US 4,283,136 AGranted

Microfiche reader printer having multi-format capabilities

AssigneeAM International, Inc.

InventorsWilliam R. Swift, Don W. Herrod, James M. Marsh

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Abstract

The microfiche reader printer has multiple format capabilities. A lens support holding one lens for each format is slidable to position a lens into the light path. Positioning of the lens support closes or opens switches which direct a logic circuit to cause a controller to drive the microfiche holding platen in a certain manner dependent on the format. Copying utilizes a rotating xerographic drum. The platen is driven by stepper motors having a digitized sinusoidal input for microstepping drive for constant velocity drive during copying where the movements of the platen and the drum must be coordinated. The platen also takes a half frame back step before printing so that it can accelerate forward over the half step forward to reach constant velocity during scanning of the frame.

Claims21

Dependent claims

In a microfiche reader printer including a light source, a platen for holding a microfiche in the path of the light from the light source, magnifying means in the light path for receiving an image from the micro-fiche and magnifying the image, the magnifying means comprising a lens support, a plurality of lenses mounted on the lens support, a viewing screen, a copier and light directing means for alternatively directing the image from the microfiche through the magnifying means to the viewing screen where the image may be viewed or to the copier where the image may be copied, the improvement comprising;

mounting means for mounting the lens support for movement to position one of the lenses in the light path, the mounting means comprising a pair of parallel gibs, the lens support being slidably mounted between the gibs whereby sliding the lens support between the gibs positions a chosen lens in the light path;
sensing means disposed proximate to the lens support for sensing the position of the lens support and determining which lens is in the path of light, the sensing means comprising a first and a second switch, the lens support contacting the first switch when the rightmost lens is in the light path, and contacting the second switch when the leftmost lens is in the light path;
platen moving means attached to the platen for moving the platen and the microfiche on the platen into the light path for copying successively framed images of the microfiche;
and
control means operatively connected to the platen moving means for controlling the platen moving means, and reading whether the lens support is contacting the first switch, the second switch or neither switch and adjusting the platen moving means for different frame-to-frame movements and for adjusting the speed at which the platen moves to scan the frame being copied to compensate for different microfiche formats.

2 more elements

In a reader printer for viewing and copying microfiche, the reader printer including a light source, a platen for holding a microfiche in the light path from the light source, magnifying means in the light path for receiving an image from a frame of the microfiche and magnifying the image, a photoreceptive surface in the light path for receiving the magnified images from which the image is converted to a visible image for being copied on copy paper, means for moving the photoreceptive means through the light path whereby the image scans along the photoreceptive surface, drive means attached to the platen for moving the platen to position different portions of the microfiche in the light path, the drive means moving the platen during copying to scan a frame of the microfiche through the light path, and control means for conrolling the drive means to drive the platen in a first direction at a format rate such that the frame of the microfiche passes through the light path for the same time that a portion of the photoreceptive surface corresponding to one dimension of the copy paper passes through the light path, the improvement comprising:

format selecting means connected to the control means for signaling the control means to drive the platen at one of a plurality of predetermined format rates corresponding to the format of the microfiche and to the magnifying means selected such that the microfiche frame of the selected format traverses the light path in a predetermined portion of the time that the portion of the photoreceptive surface corresponding to the one dimension of the copy paper passes through the light path.

In a reader printer for viewing and copying microfiche, the reader printer including a light source, a platen for holding a microfiche in the light path from the light source, magnifying means in the light path for receiving an image from a frame of the microfiche and magnifying the image, a photoreceptive surface in the light path for receiving the magnified images from which the image is converted to a visible image for being copied on copy paper, means for moving the photoreceptive surface through the light path whereby the image scans along the photoreceptive surface, drive means attached to the platen for moving the platen to position different portions of the microfiche in the light path, the drive means moving the platen during copying to scan a portion of the microfiche through the light path, and control means for controlling the drive means to drive the platen in a first direction at a format rate such that the frame of the microfiche passes through the light path for the same time that a portion of the photoreceptive surface corresponding to one dimension passes through the light path, the improvement comprising:

print initiation means operably connected to the control means for directing the control means to direct the drive means to move the platen so that the frame being copied is moved a predetermined distance from the light path in a second direction opposite the first direction, the predetermined distance being in accordance with the format of the microfiche;
and
velocity regulating means operably responsive to the control means and connected to the drive means to direct the drive means to accelerate the platen substantially to the format rate in the first direction within said predetermined distance, and to thereafter drive the platen at the format rate as the frame being copied passes through the light path, the format rate corresponding to the format of the microfiche and to the magnifying means selected.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.