Electrophotography – Machine operation – Job mode
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-07
2003-05-20
Grainger, Quana M. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Job mode
C399S407000, C399S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06567628
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention claimed and disclosed herein pertains to generating images on sheets of media (as in printing or photocopying) and correctly orientation the post-imaging media so that document finishing can be correctly applied.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards methods and apparatus to facilitate achieving the correct orientation of a sheet of imaged media so that post-imaging “finishing” can be correctly applied to the sheet. More specifically, the present invention is intended for use in photocopies and printers and other devices which generate an image on sheets of media. We will refer to all such devices generally as “imaging devices”. The present invention is directed particularly towards digital imaging devices. These devices use a digital file in order to direct the print engine of the imaging device to generate the image represented by the digital file onto the media. The digital file can be transmitted to the imaging device from a remote source, such as a connected computer or a via a communication device. The digital file can also be created by the imaging device when the imaging device includes a scanner which first scans an object (such as a document) and then generates a digital file of the scanned image. Certain imaging devices can both receive digital files from external sources, as well as internally generate the digital file using a scanner. Digital imaging devices typically use an electrophotographic imaging process to generate images on sheets of media, although other processes, such as ink-jet printing and thermal printing, can also be employed. These imaging processes, and the imaging devices which perform them, are all well understood in the art and do not need to be described further herein.
When we use the expression “sheets of media” in the present discussion we mean media on which an image can be generated by the imaging device. For example, sheets of media can include paper, transparencies, envelopes, card stock, labels and other media which can be processed by the imaging device in order to generate an image on the media. Although the present invention pertains to both photocopying and printing processes, we will use the term “copy product” to refer to media on which an image has been generated by an imaging device.
Many advanced imaging devices are configured to apply post-imaging “finishing” to the copy product. For example, such finishing can include stapling multiple sheets of copy product to one another, punching one or more holes in the copy product so that it can be inserted into a binder or the like, and binding sheets of copy product together in the form of a booklet. These finishing processes are performed by what we will term “finishing devices”, which are typically integrated into the imaging.device such that the finishing processes are performed automatically or semi-automatically. Such finishing devices are well known in the art and will not be described further herein.
For most finishing processes it is important that the copy product be properly oriented with respect to the finishing device so that the finishing process is correctly applied to the copy product. By way of illustration,
FIG. 1A
depicts a page
10
, or the top page of stack of sheets, of media which can be placed into a document feeder, or on a flat glass bed, for scanning and copying by an imaging device. The document is presented to the imaging device in the orientation depicted, with the top edge
11
of the document
10
on the left as viewed from above by a user. Let us assume that the imaging device is provided with a document sheet feeder, and further that pages of a document to be copied are intended to be placed in the document feeder in a face-up orientation, and in the direction depicted in FIG.
1
A. The resulting copy product
20
is depicted in FIG.
2
A. The copy product has finishing applied in the way of a staple “S” on the left side
25
of the sheet
20
near the upper edge
21
. Three holes “H” are also punched in the copy product
20
along the left side
25
of the document. As can be seen, the finishing has been applied in the “correct” position. That is, based on the orientation of the image consisting of the words “DOCUMENT TO COPY”, the staple “S” will allow a reader of the document to flip the pages in the normal right-to-left manner for most Western languages. Further, if the document were placed in a three-ring binder using the holes “H”, the document could be read by flipping pages in the same right-to-left manner.
However, if a user places the original document in the document feeder in the orientation as depicted in
FIG. 1B
, then a different result occurs.
FIG. 1B
depicts the same document sheet
10
as in
FIG. 1A
, which is assumed to be placed in the same hypothetical imaging device as described above. That is, the document feeder is configured such that the top edge
11
of the document
10
should be placed facing the left side as viewed from above by the user. However, as seen in
FIG. 1B
, the document
10
has been positioned with respect to the document feeder such that the bottom edge
17
of the document
10
is facing to the left. This results in the left side
15
of the document
10
, and the right side
13
of the document, being reversed from the intended “correct” orientation depicted in FIG.
1
A. Ordinarily, if finishing is not to be applied to the finished copy product, then the rotation of the document
10
from the position depicted in
FIG. 1A
to the position depicted in
FIG. 1B
is of little consequence. However, when finishing is applied to the copy product, then there is a problem. This is depicted in
FIG. 2A
which shows the copy product
30
which results when the original document
10
is placed in the orientation depicted in FIG.
1
B. Since most finishing devices are relatively fixed with respect to the copy product, the finishing will be applied incorrectly. Specifically, the staple “S” has now been applied to the right edge
35
of the document near the bottom edge
31
. Likewise, the holes “H” have been applied along the right edge
35
of the document. As is evident, in order to maintain “correct” positioning of the finishing, the staple should have been applied at the left edge
33
of the document near the top edge
37
, and the holes “H” should have been applied along the left edge
33
of the document. While the finishing shown in
FIG. 2B
still allows the document to be read and held into a bound document, it requires a reader of the document to use an unnatural page turning process to turn pages of the document.
One prior art solution to this problem is to provide a visual aid, typically in the way of a graphic, to facilitate the user in properly orienting the document in the document feeder, or on the scanning glass. This is of some help, but it is still possible for the user to incorrectly position the original document with respect to the imaging device scanning section. Further, if the original document contains more than one sheet, and at least one sheet beneath the top sheet is misoriented with respect to the top sheet, then the misoriented sheet will have finishing applied to the wrong edge, even if the user positions the document correctly using the top sheet as a guide.
Another solution might be to configure finishing devices such that they can be relocated in the event the copy product is presented in an incorrect orientation. This solution is impractical since it would require either a very complex mechanical system to perform the relocation of the finishing device, or a high degree of user input. Another solution is for the user to remove the misoriented copy product and reposition it with respect to the finishing device. While this is feasible, it defeats the purpose of integrating the finishing device in the imaging device, i.e., of removing user intervention to apply finishing. Further, none of these solutions address the problem of an original multi-page document having randomly misoriented sheets. This latter situ
Guillemin Gustavo M.
Wiechers Alejandro
Grainger Quana M.
Hewlett--Packard Development Company, L.P.
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