Copy Patents (Class 399/381)
  • Patent number: 8115961
    Abstract: In the image forming system, there is provided an image processing section which determines a rotation standard for rotating image information so that an orientation of an image which is to be formed on an output medium on which prescribed post processing is not to be conducted agrees with an orientation of an image formed on an output medium on which prescribed post processing is to be conducted, if a booklet division mode is set by the setting section, and which conducts rotation processing on the image information based on the rotation standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shoichi Nakamura, Takao Kurohata, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20120027482
    Abstract: Overlap positioning systems are provided for use with a receiver transport system that moves receiver from a pre-printing path, past a print engine, to a post-printing path. In one aspect, the overlap positioning system has a receiver transport system that moves receiver from a post-printing path to a reentry point in the pre-printing path, a diverter selectively diverts the first receiver from the post printing path into a recirculation system having a plurality of surfaces to guide the first receiver from the post printing path to a reentry in the pre-printing path; and a receiver movement system moves the first receiver through the recirculation system; a controller and sensor system cooperate to cause one of the first receiver or a second receiver to be first through the reentry point and the other is advanced through the reentry point at a point where an overlap of a determined amount is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Gary P. Lawniczak, Donald S. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20110318059
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body unit having a first supported portion and an image holding body that is rotated while holding an image on a surface of the image holding body; and a conveying unit that is disposed below the image holding body unit and has conveying members for conveying a medium on which the image formed on the surface of the image holding body is to be recorded, image holding body support portions that supports both end portions, in an axial direction, of the image holding body, and a first support portion that supports the first supported portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhide SAITO
  • Publication number: 20110318078
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a fixing unit, a cooling roller disposed downstream relative to the fixing unit in a sheet feeding direction, an ejection roller disposed downstream relative to the cooling roller in the sheet feeding direction, a driving unit rotating the cooling roller and the ejection roller normally or reversely, and a controller including a determining unit determining whether a detected temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, the controller switching between a first mode to, after a sheet passes through the cooling roller, control the driving unit to reversely rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller being rotating normally and a second mode to, in a state where the cooling roller is nipping the sheet, control the driving unit to reversely rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller being rotating normally, based on the determination of the determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke AOI
  • Patent number: 8081920
    Abstract: A transfer material separating device includes a transfer material moving member (intermediate transfer belt) adapted to move with a transfer material held in contact with and pressed against it so as to have a liquid developer image transferred onto the transfer material and a transfer material separation/suction section (a suction wheel, a suction wheel support lever, a cam and a spring) for sucking the transfer material moving with the transfer material moving member at the surface opposite to the image transfer surface thereof and separating the transfer material from the transfer material moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8081352
    Abstract: An image reading/recording apparatus which can prevent a reading unit from closing abruptly and reduce the force required to open the reading unit is to be provided. The apparatus is equipped with a damper unit which links the apparatus body and the scanner unit and the working direction of whose force is reversed on the way of the turning of the scanner unit, and a metal-made supporting member which is arranged in the apparatus body and supports the damper unit in a state in which the scanner unit is closed relative to the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ogushi, Nozomu Nishiberi, Masaaki Ishihara, Tetsuya Saito, Nobuhiro Toki, Masahiro Kawanishi, Tomoko Ueno
  • Publication number: 20110249998
    Abstract: A finisher includes a bundle hook configured to push a sheet bundle in a first direction and convey the sheet bundle; a drive unit configured to drive the bundle hook in the first direction and a second direction; a discharge unit configured to discharge the sheet bundle conveyed by the bundle hook; a stacking unit configured to stack the sheet bundle discharged by the discharge unit; and a control unit configured to control the drive unit to drive the bundle hook in the second direction if the drive unit drives the bundle hook in the first direction and the discharge unit discharges the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasunobu TERAO, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Chiaki Ilzuka
  • Patent number: 8036590
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a discharge port, a plurality of photosensitive bodies mounted in the housing, a transfer unit to transfer visible images formed on the plurality of photosensitive bodies onto a printing medium, a fusing unit to fuse transferred visible images to the printing medium, and a reverse unit to reverse a moving direction of the printing medium, after the printing medium has passed through the fusing unit. As the moving direction of the printed printing medium is reversed by the reverse unit, the printing medium may be discharged while a printed surface of the printing medium is directed downward, allowing a user to easily draw out the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Young Jang, Chang Kyung Ko
  • Patent number: 8032071
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading part configured to read image information on an original document, an image forming part configured to form an image on a sheet according to the image information, a sheet discharge part configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed from a front side to a backside of a main body, a sheet stack part onto which the sheet is discharged, and first and second supporters located outside the sheet stack part along a sheet discharge direction. The sheet stack part is located between the image reading part and the image forming part. The first and second supporters form a space between the sheet stack part and the image reading part. The second supporter is smaller than the first supporter in the sheet discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Takayuki Andoh, Takuji Takahashi, Takamasa Shiraki, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohji Hatayama, Takashi Yokota
  • Publication number: 20110236097
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a recording medium conveying section; an image forming section, disposed to the recording medium conveying section and relatively moveably supported by the recording medium conveying section at one end side, that forms an image on a recording medium; a side panel that configures a side face portion of the image forming section in a width direction intersecting with the conveying direction, and supports a drive source that drives the image forming section; a support plate, provided between the recording medium conveying section and the image forming section to cover the bottom side of the image forming section, and is supported at a support portion provided at the other end side of the recording medium conveying section; and a resilient member that resiliently supports the support plate and the side panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shin KOMATSU, Masanori SETO, Yasuhide SAITO
  • Publication number: 20110236098
    Abstract: A grounding structure includes a rotation shaft and a grounding member. The rotation shaft has a non-circular cross section, and rotates. The grounding member is attached to the rotation shaft to electrically communicate with the rotation shaft, and rotates together with the rotation shaft. The grounding member includes a first grounding portion, a grounding retainer and a second grounding portion. An outer shape of the first grounding portion is a circular shape. The grounding retainer is provided on a side of the first grounding portion in a shaft direction of the rotation shaft, and has an outside diameter being larger than an outside diameter of the first grounding portion. The second grounding portion is elastically held in contact with the first grounding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya OKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20110229235
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a stepping motor arranged in a conveying path for a paper; a driver for driving the stepping motor; a current detecting unit for detecting an actual current value; and a control unit for providing a set current value for every predetermined cycle. The control unit determines an estimated load torque value corresponding to the set current value in a previous cycle and the actual current value in a present cycle, by referring to a relationship between actual current and load torque of the stepping motor with respect to the set current value, determines a target load torque value based on the estimated load torque value, and determines, as the set current value, a current value corresponding to the target load torque value, by referring to a relationship between maximum output torque of the stepping motor and current supplied to the stepping motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuta Tachibana, Tomonobu Tamura, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Norihiko Nakano
  • Patent number: 8010036
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body that performs image forming processing to a recording sheet; a sheet receiving member provided on a top surface of the apparatus main body and provided with a sheet receiving surface; a sheet discharge port through which a recording sheet bearing thereon a formed image is discharged toward the sheet receiving surface; and a swinging mechanism that allows the sheet receiving member to swing. The swinging mechanism allows the sheet receiving member to swing for the sheet receiving surface to change a posture between a first state where the sheet receiving surface sinks on the sheet discharge port side and a second state where the sheet receiving surface on the sheet discharge port side is closer to horizontal than in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Fuchimoto
  • Patent number: 7982903
    Abstract: In the printing and finishing of sheet-like objects, printing instructions are outputted to a printer. In accordance therewith, sheet-like objects are printed by the printer and are subsequently delivered by the printer directly to the finishing apparatus and then finished by the finishing apparatus. Output data concerning the printing instructions sent to the printer which are at least indicative of the printer capacity required for the printer to process the printing instructions outputted to the printer are registered. Sheet-like objects displaced by the printer are detected and signaled by the detector. At least periodically, production data in accordance with the signals received from the detector are generated. These data are at least indicative of a production quantity realized by the printer in response to the printing instructions sent to the printer. Depending on the production data, the output of next ones of the printing instructions to the printer is dosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Neopost Industrie B.V.
    Inventor: Bertus Karel Edens
  • Patent number: 7957690
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer body having a developing portion and a fixing portion therein; a plurality of sheet feeding rollers successively disposed along a sheet discharge path of the printer body and driven to discharge a sheet from fixing portion to an upper portion of the printer body; and a rear cover portion having a rear cover provided on a side of the printer body to open and close, a guide rib member to guide the sheet from the fixing portion, an idle roller to rotate in contact with one of the sheet feeding rollers to feed the sheet, and a supplementary guide member to change a position thereof when the rear cover is open to prevent the sheet being discharged to the guide rib member from running into the idle roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-gee Baek, Dong-woo Kim
  • Patent number: 7955772
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dry toner, containing a platelet-type metal effect pigment or a plurality of platelet-type metal effect pigments and at least one resinous constituent, wherein the metal effect pigment or the metal effect pigments is/are additionally provided with a coating preferably suitable for improving the mechanical stability, and that this coating is additionally modified with at least one organic layer, which organic layer is selected from the group consisting of organofunctional silanes, organofunctional titanates, organofunctional zirconates, phosphonic acids, and phosphonates. The invention further relates to processes for the production of the dry toner and to the use thereof. Furthermore, the invention relates to a toner cartridge and to printed products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Eckart GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schuster, Hans-Jörg Kremitzl
  • Publication number: 20110129242
    Abstract: An image-forming device includes: an image-forming unit; a sheet discharge unit; a sheet support unit; and a reading unit. The image-forming unit forms images on a recording sheet. The sheet discharge unit discharges, in a sheet discharging direction, a recording sheet formed with an image by the image-forming unit. The sheet support unit is disposed above the image-forming unit, and supports sheet discharged from the sheet discharge unit. The reading unit is disposed above the sheet support unit, with an underside surface of the reading unit opposing a top surface of the sheet support unit. The sheet discharge unit is configured to discharge the sheet diagonally upwardly so that sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit contacts the underside surface of the reading unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Hattori, Sakae Ito
  • Publication number: 20110116847
    Abstract: A belt drive apparatus includes: a rotatable first roller; a rotatable second roller; a belt member stretched by the first and the second rollers so as to be capable of being conveyed by the first roller and the second roller; and a restraint member provided on at least one of the two ends of the second roller and including a belt receiving surface to be brought into contact with an edge portion of the belt member. The belt receiving surface and an axis of the second roller make an angle that is not smaller than 93° but not larger than 115°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi WAKANA, Michiaki ITO
  • Publication number: 20110070008
    Abstract: A conveying device includes a support member that supports a conveyed medium; a rotation member that is rotated by a drive unit, the rotation member having a contact surface for contacting the conveyed medium supported by the support member to cause the conveyed medium to move on a rotation of the rotation member; a position-changing unit that changes a position of the support member in accordance with the rotation of the rotation member from a first position where the conveyed medium does not contact the contact surface to a second position where the conveyed medium contacts the contact surface; and a buffer mechanism that allows movement of the position-changing unit or the support member in a direction opposite to a direction of the position change of the support member from the first position to the second position caused by the position-changing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Hayakawa, Shinichi Kamimura
  • Patent number: 7912418
    Abstract: An image-forming device includes: an image-forming unit; a sheet discharge unit; a sheet support unit; and a reading unit. The image-forming unit forms images on a recording sheet. The sheet discharge unit discharges, in a sheet discharging direction, a recording sheet formed with an image by the image-forming unit. The sheet support unit is disposed above the image-forming unit, and supports sheet discharged from the sheet discharge unit. The reading unit is disposed above the sheet support unit, with an underside surface of the reading unit opposing a top surface of the sheet support unit. The sheet discharge unit is configured to discharge the sheet diagonally upwardly so that sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit contacts the underside surface of the reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Hattori, Sakae Ito
  • Patent number: 7912416
    Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Paul Mandel, Steven Robert Moore, Injae Choi, Stan Alan Spencer
  • Publication number: 20110064497
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters, an upper edge of the opening for the upper sheet roll supporter having a sloped portion tilting downward from the front surface to the back of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Takayuki Niihara, Masahiko Yamada, Masato Ogawa, Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Patent number: 7899341
    Abstract: A technique that can contribute to improvement of analysis accuracy in analysis processing concerning an image forming apparatus is provided. An image forming apparatus that forms, on a sheet, a test pattern formed by a color obtained by mixing toners of plural colors, scans a test pattern image formed on the sheet with a color sensor, and performs predetermined image quality control processing on the basis of information scanned, the image forming apparatus including an analysis-information forming unit that forms predetermined information used for an analysis concerning the image forming apparatus on a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Moro
  • Publication number: 20110044744
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a transferring unit; a fixing unit; a conveying unit; and a sheet shape detecting unit as defined herein, and a discharge position where the sheet is discharged from the conveying path, a feed position where the sheet is fed to the sheet conveying path and a detection position where the shape of the sheet is detected by the sheet shape detecting unit are arranged in this sequence along a sheet conveying direction to be close to one another, immediately downstream in the sheet conveying direction from a fixing position where the toner image is fixed to the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Okamoto, Atsuyuki Kitamura, Masahiro Sato, Atsushi Ogihara, Junichi Murakami, Shuichi Nishide
  • Patent number: 7894739
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate permitting a high-speed marking system or printer to run at maximum speed without being impeded by a relatively slow, low-speed finisher. A plurality of low-speed finishers are coupled to the high-speed marking system in a tandem, and optionally parallel-tandem, arrangement, where the number of finishers is equal to or greater than the ration of the maximum operating speed of the marking system to individual finisher maximum operating speed. In this manner, a low-cost solution is provided to overcome bottleneck problems associated with low-speed finishers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Gramowski, Richard J. Milillo, Nicholas W. Czebiniak
  • Patent number: 7894764
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which includes: an image forming section to form an image on a transfer sheet conveyed to the image forming section; an edge detecting sensor which detects an edge position of the transfer sheet in a main scanning direction while the transfer sheet is conveyed to the image forming section; and a controller which controls an image writing position at the image forming section based on a result of an edge position detection by the edge detecting sensor; wherein the edge detecting sensor comprises a plurality of light sources each having a different wavelength, and the controller comprises a light source controller which controls lighting of the plural light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi Yamauchi, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20100329757
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus may include a main body including a reference protrusion having a reference surface on one side and a pressing member on the other side, and a photosensitive member unit configured to move between an operational position and an outer position. The photosensitive member unit stops at a particular position located between the outer position and the operational position. The reference surface of the main body may contact the photosensitive member unit located in the operational position. The pressing device of the main body may be configured to press the photosensitive member unit toward the reference surface when the photosensitive member unit is located in the particular position and in the operational position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto SOUDA
  • Publication number: 20100310292
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for forming an image including, making an image on an image holing member, pressing a nip between the image holding member and a pressure applying member, and controlling the pressure applying to the nip with first pressure before a leading edge of a sheet enters to the nip and second pressure before a leading edge of a sheet thicker than the first sheet enters to the nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kimiaki FURUKAWA, Susumu KOIZUMI, Atsushi YAMAZOE
  • Publication number: 20100308097
    Abstract: This is a take-up roller assembly that is connected to paper exiting a scanner and collects this exiting paper. The take-up roller assembly is moved by movement of paper entering the scanner together with a paper pulling structure that is located in the scanner. This take-up roller assembly is uniquely suitable for use in a wide format imaging system that uses a scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: CRAIG W. MARTIN, MARK A. NENNI, GUIDO DIMATTEO, RONALD DEWS, JR.
  • Patent number: 7848696
    Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus wherein, when forming an image on transfer sheet, the transfer sheet is shifted across the width immediately before transfer of the image onto transfer sheet based on the position of a toner image formed on an intermediate transfer member as an image carrier, and the misalignment across the width is adjusted, thereby ensuring high-speed and high-precision adjustment of the position of the image formed on a single side or both sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Youbao Peng, Utami Soma, Atsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7848697
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a conveying unit, which conveys a sheet; a stacking unit on which the conveyed sheet is stacked; a processing unit, which processes the stacked sheet; a buffering unit, which allows the sheet conveyed to the stacking unit by the conveying unit to pass, and buffers a predetermined number of sheets to be passed during an operation of the processing unit; a transferring unit, which receives the buffer sheets and transfers the predetermined number of buffer sheets from the buffering unit to the stacking unit; and a controlling unit, which controls a sheet conveying speed to make a speed when the transferring unit transfers the buffer sheet lower than a speed when the transferring unit receives the buffer sheets to prevent the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit from interfering the transferring unit during an operation of transferring the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Honda, Masahiro Yonenuma
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20100284719
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first and second ejection portions, a first and second conveying paths, a branch portion connecting the first conveying path with the second conveying path, a switching member movable between a first and second positions, a drive unit that moves the switching member from the first position to the second position or vice versa, a reference position setting unit setting the reference position of the switching member in an initial state, and a control unit controlling the drive unit such that the switching member in the initial state is positioned at the reference position set by the unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuzo Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 7831191
    Abstract: A printing system includes a first sheet media source dispensing a length of sheet media and a second sheet media source dispensing pre-cut sheets of media. A merging unit is operative to receive the length of sheet media and position pre-cut sheets of media along the same. A marking unit receives and marks images on the length of sheet media as well as the pre-cut sheets positioned thereon. A separating unit is adapted to separate the pre-cut sheets from the length of sheet media. A cutting unit is adapted to divide the length of sheet media into marked and unmarked sheets of media. A sheet receiving unit is operative to receive the marked sheets of media and the pre-cut sheets of media. A method of printing on continuous feed and pre-cut sheet media is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Barry P Mandel
  • Publication number: 20100278572
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including: a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a sensor unit configured to output a signal according to a characteristic of the sheet which is conveyed through the sheet conveying path; a pressure unit configured to press the sheet against the sensor unit; and a moving member protruding into the sheet conveying path, the moving member being moved by being pushed by the sheet passing through the sheet conveying path, wherein the pressure unit is interlocked with the moving member so that the sheet is pressed by the pressure unit against the sensor unit when the moving member is not pushed by the sheet, and a pressure force on the sheet applied by the pressure unit is released or reduced when the moving member is pushed by the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Nakajima, Takashi Kuwata
  • Patent number: 7822378
    Abstract: A sheet finisher for performing preselected processing with a sheet or a sheet stack conveyed thereto of the present invention includes a cutter unit configured to cut the sheet or the sheet stack in a direction perpendicular to a direction of sheet conveyance. A guide member is positioned upstream of the cutter unit in the direction of sheet conveyance for guiding the sheet or the sheet stack being conveyed. A moving device moves the guide member in a direction parallel to the direction of sheet conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hiromoto Saitoh, Shuuya Nagasako, Junichi Iida, Hiroki Okada, Akihito Andoh, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Tokita
  • Publication number: 20100247195
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: a replaceable image forming structure body including elements for image formation; a recording medium transporting structure body including elements for transporting a recording medium to the image forming structure body; an output recording medium transporting structure body transporting, to an output port, a recording medium outputted from the image forming structure body; and a connection structure body electrically connected to structure bodies. They each form at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus. The latter three bodies are adjacent to each other, and attachable in a state where the image forming structure body is not attached, the image forming structure body is in contact with at least three surfaces included in surfaces of the other bodies adjacent to each other, and the image forming structure body is attachable in a state where the other bodies have been attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishino, Hidekazu Amamoto
  • Publication number: 20100247196
    Abstract: A recording medium transport mechanism including: a transporting device provided in a transport-path of medium, that transports the recording medium by a drive-roller and a facing-roller disposed to face the drive-roller; an urging member that urges the facing-roller toward the drive-roller; and a restricting portion that allows movement of the facing-roller away from the drive-roller against urging force of the urging member when the recording medium having thickness smaller than a predetermined thickness is transported in a region the drive-roller and the facing-roller facing each other, and restricts an allowable amount of movement of the facing-roller away from the drive-roller when the recording medium having thickness not smaller than the predetermined thickness is transported in the region compared to an allowable amount of movement of the facing-roller away from the drive-roller when the recording medium having thickness smaller than the predetermined thickness is transported is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Yukihiro Ichiki, Yasuki Tanaka, Yoshiyasu Tanioka
  • Publication number: 20100232853
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image holder that holds an image; a conveying member that conveys an image transferred from the image holder or a recording medium with the image transferred from the image holder thereto; an image holder supporting part that supports the image holder; and a conveying member supporting part that is a separate body from the image holder supporting part and supports the conveying member such that the conveying member is openable and closable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Keiji SASAKI, Hideki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7764922
    Abstract: In a housing in which a printing unit is provided, a printed-paper storing unit that stores paper printed by the printing unit is provided to be removable to the outside. This printed-paper storing unit can be brought into a lock state in which removal to the outside of the housing is physically prevented by a fixing mechanism. When a print job sent from a user side designates internal storage of printed paper, the printed-paper storing unit is fixed in the housing by the fixing mechanism and locked. An unlock number of a number selected at random is notified to the user side to perform printing. After the printing is finished, the finish of the printing is notified to the user side and the lock state is released according to input of the unlock number to make it possible to remove printed paper to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Sasama
  • Patent number: 7756463
    Abstract: After a skew of a sheet as a recording medium is corrected by correcting a sheet curve, exposure writing on a photosensitive drum is started synchronously with re-driving of resist rollers. When a sheet front edge is detected by a sensor, sheet conveyance is continued while adjusting a sheet conveying speed when an exposure start position reaches a transfer position at a pressure contact point between the drum and a transfer roller, thereby adjusting the time of arrival at the transfer position. A time/distance interval between the preceding and subsequent sheets are shortened, a conveying path is shortened, and the whole apparatus is miniaturized. Print processing efficiency is raised and stable printing without a variation is executed. A transfer start position of the sheet is made to accurately coincide with the exposure start position of the drum, thereby realizing a high print processing speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Zenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7747212
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention includes a post-processing unit that applies post-processing to sheets conveyed from an image forming apparatus, a vertical aligning unit that conveys the sheets to the post-processing unit and brings an edge of the sheets into contact with a movable stopper arranged in a conveying path for the sheets to align the sheets in a conveying direction, and a horizontal aligning unit that holds the sheets with a pair of movable aligning plates from both sides along the conveying direction to align the sheets in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The sheet processing apparatus further includes a control unit that switches a position of the stopper according to a size of the sheets and controls the aligning plates to be located on both sides close to the center of the sheets when the sheets are brought into contact with the stopper. The post-processing unit applies the post-processing to the sheets aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mikio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20100143013
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when a conveyance unit is attached to a main body hosing, a conveyance path for conveying the sheet again to the image forming unit is constituted by the conveyance unit and an upper surface of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Azeta
  • Patent number: 7734243
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus of the present invention, an idle roller once stops rotating when a front edge of a sheet conveyed reaches the idle roller. The idle roller restarts rotating at such a timing that a front edge of a toner image on a photoreceptor and a front edge of an image writing position on the sheet are aligned with each other. Then, even if a rear edge of the sheet is still in the idle roller, the idle roller stops rotating when the front edge of the sheet is sandwiched between a transfer roller and the photoreceptor. By carrying out such operations, it is possible to avoid by a very simple way an occurrence of a slip phenomenon that is a phenomenon of slipping of the sheet with respect to the photoreceptor while suppressing a reduction in image quality as much as possible. In addition, it is also possible to surely secure a blank space formed at a rear edge portion of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Takiguchi, Kouji Wakamoto, Tatsuya Inoue, Yasuhiro Takai
  • Patent number: 7694963
    Abstract: In a document feeder, a driving control unit feeds a document by a switch-back feeding unit, guides again the document from a document feed path to a bidirectional feed path, and then discharges the document from the document feed path to a document discharging section, when the feeding of the document is in a double-sided scanning feeding mode and in a status during first side feeding. The driving control unit feeds the document by the switch-back feeding unit and then discharges the document from the document feed path, when the feeding of the document is in the double-sided scanning feeding mode and in the status during second side feeding. The driving control unit discharges the document from the document feed path without feeding the document in the switch-back manner, when the feeding of the document is in the double-sided scanning feeding mode and after the second side feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitaka Iwago, Ryoichi Matsushima, Yoichi Horaguchi, Nobuhiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7689158
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and an original reading device disposed on top of the apparatus main body. A sheet supply cassette, a sheet discharge tray, an original feed tray, and the original discharge tray are oriented such that their lengthwise directions are aligned with the first horizontal direction, and are arranged to overlap with one another in the vertical direction. A pair of side walls is disposed at both widthwise ends of the sheet supply cassette, the sheet discharge tray, the original feed tray, and the original discharge tray. The both widthwise ends of these components are formed as edge portions. The pair of side walls covers an entire length of each of the edge portions, thereby supporting all of the sheet supply cassette, the sheet discharge tray, the original feed tray, and the original discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Naoya Kamimura, Shigeharu Katayama, Hidenori Hisada
  • Patent number: 7684748
    Abstract: A unit drawing mechanism according to the invention is adapted for installation in a main unit. The mechanism includes a first and a second units, a plurality of supports, and a load-applying member. The first unit is movable along a first direction toward front of the main unit, to be drawn out thereof. Mounted in the first unit, the second unit is movable, with the first unit drawn out of the main unit, along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, to be drawn out of the first unit. The supports are arranged at different positions along the second direction, for supporting the first unit movably along the first direction. The load-applying member is mounted in the first unit in such a manner that center of gravity of the first unit along the second direction is located between the supports whether the second unit is retracted in, or drawn out of, the drawn-out first unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junya Masuda, Kohichi Matsumoto, Toyokazu Mori
  • Patent number: 7684749
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a transfer attitude correcting section for correcting a transfer attitude of the transfer sheet to receive the toner image and for conveying the corrected transfer sheet to the transfer section with a timing to match with the movement of the toner image. The transfer attitude correcting section includes a roller unit including a base board rotatable around a center of rotation and a registration roller mounted on the base board, a detecting section for detecting a position of the transfer sheet being conveyed by the registration roller; and a control section for control the roller unit based on detection data detected by the detecting section so as to correct a skew of the transfer sheet by rotating the base board and to correct a deviation of a transfer position of the transfer sheet by shifting the registration roller on the base board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideo Yamane, Satoshi Sakata, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Akifumi Isobe
  • Patent number: 7680448
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a printing integration system. Specifically, this disclosure provides a means to integrate one or more pairs of substantially vertically aligned marking engines using an intersection transport. The intersection transport includes a media sheet input intersection transport, a single horizontal transport, and a media sheet output intersection transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Paul Mandel, Steven Robert Moore, Martin Krucinski
  • Patent number: 7680447
    Abstract: A method of securely duplicating in a copying machine a document which includes a readable security device. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: reading the readable security device to determine contents of the readable security device; copying the document; generating a copy of the readable security device that includes data which is determined from the contents of the readable security device; and attaching the copy of the readable security device to the copy of the document before the copy of the document exits the copying machine to generate a secure duplicate of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Mestres, Jean-Louis Veran