Patent Description:
Document <CIT> discloses a media accumulator-ejector for use with an imaging device comprising a finisher apparatus.

Print jobs may undergo finishing operations at higher throughput with acceptable quality by operating a finisher on a job-specific basis. A print job attribute may be used to control an accumulator of the finisher. Attributes may include media size, orientation, ink density, media type, job size, and external factors such as environmental conditions. Attributes may be directly available to the finisher, may be measured or inferred from operation of a print engine, may be measured or inferred from operation of the finisher, or may be selected by a user. For example, a two-page print job may be processed by the accumulator with less consideration for stack appearance than a <NUM>-page job, and thus may be completed at a higher throughput rate. Other finisher operations in addition to accumulation may be controlled based on a print job attribute.

<FIG> shows an example finisher apparatus <NUM>. The finisher apparatus <NUM> includes an accumulator <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and instructions <NUM> to control an accumulator of the finisher based on an attribute <NUM> of a print job, which is be stored in the memory <NUM>.

The accumulator <NUM> is to register a print medium of a print job in preparation for a finishing operation. An example print medium is a sheet or stack of paper. Other examples of print media include plastic film, card stock, and similar. Examples of finishing operations include stapling, offsetting, collating, binding, stamping, embossing, coating, laminating, cutting, folding, stitching, dropping, outputting, and the like. Any number of finishing operations may be performed.

The accumulator <NUM> may include an actuated component. An actuated component may include an actuator, such as a motor, and a component to physically manipulate print media. Examples of actuated components include a mezzanine, a channel, an edge clamp, a trailing edge clamp, a puller, and the like. The accumulator <NUM> may be controlled to bring print media to the correct position and orientation for performance of the finishing operation. Any number of actuated components may be provided.

The processor <NUM> is coupled to the accumulator <NUM> to control operation of the accumulator <NUM>. The processor <NUM> is coupled to the memory <NUM> to communicate instructions and data therebetween to provide for execution of instructions by the processor <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may include a central processing units (CPU), a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a processing core, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or similar device capable of executing instructions. The processor <NUM> may be dedicated to the finisher apparatus <NUM> or may provide functionality to a printer or other apparatus that includes the finisher apparatus <NUM>.

The memory <NUM> may include a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that stores executable instructions. The machine-readable storage medium may include, for example, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, a storage drive, an optical disc, and the like. The machine-readable storage medium may be encoded with executable instructions. The instructions <NUM> may be stored in the memory <NUM>.

The instructions <NUM> may be used to cause the processor <NUM> to control the accumulator <NUM> based on an attribute <NUM> of a print job comprising a page number. An attribute <NUM> of each print job may serve as a basis for controlling the accumulator <NUM> in addition to or as a modification to normal accumulator operation. Hence, job-to-job operation of the accumulator <NUM> may change, so as to increase throughput rate or control another aspect of job performance.

The instructions <NUM> may be to control whether a component of the accumulator <NUM> is to be used during accumulation of the print medium based on a print job attribute <NUM>. The instructions <NUM> may establish that a component is not to be used when the print job attribute <NUM> has a specific value or value range. For example, the use of edge clamps to control sheet edge curl may be contingent on job size, that is, number of sheets. The instructions <NUM> may implement a job size threshold that, if the number of sheets of the job does not exceed the threshold, then edge clamps are not used during accumulation. As edge curl on smaller print jobs may be tolerated, selective use of edge clamps based on job size may increase throughput rate through the finisher apparatus <NUM>.

The instructions <NUM> are to control a speed of conveyance of the print medium by the accumulator <NUM> based on a print job attribute <NUM>. The instructions <NUM> may accelerate or decelerate conveyance speed over a continuous range of speeds. Conveyance speed may have a continuous relationship with a value or value range of the print job attribute <NUM>. The instructions <NUM> may select a discrete conveyance speed from a set of predetermined speeds. A value or value range of the print job attribute <NUM> may be mapped to one of the predetermined speeds. According to the invention, the print job attribute <NUM> is a page number, with a higher conveyance speed being selected for the first N page of the job, as edge catches and sheet friction may be less of concern when the accumulator <NUM> contains little or no print media.

The instructions <NUM> may be to control the accumulator <NUM> based on a print job attribute <NUM> that is based on an environmental condition in or around the accumulator <NUM> or finisher apparatus. An environmental condition, such as temperature or humidity, may be sensed by a sensor installed at the accumulator <NUM>, finisher apparatus, or printer.

The instructions <NUM> may be to control a finishing operation of the finisher apparatus <NUM> based on an attribute of the print job that is the same or different attribute as used to control the accumulator <NUM>. Various finishing operations may be, for example, sped up, slowed down, or performed according to other parameters based on a print job attribute. For instance, a stapling operation may be increased in speed if page count is lower than a threshold number of pages.

With reference to <FIG>, example accumulator control instructions <NUM> may take as input a plurality of print job attributes <NUM>-<NUM>. The instruction may process the plurality of print job attributes <NUM>-<NUM> to obtain an actuator control command <NUM>-<NUM> to control an actuated component of an accumulator <NUM>. Combination logic to obtain an actuator control command <NUM>-<NUM> from print job attributes <NUM>-<NUM> may include an if-then condition, a continuous function, a lookup table or matrix, a decision tree, and similar. Any number of actuator control commands <NUM>-<NUM> for any number of actuated components may be obtained in this way.

<FIG> shows an example printer <NUM>. The printer <NUM> may include a paper tray <NUM>, a print engine <NUM>, a finisher <NUM>, an output area <NUM>, a user interface <NUM>, a network interface <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, and memory <NUM>. The printer <NUM> may be a multi-function device that may provide functions in addition to printing, such as scanning, copying, faxing, and the like. The printer <NUM> or a subcombination of its components may be termed a printer apparatus.

The paper tray <NUM> may store paper or other print medium for feeding into the print engine <NUM>. The print engine <NUM> may include components to print documents. The print engine <NUM> may be located upstream of the finisher <NUM> and provide for inkjet printing, laser printing, or similar marking of print media. The finisher <NUM> may be coupled to an output of the print engine <NUM> to receive printed pages from the print engine <NUM>. The finisher <NUM> may perform any number of finishing operations on printed pages. The finisher <NUM> may output documents to the output area <NUM>, such as a tray, for retrieval by a user. The user interface <NUM> may include a keyboard, touchscreen, display device, and similar device to receive input from the user to control the printer <NUM> and to output information to a user in human-perceptible form, such as by rendering a graphical user interface (GUI).

The memory <NUM> may store print engine control instructions <NUM> that are executable by the processor <NUM> to control the print engine <NUM> to mark print media. The memory <NUM> may also store finisher control instructions <NUM> that are executable by the processor <NUM> to control the finisher <NUM> to perform a finishing operation.

The finisher <NUM> may include a finishing component <NUM> and an accumulator <NUM> that may include an actuated component <NUM>. The finishing component <NUM> is to perform a finishing operation, such as those discussed elsewhere herein. The actuated component <NUM> is to physically manipulate print media during the finishing operation, as discussed elsewhere herein. Any number of finishing components <NUM> and actuated components <NUM> may be provided to implement any number of finishing operations.

Print job attributes <NUM> may be used to carry out the printing of the image data and a finishing operation. Print job attributes <NUM> may include print media type (e.g., paper source, paper weight, paper quality, etc.), print media size (e.g., letter, A4, legal, etc.), print media orientation (e.g., portrait, landscape), a number of pages, a number of copies, ink density, an indication of copy collation, an indication of stapling, print engine throughput rate, print engine paper speed, printer throughput rate, a stack quality, an environmental condition, and the like. Examples of environmental conditions include temperature and humidity in or around the finisher.

A print job attribute <NUM> may be received at the printer <NUM> via the network interface <NUM> with a print job that includes image data to be printed. For example, media type, size, and orientation may be defined by the print job as received. A print job attribute <NUM> may be generated by the processor <NUM>, the print engine <NUM>, the finisher <NUM>, or other component of the printer <NUM> prior to or during execution of a print job. For example, an actual throughput rate (e.g., sheets per minute) or an actual paper speed (e.g., cm per second) of print media through the print engine <NUM> may be measured or computed as the print job is underway. The accumulator control instructions <NUM> may request an attribute <NUM> from the processor <NUM>, print engine <NUM>, finisher <NUM>, or other component of the printer <NUM>. For example, the accumulator control instructions <NUM> may cause the processor <NUM> to request a speed from the print engine <NUM>.

The accumulator control instructions <NUM> may cause the processor <NUM> to determine a print job attribute <NUM> by inspecting the print job. That is, prior to or during normal execution of the print job according to its attributes <NUM>, the instructions may query the print job to obtain any attribute <NUM> relevant to control of the accumulator <NUM>.

The accumulator control instructions <NUM> may cause the processor <NUM> to infer a print job attribute <NUM> that is not provided with the print job or otherwise readily available. For example, ink density may not be readily available. In such case, the accumulator control instructions <NUM> may obtain print engine throughput speed and use such speed to determine ink density of a particular sheet, as slower throughput may mean more ink is being deposited. In another example, the instructions <NUM> may analyze image data of the print job to determine an ink density attribute <NUM>. Image data may include graphics, text, and other content. The instructions <NUM> may implement any suitable technique to analyze image data, such as pixel quantification. The instructions <NUM> may apply a function, lookup table or matrix, or similar to obtain an ink density attribute <NUM> from an image of a sheet. In these and other examples, the accumulator control instructions <NUM> may correlate knowable attributes of the print job to attributes <NUM> that are used to control the accumulator <NUM>.

A print job attribute <NUM> may be specified via a user interface, such as the user interface <NUM> of the printer <NUM> or a user interface of a computer that originates a print job. Options for print job attributes <NUM> may be provided for the user to select. For example, stack quality may be provided as an option. A user may then select high or low stack quality, with the accumulator <NUM> being controlled accordingly. High stack quality may have improved appearance but may require lower speed operation of the accumulator <NUM>. The user may choose to have print media arranged in a stack of lower quality to obtain increased throughput rate.

A sensor <NUM> may be used to provide data to obtain a print job attribute <NUM>. Example sensors include a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor. The accumulator control instructions <NUM> may determine a print job attribute <NUM> based on data from the sensor <NUM> to control the accumulator <NUM> accordingly. For example, low humidity may cause ink to dry more quickly and may allow for the accumulator <NUM> to be operated at a higher rate.

<FIG> shows an example method of controlling an accumulator, such as any of the accumulators described herein, based on a print job attribute. The method starts at block <NUM> with the creation or reception of a print job that requires a finishing operation. At block <NUM>, an attribute of the print job may be determined. A sensor may be referenced if the attribute is based on an environmental condition. An accumulator of a finisher may be controlled during performance of the print job based on the attribute of the print job, at block <NUM>, until the job ends via blocks <NUM>, <NUM>. Block <NUM> may be performed before commencement of the print job or during performance of the print job.

<FIG> shows another example method of controlling an accumulator, such as any of the accumulators described herein, based on print job attribute. The method starts at block <NUM> with the creation or reception of a print job that requires a finishing operation. At block <NUM>, an attribute of the print job may be determined prior to commencement of the print job, that is for example, before a print engine has printed a first page. Next, at block <NUM>, the print job commences. During the performance of the print job an attribute of the print job is determined, at block <NUM>. The attribute determined during performance of the print job may be an attribute that is different from and in addition to the attribute determined prior to the start of the print job, at block <NUM>. The attribute determined during the print job may be a redetermination of the same attribute determined prior to the start of the print job, at block <NUM>. That, is a print job attribute may be initially determined and then re-determined during the print job. Ink density is an example of an attribute that may be determined in this way. The print job may include an initial indication of ink density, and as the job progresses, ink density may be re-determined. An accumulator of a finisher is controlled, at block <NUM>, during performance of the print job based on the determined attribute or attributes of the print job, until the job ends via blocks <NUM>, <NUM>. In addition to control of the accumulator, a finishing operation may be controlled based on the determined attribute or attributes of the print job, at block <NUM>. An attribute used to control the finishing operation may be the same attribute used to control the accumulator or may be a different attribute. For example, the speed of a stapling operation may be increase where accuracy or appearance of the stapling is less of a concern.

<FIG> and <FIG> show an example finisher apparatus <NUM>. An example print-medium path P is shown in <FIG>.

The finisher apparatus <NUM> may include a floor <NUM>, a rear mezzanine <NUM>, a front mezzanine <NUM>, a rear channel <NUM>, a front channel <NUM>, a channel lift mechanism <NUM>, a rear puller <NUM>, a front puller <NUM>, an X-axis registration mechanism <NUM>, edge clamps <NUM> (also termed bar clamps), a shelf <NUM>, leading edge clamps <NUM>, eject pinch rollers <NUM>, spur pinch rollers <NUM>, a stapler <NUM>, an end-of-sheet clamp <NUM>, a trailing edge clamp <NUM>, a diverter <NUM>, and similar. The pullers <NUM>, <NUM> may be attached to a belt to provide for movement of a print medium.

The finisher apparatus <NUM> may further include actuators, such as motors, to actuate the components. The finisher apparatus <NUM> may include a floor motor <NUM>, mezzanine motors <NUM>, <NUM>, a rear channel X-axis motor <NUM>, a front channel X-axis motor <NUM>, channel lift motor <NUM>, a puller X-axis registration motor <NUM>, a puller motor <NUM>, an edge clamp motor <NUM>, a shelf motor <NUM>, a leading edge clamp motor <NUM>, an eject pinch roller motor <NUM>, a stapler motor <NUM>, an end-of-sheet clamp motor <NUM>, a trailing edge clamp motor <NUM>, a diverter motor <NUM>, and similar.

The actuators may control linear and rotational movement and positioning of various components of the finisher apparatus <NUM> along or about X, Y, and Z axes. For example, the stapler <NUM> may be actuated to move on the Y axis, the channels <NUM>, <NUM> may be actuated to move on the X and Z axes, the mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM> may be actuated to move on the X axis, the floor <NUM> may be actuated to move in on the X and Y axes, the leading edge clamps <NUM> may be actuated to move along the Z axis, the shelf <NUM> may be actuated to rotate about the X axis, and a top plate service assembly formed of the pullers <NUM>, <NUM>, channels <NUM>, <NUM>, and edge clamps <NUM> may be actuated to move along the X axis. Actuation of the various components of the finisher apparatus <NUM> realizes the finishing operations provided by the finisher apparatus <NUM>.

The finisher apparatus <NUM> may further include sensors. The finisher apparatus <NUM> may include a channel mezzanine sensor <NUM>, a channel X-axis registration sensor <NUM>, a bin full sensor <NUM>, a rear puller home sensor <NUM>, a front puller home sensor <NUM>, a puller entry sensor <NUM>, an eject sensor <NUM>, stapler sensors <NUM>, such as a stapler motor home sensor, a low staples sensor, an out-of-staples sensor, a stapler carriage door sensor, and a media edge sensor, and similar. The sensors may be used to realize the finishing operations provided by the finisher apparatus <NUM>.

The mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM>, channels <NUM>, <NUM>, channel lift mechanism <NUM>, pullers <NUM>, <NUM>, X-axis registration mechanism <NUM>, edge clamps <NUM>, shelf <NUM>, leading edge clamps <NUM>, end-of-sheet clamp <NUM>, trailing edge clamp <NUM>, and related actuators and sensors may be considered an accumulator <NUM>.

In an example operation, a document stack or copy may be assembled on the mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM>. After a sheet of print media is registered, the sheet may be clamped to the mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM>. When accumulation of the copy is complete, the mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM> may transport the stack to the stapler <NUM> for stapling. After the copy is stapled, the mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM> may transport the finished copy to a drop position. The copy may be clamped by the leading edge clamps <NUM> and both mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM> may be moved outwards away from the copy, dropping it onto the output floor <NUM>. The channels <NUM>, <NUM> may act as paper guide surfaces for the transport of a sheet by the pullers <NUM>, <NUM>. The channel X-axis registration sensor <NUM> may be used to establish X-axis alignment of each sheet during the accumulation of a stack. The pullers <NUM>, <NUM> may grip the leading edge of each sheet and pull the sheet to X and Y alignment positions. The edge clamps <NUM> may be moved along the X-axis on the edge of a sheet to control sheet curl, and may be moved to specific locations based on sheet size and orientation.

<FIG> and <FIG> show an example method of controlling a finisher apparatus, such as a finisher apparatus that includes the example accumulator depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>, based on print job attributes. The method starts at block <NUM> with the creation or reception of a print job that requires a finishing operation.

At block <NUM>, the accumulator is initialized for a new sheet of print media incoming from a print engine. This may include configuring pullers <NUM>, <NUM> to accept the sheet.

At block <NUM>, the pages are advanced toward the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> and may begin transport via the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> toward the alignment positions.

If the current sheet of print medium is the first page of the print job, as determined at block <NUM>, then positions of mezzanines <NUM>, <NUM> may be adjusted for the nominal X-axis size of the sheet and the channels <NUM>, <NUM> may be adjusted, at block <NUM>.

Subsequently, at block <NUM>, the leading edge clamps <NUM> may be lifted. Subsequent to lifting the leading edge clamps <NUM> or, if this is not the first page of the print job, other clamps, such as the edge clamps <NUM>, end-of-sheet clamp <NUM>, and trailing edge clamp <NUM>, may be lifted, at block <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> may be advanced to a position, as determined by one or more sensors for performing X-axis registration at block <NUM>. During the advance, the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> may reference a print job attribute, such as a speed mapping, user input, and the like. A print speed to puller speed mapping <NUM> may be used to adjust puller speed based on a speed of the print engine. That is, a relationship between print speed and puller speed may defined and then referenced when the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> are advanced. User input <NUM> indicating a speed for the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> may be referenced. For example, a user may indicate that speed through the finisher takes priority over an aesthetic characteristic of a printed document.

At the X-axis registration point referenced previously, the pullers may be stopped, channels <NUM>, <NUM> may be opened, and an X-axis measurement of the sheet of print medium may be taken. In the current example, the leading edge clamps <NUM> may lift to allow the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> to advance for completing the Y-axis registration. This example of registration is shown as block <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, a print job attribute, such as density, may be considered. Density may be a density of the print medium, an ink density, or a combination of such. Ink density may be determined from print job image data or print engine throughput rate, as discussed elsewhere herein. Print medium density may be determined from a thickness measurement of a sheet of print medium taken by the finisher or by user-provided information concerning the print medium, such as an indication of the kind of media loaded into a paper tray (e.g., brochure, heavy card stock, plain paper, etc.).

At block <NUM>, another print job attribute, such as page number, may be considered. The current page number may be compared to a threshold page number. That is, finisher operational behavior may change once a certain number of pages has been exceeded.

If the density is lower than a threshold density and the current page number is lower than a threshold page number, then the edge clamps <NUM> and trailing edge clamp <NUM> may be lowered together, at block <NUM>. Otherwise, the trailing edge clamp <NUM> may be lowered, at block <NUM>.

Subsequently, at block <NUM>, the pullers <NUM>, <NUM> may be advanced to a position, such a position that is clear of the sheet. The leading edge clamps <NUM> may then be lowered, at block <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, it may be determined whether the edge clamps <NUM> are down. If the edge clamps <NUM> are down, then the channels <NUM>, <NUM> may be reset, at block <NUM>. If the edge clamps <NUM> are not down and a print job attribute requesting or indicating high speed finishing exists, at block <NUM>, then the channels <NUM>, <NUM> may be reset, at block <NUM>. If the edge clamps <NUM> are not down and a print job attribute requesting or indicating high speed finishing has not been specified, then the edge clamps <NUM> may be lowered, at block <NUM>, prior to the channels <NUM>, <NUM> being reset at block <NUM>.

The method returns to block <NUM> for the next page, until it is determined that a last page is reached, at block <NUM>.

Once the last page of the print job has been accumulated, then the document may be moved to a finishing position for a finishing operation, at block <NUM>. A print job attribute <NUM>, such as media size or orientation, may be referenced to select a speed and sequence for moving the document to the finishing position. Other example print job attributes <NUM> include a user-specified speed and a speed determined from a print engine. A print job attribute may be used to control the finishing operation.

The finishing operation is performed and the document is presented to the user as completed, at block <NUM>, and the method ends, at block <NUM>. The method may be repeated with the same print job attributes for multiple copies of a document in a particular print job.

<FIG> shows an example printer <NUM> connected to a computer network <NUM> via a network interface <NUM>. A computer <NUM> may connect to the printer <NUM> via the network <NUM> to transmit print jobs to the printer <NUM>. The computer <NUM> may output a user interface that allows user selection of an option to set an accumulator control attribute for a print job.

<FIG> shows an example GUI <NUM> user selection of an option to set an attribute for a print job. The GUI <NUM> may be outputted at a user interface <NUM> of a printer <NUM> that executes print jobs. The GUI <NUM> may be outputted at a user interface of a computer <NUM> that creates or manages print jobs.

The GUI <NUM> may include a user interface element <NUM> to select a printing directive, such as a number of copies of a document to print.

The GUI <NUM> may include a user interface element <NUM> to select a finishing operation, such as whether the document is to be stapled.

The GUI <NUM> may include a user interface element <NUM> to select an attribute for operation of a finisher. Such an option may be presented to the user in a user-friendly manner. One selection may control several attributes. For example, a selection of "fast finishing" may set attributes that operate pullers of the accumulator at a higher speed without the use of edge clamps. A selection of "neat stacks" may set attributes that operate the pullers at a lower speed with the use of edge clamps. A user who can tolerate a document whose pages are stacked with suboptimal appearance may benefit from faster throughput.

The techniques described above may increase print job throughput without the need for additional finishing components or the use of an additional finisher. These techniques may be particularly suitable for inkjet printing, when compared to laser printing, as the possibility of the presence of varying amounts of drying ink on a sequence of printed sheets may lead to a tendency to design and operate accumulators conservatively. The techniques described herein include using density to control the accumulator, so that conservative or "one-size-fits-all" design and operation may be avoided. Small print jobs may benefit from increased throughput by using print job attributes to control the accumulator, while larger print jobs may also benefit or may not significantly suffer. In addition, selective use of finisher components, as discussed herein, may reduce noise of operation of the accumulator.

Claim 1:
A finisher apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
an accumulator (<NUM>) to register a print medium of a print job in preparation for a finishing operation;
memory (<NUM>) to store a page number of the print job; and
a processor (<NUM>) coupled to the accumulator (<NUM>) and to the memory (<NUM>), characterized in that the processor (<NUM>) is configured to execute instructions, the instructions to control a speed of conveyance of the print medium by the accumulator (<NUM>), wherein the instructions are to reduce the speed of conveyance when the page number exceeds a threshold page number.