Patents by Inventor David Helmlinger
David Helmlinger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 12212722Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2023Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Publication number: 20250025919Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2024Publication date: January 23, 2025Inventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Patent number: 12139361Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A drop feeder conveys the document packets to the feeder. A sensor provides information related to the thickness of the document packets and the drop feeder is controlled in response to the information related to the thickness of a packet in the feeder. The method includes the control of the drop feeder in response to information related to the thickness of a document packet at the feeder.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2020Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: David Helmlinger, Gary Miller, Peter M. Chezik, Robert R. DeWitt
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Patent number: 12138662Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2023Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Publication number: 20240333851Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2023Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Publication number: 20240179255Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2023Publication date: May 30, 2024Inventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Patent number: 11985280Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2023Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Patent number: 11973908Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Publication number: 20240024921Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents is provided. The documents may be conveyed to a feeder for feeding documents to a scanner. The scanner scans each document to obtain image data and then discharges the document to one or more output or sort locations. The system may include a skew reduction assembly for reducing skew in the documents as the documents are fed to the scanner. The system may also include elements for improving image quality and reducing document damage while the document is scanned. The system may further include features for improving the stacking of the discharged documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Michael Sullivan, Kerry O'Mara, John Allen, James Walsh, Dobromir Kamburov, Michael Sparango, David Helmlinger, Peter Patrick
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Patent number: 11765290Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Publication number: 20230040699Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2022Publication date: February 9, 2023Inventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Publication number: 20220217244Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: July 7, 2022Inventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Publication number: 20210188577Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A drop feeder conveys the document packets to the feeder. A sensor provides information related to the thickness of the document packets and the drop feeder is controlled in response to the information related to the thickness of a packet in the feeder. The method includes the control of the drop feeder in response to information related to the thickness of a document packet at the feeder.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2020Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: David Helmlinger, Gary Miller, Peter M. Chezik, Robert R. DeWitt
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Publication number: 20210044711Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Patent number: 10906761Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A retard adjacent the feeder is operable in first and second positions. In the first position the retard forms a nip with the feeder so that the retard is operable to impede the progress of one or more documents in the packet while the feeder feeds one of the documents in the packet. In the second position, the retard is spaced apart from the feeder to form a gap between the feeder and the retard. The system further includes a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the documents in a packet indicative of whether the number of documents in the packet exceeds a predetermined threshold. A drive mechanism automatically drives the retard pad between the first and second positions in response to the detected characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: David Helmlinger, Gary Miller, Peter M. Chezik, Robert R. DeWitt
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Patent number: 10855864Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Publication number: 20190068812Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Publication number: 20180327204Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A retard adjacent the feeder is operable in first and second positions. In the first position the retard forms a nip with the feeder so that the retard is operable to impede the progress of one or more documents in the packet while the feeder feeds one of the documents in the packet. In the second position, the retard is spaced apart from the feeder to form a gap between the feeder and the retard. The system further includes a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the documents in a packet indicative of whether the number of documents in the packet exceeds a predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: David Helmlinger, Gary Miller, Peter M. Chezik, Robert R. DeWitt
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Patent number: 9932184Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A retard adjacent the feeder is operable in first and second positions. In the first position the retard forms a nip with the feeder so that the retard is operable to impede the progress of one or more documents in the packet while the feeder feeds one of the documents in the packet. In the second position, the retard is spaced apart from the feeder to form a gap between the feeder and the retard. The system further includes a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the documents in a packet indicative of whether the number of documents in the packet exceeds a predetermined threshold. A drive mechanism automatically drives the retard pad between the first and second positions in response to the detected characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2015Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Opex CorporationInventors: David Helmlinger, Gary Miller, Peter M. Chezik, Robert R. DeWitt
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Patent number: 9621758Abstract: A system for processing document to scan the documents to obtain optical image data representing the document is provided. The system (10) includes elements that reduce or eliminate the effects of debris that can create streaks in the scanned images. One element is a recess (174) in the lens (170) through which an imaging device (60) scans the document. Another element is a guide (80) having an opening (84) opposing the lens (70, 170) of the imaging device (60). The opening (84) reduces or eliminates light reflecting off the guide back to the imaging device so that the area around the document is scanned as black.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2013Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: OPEX CORPORATIONInventors: Kerry O'Mara, David Helmlinger