Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

Hewlett-packard Corporation

Jeffrey C Madsen

Steven P Downing

Kyi Thu Maung

Thaddie Natalaray

Steven B Elgee

Robert W Jewell

Keng Leong Ng

Craig L Hopper

Curtis J Behrend

Long C Doan

Steve Orrin Rasmussen

Kevin Lo

Geoff Wotton

Wayne E Foote

David B Larson

Wade A Powell

Richard Lee Brinkly

Cameron Hutchings

Daniel Scott Ellis

Toh Tung Wong

Daniel Chien Cheng Huang

Darryl L Beemer

Alfred D Kirby

Tok Wee Hien

Yeo Meng Hui

Lam Siew Hong

Jeoffrey Goh Choon Kiat

Thong Wei Leong

Chiam Ter Wei

James C Albritton-Mcdonald

Keng-Leong Ng

Jim Albritton-Mcdonald

Jeoffrey Goh

Hin Peng Teoh

U Kyaw Thu Ra

In example implementations, a flexible bail of a printing device is provided. The flexible bail comprises a rigid bail coupled to a rotational motor, a flexible portion and a controller. The flexible portion is coupled to an end of the rigid bail. The flexible portion includes a plurality of segments that are unidirectionally flexible. The controller is communicatively coupled to the rotational motor to control movement of the rigid bail.

Flexible bails on printers

An inkjet printing system may include an inkjet printing device, a print media finishing device, and a conditioner selectively coupled within a housing of the print media finishing device and in alignment with a print media exit of the inkjet printing device where the conditioner includes a number of heated pressure rollers to condition the print media prior to introduction into the print media finishing device.

Inkjet print media conditioner

Printer with an automatic document feeder input tray

A scanner assembly includes an automatic document feeder and a first scanner. The automatic document feeder defines a media pathway that includes an input portion and an output portion having an exit roller. The first scanner is positioned along the media pathway upstream from the exit roller. In a first assembled configuration, the assembly is configured to scan both a first side and a second side of the media via the first scanner. In a second assembled configuration, the assembly additionally includes a second scanner positioned along the output portion and interposed between the first scanner and the exit roller. In the second configuration, the assembly is configured to scan the first side of media via the first scanner and to scan the second side of media via the second scanner.

Configurable scanner assembly

An automatic document feeding device including a pick motor coupled with a pick assembly, a deskew motor coupled with a deskew assembly, a sensor assembly coupled with a main media path and the deskew motor, and a feed motor coupled with a feed assembly. The deskew motor drives the deskew assembly, the deskew assembly deskewing the media sheet and moving the media sheet from the pick assembly to the feed assembly, the deskew assembly moving independently of the pick assembly and the feed assembly. The sensor assembly includes a plurality of sensors. The sensor assembly senses the media sheet moving along the main media path and sends at least one signal to a computer. The computer, based on the at least one signal, sends, an activation signal to at least one of the pick, deskew and feed motors and the first scanner.

Automatic document feeder

An automatic document feeder with a drive system that can efficiently handle double-side scanning and accommodate more than one timing sequence for sequentially picking individual sheets from a stack using only two motors&#x2014;a pick motor and a media motor. The automatic document feeder includes a pickup unit with a pick roller, a set of de-skew rollers, a main media path configured to guide a media sheet from the pickup unit to a scanning region and from the scanning region to an output tray, and a switch-back path configured to guide the media sheet back into the main media path. The drive system is operable to provide a high-speed picking mode and a delayed picking mode. In the high-speed picking mode, the pickup unit is driven by the pick motor to pull a subsequent media sheet from a stack of media sheet as soon as a previously pulled media sheet has passed the pick roller. In the delayed picking mode, the de-skew rollers are driven by the pick motor to advance the media sheet toward the scanning region and the subsequent media sheet is pulled from the stack by the pickup unit when the previously pulled media sheet has passed the de-skewed rollers.

A system and method for flipping a media sheet. The novel system () includes a first mechanism () for receiving and holding a media sheet () and a second mechanism () for rotating the first mechanism () about an axis parallel to a transverse axis of the media sheet (). In an illustrative embodiment, the first mechanism () is comprised of a predetermined number of slots (), each slot () adapted to receive and hold a media sheet (). Inversion of a media sheet () is accomplished by inputting a sheet () with a leading edge and a trailing edge into a slot at an input position (), rotating the first mechanism () until the slot is at an output position (), and outputting the sheet () with the former trailing edge now leading.

System and method for flipping a media sheet

A personal digital assistant comprises a body having a display; and a keyboard attached to the body, the keyboard being divided into two separate sections and being foldable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the keyboard provides a cover for the body in the closed position and functions as an alphanumeric keyboard to input data in the open position.

Portable computing device with foldable keyboard

An intermediate transfer member is disengaged from an impression drum. Color layers are applied to the intermediate transfer member. A sheet media is transported between the intermediate transfer member and the impression drum while the intermediate transfer member and the impression drum are disengaged. The intermediate transfer member is engaged with the impression drum. Another sheet media is transported between the intermediate transfer member and the impression drum. The color layers are transferred from the intermediate transfer member onto the sheet media.

Printing color layers

A system and method for flipping a media sheet. The novel system () includes a first mechanism () for inputting a media sheet () with a leading edge () and a trailing edge (), a second mechanism () for receiving and holding the media sheet (), a third mechanism () for translating the second mechanism () from an input position () to an output position (), and a fourth mechanism () for outputting the media sheet () leading with the former trailing edge (). In an illustrative embodiment, the second mechanism () includes a series of slots, each slot adapted to receive and hold a media sheet. One sheet can be input into a slot at the input position () while another sheet is output from a slot at the output position (). Several slots () may be incorporated into the mechanism (), such that slots index from the input position () to the output position () with one or more intermediate stops in between.

A media duplexer for a printing system is disclosed, the duplexer comprising a sheet barrier within the duplexer suspended between upper and lower belt pulleys, wherein the sheet barrier comprises a belt having at least two barriers separated by at least two openings, and wherein the sheet barrier rotates about the upper and lower belt pulleys, and retractable pinch rollers disposed at an entry to the duplexer, wherein the retractable pinch rollers retract when one of the at least two barriers is rotated near the entry to the duplexer, wherein print media enters and exits the duplexer through the at least two openings.

Media duplexer with disappearing sheet barrier

Described are techniques for preventing the forces attributable to shrinkage of print media from shifting print media on the media-carrying belt in the vicinity of the print zone. In one approach, a &ldquo;hold zone&rdquo; is identified immediately upstream of the print zone. In the hold zone, a mechanism is employed for securing the media to be immovable relative to the belt. The hold mechanism provides sufficient force to overcome tension transmitted to the dry portion of the media as the remaining portion shrinks. In one embodiment, the hold mechanism is a roller that pinches the media against the belt. In another embodiment, the amount of vacuum pressure applied to the belt is regulated so that the suction force applied to the media in the hold zone is greater than the suction force applied to the media in the portion upstream of the hold zone.

Linefeed control in belt-type printers

A media transport belt assembly has a continuous belt encompassing two rollers supported on a frame. A tension mechanism biases the rollers apart to generate tension in the belt. The end of one roller moves in response to increased belt tension to skew the first roller with respect to the second roller. The roller end may be pivotally attached to a frame for movement in an arc, or may be otherwise constrained to displace the roller from the plane of the belt.

Method and apparatus for automatically self-centering endless belts

A vacuum holddown has a holddown member with an outer surface for temporarily capturing a flexible sheet material via a vacuum force distributed across the outer surface through discrete vacuum channels. A vacuum force valving mechanism abuts an inner surface of the holddown member in a selectable sliding engagement. The valving mechanism has a pattern of apertures therethrough in predetermined pattern such that discrete valve mechanism positions produce discrete vacuum force patterns at the outer surface of the holddown member.

Sliding valve vacuum holddown method and apparatus

An encoding system is described for a media handling system including an endless belt. The encoding system includes encoding indicia associated with the endless belt. A first encoder transducer is responsive to the encoding indicia to provide a first encoder signal. A second encoder transducer is responsive to the encoding indicia to provide a second encoder signal, the second encoder transducer spatially separated from the first encoder transducer. An encoder processor is responsive to the first encoder signal and the second encoder signal to determine position data regarding the endless belt. Interruption of indicia due to a belt seam is accommodated by transferring belt position calculation from one transducer to the other as the seam passes between the two transducers. The processor is adapted to compensate for variations in the encoder indicia pitch caused by belt temperature differentials.

Growing community of inventors

Eagle, ID, United States of America

Jeffrey C Madsen