Abstract: A copier or printer is pivotably attached to a finisher module, such as for stapling. A pivotable mount is disposed toward the back of the copier, so that an opening can be formed toward the front of the copier, exposing an interface between the copier and the finisher module. A latch is used to hold the finisher module to the copier in a closed position.

Abstract: In a finishing apparatus, such as would be used with a copier or high-speed printer, an applicator places stickers on a folded sheet or booklet, to prevent the sheet or booklet from unfolding or opening. At one point in the operation, the folded sheet or booklet is “backed up” in its basic process direction to receive a sticker on its trailing edge, and backed up further so that the sticker is folded over the trailing edge by a pair of crease rolls.

Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a scorotron places a uniform charge on a photoreceptor for forming electrostatic latent images. Two conductive pin arrays are disposed in a housing defined by sidewalls and a grid adjacent the photoreceptor. For each array, the distance to the adjacent sidewall is 1.0 to 1.5 the distance to the grid.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet by providing an electric field of predetermined magnitude at a transfer zone. The transfer station includes a rotatable transfer member, with a cleaning corotron associated therewith. A control system for maintaining a constant current at the transfer zone takes into account a current supplied by the cleaning corotron. The control system can also take into account current leakages associated with the transfer member.

Abstract: In an image-data processing system, as would be found in a digital copier or scanner, a relatively quick calculation is performed to estimate a compression ratio or compression time resulting from applying a compression algorithm to an image data set. If the estimated compression ratio or compression time is determined to be unfavorable, the system is advised not to apply the compression algorithm. The method can also be used to select a type of compression algorithm, such as CCITT G4 or JBIG2, according to the requirements of the larger system.

Abstract: In a digital scanner or other source for sending documents by electronic mail to a client, the size of the document is determined and a calculation is made of how many segments the document must be divided into. If the required number of segments is so large as to present a risk of flooding a network, a warning is displayed to a user. The system is particularly useful in the context of scanning to e-mail full-color images.

Abstract: A xerographic printer or copier includes a replaceable cartridge having a cleaning blade and carrier particle pickoff member associated with a rotating charge receptor. As the cartridge is being used, carrier particles removed from the photoreceptor by the cleaning blade are magnetically retained on the pickoff member, where the remain for the balance of the lifetime of the cartridge. When a useable lifetime of the cartridge is spent, the carrier particles are removed from the pickoff blade.

Abstract: An architecture and manufacturing method for photosensitive chips, such as used in office equipment and digital cameras, involves creating grooves between chip areas in a wafer, and then placing a light-transmissive planar layer over the main surface of the wafer. The planar layer, which may be acrylic-based, creates a substantially planar surface over both the photosites in the chip areas and the grooves. The planar layer in turn supports one or more light-transmissive filtering layers. The arrangement avoids damage to the filtering layers when the wafer is diced along the grooves.

Abstract: In a booklet maker or sheet folder wherein one or more sheets are pushed through a nip formed by a pair of crease rolls, and wherein the crease rolls are driven by gears, a slip clutch is operatively disposed between one of the crease rolls and the gear driving the crease roll. The slip clutch compensates for the abrupt change in frictional coefficient experienced by the crease rolls when one or more sheets enter the nip.

Abstract: In an imaging device having an array of photosensors, each photosensor being associated with a shift register stage for reading out image signals, there is provided a number of local clock drivers, each local clock driver being associated with a subset of photosensors. A reset flip-flop is associated with each subset of photosensors, and is used to “hand off” shift register activities from one local clock driver to the next as image data is read out. By having a series of local clock drivers, performance problems related to parasitic capacitance on the shift register lines are lessened.

Abstract: In the Microsoft® Windows 2000™ environment, ports for printers on a network can be created using an AddPort command and XcvData function. By placing pointers within XcvData to data structures, the process of adding ports can be made largely invisible to a user.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus or copier, a vertical portion of a paper path is formed between two flat members. To remove jammed paper from the path, one of the flat members is moved, by a hinge, from the other, releasing any sheet in the path. Released sheets drop down the path and land on a bottom structure. The bottom structure causes a sheet landing thereon to incline away from the hinge, so that a user can remove the sheet without having to reach far into the path.

Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a corotron having a wire is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The wire is cleaned by a motorized shuttle which travels in two directions along the wires. The shuttle is controlled by detection of an increased current consumption associated with the motor.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus such as a scanner or digital camera, a photosensitive device includes multiple linear arrays of photosensors. One of the arrays has a higher spatial resolution than other arrays. The high-resolution array is filtered to detect different portions of the color spectrum than the low-resolution arrays.

Abstract: Software in a computer which accesses one or more software-intensive devices, such as a digital copier or printer, is organized in a set of layers. A device-dependent layer converts data transferred over various means, such as a modem or network, to a uniform data format. A protocol layer converts data from a particular accessed machine to a set of function calls. A system interface associated with the computer restricts a user of the computer to seeing only a subset of function calls, depending permissions granted to a particular user. The modular architecture of the software enables a system administrator to restrict a user to viewing machine status for a specific set of machines on a network, or limits the user to viewing only a certain set of functionalities from a particular machine.

Abstract: An image input scanner includes a linear array of photosensors to record images, such as in a digital copier or facsimile. A subset of the photosensors can be selected, depending on a particular situation, for recording images, while other photosensors are deselected. In this way, recording of “blank” image data, such as would be caused when photosensors in the array are not exposed to a sheet passing relative to the array, is avoided. In one embodiment, the array includes a plurality of local clock drivers, each clock driver controlling image data readout from a subset of photosensors. When a subset of photosensors are selected for a given situation, only the clock drivers associated with the selected photosensors are activated.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing or copying machine includes a functional module which can be readily removed and replaced by service personnel. The module includes a monitor in the form of an electronically-readable memory, which includes information about how the particular module is to be operated. A distribution board electronically accesses the memories within the monitors and reads therefrom information, such as how much voltage to supply to different components within each module. The distribution board can also update the number of prints made with each module, and maintain this count within the monitors.

Abstract: In a booklet maker or sheet folder wherein one or more sheets are pushed through a nip formed by a pair of crease rolls, a pair of flexible gate members cover the nip while sheets to be folded are being loaded. When the sheets are pushed through the nip, the flexible gate members are displaced, allowing the nip to receive the sheets. Following feeding of the sheets, the flexible gate members spring back to a closed position.

Abstract: A photosensitive imaging device for recording images across the entire visible spectrum includes a set of photosensors which have a peak response around the orange part of the spectrum, about 600 nm. The peak response is obtained by combining responses of, in one case, photosensors associated with a filter which admits red or infrared wavelengths and longer and photosensors associated with a filter which admits orange wavelengths and longer. In another case, the photosensor is structured to attenuate longer wavelengths, which, in combination with a filter which admits orange and longer wavelengths, can simulate a peak behavior around the orange part of the spectrum.

Abstract: A system for organizing a heterogeneous set of page image data, such as including both simple-compressed and JPEG compressed, and/or color and monochrome data, so that the data can be organized as a single, multi-page, TIFF-FX document. Different page images and image components are named according to a simple convention. When a TIFF-FX writer application is applied to the data, the writer application responds to the names of the files and the file hierarchy to write a single, multi-page TIFF-FX document.