Including Sheet Guide (e.g., For Sheet Insertion, Etc.) Patents (Class 400/642)
  • Patent number: 11610086
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program is provided. The program is executed in a personal digital assistant to operate a recording apparatus including a recording unit that performs recording on a medium from the personal digital assistant. The program causes the personal digital assistant to display, on a display of the personal digital assistant, information on a user operation method based on an event that occurred when a medium is to be fed from back of the recording apparatus, the method being to be performed after the event occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Sasaki, Nobuhisa Nomoto, Katsumi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11351692
    Abstract: A tape detection mechanism including a first pivoting member provided to pivot about a detection pivoting shaft, a second pivoting member linked, to be configured to pivot, to a pivot linking portion provided on the first pivoting member, a pivoting contact section with which the second pivoting member comes into contact when the first pivoting member and the second pivoting member pivot in a first pivoting direction about the detection pivoting shaft as the tape, which is fed thereto, comes into contact with the first pivoting member, and a sensor which detects the second pivoting member which comes into contact with the pivoting contact section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinsaku Kosuge
  • Patent number: 10987949
    Abstract: A de-curling device de-curls a sheet and includes an endless belt, a de-curling roller, a nip width adjusting mechanism, and a belt tension adjusting mechanism. The endless belt is looped around a pair of supporting rollers. The de-curling roller is provided between the pair of supporting rollers and has a first outer circumferential surface pressed against a second outer circumferential surface of the endless belt to form a nip portion at which the endless belt curves along the first outer circumferential surface, the de-curling roller being configured to de-curl the sheet passing through the nip portion. The nip width adjusting mechanism adjusts the nip width by moving the de-curling roller in a direction intersecting the second outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. The belt tension adjusting mechanism adjusts the tension of the endless belt according to the nip width adjusted by the nip width adjusting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventors: Takatoshi Nishimura, Hiroatsu Tamai, Hiroyuki Ueda, Takeshi Watanabe, Susumu Hiroshima, Noriaki Ozawa, Toyotsune Inoue
  • Patent number: 10639915
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a transport guiding portion with high manufacturing yield, is provided. A printing apparatus includes a printing portion which is able to print on a medium, a transport portion which transports the medium, and a transport guiding portion on which a transport surface on which the medium is transported is formed and which has a plurality of bent portions, in which the transport guiding portion is provided with a first guiding member which has a bent portion and forms the transport surface on a transport direction upstream side of the medium and a second guiding member which has a bent portion and forms the transport surface on a transport direction downstream side of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Wakita
  • Patent number: 9725262
    Abstract: A printer includes a lower tray and an upper tray provided above the lower tray. Each tray is provided with an edge guide that is displaceable according to the sheet size and that guides an edge of sheets. A guide sensor capable of detecting the distance to each edge guide is spaced from the edge guide by a gap in the displacement direction of the edge guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9335702
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage portion, an opening, a moving unit, and a pressing unit that can be moved between a pressing position where the pressing unit presses a surface of a sheet in a exposure state and a retreat position where the pressing unit retracts from the pressing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hajime Sugaya
  • Patent number: 9290018
    Abstract: A printing system for printing on a print medium is disclosed. The printing system comprises two lineheads disposed opposite a first side of the print medium, wherein the two lineheads have a common orientation relative to a horizontal direction. At least one roller is disposed under each linehead and in contact with a second side of the print medium. At least one vacuum assembly is disposed under each linehead, each vacuum assembly having a vacuum manifold disposed opposite the second side of the print medium, where the vacuum manifold outputs a vacuum force proximate to the second side of the print medium such that at least a portion of the second side of the print medium is deflected away from the two lineheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Randy Dae Vandagriff, Michael J. Piatt
  • Patent number: 9290021
    Abstract: An image forming device may include a contact member and a support member configured to support a recording portion. In one or more arrangements, the contact member may be disposed on the support member and include a contact portion configured to contact a sheet being conveyed. In some examples, the support member may include a carriage frame. Additionally or alternatively, the image forming device may include a platen having a plurality of ribs. In one or more examples, the ribs may be configured to form a corrugated shape in a sheet in conjunction with the contact member. Still further, one or more of the ribs and the contact member may be movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga, Noriyuki Kawamata, Wataru Sugiyama, Tsuyoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 9260273
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first path and a second path through which a sheet is conveyed, and a guide portion rotatable between a first position where the sheet is guided to the first path and a second position where the sheet is guided to the second path, wherein the guide portion includes a resin member including a first guide surface configured to guide the sheet to the first path at the first position, and a second guide surface configured to guide the sheet to the second path at the second position, and a reinforcing member including a main body portion extending in a direction along an axis line of guide portion, and protrusions protruding, along the first guide surface and the second guide surface, from both end portions in a longitudinal direction of the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsubumi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9227435
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a platen, a contact portion disposed between a pair of first ribs of the plurality of first ribs with respect to a scanning direction. A lower end of the contact portion is located lower than each upper end of the pair of first ribs. The platen includes a second rib disposed between one first rib of the pair of first ribs and the contact portion with respect to the scanning direction, and an upper end of the second rib is located lower than the upper end of the one first rib of the pair of first ribs and higher than the lower end of the contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 9174465
    Abstract: A duplex printer with a small, compact conveyance path has a medium supply path and a medium inverting path that merge into a middle conveyance path at a junction. The middle conveyance path goes to a path switching unit connecting a main conveyance path and the inverting path. A flap, which is a path switching member, is disposed in the path switching unit. A middle conveyance roller pair, having a middle conveyance roller and a nipping portion, conveys the medium (e.g. paper) through the middle conveyance path. The portion of the middle conveyance path from at least the junction to the nipping portion is a conveyance path portion defined by the roller surface of the middle conveyance roller. The paper fed to the middle conveyance path is guided by the middle conveyance roller from the junction to the nipping portion of the middle conveyance roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji Moriyama, Yuichi Aruga
  • Patent number: 9162460
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured to acquire gap variation information related to a variation of a gap between a specific portion of an ink discharging surface and a recording sheet as a function of an inkjet head position, the specific portion located within a usage nozzle disposed area where usage nozzle rows to be actually used are disposed, determine representative gap variation information related to a variation, as a function of the inkjet head position, of a representative gap representing actual gaps between the usage nozzle rows and the recording sheet, by multiplying the gap variation information by a correction coefficient dependent on a width of the usage nozzle disposed area in a head moving direction and a wavelength of a wave shape of the recording sheet, and determine ink discharging timing based on the representative gap variation information, assuming that the actual gaps are equal to the representative gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 9162500
    Abstract: A recording medium take-up mechanism and a printer prevent a recording medium having been printed from easily twisting when winding the recording medium. A printer includes a platen supporting recording paper that is delivered frontward during printing, a take-up shaft on which the recording paper having been printed is wound, a tension bar configured to impart tension to the recording paper by pressing a portion of the recording paper that is between the platen and the take-up shaft, a support arm supporting the tension bar, and a support shaft pivotably supporting the support arm. A center of the support shaft is positioned inside a contour of the take-up shaft, as viewed in an axial direction of the support shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Youichirou Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9108445
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a head having an ejection surface; and a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction such that the recording medium passes a recording position at which the recording medium is opposed to the ejection surface, the conveyance mechanism including a curved-passage defining portion which defines a curved passage located on a downstream side of the recording position in the conveyance direction and a flat-passage defining portion which defines a flat passage which is located between the recording position and the curved passage and which is parallel to the ejection surface, a trailing end portion of the recording medium being located at the recording position when a leading end portion of the recording medium is located at the curved passage, wherein the flat-passage defining portion includes at least two roller pairs which are disposed so as to define the flat passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Sakano
  • Patent number: 9061850
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a sheet detecting mechanism configured to detect a sheet. The sheet detecting mechanism includes an actuator, a link member, and a detecting part. The actuator swings by being pushed by the sheet. The link member swings in conjunction with the swing of the actuator. The detecting part detects the swing of the link member. When a shift of a position of the actuator with respect to the detecting part is caused, the actuator slides with respect to the link member to absorb the shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watatani, Hironori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8961046
    Abstract: A paper discharge device and an image forming apparatus include a holding unit 101 which is rotatably mounted to a frame and is configured to hold a recording medium P discharged from an image forming unit 110 in a rolled state. The paper discharge device 100 performs a holding operation before a discharge operation. When the recording medium P is discharged, the paper discharge device 100 allows the holding unit 101 to be rotated to reach the discharge position so that the recording medium P is discharged. When the recording medium P is collected, the paper discharge device 100 allows the recording medium P to be held again within the holding unit 101, and then allows the holding unit 101 to be rotated to reach the collecting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Eoka
  • Patent number: 8944708
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first conveying unit to convey a sheet in a first direction, a second conveying unit disposed on a downstream side of the first conveying unit to convey the sheet in a second direction, and a first path formed between the first and second conveying units. At least the second conveying unit has a holding section to hold and convey the sheet. The sheet conveying device further includes a belt conveying unit disposed along an outer side of the first path and includes a belt to convey the sheet toward the holding section. The belt is stretched around a first belt holding and rotating member and a second belt holding and rotating member disposed on an upstream side of the second conveying unit in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Watase, Yasuhiro Sagawa, Kenji Ueda, Masayuki Ueda, Naoyuki Okamoto, Hiroshi Kajiyama, Yoshikuni Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8939661
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a first convey path; a support member which supports a first recording medium, a second recording medium, and a tray; a second convey path connected to the first convey path; a first guide member partly defining the second convey path; and a posture change mechanism which changes the support member and the first guide member between (a) a first posture in which the first convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough and (b) a second posture in which the first convey path has a height larger than the first height and allowing the second recording medium or the tray to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height smaller than the second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iwane Sano, Yasuhira Ota, Shota Iijima, Naokazu Tanahashi, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 8882376
    Abstract: A plurality of ribs are provided on a cut paper discharge guide and an upper cover which define a discharge port for discharging a cut paper. The ribs hold a cut paper in width direction. Even if a cut paper having a high degree of curl is supplied when a roll diameter of a roll paper is reduced, it is possible to prevent a paper jam such as falling or clogging of the cut paper. It is desirable that the ribs provided on the cut paper discharge guide and the upper cover are disposed in an alternate pattern along the width direction of the discharge port. This arrangement is particularly effective in a printer having an inclined paper passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 8876420
    Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion with a first transporting path formed to guide a sheet with its recording surface facing upward, a recording portion, a transporting roller, a second transporting portion with a second transporting path, a first flap, a sandwiching member sandwich the sheet between itself and the first flap, and a second flap. The first flap turn between a first position being able to guide the sheet along the first transporting path and a second position spaced downward from the sandwiching member farther than in the first position, and the second flap change between a third position for a third surface to define a guide surface of the second transporting path and a fourth position to open up the second transporting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shota Iijima
  • Patent number: 8864396
    Abstract: In order to enables a user to easily specify a sheet storage unit to which sheets are supplied next without confirming an operation unit, there is provided a method for controlling a printing apparatus for feeding a sheet from any one of a plurality of sheet storage units to print an image on the fed sheet. The method includes receiving an instruction to open a sheet storage unit, specifying, according to the received instruction, based on an attribute set to the sheet storage unit to which the instruction is issued, another sheet storage unit which has an attribute same as the attribute, and controlling the other specified sheet storage unit to be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunsuke Iguchi
  • Patent number: 8858106
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a tray having a recess, a recording unit, a drive roller, a first driven roller, a second driven roller, a first urging member and a second urging member. The first driven roller is movable between a first basic position to contact the drive roller and press with a first force and a first nip position to press a first portion, corresponding to the recess, with a third force. The second driven roller is movable between a second basic position to contact the drive roller and press with a second force and a second nip position to press a second portion, not corresponding to the recess, with a fourth force. A difference between the first force and the second force is smaller than a difference between the third force and the fourth force, and the third force is smaller than the fourth force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhira Ota, Tetsuo Asada
  • Patent number: 8840330
    Abstract: A cutter and a printer having a cutter prevent the paper pieces cut off by the cutter from collecting at the paper exit from which the cut-off pieces are discharged. A stage surface 40defines the bottom edge 5a of the paper exit 5. A sloped guide surface 41 is formed sloping down from the downstream side of the stage surface 40. A first side wall 42 determines where one side of the width of the paper passes over the stage surface 40 and the sloped guide surface 41. A second side wall 43 determines where the other side of the width of the paper passes. A protrusion 47 is formed on the first side wall 42 protruding toward the second side wall 43.When label paper 11 is cut, the cut-off portion 11c is deposited on the stage surface 40 covering the top of the protrusion 47. As a result, the cut-off portion 11c is made unstable by the protrusion 47 immediately after being deposited on the stage surface 40, and slides down easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventors: Motoyoshi Shirotori, Kenichi Hirabayashi
  • Publication number: 20140212198
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a printer comprising a roll storage part, a feeder, a printing head, a first guide member, a second guide member, and a driving gear. The first and second guide members guide a print-receiving medium in a width direction and provided in an advanceable and retreatable manner. The driving gear makes the first and second guide members advance and retreat. The roll storage part comprises a first through-hole for guiding the first guide member in the width direction, and a second through-hole for guiding the second guide member in the width direction. The first guide member comprises a first driven part configured to mesh with the driving gear, and a first sandwiching part holding the first guide member. The second guide member comprises a second driven part configured to mesh with the driving gear, and a second sandwiching part holding the second guide member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kumiko UCHINO, Keiji SEO, Takamine HOKAZONO, Hidenori JO, Yuki NAGASHIMA, Hiroki OHNISHI
  • Patent number: 8699040
    Abstract: A paper-feeding device and a multi-functional printer are provided. The paper-feeding device includes a base, a driving axle, a position-limiting element and a retaining element. The base has a first assembling portion. The driving axle, the position-limiting and the retaining elements are all in the base. The position-limiting element has a second assembling portion and two position-limiting portions on radial directions of the second assembling portion between the inserting portion and the body. The retaining element includes a swing frame, a paper-separating element and a spring. The body of the swing frame is located between the two position-limiting portions. The first and second pivoting portions coaxial and connect the body are pivoted respectively to the first and second assembling portions. The inserting portion of the paper-separating element is sheathed by the body and the separating element leans against the driving axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignees: Kinpo Electronics, Inc., Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited
    Inventors: Shih-Jer Din, Ken-Hua Chang
  • Patent number: 8641303
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a first convey path; a support member which supports a first recording medium, a second recording medium, and a tray; a second convey path connected to the first convey path; a first guide member partly defining the second convey path; and a posture change mechanism which changes the support member and the first guide member between (a) a first posture in which the first convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height allowing the first recording medium to pass therethrough and (b) a second posture in which the first convey path has a height larger than the first height and allowing the second recording medium or the tray to pass therethrough, and the second convey path has a height smaller than the second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iwane Sano, Yasuhira Ota, Shota Iijima, Naokazu Tanahashi, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 8550734
    Abstract: A transportation guide mechanism and a recording device having the transportation guide mechanism can smoothly and stably discharge sheet media without impairing the ease of maintenance. The transportation guide mechanism 61 is disposed between the paper exit 4 of a paper feed mechanism 3 that can open and close to the printing unit 2 and a ticket transportation path 12 through which recording paper P discharged from the paper feed mechanism 3 passes, and guides the recording paper P discharged from the paper exit 4 to the ticket transportation path 12. The transportation guide mechanism 61 has a bottom guide panel 63 that renders the guide path 64 through which the recording paper P can pass. The bottom guide panel 63 is supported so that it is pushed by the paper feed mechanism 3 opening and closing to the printing unit 2 and can be displaced to a position outside the path of paper feed mechanism 3 movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ichiro Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8538316
    Abstract: With front face printing, the sheet fed from a sheet feeding unit is led into a nipped position between a first pinch roller and a decurling roller from a first direction, and is discharged by decurling force being applied thereto at the decurling roller. On the other hand, the sheet fed from a reverse unit is led into the nipped position from a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is discharged by decurling force being applied thereto at the decurling roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Shigeno, Tetsuhiro Nitta, Masato Izumi, Ryosuke Sato
  • Patent number: 8529145
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, a cutter device usable therewith and a method are disclosed. The image forming apparatus, cutter device and method include a cutter housing, a pair of rotary cutting wheels, a cutter guide, and a gear assembly. The pair of rotary cutting wheels pass through a cutting region to cut media transported along a media transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L. P.
    Inventors: Carlos Miguel Cartón Cordero, Ismael Chanclón Fernández, Fernando Juan Jover
  • Patent number: 8523466
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a housing configured to accommodating an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet; and a conveying mechanism configured to at least partially define a conveying path for guiding the sheet to the image forming portion, wherein the conveying mechanism includes a first conveying element including an upstream end on which a feeding assembly for feeding the sheet is formed, and a second conveying element confronting the first conveying element to form the conveying path in cooperation with the first conveying element, and the housing includes a rail configured to guide displacement of the second conveying element from a first position where the second conveying element forms the conveying path along the first conveying element to a second position where the second conveying element is away from the first conveying element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Mizuguchi, Akinori Matsuno
  • Patent number: 8517620
    Abstract: A printer includes a supporting member, a print head and a guide member. The supporting member is configured to support a sheet print medium on an upper surface of the supporting member. The print head is provided to print on the sheet print medium fed onto the upper surface of the supporting member. The guide member is configured to guide the sheet print medium to feed the sheet print medium onto the upper surface of the supporting member. The guide member includes at least one guide collar around which the sheet print medium is wound and a guide bar provided in the at least one guide collar so that the at least one guide collar is rotatable around the guide bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaaki Kanbara
  • Patent number: 8485747
    Abstract: Provided is a printer capable of minimizing paper jam with a simple configuration, preventing a recording sheet from being caught around a platen roller, and quickly performing removal of the recording sheet. The printer includes: a main unit (10) including a platen roller (5); and a detachable unit (11) including a recording head (6). The main unit includes: a wall portion (130) provided on a downstream side in a feeding direction of the recording sheet with respect to the platen roller; a guide member (131) supported at an upper end of the wall portion; and a stopper portion (132) which is provided on a downstream side in a rotating direction of the platen roller with respect to the guide member, and defines, between the platen roller and the wall portion, a retention space (C) in which the recording sheet having passed through a gap between an opposed surface (131b) of the guide member and the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller is retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Kouji Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130142561
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a pick-up unit configured to pick up a printing medium stored in a printing medium storage unit and transport the picked printing medium to a printing medium transportation path provided inside a body, the pick-up unit having a pick-up roller to pick up the printing medium in the printing medium storage unit and a forward roller to guide the picked-up printing medium, to the printing medium transportation path, and the body including a guide portion slantingly extending from a lower side of the forward roller toward one side of the forward roller to guide the picked-up printing medium, and a plurality of locking protrusions protruding from the guide portion to prevent a plurality of printing media from being simultaneously entered to a gap between the forward roller and the guide portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyun Woo KIM
  • Publication number: 20130136521
    Abstract: In one example, a device for use in a printer includes a flexible piece and a holder configured to removably attach the piece to a platen that has a surface over which a print substrate is moved through the print zone for printing on the substrate. The piece and the holder are configured to place the piece in tension along the platen surface such that, when the piece is attached to the platen, the piece becomes sufficiently rigid to counter substrate edge curl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Daniel Gutierrez Garcia, Ignacio Picatoste Olloqui, Raimon Castells De Monet
  • Patent number: 8449209
    Abstract: The image recording apparatus includes conveying unit configured to convey a roll-shaped recording medium, a recording head adapted to record an image on the recording medium, a guide member configured for guiding the recording medium, and a cutting unit configured to cut the recording medium, wherein the guide member is provided with at least one friction member on a surface of the guide member, the at least one friction member configured to come into contact with the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takakazu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8416475
    Abstract: In a state where a second power transmission path of transmitting power from the second planetary gear to the cam driving gear through the intermediate gear is selected, when the intermediate gear is opposed to the non-tooth portion for the release position of the cam driving gear, the rotation direction of the driving motor is changed to select a first power transmission path of directly transmitting power from the first planetary gear to the cam driving gear, the non-tooth portion for the release position deviates from the opposed position of the intermediate gear, and the rotation direction of the driving motor is changed again to select the second power transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Aoki, Ryo Honma
  • Patent number: 8414206
    Abstract: The invention describes a sheet conveying device having a feed tray for storing sheets, a first conveying path for conveying a first sheet in a first direction, a feed roller that feeds the sheets in the feed tray to the first conveying path, a second conveying path that connects the first conveying path and the feed tray, and conveys the first sheet in a direction opposite the first direction, and a multiple feed guide in the second conveying path, which has a guide for guiding the first sheet between the feed roller and the feed tray, and an overlying portion which overlies the feed tray on one side of the feed roller. The feed roller feeds the first sheet that was fed to the first conveying path, and was guided by the multiple feed guide, back to the first conveying path. A duplex printer incorporates this sheet conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Asada
  • Publication number: 20130084121
    Abstract: A printer comprises a storing section configured to store a label paper attached with a label on backing paper in a peelable way, a printing section prints on the label, a peeling platen roller configured to be rotated by driving force from a driving unit acting through a driving gear and be butted with the backing paper to convey the backing paper, a peeling unit configured to peel the label from the backing paper conveyed by the peeling platen roller, a first guide roller presses the backing paper from a surface opposite to a surface butted with the peeling platen roller and butts the backing paper with the peeling platen roller and a second guide roller presses the backing paper by butting with the backing paper from the surface opposite to the surface butted with the peeling platen roller between the peeling unit and the peeling platen roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Osamu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8382275
    Abstract: A printer is provided that can convey recording paper at a constant transportation speed and transportation amount passed a printing position by means of the transportation force of a single transportation roller pair located on the upstream side of the printing position. A roll paper printer has a vacuum type platen member opposite the ink nozzle surface of an inkjet head, and an upstream guide surface and a platen surface that defines the printing position are formed on the guide surface of the platen member. The upstream guide surface extends to a position near the nipping part of the single transportation roller pair on its upstream side. Because the recording paper fed from the nipping part toward the printing position is guided while being constrained by air suction to the upstream guide surface, deflection in the out-of-plane direction is suppressed and the recording paper is held flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8313260
    Abstract: A device for compensating for the variation in width of a flexible print support (1) progressing through a multicolor printing machine, between successive rotary printing assemblies, by a stream of air directed towards the print support in order to alter its flatness, includes at least one pair of deflectors (2) positioned symmetrically one on each side of the line of travel of the print support, each deflector (2) including an air blowing chamber (6) opening onto the surface (11) of the deflector that faces towards the print support and being directed towards the rear of the deflector in the direction of travel of the support, so as to produce an air stream in the form of a flat sheet of air capable, at the same time, of making it easier to keep the support away from the surface of the deflector and to continue forced travel of the print support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Diffusion de Materiel et d'Imprimerie
    Inventors: Rene Nouhant, Sébastien Nouhant
  • Patent number: 8297865
    Abstract: A media transport comprises: a media entrance for receiving a length of media (such as a receipt); an arcuate media store for storing the length of media in a coiled configuration; a media exit (such as a receipt aperture) through which the length of media can be presented (for example, to a customer); and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is operable in a first direction to drive the length of media from the entrance into the arcuate media store. The drive mechanism is also operable in a second direction to drive the length of media from the entrance through the media exit for presentation to a customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Colman McGarry
  • Patent number: 8289566
    Abstract: A print or logo data generating system and method in which a width dimension of a printable medium is identified and original source data obtained. The processing further involves automatically resizing the source data to a predefined maximum width not greater than the width dimension of the printable medium prior to executing any user-requested changes, and displaying a first image representation of the original source data. Upon receipt of a user-requested change in the size of the original source data and a user-requested change in the number of colors of the original source data, the size change request is executed first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20120224903
    Abstract: A medium transport apparatus includes a medium guide member that forms part of the curved transport path and guides a medium to a downstream side, and that is provided so as to be capable of pivoting at an outward side from the curved transport path, and that changes the size of a space of part of the curved transport path by pivoting. The medium guide member has a pivot axis that is in an upstream side direction of a guide surface that guides the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryo HONMA
  • Patent number: 8256976
    Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for correct positioning of a plurality of edge guides of a media source assembly. The system senses the proximity of documents with the plurality of edge guides by employing one or more sensors. Based on the sensed proximity, the one or more sensors provide notifications to the user through one or more indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Edwards, John Paul NeCamp
  • Publication number: 20120114407
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes an image forming unit disposed in a main body and configured to form an image on a recording medium, an output tray provided in the main body and configured to receive the recording medium having an image formed thereon, and an ejection device provided in the main body and configured to eject the recording medium to the output tray. The apparatus may further include a movable sheet guiding member movably attached to the main body and a stationary sheet guiding member disposed downstream of the movable sheet guiding member in a recording medium ejection direction and above the output tray. The movable sheet guiding member can press a recording medium ejected from the ejection device downward, and the stationary sheet guiding member can protrude from the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nakamura, Takashi Saito
  • Publication number: 20120093559
    Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to provide a modification of the paper path in an image forming system including a plurality of printing modules, and having a simplex mode that an image is formed on a front surface of a continuous medium, and a duplex mode that an image is also formed on a rear surface of a continuous medium, the image forming system further comprises a bidirectional urge unit added in the middle of the paper path tunnel. Placement of a bidirectional urge unit allows the continuous medium to be transported in two directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Etienne VANHEUVERZWIJN
  • Patent number: 8091888
    Abstract: In an apparatus for handling sheets, first and second sheet transfer members are movable to transfer one of the sheets between the first and second sheet transfer members, the first and second sheet transfer members have respective transfer surfaces contactable with the one of the sheets so that the one of the sheets is driven to be transferred by at least one of the first and second sheet transfer members, and an information reader is arranged between the first and second sheet transfer members in such a manner that an information is readable from the one of the sheets even when the one of the sheets is transferred by one of the first and second sheet transfer members and is prevented from being transferred by both of the first and second sheet transfer members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions Corp.
    Inventor: Junichi Tamamoto
  • Patent number: 8087839
    Abstract: A disclosed printer includes a frame; a thermal head attached to the frame; a platen roller drive motor attached to the frame; a reduction gear train attached to the frame and configured to reduce the speed of rotation generated by the platen roller drive motor; and a platen roller detachably attached to the frame and configured to be driven by the platen roller drive motor via the reduction gear train and to feed paper while pressing the paper against the thermal head. The frame is produced by press-forming sheet metal and includes a horizontal plate part, a backboard part rising vertically from a back edge of the horizontal plate part, sideboard parts rising vertically from corresponding side edges of the horizontal plate part, and a projecting part protruding outward from an edge of one of the sideboard parts and forming a surrounding part of a gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinari Takabatake, Tadashi Ohtaka, Yukihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 8066442
    Abstract: A supply of labels may be configured to facilitate folding. A label handling method involves initiating a label fold prior to a label completely exiting a label exit opening. A label apparatus includes a label obstructing member to promote label folding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert J. Weisz, Nigel G. Mills, Kinred Bowling, Karl S. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20110236118
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a tray having a recess, a recording unit, a drive roller, a first driven roller, a second driven roller, a first urging member and a second urging member. The first driven roller is movable between a first basic position to contact the drive roller and press with a first force and a first nip position to press a first portion, corresponding to the recess, with a third force. The second driven roller is movable between a second basic position to contact the drive roller and press with a second force and a second nip position to press a second portion, not corresponding to the recess, with a fourth force. A difference between the first force and the second force is smaller than a difference between the third force and the fourth force, and the third force is smaller than the fourth force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhira Ota, Tetsuo Asada