Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Bitter

Thomas E. Bitter 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).

  • Patent number: 8544386
    Abstract: Embodiments herein comprise an apparatus that includes a printing engine and an interposer adapted to receive printed sheets from the printing engine. The interposer adds insert sheets between printed sheets. The interposer includes a decurler positioned within the interposer so as to decurl the printed sheets after the interposer adds the insert sheets. The printing engine adds a curl to the printed sheets and the decurler removes the curl from the printed sheets. The decurler can comprise a roller-based decurler, a heated decurler, a pressure based decurler, and/or a moisture-vacuum based decurler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas C. Keyes, Thomas E. Bitter, Ronald A Ippolito, Dale T. Platteter, Richard F. Scarlata, Joe Marasco, Donald R. Fess, Diego A. Pereda, Douglas F. Sundquist
  • Publication number: 20080061488
    Abstract: Embodiments herein comprise an apparatus that includes a printing engine and an interposer adapted to receive printed sheets from the printing engine. The interposer adds insert sheets between printed sheets. The interposer includes a decurler positioned within the interposer so as to decurl the printed sheets after the interposer adds the insert sheets. The printing engine adds a curl to the printed sheets and the decurler removes the curl from the printed sheets. The decurler can comprise a roller-based decurler, a heated decurler, a pressure based decurler, and/or a moisture-vacuum based decurler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas C. Keyes, Thomas E. Bitter, Ronald A. Ippolito, Dale T. Platteter, Richard F. Scarlata, Joe Marasco, Donald R. Fess, Diego A. Pereda, Douglas F. Sundquist
  • Patent number: 6844937
    Abstract: A digital printing apparatus is capable of a plurality of selectable output speeds, by varying motor speed or pitch configuration. A user using the apparatus at a basic speed can request a temporary increase in speed of his printing apparatus from a vendor who controls aspects of the printing apparatus over a network. The temporary speed increase can be pre-scheduled, such as to occur one day per week. The user can be charged at different per-print rates depending on the selected speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Neil J. Dempsey, Thomas E. Bitter, Joseph H. Lang, David K. Young
  • Publication number: 20030038960
    Abstract: A digital printing apparatus is capable of a plurality of selectable output speeds, by varying motor speed or pitch configuration. A user using the apparatus at a basic speed can request a temporary increase in speed of his printing apparatus from a vendor who controls aspects of the printing apparatus over a network. The temporary speed increase can be pre-scheduled, such as to occur one day per week. The user can be charged at different per-print rates depending on the selected speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Neil J. Dempsey, Thomas E. Bitter, Joseph H. Lang, David K. Young
  • Patent number: 5094379
    Abstract: A copier or printer providing regular automatic on-line stapling of the output sets of copies, yet also providing a separate, easily manually accessible, convenience stapler, driven by the same power supply but on a controlled power sharing basis, saving the cost of a separate, or higher power, stapler drive power supply. This is accomplished without any interference with, or delay in, the operation of the on-line output stapling, without overloading of the shared power supply, and without operator-perceptible interference with the operation of the separate convenience stapler. The operation of the internal copy set stapler is prioritized to avoid throughput loss and only briefly, e.g., for one second or less, is coincident driver power for the convenience stapler inhibited, i.e., only for a time period sufficient for the power pulse to the finisher stapler to be generated and provided, and only if overlap in power usage would otherwise occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: August Hoyer, Edward T. Bloomer, Thomas E. Bitter
  • Patent number: 5081487
    Abstract: In a document imaging apparatus in which documents are fed to an imaging station and then fed to a documents catch tray system for automatic document restacking, there is provided a common, shared, restacking catch tray receiving either cut sheet documents or computer form (CF) web documents at the upper surface of the imaging apparatus, rather than dropping the CF web down to a tray below the end of the apparatus. This dual mode restacking catch tray is pivotable from a first position at a generally horizontal tray angle for restacking cut sheet documents into a second position at a preferred angle for fan-folding a computer form web. There is also an upper baffle unit partially overlying the output path to the restacking area, which is pivotable between a first position for planarly guiding cut sheet documents, and a second, raised, position for guiding a computer form web arcuately and then downwardly into the restacking area with an integral CF guide baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: August Hoyer, John R. Masley, Thomas E. Bitter