Mobile copier

A mobile copier structured to be held in the hand and moved across the surface of the matter to be copied, comprising a support, a printable paper mounted on the support movable increment-by-increment across the matter to be printed in consonance with movement of the support thereacross, an optical train on the support for focusing the matter to be printed on the printable paper, a source of light for intermittently illuminating the matter to be printed and, optionally, a fixing and developing medium. The support is structured in two parts detachably connected, one of which contains the printable paper and the fixing and developing mediums, if employed, and is removable from the other part for replenishing the paper and developing medium.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
The need for a convenient personal portable copier has led to the 
development of several copier systems during the past eighty years. Three 
inventors have been responsible for the major development in the field. 
The first of these, George C. Beidler, developed the Rectigraph machine 
which was manufactured and marketed by the Rectigraph Company which was 
later brought out by the Haloid Company which itself later became the 
Xerox Corporation. The second, Dr. Carl S. Miller developed a process 
known as thermography and, at about the same time, the third, Chester F. 
Carlson, developed a process known as electrophotography which is the base 
upon which the success of the Xerox Corporation rests. 
The problem to which all three of these men addressed themselves, that is, 
the creation of a device which would enable the user to copy portions to 
documents conveniently, was not solved by their work. Documents must still 
be brought to the copiers since all existing copiers require a power 
source which is not movable. The user of a copier is still dependent upon 
the availability of the equipment. In instances in which a copier is not 
available, the user must either copy the material by hand or make 
photographic reproductions. 
The instant invention is concerned with the development of a hand-held, 
battery-operable, portable, personal copier. Basically, the copier is a 
short focal length camera with a built-in flash unit. Movement of the 
copier over a document being copied causes a synchronized movement of 
photosensitive paper through the image plane where it is exposed. The 
image on the paper is developed in room light, preferably fluorescent 
"cool white" light. 
In principle, many systems may be conceived for a hand-held copier device. 
While all existing photographic and copier duplication processes can be 
adapted to produce a miniature copier, many of the commercial and research 
technologies that have been reported in literature over the past years 
would yield inconvenient, expensive or technically inferior devices. The 
major technical problem relates to providing adequate power for the total 
system in a compact, low weight unit of about one pound. Other technical 
problems include the requirement for high voltages, liquid or hazardous 
vapor developers and long development times. 
Surveys show that it is essential that a portable, hand-held copier be 
foolproof and that it require almost no training to use. In addition, the 
following specifications are found to be essential: that it be easy to use 
with no messy or smelly chemicals or processes, that it be safe to use 
with no chance of fire or damage to the original documents or books being 
copied, that the cost be within the area of $35.00 to $100.00, that the 
size be approximately that of a portable calculator, that the development 
be rapid, that it be able to copy an image of about a newspaper column 
width, that the cost of supplies be $0.02 to $0.45 per 25 centimeter 
strip, that there be adequate life of the power supply for perhaps 100 
strips with low-cost, rechargeable batteries, that modular loading of the 
paper cartridge and simple replacement or recharging of the batteries be 
available, and that there be widespread availability of supplies. The 
copier herein described and claimed embodies the foregoing requisites. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
As herein illustrated, the copier comprises a mobile, hand-held structure 
movable across the matter to be copied, provided with a printable paper 
adapted to be moved increment-by-increment in consonance with the movement 
of the copier across the matter to be copied, an optical train for 
focusing an image of the material to be printed and means for exposing the 
printable paper. More specifically, the copier comprises a housing, 
tractor means mounted thereon arranged to guide and traverse the housing 
relative to the surface of the matter to be copied, and means operable by 
movement of the housing as it is traversed across the matter to be copied 
to correspondingly move the printable paper into position for printing. 
The optical train includes a reflector and lens system for receiving and 
focusing successive increments of the matter to be printed on successive 
portions of the printable paper. The tractor means may comprise spaced, 
parallel tractor belts mounted parallel to the movement of the copier or 
wheels. When wheels are employed, tracks may be provided adapted to be 
placed astride the matter to be printed upon which the wheeled structure 
is movable. 
The reflector is disposed at an angle of 45.degree. to the surface of the 
matter to be printed and the lens sytem is arranged to receive the 
reflected image and transfer and focus it in the plane of the printable 
paper. The printable paper is supported in a plane at the focus of the 
lens at right angles to the line of sight of the lens system. The 
structure is comprised of removably connected parts (modules), one of 
which mounts the tractor means and the optical train and the other of 
which mounts the printable paper and, optionally, a fixing and developing 
medium, the latter part being designed to be removed and replaced with a 
fresh supply of paper and printing medium.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1,4 and 5, the copier comprises a 
structure 10 of substantially rectangular, horizontal and vertical section 
constructed of two parts or modules 12 and 14 which are removably 
connected to each other by means of a dovetail joint comprising a mortise 
16a and tenon 16b as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Each of the 
modules 12 and 14 is a complete unit in itself, the latter being 
expendable. 
The module 12, FIG. 3, contains a bottom opening 18 of substantially 
rectangular configuration and above the opening an inclined mirror 20 or 
equivalent reflecting device arranged to reflect an image of the matter to 
be copied upon which the copier rests through an angle of 90.degree. in a 
direction parallel to the surface on which the copier resets. A lens 
system 22 is supported in the module 12 so that its line of sight 
coincides with the line of the reflected image. The right-hand end of the 
module 12 as shown in FIG. 3 contains a rectangular window opening 24 
corresponding substantially in size to the opening 18 through which the 
reflected image is directed. The opening 24 may contain a windowpane 24a. 
Above the mirror and the lens system there are mounted a power pack 26 and 
batteries 28. One or more lamps 52 are mounted at the sides of the opening 
18 to provide for lighting the material to be copied. Optionally, the 
mirror and lens system may be replaced with a fiber optic bundle as 
conventionally employed in some commercial copiers. 
The module 14, FIGS. 3 and 5, has mounted at its bottom a roll 32 of 
printable paper. Desirably, the roll is provided with a rigid spindle, the 
ends of which protrude and can be rotatably mounted at the bottom of slots 
33--33 in the side walls of the module. Paper P from the roll is led from 
the underside beneath a guide roll 34 upwardly between the window opening 
24 and a backing member 36 over a guide member 38 between a pair of feed 
rolls 40 and 42 and from thence over a guide roll 44 across a support 
member 46 and from thence across the edge of a serrated blade 48 and 
through a slot 50 at the top. The roll 42 is spring-biased toward the roll 
40. The backing member 36 holds the paper as it passes by the window 
opening 24 in a plane perpendicular to the line of sight of the lens 
system. An opening 51 is provided at the top to assist in threading the 
paper. Optionally, the roll of paper may simply be placed at the bottom of 
the module and allowed to unwind freely as the paper is withdrawn. 
There may also be mounted in the module 14 means for fixing and developing 
the exposed paper. As herein illustrated, this means is diagrammatically 
indicated at 41 as a nozzle or brush for applying a fixing and developing 
medium to the surface of the paper such as has been used in Polaroid and 
like instant developing cameras. Alternatively, a paper having a fixed and 
developing medium on its surface releasable by the pressure of the 
pressure roll 42 against the roll 40 may be used. It is to be understood 
that any printable paper which is consistent with the use herein 
envisioned may be used as is intended to be within the scope of this 
invention. 
The entire structure comprising the parts 12 and 14 is designed to be moved 
along the surface to be copied and, to this end, pairs of wheels 54--54 
are mounted on stub shafts at the bottom of the module 12 and tractor-line 
belts 56--56 are entrained about the wheels on which the structure 
comprising the modules 12 and 14 may be placed upon the surface of the 
documents to be copied and moved therealong. Desirably, the wheels and 
tractor belts are provided with teeth and mating slots to achieve 
precision. Optionally, the wheel and tractor belts may be omitted and 
rubber-tired wheels 54a-54a substituted therefor as shown in FIG. 7. The 
rubber-tired wheels may be rolled directly on the document to be copied or 
on tracks 55--55 placed astride the document. The wheels are fixed to a 
shaft 57 journaled in the side walls and there is a sprocket 61 fixed to 
the drive for driving the shaft to which the feed roll is fixed. 
The feed roll 40, FIGS. 1 and 3, for drawing the paper from the roll of 
paper is fixed to a shaft 41 which has an end extending from one side of 
the module and a wheel 58 is fixed thereto. The belt 56 at that side is 
extended about the wheel 58 so that rotation of the wheels 54--54 rotate 
the wheel 58 and, hence, the shaft 41 which, in turn, drives the feed roll 
40 in consonance with the movement of the copier across the document to be 
copied. The toothed wheels and tractor belts mentioned heretofore provide 
for accuracy in transmitting the movement of the copier across the 
documents to be copied to the feed of the paper. If rubber-tired wheels 
are used instead of tractor belts, a belt or chain drive from one of the 
wheels to the shaft of the feed roll 40 can be used, FIG. 7. 
As thus constructed, when the copier is placed on the surface of the 
document to be copied and moved along thereon by pressing it downwardly 
and pulling it back, the belts 56--56 which are traction belts travel 
around the wheels 54--54, permitting the copier to be moved back relative 
to the material to be copied and simultaneously rotate the feed roll 40 to 
pull the paper from the roll 32 past the window opening 25 at a rate which 
is synchronized with the rate of movement of the copier over the surface. 
This may be in direct proportion on a one-to-one basis or in some other 
ratio, but, in any event, the rate of movement across the document to be 
copied, the rate of feed of the paper and the exposure are timed so that 
as each incremental length of the paper is unrolled, it is exposed to 
corresponding incremental lengths of the material to be copied. The paper 
is withdrawn from the top of the module 14 across the blade 48 and through 
the slot 50 and torn off along the edge of the blade 48. Desirably, an 
opening 51 is provided at the top to facilitate threading. If both a 
fixing medium and a developing medium are used, the image will develop in 
the ambient light after the paper is withdrawn. If only a fixing agent is 
applied, the paper will have to be developed in some conventional manner 
after it is withdrawn. Preferably, as stated, the image is reproduced in 
the ambient room light "cold light." 
The paper is desirably provided in the form of a cartridge 6 centimeters 
wide by 10 meters long, the power pack is designed to service 20 
cartridges of paper before requiring recharging or replacement, and the 
copy speed should be 3 centimeters of strip per second with continuous 
movements of the copier. The power pack should weigh less than 0.5 pounds 
and the resolution of the image should be better than 5 lines per 
millimeter. 
The power pack and battery 26,28 are designed to illuminate the matter to 
be copied at predetermined intervals corresponding to the length of paper 
opposite the window opening 24 at any given instance and to accomplish 
this in synchronism, the feed roll 40 may be provided with a lug 66 
arranged so that, for each rotation, it will actuate a switch S in the 
circuit to illuminate the lamp 52. The belt 56 in this case functions as a 
timing belt to control the frequency of the flash of the lamp 52. The 
duration of the flash must be such as to allow an image resolution of 5 
lines per millimeter while the copier is being moved across the material 
to be copied. 
The flash lamp and associated electronics are modifications of compact 
strobe units available from Honeywell. They are powered by standard "C" 
cell batteries, preferably alkaline cells for long operating life. Two 
such cells can power about 30,000 flashes through a miniature rare gas 
lamp. 
The copier is designed to expose two square inches (12.5 centimeters 
square), one flash of a single flash lamp and will yield copies of several 
hundred pages of large size paper with one set of batteries. The 
photosensitive paper used is Eastman Kodak 2022 direct print 
photodevelopable paper. This paper is commercially used in a wide range of 
oscillographs and other printing devices. 
As has been previously stated, the modules 12 and 14 are interconnected by 
a dovetail joint so that they can be separated from each other. By this 
arrangement, the module 14 which contains the paper and, optionally, a 
fixing and developing medium, can be made a replaceable item for 
attachment to the module 12 when the length of printable paper has been 
used up. Desirably, the paper may be provided with an adhesive coating on 
the back side and a cover strip with perforations for feeding. 
As previously mentioned, a photosensitive paper is used wherein the 
development materials are applied to the surface of the paper such as used 
in polaroid cameras and films or, alternatively, capsules are incorporated 
into the paper which will release the developing compounds or other 
reactive chemicals when put through a pressure roll in the copier. 
Desirably, the top of the module 12 is provided with a removable or hinged 
cover 68 to permit replacing the battery of the power pack when required. 
The copier as described is of box-like construction having substantially 
rectangular, horizontal and vertical sections and may be made in different 
sizes according to the size of the user's hand and for left and right-hand 
users. The location of the object window and the drive belts or wheels 
must be such that it is easy to copy up to the binding of a book and so 
that the copy will not fall off an edge when moved across the original. 
One way to reduce this problem is to shape the copier like a movie camera 
with a pistol grip. A related design is that of a hand-held labeling 
device such as the Label-Matic. The drive belts may be located on the 
outside. However, it is preferable that all the components including the 
drive belt be located within the housing to reduce the chance of damage to 
the copier. 
It is essential that the copier be made to shut off automatically when it 
is not in use in order both to conserve power and to prevent accidental 
flashing of the lamps when the copier is lifted off the original. This 
latter precaution is necessary so that the copier will not disturb 
non-users of the copier near the copier and this may be achieved by 
providing for two power switches SW1,SW2, one of which is 
manually-operated and the other pressure-operated so that, in storage, the 
copier will not operate, but when it is kept in contact with the document, 
will operate. 
In order to regulate the exposure of the sensitive materials (paper) when 
the copier design uses a "frame at a time" exposure, there must be some 
relation between the discharge of the power capacitors and the movement of 
the copier. This may be achieved as heretofore related by using the 
tractor belt 56 as a timing belt. It is presumed that the capacities can 
be regenerated to a useful level between flashing sequences. In the event 
that the copier is moved too quickly across the original, a light-emitting 
diode 10D8 is incorporated in the circuit to indicate such operation. 
Light-emitting diodes can also be incorporated to indicate reduced power 
level of the battery, the ON position of the manual switch and operation 
of the pressure-sensitive power switch. 
While direct printout paper has wide latitude in exposure for developing an 
image, some exposure control is desired. This can be achieved by 
mechanical means to adjust apertures by optical means with neutral density 
and electronic means by regulating the capacitance or discharge rate. All 
of these are well-known techniques. 
As with all single application devices, the design of the components can be 
optimized for the copier system. The device herein illustrated used only a 
mirror and lens system for gathering light and imaging it onto the 
sensitive material. These two components can be especially designed to 
provide a flat field with a fixed focal length at a very low cost for 
components. It is expected that the depth of the field can be made 
adequate so that little or no adjustment of the optical components need be 
made by the user. Some consideration must be given to the object and image 
window areas. In the device as herein illustrated, there are no optical 
components between the lamp and the original or between the lens and the 
sensitive materials. For this reason, a movable cover is desirable to 
eliminate the possibility of damage which may automatically be moved out 
of the way when the copier is pressed onto the original. 
Commercially available miniature flash tubes may be used and one tube has 
been found sufficient. 
As previously stated, a development lamp is not required as the ambient 
light may be relied upon to fix the image. It may, however, be desirable 
to incorporate a miniature fluorescent lamp in the system for controlling 
development. 
The use of drive belts in the copier as herein illustrated differs from 
conventional uses of drive belts in that it is also used for traction 
across the original document being copied. If it should be desirable to 
separate the functions of contact of the original and movement of the 
sensitive paper, this could be achieved by using wheels in contact with 
the original and a drive belt running off a gear on the wheel axis FIG. 7. 
The drive belt may then be simply a pulling mechanism rather than the 
expensive precision belts currently used. 
For more precise control over the linearity of the movement of the copier 
across the original, it may be useful to use a rack and pinion. This means 
that the wheels are actually gears and that they ride on a geared rack 
(track) which is placed on top of the original as illustrated in FIGS. 6 
and 7. This type affords greater control over the copier, but makes it 
more cumbersome to use the device. In addition, the wheels must be 
recessed so that they do not damage the original in the event an attempt 
is made to use the copier without the geared rack. The copier is designed 
to pull a sensitive paper and its backing strip through the copier from a 
detachable cartridge that can be simply loaded. Since it is expected that 
some form of hole and sprocket system will be used in drawing the backing 
paper, there must be an interrelation between the cartridge and copier and 
the backing paper and sprocket position. A leader from the backing paper 
which extends outside the cartridge may be used so that insertion of the 
cartridge into the copier releases the sprocket and allows it to rotate 
freely until it meshes with a hole in the leader. This can be achieved 
with a release button on the copier which is also a locking catch for the 
cartridge to keep it in place. Autoloading is well-known in photographic 
systems. 
Referring to FIG. 8 of the drawings which shows the circuit diagram, the 
power pack is indicated at 26, the battery at 28, the lamps at 52, the 
ON/OFF switch at SW1, and the pressure switch at SW2. The switch SW 
provides for intermittent illumination. 
It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of 
illustration only and includes all modifications or improvements which 
fall within the scope of the appended claims.