Xerox Corporation

Kirtas Technologies, Inc.

Lotfi Belkhir

Thomas N Taylor

Barry Paul Mandel

William R Burger

Richard P Germain

Thomas E Sollitt

Eduard Kaminker

Scott Miller

An apparatus for the turning of pages of a bound book, comprising a fixture to hold the book, a paper fluffer for blowing air between individual pages of the held book and displacing at least a top page of the held book upwardly, and an air plenum positioned above the top page of the book for grasping and turning the top page by application of a vacuum to the top page.

Page turning apparatus with a vacuum plenum and an adaptive air fluffer

The present invention is a method and apparatus for the viewing and acquisition of images of a document such as a book. The apparatus allows for the automated and reliable turning of pages of the document, while supporting it in a manner to facilitate imaging of the facing pages. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a base for supporting the operative assemblies and components of the apparatus, a cradle assembly for holding a book, and a page turning assembly for presenting the pages to be imaged in seriatim. The method employed by the present invention involves the steps of turning pages, clamping pages and imaging, wherein the various components of the apparatus are operated to carry out the page turning and imaging functions in sequence.

Automated page turning apparatus to assist in viewing pages of a document

Utilization of fringe field tailoring pixels with sub-pixel patterns are introduced into the bitmap of an image to obtain local control of the normal and tangential electric fields and thereby improve image development. These fringe field tailoring pixels embody multiple sub-pixel pulses so as to alter the electric fields as developed upon the photoreceptor. These fringe field tailoring pixels compensate for the otherwise undesirable electric fringe fields as found on the edge of image shapes. These undesirable fringe fields pull toner away from image edges and cause other 'slow toner' effects, particularly in high speed systems. Application of fringe field tailoring pixels with their sub-pixel patterns to the edge of an image shape modifies the fringe electric fields so as to encourage pulling toner onto the photoreceptor at the image edge. This ensures adequate toner supply to all parts of the image so that the desired printing pixels will print as intended.

Fringe field tailoring with sub-pixel patterns for improved print quality

The pages of a book being held at least partially open may be sequentially automatically turned over from one side of the book to the other by pivoting an elongated arm from one side of the book toward the other and turning over individual pages with a vacuum head pivoting relative to the elongated pivoted arm about a different pivot axis as the elongated arm moves to reduce undesirable forces on the individual book pages being turned over. The vacuum head may initially pivot to bend the edge of an individual page up away from the book, to aid in page separation, and then subsequently differently pivot to help peel the same page gently away from the vacuum head and flip it over onto the opposite side of the book. This may be assisted by moving frictional belts on the vacuum head.

Automatic book page turner for imaging

An apparatus for developing in a development zone a latent image recorded on a surface, including; a housing defining a chamber storing at least a supply of toner therein. A donor roll disposed of at least partially in the chamber of said housing and spaced from the surface. The donor roll is adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis to transport toner to the development zone in a region opposed from the surface. An elongated electrode member is mounted stationarily in the development zone and extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The electrode member includes a flexible thin sheet having a plurality of elongated wires with adjacent wires which are spaced from and substantially parallel to one another. The electrode member is positioned in the development zone and spaced between the surface and said donor roll. The electrode is electrically biased to detach toner from said donor roll, so as to form a toner powder cloud in the development zone with detached toner from the toner cloud developing the latent image.

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Victor, NY, United States of America

Lotfi Belkhir