With Means To Vary Speed Of Conveyor Sheet Patents (Class 271/270)
  • Publication number: 20110133384
    Abstract: The sheet transporting device of the invention includes: a transferring device (64) adapted to transfer a sheet (30), a conveying device (66; 66A) for conveying a sheet transferred from the transferring device (64) onto the conveying device, and a controlling means (76) adapted to control the speed of the conveying device (66; 66A) and defining a transfer cycle (CT). The controlling means (76) is adapted to slow down the conveying device (66) when a sheet is conveyed by the related conveying device and to accelerate the conveying device when no sheet is present on said conveying device. The invention can be used for the cutting devices of rotary printing machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicants: Goss International Montataire S.A., VITS PRINT GMBH
    Inventors: Francois Poiret, Christophe Noiret, Alain Blanchard, Jean-Francois Robert, Francois Vidaillac, Nicolas Rousseau, Eric Pierda, Detlef Milkereit
  • Publication number: 20110133398
    Abstract: A method of providing hybrid control of sheet transport modules in a processing device. The method includes setting velocity of a first sheet transport module of the processing device to a predetermined velocity value before transfer of a sheet from the first sheet transport module to a second sheet transport module of the processing device. The method further includes setting torque of the first sheet transport module to a torque value to control tension of the sheet to a first sheet tension value when the sheet transfers from the first sheet transport module to the second sheet transport module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Martin Krucinski
  • Patent number: 7954813
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device that is capable of performing a stable sheet conveying operation without being influenced by a characteristic of a sheet. A sheet conveying device includes lots of conveying roller pairs configured to convey a sheet by nipping the same and conveying motors configured to drive the respective conveying roller pairs. A downstream conveying roller pair and an upstream conveying roller pair cooperate with each other to convey the sheet by nipping the same. A CPU controls the conveying motors such that the circumferential speed of the downstream conveying roller pair becomes lower than that of the upstream conveying roller pair. The speed difference in circumferential speed between the downstream conveying roller pair and the upstream conveying roller pair is changed according to a characteristic of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuzo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7946579
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that effectively reduces sheet collision and increases productivity includes a storage unit to store sheets of a recording medium, a feeder to feed the sheets one by one from the storage unit, a conveyance device to convey the sheets along a conveyance path, a plurality of sensors to detect the sheets, a registration device to perform registration to the sheets, and a controller to control the feeder, the conveyance device, and the registration device. When a first sheet is stopped at or before it reaches the registration device, the feeder feeds a second sheet to the conveyance path, while the controller checks an interval between the first and second sheets. The controller stops the second sheet when the interval is shorter than a given interval and conveys the second sheet to the registration device without stopping when the interval is not shorter than the given interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryo Takenaka
  • Patent number: 7938400
    Abstract: A transport device which accomplishes transport well by means of a linear motor mechanism well even if a chain is elongated. The transport uses the chain in a first transport section, and the linear motor mechanism in a second transport section. A coupling pin of the chain is disengaged from a chain coupling portion of a table when the table is transferred to the second transport section and the coupling pin is brought into engagement with the chain coupling portion again when the table is transferred to the first transport section. A driving speed at which a pair of rotary members are driven by the chain driving mechanism is corrected in accordance with the elongated condition of the chain, based on a count of driving pulses in the chain driving mechanism during the passage of the coupling pin through the second transport section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Kakimoto, Masaharu Nakagawa, Keisuke Hirai
  • Publication number: 20110101604
    Abstract: An apparatus for varying the speed of printed products is provided. The apparatus includes a nip roll rotatable about a nip roll axis and an eccentric assembly external of the nip roll coupled to the nip roll coincident with the nip roll axis. The eccentric assembly is adapted to eccentrically move the nip roll. A method of varying the speed of a printed product in a printing press is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: Jared Paul Eaton
  • Patent number: 7934722
    Abstract: An image scanning apparatus includes a paper thickness detection unit arranged to detect a paper thickness of an original document based on a reception signal, and a multiple-feeding detection unit arranged to detect, based on the reception signal, whether or not the original document that is being transported has been multiply fed. Based on a detection result obtained by the paper thickness detection unit and the multiple-feeding detection unit, the transportation speed is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Namikawa
  • Patent number: 7931274
    Abstract: A processing device to provide hybrid control of sheet transport modules. The processing device includes a first sheet transport module, a second sheet transport module and a control subsystem. The first sheet transport module and the second sheet transport module are configured to transport a sheet. The control subsystem is configured to set velocity of the first sheet transport module before a transfer of the sheet from the first sheet transport module to the second sheet transport module. The control subsystem is further configured to set torque of the first sheet transport module to a torque value to control tension of the sheet to a first sheet tension value when the sheet transfers from the first sheet transport module to the second sheet transport module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Krucinski
  • Patent number: 7931268
    Abstract: This device for braking a flat product, in particular a signature, has a support, a brake shoe for braking the flat product, the brake shoe being movable between a position allowing the passage of the flat product and a position effecting braking of the flat product, and a drive for driving the brake shoe from the passing position towards the braking position. The drive includes an eccentric element which is movable in rotation and co-operates with the brake shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Montataire SA
    Inventors: Franck Chagnon, Philippe Herda, Thierry Melon, Jérôme Peres, Eric Pierda, Jean-François Robert, Philippe Robin, Thierry Vauchelle
  • Patent number: 7922168
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for transporting a sheet, in particular after a sheet has been picked off a stack and separated therefrom, preferably for the feeder-side use in a printing machine, wherein the sheet is brought to a transport speed, preferably for transfer to another transport path. The object of the invention is to provide a more controlled method of the aforementioned type and a device allowing this method. In accordance with the invention, considering the method, this object is achieved in that the sheet is initially accelerated to a speed that is greater than the desired transport speed and only later, after a phase of this higher speed, said sheet is slowed to the desired transport speed, in which case the phase of the higher speed is dimensioned such that the affected sheet is in a nominal position at the appropriate time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Stefan Schluenss
  • Patent number: 7918443
    Abstract: A device and process for processing flat articles such as pieces of paper by utilizing a stream of under-shingled flat articles and generating a gap at predetermined intervals. The under-shingling process incorporates an accelerating and decelerating portion wherein each flat article is accelerated and then decelerated while a tail portion of the article is lifted such that the next flat article can slide underneath to establish an under-shingled stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Fokos
  • Publication number: 20110074091
    Abstract: A paper sheet conveying device is equipped with a conveying path (2) formed of a large number of conveying roller pairs and a controlling section for detecting the position of the paper sheet being conveyed and controlling the operation of the 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Oota, HIdeki Oiwa, Masasuke Funase, Takaaki Maeda
  • Patent number: 7913991
    Abstract: To achieve a high-speed feeder, improvement of a rotational rate is required similarly in a feed motor and a conveyance motor, resulting in high costs. Moreover, in simultaneous control of paper feed and discharge, improvement of a conveyance rate leads to a high discharge rate to deteriorate alignment of discharged paper sheets. To solve the problems, the rate of the feed roller is set higher than the rate of the conveyance roller. The rate of the feed roller is determined based on the rate of the conveyance roller and an allowable amount of a loop formed by a rate difference between the two rollers. In the simultaneous control of paper feed and discharge, a distance between pages is detected by a sensor to determine whether the distance is sufficient, from the relation between current feed and conveyance rates. In the case of insufficient distance, the conveyance roller is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110064500
    Abstract: In a transport device, a first speed control unit controls a rotating speed of a first roller driving unit to reach a first target speed, and a second speed control unit controls a rotating speed of a second roller driving unit to reach a second target speed. The second speed control unit is arranged to perform, when a print medium is transported by both a first transport roller unit and a second transport roller unit, a follower control having a response sensibility to speed fluctuations in a predetermined frequency region of a control system, which is smaller than a response sensibility when the print medium is transported by the second transport roller unit solely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110064496
    Abstract: A disclosed carrying apparatus includes a first rotating unit carrying a sheet-like carried medium in a rotating direction, a second rotating unit carrying the carried medium in the rotating direction, a first driving unit rotating the first rotating unit, a second driving unit rotating the second rotating unit, a first rotational speed detecting unit, a second rotational speed detecting unit, a first rotational speed controlling unit, a second rotational speed controlling unit, and a torque information acquiring unit acquiring torque information acting on the first rotating unit, wherein the second rotational speed controlling unit controls the second rotational speed in response to a comparison result between the torque information acquired when the sheet-like carried medium is solely carried by the first rotating unit and the torque information acquired when the sheet-like carried medium is carried by the first rotating unit and the second rotating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Ashikawa
  • Patent number: 7900907
    Abstract: A media processing device can convey checks at a constant speed passed an information reading position without slipping and without increasing the relay capacity of the transportation roller. The check processing device 1 has two transportation rollers 31 and 32 between the scanning position 52A of the contact image scanner 52 and the separation roller 17 and retard roller 18 that produce a transportation load or transportation load variation. The upstream-side transportation roller 31 turns faster than the downstream transportation roller 32 so that the checks 4 are fed with slack between these transportation rollers 31 and 32. Because of this slack in the part 402 of the check 4 between the transportation rollers 31 and 32, the transportation load from the separation mechanism does not act on the downstream transportation roller 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Furihata, Toshiyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7896341
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes entrance rollers and registration rollers. The entrance rollers convey a sheet received from delivery rollers to the registration rollers. The registration rollers correct skew of the sheet. A conveying path between the delivery rollers and the registration rollers is equal to or slightly longer than a length of a sheet in a maximum allowable size for skew correction in a conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed on the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Masahiro Tamura, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Ichiro Ichihashi, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Tomoichi Nomura
  • Publication number: 20110037221
    Abstract: A paper-handling installation is initially set for executing a job to process a predetermined number of articles during a predetermined time period. During the processing, the number of articles detected which are processed during the predetermined time period is detected. If the detected number of articles is larger than or equal to the predetermined number, the speed at which articles are processed in a section of the paper-handling installation will be increased. If the detected number of articles is smaller than the predetermined number, it will be detected which of the sections of the installation caused a reduction of the throughput, and which installation parameters and/or article parameters existed at that point in time. On the basis of the parameters detected, an installation parameter of the section is then set, and/or the speed is reduced in at least that section. This procedure is repeated until the job has been executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventor: Michael Wiegmann
  • Publication number: 20110031682
    Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed transport system for moving a plurality of documentary items at a predetermined speed, acceleration and deceleration the method comprising: determining a mass of each pack of documents; using the determined mass to determine a maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration; and adjusting the predetermined speed acceleration and deceleration in dependence upon the determined maximum speed, acceleration and deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: NEOPOST TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: John BROWN, Damon SMITH, Harinder BAHRA, David DRONSFIELD
  • Patent number: 7871074
    Abstract: The paper carrying apparatus includes a first paper carrying mechanism (first carrying mechanism), a second paper carrying mechanism (second carrying mechanism) provided on the downstream of the first carrying mechanism in a carrying direction, an electric motor that drives the first carrying mechanism, a stepping motor that drives the second carrying mechanism, and an acceleration sensor that is a vibration detecting mechanism detecting vibration generated in the rotation shaft of the stepping motor. When the first carrying mechanism and the second carrying mechanism concurrently carry the same paper sheet, the electric motor is controlled in driving velocity based on information of vibration detected by the acceleration sensor at the timing of the rear end of the carried paper sheet passing the first paper carrying mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichi Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 7871073
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive source, a drive roller driven by the drive source, a driven roller to press against the drive roller and rotate with the drive roller, an angular velocity detector to detect an angular velocity of the drive roller, a timing estimation unit to estimate a timing when a sheet-type recording medium enters between the drive roller and the driven roller, and a controller to control the drive source based on detection results obtained by the angular velocity detector. The controller includes a feedback control unit to perform feedback control based on data obtained by the angular velocity detector, and a feed-forward control unit to perform feed-forward control based on data obtained by the timing estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Noguchi, Hiromichi Matsuda, Toshiyuki Andoh
  • Patent number: 7841595
    Abstract: A first embodiment of the present invention provides a method for transferring printed products and comprises the steps of pulling a printed product from a stack using a feed device running at a first preselected speed, accelerating the feed device after pulling the printed product from the stack and releasing the printed product from the feed device at a second preselected speed greater than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Atef Tanious Massoud, Mehmet Oktay Kaya, Juan Rolando Antezana, John Allan Manley
  • Patent number: 7841596
    Abstract: A sheet feeder has a feed passage and includes feed roller pairs, sensors, and a controller. The feed roller pairs are arranged along the feed passage and feed sheets of paper in a feed direction along the passage by nipping the sheets. Each of the sensors is fitted at or near one of the feed roller pairs and senses a specified point on each of the sheets when the sheet is nipped by at least the associated roller pair. The controller includes a memory for storing reference feed timings as proper feed timings at each of which the specified points on the sheets should pass one of the sensors. The controller finds the real feed timing when each of the sensors senses the specified point on the sheet nipped by at least the associated roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Okumura, Yasushi Matsutomo, Haruo Sayama, Yasunobu Ohkawa, Michihiro Yamashita, Yuriko Kamei, Yasuhiro Takai
  • Patent number: 7837194
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus including a feeding device including (a) a feeder which feeds, in each of a plurality of feeding operations, an object in a feeding direction in a state in which an external force is exerted to the object in a direction parallel to the feeding direction, and (b) a motor which operates the feeder and thereby feeds the object; and a controller which controls, in each feeding operation, the motor by supplying, in a first control mode, a first power to the motor so as to feed the object to a control-end position distant from a target stop position by a predetermined amount, and supplying, in a second control mode, a second power different from the first power, to the motor so that the feeder applies, to the object, a resisting force resisting the external force and thereby prevents at least a portion of a movement of the object in the direction parallel to the feeding direction that is caused by the external force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 7810811
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet conveying apparatus including: a first sheet conveying rotary member; a second sheet conveying rotary member provided upstream of the first sheet conveying rotary member; and a third sheet conveying rotary member provided upstream of the second sheet conveying rotary member, in which: the first sheet conveying rotary member, the second sheet conveying rotary member, and the third sheet conveying rotary member can convey the same sheet at the same time; a relationship between a peripheral speed V1 of the first sheet conveying rotary member, a peripheral speed V2 of the second sheet conveying rotary member, and a peripheral speed V3 of the third sheet conveying rotary member is V3>V1>V2; and a velocity of a sheet at a portion where the sheet is ejected from the second sheet conveying rotary member is equal to or lower than the peripheral speed of the first sheet conveying rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Suzuki, Kazuhiro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20100245516
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a transporter that transports a sheet from an upstream side to a downstream side in a transport direction by a transport roller; a driver that drives the transporter; a phase sensor that detects a phase start point and a rotation phase indicating an amount of rotation from the phase start point of the transport roller that is rotated by driving of the driver; a memory that stores correction phases for correcting transport distance of the sheet that is transported by rotation of the transport roller; a corrector that selectively performs correction control using a unit correction amount for the rotation of the transport roller, and controls the performance of the correction control based on the rotation phase of the rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshio NAKATA
  • Patent number: 7804621
    Abstract: The method or system for controlling a printing or copying system for processing single sheets, a first single sheet and at least a second single sheet immediately following the first single sheet is processed with aid of n processing units. A required minimum distance between the first and the second single sheet is determined for each processing unit. A delay distance is determined for the first and at least for each of the n?1 following processing units. A difference between the minimum distance of a processing unit and a sum of the delay distances of the preceding processing units is formed. A smallest possible distance with which the second single sheet is fed to the first processing unit after the first single sheet is determined by a highest value of the determined minimum distance of the first processing unit and the determined differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Hubert Drexler
  • Publication number: 20100239282
    Abstract: A disclosed to-be-transferred object length measurement device includes a first rotating body; a passage detection unit detecting a passage of the to-be-transferred object; a rotation amount measurement unit measuring a rotation amount of the first rotating body in a first measurement period; a second rotating body feeding the to-be-transferred object; a speed detection unit detecting a first feeding speed and a second feeding speed of the to-be-transferred object; and a calculation unit calculating a feeding distance of the to-be-transferred object per a predetermined rotation amount of the first rotating body based on the first feeding speed, and further calculating a length of the to-be-transferred object based on the rotation amount of the first rotating body in the first measurement period, the feeding distance, and the second feeding speed of the to-be-transferred object in the second measurement period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Masahiro Ashikawa, Tatsuya Watahiki, Minoru Takahashi, Hideyuki Takayama, Takahisa Koike, Masaru Yamagishi, Takuhei Minami, Takuro Kamiyai, Junya Takigawa, Hiroaki Takagi, Koichi Kudo, Katsuya Kawagoe
  • Publication number: 20100237557
    Abstract: Configuration with paired register rollers cooperative with a downstream head unit on a circulation route to register a print sheet, a feed route extending up to the register rollers, and feeder elements controllable for a downstream feed of print sheet along part of the feed route to the register rollers, the feeder elements being controllable for a change of feed speed or acceleration in accordance with information on a back tension of a print sheet on the circulation route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Hara, Tatsunori Kaneko, Hitoshi Arai, Ryota Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 7762549
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a feeding section configured to feed a recording sheet, a first conveyance roller which conveys the recording sheet fed from the feeding section to a recording area and conveys the recording sheet during a recording operation, a recording section configured to record an image on the recording sheet at the recording area downstream from the first conveyance roller in the direction of feeding the recording sheet, a conveyance rate detection unit configured to detect the conveyance rate of the recording sheet conveyed by the first conveyance roller, a recording sheet end detection unit disposed downstream from the first conveyance roller and detects the end part of the recording sheet, and a correction unit configured to correct the conveyance rate of the recording sheet conveyed by the first conveyance roller based on a result detected by the conveyance rate detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Hirai
  • Patent number: 7751771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet transport apparatus comprising; sheet transport means capable of conveying sheets at a transfer speed that is the same as a transfer speed ? of sheet in an image forming position where an image is formed on the sheet, and at a transfer speed ? that is faster than the transfer speed ?, skew feeding correction means which corrects skew feeding of sheet conveyed by the sheet transport means and which feeds the sheet to the image forming position where the image is formed, and sheet interval control means for controlling a distance between a sheet and a next sheet by changing timing at which the transfer speed of the sheet is reduced from the transfer speed ? to the transfer speed ? at upstream side from the skew feeding correction means in a sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinsuke Ubayashi
  • Patent number: 7744079
    Abstract: A transport track extends through first and second stations for transporting paper postal items through the stations. The first and second stations are equipped with first and second drives for driving circulatable surfaces of the respective station along the transport track. The second drive is controlled for driving at least one of the second station's circulatable surfaces at a circumferential speed higher than the circumferential speed of the first station's circulatable surfaces. While a stack of postal items passes from the first station to the second station, highest normal force exerted thereon by the circulatable surfaces of the second station is larger or smaller than the highest normal force exerted thereon by the circulatable surfaces of the first station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: NEOPOST Technologies
    Inventors: Sjoerd Van Netten, Jaap Kramer
  • Patent number: 7740241
    Abstract: A sheet transporting device including: a sheet feeding section that feeds plural sheets to a transporting path; three or more roller pairs that are arranged along the transporting path; a double feed detecting section that detects a length of a double feed portion when sheets are fed in an overlapped manner; a selecting section that selects two of the three or more roller pairs based on the length of the double feed portion; and a transport control section that can change a transporting speed of at least one of the selected roller pairs, wherein the selecting section selects two roller pairs that have a space between which the double feed portion can be positioned, and the transport control section controls the transporting speeds of the selected roller pairs such that the speeds differ from each other to separate the delaying sheet from the preceding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Itoh, Satoshi Murakami, Kazumasa Tonami
  • Publication number: 20100148433
    Abstract: A mail paper sealing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an input part, a compression roller part, a driving unit, and a convey accelerator. The input part supplies a mail paper. The compression roller part seals the folded mail paper conveyed from the input part. The driving unit generates a rotary force. The convey accelerator is provided between the input part and the compression roller part and adds a rotation frictional force to a top surface of one side of the mail paper in a convey direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventor: Jong Koo LEE
  • Patent number: 7736121
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a destacking device for dispensing planar food products, such as tortillas, from a stack bottom. In some embodiments of the invention, the device includes a frame and a carriage assembly configured for linear reciprocation with respect to the frame. The carriage assembly has a drum that rotates in response to linear reciprocation of the carriage assembly, and a suction lip is positioned proximal a wall of the drum. A stack of tortillas can be disposed on the suction lip, and a negative pressure is applied to close the suction lip and “suck” a bottommost tortilla against the lip. A movable arm has a leading edge for cooperating with the suction lip to separate the bottommost tortilla from a next bottommost tortilla. The drum rotates the suction lip and tortilla, and the vacuum is released to allow the tortilla to fall downwardly onto an endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Solbern LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Berger, Moysey Shtilerman, Kenneth L. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7735827
    Abstract: The disclosed concepts provide for a method and apparatus for processing batched items, which may comprise a multitude of flats, e.g., letters. The individual items are conveyed in a row and abut against a band conveyor with one edge. They are at least partially resting against and overlapping each other in a shingle-like manner. The overlapping flats are further separated (fanned out) by guiding mechanisms on each side of the overlapping flats that accelerate and decelerate as necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Bowe Bell + Howell Company
    Inventor: Matthias Emanuel
  • Patent number: 7733540
    Abstract: A multifunction apparatus is provided with a printer unit having a discharge tray disposed on a top face thereof and a scanner unit disposed on the image recording unit with a space being defined between the image reading unit and the discharge tray. The scanner unit has a casing. The casing is provided in the printer unit rotatably about a rear side of the apparatus in such a fashion as to open a front side of the apparatus. The casing has a recessed part formed at a position of a bottom plate thereof and corresponding to the discharge tray. Thus, a recording sheet removal opening opened on a front side of the apparatus is formed. A reinforcing portion recessed in such a fashion as to be swollen toward an internal space of the casing is formed on the bottom plate having the recessed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Moribe
  • Patent number: 7731167
    Abstract: Methods and systems employing belt conveyors adapted to feed signatures to a collating conveyor and a control system that regulates the operation of the belt conveyors are provided. The control system is adapted to regulate the speed of the belt conveyors in response to the speed of the collating conveyor, for example, proportional to the speed of the collating conveyor, to minimize or eliminate signature misfeeds. The control system may implement a mathematical algorithm that defines a relationship between the collating conveyor speed and the belt conveyor speeds. The systems and methods may include ancillary feeding devices such as joggers and speeder wheels to optimize the transfer of signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Prim Hall Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Prim, David F. Hall, Berend Doane
  • Patent number: 7722036
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device connected between image forming device and post-processing device of which sheet conveying speed is higher than that of image forming device. The sheet conveying device includes: feed-in roller for feeding in a sheet ejected from image forming device; conveying roller for conveying the sheet; ejection roller for ejecting the sheet to post-processing device; conveying path from feed-in roller to ejection roller; and controller for controlling sheet conveying speeds of the rollers, wherein the controller performs control such that: when sheet conveying device feeds in the sheet ejected from image forming device, the conveying speeds of the rollers are the same as conveying speed at which image forming device ejects the sheet; and when image forming device has completed ejection of a trailing edge of the sheet, the conveying speeds of the rollers are the same as conveying speed at which post-processing device feeds in the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasushi Saitsu
  • Patent number: 7717420
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheets in sheet-processing machines includes a transport belt which transports sheets from a first location to a second location. The transport belt can be driven at variable speed by a drive. The speed of the transport belt can be controlled by a control device in such a way that, through the use of a combination of at least two speed profiles, the number of sheets on the transport belt and the transfer of the sheets at the first and second locations can be adjusted. A printing press having the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Jochen Bechtler, Oliver Nowarra
  • Patent number: 7717422
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of securing a sufficient sheet bundle processing time period even with a short sheet conveying path to thereby maintain required capability of processing sheets conveyed at constant intervals. Rollers that convey sheets are controlled such that the conveyance speed of a sheet being conveyed by the rollers is increased in first timing so as to set the sheet at an increased distance from a succeeding sheet being conveyed by the rollers. When a sheet preceding the sheet being conveyed is the last sheet of a set of sheets to be processed by the sheet processing apparatus, the rollers are controlled to increase the conveyance speed of the sheet being conveyed in second timing later than the first timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuzo Matsumoto, Hiromichi Tsujino, Jun-ichi Moteki, Mitsushige Murata, Takako Hanada
  • Publication number: 20100109234
    Abstract: An upstream-side printing unit group and a downstream-side printing unit group, respectively, are driven by separate prime motors and synchronously controlled. In addition to rotary encoders for the upstream-side and downstream-side prime motors, rotary encoders are provided on a last impression cylinder of the upstream-side printing unit group and a first transfer cylinder of the downstream-side printing unit group to detect differences between rotational phases, which the upstream-side and downstream-side printing unit groups should have, and the actual rotational phase of the last impression cylinder of the upstream-side printing unit group or the first transfer cylinder of the downstream-side printing unit group. In accordance with the rotational phase differences, the rotational speeds of the prime motors are corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: KOMORI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiromitsu NUMAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20100066012
    Abstract: An image forming system capable of controlling a handover timing of sheets between an image forming apparatus and a sheet feeding apparatus at high precision. A transmission path transmits information between the image forming apparatus and the sheet feeding apparatus. A signal line transmits a handover signal output from the image forming apparatus to the sheet feeding apparatus. A first control unit transmits the handover signal to the sheet feeding apparatus after transmitting a feeding start request to the sheet feeding apparatus. A second control unit controls the sheet feeding apparatus to convey the sheet to a predetermined position in the sheet feeding apparatus in accordance with a reception of the feeding start request and of conveying the sheet at the predetermined position to the image forming apparatus in accordance with a reception of the handover signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Yamazaki, Yuzo Matsumoto, Tomoharu Sato, Tetsuro Fukusaka
  • Patent number: 7673876
    Abstract: Disclosed are method embodiments that incorporate calibration and printing operations to be used with a printing device. The printing device contains a sheet transport path with multiple adjacent sheet transport devices, each having at least one independently controlled drive roller. Each preceding sheet transport device feeds a sheet to a following sheet transport device along the path in succession. Two or more adjacent sheet transport devices are positioned to simultaneously engage the sheet as it is being transported along the path. The calibration operation is used to determine the particular drive roller angular velocity that should be used by each sheet transport device to compensate for drive roller contention during the printing operation and, thereby to ensure that the linear velocity of the sheet essentially remains constant as it is transported across each adjacent transport throughout the printing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Paul DeGruchy
  • Patent number: 7664454
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a medium transporting mechanism. A first transporting section transports a recording medium on which an image is formed. A second transporting section receives the recording medium from the first transporting section and then further transports the recording medium. The second transporting section has a smaller transporting force than the first transporting section. A controller controls the second transporting section in such a way that the second transporting section transports the recording medium at a higher speed than the first transporting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takemasa Ishikuro
  • Patent number: 7654517
    Abstract: In an image scanning apparatus, when documents on a document tray are sequentially transferred, different control steps are performed according to a scanning speed when an upper surface height of the documents is lowered thereby turning off a height detection sensor. In a low scanning speed, the document tray is elevated one time until the upper surface height becomes a target height which is higher by a predetermined distance since a height detection sensor is turned on at an inter-transfer time between completion of document transfer and start of a subsequent document transfer. In an intermediate scanning speed, the document tray is elevated little by little in each transfer of one document at the inter-transfer time until the upper surface height reaches the target height. In a fast scanning speed, the transfer of the document is tentatively interrupted, the document tray is elevated one time until the upper surface height reaches the target height, and the transfer of the document is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Osamu Oshima
  • Patent number: 7654527
    Abstract: A method includes the steps of rotating an input roller to transport a first leading edge of a first document from an input tray to an input passageway, a scanning position and an output passageway sequentially; rotating the input roller to transport a second leading edge of a second document from the input tray to the input passageway after a first trailing edge of the first document deviates from the input roller; rotating an output roller to transport the first leading edge from the output passageway to an output tray; and generating a linear speed difference between the input roller and the output roller, after the first trailing edge deviates from the scanning position, to transport the first trailing edge to the output tray, such that the second leading edge is still within the input passageway or the input tray when the first trailing edge deviates from the output roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Sheng, Chi-Yao Chen
  • Patent number: 7651090
    Abstract: A paper conveyance apparatus includes a stacking portion; a feeding mechanism to extract and feed paper from the stacking portion one sheet at a time; and an intermediate portion for conveying the fed paper to the vicinity of a feeding port or feeding device of a main body of an image forming apparatus. The intermediate portion includes a plurality of conveyance devices and a plurality of paper detecting devices disposed from the upstream side to the downstream side of a conveyance path. The paper conveyance apparatus further includes a control device for reducing the conveyance speed of the plurality of conveyance devices when the leading edge of the paper is detected by a detecting device disposed at least one device further toward the upstream side than a paper detecting device disposed furthest downstream of the plurality of detecting devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Satoh, Mituru Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Araseki, Tomotaka Osada
  • Publication number: 20100014884
    Abstract: For a sheet circulating transfer route that includes a sheet transfer portion of a printing mechanism provided with a transfer belt for transfer of a sheet as positioned thereto, a transfer section provided with drive rollers for transfer of a sheet as image-formed by an image former of the printing mechanism, and a sheet invert portion operable for inversion of the sheet as image-formed, there is a drive controller adapted, in conformity to a condition that a sheet to be positioned in the printing mechanism is equal in length to or longer than a path distance from the image former to the drive rollers, to set a transfer speed of the sheet as image-formed by the drive rollers up as an identical speed to a transfer speed of the sheet as positioned by the transfer belt, and in non-conformity to the condition, to set it up as a greater speed than the transfer speed by the transfer belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Roppongi
  • Publication number: 20100007076
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for feeding sheets to a processing machine, in particular a printing press, provision is made for the sheet to be accelerated to processing speed by use of at least two acceleration stations arranged one after the other. One of the acceleration stations is arranged such that the acceleration station can be displaced in order to align the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Andreas Müller, Burkhard Wolf