US4707092A — Transparency transport system for overhead projec…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 155 words

An overhead projector transparency transport system comprising: a. a transparent platen extending across a projection window of said overhead projector and beyond both sides of said projector; b. a transparent belt formed of a transparent base web and a transparent pocket web fused together to form a series of pockets sized to receive a sequence of transparencies; c. said pocket web being fused to said base web along transverse fold lines between said transparency pockets so that said belt can fan fold; d. said pocket web being fused to said base web at inturned edges of an open side of each pocket so that the distance between said inturned edges is smaller than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket; and e. said platen being positioned so that said transparent belt advances across said platen from a fan-fold supply stack and proceeds to an automatically formed fan-fold take-up stack.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 155 words

An overhead projector transparency transport system comprising: a. a transparent platen extending across a projection window of said overhead projector and beyond both sides of said projector; b. a transparent belt formed of a transparent base web and a transparent pocket web fused together to form a series of pockets sized to receive a sequence of transparencies; c. said pocket web being fused to said base web along transverse fold lines between said transparency pockets so that said belt can fan fold; d. said pocket web being fused to said base web at inturned edges of an open side of each pocket so that the distance between said inturned edges is smaller than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket; and e. said platen being positioned so that said transparent belt advances across said platen from a fan-fold supply stack and proceeds to an automatically formed fan-fold take-up stack.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said fold lines have transversely oriented, cut out openings.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the extension of said platen beyond said sides of said projector is for about one-half the distance between said fold lines.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 135 words

A method of transporting unmounted, unframed, and semi-rigid transparencies to an overhead projector, said method comprising: a. placing said transparencies sequentially in a series of flexible pockets formed along a flexible transparent belt; b. forming said belt to fold between each of said transparency pockets by cutting out openings extending along fold lines between said pockets so that said belt, carrying said transparencies, can fan fold; and c. moving said belt over a transparent platen extending across a projection window of said overhead projector and sufficiently beyond both sides of said projector so that said belt advances from a fan-fold supply stack next to one side of said projector, across said platen supporting said belt in said projection window, and to a fan-fold take-up stack formed automatically next to the opposite side of said projector.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 135 words

A method of transporting unmounted, unframed, and semi-rigid transparencies to an overhead projector, said method comprising: a. placing said transparencies sequentially in a series of flexible pockets formed along a flexible transparent belt; b. forming said belt to fold between each of said transparency pockets by cutting out openings extending along fold lines between said pockets so that said belt, carrying said transparencies, can fan fold; and c. moving said belt over a transparent platen extending across a projection window of said overhead projector and sufficiently beyond both sides of said projector so that said belt advances from a fan-fold supply stack next to one side of said projector, across said platen supporting said belt in said projection window, and to a fan-fold take-up stack formed automatically next to the opposite side of said projector.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 4 including detecting the registry of each transparency pocket with said projection window and stopping the advance of said belt when said registry occurs.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 3 including detecting indicia on said belt for advancing predetermined portions of a transparency sequentially into registry with said projection window.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 4 including positioning entrance and exit edges of said platen vertically above central regions of said fan-fold stacks positioned adjacent said projector.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 4 including forming said belt of transparent resin base and pocket layers, fusing one edge of said pocket layer to said base layer, and fusing said pocket layer to said base layer along said cut out openings between each of said transparency pockets.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 7 including making said cut out openings oblong and oriented to extend along said fold lines.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 8 including fusing said pocket web to said base web at inturned edges of an open side of each pocket so that the distance between said inturned edges is smaller than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 110 words

An overhead projector transparency transport system comprising: a. a transparent platen extending across a projection window of said overhead projector and beyond both sides of said projector; b. a flexible transparent belt having flexible pockets sized to receive a series of unmounted, unframed, and semi-rigid transparencies; c. said belt being formed with fold lines and cut out openings between said transparency pockets so that said belt can fan fold; and d. said platen being positioned so that said transparent belt advances across said platen from a fan-fold supply stack, across said platen extending over and supporting said belt in said projection window, and to an automatically formed fan-fold take-up stack.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 110 words

An overhead projector transparency transport system comprising: a. a transparent platen extending across a projection window of said overhead projector and beyond both sides of said projector; b. a flexible transparent belt having flexible pockets sized to receive a series of unmounted, unframed, and semi-rigid transparencies; c. said belt being formed with fold lines and cut out openings between said transparency pockets so that said belt can fan fold; and d. said platen being positioned so that said transparent belt advances across said platen from a fan-fold supply stack, across said platen extending over and supporting said belt in said projection window, and to an automatically formed fan-fold take-up stack.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 12 words

The system of claim 11 wherein said cut out openings are oblong.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system of claim 11 wherein said belt is formed of a transparent base web and a transparent pocket web, one edge of said pocket web being fused to said base web, and said pocket web being fused to said base web along said cut out openings.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 49 words

The system of claim 13 wherein said pocket web is fused to said base web at inturned edges of an open side of each pocket so that the distance between said inturned edges is smaller than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 11 wherein the extension of said platen beyond said sides of said projector is for about one-half the distance between said fold lines.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

The system of claim 13 wherein said belt has a detectable discontinuity in a predetermined position relative to each of said transparency pockets so said discontinuities can be detected for stopping the advance of said belt with a pocketed transparency registered with said projection window.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 16 including detectable discontinuities on said belt for advancing portions of a transparency sequentially into registry with said projection window.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 132 words

A transparent platen for use with a transparent and flexible fan-fold belt for conveying unmounted, unframed, and semi-rigid transparencies to an overhead projector, said platen comprising: a. a clear resin plate extending across a projection window of said overhead projector for supporting said flexible belt and said transparencies in said projection window above said platen; b. entrance and exit edges of said plate extending beyond respective sides of said projector to positions arranged above the centers of respective supply and take-up stacks of said fan-folded transparent belt located adjacent said projector; and c. said entrance and exit edges of said plate curving downward so that said transparent belt can be drawn onto a top surface of said plate from said supply stack and lowered from said plate automatically into said take-up stack.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 132 words

A transparent platen for use with a transparent and flexible fan-fold belt for conveying unmounted, unframed, and semi-rigid transparencies to an overhead projector, said platen comprising: a. a clear resin plate extending across a projection window of said overhead projector for supporting said flexible belt and said transparencies in said projection window above said platen; b. entrance and exit edges of said plate extending beyond respective sides of said projector to positions arranged above the centers of respective supply and take-up stacks of said fan-folded transparent belt located adjacent said projector; and c. said entrance and exit edges of said plate curving downward so that said transparent belt can be drawn onto a top surface of said plate from said supply stack and lowered from said plate automatically into said take-up stack.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 107 words

A transparent resin belt for transporting transparencies to an overhead projector, said belt comprising: a. two webs of transparent resin material fused together to form a series of open-sided pockets spaced along the length of said belt and sized to receive a sequence of transparencies; b. fused transverse fold lines formed between each of said pockets so that said belt is able to fan fold in either direction at each of said fold lines; and c. said fused fold lines straddling cut out openings oriented transversely of said belt to increase the flexibility of said belt at said fold lines and facilitate fan folding of said belt.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 107 words

A transparent resin belt for transporting transparencies to an overhead projector, said belt comprising: a. two webs of transparent resin material fused together to form a series of open-sided pockets spaced along the length of said belt and sized to receive a sequence of transparencies; b. fused transverse fold lines formed between each of said pockets so that said belt is able to fan fold in either direction at each of said fold lines; and c. said fused fold lines straddling cut out openings oriented transversely of said belt to increase the flexibility of said belt at said fold lines and facilitate fan folding of said belt.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 36 words

The belt of claim 19 wherein said two webs include a pocket web and a base web fused together in the region of said transverse fold lines and along a longitudinal edge of said pocket web.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 15 words

The belt of claim 20 wherein said base web is wider than said pocket web.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 52 words

The belt of claim 20 wherein said pocket and base webs are fused together at inturned edge regions of an open side of each of said pockets so that the distance between said inturned edge regions is less than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

The belt of claim 20 wherein a window is cut out of said base web within the edges of each of said pockets.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 25 words

The belt of claim 20 including detectable discontinuities registered with each of said pockets for registering transparencies with a projection window of said overhead projector.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 28 words

The belt of claim 24 including detectable indicia on a margin of said belt for advancing predetermined portions of a transparency sequentially into registration with said projection window.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 109 words

A transparent belt for transporting transparencies to an overhead projector, said belt comprising: a. a base web of transparent resin material and a pocket web of transparent resin material, said pocket and base webs being fused together around three sides of a series of open-sided pockets spaced along the length of said belt and sized to receive a sequence of transparencies; and b. said pocket and base webs being fused together at inturned edge regions at an open side of each of said pockets so that the distance between said inturned edge regions is less than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 109 words

A transparent belt for transporting transparencies to an overhead projector, said belt comprising: a. a base web of transparent resin material and a pocket web of transparent resin material, said pocket and base webs being fused together around three sides of a series of open-sided pockets spaced along the length of said belt and sized to receive a sequence of transparencies; and b. said pocket and base webs being fused together at inturned edge regions at an open side of each of said pockets so that the distance between said inturned edge regions is less than the dimension of a transparency inserted through said open side into said pocket.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 23 words

The belt of claim 26 wherein a window is cut out of said base web within the edges of each of said pockets.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-11-16	1991-05-18	1991-11-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-11-16	1995-05-18	1995-11-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-11-16	1999-05-18	1999-11-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Transparency transport system for overhead projector

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