Patent US3013936A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3833911A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3833911A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Reproduction system and method with simplex and duplex modes of operation
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1972-12-29
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Granted: 1974-09-03
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Expires: 1992-12-29
Abstract
Abstract This invention is for a reproduction system and method capable of producing collated copy sets for both simplex and duplex modes of operation. For simplex operation copies from the processor are inverted by an inverting apparatus which includes a horizontal vacuum transport which positively positions a sheet onto a vertical vacuum transport upon activation of deflector fingers. The vertical transport reverses in response to signals to deliver the sheets onto the horizontal transport with trailing edge becoming leading edge. The horizontal transport delivers copies to an array of tray members which are moved past a sheet discharge zone in timed relation to receive the copy sheets and collate them. For duplex operating inverting is omitted with the sheets moving from horizontal transport directly to the trays.
Inventors
- 👤 J Caldwell
- 👤 D Stemmle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:21
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/23; G03G15/231; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S101/00; Y10S101/37; Y10S271/00; Y10S271/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A reproduction system for producing collated sets of document information in both simplex and duplex form comprising; processing means for producing simplex and duplex copies from document information according to a desired mode of operation, transport means for receiving copy sheets from the processing means and transporting them to a discharge zone, sheet inverting means positioned in the sheet path of the transport means operative to move sheets away from said transport means and return the sheets thereto with trailing edge becoming leading edge in response to signals, an array of tray members operative to move past said sheet discharge zone to receive sheets in said tray membeRs, and control means to actuate said sheet inverting means to invert sheets according to whether copies are produced in simplex or duplex mode of operation and to move said trays past said sheet discharge zone in timed relation to receive simplex and duplex copies to produce collated sets thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A reproduction system for producing collated sets of document information in both simplex and duplex form comprising; processing means for producing simplex and duplex copies from document information according to a desired mode of operation, transport means for receiving copy sheets from the processing means and transporting them to a discharge zone, sheet inverting means positioned in the sheet path of the transport means operative to move sheets away from said transport means and return the sheets thereto with trailing edge becoming leading edge in response to signals, an array of tray members operative to move past said sheet discharge zone to receive sheets in said tray membeRs, and control means to actuate said sheet inverting means to invert sheets according to whether copies are produced in simplex or duplex mode of operation and to move said trays past said sheet discharge zone in timed relation to receive simplex and duplex copies to produce collated sets thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said sheet inverting means includes a gate member to direct sheets onto conveyor means which operate to reverse direction at a predetermined time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said tray members are driven by camming means adapted to be energized to advance the tray members towards the discharge zone and de-energized for a time sufficient to receive a sheet into a selected tray member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said tray members are arranged in a nest until positioned in the sheet discharge zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 4 wherein said tray members are arranged in groups, each group being separated by a spacing larger than the spacing between individual tray members.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of producing collated sets of simplex and duplex copies from document information comprising the steps of copying document information to produce simplex and duplex copies thereof, immediately after producing simplex copies distributing the copies to a convyor face down, and immediately after producing duplex copies distributing the copies to a conveyor face up, sorting the copies advanced by the conveyor into trays continuously until the document information is reproduced into collated sets.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of producing collated sets of simplex and duplex copies from document information comprising the steps of copying document information to produce simplex and duplex copies thereof, immediately after producing simplex copies distributing the copies to a convyor face down, and immediately after producing duplex copies distributing the copies to a conveyor face up, sorting the copies advanced by the conveyor into trays continuously until the document information is reproduced into collated sets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said copying step is by electrostatic recording on plain paper.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said trays are moved relative to the sheet path in reciprocating fashion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a reproduction system for producing both simplex and duplex copy sheets through copying processing stations according to a desired mode of operation, an improved copy sheet handling apparatus for producing collated sets of both simplex and duplex copy sheets comprising, conveyor means for advancing copy sheets received from copy processing stations towards sorting means, sheet inverting means positioned in the sheet path of said conveyor means operative to move sheets away from said conveyor means and return the sheets thereto with trailing edge becoming leading edge in response to signals, sorting means positioned to receive copy sheets advanced from said conveyor means and operative to sort the sheets into collated sets in response to signals, and control means to energize said sheet inverting means to invert copy sheets selectively according to whether copy sheets are produced in a duplex or simplex mode of operation and to energize said sorting means to sort the sheets into sets thereby producing collated sets in both simplex and duplex modes of operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
169 words
In a reproduction system for producing both simplex and duplex copy sheets through copying processing stations according to a desired mode of operation, an improved copy sheet handling apparatus for producing collated sets of both simplex and duplex copy sheets comprising, conveyor means for advancing copy sheets received from copy processing stations towards sorting means, sheet inverting means positioned in the sheet path of said conveyor means operative to move sheets away from said conveyor means and return the sheets thereto with trailing edge becoming leading edge in response to signals, sorting means positioned to receive copy sheets advanced from said conveyor means and operative to sort the sheets into collated sets in response to signals, and control means to energize said sheet inverting means to invert copy sheets selectively according to whether copy sheets are produced in a duplex or simplex mode of operation and to energize said sorting means to sort the sheets into sets thereby producing collated sets in both simplex and duplex modes of operation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |