Document Feed Patents (Class 358/498)
  • Patent number: 11876937
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and an image reading device. The image forming apparatus includes a feeder to feed a recording material, an image forming device to form an image on the recording material fed from the feeder, and an ejection unit to which the recording material on which an image is formed by the image forming device is ejected. In the image forming apparatus, the feeder and the ejection unit are made of a plurality of components, and at least one of the plurality of components of the feeder and the ejection unit disposed near the recording material is made of wood. The image reading device includes a to-be-scanned material feeder to feed a to-be-scanned material, and a reader to read an image on the to-be-scanned material fed from the to-be-scanned material feeder. In the image reading device, the to-be-scanned material feeder comprises a plurality of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 11870959
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image reading apparatus sets a scan speed corresponding to an operating speed input by the operation panel. The image reading apparatus executes a scan job at the set scan speed. In addition, the image reading apparatus updates a scan counter in accordance with the number of pages of an image read at the set scan speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Motoki Ii
  • Patent number: 11856151
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a scanner housing, a pair of hinge mechanisms, and a document conveyance device. The scanner housing includes an engaged portion for positioning provided at a portion of a top surface of the scanner housing located outside of an original glass plate mounted in the top surface of the scanner housing. The document conveyance device includes an engaging portion for positioning engageable with the engaged portion when in the closed position, and is positioned in a plane along a top surface of the original glass plate by engagement of the engaging portion with the engaged portion. In positioning the document conveyance device, the document conveyance device is fixed to the pair of hinge mechanisms to allow the document conveyance device to be adjusted in position in the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tomohide Hozono
  • Patent number: 11835916
    Abstract: An operation unit for image forming apparatus is disclosed. The operation unit includes: a bearing portion configured to rotatably support a shaft portion; a restricting portion provided at a position different from that of the bearing portion in an axial direction of the shaft portion, a restricting portion being configured such that when a supporting portion is rotated in a first direction from a first angle toward a second angle, the restricting portion restricts a rotation of the supporting portion in the first direction by abutting a mounting portion at a position where the operation unit forms the second angle; and an abutting portion provided on an opposite side of the restricting portion via the bearing portion in the axial direction, the abutting portion being configured to abut on the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shingo Hattori
  • Patent number: 11825048
    Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a media path to route media through an image read area for the automatic document feeder, and a media ramp supported along the media path after the image read area, with an end of the media ramp to rotate in a direction transverse to the media path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Rene O. Valenzuela-Rivas, Ryan M. Smith, Shannon Lai
  • Patent number: 11792343
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus including: a conveyor that conveys a sheet on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus; a reader that reads the sheet conveyed by the conveyor, by using a contact image sensor; and a first hardware processor that extracts an edge of the sheet by analyzing a read image by the reader, calculates a blur amount of the edge based on the extracted edge, and calculates a curl amount of the sheet based on the calculated blur amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Esumi
  • Patent number: 11729330
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a transport unit which transports a document, and reading units which read an image of the document which is transported. It is assumed that an operation of reading an image when specific setting information is not input to a control device of the image reading apparatus is set to a first reading mode, and an operation of reading an image when specific setting information is input to the control device is set to a second reading mode. In this case, in the second reading mode, image data of an image with a resolution which is equal to that in the first reading mode is generated, while causing the reading units to read an image from a document which is transported by the transport device at a lower speed than that in the first reading mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Koyanagi, Tokujiro Okuno
  • Patent number: 11729327
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a reception processing portion and a conveyance control portion. The reception processing portion receives an input operation to input conveyance route information that indicates which of a first conveyance route, leading to a first discharge portion via a first conveyance path that extends straight from a sheet placement portion, and a second conveyance route, leading to a second discharge portion, which is different from the first discharge portion, via a second conveyance path that includes a curved portion branching off from the first conveyance path, each sheet included in a sheet stack placed on the sheet placement portion is conveyed along. The conveyance control portion sequentially conveys each sheet included in the sheet stack placed on the sheet placement portion along either the first conveyance route or the second conveyance route according to the conveyance route information input through the input operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Yasui
  • Patent number: 11716430
    Abstract: An image abnormality detecting device includes an image reader, an abnormality detector, a pattern holder, and circuitry. The image reader is configured to read an image on a recording medium. The abnormality detector is configured to detect abnormality of the image based on read information of the image on the recording medium, read by the image reader. The pattern holder has a check pattern and is disposed within a reading area of the image reader. The circuitry is configured to inspect a detecting operation of the abnormality detector based on read information of the check pattern read by the image reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kohta Aoyagi, Tohru Matsumoto, Kimiharu Yamazaki, Satoshi Nakayama, Ryosuke Ebinuma, Ryoh Ishizuka, Tatsuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 11700341
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes a first reader and a second reader that acquire read images by respectively reading one side and the other side of a sheet having an image printed thereon, a first background material and a second background material provided at positions as the backgrounds of the sheet in reading by the first reader and the second reader respectively, and a hardware processor that acquires sheet outline information from the read images and measures misalignment of the image with respect to the sheet based on the acquired sheet outline information. The hardware processor acquires read images with the first background material and the second background material having different densities, and acquires sheet outline information of one read image by estimating the sheet outline information of the one read image based on sheet outline information of the other of the read images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 11662969
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a processor configured to: obtain a print job in which setting-tray information is registered, the setting-tray information describing a tray and being specified according to a configuration of a second image forming apparatus, the second image forming apparatus being different from the image forming apparatus; and execute the print job by applying tray information, the tray information corresponding to the setting-tray information of the print job and according with a configuration of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11656821
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an output unit, a light source, and a processor. The image forming unit creates a printed material by forming an image on paper. The output unit outputs the printed material to an output tray. The light source is provided such that lit light is viewable from outside the image forming apparatus. The processor is configured to receive specification of a period during which the light source is not to be lit, receive an instruction to create the printed material, and perform control such that in a case where the printed material is output in accordance with the instruction at a time outside the period, the light source is lit, whereas in a case where the printed material is output during the period, the light source is not lit during the period and then starts to be lit when the period ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Miki, Teiju Sato, Masato Saito, Yasuhiro Nakatani
  • Patent number: 11498788
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a sheet supporting tray to support a sheet, a sheet conveyance unit to convey the sheet supported on the sheet supporting tray, a first detection sensor to detect the supported sheet at a first detection position, and a second detection sensor to detect the supported sheet at a second detection position farther from a center of the sheet supporting tray in a sheet width direction than the first detection position. In addition, a control unit controls the sheet conveyance unit in a first mode in a case where the first and second detection sensors detect the sheet, and controls the sheet conveyance unit in a second mode in which a sheet conveyance speed is slower than that of the first mode in a case where the first detection sensor detects the sheet and the second detection sensor detects no sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norikazu Hishinuma, Masahito Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11477341
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes a first reader and a second reader that acquire read images by respectively reading one side and the other side of a sheet having an image printed thereon, a first background material and a second background material provided at positions as the backgrounds of the sheet in reading by the first reader and the second reader respectively, and a hardware processor that acquires sheet outline information from the read images and measures misalignment of the image with respect to the sheet based on the acquired sheet outline information. The hardware processor acquires read images with the first background material and the second background material having different densities, and acquires sheet outline information of one read image by estimating the sheet outline information of the one read image based on sheet outline information of the other of the read images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nomura
  • Patent number: 11445080
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes: a conveying roller conveying a sheet in a predetermined conveying direction; a folding roller pair disposed downstream of the conveying roller in the conveying direction and rotating while nipping a predetermined position of the sheet to form a fold; a conveying path for conveying the sheet in the conveying direction from the conveying roller to the folding roller pair; an abutting member moving downstream in the conveying direction and abutting against the predetermined position of the sheet to bend the sheet downstream; and a loop space where the sheet is bent between the conveying roller and folding roller pair in a direction crossing the conveying direction. The folding roller pair stops while nipping a front end of the sheet fed from to form a loop of the sheet in the loop space, and the abutting member moves to abut against the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Shoubu Kato, Shogo Iwai, Akito Yoda, Shinnosuke Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11438475
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, including a feed tray, a conveyance guide, a conveyer, a reading sensor, a first housing, a first driving source, a first driving train, a second driving source, and a second driving train, is provided. The first housing accommodates at least the conveyance guide and the conveyer and has a first outer face and a second outer face facing opposite to each other in a widthwise direction. The first driving source and the first driving train are accommodated in the first housing on a side toward the first outer face. The first driving train transmits a driving force from the first driving source to the conveyer. The second driving source and the second driving train are accommodated in the first housing on a side toward the second outer face. The second driving train transmits a driving force from the second driving source to the movable plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11383943
    Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a stacking portion, a regulating portion, a moving portion, and a detection unit. The regulating portion abuts, in a width direction, one side of stacking portion sheets having different widths and regulates movement of the sheets in the width direction. The detection unit detects a position of the moving portion in an intersecting direction. The regulating portion includes an abut portion. By abutting or not abutting the abut portion, the moving portion moves to a first position and a second position. When the moving portion moves to the first position or the second position in a predetermined proceeding direction, the moving portion does not move from the first position or the second position while the regulating portion takes a position where the regulating portion further moves in the predetermined proceeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoya Hara
  • Patent number: 11375076
    Abstract: In a reading device, a controller performs: detecting occurrence of a double-feed; executing a double-feed process; detecting a state of double-fed sheets; executing a first process when a command is inputted; and executing a second process when the command is not inputted. The double feed process includes: halting conveyance of an original document; and making notification of the occurrence of the double-feed. The first process performs, in accordance with the command, one of: resuming the conveyance of the original document; and quitting the conveyance of the original document. The second process performs, in accordance with a determination result, one of: resuming the conveyance of the original document; and continuing the halting and the making. The resuming is performed when the determination result indicates that the conveyance of the original document is possible. The continuing is performed when the determination result indicates that the conveyance of the original document is impossible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Lifan Yu
  • Patent number: 11343396
    Abstract: A system for extending a printer output and a printer output allows a printer to hold longer pieces of paper. The system includes a base, an extension arm, a support stand, a crossbar, a desktop printer, and an output extension clip. The base provides a structural platform to hold pieces of paper. The extension arm provides a lengthening element to hold longer pieces of paper if the base is not long enough. The support stand provides a structural reinforcement which maintains the system in a raised position from a table surface or similar. The crossbar provides a structural reference bar which is used to attach the support stand to the base. The desktop printer includes an input tray and output paper catch. The base attaches to the input tray to extend the input tray. The output extension clip attaches to the output paper catch to extend the output paper catch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventor: John Latsko
  • Patent number: 11343399
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a transport unit which transports a document, and reading units which read an image of the document which is transported. It is assumed that an operation of reading an image when specific setting information is not input to a control device of the image reading apparatus is set to a first reading mode, and an operation of reading an image when specific setting information is input to the control device is set to a second reading mode. In this case, in the second reading mode, image data of an image with a resolution which is equal to that in the first reading mode is generated, while causing the reading units to read an image from a document which is transported by the transport device at a lower speed than that in the first reading mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Koyanagi, Tokujiro Okuno
  • Patent number: 11330126
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray having a document, first and second rollers, a reading unit to read a document image of the conveyed document at a reading position, and a controller to selectively execute first and second controls. In the first control, the controller changes a drive speed of the first and second rollers from a first to a second speed faster than the first speed after the document reaches the first roller and before the document passes through the reading position, and changes the first and second rollers drive speed from the second to the first speed after the document reaches the second roller and before the image is completely read. In the second control, the controller maintains the first and second rollers drive speed in a section from a position where the document reaches the first roller to a position where the image reading completes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Hino
  • Patent number: 11320723
    Abstract: The present subject matter relates to scanning of objects. A device enabling scanning of objects includes an imaging unit to scan objects and a supporting unit to support the imaging unit on an electronic device. The supporting unit includes a supporting leg that forms a rotatable joint with the imaging unit to enable the imaging unit to fold over the supporting leg. The supporting unit also includes a coupling unit to detachably couple the device to the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Danny Ding, Frank Cheng, Thien Greg Ngoc Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11310389
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image sensor, a document feeder, and a processor. The document feeder includes a first driving device, a second driving device, a third driving device, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first driving device includes a pick-up member to move documents from a tray to a document conveying path using a driving force through a first clutch. The second driving device is to move the tray with the documents to a side of the pick-up member using a driving force through a second clutch. The third driving device to move the documents along the document conveying path onto the image sensor using the driving force of the motor The first and second sensors detect the documents on the document conveying path. The processor controls an operation of the first clutch based on the signals of the first and second sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Jung Hoon Lee, Takuya Ito, Jang Won Seo, Jae Hoon Lee, Whan Woo Lee, Soo Hyun Kim, Seung Rae Kim, Seung Beom Yang, Ji Young Lee, Sung Hyun Yoon, Koo Won Park
  • Patent number: 11198573
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus have a plurality of models including a common control board and different in number of electrical components used. The image forming apparatus includes a wire harness including: a third connector removably connected to a first connector provided to the control board; fourth connectors removably connected to second connectors provided to the electrical components; and a plurality of cables connecting the third connector and the fourth connectors. In all of the plurality of models, cables are connected to pins located at both ends of the third connector. In a model in which the number of the plurality of cables is smaller than the number of pins of the third connector, pins of the third connector to which the plurality of cables are not connected are arranged at a central portion in a longitudinal direction of the third connector or near the central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadahiro Sako
  • Patent number: 11196885
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main unit, a unit coupling part, a document reading unit, and a correction mechanism. The unit coupling part includes a rear side coupling part and a pair of lateral side coupling parts whose rear end portions are coupled to the rear side coupling part. The document reading unit is supported by the unit coupling part in an openable and closable manner. The correction mechanism corrects a position of the pair of lateral side coupling parts with respect to the document reading unit in a facing direction where the lateral side coupling parts face each other, by closing the document reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fukuma
  • Patent number: 11153458
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading unit and a controller. The reading unit radiates light to a target from two directions with different angles and reads images of the target. The controller performs, when controlling the reading unit to acquire the two images of the target, control such that a resolution of the image read by radiating the light to the target from one of the two directions is lower than a resolution of the image read by radiating the light to the target from the other one of the two directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Horikawa, Ryosuke Yonesaka
  • Patent number: 11136211
    Abstract: An image scanner is configured to perform: controlling the sheet feed roller to feed the document supported on the sheet feed tray, controlling the conveyor to convey the fed document to the reading position, controlling the image sensor to read the image of the document at the reading position, and controlling the sheet discharge unit to discharge the read document to the sheet discharge tray; in response to detecting, by the sheet feed sensor, a state change from the first state to the second state, moving the movable plate upward until the sheet feed roller changes from the second state to the first state; after moving the movable plate, controlling the distance sensor to detect the document distance; and moving the sheet discharge unit vertically based on the detected document distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isamu Fujii
  • Patent number: 11115551
    Abstract: Organizations and educational institutions are turning towards digitization of their examination processes. The existing devices are costly, time consuming and insecure for scanning the answer sheets. A device for performing secure and automatic flipping and scanning of documents has been provided. The device is configured to be assembled in the form of a box. The device comprising a scanning stand, a page flipping arm, one or more suction cups, one or more rollers, a controller and a mobile device. The controller is configured to control the operation of the scanning stand, the page flipper arm and the roller. The mobile device further comprises a mobile application which is further configured to control controller. The device further configured to scan the handwriting of a candidate to avoid malpractice during the examination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Viral Prakash Shah, Shobhit Shukla, Nihar Nilax Pandit, Sachin Ramdas Naik, Ankush Sharma
  • Patent number: 11115561
    Abstract: An inclination detecting device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to detect, in image information that is an image of an object imaged by an imaging device at an imaging position where a background member forms a background, a first boundary between the background member and a shadow of the object; detect a second boundary between the object and the shadow of the object in the image information; and detect an inclination of the object in the image information from the first boundary and the second boundary detected by the processing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Tsukahara, Hiroki Shirado, Ayumu Hashimoto, Yuuki Nakada, Tomohiko Ono, Tatsuya Ozaki, Hiroshi Kubo, Yoshiaki Nagao, Kimiharu Yanagisawa, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 11101832
    Abstract: A receiver includes a first data slicer circuit and a radio interference detector circuitry. The first data slicer circuit is configured to generate a second data signal according to a first data signal. The radio interference detector circuitry is configured to generate first estimated information according to the first data signal, to generate second estimated information according to the second data signal, to generate third estimated information according to the first data signal and the second data signal, and to detect a radio interference signal according to the first estimated information, the second estimated information, and the third estimated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yang-Bang Li, Liang-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 11102364
    Abstract: An inclination detecting device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to detect, in image information that is an image of an object imaged by an imaging device at an imaging position where a background member forms a background, a first boundary between the background member and a shadow of the object at detection positions in at least one of main-scanning and sub-scanning directions on an outline of the object; detect a second boundary between the object and the shadow of the object at detection positions in at least one of the main-scanning and sub-scanning directions on the outline of the object in the image information; detect a boundary group including detection results of the second boundary at the detection positions; and detect an inclination of the object in the image information from detection results of the first boundary, the second boundary, and the boundary group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuki Nakada, Hajime Tsukahara, Hiroki Shirado, Ayumu Hashimoto, Tomohiko Ono, Tatsuya Ozaki, Hiroshi Kubo, Yoshiaki Nagao, Kimiharu Yanagisawa, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 10965827
    Abstract: A document reading device includes an image reading part, a document conveying part, an operation display part including a display device and receiving operation input, a double feed detecting part detecting double feed of a conveyed document, and a controlling part. In conveyance reading for documents, when double feed is detected from a double feed document, the controlling part stops the conveyance reading for a following document following to the double feed document. In re-reading for the double feed document, the controlling part displays, on the display device, urging to place the double feed document onto the document conveying part and sets a double feed detection function to OFF. After re-performing the conveyance reading for the double feed document, in restarting the following document, the controlling part sets the double feed detection function to ON and restarts the conveyance reading for the following document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Akifumi Seto
  • Patent number: 10953673
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path; a support member configured to support the sheet; a recording portion; a plurality of contact portions configured to come into contact with the sheet; a plurality of support ribs; a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path; and a third transporting portion configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path. On the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is formed with the upper guide member to project toward the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata, Takashi Omura
  • Patent number: 10939007
    Abstract: An information control apparatus controls a printer apparatus. The printer apparatus includes a loader which stacks and loads sheets fed from a sheet feeder and then printed. The information control apparatus includes a controller. In a case in which printing performed by the printer apparatus is stopped and is then restarted, the controller performs control so that a sheet which will protrude from other sheets when being loaded in the loader will be fed from the sheet feeder and be loaded in the loader as a sheet to be inserted to indicate a restart position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shingo Ichijima, Hideo Kato, Hisao Komazawa
  • Patent number: 10917528
    Abstract: Provided is an image reading device includes a document transport device that sequentially transports a plurality of documents one by one, and the image reading device sequentially reads the plurality of documents transported by the document transport device one by one. The image reading device includes a document discharge tray, a document discharge detector that detects whether or not a document of the plurality of documents is discharged to the document discharge tray, a notifier that notifies that the document of the plurality of documents discharged to the document discharge tray is forgotten to take, and a controller that activates the notifier if it is determined that a last document among the plurality of documents is read and the document discharge detector detects that the document of the plurality of documents is discharged to the document discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Ogawa, Hideyuki Hiro, Masahiro Kawano, Masayuki Furusawa
  • Patent number: 10911625
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, including a feed tray, a conveyance guide, a conveyor, a reading sensor, a first housing, a first driving source, a first driving train, a second driving source, and a second driving train, is provided. The first housing accommodates at least the conveyance guide and the conveyor and has a first outer face and a second outer face facing opposite to each other in a widthwise direction. The first driving source and the first driving train are accommodated in the first housing on a side toward the first outer face. The first driving train transmits a driving force from the first driving source to the conveyor. The second driving source and the second driving train are accommodated in the first housing on a side toward the second outer face. The second driving train transmits a driving force from the second driving source to the movable plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10897548
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image reading portion sequentially generating image data of pages, a printing portion sequentially printing, a discharge portion sequentially discharging printed sheets, and a control portion making the discharge portion discharge the printed sheets to a set discharge position. The control portion detects the page numbers of a precedent read page and of a subsequent read page and sets, when the page numbers are not consecutive, the discharge position of the printed sheet corresponding to the subsequent read page to a different position from the discharge position of the printed sheet corresponding to the precedent read page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Mari Kokomoto
  • Patent number: 10890866
    Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer section that nips a recording medium between the transfer section and an image carrier, which carries an image on a surface thereof, with a variable pressure and that transfers the image on the image carrier to the recording medium; and a transport section that transports the recording medium while the recording medium passes through a transfer region between the image carrier and the transfer section. The transport section transports the recording medium with a first transport ability when the pressure is a first pressure and with a second transport ability that is lower than the first transport ability when the pressure is a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tanaka, Yohei Morita, Kazuyuki Yagata
  • Patent number: 10877436
    Abstract: A particle collecting device includes an ozone exhaust path and an electrostatic filter. The ozone exhaust path is configured to exhaust ozone generated by an ozone generation device. The electrostatic filter is in a course of the ozone exhaust path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kabata, Shoji Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10880446
    Abstract: An image reading device includes an image reading unit that reads an image while moving in a sub-scanning direction, a casing that houses the image reading unit, a supporting member attached to a lower surface of the casing and having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined bilaterally symmetrically outward in a direction intersecting the sub-scanning direction while extending downward, and a guiding member provided in contact with the supporting member and extending in the sub-scanning direction, the guiding member guiding the supporting member movably relative to the guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10752460
    Abstract: A printer extension kit that modifies a printer to receive and output longer pieces of paper. The printer extension kit includes an input extension part and an output extension part. The input extension part allows a printer to receive longer pieces of paper. In more detail, the paper tray of a printer is extended by the input extension part allowing the printer to hold longer pieces of paper. The input extension part is attached to the paper tray of a printer. The output extension part allows a printer to output longer pieces of paper. In more detail, the output extension part prevents longer pieces of paper from falling of the catch tray of a printer. The output extension part is attached into the catch tray of a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Inventor: John Latsko
  • Patent number: 10737896
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus, includes: a supply tray; a discharge tray; a conveyance guide; a reading sensor; a discharge unit, which includes a discharge opening to discharge the sheet conveyed by the conveyance guide to the discharge tray and is configured to move from a third position to a fourth as the document supported by the paper feed tray is decreased, the fourth position being higher than the third position; a first drive source, which generates a drive force; a first rotation body, which moves the movable plate by transmitting the drive force from the first drive source to the movable plate; and a second rotation body, which moves the discharge unit by transmitting the drive force from the first drive source to the discharge unit, wherein a diameter of the first rotation body and a diameter of the second rotation body are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Ito
  • Patent number: 10725419
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exterior housing, an image forming unit disposed in the exterior housing, to form an image on a sheet, a sheet tray disposed below the image forming unit to be drawable in a front face of the exterior housing, an ejection unit disposed above the image forming unit to eject the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit, a conveyance path disposed on the front face of the exterior housing to guide the sheet from the sheet tray to the ejection unit via the image forming apparatus, an openably closable cover disposed in the front face of the exterior housing to openably close the conveyance path, and an space disposed side by side with the image forming unit in a lateral direction in the exterior housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 10686955
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a document support portion, a cover portion which is capable of opening and closing, a first surface of which forms an apparatus top surface, and a second surface of which forms a support surface which supports the document, and a base frame which forms the apparatus top surface, in which the document support portion is provided to be capable of rotational movement and is capable of switching between a first posture and a second posture, in which the first surface of the cover portion forms the apparatus top surface which runs along a horizontal direction together with a top surface of the base frame in the closed state, and in which, in the first posture, a portion of the document support portion is at a height position running along the second surface of the cover portion in the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Yamada, Kohei Kozaki, Shintaro Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 10613460
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a power supply portion, an operation panel, a document set portion, a plurality of sensing portions including a document set sensing portion that outputs a document set signal at a first level if the document is set, and control portions. The control portions, at transition to the power saving mode, stores flag data if the document set signal is at the first level, and when the level of any of the status signals from the plurality of sensing portions changes while in the power saving mode, even if the level of the document set signal is the first level, if the flag data is stored, the control portion maintains the electric power supply to the operation panel as the electric power supply expected in the power saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Junya Yoda
  • Patent number: 10594888
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a separating roller that is capable of switching between a separation state in which an original document is separated and a non-separation state in which the original document is not separated, and determines whether or not the original document is fed in the separation state or the non-separation state based on the types of the original document set through a user interface for instructing a select of the types of the original document to be read and a start of reading the original document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Mokuo, Noriyuki Koyanagi, Keiichiro Fukumasu, Keisuke Miyauchi, Naoki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10569979
    Abstract: There is provided with a sheet feeding apparatus. A biasing unit generates a biasing force of biasing a storage unit in an insertion direction. A repulsive unit generates a repulsive force of biasing the storage unit in a direction opposite to the insertion direction. A fixing unit fixes the storage unit in a fixing position. The biasing unit starts generating the biasing force in a repulsion start position where the repulsive unit starts generating the repulsive force, or on an upstream side of the repulsion start position, in the insertion direction, and stops generating the biasing force before the storage unit reaches the fixing position. A biasing Zone in which the biasing unit generates the biasing force and a repulsive zone in which the repulsive unit generates the repulsive force partially overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc.
    Inventor: Shoji Ito
  • Patent number: 10574851
    Abstract: When consecutively feeding a plurality of media, an image scanning apparatus, according to the length of a preceding medium in a feed direction, changes the feed control for feeding the succeeding medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Yoshikaie, Masatomo Kanamitsu, Wataru Beppu, Keisuke Miyauchi, Hiromichi Kitsuki
  • Patent number: 10567596
    Abstract: There is provided an image reading apparatus including: a reading unit that reads a document; a document transport unit that transports the document toward the reading unit; a binding member detector that detects a binding member binding the document by detecting a change in a magnetic field when the document passes through the magnetic field; a document detector that detects passage of the document when the document passes through the binding member detector; and a controller that receives information on the document detected by the document detector and information on the change in the magnetic field detected by the binding member detector, in which in a case where the binding member detector detects the change in the magnetic field in a document undetected state in which the document detector does not detect the passage of the document, the controller executes a predetermined process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Shiota
  • Patent number: 10529090
    Abstract: A method for locating a printing substrate moving on a conveyor surface. The method includes i) providing the printing substrate moving on a conveyor surface at a selectable speed and in a feed direction, ii) providing an illumination means configured to emit a light beam incident on the conveyor surface according to a predetermined angle, iii) acquiring a predetermined plurality of lines of the substrate, as a function of a line frequency defined as a function of an acquisition rate, iv) generating a primary image as a function of the predetermined plurality of lines, v) detecting, from the primary image, points representative of the substrate, and vi) calculating location coordinates of the substrate relative to the first predefined reference as a function of the plurality of representative points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SYSTEM S.P.A.
    Inventors: Simone Giardino, Federico Cavallini, Franco Stefani, Matteo Rubbiani, Giuliano Pistoni