Patent US5737003A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5737003A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for registration of color separation images on a photoconductor belt
Assignee: GlassBridge Enterprises Inc
•
Filing: 1997-02-28
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Granted: 1998-04-07
•
Expires: 2017-02-28
Abstract
Abstract A system for registration of color separation images on a photoconductor belt in an imaging system operates to detect a position of an edge of the photoconductor belt. The registration system detects the position with the same laser scanner used for forming latent images on the photoconductor belt. The registration system includes a belt steering control system that steers the photoconductor belt based on the detected position to reduce deviation of the belt from a continuous transport path. The registration system also may include a scan control system that, based on the detected position, controls the modulation of laser beams scanned to form latent images on the photoconductor belt. By controlling belt steering and laser beam scanning, the registration system maintains the image quality of a final multi-color image upon transfer of registered color separation images to an output substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward J. Moe
- 👤 William D. Edwards
- 👤 Truman F. Kellie
- 👤 Michael R. Bury
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:34
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/50; H04N1/506; H04N1/508; G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/01; G03G15/0142; G03G15/0147; G03G15/0152; G03G15/0168; H04N1/04; H04N1/047; H04N1/053; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00135; G03G2215/00139; G03G2215/00143; G03G2215/00156; G03G2215/00164; H04N1/113; H04N1/1135; H04N1/12; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/024; H04N2201/02406; H04N2201/02439; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/047; H04N2201/04701; H04N2201/0471; H04N2201/04734; H04N2201/04741; H04N2201/04744; H04N2201/04753; H04N2201/04756; H04N2201/04758; H04N2201/04767; H04N2201/04781; H04N2201/04786; H04N2201/04794
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for registration of a latent image on a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to deviate from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a scanner for scanning a laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the photodetector, the photodetector generating a belt edge detection signal when the laser beam is scanned across the photodetector; a scan controller for modulating the laser beam based on image data to form the latent image on the photoconductor belt; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for registration of a latent image on a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to deviate from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a scanner for scanning a laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the photodetector, the photodetector generating a belt edge detection signal when the laser beam is scanned across the photodetector; a scan controller for modulating the laser beam based on image data to form the latent image on the photoconductor belt; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 1, further comprising optical means, disposed between the scanner and the photodetector, for directing the laser beam to be incident on the photodetector at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt, and incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 2, wherein the optical means includes a prism disposed between the scanner and the photoconductor belt, wherein the prism overlaps the photodetector and the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the belt steering mechanism comprises a roller adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of one of the rollers, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to move in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path in response to adjustment of the position of the respective roller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the photodetector continues to generate the belt edge detection signal until the laser beam is incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt, and wherein the belt steering controller includes means for determining a position of the edge of the photoconductor belt based on a duration of the belt edge detection signal, the belt steering controller controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the determined position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
118 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans the laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of scan lines, and the scan controller is a first scan controller, the first scan controller modulating the laser beam based on the image data to form the latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of image scan segments, each of the image scan segments forming part of one of the scan lines, the system further comprising a second scan controller for controlling the modulation of the laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the image scan segments at a substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
216 words
A system for registration of a plurality of latent images on a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to deviate from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a first scanner for scanning a first laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the photodetector, the photodetector generating a belt edge detection signal when the first laser beam is scanned across the photodetector; a second scanner for scanning a second laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt; a scan controller for modulating the first laser beam based on first image data to form a first latent image on the photoconductor belt, and modulating the second laser beam based on second image data to form a second latent image on the photoconductor belt; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
216 words
A system for registration of a plurality of latent images on a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to deviate from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a first scanner for scanning a first laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the photodetector, the photodetector generating a belt edge detection signal when the first laser beam is scanned across the photodetector; a second scanner for scanning a second laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt; a scan controller for modulating the first laser beam based on first image data to form a first latent image on the photoconductor belt, and modulating the second laser beam based on second image data to form a second latent image on the photoconductor belt; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system of claim 7, further comprising optical means, disposed between the first scanner and the photodetector, for directing the first laser beam to be incident on the photodetector at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt, and incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 8, wherein the optical means includes a prism disposed between the first scanner and the photoconductor belt, wherein the prism overlaps the photodetector and the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 7, wherein the belt steering mechanism comprises a roller adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of one of the rollers, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to move in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path in response to adjustment of the position of the respective roller.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
The system of claim 7, wherein the photodetector continues to generate the belt edge detection signal until the first laser beam is incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt, and wherein the belt steering controller includes means for determining a position of the edge of the photoconductor belt based on a duration of the belt edge detection signal, the belt steering controller controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the determined position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
237 words
The system of claim 7, wherein the first scanner scans the first laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of first scan lines, the second scanner scans the second laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of second scan lines, and the scan controller is a first scan controller, the first scan controller modulating the first laser beam based on the first image data to form the first latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of first image scan segments, each of the first image scan segments forming part of one of the first scan lines, and the first scan controller modulating the second laser beam based on the second image data to form the second latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of second image scan segments, each of the second image scan segments forming part of one of the second scan lines, the system further comprising a second scan controller for controlling the modulation of the first laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the first image scan segments at a substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, and for controlling the modulation of the second laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the second image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
The system of claim 7, further comprising a third scanner for scanning a third laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt, the scan controller modulating the third laser beam based on third image data to form a third latent image on the photoconductor belt, and a fourth scanner for scanning a fourth laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt, the scan controller modulating the fourth laser beam based on fourth image data to form a fourth latent image on the photoconductor belt.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
449 words
The system of claim 13, wherein the first scanner scans the first laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of first scan lines, the second scanner scans the second laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of second scan lines, the third scanner scans the third laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of third scan lines, the fourth scanner scans the fourth laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of fourth scan lines, and the scan controller is a first scan controller, the first scan controller modulating the first laser beam based on the first image data to form the first latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of first image scan segments, each of the first image scan segments forming part of one of the first scan lines, the first scan controller modulating the second laser beam based on the second image data to form the second latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of second image scan segments, each of the second image scan segments forming part of one of the second scan lines, the first scan controller modulating the third laser beam based on the third image data to form the third latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of third image scan segments, each of the third image scan segments forming part of one of the third scan lines, and the first scan controller modulating the fourth laser beam based on the fourth image data to form the fourth latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of fourth image scan segments, each of the fourth image scan segments forming part of one of the fourth scan lines, the system further comprising a second scan controller for controlling the modulation of the first laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the first image scan segments at a substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, for controlling the modulation of the second laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the second image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, for controlling the modulation of the third laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the third image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, and for controlling the modulation of the fourth laser beam based on the belt edge detection signal to start each of the fourth image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
265 words
A system for registration of a plurality of latent images on a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt deviates from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a first photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a second photodetector disposed to overlap the edge of the photoconductor belt; a first scanner for scanning a first laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the first photodetector, the first photodetector generating a first belt edge detection signal when the first laser beam is scanned across the first photodetector; a second scanner for scanning a second laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the second photodetector, the second photodetector generating a second belt edge detection signal when the second laser beam is scanned across the second photodetector; a scan controller for modulating the first laser beam based on first image data to form a first latent image on the photoconductor belt, and modulating the second laser beam based on second image data to form a second latent image on the photoconductor belt; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the first belt edge detection signal and the second belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
265 words
A system for registration of a plurality of latent images on a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt deviates from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a first photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a second photodetector disposed to overlap the edge of the photoconductor belt; a first scanner for scanning a first laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the first photodetector, the first photodetector generating a first belt edge detection signal when the first laser beam is scanned across the first photodetector; a second scanner for scanning a second laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt and across the second photodetector, the second photodetector generating a second belt edge detection signal when the second laser beam is scanned across the second photodetector; a scan controller for modulating the first laser beam based on first image data to form a first latent image on the photoconductor belt, and modulating the second laser beam based on second image data to form a second latent image on the photoconductor belt; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the first belt edge detection signal and the second belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
110 words
The system of claim 15, further comprising first optical means, disposed between the first scanner and the first photodetector, for directing the first laser beam to be incident on the photodetector at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt, and incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt, and second optical means, disposed between the second scanner and the second photodetector, for directing the second laser beam to be incident on the photodetector at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt, and incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system of claim 16, wherein the first optical means includes a first prism disposed between the first scanner and the photoconductor belt, wherein the prism overlaps the first photodetector and the edge of the photoconductor belt, and the second optical means includes a second prism disposed between the second scanner and the photoconductor belt, wherein the second prism overlaps the second photodetector and the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 15, wherein the belt steering mechanism comprises a roller adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of one of the rollers, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to move in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path in response to adjustment of the position of the respective roller.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
112 words
The system of claim 15, wherein the first photodetector continues to generate the first belt edge detection signal until the first laser beam is incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt, the second photodetector continues to generate the second belt edge detection signal until the second laser beam is incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt, and wherein the belt steering controller includes means for determining a position of the edge of the photoconductor belt based on a duration of the first belt edge detection signal and a duration of the second belt edge detection signal, the belt steering controller controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the determined position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
253 words
The system of claim 15, wherein the first scanner scans the first laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of first scan lines, the second scanner scans the second laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of second scan lines, and the scan controller is a first scan controller, the first scan controller modulating the first laser beam based on the first image data to form the first latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of first image scan segments, each of the first image scan segments forming part of one of the first scan lines, and the first scan controller modulating the second laser beam based on the second image data to form the second latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of second image scan segments, each of the second image scan segments forming part of one of the second scan lines, the system further comprising a second scan controller for controlling the modulation of the first laser beam based on the first belt edge detection signal and the second belt edge detection signal to start each of the first image scan segments at a substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, and for controlling the modulation of the second laser beam based on the first belt edge detection signal and the second belt edge detection signal to start each of the second image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
82 words
The system of claim 15, further comprising a third scanner for scanning a third laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt, the scan controller modulating the third laser beam based on third image data to form a third latent image on the photoconductor belt, and a fourth scanner for scanning a fourth laser beam across the moving photoconductor belt, the scan controller modulating the fourth laser beam based on fourth image data to form a fourth latent image on the photoconductor belt.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
461 words
The system of claim 21, wherein the first scanner scans the first laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of first scan lines, the second scanner scans the second laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of second scan lines, the third scanner scans the third laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of third scan lines, the fourth scanner scans the fourth laser beam across the photoconductor belt in a plurality of fourth scan lines, and the scan controller is a first scan controller, the first scan controller modulating the first laser beam based on the first image data to form the first latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of first image scan segments, each of the first image scan segments forming part of one of the first scan lines, the first scan controller modulating the second laser beam based on the second image data to form the second latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of second image scan segments, each of the second image scan segments forming part of one of the second scan lines, the first scan controller modulating the third laser beam based on the third image data to form the third latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of third image scan segments, each of the third image scan segments forming part of one of the third scan lines, and the first scan controller modulating the fourth laser beam based on the fourth image data to form the fourth latent image on the photoconductor belt with a plurality of fourth image scan segments, each of the fourth image scan segments forming part of one of the fourth scan lines, the system further comprising a second scan controller for controlling the modulation of the first laser beam based on the first and second belt edge detection signals to start each of the first image scan segments at a substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, for controlling the modulation of the second laser beam based on the first and second belt edge detection signals to start each of the second image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, for controlling the modulation of the third laser beam based on the first and second belt edge detection signals to start each of the third image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt, and for controlling the modulation of the fourth laser beam based on the first and second belt edge detection signals to start each of the fourth image scan segments at the substantially fixed distance relative to the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
152 words
A system for steering a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to deviate from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a scanner for scanning a laser beam across at least a portion of the moving photoconductor belt and across the photodetector, the photodetector generating a belt edge detection signal when the laser beam is scanned across the photodetector; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
152 words
A system for steering a photoconductor belt, the system comprising: a photoconductor belt mounted about a plurality of rollers; a drive mechanism for driving the photoconductor belt to move about the rollers in a continuous path, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to deviate from the continuous path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; a photodetector disposed to overlap an edge of the photoconductor belt; a scanner for scanning a laser beam across at least a portion of the moving photoconductor belt and across the photodetector, the photodetector generating a belt edge detection signal when the laser beam is scanned across the photodetector; a belt steering mechanism for moving the photoconductor belt in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path; and a belt steering controller for controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the belt edge detection signal to reduce deviation of the photoconductor belt from the continuous path.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 23, further comprising optical means, disposed between the scanner and the photodetector, for directing the laser beam to be incident on the photodetector at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt, and incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt at an angle substantially perpendicular to the photoconductor belt.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 24, wherein the optical means includes a prism disposed between the scanner and the photoconductor belt, wherein the prism overlaps the photodetector and the edge of the photoconductor belt.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 23, wherein the belt steering mechanism comprises a roller adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of one of the rollers, wherein the photoconductor belt tends to move in the direction substantially perpendicular to the continuous path in response to adjustment of the position of the respective roller.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 23, wherein the photodetector continues to generate the belt edge detection signal until the laser beam is incident on the edge of the photoconductor belt, and wherein the belt steering controller includes means for determining a position of the edge of the photoconductor belt based on a duration of the belt edge detection signal, the belt steering controller controlling the belt steering mechanism based on the determined position.
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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) | 2001-04-06 | 2001-10-06 | 2002-04-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-06 | 2005-10-06 | 2006-04-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-06 | 2009-10-06 | 2010-04-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |