Paper Path Access Patents (Class 399/124)
  • Patent number: 9152123
    Abstract: A jam removing device, an apparatus including a jam removing device, and a method of removing a jam are provided. The jam removing device includes a first door member installed on an in/out path of a tray mounted with a developing unit and is opened or closed with respect to an apparatus body, a second door member installed in the apparatus body in an opposite direction to the first door member and is opened or closed with respect to the apparatus body, a guide unit including a first guide that guides insertion/withdrawal of the tray with respect to the apparatus body and a second guide that guides the first guide so that the developing unit approaches or separates from a transfer unit, a first link unit connecting the first door member and the first guide, and a second link unit connecting the second door member and the first guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-yeon Park, Byung-sun Ahn
  • Patent number: 9134666
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a pair of detachable rollers and applies heat and pressure to a sheet nipped between the rollers to fix a toner image formed on the sheet to the sheet. The fixing device includes a biasing part which gives a biasing force to bring one of the rollers into tight contact with the other, an adjusting part which adjusts the biasing force of the biasing part, and a guide indication part providing a guide for an amount of adjustment to be made by the adjusting part in accordance with the hardness of the surface layer of a roller of the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masami Maruko
  • Patent number: 9133657
    Abstract: A cover opening-closing mechanism is provided, which is configured to allow a cover to rotate around a rotational axis with respect to a housing, the cover opening-closing mechanism including a connecting member configured to connect the housing with the cover, a first contact portion disposed at the cover, and a second contact portion disposed at the housing, the second contact portion configured to contact the first contact portion of the cover so as to hold the cover in a hold position relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Muneaki Takahata
  • Patent number: 9090103
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit, a conveying unit disposed below the recording unit, a return path unit configured to return the recording medium from the upstream side of the recording unit to the conveying unit, and a casing. The return path unit is disposed below the conveying unit and includes a horizontal conveying path including an upper portion and a lower portion. The side walls of the casing include a drawing port through which the conveying unit and a least the upper portion of the horizontal conveying path are drawn out, and an opening facing in a direction perpendicular to the drawing direction thereof. The inner edge of the lower end of the opening is positioned the same or lower in height than the uppermost portion of the horizontal conveying path in the return path unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Sakano
  • Patent number: 9042780
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a unit housed in an apparatus body and configured to contribute to image formation, a driving source disposed in the apparatus body and configured to apply a driving force to the unit, an opening formed in the apparatus body, a door configured to form a conveyance path for conveying a recording material, and movable between a first position, where the opening is closed, and a second position, where the opening is opened, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the driving force from the driving source to the unit when the door is at the first position and to urge the door in a door closing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akifusa Ando, Yuuichi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 9031462
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a device that includes a driving source, an opening and closing door that is opened and closed by rotational operation about a rotating shaft with respect to a body of the apparatus, and an elastic part that is provided at the body of the apparatus, that is elastically deformed by contact with a first portion of a part of the opening and closing door on the side of the rotating shaft and blocks a gap between the first portion and the body of the apparatus when the opening and closing door is closed, and that is elastically deformed by contact with a second portion of the opening and closing door that is different from the first portion when the opening and closing door is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Mori, Shuichi Yamamura, Kokichi Kasai
  • Patent number: 9027924
    Abstract: Provided is an information recording device in which jam processing operation can be easily performed with simple operation when a recording medium such as a card is jammed in a conveyance passage. A card storing section and a medium conveyance passage for conveying a card to an image forming section are arranged in a housing at upper and lower sides and a passage open-close member for removing a card jammed at the image forming section is arranged therebetween. Then, electronic information recording means is incorporated in the passage open-close member and a medium conveyance path which conveys a card toward the electronic information recording means is arranged on a medium introduction passage for feeding a card from the card storing section to the medium conveyance passage. According to the above, a card jammed at the image forming section or the information recording section can be easily removed to the outside of the device by opening the card storing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignees: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Yokoyama, Akira Takei, Tatsuya Asakawa, Hiromitsu Tamura, Yuichi Aihara
  • Patent number: 9016690
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes an apparatus main body with a wall portion, a sheet conveyance path, a conveyor roller pair, an opening/closing unit and a cleaning unit. The conveyor roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller. The opening/closing unit is openable and closable relative to the apparatus main body. The opening/closing unit defines a part of the sheet conveyance path and brings the first roller into contact with the second roller in a closed state. The opening/closing unit separates the first roller from the second roller in an open state. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member and a support frame. The cleaning member cleans a surface of the second roller. The support frame supports the cleaning member and moves the cleaning member toward and away from the surface of the second roller in association with the movements of the opening/closing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 9008549
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a structure having an image formation device to form an image, a cover pivotally attached to the structure around a rotary shaft, and an opening angle restricting device to restrict an opening angle of the cover regarding the structure. The opening angle restricting device includes a pivotable cover rotation restriction member coaxially arranged with the rotary shaft to contact a downstream side of the pivotable cover in a cover opening direction at its first end to restrict the rotation of the pivotable cover in the opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8998205
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a apparatus main body, and a unit body that forms a medium transportation path, and is configured to be attachable and detachable with respect to the apparatus main body. The unit body includes a feeding roller that transports a medium, and a driven transportation unit that transmits the drive force of the drive transportation unit to the feeding roller. The unit body is displaceable between a first position at which the driven transmission unit is connected to the drive transmission unit and a second position at which the driven transmission unit is separated from the drive transmission unit. When a user pulls out the medium, the unit body retained at the first position moves from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akinobu Nakahata, Kazuyoshi Ohashi, Takeshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 8991811
    Abstract: An image recording device having a first housing, a second housing, and a support tray adjacent to a first side of the second housing and a first side of the first housing. The support tray is pivotably connected to the first housing and is movable between a third state and a fourth state and a retainer portion connecting the support tray to the second housing in a first state and a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shota Iljima
  • Patent number: 8995879
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a first pullout unit, a second pullout unit, and a first lock mechanism. The first unit is movable along a first axis between a first retracted position where the first unit is fully retracted in the apparatus, and a first exposed position where at least one side surface thereof is fully exposed to the front of the apparatus. The second unit is movable along a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis, between a second retracted position where the second unit is fully retracted in the first unit, and a second exposed position where the second unit is exposed to a side of the side surface of the first unit. The first lock mechanism prevents movement of the second unit from the second retracted position to the second exposed position when the first unit is not in the first exposed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiko Seike, Toshiki Takiguchi, Junya Masuda, Hiroyuki Murai
  • Publication number: 20150063858
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a printing paper transport path in which printing paper is transported; a secondary transfer unit and a fixing section both disposed on the printing paper transport path; an open/close cover that, when opened, exposes the printing paper transport path in a main body of the apparatus; a pressure roller, disposed in the fixing section, that presses the printing paper on a side thereof facing the open/close cover against the printing paper transport path; and cooling fans that cool down the pressure roller, wherein the secondary transfer unit and the cooling fans are attached to the open/close cover and disposed at such positions that the secondary transfer unit and the cooling fans move following overlapping paths when the open/close cover is opened/closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nakamura, Kimihide Tsukamoto, Masaki Amemiya
  • Patent number: 8971762
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a bearing member provided to a secondary transfer unit, with the bearing member being configured to engage with a main body unit of the apparatus, a hooking-receiving member rotatably provided in the main body unit of the apparatus and opposed to the bearing member, and a rotation regulation member provided to the main body unit of the apparatus to regulate rotation of the hooking-receiving member. The hooking-receiving member contacts the rotation regulation member when the secondary transfer unit is closed with respect to the main body unit of the apparatus and-rotates in a direction away from the rotation regulation member when the secondary transfer unit is opened with respect to the main body unit of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Fukase
  • Patent number: 8967620
    Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a device body that transports a sheet; a pair of transport rollers that come into contact with each other and transport the sheet toward a downstream side in a transport direction of the sheet; a transport member that guides and transports the sheet toward the transport rollers; and an open and close member that opens and closes a side surface of the device body. One of the transport rollers is provided at the device body and the other transport roller is provided at the transport member, and the transport member is rotatable around an axis parallel to the transport rollers. When the open and close member moves to an open position at which the side surface is open, the open and close member rotates around the axis and the contact between the transport rollers is allowed to be released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Ishikura, Naoya Kamigaito
  • Patent number: 8965266
    Abstract: Automatic document feeder includes a transport path member having a transport path surface configuring a transport path in a device body, a latching member that is mounted on a rotating shaft provided in the other end side, is urged in a first rotation direction latched to a latched portion, and holds the transport path member in closed transport path, and an operating member that is rotated up to an operating position by own weight thereof or urging force in a second rotation direction when the device body moves to an exposed position of the transport path member, and is mounted with allowance so that the latching member is rotated in the second rotation direction according to a further rotating operation in the second rotation direction from the operating position and the latching member is detached from the latched portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Yamazaki, Hyundeok Ha, Senggyu Cho
  • Patent number: 8965246
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a covering/not-covering member that is supported by an apparatus body so as to be movable between a not-covered position and a covered position; a transporting member that is mountable on and removable from the covering/not-covering member; a positioning member provided at the apparatus body; and an engaging member provided at the covering/not-covering member, the engaging member moving as the transporting member is moved relative to the covering/not-covering member by the positioning member, to engage an engage member and hold the covering/not-covering member at the covered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ao, Masahito Shikata
  • Patent number: 8953983
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus member, a toner image forming unit including a housing that accommodates at least one of a toner image retainer to retain a toner image and a toner retainer to supply a toner to the toner image retainer, and a recording medium transport unit including a transport belt, having an endless shape, that is openably and closably mounted to the image forming apparatus member and transports a recording medium with being wound between a pair of support rollers provided along a transport direction of the recording medium, and a regulation member that faces the transport belt to regulate a posture of the recording medium, wherein when the recording medium transport unit is closed with respect to the image forming apparatus member, the regulation member is positioned to come into contact with the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Iikura, Yasuhiro Warita, Satoshi Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 8942575
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cover member, a cover open/closed detection sensor, a driven unit, a drive detection sensor, and an attitude determination unit. The cover open/closed detection sensor outputs a closed signal corresponding to a closed attitude and an open signal corresponding to an open attitude. The drive detection sensor outputs a state signal corresponding to the drive state of the driven unit. The attitude determination unit determines whether the cover member is in an open attitude or is in a closed attitude based on a closed signal and a state signal input after the open signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Masatomo Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8923746
    Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path, a first feeding member located in a main body of the apparatus, a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed and sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path with the first feeding member, and a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member. The guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit and in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Nakamura, Haruyuki Honda, Toshikane Nishii, Hirofumi Horita, Ippei Kimura, Masanori Namba
  • Publication number: 20140341611
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (100) includes: a side cover (201) mounted on a side part of an apparatus body to be freely opened and closed; a fixing portion (80) mounted inside the apparatus body and close to the side cover (201) and fixing an image to a paper sheet P fed in a direction from a bottom to a top of the apparatus body; and a document platen (130) mounted at an upper part of the apparatus body and supporting a document placed thereon. The document platen (130) includes a cutout portion (130K) formed in a manner such that a portion opposed to an upper part of the side cover (201) is cut out inside; and the fixing portion (80) includes a nip (85) that, when the side cover (201) is opened, can be viewed obliquely from a lateral upper side of the apparatus body through the cutout portion (130K).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Asakawa, Yasuhiro Suto
  • Patent number: 8886069
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a sheet stack unit, an endless intermediate transfer member, a first transfer member for transferring a toner image onto the sheets conveyed from the sheet stack unit, at a nip formed between the intermediate transfer member and the first transfer member, and a second transfer member. In addition, a first voltage applying device applies a voltage to the first transfer member, a second voltage applying device applies a voltage having an opposite polarity to the second transfer member, and a controller controls the first and second voltage applying devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuya Yanagi, Yasuhiro Fukase
  • Patent number: 8862022
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a tray for supporting cartridges, wherein the tray is movable to an outside position, a first inside position, and a second inside position, a first positioning portion, provided in a main assembly, for positioning an associated cartridge of the cartridges when the tray is located at the first inside position, and a first preventing portion, provided in the main assembly, for preventing rotation of the associated cartridge about the first positioning portion. In addition, a second positioning portion, provided in the tray, positions the associated cartridge when the tray is located between the outside position and the second inside position. The second positioning portion spaced from the associated cartridge when the tray is located at the first inside position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Masatoshi Yamashita, Toshiharu Kawai
  • Patent number: 8849158
    Abstract: The transfer device transfers a toner image to a recording medium. The recording medium passes through a nip portion formed by a belt roller which is disposed on a main body of an apparatus and a transfer roller which is disposed on an opening and closing cover. The opening and closing cover opens and closes an opening of a main body of the apparatus. The main body includes a positioning member which positions the transfer roller which moves according to a closing operation of the opening and closing cover, to a predetermined distance with respect to the belt roller. The main body also includes an engaging member which engages with the transfer roller and pushes the transfer roller toward a positioning position of the positioning member, by being urged by a pressurizing spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadao Kamano
  • Patent number: 8837987
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: a guide that is a component of a conveyance route for a print medium; a first door that incorporates the guide, an inside of the conveyance route being exposed to an outside of a main body of the image forming apparatus when the first door is open; a functional component fixed to the first door, the functional component being placed in a specified position by contact with a component located inside the main body when the first door is closed; a first lock mechanism for keeping the first door closed; a second door that covers the first door when the second door is closed and that exposes the first door to the outside of the main body when the second door is open; and a second lock mechanism for keeping the second door closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takuya Sumita
  • Patent number: 8831469
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main body provided with an opening, a cover to open and close the opening, a plurality of development units developing electrostatic latent images into visible images through developers, a transfer device including an intermediate transfer belt receiving the developers from the plurality of development units and transferring the developers to printing media, and a sensor unit provided with light windows located at first positions opposite the intermediate transfer belt when the opening is closed by the cover, and located at second positions exposed to the opening when the opening is opened by the cover. Thereby, a user may clean the light windows through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gun Wook Kim, Jin Ho Park, Young Min Yoon, Byung Jo Lee
  • Patent number: 8820740
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a link member is arranged on a conveying path where a sheet is conveyed in a direction substantially perpendicular to an access door. In conjunction with the opening operation of the access door, the link member is raised. On the raised portion of the link member, an upper side conveying guide has one side supported in a free rotatable way and forms a portion of the upper side of the conveying path where the sheet is conveyed in the direction substantially perpendicular to the access door. By interlocking with the opening operation of the access door, the link member is raised, and the upper side conveying guide is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Sugizaki
  • Patent number: 8807558
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a main body; a cover; a first roller; and a second roller. The main body defines a conveying passage along which a sheet is conveyed. The cover is supported to the main body and movable between a closed position in which the cover covers the main body from above and an open position in which the cover is moved upward from the main body so as to be spaced away from the main body. The first roller is rotatably supported to the cover and configured to discharge the sheet from the conveying passage to an outside of the main body. The second roller is rotatably supported to the main body and disposed in confrontation with the first roller while interposing the conveying passage between the first roller and the second roller when the cover is at the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minh Duc Nguyen, Tomoya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8811857
    Abstract: The sheet feeding device includes a housing, first and second feeding paths, and first and second covers. The first feeding path extends in a vertical direction within the housing. The second feeding path extends in the vertical direction within the housing, and a lower end thereof is connected to an upper end of the first feeding path. The first cover exposes, in an open state, the first feeding path outside of the housing. The second cover exposes, in an open state, the second feeding path outside of the housing. When both the first cover and the second cover are opened, the first cover and the second cover are respectively in the open state relative to the housing in a mode where a second opening angle of the second cover relative to the housing is smaller than a first opening angle of the first cover relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Fukunaga, Takeshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 8797613
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to a cover portion of an image reader or other multifunctional peripheral. The cover portion may move between an uncovering position and a covering position by pivoting about a first axis. The cover portion may include a movable member that moves between an open position where the movable member functions as a document tray and a closed position where the movable member constitutes a part of an upper surface of the cover portion. The cover portion may also include a conveyor configured to convey one or more documents placed on the movable member when it is in the open position. Further, the cover portion may include an operation portion configured to receive user inputs. Moreover, the operation portion may be positioned near a center of the cover portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Yukihiko Sato, Ryoichi Nakagawa, Tomoyuki Nanno
  • Patent number: 8798499
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge including an image bearing member and a frame supporting the image bearing member is detachably mountable includes a first supporting roller, a second supporting roller, a belt member for transferring a developed image formed on the image bearing member onto a recording material, and an opening to permit the cartridge to enter an inside of a main assembly of the apparatus. In addition, a first guide portion guides the cartridge through the opening from a position where at least a part of the image bearing member is in a back side, with respect to an extension plane, extending from a surface of the belt member disposed between the first and second rollers, and a second guide portion guides the cartridge to a position where the image bearing member is on a front side of the extension plane opposite to the back side and spaced from the extension plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Takeyama
  • Patent number: 8781363
    Abstract: A medium carrying unit to be installed in an image forming apparatus includes a first carrying path through which a medium is carried, a handle member positioned above or around the first carrying path and including a part to be gripped by a user in a state that allows the handle member to project above a carrying surface of the first carrying path, an accommodation area that is defined around the handle member and that accommodates the handle member in a state that allows the handle member to be freely inserted and removed so that the handle member hides below the carrying surface of the first carrying path, and a push-out mechanism that pushes out the handle member from an interior of the accommodation area when the medium carrying unit is removed from the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takemasa Ishikuro
  • Patent number: 8781365
    Abstract: An automatic document transportation device includes an ADF main body, a first lock pin and a second lock pin, a cover, a first lock lever and a second lock lever, and an unlock portion. The first lock pin and the second lock pin are arranged in the ADF main body. The cover is supported in an openable/closable manner at the ADF main body. The first lock lever and the second lock lever lock the cover so as not to open by being hooked at the first lock pin and the second lock pin when the cover is closed. The unlock portion is arranged on the surface on the ADF main body side of the cover and in the vicinity of the end of the distal end side of the cover, and can unlock the lock of the first lock lever and the second lock lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Inoue
  • Patent number: 8770577
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a sheet conveyance path provided in an apparatus main body and configured to convey a sheet, a jamming handling cover configured to be openable and closable and to expose the sheet conveyance path to an exterior by being opened, a unit configured to be able to be drawn out of the apparatus main body, a lever member provided in the sheet conveyance path and configured to rotate by contacting the sheet passing through the sheet conveyance path, and a stopper member configured to move to a restriction position to restrict the drawing-out of the unit, in conjunction with the rotation of the lever member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichi Onodera
  • Patent number: 8774674
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame, a transport unit, an image carrier, a transfer device, a fixing device, a guide member assembly, a door, and a positioning member. The guide member assembly includes a guide member, a positioned portion, and a support member. The support member supports the guide member and has a side wall that extends in such a direction as to intersect a line drawn in the width direction and that has a hole through which a support shaft is inserted with some play being present. The guide member assembly is supported by the door with some play being present between the guide member assembly and a base plate and is urged by an urging member. The hole is a long hole having a major axis extending in an opening direction of the door away from a center line of rotation of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Tokunaga, Masakazu Shirai, Masatoshi Yamada, Mabumi Kashihara, Hiroyuki Koide
  • Patent number: 8761640
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a door openable relative to the main assembly; an image bearing member for bearing a toner image; a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on the image bearing member; a transfer member for transferring the toner image onto a sheet; a fixing member for fixing the toner image, transferred by the transfer member, on the sheet; a discharging member for discharging the sheet, on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing member, from the main assembly. The sheet remaining in the main assembly without being discharged by the discharging member is capable of being removed from a space formed by opening the door. The image forming apparatus further includes a spacer unit capable of moving the cleaning member toward and away from the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akinori Takayama
  • Publication number: 20140169828
    Abstract: The present invention is concerning to an image forming apparatus comprising: a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording mediums are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide OHTA, Joh EBARA, Hiroshi ISHII, Junichi KAWASE, Kohta TAKENAKA, Tetsuji NISHIKAWA, Kohta HIRAKAWA, Toshihiro SHIMADA, Yusuke FUNAYAMA, Tsuyoshi ENDO, Yusuke MASU, Makoto SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20140161488
    Abstract: A jam removing device, an apparatus including a jam removing device, and a method of removing a jam are provided. The jam removing device includes a first door member installed on an in/out path of a tray mounted with a developing unit and is opened or closed with respect to an apparatus body, a second door member installed in the apparatus body in an opposite direction to the first door member and is opened or closed with respect to the apparatus body, a guide unit including a first guide that guides insertion/withdrawal of the tray with respect to the apparatus body and a second guide that guides the first guide so that the developing unit approaches or separates from a transfer unit, a first link unit connecting the first door member and the first guide, and a second link unit connecting the second door member and the first guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-yeon PARK, Byung-sun AHN
  • Publication number: 20140153964
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of removing a jam and a method of removing a jam using the image forming apparatus are provided. The apparatus is capable of removing a jam that occurred at the inside of an apparatus body without separating a tray from a tray guide unit and without increasing the size of the apparatus body by including a tray guide unit having a two-stepped rail structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-yeong PARK, Chun-sub Ryu
  • Patent number: 8737879
    Abstract: An opening and closing mechanism includes a movable member removably mounted relative to a main body of an apparatus, an opening and closing member having a cover portion, protrusions, and pivot shafts, and shaft position adjusters to change positions of the pivot shafts while the cover portion pivots between a closed position and an open position. The opening and closing member is arranged so that, on an imaginary plane perpendicular to a central axis of each pivot shaft on which each pivot shaft and the movable member are projected, a projected portion of each pivot shaft is positioned to interfere with a projected portion of the movable member when the cover portion is placed at the closed position, and the cover portion is positioned so as not to interfere with a trajectory of movement of the movable member while the cover portion pivots toward the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Akiyoshi Tanaka, Kuniyori Takano, Yuuji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8737880
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a casing formed with an opening, a pivot member pivotably disposed in the casing so as to be selectively opened and closed, a cover disposed outward of the pivot member, a lock mechanism that maintains a closed state of the pivot member, a link mechanism and a first roller and a second roller that together convey a recording medium, the first roller being supported by the pivot member, wherein the first roller moves away from the second roller when the pivot member is in the opened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junji Uehara
  • Publication number: 20140140727
    Abstract: While providing an easy access to a working space between a secondary transfer roller and an intermediate transfer belt, an image forming apparatus is capable of ensuring a working space wider than a rotation radius of the secondary transfer roller in a state that the rotation center portion is pivotally supported on the image forming apparatus side. In a state that a rotation center portion engages with a rotation center hole provided in a housing frame, a secondary transfer unit is rotated on the rotation center hole to position the secondary transfer roller with respect to a secondary transfer counter roller. When the rotation center portion, which is engaged with the rotation center hole, is disengaged accompanying the opening operation of the exterior door, the exterior door supporting the secondary transfer unit is capable of opening widely outward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimoi
  • Publication number: 20140133885
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a device that includes a driving source, an opening and closing door that is opened and closed by rotational operation about a rotating shaft with respect to a body of the apparatus, and an elastic part that is provided at the body of the apparatus, that is elastically deformed by contact with a first portion of a part of the opening and closing door on the side of the rotating shaft and blocks a gap between the first portion and the body of the apparatus when the opening and closing door is closed, and that is elastically deformed by contact with a second portion of the opening and closing door that is different from the first portion when the opening and closing door is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro MORI, Shuichi YAMAMURA, Kokichi KASAI
  • Patent number: 8725031
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, a cover, movable between an open position and a closed position, a plurality of photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the plurality of photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, to store residual toner collected by the cleaner device, a connector, a first feeding path, a second feeding path, and a second feed roller. The second feed roller is rotatably supported by the cover and movable along with the cover to yield the first opening to the waste toner container when the cover is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotaka Mori, Hiroshi Nakano, Noboru Suzuki, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 8720887
    Abstract: Conveying mechanism includes first conveying element including upstream end on which feeding assembly for supplying sheet; and second conveying element for defining conveying path to guide sheet with the first conveying element, wherein the second conveying element has turning element including pivotal first and second ends, and displacement element coupled to turning element, pivotal first end is held near first conveying element, pivotal second end is coupled to the displacement element, displacement element along first conveying element defines conveying path when turning element is in a first position where turning element extends along first conveying element, and displacement element translates away from first conveying element while forming corner with turning element when turning element turns from first position to move away from first conveying element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Akinori Matsuno, Keisuke Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 8712282
    Abstract: A retaining unit retains a plurality of photosensitive drums and includes a first conveying member. A main casing has a first conveying path and a second conveying path. The first conveying path extends from a first supplying unit to a first position where a second transfer unit opposes a downstream end portion of a first transfer unit. A first transferred medium is conveyed along the first conveying path in a conveying direction. A second transferred medium extends from a second supplying unit to a second position located upstream of the first position in the conveying direction. The second transferred medium is conveyed to the first conveying path through the second conveying path. The first conveying member is configured to convey the second transferred medium supplied from the second supplying unit in the second conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 8712312
    Abstract: A cover opening and closing unit includes a cover installed to be opened from and close a main body and a manual paper feed tray that is rotatably installed on the cover. The cover is connected to the main body by a link element and a connection link is connected to the link element and the manual paper feed tray so that, when the cover is opened from the main body when the manual paper feed tray is in an opened state with respect to the cover, an open angle of the manual paper feed tray with respect to a vertical direction is maintained within 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-wuk Lee, Je-won Jung
  • Publication number: 20140099142
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a unit housed in an apparatus body and configured to contribute to image formation, a driving source disposed in the apparatus body and configured to apply a driving force to the unit, an opening formed in the apparatus body, a door configured to form a conveyance path for conveying a recording material, and movable between a first position, where the opening is closed, and a second position, where the opening is opened, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the driving force from the driving source to the unit when the door is at the first position and to urge the door in a door closing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akifusa Ando, Yuuichi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8678386
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus having sheet transport device transporting sheet through nip between pressing and drive members by applying rotational force to drive member via power transmission mechanism that includes: first and second rotational shafts connected to drive member and drive source, respectively; first and second rotation transmitting members attached to first and second rotational shafts, respectively; holding member including first and second contact parts disposed on opposite sides of second rotation transmitting member; and rotational move member switching to power non-transmission and transmission states by moving holding member rotationally to first and second positions in conjunction with opening and closing operations of opening/closing member of apparatus housing. Power is not transmitted between rotational shafts in power non-transmission state and transmitted in power transmission state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaki Hata
  • Patent number: 8676065
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including at least one option cassette, and a paper jam handling method performed in the image forming apparatus are provided. The paper jam handling method includes the operations of detecting whether paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus, checking whether paper sheets exist on a transfer path of the image forming apparatus and on a transfer path of the option cassette, when the paper jam is detected, and leaving the paper sheet on the transfer path of the option cassette as it is and discharging the paper sheet caught on the transfer path of the image forming apparatus. Accordingly, paper damage or paper consumption may be prevented by not discharging a paper sheet caught on a transfer path of at least one option cassette during paper jam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-gyu Park, Yun-su Kim