International Business Machines Corporation

Robert T Ritchie

James H Hubbard

Donald F Colglazier

Gerald B Lammers

Arthur L Mix, Jr

Michael L Morris

Gary A Drago

An electrophotographic copying apparatus includes a multi-function document feeder for feeding original document sheets to a platen viewing station for copying. The document feeder selectively provides (1) semiautomatic document feeding (SADF), (2) automatic document feeding (ADF), (3) recirculating automatic document feeding (RADF), and (4) manual placement of a document on the platen. A multi-function output copy module is provided for holding copies produced by the copying apparatus. The output module proivdes (1) a collator section comprising a vertical stack of collator bins, the unobstructed top bin of which also comprises (2) an exit tray, and (3) a large capacity exit bin that is located under the bottom one of the collator bins. The mode of operation of the output module is automatically determined in accordance with (1) the manner in which the operator elects to use the document feeder, and (2) the copier features, such as the number of copies or copy sets requested, use of a stapler, and/or job queuing, that are selected by the operator. In an embodiment of the invention, when a number of copy sets are to be made from an original set, the original set is first fed to the platen using the ADF. During this procss, the first copy set is produced. As the sheets thereafter leave the platen, the sheets are fed to the RADF. The original set is then recirculated to the platen, one recirculation for each of the remaining copy sets to be produced.

Copying method and apparatus

During the startup and/or shutdown cycle of an ink jet printer, a movable probe in the form of a thin hollow tube, is inserted into the flight path of the ink droplets. The tube is normally positioned relative to the droplets flight path. At the shutdown cycle, the charge electrode is removed from the vicinity of the jet streams. The undeflected droplets are caught by the hollow tube. The tube is then moved to a position next to the nozzle plate. The ink jet printer head may then be turned off and all ink is caught in the tube. At startup the sequence is reversed until the tube is back at its normal position.

Ink jet with retractable electrode and secondary ink catcher

A low inertia rotary drum supports sheets of paper of different sizes for transport and processing. The drum has a plurality of leading edge ports formed in its surface along the length of the drum. A vacuum is selectively applied to one or more of the ports in accordance with the dimension of the paper in the direction of the length of the drum. The drum has a plurality of sets of trailing edge ports formed in its surface with each of the sets being disposed a predetermined arcuate distance from the set of leading edge ports in accordance with the other dimension of the paper. Each set of trailing edge ports has the ports arranged longitudinally along the drum and parallel to the set of leading edge ports. Only one set of trailing edge ports extends for the same length as the set of the leading edge ports. One of the sets of the trailing edge ports has a vacuum applied thereto with the same number of ports of the trailing edge set having the vacuum applied thereto as the number of the leading edge ports.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Robert T Ritchie