Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes a sensor positioned proximate a media transport path in an inkjet printing system, the sensor being configured to detect a media height exceeding a predetermined height with reference to the media transport path, and a controller associated with the inkjet printing system, the controller being configured to modify operation of the inkjet printing system in response to the sensor detecting a media height exceeding the predetermined height.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes a sensor positioned proximate a media transport path in an inkjet printing system, the sensor being configured to detect a media height exceeding a predetermined height with reference to the media transport path, and a controller associated with the inkjet printing system, the controller being configured to modify operation of the inkjet printing system in response to the sensor detecting a media height exceeding the predetermined height.

Abstract: Accurate sheet leading edge registration system and method including a first and second nip assembly, a first sheet leading edge sensor and a controller. The first and second nip assemblies being spaced apart from one another. The first sheet leading edge sensor capable of detecting an arrival of a leading edge of a sheet at a point in the process direction. The arrival being associated with engagement of the first and second nip assemblies with the sheet. The controller capable of imparting a rotational skew velocity to the sheet using the first and second nip assemblies. A center of rotation of the skew velocity being offset laterally from a center of the sheet leading edge. The method includes providing at least the above-mentioned nip assemblies, first sheet leading edge sensor and controller.

Abstract: A merge module suited to use in a printing system in which streams of marked print media arrive at angularly spaced directions from two marking engines includes a first media transport section which receives a first portion of print media and outputs it in a first direction. A second media transport section receives a second portion of print media. The second print media transport section redirects the second portion of print media, optionally rotates it, and outputs it in the first direction. A third media transport section receives a third portion of print media. The third media transport section redirects the third portion of print media, optionally rotates it, and outputs it in the first direction. Print media output from one marking engine may be alternately delivered to the second and third transport sections. An output path receives print media from the three media transport sections.

Abstract: An electrostatographic and/or xerographic machine includes a media path adapted to move a media sheet. Sensors are positioned adjacent the media path. The media sheet has a leading edge and a trailing edge and the sensors are adapted to identify locations of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the media sheet. A marking device is positioned adjacent the media path. The marking device is adapted to print first items on a first side of the media sheet and print second items on a second side of the media sheet. A registration controller is operatively connected to the media path and to the sensors. The registration controller determines a length between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the media sheet using output from the sensors, and determines the parallelism between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the media sheet using output from the sensors.

Abstract: Parallel printing systems and methods incorporate inverter assemblies for not only inverting media during transport through the system but also to register the media or provide a velocity buffer transports with different drive velocities. The inverter assemblies can include the capability to optionally deskew the media and provide lateral registration corrections. The inverter assembly nip rollers are sufficiently spaced from process drive nip rollers to decouple a document in the inverter assembly from the highway paths. The method comprises combining the inverting function selectively with either the registering or the velocity buffering functions.

Abstract: Embodiments herein measure current/voltage levels of a drive motor when media is in contact with a drive roller so as to determine the drive force imparted by the drive rollers on the media. Then, embodiments herein can reference the predetermined relationship between roller drive force and media/drive roller velocity ratios to determine a difference between the velocity of the drive roller and the velocity the media based on the drive force. Once this velocity difference is determined, embodiments herein can change the current/voltage levels being applied to the drive motor if the actual velocity of the media is different than the intended velocity of the media so as to correct the velocity of the media. Thus, when referencing the predetermined relationship, embodiments herein produce a velocity ratio correction factor.

Abstract: A registration and measurement system for a printing machine includes two drive rollers and two opposing idler rollers. Each drive roller and idle roller combination respectively form a drive nip. A single servo or stepper motor is operably connected to the drive rollers through a gear train, allowing the motor to drive the sheet feeding nips. A rotary encoder is attached to each idler roller. Optical sensors are provided above a desired sheet path. The optical sensors and the rotary encoders are connected to a controller and are operable to deliver output signals to the controller. The controller is operable to determine the length of a sheet passing through the nips based upon the signals received from the optical sensors and the rotary encoders.

Abstract: An image-to-sheet closed loop registration system tracking the image drum position and/or velocity and coordinating movement of the sheet into the transfer nip based on such information.

Abstract: A system and method for registering a sheet includes a lateral motion motor coupled to a nip and idler roller assembly that provides lateral alignment of the sheet. A de-skew assembly pivots the lateral motion motor and the nip and idler roller assembly about a pivot axis that is proximate to the lateral motion motor to de-skew the sheet.

Abstract: A system and method for registering a sheet transported along a sheet path of a printing system, including receiving a sheet at a first location, transporting the sheet along the sheet path from the first location in a downstream direction at a first speed. The speed at which the sheet is transported is decreased from the first speed to a second speed. The transported sheet is received at a second location downstream from the first location and registered at the second location, including correcting at least one of lateral position of the sheet, skew of the sheet, and timing error in a downstream direction.

Abstract: In a system of automatic deskewing and registration of print media sheets moving in a printer paper path with laterally spaced apart differentially driven rollers controlled by the sensing of the moving sheet lead edge skew at a position downstream in said paper path there is further provided a subsequent trail edge sheet skew detection of the same moving sheet at a position upstream of the differentially driven rollers to subsequently differently control the differential driving of those same rollers to make a final and normally much smaller deskewing correction in the same sheet after the majority but less than all of said sheet is downstream of the differentially driven drive rollers.

Abstract: A closed loop feedback method that continuously adjusts the lateral and skew position of a sheet includes a first sensor that is used to measure lateral sheet edge position. A second sensor measures the lateral sheet edge position at a certain distance from the first sensor. Sheet skew values can thus be calculated. Lateral and skew controllers provide outputs to lateral and skew actuators, respectively, to adjust the sheet position. A different method of registering sheets laterally and in skew enables active sheet deskew without translating the sheet in the cross-process direction. A sensor carriage position is controlled to find the sheet edge after which deskew control can start. The average value of the carriage position can then be fed in a feedforward manner to move the image location to match the average paper position. This achieves good average lateral registration and active skew control at a reduced cost.

Abstract: A method for improving color-to-color registration in a printing device. The method includes printing a plurality of multi-color images, measuring the relative locations of a first portion of each multi-color image having a first color of each image and a second portion of each multi-color image having a second color of each image, for each image, comparing at least one difference between the first portion's location and the second portion's location with at least one desired difference between the first portion's location and the second portion's location to generate a list of positional errors, using a least square regression analysis of the list of positional errors to determine shift amounts required for placement of each first portion in subsequently generated images to within a desired degree of accuracy, and adjusting the placement of the first portion of each subsequently generated image by the determined shift amounts.

Abstract: An integrated printing system is provided and includes at least two generally vertically aligned image marking engines and at least two generally horizontally aligned image marking engines. The printing system further includes at least one generally horizontal interface media transport for transporting media between and to the vertically aligned and the horizontally aligned image marking engines.

Abstract: Parallel printing systems and methods incorporate inverter assemblies for not only inverting media during transport through the system but also to register the media or provide a velocity buffer transports with different drive velocities. The inverter assemblies can include the capability to optionally deskew the media and provide lateral registration corrections. The inverter assembly nip rollers are sufficiently spaced from process drive nip rollers to decouple a document in the inverter assembly from the highway paths. The method comprises combining the inverting function selectively with either the registering or the velocity buffering functions.

Abstract: An imaging device for producing multicolor images from image data containing data representing an image of a first color and an image of a second color to be registered relative to the image of the first color onto a substrate by transferring toner of the first and second colors to the substrate is provided. The imaging device comprises a first imager, a second imager, a photoreceptor belt, a plurality of rollers mounted to a frame of the imaging device, an angular position sensor, an image data source and a controller. The plurality of rollers define a process path along which the photoreceptor belt is driven past the first and second imagers in a process direction. The plurality of rollers comprises a drive roller that exhibits an eccentricity for which a formula relating angular position as a function of the phase angle of the drive roller to eccentricity is known. The angular position sensor detects the phase angle of the drive roller.

Abstract: More accurately correcting sheet position and skew in a desired print media sheet trajectory in a printer paper path, with a registration system including sheet drive nips defined by laterally spaced and differentially driven elastomer surfaced frictional sheet drive rollers and mating undriven idler rollers have a non-slip rotational sheet engagement. The undriven idler rollers have rotary encoders producing encoder signals corresponding to their rotation by a sheet in the nip, which encoder signals are provided to a controller for the registration system to control forward and differential drive motor systems for the sheet drive rollers so as to substantially correct for errors in the desired trajectory of said sheet by sheet drag forces acting on the elastomer surfaced sheet drive rollers in the sheet drive nips.

Abstract: A sheet feeder is provided comprising at least two drives that drive a sheet of material along a paper path and at least two sensors that detect a lateral side of the sheet of material. A controller is connected to the two sensors and at least one of the drives. The controller varies the drive velocity of at least one of the drives to shift the lateral position of the sheet of material in a predetermined direction until one of the sensors detects the lateral side and then varies the velocity difference of the two drives to eliminate the skew of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder is provided comprising at least two drives that drive a sheet of material along a paper path and at least two sensors that detect a lateral side of the sheet of material. A controller is connected to the two sensors and at least one of the drives. The controller varies the drive velocity of at least one of the drives to shift the lateral position of the sheet of material in a predetermined direction until one of the sensors detects the lateral side and then varies the velocity difference of the two drives to eliminate the skew of the sheet.