Patents Represented by Attorney William A. Henry

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  • Edge raggedness and background removal by post development member
    Patent number: 5532092
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing the edge raggedness and background toner level of, for example, tri-level images by reestablishing the images and cleaning fields of the first developed image with a closely spaced electrode. The toner is redistributed by electrical and/or mechanical forces which leads to the removal of edge raggedness and background toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Lloyd F. Bean, Victor Berko-Boateng
  • Stack height sensing machanism
    Patent number: 5518230
    Abstract: An active stack height sensing mechanism that operates through a cam off a disc stacker which performs one cycle per sheet stacked. After a sheet is stacked, a stack height clamp contacts the stack and stops. If the stack height is too low or within a predetermined range, a flag attached to the clamp will block a light beam path between an emitter and receiver and trip the stack height sensor. If the stack height is too high, the stack height sensor will not be made indicating that the stacker should be indexed down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard F. Scarlata, Jose J. Soler, W. Bradford Willard
  • Post transfer corrugator
    Patent number: 5519477
    Abstract: A device that addresses the problem of substrate distortion created by a fuser nip being transmitted back to a transfer nip includes a post transfer corrugator that introduces a non-image side protrusion in the substrate path between the transfer zone and the fuser zone. The post transfer corrugator forces the substrate to flatten out any distortion caused by the fuser/nip and prevents this distortion from entering the transfer zone. The corrugator also supports the substrate so as to increase the wrap angle of the substrate around an electrostatic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Conrad J. Bell, Alan B. Amidon
  • Multi-gate tandem decurler
    Patent number: 5515152
    Abstract: A decurler apparatus in a machine changes sheet bending direction away from image (AI) to toward image (TI) direction by use of tandem gates and bending baffles to direct copy papers to different decurling paths to reduce copy curl. A controller automatically determines the optimum decurling path for an individual copy paper according to sensor inputs derived from the paper basis weight, color layers, image area coverage and relative humidity. An operator control feature is included that allows operators to reduce output curl of out-of-specification papers through push-buttons on a machine control panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Youti Kuo
  • Curl detection through pneumatic acquisition sensing
    Patent number: 5454556
    Abstract: A machine includes a scheme for detecting the level of curl in sheets in a stack by measuring the time it takes to acquire a sheet with a bottom corrugation vacuum feeder (BVCF). A vacuum switch changes state at a preset vacuum level thereby detecting any significant rise in vacuum which occurs when a sheet has been acquired by the BCVF. A digital control circuit senses the change of state which takes place in the vacuum switch and feeds a signal to the machine's microprocessor which in turn signals an air knife in the BVCF to increase or decrease air pressure toward the sheet stack to compensate for the stressed state of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert P. Siegel
  • 90 degree paper feed transition module
    Patent number: 5449165
    Abstract: A transition module adapted to accept copy sheet input from an input feeder short edge first and feed the copy sheets long edge first to the main paper path of a processing apparatus. The transition module includes a belt-on-belt transport to move copy sheets into the transition module from, for example, the output of a third party feeder. The sheets are fed to the belt-on-belt transport and driven against a registration edge. The belts are continuously running and provide enough drive force to move the sheets to the registration edge, but not enough to overdrive the sheets or cause buckling. Once each sheet is registered, double `D` rolls are activated for one revolution to pull the sheet from the belts and feed it to an exit nip located downstream from the `D` rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Raymond A. Naramore
  • Full productivity high performance inverter
    Patent number: 5449163
    Abstract: A full productivity, high performance inverter apparatus includes a sheet input nip, a sheet output nip, a reversing roll nip downstream of the input and output nips, and adjustable interleaving baffles for guiding sheets of a wide variety of lengths between the input nip, output nip, and the reversing nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Inventors: Lam F. Wong, Russell J. Sokac, Lisbeth S. Quesnel
  • Gateless rocker inverter
    Patent number: 5449160
    Abstract: A gateless rocker inverter for reversing the lead and trail edges of a sheet includes two idler roll and drive roll nip pairs with the drive rolls continuously rotating in opposite directions. The idler rolls are attached to two ends of a coupler of a four-bar linkage which opens and closes the nips in sequence, first to drive the sheet forward and subsequently to drive the sheet in a reverse direction out of the inverter for duplexing purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ssujan Hou, Lam F. Wong, Lisbeth S. Quesnel, Paul J. DeGruchy
  • Printing apparatus employing a compliant sheet corrugating device
    Patent number: 5153663
    Abstract: A simple, low cost corrugation device for removing curl from sheets includes a compliant corrugator roll that is effective with light weight, low beam strength papers needing corrugation and passive with heavy weight, high beam stiffness papers not needing/not wanting corrugation. One type of corrugation roll is a cylindrical elastomeric roll made of a foam or sponge-like material. An alternative corrugator roll configuration is a hollow frustrum of a cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Henry T. Bober, Frank C. Darling, Jr., Thomas W. Fletcher
  • Planar scorotron device
    Patent number: 5153435
    Abstract: A planar ion source, charging device includes a resistive comb pattern on a rigid planar dielectric support with the comb pattern extending to the edge(s) of one or more slots through the dielectric support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Nathaniel R. Greene
  • Duplex printer and method of printing
    Patent number: 5150168
    Abstract: A copying and or printing apparatus including a duplex feeder for feeding sheets having had page image information copied/printed on one side thereof, back to a copying/printing station for transferring page image information to the other side thereof. The duplex feeder includes a buffer tray that can be positioned above and slightly upstream of a feeder tray. The buffer tray stores copy sheets exceeding the maximum capacity of the feeder tray such that the copier/printer can process a greater number of duplex copies in a single run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Venkatesh H. Kamath, Michael A. Malachowski, David R. Kamprath
  • Hybrid nudger roll
    Patent number: 5149077
    Abstract: A hydrid nudger roll for use in a friction retard feeder includes alternating elastomeric and studded rolls positioned on a support shaft. The outer surface of the elastomeric rolls extends beyond the tips of the studded rolls, but when the elastomeric rolls are deformed against a stack of sheets due to normal force, the tips of the studded rolls extends beyond the outer surface of the elastomeric rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Martin, Steven R. Moore, Russell J. Sokac, Robert P. Siegel, Gerald M. Garavuso
  • Counter-clockwise single sheet rotator
    Patent number: 5145168
    Abstract: A pivot brake is used in conjunction with a ball-on-belt transport and dual registration edge guides to rotate and register the output of printers by 90.degree. to satisfy on-line finishing requirements. As a sheet is fed into the rotation mechanism by the ball-on-belt transport, it encounters the pivot brake which retards its travel. The ball-on-belt transport continues to drive the sheet, thereby rotating it about the brake and into the registration edge guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert R. Jonas, Robert F. Rubscha
  • Articulating idler roll
    Patent number: 5142760
    Abstract: A one piece, low cost, self-loading, articulating and hard surfaced idler roll is provided for use in a xerographic copying machine or the like. The idler roll includes an outer core with a surface of sufficient hardness to be non-compliant when sheet material and a drive roll comes into contact with it. A compliant material is positioned between a shaft which can be hollow and the outer core in order to complete the one piece structure and allow the idler roll to articulate about the shaft to diminish skewed entry of sheets into the nip formed between the idler roll and the drive roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Conrad J. Bell
  • Oscillating blade envelope rotator
    Patent number: 5139250
    Abstract: A gravity fed, "load-while-run" envelope feeder places a high capacity envelope storage bin's long dimension against a printer which creates a small footprint. The feeder transfers the envelopes from the storage bin to a horizontal transporation area with the rotation of a motor driven blade to within access of the printer's feed rollers. The blade catches an envelope's flap to feed it and rotates it by 90.degree. into the transportation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John D. Zoltner
  • Media discriminating and media presence sensor
    Patent number: 5139339
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Courtney, Fred F. Hubble, III., Kenneth I. Chan
  • Customer installable bypass sheet transport with cover assembly and locating springs
    Patent number: 5137270
    Abstract: A modular customer installable bypass paper transport that allows printed output from a printer to bypass an output tray of the printer and pass directly into a separate finisher includes a cover assembly and two locating springs that are essential for proper location of idler which are part of the cover and drive rollers during re-engagement of the idler and drive rollers after a jam has been cleared. The two wire form springs are attached to the cover and a cover support member and are stressed from a home position when the cover is slid to a remote position for jam clearing. As the cover is slid back to its home position, the springs pull the cover and idler rollers into proper alignment with mating drive rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Sloan, Patrick T. Pendell
  • Pivoting paper tray
    Patent number: 5137174
    Abstract: In order to minimize the footprint of a copier, a two-part paper tray is used with one part of the paper tray being pivotably attached to another part of the paper tray for pivoting upward along the back of the copier during use. The pivoting of the paper tray also serves to minimize multi-feeding by fanning the copy sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Conrad J. Bell
  • Passive, intelligent, sheet decurling system
    Patent number: 5123895
    Abstract: An apparatus in which sheet material is decurled. The apparatus includes a baffle type decurler in which a sheet moving therethrough chooses one of three paths and baffles, depending on the direction and amount of curl. Triangular shaped baffles prevent sheet stubbing and a decurling system reverse bends the sheets in two of the three paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Barry P. Mandel
  • Sweep and vacuum xerographic cleaning method and apparatus
    Patent number: 5121167
    Abstract: A cleaning device for an electrostatographic copying machine collects residual toner from a photoconductive surface of the copying machine by the use of fiber-like bristles adhered to a face of a slit through which air is pulled by a vacuum pump. The bristles are pressed gently into sliding contact with the imaging surface and thereby loosens the toner for capture by the vacuum pump through the slit. An alternative would be to use open-cell foam in place of the bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Gundlach