Method for Controlling Media Bubble Formation in an Imaging Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004201-A1
Application number	US-201414253952-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 16, 2014
Priority date	Apr 16, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of controlling bubble formation in a media sheet between two sets of media feed roll pairs using a single media edge detector positioned downstream of the upstream media feed roll pair. The method may also be practiced using a bubble chamber positioned between the two sets of media feed roll pairs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . In an imaging device having a first media feed roll pair and second media feed roll pairs positioned along a media path, the second media feed roll pair being positioned downstream of the first media feed roll pair in a media process direction with the distance between the first and second media feed roll pairs having sufficient volume to allow for buckling of a media sheet therebetween, the first media feed roll pair coupled to a first motor and the second media feed roll pair coupled to a second motor, a media edge sensor positioned adjacent to and downstream of a feed nip of the first media feed roll pair, the media edge sensor having an output signal having a first state and a second state, and a controller in operative communication with the first and second motors and the media edge sensor, a method for controlling bubble formation in a media sheet being fed in the media process direction, the method comprising:
initializing the media edge sensor and the output signal thereof to a first state and initializing the second media feed roll pair to a first state; energizing the first motor for rotating the first media feed roll pair in the media process direction for feeding the media sheet in a media process direction toward the second media feed roll pair; detecting the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the first media edge sensor from the first state to the second state due to the passage of a leading edge of the media sheet; continuing feeding the media sheet in a media process direction toward the second media feed roll pair; detecting the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the media edge sensor from the second state to the first state thereof indicating the formation of a bubble in the media sheet being fed; and upon detecting the change of state of the output signal of the media edge sensor from the second state to the first state thereof, placing the second media feed roll pair into a second state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state of the second media feed roll pair is one of stopped state and a rotating state in a direction opposite to the media process direction.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second state of the second media feed roll pair is rotating in the media process direction.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state of the second media feed roll pair is a stopped state, and, after detecting the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the first media edge sensor from the first state to the second state due to the passage of a leading edge of the media sheet and continuing feeding the media sheet in a media process direction, when the media sheet is feed past the first feed roll pair a predetermined amount, rotating the second media feed roll pair in the media process direction.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein after a predetermined amount of time after the leading edge of the media is detected, performing one of rotating the second media feed roll pair at a slower speed than the first media feed roll pair and rotating the first media feed roll pair at a higher speed than the second media feed roll pair.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the media edge sensor from the first state to the second state due to the passage of a leading edge of the media sheet is not detected, providing an error indication.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the media edge sensor from the second state to the first state is not detected, providing an error indication.

8 . In an imaging device having alignment assembly including a pair of spaced opposed media guides forming a bubble chamber therebetween and about a media path, a media feed roll pair positioned adjacent an entrance of the chamber, an alignment roll pair positioned downstream of and adjacent to an exit of the bubble chamber in a media process direction, the media feed roll pair coupled to a first motor and the alignment roll pair coupled to a second motor, a media edge sensor positioned adjacent to and downstream of a feed nip of the media feed roll pair, the media edge sensor having an output signal having a first state and a second state, and a controller in operative communication with the first and second motors and the media edge sensor, a method for controlling bubble formation in a media sheet being fed in the media process direction, the method comprising:
initializing the media edge sensor and the output signal thereof to a first state and initializing the alignment roll pair to a first state; energizing the first motor for rotating the media feed roll pair in the media process direction for feeding the media sheet in a media process direction into the entrance of the bubble chamber; detecting the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the first media edge sensor from the first state to the second state due to the passage of a leading edge of the media sheet; continuing feeding the media sheet into the bubble chamber in a media process direction; detecting the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the media edge sensor from the second state to the first state thereof indicating the formation of a bubble in the media sheet being fed; and, upon detecting the change of state of the output signal of the media edge sensor from the second state to the first state thereof, placing the alignment roll pair into a second state.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first state of the alignment roll pair is one of stopped state and a rotating state in a direction opposite to the media process direction.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second state of the alignment roll pair is rotating in the media process direction.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein, when the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the first media edge sensor from the first state to the second state due to the passage of a leading edge of the media sheet is not detected, providing an error indication.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein, when the occurrence of a change in the output signal of the first media edge sensor from the second state to the first state is not detected, providing an error indication.

13 . In an imaging device having a alignment assembly including a pair of spaced opposed media guides forming a bubble chamber about a media path, a motor-driven media feed roll pair positioned adjacent an entrance of the bubble chamber, a motor driven alignment roll pair positioned downstream of and adjacent to an exit of the bubble chamber in a media process direction, a first media edge sensor positioned adjacent to and downstream of a feed nip of the media feed roll pair, the first media edge sensor having an output signal having a first state and a second state, and a controller operatively coupled with the media feed roll pair the alignment roll pair and the first media edge sensor, a method for controlling bubble formation in a media sheet being fed through the bubble chamber in the media process direction, the method comprising:
initializing the output signal of the first media edge sensor to the first state thereof; rotating the alignment roll pair in a direction opposite to the media process direction; feeding of the media sheet from the media feed roll pair into the bubble chamber by driving the media feed roll pair in the media process direction; detecting the occurrence of the output signal of the first media edge sensor changing from the first state to the second state thereof due to the passage of a leading edge of the media sheet; continuing

Assignees

• Lexmark Int Inc

Inventors

• Jones Philip David
• Tonges Jeffrey Lawrence

Classifications

• G03G15/5062 Primary

  by measuring the characteristics of an image on the copy material · CPC title

• B65H2513/512

  Starting; Stopping · CPC title

• B65H2553/61

  Mechanical means, e.g. contact arms · CPC title

• G03G2215/00704

  Curl adding, bending · CPC title

• B65H9/006

  the stop being formed by forwarding means in stand-by · CPC title