Plural Copy Medium Sources Patents (Class 399/391)
  • Patent number: 11868078
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a side surface portion in which an opening is formed, a cartridge, an opening/closing member configured to be moved with respect to the apparatus body between a closed position and an opened position, a sheet stacking portion, a feed roller, and a lifting member configured to lift and lower the feed roller. In the state where the opening/closing member is positioned in the closed position, at least part of the lifting member is positioned an inside of a movement locus through which the cartridge passes in a case where the cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus body. In a state where the opening/closing member is positioned in the opened position, a whole of the lifting member is positioned an outside of the movement locus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Tateishi, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Patent number: 11613438
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a paper feed device and an image forming apparatus main body including a paper feed cassette removable from the image forming apparatus main body and including an image forming unit. The paper feed cassette stores a recording material, and the image forming unit forms an image on the recording material. The paper feed device allows the image forming apparatus main body to be stacked on the paper feed device below the paper feed cassette. The paper feed device is provided with a coupling section. In a space formed in a case where the paper feed cassette is removed from the image forming apparatus main body, the coupling section is fixed to the image forming apparatus main body by a fixing unit to couple the image forming apparatus main body and the paper feed device together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoji Misao
  • Patent number: 10917534
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a transport unit, a reader, a detector, and a controller. The transport unit transports a document. The reader reads the transported document. The detector detects whether or not a document bundle prior to being transported is present. While a document in a first document bundle corresponding to a first job is being transported, if the detector detects that a document in a second document bundle corresponding to a second job as a subsequent job is loaded, the controller actuates the transport unit until all documents in the first document bundle are output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunobu Sato, Hosana Kimura, Hiromichi Sawamura, Kaoru Furusawa, Atsuhiro Itoh, Akari Fukuda, Minoru Aizumi, Yuichi Tanaka, Taketo Kondo
  • Patent number: 10587764
    Abstract: A print management system includes an image forming apparatus and a control apparatus, and includes a detection unit, a display unit, and a setting unit. The detection unit detects paper information which is set with respect to a print job. The display unit displays the paper information detected by the detection unit on a display device. The setting unit controls processing for displaying a setting screen used to allocate the paper information displayed on the display device to a paper feed stage of the image forming apparatus on a screen of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Kimura, Yuzo Harano, Hideaki Ooba, Aya Ito, Junichi Yamakawa, Nobuhiro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10402128
    Abstract: A print control apparatus includes a storage unit, a reception unit, a change unit to change sheet information, and an instruction unit and communicates with a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus has a plurality of sheet holding units to hold sheets that can be conveyed and used for printing. The storage unit stores sheet information of the sheets held in a different one of the plurality of sheet holding units. The reception unit receives sheet information of a sheet held in a sheet holding unit of the plurality of sheet holding units. If the stored sheet information of the sheet held in the selected sheet holding unit is changed to the received sheet information, the instruction unit instructs the printing apparatus not to use the sheet held in the selected sheet holding unit for printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 9895912
    Abstract: To provide a printing method capable of inhibiting a paper sheet from being damaged at the time of conveyance and efficiently starting reprinting with high positional accuracy after printing is once stopped. The present invention is directed to a printing method of printing a unit image G by a printing part 2 based on detection of a reference punched hole 41 of a hole detection sensor 4 to form a print portion P1, then stopping printing to form a non-print portion P0, then by a mark detection sensor 3 detecting a register mark G2, recognizing a boundary between the print portion P1 and the non-print portion P0, and reprinting the unit image G from the non-print portion P0 based on detection of the reference punched hole 41 by the hole detection sensor 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Osamu Ebuchi
  • Patent number: 9798962
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a storing unit, a determining unit, a first notification unit, a selection unit, and a second notification unit. The storing unit stores attribute information of sheets to be stored in sheet holding units. The determining unit determines whether attribute information of sheets to be used by a job corresponds to the stored sheet attribute information. The first notification unit notifies, in a case where the determining unit determines that the attribute information does not correspond, a user that the attribute information does not correspond to the sheet attribute information. The selection unit selects the stored sheet attribute information to change the attribute information of sheets to be used by the job. The second notification unit notifies, in accordance with selection of the sheet attribute information, the user that the attribute information of sheets to be used by the job corresponds to the stored sheet attribute information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihiko Iida
  • Patent number: 9678465
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first light-emitting unit, a second light-emitting unit, and a remaining-recording-medium detector. The first light-emitting unit is arranged on an outer surface of a recording medium setting unit on which recording media are set, and emits light while the recording media are being conveyed from the recording medium setting unit. The second light-emitting unit is arranged on or near an operating member that is to be operated when a recording medium jammed in a main body of the image forming apparatus is removed. The remaining-recording-medium detector detects presence or absence of a recording medium remaining in the main body of the image forming apparatus. The second light-emitting unit emits light when the operating member needs to be operated, based on a result of detection by the remaining-recording-medium detector. The first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit emit light in different manners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Goro Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 9438751
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a case, a medium cassette that is detachably installed to the case selectively loading types of mediums, a sensor that detects first and second states of the medium cassette, the first status being determined when the medium cassette installed in the case moves in a detaching direction, and the second state being determined when the medium cassette moves in an installing direction, an output part that outputs medium setting promotion information for setting medium type information, and a control part that controls an image forming process based on a detection result by the sensor and the medium type information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Sato
  • Patent number: 9427987
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head which performs recording on a medium. The recording apparatus includes a first roller that reverses a medium which is transported from the recording head side and a medium reception unit that is provided on the downstream side of the recording head on the medium transport path on which the medium is transported. The medium reception unit also functions as a first medium support unit that supports a medium that is inserted from a discharging direction side of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Nakata
  • Patent number: 9348546
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming job created and transmitted by an job creation unit including an image to be printed, a receiving unit that receives a request of print setting to the image, a display unit that displays a setting screen having a setting unit to designate a setting of rewritable print or permanent print per page in response to receive the request of print setting, a memory unit that stores the setting of rewritable print or permanent print per page set by operating the setting screen, in addition to the image as the image forming job, and an image forming unit that receives the image forming job from the job creation unit and forms images on a sheet based on the setting in the image forming job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hibino, Kengo Yaoi
  • Patent number: 9251443
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus including two types of sheet storage unit, one capable of detecting a size of a sheet and the other not capable of detecting a size of a sheet, a possibility of outputting a print product which is not intended by a user is reduced. A method for controlling a printing apparatus includes feeding a sheet from a first sheet storage unit, feeding a sheet from a second sheet storage unit, and performing control to feed a sheet in such a way that a sheet is fed preferentially from a second sheet storage unit which is provided with a sensor for detecting a size of a sheet rather than from a first sheet storage unit which is not provided with a sensor for detecting a size of a sheet based on whether each sheet storage unit is provided with a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toyomi Hirao
  • Patent number: 9158259
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a plurality of medium storage portions, a medium feeding unit that feeds a medium from any one of the medium storage portions, an image forming unit that performs image formation to thereby form an image on the medium fed by the medium feeding unit, a storage unit that stores an image formation waiting time after the medium feeding unit starts feeding the medium from the medium storage portion and before the image forming unit starts the image formation, and a control unit that causes the image forming unit to wait for a time interval based on the image formation waiting time, after the medium feeding unit starts feeding the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9113018
    Abstract: In case of supplying sheets to a sheet holding unit, information concerning a depository of the sheet to be supplied is registered. Thus, it is possible to efficiently make a transition of work to supply work by reducing a load of the supply work to be performed by various users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyuki Yanagi, Hitomi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9042804
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which includes a main body, an image forming unit to form an image on a printing medium, a plate to open and close a first side of the main body; a pickup unit which includes a driven gear to rotate in forward and backward directions, a pickup roller to receive a driving force from the driven gear to pick up the printing medium disposed on the plate, and a support frame to rotatably support the pickup roller and to interlock with the forward and backward rotations of the driven gear to move toward and away from the plate, a driving source to drive the image forming unit and the driven gear, and a blocking gear disposed between the driven gear and the driving source, to prevent the support frame, spaced apart from the plate, from moving toward the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyun-ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8988717
    Abstract: A printing apparatus which makes it possible to reduce time and labor required by the operator for paper assignment and suppress occurrence of an operation error during execution of the paper assignment. The printing apparatus is provided with a plurality of paper feeders for containing papers. Information on types of papers to be contained in the respective paper feeders is set as a paper assignment configuration. The printing apparatus selects a specific paper assignment configuration, based on an instruction from the operator, from paper assignment configurations stored in a storage device. The selected specific paper assignment configuration is set as the current paper assignment configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shin Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8953997
    Abstract: A print system including a print engine for printing a receiving material, a plurality of holders, each for holding one type of receiving material and delivering said material for printing to the print engine, a receiver for receiving jobs, a job being an order containing printing information on one or more types of receiving material specified in said order, and a control system for planning jobs, wherein the jobs are placed in a print queue in a sequence of finishing, and the control system is adapted to establish: a) the types of receiving material specified for a set of different jobs in the print queue, b) a shortage of a type of receiving material if there is insufficient receiving material present in the plurality of holders in order to finish a job of the said set, c) an indication of the time when said type of receiving material is no longer present in the plurality of holders, and wherein the print system further comprises a unit for displaying an image adapted to show an operator of the print syste
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Eduardus J. W. Van Vliembergen, Edward C. Bosma
  • Patent number: 8944708
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first conveying unit to convey a sheet in a first direction, a second conveying unit disposed on a downstream side of the first conveying unit to convey the sheet in a second direction, and a first path formed between the first and second conveying units. At least the second conveying unit has a holding section to hold and convey the sheet. The sheet conveying device further includes a belt conveying unit disposed along an outer side of the first path and includes a belt to convey the sheet toward the holding section. The belt is stretched around a first belt holding and rotating member and a second belt holding and rotating member disposed on an upstream side of the second conveying unit in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Watase, Yasuhiro Sagawa, Kenji Ueda, Masayuki Ueda, Naoyuki Okamoto, Hiroshi Kajiyama, Yoshikuni Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8913947
    Abstract: A sheet supply device that is addable to a medium processing device includes a storage part storing a medium and a controller. The controller performs a first operation in which the medium is supplied from the storage part of the sheet supply device, and a second operation in which another medium supplied from an upstream side of a medium path is carried to a downstream side. When the second operation is performed, the controller operates the carrying part by transmitting a drive force to the carrying part via the transmission mechanism without operating the carrying transmission member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Tonooka, Makoto Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8909087
    Abstract: A printing system is operable to enable a printing apparatus to continue a printing of a print job by using printing media of a second supply source after using printing media of a first supply source without expending all of printing media of the first supply source. The printing media included in the first supply source are the same size and type as the printing media included in the second supply source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouichi Unno
  • Patent number: 8903301
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a first conveying path, along which a recording medium accommodated in a paper feeding cassette is conveyed to the image forming unit; and a second conveying path, along which a recording medium inserted into a manual paper feeding port is conveyed to the image forming unit; wherein the manual paper feeding port is formed at a front side of the image forming apparatus on an upper surface of an apparatus main body and wherein an inclined path obliquely extending from the manual paper feeding port to below and toward a rear of the apparatus main body is also formed, wherein the second conveying path is structured so that a recording medium inserted into the manual paper feeding port can fall into the inclined path due to the weight of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Hattori
  • Patent number: 8894059
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprises a structure as an option, on which an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus having a lower face with a positioning depression is placed. The structure includes a mounting member, a reinforcement member and a positioning pin. The mounting member is located to face to a periphery of the lower face. The reinforcement member is located below the mounting member. The positioning pin includes an upper part having a guard part and a lower part. The pin penetrates the mounting member so that the upper part can fit in the positioning depression and the lower part can come into contact with the reinforcement member. When the apparatus main body is placed, the upper part fits in the positioning depression, the guard part comes into contact with an edge of the positioning depression and the lower part comes into contact with the reinforcement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8879101
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a main body and optional trays and a communication method between the main body. optional trays. The apparatus includes the main body having a main controller, at least one optional tray detachably set up in the main body and having a tray controller for communicating with the main controller to transmit and receive data, and communication lines forming a communication channel connecting the main controller and the tray controllers, for data exchange, and for informing the main controller that the data is provided from tray controllers to the main controller. Since the main body and the optional trays communicate through a single UART communication channel, the number of communication channels is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-sang Oh
  • Patent number: 8864396
    Abstract: In order to enables a user to easily specify a sheet storage unit to which sheets are supplied next without confirming an operation unit, there is provided a method for controlling a printing apparatus for feeding a sheet from any one of a plurality of sheet storage units to print an image on the fed sheet. The method includes receiving an instruction to open a sheet storage unit, specifying, according to the received instruction, based on an attribute set to the sheet storage unit to which the instruction is issued, another sheet storage unit which has an attribute same as the attribute, and controlling the other specified sheet storage unit to be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunsuke Iguchi
  • Patent number: 8830494
    Abstract: A sheet sensing module and a duplex scanning apparatus having the sheet sensing module are provided. The sheet sensing module includes a first sensing arm, a second sensing arm, and an electronic sensor. The first sensing arm is partially exposed to a sheet feeding channel of the duplex scanning apparatus. The second sensing arm is partially exposed to an inverting channel of the duplex scanning apparatus. When a document is transferred through the sheet feeding channel to trigger said first sensing arm or the document is transferred through the inverting channel to trigger the second sensing arm, the electronic sensor generates a sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping-Hung Kuo, Yi-Liang Chen, Wei-Hsun Hsu, Szu-Chieh Wu
  • Patent number: 8805229
    Abstract: Printing processing is performed on a sheet having a characteristic value within a range of a characteristic value of a sheet which is defined usable in the printing processing in accordance with a specific print job. Specifically, in a case where a test page print job is input, a CPU selects a sheet feeding tray on which sheets having a characteristic value within a range of a characteristic value represented by characteristic value range information. The CPU performs a control operation so that a sheet is fed from the selected sheet feeding tray to a printer unit and the printer unit executes the test page print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Negishi
  • Patent number: 8770572
    Abstract: In a conveying apparatus, a support member supports a second guide member such that the second guide member is pivotable between a first position and a second position, a downstream-side edge of the second guide member in a sheet conveying direction being closer to a first guide member than to a fourth guide member when the second guide member is in a first position, the downstream-side edge of the second guide member being closer to the fourth guide member than to the first guide member when the second guide member is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuta Uchino
  • Patent number: 8757063
    Abstract: A method of printing on a sheet of paper comprises drawing a first sheet of paper from a first paper source into a printer having an optical scanner and a print head, scanning a first face of the first sheet to determine the presence or absence of print thereon. In response to detecting print on the first face, the print head is caused to print an obstruction on the first face. In response to detecting no print on the first face, the print head is caused to print new matter on the first face. The method enables a printer to accept used paper while eliminating confusion over which face contains the new matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shareef F. Alshinnawi, Margaret M. Quinn, Edward S. Suffern, J. Mark Weber
  • Patent number: 8755697
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrying unit, a resistance unit, a jam detection unit, a paper detection unit and a control unit. Responding to the jam detection unit detecting that a jam occurring location is outside the resistance unit, the control unit sets a part of the carrying unit, the part including at least the resistance unit, as an accumulation unit where a remaining sheet is accumulated, in accordance with a size of the remaining sheet. The remaining sheet is detected by a paper detection unit when the jam occurs. The control unit releases, among a resistance roller pair and carrying roller pairs of the carrying unit, the rollers of a pair located in the accumulation unit from pressing against each other, and makes the carrying unit carry the remaining sheet to the accumulation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8749857
    Abstract: An image reader includes a light source that irradiates light to a recording material on which an image is formed, a generation section that receives light reflected from the recording material and generates image information from the received light, and a processing section that extracts information corresponding to a window region of the recording material set in advance, as correction information, from the image information generated by the generation section when light from the light source is irradiated to the recording material on which the image is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kazama, Kenji Hyoki, Masaki Fujise
  • Patent number: 8744306
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a guide member to guide movement of a developing device receiving member, which receives a plurality of developing devices, between the exterior and the interior of an image forming apparatus body. The guide member supports the developing device receiving member to enable rotation of the developing device receiving member within the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Dae Hyeok Im, Byung Sun Ahn
  • Patent number: 8727334
    Abstract: A recording device includes a judgment unit and a control unit. The judgment unit judges whether or not a designated standby time has elapsed still without a next recording job after the current recording job performed by the recording unit has ended in a state with the first media housing unit arranged in the feed position. The control unit controls the drive unit to hold the first media housing unit in the feed position when the judgment unit judges that it is before the standby time has elapsed, and on the other hand, to move the first media housing unit from the feed position to the removal position when the judgment unit judges that it is after the standby time has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Nunokawa, Yasuhiko Yoshihisa
  • Patent number: 8727333
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including a sheet accommodation device including at least one sheet accommodation section which accommodates a sheet before printing, a printing unit which prints an image on a sheet based on print data stored in a storage area, a discharged sheet accommodation device including at least one discharged sheet accommodation section which accommodates the printed sheet, a control device which selects a combination of a sheet accommodation section and a discharged sheet accommodation section such that a storage device completes storing print data into the storage area by a conveyance starting time of a sheet to be printed based on the print data, and which control a conveyance device to feed the sheet to be printed based on the print data from the sheet accommodation section to discharge the sheet to the discharged sheet accommodation section of the selected combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Ohmiya
  • Patent number: 8730513
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a storage unit for storing setting information including at least a size of a substitute recording medium, and a processing unit for executing a print instruction by automatically changing a size of a recording medium to be used to the size of the substitute recording medium based on the setting information stored in the storage means, when the size of the recording medium specified by the print instruction is not available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nozomi Sawada
  • Patent number: 8693010
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit. In combined processing to perform two types of processing including one-sided image formation and two-sided image formation, if the one-sided image formation is performed, an image is formed on one side of the sheet by the second image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mika Sumii, Hiroshige Inoue
  • Patent number: 8662768
    Abstract: An image forming device is provided with a sheet feeding unit capable of selectively feeding recording sheets of a plurality of sizes, a print unit configured to print out images represented by print data on page-by-page basis, the print data including information of designated size of the recording sheets. On condition that running out of the recording sheets of the designated size in the sheet feeding unit is detected during printing out of the images, the sheet feeding unit starts feeding the recording sheets of a substitute size which is different from the designated size and the print unit continues printing out of images represented by remaining part of the print data on the recording sheet of the substitute size. A storing unit stores the remaining part of the print data after printing, but not part of the print data printed on the recording sheets of designated size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8657278
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a first tray configured to accommodate one or more recording sheets to be supplied to an image forming unit, a body frame configured to position an upper part of the first tray, and an expansion members disposed under the body frame to position a lower part of the first tray. The expansion member may include a transmission mechanism configured to be engagable with a body-side gear provided in the body frame. The transmission mechanism may be configured to transmit a drive force, which is transmitted from a drive source provided in the body frame via the body-side gear, to an add-on mechanism, when the transmission mechanism is engaged with the body-side gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Ozeki, Masamitsu Ukai, Atsushi Mikuni, Wei Ming Wang, Tomitake Aratachi
  • Patent number: 8625134
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for executing a printing based on a job provided with job setting information, the apparatus includes: a display section which displays two or more job images on a screen, each of the job images representing each of two or more jobs; an operation section for changing a display scale of the two or more job images displayed on the display section; and a control section which controls to display the two or more job images having been displayed on the screen of the display section, as overlapped images in a same display area, based on an operation of changing the display scale in the screen, wherein the control section enables to select each of the overlapped job images displayed in the same display area on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shigeo Konuma
  • Patent number: 8564817
    Abstract: In a case where a first identifier that is communicated between the printing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in order to specify a type of a printing medium that is used in the printing apparatus, and a second identifier unique to each of a plurality of types of printing media are set in both the printing apparatus and the information processing apparatus, the second identifier set in each of the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus is obtained. Based on the second identifier set in each of the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus, the first identifier set in each of the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus is determined, such that the types of printing medium corresponding to the first identifier set in the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus match, and a different first identifier is set regarding a printing medium of a different type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Otaka
  • Patent number: 8565664
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a sheet feeding tray to store sheets for image forming; a sheet feeding section to feed the sheets form the sheet feeding tray so as to supply the sheets for the image forming; and a control section to individually administer remaining sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray in advance and replenishment sheets replenished when the sheet feeding tray is replenished with the sheets in a state where the sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray in advance is remaining. Whereby, a JOB can be continued or aborted appropriately with reference to information and remaining amounts of remaining sheets and replenishment sheets in one sheet feeding tray, since the information and the remaining amounts are administered individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Masatoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8554124
    Abstract: A printing medium feeding apparatus includes a feeding part which feeds a printing medium, and a printing medium aligning roller part which aligns a leading edge of the printing medium fed from the feeding part and transfers the aligned printing medium to an image forming part which forms an image on the printing medium, wherein the printing medium aligning roller part comprises a pair of rollers which transfer the printing medium to the image forming part, and an aligning shutter which is rotationally coupled to at least one of the pair of rollers, which rotates when the leading edge of the printing medium contacts the aligning shutter with a pressure greater than a reference pressure in a reference direction and guides the leading edge of the printing medium fed from the feeding part toward the reference direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-soo Lee, Hoon Kang
  • Patent number: 8548369
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which includes a main body, an image forming unit to form an image on a printing medium, a plate to open and close a first side of the main body; a pickup unit which includes a driven gear to rotate in forward and backward directions, a pickup roller to receive a driving force from the driven gear to pick up the printing medium disposed on the plate, and a support frame to rotatably support the pickup roller and to interlock with the forward and backward rotations of the driven gear to move toward and away from the plate, a driving source to drive the image forming unit and the driven gear, and a blocking gear disposed between the driven gear and the driving source, to prevent the support frame, spaced apart from the plate, from moving toward the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Hyun-ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8526837
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a first mode for operation with predetermined power consumption and a second mode for operation with less power consumption than the power consumption in the first mode includes: a paper cassette capable of being attached to a predetermined section of the image forming apparatus, the paper cassette storing paper therein; a detection part detecting the attachment and detachment of the paper cassette to and from the predetermined section; and a shift part, upon the detection by the detection part that the paper cassette has been attached to the predetermined section during the operation in the second mode, shifting the image forming apparatus from the second mode to the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 8515329
    Abstract: A sheet is placed on a sheet feed unit. A main-scanning sensor detects first detection information for identifying a sheet size in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning sensor detects second detection information for identifying a sheet size in a sub-scanning direction. A sheet sensor detects presence of the sheet on the sheet feed unit. It is monitored whether the sheet sensor has detected a sheet and a timer starts counting a first elapsed time from a time point at which the sheet sensor detects a sheet. A size identifying unit identifies, when the first elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined set time, a sheet size based on the first and the second detection information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kiichirou Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8498566
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt-shaped image carrier that carries an image, an image transfer unit that transfers the image onto a recording medium, and a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium to the image transfer unit. The image carrier has a sloping surface that slopes down from an upstream of the image transfer unit in a conveying direction. The conveying unit includes a linear conveying path that is arranged an upstream of the image transfer unit in the conveying direction, below the sloping surface and above a horizontal line passing through the image transfer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Patent number: 8478155
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus to output, to an image forming apparatus, a print job using paper stored in paper feed units includes an acquisition unit, a generation unit, an addition unit, and a transmission unit. The acquisition unit acquires configuration information for each paper feed unit including type and number of sheets of paper capable of storage in each paper feed unit. The generation unit generates, based on type and number of sheets of paper required to be used for an externally acquired print job and the acquired configuration information, paper allocation information for associating a paper feed unit with type and number of sheets of paper in such away as to reduce replacement of paper. The addition unit adds the generated paper allocation information to the print job. The transmission unit transmits the print job with the added paper allocation information to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8451461
    Abstract: An information processor includes: a first acquiring unit that acquires image information of a plurality of pages formed by reading copies of a plurality of pages with an image reading unit; a second acquiring unit that acquires image information composed of at least one page formed by reading the copy of at least one page selected from the copies of the plurality of pages by the image reading unit; and an outputting unit that outputs the image information composed of the plurality of pages divided in accordance with the page specified on the basis of the image information of at least one page of the image information of the plurality of pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8385758
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a first medium container for a first printing medium; a second medium container for a second printing medium; a medium feeder for feeding one of the first and second media from one of the first and second medium containers; a special process unit that performs a special process on the first printing medium fed by the medium feeder when image data, including instruction information instructing the special process, is received; a detector that detects a characteristic of the first printing medium; a special process capability determination unit for determining whether or not the special process can be performed based on the characteristic; and a control unit that ejects the printing medium and that causes the second medium to be fed from the second medium container when the special process capability determination unit determines that the special process cannot be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsunori Nakai
  • Patent number: 8379238
    Abstract: In order to provide an image forming apparatus which controls unnecessary image formation without reducing productivity, at the time of automatic sheet selection, the number of image sheets M which can be present from the writing position of images using the image writing section to the transfer position of the transfer section and the number of sheet N which can be present from the sensors which detect the no-paper state in each of the plurality of sheet feeding sections to the transfer position of the transfer section are obtained, and then the sheet feeding section which satisfies M<N is preferentially selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Minoru Asakawa
  • Patent number: 8335465
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first and a second image forming sections, a paper feeding section, and a paper output section. The image forming sections form an image on paper independently. The apparatus is laterally dividable into a first and a second portions where the first and second image forming sections are respectively positioned. The feeding section is arranged below the first image forming section in the first portion. The output section is arranged above the second image forming section in the second portion. The apparatus has two simple transport paths that run vertically through the image forming sections, respectively, without intersecting each other and detouring around the second or first image forming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masami Tsuchida