Patent US1589120A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5826156A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5826156A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image forming apparatus
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 1997-02-27
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Granted: 1998-10-20
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Expires: 2017-02-27
Abstract
Abstract The size of a paper put in a tray for manual insertion is decided according to detectors provided in the tray. When detection precision of the paper size is not so high to determine paper size, it is instructed to specify a paper size manually. In another example, a paper size selection picture including a plurality of paper sizes is displayed in a touch panel for assisting an operator to select paper size manually. Thus, paper size for the tray can be specified manually, and erroneous copying can be prevented. In situations where paper size is not needed to update, paper size selection is not instructed.
Inventors
- 👤 Junko Natsume
- 👤 Kazuhiro Araki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:53
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6502; G03G15/6514; G03G15/50; G03G15/5016; G03G15/502; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00367; G03G2215/00379; G03G2215/00392; G03G2215/00535; G03G2215/00717; G03G2215/00734
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a sheet of paper; a detector for detecting at least a length of one side of the paper supplied to said paper supplier; a specifying means for specifying a paper size according to signals received from said detector; an input device for inputting a size of the paper manually when said specifying means fails to specify the paper size; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a sheet of paper; a detector for detecting at least a length of one side of the paper supplied to said paper supplier; a specifying means for specifying a paper size according to signals received from said detector; an input device for inputting a size of the paper manually when said specifying means fails to specify the paper size; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said paper supplier comprises a guide member for guiding the paper, the guide member being moved in a direction perpendicular to a paper supply direction, and said detector comprises a first sensor to detect a width along the direction perpendicular to the paper supply direction according to a position of said guide member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said detector further comprises a second sensor for detecting whether a length along the paper supply direction is longer than a predetermined length or not.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specifying means comprises a liquid crystal panel which displays a plurality of paper sizes derived from signals received from said detector.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for specifying a paper size in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: inserting a sheet of paper on a paper supplier of the image forming apparatus; detecting at least a length of one side of the paper; specifying a paper size according to at least the length of one side of the paper; inputting a size of the paper manually when specification of the paper size is failed; and forming an image on the paper.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for specifying a paper size in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: inserting a sheet of paper on a paper supplier of the image forming apparatus; detecting at least a length of one side of the paper; specifying a paper size according to at least the length of one side of the paper; inputting a size of the paper manually when specification of the paper size is failed; and forming an image on the paper.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a paper; a detector for detecting at least a length of one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a display device for displaying a plurality of paper sizes having a side equal to the length detected by said detector; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a paper; a detector for detecting at least a length of one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a display device for displaying a plurality of paper sizes having a side equal to the length detected by said detector; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said paper supplier comprises a guide member for guiding the paper, the guide member being moved in a direction perpendicular to a paper supply direction, and said detector comprises a first sensor to detect a width along the direction perpendicular to the paper supply direction according to a position of said guide member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said detector further comprises a second sensor for detecting whether a length along the paper supply direction is longer than a predetermined length or not.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said specifying means comprises a liquid crystal panel which displays a plurality of paper sizes derived from signals received from said detector and determines a paper size when one of the plurality of paper sizes displayed is specified.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for specifying a paper size in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: inserting a sheet of paper on a paper supplier of the image forming apparatus; detecting at least a length of one side of the paper; displaying a plurality of paper sizes having a side equal to the detected length; and forming an image on the paper.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for specifying a paper size in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: inserting a sheet of paper on a paper supplier of the image forming apparatus; detecting at least a length of one side of the paper; displaying a plurality of paper sizes having a side equal to the detected length; and forming an image on the paper.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
72 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a paper; a detector for detecting at least a length of one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a display device for displaying a plurality of paper sizes having a side having a length within a predetermined range including the length detected by said detector; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a paper; a detector for detecting at least a length of one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a display device for displaying a plurality of paper sizes having a side having a length within a predetermined range including the length detected by said detector; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said paper supplier comprises a guide member for guiding the paper, the guide member being moved in a direction perpendicular to a paper supply direction, and said detector comprises a first sensor to detect a width along the direction perpendicular to the paper supply direction according to a position of said guide member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said detector further comprises a second sensor for detecting whether a length along the paper supply direction is longer than a predetermined length or not.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said specifying means comprises a liquid crystal panel which displays a plurality of paper sizes derived from signals received from said detector and determines a paper size when one of the plurality of paper sizes displayed is specified.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
109 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a paper; a first detector for detecting a length of at least one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a second detector for detecting whether a sheet of paper is put in said paper supplier; a first instruction means for instructing paper supply by said paper supplier; a second instruction means for inputting a paper size manually when said second detector does not detect a paper in said paper supplier and said first instruction means instructs paper supply by said paper supplier; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
109 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper supplier for inserting a paper; a first detector for detecting a length of at least one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a second detector for detecting whether a sheet of paper is put in said paper supplier; a first instruction means for instructing paper supply by said paper supplier; a second instruction means for inputting a paper size manually when said second detector does not detect a paper in said paper supplier and said first instruction means instructs paper supply by said paper supplier; and an image forming means for forming an image on the paper.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said paper supplier comprises a guide member for guiding the paper, the guide member being moved in a direction perpendicular to a paper supply direction, and said second detector comprises a sensor to detect a width along the direction perpendicular to the paper supply direction according to a position of said guide member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said second instruction means comprises a liquid crystal panel which displays a plurality of paper sizes derived from signals received from said detector and determines a paper size when one of the plurality of paper sizes displayed is specified.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
122 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of paper; a first detector for detecting whether image forming by said image forming means is interrupted or not; a paper supplier for putting a plurality of sheets of paper and for supplying them continuously; a second detector for detecting whether a sheet of paper is put in said paper supplier; and a means for instructing input of a paper size manually if interrupt of image forming is not detected by said first detector and for keeping a current paper size set before interrupt of image forming if the interrupt is detected, when said second detector detects a sheet of paper put in said paper supplier.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
122 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of paper; a first detector for detecting whether image forming by said image forming means is interrupted or not; a paper supplier for putting a plurality of sheets of paper and for supplying them continuously; a second detector for detecting whether a sheet of paper is put in said paper supplier; and a means for instructing input of a paper size manually if interrupt of image forming is not detected by said first detector and for keeping a current paper size set before interrupt of image forming if the interrupt is detected, when said second detector detects a sheet of paper put in said paper supplier.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
153 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of paper; a first detector for detecting whether image forming of said image forming means is interrupted or not; a paper supplier for receiving a plurality of sheets of paper and for supplying the sheets of paper continuously; a second detector for detecting at least a length of one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a specifying means for specifying a paper size according to said second detector; and a means for instructing input of a paper size manually if interrupt of image forming is not detected by said first detector and for keeping the paper size set before interrupt if interrupt of image forming of said image forming means is detected by said first detector, or when said specifying means does not specify a sheet of paper in said paper supplier.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
153 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of paper; a first detector for detecting whether image forming of said image forming means is interrupted or not; a paper supplier for receiving a plurality of sheets of paper and for supplying the sheets of paper continuously; a second detector for detecting at least a length of one side of a sheet of paper supplied to said paper supplier; a specifying means for specifying a paper size according to said second detector; and a means for instructing input of a paper size manually if interrupt of image forming is not detected by said first detector and for keeping the paper size set before interrupt if interrupt of image forming of said image forming means is detected by said first detector, or when said specifying means does not specify a sheet of paper in said paper supplier.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
65 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second detector supplier comprises a guide member set in said paper supplier, said guide member being moved in a direction perpendicular to a paper supply direction, and said detector comprises a first sensor to detect the paper size along the direction perpendicular to the paper supply direction according to a position of the guide member.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second detector further comprises a second sensor for detecting a length of the paper to decide whether the length along the paper supply direction is longer than a predetermined length or not.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-10-19 | 2002-04-20 | 2002-10-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-10-19 | 2006-04-20 | 2006-10-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-10-19 | 2010-04-20 | 2010-10-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |