Systems and methods for implementing selectable input media routing of multiple input media forms from multiple axes in image forming devices

A method for transporting image receiving media sheets in an image forming device, comprising:

• providing first image receiving media sheets at a first image receiving media substrate source;
• providing second image receiving media sheets at a second image receiving media substrate source;
• selectively transporting the first image receiving media sheets along a first image receiving media transport path to an input of a marking engine;
• selectively transporting the second image receiving media sheets along a second image receiving media transport path to the input of the marking engine,
• an exit portion of the first transport path upstream of the input to the media marking engine in a process direction and an exit portion of the second transport path upstream of the input to the media marking engine in the process direction being coincident with each other, and
• at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including a stationary turn bar arranged at 45° to the process direction upstream of the input to the media marking engine to align the exit portions of the first transport path and second transport path coincidently with each other, the stationary turn bar having an outer surface;
• employing at least one guide device adjacent to and extending around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar to guide at least one of the first image receiving media sheets and the second image receiving media sheets circulating around the stationary turn bar, the at least one guide device routed around the stationary turn bar;
• and
• presenting the at least one of the first image receiving media sheets and the second image receiving media sheets around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar to the input of the marking engine via the at least one guide device routed around the stationary turn bar, the at least one of the first image receiving media sheets and the second image receiving media sheets presented around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar being separate individual media sheets having a length, the at least one guide device having a length along the at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including the stationary turn bar that is greater than the length of the separate individual media sheets.

An image forming device, comprising:

• a first image receiving media substrate source;
• a second image receiving media substrate source;
• a marking module that deposits marking material on image receiving media substrate sheets;
• and
• an image receiving media transport module, including:
• a common output aligned with an input of the marking module;
• a first transport path for transporting the image receiving media substrate sheets from the first image receiving media source to the common output;
• a second transport path for transporting the image receiving media substrate sheets from the second image receiving media source to the common output,
• an exit portion of the first transport path upstream of the common output in a process direction and an exit portion of the second transport path upstream of the common output in the process direction being coincident, and
• at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including a stationary turn bar arranged at 45° to the process direction upstream of the common output to align the exit portions of the first transport path and second transport path coincidently with one another, the stationary turn bar having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one guide device separate from and extending around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar and configured to guide the image receiving media substrate sheets circulating around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar, the at least one guide device routed around the stationary turn bar to present the image receiving media substrate sheets around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar, the image receiving media substrate sheets circulating around the outer surface of the stationary turn bar being separate individual substrate sheets having a length, the at least one guide device having a length along the at least one of the first transport path and the second transport path including the stationary turn bar that is greater than the length of the image receiving media substrate sheets.