US3850520A — Electrophotographic copying machine of optical sy…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 442 words

An electrophotographic copying machine which comprises a machine frame defining a passage for the transfer of electrophotographic copying paper, a zone for a device for feeding a roll-like electrophotographic copying paper, a zone for a device for cutting the roll-like electrophotographic paper, a zone for a device for charging said paper, a light exposure zone, a zone for a device for developing exposed paper and a zone for a device for drying or fixing developed paper, said zones being disposed along said passage in the order recited above; a transparent plate mounted in the upper portion of said machine frame to support thereon an original to be copied; an optical system optically connecting said transparent plate with the passage for the transfer of electrophotographic copying paper and forming an image corresponding to an image of the original on the electrophotographic copying paper at said light exposure zone, said optical system being movably disposed between said passage and said transparent plate; means for controlling an optical scan range and a corresponding cut length of the copying paper operatively mounted in the machine frame; optical systemdetecting means for detecting the moving optical system and movably mounted intermediate said passage and said transparent plate; first copying paper forward end-detecting means movably mounted in the copying paper transfer passage to detect the forward end of the moving copying paper, said optical systemdetecting means and first copying paper forward end-detecting means being interlocked with each other for movement along the copying paper transfer passage; second copying paper forward enddetecting means movably mounted in said passage in the light exposure zone so that when the forward end arrives at a position for initiation of the light exposure, said detecting means detects this arrival and stops the movement of the copying machine; a paper cutting device disposed in the corresponding zone and coupled to said first copying paper forward enddetecting means and actuated by a signal transmitted from said first copying paper forward end detecting means to cut the copying paper into a length corresponding to a determined optical exposure scan range of the original; and means for moving the optical system and operatively coupled thereto, whereby the travel of the optical system for light exposure is initiated by a signal transmitted from said second copying paper forward enddetecting means, actuated when the forward end of the copying paper arrives at a position for initiation of the light exposure, and return travel of the optical system is initiated by a detecting signal transmitted by said optical systEm-detecting means, whereby the light exposure is completed in correspondence to the length of said determined optical exposure scan range of the original.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 442 words

An electrophotographic copying machine which comprises a machine frame defining a passage for the transfer of electrophotographic copying paper, a zone for a device for feeding a roll-like electrophotographic copying paper, a zone for a device for cutting the roll-like electrophotographic paper, a zone for a device for charging said paper, a light exposure zone, a zone for a device for developing exposed paper and a zone for a device for drying or fixing developed paper, said zones being disposed along said passage in the order recited above; a transparent plate mounted in the upper portion of said machine frame to support thereon an original to be copied; an optical system optically connecting said transparent plate with the passage for the transfer of electrophotographic copying paper and forming an image corresponding to an image of the original on the electrophotographic copying paper at said light exposure zone, said optical system being movably disposed between said passage and said transparent plate; means for controlling an optical scan range and a corresponding cut length of the copying paper operatively mounted in the machine frame; optical systemdetecting means for detecting the moving optical system and movably mounted intermediate said passage and said transparent plate; first copying paper forward end-detecting means movably mounted in the copying paper transfer passage to detect the forward end of the moving copying paper, said optical systemdetecting means and first copying paper forward end-detecting means being interlocked with each other for movement along the copying paper transfer passage; second copying paper forward enddetecting means movably mounted in said passage in the light exposure zone so that when the forward end arrives at a position for initiation of the light exposure, said detecting means detects this arrival and stops the movement of the copying machine; a paper cutting device disposed in the corresponding zone and coupled to said first copying paper forward enddetecting means and actuated by a signal transmitted from said first copying paper forward end detecting means to cut the copying paper into a length corresponding to a determined optical exposure scan range of the original; and means for moving the optical system and operatively coupled thereto, whereby the travel of the optical system for light exposure is initiated by a signal transmitted from said second copying paper forward enddetecting means, actuated when the forward end of the copying paper arrives at a position for initiation of the light exposure, and return travel of the optical system is initiated by a detecting signal transmitted by said optical systEm-detecting means, whereby the light exposure is completed in correspondence to the length of said determined optical exposure scan range of the original.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 187 words

An electrophotographic copying machine set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a continuously driven transfer mechanism provided along said passage adjacent said developing device zone and said drying or fixing device zone; a transfer mechanism disposed along the zone for light exposure of electrophotographic copying paper and operatively coupled to said second copying paper forward end-detecting means and said optical system detecting means for stopping the driving operation of said transfer mechanism by actuation of said second copying paper forward end-detecting means to hold the copying paper in a stationary state and for restarting the driving operation of the intermittent transfer mechanism by a detection signal transmitted from said optical system-detecting means; a paper feed clutch positioned in the feeding zone; and a cutter solenoid positioned in said zone for cutting and coupled to said optical system detecting means, whereby at the time of initiation of the copying operation the paper feed clutch is actuated to effect the paper feed operation and, by a detection signal transmitted by said optical system-detecting means, the cutter solenoid is actuated and the operation of the paper feed clutch is stopped.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 75 words

An electrophotographic copying machine set forth in claim 2 wherein the continuous transfer mechanism includes a plurality of pulleys, at least one of which is driven through a clutch mechanism, and an endless belt which is moved and stopped in the horizontal direction by said pulleys, a suction case being mounted below the lower side of the upper part of said endless belt to ensure the support of the copying paper by the endless belt.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 134 words

An electrophotographic copying machine set forth in claim 2 further comprising a curl-removing mechanism positioned adjacent said passage and having a pair of segment rollers disposed with a small distance therebetween, a small-diameter roller disposed to contact with the peripheral surface of each of said segment rollers, and guides for copying paper, said guides being disposed in voids formed in notched portions of the segment rollers without contacting the peripheral surface of said small-diameter roller such that each of the guides is positioned between each of the axes of said segment rollers and the axis of the small-diameter roller, said segment rollers being disposed on the same side as the axis of a copying paper reel with respect to the copying paper take-out side and said small-diameter roller being disposed on the opposite side.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 49 words

An electrophotographic copying machine set forth in claim 2 further comprising means for feeding sheet-like copying paper comprised of a pair of paper-feeding drive rollers and operatively positioned for feeding paper into said machine for insertion into said roll-like copying paper transfer passage upstream of said charging device zone.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 84 words

An electrophotographic copying machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said optical system is comprised of an optical system-driving mechanism for moving reciprocatingly said optical device along said optical system-moving passage, said optical system-driving mechanism including a pair of drive clutches actuated alternately, one of said clutches driving in the normal direction a drive power transfer mechanism for transferring a drive power to the optical device and the other clutch driving said power transfer mechanism in the reverse direction.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 218 words

An electrophotographic copying machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said movable optical device comprises a housing having an opening for light exposure of the original and an opening for light exposure of the copying paper, a light source for light exposure of the original, a group of reflection mirrors and an in-mirror lens, each of said members of the optical device being mounted on said housing which iS disposed for reciprocating movement along said passage, said in-mirror lens being disposed above said housing in a manner such that an optical path of the in-mirror lens is substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the housing, being thus vertical, the in-mirror face being positioned on the upper side, and a first reflection mirror mounted on the substantially vertical optical path of said in-mirror lens, a second reflection mirror mounted on a substantially vertical optical path of the opening for light exposure of the original and a third reflection mirror mounted on a substantially vertical optical path of the opening for light exposure of the copying paper, said in-mirror lens and said reflection mirrors having such a positional relationship that said in-mirror lens is optically connected with each of the openings for light exposure through the first reflection mirror and one of the second and third reflection mirror.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

An electrophotographic copying machine set forth in claim 7 wherein said members of the movable optical device form, together with said housing, an encircled room defining substantially the outer wall of the optical system, light shielding curtains allowing the reciprocating movement of the optical device being disposed between both side end wall portions of a chamber containing therein the optical device.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 257 words

An electrophotographic copying machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said optical device comprises at least one fixedly mounted guide member, a movably guide mounted member and a light adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting the light admitted for light exposure and interlocked with said movably mounted guide member, a member forming a line passing through said fixedly mounted guide member and said movably mounted guide member and being coupled between both ends of the path of travel of the optical device and having a first length when so arranged, one end of said line-forming member being fixed and supported on the machine frame at one of a standard position P1 fixed on one end of said moving passage and at a position outside the standard position P1 and the other end of the line-forming member being fixed at one of a second standard position P2 fixed on the other end of the moving passage and at a position passing through said second standard position P2 to a light quantity adjusting mechanism for changing the first length (l) of the line extending through said position P1 to said position P2, and said movably mounted guide member being given such a force as perpetually stretching said line-forming member under tension and the positional relationship between said fixedly mounted guide member and said movably mounted guide member being set by changing the line length (l) by said light adjusting mechanism, whereby said positional relationship is not substantially changed even if the optical device moves along its path of travel.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 18 words

An electrophotographic copying machine set forth in claim 9 wherein said guide member is composed of a block.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 140 words

An electrophotographic copying machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein a loop is disposed in the machine frame in a manner such that one side of said loop extends along the copying paper transfer passage and another side of said loop extends along the path of travel of said optical system, said loop being disposed so that it can move in an optional direction in response to an input signal, optical system-detecting means comprised of a switch having a push plate capable of engaging the optical system and mounted on the side of the loop extending along the path of travel of said optical system, and said first copying paper forward end-detecting means comprised of a switch having a push plate capable of engaging the forward end of the copying paper and positioned along the copying paper transfer passage.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 93 words

An electrophotographic copying machine as set forth in claim 11 wherein said loop is operatively coupled to and moves in response to input signals from said Means for controlling an optical scan range in a manner such that the distance between the actuation point of the copying paper-cutting device zone and the first copying paper forward end-detecting means is substantially equal to the distance between the position for initiation of the light exposure step of the optical device and the position at which the optical device is detected by said optical device-detecting means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 281 words

An electrophotographic copying machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: first normally open switch means actuated at the time of initiation of feeding of copying paper and operation of which continues while the copying paper is moved and stops when the copying paper is halted in the exposure zone; second normally open switch means actuated at the time of initiation of the movement of the optical system for light exposure and operation of which continues during the travel of the optical system and stops when the movement of the optical system for light exposure is completed; and third normally open switch means actuated at the time when the copying paper is introduced in the development zone and drying or fixation zone and operation of which continues while the copying paper travels through said zones along said passage and stops when the paper passes through said zones, said normally open switch means being connected in parallel; a timer connected in series to a circuit including said normally open switch means, said timer automatically returning to its operation-initiating point when the operation of the timer is stopped and said timer including a trouble-detecting means which is actuated when said timer continues its operation for a predetermined time, and wherein each of said normally open switch means and said timer are disposed in such a relationship that when switching from one step supervised by a switch means to a subsequent step the operation of the normally open switch means or the timer is stopped and said trouble-detecting means is actuated when the timer continues its operation for a time longer than the longest time among times necessary for completion of said steps.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-11-25	1978-05-27	1978-11-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-11-25	1982-05-27	1982-11-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-11-25	1986-05-27	1986-11-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrophotographic copying machine of optical system-moving type

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