Feeler Control Patents (Class 271/31)
  • Patent number: 5379993
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder provided with a conveying unit which has a conveyer belt and regulating plates for regulating a space between the conveying unit and a platen glass. The regulating plates are disposed in a hinge side and a side opposite to the hinge side. The conveying unit is connected with a supporting frame through the regulating plates. The supporting frame is fixed to the hinges. The conveying unit is movable in a vertical direction to the supporting frame at least in the hinge side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Takemura, Akiyoshi Johdai, Hirokazu Matsuo
  • Patent number: 5370379
    Abstract: A sheet registration and feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacker for compiling sheets delivered serially thereto into a stack. The sheet stacker includes a support surface, a registration member for registering sheets to form a registered stack and a sheet separator-feeder for separating and feeding sheets seriatim from the compiled stack to a feeder for feeding the sheets along a sheet path away from the support surface. An interposer is included in the form of a pivotally mounted elongate member with hooked fingers at one end thereof configured to intercept an incoming sheet fed onto the support surface or onto the stack such that the incoming sheet is intercepted by the fingers without interrupting an outgoing sheet being fed simultaneously out from the support surface or from the bottom of the stack to the feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew F. Wyer
  • Patent number: 5363971
    Abstract: A machine for sorting documents and, in particular, for carrier sequence bar code sorting of mail has been described. The device uses three passes and 11 vertically disposed top fed stackers. The stackers also have a delivery system from the bottom thereof so that mail selectively dispensed from the bottom of each individual stacker proceeds through a buffer singulator, leveler, and wide area bar code reader which in turn signals the computer so that as the mail piece is transported through a top transport, it will be gated into the proper stacker in the proper sequence. The machine also may be adapted to an overflow situation wherein mail overflowing one stacker is diverted to an overflow stacker for recycling and the mail to be sorted is assigned in predetermined quantities to different stackers to minimize the possibility of overflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Horace W. Weeks, James J. Strohmeyer, Jeffrey R. Nice
  • Patent number: 5356129
    Abstract: A conveying mechanism for a press having sucker fingers which lift horizontally positioned items. The mechanism having two conveying sections for supporting imbricately arranged items, the first conveying section delivering to the second and the second section having components which rearrange the items into a vertical stack and lift it by wedging the items one under the other to a position where the fingers pick off the uppermost item of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Inventor: Edward S. Godlewski
  • Patent number: 5351112
    Abstract: An original feeding apparatus has a first original feeding means for directing an original to an original reading station from one side thereof in an original-stationary scanning mode in which the original is read while fixing the original at the original reading station, and a second original feeding means for directing then original to the original reading station from the other side thereof in an original-through scanning mode in which the original is read while shifting the original along the original reading station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Naito, Yuji Takahashi, Masakazu Hiroi, Yoshinori Isobe, Akimaro Yoshida, Hitoshi Fujimoto, Tomohito Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 5348281
    Abstract: A recording sheet feeding device for use in an image forming machine, in which a plurality of sheets on which a first image has been recorded are successively fed from a sheet stacker for a second image to be formed, provided with a sheet pressing mechanism above the stacker which takes a pressing or a non-pressing position with respect to sheets on the stacker. While sheets are being conveyed to the stacker, a pressing operation on the sheets is conducted by driving the mechanism at least twice. Sheet feeding from the stacker is started after the first pressing operation of the mechanism. A feeding timing of the first sheet to be fed after a second pressing operation is delayed compared with a feeding timing of other sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamada, Tsuyoshi Mizubata, Masaru Ushio
  • Patent number: 5347352
    Abstract: Copying apparatus capable of high speed document exchange and high speed copying. Sets an original at the exposure position and prefeeds at least two originals to their respective standby positions. Pre-fed originals are detected by various sensors. Prefeeds copy paper for the respective originals based on the aforesaid detection results. Copying efficiency is improved by prefeeding originals and prefeeding copy paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuusuk Morigami, Akira Ohhata, Wataru Hamakawa, Hirokazu Matsuo, Hiroyasu Nagato, Takuma Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5346072
    Abstract: The present invents relates to a sorting installation for articles having different destinations, especially letters. The installation comprises n sorting machines connected to a common conveyor. Each machine comprises pigeonholes associated with p.sub.i of the N possible destinations. The articles introduced at the input of the machine and not corresponding to one of the p.sub.i destinations are directed towards the storage regions, each region corresponding to the destinations associated with the other n-1 sorting machines to which the articles are periodically transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale d'Automatisme CGA-HBS
    Inventors: Jean-Raoul Dian, Michel Gand
  • Patent number: 5342036
    Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer provides a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets. Sheets in the stack are deshingled by a feeder singulator and driven, typically, downwardly to a feed tray extending remote from the singulator. The feed tray receives sheets in a space that enables formation of a second smaller stack of sheets. The tray further includes an opening adjacent the second stack that enables sheets to be slid from the top of the second stack. The tray is positioned and constructed so that it can enter and be removed from a port in the drawer of the utilization device. The feed tray's positioning relative to the port allows sheets in the second stack to be placed adjacent a utilization device singulator in the drawer so that sheets can be removed by the utilization device singulator for processing thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Roman M. Golicz
  • Patent number: 5333848
    Abstract: An apparatus which advances and separates sheets from a stack of sheets. The apparatus includes an operator pivotable frame having a nudger roll and a feed roll mounted thereon. In operation, the feed roll engages a retard roll. The retard roll is coupled through a gear to a slip clutch. In the event a single sheet is advanced by the nudger roll to the nip defined by the feed roll and retard roll, the frictional force between the sheet and retard roll is sufficient to overcome the torque applied on the retard roll by the slip clutch and the retard roll rotates in one direction permitting the sheet to pass through the nip. Alternatively, in the event multiple sheets are being advanced by the nudger roll into the nip, the frictional force is reduced and the retard roll rotates in the opposite direction under the torque applied thereon by the slip clutch driving the sheets back toward the stack from which they originally advanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert F. Rubscha
  • Patent number: 5333043
    Abstract: An apparatus for conveying a plurality of document on a document stand to a scanning section one by one along a document passage on which a waiting position is provided so that, when a first document is located on the scanning means, a second document is located on the waiting position. A sensor to detect the presence of a document on the document stand is arranged in such manner that, when the second document is located on the waiting position, the trailing edge of the second document have passed over the detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Yamada
  • Patent number: 5331386
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer for conveying a sheet so that an image of a document is duplicated on both sides of the sheet by an image forming machine such as a photocopy machine. The sheet conveyer has; a first conveyance path for conveying the sheet to an image forming section of the image forming machine; a second conveyance path for conveying the sheet from the image forming section to a tray; the tray for holding the sheet; a third conveyance path for conveying the sheet from the tray to the image forming section; and, a pair of nip rollers, located at the vicinity of the tray, for holding the sheet conveyed through the second conveyance path, and forwarding the sheet into the third conveyance path; in which the sheet conveyance apparatus has a first mode that the sheet is forwarded into the third conveyance path by the nip rollers without being placed on the tray, and a second mode that the sheet is once placed on the tray and forwarded into the third conveyance path by the nip rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mizubata, Susumu Okui, Yasushi Yamada, Mitsuru Nagoshi
  • Patent number: 5330316
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus for accumulating a plurality of sheets into a stack (18) and for feeding the stack (18) to an exit location includes first feeding belts (30) for feeding sheets along a feed path to a stacking area (43) at which there is provided a support plate (44) positioned lower than the feed path. A plurality of rubber strips (50) are arranged to urge each of the sheets leaving the feed path towards the support plate (44) whereby the stack (18) is formed supported by the support plate (44) with the rubber strips (50) engaging the top sheet of the stack (18). Part of the stack (18) projects beyond an edge of the support plate (44), and further feeding belts (114, 68) are adapted to grip this part of the stack ( 18 ) and thereafter feed the stack (18) to the exit location. The apparatus (10) may be used in an ATM for stacking printed sheets making up a bank account statement into a stack and for feeding the stack to a user of the ATM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Symon P. A. Buckman, David L. Patterson
  • Patent number: 5327206
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a refeeding unit for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a horizontal pile and for refeeding the sheets for the second image forming operation. The refeeding unit can be pulled out from a body frame in the direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction. A setting position of the refeeding unit in the body frame can be adjusted to be parallel with the sheet transporting direction. The refeeding unit has an intermediate tray on which the sheets are piled, a refeeding roller which feeds the sheets piled on the intermediate tray from the most bottom sheet successively one by one, a sheet front end aligning member, a sheet rear end aligning member, a sheet side aligning member and a sheet pressing plate which, every time a sheet is transported to the intermediate tray and every time a sheet is refed from the intermediate tray, presses the sheet toward the refeeding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahide Ueda, Takashi Onishi, Takuma Ishikawa, Hirofumi Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 5326088
    Abstract: A rotary drum with angularly spaced grippers delivers magazine signatures to the collating conveyor of a saddle stitch binding machine. The signatures are supplied to the drum in the form of a running shingle with successive leading signatures being pulled out of the shingle by successive grippers as the latter rotate through a transfer station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Inventor: John R. Newsome
  • Patent number: 5314177
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus has a shutter mechanism, having a shutter, for controlling the stacking and dropping operations of sheets to be stacked in a stacking safe. When a sensor detects that the sheets to be stacked on the shutter have been stacked to reached a predetermined height, the shutter is moved downward to reserve a space in the vicinity of a sheet loading port, and is opened to cause the sheets to drop onto the lower portion of the stacking safe. Then, the shutter is moved upward to the home position to stack the sheets thereon. When these shutter downward and upward movements are repeatedly performed, stacking can be performed stably, and the sheets discharged from the lower bottom of the stacking safe can be collected in the upper portion of the stacking safe through a communication path outside the stacking safe, thereby continuously performing a series of sheets loading and discharge operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hideyuki Anma
  • Patent number: 5310170
    Abstract: A recycling automatic document feeder (RADF) for a copier or similar image forming apparatus and capable of preventing curled or otherwise deformed documents from being damaged when such documents are recirculated. The RADF includes a parting plate for separating part of a stack of documents not undergone illumination from the other part undergone illumination and returned to the stack. When the parting plate is raised to a level above a predetermined height, the RADF is inhibited from returning the illuminated documents to the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisahide Yushita, Mitsuhiro Nonaka
  • Patent number: 5305995
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus which includes a first conveying device for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward the predetermined direction or toward an opposite direction, a separating device disposed at a downstream side of the first conveying means in the predetermined direction and adapted to separate an outermost sheet from the sheet stack being fed by the first conveying device, a second conveying device for conveying the sheet separated by the separating device, and control device for controlling the first conveying device in such a manner that the first conveying device is activated to convey the sheet stack in the predetermined direction and the first conveying device is stopped after the sheet separated by the separating device starts to be conveyed by the second conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisao Nakajima, Yasumi Yoshida, Minoru Nada, Noriaki Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 5303017
    Abstract: In a copier or printer producing a sequential stream of printed copy sheets with a limited space and time therebetween, and with compiling and finishing of those output sheets into plural collated finished sets on-line while subsequent sheets are being printed, an exit sheet feeder normally feeding copy sheets downstream to said compiler tray is selectably intermittently reversed to feed upstream the first copy sheet for the next set to be finished into an upstream diverter chute branching off from the regular sheet output path, assisted by a diverter gate there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Richard S. Smith
  • Patent number: 5292112
    Abstract: A sheet feed cassette for loading a recording sheet for an image forming apparatus in which the recording sheet can be loaded in a form of U between a lower supporting base and an upper casing member. The cassette further includes a sheet delivery guide member disposed between the supporting base and the casing member, wherein the U-shaped recording sheet is folded around the sheet delivery guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hirota, Kohji Yoshie
  • Patent number: 5288064
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a paper pressing mechanism which performs feeding of curling sheets with a simple and compact structure. In order to realize the object, the paper pressing mechanism comprises a driving shaft 19; a paper pressing roller 15; a paper pressing arm 11 provided at both ends thereof with paper pressing portions 12, 13; and a supporting arm 17, axially supported in a rotatable manner at its one end by the driving shaft 19, and holding at the other free end the paper pressing roller 15 and the supporting arm 17 in a rotatable manner; and is characterized in that the supporting arm 17 is driven by the driving shaft 19 between a retracted position in which the mechanism is kept away from sheets of paper on a sheet table and a pressing position in which the sheets are pressed by both the paper pressing roller 15 and paper pressing portions 12,13 at the ends of the paper pressing arm 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Manabe, Motoaki Okitsu, Tosikazu Kitaura, Tomomi Tanaka, Kan Mukai
  • Patent number: 5286017
    Abstract: A bill escrow/return device is provided which includes a bill escrow chamber sized and positioned to receive a bill of a predetermined width, a bill pusher plate reciprocally mounted for movement into and out of the bill escrow chamber, a bill stacker unit for receiving the bill from the bill escrow chamber by means of the pusher plate upon confirmation of a vend transaction, and a bill return chute for deposit of the bill upon cancellation of the vend transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: ElectroCom Gard Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hawk, Paul E. Stewart, W. Ludwik Lichodziejewski
  • Patent number: 5282612
    Abstract: A cartridge for holding flexible bills in first and second stacks, comprises a cuboid housing having first and second openings on oppositely located walls thereof, a mechanism for opening and closing the first and second openings, and pressure plates disposed within the housing which press the first and second stacks against the first and second openings, respectively. The pressure plates are parallel to each other and are movable independently of each other along a common axis. At least one of the pressure plates is movable from its associated opening to the immediate proximity of the other pressure plate, thereby making maximum use of the interior space of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Landis & Gyr Betriebs AG
    Inventor: Andre Gerlier
  • Patent number: 5280897
    Abstract: The distance between a paper discharging portion and an intermediate tray in a paper discharging device is increased, thus increasing the quantity of papers stacked in the intermediate tray, and also allowing the easy correction of jamming and preventing curling downwardly and rearwardly of papers discharged from the paper discharging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 5280896
    Abstract: An apparatus for repeatedly feeding a pile of sheets to a copy section, including a feeding device to feed a sheet from the top of the pile of sheets to the copy section; a returning device to return a sheet from the copy section to the pile of sheets; and a inserting device to insert a sheet under the bottom of the pile of sheets stacked on the sheet stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Yamada
  • Patent number: 5273266
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reserving type original feeding apparatus comprising a circulating original feeding portion having a first stack tray on which originals are supported, a first separating/supplying means unit for separating and supplying the originals supported in the first stack tray one by one from the bottom, an introduction sheet path for introducing the original supplied by the first separating/supplying unit to a processing portion, and an ejection sheet path for introducing the original processed by the processing portion to the first supply tray from the processing portion; a reserving original feeding portion having a second stack tray on which originals are supported, a second separating/supplying unit for separating and supplying the originals supported in the second stack tray one by one from the bottom, and a second introduction sheet path for introducing the original supplied by the second separating/supplying unit to the processing portion; an original ejector tray arranged subs
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Kitahara, Yuji Takahashi, Noriyoshi Ueda
  • Patent number: 5271613
    Abstract: An apparatus for loading currency notes into and picking notes from a currency cassette (14) includes a movable support member (56) on which the cassette (14) is mounted and which is movable together with the cassette (14) between an operative position in which loading or picking takes place and a non-operative position. Lower and upper stack retaining pawls (180, 182) are pivotably movable between operative positions in which they engage lower and upper front edges of a stack of notes (44) held in the cassette (14) and non-operative positions. When the apparatus changes from a picking to a loading mode, the support member (56) is moved to its non-operative position and the pawls (180, 182) are moved to their operative positions, after which the support member (56) is moved back to its operative position, the stack (44) being urged against the pawls (180, 182) so as to form a space (208) in front of the stack (44) for accommodating notes to be loaded into the cassette (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: David A. Hain
  • Patent number: 5265856
    Abstract: A sheet feeder, such as recirculating document handler for a copying machine, is provided with movable sheet flattening guide arms (31) for flattening out upturned sheet corner dog-ears in the leading edge of a document sheet (13A) as each sheet is fed from the stacking tray (12) of the document handler. The guide arms (31) are located adjacent to and preferably behind the front wall (29) of the tray and, as a document is fed beneath the wall, they automatically move out transversely along the leading edge of the document to flatten it, particularly at the corners (13B), thereby enabling dog-eared or curled documents to be fed without becoming jammed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John M. Walker
  • Patent number: 5263704
    Abstract: A device for determining the height of a pile of sheets includes a measuring sensor formed as an expansion member and drivable by compressed air with given contacting force towards a top surface of the sheet pile, and a measuring device for determining the position of the top surface of the sheet pile in accordance with a characteristic curve for time rate of change of pressure of the compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Michael Kruger
  • Patent number: 5260758
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder having top and bottom sheet feeders for selectively feeding top and bottom document sheets from the top and bottom of a stack of documents placed in an input tray of the document feeder is used to feed documents onto a copier platen in proper signature page order. The automatic document feeder selectively feeds the documents in accordance with a signature sequence by feeding a first document from either the top or from the bottom of the stack, followed by feeding alternate pairs of documents from the top and from the bottom of the stack, starting with an opposite one of the top and bottom of the stack from the one containing the first document, until all documents are fed to the copier platen. The documents are moved two at a time as a signature document pair in the signature sequence directly from the automatic document feeder to the imaging station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Denis J. Stemmle
  • Patent number: 5258817
    Abstract: A document handling system and method for automatically and successively transporting documents is provided. The system includes a primary path and means feeding documents in a predetermined sequence along the primary path from a stack of documents. The document handler system also provides a means for transporting selected ones of the document along the path to an upstream portion of the primary path out of the sequence and means for returning the selected ones of the documents to the other fed documents so that the combined documents are arranged in a collated manner corresponding to the predetermined sequence. The method of the present invention includes the steps of feeding documents in sequence along the path from a stack of documents, diverting selected ones of the fed documents from the defined path to an upstream portion of the path output so that the combined documents are in sequence again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Acquaviva
  • Patent number: 5255905
    Abstract: A bottom vacuum corrugated feeder (BVCF) includes a tray for supporting a stack of documents. The tray is angled downhill relative to the feeding direction of the documents such that the leading edge of the stack is urged to a common stop member. The tray also includes a single side guide for aligning one side edge of the stack. A stack height sensor sends a signal corresponding to stack height to a controller which in turn controls voltage to be applied to a DC motor controlled blower based on a predetermined ratio of air flow pressure to stack pressure. The structure enables intermixed size document feeding in a BVCF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paula E. Reid, Kendolph A. Thomas, John R. Falvo, Charles D. Rizzolo, William D. Milillo, James F. Smoak, Michele D. Taber
  • Patent number: 5251889
    Abstract: A reproduction apparatus including a logic and control unit, and a sheet storage tray having selectable sheet alignment positions and a movable sheet edge guide for positioning at a selected sheet alignment position. A mechanism for automatically positioning the sheet edge guide includes magnetizable reed switches, a magnetic member attached to the sheet edge guide and controls for counting and moving the magnetic member relative to a selected magnetizable reed switch through a first motion in a first direction for a first total number of counts, and through a second motion in a second and opposite direction for a second total number of counts equal to one-half the first total number of counts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Christopher C. Spencer, Raymond M. Quackenbush, Michael J. Wendell
  • Patent number: 5253029
    Abstract: A video color printer and a control method therefor. If an operating switch is turned on after loading recording paper in a tray of the video color printer, operations such as feeding, printing, discharging of recording papers and ejecting the tray can be carried out automatically. If the recording paper in the tray is exhausted, or if a printing is completed, the tray is automatically ejected so that the printed recording paper can be taken out and new recording paper can be supplied to the tray. Subsequently, the tray is automatically inserted into the main body of the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong H. Kang
  • Patent number: 5246223
    Abstract: A document processing system includes a feed magazine for supporting a stack of flat documents in generally upstanding on-edge relation and advancing the documents along a feed path with the documents disposed generally transverse to the feed path, a feeder assembly including feeder belts defining at least one belt run for engaging the leading document in the stack and feeding the leading document in a direction generally transverse to the feed path, and a document sensing and control apparatus for sensing the pressure exerted by documents against the sensing control apparatus and the document feed magazine, and controlling the speed of the advance of documents on the feed magazine as a function of the pressure. The greater the pressure exerted by the documents, the slower the feed magazine will advance documents to the feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Mario Ricciardi, David Q. Pham
  • Patent number: 5245547
    Abstract: A method of processing sheets, comprising: providing portable sheet supporting structure including electronic structure for storing data; stacking a plurality of sheets in the sheet supporting structure in an order for feeding each sheet from the sheet supporting structure; and storing data relating to each sheet in the data storing structure in said order for feeding the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventor: James S. Ramsey
  • Patent number: 5235907
    Abstract: A printing machine system includes a printing machine which discharges a printed material after the printing operation is completed. The printing machine system also includes a drier which dries the printed material discharged from the printing machine. A stacker is disposed intermediate the printing machine and the drier. The stacker includes a frame, and a storage for storing the printed materials discharged from the drier. A transfer apparatus is disposed in the proximity of the upper portion of the stacker, for conveying the printed materials discharged from the printing machine to the drier one by one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Sakurai Graphics Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuharu Hirata
  • Patent number: 5229816
    Abstract: An original image reading device includes an original mount, a feeder for separating and feeding originals on the original mount, a first feed path for guiding each separated and fed original to a reading position, and an inlet for introducing the original discharged from the reading position. A second feed path having a joining portion to join the first feed path guides the original introduced from the inlet to the joining portion while reversing the surface of the original. An original density detection sensor is provided between the joining portion and the reading position in the first feed path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Fujimoto, Masataka Naitou, Katsuaki Hirai
  • Patent number: 5225881
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a sheet material accommodating device for accommodating sheet materials, a sheet material feeding device for feeding the sheet materials from the sheet material accommodating device, an image recording device for recording images on the sheet materials fed by the feeding device, sheet material refeeding device for refeeding to the image recording device through a refeeding passage the sheet material on which an image has been formed by the image recording device, a sheet material reversing device for reversing the sheet material and conveying it to the image recording device, the sheet material reversing device being disposed downstream of the refeeding passage with respect to a movement direction of the sheet material substantially within a projection area of the sheet material accommodating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Goto, Hiroo Kobayashi, Masao Ando, Takamasa Sawada
  • Patent number: 5224697
    Abstract: A device which forms a stack of flat articles such as envelopes is disclosed. A conveyor delivers flat articles to a movable carriage. The movable carriage includes a horizontal support and vertical support for aligning flat articles received. A stacking head supported on the movable carriage comprises four rotary rollers positioned at the vertices of a parallelogram. Two non-adjacent rollers are movable but maintained a fixed distance apart. The rollers support a belt which transfers received flat articles from the conveyor onto the horizontal and vertical supports. A strain-sensitive detector is coupled to the movable rollers for providing a signal to control carriage movement as the stack of accumulated flat articles increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: La Poste
    Inventors: Pierre Darchis, Laurent Baufreton
  • Patent number: 5211386
    Abstract: A recirculation-type document feeding device for a copying machine having a function of allowing a copied document to be alternatively discharged to a discharge tray or returned to a document tray. In a case of copying several times, the documents stacked on the document tray are transferred one by one to a document setting portion on a platen to be copied, and then, sent back to the document tray through a return passage. After copying completely, the copied documents may be eliminated to the discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Baba
  • Patent number: 5207416
    Abstract: An apparatus in which a stack of sheets is detected at a preselected location. An air jet is directed towards an edge of the stack of sheets at a preselected location. A pressure transducer is located at the prescribed location and positioned to have the air jet at impact thereon. The pressure transducer is enabled to transmit a signal indicative of the absence of the stack of sheets at the preselected location in response to the air jet impacting thereon. The pressure transducer is inhibited from transmitting the signal in response to the stack of sheets blocking the air jet. When the stack of sheets blocks the air jet, the signal from the pressure transducer indicates the presence of the stack of sheets at the preselected location. A pneumatic stack height detector of this type may be used to regulate the movement of a stack of sheets used in electrophotographic printing machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jose J. Soler
  • Patent number: 5201425
    Abstract: An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having a duplex tray for collecting sheets having an image formed on one side thereof. Successive sheets collected in the duplex tray are advanced therefrom to the processing stations of the printing machine to have an image formed on the other side thereof. The duplex tray has at least one backstop member positioned thereon and adapted to engage an edge of the sheets being collected. The backstop member stops movement of the sheets and is adapted to deflect upon being contacted by the sheet edge. When the leading edge of the sheet engages the backstop member, the backstop member deflects and absorbs energy. This also increases the sheets contact area and minimizes denting and deletions of the image edge of the sheet edge contacting the backstop member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Mary A. Roux, Thomas W. Rathbun, Stephen A. Demchock
  • Patent number: 5197724
    Abstract: An original document feeder is provided with a first sheet path for guiding a document from stacker to below after inversion, a second sheet path branched from the first sheet path in a switchback fashion for guiding the sheet to a process position, and a third sheet path branched from the first sheet path in a switchback fashion for discharging the sheet, discharged from the process position, to a receiver after inversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadayuki Kitajima, Makoto Kitahara
  • Patent number: 5195733
    Abstract: A recirculating original-sheet transport apparatus supplies a sheet from a stack of original documents to the exposure station of an image forming apparatus and restores the sheet onto the stack. It includes a sheet container for receiving originals, a sheet feeder for feeding an original sheet from the sheet container to the image forming apparatus, and a sheet restorer for restoring the sheet into the sheet container. The sheet restorer includes a turning path in which is a plurality of soft rollers having guide ribs therebetween, and a straight transport path in which is a plurality of position-variable hard rollers around which transport belts extend and between which are guide ribs as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Takimoto, Yasushi Kamezaki, Yukio Tanisaki
  • Patent number: 5192976
    Abstract: A sheet original feeding apparatus includes a sheet original stacking tray on which sheet originals to be treated are stacked as an original stack; a sheet original separating means for separating and supplying the sheet original one by one from the bottom of the original stack stacked on the sheet original stacking tray; a sheet original feeding path for directing the sheet original separated by the sheet original separating means; a sheet original feeding means for feeding the sheet original directed by the original feeding path to an image reading portion; a sheet original ejecting path for ejecting the sheet original fed by the sheet original feeding means to the sheet original stacking tray; and an auxiliary sheet original feeding apparatus which can be connected to the sheet original ejecting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadayuki Kitajima, Masataka Naito, Noriyoshi Ueda, Katsuaki Hirai, Takeshi Honjo, Yuji Morishige, Akimaro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5186447
    Abstract: Apparatus for the automatic filling of magazines which receive a stack of package forming blanks, the magazine having an essentially vertical shaft and the blanks being extracted from the lower end of the shaft, the apparatus having a conveyor which may be energized in response to the sensing of the top of a stack of blanks located in the magazine. The conveyor, when energized, delivers a further stack into an extension of the magazine where the further stack is temporarily supported on movable support plates before being released to fall onto the stack already in the magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Alfred Schmermund GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Siegfried Knecht
  • Patent number: 5186446
    Abstract: A recycling automatic document feeder (RADF) for use with a copier or similar equipment for feeding a stack of documents to an illuminating position one by one, then returning each document, and repeating the cycle to illuminate the documents a plurality of times. A gate pawl is located movable into and out of contact with a document table. A feeding section has feeding means for feeding, a stack of documents on the table one by one. A transporting section transports the document fed from the feeding section to a predetermined illuminating position and, then, discharges the document. A returning section turns over the document transported by transporting means. The returning section returns the document discharged to the top of the stack of documents. Sensors sense a condition in which the documents are fed or transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiro Saeki, Yukitaka Nakazato, Hiroyuki Ishizaki, Fumitaka Hyodou, Kunihiro Uotani
  • Patent number: 5183240
    Abstract: A sensor (SEN6a) is provided for detecting a presence of a document sheet at a specified position during a transit path of document sheets supplied. According to detection output from this sensor (SEN6a), a continuous presence time of a document sheet is obtained, and if the continuous presence time obtained is longer than the continuous document presence time obtained last time, this is regarded as an indication of a multiple feed of document sheets, and the feeding of document sheets is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Morooka, Yuji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 5176373
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for reconveying copy paper sheets carrying an image to a transfer section by suction. Along the transport path to the apparatus is arranged a curl inducing mechanism that induces curls in the copy paper sheets, whereby the copy paper sheets with upwardly curled edges are loaded in the apparatus. With this arrangement, the copy paper sheets are surely separated by injecting air, thereby preventing multi-feeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toyoaki Namba