The present invention generally relates to imaging of media, and more particularly to limiting media movement on an imaging apparatuses.
A basic format for different types of devices that capture images on a sheet of paper or other media include an imaging surface (referred to herein as a “platen”), e.g., a surface of a glass plate or a PLEXIGLAS® plate or a plate of other composition, adjacent which a medium, e.g., sheet of paper or other object, can be manually positioned for image processing. Such devices, which include copiers, scanners, facsimile machines, printers, and other document imaging apparatuses, often include a hinged lid or other movable surface adapted to come into contact with at least a portion of the medium placed adjacent the platen. The lid may be moved away from the platen (opened) to facilitate positioning media adjacent the platen, and the hinged lid also may be moved against media positioned adjacent the platen (closed) to maintain media in fixed positions during image scanning. However, when the lid or other movable surface is opened or closed adjacent an imaging surface resultant variations in ambient air pressure are brought about by the lid movement in the space adjacent the imaging surface. If a sheet of paper or other light-weight medium has been placed adjacent the platen, the induced ambient air pressure variations including partial vacuums that are caused by air pressure currents may result in the medium being moved from a desired position or even away from the platen.
In the instance of moving a lid toward a previously-positioned medium, the produced variations in ambient air pressure may cause the medium to move so that resultant processed images are skewed or not centered at an operator-selected position. Because scanned images are now predominately digitized, software has been written to adjust scanned images for reproduction by rotation to correct for angular misalignments of media being scanned. Utilization of such software, however, increases cost and time for image processing and also system complexity.
When an imaging apparatus lid is opened, a medium previously positioned adjacent the platen may be moved away from the platen by induced ambient air pressure variations that can include creation of a partial vacuum about the medium. If, as a result of the lid being opened, the medium is thereby caused to be moved away from the platen and adjacent the moving lid, the medium can be moved sufficiently far from the platen to have it fall off the imaging apparatus. Old or otherwise delicate documents, for example, can be damaged by so falling off an imaging apparatus.
Clip type retainers have been attached to lid surfaces to preclude media from falling off imaging devices. An operator first would use the clip to attach a medium to be imaged to the lid. Then the operator would move the lid with the attached medium to be adjacent an imaging surface. When the lid with the attached medium is opened, the medium could be removed from the lid by releasing the clip from the medium. All of these operations, including being sure that the clipped medium is moved by the lid onto a correct position on an imaging surface, increase the time and effort required of an operator in scanning an image. Other unavoidable problems associated with using clips attached to imaging apparatuses—whether to lids or adjacent platens—are that clips, which must be flexed to attach or release media, will wear out and even break. Moreover, the use of such clips can obscure portions of the image to be processed.
Lips or other protrusions on or adjacent imaging surfaces have been used to attempt to hold media in a desired position. However, such lips or protrusions typically do not restrict movement of a medium in all directions and, therefore, do not fully address the aforementioned media movement issues. Moreover, although often being somewhat effective in preventing a medium from falling off of an imaging surface, such lips or protrusions can result in damage to the media when forced against the surfaces of the lip or protrusion.
A familiar technique operators have used so as to avoid having previously positioned media moved about or lifted away from imaging surfaces when lids are opened or closed is to reduce the speed at which lids are moved. Understandably, this approach increases the time required for scanning images, and usually, the media still shifts.
Embodiments provide a system for limiting medium movement on an imaging apparatus, the system comprising an imaging surface and a moveable surface disposed to be moved to sandwich the medium between the imaging surface and the moveable surface, and at least one air passage opening disposed to pass air through the moveable surface.
Embodiments provide a system for limiting medium movement on an imaging apparatus, the system comprising an imaging surface, a moveable surface capable of being moved to sandwich the medium between the imaging surface and the moveable surface, and at least one air passage opening disposed adjacent the imaging surface to pass air away from the imaging surface when the moveable surface is moved.
Embodiments provide a method for limiting movement of a medium on an imaging apparatus comprising positioning the medium against an imaging surface, moving a moveable surface to sandwich the medium between the imaging surface and the moveable surface, and passing air through at least one opening disposed to reduce forces acting on the medium that are caused by air currents generated adjacent the imaging surface when the moveable surface is moved.
Referring to
Scanner 101, as shown in
Movements of medium 104 are caused by air movements 105 and 106 which are stochastic. Accordingly, an operator placing medium 104 on platen 103 can not predict the amount and directions of medium 104 movements that could be caused by moving lid 102, or be informed as to how slowly lid 102 needs to be moved to prevent medium 104 from being moved by air movements 105 or 106.
The present invention overcomes these problems that can be caused by lowering and raising lid 102 with respect to a medium 104 positioned on platen 103.
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