Patent ID: 8200140

Claim:
A printing system: a first module comprising: a frame having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, said frame comprising a first compartment and a second compartment above said first compartment; a main sheet transport path in said first compartment and extending between a first input port on said first side and a first output port on said second side; at least one sheet jam detection sensor in said first compartment adjacent to said main sheet transport path; and a bypass path in said second compartment extending between a second input port on said first side and a second output port on said second side; a second module adjacent said first side of said first module, said second module selectively feeding sheets to one of said first input port and said second input port; an additional module adjacent said second side of said first module; and a controller operatively connected to said first module and said second module so as to control movement of sheets into and through said main sheet transport path and said bypass path, said controller further performing the following operations: causing a gate in said second module to direct said sheets into said first input port such that said sheets are transported through said main sheet transport path; receiving a sheet jam detection signal from said sheet jam detection sensor; and in response to said receiving of said sheet jam detection signal, causing said gate in said second module to direct said sheets into said second input port such that said sheets are transported through said bypass path and out said second output port to said additional module for additional processing, said first compartment further comprising an access panel to said main sheet transport path, said access panel providing a user with access to said main sheet transport path in said first compartment for correcting a jam condition in said main sheet transport path as indicated by said sheet jam detection signal, and said bypass path continuing to transport said sheets to said additional module for said additional processing during said correcting of said jam condition by said user through said access panel such that cycling down of said printing system to perform said correcting is avoided.