US5525031A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automated print jobs distribution system for shared user centralized printer
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1994-02-18
•
Granted: 1996-06-11
•
Expires: 2014-02-18
Abstract
Abstract An output sheets collection, separation and distribution system for printed sheets outputted from a shared centralized printer to which plural remote users electronically send respective print jobs from a plurality of separate user sites remote from said centralized printer location. A mobile vehicular mailboxing module is docked with the printer to collect the print jobs stacked in plural user-assigned mailbox bins by an internal sheet feeding and distribution system. The mobile mailbox module is then undocked and automatically sequentially driven to the separate remote user sites and distributes the respective print jobs to the respective users at those sites, or other designated sites, stopping only at those sites for which the moving mailboxing module contains designated print jobs in one or more bins. The remote user sites may have separate stationary print job delivery bins and the plural users may have distinguishable electronic codes, and the mailbox bins may have lockable access restricting privacy doors respectively electronically unlockable by user access codes, which may be automatically provided at the job receiving sites by digital signal sources there.
Inventors
- 👤 Elizabeth D. Fox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:34
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H39/00; B65H39/10; B65H39/11; B65H2407/00; B65H2407/30; B65H2408/00; B65H2408/10; B65H2408/11; B65H2408/112; B65H2511/00; B65H2511/40; B65H2511/412; B65H2551/00; B65H2551/10; B65H2551/13; B65H2801/00; B65H2801/24; B65H2801/27
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
An output sheets collection, separation and distribution system for printed sheets outputted from a shared centralized printer at a centralized printer location to which plural remote users electronically send respective print jobs, said plural remote users being located at a plurality of separate user sites in different locations remote from said centralized printer location; comprising a mobile mailboxing module dockable with said centralized printer to collect said outputted sheets, said mobile mailboxing module having an arrayed multiplicity of user-assigned mailbox bins and a distribution system for automatically collecting said outputted sheets of said centralized printer in user print jobs of plural said outputted sheets which are stacked into different user-assigned mailbox bins for different respective users of said centralized printer, said mobile mailboxing module distribution system including a sheet feeding system for automatically feeding said outputted sheets from said centralized printer to said respective user-assigned mailbox bins to stack said user print jobs therein, and said mobile mailboxing module being a vehicular print jobs distributor automatically sequentially movable to various said plurality of separate user sites remote from said centralized printer location for distribution of said print jobs to respective said separate user sites from which print jobs were electronically sent to said centralized printer to be printed and stacked into said user assigned mailbox bins of said mobile mailboxing module.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
An output sheets collection, separation and distribution system for printed sheets outputted from a shared centralized printer at a centralized printer location to which plural remote users electronically send respective print jobs, said plural remote users being located at a plurality of separate user sites in different locations remote from said centralized printer location; comprising a mobile mailboxing module dockable with said centralized printer to collect said outputted sheets, said mobile mailboxing module having an arrayed multiplicity of user-assigned mailbox bins and a distribution system for automatically collecting said outputted sheets of said centralized printer in user print jobs of plural said outputted sheets which are stacked into different user-assigned mailbox bins for different respective users of said centralized printer, said mobile mailboxing module distribution system including a sheet feeding system for automatically feeding said outputted sheets from said centralized printer to said respective user-assigned mailbox bins to stack said user print jobs therein, and said mobile mailboxing module being a vehicular print jobs distributor automatically sequentially movable to various said plurality of separate user sites remote from said centralized printer location for distribution of said print jobs to respective said separate user sites from which print jobs were electronically sent to said centralized printer to be printed and stacked into said user assigned mailbox bins of said mobile mailboxing module.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 1, wherein said printer and said mobile mailboxing module therefor are shared by said remote plural users having respective distinguishable user electronic codes, and wherein at least some of said mailbox bins have lockable access restricting privacy doors respectively electronically unlockable by said respective remote user electronic access codes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 2, wherein said separate user sites have plural stationary print job delivery bins, and said mobile mailboxing module further includes an automatic unloading system for unloading said print jobs from respective user-assigned mailbox bins into said stationary print job delivery bin for said user at said users site in response to said user electronic code.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 1, wherein at least some of said separate remote user sites have plural stationary print job delivery bins located at said sites.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 4, wherein said mobile mailboxing module further includes an automatic unloading system for unloading said print jobs from respective user-assigned mailbox bins into respective said stationary print job delivery bins for said users at said user sites.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 4, wherein said stationary print job delivery bins comprise a plurality of separate and normally locked mail bins for respective designated users, which locked mail bins are automatically unlocked by said mobile mailboxing module when said mobile mailboxing module contains a print job for a said respective designated user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 4, wherein said mobile mailboxing module automatically stops at said stationary print job delivery bin at a said user's site and unlocks at least one said mailbox bin, and discharges that user's print job from that user's assigned mailbox bin into that stationary bin at that user's site.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 1, further including an additional, stationary, mailboxing module maintained at said printer and connected to said printer to selectively alternatively collect said output sheets of said printer in an arrayed multiplicity of mailbox bins in user print job sets of plural said output sheets per job set stacked into different respective user-assigned mailbox bins.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 1, wherein said remote users may optionally direct print jobs to be delivered to said sites other than their own.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The output sheets collection, separation and distribution system of claim 1, wherein plural said mailbox bins are lockable and are electronically unlockable by remote site print job receivers when said print job receivers are approached by said vehicular print jobs distributor.
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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) | 1999-06-11 | 1999-12-11 | 2000-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-11 | 2003-12-11 | 2004-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-11 | 2007-12-11 | 2008-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |