Xerox Corporation

Paul Simon Golding

Michael John Wilsher

Sebastián Rodrigo De Echaniz

Benjamin Thomas Thurnell

Brian Noel Reid

Christopher D Olliffe

Simon Neil Jowett

Stuart John Handley

Christopher J Moloney

Stephen Canning

David W Thorne

A document scanning device includes first and second image sensors spaced along a document path and positioned to scan first and second sides of an input document. A first driven belt is configured to receive the input document directly onto a first surface of the first driven belt and transports the document past the first image sensor, where a first side of the document is scanned. A second driven belt, horizontally spaced from the first driven belt, receives the document after it has been scanned by the second image sensor and transports the document to an output. The device is suited to scanning of a variety of substrates and document sizes, such as normal, small, rigid, or delicate documents as the document path can be substantially straight and provide support for the document during scanning allowing delicate, small or rigid documents to be scanned.

Document scanner

A printing device includes a print media pathway connecting a print media source with a marking component. A flexible member, positioned in the pathway, is deflected by a moving sheet of media to be printed by the marking component. A sensor system outputs a signal in response to a detected deflection of the flexible member. A weight output component outputs a weight-related value for the sheet based on the output signal. The weight-related value may correspond to one of a predefined set of print media weight ranges, each range associated with one or more respective settings for the printing device. An adjustment component adjusts the settings of the printing device based on the weight-related value. This allows the printing device to respond dynamically to changes in print media weight without the need to be provided with the weight of the print media currently installed in the printer by a user.

Dynamic print media weight determination system and method

A feeding system in a printing apparatus is disclosed. For example, the feeding system includes a feed roll, a retard roll, a movable arm, a spring and a temperature dependent flexible material. The movable arm is coupled to the retard roll. The spring is coupled to the movable arm. The temperature dependent flexible material is located below the spring to move the retard roll towards the feed roll via the spring coupled to the end of the arm to maintain a nip force applied by the retard roll against the feed roll as a temperature in a location of the printing apparatus changes.

Automatically adjusting nip force in a printing apparatus

An image rendering apparatus and method of operating a center tray of an image rendering apparatus. The image rendering apparatus includes a cavity, and a center tray having a home position located within the cavity and a retrieval position located outside the cavity. The image rendering apparatus further includes a retraction mechanism that is attached to the center tray and an interior wall of the cavity. The retraction mechanism is configured to allow for the extension of the center tray from the home position to the retrieval position, and from the retrieval position to the home position.

Sliding center tray paper removal

In order to mitigate image defects caused by unwanted disturbances as a carriage module travels from a continuous velocity transport module across a CVT ramp to a platen module, a bottom surface of the CVT ramp is recessed relative to bottom surfaces of the CVT glass and platen glass to facilitate a smooth transition as the CIS carriage passes the CVT ramp during scanning. An additional carriage button is also provided on the carriage surface to ensure that at least two carriage buttons are biased against the CVT-platen assembly at all times, thereby mitigating vibrational disturbance in the system during scanning motion. The carriage module may be a contact image sensor (CIS) carriage module, a Full Width Array (FWA) carriage module, or a folded Charged Coupled Device (CCD) carriage module.

Carriage module design to minimize CVT to platen transition disturbance

A scanning device includes a transparent platen which receives a sheet to be scanned. A backing assembly is spaced from the platen by the sheet during scanning. The backing assembly includes a backing plate of a fixed color and an electrochromic layer intermediate the backing plate and the platen. The electrochromic layer has a first state in which the electrochromic layer is opaque and has a different color from the fixed color, and a second state, in which the electrochromic layer is transparent to expose the backing plate through it. A sensor is positioned to acquire an image of the sheet based on light passing through the platen. A controller selectively applies a voltage across the electrochromic layer to change the electrochromic layer between the first and second states.

Electrochromic scanning backing material

According to exemplary scanning devices herein, a platen has a sheet side and a scanner side, opposite the sheet side. A scanner is located on the scanner side of the transparent platen. The platen has a constant velocity transport (CVT) scanning position at an end of the platen. A portion of the platen, located at the CVT scanning position of the platen has integral transparent electrodes and incorporates a polymer/liquid crystal filler material that is white in a first state and transparent in a second state. A scanner is located on the scanner side of the platen. A controller is electrically connected to the electrodes. The controller controls the state of the polymer/liquid crystal filler material during scanning of a document and during white calibration of the scanner.

Liquid crystal document handler CVT glass

What is disclosed is an apparatus and method for calibrating an optical module of a document scanning device. In one embodiment, imaging sensors of an optical module of the scanning device are used to obtain an image scan of a calibration strip mounted on a surface of a platen on which a sheet to be scanned has been manually placed. The calibration strip has a first vertical line at a first distance from a right edge of the strip, a second vertical line at a second distance from a left edge of the strip, and a sloping horizontal line positioned between the first and second vertical lines. A slope of the horizontal line is non-zero. In a manner more fully disclosed herein, the image scan of the calibration strip is to obtain calibration measurements. The calibration measurements are, in turn, used to calibrate the scan head of the optical module.

Apparatus and method for optimizing the calibration position for document scanner calibration using a calibration strip

Printing devices include (and printing methods use) among other components, a processor, a printing engine operatively connected to the processor, a media supply tray operatively connected to the processor, etc. The media supply tray supplies sheets of media to the printing engine. The media supply tray has a light visible from the exterior of the printer. The processor controls the light to display different colors indicating different media loading conditions of the media supply tray. The different loading conditions can include a tray in use condition (indicated by the light displaying a first color); tray scheduled for use condition (indicated by the light displaying a second color); tray not in use condition (indicated by the light displaying a third color); tray empty condition, indicated by the light displaying a fourth color; etc.

Media supply tray having multi-color exterior light indicating different media loading conditions

The present application discloses methods and systems for calibrating a scanning system. The scanning system comprises a light-transmissive platen defining a top surface and a bottom surface, a controller, a document handler, and a scanner bar for recording image data from documents at various document heights. In one embodiment, the calibration method proposes the use of two calibration strips in a document scanning system that has both platen scanning and Constant Velocity Transport (CVT) scanning modes. In another embodiment, a scanner is disclosed with a dual calibration target or a single calibration target that is manufactured with two (2) different heights to correct the illumination profile at the CVT scanning height or at the platen scanning height.

Document handler using dual height calibration target for automatic calibration

An illuminator includes a light guide having a light source that is configured to emit light along a length of the light guide. The light guide further includes outcoupling zones affixed to a rear portion of the light guide, each zones affixed a predetermined distance from each other zone, which are configured to direct at least a portion of the emitted light. The light guide also includes a first diffuser that corresponds to a front portion of the light guide, and which operates to diffuse emitted light exiting the front portion of light guide. The illuminator further includes a secondary diffuser that is located a predetermined distance from the front portion of the light guide forming an air gap there between. The secondary diffuser is configured to further diffuse the at least a portion of the emitted light diffused by the first diffuser after passage through the air gap.

Method and apparatus for correcting light guide patterning with a secondary diffuser

Disclosed are embodiments of document scanner, a method and a program storage device wherein the scan mode is automatically adjusted to fall within standards established to prevent vision damage and/or discomfort and to still allow for high-resolution scanning. Specifically, the platen cover of the document scanner can be operatively connected to the scan carriage such that the mode at which the scan carriage operates depends upon the detected position of the platen cover. When the platen cover is closed, the scan carriage can automatically illuminate the document being scanned at a relatively high light intensity level and can move at a relatively fast speed. When the platen cover is opened, the scan carriage can automatically illuminate the document being scanned at a lower light intensity level and, optionally, can move at a slower speed to compensate for the lower light intensity level.

Document scanner, an associated method of operating a document scanner, and an associated program storage device

A scanner apparatus and method includes an optical scanner, at least one movable carriage associated with the optical scanner, and a point sensor that rides the movable carriage to measure a slow scan document width associated with a document scanned by the optical scanner. The point sensor moves in a slow scan direction with respect to the document scanned by the optical scanner. The point sensor also includes a single moving size sensor that improves a resolution by which a size associated with the document is determinable.

Dynamic scanner with width sensing and single point sensor

According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided methods and systems for correcting illumination defects in document handlers. A document handler successively moves an image-bearing sheet past an image sensor, when the edges of the document passes over the edge guide near a constant velocity transport roll the document tends to flick down onto the image sensor causing a lightness change at the edges. The proposed correction is dynamically adjusting the light source or dynamically adjusting the automatic gain control (AGC) of the imaging sensor. The method comprises characterizing an optical signal reflected from an image-bearing sheet as it passes a scan window, determining the illumination defects in at least one edge region based on the reflected signal, and adjusting the gain of the imaging sensor or the light level during receipt of the optical signal.

Duplexing document handler with defect reduction

A dual mode imaging system includes a dual wavelength ROS suitable for imaging xerographic media and erasable media. When included in an imaging system this includes media transport for selectively conveying non-erasable and erasable media to corresponding imaging positions in the dual mode imaging system. The system further includes a photoreceptor and a raster scanned light beam positioned to selectively image one of the photoreceptor and the erasable media. The media transport includes a non-erasable media transport path and an erasable media transport path, the erasable media transport path diverted from the non-erasable media transport path. An erasable medium in the diverted erasable media transport path intercepts a UV imaging raster scanned light beam, and in the absence of an erasable medium, the photoreceptor intercepts an IR raster scanned light beam.

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Hertford, United Kingdom

Paul Simon Golding