Eastman-kodak Company

Roll Systems, Inc.

Lasermax Roll Systems, Inc.

John M Fiske

Bruce J Taylor

Steven P Lewalski

Richard A Sjostedt

Stephen E Silva

Satyan R Kalyandurg

John R Fairhurst

Robert J Ronnenberg

H W Crowley

John W Clifford

W Charles Kasiske

William F Bolza

Tamas Hetenyi

Robert P Crandall

Gregory Mercurio

Thomas Connolly

Edward J Zanchi

Peter J Wood

Richard Velzen

Kevin W Tomberlin

Cadman E Rozea

Brian A Biggar

James R Mazur

This invention provides a system and method for separating, folding, stacking and transporting a continuous web that allows stacks of web that are relatively large (four-feet-high or more) to be generated at high speed directly beneath the folding mechanism and to be transferred as complete, discrete stacks to downstream locations and stack utilization devices without interrupting the ongoing, upstream stack-folding and stack-formation process. A zigzag folded web passes by a pair of opposing front and rear compression plate assemblies, with fingers that are extended to selectively project into the folding area, onto a stack supported by a vertically moving supporting mechanism. The supporting mechanism cycles between an ever-lower position in which upper, loose pages of the folded web pass by plate fingers (when retracted) and an upper position in which the stack engages and presses upwardly against the now-extended plate fingers to compress the stack. After the web is separated above the chute, the supporting mechanism eventually travels to the base where the now-completed stack is conveyed to a downstream location. While the supporting mechanism is occupied transferring the completed, old stack, new folded web is deposited on a deployed temporary support that allows a new stack to form thereon until the supporting mechanism has completed the transfer of the old stack, and is ready to receive the new stack from the temporary support.

System and method for folding and handling stacks of continuous web

This invention provides a system and method for printing continuous web and feeding ink to printing pens (or cartridges) that employs an array of interleaved ink-jet pens that are arranged to receive bulk ink through a manifold. The manifold and pens are mounted on a fixed array suspended over the web feed path. The manifold includes a plurality of self-sealing quick-disconnect couplings that each serve a discrete ink-jet pen. The pens lay down ink in a registered manner across the full width of the web. The pens are organized into two parallel, multi-pen arrays that are each diagonally oriented with respect to the feed direction. The feed path allows for duplex printing with a second web-side's array located on a lower level of the device, generally beneath the first-side's array. Duplex printing is facilitated due to its inherent length of the feed path. The printed part of the web is free of contact over predetermined lengths that ensure sufficient time for the drying of ink. Each pen is interconnected with a connection to a respective manifold that maintains a vacuum so as to prevent seepage of ink from the pen nozzles. The vacuum is maintained by a draw pump, while ink is continuously provided to the manifold via a float switch in a pressure regulator. The regulator is fed by a bulk ink supply using a feed pump. A check-valve standpipe on each manifold assists in removing any trapped air from the system, thus assisting in maintaining the vacuum.

System and method for printing a continuous web employing a plurality of interleaved ink-jet pens fed by a bulk ink source

System and method for inverting folded stacks of continuous web

An apparatus for adjusting a swing arc and centering of a swinging director chute during separating, folding, stacking and transporting a continuous web that allows stacks of web that are relatively large (four-feet-high or more) to be generated at high speed directly beneath the folding mechanism and to be transferred as complete, discrete stacks to downstream locations and stack utilization devices without interrupting the ongoing, upstream stack-folding and stack-formation process. The apparatus includes a lever arm, interconnected with the swinging director chute, and a connecting rod having a first pivot end and a second pivot end. The first pivot end is adjustable movable along the lever arm. A drive arm connected to the second pivot end includes a lead screw. The lead screw can be operatively connected to an index wheel having a plurality of directed posts and a movable pawl that advances the index wheel.

Apparatus for adjusting a swing arc and centering of swinging director chute

A system and method for cutting continuous web that provides a simplified and direct feed path during loading, and thereafter a more-complex serpentine feed path at an infeed unit for reliable infeed of the web, arranged as either a free loop or a moderately tensioned configuration. Downstream, an indexing drive intermittently pauses the web for the cutter knife to operate. The indexing drive and infeed unit's drive are synchronized by a controller to produce a small horizontally disposed buffer loop therebetween. The buffer loop is maintained within a predetermined range using a sensor, operatively with the controller, that measures the location of the end of the loop, modulating the drives to maintain the buffer loop's (returning) end within a predetermined location about the sensor's sensing field. The system includes an adjustment drive motor for moving a plurality of edge guide sets toward and away from each other in synchronization.

System and method for cutting continuous web

A device for feeding web material to a printer that is adapted to accept web from an external roll, adequately align the web with the printer and properly tension the web as it passes through the printer. The infeed device includes a pair of parallel guide rods spaced sufficiently apart to allow passage of the web there between. A pair of edge guides, attached to the parallel guide rods define the web path there through. A spring-loaded pressure pad acts in combination with a smooth metal shoe to tension the web. Further tension is applied to the web as it passes a curved smooth metal surface, just prior to entering the printer. The infeed device allows a wide variety of web materials and web thicknesses to be tensioned and fed into the printer.

Web tensioning and aligning module

A method and apparatus is presented for stabilizing a free loop of web material between two web handling devices. The present invention employs fans or other forced air sources, directed toward the inner surface of the free loop, to maintain a stable free loop shape, thereby permitting simplified web handling and more accurate control of the web feeding or web take-up rate.

Method and apparatus for loop stabilization with forced air

A stacker jam detector, for use in a sheet handling device such as a stacker and separator, comprises a source of sheets that directs sheets downstream to a delivery location. The source of sheets includes a sheet sent signal generator that transmits a sheet sent signal in response to transferral of each of the sheets from the source. A moving sensing service, such as an elastomeric wheel, is provided at a delivery location, which can comprise a vertical stack. The surface engages each of the sheets as each of the sheets is transferred to the delivery location. Movement of the sheets thereover causes proportional movement of the sensing surface. A signal, such as a pulse, is generated in response to the movement of the sensing surface. A detector measures the signal and compares the signal received relative to at least one sheet sense signal to a predetermined signal value and indicates whether a sheet has been properly delivered to the delivery location.

Stacker jam detector

A particulate agitator system located within the confines of a particulate sump enclosure comprises two slotted agitator panels, connected together by spaced bars, mounted on a pivot shaft, with one end partially extending from the enclosure. A pivot arm attached to the extending end has a camming surface on its unattached end adapted to periodically engage a pin extending from the side of an adjacent rotating gear. The arm and panels pivot in a first direction during such engagement, while a spring urges the arm and panels in the opposite direction in the absence of engagement, thereby causing the arm to strike an impact pin. The concurrent pivot action of the panels and vibrations of the enclosure when the impact pin is struck cause particles within the enclosure to remain in a free-flowing condition, thereby facilitating removal of the particles from the enclosure by a screw conveyor located at the bottom thereof.

Toner agitator system

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a novel device for applying an electrical bias to a conductive shell of a magnetic brush in an image reproduction machine. The conductive shell is rotatable about an axis of rotation and has an end surface generally perpendicular to the axis. The machine includes a source of electrical bias and a bearing block adjacent the end surface. The bearing block defines an opening elongated generally in the direction of the axis. The opening has a wide portion toward the end surfaace, a narrow portion away from the end surface and a spring support surface facing the end surface into which the narrow portion opens. The device includes an elongated conductive member, a compression spring and a narrow conductive connecting piece. The spring is positioned in the wide portion between the spring support surface and the conductive member, and urges the conductive member out of the opening and into contact with the end surface. At least the spring is too large to pass through the narrow portion. The narrow conductive connecting piece is positioned in the narrow opening and connects the conductive member to the source of electrical bias.

Apparatus for applying an electrical bias to a shell of a magnetic brush

A finisher for stacking and stapling, or binding, sheets of paper from printers and the like. The finisher accommodates two sizes of paper, one frequently being twice the size of the other. Staples are positioned in the smaller size papper along an edge and in the larger size in the middle of the sheets. Two fixed position gates are controlled to stop the paper sheets at one of two positions for alignment and stapling. Once stapled, the sheet sets are gripped, turned over, and deposited on elevator-type stacking trays. For the shorter sheet sets, the trays move independntly. For the larger sheet sets, the trays move togehter.

Finisher accessory for hard copy printers

A system for compenating for flare light in an optical imaging system comprising a detector for detecting light from an image and producing a signal related to the amount of light detected, a flare light detector for viewing the flare light and producing a signal related to the amount of light viewed, and a compensator for reducing the signal from the image detector in response the signal from the flare light detector.

Flare light compensation

Electrostatographic apparatus for providing bound sheet sets suitable for folding. The sides of the sheet sets are staggered so that, upon folding, the edges become accurately aligned. Staggering is accomplished by progressively cutting the sheets shorter as they are to be positioned in the stack, and aligning the stacked sheets in a trapezoidal shape before stapling the sheets together. Aligning is accomplished by an inclined surface which makes an acute angle of approximately 32.degree. with the flat surface of the sheets. Movement of the images on the sheet is also provided to keep the outside borders on the various sheets equal.

Hard copy apparatus for producing center fastened sheet sets

In electrographic apparatus a latent image on a flexible photoconductor is developed with toner particles at a development station and subsequently transferred to a receiver sheet, such as a copy sheet, and then fused to the sheet. Sometimes unwanted particles also are on the photoconductor, including the area of a developed image on the photoconductor. Unless the unwanted particles are removed before the developed image is transferred to a copy sheet, the particles can create image voids or other defects in the image on the copy sheet. These particles are removed by a vacuum system including a plenum having an inlet opening located closely adjacent the surface of the photoconductor between the development station and the transfer station. It is important to precisely maintain the desired spacing between the vacuum plenum opening and the photoconductor. In order to maintain this spacing, the plenum is mounted for movement toward and away from a guide roller supporting the photoconductor, and tires on the ends of the plenum contact the roller so that the plenum moves with the roller and thus the photoconductor.

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Wakefield, MA, United States of America

John M Fiske