Rotary Conveyor Patents (Class 271/314)
  • Patent number: 11964836
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus may include a main body and a cassette to enter or exit the main body along a first direction to be mounted in or released from the main body, respectively. The cassette may include a supporter extendable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to protrude from an exterior of the main body. The main body may include a lever which is movable in the first direction between a supporting position at which the lever supports the main body and a release position at which to allow the cassette to enter or exit the main body along the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Hoil Lee
  • Patent number: 11385575
    Abstract: An example print apparatus is described as including a fuser roller, a pressure device that generates wear on a section of the fuser roller surface, and a wear detection engine that identifies a degree of wear on the surface of the fuser roller. An example fuser roller may include a tube, a heating element, and a plurality of layers having a detectable pattern. An example print apparatus may include a wear detection engine having an emitter, a detector, and a controller that identifies a wear pattern based on data provided by the detector in response to activation of the emitter and determines a degree of wear based on the identified wear pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gabriel Scott McDaniel, Sean Daniel FitzGerald, Jeffrey H. Luke
  • Patent number: 10791237
    Abstract: A scanner includes a paper feeding roller set, a paper exporting roller set, a scanning module, a background and calibration roller, a main driving assembly, a first sleeve, a torque limiter and a stop-driving assembly. The paper feeding roller set and the paper exporting roller set are driven by the main driving assembly. The background and calibration roller includes a black background section, a white background section and at least one calibration section. The first sleeve sleeves the first end and is linked to the main driving assembly. The torque limiter is disposed between the background and calibration roller and the first sleeve and contacts the same. The stop-driving assembly is selectively abutted against two portions of the background and calibration roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Chun-Tseng Hung
  • Patent number: 10131511
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a supply-sheet supporter having a supply support surface that supports a sheet; a conveyor configured to convey the sheet from the supply-sheet supporter along a conveyance path; and a discharged-sheet supporter disposed above the supply-sheet supporter and configured to support the sheet conveyed by the conveyor. The discharged-sheet supporter includes: a particular end portion located farthest from the conveyor in the discharged-sheet supporter and opposed to the supply support surface from above; and a movable member including the particular end portion at one of opposite end portions of the movable member, which one is farther from the conveyor than another of the opposite end portions. The movable member is pivotable in a direction in which a distance between the particular end portion and the supply support surface is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Murodate, Takashi Ohama
  • Patent number: 10131164
    Abstract: A printer includes: a first conveyor configured to convey a recording medium during image formation by an image former at a first conveyance speed based on a print condition of the image formation by the image former; a second conveyor configured to convey the recording medium at a second conveyance speed higher than the first conveyance speed; and a third conveyor arranged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor on a conveyance route. The third conveyor is configured to start acceleration of the recording medium after a recording region trailing end of the recording medium passes the image former and accelerate the recording medium such that a speed of the recording medium increases to the second conveyance speed not later than a time point when a leading edge of the recording medium reaches the second conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Hara
  • Patent number: 10022997
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a decoloring apparatus comprises a processor, a decoloring section, a shift roller, a paper discharge section and a paper discharge roller. The processor determines whether or not to execute either a decoloring job or a non-decoloring job. The decoloring section decolors an image on paper formed with decolorable coloring agent. The shift roller moves paper for decoloring job or paper for non-decoloring job in a direction orthogonal to a paper discharge direction of the paper on a same plane for a given distance to sort it. The paper discharge section stacks discharged papers. The paper discharge roller discharges the paper sorted by the shift roller to the paper discharge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Isao Yahata
  • Patent number: 9696683
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a front cover and a maintenance cover. The front cover has a support section, an interference section, and a projection. The support section is supported by a housing of the image forming apparatus so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis. The interference section extends rearward from an edge of the front cover. The projection is located on a contact surface that comes in or out of contact with a specific section of the maintenance cover as the front cover is closed or opened with the maintenance cover in a closed state. The specific section of the maintenance cover has a hole. The projection fits in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Maeda, Hidehisa Konishi
  • Patent number: 9682573
    Abstract: An inkjet printer for printing on a continuous web of print media includes a calendering idler roll to reduce the amount of curl at an edge of the continuous web. The calendering idler roll indents the edge of the continuous web to create a predetermined bending stress in fibers of the web to roll out edge damage and to deform the fiber to create a bias in the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Roger G. Leighton
  • Patent number: 9609158
    Abstract: An image forming device having a printer unit, a post-processing unit, and an eject tray. The printer unit forms images on recording sheets, and the post-processing unit performs processing on a recoding sheet stack composed of one or more recording sheets output from the printer unit before the recording sheet stack is ejected onto the eject tray. The image forming device includes: a buffer unit that, while a first recording sheet resides in the post-processing unit for the post-processing, holds a second recording sheet therein, the second recording sheet output from the printer unit subsequent to the first recording sheet; and a reverse path that reverses recording sheets when the image forming device performs duplex printing. In a plan view of the image forming device taken along a vertical direction, the post-processing unit, the buffer unit, and the reverse path at least partially cover one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsui, Naoya Nakayama, Riichi Hama, Hidehito Kishi, Ryo Morita
  • Patent number: 9244426
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member forming a toner image, a belt member transferring the toner image, a cam transiting the belt member and the image bearing member between a contact state and a spaced state, and an operating lever for moving the belt member and the image bearing member between the contact state and the spaced state. In addition, a first member has a first engaging portion that moves in interrelation with movement of the cam and transmits a driving force of moving the operating lever to the cam, and a second member has a second engaging portion which engages with the first engaging portion and slidably movable to the first engaging portion. A third member regulates movement of the cam by abutting the second member when the operating lever is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Onodera, Toshiya Uchibe
  • Patent number: 9156642
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for improving stack integrity for a set of image receiving media substrates at an output of a compiler in an image forming device by positioning a particularly configured substrate handling device downstream of the output of the compiler in a process direction. The substrate handling device is configured of a plurality of omni-directional wheeled devices that provide drive (traction) normal to a motor axis under control of one of a respective plurality of independent motors while allowing sliding in the motor axis direction. The omni-directional wheeled devices, in one embodiment, are configured with small roller wheels along the periphery of the wheel. When using three or more omni-directional wheeled devices, translational movement can be combined with rotation to deliver sheets of image receiving media exiting the compiler at a correct angle and lateral position for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Dunham, Carlos M. Terrero, Michael J. Linder, Randy R. Sprague, Roberto A. Irizarry
  • Patent number: 8998208
    Abstract: A transmission device of automatic document feeder includes a transmission gear assembly, a pickup transmission gear assembly, a paper-feed transmission gear assembly, a correction transmission gear assembly, a pressure transmission gear assembly and a turn-over transmission gear assembly. The transmission gear assembly includes a transmission roller, a first drive gear and a second drive gear. The pickup transmission gear assembly includes a pickup drive gear, a pickup swing arm and a pickup auxiliary swing arm. The paper-feed transmission gear assembly driven by the transmission gear assembly includes a paper-feed reverse gear and a paper-feed swing arm. And the correction transmission gear assembly and the paper-feed transmission gear assembly rotate towards the same direction. The pressure transmission gear assembly includes a pressure swing arm and a pressure actuating gear. The turn-over transmission gear assembly is driven by the first drive gear of the transmission gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Foxlink Image Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I Chuan Hong, Lung Chen, Wen Ching Liao, Tsung Ching Chou, Ting Yu Lu, Jing Hua Fang
  • 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: 8998207
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a recording portion; a sheet conveyor; a detector; and a controller configured to control the sheet conveyor to stop a first-attribute sheet in a state in which the sheet conveyor is nipping the first-attribute sheet when the detector has detected that the first-attribute sheet reaches a first-attribute-sheet stopping position; and to control the sheet conveyor to stop a second-attribute sheet in a state in which the sheet conveyor is nipping the second-attribute sheet when the detector has detected that the second-attribute sheet reaches a second-attribute-sheet stopping position which is located on an upstream side of the first-attribute-sheet stopping position in the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Takasaki, Quanhe Li
  • Publication number: 20150091248
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing an auger-based transport device as a vertical compiler in an image forming system. The auger-based transport device includes a plurality of mechanical augers for vertical transport of image receiving media substrates, or sets of substrates in a controlled manner. The disclosed auger-type drive systems leverage comparatively simpler mechanical operations to provide a plurality of auger devices that simplify the motions and mechanisms of the component elements in a vertical transport path in a manner that maintains positive control of each set of image receiving media substrates in a manner that does not disturb the sets as they are lowered vertically, eliminating errors introduced by random dropping of substrates in conventional vertical image receiving media substrate handling mechanisms. The auger components are not particularly limited in number, in pitch (constant or variable), in diameter and/or in use/function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas K. HERRMANN
  • Patent number: 8985576
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods that allow for concurrent leading edge registration and side edge registration of print media sheet(s). Specifically, segmented scuffer disk(s) are mounted to an axle above a tray. The disk(s) can each comprise multiple segments and, as the axle rotates, these segments can engage a print media sheet in the tray (e.g., the top print media sheet on a stack in the tray) and can continuously force that print media sheet in a first direction against a leading edge registration guide. The segments can also be independently flexible in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. This independent flexibility allows tamper(s) to perform a tamping process in the second direction at the same time as the print media sheet is forced in the first direction, thereby avoiding any slippage of the print media sheet away from the leading edge registration guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: XEROX Corporation
    Inventors: Jason M. LeFevre, Douglas K. Herrmann, Derek A. Bryl
  • Publication number: 20150048568
    Abstract: A discharge device which discharges a sheet includes: a driving shaft which is driven to rotate by a driving source; a plurality of driving rotating members which is provided on the driving shaft; a rotating member which is provided on the driving shaft, has a larger outside diameter than an outside diameter of the driving rotating member, is formed by joining at least two divided components, and includes stepped portions that protrude, to a larger extent, in a radial direction in boundary portions of the at least two components on upstream sides of a rotation direction of the rotating member than on downstream sides thereof; and follower rotating members which are pressed against the driving rotating members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventor: Naoki Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20150042040
    Abstract: Provided is a post-processing device including a stacking member on which recording materials sequentially transported are stacked, a pair of discharge sections that nips and transports the recording material stacked on the stacking member, an accommodation section in which the recording materials are stacked and accommodated, and a moving member that moves between a contact position where the moving member comes into contact with the recording material stacked on the stacking member and a non-contact position where the moving member does not come into contact with the recording material, wherein when the recording material is transported to the stacking member, the recording material is supported from a rear surface at the contact position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya ISHIKAWA, Masatoshi KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20150008642
    Abstract: A sheet ejection device comprises an ejection roller pair (20) which ejects a sheet by a pressure contact portion (N) in which a first roller (21) and a second roller (22) are in pressure contact with each other. In the first roller (21), protrusions (41) that protrude in a roller diameter direction in order to push the back end of the sheet ejected with the rotation of the first roller (21) are formed. The protrusions (41) are provided in a flange (45) at a predetermined distance from the peripheral end (43a) of a cylindrical portion (42) of the first roller (21) in a sheet width direction. The distance from the center of rotation of the flange (45) to the front end (41c) of each of the protrusions (41) is equal to or less than the radius of the cylindrical portion (42).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Masakazu Uehara
  • Patent number: 8925916
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet discharging tray, a sheet discharging roller pair, a full state detection feeler pivotably supported and including a center feeler to measure a height of a center part of the recording medium and an edge feeler to measure a height of an edge part of the recording medium, and a full state detection sensor to detect a position of the full state detection feeler. A distance between a leading edge of the center feeler and an upper surface of the sheet discharging tray is smaller than a distance between a leading edge of the edge feeler and the upper surface thereof. The leading edge of the edge feeler is located closer to the upper surface of the sheet discharging tray than a common tangential line of the sheet discharging roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruyuki Honda, Masanori Namba, Toshikane Nishii, Mitsutaka Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20150001795
    Abstract: A medium discharge device includes: a discharge tray having a placing surface on which a medium is to be placed; a first pair of discharge rollers configured to rotate about axes to discharge the medium through a first nip onto the discharge tray; a second pair of discharge rollers configured to rotate about the axes to discharge the medium through a second nip onto the discharge tray; and a discharge guide for guiding the discharged medium. The discharge guide includes a first projection between the first and second pairs of discharge rollers, and a second projection on an opposite side of the first projection with respect to the first pair of discharge rollers. Each of the first and second projections projects to the placing surface side relative to the first and second nips and has a guide surface opposite to the placing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunori FURUSAWA
  • Publication number: 20140374987
    Abstract: A sheet discharge device includes a fixing device that fixes a sheet, a curl correcting device that corrects a curl of the fixed sheet, a first guiding member that guides the fixed sheet in a sheet discharging direction, a second guiding member that guides the fixed sheet in the sheet discharging direction and is arranged on a side opposite to the first guiding member, a support part that rotatably supports the first guiding member, and an engaging part that engages with the support part. The curl correcting device includes a correcting roller that is attached to the first guiding member. The engaging part includes a hole including an oblong shape so that the first guiding member is movable apart from the second guiding member. An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet, and the sheet discharge device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Kentaro UEHARA, Tamotsu IKEDA, Yoo DONGKYU, Park SUNGKYU
  • Patent number: 8903289
    Abstract: A belt moving unit includes an endless belt member and plural support rolls supporting the belt member movably and rotating, wherein the support rolls include one or more follower rolls rotating to follow the movement of the belt member and at least one of the follower rolls is used as an inertial roll to which inertia is applied, wherein the inertial roll includes a rotation shaft, a rotational inertial member rotating with the rotation shaft and applying inertia, and a roll body disposed along a peripheral surface of the rotation shaft and including plural roll-divided members, and wherein the plural roll-divided members include a fixed divided member fixed to the rotation shaft and rotating along with the rotation shaft to follow the movement of the belt member and a rotating divided member rotating independently of the rotation of the rotation shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yimei Yu, Junji Hanatani, Takehiro Oishi
  • Patent number: 8886111
    Abstract: A quad-roll curler apparatus includes a first roll, a second roll, a third roll, and a fourth roll. The curler apparatus is adjustable to a first processing configuration wherein three of the four rolls are engaged to impart a curl in a sheet in a first direction. The curler apparatus is adjustable to a second sheet processing configuration wherein three of the four rolls are engaged to impart a curl in a sheet in a second direction that is different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Marina Tharayil, Injae Choi, Joannes N. M. deJong
  • Publication number: 20140319768
    Abstract: Provided is a medium receiving cassette that includes a medium receiving portion in which a medium is received, and a medium support tray which is pivotally provided on the medium receiving portion and of which a state can be switched, in a pivoting manner, between a received state in which the medium support tray is positioned above the medium receiving portion and a medium support surface for supporting the medium is directed downward and an expanded state in which the medium support surface is directed upward and at least a part of the medium support surface is expanded outside the medium receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shintaro KOMURO
  • Publication number: 20140265106
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an output unit, a pair of output rotary bodies, and a controller. A sheet having an image formed thereon is discharged to the output unit. When plural sheets are sequentially discharged to the output unit, the controller controls overlapping output operation to, with a trailing end portion of a preceding sheet of the plural sheets being held by the pair of output rotary bodies, feed a subsequent sheet of the sheets to between the pair of output rotary bodies to overlap a leading end portion of the subsequent sheet with the trailing end portion of the preceding sheet. With the leading end portion of the subsequent sheet overlapped with the trailing end portion of the preceding sheet, the controller controls the pair of output rotary bodies to rotate to discharge the preceding sheet to the output unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY. LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Saitoh, Tomomi KATOH, Hiroshi NODA, Yuta MORIWAKI
  • Publication number: 20140253660
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a platen roller that configured to convey a sheet, a printing head disposed opposite the platen roller, a cutter configured to cut the sheet conveyed from the platen roller, a sheet guide disposed so as to guide a portion of the sheet that has passed the cutter, a feed roller configured to rotate and convey the sheet from the cutter between the feed roller and the sheet guide and stop rotating when a portion of the sheet is nipped between the feed roller and the sheet guide, and an adjusting mechanism configured to set a distance between the sheet guide and the feed roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo AMANO, Tsuyoshi SANADA
  • Patent number: 8827265
    Abstract: Sheet deceleration apparatus and methods for decelerating a sheet of material for use in a sheet stacking or other application. The deceleration apparatus includes a rotatable cam nip, rotatable about a first axis and provided on one side of the travel path, such that the sheet of material can pass by the cam nip. The cam nip includes a lobe end, such that when the lobe end is away from the travel path, the sheet of material can pass substantially unimpeded past the cam nip, and when the lobe end is near the travel path, the sheet of material is nipped by the cam nip decelerating the sheet of material from the first speed to a second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: J&L Group International, LLC
    Inventors: Craig H. Gendreau, Curtis A. Roth, Lynn E. Vershum, Kevin P. Brown, Michael G. Harrington
  • Publication number: 20140225967
    Abstract: Print media stacker comprising a ramp to curve printed media over an angle of between 20 and 90 degrees with respect to a media advance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, LP.
    Inventor: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, LP.
  • Publication number: 20140210156
    Abstract: A sheet ejector is provided that includes an ejection roller unit including a first roller and a second roller, a pushing member that rotates concentrically with the first roller and includes a projection formed on a circumferential surface thereof, the projection contacting a trailing end of a sheet to be ejected and pushing out the sheet in an ejecting direction, and a contact member including a contact portion disposed, in a view along a rotational-axis direction of the first roller, in such a position as to overlap or be downstream relative to a most downstream position of a rotational trajectory of the pushing member in the ejecting direction, the contact portion configured to extend up to a position closer to the second roller than the rotational axis of the first roller and contact the trailing end of the sheet ejected from the ejection roller unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahiko OHTA
  • Patent number: 8777221
    Abstract: The printing products (24) are supplied to the discharge station (16) by receiving elements (32) of the processing device (12). The discharge station has on the one hand a removal conveyor (18) and on the other hand a clamp transporter (20) arranged downstream with respect to the removal conveyor in the direction of circulation (U) of the receiving elements (32). The gripper tongs (22) of the removal conveyor (18) grip the printing products (24) at the side rim (26) and discharge the printing products from the receiving elements (32). The respectively trailing wall (36) of each receiving element (32) is provided with a guide element (50) which respectively supports the printing product (24) in question and introduces the printing product into an opened clamp (28) of the clamp transporter (20). The clamps (28) grasp the printing products (24) at the edge (30) with which the printing products (24) previously rested against the floor (42) of the receiving elements (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventors: Hans Ulrich Stauber, Marcel Ramseier
  • Patent number: 8777222
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for stacking items of media in a media container region. The apparatus includes a rotatable roller element arranged to rotate about a longitudinal axis to locate an incoming item of media at a deposit position with the container region. The apparatus also includes at least one trailing edge engaging element that engages with a trailing edge region of an incoming item of media and urges the trailing edge region towards a stack position. The apparatus also includes at least one preceding item edge engaging element that engages with an edge region of a preceding item of media to urge that edge region away from the incoming item of media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Frank B. Dunn, Anthony Boon, Fred Kallin
  • Publication number: 20140175733
    Abstract: A paper sheet stacking and recycling device (5) and a paper sheet processing apparatus having same. The device comprises: a paper sheet conveying and stacking mechanism (51), located in front of a paper sheet discharging port and used for conveying the discharged paper sheets to a preset position one by one and stacking; a paper sheet discharging mechanism, located at the front end of the paper sheet conveying and stacking mechanism and used for discharging the stacked paper sheets in stack; and a paper sheet recycling mechanism (52), located at the front end of a paper sheet storage container (23) and used for recycling the stacked paper sheets in stack. A paper sheet processing apparatus having the foregoing device is capable of avoiding secondary separation of single paper sheets and more deflection after the paper sheets pass through a device for tilt correction and the like, so as to reduce the occurrence probability of faults such as blocking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: GRG Banking Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shaohai Huang, Dongbo Liu
  • Patent number: 8740216
    Abstract: Disclosed is a document conveying apparatus including: a reading unit which read image information on a surface of a document; a driving-side discharge unit which conveys the document in a first direction in contact with the first surface, and discharges at least a part of the document; a driven-side discharge unit which receives transmission of a rotative force from the driving-side discharge unit, when being in contact with the driving-side discharge unit; a specific-direction conveying unit which conveys the document in an opposite direction to the first direction; a pressing force applying unit which applies a force in a third direction to the driven-side discharge unit so as to be in contact with the driving-side discharge unit; and a movement control unit which moves the driven-side discharge unit in an opposite direction to the third direction, when the document is in contact with the driven-side discharge unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: NEC AccessTechnica, Ltd., NEC Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Ota, Yoshio Idogawa
  • Patent number: 8714546
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a paper discharge roller of a paper discharge unit has an upper roller as a driving roller and a lower roller as a driven roller. The lower roller has a nip roller which is fixed to a shaft and holds paper between the nip roller and the upper roller, and forming rollers having a diameter larger than that of the nip roller and arranged on both sides of the nip roller. Since a conveyance speed of the paper is constant, the number of revolutions of the forming roller having a large outer diameter is smaller than that of a nip roller having a small outer diameter. The friction between the forming roller and the paper is lower than that in conventional art. Attachment and accumulation of ink are suppressed, and inconvenience of contamination of the paper with ink upon paper discharge hardly occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsunori Saito
  • Publication number: 20140103605
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an output unit that transports and outputs a recording medium on which an image has been formed, a member having an opening through which the recording medium is output, and a shield member disposed at the opening, the shield member shielding the output unit. The shield member includes plural swing members and a shield plate. The swing members are swingably supported and arranged in an axial direction of the output unit. The shield plate is attached to a wall that restrains the recording medium that is output from returning toward the output unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro YAMADA, Hiroshi Kawamoto, Hidekazu Yamagiwa
  • Publication number: 20140091518
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a biasing unit that biases the second rotating member toward the first rotating member. The first and second rotating members pinch a sheet therebetween and convey the sheet in a sheet conveying direction. The second rotating member includes a small-diameter portion that faces a conveying portion of the first rotating member, and a large-diameter portion at a position axially displaced from the conveying portion. The second rotating member can change its orientation to an orientation where a rotating shaft of the second rotating member is tilted relative to a rotating shaft of the first rotating member as viewed in the sheet conveying direction, thereby moving a position of an end portion of the second rotating member on a side of the large-diameter portion away from the rotating shaft of the first rotating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshikane NISHII, Haruyuki HONDA, Masanori NAMBA, Mitsutaka NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140070485
    Abstract: A medium ejection apparatus is provided which may be part of an image forming apparatus. The medium ejection apparatus may include an ejection roller configured to eject a recording medium and a pinch roller disposed opposite to the ejection roller. The pinch roller is configured to move toward and away from the ejection roller and to press a recording medium toward the ejection roller. Also, the medium ejection apparatus may include an elastic member configured to press the pinch roller toward the ejection roller and a lever disposed downstream of the pinch roller in a recording medium transport direction. The lever is configured to be moved between a first position and a second position. When the lever is in the second position, the lever contacts the pinch roller, which causes a force to be applied against the elastic member, and the pinch roller is spaced away from the ejection roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Ito
  • Publication number: 20140061994
    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: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicants: NISCA CORPORATION, RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki MIMURA, Kenta IDEZUKI, Kenichi SANO
  • Publication number: 20140042695
    Abstract: To provide a post-processing apparatus for preventing a sheet from becoming misaligned in dropping the rear end side of the sheet carried in a processing tray from a sheet discharge path to store on the tray, and enabling the mechanism to be simplified, compact and configured at low cost, a sheet guide that guides a sheet from the sheet discharge path to the processing tray is comprised of a pair of right and left guide members, at the same time in the processing tray are disposed a pair of right and left side edge alignment members, and each guide member and each side edge alignment member are configured to shift to positions in the sheet width direction in an integral manner using a common drive motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroshi MAEJIMA, Hiroto AKIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20140029998
    Abstract: A sheet discharge device includes a sheet discharge path, a discharge portion for discharging the sheet, and a pressing member. The pressing member is shiftable between a hanging posture, in which the pressing member hangs from an axis of pivotal movement thereof above the discharge path in such a manner as to block the discharge path, and a retracted posture, in which the pressing member is pivotally moved about the axis of pivotal movement in the sheet discharge direction for opening the discharge path. The pressing member has a side portion protruding into the discharge path in the hanging posture thereof, and a bottom portion continuing to a lower end of the side portion and extending toward downstream in the sheet discharge direction. The bottom portion includes an inclined surface inclined upwardly toward a middle part of the sheet in the sheet width direction in the hanging posture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Mitsutoshi Takemoto
  • Patent number: 8622390
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes: a paper feeding section configured to receive a sheet and feed the sheet; a detecting section configured to detect the fed sheet; a standby tray on which the fed sheet is stacked, the standby tray including a first roller configured to convey the sheet; a second roller configured to pivot to come into contact with and separate from the first roller; a processing tray on which the sheet dropped and supplied from the standby tray is stacked, the processing tray holding the sheet while requested processing is applied to the sheet; a paper discharge section configured to receive the sheet subjected to the processing and discharged from the processing tray; and a control section configured to separate the second roller from the first roller according to a result of the detection during conveyance of the sheet to the standby tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naofumi Soga, Shoichi Dobashi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20130285321
    Abstract: A diverter for receiving printed products in a single stream and diverting the printed products into a plurality of streams is provided. The diverter includes a first rotating body rotating about a first axis and including first, second and third circumferential sections positioned around the first axis. Each circumferential section of the first rotating body extends radially a different distance from the first axis. The diverter also includes a second rotating body rotating about a second axis and including first, second and third circumferential sections positioned around the second axis. Each circumferential section of the second rotating body extends radially a different distance from the second axis. The first and second rotating bodies divert the printed products into three separate streams at a diverting area between the first and second axes. The diverter also includes a steeple positioned downstream of the diverting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: GOSS INTERNATIONAL AMERICAS, INC.
    Inventors: John J. Dowling, David Clarke Pollock, David Elliot Whitten
  • Patent number: 8561986
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a cover member made of resin and partially defining a conveying path, a roller member rotatably disposed on the cover member and configured to convey a sheet along the conveying path, an urging member disposed between the cover member and a rotary shaft of the roller member and urging the roller member toward the conveying path while one end of the urging member contacts the rotary shaft, and a plate member made of metal and disposed between the cover member and the urging member. The plate member includes a first segment extending along the cover member and contacting the other end of the urging member, a second segment extending from an edge of the first segment in a direction toward the conveying path, and a third segment extending from an edge of the second segment in a direction different from the second segment extending direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Kozaki, Hiroshi Shiomi, Ai Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130249166
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a shift unit which includes a conveyance roller pair capable of being placed in a contact state and a separation state and configured to convey sheets having an overlapping portion where a rear end portion of a preceding sheet and a front end portion of a following sheet overlap each other. The shift unit is movable in a widthwise direction while conveying the sheets by the conveyance roller pair. The sheet conveyance apparatus moves the shift unit in the widthwise direction when it is determined that the overlapping portion of the sheets has reached the conveyance roller pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideto Abe, Hideki Kushida, Toshiyuki Iwata, Yohei Gamo
  • Patent number: 8540238
    Abstract: An automatic sheet transporting apparatus includes a transporting unit with a discharge roller, the transporting unit discharge a sheet onto a discharge tray configured that support discharged sheets in a stack. A discharge guide, positioned on an upstream side of the discharge tray in a sheet discharging direction, guides a subsequent sheet transported by the transporting unit to a position between the discharge tray and a bottom surface of a previously discharged sheet in the stack. The discharge tray includes at least one rotating member that rotates when the discharge guide guides the subsequent sheet between the discharge tray and the bottom surface of the previously discharged sheet in the stack. The frictional resistance applied to the subsequent sheet is reduced to increase the number of sheets that can be stacked in the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Takaaki Mukai, Toshitaka Iwago
  • Patent number: 8505908
    Abstract: Sheet deceleration apparatus and methods for decelerating a sheet of material for use in a sheet stacking or other application. The deceleration apparatus includes a rotatable cam nip, rotatable about a first axis and provided on one side of the travel path, such that the sheet of material can pass by the cam nip. The cam nip includes a lobe end, such that when the lobe end is away from the travel path, the sheet of material can pass substantially unimpeded past the cam nip, and when the lobe end is near the travel path, the sheet of material is nipped by the cam nip decelerating the sheet of material from the first speed to a second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: J&L Group International, LLC
    Inventors: Craig H. Gendreau, Curtis A. Roth, Lynn E. Vershum, Kevin P. Brown, Michael G. Harrington
  • Patent number: 8500121
    Abstract: In a sheet downstacker of a corrugator dry end, sheets are delivered by a drive system driving both the bottom and top nip rolls with a single motor that also drives the last flat belt sheet conveyor to the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Marquip, LLC
    Inventors: Richard F. Paulson, James M. Krog
  • Publication number: 20130187334
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device (30) includes a plurality of first conveyance rollers (31) and a plurality of second conveyance rollers (32). The sheet conveying device (30) includes stiffening rollers (34). The stiffening rollers (34) are disposed coaxially with at least one conveyance rollers (32) among the first and second conveyance rollers (31) and (32), and have diameters larger than diameters of the conveyance rollers (32). The stiffening rollers (34) includes first stiffening rollers (34a), which apply conveying forces to a sheet (P), and second stiffening rollers (34b), which apply smaller conveying forces to the sheet (P) than the conveying forces to the sheet (P) in the first stiffening rollers (34a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaharu Kimura, Kohji Aoki, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Norichika Katsura
  • Patent number: 8490967
    Abstract: To provide a medium storing and advancing apparatus which orderly piles up bills even when not flat. The medium storing and advancing apparatus includes a tongue piece roller having tongue pieces having the length thereof predetermined. While the tongue piece roller is rotated to slap the rear end of a bill with the tongue pieces to orient the latter downward, the front end of a following bill is superimposed on the downward-oriented rear end of the preceding bill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Takada, Masayuki Nakashima