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US4324485A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrostatic copying apparatus

Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1979-10-24
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Granted: 1982-04-13
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Expires: 1999-10-24
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Abstract

Abstract In a reciprocating scan system, movement is stopped for a predetermined length of time between a scan stroke and a return stroke to prevent erroneous imaging of a photoconductive drum (12) which would result in unnecessary loading of a cleaning unit (26) and formation of a partial reversed image in addition to a desired image on a copy sheet (23). Control circuitry (61) may be provided to cause the stopping operation only when the magnification is less than unity or when the length of the copy sheet (23) in the scan direction is longer than the corresponding image length.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kouichi Asakura
  • 👤 Toyoo Okamoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 23:25
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/28; G03G15/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 123 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; the scan means comprising a document illumination light source, the control means energizing the light source when energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke and de-energizing the light source after substantially the predetermined length of time has elapsed after termination of the scan stroke.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 123 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; the scan means comprising a document illumination light source, the control means energizing the light source when energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke and de-energizing the light source after substantially the predetermined length of time has elapsed after termination of the scan stroke.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the platen, scan means and scan drive means are constructed in such a manner that relative movement between the platen and scan means is stopped while the scan drive means is de-energized.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the platen, scan means and scan drive means are constructed in such a manner that relative movement between the platen and scan means continues due to inertia while the scan drive means is de-energized.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the control means comprises timer means for timing the predetermined length of time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 169 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; the scan means comprising a document illumination light source, the control means energizing the light source when energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke and de-energizing the light source after termination of the scan stroke by the predetermined length of time; the control means comprising signal generator means for producing an illumination signal, the light source being energized in response to the illumination signal, the control means further comprising switch means for inhibiting energization of the scan drive means to perform the return stroke in response to the illumination signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 169 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; the scan means comprising a document illumination light source, the control means energizing the light source when energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke and de-energizing the light source after termination of the scan stroke by the predetermined length of time; the control means comprising signal generator means for producing an illumination signal, the light source being energized in response to the illumination signal, the control means further comprising switch means for inhibiting energization of the scan drive means to perform the return stroke in response to the illumination signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 125 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; said apparatus being further constructed to selectively copy at unity magnification and at reduced magnification, the control means being further constructed to energize the scan drive means to perform the return stroke immediately after termination of the scan stroke only when the apparatus is copying at the unity magnification.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 125 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; said apparatus being further constructed to selectively copy at unity magnification and at reduced magnification, the control means being further constructed to energize the scan drive means to perform the return stroke immediately after termination of the scan stroke only when the apparatus is copying at the unity magnification.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 170 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; the control means comprising means for sensing a document length in a scan direction, means for sensing a copy sheet length in the scan direction, means for sensing a copying magnification, means for computing an image length in the scan direction in accordance with the document length and magnification, means for comparing the image length with the copy sheet length and means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke immediately after termination of the scan stroke only when the image length is equal to or larger than the sheet length.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 170 words
An electrostatic copying apparatus including a document support platen, document scan means and scan drive means for producing reciprocating relative movement between the platen and the scan means including a scan stroke and a return stroke, characterized by comprising: control means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the scan stroke, then de-energizing the scan drive means for a predetermined length of time and then energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke; the control means comprising means for sensing a document length in a scan direction, means for sensing a copy sheet length in the scan direction, means for sensing a copying magnification, means for computing an image length in the scan direction in accordance with the document length and magnification, means for comparing the image length with the copy sheet length and means for energizing the scan drive means to perform the return stroke immediately after termination of the scan stroke only when the image length is equal to or larger than the sheet length.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3689143A Cited
US4116562A Cited
US4118117A Cited
US4159173A Cited
US4183656A Cited
US4183660A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-04-12 1985-10-12 1986-04-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-04-12 1989-10-12 1990-04-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-04-12 1993-10-12 1994-04-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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