Discharge Of Copy (e.g., Exit Tray) Patents (Class 399/405)
  • Patent number: 8406681
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a punch portion which is capable of punching a hole of a different type in a sheet; a sheet stack portion on which a punched sheet is stacked; and a determining portion which determines the hole type; wherein stack limit number of sheets to be stacked on the sheet stack portion is changed in accordance with the hole type determined by the determining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 8401459
    Abstract: An image-forming device includes: an image-forming unit; a sheet discharge unit; a sheet support unit; and a reading unit. The image-forming unit forms images on a recording sheet. The sheet discharge unit discharges, in a sheet discharging direction, a recording sheet formed with an image by the image-forming unit. The sheet support unit is disposed above the image-forming unit, and supports sheet discharged from the sheet discharge unit. The reading unit is disposed above the sheet support unit, with an underside surface of the reading unit opposing a top surface of the sheet support unit. The sheet discharge unit is configured to discharge the sheet diagonally upwardly so that sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit contacts the underside surface of the reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Hattori, Sakae Ito
  • Patent number: 8401458
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a reverse-feeding unit. The reverse-feeding unit includes a frame which forms a first feeding path along which a printing medium is fed and a second feeding path which is branched off from the first feeding path, a guide plate which rotates between a first position in which the printing medium fed along the first feeding path is supported and a second position in which the supported printing medium is directed towards the second feeding path, and a plate driving unit which comprises an actuator which actuates the guide plate, a driving source which drives the actuator, and an electronic clutch which selectively transmits a driving force of the driving source to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Heung-kyu Jang
  • Patent number: 8396382
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a heating device that heats images that have been formed on a sheet-like recording medium to thereby fix the images to the recording medium; an ejection member that rotates in a forward direction and ejects to the outside the recording medium that has been conveyed from the heating device; a blower member that blows air onto the recording medium conveyed between the heating device and the ejection member; and a controller that controls the blower member such that the blower member operates when a recording page count where images are continuously formed on the recording medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined recording page count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Mori, Yutaka Nakayama, Akio Fukuyama, Yousuke Hasegawa, Takeshi Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 8385808
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing media trays in an image production device is disclosed that may include determining if a media tray door is open, and if so, starting a timer, determining if a misfeed indication has been set, and if so, determining if the timer has reached a first predetermined value, and if it has not, determining if the media tray door has been closed, and if so, returning the image production device to a pre-media tray opening state. Otherwise, if it is determined that a misfeed indication has been set, determining if the timer has reached a second predetermined value, and if it has not, determining if the media tray door has been closed, and if so, returning the image production device to the pre-media tray opening state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Bridges
  • Patent number: 8385765
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of selectively discharging a sheet having an image formed with toner on one surface thereof and a sheet having images formed with toner on both surfaces thereof includes a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image on a sheet, a sheet stacking portion configured to stack sheets each having the toner image fixed thereon, and a control portion configured to control a maximum sheet stacking amount of sheets stacked in the sheet stacking portion. The control portion controls the maximum sheet stacking amount set when sheets, at least one of which has the toner images formed on both surfaces thereof, are stacked to be smaller than the maximum sheet stacking amount set when sheets each having the toner image formed on one surface thereof are stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kozo Inoue
  • Patent number: 8379232
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a memory portion for storing an ejection amount conversion table showing a relationship between image data serving as reference and a fluid ejected from a fluid ejecting head for a predetermined number of pixels, and an ejection amount estimation unit which estimates an ejection amount of the fluid from input image data on the basis of the ejection amount conversion table stored in the memory portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Junko Hasegawa, Teruyuki Takata, Takashi Koase
  • Patent number: 8380108
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a main body mounted on an image forming apparatus body; a fixing member that is included in the main body and that fixes an image to a recording medium; a pair of conveying rolls that is supported by the main body and that conveys the recording medium to which an image is fixed by the fixing member, the pair of conveying rolls comprising a driven roll and a driving roll disposed under the driven roll; and an exterior portion that is formed in the main body, disposed under the driving roll, forms an exterior face of the main body, and also forms an exterior face of the image forming apparatus body while the main body is mounted on the image forming apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Isahai, Yasuki Tanaka, Yukihiro Ichiki, Yasuo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130034376
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a sheet roll supporter disposed below a main body of the image forming apparatus to support a sheet roll such that a sheet is fed from the sheet roll, an image forming unit to form an image on the sheet fed from the sheet roll, a sheet discharger disposed downstream from the image forming unit in a direction of conveyance of the sheet to discharge the sheet having the image thereon in a sheet discharging direction, a guide unit to guide the sheet discharged from the sheet discharger to the front of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a stacking unit on which the sheet passing the guide unit is stacked. Upper and front parts of the sheet roll are covered with the guide unit and the stacking unit across a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to the sheet discharging direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Soichi Saiga
  • Patent number: 8368910
    Abstract: A printing system comprises a host computer, a laser printer of a paper ejecting type and another laser printer of a non-paper ejecting type, all connected to one another via a system bus. The host computer functions as the supply source of image information and as the data processor, and controls the laser printer of a paper ejecting type and the other laser printer of a non-paper ejecting type. A printing apparatus and method that can contribute to increasing the speed and convenience of secured print in this printing system are to be provided. To accomplish this, the laser printer of a paper ejecting type and the other laser printer of a non-paper ejecting type will execute interrupt print processing when the received job is a secured print job and there is any other job being processed if there are a plurality of paper discharging ports or execute promote print processing if there is only one paper discharging port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Kakigi
  • Patent number: 8358962
    Abstract: In an image recording apparatus according to an aspect of the invention, a recording medium is allowed to be conveyed on a conveying path. An inversion guide portion connects a first portion of the conveying path positioned downstream of a recording unit to a second portion of the conveying path positioned upstream of the recording unit. A path changeover unit is disposed at the first portion of the conveying path and swingable between a recording medium discharge position and a recording medium inversion position. When the path changeover unit is positioned at the recording medium discharge position, the forward rotation of the roller pair allows the recording medium to be sent to a discharge portion. When the path changeover unit is positioned at the recording medium inversion position, the rearward rotation of the roller pair allows the recording medium to be sent to the inversion guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Sugiyama, Takashi Ohama, Noriyuki Kawamata, Yuta Uchino
  • Patent number: 8358950
    Abstract: Disclosed an image forming system including: an image forming section to perform an image forming processing to form an image on a sheet to eject the image-formed sheet to an sheet ejection section; a control section to control the image forming processing by the image forming section; a specify section to specify the number of units for stop in a temporary stop mode in which the image forming processing by the image forming section is temporarily stopped, wherein the control section allows the image forming section to stop the image forming processing when the image forming processing by the image forming section reaches the number of units for stop specified with the specify section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Yokobori
  • Patent number: 8355642
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes a recording medium feeding unit that feeds a recording medium to a predetermined conveyance path; a conveyance unit that conveys the recording medium fed from the recording medium feeding unit on the conveyance path; a conveyance status detection unit that detects a conveyance status of the recording medium placed on the conveyance path; a control unit that controls operations of the recording medium feeding unit, the conveyance unit, and the conveyance status detection unit; and an accommodation unit that accommodates the recording medium. The control unit controls the feeding of the recording medium with the recording medium feeding unit and the conveyance of the recording medium with the conveyance unit based on a detection result of the conveyance status detection unit, thereby discharging the recording medium present in the image forming apparatus to the accommodation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Shoji, Junji Shirakawa, Takayuki Muneyasu
  • Patent number: 8351840
    Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Paul Mandel, Steven Robert Moore, Injae Choi, Stan Alan Spencer
  • Patent number: 8351088
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus with a structure capable of reliably discharging a document, and a multi-functional machine having the same are disclosed. The image reading apparatus includes a document feed path having a document outlet, a reading unit which reads an image of a document fed through the document feed path, and a guide member which is disposed at the document outlet downstream of the reading unit to form a curl on the trailing end portion of the document. The curl formed on the document may make it possible for a subsequent document being discharged to push the curled document out of the document outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Hoon Choi, Yong Sok Yang
  • Patent number: 8351811
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming unit configured to fix a developer image on a sheet medium and to output the sheet medium, and an output-image storing unit configured to store, on the inner side of a door involving a lock mechanism, the sheet medium on which the developer image is fixed by the image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisaya Ishio, Keiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8346154
    Abstract: A conveyance control mechanism for a printer including an image forming unit forming an image on a sheet being conveyed on a conveyance route, includes a curl detector configured to detect a curl of the sheet conveyed on the conveyance route, in an upstream of the image forming unit on the conveyance route. The conveyance route controller may drive and stop the conveyance route differently depending on whether the curl detector detects a curl at either a front end or at a position other than the front end. When the curl detector detects a curl of the sheet, an image forming route where the image forming unit performs an image formation may be separated and retreated from the conveyance route and the sheet being conveyed may be discharged onto the retreated image forming route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Hara, Yukihiro Maeda, Masatoshi Fujimoto, Masakazu Kawano
  • Patent number: 8346152
    Abstract: There is provided an automatic document feeder, comprising: a document tray; an output tray; a movable ejection flap configured to be movable between a first position where the document for which the image reading is finished is sunk into a position between the output tray and a bottom of a stacked document already staked on the output tray and a second position where the document is ejected on the output tray without being sunk into the position; a setting unit configured to set the movable flap to one of the first position and the second position; a change unit configured to change a position of the movable flap to the second position in response to a fact that a predetermined condition is satisfied in a state where the position of the movable flap has been set to the first position through the setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryoichi Matsushima
  • Patent number: 8340535
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing unit fixing an unfixed toner image formed by an image forming unit and transferred by a transfer unit on a recording medium; a discharge unit provided above the fixing unit and discharging the recording medium; a fixing jam processing cover rotating with respect to an apparatus main body so as to open or close a part of a paper conveyance path from the fixing unit to the discharge unit; a conveyance guide member swingably provided on the fixing jam processing cover and guiding the recording medium to the discharge unit; and a supporting member having an inclined surface with which the conveyance guide member makes contact and along which, as the fixing jam processing cover is being opened, the conveyance guide member slides to become less inclined with respect to a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Masakazu Uehara
  • Patent number: 8340566
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; a printing medium supply unit, which is coupled to the casing, and supplies a printing medium; an image forming unit, which forms an image on the printing medium supplied from the printing medium supply unit; and a discharge unit. The discharge unit includes: a discharging part, which discharges the printing medium fed from the image forming unit out of the casing; a feeding guide, which is provided along in a feeding path of the printing medium, and moves between a discharging position, in which the printing medium is discharged out of the casing, and a back feeding position, in which the printing medium is back fed to the image forming unit; and a pressing lever, which presses and releases the feeding guide, according to a movement of the discharging part, so that the feeding guide can move between the discharging position and the back feeding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-sik Jeong
  • Patent number: 8339657
    Abstract: An image data processing apparatus includes an execution device, a use determination device, an identification device, an execution determination device, and a control device. The execution device executes a predetermined data processing of image data. The use determination device determines at least one used amount in at least one specified portion which is used when the data processing is executed. The identification device identifies an attribute of the image data. The execution determination device determines whether or not to execute the data processing of the image data based on the attribute of the image data identified by the identification device and the at least one used amount determined by the use determination device. The control device makes the execution device execute the data processing of the image data when it is determined by the execution determination device to execute the data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8340567
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus which includes a tray for setting a printing medium thereon, the printing apparatus including: a switch section which is used to perform a power-on operation or a power-off operation; a tray driving section which performs a driving operation of extracting the tray; a detection section which detects whether the printing medium exists on the tray; a control section which moves the tray to a discharge position by controlling the tray driving section in order to prompt an operation of extracting the printing medium from the tray before an initialization process ends when the printing medium is detected upon performing a power-on process; and a storage section which stores information that the control section moves the tray to the discharge position upon performing the power-on process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corproration
    Inventor: Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 8340559
    Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a heating rotary member and a pressurizing rotary member, which form a nip, and guiding members for guiding a recording sheet that has passed through the nip. In a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis of the heating rotary member, La connects axial centers of two rotary members, Lb is perpendicular to La, P is on a guiding surface of one of the guiding members and horizontally closer to the pressurizing rotary member than any other points thereon, said one of the guiding members being closer to the heating rotary member than the other, Lc passes through P and is tangent to an outer circumference of the heating rotary member near the nip, and D is a P-La distance. Here, heating rotary member diameter×1.6?D<heating rotary member diameter×2.4. Above the nip, Lc leans further toward the heating rotary member than Lb, and 2.2°?angle between Lc and Lb<6.5°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kuroda, Tatsuyuki Sasaki, Takuya Wada, Haruki Iwatsuki
  • 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: 8331838
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit to thermally fix an image transferred onto a sheet, a discharge unit to discharge the sheet carried from the fixing unit outside the image forming apparatus through a discharge path, a swingable member to be swung by the sheet being discharged, a swing-detectable sensor to detect swing movement of the swingable member being swung by the sheet, and a judging unit to judge as to whether the sheet is in one-sided alignment, in which the sheet is aligned to one of the widthwise sides in the discharge path based on result detected by the swing-detectable sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noboru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8328185
    Abstract: A medium stack tray comprises a stacking member that stacks a sheet medium and is configured to be wound in a roll, a winding mechanism that winds the stacking member, a regulating mechanism that regulates the stacking member being pulled out to be wound by the winding mechanism, and a releasing mechanism that releases regulation for winding the stacking member by the regulating mechanism. In the stacking member being pulled out, at least a portion of a cross section thereof, in a perpendicular direction to a pull-out direction of the stacking member, has a curved shape. Alternatively, the stacking member is configured to have greater minimum area moment of inertia of a cross section when pulled out, than when wound up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Masanari Takabatake, Mieko Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8326209
    Abstract: A printer includes a main body for printing and outputting paper, a bracket attached to the main body, a driving mechanism, and a tray for receiving the paper. The bracket includes two sidewalls. A retaining member is secured to each sidewall. A first spring member is secured between each retaining member and the corresponding sidewall. The driving mechanisms are secured to the sidewalls. Each driving mechanism includes a sliding member slidable on the sidewall. The tray is received in the bracket. The tray has tray posts. The sliding members are slid to bring the tray. The tray posts slide the retaining members from a first position to a second position before passing across the retaining members, and the retaining members are slid from the second position to the first position by rebounding of the first springs after the tray posts pass across the retaining members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Lu Fan, Chih-Kun Shih, Chun-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 8326208
    Abstract: A paper discharge device includes a discharge member, a paper carry portion, a first moving section, a pair of paper side end register sections, a second moving section, and a discharge paper control section. The paper carry portion carries thereon paper discharged by the discharge member. The first moving section moves the discharge member in a paper width direction to shift the position of paper. The pair of paper side end register sections holds the paper from both sides in the paper width direction. The second moving section moves the pair of paper side end register sections in the paper width direction. The discharge paper control section, when the shifting direction of the paper by the first moving section is switched from one direction to the other direction, controls the second moving section to move the pair of paper side end register section in the other direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tamura, Yoshiyuki Takaishi, Ryuichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8320817
    Abstract: A method of removing charge from a charged sheet prior to stacking the charged sheet is disclosed. The method includes moving the charged sheet through a set of nipped rollers while a first roller has an AC voltage applied thereto so that a first side of the charged sheet is in contact with the first roller and has its charge substantially dissipated, whereby charge substantially remains on a second side of the charged sheet in contact with a second roller. The method further includes using at least one non-contact charge removal device to remove charge from the second side of the charged sheet, and stacking the discharged sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Mark C. Zaretsky
  • Patent number: 8315550
    Abstract: A method executed by an image forming apparatus for producing a print job, which includes the steps of: (a) receiving data representing a document to be printed in the print job; (b) receiving job information about the print job, the job information including an instruction to print multiple copies of the document; (c) printing the multiple copies of the document; and (d) ejecting one sheet of each of the multiple copies of the document at an ejection speed, that is either greater than or less than an ejection speed of the other sheets of the multiple copies of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Shaun Pinney, Hoa Hu
  • Patent number: 8315551
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, an auxiliary discharging part disposed at one side of the main body, a cover unit to open and close the auxiliary discharging part and stack thereon paper discharged through the auxiliary discharging part, a guide member rotatably mounted to the cover unit to guide the paper when the paper is rotating, and a supporting device to support the guide member when the auxiliary discharging part is in an opened state. Since the supporting device supports the guide member when the auxiliary discharging part is in an opened state, paper being discharged through the auxiliary discharging part may be stably stacked on the cover unit, being prevented from interfering with the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Won Kim, Jae Ho Lee
  • Publication number: 20120263511
    Abstract: A printing apparatus having a plurality of sheet storage units that stores sheets to be supplied to a printing unit includes a reception unit configured to receive, from an external printing apparatus in which a sheet storage unit group constituted by arbitrary sheet storage units of a plurality of sheet storage units has been formed, paper information that is information of sheets stored in respective sheet storage units that constitute the sheet storage unit group, and a creation unit configured to form a sheet storage unit group corresponding to a sheet storage unit group formed in the external printing apparatus using arbitrary sheet storage units of the plurality of sheet storage units which the printing apparatus has, based on the information of the sheets stored in each of the plurality of sheet storage units which the external printing apparatus has, and the paper information received by the reception unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shin Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8284465
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a feeding unit performing document feeding to sequentially feed sheets, a flatbed glass being loaded with a sheet thereon, a scanning unit performing document scanning in any one of a first mode for sequentially scanning sheets being fed by the feeding unit and a second mode for scanning each sheet which is placed on the flatbed glass on a sheet-by-sheet basis, an interrupting unit detecting an error during the document feeding and interrupting the document feeding, an identifying unit identifying damaged sheets among document sheets to be scanned, and a controller configured to, after the interrupted document feeding is released with the detected error being settled, control the scanning unit to perform the document scanning in the second mode for the damaged sheets and in the first mode for undamaged sheets other than the damaged sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroko Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8285193
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention has: an ejecting unit that is capable of receiving a sheet on which a toner image has been heated and fixed, and ejecting the sheet for a predetermined normal ejecting time; and a processing unit that processes the sheet ejected by the ejecting unit according to obtained sheet information, wherein the ejecting unit ejects the sheet for an ejecting time longer than the normal ejecting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventor: Naoto Saeki
  • Patent number: 8276907
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs a recording operation on a sent recording medium; a main body that has the recording unit; a discharge stacker that places the recording medium discharged from the main body therein; and a flexible member that forms a lateral closed region by connecting a downstream end in a discharge direction of the discharge stacker and the main body on the upper side of the downstream end in the discharge direction of the discharge stacker in a placing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shiohara, Munetoyo Aono
  • Patent number: 8275304
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit configured to read image information of an original document, an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet according to the image information, a sheet discharge space located between the image reading unit and the image forming unit, into which the sheet is discharged after passing through the image forming unit, a first sheet discharge port disposed facing the sheet discharge space, a second sheet discharge port located beneath the first sheet discharge port, and a sheet handling unit detachably mountable in the sheet discharge space, configured to connect to the first sheet discharge port and block the second sheet discharge port when mounted in the sheet discharge space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryo Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8275303
    Abstract: A discharging unit including: a casing; a discharger to discharge printing medium; a storage plate disposed in the casing below the discharger, to store the printing media discharged by the discharger; and a separation preventing unit to prevent the printing media from being ejected from the discharging unit by selectively protruding from the storage plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-seok Yoo
  • Patent number: 8270041
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read an open document. The open document includes a first page including a first image and a second page including a second image. The apparatus also includes a storing unit configured to store the first page read by the reading unit as first page image data including the first image, and to store the second page read by the reading unit as second page image data including the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shingo Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8270858
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a sensor to detect whether a paper is discharged or not, a determiner to determine a paper width according to whether a sensing signal is output from the sensor when a printing job is executed, and a controller to control a subsequent printing operation according to the determination result of the determiner. After the printing job is initiated, the determiner determines a normal width when the sensing signal is output within a preset time, and the determiner determines a narrow width when the sensing signal is not output within the present time. Accordingly, using an existing sensor, the paper width can be detected and the appropriate printing process can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ui-choon Lee
  • Publication number: 20120224901
    Abstract: A medium transporting apparatus is incorporated in an apparatus, and includes a first transport path and a second transport path. The first transport path is defined in the body of the apparatus. The second transport path is disposed on a medium cassette. The medium cassette is movable in a direction in which the medium cassette is pulled out of the apparatus and in a direction in which the medium cassette is inserted into the apparatus, so that the second transport path is detachably coupled to the first transport path. When the medium cassette has been inserted completely into the apparatus, a guide member extends to cover a joint portion between the first transport path and the second transport path, thereby facilitating advancement of the medium from the second transport path to the first transport path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 8260188
    Abstract: An image erasing apparatus includes a stacking tray stacking the recording medium, a heater heating the recording medium to a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature at which developer on the recording medium is erased, a detector disposed downstream in a recording medium carrying direction from the heater to detect an image on the recording medium, a recording medium carrying mechanism picking up the recording medium, from the stacking tray sheet by sheet and carrying the picked-up recording medium, a storage box storing the image-erased recording medium by size, a lateral aligning mechanism disposed in the storage box so as to align the recording medium in the lateral direction, and a controller controlling the alignment operation of the lateral aligning mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taki, Ken Iguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8249495
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet supply unit for supplying a printing medium; and a sheet discharge unit for discharging the printing medium after an image is transferred to the printing medium. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a transport path medium number storage unit for storing a transport path medium number; a discharge number storage unit for storing a discharge number; an upper limit print number storage unit for storing an upper limit print number; an addition unit for calculating an addition sum of the discharge number and the transport path medium number; a number comparison unit for comparing the addition sum with the upper limit print number; and a sheet supply stop unit for stopping the sheet supply unit when the addition sum exceeds the upper limit print number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Kohara
  • Patent number: 8249494
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of properly discharging a medium has a first medium stacking unit, a second medium stacking unit, and a guiding member for guiding the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in an opened state and guiding the medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in a closed state. Since the guiding member guides the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the opened state and guides medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the closed state, the medium can be discharged to the second medium stacking unit in a case that large normal curling occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takemasa Ishikuro
  • Patent number: 8244167
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an image reading part, an image forming part, a sheet discharge part, and a sheet stack part. The image reading part has a front surface located on a downstream side in a discharge direction of a sheet relative to a front of the sheet stack part. The sheet stack part includes a first stacker surface provided on an upstream side in the discharge direction and including a surface having a slope extending upward in the discharge direction and a second stacker surface formed adjacent to the first stacker surface and sloping less steeply upward in the discharge direction than the slope of the first stacker surface with a boundary between the first stacker surface and the second stacker surface located at a rear of the front surface of the image reading part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Andoh, Takuji Takahashi, Takamasa Shiraki, Yoshihide Ohta, Kohji Hatayama
  • Publication number: 20120201586
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention has: an ejecting unit that is capable of receiving a sheet on which a toner image has been heated and fixed, and ejecting the sheet for a predetermined normal ejecting time; and a processing unit that processes the sheet ejected by the ejecting unit according to obtained sheet information, wherein the ejecting unit ejects the sheet for an ejecting time longer than the normal ejecting time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: CANON FINETECH INC.
    Inventor: Naoto Saeki
  • Patent number: 8235614
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming portion that forms an image on a surface of a sheet, a feeding device that feeds the sheet in a sheet feeding direction, a sheet receiving portion, and an engagement portion selectively moves between a first position and a second position. When the engagement portion is in the first position, the engagement portion engages the leading end of the sheet. When the engagement portion is in the second position, the engagement portion does not engage the sheet. When the engagement portion is in the first position, the engagement portion engages a leading end of the sheet before a trailing end of the sheet passes the feeding device. The sheet receiving portion receives the sheet after the engagement portion engages the leading end of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Takata, Yoshikazu Takahashi, Kazama Goto, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8237999
    Abstract: There is provided an automatic document feeder, comprising: a document tray; an output tray; a first rotating body that ejects the document to the output tray; a second rotating body that ejects the document to the output tray; a reversing mechanism that reverses a carrying direction of the document which passed the reading portion to carry again the document to the reading portion; a sinking mechanism that sinks the document into a position between a bottom of a document already stacked on the output tray and a surface of the output tray; and a switching mechanism configured to switch between a first motion of carrying the document to the first rotating body and a second motion of carrying the document to the second rotating body, in accordance with whether the reversing mechanism is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuro Kusama
  • Publication number: 20120195668
    Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming section that forms an image on one side or both sides of a recording sheet; a main body, in which the image forming section is arranged; a main body discharge section arranged in the main body, and to which the recording sheet is discharged; and a discharge unit that is removable with respect to a side surface of the main body, and connectable to a reverse transportation path to reverse front and back of the recording sheet when forming images on both sides of the recording sheet; wherein the recording sheet can be selectively discharged to the main body discharge section or the discharge unit. The discharge unit includes a discharge tray, a discharge roller, a swinging member to guide the recording sheet to the discharge tray, and a rotation drive portion to rotate the discharge roller and swing the swinging member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Gaku YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8226084
    Abstract: A sheet-conveying device designed to feed a sheet fed thereto through a fixing device toward a discharge unit includes first and second conveyance guides facing each other so as to define a sheet conveyance path and each having a conveying member designed to feed the sheet. The first conveyance guide includes a blower opening facing the sheet conveyance path for blowing air onto the sheet conveyance path, an exhaust opening provided on a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction with respect to the blower opening for removing air that has been blown onto the sheet conveyance path and discharging it outside the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Sumikura