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US 9,174,815 B2Granted
Continuous printer and paper delivery system
AssigneeLotz Industrial Printer Co.
InventorPaul B. Lotz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing and paper delivery system includes at least two printers disposed adjacent to one another. A first conveyor is coupled to a first printer of the at least two printers such that the first conveyer is configured to receive media output from an output chute of the first printer. A second conveyor is coupled to a second printer of the at least two printers such that the first conveyor is configured to receive media output from an output chute of the second printer. A controller is in signal communication with the first and second conveyors to facilitate the transfer of media from at least one of the at least two printers to a delivery location.
Claims20
A printing and paper delivery system, comprising:
- at least two printers disposed adjacent to one another, wherein each of the at least two printers is located in a respective printer cabinet;
- a first conveyor coupled to a first printer of the at least two printers such that the first conveyer is configured to receive first media output from an output chute of the first printer and to move the first media in a first direction along an upper surface of the first conveyor, wherein the first conveyor is spaced above and extends at least partially over the respective printer cabinets of the first printer and the second printer;
- a second conveyor coupled to a second printer of the at least two printers such that the second conveyor is positioned adjacent to and spaced apart from the first conveyor in the first direction, the second conveyor configured to receive second media output from an output chute of the second printer, receive the first media from the first conveyor, and move the first and second media along an upper surface of the second conveyor in the first direction, wherein the second conveyor is spaced above the printer cabinet of the second printer;
- and
- a controller in signal communication with the first and second conveyors to facilitate the transfer of media from at least one of the at least two printers to a delivery location.
2 more elements
A printing and paper delivery system, comprising:
- a plurality of printers disposed adjacent to one another to form an array, each printer in communication with a respective output chute, and wherein each of the plurality of printers is located in a respective cabinet;
- a plurality of conveyers, each of the plurality of conveyors respectively coupled to an upper surface of at least one of the plurality of printers, each conveyor configured to receive media output from the output chute of the respective printer to which the conveyor is coupled and move the media in a first direction;
- and
- a controller in signal communication with each of the plurality of conveyors to facilitate the transfer of media from at least one of the plurality of printers to a single delivery location,
- wherein each of the plurality of conveyors is disposed adjacent to and spaced apart from at least one other conveyor in the first direction such that each conveyor is configured to at least one of directly receive media from another conveyor and directly transfer media to another conveyor, and wherein each of the plurality of conveyors is disposed above and extends at least partially over the respective printer cabinets of at least two of the plurality of printers.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first signal at a controller from a first sensor, the first signal identifying that media is located at a first location along a first conveyor;
- transmitting a second signal from the controller to a first contact to activate a second conveyor in response to receiving the first signal, wherein the second conveyor is spaced apart from the first conveyor;
- receiving a third signal at the controller from a second sensor, the third signal identifying one of media transmitted by the first conveyor is located at a first location along the second conveyor and media being output from an output chute positioned between an end of the first conveyor and an end of the second conveyor is located at the first location along the second conveyor,
- wherein the second conveyor is coupled to a second printer that is positioned adjacent to a first printer to which the first conveyor is coupled, wherein the first printer is located in a first printer cabinet and the second printer is located in a second printer cabinet, and wherein the first conveyor and the second conveyor are external to and spaced apart from the first and second printer cabinets.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.