Patent Abstract:
A media clearance apparatus including a member having a length, a thickness, and a width, and a first end and a second end. The member is securable along a portion of the member to a secondary member and is functionally operational such that one end of the member is movable from a first position out of contact with a media path into a second position in contact with the media path.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to copiers and printers, and more particularly, to an improved apparatus and method for use in the clearance of jammed media sheets. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Paper jams have long been a burden to users of copiers and printers. When a paper jam occurs, the user is required to take some action to restore the system to working order and to recover the integrity of the particular job. Various strategies and features have been developed to reduce the occurrence of jams and to minimize the burden on the user to recover from the jam. However, there is still a need for an improved and efficient jam clearance system. 
     Reference is made to systems relating to jam clearance including U.S. Pat. Nos.; 3,819,266; 3,944,794; 4,231,567; 5,623,720; 5,732,620; 5,840,003; 6,003,864 and 6,010,127. 
     All documents cited herein, including the foregoing, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment, there is provided a media clearance apparatus including a member having a length, a thickness, and a width, and a first end and a second end. The member is securable along a portion of the member to a secondary member and is functionally operational such that a portion of the member is movable from a first position out of contact with a media path into a second position in contact with the media path. 
     In another embodiment, there is provided a media clearing member in an electrophotographic apparatus including a member functionally associated with a media path having at least one curve. The member includes a length, a thickness, and a width, and a first end and a second end. The member is securable to a part of the electrophotographic apparatus. The member functionally operates such that one of the first end and the second end of the member is movable from a first position to a second position causing the other of the first end and the second end to move from a first position out of contact with the media path into a second position in contact with the media path. The member is not straight between the first end and the second end. 
     In yet another embodiment, there is provided an electrophotographic apparatus including at least one media path and a member. The member is functionally associated with the at least one media path. The member has a length, a thickness, and a width, and a first end and a second end. The member is securable to a part of the electrophotographic apparatus and adapted such that one of the first end and the second end of the member is movable from a first position to a second position causing the other of the first end and the second end to move from a first position out of contact with the media path into a second position in contact with the media path. 
     In another embodiment, there is provided a method of clearing media from a media path in an electrophotographic apparatus comprising: moving a first member functionally associated with a second member in the electrophotographic apparatus such that a free end of the second member intersects a portion of a media path and contacts the media causing movement of a portion of the media out of the media path; and removing the media from the media path. 
     Still other aspects and advantages of the present invention and methods of construction of the same will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein embodiments are shown and described, simply by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and methods of construction, and its several details are capable of modification and interchangeability in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of an embodiment of an electrophotographic apparatus incorporating the media clearance member; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of an assembly including an embodiment of the media clearance member in a first position; and 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of media clearance member in a second position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the principles and embodiments of the present invention will be described in connection with a printer or copying device such as an analog or digital electrophotographic apparatus, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to that embodiment or to that application. Therefore, it should be understood that the principles of the present invention and embodiments extend to all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents thereof. 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, schematically illustrated is an original document is positioned in a document handler  27  on a raster input scanner (RIS) indicated generally by reference numeral  28 . The RIS contains document illumination lamps, optics, a mechanical scanning drive and a charge coupled device (CCD) array. The RIS captures the entire original document and converts it to a series of raster scan lines. This information is transmitted to an electronic subsystem (ESS) which controls a raster output scanner (ROS) described below. 
     An electrophotographic printing or copying machine may generally include a photoconductive belt  10 . The photoconductive belt  10  may be made from a photoconductive material coated on a ground layer, which, in turn, is coated on an anti-curl backing layer. Belt  10  moves in the direction of arrow  13  to advance successive portions sequentially through the various processing stations disposed about the path of movement thereof. Belt  10  is entrained about stripping roller  14 , tensioning roller  20  and drive roller  16 . As roller  16  rotates, it advances belt  10  in the direction of arrow  13 . 
     Initially, a portion of the photoconductive surface passes through charging station A. At charging station A, a corona generating device indicated generally by the reference numeral  22  charges the photoconductive belt  10  to a relatively high, substantially uniform potential. 
     At an exposure station, B, a controller or electronic subsystem (ESS), indicated generally by reference numeral  29 , receives the image signals representing the desired output image and processes these signals to convert them to a continuous tone or greyscale rendition of the image which is transmitted to a modulated output generator, for example the raster output scanner (ROS), indicated generally by reference numeral  30 . Preferably, ESS  29  is a self-contained, dedicated minicomputer. The image signals transmitted to ESS  29  may originate from a RIS as described above or from a computer, thereby enabling the electrophotographic printing machine to serve as a remotely located printer for one or more computers. Alternatively, the printer may serve as a dedicated printer for a high-speed computer. The signals from ESS  29 , corresponding to the continuous tone image desired to be reproduced by the printing machine, are transmitted to ROS  30 . ROS  30  includes a laser with rotating polygon mirror blocks. The ROS will expose the photoconductive belt to record an electrostatic latent image thereon corresponding to the continuous tone image received from ESS  29 . As an alternative, ROS  30  may employ a linear array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged to illuminate the charged portion of photoconductive belt  10  on a raster-by-raster basis. 
     After the electrostatic latent image has been recorded on photoconductive surface  12 , belt  10  advances the latent image to a development station, C, where toner, in the form of liquid or dry particles, is electrostatically attracted to the latent image using commonly known techniques. The latent image attracts toner particles from the carrier granules forming a toner powder image thereon. As successive electrostatic latent images are developed, toner particles are depleted from the developer material. A toner particle dispenser, indicated generally by the reference numeral  44 , dispenses toner particles into developer housing  46  of developer unit  38 . 
     After the electrostatic latent image is developed, the toner powder image present on belt  10  advances to transfer station D. A print sheet  48  is advanced to the transfer station, D, by a sheet feeding apparatus,  50 . Preferably, sheet feeding apparatus  50  includes a nudger roll  51  which feeds the uppermost sheet of stack  54  to nip  55  formed by feed roll  52  and retard roll  53 . Feed roll  52  rotates to advance the sheet from stack  54  into vertical transport  56 . Vertical transport  56  directs the advancing sheet  48  of support material into the registration transport  120  of the invention herein, described in detail below, past image transfer station D to receive an image from photoreceptor belt  10  in a timed sequence so that the toner powder image formed thereon contacts the advancing sheet  48  at transfer station D. Transfer station D includes a corona generating device  58  which sprays ions onto the back side of sheet  48 . This attracts the toner powder image from photoconductive surface  12  to sheet  48 . The sheet is then detacked from the photoreceptor by corona generating device  59  which sprays oppositely charged ions onto the back side of sheet  48  to assist in removing the sheet from the photoreceptor. After transfer, sheet  48  continues to move in the direction of arrow  60  by way of belt transport  62  which advances sheet  48  to fusing station F of the invention herein, described in detail below. 
     Fusing station includes a fuser assembly  200  which permanently affixes the transferred toner powder image to the copy sheet. Fuser assembly  200  may include a heated fuser roller  240  and a pressure roller  230  with the powder image on the copy sheet contacting fuser roller  240 . The pressure roller is loaded against the fuser roller to provide the necessary pressure to fix the toner powder image to the copy sheet. The fuser roll is internally heated by a quartz lamp (not shown). Release agent, stored in a reservoir (not shown), is pumped to a metering roll (not shown). A trim blade (not shown) trims off the excess release agent. The release agent transfers to a donor roll (not shown) and then to the fuser roll  240 . Or alternatively, release agent is stored in a presoaked web (not shown) and applied to the fuser roll  240  by pressing the web against fuser roll  240  and advancing the web at a slow speed. 
     The sheet then passes through fuser  200  where the image is permanently fixed or fused to the sheet. After passing through fuser  200 , a gate  80  either allows the sheet to move directly via output  84  to a finisher or stacker, or deflects the sheet into the duplex path  100 , specifically, first into single sheet inverter  82  here. That is, if the sheet is either a simplex sheet, or a completed duplex sheet having both side one and side two images formed thereon, the sheet will be conveyed via gate  80  directly to output  84 . However, if the sheet is being duplexed and is then only printed with a side one image, the gate  80  will be positioned to deflect that sheet into the inverter  82  and into the duplex loop path  100 , where that sheet will be inverted and then fed to acceleration nip  102  and belt transports  110 , for recirculation back through transfer station D and fuser assembly  200  for receiving and permanently fixing the side two image to the backside of that duplex sheet, before it exits via exit path  84 . 
     After the print sheet is separated from photoconductive surface  12  of belt  10 , the residual toner/developer and paper fiber particles adhering to photoconductive surface  12  are removed therefrom at cleaning station E. Cleaning station E includes a rotatably mounted fibrous brush in contact with photoconductive surface  12  to disturb and remove paper fibers and a cleaning blade to remove the nontransferred toner particles. The blade may be configured in either a wiper or doctor position depending on the application. Subsequent to cleaning, a discharge lamp (not shown) floods photoconductive surface  12  with light to dissipate any residual electrostatic charge remaining thereon prior to the charging thereof for the next successive imaging cycle. 
     The various machine functions are regulated by controller  29 . The controller is preferably a programmable microprocessor which controls all of the machine functions hereinbefore described. The controller provides a comparison count of the copy sheets, the number of documents being recirculated, the number of copy sheets selected by the operator, time delays, jam corrections, etc. The control of all of the exemplary systems heretofore described may be accomplished by conventional control switch inputs from the printing machine consoles selected by the operator. Conventional sheet path sensors or switches may be utilized to keep track of the position of the document and the copy sheets. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2-3, a media clearance member  310  is illustrated in a portion of a media transport assembly  83  of an electrophotographic apparatus. The media clearance member  310  is used to improve both visual and physical access to the sheets in the event of a jam. The media clearance member  310  addresses two important aspects of jam clearance: (1) moving the media to a position where it can be seen by an operator; and (2) providing improved access to the media for easy removal of the media. Jammed sheets in curved paper path regions can be particularly difficult to clear and/or detect due to the media hugging the inside radius of a media path and transport baffle, for example, when the media sheet is in a nip region before and after the media path turn. In embodiments, the media clearance member  310  provides efficient media jam clearance. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a media sheet  240  which has stopped and become jammed in the media path  250 . The media clearance member  310  is attached to a baffle assembly  300 . A baffle assembly  400  is shown on the opposite side of the media path. The baffle assemblies  300 ,  400  are both shown in a closed position in FIG.  2  and in an open position in FIG.  3 . In use, the baffle assembly  400  is first moved to an open position as shown in FIG.  3  and then the baffle assembly  300  is then moved to a maximum open position indicated by imaginary line  315  from closed position indicated by imaginary line  305 . The baffle assembly  400  may pivot about a pivot point  410 . In the process of opening the baffle assembly  300  away from the closed position  305 , the attached media clearance member  310  also moves and an end  314  of the media clearance member  310  enters the media path  250  and contacts the media  240 . As the baffle assembly  300  is further moved toward its most open position  315 , the end  314  is further moved and extends further into the media path  250  and then may extend out of the media path  250  onto the opposite side of the media path  250  into an open region where a portion of the baffle assembly  400  was once positioned when in a closed position (See FIG.  2 ). With movement, the end  314  pushes on the media sheet  240 , causing and forming a bulge  260  out of the normal media path region, which allows for improved visibility and accessibility of the media  240  for jam clearance. The baffle assembly  300  and media clearance member  310  may angularly rotate an angle θ in a range up to 120 degrees from position  305  up to position  315 . 
     In embodiments, the media clearance member  310  may include an offset portion or a curved portion and form a finger-like portion  312 . The media clearance member  310  may be secured to a secondary member such as an aluminum extrusion or a rail of a baffle assembly  300  using a fastener such as a plastic or metal screws, adhesives, welding, or other chemical or thermal attachment methods or systems. The baffle assembly  300  may pivot from the closed position  305  to an open position  315  about a pivot point  330 . The media clearance member  310  may be made from a metal or a plastic, for example, the media clearance member  310  may be made of a molded ABS plastic or a sheet metal having a length and a width and a shape sufficient to extend into the media path  250  when moved a selected angular distance. The media clearance member  310  may be straight, jogged, or offset, and the cross-section thereof may be round, square, or non-circular. The media clearance member  310  may include a diameter along a portion of its length. The media clearance member  310  may have an overall length up to 12 inches and a diameter up to 1 inch; in an embodiment, the finger portion  312  may be about 2½ inches and have a diameter of about 0.2362 inches. The media  240  may include paper or a transparency. The media path  250  may be curved including an S shaped curve. The media clearance member  310  may be associated with a media path  250  at a location thereof where there is a radius or curve, for example, an inside radius at a nip region located before and after the turn in the media path  250  or at an inverter portion of the media path  250 . The media clearance member  310  may function as a mechanism for pushing and moving the media  240  away from a surface and creating a bulge  260  in the media  240  to allow greater visibility and access of the media  240  to an operator. The bulge  260  may be formed such that a concave surface of the media  240  is closest to the media clearance member  310 . 
     In summary, the media clearance member  310  is adapted to aid in the movement of the media  240  out of a media path  250  and position the media  240  for easier retrieval by an operator. Removal of the media  240  from the electrophotographic apparatus may be a manual hand operation performed by the operator. 
     Other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art subsequent to a review of the present application, and these modifications, including equivalents thereof, are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Moreover, it is evident that many alternatives and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1