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US 7,070,181 B2Granted
Systems and methods for detecting bi-directional passage of an object via an articulated flag member arrangement
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsSu-wen Ueng, Barry G. Mannie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An articulated flag member arrangement detects bi-directional passage of an object. In embodiments, the articulated flag member arrangement comprises a first flag member and a second flag member wherein the first and second flag members interact with each other to detect bi-directional passage of an object, for example, using the same sensor.
Claims20
An articulated flag member arrangement, comprising:
- a first flag body having a first projection, the first flag body pivotably connected to a device such that an object moving in a first direction and contacting the first projection of the first flag body rotates the first flag body in a second direction;
- a second flag body having a first projection, the second flag body pivotably connected to the device such that an object moving in a direction opposite to the first direction and contacting the first projection of the second flag body rotates the second flag body in a direction opposite to the second direction, the first and second flag bodies being rotatable relative to each other and including first and second portions, respectively, arranged relative to each other to interact such that at least one of the first and second flag bodies rotates based on rotation of the other of the first and second flag bodies.
A method for detecting bi-directional passage of an object in a processing path using an articulated flag member arrangement, the articulated flag member arrangement including
- a first flag body having a first projection, the first flag body pivotably connected to a device, and
- a second flag body having a first projection, the second flag body pivotably connected to the device, the first and second flag bodies being rotatable relative to each other and including first and second portions, respectively, arranged relative to each other to interact with each other, the method comprising:
- passing a signal relative to one of the first and second flag bodies, passage of the signal indicating one of an at-rest position and an operated position of one of the first and second flag bodies;
- contacting the first projection of the first flag body with an object that is traveling in a processing path in a first direction, causing the first flag body to rotate in a second direction and to alter the passing of the signal;
- and
- contacting the first projection of the second flag body with an object that is traveling in a processing path in a direction opposite to the first direction, causing the second flag body to rotate in a direction opposite to the second direction and to alter the passing of the signal,
- wherein at least one of the rotation of the first flag body and the rotation of the second flag body is relative to the other of the first flag body and the second flag body.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.