Abstract:
A variety of encoder wheels and encoder wheel sensors are provided to provide precise paper locating capability relative to a printing device in an image forming system.
Abstract:
A sheet registration system, especially for printers, with a lower cost and lower mass-movement system for both sheet deskewing and transverse registration repositioning of the sheets in the same integral system, especially for higher speed printing. Only one main drive motor can drive both of the two spaced apart sheet feeding nips, together with a lower power, lower mass, deskewing differential drive system for providing the relative differential angular movement of the two spaced sheet feeding nips to achieve the desired amount of sheet deskewing movement, without interrupting the forward feeding movement of the sheet. Also disclosed are extensive further reductions in the component mass of the lateral translation movement for lateral sheet registration.
Abstract:
A multifunction printed sheets interface system with plural sheet input areas for receiving printed sheets from plural printers, plural sheet outputs areas for plural outputs to different sheet processing systems, a sheet position sensing system, and a sheet transporting system providing selectable sheet translation from selected plural sheet input areas to selected plural sheet outputs areas so as to provide selectable sheet feeding from selected printers to selected sheet processing systems, and selectable sheet rotation of selected sheets and selectable sheet merging in a selected sheet sequence of sheets from plural printers. The sheet transporting system has a large planar area with a multiplicity of spaced apart independently operable variable sheet feeding direction and sheet velocity sheet transports, larger than the dimensions of any sheet to be fed thereon to allow simultaneous plural sheet variable transport thereon.
Abstract:
A system for automatically releasing selected plural sheet feeding nip sets spaced along a print media sheet feeding path of a printer, wherein the idler rollers are rotatably mounted on common idler shafts and a selectable partial rotation system driven by a single low cost motor is flexibly connected to those plural idler shafts to partially rotate eccentric lift cams on each idler shaft into the underlying surface as to lift the idler shaft and thereby move the idler rollers away from their normally mating sheet feed rollers to release all the sheet feeding nips, enabling sheet deskew, inversion, acceleration, deceleration, or sheet jam clearance in that selected area of the sheet feeding path.
Abstract:
A sheet registration system, especially for printers, with a lower cost and lower mass-movement system for both sheet deskewing and transverse registration repositioning of the sheets in the same integral system, especially for higher speed printing. Only one main drive motor can drive both of the two spaced apart sheet feeding nips, together with a much lower power, and lower cost, deskewing differential drive system for providing the relative differential angular movement of the two spaced sheet feeding nips to achieve the desired amount of sheet deskewing movement, without interrupting the forward feeding movement of the sheet. Also disclosed are extensive further reductions in the component mass of the lateral translation movement for lateral sheet registration.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are provided for the use of an optical sensor to determine the position of a printing device relative to a piece of paper or a paper-handling surface. The optical sensor reads marks to detect movement and/or direction of movement or spacing of imprints on the paper. Benefits include swath stitching calibration, color to color registration, producing printing device alignment data and generating information for printing device firing signals. The present invention is applicable to a wide field of printing technologies, including, but not limited to, acoustic ink printing, thermal ink jet printing, piezo ink jet printing, ionographic printing and a variety of other printing technologies involving the need for positioning a printing device relative to a piece of paper.
Abstract:
A flexible media integration system (10) includes a multifunction flexible media interface system (12). The interface system includes a plurality of flexible media input areas (22, 24, 26) for receiving flexible media (14), such as sheets of paper, from a plurality of associated input processors (16, 18, 20), such as printers or paper feeders. A plurality of flexible media output areas (32, 34) provide outputs to different associated flexible media output processors (36, 38), such as printers or finishers. The interface system also includes a sheet position sensing system (52) and a sheet transporting system (42). The transporting system provides selectable flexible media translation for selectably transporting flexible media from selected ones of the plurality of flexible media input areas to selected ones of the plurality of flexible media output areas so as to provide selectable flexible media feeding from selected flexible media input processors to selected flexible media output processors.
Abstract:
A sheet registration system, especially for printers, with a lower cost and lower mass system for sheets deskewing, and optionally also compatibly providing transverse registration repositioning of the sheets. Mechanisms are disclosed which need only one main drive motor to drive both of the two spaced apart sheet feeding nips, together with a much lower power, and lower cost, deskewing differential drive system for providing the relative differential angular movement of the two spaced sheet feeding nips to achieve the desired amount of sheet deskewing movement, without interrupting the forward feeding movement of the sheet.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a capability to form an image along a trailing edge of the paper by the use of a trailing edge deletion prevention apparatus capable of manipulating the paper to allow components capable of forming the image to travel in proximity to the paper without obstruction. In various embodiments, the invention involves the use of a biasing member or an interdigitated support element, each providing a trailing edge deletion prevention capability.