Tabbed Media Printing System with Orientation Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Printing systems face challenges when handling media with non-uniform thickness profiles, as existing solutions like mechanical levelers limit the number of sheets that can be loaded and increase operator interventions due to complexity and cost.

Innovation Solution

A printing system that includes a media supply tray with a pattern of alternating media orientations, a detection system to identify the orientation of each sheet, and a control system to adjust image data orientation and direct sheets accordingly, ensuring correct printing on tabbed media with varying tab positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a mechanical leveler device is used to maintain the top surface of media substantially level, then the media can be reliably picked from the media supply tray, but the number of media sheets that can be loaded into the media tray is limited and operator interventions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia pickup reliabilityVSAvoidmedia tray capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the mechanical leveler device from the media tray assembly, extracting the problematic component that limited media capacity. Instead of using a leveler to maintain surface flatness, the system accepts non-uniform media stacks and uses alternative methods (media guides and pickup mechanics) to ensure reliable media selection without the space-consuming leveler mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If a mechanical leveler device is used to maintain the top surface of media substantially level, then the media can be reliably picked from the media supply tray, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia pickup reliabilityVSAvoidleveler system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the complex mechanical leveler system entirely, removing the source of complexity and cost. The solution replaces the active leveling mechanism with passive media guides and a pickup system designed to handle non-uniform media stacks, significantly simplifying the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the expensive, complex mechanical leveler with simpler, less costly components such as media guides and a standardized pickup mechanism. These simpler components achieve the same functional goal of reliable media pickup without requiring expensive precision mechanics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If media sheets are loaded into the media supply tray with non-uniform thickness profiles, then more media sheets can be loaded, but the top surface of the media stack will not be flat and horizontal making reliable pickup difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia tray capacityVSAvoidmedia pickup reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of trying to make the media stack uniform (traditional approach), the patent inverts the problem by designing the pickup system to work with non-uniform stacks. The media guides and pickup mechanics are configured to reliably select media sheets even when the top surface is not flat, turning the previously problematic non-uniformity into an acceptable condition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution allows for efficient and accurate printing on media with non-uniform thickness by optimizing media tray loading and automatically adjusting image data orientation, reducing operator errors and increasing the number of sheets that can be loaded without frequent reloading.

Implementation Method 1

a detection system configured to detect the tab position of the sheet of tabbed media

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection:

Implementation Method 2

a media transport system configured to pick a next sheet of tabbed media from the media tray

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

charged toner particles are brought into the vicinity of the photoreceptor and are attracted to the latent image to develop the latent image into a toner image

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic attraction: Electrostatic Induction

Implementation Method 4

The receiver is then removed from its operative association with the photoreceptor and subjected to heat or pressure to permanently fix (i.e., 'fuse') the print image to the receiver

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11720042B2Printing system for printing on tabbed media

Publication Date: 2023.08.08 EASTMAN KODAK CO

AI summary

A printing system for printing on tabbed media having a plurality of tab positions. A media transport system picks the next sheet of tabbed media from a media tray. A detection system detects the tab position for the sheet of tabbed media. The detected tab position is compared to an expected tab position and if the detected tab position is different from the expected tab position then either the front end is used to supply image data to be printed on the sheet of tabbed media having the detected tab position, or the media transport system is controlled to direct the sheet of tabbed media into a waste receptacle and pick one or more additional sheets of tabbed media until the detected tab position is the same as the expected tab position.