Microfiche film detection device for micro-readers and micro-reader-printers

Claim 2

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of tHe group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each microfiche film sheet is provided with a clip attached to an edge marginal portion thereof and having a portion extending from the clip toward the sensing means, said extending portion of the clip including a first reflector and a second reflector, said first reflector of the microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position interposed in the path of the detection light beam and reflecting the beam toward the second reflector of an adjacent microfiche film sheet, and said second reflector of the adjacent microfiche film sheet reflecting the beam impinging thereon back to the first reflector of the microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position to be reflected thereby toward said detection light beam receiving means.

Claim 3

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each microfiche film sheet is provided with a clip attached to an edge marginal portion thereof and having a first and a second reflector, the first reflector of a microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position being interposed in the path of the detection light beam and reflecting said beam toward the second reflector of an adjacent microfiche film sheet, said second reflector of the adjacent microfiche film sheet reflecting the beam impinging thereon back to the first reflector of the microfiche film sheet in the sensing position, said beam reflected thereby toward the detection light beam receiving means.

Claim 4

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each microfiche film sheet is provided with a clip attached to an edge marginal portion thereof and having a first and a second reflector, the first reflector of a microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position being interposed in the path of the detection light beam and reflecting said beam toward the second reflector of an adjacent microfiche film sheet, said second reflector of the adjacent microfiche film sheet reflecting the beam impinging thereon back to the first reflector of the microfiche film sheet in the sensing position, said beam reflected thereby toward the detection light beam receiving means.

Claim 5

A microfiche film sheet detection device as in claim 2 wherein the second reflector of a microfiche film sheet is positioned at the opposite side of the sheet from said first reflector.

Claim 6

A microfiche film sheet detection device as in claim 2 wherein the second reflector of a microfiche film sheet is positioned on the same side of the sheet as the first reflector.

Claim 7

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the storage case includes a first and a second reflector flanking an edge marginal portion of each microfiche film sheet stored in the storage case and wherein said detection light beam is reflected by each of said first and second reflector of the group indexed to said sensing position.

Claim 8

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the storage case includes a first and a second reflector flanking an edge marginal portion of each microfiche film sheet stored in the storage case and wherein said detection light beam is reflected by each of said first and second reflector of the group indexed to said sensing position.

Claim 9

A microfiche film sheet detection device as in claim 5 wherein the first reflector of a microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position is interposed in the path of the detection light beam and reflects the beam toward the second reflector thorugh the marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet in the sensing position, and the second reflector reflects the beam impinging thereon toward the detection light beam receiving means.

Claim 10

A microfiche film sheet detection device as in claim 5 wherein the first reflector of a microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position is interposed in the path of the detection light beam and reflects the beam toward the second reflector of the same sheet through the edge portion of the sheet, and wherein the second reflector of the same sheet reflects the beam impinging thereon back to the first reflector to be reflected thereby toward the detection light beam receiving means.

Claim 11

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sEnsing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the storage case includes a first reflector facing an edge marginal portion of each microfiche film sheet stored therein, and wherein the sensing means includes a sensing reflector which is positioned on the opposite side of the reflector of the microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position, and means for moving the sensing reflector along the marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position, which marginal portion is between the reflector of that sheet and the sensing reflector.

Claim 12

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sEnsing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the storage case includes a first reflector facing an edge marginal portion of each microfiche film sheet stored therein, and wherein the sensing means includes a sensing reflector which is positioned on the opposite side of the reflector of the microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position, and means for moving the sensing reflector along the marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet which is in the sensing position, which marginal portion is between the reflector of that sheet and the sensing reflector.

Claim 13

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein each of said microfiche film sheets is provided with a clip attached to a portion thereof and provided with a cutout exposing a marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet, said clip having a first and a second reflecting surface angled with respect to each other and flanking the exposed marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet, the first reflecting surface being in the path of the detection light beam and reflecting the beam through the exposed portion of the microfiche film sheet toward the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface reflecting the beam incident thereon toward the detection light receiving means, whereby the beam from the detection light source is modulated by the code indications provided on at least one of said first and second reflectors and marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet prior to impinging on the receiving means, and wherein the detection light source means include means for separating the detection light beam into a first and a second beam impinging respectively on said first and second reflecting surfaces, and wherein the light receiving means include means interposed in the path of the beams reflected from said first and second reflecting surfaces and reflecting said reflected beams toward the light receiving means.

Claim 14

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein each of said microfiche film sheets is provided with a clip attached to a portion thereof and provided with a cutout exposing a marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet, said clip having a first and a second reflecting surface angled with respect to each other and flanking the exposed marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet, the first reflecting surface being in the path of the detection light beam and reflecting the beam through the exposed portion of the microfiche film sheet toward the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface reflecting the beam incident thereon toward the detection light receiving means, whereby the beam from the detection light source is modulated by the code indications provided on at least one of said first and second reflectors and marginal portion of the microfiche film sheet prior to impinging on the receiving means, and wherein the detection light source means include means for separating the detection light beam into a first and a second beam impinging respectively on said first and second reflecting surfaces, and wherein the light receiving means include means interposed in the path of the beams reflected from said first and second reflecting surfaces and reflecting said reflected beams toward the light receiving means.

Claim 15

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least One of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each of the microfiche film sheets is provided with a clip attached to a marginal portion thereof and having a cutout exposing a marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, said cutout having a first reflecting surface facing the exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet and interposed in the path of the detection light beam when the microfiche film sheet is in the sensing position for reflecting the beam toward said exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, and wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are stacked with their clips arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each clip includes a second reflecting surface facing the first reflecting surface of an adjacent clip and reflecting back to said first reflecting surface of the adjacent clip the detection light beam reflected thereby, and wherein the detection light receiving means include a half mirror interposed in the path of the light beam impinging on the first reflecting surface of the adjacent clip from the second reflecting surface and reflected by said first reflecting surface.

Claim 16

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least One of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each of the microfiche film sheets is provided with a clip attached to a marginal portion thereof and having a cutout exposing a marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, said cutout having a first reflecting surface facing the exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet and interposed in the path of the detection light beam when the microfiche film sheet is in the sensing position for reflecting the beam toward said exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, and wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are stacked with their clips arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each clip includes a second reflecting surface facing the first reflecting surface of an adjacent clip and reflecting back to said first reflecting surface of the adjacent clip the detection light beam reflected thereby, and wherein the detection light receiving means include a half mirror interposed in the path of the light beam impinging on the first reflecting surface of the adjacent clip from the second reflecting surface and reflected by said first reflecting surface.

Claim 17

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each of the microfiche film sheets is provided with a clip attached to a marginal portion thereof and having a cutout exposing a marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, said cutout having a first reflecting surface facing the exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet and interposed in the path of the detection light beam when the microfiche film sheet is in the sensing position for reflecting the beam toward said exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, and wherein each of the microfiche film sheets includes a second reflecting surface facing the exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet and disposed at the opposite side thereof of said first reflecting surface, said second reflecting surface reflecting back toward the first reflecting surface, the detection light beam from the detection light source which is reflected by said first reflecting surface toward the marginal edge portion of the microfiche film sheet.

Claim 18

A microfiche film sheet detection device for successively reading out sets of code indications each associated with a microfiche film sheet for the purpose of selecting a desired microfiche film sheet, comprising: a storage case storing a multiplicity of microfiche film sheets, a multiplicity of reflectors interspersed with the stored microfiche film sheets, with each microfiche film sheet positioned adjacent to and associated with at least one of said reflectors to form therewith a group comprising a microfiche film sheet and at least one associated reflector, and code indications provided on at least one of the microfiche film sheet and the at least one reflector of each of said groups, means for successively indexing each of said groups with a sensing position, and sensing means comprising a detection light source for generating a detection light beam incident on the code indications of the group indexed to said sensing position and reflected by the at least one reflector of the group as a reflected beam modulated by said code indications of the group, and detection light receiving means interposed in the path of said modulated and reflected beam, whereby the receiving means may generate a signal which is a function of the code indications of the group at the sensing position, which signal may be compared with a defined signal identifying a desired microfiche film sheet to determine thereby if the microfiche film sheet which is at the sensing position is the desired microfiche film sheet, wherein the microfiche film sheets in the storage case are arranged next to and substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each of the microfiche film sheets is provided with a clip attached to a marginal portion thereof and having a cutout exposing a marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, said cutout having a first reflecting surface facing the exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet and interposed in the path of the detection light beam when the microfiche film sheet is in the sensing position for reflecting the beam toward said exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet, and wherein each of the microfiche film sheets includes a second reflecting surface facing the exposed marginal edge of the microfiche film sheet and disposed at the opposite side thereof of said first reflecting surface, said second reflecting surface reflecting back toward the first reflecting surface, the detection light beam from the detection light source which is reflected by said first reflecting surface toward the marginal edge portion of the microfiche film sheet.