Xerox Corporation

Martin Richard Walsh

David J Pearce

Simon Neil Jowett

Jeremy Brook Lewis

David Andrew Thomas

John Kennedy Mangan

Annmarie Brinsley

Adrian Purnell

Various methods and devices maintain a registration nip and a transfer nip at the same sheet feeding speed when the leading edge of a sheet is between them. These methods and devices create a buckle in the sheet by increasing the sheet feeding speed of the registration nip while maintaining the transfer nip at the original sheet feeding speed during a first portion of when the sheet is simultaneously within the registration nip and the transfer nip. Such methods and devices then decrease the sheet feeding speed of the registration nip after creating the amount of buckle in the sheet and maintain the registration nip and the transfer nip at the same sheet feeding speed to maintain that specific amount of buckle in the sheet during the remaining portion of when the sheet is simultaneously within the registration nip and the transfer nip.

Variably changing nip feeding speeds to maintain optimal sheet buckle

The present specification discloses systems and methods for enabling users to troubleshoot multifunction devices using handheld devices, such as mobile phones. In one embodiment, software executing on the handheld device receives data indicative of an error state in a multifunction device, causes the handheld device to obtain and display an image representative of an area of the multifunction device which would need to be serviced to address the error state, determines instructions for addressing the error state, and causes the handheld device to display the instructions in relation to the image representative of an area of the multifunction device.

Methods and systems to troubleshoot malfunctions in multifunction devices using a wireless handheld device

According to aspects of the embodiments there is provided a printing system such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile machine having an automatic print media size determining apparatus. At least one side guide is coupled with a linear encoder and an external sensor to determine the size of media received on a support surface. According to one implementation, the support surface is provided by a paper tray. The paper tray includes a support surface configured to receive media, at least one side guide, and an encoder that moves with the side guide. The side guide is movably supported for continuously adjustable positioning relative to the tray to conform dimensionally with print media received in the tray. The print media size determining apparatus includes an external position-detecting sensor associated with the encoder and the side guide that is operative to generate a unique electrical pattern corresponding with a detected position of the side relative to the tray. The unique electrical pattern is indicative of the size of the media detected in the tray.

Print system with linear encoder for tray print media sizing

A method and system to sense an amount of material such as toner in a container held in a horizontal position within a machine, such as a printing machine. A level sensor senses an amount of material within a dispensing unit which causes the level sensor to issue a signal. The dispensing unit is external to the container. The container holding the material is rotated, and a rotation direction reversed to a direction normally used to dispense the material. The reverse rotation direction moves the material to a closed end of the container. The container is then moved in a forward direction following the rotation of the container in the reverse direction. The forward rotation moves the material to the open end of the container, and the material further moves into the dispensing unit. A signal is generated when a sufficient amount of material has been moved into the dispensing unit. A time period is determined which represents the time it took to move the material from the closed end of the material, until the signal indicating a sufficient amount of material exists in the dispensing unit. The amount of material in the container is estimated by use of the determined time period.

Methods and systems for sensing an amount of material in a toner cartridge

A printer includes an idler movement mechanism that rotates a transfix member at a speed corresponding to a rotational speed for a rotating image member before moving the transfix member into engagement with the rotating image member to form a nip. The printer includes a rotating image member for receiving colorant from a print head to form an image on the rotating image member, a motor having rotational output that is coupled to the rotating image member for rotating the rotating image member at a first surface speed, a transfix member for forming a nip with the intermediate print member to transfer the image from the intermediate print member to media in the nip, the transfix member being moveable from a first position, in which the transfix member does not form a nip with the intermediate print member, to a second position, in which the transfix member forms the nip with the intermediate print member, and a rotational transfer link for coupling the transfix member in the first position to the rotation of the rotating image member so the transfix member rotates at a second surface speed that corresponds with the first surface speed as the transfix member is moved to the second position to form the nip with the rotating image member rotating at the first surface speed.

Mechanism for transfix member with idle movement

A sheet separating mechanism and a method of separating sheets is provided to prevent the multifeeding of sheets into printers or copiers. The sheet separating mechanism provides a first nip and a second nip for feeding a series of sheets therebetween. The first nip can include a first motor and the second nip can include a second motor for feeding a leading sheet from the first nip to the second nip. The mechanism further provides a first sensor for sensing a trailing edge of the leading sheet and a second sensor for sensing a leading edge of the leading sheet. The first sensor is upstream of the first motor and the second sensor is downstream of the second motor. A trailing sheet can be prevented from feeding with the leading sheet by stopping the first motor when the leading edge of the leading sheet is sensed by the second sensor while simultaneously the first sensor remains occluded.

Sheet separating apparatus and method

In a printing apparatus capable of producing duplex, or two-sided, prints, print sheets which have received a first-side image move to an inverter and a duplex loop which re-feeds the sheet to receive the second-side image. The sheets move through the duplex loop at different speed than through the main path where images are placed. A control system controls the time in which a change in speed of a sheet in the duplex loop is initiated. The control system takes into account a desired amount of buckle experienced by the sheet, which is useful in de-skewing the sheet before receiving an image.

Growing community of inventors

St. Albans, United Kingdom

Martin Richard Walsh