Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling substrate flatness for sensor measurements in printing device. A flow of air may be provided from a blower to a plenum. A printed sheet of media may be transported between upper and lower transport baffles that are generally spaced apart to permit the sheet of media to pass. Located on one of transport baffles may be a sensor to measure a property of the printed sheet. Air from the plenum is provided to the back surface of the sheet to urge it toward the sensor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling substrate flatness for sensor measurements in printing device. A flow of air may be provided from a blower to a plenum. A printed sheet of media may be transported between upper and lower transport baffles that are generally spaced apart to permit the sheet of media to pass. Located on one of transport baffles may be a sensor to measure a property of the printed sheet. Air from the plenum is provided to the back surface of the sheet to urge it toward the sensor.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for supporting objects in a tray and moving different portions of the objects at different rates for inputting or outputting from an objects processor. These techniques may be applied to stacking objects that has a thickness at one end greater than the thickness at another end, for example, resulting in stacking height of the thicker end increasing faster than the stacking height of the other thinner end.

Abstract: A leveling device assists in support of stackable objects having a non-uniform thickness, such as DocuCards, in a stackable tray. The stackable tray includes a pivoting tray that can be pivoted from a full sheet stack position to an empty sheet stack position. A valley removal mechanism is provided on the pivoting tray to variably support an intermediate portion of the bottom of the stack to compensate for and remove a valley created intermediate ends of the stack due to an aggregate effect of stack media of non-uniform thickness. The valley removal mechanism preferably includes a support surface that contacts a bottom of the stack, a ramp defining a ramp profile, and a ramp follower that guides the support surface to a variable orientation that compensates for the valley as the stack height changes.

Abstract: A leveling device assists in support of stackable objects having a non-uniform thickness, such as DocuCards, in a stackable tray. The stackable tray includes a pivoting tray that can be pivoted from a full sheet stack position to an empty sheet stack position. A valley removal mechanism is provided on the pivoting tray to variably support an intermediate portion of the bottom of the stack to compensate for and remove a valley created intermediate ends of the stack due to an aggregate effect of stack media of non-uniform thickness. The valley removal mechanism preferably includes a support surface that contacts a bottom of the stack, a ramp defining a ramp profile, and a ramp follower that guides the support surface to a variable orientation that compensates for the valley as the stack height changes.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for supporting objects in a tray and moving different portions of the objects at different rates for inputting or outputting from an objects processor. These techniques may be applied to stacking objects that has a thickness at one end greater than the thickness at another end, for example, resulting in stacking height of the thicker end increasing faster than the stacking height of the other thinner end.

Abstract: Sheets can be manipulated for punching, perforating and/or folding. The systems and methods according to this invention allow sheets to be punched and/or perforated in various configurations. The systems and methods according to this invention allow sheets to be folded in various forms and/or configurations. Sheets can be inverted to ensure proper orientation. The systems and methods according to this invention allow the number and/and or locations of punches and/or perforations and the type and/or length of folds to be controlled on a sheet-by-sheet basis. The systems and methods according to this invention allow the sheet preparation module to be optionally configured within the photocopying system depending on the needs and flexibility of the finishing requirements of the operator. The modularity of the sheet preparation module design as a “plug and play” unit enables greater functionality for the manipulation of sheets.

Abstract: Sheets can be manipulated for punching, perforating and/or folding. The systems and methods according to this invention allow sheets to be punched and/or perforated in various configurations. The systems and methods according to this invention allow sheets to be folded in various forms and/or configurations. Sheets can be inverted to ensure proper orientation. The systems and methods according to this invention allow the number and/and or locations of punches and/or perforations and the type and/or length of folds to be controlled on a sheet-by-sheet basis. The systems and methods according to this invention allow the sheet preparation module to be optionally configured within the photocopying system depending on the needs and flexibility of the finishing requirements of the operator. The modularity of the sheet preparation module design as a “plug and play” unit enables greater functionality for the manipulation of sheets.

Abstract: A plural function sheet interconnect module for serially connecting plural multiple bins printed sheets job separating units, such as mailbox modules, with the output of a printer for feeding printed sheets jobs into selected bins. The printer also has a alternate variably occurring output of purge sheets designated for purging, which purge sheets are variably intermixed with the printed sheets jobs. The interconnect module has a sheet bypass transport for feeding the sheets on from one mailbox unit on to another. The interconnect module also has an integral purge tray for collecting the purge sheets and providing for their removal. The interconnect module further has a selectable shared sheet gating system for gating the printed sheets jobs into the sheet bypass transport and gating the purge sheets into the integral purge tray. The integral purge tray underlies the sheet bypass transport and is pivotably openable for the removal of purge sheets therefrom.

Abstract: A dynamic "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer (including facsimile receivers, copiers or combination units). It provides for stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sowing accessory unit. The "mailboxing" unit has locking "privacy doors" for restricting access to at least some of the mailbox bins, with electrical unlocking of selected bin doors in response to entry of a user access code. When the door is opened, an access handle is visible and the user can pull the handle which causes the job print sets to be moved to the door opening for easy removal. A second embodiment has the removal handle which extends through the door and when released and pulled by the user causes the door to open and the sets to be moved to the opening.

Abstract: In an output sheet handling system for a reproduction apparatus, for selective stacking of the output sheets into at least one stacking tray, with a sheet ejection system for gripping and ejection of the output of the printed sheets into a stacking tray sequentially as individual output sheets or as a compiled stack of sheets, the sheet ejection system includes an automatic variable normal force system automatically providing a substantially higher gripping normal force for ejection of a compiled stack of sheets than for ejection of individual output sheets. The ejection system preferably increases the gripping normal force for the set ejection in proportion to the thickness of the compiled stack being ejected, and feeds individual delicate sheets through a nip with an automatically substantially lower normal force.

Abstract: A stapling apparatus for an office machine includes a housing having a fixed position output providing a sequential source of sheets. An output tray is mounted on the housing adjacent the output for supporting the sheets. A compiler shelf is located on the housing adjacent the output tray. A compiling mechanism is mounted on the housing. A stapler is movably mounted on the housing and is longitudinally reciprocable in relation to the shelf and the compiling mechanism. The stapler and the compiler mechanism are so located in relationship to each other that the stapler has a strictly linear motion along an edge of the sheets.

Abstract: A paper transport system includes an apparatus for controlling movement of the sheets along the predetermined course to provide sheet buffering. The apparatus includes first and second friction surfaces mounted for movement in orbital paths on opposite sides of the predetermined course in opposed relationship to define a nip through which the paper sheets pass. A selectively operable drive is provided for independently controlling the movement of the first and second friction surfaces, and the first friction surface has a coefficient of friction with the paper sheets which is greater than the coefficient of friction of the second surface with the paper sheets which is in turn greater than the coefficient of friction between the paper sheets.

Abstract: In a sheet output module for the collection and stacking of printed media sheets from the output of a reproduction apparatus, with multiple separate sheet collection bins in a vertical array, a sheet input for receiving the sheets, and a sheet transport path for transporting the sheets to a selected bin; the sheet input is at a central vertical level intermediately of the module and the vertical bin array, the vertical bin array is divided into first and second portions with a central vertical space therebetween, the sheet transport path has a common shared central path from the input to a branching position where it arcuately branches in opposite directions, with a first branch path extending upwardly to feed sheets to the first portion of the bins and a second branch path extending downwardly to feed sheets to the second portion of the bins.

Abstract: A "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the job sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer. It provides for compiling, finishing, and stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory unit having a number of variably assignable "mailbox" bins. An integral moving sheet deflector, compiler and stapler unit is shown for collecting, compiling, and optionally stapling, and ejecting job sets of sheets for separate designated users into one or more of these discrete but variably assigned "mailboxes". It may also provide a bypass for sequentially stacking unstapled user sheets directly in a mailbox without compiling and stapling. A variable display indicates the bins into which that particular user's jobs have been placed last and not yet removed.

Abstract: A variable sheet sized sheet feeder adapted to be reloaded while running in a dual tray mode. A dual tray sheet feeder having a sheet transport to reload a stack of sheets from a holding station to an active feed station is provided. The dual tray design allows the holding station to be reloaded while the active tray is feeding thereby providing load while run capability. The feed tray is further provided with tray extensions to allow the loading and feeding of oversized sheets within the same confines. Multiple sensors and movable stack guides are provided to allow the transfer of the sheet stack from one tray to another and to report the status of each tray to the operator through a user interface.

Abstract: A dynamic "mailboxing" unit and system for separating by users the sheet outputs of various users of a shared users printer (including facsimile receivers, copiers or combination units). It provides for stacking the sheets sequentially outputted from the printer in separate job sets into one or more temporarily and variably assigned "mailboxes" of a "mailboxing" job sorting accessory unit. The "mailboxing" unit has locking "privacy doors" for restricting access to at least some of the mailbox bins, with electrical unlocking of selected bin doors in response to entry of a user access code, and in particular, automatic lifting of one edge of the sheets in that bin in coordination with the bin door opening to assist user removal of their sheets from the bin.

Abstract: A finishing apparatus adapted to receive and fasten collated sets of copy sheets is provided. The finishing apparatus includes a stacking tray in which successive sets of fastened copy sheets can be stacked. The copy sheets are compiled on a movable compiling member, a portion of which is positioned selectively over the stacking tray. A paper path is used to transport the copy sheets to both the stacking tray and the movable compiling member so as to position one portion of each copy sheet in the stacking tray with the remaining portion of each copy sheet being located in the movable compiling member. A fastener, such as a stapler is positioned adjacent to the movable compiling member.

Abstract: In a sheet handling system with an array of multiple individual sheet stacking bins and a sheet feeding system for feeding sheets from a sheet feeding output nip thereof into selected bins, for stacking of the sheets into the selected the bins, with relative movement between the sheet feeding system and the multiple individual sheet stacking bins; an automatic nip extending system is provided for automatically moving the sheet feeding output nip out into an individual bin for improved sheet control for the feeding of sheets into the bin, and an automatic nip retracting system for automatically moving the sheet feeding output nip out of the bins for unobstructed relative movement between the sheet feeding system and the sheet stacking bins, in coordination with the relative movement between the sheet feeding system and the multiple individual sheet stacking bins. The nip extending system preferably includes a repositionable extended loop sheet feeding belt.