Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus includes a multi-function document feeder for feeding original document sheets to a platen viewing station for copying. The document feeder selectively provides (1) semiautomatic document feeding (SADF), (2) automatic document feeding (ADF), (3) recirculating automatic document feeding (RADF), and (4) manual placement of a document on the platen. A multi-function output copy module is provided for holding copies produced by the copying apparatus. The output module proivdes (1) a collator section comprising a vertical stack of collator bins, the unobstructed top bin of which also comprises (2) an exit tray, and (3) a large capacity exit bin that is located under the bottom one of the collator bins.

Abstract: This is an electronic scheme for correcting mechanical misalignment and electrical delays from laser beam to laser beam in the scan direction of a multiple beam laser scanning system for use in an electrophotographic machine. The position at which a reference beam is turned on is sensed and adjusted to a desired position. Thereafter, the positions at which non-reference laser beams are turned on are sensed and adjusted to the desired position. In one enbodiment, the energization of laser beams is positioned at the trailing edge of the second element of a photodector. In a second embodiment, the point of full laser energy is matched, beam to beam, at the junction of the same two elements in a CCD array. Programmable delay lines are used to obtain sub-pel resolution.

Abstract: A printing machine with control device for identifying solid areas to be imaged. The printing machine is regulated on a picture element (pel) basis to produce pels representing the interior of solid areas with an intensity sufficient to create a relatively large development vector and to produce non-solid area pels, such as the edges of solid areas, text, and line pels with an intensity sufficient to create a smaller development vector. In that manner, toner deposit densities are balanced for solid interiors, the edges of solids, test, and lines. A control method is provided for establishing the desired line stroke width, toner density, and exposure level for an electrophotographic printer, and thereafter establishing the exposure level needed to balance toner density in the solid areas with the line toner density.

Abstract: A multiple laser beam scanning optical system for correcting monochromatic and polychromatic aberrations comprising a doublet cylindrical lens for receiving the multiple beams and directing them to a rotating polygonal mirror. Scanning lens means are located to receive the beams from the mirror and direct them to the image plane.

Abstract: This is an electronic scheme for correcting for mechanical misalignment and chromatic aberrations from laser beam to laser beam in the scan direction of a multiple beam laser scanning system for use in an electrophotographic machine. Each beam is first corrected for mechanical misalignment and thereafter for chromatic aberrations. A reference laser beam produces two pulses near the start of scan (SOS) and two pulses near the end of scan (EOS). A non-reference laser beam then produces SOS and EOS pulses from which the mechanical misalignment is calculated. A gated clock is energized by the reference pulse and a tapped delay line is used for nanosecond resolution.

Abstract: A toner mass developed control system for use with electronic printers or copiers provides for the measurement of toned photoconductor reflectivity and bare photoconductor reflectivity. The standard control ratio is modified by characterizing the particular sensor unit in use and by taking into account the reflectance from both photoconductor and toner in the toned patch reflectivity measurement. These factors together with a modification for photoconductor reflectance degradation enable accurate control in high optical density development and with highly reflective color toners by altering the control ratio in accordance with these factors.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer of the transfer type with separate input bins for holding cut sheet print material and fan-fold form print material. Separate paper paths are provided from each bin to a first function. An input paper path is provided for moving either cut sheet or fan-fold forms from the first function to the transfer station. An output paper path is provided for moving either cut sheet or fan-fold forms from the transfer station through the fuser to a second function. Separate paper paths are provided from the second fuction to stack cut sheet material and fan-fold forms in separate output bins.

Abstract: Image defining toner is transferred to cut sheets and fused at one of two fuser stations. One station is positioned to fuse the image on one side when duplex copying or printing is selected. The other fuser station performs fusing when simplex copying is selected but fuses the second side copy for duplexing. When flash lamps are employed for the fuser station, the lamps are composed of multiple bays with a single power source coupled to each bay in sequence so that the power source size need only accommodate the power level demand of one bay. The time between trigger pulses is extended by commencing fusing with an intermediate bay followed by the initial bay and then the final bay as the image area requiring fusing passes along its path in proximity to the faces of the flash lamp bays.

Abstract: A xerographic reproduction device is disclosed, the device having a recirculating automatic document feeder that includes a sheet invertor, and a print path that includes a print station, a sheet invertor and a document set accumulator. The set accumulator includes a horizontal tray where at the individual sheets of a document set are stacked, one by one in proper page sequence. A stitcher is mounted in a fixed position at one leading-edge corner of the tray, so as to be coincident with a leading corner of the set. The individual sheets of portrait sets exit the print path and enter the accumulator tray, to reside in the tray with the set's first page on top of the set, facing upward, and with the stitcher located so as to bind the set's upper left hand corner.

Abstract: A replaceable, closed, container, cartridge or supply-item cassette holds a roll of stitcher wire from which U-shaped wire staples are to be formed by operation of a stitcher. The wire's end is led from the cassette to the stitcher by way of a flexible tube that terminates in a coupler/handle member. The coupler/handle member includes a releasable wire clamp that is operable to hold the wire's end. The coupler/handle member is constructed and arranged to protect the operator's hands from contact with the wire's sharp, needle-like end. When the coupler/handle member is locked or coupled to the stitcher, the stitcher's wire feed rollers automatically move to a nip-closed position, to entrap the end of the wire, and the wire is automatically released from the wire clamp. The stitcher's wire feed rollers are driven by a stepping motor. The cassette includes a brake that is operable to control the orderly feeding or wire by the stepping motor.

Abstract: The saturation voltage of a photoconductor used in a discharged area development (DAD) reproduction device is used to control and maintain the voltage vectors that are associated with (1) the photoconductor's fully charged background area, (2) the development electrode voltage at the reproduction device's developer station, (3) the photoconductor voltage in areas that are occupied by image characters having a small surface area, and (4) the photoconductor voltage in a test patch area that is associated with a toner concentration control network having a toner patch sensor. These electrstatic parameters are periodically adjusted, to compensate for changes in the operating characteristics of the photoconductor and the imaging station.

Abstract: Initial start up conditions for an oscillator having an inductor and capacitor coupled as a frequency determining resonant circuit are established by current generators. The current levels correlate to the steady state operating levels of the oscillator. Switching elements are actuated so as to gate the oscillator into immediate steady state operation without start up transient distortion by reconfiguring the relationship of the current sources to the oscillator elements.

Abstract: Two carriages are roller mounted to allow relative motion between them while maintaining precise relative positioning. Rollers engage precision ground spaced surfaces of a C-shaped hangar configuration, and wear compensation is provided by a spring bias arrangement maintaining conformity between the rollers and guide grooves in the underside of the rails.

Abstract: A machine uses electrophotography to produce panels of images for transfer to a continuous web of image receiving media. The images are transferred to the media under control of signals synchronized with media movement under a transfer structure which has a width sufficient to accommodate image transfer immediately prior to stopping of the media as well as immediately after restart of the media movement. The media is stopped with boundaries between sheets within the transfer zone.

Abstract: A patch sensing toner concentration control method and apparatus is provided in which the optical density of reproduction output can be changed without changing the quantity of toner that is deposited on the photoconductor's test patch area. The test patch area receives toner as the patch area passes through a developer station under the influence of a patch development electrical field or vector. Light that is reflected from a bare photoconductor area is compared to light that is reflected from a toned test patch area. The ratio of these two reflected light intensities is used to control the addition of toner to the developer station. Optical density of the reproduction output is changed by changing the toner concentration in the developer station. The toner concentration control method and apparatus of the invention is constructed and arranged to require a fixed or constant ratio of light reflection as an indication of proper toner concentration, independent of the absolute value of toner concentration.

Abstract: A paper holding bin including a movable bottom tray for holding a stack of print receiving material such as paper. The bin is part of a machine using sheets of paper such as a copier or printer. The front edge of the paper stack is positioned at the front edge of the tray and against the front wall of the bin. A biasing spring is used to move the tray upwardly along the front wall of the bin until the top sheet of the stack bears against a paper feed roll. As sheets are fed from the stack, the spring continues to bias the tray upwardly so as to keep the top sheet of the stack against the feed roll. Cams of circular arc are provided at the rear edge of the tray, extending upwardly therefrom, to bear against the rear wall of the bin. In that manner a rolling pivot point is provided so that the front edge of the tray remains virtually equidistant from the front edge of the bin, regardless of whether the stack is large or small.

Abstract: Independent asynchronous bus master devices share a common bus with control lines serially connecting each bus master in a daisy-chain contiguration. A Bus Acknowledge signal is received by a local bus master which is thereby enabled to seize control of the bus without an input synchronization delay by first inhibiting synchronization means to prevent the passage of the Bus Acknowledge signal to a downstream device for a period of time sufficient to stabilize an output signal indicating such passage. In that manner, the output signal may be used to control the immediate enabling of local bus seizure thereby avoiding local synchronization delay.

Abstract: This invention is a process for interconnecting an all points addressable printer with a host application program wherein the application presents output to be printed to the printer and wherein the host application can be present on a variety of different computer equipment such as a large host computer, a standalone workstation, or workstation on a local area network and wherein the all points addressable page printer can utilize any type of printing technology such as electrophotographic, magnetic or other and wherein the printer and the application host are interconnected by communicating means such as a channel, local area network, or telecommunication line and wherein any type of transmission protocol can be used and wherein the process enables the transmission of commands and data from the host application to the printer in a manner which is independent of the communication means and transmission protocol.