Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

International Business Machines Corporation

Seng San Koh

Pui Wen Huang

Cherng Linn Teo

Kok Chai Chong

Tong Nam Samuel Low

Manish Agarwal

Kok Weng Chan

Michael Nordlund

Francisco Deligero Liwa

Ban Ho Chong

Cher Lek Toh

Jun Hong Goh

Christ Lestario

Wee Lian Tan

Chen Liu

Dhanalakshmi Sundaram

Eng Guan Yeo

Chiang Qiyu

Changguo Mike Yang

Wei Chun Lim

Teck Cheng Tan

Fei Yuan Louisa Koh

Rhea Patricia Liem

Wui Jein Richard Koh

Examples relating to determining stack height in imaging devices are described herein. According to one example, an imaging device includes an input roller assembly to transport a print medium towards an image-forming assembly of the imaging device. The input roller assembly can include a pinch roller for drawing the print medium from a media stack. The imaging device further includes a pressure plate movably coupled to a body portion of the imaging device and biased towards the pinch roller. The pressure plate may hold the media stack between itself and the pinch roller and is movable by a first distance from a neutral position when the media stack is there between. The first distance is measured from a fixed point to a measurement region on the pressure plate and can indicate an instantaneous stack height of the media stack.

Stack height in imaging devices

A spring kicker element for a kicker unit within a print device is described. In one example, the spring kicker element is fitted onto the kicker unit. The spring kicker element comprises a planar extension extending radially from its base portion, such that when fitted, the planar extension extends away from the kicker unit.

Spring kicker element

Detecting a continuous level of paper in a paper supply providing paper for a printing device. A length of the paper supply includes applied indicia, with the indicia extend contiguously across the length of the paper supply. When a paper section is dispensed, the position of the indicia on the dispensed portion of paper is determined, with the position reflecting a level pertaining to the paper supply remaining or dispensed.

Paper level measurement

An apparatus for adjusting a spacing between a printhead and a print medium in a printer is provided. The printhead is mounted in a carriage which is slidable along a guiding rod. The apparatus includes a first and second assembly for adjusting a position of a first and second portion of the carriage, respectively. The second assembly includes a camshaft attached to and slidable with respect to the carriage, one or more cams attached to the camshaft, and a bushing member. A first surface of the bushing member abuts a predefined profile of the cam, and a second surface of the bushing member abuts the guiding rod. The sliding of the camshaft with respect to the carriage causes a distance between the bushing member and the camshaft to vary according to the predefined profile of the cam. Accordingly, the spacing between the printhead and the print medium is adjusted.

Apparatus for adjusting a spacing between a printhead and a print medium in a printer

A kicker system comprises a rotatable roller for advancing media along a media path toward a print zone. A kicker is mounted on the roller for pivotal movement transverse to the rotational axis of the roller. A cam surface configured to engage the kicker during a portion of a rotation of the roller to thereby pivotably retract the kicker out of the media path. The kicker can be selectively actuated by controlling the relative rotation of the roller and the cam surface.

Active media kicker system

A sheet separator includes an advancing roller driven to rotate to move a sheet forwards along a sheet path, and a reversing roller driven to rotate to move a sheet backwards along the path. The reversing roller and advancing roller are mounted adjacently and are relatively movable between a pinched position and a separated position. The reversing roller has a torque limiter for allowing the reversing roller to slip and counter-rotate with the advancing roller when friction applied by the advancing roller on the pinched reversing roller exceeds a preset value. Overriding roller mounted therein allows a sheet to pass over a roller when the rollers are separated and to remain idle when the rollers are pinched.

Sheet separator

An embodiment of the invention provides a mechanism for controlling at least one ink transmission module, which controls a supply of ink using received control rotation. The mechanism includes an input, to receive control rotation. The mechanism also includes an output, to selectively transfer the control rotation to the ink transmission module. A control system is also provided to control the selective transfer of the output. The mechanism is moveable into a disengaged configuration by the control system, in which the output does not transfer rotation of the input to the ink transmission module, by a first predetermined sequence of rotations of the input, and into an engaged configuration, in which the output transfers rotation of the input to the ink transmission module, by a second predetermined sequence of rotations of the input.

Printing ink delivery control mechanism

A mechanism for sensing the status of a media stack tray which dispenses media to a printing device, the media stack tray being associated with a dispensing device which dispenses media from the media stack tray. The mechanism includes a probe having at least two positions such that the probe is located in a first position when the media stack tray has an empty status and is located in a second position when the media stack tray has a loaded status. The probe is mounted relative to the media stack tray so that when the media stack tray has a loaded status the media is normally located between the probe and the dispensing device. The mechanism also includes a detector for detecting the position of the probe.

Media stack tray status mechanism

A moisture removal mechanism comprises a drying zone through which product to be dried passes. A fluid circulation path is in fluid communication with the drying zone. A forced fluid feed device directs drying fluid to and from the drying zone, the fluid feed device being mounted in the fluid circulation path. A heater is arranged in the fluid circulation path for heating the drying fluid prior to entry of the fluid into the drying zone. A fluid control arrangement is arranged in the fluid circulation path for controlling moisture content of the drying fluid, the fluid control arrangement being responsive to flow of fluid in the fluid circulation path.

Moisture removal mechanism

The invention relates to a pick arm for picking a media from a media stack. The pick arm includes a first arm section and a second arm section which are pivotally connected together. Each of the first and second arm sections have respective first and second ends. A media roller is attached to the first end of the first arm section and the second end of the second arm section is attached to drive means configured to apply a torque to the pick arm. When the applied torque is insufficient to enable the pick arm to pick up a media and drive it up a separation wall, the media roller is arranged to automatically move from a first position to a second position. The second position being located distal from the first position in a direction away from the separation wall.

Auto compliant pick arm

A printer, which can detect a media sheet type, includes: a light emitting source and a reflector, the light emitting source being capable of emitting light in a light emission direction towards the reflector, the reflector being arranged in light emission direction and being capable of reflecting light emitted by the light emitting source in a light reflection direction; a detector being arranged such that it can detect reflected light; and a controller connected to the reflector, the controller being capable of modulating a characteristic of the reflected light.

Reflective type media sensing methodology

An indicator for continuously indicating the status of a media stack in a media tray is disclosed. This indicator functions independently of a media stack support in a printer. The indicator includes an indicator lever and a probe member. The indicator lever is pivotably mounted and can be tilted between two predetermined extreme positions. The probe member has a shaft which is also pivotably mounted. An engaging arm extends from the shaft. In operation, the shaft is tilted according to the status of the media stack in the media tray. As the shaft is tilted, the engaging arm engages the indicator lever, tilting the indicator lever to a position between the two extreme positions to indicate the status of the media stack.

Growing community of inventors

Singapore, Singapore

Seng San Koh