US 5,580,046 A · Selective ejection of sensed paper jams in single sheet paper processing equipment

Abstract

Paper processing equipment such as a laser printer uses a plurality of sensors to detect the presence of paper in the paper path of the equipment. In order to provide an appropriate response to different types of malfunctions, a determination of the type of malfunction is made, and in appropriate cases, an attempt is made to self-clear the malfunction. In the case of a paper size error resulting from long size sheets being provided without a corresponding software request, the printer senses a time delay resulting from paper passage of an initial sheet. Pick of a second sheet is delayed for a time period corresponding to long size sheet passage and picks of subsequent sheets are delayed only if the sensed time delay corresponds to the longer length. This paper length information is further used to provide information regarding proper discharge of sheets from the printer.

Claims13

Dependent claims

a. providing a pick sensor for determining the presence of sheet media which has been removed from the sheet media supply by a pick mechanism;
b. providing a forward position sensor to detect the presence of said sheet of sheet media at an end of said primary series of sheet media handing operations;
c. initiating a pick of a sheet by the pick mechanism from the sheet media supply;
d. waiting for a first time period and then determining if the pick sensor has sensed said sheet media in a first instance;
e. determining an anticipated time of passage of a predetermined long size sheet, said anticipated time of passage corresponding to the predetermined long size sheet moving past at least one sensor after a pick operation;
and
f. waiting for a time period corresponding to said anticipated time of passage of said predetermined long size sheet and then determining if the pick sensor continues to sense said sheet media at the pick sensor in a second instance, and if the pick sensor continues to sense said sheet media in the second instance, establishing the time period corresponding to an anticipated time of passage of said sheet to be an anticipated time of passage of a predetermined long size sheet.

4 more elements

Method of operating sheet media processing apparatus in which sheet media is transported from a sheet media supply through at least a primary series of sheet media processing operations by a sheet media processing mechanism, the sheet media processing mechanism including a pick sensor for determining the presence of sheet media which has been removed from the sheet media supply by a pick mechanism, in which the malfunctions in a sheet media path are sensed, the method comprising:

a. using said a pick sensor for determining the presence of sheet media which has been removed from the sheet media supply by a pick mechanism in a pick operation;
b. providing a forward position sensor to detect the presence of said sheet of sheet media at an end of said primary series of sheet media handing operations, and locating said sensor so as to detect said sheet after said primary series of sheet media processing operations have commenced;
c. waiting for a time period corresponding to delay time in sensing sheet media by the pick sensor after initiation of said pick operation;
d. then determining if the pick sensor has sensed said sheet media;
and
e. determining if the forward position sensor has sensed said sheet media, and if the pick sensor fails to sense said sheet media and the forward position sensor fails to sense sheet media, respond with a first predetermined response, and if the pick sensor fails to sense said sheet media and the forward position sensor senses sheet media, respond with a second predetermined response.

3 more elements

Sheet media processing apparatus in which sheet media is transported from a sheet media supply through at least a primary series of sheet media processing operations, in which the sheet media processing apparatus senses malfunctions in a sheet media path, the apparatus comprising:

a. a sheet media processing mechanism for transporting the sheet media from the sheet media supply hopper through said primary series of sheet media processing operations;
b. a pick mechanism for removing said sheet of sheet media from the sheet media supply, removing said sheet from the sheet media supply, and providing said sheet at an output of the pick mechanism;
c. a sensor for determining the presence of sheet media at the output of the pick mechanism;
d. a forward position sensor to detect the presence of said sheet of sheet media after said primary series of sheet media handing operations, the forward position sensor being located so as to detect said sheet after said primary series of sheet media processing operations have commenced;
and
e. switching means responsive to the sensor for determining the presence of sheet media at the output of the pick mechanism and the forward position sensor, the switching means controlling the sheet media processing operations, wherein
the switching means responds to a first type of malfunction in a sheet media path of the sheet media processing apparatus in a first manner, and responds to other types of malfunctions in the sheet media path in a different manner, thereby permitting the sheet media processing apparatus to attempt to clear malfunctions in the sheet media path.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Selective ejection of sensed paper jams in single sheet paper processing equipment

Life of this patent

Selective ejection of sensed paper jams in single sheet paper processing equipment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13