Systems and methods for implementing selectable input media routing of multiple input media forms from multiple axes in image forming devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10102456-B2
Application number	US-201615143432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for configuring media transport flow paths for directing input image receiving media, including of different types, in sheet or roll form from multiple axes to provide wider latitude in selecting particular input image receiving media and combinations of input image receiving media to support execution of a print job. The disclosed schemes are directed at using one or more stationary turn bars disposed generally at 45° in an input media transport path approaching a marking module in an image forming system to allow for sheets or sheeted materials to be positioned at 90° to the in-line input image receiving media transport path directed toward the marking module thus allowing for flexibility in selection among various sources of stacked, pallet and rolled media.

First claim

I claim:

1. An image receiving media transport module, comprising:
a first image receiving media substrate source;
a second image receiving media substrate source;
a first transport path for transporting image receiving media substrate sheets from the first image receiving media source to a common output;
a second transport path for transporting image receiving media substrate sheets from the second image receiving media source to the common output,
an exit portion of the first transport path upstream of the common output in a process direction and an exit portion of the second transport path upstream of the common output in the process direction being coincident;
at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including a stationary turn bar arranged at 45° to the process direction upstream of the common output to align the exit portions of the first transport path and second transport path coincidently with one another, the stationary turn bar having an outer surface; and

at least one guide device separate from and extending around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar and configured to guide the image receiving media substrate sheets circulating around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar, the at least one guide device routed around the stationary turn bar to present the image receiving media substrate sheets around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar, the image receiving media substrate sheets circulating around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar being separate individual substrate sheets having a length, the at least one guide device having a length along the at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including the stationary turn bar that is greater than the length of the image receiving media substrate sheets.

2. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , the image receiving media substrate sheets approaching the stationary turn bar with a leading edge of the image receiving media substrate sheets proceeding in a first direction, the image receiving media substrate sheets circulating around the turn bar to exit the turn bar with the same leading edge proceeding in a second direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction.

3. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , the at least one guide device cooperating with the stationary turn bar to guide the image receiving media toward the stationary turn bar with a leading edge of the image receiving media substrate sheets proceeding in a first direction and to exit guide the image receiving media substrate sheets away from the stationary turn bar with the leading edge proceeding in a second direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction.

4. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , the at least one guide device being a fixed guide device.

5. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , the at least one guide device being a belt guide device.

6. The image receiving media transport module of claim 5 , the belt guide device being a pair of cooperating conveyor belts configured to sandwich the image receiving media substrate sheets in circulation around the stationary turn bar, one of the pair of cooperating conveyor belts routed around the stationary turn bar and configured to hold the image receiving media substrate sheets between the one conveyor belt and the stationary turn bar.

7. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , the first image receiving media substrate source being in line with the exit portion of the first transport path making the first transport path an inline transport path from the first image receiving media substrate source to the common output.

8. The image receiving media transport module of claim 7 , the second image receiving media substrate source being offset from the exit portion of the second transport path.

9. The image receiving media transport module of claim 8 , the second image receiving media substrate source being positioned such that a first portion of the second transport path is orthogonal to the inline transport path, the stationary turn bar being arranged at 45° in the first portion to align a second portion of the second transport path with the inline transport path.

10. The image receiving media transport module of claim 8 , the second image receiving media substrate source being positioned such that a first portion of the second transport path is parallel to the inline transport path, a first stationary turn bar being arranged at 45° in the first portion to align a second portion of the second transport path orthogonally to the inline transport path, and a second stationary turn bar being arranged at 45° in the second portion to align a third portion of the second transport path with the inline transport path.

11. The image receiving media transport module of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least a third image receiving media substrate source; and
at least a third transport path for transporting image receiving media substrate sheets from the third image receiving media substrate source to the common output,
the third image receiving media substrate source being positioned such that a first portion of the third transport path is orthogonal to the inline transport path, another stationary turn bar being arranged at 45° in the first portion to align a second portion of the third transport path with the inline transport path.

12. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , each of the first transport path and the second transport path including a stationary turn bar arranged at 45° to the process direction upstream of the common output to align the exit portions of the first transport path and second transport path coincidently with one another.

13. The image receiving media transport module of claim 1 , at least one of the first image receiving media substrate source and the second substrate source being a pallet substrate source.

14. A method for transporting image receiving media sheets in an image forming device, comprising:
providing first image receiving media sheets at a first image receiving media substrate source;
providing second image receiving media sheets at a second image receiving media substrate source;
selectively transporting the first image receiving media sheets along a first image receiving media transport path to an input of a marking engine;
selectively transporting the second image receiving media sheets along a second image receiving media transport path to the input of the marking engine,
an exit portion of the first transport path upstream of the input to the media marking engine in a process direction and an exit portion of the second transport path upstream of the input to the media marking engine in the process direction being coincident with each other, and
at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including a stationary turn bar arranged at 45° to the process direction upstream of the input to the media marking engine to align the exit portions of the first transport path and second transport path coincidently with each other, the stationary turn bar having an outer surface;

employing at least one guide device adjacent to and extending around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar to guide at least one of the first image receiving media sheets and the second image receiving media sheets circulating around the stationary turn bar, the at least one guide device routed around the stationary turn bar; and
presenting the at least one of the first image receiving media shee

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Herrmann Douglas K

Classifications

• B65H2402/10

  Modular constructions, e.g. using preformed elements or profiles · CPC title

• B41J13/00

  Devices or arrangements {of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers,} specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets · CPC title

• G06K15/16

  Means for paper feeding or form feeding · CPC title

• B41J11/52

  in which one paper or set is moved transversely relative to another · CPC title

• B65H2301/3121

  L-shaped · CPC title