Abstract:
A device for use with a copier to make copies of both sides of a document or other objects in a single pass. The device is configured to rest on a copier platen without being attached to the platen and without deriving power from the copier. A document holder in the form of a pair of plates joined by a hinged connection is opened for insertion of a document to be copied. The holder is pivotally attached to a base member and spring-biased to rotate from a first to a second position above the copier platen. As a copier scanner moves beneath the holder temporarily latched in its first position, a first side of the document is scanned. A sensor then causes automatic release of the holder permitting it to swing to its second position for scanning its second side as the holder moves to its second position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to an improvement for a device enabling a copier to scan and copy both sides of at least one object in a single pass of an office copier scanner. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   There are existing devices or accessories that permit copies of both sides of a document to be made onto a single side of a copy paper. They typically employ a hinged holder that rotates about that hinged side and sequentially presents first one side and then the other to the copier as scanning proceeds so that both sides of the object will appear on a single side of the copy paper. These devices take several forms: 
   One approach requires full manual operation, where the operator must move the document holder from one position to the next so that both sides of the object may be copied. (Niesen et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,411, Caps U.S. Pat. No. 1,696,381, Caps, U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,544 and Caldwell U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,573). Not only does this design require considerable attention from the copier operator, but in many office copiers, scanning action is so fast as to make this approach unworkable. 
   In another approach, the power for flipping the document holder from one side to the other is provided by the motion of the copy platen mechanism (Kucera U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,094, Komori U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,999 and Burdick U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,865). This design requires that the device be mechanically attached to the moving platen securely enough so that the motion of the platen will not displace the device. Further, because the attachment must be demounted to use the copier for other purposes, this approach is unacceptably inconvenient. Moreover, this approach is not applicable to copying machines of the type most commonly used wherein the platen is fixed. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention eliminates the disadvantages of not being able to efficiently and conveniently generate copies of both sides of one or more objects, e.g., documents, in a single scanner pass using a typical office copier. As an example, the administrative staff of a doctor&#39;s office often must capture images of both sides of a patient&#39;s medical benefits cards for their records. In most instances, the copier operator makes two separate copies, flipping the card(s) between scans, resulting in a product that includes two full size sheets, each with only a limited amount of data. This process demands additional storage capacity for both the product and the copy paper supply. In some cases the operator may take the time to use only a single sheet of copy paper which is laboriously re-fed to the copier in a second scanning pass to capture both images on a single page. As noted above, more recent alternatives involving manually operated document flipping mechanisms or complex platen-driven fixtures have proven wholly unsatisfactory. Past efforts to produce copies of both sides of an object utilizing existing technology have proven inefficient, time consuming, and labor intensive. 
   The present invention provides numerous advantages over prior art in solving this problem of copying both sides of documents, objects, or other artifacts generally of any size or shape. While items other than documents clearly may be subject to the dual sided copying system described herein, items to be copied will be referred to herebelow as “documents” for simplicity of explanation. This nomenclature of convenience shall not imply, suggest or convey limitations to the invention described and claimed herein. 
   First, in accordance with the present invention, a portable base member has affixed thereto a document holder in the form of a facing pair of hinged plates. The base member may be substantially transparent or substantially opaque as will be discussed below, and is configured as a copier accessory to rest upon, but without further attachment to, an upper surface of a copier platen. The base member is provided with first and second window zones permitting passage of light from a copier scanner therebelow. The document holder is pivotally attached to said base member at a position between said first and second window zones. Further, the holder, including both plates, is manually set and temporarily latched or restrained against a spring tension into an initial or first position proximate said first window zone to facilitate copying of a first side of a document. 
   Second, while the holder is latched in said first position, the operator can lift a first one of said hinged plates and insert a document therebetween. Thus, a first side of said document is placed over said first window and the copier platen therebelow. A second side of said document faces in a direction away from said platen. In its normal operation, the copier then scans the first side of the document presented to the scanner. 
   It should be noted that the base member, if substantially opaque, may be constructed to define passages (e.g., provided with cutouts or discrete transparent areas) to serve as window zones. Further, a base member that is entirely or substantially transparent may be employed, wherein the discrete window zones are integral portions of the base member itself. Still further, the base member may advantageously be fabricated as a combination of opaque and transparent material or features to selectively permit or block light passage as necessary to allow scanning of document sides yet masking other elements of the device from the scan. For example, the portable base plate may be formulated of a continuous, generally opaque structure including discrete transparent portions defining said spaced window zones admitting light transmission to the object holder in each of its first and second positions for copying sides of the object. 
   Third, upon the electronically sensed passage of a moving scanner, the document holder is automatically unlatched so as to move from said first window zone rapidly under force of said spring tension to a second position proximate or juxtaposed to said second window zone to facilitate copying of a second side of said document as the copier scanner proceeds to pass thereunder. Release of said spring is triggered by photosensitive circuitry that senses the motion of the scanning head past a given location on the device frame. Fourth, the holder incorporates a stop that prevents the documents from being flung out during rapid flipping motion. Fifth, the unique holder device mounted upon its associated base member may be used on any copier, whether said copier has a fixed or moving platen. Importantly, it is not necessary that the holder and base member be physically attached to the copier or its platen since the holder mechanism does not derive its motive force from the copier. Sixth, the device incorporates a velocity damper that slows movement of the document holder as it nears its secondary position so as to avoid jolting and possibly damaging shock to the holder mechanism or to the holder itself. 
   There is no commercially-available product known that provides the described improvement to a copier accessory. There are several variations of this inventive copier accessory that will be described; all of which fall within the scope of the claims presented herein. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a portion of the invention with the holder in a first position on the base member. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the invention with the holder closed and latched in place; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the invention in the loading position with the holder partially open; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the invention with the holder moving into its second position; 
       FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of document holder near the hinged end and while partially open; 
       FIG. 6  is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the document holder near the hinged end, with the holder closed and moving towards the second position; 
       FIG. 7  is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the document holder near the hinged end, with the holder closed and near the second position; 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a portion of the invention with the holder in a second position on said base member; 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the drive circuitry for an electromagnetic actuator; 
       FIG. 10  is a side cross-sectional view of the scanner-sensing photo sensor showing portions of the photo sensor support and base plate in cross-section; 
       FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the invention showing the document holder in the first position on said base member; 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the invention showing the document holder in the first position on the base member. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  depicts a plan view of the invention device including a portable base member  1  having attached thereto a holder H at rest in a first position, i.e., rotated to the left as viewed herein (see also  FIG. 8  for certain reference characters). Portable base member  1  is freely movable from any copier platen on which it is rested for use as an accessory. In its first position, holder H is ready for scanning one side of a document  50 . To enable such scanning, the base member  1  is provided a first window zone  7  permitting a reverse (or back) side  45  of said document  50  (see  FIG. 8 ) to be exposed to scanning head  41  having illumination  42 , photo sensor  43  and moving in direction C relative to the copier platen and base member. Note that the obverse (or front) side  22  of said document  50  is visible in this view. 
   Document holder H consists of two generally flat panels  2 ,  3  (see  FIG. 8 ), each substantially transparent over at least portions of said panels in conformance with said first and second window zones,  7  and  27  respectively. Panels  2 ,  3  are attached respectively to hinge plates (or leaves)  19  and  18  (see  FIG. 8 ) with interlocking hinge knuckles  21  (hereinafter referred to as hinge  21 ) between said first window zone  7  and a second window zone  27 . Hinge pin  14  supported at each end thereof by mounts  26 , serves to hold the hinge knuckles  21  together. 
   Legs  37  and  49  (see  FIG. 8 ) of torsion spring  15  bias plates or leaves  19 ,  18  together by acting on the outer surface of panels  2  and  3 . Additional torsion springs  17  affixed at first and second locations on pin  14  provide the motive force to urge the holder H from the first position depicted in  FIG. 1 , towards a second position, as shown in  FIG. 8 , proximate second window zone  27  where the obverse side  22  of document  50  will be exposed to the scanner for copying. Note that the reverse side  45  is visible in this view. The tabs  16  on hinge leaf  19  provide a surface on which one leg  38  of the torsion springs  17  acts. Ends  39  of springs  17  are attached to the base member  1  using brackets  20  to prevent rotation. 
   Finger grip  8  is used by an operator to return the document holder H from its second position (see  FIG. 8 ) into said first, or latched position as shown here. Once holder H is returned and latched in its first position, grip  8  may then be used by an operator to open the holder H, as shown in  FIG. 3 , so that the document  50  may be removed. Panel  2  is further provided with actuators  9  along opposite lateral edges thereof for engagement with a damper mechanism to be described in detail herebelow. The actuators  9  are placed at approximately the centers of the lateral edge of the document holder H to best distribute deceleration forces. 
   Arrayed around the window zone  7  in the base plate  1  and attached to an inner surface of the lower holder panel  3  in the base plate  1  are workstops or guides  4 ,  6  and  47 . These guides act to position the document(s)  50  to be copied and keep such document(s)  50  in place. Guide  5  is attached to an inner surface of the upper panel  2  though guide  5  alternatively may be attached to panel  3 . Similarly, guide  47  is shown attached to an inner surface of lower panel  3 , though guide  47  alternatively may be attached to upper panel  2 . Attachment of guides  5  and/or  47  to upper panel  2  offers distinct advantages to be disclosed herebelow. 
   Solenoid  10  has a plunger shaft  48  terminating in a spring-loaded catch  11  that releasably engages the lower panel  3  of the document holder H and is controlled by electronic signals through leads  40 . The shaft  48  is prevented from failing out of the solenoid under pressure from compression spring  12  by stop  51 . Stop  13 , affixed to plunger shaft  48  retains the spring  12 . 
   A condition sensing element in the form of photo sensor  31  with leads  33  is mounted facing downward at opening  1 A (see  FIG. 10 ) on the baseplate  1  so as to be adjacent to the first window zone and exposed to scanning head  41 . Thus, as copying is taking place, photo sensor  31  senses a condition that a first side of the object has been copied, more specifically by sensing the passing of the scanning head  41  and, through the controlling electronics (see  FIG. 9 ), provides a signal to solenoid  10  to automatically release the catch  11  permitting the document holder H to begin its rapid motion towards its second position (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). The position of the photo sensor is shown near the trailing edge of the window zone  7 . Through the use of delay circuits as shown in  FIG. 9 , the resulting signal controlling solenoid  11  may be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of scanner head speeds and light/sensor configurations. In the interest of simplicity and clarity, no cosmetic or safety cover is included in the illustrations. 
     FIG. 2  is a side view of the inventive device showing the document holder H affixed to base member  1  and resting in its first position, with catch  11  of solenoid  10  engaged with boss  35  located on lower panel  3 . Catch  11  has an angled or sloped profile such that when the document holder H is rotated or pivoted by the operator towards its first position, a lower surface of plate  3  bears against the angled or sloped profile of catch  11 , pushing plunger shaft  48  and latch  11  aside until the plate  3  is fully down, at which time the plunger shaft  48  and latch  11  move out to engage boss  35  retaining the document holder H in place until released. Shown also in  FIG. 2  are scanning head  41  moving in direction C relative to the platen and portions of base plate  1  and platen  46 . Elements  2 ,  6 ,  8 ,  9 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  18 ,  19 ,  47 ,  48  and  51  are the same as described in  FIG. 1 . Not shown in  FIG. 2  is guide  5 . 
     FIG. 3  is a side view of the document holder with the upper panel  2  raised by lifting the grip  8  to load the document  50 . The lower panel  3 , at this juncture, remains captured by the catch  11 . When fully loaded, the document  50  will rest against one or more of the guides  4  (not shown),  5 ,  47  and  6 . Elements  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  18 ,  19 ,  48  and  51  are the same as described in  FIG. 1 . Boss  35  is as described in  FIG. 2 . Not shown in  FIG. 3  is mount  26  for shaft  14 , scanner head  41 , baseplate  1  and platen  46 . Guides  5  and/or  47  may be attached to an inner surface of upper panel  2  to simplify the loading and removal process by not having a guide that would interfere with insertion and removal of documents  50  and also to keep documents  50  being copied from being ejected when holder H is flipped or rotated into its second position. 
     FIG. 4  is a side view of the document holder H after solenoid  10  had been energized, thereby pulling back catch  11 , releasing holder H to rotate about hinge pin  14  under the influence of the torsion springs  17  (see  FIG. 1 ) in direction B towards its second position. Elements  2 ,  3 ,  6 ,  8 ,  9 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  18 ,  19 ,  47 ,  48  and  51  are the same as described in  FIG. 1 . Boss  35  is the same as described in  FIG. 2 . Not shown in  FIG. 4  is mount  26  for hinge pin  14 , scanner head  41 , guides  4  and  5 , base member  1  and platen  46 . 
     FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view (section F—F as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of a portion of document holder H near the center of the hinge pin  14  while the two panels  2  and  3  are slightly separated during the loading or unloading process. One leg  37  of the torsion spring  15  bears on the upper panel  2 , and another leg  49  bears on the lower panel  3 . In the first position of the document holder H, lower panel  3  is fixed (e.g., latched), while upper panel  2  is urged by the force of spring  15  downward toward panel  3  in the direction A. The inner surface of upper panel  2  is attached, such as by adhesive, weld, rivets or the like, to an upper surface of upper leaf  19  of hinge  21 . The lower panel  3  is similarly attached to the lower leaf  18 . Shown also are tab  16  of leaf  18 , a portion of the base member  1 , and hinge pin  14  support  26 . 
     FIG. 6  is a sectional side view (section D—D as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of a portion of the document holder H near an end of hinge pin  14  with the two panels  2  and  3  pressed together after release from catch  11 , and depicted as moving in direction B towards the second position of holder H. The motion of holder H is caused by the force of spring  17 , a leg  38  of which presses against tab  16  of lower leaf  18  of hinge  21 . The other leg  39  of spring  17  is held in place to base member  1  by drilled bracket  20 . Also shown in  FIG. 6  are portions of base member  1 . Upper leaf  19  is as described in  FIG. 5 . 
     FIG. 7  is a sectional side view (section E—E as shown in  FIG. 8 ) of a portion of the document holder H near an end of hinge pin  14  while panels  2  and  3  are pressed substantially together, and, under the urging of spring  17 , have moved almost to their second position for copying the reverse side  45  of the document  50  (not shown here). As the two panels  2 ,  3  near the end of their travel almost at their second position, tab  9  begins to engage spring clips  59  attached to damper arms  23  by rivets  60  positioned on said base member  1  at either lateral edge of the panels  2 , 3 . At this moment, the damper arms  23  take the position shown, for reasons that will be explained shortly. 
   After having pushed spring clips  59  partially aside by the momentum of the moving document holder H acting against the retarding force of dampers  25 , tabs  9  engage upper surfaces of damper arms  23 , held in position by spring clip  59 , and push said arms  23  downward in the direction B until the bottoms of the arms touch base member  1 . 
   Dampers  25 , which may be single or paired (as shown), foster a lossy effect in that they act to dissipate energy and thus slow the motion of panels  2 ,  3  to prevent the mechanical shock that would otherwise occur if panels  2 ,  3  were to impact the base member  1  upon arrival at said second position. The damper exerts its damping force only in the direction B as shown. In the other direction, G, the force is minimal. Damper  25  may take a number of forms equivalent to that illustrated here, known examples being available from Ace Controls, Inc. of Farmington, Mich. 
   After copying has been completed via second window zone  27 , the document holder H is rotated (or swung) by the operator using grip  8  (see  FIG. 8 ) back from the second position in the direction G, towards the first position. During this return motion, actuator tabs  9  and the tips of damper arms  23  remain in contact (by means of spring clips  59 ) for an initial portion of the travel of the arms  23 . Alternatively, tabs  9  may be ferrous elements or have ferrous tips, and the ends of the arms  23  may include small magnets (not shown) imbedded therein; the purpose being the same, to bias damper arms  23  and actuator tabs  9  together temporarily. (Note: in the alternative, of course, ends of arms  23  may be ferrous and tab  9  tips may include small magnets.) As the holder H is lifted from its second position, damper arms  23  contact stops  56  fixed to base member  1  through damper bracket  57 . Force exerted by the operator in rotation of the document holder H easily overcomes the force holding the damper arm  23  and actuator tab  9  together, leaving the damper arm  23  resting against the underside of stop  56  in position for the next copying cycle. 
   Also shown in  FIG. 7  are portions of base member  1 . Elements  16 ,  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  26 ,  38 ,  39  are as described in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     FIG. 8  depicts a top plan view of the inventive device in its second position (i.e., rotated to the right as viewed herein) with the document holder H at rest, and with panel  3  visible. Actuator tabs  9  are shown engaged with lever arms  23  of dampers  25 . Two dampers  25  are shown for balancing the forces, although one may suffice in other embodiments. Base plate  1  has a window zone  27  serving to expose obverse (or front) side  22  (not visible) of document  50  to scanning head  41  moving in direction C (the reverse side  45  of the document to be copied is visible here). Hinge leaf  18  is attached to lower plate  3  of the document holder. Shown also is the second leg  49  of spring  15  pressing against the outer surface of plate  3 . Elements  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  8 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  20 ,  21 ,  26 ,  38 ,  39 ,  42 ,  43 , and  47  are as described in  FIG. 1  Elements  24 ,  56 ,  57  and  59  are described in  FIG. 7 . 
     FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the drive circuitry for an electromagnetic actuator or solenoid  10  (see  FIG. 1 ). The photo sensor  31  detects light  61  of a passing scanning head  41  (see  FIG. 1 ) and produces an increased current flow in resistor R 1 . The resulting analog voltage is delivered to a level-sensing digital circuit, commonly known as a Schmitt trigger  55 . This digital signal is then delivered to a variable delay circuit  56  that delays the signal by a predetermined amount of time or as determined by the operator to produce a release of the document holder immediately after the scanning head  41  has passed the trailing end of the window  7 . For some copiers, a delay may not be needed if the photo sensor  31  is placed so as to sense the passage of the scanning head  41  immediately after it has passed window zone  7 . This digital circuit then delivers a current to the base junction of transistor T 2 . That current is amplified by transistor T 2  to drive the coil L 1  of solenoid  10  (see  FIG. 1 ), thereby releasing the catch  11  (see also  FIG. 1 ). Diode D 1  is provided to swamp any back voltage that may occur when the driving voltage is removed at the end of the driving waveform. 
   Naturally, there are many other circuits that will provide the equivalent function of sensing the light from the passing scanning head  41  and transforming it into an appropriate pulse of electrical energy to drive the solenoid  10 . Recognizing that equivalent circuits may suffice in the function just described, the digital circuit presented herein is by way of example only and not intended as limiting the scope of the present invention in any respect. 
     FIG. 10  is a cross-section of support  32  for the phototransistor or photo sensor  31  mounted on base member  1  and with leads  33 . 
     FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the entire base member  1  and structures mounted thereon. See  FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8  for description of all the referenced elements. Not shown in  FIG. 11  is a copier platen or any cosmetic or safety cover therefor. 
     FIG. 12  is a side view of the inventive device. See  FIGS. 2 and 7  for description of all the referenced elements. 
   It should be clear from the above description that there is nothing in this invention disclosure that restricts the document or other object or artifact being copied to one piece. The object can be more than one card, for example of similar or different sizes. The objects may be black/white, monochromatic, or multicolored in nature. Dimensions of window zones  7  and  27  need only to be sized or adjusted to accommodate the dimensions of the objects, making sure only that there is sufficient gap between the two window zones  7  and  27  to assure that the document holder H can rotate sufficiently quickly to reach the second position by the time that the scanner  43  has moved into position to copy the second side of the object(s). Simply by employing appropriate spring tensions, damper characteristics, mass of the document holder H and dimensions, the holder H can accommodate any practical size and number of objects, subject to the size limits of a copier platen (not shown). Further, additional guides can be employed to more easily accommodate more than one object. 
   In the foregoing description, the convention used for identifying front and back sides of a document or other object includes the terms “obverse” and “reverse” respectively. This language choice, while conventional, is not intended as structurally limiting. Either side may be copied in any order without impact on the scope of appended claims. 
   Although the present invention has been thoroughly described in the foregoing detailed description and illustrations, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) disclosed, but may assume numerous arrangements, rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention nor from the scope of the following claims.