WO1988004798A1

WO1988004798A1 - Automatic selection of receiver sheet supply

Info

Publication number: WO1988004798A1
Application number: PCT/US1987/003218
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guy E. Martin; Paul E. Tschiderer
Original assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
Priority date: 1986-12-19
Filing date: 1987-12-07
Publication date: 1988-06-30

Abstract

In a reproduction apparatus for producing copies of an original document (D) on a receiver sheet, where selection of receiver sheet supply is automatically effected to provide an optimally sized receiver sheet for a particular size of an original document (D) to be reproduced. The reproduction apparatus includes a document feeder capable of handling documents of different sizes and a plurality of supplies, for storing different size receiver sheets respectively, upon which copies are to be reproduced. Side guides (32, 34) in the document feeder are adjusted to engage opposed marginal edges of an original document (D) in the feeder whereby the size of such document (D) is determined. To automatically select a supply for a particular size receiver sheet, an assembly for adjusting the side guides (32, 34) is coupled to mechanism (54) for producing a signal directly related to the determined size of such document. A logic and control unit (30) is responsive to the signal from the signal producing mechanism (54). Such unit (30) automatically selects the receiver sheet supply containing receiver sheets of the optimum size to receive a copy of the original document (D).

Description

AUTOMATIC SELECTION OF RECEIVER SHEET SUPPLY Field of the Invention

This invention relates to automatic selection of a receiver sheet supply in a reproduction apparatus.

Description of the Prior Art

In conventional reproduction apparatus available today, it is common practice to provide a plurality of receiver sheet supplies adapted to 1₀ respectively contain receiver sheets of different sizes or types. Based on the size of an original document to be reproduced and the selected magnification ratio, an operator selects the supply which will provide a receiver sheet of optimum size It, to accommodate the desired copy of the document to be reproduced. The operator must know what size receiver sheets are in the respective supplies, and must make a determination of which size receiver sheet is best suited for receiving the desired ₀ reproduction of a given document.

For the casual walk-up operator, finding the proper selection of receiver sheet size is often a trial and error process. It is therefore desirable to eliminate the need for an operator to have to 5 choose a receiver supply. Accordingly, certain reproduction apparatus include mechanisms which detect the size of an original document to be copied and automatically select a proper receiver sheet supply. Typically these reproduction apparatus 0 utilize switches or sensors associated with the platen upon which the original document is placed for copying (see for example U.S.-A- 4,585,332). However, such switches or sensors are prone to malfunction and are require accurate placement of the 5 original document on the platen. It is an object of this invention to provide a reproduction apparatus for producing copies of an original document on a receiver sheet with a mechanism for automatically effecting selection of receiver sheet supply to provide an optimally sized receiver sheet for a particular size of an original document to be reproduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The desired object of this invention is accomplished by automatically selecting a supply for a particular size receiver sheet in a reproduction apparatus including a document feeder capable of handling documents of different sizes and a plurality of supplies for storing different size receiver sheets respectively upon which copies are to be reproduced. The document feeder has side guides which are adjustable to engage opposed marginal edges of an original document in the feeder to determine the size of such document. Means for automatic selection of a supply for a particular size receiver sheet is characterized by means for adjusting said side guides to engage such opposed-marginal edges of a document in said feeder and thereby determining the size of such document; means, coupled to said adjusting means, for producing a signal directly related to the determined size of such document; and control means, responsive to the signal from said signal producing means, for automatically selecting a receiver sheet supply containing receiver sheets of an optimum size to receive a copy of the original document.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary reproduction apparatus including a document feeder, plural receiver sheet supplies, and a logic and control unit for automatically selecting the proper receiver supply according to this invention; Figure 2 is a view, in perspective, of the assembly for adjusting the side guides of the document feeder of Fig. 1, including the mechanism for producing a signal directly related to the determined size of an original document in such feeder; and

Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the automatic receiver sheet supply selection according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary reproduction apparatus, generally designated by the numeral 10, with which the automatic receiver sheet supply selection mechanism of this invention is associated. While the illustrated reproduction apparatus 10 is of the electrophotographic type, other reproduction apparatus are of course suitable for use with this invention. The apparatus 10 includes a uniformly charged photoconductive web 12 moving about a closed loop path in the direction of the arrow A. The web 12 is exposed through a variable magnification lens assembly 14 to a reflected light image of an original document placed on the platen 16. The reflected light image alters the charge on the web 12 to form a corresponding charge pattern thereon. Such pattern is developed with pigmented marking particles in a developer station 18 to form a transferable image on the web. The transferable image is then electrostatically transferred, in register, to a receiver sheet fed from one of a plurality of supplies 20, 22 to a transfer station 24. The receiver sheet, bearing the transferred marking particle image, is transported through a fusing station 26 where the image is fixed to the receiver sheet by heat and/or pressure for example, and then to an output hopper 28 for operator retrieval . The entire operation of the reproduction apparatus is under the control of a microprocessor-based logic and control unit 30.

The receiver sheet supplies 20, 22 typically contain receiver sheets of respectively different sizes or types. The particular supply utilized to feed a receiver sheet to the transfer station is automatically selected by the logic and control unit 30 dependent upon the size of the original document to be reproduced, in the manner to be described hereinbelow, to provide a copy of such document on such sheet which best utilizes the surface area of the sheet. Further, the unit 30 may control the magnification ratio of the lens assembly 14 so that the resultant reproduction formed on the receiver sheet is of the most desirable appearance and provides the most efficient use of the surface area of the receiver sheet. An illustrative example of optimally utilized receiver sheets for original documents with a particular primary dimension is shown in the following Table No. 1:

TABLE NO. 1

Primary Dimension Supply 20 Supply 22 Selection of Or:i-g- Doc. (cm) (cm) (Sup./Mag)

(cm)

27.9 27.9 35.6 20/100%

35.6 27.9 35.6 22/100%

27.9 27.9 27.9 20/100%

35.6 27.9 27.9 20/77%

27.9 35.6 35.6 20/100%

43.2 27.9 35.6 22/77%

43.2 27.9 27.9 20/64% Automatic selection of receiver sheet supplies for optimally utilizing receiver sheets according to this invention is accomplished by determining the primary dimension of the original documents to be reproduced by the apparatus 10. In order to determine such primary dimension, the original documents D are placed between adjustable side guides 32, 34 (see Fig. 2) of a document feeder. A document feeder, suitable for use with this invention, is schematically shown in Fig. 1 and designated by the numeral 36. The feeder may be of any well known type such as a recirculating document feeder or a document positioner for example. The side guides 32, 34 of the feeder are mounted on a rotatable shaft 38. The shaft 38 has opposite hand screw threads 40, 42 in respective mating engagement with followers 44, 46. The followers are respectively connected to the side guides 32, 24 so that the rotation of the shaft 38 moves the side guides toward or away from one another. The shaft 38 is rotated by manually turning a thumb wheel 48 fixed to the shaft. Accordingly, turning of the thumb wheel 48 enables the side guides 32, 34 to be set to engage opposed marginal edges of an original document, with the distance between the side guides corresponding to a primary dimension of the document. A gear 50 is coaxially fixed to the thumb wheel 48 for rotation therewith. The gear 50 meshes with a gear 52 fixed to the output shaft of an adjustable potentiometer 54. Thus, rotation of the thumb wheel 48 effects rotation of the gear 52 and sets the potentiometer 54 to produce a signal directly corresponding to the primary dimension of the document engaged by the side guides 32, 34.

As shown in the block diagram of Fig. 3, such potentiometer signal is delivered to the logic -6- and control unit 30. The unit 30, which also receives signals indicative of the size of the receiver sheets in the supplies 20 and 22, compares the signal from the potentiometer to the signals from

5 the supplies. It then automatically determines which supply and magni ication ratio are required to produce the most desirable copy, such as shown for example in the above Table No. 1. Upon such determination, the unit 30 produces the necessary

10 signals to select the proper receiver sheet supply and the appropriate magnification ratio of the lens 14. Of course, other magni ication ratios maybe utilized for different size receiver sheets; and, depending on the configuration of the reproduction

15 apparatus, more than two receiver sheet supplies may be employed.

20

25

30

35

Claims

Claims:

1. In a reproduction apparatus for producing copies of an original document on a receiver sheet, such apparatus having a document z> feeder capable of handling respective documents of different sizes and a plurality of supplies for different size receiver sheets upon which copies are to be reproduced, said document feeder having adjustable side guides adapted to engage opposed 10 marginal edges of an original document in said feeder, means for automatically selecting a supply for a particular size receiver sheet dependent upon the size of the original document to be reproduced, said automatic selecting means characterized by means 5 for adjusting said side guides to engage such opposed marginal edges of a document in said feeder and thereby determining the size of such document; means, coupled to said adjusting means, for producing a signal directly related to the determined size of 0 such document; and control means, responsive to the signal from said signal producing means, for automatically selecting a receiver sheet supply containing receiver sheets of an optimum size to receive a copy of the original document. 5

2. The invention of Claim 1 characterized by said side guide adjusting means including a rotatable shaft having a pair of opposite hand threaded portions, followers respectively coupled to said side guides and engaging said threaded portions, 0 and means for rotating said shaft whereby said followers, and thus said side guides, are moved towards or away from one another.

3. The invention of Claim 2 characterized by said shaft rotating means including a thumb wheel 5 fixed on said shaft, and said signal producing means including means directly responsive to rotation of said shaft for setting the signal of said signal producing means.

4. The invention of Claim 3 characterized by_ said signal producing means further including an adjustable potentiometer; and said signal setting means including a gear attached to said potentiometer for adjusting the signal output of said potentiometer and a gear coaxially attached to said thumb wheel in mesh with said first mentioned gear whereby adjustment of said side guides results in a corresponding adjustment of the signal of said potentiometer.

5. The invention of Claim 4 characterized by said control means including means for receiving a signal from said adjustable potentiometer and signals from said supplies indicative of the size receiver sheets respectively contained therein, means for comparing such signals, and means for producing signals to select an appropriate supply and magnification ratio for the copy of the original document to be reproduced on a receiver sheet from the selected supply.

6. The invention of Claim 1 characterized by_. said control means including means for receiving a signal from said signal producing means and signals from said supplies indicative of the size receiver sheets respectively contained therein, means for comparing such signals, and means for producing signals to select an appropriate supply and magnification ratio for the copy of the original document to be reproduced on a receiver sheet from the selected supply.