Patent Grant
7561823
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a printing peripheral, and more particularly to a duplex printing peripheral and its method of use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Media feeding has traditionally been performed in a simplex configuration. Simplex feedpaths have been utilized in stand-alone printers and multi-function devices, also known as all-in-one devices, in the form of L-path media feed systems. In L-path media feed systems, the input media is positioned at the rear of the device in a substantially vertical orientation. The L-path media feed system further comprises a substantially horizontal output tray and a printing zone defined between the input tray and the output tray. The media is moved through a feedpath from the substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation. Thus when viewed from a side, the media moves through a substantially L-shape path.
Alternatively, peripheral manufacturers have also utilized C-shaped media feedpaths. A C-path media feed utilizes a substantially horizontally disposed input tray adjacent a substantially horizontally disposed output tray. Typically, the input tray is positioned beneath the output tray and, as such, is also known as a bottom loading device. The feedpath is generally curved from the input tray to the output tray in order to move the media through a print zone and, from a side, is substantially C-shaped. Due to the construction of the C-path media feed, the height of the peripheral or printer is decreased. In other words, the device lacks the large upwardly extending media tray. Further, the media is generally hidden from view within the interior of the printer or multi-function device.
It has further become desirable to include duplex printing capabilities in consumer printing peripheral devices. Traditionally, duplex printing capability has been limited to professional office equipment and costly home-office equipment. One of the factors increasing the cost of traditional duplex capable printers has been the complexity of media feedpath designs. Traditional duplex feedpaths require a plurality of drive rollers and pressure rollers to change media sides and direct the media to the print zone. Thus, the cost of parts binders economic utility as well as the added cost and complexity of implementation into the manufacturing process.
Further, although many users find a duplexing feature desirable, there are those users who only need simplex functionality, for example users who print only photos. For users who additionally desire duplex feeding capability, it would be preferred if these users could purchase and install the duplex unit. However, due to the complexity of existing duplex designs these systems cannot be purchased and added-on by a consumer. Moreover, the complexity of existing duplex designs requires that significant effort be given to their installation during the manufacture of a printing peripheral.
Given the foregoing, it will be appreciated that an apparatus is needed which provides duplex functionality for media feeding, for example, for printing. It is also preferable that the duplex unit be easy to install and limit any chance of damage to the printing peripheral. Further, it is preferable that such design also allows for user installation of an add-on duplex unit or, alternatively, such design be available for final installation during manufacture so that the manufacturer can more closely correlate installation of duplex units to sales forecasts.
The present invention provides a connectable passive duplex housing for use with a simplex media feedpath to convert the simplex media feedpath to a duplex media feedpath.
According to a first exemplary embodiment, a removable duplex unit for an image forming peripheral having a simplex media feedpath and a reversible roller for moving media in a first direction through said peripheral and in a second direction through the duplex unit, comprises an auxiliary housing adapted to be removably connected to the image forming peripheral, the auxiliary housing having therein a curved duplex media feedpath of a preselected length extending through the auxiliary housing in feeding communication with the reversible roller in the simplex media feedpath wherein the duplex feedpath in the auxiliary housing is passive and does not provide energy to media passing through the duplex media feedpath. The duplex media feedpath is substantially C-shaped with an entry end and an exit end. The removable duplex unit further comprises a first roller in the image forming peripheral positioned intermediate the exit end of the duplex media feedpath and the reversing roll housing, the first roller in feeding communication with the simplex media feedpath and the exit end of the duplex media path. A distance from the reversible roller through the duplex media feedpath and returning to the reversible roller is greater than a length of media being fed therethrough. A distance from the reversible roller through the duplex media feedpath and returning to the first roller is approximately equal to a length of media being fed therethrough. The removable duplex unit further comprises a releasable connector between the peripheral device and the auxiliary housing. The reversible roll is one of a feed roller and an exit roller. The image forming peripheral has at least one sensor adjacent the reversible roller for determining at least one of media leading edge position, media trailing edge position. The image forming peripheral has a gate operable to move to a first position for directing media being fed from the reversible roller into the entry end of the duplex media feedpath and operable to move to a second position for directing media being fed on the simplex media feedpath to the reversible roller.
According to an exemplary embodiment, an auxiliary duplex unit for an image forming, media feeding peripheral having a simplex media feedpath and a reversible roll for moving media in a first direction through the peripheral and in a second direction through the duplex unit, comprises a duplex housing removably connectable to the peripheral, the duplex housing having a duplex feedpath extending therethrough, the duplex feedpath having a first end and a second end adapted for feeding communication with the simplex media feedpath, the duplex feedpath having a length from the reversible roller, through the duplex housing, and to the reversible roller which is longer than a media sheet. The auxiliary duplex unit further comprises a feedpath nip in the primary media feedpath and disposed between the second end of the curvilinear path and the reversible roller. The media is driven through the duplex housing by the reversible roller and wherein no energy is added within the duplex housing the media moving therethrough. The duplex housing is passive. The curvilinear feedpath provides duplex capability to the primary media feedpath. The auxiliary duplex unit further comprises a sensor disposed along the primary media feedpath between the second end of the duplex media feedpath and the reversible roller.
According to yet a further exemplary embodiment, a method of preventing invalid media sizes from entering a passive duplex unit accessory communicatively coupled to a image forming peripheral device having a simplex media feedpath, a first driven roll and second driven roll therein and an sensor disposed along the simplex media feedpath, the duplex housing adapted to be removably connected to the peripheral device having a duplex media feedpath extending through the duplex housing; with the duplex media feedpath having a first upper end and a second lower end in feeding communication with the simplex media feedpath and having a length from the second roll, through the duplex media feedpath, and to the second roll longer than a media sheet; comprises directing the media into the simplex media feedpath with the first roll, recording a leading edge of a media at the sensor, counting second roll indexing movements; recording the trailing edge of the media at the sensor; calculating media length based on the recordings and the counting; performing based on the calculating one of allowing duplex printing operation and suppressing the duplex printing operation. The method further comprises posting a message when the duplex printing operation has been suppressed. The method further comprises determining whether a media length is greater than a maximum length for use in the passive duplex housing. The method further comprises determining whether a media is less than a minimum length for use in the passive duplex housing. The sensor is one of a staging sensor and an end-of-form sensor. The method, wherein performing the duplexing operation further comprises, printing an image on a first side of the media while using the second roller to direct the media through a print zone in the peripheral device; reversing the second roller and directing the media into the duplex unit and past the first roller, the duplex unit for inverting the media from its first side to its reverse side; using the first roller to feed the inverted media to the second roller; and reversing the second roller and directing the reverse side of the media into the print zone for printing.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” “mounted,” and “communication” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, mountings and communications. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
In addition, it should be understood that embodiments of the invention include both hardware and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, may be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would recognize that, in at least one embodiment, the electronic based aspects of the invention may be implemented in software. As such, it should be noted that a plurality of hardware and software-based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components may be utilized to implement the invention. Furthermore, and as described in subsequent paragraphs, the specific mechanical configurations illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify embodiments of the invention and that other alternative mechanical configurations are possible.
The term image as used herein encompasses any printed or digital form of text, graphic, or combination thereof. The term output as used herein encompasses output from any printing device such as color and black-and-white copiers, color and black-and-white printers, and all-in-one devices that incorporate multiple functions such as scanning, copying, and printing capabilities in one device. Such printing devices may utilize ink jet, dot matrix, dye sublimation, laser, and any other suitable print formats. The term button as used herein means any component, whether a physical component or graphic user interface icon, that is engaged to initiate output. The term passive should be understood to mean a device lacking electrical or mechanical energy input. The term ?short? should be understood to mean the duplexing media feedpath must be of a pre-selected range of length relative to the media passing therethrough. The terms upstream and downstream are relative to the media feedpath.
Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, there are shown in
Referring initially to
Referring still to
Within the scanning portion 12 is an optical scanning unit having a plurality of parts which are not shown but generally described herein. The scanning unit comprises a scanning motor and drive which connects the scanning motor and a scan bar which is driven bi-directionally along a scanning axis defined as the longer dimension of the scanner bed. The scan bar may include a lamp, an image sensor, a lens and at least one mirror therein for obtaining a scanned image from a document. The scan bar may be an optical reduction scanner or a contact image sensor (CIS). The ADF scanner moves media past the scan bar when the scan bar is in the home position. Alternatively, for flat bed scanning, at least one guide bar may be disposed within the scanner bed and extend in the direction of the scanning axis to guide the scanning unit along the scanning axis. The scan bar moves within the scanner bed beneath the platen and the lamp illuminates the document positioned on the platen. For optical reduction scanners, mirrors and lenses located within the scan bar direct the image reflected from the document to the image sensor. The image sensor then determines the image and sends data representing the image to onboard memory, a network drive, or a PC or server housing a hard disk drive or an optical disc drive such as a CD-R, CD-RW, or DVD-R/RW. As is known in the art, a similar process occurs with the CIS-type of image sensor. Alternatively, the original document may be scanned by the optical scanning component and a copy printed from the printing component 20 such as with a multi-function peripheral.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The short passive duplex unit 40 and duplex media path 50 do not comprise any rollers and merely utilize the feed rollers already existing in the primary housing 22 of the simplex feedpath 34. In this way, no electrical or mechanical power needs to be supplied to the passive duplex unit 40. Further, no mechanical moving parts are necessary within the duplex housing 42 or tongue 44. This adds to the simplicity of the design allowing for easy installation by an end user or as a final installation step during manufacturing if, for example, sales forecast dictate at more duplex printers are desired in the market place.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Downstream from the first sensor 86 is a gate 80 located generally at a junction between the simplex feedpath 34 and upper portion of duplex path 50a. The gate 80 inhibits a trailing edge of media from being reversed from a nip 37 into the simplex path 34. Alternatively stated, the gate 80 directs media moving from feed nip 37 toward the duplex path 50.
Downstream of the gate 80 is a second end of form sensor 84. The second sensor 84 also locates the media within feedpath 32 so that the processor can determine the location of the media relative to the feed nip 37. The feed nip 37 is defined by a reversibly driven feed roll 37a and an opposite pressure roll 37b which directs the media toward and away from a print zone by reversing the at least one drive motor (not shown).
Downstream of the feed nip is the print cartridge 29 which selectively ejects ink onto one or both surfaces of the media during simplex or duplex printing, respectively. The feed nip 37 indexes media between print cartridge and a mid-frame (not shown) wherein a print zone is defined. Opposite the feed nip 37 downstream along the feedpath 32 is an exit drive system 38 comprising at least one driven roller and opposed pressure roller. The exemplary embodiment shows two rollers which may be driven 38a and 38b into respectively opposed pressure rollers 38c and 38d. The exit driven system receives media from the feed nip 37 and directs media to the output tray 26. Downstream of the exit drive system 38 along the media path 32 is the output tray 26 which receives finished printed media.
Adjacent the C-shaped simplex path 34 is the short passive duplex unit 40 having a duplex media feedpath 50 therein. The duplex media feedpath 50 is in feeding communication with the C-shaped simplex path 34 to provide a printing unit which will convert from simplex feeding to duplex feeding easily. Extending from the feed nip 37 toward the short passive duplex unit 40 is a first section of the duplex media feedpath 50a. The first section of the duplex feedpath 50a extends from an intersection with the simplex path 34b adjacent the feed nip 37 and into the passive duplex unit 40. The duplex feedpath 50 further comprises a second section 50b which is substantially C-shaped and extends through the housing 42 and tongue 44. The second section 50b is defined by inner surfaces within the housing 42. Extending between the tongue 44 and the C-path nip 36 is a final portion of the duplex media path 50c. It should be understood that the connecting first portion 50a and third portion 50c of the duplex path 50 are disposed within the primary housing 22 while the portion of the duplex path 50b extends through the duplex housing 42 and tongue 44.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
As previously indicated, the duplex unit of the present invention does not utilize rollers along the interior feedpath 50b. Instead, the duplex path 50 merely guides the media M as it is driven by the feed nip 37 and C-path nip 36, both in the primary housing 22. While this design improves the ease of use and installation and converts the simplex feedpath to a duplex feedpath, the design imposes limitations on the length of media which may be utilized. In order to prevent the media from becoming undriven in the feedpath 50, the distance from the second nip 37, through the duplex unit 40 and to the first nip 36 should be shorter than the length of the shortest media to be duplexed. Alternatively stated, the media M should have a length that is greater than the length from the second nip 37 to the first nip 36 when passing through the duplex unit 50.
Referring now to
If the media is of a shorter acceptable length for duplex feeding, the trailing edge of media M may pass the second sensor 84 as it leaves the nip 37. However, if the media M is of a longer acceptable length, the media trailing edge may not pass the second sensor 84 before the leading edge reaches the first sensor 86. Therefore, it should be understood that either or both sensors 84,86 may be utilized to locate the media M in the feedpath 32 and so that the processor can calculate the distance of the leading edge to the feed nip 37 for the duplex pass by the print cartridge 29.
Referring now to
As previously described, the media M should have a minimum length greater than the distance from the feed roll nip 37, through the duplex unit 40 and through the C-path nip 36. With such minimum length requirement, the media M is not so short as to be positioned between driving rollers 37a and 36b in an undriveable position in the media feedpath 32. Therefore, before a print job is started, the user must select if duplex feeding is desired. If the user selects a duplex operation, the processor (not shown) must determine whether the media M comprises an acceptable length for duplex printing. Referring now to
The foregoing description of the invention and method of use has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5391138 | Abramson et al. | Feb 1995 | A |
| 5412490 | Kojima et al. | May 1995 | A |
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| 6546228 | Motohashi et al. | Apr 2003 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| EP 0 574 044 | Sep 1989 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070237541 A1 | Oct 2007 | US |
