US4763160A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for handling an original
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1987-02-02
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Granted: 1988-08-09
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Expires: 2007-02-02
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for handling an original in a copy machine comprises: feed rollers and a flat face belt for feeding a sheet original; feed-out rollers for feeding out the original after the exposure; two sensors for sensing the front edge and rear edge of the original; clutches and a drive motor for driving the feed and feed-out rollers and belt; and a control unit or a microcomputer. The two sensors output detection signals indicative of the front and rear edges of the original to the microcomputer, which computes the feed-out timing of the original and the feed timing of an original to be fed next in response to those signals, thereby controlling the feed operation of the original in accordance with the size of the original. Thus, the total copy time can be minimized and the original jam can be also promptly detected irrespective of the size of the original. When an original formed with punched holes is used, delay units or timers are further provided for inhibiting the sensing operation of the sensor for a predetermined period after the front edge of the original was sensed, thereby preventing a malfunction of the sensor.
Inventors
- 👤 Takeshi Honjo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:20
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/70; B; B65; B65H; B65H7/00; B65H7/02; B65H7/14; G03G15/60; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00172; G03G2215/00177; G03G2215/00181; G03G2215/00185; G03G2215/00206; G03G2215/0021; G03G2215/00286; G03G2215/00324; G03G2215/00329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original to a predetermined position and feeding out the original along a feed-out path of a predetermined length from said predetermined position; detection means for detecting the size of the original to be fed by said feed means, while the original is being fed; and control means for maintaining a distance between the original to be fed out from said predetermined position and an original to be fed next on the basis of the size of said original and for controlling said feed means in accordance with the maintained distance and the length of said feed-out path, wherein said control means is arranged to control said feed means so as to initiate the feeding of a successive original to said predetermined position, in the event that the length of said feed-out path is shorter than the maintained distance, with a first timing prior to completion of feed-out of said preceding original, and in the event that the length of said feed-out path is longer than the maintained distance, with a second timing later than the first timing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
189 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original to a predetermined position and feeding out the original along a feed-out path of a predetermined length from said predetermined position; detection means for detecting the size of the original to be fed by said feed means, while the original is being fed; and control means for maintaining a distance between the original to be fed out from said predetermined position and an original to be fed next on the basis of the size of said original and for controlling said feed means in accordance with the maintained distance and the length of said feed-out path, wherein said control means is arranged to control said feed means so as to initiate the feeding of a successive original to said predetermined position, in the event that the length of said feed-out path is shorter than the maintained distance, with a first timing prior to completion of feed-out of said preceding original, and in the event that the length of said feed-out path is longer than the maintained distance, with a second timing later than the first timing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
An original handling apparatus accoridng to claim 1, wherein said control means obtains a distance between the original to be fed out from said predetermined position and an original to be fed next on the basis of the size of said original, and controls said feed means in accordance with the obtained distance and a length of said feed-out path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said feed means so as to delay the feed timing of the successive original by said feed means to a time later than the time that the original fed out by said feed means reaches a specified position of said feed-out path, in the case where the length of said feed-out path is longer than said distance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls said feed means so as to initiate feeding of the successive original in a timing that the original fed out by said feed-out means reaches a specified position of said feed means path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An original handling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said predetermined position is an exposure position to expose the original.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection means further outputs a reference signal for stopping the original to be fed by said feed means at said predetermined position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reference signal is a detection signal representative of the front edge of said original.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said feed means is arranged to cause the original to stop at said predetermined position.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for handling a sheet comprising: feed means for feeding a sheet to a predetermined position and feeding out the sheet from the predetermined position; abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the feeding-out operation of the sheet to be fed out by said feed means, said abnormality detection means having timer means for performing a timing operation for sensing an abnormality; and size sensing means for sensing the size of the sheet while the sheet is being fed to the predetermined position and prior to operation of said abnormality detection means; wherein said timer means performs the timing operation based on a first time period when the size of the sheet sensed by said sensing means is larger than a predetermined size, and performs the timing operation based on a second time period when the size of the sheet is smaller than the predetermined size.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for handling a sheet comprising: feed means for feeding a sheet to a predetermined position and feeding out the sheet from the predetermined position; abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the feeding-out operation of the sheet to be fed out by said feed means, said abnormality detection means having timer means for performing a timing operation for sensing an abnormality; and size sensing means for sensing the size of the sheet while the sheet is being fed to the predetermined position and prior to operation of said abnormality detection means; wherein said timer means performs the timing operation based on a first time period when the size of the sheet sensed by said sensing means is larger than a predetermined size, and performs the timing operation based on a second time period when the size of the sheet is smaller than the predetermined size.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sheet handling apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising display means for displaying in response to an output of said abnormality detection means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sheet handling apparatus according to claim 8 or 10, wherein said carrying abnormality is a sheet jam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first time and second time are applicable in common for a plurality of sizes of the sheets which are larger and smaller than said predetermined size, respectively.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original; detection means for detecting the original fed by said feed means; and discrimination means for discriminating a size of the original in accordance with data obtained during a period of time extending from a point in time when said detection means detects a leading edge of the original to a point in time when said detection means detects a trailing edge of the original; wherein said detecting means is arranged to detect the trailing edge of the original and thereafter further to repeatedly perform the detecting operation of the original for a predetermined period of time, and said discrimination means is arranged to perform the original size discriminating operation in accordance with the data on the condition that the original is not detected by said detection means during the predetermined period of time.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original; detection means for detecting the original fed by said feed means; and discrimination means for discriminating a size of the original in accordance with data obtained during a period of time extending from a point in time when said detection means detects a leading edge of the original to a point in time when said detection means detects a trailing edge of the original; wherein said detecting means is arranged to detect the trailing edge of the original and thereafter further to repeatedly perform the detecting operation of the original for a predetermined period of time, and said discrimination means is arranged to perform the original size discriminating operation in accordance with the data on the condition that the original is not detected by said detection means during the predetermined period of time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said discrimination means is further arranged not to perform the original size discriminating operation for a predetermined period of time after said detecting means detects the front edge of the original.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for handling a sheet comprising: feed means for feeding the sheet; discrimination means for discriminating a size of the sheet upon detecting passage of the sheet fed by said feed means, wherein said discrimination means includes sensing means for sensing the sheet, and is arranged to discriminate the size of the sheet in accordance with a period of time from sensing a front edge of the sheet by said sensing means to sensing a back edge of the sheet by said sensing means; and abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the feeding operation of the sheet at the downstream end of said sensing means with respect to a sheet feeding direction, said abnormally detection means having timer means for performing the timing operation for sensing the feeding abnormality; wherein said timer means performs the timing operation based on a first time when the size of the sheet discriminated by said discrimination means is larger than a predetermined size, and performs the timing operation based on a second time when the size of the sheet is smaller than said predetermined size.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for handling a sheet comprising: feed means for feeding the sheet; discrimination means for discriminating a size of the sheet upon detecting passage of the sheet fed by said feed means, wherein said discrimination means includes sensing means for sensing the sheet, and is arranged to discriminate the size of the sheet in accordance with a period of time from sensing a front edge of the sheet by said sensing means to sensing a back edge of the sheet by said sensing means; and abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the feeding operation of the sheet at the downstream end of said sensing means with respect to a sheet feeding direction, said abnormally detection means having timer means for performing the timing operation for sensing the feeding abnormality; wherein said timer means performs the timing operation based on a first time when the size of the sheet discriminated by said discrimination means is larger than a predetermined size, and performs the timing operation based on a second time when the size of the sheet is smaller than said predetermined size.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A sheet handling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first time and second time are applicable in common for a plurality of sizes of the sheets which are larger and smaller than said predetermined size, respectively.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sheet handling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said feeding abnormality is a sheet jam.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
193 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original to a predetermined position and feeding out the original along a feed-out path of a predetermined length from the predetermined position; detection means for detecting the size of the original to be fed by said feed means, while the original is being fed, said detection means further outputting a reference signal for stopping the original to be fed by said feed means at the predetermined position; and control means for controlling said feed means to maintain a distance between an original and a subsequently fed original in accordance with the size of the original detected by said detection means, wherein said control means is arranged to control said feed means so as to initiate the feeding of a successive original to the predetermined position, if the size of a preceding original detected by said detection means is a first size, with a first timing prior to completion of delivery of said preceding original, and if the size of said preceding original is a second size, larger than the first size, with a second timing beginning later than the first timing.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
193 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original to a predetermined position and feeding out the original along a feed-out path of a predetermined length from the predetermined position; detection means for detecting the size of the original to be fed by said feed means, while the original is being fed, said detection means further outputting a reference signal for stopping the original to be fed by said feed means at the predetermined position; and control means for controlling said feed means to maintain a distance between an original and a subsequently fed original in accordance with the size of the original detected by said detection means, wherein said control means is arranged to control said feed means so as to initiate the feeding of a successive original to the predetermined position, if the size of a preceding original detected by said detection means is a first size, with a first timing prior to completion of delivery of said preceding original, and if the size of said preceding original is a second size, larger than the first size, with a second timing beginning later than the first timing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said reference signal is a detection signal representative of the front edge of the original.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
60 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said control means maintains a distance between the original to be fed out from the predetermined position and an original to be fed next on the basis of the size of the original, and controls said feed means in accordance with the maintained distance and the length in the feed-out path.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
72 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said control means controls said feed means so as to delay the feed timing of an original successively fed by said feed means for a time later than the time required for the original fed out by said feed means means to reach a specified position of the feed-out path, if the length of the feed-out path is longer than the maintained distance.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said control means controls said feed means so as to initiate feeding of an original successively fed with a timing such that the original fed out by said feed means reaches a specified position in the feed-out path.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
An original handling apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein the predetermined location is an exposure station to expose the original to form an image.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original to a predetermined position and feeding out the original along a feed-out path of a predetermined length from said predetermined position, said feed means being arranged to cause the original to stop at the predetermined position; detection means for detecting the size of the original to be fed by said feed means, while the original is being fed; and control means for controlling said feed means to maintain a distance between an original and a subsequently fed original in accordance with size of the original detected by said detection means, wherein said control means is arranged to control said feed means so as to initiate the feeding of a successive original to the predetermined position, if the size of a preceding original detected by said detection means is a first size, with a first timing prior to completion of delivery of the preceding original, and in the event that the size of said preceding original is a second size, larger than the first size, with a second timing beginning later than the first timing.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus for handling an original comprising: feed means for feeding an original to a predetermined position and feeding out the original along a feed-out path of a predetermined length from said predetermined position, said feed means being arranged to cause the original to stop at the predetermined position; detection means for detecting the size of the original to be fed by said feed means, while the original is being fed; and control means for controlling said feed means to maintain a distance between an original and a subsequently fed original in accordance with size of the original detected by said detection means, wherein said control means is arranged to control said feed means so as to initiate the feeding of a successive original to the predetermined position, if the size of a preceding original detected by said detection means is a first size, with a first timing prior to completion of delivery of the preceding original, and in the event that the size of said preceding original is a second size, larger than the first size, with a second timing beginning later than the first timing.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
60 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said control means maintains a distance between the original to be fed out from the predetermined position and an original to be fed next on the basis of the size of the original, and controls said feed means in accordance with the maintained distance and the length of the feed-out path.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
68 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said control means controls said feed means so as to delay the feed timing of an original successively fed by said feed means to a time later than the time that the original fed out by said feed means reachs a specified position of the feed-outpath, if the length of said feed-out path is longer than the maintained distance.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
46 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said controls means controls said feed means so as to initiate feeding of the successive original with a timing such that the original fed out by said feed means reaches a specified position in the feed-out path.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
An original handling apparatus according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the predetermined position is an exposure station for exposing the original to form an image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said detection means further outputs a reference signal for stopping the original to be fed by said feed means at the predetermined position.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
An original handling apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said reference signal is a detection signal representative of the front edge of the original.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-08-09 | 1992-02-08 | 1992-08-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-08-09 | 1996-02-08 | 1996-08-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-08-09 | 2000-02-08 | 2000-08-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |