This application relates to an image recording device configured to record an image on a sheet, and particularly to an image recording device configured to record an image on both sides of a sheet.
Known image recording devices are configured to record an image on both sides of a sheet. A sheet fed out by a sheet feeder is conveyed by a conveying roller to an image forming unit where an image is recorded on one side of the sheet. The sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof is switched back by a discharging roller provided on a downstream side of the image forming unit. The sheet reaches the conveying roller again through a return path provided below the image forming unit. Then, an image is recorded on the other side of the sheet by the image forming unit. The sheet having an image on both sides of the sheet is discharged by the discharging roller.
In the known image recording devices, the sheet feeder includes a feed arm provided above a sheet tray so as to pivot about a predetermined shaft, and a feed roller provided at a free end of the feed arm. The feed roller rotates to feed out the sheets stored in the sheet tray.
When the feed arm is configured to pivot upward during insertion and removal of the tray into and from the image recording device, a space for the feed arm to retract from the tray is required between the feed arm and the return path provided above the feed arm. This increases the size of the image recording device.
Accordingly, in view of the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording device having an adequate space for a feed arm to retract from a movable sheet tray while preventing an increase in size of the device.
Technical advantages of the invention are an adequate space for the feed arm to retract from the movable sheet tray is ensured while preventing an increase in size of the device.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an image recording device includes: a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet; a tray disposed below the recording unit, having a sheet holding surface, and configured to be inserted into and removed from the image recording device; a feed guide defining a curved first conveying path and configured to guide the sheet to the recording unit; an arm disposed between the recording unit and the tray and configured to pivot between a first arm position and a second arm position where a free end of the arm is farther from the sheet holding surface than in the first arm position and is retracted from an insertion space of the image recording device dimensioned to accept the tray; a feed roller rotatably disposed at the free end of the arm and configured to feed the sheet on the sheet holding surface of the tray to the first conveying path when the arm is in the first arm position; and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the arm and configured to pivot between a first return guide position where the return guide at least partially defines a second conveying path and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the feed guide, and a second return guide position where a free end of the return guide is closer to the recording unit than in the first return guide position. Additionally, a space occupied by the return guide in the first return guide position overlaps a space occupied by the arm in the second arm position, and the return guide is in the second return guide position when the arm is in the second arm position.
Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.
For a more complete understanding of the invention, the needs satisfied thereby, and the features and technical advantages thereof, reference now is made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, an up-down direction 7 is defined with reference to a use state of a multi-function device 10 (state illustrated in
Referring to
Next, a configuration of the printer 11 will be described with reference to
The printer 11 includes a sheet feeder 15 for picking up and feeding a sheet from the tray 20, a recording unit 24 of an inkjet recording type for recording an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeder 15 by discharging ink droplets onto the sheet, and a path switching unit 41. The recording unit 24 is not limited to the inkjet recording type, various recording types such as an electrophotographic recording type may be used for the recording unit 24.
In the printer 11, a conveying path 65 extends from a rear end of the tray 20 to the discharged sheet receiver 79. The conveying path 65 includes a curved path 65A, which functions as a first conveying path, provided between the rear end of the tray 20 and the recording unit 24, and a discharge path 65B provided between the recording unit 24 and the discharged sheet receiver 79.
The curved path 65A extends from a portion near an upper end of an inclined separation plate 22 provided in the tray 20 to the recording unit 24, and is substantially shaped like an arc centered on an inner portion of the printer 11. A sheet fed from the tray 20 is guided to the recording unit 24 along the curved path 65A. The curved path 65A is defined by a feed guide including an outer guide 18 and an inner guide 19 that are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap therebetween. The outer guide 18 and the inner guide 19, as well as an upper guide 82, a lower guide 83, and a support member 43, which will be described below, extend in a direction perpendicular to a drawing sheet plane of
A plurality of guide rollers 64 are provided in the curved path 65A. Each guide roller 64 is rotatable on an axis extending in the width direction of the curved path 65A and a roller surface thereof is exposed from the outer guide 18 or the inner guide 19. In the outer guide 18 and the inner guide 19, a plurality of rows (not shown) of guide rollers 64 are arranged from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction of the sheet while each row of guide rollers 64 extends in the width direction of the curved path 65A. The guide rollers 64 allow smooth conveyance of the sheet that comes into contact with the guide surfaces at a curved portion of the curved path 65A. Instead of freely rotatable guide rollers 64, rollers to be rotated by driving force transmitted from a driving source, or ribs protruding from the outer guide 18 or the inner guide 19 into the curved path 65A may be used.
The discharge path 65B extends substantially horizontally from a downstream-side portion of the recording unit 24 in a first conveying direction to the discharged sheet receiver 79. Here, the first conveying direction refers to a direction in which the sheet is conveyed through the conveying path 65 (a direction shown by a one-dot-one-dash line with arrows in
A branch port 36 is provided on the downstream side of the recording unit 24 in the first conveying direction. During duplex image recording, the sheet conveyed in the discharge path 65B is switched back on the downstream side of the branch port 36, and is then conveyed toward a return path 67 described below. The return path 67 functions as a second conveying path.
The recording unit 24 is provided above the tray 20, and reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the drawing sheet plane of
A first conveying roller 60 and a pinch roller 61 are provided between the recording unit 24 and front ends of the outer guide 18 and the inner guide 19. The pinch roller 61 is provided under the first conveying roller 60, and is pressed against a roller surface of the first conveying roller 60 by an elastic member (not shown) such as a spring. The first conveying roller 60 and the pinch roller 61 nip the sheet that has been conveyed through the curved path 65A, and convey the sheet onto the platen 42.
A second conveying roller 62 and a spur roller 63 are provided as a pair between the recording unit 24 and rear ends of the upper guide 82 and the lower guide 83. Similarly to the pinch roller 61, the spur roller 63 is pressed against a roller surface of the second conveying roller 62. The second conveying roller 62 and the spur roller 63 nip a sheet on which an image has been recorded by the recording unit 24, and convey the sheet downstream in the first conveying direction (toward the discharged sheet receiver 79).
The first conveying roller 60 and the second conveying roller 62 are rotated by rotational driving force transmitted from a conveying motor (not shown) via a driving transmission mechanism (not shown). The driving transmission mechanism includes a planetary gear and so on, and rotates the first conveying roller 60 and the second conveying roller 62 in one direction so as to convey the sheet in the first conveying direction in whichever of the forward or reverse rotating directions the conveying motor is rotated. The first conveying roller 60 and the second conveying roller 62 are intermittently driven during image recording, so that an image is recorded on the sheet that is being fed by a predetermined line feed width.
The sheet feeder 15 is configured to convey sheets stored in the tray 20 toward the curved path 65A, and includes a plurality of feed rollers 25 (see
The feed rollers 25 pick up the uppermost one of the sheets stacked on the tray 20, and feed the sheet to the curved path 65A. The feed rollers 25 are rotatably supported at an end of the arm 26, and are rotated by an auto sheet feed (ASF) motor (not shown) via the driving transmission mechanism 27 that includes a plurality of gears arranged in a substantially straight line, represented in
A base shaft 28 is provided above the tray 20 and below the recording unit 24. The arm 26 is supported at its base end by the base shaft 28, and can pivot about the base shaft 28. Hence, a free end of the arm 26, having feed rollers 25, can move in the up-down direction close to and away from the tray 20. A force in a direction of arrow 29 in
The end portion 23A of the lower surface 23 of the arm 26 is pushed by the cam portion 57 provided in the side plate 55 of the tray 20 when the tray 20 is drawn out of the printer 11, and the arm 26 thereby pivots upward. The arm 26 pushed up by the cam portion 57 takes a second arm position, as shown in
On a side opposite of the lower surface 23, the arm 26 has an upper surface 21 (see
The sheet tray unit 78 is provided below the sheet feeder 15. As shown in
The tray 20 includes the bottom plate 54, which functions as a sheet holding surface, side plates 55 and 56 standing from both ends of the bottom plate 54 in the right-left direction 9 and extending in the front-rear direction 8 in which the sheet is fed, and an inclined separation plate 22 standing from a rear end of the bottom plate 54 and extending in the right-left direction 9. The tray 20 is shaped like a substantially rectangular box that is open on a top side.
The cam portion 57 is provided on an upper surface of the right side plate 55. The cam portion 57 includes a first inclined face 571 that is higher on the front side than on the rear side, a second inclined face 572 that is connected to the first inclined face 571 and is higher on the rear side than on the front side, and a horizontal face 573 connected to the rear side of the second inclined face 572. The horizontal face 573 substantially extends to the rear end of the side plate 55, and has a height substantially equal to the height of an upper end of the inclined separation plate 22. From the above-described structures, the height of the cam portion 57 changes with respect to the bottom plate 54 in the front-rear direction 8.
When the tray 20 is inserted into the printer 11 or drawn out of the printer 11, the cam portion 57 slides in the front-rear direction 8 and comes into contact with the lower surface 23 of the arm 26. In this case, the height of the arm 26 changes depending on which of the faces 571, 572, and 573 of the cam portion 57 is in contact with the arm 26.
The inclined separation plate 22 is inclined rearward so as to smoothly guide the sheet. The sheet is conveyed from the rear end of the tray 20 to the curved path 65A provided on the upper rear side of the rear end, as described above.
A pair of side guides 77 stands on the bottom plate 54 of the tray 20, and extends in the front-rear direction 8. Either one of the side guides 77 is operated to slide along the bottom plate 54 in one of the right and left directions. In synchronization with this, the other side guide 77 slides in the other of the right and left directions. For this reason, if the width of the sheet placed on the bottom plate 54 is smaller than the distance between the two side guides 77, one of the side guides 77 is operated to slide toward the sheet, so that the other side guide 77 moves simultaneously. As a result, the center of the sheet in the width direction (right-left direction 9) substantially coincides with the center of the tray 20 in the width direction. That is, these side guides 77 can contact the edges of the sheet placed on the bottom plate 54. Sliding the side guides 77 allows sheets of various sizes, up to the size corresponding to the distance between the side plates 55 and 56 in the right-left direction 9, to be placed on the bottom plate 54.
Only one side guide 77 may be provided on the bottom plate 54 of the tray 20. In this case, a distance between the side guide 77 and one of the side plates 55 and 56 is adjusted in correspondence with a sheet placed on the bottom plate 54.
The discharged sheet receiver 79 can pivot upward from the tray 20 about a shaft 91 that is rotatably supported by the side plates 55 and 56. That is, the discharged sheet receiver 79 serves as a movable cover for the tray 20. When the discharged sheet receiver 79 is opened upward by the user in a state in which the sheet tray unit 78 is outside the multi-function device 10, an upper front side of the tray 20 is opened so as to expose the bottom plate 54. This allows the sheet to be placed in the tray 20 from the front side.
As shown in
The third conveying roller 45 is provided on the downstream side of the lower guide 83, and is rotatably supported by a frame of the printer 11 as an example. The branch port 36 is provided between the third conveying roller 45 and the lower guide 83. The spur roller 46 is provided above the third conveying roller 45, and is urged, by the weight thereof and/or by biasing force of a spring or the like, in a direction to press a roller surface of the third conveying roller 45. Further, the spur roller 46 is rotatably supported at a downstream end of the upper guide 82. The third conveying roller 45 is driven by the conveying motor (not shown) to rotate in a forward or reverse direction. For example, for one-sided recording, the third conveying roller 45 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, so that the sheet is conveyed downstream while being nipped between the third conveying roller 45 and the spur roller 46 and is discharged to the discharged sheet receiver 79. In contrast, for duplex recording, the rotating direction of the third conveying roller 45 is switched from forward to reverse when the rear end of the sheet is being nipped between the third conveying roller 45 and the spur roller 46.
A support shaft 87 is provided, for example, on the frame of the printer 11, and extends in the direction perpendicular to the drawing sheet plane of
The flap 49 can change its position, and pivots between a discharging position higher than the lower guide 83 (position shown by a broken line in
The return path 67 guides the sheet from the downstream side of the recording unit 24 in the first conveying direction to the upstream side of the first conveying roller 60 in the first conveying direction. The return path 67 branches from the discharge path 65B at the branch port 36, extends below the recording unit 24 and above the driving transmission mechanism 27, and joins the curved path 65A at a joint portion 37 on the upstream side of the recording unit 24 in the first conveying direction. The sheet is conveyed through the return path 67 in a second conveying direction. Here, the second conveying direction refers to a direction shown by a two-dot-one-dash line with arrows in
The return path 67 includes a first path 67A and a second path 67B. The first path 67A is defined by an upper inclined guide 32 and a lower inclined guide 33 that have inclined surfaces inclined from the branch port 36 to the lower rear side. The upper inclined guide 32 is provided integrally with the lower guide 83. The upper inclined guide 32 and the lower inclined guide 33 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap therebetween such that the sheet can pass therebetween. The upper inclined guide 32 is provided above the lower inclined guide 33.
The second path 67B extends rearward in a substantially downward curve from a portion near a terminal end of the first path 67A, and is curved upward to a portion immediately before the joint portion 37. The second path 67B is defined by the return guide 70 supported to pivot in a direction of arrow 68 in
The return guide 70 is provided between the recording unit 24 and the arm 26 of the sheet feeder 15, that is, below the recording unit 24 and above the arm 26 of the sheet feeder 15.
As illustrated in
The first plate member 71 and the second plate member 72 are attached to each other to form a predetermined angle therebetween such that the second plate member 72 points more upward than the first plate member 71. Thus, the first plate member 71, the second plate member 72, and the curved path 65A form a substantially arc-shaped path, as shown in
The first plate member 71 is supported at its base end (front end) by the base shaft 28 of the sheet feeder 15, and can pivot about the base shaft 28. In other words, the pivot shaft of the return guide 70 is the same as the pivot shaft of the arm 26 of the sheet feeder 15. By being supported on the base shaft 28, a free end of the return guide 70 can move up and down closer to and away from the recording unit 24. Thus, the return guide 70 can pivot to take the first return guide position, as shown in
The return guide 70 has openings 90 formed at positions opposed to the feed rollers 25. The openings 90 are formed though a surface of the return guide 70 on which the sheet is conveyed. More specifically, as shown in
The return guide 70 is configured to pivot to the retracted position in association with the pivoting of the arm 26 to the remote position. The return guide 70 is pushed upward by the upper surface 21 of the arm 26 (see
With reference to
When the sheet feeder 15 is in the close position, the feed rollers 25 are in contact with the upper surface of the sheet or the bottom plate 54. The feed rollers 25 contact the bottom plate 54 if there are no sheets in the tray 20. The end portion 23A of the lower surface 23 of the arm 26 is located above the first inclined face 571 and the second inclined face 572 and below the horizontal face 573. In addition, the end portion 23A of the lower surface 23 is spaced from the cam portion 57.
When the tray 20 is drawn forward, i.e. removed, from the fully inserted state described above, the lower surface 23 comes into contact with the second inclined face 572, and moves upward along the second inclined face 572. As a result, the arm 26 pivots upward, and the feed rollers 25 are lifted up. That is, the arm 26 starts to change its position from the close position to the remote position while the end portion 23A contacts the second inclined face 572. The arm 26 pivots to the remote position when the end portion 23A reaches the horizontal face 573.
When the sheet feeder 15 pivots upward by a predetermined amount, the upper surface 21 of the arm 26 comes into contact with the lower surface 74 of the first plate member 71. In this case, at least parts of the feed rollers 25 enter the openings 90 of the return guide 70, and therefore, the feed rollers 25 do not come into contact with the return guide 70.
When the tray 20 is further drawn forward in this state, the sheet feeder 15 pivots by movement of the lower surface 23, and the sheet feeder 15 and the return guide 70 pivot upward together. That is, the return guide 70 starts to change its position from the conveying position to the retracted position. This pivoting continues until the end portion 23A of the lower surface 23 comes into contact with the horizontal face 573 (see
In other words, the arm 26 pushes the return guide 70 upward, and thereby takes the remote position in a space where the return guide 70 has been in the conveying position. That is, the space occupied by the arm 26 in the remote position overlaps the space the return guide 70 occupies in the conveying position.
Even if the tray 20 is further drawn forward in this state, the sheet feeder 15 maintains the remote position while the end portion 23A is in contact with the horizontal face 573.
When the tray 20 is further drawn forward in this state and the horizontal face 573 comes out from the front side of the end portion 23A, the feed rollers 25 move down. This is because the arm 26 is biased in the direction of arrow 29 in
When the sheet feeder 15 changes its position from the remote position to the position lower than the close position, the return guide 70 correspondingly pivots to a third return guide position (see
In the above description, the return guide 70 pivots to the retracted position by being pushed up by the upper surface of the arm 26 pivoting to the remote position. However, other structures may be adopted as long as the return guide 70 can pivot in association with insertion and removal of the tray 20.
For example, in another embodiment, the arm 26 and the return guide 70 may pivot by driving force transmitted from a driving source (the above-described conveying motor, an ASF motor, or other motors). The arm 26 and the return guide 70 may be driven by the same driving source or different driving sources.
In the another embodiment, the driving force is transmitted to the arm 26 and the return guide 70 in association with insertion and removal of the tray 20. When the tray 20 loaded in the multi-function device 10 starts to move forward out of the multi-function device 10, the arm 26 and the return guide 70 start to pivot by the driving force transmitted from the driving source. Then, the arm 26 pivots from the close position to the remote position, and the return guide 70 pivots from the conveying position to the retracted position. When the pivoting is completed, the transmission of driving force from the driving source is stopped. In this embodiment, even when the tray 20 is removed from the multi-function device 10, the arm 26 remains in the remote position, and the return guide 70 remains in the retracted position. When the tray 20 is inserted in the multi-function device 10 in this state and the inserting operation is completed, the arm 26 and the return guide 70 start to pivot by the driving force transmitted from the driving source. Then, the arm 26 pivots from the remote position to the close position, and the return guide 70 pivots from the retracted position to the conveying position.
Returning to the embodiment shown in the figures, the return guide 70 in the conveying position is supported by the tray 20. As shown in
When the return guide 70 warps by a predetermined amount in the conveying position, the return guide 70 is supported by the side guides 77. The return guide 70 in the conveying position is normally located above the side guides 77. In this case, if the center of the return guide 70 in the right-left direction 9 moves by a predetermined amount to a position lower than both ends, that is, the return guide 70 warps by the predetermined amount, upper ends 771 (see
As shown in
While the projected guide members 75 are preferably provided at positions facing the center of the return guide 70 in the conveying direction of the sheet, i.e., in the front-rear direction 8, they may be provided at positions different from the center. Further, while a plurality of projected guide members 75 are preferably arranged in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sheet, as in the embodiment in which four projected guide members 75 are arranged in the right-left direction 9, only one projected guide member 75 or a plurality of projected guide members other than four may be provided.
Rollers 752 (see
As shown in
Since the projected guide members 75 and the first recesses 76 have the above-described structures, the projected guide members 75 are accommodated in the first recesses 76 when the return guide 70 pivots to the retracted position, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In the above-described embodiment, when a sheet is conveyed in the multi-function device 10, the arm 26 takes the close position so as to supply the sheet from the tray 20 to the curved path 65A. In this case, the return guide 70 takes the conveying position so as to form a part of the return path 67. When the tray 20 is inserted into and removed from the multi-function device 10, the arm 26 pivots to the remote position and is retracted from the insertion space for the tray 20. The space where the return guide 70 takes the conveying position overlaps the space where the arm 26 takes the remote position, so that the return guide 70 takes the retracted position when the arm 26 takes the remote position. Thus, the conveying position of the return guide 70 is located within the pivoting area of the arm 26.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the arm 26 and the return guide 70 pivot about the same base shaft 28. Therefore, an extra space for a separate pivot shaft is not required. Moreover, the pivoting area of the arm 26 and the pivoting area of the return guide 70 overlap with each other. This prevents an increase in size of the multi-function device 10.
In the above-described embodiment, the return guide 70 forms a part of the return path 67 when being in the conveying position lower than the retracted position.
The projected guide members 75 provided on the lower surface of the support member 43 reduces a dimension in the up-down direction 7 of the return path 67. Therefore, the sheet is prevented from vertically swinging in the return path 67 and from jamming in the return path 67.
In the above-described embodiment, since the projected guide members 75 are provided at positions corresponding to the center of the return guide 70 in the conveying direction of the sheet, the projected guide members 75 guide both a relatively small sheet and a relatively large sheet reliably along the upper surface of the return guide 70.
In the above-described embodiment, the arm 26 pivots to the remote position when the lower surface 23 of the arm 26 is pushed by the side plate 55 of the tray 20. Therefore, no extra member other than the side plate 55 is required for pivoting the arm 26.
In the above-described embodiment, the return guide 70 pivots to the retracted position when the lower surface 74 of the return guide 70 is pushed by the upper surface 21 of the arm 26. Therefore, no extra member other than the arm 26 is required for pivoting the return guide 70.
In the above-described embodiment, the return guide 70 is shaped like a thin plate. In this case, the center portion of the return guide 70 in the right-left direction 9 may warp downward by the weight of the return guide 70 and conveyance resistance of the sheet. However, downward warp of the return guide 70 is restricted by the side guides 77, and therefore, the sheet is conveyed stably.
In the above-described embodiment, the return guide 70 is supported by the tray 20. This stably positions the return guide 70, and also stabilizes conveyance of the sheet in the return path 67. Moreover, since no load is applied from the return guide 70 to the arm 26, the return guide 70 has no influence on the supply of the sheet by the feed rollers 25.
In the above-described embodiment, the buffer member 80 is provided on the support member 43. The return guide 70 may pivot into collision with the upper support member 43 when the tray 20 is inserted into and removed from the multi-function device or when the multi-function device 10 is transported. Even if such collision occurs, the buffer member 80 prevents damage to the return guide 70.
In the above-described embodiment, when the tray 20 has been removed from the multi-function device 10, the return guide 70 takes the position father from the recording unit 24 than in the conveying position, and an extra space is provided above the return path 67. Therefore, even when the sheet jams in the return path 67, it can be readily removed by removing the tray 20 and opening the outer guide 18.
In the above-described embodiment, the arm 26 pivots upward and takes the remote position while the return guide 70 pivots upward. This prevents an increase in size of the multi-function device 10.
In the above-described embodiment, when the return guide 70 is in the retracted position, the rollers 64A provided in the curved path 65A are accommodated in the second recesses 81 provided in the return guide 70. Since this allows the rear end of the return guide 70 to extend more toward the curved path 65A, the sheet can be stably conveyed from the return path 67 to the curved path 65A. Further, when the return guide 70 is in the retracted position, the projected guide members 75 are accommodated in the first recesses 76 provided in the return guide 70. This increases the moving range of the return guide 70, and reduces the thickness of the multi-function device 10.
In the above-described embodiment, when the sheet conveyed on the return guide 70 enters the curved path 65A, a great resistance is produced particularly on the sheet. For this reason, the sheet comes into contact with portions of the upper surface of the return guide 70 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the sheet. By placing the auxiliary rollers 84 at portions to be contacted by the sheet, the conveyance resistance is reduced and the sheet is conveyed smoothly.
While the invention has been described in connection with embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and the described examples are considered merely as exemplary of the invention, with the true scope of the invention being defined by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2009-299236 | Dec 2009 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 15/816,395 filed on Nov. 17, 2017 which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/792,002 filed on Jul. 6, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,821,967 issued on Nov. 21, 2017 which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/319,913 filed on Jun. 30, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,085,430 issued on Jul. 21, 2015, which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 13/944,655 filed on Jul. 17, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,764,006 issued on Jul. 1, 2014, which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 12/892,357 filed on Sep. 28, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,493,639 issued on Jul. 23, 2013 and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-299236, which was filed on Dec. 29, 2009, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15816395 | Nov 2017 | US |
Child | 16363266 | US | |
Parent | 14792002 | Jul 2015 | US |
Child | 15816395 | US | |
Parent | 14319913 | Jun 2014 | US |
Child | 14792002 | US | |
Parent | 13944655 | Jul 2013 | US |
Child | 14319913 | US | |
Parent | 12892357 | Sep 2010 | US |
Child | 13944655 | US |