# US 7,746,524 B2 · Bi-directional inverter printing apparatus and method

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,746,524 B2
- Document ID: US7746524B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/317,167
- Filed: 2005-12-23
- Published: 2007-07-12
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2005-12-23
- Assignees: Xerox Corporation
- Inventors: Robert M. Lofthus; Steven R. Moore; Robert A. Clark
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746524B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/00572: {with refeeding for double-sided scanning, e.g. using one scanning head for both sides of a sheet}
- B65H 29/60: diverting the stream into alternative paths (B65H29/62 takes precedence)
- H04N 1/0058: {using at least one dead-end path, e.g. using a sheet ejection path}
- H04N 1/00588: {to the scanning position (H04N1/00572, H04N1/00594 take precedence)}
- H04N 1/00591: {from the scanning position (H04N1/00572 takes precedence)}
- H04N 1/00596: {using at least a part of the apparatus in common for transporting to or from a plurality of scanning positions, e.g. for reading and printing}
- H04N 1/00602: {Feed rollers}
- H04N 1/00612: {Path switches (H04N1/00575, H04N1/00623, H04N1/00633 take precedence)}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

According to one aspect of this disclosure, a printing apparatus and method is provided. The printing apparatus comprising a media sheet first inverter and a media sheet second inverter, the first inverter and second inverter operatively connected to provide a media sheet pass-through route, wherein the media sheet pass-through route transports a media sheet through the first inverter and the second inverter. According to another aspect of this disclosure, a printing system is disclosed. The printing system comprising an inverter module. The inverter module comprising a first media sheet input/output zone, and a second media sheet input/output zone, the first and second media sheet input/output zones operatively connected to provide a media sheet pass-through route. The inverter module is configured to selectably route a media sheet to a printing device for image transfer and the inverter module is configured to invert a media sheet from the printing device media sheet output.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing apparatus comprising:
an image transfer zone configured to transfer an image to a media sheet, the image transfer zone including a media sheet input and a media sheet output; and
a media sheet inverter apparatus including
a first media sheet input,
a first media sheet output operatively connected to the image transfer zone media sheet input,
a second media sheet input operatively connected to the image transfer zone media sheet output,
a second media sheet output,
a bi-directional media sheet inverter operatively connected to the first media sheet input, the first media sheet output, the second media sheet input and the second media sheet output, wherein the bi-directional media sheet inverter is configured to invert a media sheet received at the first media sheet input, invert a media sheet received at the second media sheet input, and route a media sheet received at the first media sheet input to the second media sheet output using a pass-through route providing a redundant media sheet route bypassing the image transfer zone,
a first gate operatively connected to the bi-directional media sheet inverter and configured to route a media sheet received at the first media sheet input to the bi-directional media sheet inverter for inverting or routing to the second media sheet output, and the first gate is configured to route an inverted media sheet from the bi-directional media sheet inverter to the first media sheet output, and
a second gate operatively connected to the bi-directional media sheet inverter and configured to route a media sheet received at the second media sheet input to the bi-directional media sheet inverter for inverting and the second gate configured to route an inverted media sheet from the bi-directional media sheet inverter to the second media sheet output.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first media sheet transport highway operatively connected to the first media sheet input and the second media sheet output.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
two or more printing modules horizontally aligned, each printing module including an image transfer zone and a media sheet inverter apparatus, wherein the first media sheet transport highway is operatively connected to route a media sheet from the first printing module to the second printing module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
a first and second media sheet interface module; and
two or more sad printing modules vertically aligned, each printing module including an image transfer zone and a media sheet inverter apparatus, wherein the first and second media sheet modules are operatively connected to the printing modules to route a media sheet from the first printing module to the second printing module.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the media sheet inverter apparatus pass-through route transports media sheets at a first speed and the first media sheet transport highway transports media sheets at a second speed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a media sheet feeder module;
two or more printing modules horizontally aligned, each printing module including an image transfer zone and a media sheet inverter apparatus;
two or more printing modules vertically aligned, each printing module including an image transfer zone and a media sheet inverter apparatus;
a media sheet transport highway; and
a media sheet finisher module, wherein the media sheet transport highway is configured to route a media sheet from the feeder module to one or more printing modules and from one or more printing modules to the finisher module.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second media sheet transport highway operatively connected to the first media sheet transport highway.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the media sheet inverter apparatus is configured to hold and release a media sheet for proper sequencing.