Book Copying Patents (Class 399/362)
  • Patent number: 11659115
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: acquire image information obtained by an image reading apparatus including an illumination unit having an uneven balance in an amount of light in a sub-scanning direction; and specify a position of a folding line in a sheet from the acquired image information. The acquiring by the processor includes acquiring first image information obtained by reading the sheet in a first state in which the folding line in the sheet is positioned in a direction intersecting the sub-scanning direction of the image reading apparatus, and second image information obtained by reading the sheet in a second state in which the sheet is directed to an opposite side to a side in the first state. The specifying by the processor includes specifying the position of the folding line in the sheet based on the first image information and the second image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Kenji Sawai
  • Patent number: 9525793
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging unit that captures page images; an operation unit configured to receives a command from outside to select a left page imaging mode in which left page images among the page images are sequentially captured in accordance with page turning, and a command from outside to select a right page imaging mode in which right page images among the page images are sequentially captured in accordance with page turning; a control unit that causes the imaging unit to perform imaging of the page images that correspond to the imaging mode selected via the operation unit; and an output unit that outputs the page images captured by the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9485375
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging unit that captures page images; an operation unit configured to receives a command from outside to select a left page imaging mode in which left page images among the page images are sequentially captured in accordance with page turning, and a command from outside to select a right page imaging mode in which right page images among the page images are sequentially captured in accordance with page turning; a control unit that causes the imaging unit to perform imaging of the page images that correspond to the imaging mode selected via the operation unit; and an output unit that outputs the page images captured by the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9122226
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body of the image forming apparatus; at least one image forming unit disposed in the main body; a light scanning unit that is disposed in the main body and scans light to form an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium of the at least one image forming unit; a window open-closing shutter that is disposed to slidably move on a surface of the light scanning unit from which light emits, and moves between an open position where a light moving path is opened and a blocking position where the light moving path is blocked; a shutter operating lever that is disposed in the main body, and activates the window open-closing shutter to be positioned at either of the open position and the blocking position; and a pressure member that is disposed in the main body and presses the shutter operating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byung-jo Lee, Gun-wook Kim, Jin-ho Park, Young-min Yoon
  • Patent number: 8982428
    Abstract: A page-turning device turning a page of a book includes a turning unit and a blower. The turning unit holds the page at a departure position of the page of the book being opened and releases the holding of the page at a destination position of the page. The blower sends air above the page at the departure position to blow against the page at the destination position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Casio Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8948678
    Abstract: A scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the same. The scanning apparatus includes: a main body having a scanning unit; a cover to open and close upon an upper surface of the main body; a hinge unit disposed on one of the main body and the cover so that the cover is rotatable with respect to the main body; a hinge accommodating unit disposed on the other of the main body and the cover to accommodate the hinge unit so that the cover is movable in an upward and downward direction with respect to the upper surface of the main body; and a movement restricting unit disposed on at least one of the hinge unit and the hinge accommodating unit to restrict a movement of the cover in the upward and downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae-Lim Shin
  • Patent number: 8934829
    Abstract: A document cover covers a document platen of a housing. The document cover has a cover frame, a document pressing part, and a hinge. The hinge has a first member and a second member. The first member has a rotating shaft and a first fixed part that is mounted on one of the cover frame and the housing. The second member has a fitted part that is fitted rotatably to the rotating shaft, and a second fixed part, which is mounted on the other of the cover frame and the housing. The first member and the second member can change states thereof between a first state in which the first member and the second member can be attached to or detached from each other, and a second state in which the first member and the second member are prevented from being detached from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Naoki Shibata
  • Patent number: 8902468
    Abstract: An image correction device includes a processor that executes a procedure. The procedure includes: correcting an image of a read object based on images stored in a storage section of a self-illuminated reference chart image of a reference chart of size corresponding to a mounting region where the read object is mounted that has been read in advance in a state illuminated by only a self-illumination light, a uniform light standard color chart image of a standard color chart that has been read in advance in a state illuminated by only uniform light from a predetermined uniform light source, and a uniform light reference chart image of the reference chart that has been read in advance in a state illuminated by only the uniform light, and based on the image of the read object and a peripheral light standard color chart image read by a reading section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Masayoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8860990
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a control unit configured to receive first PDL data including a first bookmark and a second bookmark from a user, create a first node mapped to a page which is the reference of the first bookmark and a second node mapped to a page which is the reference of the second bookmark, and create second PDL data having a hierarchical structure for the pages by including the first node and the second node. The first bookmark is different from the second bookmark, the first node is different from the second node, and the first PDL data is different from the second PDL data wherein the second PDL data includes the page which is the reference of the first bookmark and the page which is the reference of the second bookmark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yoshimura, Naohiro Isobe
  • Patent number: 8801201
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for facilitating the imaging of books are presented. A first transparent plate and a second transparent plate may be positioned at approximately a 45 degree angle to the first transparent plate. A dual-sided mirror may be configured to be positioned substantially parallel with the first transparent plate and to be positioned substantially parallel with the second transparent plate. The first side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a first image of a first page of a book, the first image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the first transparent plate. The second side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a second image of a second page of the book, the second image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the second transparent plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Patent number: 8564822
    Abstract: Print commands are saved in increments of pages, based on usable storage capacity, at the time of printing processing of a first copy, so that page spacing to save the print commands is as uniform as possible. At the time of printing processing of the second copy, the stored print commands are reused and transferred to a printer, and the print commands not stored are generated again. The transferring and generating of the print commands are performed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiji Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8351090
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines a direction of document placement relative to a scanning direction based on a direction of a shadow region in an input image when a line sensor having a light receiving element performs a scan and an image read from a book document by a reading apparatus is input. When the direction of the binding portion of the document is determined to be along a longitudinal direction of the line sensor, an image of a region read by the light receiving element of the line sensor from reflected light undergoing specular reflection from the document is detected based on the amount of variation in luminance between adjacent pixels in the read image of the book document. Luminance of the image corresponding to the region is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Makino
  • Patent number: 8270045
    Abstract: There is provided a cabling apparatus comprising, a cable connecting a first unit and a second unit which turns around a turning axial line of a hinge portion with respect to the first unit via the hinge portion, a cable guide portion, which guides the cable, in which the cable guide portion is turnably attached to the second unit on one end side of the cable guide portion and is connected to the first unit on the other end side of the cable guide portion, wherein a turning axial line of the guide portion with respect to the second unit and a turning axial line of the hinge portion accord with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hyoe Iwata
  • Patent number: 8185035
    Abstract: An image forming system which realizes reliable output of an original of a finished book, while maintaining security. A sheet-unique information-reading unit reads sheet-unique information unique to a sheet used for making a finished book based on image data. A memory section stores the sheet-unique information read by the sheet-unique information-reading unit in association with the image data based on which a finished book is made. In outputting an original of the finished book, a CPU causes an image forming device to perform image output based on the information stored in the memory section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Kosasa
  • Patent number: 8179562
    Abstract: An image-capturing device including a body, an optical module and an upper cover is provided. The body has an upper surface and a first inclined plane, wherein the upper surface has an image-capturing area, and the first inclined plane is connected and located adjacent to the upper surface. The optical module is movably disposed in the body and is for capturing an image of a document inside the image-capturing area. The upper cover has a lower surface and a second inclined plane, wherein the second inclined plane is connected and located adjacent to the lower surface. When the upper cover is closed upon the body, the second inclined plane is placed atop the first inclined plane. The included angle between the second inclined plane and the lower surface is at least equal to the included angle between the first inclined plane and the upper surface and less than 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Sheng
  • Patent number: 8154779
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 8120809
    Abstract: A document creation method according to this invention includes an image capturing step of capturing image data of each page, a boundary image specifying step of specifying a boundary image serving as the boundary between sets of pages from image data captured in the image capturing step, and a document creation step of creating, on the basis of the image data captured in the image capturing step, an electronic document divided into different chapters at the position of the boundary image specified in the boundary image specifying step. The electronic document created in the document creation step is divided into a plurality of chapters, and boundary pages are set between the plurality of chapters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Mori
  • Patent number: 7990586
    Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to realize a high productivity in the booklet outputting operation. The apparatus comprises: an image data acquiring section to acquire consecutive image data, which include main content image data and at least a part of cover sheet image data succeeding the main-content sheet image data; an image forming section to conduct an image forming operation based on the main content image data and the cover sheet image data, acquired by the image data acquiring section; an image data presence-or-absence detecting section to detect a presence or absence of (i+1)th image data acquired by the image data acquiring section, wherein “i” represents a page number of image data sets necessary for forming cover sheet images on a cover sheet; and a control section to control the image forming section so as to commence the image forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7843578
    Abstract: There is provided an image output method including the steps of reading image data in a predetermined format, outputting an image based on the read image data according to a first output method, outputting an image based on the read image data according to a second output method, and inputting a parameter for a process of the read image data in parallel to the reading of the image data, wherein the predetermined format is adaptable to the first output method and the second output method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Nonaka, Tetsuya Yamada, Naoki Ito
  • Patent number: 7826091
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a printing function. A preview original-image creation part creates an original image for preview based on print data. A preview parts-image creation part creates a parts image for preview peculiar to each equipment. A preview image synthesis part synthesizes a preview image from the original image for preview and the parts image for preview. A preview image retaining part retains the preview image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshimine Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 7791755
    Abstract: A document creation method according to this invention includes an image capturing step of capturing image data of each page, a boundary image specifying step of specifying a boundary image serving as the boundary between sets of pages from image data captured in the image capturing step, and a document creation step of creating, on the basis of the image data captured in the image capturing step, an electronic document divided into different chapters at the position of the boundary image specified in the boundary image specifying step. The electronic document created in the document creation step is divided into a plurality of chapters, and boundary pages are set between the plurality of chapters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Mori
  • Patent number: 7733548
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing image data read from a book document placed on a platen of an image reading apparatus. The method includes determining a background pixel of the image data based on a luminance difference or a color difference between neighboring pixel arrays, identifying a shadow region based on a luminance change between the neighboring background pixel arrays, discriminatively detecting a shadow of a binding portion and a shadow of a front edge in a document region with reference to a changing direction of shadow luminance, and performing a luminance correction on the shadow region according to characteristics of the shadows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Makino, Koji Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Bannai
  • Patent number: 7697154
    Abstract: A disclosed image file generating apparatus includes an original document reader, a dividing preferences input, a name preferences input, and an image file generator. The original document reader converts an original document to original image data. The dividing preferences input inputs dividing preferences information, including divide number information specifying a number of originals to be included in each of a predetermined number of image files. The name preference input inputs name preferences information, including file name information specifying a file name to be assigned to each of the image files and file initial number information specifying an initial sequential number to be assigned to each of the image files. The image file generator generates the image files corresponding to the original image data according to the dividing preferences and the name preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Ohue
  • Patent number: 7636182
    Abstract: The present invention provides a scanning table and a scanning device of the same. The scanning table comprises a table surface and two sides. The scanning device comprises a first transparent case provided on the table surface, a second transparent case provided on one side and adjacent to the first transparent case, a first scanning module provided inside the first transparent case, a second scanning module provided inside the second transparent case, and a transporting device for operatively connecting the first scanning module and the second scanning module with each other and scanning the left and right inner pages of the book. With the above arrangement, the user can read on the table while easily scan the contents of the book without damaging the book.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Yan-Liang Guo
  • Patent number: 7593144
    Abstract: A scanning machine (10) includes a scan surface (12) for receiving a page or pages to be scanned. A motion detector (20) monitors the copy surface to detect movement of the pages. In response to detecting a cessation of motion on the scan surface, the motion detector generates a trigger signal which causes a capture circuit (30) to capture an image of a page on the scan surface. If, during the capture of the page image, the motion detector detects motion of the page, the motion detector generates an abort signal which terminates capture of the image and empties a buffer memory (32). Once cessation of motion of the page is again detected, another trigger signal is issued and another attempt is made to capture an image. In this manner, scanning is started and stopped by natural, simple gestures without the operator pushing buttons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Marc Dymetman
  • Patent number: 7551332
    Abstract: A document reading apparatus has a slit along one side of a document support platen of a glass plate to insert one part of an opened book as a document to be read. An insertion pocket forming a recessed space contiguous with the slit and inclined diagonally is provided in the apparatus. A lid is operable between open and closed positions exposing and covering the slit. In the open position, one part of a book can be inserted into the slit with a page in the other part of the book being in intimate contact with the platen, while in the closed position, a sheet as a document can be placed at a proper position on the platen by contacting one side of the sheet to a rim of the lid. This apparatus prevents a problem of image deformation and black image in print output when reading the book.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Itoi
  • Patent number: 7551333
    Abstract: A book scanner for scanning two adjacent pages in documents bound in volume includes a housing, two image scanning units, and a conveying device. The housing has two scanning tables connected to each other. An included angle is formed between the two scanning tables and a crest line is formed at a connection of the two scanning tables. The two image scanning units are movably disposed in the housing to project a scanning light through a window of each scanning table respectively, so as to scan images of the two adjacent pages. The two image scanning units are connected to the conveying device to be supported and moved relative to the corresponding scanning tables in a direction parallel to the crest line, so as to be moved simultaneously and to scan the images of the two adjacent pages respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Hsin-Tang Chien
  • Patent number: 7535604
    Abstract: A book scanner comprises a transparent platen, a carriage and a housing. The carriage is disposed in the housing, and the transparent platen with an angular structure is disposed on the housing for an original placed to be scanned. The carriage has a strip-shaped light tube disposed corresponding to the transparent platen. The part of the light source that has the highest luminance is disposed in the position farthest away from the transparent platen, while the part of the light source that has the lower luminance is disposed in the position closer to the transparent platen to assure a uniform and stable luminous intensity of light on each scan line when the light source illuminates the original.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Sheng
  • Patent number: 7497424
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet includes a reading unit that reads a plurality of original document sheets, a supply unit that supplies a sheet for a cover and a sheet for an inner page, a designating unit for designating an arbitrary one from original document sheets read by the reading unit, an image forming unit that forms an image based on information on a read original document, and a control unit that controls selection of a sheet, wherein, the control unit performs control to supply a sheet for a cover from the supply unit when an image is formed based on an original document sheet designated by the designating unit, and to supply a sheet for an inner page from the supply unit when an image is formed based on an original document sheet not designated by the designating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Nakajima, Teruhiko Toyoizumi
  • Patent number: 7466461
    Abstract: A multi-purpose scan device using the same power source includes a flatbed scanner, an ADF, a motor, and a power-switching mechanism. The flatbed scanner has a scanning module and a power transmission mechanism for moving the scanning module back and forth in the flatbed scanner. The ADF has a sheet-feeding mechanism for feeding a document across the scanning module, which scans the document. The power-switching mechanism selectively transmits power of the motor to the sheet-feeding mechanism and the power transmission mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Yao Chen, Hsien-Chi Lin
  • Publication number: 20080298929
    Abstract: The invention is to stabilize an amount of application of a glue to sheets, to stabilize adhesive force between the sheets, and to further improve the productivity of a glued sheet bundle. A sheet processing apparatus includes a processing tray 130 that stacks a sheet discharged by a pair of discharge rollers, an attitude changing unit 150 that displaces the aligned sheet bundle on the processing tray 130 to partially expose sheet surfaces, an adhesive agent delivery device 160 that applies a glue to the exposed parts of the sheet surfaces of the displaced sheet bundle on the processing tray 130, and a sheet bundle aligning portion such as aligning plates 140 and 141 that aligns the glued sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuaki Hirai, Takeshi Aoyama, Shoko Magata, Yuichi Yamamoto, Masahiro Funakoshi, Daijiro Kato
  • Patent number: 7440712
    Abstract: An original cover closer has first and second parts for supporting the cover on a main body of office equipment. The first part supports a heavier side of the cover and a second part supports the lighter side of the cover. Both parts have a mounting member with a bottom plate mounted on the main body and a first supporting member having a top plate and side plates extending downwardly, and rotatably mounted via a hinge pin at respective ends of the mounting member. A first lifting member is mounted via a second hinge pin at respective ends of the top plate so that the first lifting member is rotatable in a reverse direction to the first supporting member. A resilient member rotationally urges the cover in an opening direction by applying force toward the first supporting member and applying force on another end toward the first lifting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tayayuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 7440148
    Abstract: The present invention relates to turning and recording and/or reproducing multiple pages or leaves from a material, such as a book or periodical. A leaf lifting mechanism lifts the leaves of the material (e.g., book, periodical, etc.) from which the images are to be obtained. The leaf lifting mechanism can turn the leaves of the material itself, or also work cooperatively with an image recordation mechanism to turn the leaves of the material. During recordation, the image recordation mechanism follows the curvature of the leaf being recorded to minimize image distortion or degradation. The recorded images may be reproduced by a reproduction device such as a photocopier or printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Denis J. Stemmle, Cornelius S McNab, Darryl T Rathbun
  • Publication number: 20080224379
    Abstract: A vertical sheet compiling apparatus and method compile sheets in a slot that accumulates a plurality of sheets. The slot includes a first baffle and a second baffle that each define generally vertical sides of a sheet path of the slot. The first and second baffles are separated from each other by a space therebetween. An actuator is coupled to at least one of the first and second baffles to move one of the baffles toward or away from the other one of the baffles, thereby adjusting a width of the sheet path as the sheets compile in the slot. A binding mechanism fastens the plurality of sheets together. The apparatus and method may also include a sensing device for determining an amount of available space in the slot during compilation of the sheets in the slot. The determined amount of space can be used to control movement of the baffle(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joseph Michael MCNAMARA
  • Publication number: 20080107501
    Abstract: A bookbinding apparatus which forms a booklet by coating adhesive onto a spine of a sheet bundle, the bookbinding apparatus comprising: an adhesive tank which stores adhesive; a supplying section which supplies solid adhesive to the adhesive tank; a melting section which melts the solid adhesive supplied to the adhesive tank; a coating section which coats the adhesive onto the spine of the sheet bundle; and a controller which controls the supplying section to supply the solid adhesive from the supplying section to the adhesive tank when an amount of adhesive that has been coated by the coating section reaches equal to or more than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masato Hattori
  • Publication number: 20080101890
    Abstract: A bookbinding apparatus comprises, a stacking unit on which sheets are stacked; a folding portion which folds the sheets stacked on the stacking unit; a humidifying unit which humidifies portions of the sheets to be fold lines of a booklet before folding by the folding portion; and a controller which controls a humidifying condition at the time of the humidifying by the humidifying unit, wherein the humidifying condition is variable according to the sheets composing the booklet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiko Fujita, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Hajime Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20080079216
    Abstract: A sheet feeder is provided with a sheet accommodating portion, an elevating plate and an inclining mechanism. The sheet accommodating portion includes a bottom plate and a plurality of side plates provided perpendicular to the bottom plate, and can accommodate a plurality of sheets. The sheets accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion are successively fed to the outside from the uppermost one. The elevating plate is movable upward and downward and used to stack the sheets in the sheet accommodating portion. The inclining mechanism inclines the elevating plate such that the front ends of the sheets with respect to a sheet feeding direction are inclined downward during sheet feeding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Masami Fuchi
  • Publication number: 20080056851
    Abstract: A glue container receiving hot-melt adhesive, an applicator roll, an apparatus casing, and disposed therein, a cooling unit and its control unit, for cooling a post-cover-sheet-processed sheaf, are provided. The control unit is configured to halt the cooling unit when adhesive is being applied to a sheaf with the applicator roll, and to actuate it after adhesive application. The control unit: (1) cools the apparatus casing interior by actuating the cooling unit when a sheaf is conveyed toward a glue application position; (2) halts the cooling unit when adhesive is being applied to a sheaf conveyed into the glue application position; and (3) reactivates the cooling unit after adhesive application. Thus controlling the apparatus-internal temperature appropriately in applying a hot-melt adhesive to a sheaf, and binding the sheaf together with a cover, etc. enables secure binding adhesion in a short time frame, without bookbinding defects such as missing leaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumasa Takagi, Hiroyuki Sorita, Norihiro Ohno, Jun Kondou, Kazuyuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 7268923
    Abstract: A document scanner for scanning an open book includes a housing and a wedge-shaped transparent platen supported by the housing. The platen defines an upper surface configured to support a book in a face-down position, and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The platen includes a first platen portion and a second platen portion joined at a vertex to thereby define the wedge-shape of the platen. The document scanner further includes a scan head moveably supported by the housing. The scan head is configured to move generally parallel to the first platen portion and the second platen portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard Schroath, Brad Anderson, Bruce L. Johnson, Bill Herrmann
  • Patent number: 7224496
    Abstract: The invention relative to a positioning device for the scanned object of a scanner may make a positioning function to a document or a book to be scanned. Through designing a positioning element on the shell body of a scanner, a book of many pages may be positioned or secured on the positioning element, which may be designed on the scanning window. According to the size, the form, or the thickness of the book, an appropriate positioning element may be used, and its number is selectively applied. The book is placed on the positioning element, wherein the middle recession part of the book is placed at the top end of the positioning element, by which a bulged-out part is formed and sandwiched into the middle recession part of the book to thereby secure the book in the positioning element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Inventors: An-Lun Lee, Mei-Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 7031001
    Abstract: A print control apparatus and a print control method perform optimum page layout processing in accordance with properties of output apparatus capable of book bind printing. The order of sheets and the order of sides are obtained as book bind print setting information from the type of printer capable of book bind printing or paper discharge orifice or the type of finisher, then based on the obtained setting information, the page layout upon book bind printing is determined, and print data transmitted to the output apparatus is generated in accordance with the determined page layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Nakagiri, Satoshi Nishikawa, Yasuo Mori
  • Patent number: 6928258
    Abstract: In accordance with one specific, exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provided a scanner housing comprising a back wall and opposed side walls; a transparent platen mounted on the housing for receiving an object to be scanned; and a support carried by the housing, the support being movable relative to a wall of the housing between a stowed position and a deployed position, the support comprising a surface to support an overhanging portion of the object when the support is in a deployed position. In accordance with another specific, exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provided a scanner comprising a housing comprising opposed side walls and a back wall and a transparent platen mounted on the housing for receiving a scannable object. The scannable object may comprise a portion that will overhang one of the walls of the housing during the scanning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Kenneth Jack Gilpin
  • Publication number: 20040190960
    Abstract: The scanning system for scanning a document placed on a document platen and for projecting an image onto a photosensitive image medium to form a latent image of the document thereon including a housing, a photosensitive scanner, and a scanning window is provided. Meanwhile, the photosensitive scanner is adapted to move beneath the platen in a scan operation for projecting the image onto the photosensitive image medium to form the latent image. The scanning window is mounted on a ceiling of the housing and a fringe of the scanning window bordered with a frame, wherein a top surface of the scanning window is substantially equal to that of the one side of the frame in height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Chin-Piao Lin
  • Patent number: 6687420
    Abstract: In an image reading apparatus in which a document is read with scanning by a image pickup device, a height of the document and an outline of the document are detected. Based on the detected height and outline data, together with a calculating of a document size, an offset amount from a setting reference position of the document is calculated. Based on the calculations, the image is processed properly. Also, if the document is not placed correctly or a degree of an image distortion is not within a correctable range, an alarm is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Matsuda, Noriyuki Okisu, Hiroshi Nagashima
  • Patent number: 6611362
    Abstract: As the individual pages of a book having a gutter and outside edge margins and being held at least partially open are being automatically sequentially turned over, in coordination therewith a flattening force is applied to the unimaged gutter margin areas of the book for flattening the pages after they have been at least substantially turned over, and unimaged outside edge margins of the book are clamped by automatic clamping members in coordination therewith, for appropriate page viewing and/or imaging. The flattening force may be applied with a V shaped reciprocally movable member, which may also be partially self-centering in the book gutter, and may also open to push outwardly on the then-open pages, as applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry P. Mandel, William R. Burger, Thomas E. Sollitt, Scott Miller, Mark L. Leveto
  • Patent number: 6603580
    Abstract: An input scanner for scanning three-dimensional objects, such as books, on a platen. The input scanner includes a light source for illuminating a three-dimensional object, an elongated sensor array for producing a digital representation of the image on the three-dimensional object, a lens array, a moving mirror, and a mirror positioning system, which beneficially includes a mirror motor. The mirror positioning system positions the mirror such that the input scanner's object plane tracks the contour of the three-dimensional object on the platen. Object plane adjustments are performed in response to contour information from a mechanical track guide, from a profile memory, or from a height sensor. Additionally, the input scanner might use a movable lens array, which is beneficially a gradient-index lens array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Taillie
  • Patent number: 6587227
    Abstract: An input scanner for scanning three-dimensional objects, such as books, on a platen. An elongated raster scanner produces a digital representation of a line image in an object plane that is a fixed distance in front of the raster scanner's input optics. When scanning the three-dimensional object the raster scanner travels along a track guide that is contoured in the Z-direction. That contour is designed to mimic the contour of the three-dimensional object being scanned. When traveling along the track guide the distance between the three-dimensional object and the object plane remains substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jack K. Fullerton
  • Patent number: 6574014
    Abstract: The pages of a book being held at least partially open may be sequentially automatically turned over from one side of the book to the other by pivoting an elongated arm from one side of the book toward the other and turning over individual pages with a vacuum head pivoting relative to the elongated pivoted arm about a different pivot axis as the elongated arm moves to reduce undesirable forces on the individual book pages being turned over. The vacuum head may initially pivot to bend the edge of an individual page up away from the book, to aid in page separation, and then subsequently differently pivot to help peel the same page gently away from the vacuum head and flip it over onto the opposite side of the book. This may be assisted by moving frictional belts on the vacuum head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry P. Mandel, Lotfi Belkhir, William R. Burger, Thomas E. Sollitt, Scott Miller, Eduard Kaminker, Thomas N. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6522862
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet support for accommodating an image-forming sheet; an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet; a document reading section having a document placing table for reading image information of the document; an ADF in which a document is feedable to the document reading section and displaceable so as to allow placement of the document onto the document placing table; and a sheet discharging section on which a sheet with an image formed thereon by the image forming unit is discharged and stacked by arranging them in the image forming apparatus from the lower part thereof toward the upper part in order. The image forming apparatus further has a transferring section for transferring a sheet with an image formed thereon to the sheet discharging section which is held movably in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Koshimizu, Naoki Okuda, Naomasa Kimura, Masahiko Yashiro, Hiroaki Miyake, Masaaki Saito, Masakazu Mori, Hideki Mori, Takahiro Terao
  • Publication number: 20020191994
    Abstract: A scanner includes a body with an angled glass window and a movable optical module is connected in the body of the scanner. The optical module is moved in parallel with the gutter of the book to be scanned. The pages are matched on the angled glass window and the movable optical module moving in parallel with the gutter can scan images on the two consecutive pages of the book. The images at the gutter of the book can be clearly scanned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventor: Yueh Shing Lee