US3914047A — Synchronizing control apparatus for electrophotog…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 169 words

In electrophotographic apparatus having actuable work stations and adapted to utilize an electrophotosensitive web member defining a plurality of selectable image areas and having indicia in a predetermined relationship with respect to the locations of such image areas, said web member being movable along an endless path past a plurality of actuable work stations located along the endless path, said work stations being operative when actuated to perform work operations on selected image areas of the web member, respectively, the improvement comprising: a. means disposed at a fixed location along the path and responsive to such indicia to produce signals representative thereof; and b. logic control means having a digital computer with a stored program and responsive to such signals for actuating said work stations in timed relation to movement of the web member past said fixed location in accordance with the stored program to effect sequential operation of such actuated work stations with respect to selected image areas during movement of the member along the endless path, respectively.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 169 words

In electrophotographic apparatus having actuable work stations and adapted to utilize an electrophotosensitive web member defining a plurality of selectable image areas and having indicia in a predetermined relationship with respect to the locations of such image areas, said web member being movable along an endless path past a plurality of actuable work stations located along the endless path, said work stations being operative when actuated to perform work operations on selected image areas of the web member, respectively, the improvement comprising: a. means disposed at a fixed location along the path and responsive to such indicia to produce signals representative thereof; and b. logic control means having a digital computer with a stored program and responsive to such signals for actuating said work stations in timed relation to movement of the web member past said fixed location in accordance with the stored program to effect sequential operation of such actuated work stations with respect to selected image areas during movement of the member along the endless path, respectively.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuable stations include an exposure station and at least one paper feed station.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

The invention as set forth in claim 2 including a copy handling accessory device couplEd to said electrophotographic apparatus and wherein said computer is adapted to control the operation of said device.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said indicia are equally spaced perforations formed in a plurality of rows along an edge of said web member respectively, and wherein said signal producing means includes bimorph sensors associated with said rows of perforations, respectively.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 47 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal producing means includes a first sensor for sensing the location of each image area on said moving member and a second sensor for sensing the location of portions of said moving member within each image area.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 110 words

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said indicia are a respective set of perforations in said moving member for each of said sensors, each of said sensors including a sensing element disposed toward contacting relationship with said moving member whereby said sensing elements enters a respective perforation to indicate the sensing of that location on the moving member, and said sensing element having an inclined side at its downstream end with respect to the direction of travel of said moving member for contacting the downstream edge of each respective perforation whereby said sensing element is lifted out of its perforation as said moving member continues to move.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said indicia are equally spaced perforations formed in a plurality of rows along an edge of said web member respectively, and wherein said signal producing means includes bimorph sensors associated with said rows of perforations, respectively.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 210 words

In electrophotographic apparatus adapted to make a plurality of copies including actuable work stations and an electrophotosensitive web member defining a plurality of selectable image areas, said web member being movable along an endless path past a plurality of actuable work stations which are operative when actuated to perform work operations on selected image areas of the web member, respectively, the improvement wherein: a. said web member defines a first set of indicia having at least three spaced indicium disposed in predetermined positions to define at least three image areas respectively, and second sets of indicia, each set of which is disposed within an image area, and wherein said apparatus further includes: b. means disposed at a fixed location along the path and responsive to such first and second sets of indicia to produce first and second sets of signals representative thereof, respectively; and c. logic control means having a digital computer actuating said work stations in timed relation to movement of the web member past said fixed location to effect sequential operation of such work stations on such selected image areas during movement of the member along the endless path to form a plurality of copies equal in number to the number of indicia of said first set respectively.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 210 words

In electrophotographic apparatus adapted to make a plurality of copies including actuable work stations and an electrophotosensitive web member defining a plurality of selectable image areas, said web member being movable along an endless path past a plurality of actuable work stations which are operative when actuated to perform work operations on selected image areas of the web member, respectively, the improvement wherein: a. said web member defines a first set of indicia having at least three spaced indicium disposed in predetermined positions to define at least three image areas respectively, and second sets of indicia, each set of which is disposed within an image area, and wherein said apparatus further includes: b. means disposed at a fixed location along the path and responsive to such first and second sets of indicia to produce first and second sets of signals representative thereof, respectively; and c. logic control means having a digital computer actuating said work stations in timed relation to movement of the web member past said fixed location to effect sequential operation of such work stations on such selected image areas during movement of the member along the endless path to form a plurality of copies equal in number to the number of indicia of said first set respectively.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 47 words

The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein said signal producing means includes a first sensor for sensing the location of each image area on said moving member and a second sensor for sensing the location of portions of said moving member within each image area.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 110 words

The invention as set forth in claim 9 wherein said indicia are a respective set of perforations in said moving member for each of said sensors, each of said sensors including a sensing element disposed toward contacting relationship with said moving member whereby said sensing element enters a respective perforation to indicate the sensing of that location on the moving member, and said sensing element having an inclined side at its downstream end with respect to the direction of travel of said moving member for contacting the downstream edge of each respective perforation whereby said sensing element is lifted out of its perforation as said moving member continues to move.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 55 words

The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first and second seTs of indicia are equally spaced perforations formed along an edge of said web member respectively, and wherein said signal producing means includes sensors which sense the presence of perforations and are adapted to produce said first and second sets of signals.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 48 words

The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein said actuable work stations include an exposure station and at least one receiver copy sheet feed station and further wherein said logic and control means in response to said first set of signals actuates said exposure and feed stations.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

The invention as set forth in claim 12 including a copy handling accessory device coupled to said electrophotographic apparatus and wherein said computer is adapted to control the operation of said device.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 55 words

The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first and second sets of indicia are equally spaced perforations formed along an edge of said web member respectively, and wherein said signal producing means includes sensors which sense the presence of perforations and are adapted to produce said first and second sets of signals.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 146 words

In electrophotographic copying apparauts having a plurality of actuable work stations disposed along an endless path for performing work operations at predetermined intervals, the improvement comprising: a. first sensing means disposed at a fixed location along said path responsive to stimuli moving along said path to produce signals representative thereof; b. second sensing means disposed at a fixed location along said path displaced from said first sensing means and responsive to other stimuli moving along said path to produce signals representative of the other stimuli; and c. logic control means having a digital computer with a stored program and responsive to the signals from said first and second sensing means for actuating said work stations in timed relation to the movement of each stimulus past its fixed location in accordance with the stored program to effect sequential operation of said work stations at said predetermined intervals.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 146 words

In electrophotographic copying apparauts having a plurality of actuable work stations disposed along an endless path for performing work operations at predetermined intervals, the improvement comprising: a. first sensing means disposed at a fixed location along said path responsive to stimuli moving along said path to produce signals representative thereof; b. second sensing means disposed at a fixed location along said path displaced from said first sensing means and responsive to other stimuli moving along said path to produce signals representative of the other stimuli; and c. logic control means having a digital computer with a stored program and responsive to the signals from said first and second sensing means for actuating said work stations in timed relation to the movement of each stimulus past its fixed location in accordance with the stored program to effect sequential operation of said work stations at said predetermined intervals.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 71 words

The invention as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of said sensing means is a bimorph sensor having a sensing element disposed in the path of travel of said endless path, and each sensing element having an inclined side disposed in said path for causing said sensing element to move and maintain its position in said path in accordance with any surface irregularities of any member moving along said path.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-10-20	1979-04-21	1979-10-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-10-20	1983-04-21	1983-10-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-10-20	1987-04-21	1987-10-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Synchronizing control apparatus for electrophotographic apparatus utilizing digital computer

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