Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080230978 | HIGH SPEED SHINGLED SHEET COMPILER - A high speed sheet stacker includes a plurality of vacuum transport sub-assemblies interdigitated with an adjacent sub-assembly and provided with a spatial pitch that is less than or equal to a predetermined shingle distance. The collective vacuum transport assembly can thus acquire shingled sheets and transport the shingled sheets as a set, with each sheet being offset by at least one shingle distance. As a result, speed and acceleration requirements for the vacuum transport and the sheets being transported are greatly reduced compared to conventional vacuum transports that essentially transport sheets singularly. A shingled transport zone may be provided upstream of the vacuum transport system to accommodate sheets of varying size. In various embodiments, three to five vacuum transport sub-assemblies are provided to transport three to five sheets as a set. | 09-25-2008 |
20090079832 | System and method for monitoring a printing system using a camera - A monitoring system and method for monitoring a printing system includes a printing system module and a camera. The printing system module is configured to interface with a primary printing-medium path of the printing system and includes a housing with at least one printing-medium path disposed therein. The at least one printing-medium path is a sub-printing-medium path of the primary printing-medium path. The camera is positioned to capture at least one frame of the inside of the printing system module and can be disposed therein. | 03-26-2009 |
20090121162 | TECHNIQUE TO REMOVE SENSING ARTIFACTS FROM A LINEAR ARRAY SENSOR - Disclosed is a method and system for calibrating an image capturing sensor. The method and system include generating a test pattern on an image receiving device and measuring one or more colorimetric properties of the test pattern with an image sensor. The disclosed method and system measure the test pattern with the image sensor located in two or more different cross-process positions to determine an independent uniformity profile for the image sensor and the image rendering process. | 05-14-2009 |
20090152806 | SHEET LATERAL POSITIONING DEVICE - An apparatus for registering a sheet along a transport path, including a plurality of spaced apart sheet feeding nip sets of plural sheet feeding nips in the sheet transport path, the plural sheet feeding nips of the sheet feeding nip sets comprise plural drive wheels and plural mating idlers, steerable drive mechanism for changing the drive wheel to idler alignment to thereby transport the sheet along the paper path while imparting a lateral motion to the sheet as it is transported along the paper path. | 06-18-2009 |
20090162119 | METHOD FOR IMAGE TO PAPER (IOP) REGISTRATION: IMAGE ONE TO IMAGE TWO ERROR COMPENSATION - A method to reduce the misalignment between the image one and image two printed on the same or opposing side of the same sheet. The final error (skew, process and cross-Process) between the actual sheet orientation and the desired orientation during the transfer of an image while printing image one is measured and recorded. When the same sheet comes for printing image two, the error recorded during image one printing is retrieved and used to compensate the desired angular, process and cross-process registration of the sheet for image two printing so that the alignment of image one and image two is improved in comparison to systems that register the sheet without considering image one imaging errors. | 06-25-2009 |
20090194927 | SHEET COMPILING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A compiling unit includes a collection tray and a variable-speed compiling system adapted to operate at at least two speeds to thereby receive a sheet of media at a higher speed and register the sheet of media within the collection tray at a lower speed. A control system is adapted to selectively operate the variable-speed compiling system at the at least two speeds. A printing system having a sheet media source, at least one marking engine, such a compiling unit and such a control system is included. A method of compiling sheet media is also included. | 08-06-2009 |
20100013138 | PRINTING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A finishing unit includes a first compiling module and a second compiling module operatively connected in parallel with the first compiling module. Each compiling module includes a finishing head adapted to perform a finishing operation upon a plurality of sheets of media. A printing system includes a sheet media source, a finishing unit operatively spaced from the sheet media source and a marking unit operatively disposed therebetween. A method of performing a print job using such first and second compiling modules is also included. | 01-21-2010 |
20100097620 | IN-LINE IMAGE GEOMETRICS MEASURMENT VIA LOCAL SAMPLING ON SHEETS IN A PRINTING SYSTEM - This invention generally relates to accurately measuring image geometries in-line within a printing system. One or more two-dimensional array sensors may be located adjacent to a sheet of media printed with a predefined array of indicia marks so that the sensor field of view is contained within the plane of sheet transport. As the sheet is transported by the sensor, the sensors continuously record the locations of the indicia marks within its field of view. The spatial frequency of the indicia marks is arranged so that at least two indicia marks are within the field of view of the sensor at any instant for each of the process and cross-process directions. The two-dimensional array sensor can thus measure the absolute spacing between adjacent local indicia marks within the precision of the sensor construction. The cumulative spacing along each direction may then calculated to determine the overall dimensions of the indicia marks array. A measurement procedure is also provided to accurately measure image geometries, even in the presence of significant sheet velocity variations. | 04-22-2010 |
20100129114 | DISTRIBUTED BELT MODULE FOR A MODULAR PRINTING SYSTEM - This invention relates to a system for support, operation, installation, and removal of an endless belt in a scalable modular printing system. The printing system comprises an input module, at least one marking module, and an output module. The endless belt can be an intermediate transfer belt, a photoconductive belt, or a sheet transport belt used in the marking system. All rollers supporting the interior surface of the belt are supported by their respective module frame structures, thus the interior cavity of the belt is largely vacant. A method of belt installation is described, comprising drawing all interior rollers out of their frame structures, placing the pre-scrolled belt at one end module of the system, uncoiling the belt along its process direction within the internal cavity of the system, then reinstalling the interior rollers to capture the belt into its operating position. From 1 to 8 marking modules can be used, each having a space through which the belt travels during installation; i.e. from the input module to the output module or from the output module to the input module. | 05-27-2010 |
20100142982 | APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FEEDFORWARD OF SHEET ELECTROSTATIC TACKING PARAMETERS TO IMAGE TRANSFER SUBSYSTEM IN IMAGE TRANSFER APPARATUS - A toner image transfer assembly has a tacking assembly, an image transfer assembly, and a media transport assembly. The tacking assembly senses critical properties of media while electrostatically tacking media to a transport device. The tacking assembly forwards data corresponding to the sensed electrical properties to the image transfer assembly so that the image transfer assembly anticipates the electrical properties of an approaching media type. | 06-10-2010 |
20110008077 | SCALABLE PRINTING SYSTEM HAVING MULTIPLE INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER BELTS - A printing system for creating multi-color images on print media. The printing system includes a plurality of marking modules, wherein each marking module creates a single color separation of a multi-color image. The printing system also includes a first image collection member that collects superimposed color separations produced by a first set of marking modules and a second image collection member that collects superimposed color separations produced by a second set of marking modules. The printing system further includes a media transport that conveys print media along a defined direction. A first set of color separations is simultaneously transferred from the first image collection member to a print media at a first location on the transport and a second set of color separations is simultaneously transferred from the second image collection member to the media at a second location on the transport. Further, at least one of the sets of color separations consists of at least two color separations. | 01-13-2011 |
20110049787 | DRIVE ROLL / IDLER ROLL NIP RELEASE MECHANISM - A drive roll/idler roll nip release mechanism utilizes the motor used for the drive nip, coupled with one-way clutches, to power the nip release as a sheet is handed off to a downstream nip. A drive shaft is coupled to a first one-way clutch in one direction and an idler cam shaft is coupled to a second one-way clutch in the opposite direction. This allows the idler cam shaft to be driven only when the motor is reversed, and the drive shaft to be driven only when the motor is moving forward. The one-way clutch on the drive shaft allows the drive wheels to freewheel when the motor is reversed in order to engage the nip release. Thus, the nip release is activated while the drive nip continues to rotate in the direction of sheet motion. | 03-03-2011 |
20110211886 | ACTIVE SHEET STRIPPING FROM BELT VIA SMALL RADIUS FEATURE - This invention provides a method to strip a media sheet that is adhered to an image carrying belt surface so that the sheet can follow the subsequent intended path through a marking system. The belt can be a photoconductor belt or an intermediate transfer belt. | 09-01-2011 |
20120114380 | PREEMPTIVE PHOTORECEPTOR VELOCITY MODULATION TO MINIMIZE TRANSIENT BANDING - Described herein is an exemplary method wherein the photoreceptor surface velocity is nominally set at a speed fractionally different than the intermediate belt (ITB) nominal surface speed. The photoreceptor speed can be preemptively altered through a velocity ramp profile whenever an event is scheduled to occur that will result in ITB transient vibration. As a result, the photoreceptor speed is not allowed to cross over or equal the belt speed at any instant during the transient event. This allows the photoreceptor to remain dynamically decoupled from the ITB, since the apparent disturbance torque imposed by the belt remains constant and does not reverse sign. | 05-10-2012 |
20120201590 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECURLING MEDIA IN A PRINTING SYSTEM - Embodiments described herein include an upstream measurement module, a curler downstream of the upstream measurement module, and a print station downstream of the curler. The upstream measurement module includes a transport on which media is tacked to flatten the media and a curl sensor to generate a curl signal corresponding to a media curl of the media on the transport. The curler curls the media in response to the curl signal to reduce a magnitude of the media curl. The print station includes a marking unit to dispose a marking material on the media and a transport to transport the media past the marking unit, wherein the first and second transports apply a substantially equivalent hold down force to the media. | 08-09-2012 |
20120319347 | SHEET TRANSPORT AND HOLD DOWN APPARATUS - A media sheet transport including a belt for supporting the media thereon. The belt is operably connected to a drive mechanism for moving the belt in a process direction past an image marking unit. The belt has a plurality of openings therein. A vacuum plenum has a surface disposed below the belt and is operably connected to a vacuum source. The vacuum plenum is adapted to applying a negative pressure to the media for holding the media to the belt. An electrostatic hold down apparatus includes a first tacking roller spaced in a cross-process direction from a second tacking roller. The first and second tacking rollers are engagable with the belt. The first tacking roller is disposed to engage the inboard edge of the media, and the second tacking roller is disposed to engage the outboard edge of the media. The first and second tacking rollers impart an electrostatic charge to the edges of the media for electrostatically securing the inboard and outboard edges of the media to the belt. | 12-20-2012 |
20130049284 | MEDIA TRANSPORT SYSTEM WITH COORDINATED TRANSFER BETWEEN SECTIONS - A media transport apparatus and method includes a first media transport having a first drive unit, configured and operative to convey the substrate media through a marking zone to be marked by a print head. A first motion encoder is operatively connected with the first media transport, configured and operative to output a first signal dependent upon the motion of the first media transport surface. A second media transport with a second drive unit and second motion encoder is configured and operative to receive the substrate media from the first media transport and to convey the substrate media. The second drive unit drives the motion of the second media transport with substantially the same surface velocity as the first media transport. The first and second media transports are each operative to hold the substrate media in contact therewith, with respective first and second hold-down forces that may be different magnitudes, including the first hold down force of the first media transport having a greater magnitude than the second hold down force of the second media transport while the substrate media is at least partially within the marking zone and is subjected to both the first and second hold down forces. | 02-28-2013 |
20130200564 | INVERTER WITH ADJUSTABLE REVERSING ROLL POSITION - A reversing apparatus within a media path comprises an input nip moving sheets of media in a first direction, and a reversing nip positioned to receive the sheets of media from the input nip. The reversing nip stops the sheets and moves the sheets in a second direction opposite the first direction. Also included is an output nip positioned to receive the sheets of media from the reversing nip, and an actuator connected to the reversing nip. The actuator moves the reversing nip relative to a position of the input nip and the output nip, based on a characteristic of the sheets of media. | 08-08-2013 |
20130241982 | MEDIA FLATNESS VERIFICATION AND PREVIEW MODE - A printer and method of printing wherein a preview mode conveys media through the printer in a manner that avoids the possibility that the media can contact a print head. A hold-down system of the printer and/or media transport generates a hold-down pressure applied to the substrate media in the direction of the first media transport. A precurler unit applies a predetermined degree of curl to the substrate media. A media height sensor determines the height of the substrate media above the first media transport under the influence of the hold-down pressure. A print head array marks the substrate media with an image in the marking zone, and an actuator adjusts the relative spacing between the print head array and the first media transport. The gap between print head and the media is adjustable in view of the measurements. | 09-19-2013 |
20130286368 | IMAGER ARRAY APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS - An imager apparatus useful for a digital architecture lithographic printing system includes a first imager bank having at least one imager configured to produce a first output beam; and a second imager bank having at least one imager configured to produce a second output beam, the second imager bank being located at a first angle with respect to the first imager bank, the first output beam and the second output beam being separated by a second angle which is less than the first angle. | 10-31-2013 |
20130305944 | IMAGING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS USEFUL IN INK-BASED DIGITAL PRINTING - An imager apparatus useful for a digital lithographic printing system includes imaging roll configured to be heated to a first temperature. The imager apparatus may include one or more heating elements for heating the imaging roll to the first temperature within one revolution. The imaging roll may be about the same width as an imaging plate in a cross-process direction, the imaging plate and the imaging roll being configurable for forming an imaging nip in a digital lithographic ink printing system. The imager apparatus may include a solution ejecting mechanism such as a printhead for ejecting fountain solution or water at ambient temperature onto a surface of the imaging roll according digital image data. | 11-21-2013 |
20140028750 | Active Biased Electrodes for Reducing Electrostatic Fields Underneath Print Heads in an Electrostatic Media Transport - Embodiments described herein are directed to a system for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in a direct marking printing system. The system includes: one or more print heads for depositing ink onto a media substrate; a media transport for moving the media substrate along a media path past the one or more print heads; a conductive platen contacting the media transport belt; an electrostatic field reducer that includes an alternating current charge device positioned upstream of the one or more print heads; and one or apertures with electrically isolated biased electrodes separated by an opening that is in registration with the ink deposition areas of the one or more print heads. The media transport includes a media transport belt and, when the media is on the transport belt it has an electrostatic field, which can cause printing defects. The electrostatic field reducer and electrodes reduce the electrostatic field on the surface of the media and thereby reduce printing defects. | 01-30-2014 |
20140028769 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING ELECTROSTATIC FIELDS UNDERNEATH PRINT HEADS IN AN ELECTROSTATIC MEDIA TRANSPORT - Embodiments described herein are directed to a system for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in a direct marking printing system. The system includes: one or more print heads for depositing ink onto a media substrate; a media transport for moving the media substrate along a media path past the one or more print heads; a conductive platen contacting the media transport belt; and an electrostatic field reducer that includes an alternating current corona device positioned upstream of the one or more print heads. The media transport includes a media transport belt and, when the media substrate is on the transport belt it has an electrostatic field, which can cause printing defects. The electrostatic field reducer reduces the electrostatic field on the surface of the media substrate and thereby reduces printing defects. | 01-30-2014 |
20140098153 | In-Line Substrate Media Sensor and Protective Guide - A sensing method and system to protect printer print heads from substrate media contact comprising a trip wire sensor to detect and signal a printer control system that substrate media carried by transport media is positioned to strike or contact the print head. The trip wire sensor is located upstream of the print heads, a controlled distance above the transport media in the direction normal to the plane of the media, and comprises a trip wire operatively connected to at least one transducer. Substrate media exceeding the height requirements associated with the print heads contact the trip wire sensor causing the generation of an electrical signal which is received by the printer control system which then takes corrective action to prevent damage to the print heads, for example, by raising the print heads further away from the transport media and allowing the non-conforming substrate media to pass through and be purged. Also disclosed is a protective guide positioned to constrain substrate media from going over the top of the trip wire which can result in the substrate media becoming jammed in the trip wire sensor. | 04-10-2014 |
20140233080 | Multi-Beam ROS Imaging System - A multiple-beam imager includes multiple light sources (e.g., laser diodes) that transmit light beam pulses (energy doses) along parallel paths onto print plate spots disposed in a circumferential target region during each imaging period. The beam pulses are coordinated with rotation of the imaging cylinder such that, as a selected print plate spot is rotated through the target region, it is sequentially positioned during successive imaging periods to receive light beam pulses from each of the sequentially-aligned light sources, whereby the selected print plate spot receives multiple energy doses (e.g., one during each raster-scan) as it passes through the target region, thereby gradually heating and then evaporating the fountain solution predisposed over the selected print spot. A polygon mirror is used to raster-scan the beam pulses along parallel raster-scan zones. | 08-21-2014 |
20140265110 | LOW NOISE ARTICULATING SHEET GUIDE - An articulating sheet guide is used in connection with a printing system. A primary media transport nip is disposed adjacent a media sheet source supplying a media sheet. A secondary media transport nip is downstream. A link has a front surface facing upstream, and a proximal end pivotally mounted. From adjacent the primary media transport, the link will pivot past the secondary media transport. A link pocket is disposed transversely to the process direction on the link front surface. The V-shaped link pocket is adapted to receive the media leading edge. The primary media transport nip will move the media sheet toward the link. The link pocket will receive the media leading edge. The media sheet movement will cause the link to move in an arcuate path guided by the pivotal movement of the link into engagement by the secondary media transport nip. The link pocket will release the media leading edge. The operation is nearly silent. | 09-18-2014 |
20140293367 | ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT PROCESSING METHOD AND DEVICE - In the method and device, electronic documents are created from a batch of physical documents of varying lengths. The batch comprises sub-batches of groups of multiple multi-page physical documents with separator sheets on each group. Each separator sheet is marked with a page count for any physical documents in its group. The batch is scanned-in and the resulting image pages are used to form the electronic documents. Specifically, the image pages are analyzed in sequence to identify document sheet image pages and separator sheet image pages. When a separator sheet image page is identified, the page count on that separator sheet image page is read and electronic document(s) is/are created from sequential set(s) of document sheet image pages, which follow the separator sheet image page and have the specific page count, until the next separator sheet image page is identified. This is repeated for all separator sheet image pages identified. | 10-02-2014 |
20140318397 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING DIGITAL OFFSET LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING TECHNIQUES WITH A PLURALITY OF INTERMEDIATE TRANSFERS - A system and method are provided for optimizing a multi-color variable digital data lithographic image forming system by controlling characteristics of one or more individual color inks to maximize ink transfer of a particular color ink layer onto the surface of an image receiving medium substrate, or onto other color ink layers deposited on the surface of the image receiving medium substrate when producing digital output images, including multi-color digital output images, with a proposed variable digital offset lithographic architecture. Ink characteristics and ink transfer parameters are particularly optimized in the proposed variable digital data lithographic systems to promote high efficiency ink transfer from an ink donor surface to an ink receiver surface in order that excessive amounts of untransferred ink do not remain on the ink donor surface requiring extensive cleaning of the reimageable surface in the image forming system between cycles of a multi-color ink system. | 10-30-2014 |
20140340239 | AUTOMATED WARNING METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ANIMAL-VEHICLE ACCIDENTS - Methods and systems for preventing collisions between vehicles and moving hazards include the use of active signs, a network of sensors, and a controller. Such sensors can be placed adjacent to a roadway and are used to detect the presence of animals. The active signs display a local speed limit. The controller accepts the sensor signals as input and outputs display commands to the active signs. The controller maintains a rolling window of recent detections in histogram form. The recent data, together with a control law specified by the municipal authority, can be used to specify updated local speed limits to influence driver behavior. | 11-20-2014 |