Including Programmed-control-system For Record-medium Feed (e.g., On Auxiliary Record) Patents (Class 400/582)
  • Patent number: 11897722
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sheet conveying device detects double feeding of sheets by an ultrasonic wave oscillator and an ultrasonic waves receiver provided across a conveying path of the sheets. The sheet conveying device calibrates a threshold voltage on the basis of an offset voltage of an amplifier circuit when the receiver has not received ultrasonic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junya Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11858770
    Abstract: Disclosed is a film feeding apparatus including a turntable including a driving member and a rotation bar having a central part shaft-coupled to a rotating shaft of the driving member to be driven to rotate around the rotating shaft and driven to rotate to repeatedly perform an operation in which the rotation bar rotates by a predetermined reference angle through the driving member and is then stopped for a predetermined reference time, a film tray that is installed in a predetermined first operation region to position one of opposite ends of the rotation bar on the film tray in a state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time and on which a plurality of films are located in multiple layers, gripping units coupled to the opposite ends of the rotation bar, respectively, to transfer the films along a predetermined circular trajectory around the rotating shaft by the rotation bar and provided to grip the films, and a film ejection unit that is installed in a predetermined second operation regi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NPS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seong Ho Bae
  • Patent number: 11840088
    Abstract: A wiping unit includes a wiping member with a long shape configured to wipe a liquid ejecting head configured to discharge liquid, a first roller around which to wind the wiping member, a second roller configured to wind up the wiping member fed out from the first roller, a driving force transmission mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of a driving source to the second roller, a conveyance roller configured to make contact with the wiping member and rotate along with a movement of the wiping member, a first detection unit configured to detect a rotation amount of the first roller, and a second detection unit configured to detect a rotation amount of the conveyance roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventor: Kazushi Arafuka
  • Patent number: 11813856
    Abstract: An example method comprises operating a drive unit to advance a substrate in a substrate advance direction toward a printing station. At the printing station, a first line is printed onto the substrate. A drive unit is instructed to advance the substrate in the substrate advance direction by a target amount, and a second line is printed onto the substrate. The distance between the first and second lines in a direction perpendicular to the substrate advance direction is calculated and, based on the calculated difference, a tension of the substrate is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ignasi Bonjoch Roma, Josep Maria Bel Calavia, Andreu Vinets Alonso
  • Patent number: 11787200
    Abstract: An embossing stamp for embossing an identifying mark on a motor vehicle component includes an embossing wheel assembly. The embossing wheel assembly can be set individually for the motor vehicle component being embossed depending on the identifying mark to be stamped. The embossing wheel assembly includes a negative representation of the identifying mark to be stamped. A transmission device is provided to transmit an identification signal characterizing the embossed identifying mark and the motor vehicle component marked with the identifying mark to a computer device external to the embossing stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernhard Glueck
  • Patent number: 11662682
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a method of detecting a media jam in a printer. The method includes causing a sensor unit of the printer to generate a sensor signal indicative of a reflectance characteristic associated with a surface of a roller of the printer. Further, the method includes receiving the sensor signal from the sensor unit of the printer and comparing the reflectance characteristic to a threshold reflectance characteristic associated with the roller. Furthermore, in response to the comparison, the method includes generating an output signal to indicate whether the media jam has occurred. For example, a first output signal indicates unsuccessful passage of a media along a media path of the printer, when the reflectance characteristic exceeds the threshold reflectance characteristic and a second output signal indicates successful passage of the media along the media path, when the reflectance characteristic is equal to or below the threshold reflectance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Wenwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11650776
    Abstract: A supporting program causes a computer of an information processing device to display a setting screen for receiving an input operation of print settings, and acquire sheet information representing information of a sheet a printer uses for printing. Further, when there is a print instruction output from an application program and instructing a general-use printing program implemented, in advance, in an operating system, to perform printing of an image, the computer performs acquiring sheet information included in the print settings and determining suitability of a sheet by comparing the sheet information acquired from the printer with the sheet information of the print settings. The computer displays a warning message for a user when it is determined that the sheet is unsuitable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenju Narita
  • Patent number: 11504868
    Abstract: A printer comprises a cutter; a non-volatile storage module; a command receiving module configured to receive a command for instructing a cutting method of a continuous paper from an information processing apparatus connected to the printer; a first cutting control module configured to control an operation of the cutter to cut the continuous paper in the cutting method instructed by the command; a recording module configured to record information indicating the cutting method in the storage module at the time of paper cutting based on the command; and a second cutting control module configured to cut the continuous paper in a cutting method indicated by the information stored in the storage module at the time of paper cutting without the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 11298958
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus is provided, including a first transport section which transports a recording medium; a recording section which is formed with a plurality of nozzles and which records an image on the recording medium by discharging ink droplets from the nozzles; an interference member which is provided at a position separated from the recording section; and a control unit which controls the recording section so that only a part of the nozzles is used for a certain area of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 11065896
    Abstract: An arrangement includes a receipt printer for printing a receipt arranged in a housing. The housing includes a pivoting lid which in an open state allows access to the receipt printer and in a closed state prevents access to the receipt printer. The lid has an opening through which a receipt printed by the receipt printer can be output in the closed state. The arrangement has a receipt output unit which in the closed state is arranged in the opening of the lid opposite to the receipt printer, at least a first receipt guiding unit and at least a first elastically deformable element for spring-mounting at least one component of the first receipt guiding unit. The receipt printer has a second receipt guiding unit. The first receipt guiding unit is engaged with the second receipt guiding unit when the lid is moved from the open state into the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH
    Inventor: Sascha Groepper
  • Patent number: 11054784
    Abstract: A relay conveyance device includes a relay conveyance path arranged between an image forming apparatus and a post processing device to convey a sheet from the image forming apparatus to the post processing device, two reversing units reversing a surface side and a back-face side of the sheet, and a control device controlling conveyance of the sheet on the relay conveyance path. The relay conveyance path includes two reverse paths respectively passing through the two reversing units, a branch section branching into the two reverse paths at an upstream side, and a confluence section joining the two reverse paths. The control device controls the branch and confluence sections to convey the sheet while alternately switching the two reverse paths, measures an interval time between the sheets passing through the confluence section, and controls conveyance of the sheet in the two reverse paths so as to uniformize the interval time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hidehiro Tabuchi
  • Patent number: 11023568
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus communicates with a user's mobile terminal that includes an authentication module for biometric authentication. When the image processing apparatus receives verification data enabling use of a service provision system, the authentication module is identified as an authentication module to perform biometric authentication. The image processing apparatus then causes the authentication module to perform authentication processing of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Sato
  • Patent number: 10984624
    Abstract: A paper sheet handling apparatus includes an input/output unit that is used to put in or take out a paper sheet; a distinguishing unit that distinguishes the paper sheet; an accommodating unit that temporarily accommodates the paper sheet sent from the input/output unit; a storage unit that stores therein the paper sheet sent from the accommodating unit; a conveying mechanism that includes a two-way direction conveying path that connects the input/output unit, the distinguishing unit, the accommodating unit, and the storage unit with each other and conveys the paper sheet in both directions; and a controller that is configured to control the conveying mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: FUJITSU FRONTECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Nishida, Hayato Minamishin, Naoto Ikeda, Tatsuya Shimamura
  • Patent number: 10759189
    Abstract: A method determines wearing of a printing apparatus. The method includes: controlling a motor of a label paper driving mechanism of the printing apparatus using motor control data; determining a label start indicator; determining a label end indicator; determining a label length indicator corresponding to a length covered by a rotation of the label paper driving mechanism of an unweared printing apparatus between the label start indicator and the label end indicator based on the motor control data; storing the label length indicator; and determining a wearing indicator of the printing apparatus based on stored label length indicators, including the label length indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: BIZERBA SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Jochen Mueller, Urs-Michael Schaudt, Gerd Kammerer, Helmut Pfau, Markus Uber
  • Patent number: 10757282
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control portion, a stop processing portion, a resumption processing portion, and a notification processing portion. The control portion, to which power supply is stopped when an operation mode of the image forming apparatus is a power-saving mode, measures an elapsed time until when printed matter processed according to the print job is collected. The stop processing portion, when the operation mode shifts to the power-saving mode, stops measurement of the elapsed time before power supply to the control portion is stopped. The resumption processing portion, if the printed matter exists in the sheet discharge portion when the operation mode shifts to a normal mode, resumes measurement of the elapsed time by the control portion. The notification processing portion, when the time measured by the control portion reaches a predetermined first reference time, notifies that the printed matter has not been collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kenji Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 10364116
    Abstract: There is provided a medium feeding apparatus including a feeding roller that feeds a printing medium, a roll holding portion that holds a roll body on which the printing medium is wound, an intermediate roller that pulls out the printing medium from the roll body and feeds the printing medium on the feeding roller, a rotation amount detection portion that detects an amount of rotation of the intermediate roller and an amount of rotation of the roll body when the printing medium is fed by the intermediate roller, and a controller that calculates a roll diameter of the roll body based on the detected amount of rotation of the intermediate roller and the detected amount of rotation of the roll body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Hatada
  • Patent number: 10345752
    Abstract: When a file name corresponding to newly received print data is not stored, a control portion calculates a paper feed control time and associates the paper feed control time with the file name corresponding to the newly received print data and stores the paper feed control time and the file name in a storage portion whereas when the file name corresponding to the newly received print data is stored, with timing at which the paper feed control time associated with the file name corresponding to the newly received print data elapses after the start of RIP processing on a first page, the control portion starts the paper feed of a first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Hashimoto, Kunihiko Shimamoto
  • Patent number: 10155397
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a printer including a plurality of printing modes. A first printing mode is a printing mode for discharging a label by a transfer device, the label being still attached to a backing sheet. A second printing mode is a printing mode for discharging the label by the transfer device while peeling off the label from the backing sheet. The printer controls power supply from a storage battery such that a printing device performs printing at a first printing speed when the printing mode is the first printing mode and such that the printing device performs the printing at a second printing speed when the printing mode is the second printing mode, the second printing speed being slower than the first printing speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tsuchimoto
  • Patent number: 10000078
    Abstract: A printer apparatus includes a printer main body having a platen roller and a print head to print on recording paper, a cutter unit configured to cut the recording paper, and a presenter unit connected to the cutter unit, wherein the recording paper on which the print head has printed enters the presenter unit through the cutter unit, and comes out from a discharge slot of the presenter unit, wherein the presenter unit includes a first roller and a second roller configured to convey the recording paper placed therebetween, and a flapper disposed along a transportation path of the recording paper between the cutter unit and both the first roller and the second roller, and configured to be flipped open to an outside of the presenter unit to expose the transportation path, wherein an angle at which the flapper is open is selectively set to one of a plurality of different angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Sumio Watanabe, Yukihiro Mori, Masahiro Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 9802429
    Abstract: A control method of a media conveyance device enables accurately detecting media slack by a detection mechanism with multiple emitters and multiple photodetectors disposed opposite the emitters. A printer (media conveyance device) has a controller that controls a delivery mechanism, a conveyance mechanism that conveys media, a delivery mechanism, and a conveyance mechanism, and controls conveying roll paper; a first detector including a first emitter and first photodetector; and a second detector including a second emitter and second photodetector. When driving the conveyance mechanism, the controller selectively controls the first emitter and first photodetector to emit, and drives a spindle based on signal output from the first detector when first emitter emits, and signal output from the second detector when second emitter emits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawajiri, Nobuhiro Inoue, Norio Horaguchi
  • Patent number: 9754198
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a reading unit to read a document image to generate image data, and a printing unit to print an image of the image data on a sheet supplied from any of multiple sheet storage portions. The printing apparatus determines whether an automatic selection function is enabled or disabled. The automatic selection function automatically selects, from among the sheet storage portions, a source for supplying a sheet that is used for printing. If the automatic selection function is enabled and a user specifies a predetermined sheet storage portion that has no sheet stored therein, the job execution instruction is not allowed. If the automatic selection function is disabled and a sheet storage portion that supplies a sheet for printing from among the plurality of sheet storage portions has no sheet stored therein, the job execution instruction is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yohei Shogaki
  • Patent number: 9682834
    Abstract: A lead-in path through which a sheet is led in; a first branch path and a second branch path which branch from the lead-in path; a first switchback path which extends from the first branch path; a second switchback path which extends from the second branch path; a first joining path and a second joining path through which the switched-back sheet is transported; and a lead-out path which extends from a joining point at which the first joining path and the second joining path join with each other, are provided. The lead-out path passes through between the first switchback path and the second switchback path. A first connection point at which the first switchback path and the first joining path are connected to each other is disposed above a second connection point at which the second switchback path and the second joining path are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kodama, Kazuyoshi Ohashi, Toshikazu Kotaka, Kohei Ueno
  • Patent number: 9681018
    Abstract: An information processing device is connected to a printing device, and has a storage device. Multiple pieces of application-generated data corresponding to multiple documents are generated by an application program. When a piece of application-generated data is obtained, it is temporarily stored in a storage device every time. When a particular print instruction is received, multiple pieces of application-generated data stored in the storage device are combined to generate a single piece of combined print data. The combined print data representing a combination of the multiple pieces of application-generated data respectively corresponding to multiple documents. The pages of images represented by the combined print data are continuously arranged, and is output to the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Oishi
  • Patent number: 9660566
    Abstract: A system has an acceleration region SU and a deceleration region SD between operation start and end positions of a wiper arm. In the acceleration region and the deceleration region, an addition amount and a subtraction amount are calculated, respectively, based on a difference between a maximum rotation speed and a current rotation speed to update a target rotation speed. The addition amount is larger than the subtraction amount, and a constant speed region CV is between the acceleration region SU and the deceleration region SD. When a change amount of an operation angle of the wiper arm does not exceed the constant speed region CV, the operation angle change amount is subtracted from the constant speed region. Further, when the operation angle change amount exceeds the constant speed region CV, the target rotation speed is updated by the same change amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Amagasa, Ken Hirata, Takeshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9643432
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a transporting unit which can transport a medium along a first direction; an ejecting unit which can eject liquid; a cutting unit which is provided on a downstream side in the first direction compared to the ejecting unit, and can cut the medium; and a control unit which can execute an ejecting operation in which the liquid is ejected onto the medium using the ejecting unit, and a cutting operation in which the medium is cut using the cutting unit, in which the control unit executes a post-cutting transport operation in which the medium is transported using the transporting unit between executing of the cutting operation and executing of the ejecting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidemasa Kanada, Kenichi Tanioka
  • Patent number: 9616688
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a control unit that calculates a transport amount (an actual transport amount) during a transport period based on a captured image of a medium by an imaging unit and controls a transport unit. In addition, the control unit calculates the transport amount (the actual transport amount) during the transport period by calculating the transport amount at each calculation interval (a divided transport amount) and integrating the transport amount at each calculation interval (the divided transport amount). Then, the control unit causes the calculation interval to be longer in a case where the transporting speed of the medium is low than in a case where the transporting speed of the medium is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Murotani, Takahiro Abe, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9618896
    Abstract: A paper sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first storage unit; a second storage unit; a first conveyance path to the first storage unit; a second conveyance path to the second storage unit; a conveyance unit configured to convey a paper sheet; a switching unit configured to switch a conveyance path of a paper sheet; a cutting unit configured to cut a paper sheet at a cutting position; a detecting unit configured to detect a jam; and a control unit, when a jam is detected on the first conveyance path, configured to cut a part of the paper sheet, the part is positioned on a side upstream from the cutting position, to a predetermined length, switch a conveyance path of the paper sheet from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path, and store the cut paper sheet in the second storage unit through the second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9619183
    Abstract: A PrintTicket does not necessarily exist in each page of an XPS document. Regarding a page where no PrintTicket exists, the page is printed by referring to a PrintTicket in a higher hierarchical level. Here, when a plurality of XPS documents are combined, a user's intended print result may not be obtained when the PrintTicket in the higher hierarchical level to which the page refers changes before and after combining. Before a combining process is executed, print setting information of a page element is generated based on print setting information of an element in a higher hierarchical level than the page hierarchical level. A combined document is generated by combining a structured document including a page element to which the generated print setting information is added and another structured document including a page element to which the generated print setting information is added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Shiohara
  • Patent number: 9552332
    Abstract: There is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon and readable by a computer that is installed in an information processing apparatus, the computer program, when executed by the computer, causes the information processing apparatus to operate as: a preview data generation unit configured to acquire image data of a print job using a RAW spool type and to generate preview data from the image data, wherein the preview data is image data for preview; and a display unit configured to start up a previewer when the preview data of at least one page is generated and to display the preview data on the previewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9176691
    Abstract: An output control device includes an output instruction unit configured to give an instruction for outputting a single output information item, to an application requesting output of the single output information item as plural output information items having the same identification information based on an output instruction, and to subsequently give an instruction to output end information indicating an end of the single output information item; a storage control unit configured to store the output information items output from the application in a save area upon changing the identification information of the output information items into different identification information items; a determination unit configured to determine whether the instruction to output the end information has been given; and a combining unit configured to combine the output information items stored in the save area, when the determination unit determines that the instruction to output the end information has been given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Moribayashi
  • Patent number: 9090109
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing portion, a cover including a first roller, a peeling mechanism including a second roller, and a first guide portion including a moving portion and a first restricting portion. The peeling mechanism is switched among three states. In a first state, the second roller is separated from the first roller. In a third state, the second roller is in contact with the first roller. In a second state, the distance between the first roller and the second roller is less than the distance between the first roller and the second roller in the first state. The moving portion switches the peeling mechanism from the first state to the second state as the cover changes from an open state to a closed state. The first restricting portion restricts the switching of the peeling mechanism from the third state to the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Jo, Minoru Yamamoto, Takamine Hokazono, Yuki Nagashima, Kenji Kurita
  • Patent number: 9056500
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a heating section which is located further on the downstream side of a transport pathway than an image recording area, but further on the upstream side of the transport pathway than a transport roller which is rotated by a motor; and a control section which lowers the suction power of a suction section to a medium from a first suction power to a second suction power lower than the first suction power during a recording operation and makes a first torque which is generated at the motor in a period which is during the recording operation and in which the suction power of the suction section is a suction power lower than the first suction power, be lower than a second torque which is generated at the motor during a transport operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahito Sanekata, Daiki Tokushima
  • Patent number: 9022551
    Abstract: A transportation device includes a transportation unit that transports a transportation target material, a supporting surface that supports the transported transportation target material, a first suction hole that opens in the supporting surface in order to suck the transportation target material which is supported by the supporting surface, a light transmission portion that is exposed in the supporting surface and through which light is permitted to pass, a detector that has a light irradiator capable of irradiating the transportation target material which is supported by the supporting surface with light through the light transmission portion and detects a transportation amount of the transportation target material based on reflected light of the light with which the light irradiator has irradiated the transportation target material, and a second suction hole that opens in the supporting surface at least one of the positions adjacent to the light transmission portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Abe, Mitsutaka Ide, Tomoya Murotani
  • Patent number: 8939539
    Abstract: Whether a continuous sheet usable for printing on the basis of first print data and a continuous sheet usable for printing on the basis of second print data are the same or not is determined. If it is determined that they are the same, an image based on the first print data and an image based on the second print data are printed continuously on a continuous sheet. When an image based on the second print data is arranged at an end of a continuous sheet, the second print data is assigned to the beginning of print data to be printed on another continuous sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiya Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 8934122
    Abstract: Reducing waste in a digital printing system (200) includes moving media (214) through a web transport system (205) at a first speed. A first job is printed on the print media and a downstream finishing device (203) in a first configuration acts on the media. The web slows to a second speed prior the end of the first job and the finishing device changes to a second configuration after the first job has passed. A time to complete changing from the first to the second configuration is estimated and a time for a first section of the media containing the end of the first job to arrive at the finishing device is estimated. A second job is printed on the media prior to completion of the change based on the estimated time to completion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald R. Allred, James A. Katerberg
  • Patent number: 8882373
    Abstract: Factory adjustment and repairs are simplified while assuring the accuracy of a multifeed prevention function. A main unit has a conveyance path that conveys sheets, and a processing unit that applies a specific process to the sheets conveyed through the conveyance path, and a multifeed detection unit is removably disposed to the main unit. The multifeed detection unit has a sheet-passing unit disposed contiguously to the conveyance path, an ultrasonic transmitter disposed facing the sheet-passing unit, and an ultrasonic receiver disposed opposite the ultrasonic transmitter with the sheet-passing unit therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 8874016
    Abstract: A printing system includes a printing unit performing printing on a sheet, a conveyance mechanism, a control unit, and a selection unit causing a user to select any one of a plurality of methods whose maximum numbers of sheets existing in the conveyance mechanism at the same time are different from each other. The control unit controls the printing unit and the conveyance mechanism to perform double-side printing processing depending on any one of the methods. The control unit performs double-side printing processing in accordance with the method selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8870476
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus is provided. The image recording apparatus includes a first conveyer to convey a recording medium in a first direction, a recording unit to record the image on the recording medium, a second conveyer including a first roller pair with a first driving roller and a first driven roller, an image position detector to detect a position of the formed image along a second direction within the recording medium, a rotation rate setting unit to set a rotation rate of the first driving roller based on the detected position of the formed image when a part of the formed image on the recording medium is nipped by the first roller pair, and a controller to control the first driving roller to rotate in the rotation rate set by the rotation rate setting unit and convey the recording medium by the first roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 8864393
    Abstract: Calibrating a media drive, comprising advancing media with a media drive while detecting media advances within the printer, determining an error in the media advances, and calibrating the media drive so as to at least partly compensate for the determined error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Raimon Castells, Francisco Guerrero, Abel Martinez, Carles Flotats
  • Patent number: 8860962
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a determining unit that determines whether first direction of a document that is first allocated on a first printing sheet in combination, matches second direction, which represents an orientation of a document that is first allocated on a second printing sheet in combination; a changing unit that changes, if the first direction does not match the second direction, an output order of the documents to be printed on the second printing sheet such that, if the orientation of the second printing sheet does not match the first direction after the documents to be output are allocated on the second printing sheet in accordance with a designated combining order, an order in which the documents are arranged when to be printed on the second sheet matches the designated combining order; and an output control unit that outputs the documents in a changed output order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yuta Moribayashi
  • Patent number: 8858104
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a heating section which is located further on the downstream side of a transport pathway than an image recording area, but further on the upstream side of the transport pathway than a transport roller which is rotated by a motor; and a control section which lowers the suction power of a suction section to a medium from a first suction power to a second suction power lower than the first suction power during a recording operation and makes a first torque which is generated at the motor in a period which is during the recording operation and in which the suction power of the suction section is a suction power lower than the first suction power, be lower than a second torque which is generated at the motor during a transport operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahito Sanekata, Daiki Tokushima
  • Patent number: 8840328
    Abstract: When a size of a reversing unit is smaller than that of a printing medium, errors can be detected without adding any other mechanism, and if such errors are not caused by a paper jam, the printing can be continued. A printing apparatus is provided with: an reversing unit provided with an reversing roller; a sensor ; and a control unit configured to, if when the detecting unit detects a load equal to or more than a predetermined value, a conveyance amount of the printing medium after the sensor has detected the fore end is longer than a threshold value that is a distance from a position of the fore end at the time of being detected by the sensor to a position of the fore end at the time of exiting from the conveyance path of the reversing unit, perform control to continue conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8810849
    Abstract: A printing method that alternately repeats a transport operation that transports a continuous medium in a transport direction and an image forming operation that moves a head to form an image to thereby print out a first image and a second image, which has a smaller length in the transport direction than the first image, on the continuous medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 8801308
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a media path within a body of the printing apparatus. The media path moves sheets of media through the body of the printing apparatus. A marking engine is also within the body of the printing apparatus. The media path supplies the printing media to the marking engine. A processor is within the body of the printing apparatus. The processor is operatively connected to the marking engine, and the processor controls actions of the marking engine. Sensors are within the body of the printing apparatus. The sensors are operatively connected to the processor, and the sensors are positioned along the media path. The sensors detect locations and conditions of the sheets of media as the sheets of media travel along the media path. The sensors have a first clip shape. Further, clip connectors are located within the body of the printing apparatus. The clip connectors are connected to the sensors. Additionally, light structures are connected to the clip connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Cole, Richard G. Hubbard, David K. Halden, Kenneth G. Dixon, Anthony J. Peters
  • Patent number: 8794855
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeder attaching unit, a communication unit, a connection determining unit, an acquiring unit, a storage unit, a compatibility determining unit and a forcible unconnected control unit. The connection determining unit causes the communication unit to communicate with a communication section of a sheet feeder, and determines whether the sheet feeder is connected based on a communication result. The acquiring unit acquires attribute information of the sheet feeder. The storage unit stores attribute information of sheet feeders being compatible, in terms of control, with the image forming apparatus. The compatibility determining unit determines whether the connected sheet feeder is compatible by comparing the acquired attribute information of the connected sheet feeder with the stored attribute information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidekazu Usui
  • Patent number: 8790026
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a body, a tray, a moving member, an actuator, a sensor, a reference position moving mechanism and a control unit. The moving member is movable to a first position, a second position, a third position and a reference position. The actuator moves the moving member to the first position, the second position and the third position. The sensor outputs an ON signal or an OFF signal based on positions of the moving member, the positions including the first position, the second position, the third position and the reference position. The reference position moving mechanism moves the moving member to the reference position. The control unit determines a detection position to be detected based on a change of the ON signal and the OFF signal of the sensor when the moving member is moved between the detection position and the reference position by the reference position moving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kensuke Hirate
  • Patent number: 8783979
    Abstract: There are provided a plurality of paper feed units 20 drawing and feeding, one by one, print media stacked on a paper feed table, a printing unit 30 printing a print medium, a secondary paper feed unit 14 feeding a print medium fed from the plurality of the paper feed units 20 to the printing unit 30, a circulating path CR on which a print medium printed by the printing unit 30 is transferred at a transfer speed of the print medium determined for each sheet size, a reversal unit 50 reversing a print medium transferred on the circulating path CR to feed the reversed print medium to the secondary paper feed unit 14, a transfer schedule setting unit 70c setting, when a double-sided printing request of a set of print media of two kinds of sheet sizes is included in a print job, a transfer schedule of the print media of two kinds of sheet sizes so that the waiting time for transfer in the print job is reduced, and an equipment control unit 70d causing the plurality of the paper feed units 20 or the reversal unit 5
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Hara
  • Patent number: 8770876
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided. The printing apparatus includes a printing unit, a sheet feeder, a discharge unit, a sheet path including a feeding path, a discharge path, and a reversing path, a manual sheet inlet, through which a recording sheet is manually inserted, a manual sheet path merging into the sheet path at a merging point and guiding the manually-inserted recording sheet to the merging point, a detecting unit to detect the manually-inserted sheet fed through the manual sheet inlet while a double-face printing operation is conducted with a preceding recording sheet, a judging unit to judge whether the detecting unit detected the manually-inserted sheet, and a conveyer controller unit to reduce a speed to convey the preceding recording sheet in the sheet path when the judging unit judges that the detecting unit detected the manually-inserted sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Fukusada, Tetsuya Okano
  • Patent number: 8767248
    Abstract: A label data processing apparatus including: a label data storage unit configured to store one or more label data for printing a label; and a display unit configured to switch and display, per label, an editing screen including at least a portion of text data included in each label data, as a selection candidate for the label data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Publication number: 20140169854
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a control unit controlling a feeder unit to feed a printing paper in a long-edge feed type or a short-edge feed type in accordance with a print mode set for print data. The control unit controls the feeder unit to feed the printing paper in the long-edge feed type upon a high resolution print mode being set and in the short-edge feed type upon a low resolution print mode being set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-yeon PARK, Byung-sun AHN