Responsive To Empty Supply Patents (Class 271/9.03)
  • Patent number: 11461603
    Abstract: In some examples, a non-transitory machine readable medium can include instructions executable by a processing resource to assert a low print media level notification responsive to determination that a first amount of print media in a media receptacle of an imaging device is less than a set value, detect a second amount of print media in the media receptacle of the imaging device, compare the detected second amount of print media to a print media threshold that is based on the set value and a selectable print media value, and maintain the low print media level notification responsive to a determination that the detected second amount of print media is less than the print media threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Martinus Raditya Putra, Ban Ho Chong, Jun Hong Goh, Shiok Lin Jasmine Tay
  • Patent number: 10197952
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium which is unwound from a state of being wound in a roll shape; and a control unit configured to change an image forming condition of the image forming unit such that image quality becomes uniform before and after an unwinding start position of the recording medium at the time of start of an image forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Tomohide Mori
  • Patent number: 10061252
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus avoiding possibility of sheet jam occurrence, and also maintains convenience for user. The apparatus is provided with plural stages detachably loaded therein, having a common carrying passage carrying a sheet from a lower stage, a sheet detection sensor that detects a sheet stored in stage, and plural searching patterns varying in priority levels in stage searching, and includes a stage searching part that, every time feeding from stage is performed, performs stage searching based on any one of the searching patterns, and a system control part that notifies stage searching part of detection result by sensor and stage specified as default, stage searching part selecting pattern according to detection result and default to perform stage searching, and system control part performing stage changeover based on priority levels in stage searching in pattern selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Daiki Sone
  • Patent number: 9758325
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that, even when a paper feeding cassette is open, positively performs paper feeding from a manual feed tray, and yet shortens the printing interrupt time. Image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding cassette, guide member, paper feeding changeover determining part, and system control part. Paper feeding cassette is detachably loaded in an apparatus main body. Guide member is temporarily fixed in apparatus main body above paper feeding cassette, constituting a carrying passage for a paper sheet from manual feed tray. If paper feeding cassette is drawn out from apparatus main body, paper feeding changeover determining part determines whether or not paper feeding can be changed over to that from manual feed tray. If the result of determination by paper feeding changeover determining part shows that changeover is possible, system control part causes paper feeding from manual feed tray to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Naoki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9731520
    Abstract: In a printing system, an attached-time remaining sheet amount at detecting attachment of a sheet feed tray to the printing system is detected. And current remaining sheet amount at end of image printing is detected. Then, it is determined whether the attached-time sheet remaining amount is greater than a first threshold value. In response to determination that an attached-time sheet remaining amount is greater than a threshold value and the current remaining sheet amount is less than or equal to the threshold value, a controller executes an alert process corresponding to controlling a display to display an alert. In response to determination that the attached-time sheet remaining amount and the current remaining sheet amount are equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller inhibits executing the alert process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 9597897
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a paper cassette that includes a plurality of trays, each of which holds a printing medium, and a switching unit that sets one of the plurality of trays as an operable tray; a printing unit that performs printing on the printing medium held in the operable tray; and a display control unit that causes a user interface, on which setting of which one of the plurality of trays is set as the operable tray by the switching unit is performed by a user, to be displayed on a screen when the paper cassette is set in the printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ikumi Watanabe, Hiromichi Yamagishi
  • Publication number: 20150130124
    Abstract: A presence/absence of paper on first and second stacking units, which are each capable of stacking a predetermined size of paper, is detected by first and second detection units. And in a case where a determination is performed as to whether or not paper of a size larger than the predetermined size is stacked astride the first and second stacking units and it is determined that a large size paper is stacked, a paper remaining amount is displayed based on the detection of either the first or second detection unit, and in a case where it is determined that a large size paper is not stacked, paper remaining amounts are displayed based on the detection of the first and second detection units respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Muto
  • Publication number: 20140291913
    Abstract: A printer includes a lower tray and an upper tray disposed above the lower tray. An optical sensor which detects the presence or absence of a sheet is disposed above the upper tray. The upper tray is disposed to be slidable. A sliding operation of the upper tray enables modes to be switched over between a mode where the optical sensor opposes the upper tray and a mode where the optical sensor opposes the lower tray. One sensor can detect the presence or absence of the sheet in multiple trays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya TAMURA, Narihiro OKI, Tatsuya SHIRANE
  • Patent number: 8836996
    Abstract: The embodiment described herein can prompt setting of processing conditions to be set by using a display of a weight value used in a quota function. There is provided an image forming apparatus, including: a residual amount detection unit that detects a residual amount of each disposable product; a residual amount information acquisition unit that acquires residual amount information; a determination unit that determines whether there are the disposable products in which a residual amount is disproportionately small; a weight value setting unit that sets the weight value used for weighting so that the weighting for calculating the processing amount of the image forming processing corresponding to setting conditions not using the disposable products having a disproportionately small residual amount is relatively smaller than the weighting corresponding to other setting conditions; and a display control unit that displays the set weight value on a screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Murakoshi
  • Patent number: 8777209
    Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok Heon Chae, Min Gi Kim
  • Patent number: 8740213
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of printing a non-standard size image on a sheet of a size as desired by the user as possible, and preventing stoppage of printing the image even when there is no sheet of the size desired by the user in a sheet feeder. When image data is for a non-standard size, if there is a sheet feeder accommodating recording sheets of which vertical and lateral lengths corresponding to vertical and lateral lengths represented by the image data are designated, a control unit feeds the sheets from the sheet feeding cassette. If there is no such a sheet feeder, the control unit feeds recording sheets of a free size from a manual feed tray accommodating the recording sheets of the free size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuaki Miyahara
  • Patent number: 8727334
    Abstract: A recording device includes a judgment unit and a control unit. The judgment unit judges whether or not a designated standby time has elapsed still without a next recording job after the current recording job performed by the recording unit has ended in a state with the first media housing unit arranged in the feed position. The control unit controls the drive unit to hold the first media housing unit in the feed position when the judgment unit judges that it is before the standby time has elapsed, and on the other hand, to move the first media housing unit from the feed position to the removal position when the judgment unit judges that it is after the standby time has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Nunokawa, Yasuhiko Yoshihisa
  • Patent number: 8662493
    Abstract: A user is notified that the setting of sheets with respect to a grouped plurality of sheet storage units is changed, so that a state becomes impossible to execute switching of the grouped sheet storage units. The control method includes, registering a plurality of sheet storage units each storing a sheet as one group, determining, at the time of sheet supply to any one of the sheet storage units, whether sheet information about the sheet storage unit set in the group has been changed by sheet information newly set with respect to the sheet storage unit to be supplied with the sheet, and a notifying, when it is determined that the sheet information has been changed, the user of the change in the sheet information about the sheet storage units set as one group by the supply of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Yano
  • Patent number: 8646769
    Abstract: A printing apparatus performs printing with the use of sheets of paper set in any of a plurality of paper-feeding units. The print apparatus is controlled by a method including: determining whether the amount of sheets of paper remaining in a first paper-feeding unit has reached a predetermined amount; and if so switching from the first paper-feeding unit to a second paper-feeding unit. If it is determined that the amount of sheets of paper that remain in the first paper-feeding unit has reached the predetermined amount, control is performed so that the paper-feeding unit that is used for printing should be changed after the ejection of the last one of a plurality of sheets of paper that are included in one set thereof set in the first paper-feeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Unno
  • Patent number: 8599391
    Abstract: A method for printing including receiving, by a printer, a first page image, a second page image, and a selection for enabling media type substitution. The printer identifies a preferred media type and an alternate media type, where the preferred media type and the alternate media type include a common printable area (CPA), and the first page image and the second page image are modified to match a dimension of the CPA. The printer then selects the preferred media type for printing the first page image. The printer receives a message, after receiving the selection enabling media type substitution, associated with the preferred media type after selecting the first media type. The printer then selects the alternate media type in response to the message and the selection enabling media type substitution, and prints the second page image using the alternate media type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Daisuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8585037
    Abstract: In a media tray, a mid-tray sensor is located relatively equally distant between the tray front and the tray back. This allows the tray to be free of a divider between the front and reserve stack areas. After the user closes the tandem tray, an elevator plate lifts media in the lead stack location and a slider moves in a forward direction toward the tray front based on the front media sensor not detecting media in the front stack area, or whenever the mid-tray sensor detects media located between the front stack area and the reserve stack area. An alarm is produced when the front media sensor does not detect any media, or when the slider is unable to move when it should be able to move (forward into the front stack area, back through the reserve stack area, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jos Wim Jacobs
  • Patent number: 8517369
    Abstract: To suppress a drop in printing productivity due to opening of a sheet storage unit in a group by a user instruction while printing is performed by switching two or more sheet storage units registered as the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosuke Tsujita
  • Patent number: 8469353
    Abstract: A printing apparatus performs printing with the use of sheets of paper set in any of a plurality of paper-feeding units. The print apparatus is controlled by a method including: determining whether the amount of sheets of paper remaining in a first paper-feeding unit has reached a predetermined amount; and if so switching from the first paper-feeding unit to a second paper-feeding unit. If it is determined that the amount of sheets of paper that remain in the first paper-feeding unit has reached the predetermined amount, control is performed so that the paper-feeding unit that is used for printing should be changed after the ejection of the last one of a plurality of sheets of paper that are included in one set thereof set in the first paper-feeding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouichi Unno
  • Publication number: 20130154179
    Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8430391
    Abstract: In a tandem media supply, two vertical stacks of media sheets are stored. The first stack is positioned on a lift plate that rises as top sheets are removed from the stack of media. When the first stack is exhausted, the second stack is moved by an actuator towards a position where the lift plate was loaded with the first stack of media sheets. Movement of the second stack displaces a biased gate to decouple the lift plate from a drive member that elevated the lift plate. The lift plate drops under the effect of gravity to a position where the second stack of media sheets moves onto the lift plate. Once the second stack is on the lift plate, a biasing force returns the biased gate to a position that enables the drive member to elevate the lift plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Clark Park, Timothy Carlysle Shaw, Michael John Janicki
  • Patent number: 8424863
    Abstract: In a paper feeder, a signal switching unit switches a paper present signal output from a paper detector to a paper absent signal indicative of absence of a paper in the second paper cassette if a first paper cassette is pulled out from a specific position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kita, Sei Onuma, Ryoh Idehara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yuusuke Furuichi, Genta Hagiwara, Kaoru Tada
  • Publication number: 20130093135
    Abstract: In a tandem media supply, two vertical stacks of media sheets are stored. The first stack is positioned on a lift plate that rises as top sheets are removed from the stack of media. When the first stack is exhausted, the second stack is moved by an actuator towards a position where the lift plate was loaded with the first stack of media sheets. Movement of the second stack displaces a biased gate to decouple the lift plate from a drive member that elevated the lift plate. The lift plate drops under the effect of gravity to a position where the second stack of media sheets moves onto the lift plate. Once the second stack is on the lift plate, a biasing force returns the biased gate to a position that enables the drive member to elevate the lift plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Clark Park, Timothy Carlysle Shaw, Michael John Janicki
  • Patent number: 8398069
    Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok Heon Chae, Min Gi Kim
  • Patent number: 8351065
    Abstract: When a paper sheet is required during execution of a print job, a printing apparatus requests paper sheet information about the states of paper feed trays from the other printing apparatuses. When the other printing apparatuses transmit the paper sheet information, the printing apparatus of the request source displays a search result display screen 22 which represents the states, such as the size, type, and residual amount of paper sheet in the paper feed tray of each of the other printing apparatuses. By viewing the screen 22, the user is able to determine the position of the printing apparatus and the paper feed tray, in which the required paper sheet is stored. Therefore, when the paper sheet is required during execution of the print job, the paper sheet can be quickly replenished by notifying the presence position of the paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Wataru Nishii
  • Patent number: 8342501
    Abstract: There are provided a plurality of sheet feed trays in which sheets are stored, a sheet feeding section which enables a continuous sheet feeding of sheets stored in the above sheet feed tray, and a control section which controls the above sheet feeding section and has an auto tray switch function, and the aforesaid control section obtains information on an amount of sheets stored in the above sheet feed tray, during a continuous sheet feeding from the above sheet feed tray, and judges whether or not the amount of the remaining sheets in the above sheet feed tray satisfies the prescribed condition. In the case where the above prescribed condition is satisfied, the control section stops motion of sheet feeding from the above sheet feed tray while leaving sheets in the above sheet feed tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Masatoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8286961
    Abstract: When image formation processing is in progress using sheets stacked on a given stacking unit and sheets are supplied to another stacking unit, image formation processing continues using the sheets stacked on the other stacking unit. To accomplish this, at the timing when the closing of a feeding source is detected, a control unit (205) determines in step S1001 whether a printer (1000) is executing print processing. In step S1002, the control unit (205) displays a display screen (611) serving as a feeding source selection screen on an operation unit (204). In step S1005, the control unit (205) executes switching processing to the feeding source selected via the display screen (611).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiji Kanamoto
  • Patent number: 8167295
    Abstract: A printer is provided that includes a printing unit printing an image on a sheet being conveyed on a printing path, a first feeder unit configured such that a sheet placed thereon is fed to the printing path via a first feeding path, a second feeder unit configured such that a sheet placed thereon is fed to the printing path via a second feeding path even while the first feeder unit is being replenished with sheets, and a controller configured to, in response to a first requirement being satisfied while the first feeder unit is forbidden to be replenished with sheets during a continuous printing operation, switch an actually-working feeder unit that works for actual sheet feeding in the continuous printing operation, to the second feeder unit, the first requirement including a condition that one or more sheets are placed on the second feeder unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20120074640
    Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Heon Chae, Min Gi Kim
  • Patent number: 8104756
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting media trays for hole punching in an image production device in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving a request to print a print job, the print job having a required number of media sheets, determining if print job requires hole punching, wherein if it is determined that print job requires hole punching, determining the media sheet capacity of one or more media trays, determining if the capacity of one of the one or more media trays is greater or equal to the number of media sheets required for the print job, wherein if it is determined that the capacity of one of the one or more media trays is greater or equal to the number of media sheets required for the print job, selecting one of the one or more media trays having the required number of media sheets for the print job, and printing the print job with media from the selected media tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Bridges
  • Publication number: 20110298171
    Abstract: In a paper feeder, a signal switching unit switches a paper present signal output from a paper detector to a paper absent signal indicative of absence of a paper in the second paper cassette if a first paper cassette is pulled out from a specific position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kita, Sei Onuma, Ryoh Idehara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yuusuke Furuichi, Genta Hagiwara, Kaoru Tada
  • Patent number: 8058606
    Abstract: An inspection device includes a movable portion, and a substantially fixed portion. The movable portion includes a plurality of bins as well as beam directors positioned between the bins. The fixed portion includes light detectors and light emitters. The light detectors are arranged to allow multiplexing of the light detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul D. Young, Michael Wong
  • Patent number: 8020848
    Abstract: In a paper feeder, a signal switching unit switches a paper present signal output from a paper detector to a paper absent signal indicative of absence of a paper in the second paper cassette if a first paper cassette is pulled out from a specific position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Kita, Sei Onuma, Ryoh Idehara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yuusuke Furuichi, Genta Hagiwara, Kaoru Tada
  • Patent number: 8002259
    Abstract: Described is an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to create a vacant tray. The apparatus includes a paper sheet managing section to conduct consecutive operations including: acquiring the residual amount of the paper sheets accommodated in each of plurality paper sheet trays; calculating a total sum of residual amounts of paper sheets having the same attributes; comparing the above-calculated total sum with the maximum accommodating capacity of each of the paper sheet trays currently accommodating the paper sheets concerned; and notifying the operator of the fact that a vacant tray can be made by collecting the paper sheets concerned into a specific paper sheet tray, if there exists such paper sheets and a combination of paper sheet trays that make the total sum of the residual amounts of the paper sheets equal to or smaller than the maximum accommodating capacity of the specific paper sheet tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Kishimoto, Toshihisa Yamanaka, Yukihiko Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 7946570
    Abstract: A printer as an image forming apparatus controls to discharge the tab sheets that became no longer necessary when the type of tab sheets supplied is changed. Thus, the printer controls to discharge the tab sheets that became no longer necessary while printing a unit number of copies for a printing job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimi Shinchi, Tamotsu Sakuraba
  • Patent number: 7938392
    Abstract: A method of controlling medium feeding in an image forming apparatus includes an image forming step of forming an image on a medium in response to an image forming request, and a feed control step of selecting one of a plurality of first medium feed units that feeds a medium corresponding to attribute information that matches medium attribute information included in the image forming request, and of selecting a second medium feed unit upon finding matching between attribute information indicative of a medium fed by the second medium feed unit and the medium attribute information included in the image forming request if none of the first medium feed units feeds a medium corresponding to the attribute information that matches the medium attribute information included in the image forming request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuka Saito, Yutaka Matsumoto, Nobuhiro Shindo, Daisuke Masui
  • Patent number: 7866654
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first storing unit in which a sheet bundle is stacked, a second storing unit that is provided near the first storing unit and in which the sheet bundle is stacked, a transfer tray that is provided in the second storing unit and transfers the sheet bundle from the second storing unit to the first storing unit, and a stopper that regulates, when the transfer tray transfers the stacked sheet bundle from the second storing unit to the first storing unit and moves from the first storing unit to the second storing unit, movement of the sheet bundle on the transfer tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Ohno
  • Patent number: 7823869
    Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a sheet feed tray on which a first sheet bundle is stacked at a first position where sheet feeding to a conveyance path can be performed, and a conveyance tray on which a second sheet bundle is stacked at a second position adjacent to the sheet feed tray, and which conveys the second sheet bundle to the sheet feed tray and stacks the second sheet bundle on the sheet feed tray after the first sheet bundle is fed, presses the stacked second sheet bundle to a side plate provided in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the conveyance tray, and aligns an end of the second sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tokihiko Ise
  • Patent number: 7815182
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing paper stack level calibration in a reproduction apparatus. According to various aspects of the invention, methods are provided for continuous feeding with a transition from one supply to another, and leaving a controlled number of sheets in the prior supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas K. Sciurba, James A. Zimmer, Jr., Michael T. Dobbertin
  • Publication number: 20090166950
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing paper stack level calibration in a reproduction apparatus. According to various aspects of the invention, methods are provided for continuous feeding with a transition from one supply to another, and leaving a controlled number of sheets in the prior supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas K. Sciurba, James A. Zimmer, JR., Michael T. Dobbertin
  • Publication number: 20090166949
    Abstract: A printing apparatus performs printing with the use of sheets of paper set in any of a plurality of paper-feeding units. The print apparatus is controlled by a method including: determining whether the amount of sheets of paper remaining in a first paper-feeding unit has reached a predetermined amount; and if so switching from the first paper-feeding unit to a second paper-feeding unit. If it is determined that the amount of sheets of paper that remain in the first paper-feeding unit has reached the predetermined amount, control is performed so that the paper-feeding unit that is used for printing should be changed after the ejection of the last one of a plurality of sheets of paper that are included in one set thereof set in the first paper-feeding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kouichi Unno
  • Publication number: 20090152795
    Abstract: A low paper sensor mechanism including first and second support rollers rotatable about a first and second rotational axis to support a paper supply roll, the first and second support rollers and rotational axes configured to translate in a path between a first position and a second position, first and second biasing members biasing the first and second support rollers toward the second position and a detection device, including a light emitting element and a light detecting element, disposed adjacent to the first and second support rollers, wherein the first and second support rollers move from the first position to the second position when a diameter of the paper supply roll is less than or equal to the predetermined distance between the first and second support rollers and the paper supply roll disrupts a line of sight between the light emitting element and the light detecting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stacy L. Arrington, Richard H. Harris, Dean F. Herring, Robert A. Myers, Robert D. Yoder
  • Patent number: 7497565
    Abstract: A medium feeding device is adapted to be attached to a recording apparatus to feed a recording medium thereto or adapted to be attached to a liquid ejecting apparatus to feed a target medium thereto A first tray is provided with a hopper adapted to support the recording medium or the target medium which is to be automatically fed to the recording apparatus or the liquid ejecting apparatus by a feeding roller. A second tray is arranged above the first tray and adapted to support the recording medium or the target medium which is to be manually fed to the recording apparatus or the liquid ejecting apparatus. The second tray includes a tray body and an extensible member which is retractably extended from the tray body toward the feeding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Kinoshita, Junya Kato
  • Publication number: 20090045565
    Abstract: A method of detecting a media change includes the steps of comparing a previous media condition to a current media condition, detecting a media change when the previous media condition is in one state and the current media condition is not said one state and, prompting a user to make appropriate menu selections when the media change is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Edwards, Charles Jarratt Simpson, Robert Edward Stoss, Sogra Nishath
  • Patent number: 7480467
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus that includes plural paper feed trays, and when there occurs out-of-paper in a paper feed tray during printing, changes over from the paper feed tray to another to continue the printing, which includes a detection section that detects that paper is added in the paper feed tray, a memory that stores paper feed trays for which the detection section detects that paper is added therein in the sequence of paper being added; and a paper feed tray changing section that, when there occurs out-of-paper in a paper feed tray in operation during printing, selects a paper feed tray in which paper is added in the earliest time among the paper feed trays which are stored in the memory, and changes over the paper feed tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Ueki, Osamu Fujinawa
  • Publication number: 20080258374
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to process as many print jobs as possible even if requests to print various types of print jobs requiring various types of print media are simultaneously intensively accepted. Another object of this invention is to build a convenient, flexible printing environment where the productivity of one job is increased by shortening the time taken to end printing one print job after the start of printing. To accomplish them, a control unit (205) in a printing system (1000) accepts an instruction “to attach importance to productivity”. In this case, the control unit (205) causes the printing system (1000) to automatically execute the first operation without any operator operation and without stopping the printing operation when the remaining numbers of print media in all available feeding units used in print processing have reached a lower limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 7389084
    Abstract: An image forming system has a sheet deck assembly, an image forming apparatus, and a feeding buffering apparatus with plural feeding buffer trays for temporarily storing sheets of printing paper fed from plural printing paper decks of the sheet deck assembly. The feeding buffering apparatus feeds the temporarily stored sheets to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Watanabe, Hitoshi Kato, Takahiro Watanabe, Keita Takahashi, Masahiro Serizawa, Ichiro Sasaki, Takuya Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7377506
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a plurality of paper feed units setting index sheets. A storage section stores size information and index number information indicating the number of index sheets per set of paper sheet set in each paper feed unit, and a control section automatically changes the paper feed unit to be used from a first paper feed unit to a second paper feed unit and does not automatically change the paper feed unit to a third paper feed unit when the index sheets in the first paper feed unit are exhausted, the size information and the index number information of the first paper feed unit coinciding with those of the second paper feed unit and at least one of the size information and the index number information of the first paper feed unit not coinciding with those of the third paper feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7338041
    Abstract: For replacing a cassette 9 in an automatic loader section 4, an operation of retracting the cassette 9 to a cassette accommodation section 3 is performed in parallel with an operation of inserting a new cassette 9 from the cassette accommodation section 3 to the automatic loader section 4. Accordingly, the time required by the automatic loader section 4 for the cassette replacement operation is the same as the longer time among the time for retracting the cassette and the time for inserting the cassette. Thus, the time in which the automatic loader section 4 must stop the transportation of the image recording materials can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Taiji
  • Patent number: 7198260
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for automatically synchronizing a number of paper feeding channels of an inserting system involving the following steps: a) inspecting the sheets provided for output in one of the channels by comparing their group sequence number and their sheet sequence number with predetermined reference values; b) outputting the inspected sheets from this channel if their group sequence number and sheet sequence number correspond with the set reference values; c) inspecting the additional sheets provided for output in one or more additional channels if the group sequence number or the sheet sequence number of a previously inspected sheet does not correspond with the set reference values; d) outputting the sheets from the additional channels if their group sequence number and sheet sequence number correspond with the set reference values, and; e) identifying a group as a defective group and outputting the sheet with the smallest group sequence number and with the smallest sheet sequence num
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Böwe Systec AG
    Inventors: Thomas Huber, Helmut Foerg
  • Patent number: 7177554
    Abstract: A printer for printing on a receiving medium of a predetermined type, including a plurality of feeders for holding receiving media and a control unit, wherein the control unit contains determining means for determining that at least two feeders of the said plurality of feeders hold receiving medium of the predetermined type, means for determining the amount of receiving medium which can be added to each of the two feeders up to a predetermined maximum amount for these feeders, and means for selecting the feeder to which the largest amount receiving medium can be added for feeding a receiving medium to the printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Eduardus J. W. Van Vliembergen