Xerox Corporation

Pitney Bowes Inc.

Denis J Stemmle, Sr

Ronald P Sansone

Fran E Blackman

Daniel F Dlugos

Edilberto I Salazar

James A Salomon

Eric A Belec

Donald E Barker

Jeffrey D Pierce

Richard A Bernard

Ronald Reichman

Steven E Cohen

Karin A Russo

John N Moody

A two-stage document singulating apparatus includes first and second singulators disposed along a document feed path. The first singulator acts to separate individual documents from a stack which are subject to a stack advance mechanism force. The second singulator separates multifeeds that pass through the first singulator and which are no longer subject to the stack advance mechanism force.

Two-stage document singulating apparatus for a mail handling system

A carrier for holding a conventional envelope in a predetermined position to enable printing near an edge of the envelope with a conventional printer is disclosed. The carrier includes a sheet-like substrate having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a closure flap receiving slot between the leading and trailing edges, and means for holding at least a portion of a bottom edge of the envelope to the substrate. A method according to the present invention includes the steps of providing an envelope, providing a carrier for holding the envelope in a predetermined position, and providing a conventional printer. A closure flap of the envelope is inserted through a closure flap receiving slot in the carrier. Next, a bottom edge of the envelope is held against the carrier. Then, the carrier and the envelope are passed through the conventional printer, which prints on the envelope.

Device and method for enabling a conventional printer to print on an

The status of deposits or withdrawals of items in a receptacle is indicated to one or more users having access to the receptacle. A receptacle is accessible by at least one user and is capable of containing an item. A deposit/withdrawal sensor for sensing a deposit or withdrawal of an item in the receptacle is also provided. A user identifier for identifying a user having access to the receptacle during the deposit or withdrawal of the item sensed by the deposit/withdrawal sensor is employed by the system. One or more indicators that are responsive to the deposit/withdrawal sensor and the user identifier are provided to indicate a deposit or withdrawal of the item in the receptacle by the identified user. The indicators may be placed on the receptacle or may be located remote from the receptacle.

Status indicating system for indicating the deposit and withdrawal of

A continuous web substrate duplex printing system which can utilize a single and otherwise conventional or existing xerographic print engine (normally printing conventional cut sheet print substrates) of a standard width without substantial structural modification. Separate first and second image transfer stations are positioned in line with one another in the direction of movement of the endless surface imaging member, with said second image transfer station downstream of the first, for respectively transferring print images to the first and second sides of the continuous web sequentially without requiring a dual width imaging member or dual imaging members for duplex printing. The two in-line transfer stations may be part of a dockable web printing module for appropriately feeding the continuous web into the print engine for image transfers to both sides of the web with web inversion and a controlled expandable/contractible web loop in between those two transfer stations, for transferring the page print images onto both sides of the web in the proper sequence and positions.

Two sided imaging of a continuous web substrate with a single print

A continuous web substrate printing system which can utilize a single otherwise conventional or existing xerographic print engine (normally printing conventional cut sheet print substrates) having an endless photoreceptor belt with a belt seam requiring a section of that belt to be unimaged in each belt rotation, yet provide continuous directly abutting images on the printed web, to avoid paper scrap. A special simplex or duplex continuous web printing substrate supply module may be docked with the cut sheet print engine to form an integral web printing system. It has a web feeding and image transfer system for appropriately feeding the continuous web printing substrate uncut into the print engine for image transfers to one or both sides of the web from the imaging surface of the print engine. For duplex printing a controlled expandable/contractible web loop may be provided in between two alternately engaged transfer stations, for alternately transferring batches of page print images onto opposite sides of the web in the proper sequence and positions, with interruption of the web feeding in the web segments in those areas. This is desirably coordinated with skipping and compensating for the unimaged belt seam areas to avoid creating blank paper areas between any images on the web which would otherwise have to be cut off and wasted.

Continuous imaging of a continuous web substrate with a single print

A plural mode printing system utilizing a cut sheet print engine for printing conventional cut sheet print substrates, in which page print images are generated and transferred to the cut sheets at an image transfer station. This plural mode printing system selectively provides printing onto either the cut sheets or onto an uncut continuous web printing substrate, in the same cut sheet print engine. An independently moveable continuous web printing substrate supply module is selectively operatively docked with the cut sheet print engine. That web printing module has a web feeding and image transfer assistance system for feeding the continuous web uncut into the cut sheet printing engine for transferring the page print images onto the web instead of onto cut sheets when the print engine is operatively docked with the web printing substrate module. The web printing module does not itself need to print. Rather, it can feed an extended loop of the continuous web into the cut sheet print engine image transfer station. The web module may provide either simplex printing or duplex printing onto both sides of the web with a duplexing system for feeding the web into the print engine for image transfer twice, with web inversion in between. The web modules are also preferably interchangeable with an optional cut sheet supply module.

Dual mode interchangeable modules cut sheet or web printing system with

A continuous web substrate duplex printing system which can utilize a single otherwise conventional or existing xerographic, print engine (normally printing conventional cut sheet substrates) without substantial structural modification, and without requiring plural print engines on opposite sides of the web. The continuous web may be fed uncut into the print engine to two transfer stations alternatingly engaging a single endless belt imaging surface, which two alternating transfer stations are in line with one another in the direction of movement of the imaging surface, with web inversion and a controlled expandable/contractible web loop in between those two transfer stations, for respectively transferring the page print images onto the two respective sides of the continuous web in sequential batches of plural first and second side images, in the proper page sequence and positions and without any spaces between page images along the web.

A continuous web substrate duplex (both sides) printing system which can utilize a single otherwise conventional or existing xerographic print engine (normally printing conventional cut sheet print substrates) without substantial structural modification, instead of requiring plural print engines on opposite sides of the web. This may be accomplished as shown by operatively docking a special duplex continuous web printing substrate supply module with the cut sheet print engine to form an integral duplex web printing system. Here, this duplex web printing module has an integrated fusing system with translating and half-surface-speed roll fusers for fusing the transferred images on both sides of the web with those two separate moving fusers, with each fuser fusing images on one side of the web after respective separate transfers of sequences of plural first and second web side images. One of these moving fusers is fusing the first side images in an expanding and contracting web loop section of the endless web in between first and second side image transfer stations.

Two sided imaging of a continuous web substrate with moving fusers

A method of ink jet printing comprising the steps of: (a) conveying a print medium in a first direction; (b) scanning a printhead in the first direction; and (c) printing on the print medium while the printhead is scanning in the first direction and the print medium is moving in the first direction.

Growing community of inventors

Milford, CT, United States of America

Denis J Stemmle, Sr