Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
i ~ fi ~ 7
1 documents to and from a document glass, and latching
2 means operable to facilitate either manual or automatic
3 opening of a platen cover associated with the document
- 4 glass.
Copying apparatus capable of providing
6 numerous copies per minute are known. Such high
7 speed copiers, for example xerographic copiers, require
8 fast handling of the original documents which are
g to be copied. To simplify this original document
handling, automatic document feeders have been provided
11 whereky the operator could feed single-sheet original
12 documents, or a stack of such documents, to an input
13 tray. These documents were~then automatically fed
14 to a generally flat, horizontal document glass whereat
they were copied a requested number of times. After
16 the requested number of copies were produced, the
17 original document was automatically ejected, and
18 another original document was automatically supplied
19 on the document glass.
During this automatic feed sequence, the
21 document glass was covered by a pivoted platen cover,
22 the cover including document transport means. This
23 ~ cover was spring biased toward an open position (i.e.
24 tilted to the horizontal) by a torque bar and was
~5 mechanically latched in the closed, horizontal position
2~ by a latch which included a movable latch member
27 carried b~ the cover, and a fixed position latch
28 member, or latch keeper, carxied by the copier frame
29 adjacent the document glass.
BO975038 -2-
2227
1 If the operator desired to manually position
2 a single-sheet original document on the document
3 glass, a lift handle was provided on the platen cover
4 -to facilitate Movement of the cover from lts closed
to its open position. This lift handle operated
6 to move the first mentioned latch me~ber in a manner
7 to open the mechanical la-tch. Thereafter, pushing
8 the cover back to its horizontal closed position
9 returned the latch members to a la-tched condition.
The copier's frame included a document cover
11 release solenold, mounted adjacent the document
12 glass. This solenoid cooperated with the Eirst
13 mentioned latch member when the cover was in its
14 closed position. Logic means was operable to energize
this solenoid under various conditions. The solenoid,
16 when energized, operated to move the first mentioned
17 latch member in a manner to open the mechanical latch,
1~ whereupon the platen cover automatically pi~oted
19 from its closed horizontal position to a tilted open
~osition. Examples of occurrences which would cause
21 energization of this solenoid are a malfunction within
22 the copier, the need to replenish the copier's paper
23 supply, the filling of the copier's exit tray, and
24 the end of a copy cycle which had been instituted
by manual placement of the original document on the
26 document glass, rather than by the use of the automatic
27 document ~eeder.
2~ The IB~ Copier II is an example of such
29 prior art.
*Registered Trademark
DO97503~ -3
~ 3 ~222~
l In addition, United States Patent 3,642,371
2 discloses a copying machine having a pi~oted pla-ten
3 cover and a mechanical latching means.
4 The present invention is directed to a copying
apparatus platen cover having improved latching means.
6 More specifically, the present invention is
7 directed to a cop~ing apparatus pla-ten cover having
8 improved magnetic latching means.
9 The essential features of the present invention
include, in combination: a copying apparatus having
ll a document glass platen cover; a permanent magnet latch
12 to hold the cover closed, such that the cover can be
13 opened by manual lifting; a ~bias force or spring to lift
14 or open the cover once an air gap has been introduced
in the magnet latch; camming means in the cover to pro~
16 vide automatic opening of the cover; and electrical
17 actuator means connected to operate the camming means,
18 the actuator means being spaced from the camming means
19 to reduce the inertia of the cover.
Magnetic latches are known in the photographic
21 arts. For example, United Kingdom Patent 374,219 (No.
22 12,588/31) discloses a photographic printing box wherein
23 a hinged member is spring biased to a tilted open posi-
24 tion. This member carries an armature which cooperates
with an electromagnet such that the member can be held
26 in a horizontal, closed positlon~ When the time of ex-
27 posure has elapsed, this electromagnet is deenerg:ized
28 and the hinged member moves to its open position.
BO975038 -4-
~ 3 62~27
1 United States Patent 3,726,589 discloses
2 copier apparatus including an original document feeder.
3 In addition r this device includes a retractable, window~
4 shade-type auxiliary light shield which can be used
when the document feeder is pivoted to a non-use
6 position. This auxiliary liyht shield includes a
7 magnetic hem.
8 Magnetic seal/latches are known in the refrig-
9 erator arts. United States Patents Reissue 23,636;
2,252,144; 2,446r336; 2,659,115; and 3,354,583 are exem-
11 plary. Of these, patent 3,354,583 discloses a magnetic
12 seal wherein the refrigerator door includes a finger
13 gripping notch and an electr~ic motor mounted near the
14 non-pivoted edge of the door, adjacent the notch. This
electric motor is operable, when energized, to rotate an
16 L-shaped arm. This arm cooperates with a strike surface
17 carried by the refrigerator box, and is operable to open
18 the refrigerator door.
19 The present invention is used in an embodiment
which, as in the above prior art~ provides a magnetic
21 document cover latch, having sufficient force to hold
22 down the cover against its opening spring bias, thereby
23 holding the cover down over the machine's platen during
24 copying of documents. This prior art magnetic latch can
be unlatched automatically by`camming means or by reason-
26 able force manual lifting of the cover.
27 In the invention, an automatic electric un
28 latching system, including motive means in said cover, is
BO975038 -5-
1 ~ 62~27
1 provided for unlatching tlle cover after copying of -the
2 document has been completed, i.e. after it has been
3 imaged the required number of times. This automatic
4 unlatching occurs prior to the last copy appearing in
the machine's copy exit -tray.
6 The foregoing and other features and advantages
7 of the invention will be apparent from the following
8 more particular description of a preferred embodiment
9 of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying
drawing. For a further description of various Eeatures
11 of document feed apparatus reference is made to U.S.
12 Patent 3,910,570 which issued October 7, 1975 to C.D.
13 Bleau, and commonly assiyned herewith.
14 Brief Description of thè Drawing
.
FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of
16 a xerographic copier embodying the presen-t invention;
17 FIGURE 2 is a front sectlonal view of the
lB document feed apparatus of FIGURE l, this figure
19 being ~IGURE 1 of the above-mentioned
2Q and
21 FIGURE 3 is a front perspective view, partly
22 in section, o~ the pivoting document cover of FIGURES
23 1 and 2.
24 Dcscription of the Preferred Embodi.ment
FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of
26 an electrophotographic, xerographic copier machine 11
BO97503~ -6-
2~27
1 embodying the present invention. I'he document copying
2 platen surface upon which an original docl~nent resides
3 (side -to be copied facing down) during copyin~ is
4 covered by pivoting platen cover 21. A document
~eed apparatus as described in -the above-mentioned
6 U.S. Paten-t 3,910,570, and as shown in FIGURE 2,
7 is mounted within this cover and is carried -thereby
8 to a tilted, elevated position when the cover is
9 open. When the cover is closed, this overlayable
platen cover operates to hold documents against the
11 platen for eopying.
12 As will be apparent from FIGURE 3, this
13 cover is pivoted on an axis defined by dotted line
14 60. Spring force bias means within machine 11 operates
to tilt the cover generally cloekwise, as viewed
16 in FIG~RES 1 and 3, whenever the cover's magnetie
17 lateh (shown in ~IGURE 3) is opened, either manually
18 as by ~erely manually lifting cover 21, or automatically
19 as by energization of an eleetrieal actuator or solenoid
which is mounted on the eover at a position within
21 machine 11 behind pivot 60, so as to reduce the cover's
22 .inertia. I~ desired, a handle 61 may be provided
23 to assist manual opening.
24 Details of machine 11 are well known to
those of skill in the art, and will not be described
26 herein.
27 A eontrol panel 62 includes means, not
28 shown, whereby the operator may seleet the number
29 o~ copies to be made, and may s-t.art the maehine~-
~097503~ -7-
- !.
2 2 7
l The machine of FIGURE l is constructed and
2 arranged in the manner of the IBM Copier II in that
3 two start bu-ttons are provided, name:ly an "~" button and
4 a "B" button. The "A" button is used by the operator
S tv start the machine when the document feeder is to
6 he used to automatically feed documents from input tray
7 63, to the platen, and then to exit area 48. The "B"
8 button is used to start the machine when the operator
g manually lifts cover 21, places the original document
on the platen, and then manually closes the cover. Only
ll when the "B" button is used to start the machine will
12 cover 21 automatically open at or near the end of a copy
13 operation.
14 When the "A" button is used, semiautomatic
document handler means operates to transport an original
16 document Erom input tray 63 to the platen for copying.
17 After the requested number of copies have been made,
18 the document is then transported to exit tray or area
19 ~8.
The operator may, if desired, manually place
21 an original document on the copying platen. In this
22 case, cover 21 is merely lifted, the document is
23 placed on the platen for copying, and the cover
24 is closed. Once closed, as shown, the magnetic
latch maintains the cover in its closed position.
26 The operator then presses the "B" button. Therea~terl`
27 when the requested number of copies have been made,
28 an electrical actuator in`the form of a solenoid
BO975038 -8-
1 ~ B222~
1 means operates to rotate a cal~ming means against
2 the machine, and thereby mechanically cam or force
3 the cover away from -thè machlne sufficiently to slightly
4 separate and unlatch the magnetic latch so that
an automatic platen cover lifting means in the form
6 of the cover's spring bias pivots or lifts the cover
7 -to a tilted position away from the platen, -thus enabling
8 manual removal of the original document.
9 Summarizing the operation of FIGtJRE 1 ' s
automatic document feed apparatus, an original document
11 is manually inserted in input tray 63, with the surface
12 to be copied facing down. The opera-tor then depresses
13 the "~" bu-tton and causes the document to be automa-tically
14 positioned on the machine's platen surface. After
the requested numher of copies have been imaged or
16 illuminated by the machine's optical apparatus, the
17 document feed apparatus is enabled to eject this
18 document to exit tray 48. If another document resides
19 in the input tray, it is immediately positioned on
the platen and copy of this document immediately
21 hegins.
22 FIGU~E 2 shows the details of the document
23 feed apparatus and is FIGURE. 1 of the above-mentioned
24 U.~. Patent 3,910,570 where it is described in detail.
E`IGURE 2 shows a platen surface 10 of FIGVRE
26 l's xerographic machine 11 with which the document
27 feed apparatus of the above-mentioned U.S. Patent
28 3,910,570 is employed~ Documents 12 are fed from
13097503~ _9_
27
1 a guide 1~ of ~achine 11 to platen surface 10 whenever
2 pivotally mounted gate fingers 15 are removed from
3 tileir document blocking or preven-ting position by
4 the logic of machine 11. The guide 14 has an extension
16 to direct the doc~nent -toward the platen surface.
6 The document feed apparatus includes a
7 single endless belt 17, which is supported by rollers
8 18 and 19 a-t the ends of the belt, whereat the direction
9 of travel of bel-t 17 is reversed. Belt 17 is tangent
to the lower portion of rollers 18 and 19 and is
11 s~acecl slightly above the top ~urface of platen
12 10.
13 Belt 17 is formed of any suitable elas-tic
14 material having a desired coefficient of friction
relative to document 12 and platen 10. The material
16 of belt 17 also should have such triboelectric character-
17 istics as to prevent document 12 from adhering too
18 strongly to the belt. One suitable example of belt
19 material is neoprene.
Rollers 18 and 19 are rotatably mounted
21 in a torque box 20, which is supported on platen
22 co~er casing 21 by being secured to downwardly extending
23 projections 21' of càsing 21. Casing 21 is pivotally
24 mounted on machine 11, as shown in FIGURE'S 1 and 3,
to facilitate movement of the~document feed apparatus
26 away from platen 10 when desired.
27 Belt 17 is driven from a motor 22 (see
28 FIGURE 3), which is supported by casing 21 at a point
BO975038 -10-
~ 3 ~ 7
1 be~lind the casing's pivo-t axis 60. A shaf-t extension
2 o~ roller 19 is driven by motive means in the form of
3 motor 22 through an electrically controlla:ble clutch,
4 not showll. Whenever -this clutch is ac-tivated, roller
19 is rotated clockwise (as viewed in FIGURE 2) to
6 cause the lower portion of belt 17 to move to the left
7 and the upper portion to move -to the right so that the
8 belt can advance one of the documents 12 along platen
9 10.
As used herein, the term motive means includes
11 an electric mo-tor, such as motor 22, or, for example
12 a ~transmission or gear bo~ which is connected -to the
13 shaft extension of roller 19, and is in turn energized
14 by a remotely located motor.
As the document moves down alony guide 14,
16 an entry spring ~8 urges the document against the
17 lower portion of belt 17, adjacent roller 18, so
18 that the document is moved with a high driving force
19 by belt 17 onto the platen. Because of the sag
in belt 17, document 12 is in a low force area when
21 disposed beneath be~t 17 and on the top surface
22 of thè platen, although there is some drive.
23 As documen~ 12 is advanced along platen
24 lO by belt 17, t:ravel of document 12 is stopped
by a plurality of gate fingers 29, which are moved
26 into a blocking or preventing position by a spring
27 when a solenoid, not shown, is inactivated Any
28 other suitable actuating means can be employed.
~30975038 -11-
" ~ - ,s~
1 1 62227
1 To insure that document 12 en~ages gate
2 finyers 29, back-up roller or rollers 32 are supported
3 wi-thin the track of the belt, between each adjacent
~4 pairs of gate fingers 29. Back~up rollexs 32 are
S rotatably supported in a carrler mounted to casing
6 21.
7 ~s a result of the downward force exerted
8 by the back-up rollers 32, bubbles are formed in
9 belt 17 between each pair of finyers 29. Each of
the bubbles in a pro-trusion of the belt so that
11 tlle belt pushes document 12 downwardly against platen
12 10. As a result, the leadlng edge of document 12
.l3 enyages gate fingers 29 to stop the document on the
14 platen at the reproduction or copying position. Further-
more, back-up rollers 32 provide a positive drlving
16 force on document 12 from belt 17 at this point when
17 gate fingers 2g are removed from their blocking or
18 preventiny position to allow the document to be fed
19 from the platen to tray 48.
When gate fingers 29 are pulled downwardly,
21 due to solenoid ac-tivation, activation of xoller
22 19 and its clutch causes the document to be fed from
23 the platen. To prevent the document from Eollowing
24 the travel or path of the belt, as the belt wraps
around drive roller ].9 to reverse its direction o~
26 travel in its upper portion, a plurality of rollers
27 41 are supported in spaced relation along shaft
28 42.
BO975~38 -12-
s: ~
I 1 62227
l l~ollc--s ql, wllicll are prefera~ly formecl
o~ a ligllt weigllt pldstic havillcJ a low spr:in~J rate,
3 SUC}l as l:~olyuret~lane ~oalll for exLImple~ are driven
9 i.n the same cli.re(tion and by tlle same mechclllisnl-tllat
drives rol.ler 19. Speci~ically, shaft 42 has a pulley
6 mountc~d 'hereoll for driving enyagement Wit}l a timing
7 belt, whicll passe~s arouncl a pulley on tlle shaft
3 extensioll o.~ roller 19. 'l'lle pulley for shaft 42
9 is oE a sma.ller diametcr than the l~ulley for roller
19, so that the periuheral sL?eec3 o~ rollers 91 is
11 (Jrea-ker thall the peri.~lleral speecl:oE roller 19 or
12 l~elt 17. l`h:is ai.cls in aclvallcilltJ the cloc:umellt away
13 from the belt and between rolle~rs 4l. and resiliently
14 biasecl plate 46.
1.5 ~s tlle leading edge of documellt 12 passes
16 tllrough the nip ~ormed between roIlers 91 and plate
.
17 fiG, a switcll actuator 49, Wllicll i.s pivotally mounted
18 on casin(J 21 througll rod 4B' is rnoved clockwlse
1~ to have a portioll ~9'ellcJacJe an arm 50 of a switch
51 to cause tlle switch to close. 'l'he closing o~
21 switch 51 supplies a sigllal to the logic for machine
22 11. '~'his results in the above-lllentionec~ solenoid
23 being inactivated so that cJate fincJers 29 are returned
2~ to their blockillg position by sprinc3 bias. In addition,
c3ate fillgers 15 are pi.votal3.y,moved out of their
26 bl.ockincJ position i~ there is another documellt 12
27 in gui.c3e lq, a~iti.ng trans~)ort to platen IO.
2B 'l'llus, the feecl of document 12 from guide
2~ 1~1 st:arl:s l)e~OLe thc dOCUlllellt Oll tllC' ~?latt'll iS Coml?lt!t:ely
l30~7~03~ -13-
,
22~7
1 removed therefrom. If there is no document in the
2 guide, and in engagemen-t with gate fingers 15, then
3 when the trailing edge of a document passes beyond
4 switch actuator 49, switch 51 causes the shaft extension
S of roller 19 to be disconnected :Erom the motor so
6 that roller 19 and rollers 41 are no longer driven,
7 whereupon belt 17 stops.
8 Upon completion of copying of a document
9 12 on platen 10, the logic of machine 11 causes energiza-
tion of a solenoid to lower ga-te fingers 29. Then,
11 after a predeter~lined time delay, roller 19 i.s dri.ven
12 to advance the doc~unent from the platen to the nip
13 between rollers 41 and resiliently biased plate 46.
14 Back-up rollers 32 exert a drivin~ force through
belt 17 to the document as the belt is driven by
16 roller 19.
17 As the leading edge of the document passes
18 the nip between resiliently biased plate 46 and rollers
19 41, switch actuator 49 is moved by the document to
cause closing of switch 51. As a result, the logic
21 of machine 11 causes deenergization of the gate solenoid
22 so that the spring bias moves gate fingers 29 upwardly.
23 A-t this time, gate fingers 15 are pivoted downwardly
24 if another documen-t 12 is in guide 14. If a document
is not in guide 1~, switch 51, which is actuated
26 by the trailing edge of the docwment leavlng platen
27 10 as it passes through switch actuator 49, stops
28 belt 17 and rollers 41. If another docwnent is
r.~o9 7so3a
1 1 ~2227
1 entering onto the platen from guide 14, a switch
2 on guide 14 stops belt 17 and rollers 41 by supplying
3 a signal to the logic of machine 11.
4 As a document 12 exits through the nip
between rollers 41 and plate 46, the document has
6 a tendency to wrap around rollers 41 under conditions
7 such as when the document is extremely curled or
8 wrinkled, or when the document is electrostatically
9 charged, for example. To prevent this, fingers 52
on plate 53, which is carried by casing 21, are interposed
11 between rollers 41.
12 FIGURE 3 shows the overlayable platen cover
13 21 of FIGURES 1 and 2, partly in section. The pivoting
14 axis 60 of this document cover is defined by a pair
of extending posts 70, one of which is-shown. These
16 posts seat within brackets contained within FIGUR~
17 l's housing 71, such that the cover may be moved
18 from its horizontal, closed position to a tilted
19 open position, as the cover rotates in a generally
clocXwise direction. .Also, contained within the
21 machine's housing portion 71 is an extending platform
22 support means 72. This platform is substantially ~:
23 hidden from view, within housing 71, when the cover
24 is supported in the machine's pivot brackets. ~s
can be seen from FIGURE 3, the document feeding apparatus
26 of FIGURE 2 is supported to the front of pivot axis 60
27 whereas motive means 22, which is opexable`to supply
28 motive power to the document feed means, is mounted -to
BO975038 -15-
~ 1 ~22~7
1 the opposite side of pivot axis 60 from the machine
~ platen. This mounting position of the motive means
3 operates to counterbalance the weigh-t of the document
4 feed and reduce the inertia o~ the platen cover.
A description of motive means 22 and its operative
6 connection to the document feed apparatus is described
7 in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent ~,910,570.
8 ~s used herein the term inertia is intended
9 to mean the mass movement of inertia of a body, i.e.
its resistance to rotational acceleration. Jus-t as
11 the mass of a body is a measure of the resistance to
12 translational acceleration, the movement of inertia :is
13 a measure of resistance to rotational accelera-tion due
14 to the mass or iner-tia of the body. IE all the mass,
m, were concentrated at a distance, d, from the axis
16 of rota-tion, the movement of inertia would be d2m.
17 Platform support means 72 also includes
18 a sector segment 73 which cooperates with a metal
19 cable 74 and a spring 75 to constitute automa-tic
platen cover lifting means. Spring 75 has its lower
21 end connected to a portion of the frame of machine
22 11 and is operable to exert a clockwise rotating
23 ;force on the platen cover. If desired, sector 73
24 may be placed at the left-hand side of the platen
cover, or at the right-hand side, as shown, or such
26 a sector and spring may be provided at each side
27 of the platen cover. `
28 A permanent magnet platen cover latching
29 means is provided to retain the cover in -the horizontal
BO97503a -16-
1 1 ~2227
1 closed position, over the machine's platen, once
2 the cover has been manually placed in this closed
3 position. This construction enables manual unlatch-
4 ing or opening of the cover r merely by manually lifting
the cover in a clockwlse direction about pivot axis
6 60. As shown, the permanent magnet latching means
7 includes at least one permanent magnet 76 which is
8 mounted in the cover and cooperates with a magnetically
9 attractable material area 77. Area 77 comprises
a strip of magnetically permeable material which
ll is mounted on machine ll adjacent and in substantially
12 the same plane as the platen. Area 77 is magnetically
13 engaged by maynet 76 when the CQVer is closed. The
14 placing of magnet 76 and area 77 is not critical.
If desired, they may be placed more to the center
16 of the eover than shown, or may be placed to the
17 right of center.
18 A rotatable cam, in the form of roller
l9 78, is electrically driven by soIenoid 79 through
an elongate conneeting means in the foIm of rod
21 80. Electrical energization of solenoid means 79
22 is operable to rotate rod 80 in a countercloakwise
23 direction, as vlewed from the front of -the machine,
24 and thersby forceably cam cover 21 away from the
machine, sufficiently to slightly separate magnet
26 76 from area 77, whereupon the automatic cover lifting
27 means in the form of spring 75 causes the cover to
28 pivot about axis 60, lifting the cover away from
29 the platen.
BO975038 -17-
~ ~ ~2227
1 Solenoid 79 ls energi~ed in the same manner
2 as is the document cover release solenoid of the IBM
3 Copier II. In this copier, the cover release solenoid
4 is energized after the document on the machine platen
has been imaged for the last time, but before the last
6 copy of this document appears in the machine's copy
7 exit tray. Reference may be had to the IBM Copier II,
8 and the Service Manual for the IBM Copier II, form
9 number 241-5705-0, dated August 1972, Eor a more complete
understanding and description of means for energizing
11 this solenoid.
12 While the invention has been particularly shown
13 and described with reference~to a preferred embodiment
14 thereoE, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes in form and details may be
16 mad~.thereln without departing from the spirit and.scope
17 of the invention.
18 ~,.re-n~
,~
'
BO975038 -18-
