US4485949A — Controlled frictional feeding of computer forms w…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 195 words

A document feeding method for frictionally feeding computer forms web having sprocket holes, independent of the sprocket holes, to the imaging station of a copier for copying compatibly with individual document sheet feeding, comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether a computer forms web or an individual document sheet is being fed to said imaging station; in response to a determination that a computer forms web is being so fed, automatically frictionally feeding the computer forms web incrementally in selected incremental lengths to said imaging station by controlling a controllable frictional non-sprocket drive system; sensing and accumulating first signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; sensing and accumulating second signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating sensed holes as being sprocket holes; and compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing said first and second signals to maintain registered stopping positions for said controllable drive system for said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web feeding to provide registration of said incremental lengths of computer forms web to said imaging station.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 195 words

A document feeding method for frictionally feeding computer forms web having sprocket holes, independent of the sprocket holes, to the imaging station of a copier for copying compatibly with individual document sheet feeding, comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether a computer forms web or an individual document sheet is being fed to said imaging station; in response to a determination that a computer forms web is being so fed, automatically frictionally feeding the computer forms web incrementally in selected incremental lengths to said imaging station by controlling a controllable frictional non-sprocket drive system; sensing and accumulating first signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; sensing and accumulating second signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating sensed holes as being sprocket holes; and compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing said first and second signals to maintain registered stopping positions for said controllable drive system for said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web feeding to provide registration of said incremental lengths of computer forms web to said imaging station.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 137 words

A method of frictionally feeding and registering computer forms web having sprocket holes, independent of the sprocket holes, in selected incremental lengths of said computer forms web with a controllable frictional web drive system, comprising the steps of: sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating whether sensed holes are sprocket holes, and compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing and coordinating said drive system movement signals with said validated hole signals to determine incremental stopping positions for said controllable frictional drive system so as to maintain registration of said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web being frictionally fed.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 137 words

A method of frictionally feeding and registering computer forms web having sprocket holes, independent of the sprocket holes, in selected incremental lengths of said computer forms web with a controllable frictional web drive system, comprising the steps of: sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating whether sensed holes are sprocket holes, and compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing and coordinating said drive system movement signals with said validated hole signals to determine incremental stopping positions for said controllable frictional drive system so as to maintain registration of said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web being frictionally fed.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 35 words

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said validating step includes electronically validating for both validly dimensioned and validly positioned holes in the computer forms web being fed by said controllable frictional drive system.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 109 words

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said incremental feeding of the computer forms web is controlled by sensing the movement of said controllable frictional drive system for the web with movement encoder pulse generator means and by sensing with stationary sensing means the positions of the sprocket holes along one edge of the computer forms web being fed with automatic compensation for areas of unsensed sprocket holes in the computer forms web and comparing signals from said sensing means with the pulses from said movement encoder so as to automatically maintain preselected registration positions of the selected incremental portions of the web at the copier imaging station.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 29 words

The method of claims 1 or 2 including automatically compensating for plural plugged and torn sprocket hole areas in controlling the selected incremental length of computer forms web feeding.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 64 words

The method of claims 1 or 2 including the steps of assigning a zone with zone boundaries for anticipated sensing of a sprocket hole in each zone in relation to the movement of the controllable frictional drive system, and resetting said zone boundaries automatically in response to slippage between said controlled drive system and a sensed and validated sprocket hole within a said zone.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 6 wherein said zones are established by accumulating resettable cycles of pulse counts from a movement encoder corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive means proportional to the computer forms web length for each sprocket hole area.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 7 wherein said step of resetting said zone boundaries is accomplished by the sensing of the first computer forms web validated hole of a validated dimension within a said zone with a web sprocket hole sensor.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 8 wherein in said step of resetting said zone boundaries said zone boundaries are reset so that each zone begins slightly ahead of an anticipated sprocket hole trail edge portion in the direction of the movement of said web by said controllable frictional drive system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 4 including automatically compensating for plural plugged and torn sprocket hole areas in controlling the selected incremental length of computer form web feeding; and wherein said validating step includes electronically validating for both validly dimensioned and validly positioned holes in the computer forms web being fed by said controllable frictional drive system.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 165 words

The method of claim 10 including the steps of assigning a zone with zone boundaries for anticipated sensing of a sprocket hole in each zone in relation to the movement of the controllable frictional drive system, and resetting said zone boundaries automatically in response to slippage between said controlled drive system and a sensed and validated sprocket hole within a said zone; wherein said zones are established by accumulating resettable cycles of pulse counts from a movement encoder corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive means proportional to the computer forms web length for each sprocket hole area; wherein said zone boundaries are reset upon the sensing of the first computer forms web validated hole of a validated dimension within a said zone with a web sprocket hole sensor; and wherein said zone boundaries are reset so that each zone begins slightly ahead of an anticipated sprocket hole lead edge portion in the direction of web movement by said controllable frictional drive system.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 64 words

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said frictional web feeding with said controllable frictional drive system is by a controlled speed servo-motor driving web-engaging frictional drive rollers; and wherein said speed of the servo-motor is controlled by sensing pulses from a pulse encoder connecting with said servo-motor, which pulses also provide said signals corresponding to the movement of said frictional drive system.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 182 words

The improvement in document feeding apparatus for frictionally feeding computer forms web having sprocket holes to the imaging station of a copier for copying comprising: means for automatically determining whether a computer forms web or an individual document sheet is being fed to said imaging station; means for automatically frictionally feeding the computer forms web incrementally in selected incremental lengths to said imaging station comprising a controllable frictional drive system independent of the sprocket holes; means for sensing and accumulating first signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; means for sensing and accumulating second signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating sensed holes as being sprocket holes, and means for compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing said first and second signals to maintain registered stopping positions for said controllable drive system for said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web feeding to provide registration of said incremental lengths of computer forms web to said imaging station.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 182 words

The improvement in document feeding apparatus for frictionally feeding computer forms web having sprocket holes to the imaging station of a copier for copying comprising: means for automatically determining whether a computer forms web or an individual document sheet is being fed to said imaging station; means for automatically frictionally feeding the computer forms web incrementally in selected incremental lengths to said imaging station comprising a controllable frictional drive system independent of the sprocket holes; means for sensing and accumulating first signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; means for sensing and accumulating second signals corresponding to the number and position of sprocket holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating sensed holes as being sprocket holes, and means for compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing said first and second signals to maintain registered stopping positions for said controllable drive system for said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web feeding to provide registration of said incremental lengths of computer forms web to said imaging station.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 141 words

The improvement in apparatus for frictionally feeding and registering computer forms web having sprocket holes in selected incremental lengths of said computer forms web with a controllable frictional web drive system independent of the sprocket holes, comprising: means sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; means for sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the number and position of valid holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating whether sensed holes are sprocket holes, and means for compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing and coordinating said drive system movement signals with said validated hole signals to determine incremental stopping positions for said controllable frictional drive system so as to maintain registration of said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web being frictionally fed.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 141 words

The improvement in apparatus for frictionally feeding and registering computer forms web having sprocket holes in selected incremental lengths of said computer forms web with a controllable frictional web drive system independent of the sprocket holes, comprising: means sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the movement of said controllable frictional drive system; means for sensing and accumulating signals corresponding to the number and position of valid holes in the computer forms web being so frictionally fed, including validating whether sensed holes are sprocket holes, and means for compensating for slip in said frictional feeding of the computer forms web by comparing and coordinating said drive system movement signals with said validated hole signals to determine incremental stopping positions for said controllable frictional drive system so as to maintain registration of said selected incremental lengths of computer forms web being frictionally fed.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 110 words

The apparatus of claims 13 or 14 wherein said means for sensing the movement of said controllable frictional drive system for the web includes connecting movement encoder pulse generator means, and wherein said means for sensing valid holes in the computer forms web comprises stationary sensing means adjacent a desired registration position for the web for sensing the positions of the sprocket holes along one edge of the computer forms web being fed, and includes automatic compensation for areas of unsensed sprocket holes in the computer forms web and wherein said means for compensating for slip compares signals from said stationary sensing means with the pulses from said movement encoder.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-12-04	1988-06-04	1988-12-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-12-04	1992-06-04	1992-12-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-12-04	1996-06-04	1996-12-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Controlled frictional feeding of computer forms web

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