Abstract: An approach suited for use with an arrangement including an image processing apparatus and a server, with the server being disposed remotely of the image processing apparatus, is provided. In practice, a user accesses the remotely disposed server from the image processing apparatus by entering an appropriate personal identification number and selecting a job ticket from a directory listing the job tickets resident at the server. One of the job tickets is then selected and transmitted across the network from the server to the image processing apparatus. A job is then programmed at the image processing apparatus with the selected job ticket.

Abstract: A sheet feeding and separating apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack by exerting a drive force against the top sheet. The sheet is urged off the stack by a nudger roll toward a retard nip formed where a feed roll contacts a retard roll. The retard roll is movable relative to the feed roll, and thus is capable of producing drive forces of varying magnitude at the retard nip to propel a sheet toward the copying mechanism. A controller signals the nudger roll to urge a sheet off the stack and then monitors a sensor to determine whether the sheet passes through the retard nip. A misfeed condition occurs when the sensor fails to detect a sheet within a predetermined length of time. In response, the controller moves the retard roll toward the feed roll to increase the drive force exerted on the sheet. The retard roll is further adapted to detect the occurrence of a multifeed when multiple sheets contact the retard nip.

Abstract: An automatic recovery apparatus reduces the number of shut downs due to fuser misstrips in an electrophoto-graphic device. A fuser misstrip occurs if the lead edge of a copy sheet does not emerge from the fuser nip. The fuser roller and the photoreceptor drive roller are stopped. These rollers are driven in the reverse direction until the copy sheet is released from the fuser. The rollers are then driven in the forward direction so that the copy sheet is re-fused. This automatic recovery apparatus is used for a photoreceptor misstrip. If the copy sheet remains attached to the photoreceptor belt after passing the stripping zone, it will jam in the cleaner module. If a sensor detects the copy sheet is still attached to the belt after the stripping zone, then the photoreceptor belt is reversed and the stripping procedure is repeated.

Abstract: A sheet path velocity profile signature analysis apparatus which utilizes output from various idler rolls throughout the machine paper path to detect abnormalities. The constantly monitored and instantaneous velocity readings are compared with a base line velocity signature established at the factory. If the constantly monitored velocity profile is not within the pre-established operating parameters as set at the factory, automatic machine adjustment procedures are initiated and/or automatic service alerts are issued. The ability to constantly monitor the velocity profile throughout the machine enables preventative maintenance to occur and worn drive rolls, idler rolls and other transport devices can be replaced before catastrophic failure.

Abstract: A composite friction feed roll includes one material which feeds fresh paper well and another material which reliably feeds paper which has passed through fusing and has oil on its imaged surface. Such a roll will feed deplex and fresh paper or inserts equally reliably. Suitable material combinations would be silicone rubber which handles fused copies with ease, but has limited life feeding fresh or virgin paper because it collects fibers from fresh paper, and isoprene which is long lived handling fresh paper, but is rapidly contaminated by fuser oil. In the steady state condition, silicone regions will be primarily active in feeding duplexed paper while the isoprene oil contaminated, while in the plain paper feeding case, isoprene regions will be primarily responsible for feeding while the silicone becomes paper debris contaminated.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic printing apparatus having a fuser roll and a second roll forming a nip therebetween for the passage of a copy sheet therethrough, each copy sheet is inserted through the nip so that at least one edge of the copy sheet is skewed relative to the direction of motion of the fuser roll.

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.

Abstract: The invention includes a sheet feeding apparatus having a sheet pocket with a first end and a second end, rollers spaced a predetermined distance from the first end and including a plurality of sheet-feeder nips, one of the nips being an inlet nip for directing a sheet into the first end of the sheet pocket, and at least one other of the nips being an exit nip for directing a sheet out of the first end of the sheet pocket, and bypass rollers for selectively permitting a sheet to exit the sheet pocket via the second end thereof.

Abstract: A document handling apparatus includes a friction retard feeder for feeding documents from a stack. The friction retard feeder has a feed roll and a concave surfaced retard pad that inhibits stubbing of documents during feeding.

Abstract: A device for extracting sheets seriatim from the top of a stack of sheets and feeding them to a downstream sheet-using device, includes a pivoted tray which supports a stack of sheets; a nudger roll disposed at a fixed location above the tray and with which the top sheet of the stack can be brought into contact to slide the top sheet in a sheet-feed direction by frictional engagement when the nudger roll is rotated in a feed direction; a retard pad mounted for pivotal movement about an axis at or near the movable end of a first lever of which its other end is mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed support, the pad being biased into frictional engagement with either the nudger roll or a separate sheet-feed roll, the retard pad having movable with it a first arm of which movement about the pivotal axis of the pad is effective to increase the mechanical bias on a pivotally-mounted second lever adapted to urge the tray towards the nudger.

Abstract: A dual vacuum belt transport system for compiling copy sheet sets in a compiling tray includes a first vacuum belt that picks up a copy sheet and moves it to a forward registration wall for front edge alignment, and releases it. A second vacuum belt then picks up the copy sheet and moves it to a side registration wall to complete the compiling sequence. Each vacuum belt is angled with respect to a vertical plane in order to drive each copy sheet into a corner formed by the intersection of the forward and side registration walls.

Abstract: An arrangement for transporting a book facedown onto an and off of a copier includes a platen transport and a belt transport positioned on opposite sides of a vacuum plenum that is used to peel the bottommost page from a book to turn the same as the book is moved back and forth between the transport platen and belt member. As the book moves the vacuum plenum a by predetermined amount, it contacts a roller and is supported on the roller as it is transported onto and off of the platen by the platen transport. The roller reduces the friction between the pages of the book and the platen.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding individual substrates from the top of a stack of substrates upon demand includes a paddle wheel having paddles that are semi-cylindrical. The paddles buckle upon contact with the substrates rather than bending and thereby providing reduced normal force sensitivity to paddle deflection and reduced pressure since the force of buckling is a function of the paddle cross-section rather than paddle length for all areas of the paddles except near the paddle wheel hub. The semi-circular blades reduce misfeeding and multifeeding while having an extended wear life.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of documents to be copied, feed the documents seriatim to the platen of a reproduction machine and return the documents to the stack. The combination of a vacuum-belt document corrugator/feed assembly and dual air knives is provided to assure positive feeding of each document to the platen without misfeeds or multifeeds.

Abstract: A rotating inverter mechanism includes a drive shaft and dual primary and secondary rollers mounted within a set of collars such that the drive shaft is adapted to provide rotation to the primary rollers in a clockwise direction while the secondary rollers which are initially in an out of sheet contact position are driven by the primary rollers in a counterclockwise direction. A sheet passing through the inverter in a clockwise direction actuates a first sensor which in turn actuates a solenoid linked to one of the collars. The solenoid pulls the collar through a predetermined angle and thereby places the corresponding secondary roller in contact with the sheet. Since the secondary roller is rotating in a direction opposite to the incoming sheet direction and opposite to the other primary roller, the sheet will be rotated. A chute is positioned to deflect the sheet downward as it is rotated so that the rotation can be accomplished in a distance no wider than the width of the sheet.

Abstract: A paddle wheel feeder includes a paddle wheel having a foam hub with at least three blades molded therein. The paddle wheel is mounted to be rotatably driven by a shaft having a Geneva mechanism attached thereto which causes the paddle wheel to stop just before one of the blades contacts the top sheet in a stack and then accelerate to drive the sheet forward. For normal force optimization, internal springs are located inside each paddle of the wheel is one embodiment and a thick bladed foam paddle wheel is utilized in another embodiment with each blade having a coating of high friction material.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting sheets at the bottom of a stack of sheets including a levitation pocket and a positive air pressure source to provide an air cushion between the stack tray and the bottom sheet in the stack. Drive belts feed sheets under the stack in cooperation with a vacuum source that deflects the sheets against the belts and into a groove until the sheets reach the positive pressure source where they are pushed upward against the bottom of the stack.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus with a sheet support tray, a rear vacuum plenum chamber adapted to acquire the rear portion of a sheet, a front vacuum plenum chamber positioned over the front of the sheet and adapted to acquire the front portion of a sheet, sheet transport means associated with the front vacuum plenum to transport a sheet acquired in a forward direction and an air knife positioned at the rear of the stack of sheets to inject air between the trailing edge of the top sheet in a stack and the remainder of the stack. In a specific embodiment the trail edge of a sheet in a stack is separated by the air knife, acquired by the rear vacuum plenum then acquired by the front vacuum plenum and transported in a forward direction. As the trailing edge clears the rear vacuum, the rear vacuum which together with the air knife is continuously activated, acquires the next sheet in the stack.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack of sheets on sheet stack supporting tray which includes means to feed a sheet from and an air injection means disposed adjacent the front of the tray to inject air between the sheet to be separated and the remainder of the stack, the air injection means injecting a planar stream of air which has portions at its ends which converge toward the center of the planar air stream thereby providing both convergence in the planar air stream and expansion in a direction perpendicular to that of the air stream resulting in improved sheet separation. In a preferred embodiment the air injection means includes an array of nozzles, the end nozzles of which are inclined toward the center of the air stream so that the air will converge over the center of the sheet stacking tray. The array of nozzles is directed at an angle down to a stack of sheets in a sheet stacking tray which has a bottom sheet feeder associated with it.

Abstract: A direct control paddle wheel apparatus for document corner registration includes a paddle wheel with multiple blades that drive a document into registration with intersecting walls. The blades, as they rotate, are channeled in a direction plate or in the alternative along the surface of an interference barrier and, as a consequence, drive a document from side to side, as well as straight ahead depending on the shape of the plate or barrier.