Accessory for use in copying bound materials

Details Accessory for use in copying bound materials Accessory for use in copying bound materials

1999-11-09

2001-02-27

Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)

Photocopying

Projection printing and copying cameras

Copying both sides of original

C355S082000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06195152

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to accessories for use in copying bound materials, such as text books, using a copier such as a photocopier or a flat bed scanner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bound materials, such as text books, are often difficult to photocopy or scan using a photocopier or a flat bed scanner, respectively. A substantial downward pressure is required to force a particular page or pages of the bound material onto a planar scanning window of the photocopier or flat bed scanner so that the print which is close to the binding region of the bound material may come within the optical field of view of an optical reader disposed on the other side of the window. Sometimes, even with applied pressure, it is still not possible to bring the print within the field of view of the optical reader. As a result, in the case of photocopiers, the copy made may be blurred in the binding region. In the case of scanners, material near the binding region may be missed. Also, the downward pressure may damage the spine or binding of the bound material and increase the wear and tear of a copier scanning window thereby necessitating replacement of the material and window earlier than desired.
The present invention is intended to overcome the above difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an accessory for use in copying a page of a bound material using a copier having a scanning window and an optical reader on one side of the window. The accessory includes a page engaging member for engaging a face of the page to be copied, the page engaging member having a light transmitting element engageable with a main portion of the face, and a side edge engageable with the face near a binding region of the bound material. The light transmitting element is adapted to transmit light from the copier to the main portion and back to the copier for processing by the optical reader. The accessory further includes a locator coupled to the page engaging member for locating the page in a selected position relative to the light transmitting element and means coupled to the page engaging member for positioning the accessory relative to the copier with the light transmitting element in registration with the window. When the accessory is so positioned, the page of the bound material may be placed face down against the page engaging member in a selected position using the locator with the main portion of the face engaging the light transmitting element and the side edge engaging the face near the binding region such that an opposite page or pages of the bound material can be made to extend beyond said side edge in a direction towards the window to minimize stress to the binding region and to ensure that the page to be copied will lie effectively flat for the purpose of producing a clear or complete copy.
Devices according to the present invention make it possible for a user to photocopy or scan a complete page of a bound material without the need to place a substantial downward pressure on the bound volume. The locator allows a user to quickly align pages of a bound material during copying for consistent results.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4068950 (1978-01-01), Kito
patent: 5053819 (1991-10-01), Malyon et al.
patent: 5572284 (1996-11-01), Fujioka
patent: 5712718 (1998-01-01), Chen
patent: 5751461 (1998-05-01), Chen et al.

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