Kodak Alaris Inc.

Eastman-Kodak Company

Thomas Middleton

Daniel Phinney

Bruce A Link

John Fagan

David M Schaertel

Swapnil Sakharshete

Randall R Maysick

Anthony A Syracuse

Systems and methods for detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system are disclosed. One or more induction sensors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the transported media, with detection signals sent from the sensors to a system processing unit. An ultrasonic detector is employed in some embodiments to output another detection signal. One or more microphones may also be included, for detecting the sound created as the medium is being transported. The system processing unit analyzes various detection signals and analyzes computed sound values from the microphones, to determine the presence and location of metal in the media. A position jam detector may assist in determining jams of the media along the medium transport path.

System and method for metallic object detection in a media transport system

A system and method of detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system is disclosed. One or more metal detectors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the medium being transported. Signals from the metal detectors are sent to a system processor, which analyzes the signals, and produces proximity, duration, and/or intensity values therefrom. One or more microphones may also be included which detect the sound created as the medium is being transported. The processor computes sound values from the microphone signals, and analyzes the computed sound values along with the proximity, duration, and/or intensity values in order determine if the conveyance of the medium along the transport path should be stopped due to the presence of metal in the media or a jam occurring within the medium transport path.

Sheet media jams are detected along a media transport path by one or more vibration sensors that capture mechanical movements of components along the path that interact with the sheet media for driving or guiding the sheet media along the transport path. The detected vibrations during the advancing of the sheets are analyzed for distinguishing between detected vibrations associated with normal handling of the sheets and detected vibrations associated with abnormal handling of the sheets. An error condition can be signaled to a control system in response to distinguishing the detected vibrations associated with the abnormal handling of the sheets.

Detection of process abnormalities in a media processing system

A method for preventing damage to a document by a document transport apparatus provides a member for receiving the document as a stack of sheets to be serial fed to a feeding station. At least two spaced-apart microphones are disposed at the feeding station and responsive to audio to produce signals representing audio energy received by each microphone respectively. The energy received from each microphone is compared to determine if it is ambient noise or if it indicates that two attached sheets are being fed or a single sheet is being damaged. The document transport apparatus is shut off to prevent damage to documents when it has been determined that two attached sheets are being fed or that a single sheet is being damaged.

Jam sensing at document feeding station

A document handling apparatus having a document transport path for moving a document therethrough. A detector proximate the transport detects a multifeed indication in the transport path or a misfeed indication in the transport path. A processing system processes the indications and issues a termination signal if a multifeed or a misfeed, or both, is determined.

Combined ultrasonic-based multifeed detection system and sound-based damage detection system

A method for feeding sheets through a sheet transport path. Ultrasonic energy is directed toward a sheet in the transport path while an audio receiver detects audio data generated by the ultrasonic source and the mechanisms that transport the sheet. The audio data is processed to determine whether a multifeed or a misfeed condition exists in the transport path.

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Scottsville, NY, United States of America

Thomas Middleton