Abstract: A system and method of stacking printed sheets with sheet curl stacking problems in an automatically variable configuration stacking system having a spaced array of repositionable initial sheet supporting surfaces providing a generally planar initial stack supporting configuration on which a limited amount of sheets initially stack, and then, in response to stacking additional sheets in said system, the stacking system automatically changes to a different, arcuate, stack supporting configuration by automatically lowering at least some of the spaced array of initial sheet supporting surfaces to arcuately bend the curled sheets in an arcuate direction transverse the sheet curl direction on a fixed stacking surface that is arcuate transversely of the sheet curl direction.

Abstract: A dual mode document aperture imaging prevention system and document edge location system, using the same digital document imager, for imaging different sizes of moving document sheets, some of which may have punched notebook or binder holes or other apertures. Both a black or substantially light absorbing imaging background surface area and a white or substantially light reflective imaging background surface area are automatically selectably provided in the same document imaging station as document backing surfaces for the two respective functions. The dark imaging background is automatically provided to be illuminated and imaged for document edge detection, and the light imaging background may be selected to be automatically provided for illuminating and imaging the body of the document to prevent imaging any apertures of any apertured document sheets.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding and separating system for feeding sheets downstream from a stack of sheets in a sheet stacking tray, with an sheet retard system having a sheet kickback, a sheet kickback control system comprising a high friction surface member, such as an EPDM elastomer, mounted in the sheet stacking tray extending vertically above the sheet stack supporting surface and sloping downwardly at a small angle in the downstream direction. This raised and sloping high friction surface member is positioned upstream of the sheet feeding and separating system to underlie the upstream end of the stack of sheets in the sheet stacking tray and to frictionally engage and retard upstream kickback movement of the bottom sheet of the stack of sheets by the sheet retard system.

Abstract: A sheet feeding system for an imaging system with a sheet input tray into which sheets are loaded onto the upper surface to be fed downstream, with a sheet sensing system for automatically providing different electrical control signals in response to different sheet sizes and different orientations of the sheets loaded into the tray, with sensor actuators projecting into the tray at different preset positions, each actuator being movably mounted to normally project upwardly through an aperture in the tray until operatively engaged by the sheets loaded onto the sheet input tray extending over the preset position of the actuator. Each actuator has an operative shape tapering upwardly from a relatively large base to a relatively small tip to provide laterally angled sheet engagement surfaces on at least three lateral sides thereof, preferably pyramid shaped.

Abstract: In an automatic document handling system for sequentially feeding a set of multiple duplex or simplex document sheets from an input tray to a single digital electronic imaging station and restacking the sheets in collated order in an output tray, including a system for inverting duplex documents between imagings of their opposite sides, for imaging both sides of the duplex documents at the same imaging station, there are upper and lower superposed inversion loop document sheet feeding paths, the upper path providing pre-inversion of one duplex sheet prior to feeding the sheet to the imaging station, while the lower inversion loop path concurrently provides imaging and inversion of another duplex sheet therein, to increase the effective duplex documents imaging rate.

Abstract: An idler system that is both self-centering and self-aligning with a drive roll. The idler assembly consists of a pair of rolls connected by a shaft, the shaft being supported in a housing. The housing is retained by a resilient spring member which member allows the axis of rotation of the idler rolls to pivot in more than one plane simultaneously. This pivoting causes the axis of rotation of the idler assembly to align parallel with the drive roll axis. The single spring also provides an even loading of the normal force across the width of the drive nip. As a result of the alignment and even loading, skewing of a sheet is prevented as it is driven through the nip formed by the drive roll and the idler roll. The resilient spring mounting also allows for easy replaceability of the idler assembly and the housing is easily locatable between tabs formed in the frame of the machine for mounting the idler assembly therein.

Abstract: A document imaging system for the imaging at a selected first or second imaging station of document sheets to be reproduced, including a pivotably mounted liftable automatic document handler with an integral input tray for the documents sheets, and a normally closely underlying output stacking tray into which the document sheets are ejected by the automatic document handler after imaging at the first imaging station for controlled stacking and retrieval, the second imaging station having a large imaging platen for the manual placement thereon of document sheets to be scanned, and a large manual platen cover normally overlying the large imaging platen, and pivotably mounted to be liftable for the manual placement of document sheets on the large imaging platen; wherein the output stacking tray of the automatic document handler is integrally formed in the upper surfaces of the large manual platen cover and not mounted to the automatic document handler, and the automatic document handler is liftable independently

Abstract: In a document handling system for sequentially feeding document sheets from a stack of document sheets to an imaging station and then to an output, with a document input tray in which stacks of documents of varying sizes may be supportably loaded, and a document output tray for the output, underlying the input tray, and the document input tray has a resettable stack registration side guide system with upstanding opposing document edge guides resetably conformable to the lateral dimensions of the stack of document sheets loaded in the document input tray by movement of at least one the edge guide towards or away from another; the document input tray has a substantially planer document stack supporting tray surface which automatically varies in lateral area upon the resetting of the resettable side guide system so as to substantially reduce the overlying area of the input tray over the output tray for smaller documents loaded into the input tray, and to reduce obstruction of and access to documents in the outpu

Abstract: In a document handler for sequentially feeding document sheets over an imaging platen to be imaged with a constant velocity driven roller overlying the imaging platen, a document feeding control system which predicts when the constant velocity driven sheet feeding roller will be driven against the platen with no document sheet therebetween, an automatic lifting system which automatically lifts the feeding roller away from the platen in response to the document feeding control system predicting that no document sheet will be between the feeding roller and the platen and a forward roller driving signal being applied or when a reverse driving signal is being applied. The constant velocity feeding roller has at least four sections of two different diameters; an inner pair of common diameter feed roller surfaces and an outer pair of slightly smaller diameter surfaces on opposite sides providing document hold down and document edge detection image background.

Abstract: In a document handling system for feeding either simplex or duplex document sheets to be imaged at an imaging station, and for restacking the simplex or duplex document sheets in proper collated order in a single output stacking tray; including a reversible exit nip for the reversal of a duplex document sheet in the exit nip while extending therefrom before returning the duplex document sheet to the imaging station for the imaging of its second side, or for document sheet ejection and stacking into the output stacking tray from the exit nip without reversal; a pivotable mounting system is provided for the output stacking tray. One end of the tray is automatically pivotable from a position substantially below the reversible exit nip to a raised position above the reversible exit nip to provide an unobstructed duplex document sheet reversing space under the output stacking tray in its raised position.

Abstract: An apparatus which advances and separates sheets from a stack of sheets. The apparatus includes an operator pivotable frame having a nudger roll and a feed roll mounted thereon. In operation, the feed roll engages a retard roll. The retard roll is coupled through a gear to a slip clutch. In the event a single sheet is advanced by the nudger roll to the nip defined by the feed roll and retard roll, the frictional force between the sheet and retard roll is sufficient to overcome the torque applied on the retard roll by the slip clutch and the retard roll rotates in one direction permitting the sheet to pass through the nip. Alternatively, in the event multiple sheets are being advanced by the nudger roll into the nip, the frictional force is reduced and the retard roll rotates in the opposite direction under the torque applied thereon by the slip clutch driving the sheets back toward the stack from which they originally advanced.

Abstract: A printer capable of producing simplex and duplex copies includes a tri-roller inverter that employs a passive deflector gate downstream from input and output nips of the tri-roller inverter. A sheet driven by the input nip into a reversing chute of the inverter deflects the passive deflector gate to an open position that allows the sheet to enter the inversion chute and after the sheet is past the gate it returns to close deposition, thus allowing the sheet to be driven past it in reverse by a reversing roller. Once the lead edge of the reversed sheet passes the passive deflector gate, a second sheet enters the input nip resulting in two sheets being in the inverter at the same time.

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.