Patent Application
20100073420
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to document processing, to compact, desktop document processors for capturing data and images from checks and other financial and payment-related documents, and to rear endorsement wherein an inkjet cartridge is used to print information on documents.
2. Background Art
Historically, banks processed large volumes of paper checks in centralized locations, either a central bank or a clearing house. Document processing machines in such locations were large, processing up to 2000 documents per minute. These machines were supported by dedicated, trained operators.
However, centralized processing costs banks typically three days in clearing a document. The “Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act” or the “Check 21 Act” was enacted by Congress to facilitate check truncation by authorizing substitute checks, to foster innovation in the check collection system without mandating receipt of checks in electronic form, and to improve the overall efficiency of the Nation's payments system. The Check 21 legislation has driven the demand for decentralized check imagers and sorters in financial institutions. Check 21 gives equal legal validity to electronic data obtained from documents, and has made it possible for banks to distribute document processing to speed the clearing process. Check 21 has made it advantageous for banks to convert paper checks to electronic data as early as possible.
In the recent past, banks have partially converted paper check information to electronic data. In some cases this partial information was used internally. In other cases two banks would agree on standards for electronic data transfer. In either case, the paper check was still the only legal document for the transaction. Check 21 has standardized these agreements across the banking industry, and given the electronic data legal merit, if the electronic data meet the requirements set forth in Check 21.
Since Check 21 theoretically allows the destruction of paper checks after conversion to electronic data, Check 21 requires all data on the paper check to be recorded. As noted, it is advantageous for banks to convert paper checks to Check 21 valid electronic data as early as possible. Accordingly, compact, desktop document processors have been developed. These document processors are capable of obtaining the full suite of data required for Check 21. As well, an existing desktop document processor may perform rear endorsement as a document is processed.
In one example, a non-impact, 600-dpi ink jet rear endorser prints as many as four lines of text or graphic information. The endorser is located in the track before the rear image scanner.
The ink jet cartridge as used in document processing equipment is inserted into a carrier that can be adjusted to one or more heights. Other than that the cartridge does not otherwise move. As documents pass in front of the ink jet cartridge (endorser), information is imprinted on the document. As the inkjet cartridge is used, spurious ink drops collect on the face of the cartridge and must be removed to maintain good print quality. User documentation has described various methods of cleaning such as using a lint free cloth. This involves physically removing covers from the product, removing the cartridge from the carrier and using a cloth (dry or pre-wetted) to clean the cartridge. In lieu of the cloth, a rubber squeegee type tool can be used as well. These methods can be messy for the operator and involve labor and time. The operator might not clean the cartridge as often as necessary to maintain good print quality. The removal of the cartridge itself puts wear and tear on the cartridge carrier and the delicate dimpled flex circuit which provides the electrical interface between the cartridge and control electronics.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a document processor that implements an improved approach for cleaning the ink jet cartridge.
It is an object of the invention to provide a manual ink jet cleaning and capping station for a document processor.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a solution to the current ink jet cartridge cleaning process is to build ink jet cartridge cleaning capability into the track wall directly in front of the cartridge. This part of the wall will slide up and down between two positions. In one position, the cartridge is “capped,” preventing any liquid ink on the nozzle plate of the cartridge from drying. Dry ink is harder to remove than wet. In the other position, the cartridge is “open” and is in a position to print on passing documents. Moving between position one and position two also cleans the face of the cartridge with a squeegee device. In some embodiments, no covers have to be removed and the cartridge can remain within the carrier while it is being cleaned. The operator simply grabs an exposed tab to move the cleaning station up and down. The operator does not come in contact with spent ink. A whole cleaning cycle takes a few seconds, rather than minutes.
Cleaning and capping stations in embodiments of the invention are implemented in document processors employing ink-jet endorsement of financial documents. Even though the cleaning/capping station is intended for table top document processors, it could be used in other document processors from low to medium and high-speed.
In one embodiment, the manual cleaning and capping station rides up and down within a section of track wall via rails, grooves or other similar features. The feature on which the cleaning and capping station rides can be designed to provide a camming effect so that the capping station pivots onto, rather than slides across the ink jet nozzle orifice plate.
As shown in
The apparatus 10 may be constructed to perform any number of known document processing actions as appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. Suitable electronics and mechanical mechanisms are located within base unit 12. For example, apparatus 10 may perform front and rear image capture, magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reading, optical character recognition (OCR) reading, endorsing, and/or bar code reading depending on the application. Advantageously, the electronics and mechanical mechanisms required for the document processing actions are provided within base unit 12 as readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The apparatus may be provided with a suitable network connection interface such as Ethernet or Universal Serial Bus (USB).
Input hopper 14 is an automatic, hands-off device that will feed a batch of checks into the base unit 12. Input hopper 14 receives and holds a batch of checks between side wall portion 20 and spring-loaded flag 22 which presses up against the last document in the loaded batch to keep the checks together. It is appreciated that apparatus 10 is suitable for processing checks as well as other financial and payment-related documents.
Divider element 24 includes a pocket selector 26 that allows checks to be sorted into, as shown, two pockets based on criteria such as high value amounts, image quality, reader rejects, and others. The pockets include first and second pockets 30 and 32, respectively. First pocket 30 is bound by side wall 34 of input hopper 14, and divider element 24. Second pocket 32 is bound by divider element 24 and wall 36.
As documents pass in front of the ink jet cartridge (endorser) 72, information is imprinted on the document. As the ink jet cartridge 72 is used, spurious ink drops collect on the face of the cartridge 72 and must be removed to maintain good print quality. In accordance with the invention, wall portion 50 is modified to contain a manual cleaning and capping station, thereby building ink jet cartridge cleaning capability into the track wall directly in front of the cartridge 72.
In the illustrated embodiment, the capped position is the fully up position for the track wall part 82. And, the opened or print position is the fully down position. Moving between fully open and fully closed cleans the face of the cartridge with the squeegee device 90.
It is appreciated that, in some embodiments, no covers have to be removed and the cartridge can remain within the carrier while it is being cleaned. The operator simply grabs the exposed tab to move the cleaning station up and down. The operator does not come in contact with spent ink. A whole cleaning cycle takes a few seconds, rather than minutes.
In more detail, the illustrated document processor includes a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader 120, an optical character recognition (OCR) reader 122, a front image scanner 124, a rear endorser 126, and a front franker 128. A rear image scanner 130 located along the document track 114 at a location downstream of the rear endorser 126. A manual ink jet cleaning and capping station 132 is built into the track wall 114 directly in front of the rear endorser 126. The station 132 includes a movable track wall portion that is movable between first and second positions and that includes an opening and a cap as exemplified in
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
