Patent Grant
7457013
Various peripheral devices have been developed over the years to allow a user to make copies of a source document. A source document may be printed on, for example, a sheet of paper, a transparency, or other print medium. A source document may include, for example, text, graphics, drawings, photographs, and other items. The basic reproduction process involves positioning or passing the source document over a scanning surface so that the image on the document can be captured for electronic or hardcopy reproduction. However, this straightforward process in not so simple when the source document of interest is large-format. This is particularly true when the large-format source documents are rolled for storage.
Common peripheral devices for generating these copies of source documents are scanners and digital copiers. Scanners and digital copiers are often packaged as a single unit that can create either hard copies or electronic files of the source documents. Such packages are sometimes referred to as scanner/copiers. As used herein, the terms “scanner,” “copier,” “scanner/copier” and “document reproduction machine” may be used interchangeably to refer to an apparatus that can create an electronic or hardcopy of a source document.
Scanners and copiers are available in a variety of sizes, from small hand-held scanners to industrial large-format scanners/copiers. Large-format scanners and copiers are designed to scan and/or copy pages that are, for example, up to sixty inches wide. An example of a large-format scanner or copier (100) is shown in
Although large-format scanners and copiers are convenient for creating electronic and hard copies, they are often quite difficult to use. One of the difficulties with large-format scanners and copiers is keeping source documents straight and flat as they are fed into and out of the scanner or copier.
Most large-format scanners and copiers move the source document forward and back through the machine as various portions of the document are scanned. This ability to move the document both forward and backward through the scanner helps ensure that a quality copy is obtained. However, as the source document is reversed back through the scanner, the document can often become jammed or stuck, especially when the source document has been rolled for storage. The jamming most often occurs when the source document (102) is passed back through the scanner. As the source document curls, it often gets caught on a lip (106) of a scanner lid (108). Therefore, it often requires one or more users to hold the source documents flat and straight, and to monitor the reproduction closely to end up with a high-quality reproduction.
A source document guide apparatus prevents curling of a source document as the document is fed through a document reproduction machine. The source document guide includes a flat member having a surface and leading and trailing end portions, and at least one fastener at the leading end portion configured to attach the flat member to the document reproduction machine.
The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.
This specification describes a method and apparatus for flattening or preventing the curling of source documents passing through a document reproduction machine. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms “scanner,” “copier,” “scanner/copier,” and “document reproduction device” are used broadly to mean any device that is capable of producing electronic copies, hard copies, or both electronic and hard copies of a source document. Preferably, the methods and apparatus described are used in combination with a large-format scanner or copier, but this is not necessarily so. The term “large format” is used to mean something greater than about eleven or twelve inches in width (the maximum width for most standard scanners or copiers). However, the methods and apparatus described herein may be used for any scanner or copier, and are not limited solely to large format scanners.
Referring now to the figures, and in particular to
In the example illustrated in
The stand (202) may be used to support the scanner (204) at a convenient height for the ease of a user. Alternatively, the scanner (204) may simply be placed on a table, desk or other support. The scanner (204) may include a user interface for controlling the operation of the scanner (204). Additionally or alternatively, the stand (204) may include a user interface that can be connected with the scanner (204) and, perhaps, a computer to facilitate user-control of the scanner (204) and storage or transmission of the electronic copies of source documents. In the example of
In the example shown in
Generally, the document flattening apparatus (210) is arranged above a flat surface (212) of the scanner (204) and guides source documents as they enter or exit a source document feed slot (214) of the scanner (204). Source documents enter and exit the source document feed slot (214) by passing between the document flattening apparatus (210) and the surface (212) of the scanner (204). Accordingly, source documents that tend to curl, as shown in
According to the embodiment of
The flat member (216) includes a leading end portion (220) and a trailing end portion (222). When the flat member (216) is coupled to the scanner (204), as shown in
According to
Opposite of the leading end portion (220), the flat member (216) includes a trailing end portion (222). In some embodiments, the trailing end portion (222) includes another fastener. The fastener at the trailing end portion (222) may be formed as a tubular receptacle (230). According to the embodiment of
The flat member (216) of
The flat member (216) may be made of plastic, paper, coated paper, fabric, metal, or other materials. Depending on the material used for construction, the flat member (216) may be rigid enough to maintain its shape permanently against any forces normally associated with the reproduction of a source document. If the flat member (216) is not made of a rigid material, the use of the bar (232) in the tubular receptacle (230) can hold the flat member (216) rigid enough to effect the flattening of a source document passing under the flat member (216).
The use of a flat member as a document flattening apparatus is not limited to the configuration illustrated in
As before, the flat member (316) may be formed of a rigid or a non-rigid material such as those mentioned above. The flat member (316) allows source documents to pass thereunder without bunching up or jamming when the flat member (316) is attached to the cover lid (228,
A more detailed view of the flat member (216) of
According to
While the first and second brackets (236 and 238) are sized to support the bar (232) in the embodiment of
Additionally, as shown in
Returning to
The brackets (236 and 238) are mounted to a front surface (239) of the scanner (204) at a spacing greater than the effective width of the document feed slot (214) so that all source documents of width equal to or less than the effective width of the document feed slot (214) may be reproduced without hindrance from the brackets (236 and 238). That is, source documents may pass under the flat member (216) and between the brackets (236 and 238) into and out of the scanner (204).
The brackets (236 and 238) may be attached to the scanner (204) by any of a number of mechanisms. For example, the brackets may be attached with an adhesive, rivets, screws, clips, or any other fastening means. As mentioned above, the brackets (236 and 238) are attached to a front surface (239) of the scanner (204) in
As illustrated in the side view of
The width of a flat member (216 or 316) may be varied from one application to another. For example, there may be some flat members (216 and 316) designed with a width extending substantially the same distance as the width of the scanner (204) or source document feed slot (214). Other flat members may have widths that are only a fraction of scanner width. In addition, there may be multiple flat members (216) attached to the scanner (204) as shown in
When the flat members (216 or 316) are not in use, they may be removed from the scanner and stored, for example, in the stand (202) shown in
Operation of the scanner (204) with a flattening apparatus according to principles taught herein is next discussed. In some embodiments, a source document is inserted under the flat member (216) and into the source document feed slot (214) of the scanner (204). The source document may be accessed, if necessary, through the opening (234) in the flat member (216). The source document passes through the scanner (204) to begin the document reproduction process. At various times during the document reproduction process, the path of the source document may be reversed, sending the document at least partially out of the feed slot (214). This reversal is common with many scanners to ensure an accurate copy. As the path of the source document is reversed, the document is guided by the clips (224 and 226) under the flat member (216). The flat member (216) flattens the source document if the source document has a tendency to curl and prevents the source document from interfering with, or getting stuck in, other scanner (204) components. If the flat member (216 or 316) does not include an opening (234,
The use of a source document guide to flatten source documents, especially large format source documents, facilitates document reproduction without the problems that occur when the source document tends to curl. While the source document guides described herein include flat members (216 and 316) that may be selectively attached to and detached from the scanner (204), any source document guide may used according to principles described herein to flatten a source document. The source document guides may be permanently attached or otherwise arranged to flatten source documents as they are fed into and out of the scanner (204). The present invention contemplates the use of any source document guide to guide or flatten any source document as it enters or exits the scanner (204).
The preceding description has been presented only to illustrate and describe embodiments of invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The principles of the invention may be adapted to any scanner or copier. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5136331 | Gracie | Aug 1992 | A |
| 6157466 | Tu et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
| 6536645 | Minakawa | Mar 2003 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040212854 A1 | Oct 2004 | US |
