Delivering From Transfer Position Patents (Class 399/397)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8331845
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body; a cover provided openably/closably with respect to the image forming apparatus main body; a conveyance passage, formed in the image forming apparatus main body, on which a recording medium is conveyed; a detection device that detects movement of the recording medium conveyed on the conveyance passage; a first recording medium guide member provided oppositely to the moving member and fixed when the cover is closed; and a second recording medium guide member, provided on a downstream side of and following the first recording medium guide member in a recording medium conveyance direction, that movably guides the conveyed recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kon, Kaoru Watanabe, Hideki Sato, Akio Miyazaki, Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8322712
    Abstract: A sheet-material transporting device includes: plural first endless-belts; a driving-member around which the first endless-belts are trained to circulate; a first driven-member around which the first endless-belts are trained, being slave-rotated; a supporting-member provided at an inner-peripheral-side of the first endless-belts; a second endless-belt provided between the first endless-belts, trained around the driving-member and circulating; a second driven-member provided between the first driven-member and the driving-member, around which the second endless-belt is trained at an opening portion provided in the supporting-member, being slave-rotated; and a detecting-member detecting a sheet-material, the supporting-member including a downstream-side-supporting-member disposed at a downstream-side having a concave-portion formed in an end portion, and an upstream-side-supporting-member disposed at an upstream-side and that is set against the end portion of the downstream-side-supporting-member such that the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Funayanagi, Toshiyuki Miyata
  • Patent number: 8320816
    Abstract: An improved architecture for use in a tightly integrated serial or parallel printer includes an inverter module that comprises a straight pass-through media path, as well as, an invert path. This auxiliary ‘pass-through’ media path of the inverter allows a sheet to enter the inverter ‘backwards’ through the traditional duplex exit path and continue straight out the inverter into the media path of a downstream engine to receive an image thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Henry T Bober, James J Spence
  • Patent number: 8315546
    Abstract: A transfer device includes an image carrier that carries an image and a transfer roller having a recessed section, a transfer medium gripping member that is disposed in the recessed section and grips a transfer medium, and an elastic member that forms a transfer nip by abutting upon the image carrier, the transfer roller transferring the image carried by the image carrier to the transfer medium by abutting upon the image carrier. The transfer medium gripping member grips the transfer medium when the recessed section moves to a position of the transfer nip and the image carrier and the transfer roller do not contact to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kamijo, Satoshi Chiba, Shinichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8301072
    Abstract: A guiding roller unit has a holder to be mounted on a mount, and a guiding roller rotatably supported by the holder. The holder includes a base, two bearings and widening preventing plates attached respectively to the bearing. The base, the bearings and the widening preventing parts are integral to each other. The base is mounted on the mount. The bearings stand from opposite ends of the base and rotatably support the roller. The widening preventing plates extend in directions opposite to facing directions of the bearings. The holder enables the roller to be attached and detached with leading ends of the bearings elastically widened with respect to base ends thereof connected with the base while being detached from the mount, whereas it prohibits widening of the leading ends of the bearings by contacting the mount in response to forces acting in widening directions while being mounted on the mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Fukunaga, Hironori Daigo
  • Patent number: 8290414
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a pair of regulating members, for regulating movement of a recording material conveyed from a secondary transfer portion toward an intermediary transfer belt side, configured to be contactable to the recording material at both end portions with respect to a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording material; a moving mechanism capable of moving a position of the pair of regulating members with respect to the width direction; a recording material size detecting portion for obtaining width information of the recording material with respect to the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction; and a width control portion for controlling the moving mechanism so that the pair of regulating members to a position correspondingly to the width information obtained by the recording material size detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 8260187
    Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed. The device includes a toner-image forming unit which forms a toner image; a transfer unit; a fixing unit; a paper-output unit; a drive unit; a first drive-power transmission gear; a second drive-power transmission gear; a gear housing; a first positioning unit which positions the fixing unit relative to a device body; and a second positioning unit. The second positioning unit positions the paper-output unit relative to the device body in the direction of a gap between the first drive-power transmission gear and the second drive-power transmission gear by engaging the gear housing with the device body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruyuki Honda, Yasuo Matsuyama, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Kazuyoshi Kondo, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Ippei Kimura, Toshikane Nishii, Mizuna Tanaka, Tomoyoshi Yamazaki, Masafumi Takahira
  • Publication number: 20120219338
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to discharge sheets may include pressing mechanism configured to downwardly press discharged sheets. For example, the pressing mechanism may include a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The first pressing member and the second pressing member may be located at least partially overlapping positions in the width-wise direction of the sheet. Additionally or alternatively, each of the first pressing member and the second pressing member may be configured to contact the sheet at different positions along a discharge direction. In one example, the different portions may be spaced apart from each other in the discharge direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasunori Watanabe, Tatsuya Koyama
  • Patent number: 8238806
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which includes: an image carrier that carries an image; a transfer roller that includes a gripping member, and transfers the image to the transfer medium; a suction guide portion that includes a suction unit, and suctions and guides the transfer medium transferred the image, vertically upward with a plane transferred the image of the transfer medium being directed vertically downward; and a transfer medium transporting section that includes a suction member and transports the transfer medium while suctioning the transfer medium by the suction member, the transfer medium transporting section being configured such that a position of starting to suction the transfer medium is arranged at a position having a predetermined relationship with respect to a position of releasing the transfer medium from the gripping member and a position at which the image carrier is separated from the transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Fuminori Yano
  • Patent number: 8233837
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided and includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet at an image forming position; a regulating roller that conveys the recording sheet; a supply path from the regulating roller to the image forming position; an inversion path that is configured to merge with a position on the supply path between the regulating roller and the image forming position and bends and inverts the sheet; a return path that is configured on an opposite side of the regulating roller from the supply path to return the recording sheet to the supply path; and a control unit which rotates the regulating roller in a return rotational direction to convey the inverted recording sheet into the return path, and in a feed rotational direction to convey the recording sheet to the image forming position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 8228513
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording-medium stacking portion, a recording-medium ejection portion and a suctioning/exhausting unit. The recording-medium stacking portion is provided in a body portion or an upper portion of the image forming apparatus. The recording-medium stacking portion stacks recording media on which respective images are formed thereon. The recording-medium ejection portion ejects the recording medium in a recording-medium ejection direction to the recording-medium stacking portion. The suctioning/exhausting unit is located with respect to the recording-medium stacking portion in a direction, which is perpendicular to the recording-medium ejection direction and parallel to a surface of the recording medium staked on the recording-medium stacking portion. The suctioning/exhausting unit suctions air emitted from the recording medium, which is ejected from the recording-medium ejection portion onto the recording-medium stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasunori Saito
  • Patent number: 8218157
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording-medium stacking portion, a recording-medium ejection portion and a suctioning/exhausting unit. The recording-medium stacking portion is provided in a body portion or an upper portion of the image forming apparatus. The recording-medium stacking portion stacks recording media on which respective images are formed thereon. The recording-medium ejection portion ejects the recording medium in a recording-medium ejection direction to the recording-medium stacking portion. The suctioning/exhausting unit is located with respect to the recording-medium stacking portion in a direction, which is perpendicular to the recording-medium ejection direction and parallel to a surface of the recording medium stacked on the recording-medium stacking portion. The suctioning/exhausting unit suctions air emitted from the recording medium, which is ejected from the recording-medium ejection portion onto the recording-medium stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasunori Saito
  • Patent number: 8213855
    Abstract: A drive unit for changing the driving rate of paper ejection rollers for ejecting sheets of paper after fixing is installed, and an image forming apparatus has an option, and when ejecting the sheets of paper to an intra-body paper ejection unit, after the sheets of paper pass a fixing device, the paper ejection rate of paper ejection rollers 24 is increased, and the ejection force of the sheets of paper P is increased, and paper jamming at the time of paper ejection to the intra-body paper ejection unit is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichiro Shishikura
  • Patent number: 8208846
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an apparatus main body, an image forming assembly arranged in the apparatus main body, a sheet tray on which a sheet is to be placed, a conveyance unit detachably insertable into the apparatus main body, provided between the sheet tray and the image forming assembly and adapted to convey the sheet on the sheet tray toward the image forming assembly, an openable and closable cover member provided on a wall of the apparatus main body facing a downstream end of the conveyance unit in a sheet conveying direction, a vertical conveyance path defined at an inner side of the cover member by closing the cover member for further conveying the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit upward, and a locking mechanism for preventing the conveyance unit from being pulled out from the apparatus main body with the cover member closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Takemoto, Kotaro Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8204428
    Abstract: A color laser printer includes a belt conveying device having a conveyor belt for conveying a recording medium, an image forming unit that forms an image on the recording medium and a test pattern in a test-pattern area on a conveying surface of the conveyor belt, and a pressing member having a pressing surface that grows wider toward a downstream side with respect to a conveying direction in which the recording medium is conveyed and that presses the recording medium toward the conveying surface of the conveyor belt. The pressing member is disposed so that a prescribed gap is formed between the pressing surface of the pressing member and the test-pattern area on the conveying surface of the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiteru Hattori
  • Patent number: 8200143
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming an image using developer; a transfer unit for transferring the image to a medium transported thereto; a first detection unit disposed at a specific position for detecting the image thus transferred; and a second detection unit disposed to face the first detection unit for detecting a distance to the medium so that the first detection unit detects a detection result of the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Toshimasa Shiobara
  • Patent number: 8190079
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a conveyor unit, a printing unit, a data acquiring unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image based on image data. The conveyor unit conveys a transfer medium onto which the image is to be transferred. The printing unit prints the image onto the transfer medium. The data acquiring unit acquires the image data. The control unit controls the conveyor unit, the printing unit, and the data acquiring unit. The control unit controls the conveyor unit not to feed a transfer medium from a feed tray to the printing unit when a command for printing a second side by double-sided printing is not detected within a predetermined time after detecting a command for printing a first side by double-sided printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kazuo Mohri
  • Publication number: 20120128396
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprising an image bearing member configured to carry a toner image and a rotatable belt member stretched by a plurality of stretching members and configured to carry and convey a recording material and a transfer member configured to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member to the recording material carried by the belt member by pressing the belt member against the image bearing member and a first lifting member arranged more downstream than the transfer member in a recording material conveyance direction, to which the recording material is conveyed, and configured to locally lift the belt member from the inside thereof in a width direction orthogonal to the recording material conveyance direction and a second lifting member arranged more downstream than the first lifting member in the recording material conveyance direction, is disclosed as one of the aspects of disclosures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuro Ideguchi
  • Patent number: 8174736
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is configured to read an image of a document. The image reading apparatus includes a main body, a document receiving surface configured to receive a document to be read, an operation panel disposed on the main body and a document cover configured to move between a first position covering the document receiving surface and a second position exposing the document receiving surface. The operation panel has a first inclined surface inclined relative to the document receiving surface and operation keys arranged on the first inclined surface. The document cover has a second inclined surface inclined relative to the document receiving surface. When the document cover is in the first position, the second inclined surface may generally align with the first inclined surface, may be immediately adjacent to the first inclined surface, and may be inclined less than the first inclined surface relative to the document receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sakae Ito
  • Patent number: 8150287
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to form a developer image on a recording sheet. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a pressure roller and a heat roller, an ejection roller configured to cause the recording sheet from the fixing unit to be ejected from the image forming apparatus, and a power transmission member configured to transmit power from the heat roller to cause the ejection roller to rotate. The pressure roller is configured to rotate in response to power and configured to cause the heat roller to be rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Souda
  • Patent number: 8131202
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image transferring portion for transferring an image onto a sheet, an image fixing portion for fixing the transferred image to the sheet, a sheet conveyor portion arranged between the image transferring portion and the image fixing portion for conveying the sheet in a sheet conveying direction, a support portion having an elliptical-shaped shaft hole extending in a direction crossing the sheet conveying direction, and an arm rotatably mounted on the support portion. A first spur is disposed at a position opposed to the sheet conveyor portion and is rotatably supported by the support portion and movable along the shaft hole. A second spur is disposed at a position opposed to the sheet conveyor portion downstream in a sheet conveying direction of the first spur and closer to the sheet conveyor portion than the first spur. The second spur is rotatably supported by the arm and has a movable range larger than a movable range of the first spur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko I Infotech Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyohito Hirota
  • Patent number: 8131203
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus adjusts a size of the loop of the sheet between the fixing unit and the transfer unit, according to a signal from a loop detection unit provided in a sheet conveyance path between a transfer unit and a fixing unit and configured to detect a loop of a sheet. The loop detection unit includes a detecting lever that is provided protrudably and retractably from and into the sheet conveyance path and abuts against the sheet, and a loop detection sensor that is turned on or off by the detecting lever. If the sheet is to be conveyed only by the transfer unit, the detecting lever moves to a retracting position from the sheet conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomonori Kitan
  • Publication number: 20120051818
    Abstract: An image processing device, comprising a supplying path; a re-carrying path; and a supply and separation mechanism to carry and separate a sheet-like medium, and wherein the supply and separation mechanism comprises: a sending roller; an independent roller and a retard roller, and the sending roller includes an arc part and a recess formed inside of a trace of an outer circumferential surface of the arc part, the independent roller is able to rotate independently of the sending roller, the retard roller, by stopping or rotating in an inverse direction of a supplying direction, causes a frictional resistance with respect to the sheet-like medium being sent out by the arc part to separate the sheet-like medium one by one, and the image processing device further comprises: a control unit configured to cause the retard roller to rotate in the supplying direction when re-supplying is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya YAMAGUCHI, Yoshiteru HATTORI
  • Patent number: 8121510
    Abstract: For a sheet circulating transfer route that includes a sheet transfer portion of a printing mechanism provided with a transfer belt for transfer of a sheet as positioned thereto, a transfer section provided with drive rollers for transfer of a sheet as image-formed by an image former of the printing mechanism, and a sheet invert portion operable for inversion of the sheet as image-formed, there is a drive controller adapted, in conformity to a condition that a sheet to be positioned in the printing mechanism is equal in length to or longer than a path distance from the image former to the drive rollers, to set a transfer speed of the sheet as image-formed by the drive rollers up as an identical speed to a transfer speed of the sheet as positioned by the transfer belt, and in non-conformity to the condition, to set it up as a greater speed than the transfer speed by the transfer belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Roppongi
  • Patent number: 8121507
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of forming an image without transfer deviation or rumples by detecting the loop amount of the sheet material with a plurality of thresholds at multiple stages through a loop amount detecting portion detecting the loop amount of a sheet passing between conveyance guide members. The loop amount finely detected at the multiple stages through the loop amount detecting portion is reflected in a control and drive system, and, as a result, the sheet material can be conveyed while keeping the loop of the sheet material passing between the conveyance guide members at an appropriate amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Fujio Tabata
  • Patent number: 8118506
    Abstract: Disclosed is an idler roller assembly for a printing apparatus. The idler rolling assembly includes a shaft, at least one idler rolling element connected to the shaft, the at least one idler rolling element having an inner surface and an outer surface and being connected to the shaft at a substantially center portion of the idler rolling element, the at least one idler rolling element being cylindrically shaped and having an axis substantially parallel to an axis of the shaft, and at least one radial control movement element connected to the shaft, the at least one radial control movement element having a radius selected to leave a predetermined gap between an outer edge of the at least one radial control movement element and the inner surface of the idler rolling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Bridges, Neil Paterson
  • Publication number: 20120034008
    Abstract: A separating device includes an intermediate transfer belt drive roller disposed in a convey path so as to convey a recording medium, a separating claw disposed to be opposed to the intermediate transfer belt drive roller so as to separate the recording medium by the tip. A part of the intermediate transfer belt drive roller to which the separating claw is opposed is made of material having higher hardness than the tip of the separating claw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Toshiki TAKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20120014732
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a motor driving control device including a motor driver, a storage device, and a control section. The motor driver supplies a motor driving current for driving a motor to the motor. The storage device stores a first data table in which temperature around the motor, a current value of the motor driving current set to prevent the motor from stepping out at the temperature, and a driving voltage set in the motor driver in order to cause the motor driver to output the motor driving current having the current value are associated with one another for each temperature around the motor. The control section controls the motor driver to output the motor driving current having a predetermined current value associated with the temperature around the motor in the first data table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Atsuhiko EGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8095063
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an improved structure to enable a user to conveniently operate the image forming apparatus at a front of the image forming apparatus, and a method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a main body formed with a discharge port at a front portion, a printing unit mounted inside the main body and disposed adjacent to a front panel of the main body, a feeding unit to feed paper printed by the printing unit toward a rear panel of the main body, and a discharge reversal unit to reverse a moving direction of the paper fed by the feeding unit to feed the paper to the discharge port. A sensor to detect a moving position of the paper and a paper guide guiding movement of the paper is mounted between the feeding unit and the discharge reversal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Sun Ahn, Jin Min Chung, Jin Soo Lee, Min Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 8081329
    Abstract: A merging module connects two printing systems at approximately 90 degrees to one another. The merging module includes a sheet rotator in a plane that is common to the paper paths of both print engines and a buffer. It also includes two bypass paths (one above and one below the rotator) to route the two paper paths around the rotator and enable both print engines to deliver their output to the appropriate finishing device as well as to the buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph H. Lang, Gregory Sosinski, Geoffrey C. Williams, William K. Fancher
  • Patent number: 8081920
    Abstract: A transfer material separating device includes a transfer material moving member (intermediate transfer belt) adapted to move with a transfer material held in contact with and pressed against it so as to have a liquid developer image transferred onto the transfer material and a transfer material separation/suction section (a suction wheel, a suction wheel support lever, a cam and a spring) for sucking the transfer material moving with the transfer material moving member at the surface opposite to the image transfer surface thereof and separating the transfer material from the transfer material moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8055182
    Abstract: A reverse conveying apparatus which again conveys a sheet formed an image by an image forming portion to the image forming portion includes a plurality of roller grippers which supports a sheet formed an image, and a belt which moves the roller grippers to a receiving position where a sheet is received and a carry-out position where a supported sheet is conveyed out. When a sheet is conveyed out in the carry-out position, the sheet is conveyed out such that a rear end thereof when it is received at the receiving position is a leading end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 8055183
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus which forms an image including an image forming unit to form the image on a paper, a plurality of paper ejection trays to mount the paper on which the image is formed, a display unit to display a setting screen for selecting at least one paper ejection tray for a reserved job among the paper ejection trays, detecting units to detect a present mounting amount of the paper in each paper ejection tray and a control unit to control the display of the setting screen, and the control unit simultaneously displays the detected mounting amount of each paper ejection tray on one setting screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoriko Inenaga
  • Publication number: 20110268484
    Abstract: An image formation device is configured such that a feed roller and a discharge roller are rotated in a first direction so that the sheet is fed from the fixing unit to the discharge opening at a first speed V1, in a second direction so that the sheet is fed from the discharge opening to the diverging point at a second speed V2 if the entire sheet has reached a discharge opening side with respect to the diverging point, and the feeding speed is changed to a third speed V3 if the sheet has reached a position where it is nipped by the sheet feed rollers after the sheet was started to be fed at the second speed V2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke AOI
  • Patent number: 8050617
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance unit that conveys plural single cut-sheet recording media arrayed along a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction; and an image forming unit that forms an image on the plural single cut-sheet recording media conveyed by the conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8041286
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a structure to lift or lower a paper loading tray without a separate drive source while preventing damage to constituent elements even under an abnormal situation in that excessive force is transmitted to the paper loading tray. The image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding cassette including a paper loading tray and a lifting member to lift or lower the paper loading tray, the paper feeding cassette being detachably coupled to the body, a power intermittence device to intermit power to be transmitted from a drive source provided in a body of the image forming apparatus to the lifting member, and a power transmission device to transmit the power transmitted through the power intermittence device to the lifting member by use of at least one worm gear. The image forming apparatus further includes a safety lever having one end to cooperate with a pickup roller assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung Yun Won
  • Patent number: 8032071
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading part configured to read image information on an original document, an image forming part configured to form an image on a sheet according to the image information, a sheet discharge part configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed from a front side to a backside of a main body, a sheet stack part onto which the sheet is discharged, and first and second supporters located outside the sheet stack part along a sheet discharge direction. The sheet stack part is located between the image reading part and the image forming part. The first and second supporters form a space between the sheet stack part and the image reading part. The second supporter is smaller than the first supporter in the sheet discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Takayuki Andoh, Takuji Takahashi, Takamasa Shiraki, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohji Hatayama, Takashi Yokota
  • Patent number: 8023880
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a standby tray for making a sheet at the position above a processing tray. The sheet on the standby tray is dropped and supplied onto the processing tray. The upper end of the center area of a shutter supporting the rear end of the sheet on a sheet discharge tray which is slidable to the sheet discharge section of the standby tray or processing tray is made lower than the upper end of the peripheral area of the shutter. Movable portions of the shutter are extended when the sheet discharge tray is slid to close the sheet discharge sections of the processing tray and/or standby tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Mikio Yamamoto, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 8010036
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body that performs image forming processing to a recording sheet; a sheet receiving member provided on a top surface of the apparatus main body and provided with a sheet receiving surface; a sheet discharge port through which a recording sheet bearing thereon a formed image is discharged toward the sheet receiving surface; and a swinging mechanism that allows the sheet receiving member to swing. The swinging mechanism allows the sheet receiving member to swing for the sheet receiving surface to change a posture between a first state where the sheet receiving surface sinks on the sheet discharge port side and a second state where the sheet receiving surface on the sheet discharge port side is closer to horizontal than in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Fuchimoto
  • Patent number: 7991346
    Abstract: An image recording system is configured in which a plurality of image recording apparatuses provided with a recording medium storage portion are disposed in a line, and a recording medium storage means shared by these image recording apparatuses is provided, and a recording medium that has been recorded by the plurality of image recording apparatuses is transported toward the recording medium storage means and stored in the recording medium storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kida, Kimihito Yamasaki, Yuji Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7983594
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to effectively prevent a failure in an image is provided. The image forming apparatus of the invention includes a housing, a transport belt for transporting a sheet along a sheet transport face, an image forming portion arranged above the sheet transport face, and a fixing unit arranged on a downstream side of the sheet transport face of the transport belt in a sheet transport direction. The fixing unit includes a heating roller and a pressure roller. A deposit portion where a toner waste deposits is disposed between the image forming portion and the heating roller. The deposit portion is provided with a contact portion that is configured to make contact with an image formation outside region at a trailing edge of the sheet jumping in a direction approaching the heating roller by being separated from the sheet transport face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20110158725
    Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Hirotaka AOKI, Satoru NAKAKITA, Shota IIJIMA, Kenji SAMOTO, Yuji KOGA
  • Patent number: 7969317
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a casing, a movable member moving from a position outside the casing to a position inside the casing upon contact of a detection object, a radio communication device disposed on the movable member and configured for radio communication with a sending and receiving unit via radio waves, a shielding member for shielding the radio communication between the radio communication device and the sending and receiving unit in a state that the movable member is located within the casing, and a controller for determining the presence of the detection object by determining whether the sending and receiving unit can communicate with the radio communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Oyumi
  • Publication number: 20110135363
    Abstract: A sheet-material transporting device includes: plural first endless-belts; a driving-member around which the first endless-belts are trained to circulate; a first driven-member around which the first endless-belts are trained, being slave-rotated; a supporting-member provided at an inner-peripheral-side of the first endless-belts; a second endless-belt provided between the first endless-belts, trained around the driving-member and circulating; a second driven-member provided between the first driven-member and the driving-member, around which the second endless-belt is trained at an opening portion provided in the supporting-member, being slave-rotated; and a detecting-member detecting a sheet-material, the supporting-member including a downstream-side-supporting-member disposed at a downstream-side having a concave-portion formed in an end portion, and an upstream-side-supporting-member disposed at an upstream-side and that is set against the end portion of the downstream-side-supporting-member such that the
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru FUNAYANAGI, Toshiyuki Miyata
  • Publication number: 20110085838
    Abstract: A duplex-printable image forming apparatus which is capable of increasing a speed of duplex printing. The image forming apparatus includes: a developing unit which forms a visible image, which is formed of a developer, on a printing medium; a fixing unit which fixes the visible image formed on the printing medium onto the printing medium; a discharging roller unit which can be regularly/reversely rotated such that the printing medium passed through the fixing unit is conveyed to the developing unit along a duplex printing path or is discharged out of the apparatus; and an intermediate conveying unit which is interposed between the fixing unit and the discharging roller unit and selectively holds the printing medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung-yun Won
  • Patent number: 7924445
    Abstract: A printing method and apparatus, the method and apparatus including inputting a print job, printing the print job, selecting an output mode in which sheets of the print job are either reversed or not reversed before being output to a stacking unit. When printing is performed based on a second print job subsequent to printing performed based on a first print job, the second print job is output in the same output mode as that of the first print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Morooka
  • Patent number: 7899388
    Abstract: A drive unit for changing the driving rate of paper ejection rollers for ejecting sheets of paper after fixing is installed, and an image forming apparatus has an option, and when ejecting the sheets of paper to an intra-body paper ejection unit, after the sheets of paper pass a fixing device, the paper ejection rate of paper ejection rollers 24 is increased, and the ejection force of the sheets of paper P is increased, and paper jamming at the time of paper ejection to the intra-body paper ejection unit is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichiro Shishikura
  • Patent number: 7899386
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transferor, a fixing unit, and a guide. The image carrier carries a toner image. The transferor opposes the image carrier to form a transfer nip and transfers the toner image on the image carrier onto a recording medium at the transfer nip. The fixing unit fixes the toner image on the recording medium. The guide guides the recording medium bearing the toner image from the transferor toward the fixing unit and includes a surface portion directly contacting the recording medium. The surface portion includes a material for charging the recording medium to have a polarity opposite to the polarity of a toner forming the toner image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuchika Saeki, Mitsuru Takahashi, Kazuosa Kuma, Takeshi Fukao, Tsutomu Katoh, Yoshiharu Kishi
  • Patent number: 7899341
    Abstract: A technique that can contribute to improvement of analysis accuracy in analysis processing concerning an image forming apparatus is provided. An image forming apparatus that forms, on a sheet, a test pattern formed by a color obtained by mixing toners of plural colors, scans a test pattern image formed on the sheet with a color sensor, and performs predetermined image quality control processing on the basis of information scanned, the image forming apparatus including an analysis-information forming unit that forms predetermined information used for an analysis concerning the image forming apparatus on a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Moro