Having Means To Permit Separation Of Couple Patents (Class 271/273)
  • Patent number: 11840415
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an apparatus main body, a sheet conveyance passage, a cover member, a conveyance unit, a sheet tray, a first sheet feeding portion, and a feed unit. The sheet conveyance passage is inside the apparatus main body. The conveyance unit is inside the cover member and is supported to be pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The first sheet feeding portion has a feed unit. The conveyance unit has a swing guide of which a lower end part is swingably supported on the apparatus main body and which, in the closed position, is located in a first position to face the feed unit and constitute part of the sheet conveyance passage and, in the open position, is located in a second position to be located away from the feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Susumu Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 11655114
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first sheet conveyance passage, a second sheet conveyance passage, a pair of sheet conveying rollers, and a movable member. The second sheet conveyance passage is different from the first sheet conveyance passage. The pair of sheet conveying rollers includes two rollers configured to hold a sheet passing the first sheet conveyance passage. The movable member is configured to convey the sheet passing the second sheet conveyance passage. The two rollers are configured to be separated from each other along with movement of the movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 11659114
    Abstract: A recording device includes a recording unit configured to perform recording on a recording target medium, a first conveyance path that is a conveyance path of the recording target medium including an opposite position that faces the recording unit, and conveyance of the recording target medium in a first direction, a second conveyance path being coupled to the first conveyance path at a position downstream of the recording unit in the first direction, the second conveyance path being coupled to the first conveyance path also at a position upstream of the recording unit in the first direction and configured for conveyance of the recording target medium to the first conveyance path with a surface of the recording target medium inverted, and an insertion port configured to enable insertion of a recording target medium as an insertion material to the second conveyance path from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Waki, Tetsuji Yatsunami
  • Patent number: 11254530
    Abstract: A sheet aligning mechanism includes first and second conveyance mechanisms disposed on first and second sides of a sheet conveyance path, respectively. A nip is formed between the first and second conveyance mechanisms. The first conveyance mechanism includes a first roller, a second roller, and a first conveyance belt wound around the first and second rollers. The first and second rollers are configured to rotate in a first direction along a sheet conveying direction for sheet conveyance, and stop rotation or rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction for sheet alignment. The first conveyance belt includes an extended region between the first and second rollers in an extending direction inclined with respect to the sheet conveying direction, such that a width of the sheet conveyance path becomes narrower towards the nip in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiaki Oshiro
  • Patent number: 10816927
    Abstract: A transport device includes a first rotary part that rotates; a second rotary part that contacts the first rotary part, that forms a pinch region where an object to be transported is pinched between the second rotary part and the first rotary part, and that rotates together with the first rotary part; and a positioning mechanism that positions the second rotary part with respect to the first rotary part. The positioning mechanism includes a swing part that supports one end portion side of the second rotary part, that is supported at one end portion side of the first rotary part, and that is swingable around a rotation center of the first rotary part; and a fixing section that fixes the swing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teruki Naganuma, Junichi Asaoka, Mizuki Arai, Akira Iwasaka, Yuki Sekura, Kohei Takahashi, Hiromitsu Tomioka, Keita Yano, Yuichiro Shimura
  • Patent number: 10640311
    Abstract: A transport apparatus includes a feed unit as an example of a supply unit which supplies a medium in a transport direction, and a transport unit which transports the medium supplied from the feed unit. The transport unit includes a transport roller (a driving roller) which sends the medium, and a driven roller which nips the medium between the transport roller and the driven roller. The driven roller is movable in the transport direction relative to the transport roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10479628
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a motor, a first gear, a roller, a second gear, a first frame and a second frame. The first gear is attached to the motor. The second gear is attached to the roller, and in meshing engagement with the first gear. The first frame includes a wall having a side surface. The second frame is provided with: a first abutment portion in abutment with the side surface; and a second abutment portion in abutment with the side surface. The second abutment portion is positioned downstream of the first abutment portion in a second direction that is perpendicular to an axial direction of the roller. An abutment position between the second abutment portion and the side surface is positioned downstream in a first direction along the axial direction of the roller of an abutment position between the first abutment portion and the side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Uchino
  • Patent number: 10358306
    Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a stacking tray on which sheets P are stacked, and feed rollers convey the sheets P from the stacking tray. The sheet feed device also includes a pressing lever configured to press back, when there is a sheet picked up from the stacking tray and is in a state of being nipped between feed rollers, a leading end of the sheet P toward the stacking tray, and a roller separating mechanism configured to separate the sheet feed rollers performing the nipping from each other, when the pressing member performs the operation of pressing back the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Mori
  • Patent number: 10150629
    Abstract: A separation/collection device is provided in a paper sheet conveyance device for generating an airstream in a conveyance duct and for conveying a paper sheet inserted into the conveyance duct by being pushed from behind by a conveyance subsidiary body moving in the conveyance duct by receiving the airstream. The separation/collection device separates and collects the conveyance subsidiary body and the paper sheet at an ending portion of a conveyance path. The separation/collection device includes a separation unit that passes the paper sheet pushed and conveyed by the conveyance subsidiary body, in a downstream direction, and that stops the conveyance subsidiary body by contacting the conveyance subsidiary body with the separation unit, a tubular path part that receives the paper sheet output from the separation unit, and a rib provided on an inner wall of the path part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignees: ACE DENKEN Co., Ltd., Shinko MechatroTech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Ogura, Hisashi Takahashi, Tomiyasu Sasaki, Yoshiharu Abe, Jun Furudate
  • Patent number: 10129422
    Abstract: An image reader includes: a reading section reading a document; a document conveyance section being supported in an openable and closable manner with respect to the reading section; foamed synthetic resin members being supported on a lower surface of the document conveyance section; a document pressing plate being fitted to the document conveyance section with the foamed synthetic resin members in between; and height regulation sections being formed at the document conveyance section and being pressed by second platen glass with the document pressing plate in between, wherein the height regulation sections are located at positions overlapping with a region of the second platen glass when the document conveyance section is in a closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masayuki Kakuta
  • Patent number: 9994404
    Abstract: A roller support mechanism includes a pair of support plates, concave groove portions, and sliding bearing portions. The support plates are formed from an elastic material and disposed to face each other. The concave groove portions are formed in the support plates and each include an opening portion, two arc rims, and a straight line rim. The arc rims extend in a groove depth direction of the concave groove portion from opposite ends of the opening portion. The straight line rim extends straightly and connects extention ends of the arc rims. The sliding bearing portions have bearing holes in which a rotation shaft of a roller member is inserted. In a state where the rotation shaft is inserted in the bearing holes, the sliding bearing portions are pressed into the concave groove portions so as to be in close contact with their inner circumferential surfaces and unrotatably attached to them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Khong Huu Ngoc
  • Patent number: 9932185
    Abstract: A sheet material feeding apparatus includes a first roll 106, and a second roll 108 arranged vertically below first roll 106, to feed a sheet material clamped between the first roll 106 and the second roll 108. The sheet material feeding apparatus further includes a first motor 102 provided with a rotatable first motor shaft 104 coupled to the first roll 106, and a second motor 103 provided with a rotatable second motor shaft 105 coupled to the second roll 108. The first motor shaft 104 and the second motor shaft 105 rotate at substantially the same rotation speed to allow the first roll 106 and the second roll 108 to rotate in synchronization with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Sankyo Seisakusho Co.
    Inventor: Kengo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9829843
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a pair of transport rollers that nip and transport a recording medium; an image forming device that is disposed on the downstream side of the pair of transport rollers in a recording-medium transport direction and forms an image on the recording medium; a pair of fixing members that are disposed on the downstream side of the image forming device in the recording-medium transport direction and fix the image formed on the recording medium while nipping and transporting the recording medium; a single driving source that rotationally drives both the pair of transport rollers and the pair of fixing members; and a releasing device that stops rotational driving of the pair of transport rollers by the driving source at a timing when the recording medium is transported while being nipped both between the pair of transport rollers and between the pair of fixing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kobayashi, Tetsuya Furuyama
  • Patent number: 9731918
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and roller separation device are provided. The image forming apparatus including a main body having a print unit, a first paper feeding unit containing print paper and insertable in or pullable from the main body, a feed roller in the main body feeding the print paper from the first paper feeding unit to the print unit and comprising a driven roller contacting a driving roller, an elastic member applying an elastic force to the driven roller in a direction to contact the driving roller, a handle member in the main body movable to a first position and a second position, and a separation member connected to the handle member and switched to a normal position separated from the driven roller and a separation position separating the driven roller from the driving roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Byung-jun Lee
  • Patent number: 9650221
    Abstract: A conveyor includes: a conveyor roller unit including a conveyor roller; a transmission mechanism; a driven roller unit including a driven roller; a supporting member which supports the conveyor roller unit and the driven roller unit to allow the conveyor roller unit and the driven roller unit to take a conveyance position or a retracted position; and a movable member which is movable between a first position where the conveyor roller and the driven roller take the conveyance position and a second position where the conveyor roller and the driven roller take the refracted position. The movable member moves from the second position to the first position when the conveyor roller in the second position rotates in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kawamata, Yasuhira Ota
  • Patent number: 9446920
    Abstract: A slider moving in a sliding direction between first and second positions shifts a second path-defining member, relative to a first path-defining member, between first and second states. A pair of movable members each disposed on a corresponding side of a slider in a width direction is movable individually in the sliding direction to shift between third and fourth states. The movable members, when both in the third state, position the slider to the first position and, when both in the fourth state, position the slider to the second position. Each movable member supports a corresponding widthwise end of the slider immovably in the sliding direction and movably in the width direction. A support frame supporting the second path-defining member supports a widthwise central portion of the slider movably in the sliding direction and rotatably on a plane parallel to the sliding direction and the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shota Iijima, Masao Mimoto
  • Patent number: 9309075
    Abstract: A conveying portion includes a pair of superimposing rollers and a controller which controls the rotation of the pair of superimposing rollers, wherein the controller controls a rotation of a pair of conveying rollers so that a tail end of a first sheet passes a nip portion between the pair of conveying rollers by conveying the first sheet to the downstream side before a leading end of a third sheet superimposed on a second sheet reaches the nip portion between the pair of conveying rollers nipping the first sheet and the second sheet superimposed on the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Ochi, Hiroharu Tsuji, Tomooku Koyama, Takuya Keino
  • Patent number: 9309071
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes a sheet conveyance path including a curved portion, and a roller pair that is located along the conveyance path and conveys a sheet. At least one of rollers of the roller pair moves such that the orientation of conveying force exerted onto the sheet by the roller pair at its nip point is changed after the roller pair pinches the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 9242489
    Abstract: A roller includes an outer cylindrical portion and an inner cylindrical portion arranged concentrically with the outer cylindrical portion. A plurality of connection spokes are provided for connecting the outer cylindrical portion and the inner cylindrical portion to each other, wherein each of the connection spokes are connected along a non-linear connection path with respect to an axis extending between the outer cylindrical portion and the inner cylindrical portion of the roller to provide a tunable spring constant in the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred O. Stephens, Chalam Kashyap
  • Patent number: 9187283
    Abstract: A conveyor device may include first and second conveyor units, and a movable member. The first conveyor unit includes a first roller that contacts an upper surface of a sheet and a second roller that contacts a lower surface of the sheet. The second conveyor unit includes a third roller that contacts the lower surface of the sheet and a fourth roller that contacts the upper surface of the sheet. The first and second rollers and the third and fourth rollers nip and convey the sheet along a conveyance path. When the movable member is located in a first position, the first roller contacts the second roller and the third roller contacts the fourth roller. When the movable member moves to the second position, the first roller is moved away from the second roller and the third roller is moved away from the fourth roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Noriyuki Kawamata, Keisuke Wakakusa, Jie Xiu, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 9169092
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a housing, a conveyor roller, a first shaft, a second shaft, and drive units. The conveyor roller includes a first side portion and a second side portion. The first shaft has a first engaging portion. The second shaft has a second engaging portion. The drive units drive and rotate the first and second shafts. The first side portion has an engaged portion to be engaged with the first or second engaging portion. The second side portion is formed with a bearing portion configured to be supported by the first or second engaging portion in relatively rotatable manner. The conveyor roller is mountable in the housing in a first mounted state, in which the conveyor roller is integrally rotated with the first shaft, and in a second mounted state, in which the conveyor roller is integrally rotated with the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuichi Koshimura
  • Patent number: 9102174
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a first convey path; a support member which supports a first recording medium, a second recording medium, and a tray; a second convey path connected to the first convey path; a first guide member partly defining the second convey path; and a posture change mechanism which changes the support member and the first guide member between (a) a first posture in which the first convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough and (b) a second posture in which the first convey path has a height larger than the first height and allowing the second recording medium or the tray to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height smaller than the second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iwane Sano, Yasuhira Ota, Shota Iijima, Naokazu Tanahashi, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 9102485
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller pair, an urging portion, a releasing portion, and a moving portion. The conveyance roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller, and conveys a sheet. The urging portion applies a pinching force to the conveyance roller pair. The releasing portion releases the pinching force of the conveyance roller pair against an urging force of the urging portion. The moving portion moves the conveyance roller pair, the urging portion, and the releasing portion in a width direction intersecting with a sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouhei Deno
  • Patent number: 9067748
    Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating-transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ohama, Yoshinori Osakabe, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 9016689
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a housing provided with first and second side surfaces facing each other, and third and fourth side surfaces substantially orthogonal to the first and second side surfaces and facing each other. An entrance port is formed in the first side surface, an exit port is formed in the second side surface, and a sheet conveying path is formed in the housing. The housing includes first and second guide members constituting the sheet conveying path. The first and second guide members are connected to be pivotally movable relative to each other on the side of the third side surface. A gap portion is formed between the first and second guide members in a region from the connection portion on the side of the third side surface to the first side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Shuji Osaki, Hironori Daigo, Hiroaki Takai
  • Patent number: 9016463
    Abstract: A conveying device includes: opposed first and second rollers disposed to a first path; a roller holder supporting the second roller and movable between a first position where the second roller contacts the first roller and a second position where the second roller is spaced apart from the first roller; and opposed first and second guide members defining a second path merged with the first path. The first guide member is movable between a third position where the first guide member is spaced apart from the second guide member at a predetermined distance and a fourth position where their distance is less than the predetermined distance. The first guide member includes a guide portion for contacting and moving the roller holder from the first position to the second position in response to movement of the first guide member from the third position to the fourth position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Mimoto, Shota Iijima
  • Patent number: 9016690
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes an apparatus main body with a wall portion, a sheet conveyance path, a conveyor roller pair, an opening/closing unit and a cleaning unit. The conveyor roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller. The opening/closing unit is openable and closable relative to the apparatus main body. The opening/closing unit defines a part of the sheet conveyance path and brings the first roller into contact with the second roller in a closed state. The opening/closing unit separates the first roller from the second roller in an open state. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member and a support frame. The cleaning member cleans a surface of the second roller. The support frame supports the cleaning member and moves the cleaning member toward and away from the surface of the second roller in association with the movements of the opening/closing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 9010755
    Abstract: A printer apparatus has a contact pressure device for flat articles on a continuously moving transport belt, in particular letters in a franking and/or addressing machine. In order to increase the usable region and/or of the throughput of the printer apparatus, flat articles of different thicknesses are processed with predetermined speed, without slippage, in succession with arbitrarily small gaps between successive articles. An elastic, bellows-shaped, resiliently supported air bag has a low-friction, wear-resistant cover surface that is in non-positive contact with the transport belt. With its associated retention and air supply devices the bellows serves as a mobile contact pressure module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Ortmann, Wolfgang Muhl
  • Publication number: 20150102555
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller pair, an urging portion, a releasing portion, and a moving portion. The conveyance roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller, and conveys a sheet. The urging portion applies a pinching force to the conveyance roller pair. The releasing portion releases the pinching force of the conveyance roller pair against an urging force of the urging portion. The moving portion moves the conveyance roller pair, the urging portion, and the releasing portion in a width direction intersecting with a sheet conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Kouhei Deno
  • Patent number: 9004487
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet by a first rotating body and a second rotating body that is provided so as to be movable in a contacting/separating direction with respect to the first rotating body; a rotation amount measuring unit configured to measure a rotation amount of the second rotating body, the rotation amount measuring unit being provided so as to be movable in the contacting/separating direction along with the second rotating body; and a conveying distance calculating unit configured to calculate a conveying distance of the sheet based on a measurement result obtained by the rotation amount measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Takayasu
  • Patent number: 9004488
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes a first pair of rollers having a drive roller and a pinch roller driven by the drive roller, a second pair of rollers provided downstream of the first pair of rollers, and an arm member supporting the drive roller and adapted to be swingable such that a force for pressing the drive roller against the pinch roller increases as a conveyance resistance of the sheet increases. The force for pressing the drive roller against the pinch roller decreases if driven by the moving sheet. The conveying speed of the second pair of rollers is set to be higher than the conveying speed of the drive roller so as to cause the drive roller to be driven by the sheet in the case where a skew of the sheet has been corrected and the sheet having the skew corrected is conveyed by the second pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Terashima
  • Patent number: 9004481
    Abstract: In a provided apparatus, an upper roller to be engaged with a sheet upper face and a lower roller to be engaged with a sheet lower face are arranged at a sheet discharging port in a manner capable of being pressure-contacted and being separated, the upper roller is formed with a large-diameter soft roll face and a small-diameter hard roll face, and a pressurization force of roller lifting-lowering means with which the upper roller is pressure-contacted to and is separated from the lower roller is switched to be high or low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignees: Riso Kagaku Corporation, Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Mimura, Kenta Idezuki, Kenichi Sano
  • Patent number: 8998204
    Abstract: A medium carrying device includes an apparatus body, medium guide unit that is detachable with respect to the apparatus body, a carrying roller that is disposed in the apparatus body, and is configured to rotate to carry a print medium passing through the medium guide unit, and a driven roller that is disposed in the medium guide unit at a position corresponding to the carrying roller in a contacting manner so that the driven roller rotates in accordance with a rotation of the carrying roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8998206
    Abstract: A medium transport direction switching mechanism may be provided of a simple configuration which is capable of switching the transport direction of a transported information recording medium. One end may be a biasing member for biasing a pinch roller toward a transport roller engages a support shaft which supports the pinch roller, whereas the other end of the biasing member engages a retaining member which retains the support shaft. In the medium transport direction switching mechanism, rotational behavior of the pinch roller centering upon a rotational center of the transport roller is possible between a first facing position and a second facing position, wherein the pinch roller moves to the first facing position when the transport roller rotates positively, and moves to the second facing position when the transport roller rotates negatively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Sankyo Corporation
    Inventor: Chisato Hiyama
  • Patent number: 8991822
    Abstract: A conveyor device includes a conveyor including a conveyor roller to convey a sheet along a conveyance path, a cover movable between a closed position where the cover covers the conveyor roller and an open position where the cover is separated from the conveyor roller. The conveyor further includes a pinch roller urged toward the conveyor roller when the cover is in the closed position. When the cover is in the closed position, the conveyor roller and the pinch roller define a nip point along the conveyance path. The conveyor device includes a holder supported by the cover and to rotatably support the pinch roller and an urging member disposed between the cover and the holder to move the holder away from the cover to urge the pinch roller toward the conveyor roller when the cover is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Kozaki, Takashi Ohama, Ai Oyamada, Takeru Morinaga
  • Patent number: 8973920
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus including a conveying path with a curved path through which a sheet is passed, a main conveying roller provided downstream of the conveying path in a conveying direction of the sheet, the roller being rotated in a first direction to perform a conveying operation of conveying the sheet in the conveying direction and being rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction to perform an skew correcting operation of forming a loop of the sheet, and an auxiliary guide member which supports the sheet using an inner side of a curvature of the conveying path and which is tilted toward the conveying direction side during the conveying operation when subjected to a force of the sheet which is stronger than during the skew correcting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keisei Hakamata
  • Patent number: 8973913
    Abstract: To easily replace a retard roller (that is a media separation roller) while minimizing the required installation space, a printer 1 has a first media conveyance path 12 that conveys sheet media; a second media conveyance path 29 that conveys media and can open and close; a media conveyance roller 17 and a retard roller 16 disposed opposite each other with the first media conveyance path 12 therebetween; and a roller installation unit 70 to which the retard roller 16 is installed removably from the second media conveyance path 29 side. The retard roller 16 can be easily replaced from the open second media conveyance path 29. Compared with a configuration having a dedicated opening, a smaller opening and space for replacing the media separation roller are required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Masubuchi, Toshihiro Imae
  • Patent number: 8967612
    Abstract: A medium processing device includes holding section that temporarily retains a medium therein. A gear inside the holding section drives a mechanism that stores the medium into and feeds out from the holding section. A main body includes a mounting location at which the holding section is mounted, and transfers the medium to and from the holding section at a time at which the holding section is mounted. An operation knob transmits, to the gear, a rotary operation applied from outside the holding section. An operation restriction portion at the main body, blocks transmission of the rotary operation from the knob to the gear in a mounted state in which the holding section is mounted at the mounting location, and allows transmission of the rotary operation from the knob to the gear in a detached state in which the holding section is detached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takamoto Yokote
  • Patent number: 8967620
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a device body that transports a sheet; a pair of transport rollers that come into contact with each other and transport the sheet toward a downstream side in a transport direction of the sheet; a transport member that guides and transports the sheet toward the transport rollers; and an open and close member that opens and closes a side surface of the device body. One of the transport rollers is provided at the device body and the other transport roller is provided at the transport member, and the transport member is rotatable around an axis parallel to the transport rollers. When the open and close member moves to an open position at which the side surface is open, the open and close member rotates around the axis and the contact between the transport rollers is allowed to be released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Ishikura, Naoya Kamigaito
  • Publication number: 20150054219
    Abstract: Provided is a transporting device including a first contact member having a first contact portion that contacts a medium transported, a second contact member having a second contact portion that contacts the medium transported, on the downstream side of the first contact portion in a transporting direction, the first contact portion and the second contact portion each having a tangential plane, and the tangential planes coinciding with each other, a transporting unit that transports the medium so that a first surface of the medium coincides with the tangential plane in a section of the first contact portion to the second contact portion, and a processing unit that is arranged between the first contact portion and the second contact portion, and performs processing on the first surface of the medium that is passing through a processing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seigo MAKIDA, Takao FURUYA, Kiyoshi HOSOI, Katsumi SAKAMAKI, Masaki HACHISUGA
  • Patent number: 8950750
    Abstract: A sheet thickness detector incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying member to rotate and convey a sheet in a sheet conveyance direction, a driven sheet conveying member to contact the sheet conveying member and form at least one first transfer nip therebetween in a lateral direction and to displace by an amount equivalent to a thickness of the sheet passing through the first transfer nip and rotated with the sheet conveying member in the sheet conveyance direction, a displacement member to contact the sheet conveying member and form a second transfer nip smaller than the first transfer nip in the lateral direction and to displace by an amount equivalent to the thickness of the sheet passing through the second transfer nip and supported at a support member, and a displacement amount detector to detect an amount of displacement of the displacement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuu Wakabayashi, Ryo Takenaka, Masashi Satoh, Shingo Nishizaki, Yusuke Ozaki, Yuji Ikeda, Hiroshi Okamura, Naohiro Funada, Tomohide Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20150021851
    Abstract: A feeding device includes a loading unit for loading a sheet, a feeding roller section that has a shaft member on which a first roller and a second roller are disposed, and that feeds the sheet, and a holding member that holds the feeding roller section such that the first and second rollers are moved to a contact position where the first and second rollers are in contact with the sheet loaded on the loading unit and a separate position where the first and second rollers are separated from the sheet loaded on the loading unit. When the width of the sheet is less than or equal to a predetermined length, the first roller is in contact with the sheet whereas the second roller is not in contact with the sheet. The loading unit has a hole provided at a position opposite to the second roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Takahiro Kiuchi
  • Publication number: 20150008637
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: first, second and third rollers, a conveying member, a frame, a first pressing member, and a force-generating unit. The first and second rollers rotate while nipping the sheet therebetween. The third roller and the conveying member nip the sheet therebetween. The frame is elongated parallel to an axis about which the third roller rotates and supports the third roller. The first pressing member applies a first pressing force to an axial center of the first roller to press the first roller toward the second roller and applies a reaction force of the first pressing force to the frame to press the frame in a direction toward the conveying member. The force-generating unit generates a nipping force for nipping the sheet between the third roller and the conveying member and applies an urging force to the frame in a direction away from the conveying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroshi ICHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8919761
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet conveying device comprising a first conveyance path for conveying a sheet from a pair of first rollers to a pair of second rollers, a second conveyance path for performing switchback conveyance of the sheet, a switching unit for switching the second rollers between a press-contacted state and a separated state, and a single driving source for driving the rollers and the switching unit. A non transferring of drive section is set where when the driving source switches the rotation direction after the sheet that has been switchback-conveyed has reached the first rollers, a drive from the driving source is not transferred to the second rollers. The switching unit is driven to separate the second rollers during a time the drive is not transferred to the second rollers due to the non transferring of drive section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Morinaga, Kuniaki Sato
  • Patent number: 8919769
    Abstract: The invention relates to a self-adjusting processing system for sheet material. A self-adjusting processing system for sheet material comprises a guiding device for sheet material having a main transport and a redirecting device for sheet material having a branch transport in association with the main transport to redirect the sheet material. The redirecting device further has fixed rollers adopted to interact with the branch transport and floating members, the fixed rollers and the floating members are positioned at opposite sides of the branch transport and each floating member is adopted to be aligned with appropriate fixed roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Sergei Zubarevich, Ilgam Garipov
  • Patent number: 8910940
    Abstract: An image forming system of one aspect of the present invention includes a first image forming apparatus arranged on the upstream side in a sheet conveyance direction, a second image forming apparatus arranged on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, and an intermediate apparatus arranged between the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus and having a registration roller on the sheet conveyance path through which a sheet conveyed from the first image forming apparatus is conveyed to the second image forming apparatus. The intermediate apparatus has a path opening mechanism configured to release a pressure contact of the registration roller arranged on the sheet conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideo Isohara
  • Patent number: 8894060
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes an opening unit (a lock shaft, a lock arm, a hopper, a link member, and a rotating member) that performs an opening operation in a direction in which rollers coming into press contact with each other on a conveying path for a medium are separated from each other when a conveyance error of the medium occurs. An error release operation control unit of a controller controls the opening unit by switching whether an opening operation is performed to the degree of opening in which a conveying roller and a driven roller are separated from each other or an opening operation is performed to the degree of opening in which a separating roller and a braking roller are separated from each other, according to an entering distance of the medium on the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Masaya Takamori
  • Patent number: 8876111
    Abstract: An inverting roller device is used for changing a conveying path of a paper. The inverting roller device includes a first rotating shaft, a first roller, a second rotating shaft, a second roller, and a first swinging arm. The first roller and the second roller are disposed on the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, respectively. The first swinging arm is pivotally disposed on the first rotating shaft and connected with the second rotating shaft. First, the first roller and the second roller are rotated to allow the paper to be moved in a first traveling direction. Then, the rotation of the first roller is temporarily stopped, and the second rotating shaft and the second roller are driven by the first swinging arm to be moved relative to a surface of the first roller. Consequently, the conveying path of the paper is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Tsui Lan
  • Publication number: 20140285603
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a liquid ejecting section that ejects a liquid at a medium; a transport mechanism that is disposed downstream of the liquid ejecting section in a transport direction of the medium and transports the medium, the transport mechanism having a driving roller that makes driving rotation, and a pair of driven rollers that are pressed against the driving roller via the medium and make driven rotation, the driven rollers being disposed with a space in a direction to cross the transport direction; and an inter-axis adjustment mechanism that is capable of adjusting an inter-axis distance between a rotation axis of the driving roller and a rotation axis of each roller of the driven rollers separately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeki KATO
  • Publication number: 20140284878
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a rotating unit, a fixed unit, a separating roller and a conveying roller that are installed in the rotating unit and convey a medium present on a conveying path in a conveying direction, a braking roller and a driven roller that are installed in the fixed unit and come into press contact with the separating roller and the conveying roller on the conveying path, respectively, a lock arm that is installed in the rotating unit, a lock shaft that is installed in the fixed unit and keeps the position of the rotating unit relative to the fixed unit by locking the lock arm, and a position changing unit (a link member and a rotating member) that changes the position of the rotating unit relative to the fixed unit by the movement of the lock shaft in a up-and-down direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: PFU LIMITED
    Inventor: Masaya TAKAMORI