Abstract: A system for binding books includes a flexible binding material in the form of a stud having top and bottom caps. The stud is inserted into signature staples that protrude from the body of the signature to form stud holes. The binding material can be any material that is extremely flexible, including silicone, metals, etc., as long as it allows the signatures to open in a lay-flat manner either at the signature interfaces or in the body of any signature. The flexible binding material can also be used to temporarily bind pre-punched pages of a book by inserting the flexible binding material into the pre-punched holes to facilitate lay-flat opening of the book.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a stepper motor automated self-test routine that gives an approximation of the state of the degradation of the stepper motor and/or its driven load. The test includes artificially increasing the starting frequency above normal and/or reducing the operation current below normal by a known and controllable amount to the stepper motor and tracking the level at which the motor is just able to start operating. By examining the magnitude and/or change in these levels, the remaining life and reliability of the motor can be predicted. Alternatively, the self-test routine could be used in conjunction with paper path sensors to determine the start time for a stepper motor. The start times are stored for trend analysis.

Abstract: A method of achieving pure tone noise control in a charging system of a copier/printer. The method includes the steps of first providing a plurality of individual charging devices and providing a plurality of power supplies for charging the plurality of individual charging devices. Next, charging at least one of the plurality of individual charging devices with a first of the plurality of power supplies at a predetermined frequency and charging at least one of the plurality of individual charging devices with a second of the plurality of power supplies at a frequency different from, but within a band width of, the predetermined frequency; and, lastly, charging at least one of the plurality of individual charging devices with a third of the plurality of power supplies at a frequency different from that of the first and second power supplies and within the band width of the first power supply frequency.

Abstract: A simple system for mechanically lifting and securing a copier/printer to vibration isolators aboard a Naval vessel. The system is compact, occupying space only under the copier/printer and not protruding from the sides and allows the copier/printer to completely detach for servicing. The system includes a four bar linkage using two square supporting members as the chassie with the four bar linkage being mounted to vibration isolators that are welded to the deck of the vessel. The four bar linkage is manipulated by two screws to easily and quickly raise the copier/printer off its casters and restrain it in a fixed position. The two screws make detachment from the four bar linkage a simple and time efficient process for repairpersons.

Abstract: A media discriminating and presence sensor that can detect and discriminate between paper and transparency uses a light emitting diode and two defectors configured so as to measure both diffuse and specular reflectivity of the media, and a media support surface that suppresses unwanted reflections.

Abstract: A simple, low cost, hand operated paper feeder includes a media chamber mounted at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane that allows media to exit the chamber through a membrane. A two-position, T-shaped actuator including a pair of non-rotating rolls is slidably mounted on a rail for contacting the media. A rod is connected to the actuator such that when movement of the rod is initiated in a first direction, the actuator is moved to a position contacting the media and with continued movement of the rod, a top sheet of the media is moved a predetermined amount through the membrane, and with return of the rod in a second direction to its initial position, the actuator is caused to retract from the media surface to its initial position.

Abstract: Sheet stacking apparatus for a buffer tray of a reprographic machine comprises a belt feeder including, at the input end of the feeder, a baffle which imparts a curved configuration to sheets in a direction transverse to the direction of travel. The output end of the feeder is defined by an output roll which cooperates with the belt of the feeder and is movable with the adjustable end guide of the buffer tray so that, as the length of the tray is increased, the length of the sheet path through the feeder is decreased and vice versa. The curved sheet configuration is maintained as sheets are conveyed through the feeder by the belt and is then further maintained by a second baffle as sheets are fed out, by the output roll, over the buffer tray.

Abstract: A charging device having a coronode that includes a comb-like ruthenium glass electrode silk screened onto a supporting dielectric substrate. The teeth of the comb-like electrode extend to an edge of the dielectric substrate and positionable relative to a screen or slit in several ways in order to form scorotron type devices.

Abstract: A xerographic copying machine has a circulating endless belt photoreceptor. A toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor to a copy sheet at the transfer region. The sheet is fed to the transfer region by a pair of coating rolls driven by a variable speed stepper motor. The rolls feed the leading portion of the copy sheet at approximately the same speed as the photoreceptor. When the copy sheet contacts the photoreceptor the feed rolls are driven at a faster speed for a short interval to generate a buckle in the copy sheet just before the transfer region. The speed of the feed rolls is then returned to its initial value so that the buckle size remains constant while the remainder of the sheet is fed. The buckle provides sufficient surplus in the copy sheet to prevent it being pulled taut in the transfer region. This prevents smearing the unfused toner image.

Abstract: A sheet reversing apparatus is disclosed which includes a buckle chamber and input and output rollers which cooperate with a common roller respectively to form input and output nips for conveying a sheet into and out of the buckle chamber to reverse the lead and trail edge orientation thereof. The trail edge of the sheet is engaged by foam rolls coaxial with the common roller to transfer it from said input nip to said output nip and one or more fingers are arranged to urge the sheet trail edge into contact with the foam rolls.

Abstract: A bottom vacuum corrugation feeder includes a vacuum chamber with a bi-level support surface that support a plurality of apertured belts. The bi-level support surface has a series of raised members on a portion of its surface that corrugate the bottom sheet of a stack of sheets that are supported on a stacking tray. The stacking tray inclues raised members on its stack support surface that allow the venting of air from an air knife positioned in front of the sheet stack for separating the bottom sheet in the stack from the remainder of the stack. Recesses are included in the stack support surface of the stacking tray in order to reduce vacuum leak around the front edge of the sheet stack.

Abstract: An apparatus in which sheet material is decurled. The apparatus includes off-set nips for reverse bending a sheet. As the sheet leaves a fuser, it is directed into one of two channels toward an off-set nip depending on the curl in the sheet. The off-set nip in conjunction with an output baffle reverse bends the sheet.

Abstract: A copier capable of producing simplex and duplex copies includes an inverter that has constantly rotating input and output rollers mounted for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with a reversibly rotatable sleeve that is mounted on a stationary shaft. When inversion of a sheet is required, a shiftable gate deflects the sheet into a nip formed between the input rollers and the rotatable sleeve. A sensor senses the trail edge of the sheet and through a controller causes a reversible drive motor to pivot the input rollers out of engagement with the sleeve while simultaneously placing the output rollers into driving engagement with the sleeve. The sheet is then driven by the output rollers out of the inverter and back into the paper path of the copier for further processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for orientating output copies of original documents from a bidirectional copier that employs a sorter with the method including the step of initiating each odd numbered copy run of multiple originals from the same side of the platen.

Abstract: A duplex copying system including an improved buffer set means that receives substrates having been copied on a first side and shingles the substrates for subsequent refeeding and copying on a second side.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for synchronizing copy substrate positioning with an image position on a photoreceptor in an electrostatic copier that includes primary rollers which drive intermittently at a slower speed than copier process speed while feeding a copy substrate to the photoreceptor. Secondary rollers which are located between the primary rollers and the photoreceptor drive the copy substrate continuously at the process speed. After the copy substrate enters the secondary rollers, the primary rollers stop driving and allow the copy substrate to continue in travel by the driving force of the secondary rollers in synchronism with the image on the photoreceptor.

Abstract: Drum support apparatus including outboard and inboard hubs having outer surfaces adapted for interface fitting with the inside surface of a drum. The hubs while being supported on a shaft that is cantilevered from a frame have recessed areas on central portions thereof to cooperate with locking tabs located on a tubular member loosely fitted on the shaft whereby rotation of the hubs by approximately 20.degree. creates a semi-rigid assembly that is rigidly secured to the shaft by the tightening of a single nut at the center of the drum. An assembly of this type creates an equal distribution of force on the hubs, thus diminishing circular run-out of the drum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing duplex copies in pre-collated output copy sets from a set of documents recirculated in order by first copying only the even-ordered documents in the set once onto the first sides of substrates and transporting those copies to a buffer; then making individual copies in order of all the documents by alternately copying odd order documents on the reverse side of copies fed from the buffer while alternately copying even ordered documents onto copy substrates fed from a different copy substrate source, and transporting the copies made from the buffer to an output tray to create pre-collated sets while simultaneously transporting the copies from the other copy substrate source to the buffer to replace the copies fed therefrom; repeatedly individually copying all of the documents in the set in the latter manner by a number of document recirculations equal to one less than the total number of copy sets desired, and then, for a last copy set, making copies of only the odd ordered d

Abstract: A device for uniformly aligning each of a series of microform cards with a projected test pattern, including means for moving a card relative to said test pattern, and means for perforating the card while aligned.

Abstract: A device for preventing movement of an original document on the platen of a copier where the platen reciprocates is disclosed having a protrusion that is adapted to adhere to the platen cover. The protrusion is locatable according to the size of the original document being copied and applies pressure in a concentrated area on the platen or the document to prevent movement of the original document while being copied.