Transport apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954089-B2
Application number	US-201916238563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2019
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

In a continuous mode, when a state in which a current value, which is output of a load detecting sensor, is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold (a current value) continues for a predetermined threshold (the number of times), it is determined that transportation is abnormal. In a cumulative mode, when the total number of times by which the current value, which is the output of the load detecting sensor, is equal to or more than the predetermined threshold (the current value) is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the transportation is abnormal. A controller sets a detection mode of a first medium to the continuous mode, and sets a detection mode of a second medium to the cumulative mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transport apparatus, comprising:
a transport mechanism that transports a medium;
a sensor that detects a load on the transportation of the transport mechanism; and
a processor that receives a result of the detection by the sensor and controls the transportation by the transport mechanism,
wherein the processor acquires a type of the medium to be transported, and determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal based on the acquired type of the medium and output of the sensor,
wherein the processor,
when the acquired medium is a first medium, if a state in which the output of the sensor is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold continues for a first predetermined number of times or more, determines that the transportation is abnormal, and
when the acquired medium is a second medium, if the total number of times by which the output of the sensor is equal to or more than the predetermined threshold is equal to or more than a second predetermined number of times, determines that the transportation is abnormal,

wherein when the sensor outputs a first pattern,
the processor determines that the transportation is abnormal when the acquired medium is the first medium, and determines that the transportation is not abnormal when the acquired medium is the second medium having a transport length that is shorter than a transport length of the first medium.

2. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor acquires the type of the medium based on a transport length of the medium.

3. The transport apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein a transport length threshold is equal to or more than 10 inches and is equal to or less than 20 inches.

4. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first medium is a medium having a thickness that is larger than a thickness threshold, the second medium is a medium having a thickness that is smaller than the thickness threshold, and the processor compares the thickness of the medium with the thickness threshold and acquires the type of the medium based on a result of the comparison.

5. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the type of the medium includes a plurality of elements, the processor specifies a type of an element used to determine whether the medium is the first medium or the second medium, based on a predetermined priority.

6. The transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein when the sensor outputs a second pattern,
the processor determines that the transportation is abnormal when the acquired medium is the second medium, and determines that the transportation is not abnormal when the acquired medium is the first medium.

7. A transport apparatus comprising:
a transport mechanism that transports a medium;
a sensor that detects a load on the transportation of the transport mechanism; and
a processor that receives a result of the detection by the sensor and controls the transportation by the transport mechanism,
wherein the processor acquires a type of the medium to be transported, and determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal based on the acquired type of the medium and output of the sensor,
wherein the processor determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal, based on a transport speed of the transport mechanism, the type of the medium, and the output of the sensor.

8. A transport apparatus comprising:
a transport mechanism that transports a medium;
a sensor that detects a load on the transportation of the transport mechanism; and
a processor that receives a result of the detection by the sensor and controls the transportation by the transport mechanism,
wherein the processor acquires a type of the medium to be transported, and determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal based on the acquired type of the medium and output of the sensor,
wherein at least normal sensitivity and high sensitivity is set as sensitivity with respect to transportation abnormality, and the processor determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal, based on the set sensitivity, the type of the medium, and the output of the sensor.

9. A transport apparatus comprising:
a transport mechanism that transports a medium;
a sensor that detects a load on the transportation of the transport mechanism; and
a processor that receives a result of the detection by the sensor and controls the transportation by the transport mechanism,
wherein the processor acquires a type of the medium to be transported, and determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal based on the acquired type of the medium and output of the sensor,
wherein the sensor is a sensor that measures a current value of a driving source, and the processor sets a value obtained by adding a predetermined offset value to an average of current values in the transportation of a predetermined length in a no-load state, as a threshold for determining presence or absence of abnormality.

10. A transport apparatus comprising:
a transport mechanism that transports a medium;
a sensor that detects a load on the transportation of the transport mechanism; and
a processor that receives a result of the detection by the sensor and controls the transportation by the transport mechanism,
wherein the processor acquires a type of the medium to be transported, and determines whether the transportation is normal or abnormal based on the acquired type of the medium and output of the sensor,
wherein the processor,
when the acquired medium is a first medium, if a state in which the output of the sensor is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold continues for a predetermined threshold or more, determines that the transportation is abnormal, and
when the acquired medium is a second medium, if the total number of times by which the output of the sensor is equal to or more than the predetermined threshold is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold, determines that the transportation is abnormal,

wherein the first medium is a plastic card, and the second medium is a plain paper.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Beppu Wataru

Classifications

• B65H2515/70

  Electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. electric power or current · CPC title

• B65H7/12

  responsive to double feed or separation · CPC title

• B65H2511/529

  number thereof, frequency of occurrence · CPC title

• B65H2511/528

  Jam · CPC title

• B65H7/06 Primary

  responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title