Including Leading-edge Aligner Located Past Print-point Patents (Class 400/632)
  • Patent number: 8699936
    Abstract: According to the present invention, skew feeding of a sheet is corrected while conveying the sheet, positioning of a side edge of the sheet in the width direction is carried out, and an image is formed on the sheet by an image forming portion 90. Two steering mechanisms 120a and 120b are disposed upstream of the image forming portion along the conveying direction, and the steering mechanisms 120a and 120b can feed a sheet on the skew in any direction with respect to the sheet conveying direction. Two CISs 100a and 100b are disposed along the sheet conveying direction corresponding to the steering mechanisms. A skew feeding angle and a skew feeding velocity of each of the steering mechanisms is changed according to differential value between a side edge position detected by the CISs 100a and 100b and a target position of a side edge of a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8172968
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for contacting a flexible sheet to a first element with improved lateral alignment. The method includes a step of measuring a first lateral misalignment after establishing a first contact between the flexible sheet and either of the first element and a sheet parking surface called anchor in the first stage. If the 5 misalignment exceeds a predetermined threshold the flexible sheet is parked at the anchor such that it is not in contact with the first element, and the relative position of the first element and the anchor is altered during the second stage for correcting the mismatch during a contact between the flexible sheet and the first element to be established within the next step of the method. During the steps of shifting the contact point to obtain the second stage 10 the contacting process is more accurate and reproducible than the process for establishing the initial contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Marcus Antonius Verschuuren, Mischa Megens
  • Patent number: 8109682
    Abstract: A printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is a printer which transports a recording medium, provided with a plurality of laminated sheets, along a predetermined transport path including a curved portion. The printer is provided with a dot head for printing the recording medium, a platen roller which faces the dot head with the recording medium therebetween, and a feed guide which is located on the downstream side of the dot head and the platen roller with respect to the direction of transport and guides the recording medium in a manner such that the recording medium is bent in a direction opposite to that in which the curved portion is bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Eoka, Kazuyoshi Kurihara, Shigetoshi Asahina
  • Patent number: 7003258
    Abstract: A transfer device for transferring an object to be transferred in a predetermined direction has a drive mechanism unit, a transfer direction displacement information acquiring unit, a skew direction displacement information acquiring unit, and a transfer processing unit. The drive mechanism unit also has roll parts which cause the object to be transferred to move in the direction with a rotational force. The transfer direction displacement information acquiring unit and the skew direction displacement information acquiring unit radiate a predetermined measuring wave toward the object, so that the units acquire the displacement information in each of the directions. Based on the displacement information, the transfer processing unit performs a predetermined processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Adachi, Kaoru Yasukawa, Norikazu Yamada, Eigo Nakagawa, Koki Uwatoko, Tetsuichi Satonaga
  • Patent number: 6934505
    Abstract: A paper transferring device for an image forming apparatus includes a plurality of guide members forming a paper transferring path connecting a paper feeding device and a photosensitive drum, a feeding roller disposed on a side of the paper transferring path adjacent to the photosensitive drum, the feeding roller transferring a paper incoming along the paper transferring path to the photosensitive drum, at least one transferring roller disposed on the paper transferring path between the feeding roller and the paper feeding device, the transferring roller transferring the paper picked-up from the paper feeding device to the feeding roller, and a paper leading edge aligning unit for aligning a leading edge of the paper so that the leading edge of the paper is parallel to a rotation axis of the feeding roller prior to entering the feeding roller to prevent the paper from being skewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-yob Shin
  • Patent number: 6889031
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus in that a sheet having an image formed on a first side thereof by an image forming portion is again transported to the image forming portion so that an image may be formed on an opposite or second side of the sheet, the image forming apparatus including a sheet feeding portion, a re-transport path, a pair of registration rollers provided upstream of the image forming portion, and a loop forming space provided upstream of the pair of registration rollers so as to form the loop, wherein an entrance to the loop forming space for the sheet having passed along the re-transport path is formed downstream of an entrance to the loop forming space for the sheet fed from the sheet feeding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 6814517
    Abstract: A printing apparatus and method that provides for severing of prints from receiver media being printed. The receiver media is moved in a process direction past plural printing stations and the printing stations are recording images upon the receiver sheet. While printing is occurring a cutting mechanism having one or more cutting elements is operated to cut the receiver media along a transverse direction to separate a previously printed image on the receiver media from a portion of the receiver media being currently printed. The cutting mechanism includes a clamping member located proximate the one or more cutting elements for stopping movement of the receiver sheet downstream of the clamping mechanism to provide for a substantially square cut relative to the process direction of the receiver media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Terrence L. Fisher, Eric P. Hochreiter
  • Patent number: 6701837
    Abstract: To stably transport an elongated web-like print paper so as not to move in the widthwise direction of the print paper, a first sensor is disposed at a first position in a paper conveying path and a second sensor at a second position downstream of the first position with respect to the paper conveying direction. Both the first and second sensors detect a position of a side edge or the print paper. A difference between the outputs from the first and second sensors is computed while taking a travel time of the edge detected by the first sensor to reach the second sensor into account. A main controller generates a drive signal based on the difference computed and controls a mechanism for moving the print paper in the widthwise direction in accordance with the drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ohba, Shigeru Obata, Yasushi Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 6666600
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus which can make a correction such that paper will not be fed in a tilted state without a need for any special mechanism. A moving mechanism C1 is driven to move a printing head 41 toward a platen and to urge the printing head against paper, and gap adjusting means C2 is driven using said position as a reference to space the printing head from the platen a predetermined amount, thereby adjusting a gap between the printing head and the platen. The direction and amount of a tilt of the paper are detected based on signals output by paper detecting sensors E when the paper is fed. When said amount of the tilt exceeds a predetermined range, head driving means A and the moving mechanism C1 are driven to sandwich an edge of the paper in the direction of the width thereof between the printing head and the platen, and the sandwiched state is adjusted by the gap adjusting means C2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Kazue Shirota, Keiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6585439
    Abstract: A printer having a media transport mechanism defining a media path. The path extends from a media supply past a print engine. A media alignment element moves between an extended position intersecting the path between the supply and the engine, and a retracted position away from the path. The printer may include a pair of rollers between the supply and the alignment element and encompassing the path, so that the sheet may be gripped by the rollers at a position adjacent the alignment to preserve the alignment by the element. The rollers may retract the sheet from the alignment element, which may move aside from the media path, so that the media may be fed toward a print engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Bruce G. Johnson, Antonio Gomez, Richard A. Kelley, Michael W. Munro, Richard Olson
  • Patent number: 6499895
    Abstract: In a printer for printing on individual printing media such as receipts, savings books and the like, a control shaft activated by the printer control system has a plurality of control cams for activation of a transport device, a printing medium alignment means, and a printing medium stop, the cams being designed such that the activation zone of the alignment means and of the printing medium stop are located substantially in the deactivation zone of the transport device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Richard Duesterhus, Paul Freitag, Reimund Selke
  • Patent number: 5882127
    Abstract: A card printer includes a card supply mechanism (20) for forwardly feeding cards one after another from a stack thereof held by a card stocker (21), a card carrier table (20) having an upper surface for supporting each of the cards fed from the card supply mechanism (20). The card carrier table is reciprocatively movable forwardly and rearwardly. The card printer further includes a printhead (90') located above the card carrier table (60). The printhead selectively assumes a position contacting each card on the card carrier table (60) via an ink ribbon (R) and a position upwardly spaced from the card. The card printer further includes a card discharge mechanism (120) for picking up a printed card from the card carrier table (60) moved to a forward position and for discharging the printed card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Rohm Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Amano
  • Patent number: 5516218
    Abstract: A card printer is provided which comprises a printhead, a carrier table reciprocatively movable along a movable path in facing relation to the printhead, a drive mechanism for reciprocating the carrier table, a card transfer mechanism for successively feeding each of cards onto the carrier table, and a positioning assembly for appropriately positioning the card on the carrier table. The positioning assembly comprises a pair of stopper pins which is retractably projectable from the carrier table for stopping engagement with the leading edge of the card, and a cam mechanism for causing the stopper pins to project from the carrier table when the carrier table assumes a standby position for receiving the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Amano, Hisayoshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 5187774
    Abstract: A reference area usable with a rectangular form when the form is used with a computer controlled printer. The reference area having a pattern and a reference point. The pattern allowing the location of a mark printed by the printer on the pattern to be readily identified on an equivalent reference area displayed on a display monitor for the computer. The reference point is positioned so it will receive a reference mark when printed on the reference area by the printer provided the form is not misaligned in the printer. A reference mark received at the reference area provides information relative to the reference point that is a measure of the amount of vertical and horizontal misalignment of the form in the printer. This information, when placed in the computer, makes it possible for the computer to correct for any misalignment before any printing is done on the form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Richard E. Ericson
  • Patent number: 5153736
    Abstract: A scanner has a frame assembly containing a carriage movably mounted in the frame assembly for scanning movement in a scanning path in a first direction along the length of the frame assembly from a home position to an end of scan position, the frame assembly including at least one sheet transport path including at least one index roll on a rotatable shaft to index a sheet through the path, the scanner further including a toggle frame supporting at one end at least one idler roll for forming a sheet transporting nip with at least one index roll and at the opposite end at least one sheet registration gate, the toggle frame being pivotally mounted to alternately provide a copy sheet transporting nip and a sheet registration gate in said sheet transport path, the frame being activated to provide a registration gate in the sheet transport path by the scanning carriage when it is adjacent to or at the home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Denis J. Stemmle
  • Patent number: 5052831
    Abstract: A color printer for thermally transferring a set of monochrome images of each desired color reproduction from a color transfer strip to a recipient sheet as the latter is fed back and forth by and past a platen roll disposed intermediate a sheet loading cassette and a sheet unloading cassette. The printer additionally comprises a thermal printing head for pressing the transfer strip, in superposition with each recipient sheet fed from the loading cassette, against the platen roll for thermal ink transfer, and a pinch roller disposed upstream of the printing head, with respect to the traveling direction of the recipient sheet from the loading cassette to the unloading cassette, for pressing the recipient sheet against the platen roll. For more precise registration of the monochrome images of each color reproduction, a retractable end abutment is disposed between printing head and pinch roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Satoh, Osamu Tajima
  • Patent number: 4543003
    Abstract: A paper alignment device for a printer, typewriter or like office machine comprising a friction drive for advancing a sheet of paper in opposite directions past a printing head wherein an alignment mechanism is adapted to co-act with the friction drive to align the sheet of paper from the time when it is about to be released from the friction drive until it has been released and also for generating a force to return the sheet to renewed engagement with the friction drive when the latter has been stopped in preparation for drive of the sheet in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1985
    Assignee: Facit Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Leif H. Andersson
  • Patent number: 4362409
    Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding system of a printing apparatus comprising a platen, a printing head, a sheet ejecting stacker and a sheet feeding stacker. The platen remains stationary when the leading edge of a sheet fed by the sheet feeding roller has abutted against the platen, whereby the tilting position of the sheet can be corrected. The system comprises further sheet leading edge detecting means disposed at the inlet of the sheet ejecting passage near the platen. When the detecting means detects the leading edge of a sheet, the platen can be rotated in the reverse direction through a predetermined angle for setting the printing initiating position on a sheet at a predetermined distance from the leading edge of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignees: Ricoh Co., Ltd., Nipponseimitsu Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Endo, Toshiyuki Soejima, Masahiro Fujihara
  • Patent number: 4360279
    Abstract: A printing paper feeding mechanism for a printer having a pin tractor for feeding a web with holes perforated at periodic locations along both edges and a pair of rollers for drawing out the web fed by the pin tractor through a printing position while pinching the web under pressure. The pin tractor and one of the rollers are driven by a motor through a transmitting device such that the rollers are imparted a slightly faster feeding action than the pin tractor for preventing the web from being slackened. The rollers are adapted to be used independently of the pin tractor for feeding a cut sheet paper at the same speed as the web fed by the pin tractor by driving the motor at a reduced amount of rotation for a unit line spacing amount than usual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1982
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiro Sugiura
  • Patent number: 4251162
    Abstract: A perforated form band is introduced into a form printer through an input passage or shaft. The passage is formed by spaced walls and is pivotally mounted on the printer for movement between an input position and a working position. In the input position, a form band is introduced into and aligned within the input passage. In one embodiment, the leading end of the form band contacts transversely extending stop surfaces, while in another the leading end of the form band is aligned with an indicating mark and the perforations on the form band engage with projections in the input passage. With the form band aligned, the input passage is moved into the working position engaging the perforations in the form band on pins projecting outwardly from sprocket wheels which drive the form band through the printer. In the working position of the input passage, the form band no longer contacts the stop surfaces or engages the projections used in the aligning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignee: Kienzle Apparate GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Kammerer, Heinz Niess, Walter Schunggart, Ruprecht Flugge, Hermann Kilb