last-half vertically moving mechanism for vertically moving the upper conveying rollers. The controlling section is configured so as to control the first-half driving mechanism, the first-half vertically moving mechanism, the last-half driving mechanism and the last-half vertically moving mechanism depending on the position of the paper sheet being conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Oota, Hideki Oiwa, Masasuke Funase, Takaaki Maeda
  • Patent number: 8152167
    Abstract: A printing apparatus has a sensor unit which optically detects, at a measurement position, a surface of a sheet, for measuring a moving state of the sheet. The sensor unit measures the moving state of the sheet when the sheet is located at the measurement position, and measures a moving state of a surface of the rotary member when the sheet is not located at the measurement position. The sensor unit has at least one of an image sensor arranged to perform imaging of one of the surface of the sheet and the surface of the rotary member so as to obtain image data, based on which the moving state is measured and a Doppler velocity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Haruo Uchida, Kenji Shigeno, Noriyuki Aoki, Kazuhisa Kawakami, Yuji Kanome, Kosuke Yamamoto, Masakazu Tsukuda, Yoshiaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8152164
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including first and second pairs of rollers for feeding a print medium; the second pair of rollers being disposed downstream from the first pair of rollers; a first detector for detecting the print medium slack in a specified degree by contact with the print medium, the first detector being disposed between the first pair of rollers and the second pair of rollers; a second detector for detecting either the first pair of rollers or the second pair of rollers need a specified value of driving torque; and a controller for controlling either a feeding speed at which the print medium is fed by the first pair of rollers or a feeding speed at which the print medium is fed by the second pair of rollers based on either outputs from the first detector or outputs from the second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Maeda, Naoki Nonoyama, Kuniaki Ohbayashi, Ryo Hirano
  • Publication number: 20120074640
    Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Heon Chae, Min Gi Kim
  • Patent number: 8141870
    Abstract: A method for moving a media sheet within an imaging device includes moving a media sheet along a media path past a predetermined point PP on the media path by rotating a roller. After moving the media sheet past the point PP, a processor monitors whether a performance attribute of a component of the imaging device satisfies a predetermined criteria. After the performance attribute of the component of the imaging device satisfies the predetermined criteria, the media sheet is entered into a feed nip in a substantially deskewed alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Edward Griese, Patrick Lawrence Ransom, Bonnie Billy Lim Sy
  • Publication number: 20120072015
    Abstract: A transport medium driving device is provided with a transport unit that transports a sheet-shaped transport medium on which an image is formed by an image forming unit, a position detecting unit that detects the position of the sheet-shaped transport medium, a positional deviation acquiring unit that acquires a positional deviation between the detected position and a predetermined target position at a predetermined interval, a correcting unit that corrects the positional deviation on the basis of a correction amount for correcting a positional displacement between the sheet-shaped transport medium and the image formed on the sheet-shaped transport medium, a control unit that controls a transport speed of the sheet-shaped transport medium on the basis of the corrected positional deviation, and a determining unit that determines whether a correction operation is converged on the basis of a variation in the positional deviation over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Minoru TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8136812
    Abstract: Affords sheet stacking device that, in stacking sheets onto a loading tray, enables stacking of the sheets always in the correct posture regardless of the nature of the sheets' surface material. The sheet stacking device includes a tray unit located downstream of a sheet discharging port, a sheet-end regulating member provided on the tray unit, a conveying unit for transporting sheets carried out onto the tray unit though the sheet discharging port, toward the sheet-end regulating member, and a conveyance controller for controlling the conveying unit. In conveying toward the sheet-end regulating member a sheet having been carried onto the tray unit, the conveyance controller varies the running time during which the conveying unit applies conveyance force to the sheet, in accordance with the material nature of the sheet surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20120061901
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic detecting device includes a transmitter arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to a conveying plane on which a sheet is conveyed, the transmitter emitting ultrasonic waves towards the conveying plane; a receiver provided with a plurality of channels for detecting the ultrasonic waves, the receiver detecting the ultrasonic waves incident on the channels; and a dividing member to shield the receiver from diffraction waves of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the transmitter, the diffraction waves being diffracted at an edge of the sheet that delimits the sheet in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Itsumi, Seiji Ikari, Yukio Oonuki, Nobuki Nemoto, Junji Miura, Akio Yuge, Takeo Miki
  • Publication number: 20120061909
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading part configured to optically read skew amount measurement patterns and opposite ends of a paper sheet; an image skew amount detecting part configured to detect skew amounts on a color basis based on the skew amount measurement patterns; a paper sheet skew amount detecting part configured to detect a skew amount of the paper sheet based on a displacement between the opposite ends of the paper sheet; a skew correction amount calculating part configured to calculate skew correction amounts of the respective colors based on the skew amounts; and a skew correcting part configured to shift the images to correct the skews by recording input image data in plural lines of a line memory, dividing the input image data into plural areas in a main scanning direction, and setting line delay amounts on an area basis based on the skew correction amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi SHIKAMA, Tatsuya MIYADERA, Izumi KINOSHITA, Kunihiro KOMAI, Yoshinori SHIRASAKI, Akinori YAMAGUCHI, Takuhei YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120061902
    Abstract: A medium mounting device includes a medium mounting portion for placing a medium in a stacked state in a first direction, and a medium regulating portion arranged to be rotatable relative to the medium mounting portion. The medium regulating portion is arranged to regulate an edge portion of the medium when the medium regulating portion is in a rising state relative to the medium mounting portion. The medium regulating portion in the rising state is arranged to abut against the medium to rotate and retreat when the medium is taken out in a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventor: Shiro INO
  • Publication number: 20120061900
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to the invention includes a conveying portion that conveys a sheet; and an abutment member against which an end of the sheet in a conveying direction abuts, the sheet being conveyed by the conveying portion. Herein, the abutment member is movable so as to change a distance between the abutment member and the conveying portion adjacent to the abutment member based on sheet information about the stiffness of a sheet, when an end of the sheet in the conveying direction is abutted against the abutment member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akito Sekigawa