In Registration With Image Patents (Class 399/394)
  • Patent number: 11849090
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms, on an end surface of each layer of a layered printed matter or on a layered surface formed by layering cross sections of printed matter cut in the post-processing step, a layer image for expressing a predetermined image on each layer; and a hardware processor that corrects a printing position of the layer image on each layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Keiki Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11809114
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, an image forming portion, a detection portion configured to detect a position, in a sheet width direction, a storage configured to store position information of a sheet, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the storage to store the position information based on a position of a sheet detected by the detection portion during execution of the job, and if sheet information of a sheet used in a previous job is matches sheet information of a sheet used in a current job, cause the image forming portion to start formation of an image to be formed on a first sheet, before a position of the first sheet is detected by the detection portion, based on the position information stored in the storage in the previous job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshige Inoue
  • Patent number: 11608237
    Abstract: A sheet processing system for automated sheet adjustment includes a sensor system which captures at least a first image of a sheet of print media as the sheet is conveyed on a main transport path between a print media supply module and a marking device of an image rendering module. A control module computes a lateral error for the sheet, based on the captured at least first image, and computes an adjustment based on the computed lateral error. A sheet transport path adjustment mechanism translates a first portion of the main transport path relative to a second portion of the main transport path, based on the computed adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jacob R. McCarthy, Joseph M. Ferrara, Jr., Joseph Fredrick Casey, Christopher Douglas Atwood, Frank B. Tamarez Gomez
  • Patent number: 11586129
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion to form an image on an image bearing member, and a transfer portion to transfer the image on a first image position on the image bearing member to a sheet. In addition, a controller determines a second image position, on the image bearing member, of an image to be transferred onto a second surface of a sheet re-conveyed to an adjustment portion by a reverse and re-conveyance portion based on a detected side edge position, of a trailing part of the sheet being conveyed with a first end as the leading edge. The trailing part of the sheet is positioned on a trailing edge side further than a center position, in the sheet conveyance direction, of the sheet, and the controller determines a shift amount based on the second image position and detected side edge position of the sheet, which has been re-conveyed, being conveyed with the second end as the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Deno
  • Patent number: 11479428
    Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit, a reading unit, a registration-less unit, and an engine control unit. The reading unit reads a sheet to be conveyed. The engine control unit moves the other end side of the registration-less unit to correct skew. The engine control unit obtains a deviation amount (first deviation amount) of the position of the sheet based on the correction, and changes a sheet conveyance speed from a first speed to a second speed when the sheet enters the registration-less unit. The engine control unit adjusts the timing to change from the first speed to the second speed based on the first deviation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Kohei Ishido
  • Patent number: 11198575
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming device including: an image heating portion which includes a heater including a plurality of heating blocks divided in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a recording material and heats an image formed on the recording material; a temperature sensing element which senses a temperature of each of the heating blocks; and a control portion which controls electric power supplied to each of the heating blocks on the basis of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing element, wherein the control portion determines whether or not the recording material is in a skewed state in which the recording material is conveyed in an obliquely inclined state with respect to the conveying direction on the basis of a variation of the electric power supplied to end heating blocks for heating end portions of the recording material among the plurality of the heating blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11054781
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment may include: an image formation part; a conveyance part that conveys the medium; a detector that detects a leading end of the medium and a position detection mark on the medium; and a conveyance controller that controls the conveyance part under one of a first print mode based on one of the leading end of the medium and the position detection mark and a second print mode based on the other. The conveyance controller is configured, when switching from the first print mode to the second print mode when the medium stands by at a first standby position downstream of the detector, to retract the medium from the first standby position to a position upstream of the detector and then to resume to convey the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masakazu Hiroi
  • Patent number: 11054785
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an intermediate transfer body; a secondary transfer section; a conveyance section; a first detection section; a second detection section that is arranged downstream of the first detection section in a conveyance direction of a medium; and a control section that performs control for changing a conveyance speed of the medium by the conveyance section to a first speed based on timing of detection of the medium by the first detection section and a position of the image on the intermediate transfer body at that time point and changing the conveyance speed of the medium by the conveyance section to a second speed equal to the traveling speed of the intermediate transfer body based on timing of detection of the medium by the second detection section and the position of the image on the intermediate transfer body at that time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakazu Hiroi
  • Patent number: 10996609
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing unit, a position adjustment mechanism, a number-of-printed-sheets counter, and a control unit. The image forming portion includes an image carrier, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a transfer member. The fixing unit has a heated rotary member and a pressing member and heats and presses the sheet passing through a fixing nip portion. A position adjustment mechanism adjusts the width-direction position of the sheet parallel to the scanning direction of optical scanning by the exposure unit. Every time the number of printed sheets reaches a predetermined number, the control unit makes the correction unit shift the width-direction position of the sheet by a predetermined amount and changes the start position of scanning by the exposure unit on the image carrier according to the direction and amount of shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takuto Kunimasa, Masanori Kyogoku
  • Patent number: 10691060
    Abstract: A drawer includes: a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in an axial direction; and a frame to which a developing cartridge including a developing roller is attachable. The developing cartridge is attachable to the frame in a state where an outer circumferential surface of the developing roller faces an outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. The frame is configured to move the developing roller in a separation direction in which the outer circumferential surface of the developing roller moves away from the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. The frame includes a first guide roller for guiding the developing cartridge in the axial direction. The first guide roller is configured to move the developing cartridge in the separation direction relative to the frame in response to the movement in the axial direction of the developing cartridge relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuwen Wang, Junichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10582075
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section that transfers an image to a sheet; a sheet conveyance member that is provided on an upstream of the transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction and that conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls the sheet conveyance member to displace the sheet, wherein a preset value defining a displacement condition of the sheet conveyance member for providing a correct position of the image on the sheet is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shiokawa, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Takahiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 10401777
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit for converting image information into an image signal and output the image signal with reference to a timing signal, a sheet feeding control unit for feeding a recording material, an image forming unit for forming the image on a photosensitive drum based on the image signal output from the control unit, a transmission unit for transmitting a length of the image corresponding to a length of an output period of the image signal, an automatic sheet length detection mechanism for acquiring a length of the recording material in a conveyance direction thereof, and an image control unit for controlling a time interval at which the timing signal is output based on the size of the image and the size of the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Kanno
  • Patent number: 10395149
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an adjustment unit configured to select a type of adjustment processing and execute the selected type of adjustment processing for the image forming unit, and a determination unit to determine an adjustment time based on the selected type of adjustment processing. The determination unit determines, in a case where the adjustment unit causes the image forming unit to stop the image forming operation for executing the selected type of adjustment processing in a downtime, a first adjustment time, and wherein the determination unit determines, in a case where the image forming unit has finished the image forming operation, a second adjustment time longer than the first adjustment time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromi Shimura, Hiroto Nishihara, Keita Takahashi, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Shinnosuke Iwadate, Ryou Sakaguchi, Teruhito Kai
  • Patent number: 10341502
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain information related to a resolution of an image to be formed, an image processing unit configured to execute image processing corresponding to the information on image data, an image forming unit configured to form an image based on the image data on which the image processing is executed by the image processing unit, an intermediate transfer member to which a measuring image formed by the image forming unit is transferred, a measurement unit configured to measure the measuring image transferred to the intermediate transfer member, a storage unit configured to store measuring image data, and a controller configured to control the image processing unit to execute first image processing on the measuring image data, control the image forming unit to form the measuring image, control the measurement unit to measure the measuring image, and control an image forming condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoko Mima, Ryou Sakaguchi, Tadao Sugiura, Masashi Yokoyama, Shun Motohashi
  • Patent number: 10261455
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a post-processing unit, and a controller. The image forming section forms an image on a recording medium. The post-processing unit processes the recording medium obtained after the image forming section forms the image. The controller controls a post-processing execution time of the post-processing unit on the basis of information obtained by reading at least one control pattern from the recording medium. The at least one control pattern is formed to control the image forming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Hamatsu
  • Patent number: 10120319
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a control unit for converting image information into an image signal and output the image signal with reference to a timing signal, a sheet feeding control unit for feeding a recording material, an image forming unit for forming the image on a photosensitive drum based on the image signal output from the control unit, a transmission unit for transmitting a length of the image corresponding to a length of an output period of the image signal, an automatic sheet length detection mechanism for acquiring a length of the recording material in a conveyance direction thereof, and an image control unit for controlling a time interval at which the timing signal is output based on the size of the image and the size of the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Kanno
  • Patent number: 10042304
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus according to an embodiment includes a conveyance roller and a register roller arranged downstream of the conveyance roller along a sheet conveyance path. A sensor unit detects a first deflection amount of the sheet and a second deflection amount of the sheet when the sheet is pressed against the register roller. A movable section is connected to at least one end of the conveyance roller. A control section determines a tilt of a rotation axis of the conveyance roller relative to a rotation axis of the register roller based on a difference in the first and second deflection amounts detected by the sensor unit. The control section controls the movable section to move the conveyance roller so that the rotational axis of the conveyance roller is positioned relative to a rotational axis of the register roller in accordance with the determined tilt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9932189
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: a sheet conveying section configured to convey a long sheet; an image forming/fixing section configured to execute an image forming/fixing operation to form and fix a toner image on the long sheet to be conveyed by the sheet conveying section; a skew detection section configured to detect a skew of the long sheet to be conveyed by the sheet conveying section; a skew correction section configured to execute a skew correction operation to correct the skew of the long sheet; and a control section configured to perform control to execute the skew correction operation when the skew has been detected in a first area where the skew correction operation does not affect the image forming/fixing operation, and perform control to execute the skew correction operation when the skew has been detected in a second area where the skew correction operation affects the image forming/fixing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9769327
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a method of positional adjustment performed in image forming, includes an image bearer, a transfer device to transfer an image formed on the image bearer onto a recording medium having a first side and a second side, a recording medium conveying path along which the recording medium travels to the transfer device, a first detector and a second detector to detect positional information of the recording medium on or near the recording medium conveying path, in which the first detector being disposed closer to the transfer device than the second detector to the transfer device in a sheet conveying direction on the recording medium conveying path, and an adjuster to adjust a position of the image based on at least one of former positional information obtained by the first detector and current positional information obtained by the second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoyoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9533850
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance sensor disposed near a pair of conveyance rollers so as to accurately detect an amount of movement of the recording paper, a conveyance delay determination unit to determine a conveyance delay of the recording paper, and a conveyance control unit to control drive for rollers. The conveyance delay determination unit obtains conveyance delay information from among information detected with the conveyance sensor, or the like, and accelerates a rotational velocity of the pair of paper feed rollers when the conveyance delay quantity exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Yuta Tachibana, Takaki Kato, Daichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9365375
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus reflecting one aspect of the present invention includes a deviation detecting portion, a registration roller, and a leading end detecting portion. The deviation detecting portion detects a deviation amount of the sheet being fed from a reference position in a sheet width direction orthogonal to a feeding direction. The registration roller modifies deviation by swinging the sheet being fed in the sheet width direction in accordance with the deviation amount detected by the deviation detecting portion. The leading end detecting portion is disposed on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the registration roller and detects a leading end of the sheet being fed. The leading end detecting portion detects the leading end of the sheet after deviation is modified by the registration roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Shingo Aoki
  • Patent number: 9360804
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to control a distance between paper sheets by sensing a surface pattern of fed paper and a method of controlling the same is provided. The image forming apparatus may include a paper transport unit configured to transport paper, a paper sensing unit disposed in a transport path of the paper and configured to sense a surface pattern of the transported paper, and a controller configured to control the paper transport unit to adjust a distance between paper sheets based on a change in the sensed surface pattern of the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Bok Lee, Hyoung Il Kim, Young Jung Yun, Jin Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 9268289
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first photosensitive member and a second photosensitive member that form images having different colors, a transfer belt that transfers the images formed on the first photosensitive member and the second photosensitive member onto a recording sheet, a first motor that rotatingly drives the first photosensitive member and the transfer belt, and a second motor that rotatingly drives the second photosensitive member. After the startup process of the first and second motors has been completed, the rotation speed of the second motor is controlled while maintaining the rotation speed of the first motor unchanged so that the second rotation phase of the second photosensitive member rotatingly driven by the second motor is the same as the first rotation phase of the first photosensitive member rotatingly driven by the first motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9244391
    Abstract: First to N-th image forming units are sequentially arranged from the upstream to the downstream along the movement direction of an intermediate transfer belt. When L is defined as a distance between contact points of every two adjacent ones of the first to N-th image bearing members with the intermediate transfer member, when V is defined as a moving speed of the intermediate transfer belt and, when a timing at which transfer bias applying unit for the n-th image forming unit is turned off using a timing at which the transfer bias applying unit for the first image forming unit is turned off as reference is defined as (L/V)×(n?1)+?n, ?n for every integer n between 2 and N is set so that an absolute value of ?n is less than L/V and at least one pair of ?n among the plurality of ?n has different values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akifusa Ando, Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9217978
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of setting a plurality of image forming speeds includes a transfer unit configured to transfer an image formed on an image carrier onto a sheet, a paper feed unit configured to feed the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance speed of the sheet to accelerate and decelerate without stopping the sheet in a section between the paper feed unit and the transfer unit to synchronize the sheet with the image formed on the image carrier. The control unit changes paper feed timing from the paper feed unit according to the image forming speed if the image forming speed is predetermined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimichi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9205685
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a notification section that provides information to a user; a sheet feeding section that feeds a sheet; an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; a first conveyance section that conveys a sheet fed from the sheet feeding section to the image forming section; a displacement detection section that detects a displacement of a sheet in the first conveyance section; a displacement correction section that corrects a lateral position of a sheet on the basis of a result of detection by the displacement detection section; and a control section that controls the notification section to notify an occurrence of a displacement error which cannot be corrected by the displacement correction section and a cause of the displacement error when the displacement error is detected by the displacement detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Ken Nonaka, Takahiro Okubo, Yusuke Kawanago
  • Patent number: 9128447
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a paper feed part; a conveying path conveying paper from the paper feed part; a transfer part transferring an image onto the paper; a registration roller timely delivering the paper to the transfer part; a paper detector detecting paper arrival at the registration roller; an image forming part starting image formation; an image processing part transmitting to the image forming part image data used for the image formation; and a control part, based on output of the paper detector, in a case where the paper detector has not detected the paper arrival at a check time point provided before a tip of the image arrives at the transfer part after the start of the image formation, delaying an image formation speed at the image forming part and an image data transmission speed of the image processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9108815
    Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes: a first motor and a second motor; a first roller configured to: rotate upon receiving motive power from the first motor; and transport a sheet in a predetermined transport direction; a second roller which is provided on a downstream side of the first roller in the transport direction and which is configured to: rotate upon receiving motive power from the second motor while nipping the sheet transported by the first roller at a nip position; and transport the sheet further downstream in the transport direction; and a controller. The controller includes a motor control unit configured to perform a first process for rotating the first roller and a second process for rotating the second roller; and a first reaction-force estimating observer configured to calculate a first estimated value which is an estimated value of a reaction force acting on the first motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 9042805
    Abstract: A control section controls the rotation of a registration roller that corrects the skew of a sheet and conveys the sheet, and the rotation of a loop forming roller which forms a loop of the sheet, as well as the nipping and releasing of the nip of the loop forming roller. This control section controls so that the sheet with a loop formed between the registration roller and loop forming roller is conveyed downstream in the sheet conveyance direction, and the sheet is released from the nipping of the loop forming roller during the conveyance. This control section further controls so that the total number of rotations of the registration roller from the start of sheet conveyance till releasing of the sheet from nipping of the loop forming roller is kept at a prescribed total number of rotations preset in conformance to the paper type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Kawachi, Tarou Miyamoto, Kyoichi Mizuno, Yusuke Kawanago
  • Patent number: 9025976
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a first toner image to be transferred to a recording medium through secondary transfer is formed on an intermediate transfer member and a second toner image not to be transferred to the recording medium through secondary transfer is formed on the intermediate transfer member after the first toner image has been formed. When the first toner image and the second toner image are formed, a position on the intermediate transfer member at which the second toner image is formed is controlled in accordance with a conveying direction length of the recording medium, to which the first toner image is transferred through secondary transfer, measured by using a detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosuke Ogino
  • Patent number: 9002256
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate correcting for paper process direction arrival errors during a print job in a marker module of a print engine. Paper sheet arrival time is determined at a first registration point in a print engine or marker module thereof, and an average arrival time is compared to an expected arrival time to determine whether the pages are arriving on time, early, or late. The arrival time error is used to generate or look up a correction factor, which is added to an expected arrival time at a second registration point in the marker module or print engine to generate an updated expected arrival time. Print engine control parameters (e.g., sheet feeder timing, toner application, paper path speed, etc.) are adjusted according to the updated expected arrival time at the second registration point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ana Perez Tooker, Ronald W. Bogert, David M. Kerxhalli
  • Patent number: 8995901
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a transport device including a pair of timing rollers, operable to cause a leading edge of a recording sheet to abut a nip portion of the non-rotating timing rollers, and then initiate rotation to transport the sheet toward a transfer position, the transport device comprising: a motor transmitting rotational force to the timing rollers via a power transmission mechanism such that the timing rollers rotate; and a control unit controlling motor rotation, wherein the control unit activates the motor, causes the timing rollers to transport a first recording sheet at a first speed, and stops the motor once transportation is complete, and when a second recording sheet is to be subsequently transported at a different second speed, the control unit causes the timing rollers to execute an idle rotation at the second speed or at another speed, and then stopping, before beginning second sheet transportation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takumi Michibata
  • Patent number: 8989649
    Abstract: An rotation angle of a crank arm is calculated on the basis of a period of time in which a recording material is detected or a period of time in which the recording material is not detected and an end position of the recording material is calculated from the calculated rotation angle, so that detection of the end position of the recording material can be started regardless of a stop position of a sensor and the end position of the recording material can be accurately detected without using a dedicated drive source or member to reciprocate the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eijiro Ohashi, Haruki Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 8983361
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member bearing a toner image, a transfer part transferring the toner image from the image bearing member onto a sheet, a separation/feeding part separating and feeding sheets stacked on a sheet stacking member, and a transport part transporting the sheet fed by the separation/feeding part to the transfer part, in which a transporting operation of the transport part is changed according to a length of the sheet to be transported in a transport direction of the sheet. A control is configured to control so that a timing to decelerate to the transfer speed by the transport part with respect to a start of image formation is changed according to a length of the transported sheet in a transport direction of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Iwakawa
  • Patent number: 8977144
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a pre-transfer conveying portion that conveys a recording medium, an image bearing member that moves while bearing a toner image, a conveying belt that attracts the recording medium conveyed from the pre-transfer conveying portion and conveys the recording medium at the same speed as the image bearing member, a detecting portion that detects the recording medium attracted to the conveying belt, and a control unit that controls the speed at which the pre-transfer conveying portion conveys the recording medium. On the basis of the detection of the recording medium, the control unit changes the speed of the pre-transfer conveying portion from a speed slower than the speed of the conveying belt to a speed equal to or faster than the speed of the conveying belt, and thereby causes the leading edges of the toner image and the recording medium to coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Iwakawa
  • Publication number: 20150063889
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus includes a first-image obtaining unit, a scanned-image obtaining unit, a second-image obtaining unit, first and second registration units, a combining unit, and an inspection unit. The first-image obtaining unit obtains a first image generated by scanning a sheet on which a predetermined image has been printed. The scanned-image obtaining unit obtains a scanned image generated by scanning a printed matter produced by printing a second image additionally on the sheet. The second-image obtaining unit obtains the second image. The first registration unit performs registration between the first and scanned images. The second registration unit performs registration between the second image and the scanned image. The combining unit generates a master image by combining the first and second images based on registration results performed by the first and second registration units. The inspection unit inspects the printed matter by comparing the scanned image against the master image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiji Kojima
  • Patent number: 8971788
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a sheet conveying unit, a TOD (Top of Data) control module for instructing the image forming unit to start generation of a toner image, a timing roller driving module for instructing the sheet conveying unit to start driving of the timing roller, an image synchronization module designed depending on the sheet conveying unit and the image forming unit, and a sheet information module for generating an image synchronization identifier for designating a pattern of image synchronization control related to printing of the toner image on the sheet, depending on a type of the sheet designated. The image synchronization module is activated when the formation of the toner image on the sheet has become possible, and activate each of the TOD control module and the timing roller driving module, with a relative time lag based on the image synchronization identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kohei Hayashi, Tomohiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8958739
    Abstract: A conveying device has a conveying belt configured to convey a sheet. A printing device is configured to print an image on the sheet that is conveyed by the conveying device in a conveying direction. A plurality of sensors is arranged to be spaced away from each other in a main scanning direction that is perpendicular to the conveying direction. The plurality of sensors is configured to emit light to different detection regions on an outer peripheral surface of the conveying belt and to receive light reflected by the conveying belt. A controller is configured to execute a skew-detection-mark printing process of controlling the printing device to print a skew detection mark at positions passing the respective detection regions so that the skew detection mark extends over an end of the sheet in the conveying direction and the outer peripheral surface of the conveying belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 8948681
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit forming an image on a recording sheet; a transport unit transporting the recording sheet; a support surface supporting the recording sheet; a rotating member having an outer peripheral surface pressed against the support surface and rotationally following the recording sheet when the recording sheet passes through between the support surface and the outer peripheral surface; an ascertaining unit ascertaining a length of the recording sheet on the basis of an amount of rotation of the rotating member; and a restricting unit restricting a movement of the rotating member that moves toward the support surface after the recording sheet passes through between the support surface and the outer peripheral surface, the restricting unit preventing the outer peripheral surface, which comes into contact with the recording sheet, and the support surface from coming into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Furuya, Yoshinari Iwaki, Minoru Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20150023711
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section configured to form an image on a sheet; a pair of registration rollers configured to convey the sheet to the image forming section; a displacement detection section configured to detect a lateral position of the sheet; a displacement correction section configured to reset the lateral position of the sheet to a reference position; a translation amount determination section configured to determine a translation amount of the sheet during a displacement correction; and a control section configured to refer to a translation control table, operate the displacement correction section in accordance with a translation command value corresponding to a detection result obtained by the displacement detection section, obtain at a predetermined timing a relationship between the translation command value and a translation amount of the sheet, and update the translation control table on the basis of the relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Yusuke KAWANAGO, Shinichi KAWABATA, Takahiro OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20150023712
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section; a pair of registration rollers; a displacement detection section; a displacement correction section; a translation amount determination section; and a control section configured to refer to a translation control table, operate the displacement correction section in accordance with a translation command value corresponding to a detection result obtained by the displacement detection section, obtain at a predetermined timing a relationship between the translation command value and a translation amount of the sheet, and update the translation control table on the basis of the relationship. The control section updates the translation control table when a displacement of a sheet is correctable, but does not update the translation control table when a displacement of a sheet is correctable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Shinichi KAWABATA, Yusuke KAWANAGO, Takahiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 8929800
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit with a plurality of developing devices, a sheet transport unit, a sheet position measurement unit that measures a position of the sheet during the transport in a direction crossing a sheet passage, a displacement correction unit that moves the sheet during the transport in the sheet-passage crossing direction to correct a displacement of the sheet, and a control unit that carries out the displacement correction for the sheet by the displacement correction unit for the measured sheet depending on the measurement result by the sheet position measurement unit if the developing device located on a upstream side is used, and carries out position correction for an image and reduces an interval of the image formation for each sheet if the developing device located on the upstream side is not used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Hitaka
  • Patent number: 8923746
    Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path, a first feeding member located in a main body of the apparatus, a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed and sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path with the first feeding member, and a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member. The guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit and in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Nakamura, Haruyuki Honda, Toshikane Nishii, Hirofumi Horita, Ippei Kimura, Masanori Namba
  • Patent number: 8918046
    Abstract: An image-forming device includes a casing, a conveying path, a pair of registration rollers, and a process cartridge. The conveying path is disposed in the casing to convey a recording sheet. The pair of registration rollers is disposed on the conveying path to regulate a leading edge of the recording sheet conveyed along the conveying path. The process cartridge is detachably mounted on the casing, and includes a developer accommodating unit, a photosensitive member, and an upstream guide part. The photosensitive member is disposed on the conveying path. The upstream guide part is disposed upstream of the pair of registration rollers on the conveying path to guide the recording sheet toward the pair of registration rollers in cooperation with the conveying path. The upstream guide part is formed with a concaved part that is concaved in a direction away from the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8910940
    Abstract: An image forming system of one aspect of the present invention includes a first image forming apparatus arranged on the upstream side in a sheet conveyance direction, a second image forming apparatus arranged on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, and an intermediate apparatus arranged between the first image forming apparatus and the second image forming apparatus and having a registration roller on the sheet conveyance path through which a sheet conveyed from the first image forming apparatus is conveyed to the second image forming apparatus. The intermediate apparatus has a path opening mechanism configured to release a pressure contact of the registration roller arranged on the sheet conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideo Isohara
  • Patent number: 8892023
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus acquires an amount of deflection of the transporting sheet from a reference position thereof and calculates a required shift amount of the sheet. It determines whether or not the sheet is shifted frontward. If so, the image forming apparatus acquires a second specified shift value which is determined based on an urging force and the required shift amount using a second correction equation. Alternatively, if the sheet is shifted backward, the image forming apparatus acquires a first specified shift value which is determined based on the urging force and the required shift amount using a first correction equation. The image forming apparatus performs a registration roller shift correction based on the acquired first or second specified shift value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kawanago, Takahiro Okubo, Masahiro Matsuo, Yoshiteru Kawakami, Haruki Motegi, Osamu Yoshimura, Kunihiro Kawachi, Ken Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8867980
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a pair of registration rollers which are moved in the width direction so that a sheet side end position is within a predetermined range in the width direction based on sheet side end position information from a lateral registration detection sensor. In the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to a sheet processing portion without being reversed, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the first range, and in the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to the sheet processing portion, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the second range being different from the first range before reversing and within the first range after reversing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshige Inoue
  • Patent number: 8867981
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member configured to form a developer image thereon; a transfer member configured to transfer the developer image formed on the photosensitive member to a sheet; a conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet toward and between the photosensitive member and the transfer member; and a charge removal member configured to remove charges on the conveyance roller. The conveyance roller is arranged to face a surface of the sheet to which the transfer member faces. The charge removal member is provided at a position at which the charge removal member is not in contact with the conveyance roller, within a range in which charges on the conveyance roller can be discharged toward the charge removal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hironaka, Motoaki Mushika
  • Publication number: 20140255071
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that forms an image on one side of a sheet and then forms an image on the other side of the sheet. A single-sided sheet passing path transports a sheet housed in a sheet-feeding tray to the image forming section, and a double-sided sheet passing path reverses a sheet with an image formed on one side and causes the sheet to join the single-sided sheet passing path. The single-sided sheet passing path is formed so as to include a second interval which includes a registration sensor placed near a joining position of the single-sided and double-sided sheet passing paths in the double-sided sheet passing path as one end point and in which a sheet draws a moving trajectory substantially identical to a moving trajectory of a sheet in a first interval extending toward an upstream side in the transport direction of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Kinoshita, Masaya Shitami, Kazunori Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8810874
    Abstract: A duplex scanning apparatus and a sheet-feeding control method thereof are provided. The duplex scanning apparatus includes a sheet feeding channel, a sheet transfer channel, an inverting channel, and a sheet sensing module. A first end of the inverting channel is connected to a junction between said sheet feeding channel and the sheet transfer channel. A second end of the inverting channel is connected to the sheet transfer channel. A distance between the sheet sensing module and the first end of the inverting channel is greater than a distance between the sheet sensing module and the second end of the inverting channel. When a document is transferred through the sheet sensing module at the second time, a next document is fed into the sheet feeding channel through a sheet entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping-Hung Kuo, Yi-Liang Chen, Wei-Hsun Hsu, Szu-Chieh Wu