Patent US4944031A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4944031A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Operational condition setting device for an office machine
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-03-28
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Granted: 1990-07-24
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Expires: 2009-03-28
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for use with an office machine for allowing operational conditions of the machine to be set up with ease and promoting easy handling of a menu sheet on which information for selecting the operational conditions are to be written. An operator can condition the machine for desired operation modes simply by marking a menu sheet and then inserting it in a menu sheet reader. Even when the menu sheet jams a transport path defined in the menu sheet reader, for example, it can be dealt with by simple processing.
Inventors
- 👤 Hirobumi Yoshino
- 👤 Takashige Ito
- 👤 Junichi Kawase
- 👤 Hiroyuki Maeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:41
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/50; G03G15/5066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An apparatus for setting operational conditions of an office machine which performs a recording operation by using a menu sheet having a predetermined format and provided with an area for writing information, comprising: reading means for reading the information written in said area of said menu sheet; and mode setting means for setting operational modes of said office machine on the basis of the information read by said reading means and for ignoring any information read by said reading means which is representative of an operation condition which is not available with said office machine and further for causing said machine to start a recording operation automatically when the operational conditions are fully set up.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
An apparatus for setting operational conditions of an office machine which performs a recording operation by using a menu sheet having a predetermined format and provided with an area for writing information, comprising: reading means for reading the information written in said area of said menu sheet; and mode setting means for setting operational modes of said office machine on the basis of the information read by said reading means and for ignoring any information read by said reading means which is representative of an operation condition which is not available with said office machine and further for causing said machine to start a recording operation automatically when the operational conditions are fully set up.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transport means for transporting the menu sheet such that said menu sheet moves relative to said reading means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimes in claim 2, further comprising transport condition sensing means for sensing a condition in which the menu sheet is transported by said transport means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising control means for monitoring the condition of sheet transport being sensed by said transport condition sensing means and, when an error is detected, reversing a direction of transport of the menu sheet by said transport means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising alerting means for alerting an operator to an unusual condition of sheet transport which is sensed by said transport condition sensing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising control means for monitoring the condition of sheet transport and, when an error is detected, energizing said alerting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an identification mark provided on the menu sheet and representative of at least one of a direction and a position in which said menu sheet is to be transported, said transport condition sensing means sensing the transport condition of the menu sheet by sensing said identification mark.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising alerting means for alerting an operator to an unusual condition of sheet transport which is sensed by said transport condition sensing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising control means for monitoring the condition of sheet transport and, when an error is detected, energizing said alerting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the information written on the menu sheet include a plurality of operational conditions associated with a single functional item, said mode setting means selects one of said plurality of operational conditions automatically according to a predetermined priority order and sets up said one operational condition as an adequate operational condition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising alerting means for alerting an operator to an error occurred in setting of the operational conditions of said office machine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, when the information written on the menu sheet include a plurality of operational conditions associated with a single functional item, said mode setting means energizes said alerting means and either interrupts setting of operational conditions of said office machine or inhibits said office machine from being started.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the information written on the menu sheet include a plurality of operational conditions associated with a single operational item, said mode setting means sets up a predetermined standard operational condition associated with said single functional item as an adequate operational condition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the information read by said reading means include an operational condition which is not available with said office machine, said mode setting means in addition to ignoring said information also notifies an operator of an error.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said office machine comprises document size identifying means for identifying a size of a document carrying an image to be recorded thereon, and magnification adjusting means for adjusting magnification with respect to a document size and a recording size on a paper sheet, said mode setting means setting a magnification automatically on the basis of a document size identified by said document size identifying means and paper sheet selection information when the information written on the menu sheet include information associated with selection of paper sheets and do not include information associated with selection of a magnification.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-07-23 | 1994-01-22 | 1994-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-23 | 1998-01-22 | 1998-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-23 | 2002-01-22 | 2002-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |