CA1253193A - Method and apparatus for producing printed tabs - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PRINTED TABS
Abstract of the Disclosure A method and apparatus are disclosed for producing printed tabs. The apparatus comprises means for producing an image in an image area of a movable image transfer member; the means for producing an image includes means for exposing an original in timed relation to movement of the transfer member and means for positioning a tab relative to the image transfer member. The tab are sized to produce divisions in a set of copy sheets and have a first area generally equal in size to the image area of the transfer member and a second area outside of the first area and along one edge for receiving the image. In order to locate the image in the second area of the tab, actuation of the exposure means is delayed to shift the image toward an edge of the image area, and actuation of the means for positioning the tab relative to the image transfer member is also delayed to locate tab such that the image is transferred to the second area of the tab.

Description

~;3~g3 M~THOD AND ARPARATUS FOR PRODUCI~& PRINTED TABS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relate6 to electrophotographic app~ra~u~, and more particularly, ~o a me~hod and apparatu6 in which copie6 of ~elected original6 are produced a~ printed tabs.
In producing a set of copy 6heet6, it is oftentimes desirable to in6ert printed tab6 at 6elected intervals to produce vi6ible divi6ion6 in the 6et. U.S. Patent Mo. 4,201~464, di6clo6e6 ~
copier which is adapted to insert copy 6eparation sheets between succes6ive copy ~obs or ~ob portions.
The copier has a plurallty vf copy paper 6upplie6 ~nd each ~upply can accommodaee different 6ize6 of copy paper. There ls no di6clo6ure in thi6 patent, however, of e means for producing printed tsbs, and if 6eparation 6heets in the form of prlnt~d -~ab~ are desired, they must be preprin~ed.
There is a problem in producing printed tsb6 in certain copiers in that the tab is wider than the image area of $he photoconductor, and thu~ an imag~
~annot be placed cloæe to the edge of the tab. I~ is known in the copier art to 6hift an image toward an edge of a copy sheet generally equal in ~ize to the image are~ of the photoconductor. For example, in U.S, Patent No. 4,350,439, the 6heet feed ~ime is varied to 6hift the margin left or right.
Altern~tively, the reproduced image can be po6itioned by 6uitably selecting the timing for initiating the 6canning of the original. The $mage-shifting techniques di6closed in U.S. Pstent No. 4,3509439, are used 601ely fur margin 6hift, ~nd there ifi no sugge6tion that 6uch techique6 could be used to solve the problem o printing along an edge Area oi a relatively wide copy sheet to produce ~ printed tab.

~53~3 SUMMARY OF THE INV~NTION
It is an ob~ect o the presen~ ~nvention to overcome the above-de~crlbed problem6 in the prior art and to provide a novel method and apparatu~ for producing printed tabs whlch are wider than ~h~ lm~ge area on the photoconductor.
In accordsnce with one aspect o ~he pre6ent invention, there is provided apparatu6 for prQducing printed tabs, said apparatus comprising: an image transfer member movable along B tran6port path and having a plurality of spaced nonoverlapping imRge areas; means for producing an image in an image area of said transfer member ln a timed relation to the movement thereof; means for po~itioning A tab rel~tive to said image trsnsfer member in ~ransferable relationship therewith to receive sn unfixed im&ge, said tab h~ving a fir6t area generally equal in si~e to said image srea and ~ 6econd area ou~side of said first area and along one edge of the tab; and means for effecting the transfer of an image ~o said second area to form 8 printed ~ab.
In ~ccordance with the present invention, there is &lso provided a method of printing on copy sheets in an apparatu~, 6aid copy ~heets having a flrst area and a second area out~ide said first area, said apparatus comprising means for producing an image on a movable image transfer member in an image area generally equal to 6aid first Area ~nd means for positioning a copy 6heet relative to said image transfer member as it is moving, ~aid method comprising the s~eps of: (A~ expo6ing an original to produce an image in an image area; ~nd (b) positioning a copy sheet relative to 6aid lmage srea 6uch that said second area i8 in a pofiition to receive sald image.

~ S~ ~ ~3 In one embodiment of the present invention, a tsb orlginal is exposed, and an ~mage of ehe orlginal i6 produced on an ~mage tr~nsfer mDmber.
The exposure is delayed relative to the nor~al operating cycle of the apparatu6 to 6hift the im~ge toward an edge of the image Area on the im~ge transfer memberD The feeding of a t~b ~nto a position to receive the im~ge from the image tr~n~fer member is slso del~yed to æhift the lmage into the ed~e area of the tab. If the t&b original i6 lsrger than the im~ge area on the im~ge transfer member, ~
reduction of the original image is effected to loc~te all indicia on the original in the image area.
A principal sdvant~ge of the disclosed inventlon is that sets of copy sheet6 can be produced having prlnted t~bs lnterspersed through the ~et at desired locstions. The sets can be produced on-line at normal copier 6peed6, where~s previou61y, 6e~s containing printed tabs requlred cons~der~ble time and intervention by the oper~tor. The problem of printing on relatively wide tabs h~s been solved, withou~ having to enlarge the im~ge area on the photoconductor, by shlfting the image ln~o the edge ~res of the tab. A particularly adv~ntageous wsy to accomplish the image ehift is in the use of both exposure delsy and delay in feeding the tab. By using the combina~ion of these techniques, the lm~ge shift can be ~ccomplished without large change6 in the apparatus oper~tion cycle and feeding process.
Other features and advant~ges will become appsrent upon reference to the Description of the Preferred Embodiment when read in light of the ~ttached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 i6 & ~chematic represent~tion of an elec~rophotographic appar~tus according to the present inventlon;

~53~9 Flgure 2 is a block diagrsm of ~he logic and con~rol unit of the appar~tu6 of Fig. 1 ~nd a ~chematic representation of ~he operstor control p~nel of the appar~tus of Fig. l;
Fig. 2A i6 a perspective vlew of a printed tab as produced by the pre6ent invention;
Flgure 3 is flow chart of the operation of ~he appAr~tus of Figure 1 in ~ tab set-up modei Flgure 4 is a flow chart of the operstion of the appar~tus of Figure 1 in one producing mode;
Figure 5 is a flow chart of ~he oper~tion of the appar~tus of Figure 1 ~n a 6econd producing mode;
Figure 6 i6 a flow chsrt of the operation of the apparatus of Figure 1 ln a le~ter to tab set-up mode; and Figure 7 is a flow chart of the operation of the ~ppar~tus of Figure 1 in a third producing mode.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFE~RED EMBODIMENT
As used herein, "copy sheet" rePr6 to sheets which receive an image from an originsl document. "Tab'l refers ~o ~ copy ~heet havlng a portion at least which is wider than the copy ~heets it is used with; for ex~mple, the portion could be 9 inches wide, if used in ~ets of copy sheets which are 8-1/2 inches wide. Altern~tively, the t~b could be 9 inhes wide along its entire length. A "printed tabl' refers to a tab having printing along one edge in the wide portion thereof and which is ~dapted to serve BS
a divider in a set of copy 6heets.
With reference to Figure 1, there is 6hown an elec~rophotographic apparatus 10 having an image transfer member ln the iorm of a photoconductive belt 12 ~rained about rollers 14, 16, 18, 20, ~nd 22.
Belt 12 is moved iD a clockwlse direction, a represented by arrow 24, by mean6 of a motor 26 mechanically linked to roller 22. Apparatus 10 lncludes ~n expo~ure pla~en 28 ag~inst which an 53~3 origin~l c~n be positioned in an expo~ure pos~ion for copying. Originals are fed ~o the platen 28 by recircul~ting document feeder 30 or by a dvcument positioner 31.
Recirculsting document feeder 30 is located on top of exposure platen 28 and lnclude6 a tr~y 32 for receiving a set of original6 34 in a receiving position~ Feeder 30 circulates originsl6 in sequence slong a path 36 from the bottom of tray 32 to exposure platen 28 ~nd then back up to the top of the set of originals 34 in tray 32. This i6 effected by means of feed roller 38 which feeds the botto~most original in tr~y 32 between guide roller 40 ~nd guide 42 onto platen 28 where the original is Etopped by a gate 44. After exposure of the origin219 gate 44 i6 moved out of p~th 36, and rollers 50, 52, 54 9 56, ~nd 58 move the original back to the top of the 6et of originals 34 in tray 32, As will be described in greater detail later, as an origlnal move~ slong path 36 away from tray 32 a detector 60 generates a count signal which is applied ~o a logic and control unit 62. A set count finger 61 is adap~ed to rest on top of the set of orlginals 34 in tray 32 and fierve6 to indlca~e when all of the orlginals in a set of origin~ls 34 have been circulated by feeder 30. A
more detailed disclosure of the operation ~nd structure of feeder 30 i~ disclo~ed in commonly-assigned U.S. Paten~ No. 4,0g9,860.
Wi~h reference to Fig. 1, there is shown an im~ge-producing mesns 63 which includes ~ p~ir of fl~sh l~mps 46 and 48 for llluminat$ng an or~ginal;
upon illumination of the ori~inal, an image is produced which is projected by a mirror 64, a len6 66, ~nd a mirror 68 onto belt 12 ~t an expo6ure ststion 70. Lens 66 i~ supported on s carriage 69 which ifi mounted for movement by ~ motor (not ~hown~
to move lens 66 ~].ong it6 op~ical axis; len~ 66 is ~53~3 moved to change the magnification of the pro~ected image. The maximum magnification of len6 66 i6 ~uch that light is projec~ed over an are~ on belt 12 defined as ~n lmage area~ or ~6 a frame, which could be, for ex~mple, 8-1/2 lnchRs wide. The terms "leading edge" and "tr~lling edge" of the im~ge area, as used herein, refer re6pectively to the edge of an image area which pas~es an element ~n ~pparatus 10 fir6t and the edge which pa6ses the s~me element last, as the image ~rea i6 moved in the direction of arrow 24 (Fig. 1).
The 6peed of belt 12 ~nd the timing of 1~sh lamps 46, 48, are controlled ~o locate an image on belt 12 and to provide a sui~able distsnce between lS im~ge areas. In advance of exposure statlon 70 is a charging st~tion at which a coron~ ch~rger 72 Bensitizes belt 12 by applying ~n electrostatic - charge thereon (for ex~mple, ~ negative electrostatic charge). At exposure station 70, the pro~ected light image dissipates the electrostatic charge at the exposed areas of the photoconductive bel~ 12 ~o form a la~ent electro6tatic image on belt 12 correspondlng to the image on the origin~l.
The latent electrost~tic im~ge on belt 12 is developed with toner at a magnetic brush developer station 73; at station 73 a developer is spplied which includes iron carrier particles ~nd electroscopic toner particles with ~n elec~roststic charge (e~g. a positlve charge~ opposite to the charge of the latent electro6tstic image. The toner image is then subjected to radiation by a po6t-development erase l~mp 75 to reduce the electr~cal stress on photoconductive belt 12 and ~o reduce the attraction between the toner im~ge and belt 12.

As the toner im~e on belt 12 Approsches a transfer coron~ char~er 74, a copy ~heet ln the form of a tab 76 is fed from a 6upply 78 or a copy sheet 77 is fed from a supply 82. Tsb 76 and copy 6heet 77 ~re fed by a po~i~ioning mean~ which include~ a feed roller 80 for tabs 76, a feed roller 84 for copy sheets 77, and a reglstration mechani6m 86. A copy sheet 77 or tab 76 is biased again6t mech~ni6m 86 by the positioning mean6. Regi6tration mechani6m 86 i8 moved out of the p~th of a copy ~hee~ 77 or a t~b 76 at the appropriate polnt in the rycle of ~ppAratu6 10 to ob~ain the desired posi~ioning of 6heet 77 or t~b 76 relative to an image on belt 12. As ~hown in Fi8.
2A, a tab 76 includes a first Area 79 wh~ch ~6 6ubstantially the SAme size 88 cOpy sheet 77, for example, 8-1/2 x 11 inches and a ~econd are~ 81 outside of area 79 for reeeiving printing ~nd which can be, for example ~ 1/2-inch wide. Area 81 could be extended for the length of tab 76 if ~ rectangular tab ls desired.
In the discussion which follows, movement of a tAb 76 through the ~pparatu6 10 ~s described, it being understood that ~he described movem~nt would apply equslly weli to ~ copy 6heet 77. At the proper time in the apparatus cycle, the registration mechanism 86 releases a tab 76 so ~hat it is moved into registration with the toner lmage on belt 12 in advance of corona charger 7~O Charger 74 ~erves as a means to effect the transfer of the toner im~ge to t~b 76 by applying a charge opposite in polarity to that of the toner lmage. A detack charger 88 neutralizes the charge on tab 76 so ~hat it ea6ily 6ep~r~tes from belt 12 at roller 18. The tab 76 besring toner is then pss6ed through B pair of heated fuser rollers 90 and 92 to permanently fuse the toner image to the tab 76. After fu~ing, the tab 76 i6 transpor~ed to an upper ou~put tray 94 or to a 6ide output tray 96.

~3 Mechanlcal ~nd electric~l cleaning of photoconductive belt 12 1~ effected a~ R cleaning station 98 which include6 B cleaning a6~i6t erase l~mp lO0. Lamp lO0 expose~ photoconductlve belt 12 to radiation to Rub6tantislly reduce ~ny charge remainlng on belt 12, and ~ cleaning a~6i6t charger 102 impresses an alternating current ch~rge on belt 12 to neutralize the charge6 on untran~ferred toner particles. A bru6h 104 remove6 any re61dual ~oner from belt 12 so that it i6 resdy for another cycle.
Timing of ~he movement o belt 12 in rel~tlon to the opera.lon of the vsriou~ elements of apparatus 10, includ$ng feeder 30, i6 controlled by means of a plur~lity of perforstlons (not shown~
along one ~ the ed~e8 of belt 12. As an example~
belt 12 csn be divided in~o ~ix image areas by ~
fir~t 6et of perforation~ and e~ch im~ge ~rea may be 6ubdlvided into 51 6ections by a second 6et of perforation6. The relation~hip of ~he ~wo 6e~ of perforations ~o ~he image srea on belt 12 ~6 disclo6ed ~n de~sll in commonly-a66i~ned U.S. P~tent No. 3,gl4,047. At a fixed location along the path of movement of belt 12~ there ~s provided a detector 106 for detec~ing belt perforations and for providing timing pulse~ to logic and control unit 62. An encoder 108 i6 linked to roller 22 and provide6 &
serie6 of timing pulse6 to logic snd control unit 62 which gre used in con~unction with the pul6es from detector 106 to control the operation of copier 10.
Wi~h reference to Figure ~, there i6 shown in grester det~$1 nn illustrative logic and control unlt 62 which i~ connected to an opera~or control panel 110. Logic and control unit 62 ha6 ~
programmable computer, 6uch a~ a microcompu~er, which has & 6tored program respon6ive to inpu~ signal~ for ~equentially actuating the various elements of ~pparatus lO a~ well a6 for controlling the operation ~ ~ 3 ~ 3 oE many other Eunctions of apparatus 10 (as disclosed in greater detail in the aforementioned U.~. Patent No. 3,914,047). Programming oE commercially available microprocessors, such as Intel~ Model 8085 (which along with others can be used in accordance with the invenkion), is a conventional skill well understood in the art. The Eollowing disclosure is written to enable a programmer having ordinary skill in the art to produce an appropriate control program Eor the microprocessor. The par-ticular details of any such program would oF course depend on the architecture of the designated microprocessor.
As shown in Figure 2, LCU 62 includes kemporary memory 112 which can be provided by Read/Write Memory or Random Access Memory (RAM), a central processing unit 114, a timing and cycle control unit 116, and a stored program control unlt 118 which comprises a Read-Only Memory (ROM). Data input and output are performed sequentially under program control. Input data is applied to LCU 62 either through input signal bufEers 120 to input data latches 122 or through an interrupt signal processor 124. The input signals are derived from operator control panel 110, from tiny pulses such as tho~e from detector 106 and encoder 108, and Erom various analog to digital converters which process signals from monitoring devices (not shown) in apparatu~ 10.
The output data and control signals are applied to OtltpUt data storage latches 126 which provide Lnputs to suitable output drivers 128 which are connected to various elements of apparatus 10.
Operator control panel 110 includes a display l62 and a plurality oE operator actuatable switches (buttons). For example, a numerical keyboard 130 includes ten buttons for "0"-"9"
inclusive. A "c" button 132 is used to cancel or clear the previous instructions fed in Erom panel 110. A star "~" button L34 is actuated by the ~2~3~3 oper~or ~o indicate de~ignated originAls which ~re ~o be copied on copy sheet~ of a diferent characteris~ic than other original~, for ex~mple, copy 6heets in the form of tabs 76. This fuDction will be de~cribed in greater detAil l~ter. A ~t~rt button 136 initiates operation of appar~u~ 10 ~nd a stop button 138 terminate6 operatlon of ~pp~ratu6 10.
Apparatu6 10 c~n be opersted in ei~her a noncoll~te mode or a collate mode. In the noneollate 10 mode, the output of appsratus 10 is ~e~s of uncollsted copies which mu6t either be eoll~ted manually or collated by a ~orter (not 6hown). In the collate mode, a set of coll~ted copies is produced.
If the noncollate mode i~ desired, ~ but~on 140 i6 depressed; and if the coll~te mode i6 desired, a button 142 is depre~sed. In the noncollate mode, each original in the set of originals 34 in feeder 30 is fed ind~vidu~lly to copier pl~ten 28 where the appar~tus 10 m~kes the number of copie~ reque~ted by the oper~tor before mAking copies of the next origin&l. On the other h~nd, in the collate mode, e~ch original in ~ 6et of originAls 34 is sequenti~lly copied, ~nd the set of originRls 34 i6 recycled until the number of copies reque6ted is completed.
Originals which are fed to exposure pl~ten 28 may have imBgeS on two 6ide6 (duplex) or m~y have images on only one side (6implex). Similarly, the copies which ~re produced by ~ppar~tu6 10 may h~ve images on either one or two ~ides of the copy 6heet.
Thus, if 6implex output i6 de6ired, but~on 144 is ac~uated. If duplex output i6 de8lred, the operBtor would either depre~s a button 146 (if one-fiided ori~inal6 were placed in feeder 30) or a button 148 if two-slded original~ were pl~ced in feeder 30.
App~r~tus 10 mBy ~180 be opersted in ~ cover insertion ~ode in which 6pecial copy sheet6 m~y be ~5~

provided from a ~upply to the front and/or back of the copy set. If covers ~re not reque~ed9 then the operator would depre6s B button 150. Ru~tons 152, 154, and 156 respectlvely i~dicate to ~he copier whether covers are reque6ted on the front, back, or both ront ~nd back of a copy set. Bu~ton 158 i6 actuated to effec~ output of copies to ~ide output tray 96, while button 160 is actuated to effect output of copies to upper output tray 94. Other buttons (not ~hown) mRy sl~o be provided on operator control panel 110 to regulate the exposure of n copy, to selec~ reduction or enlargement of an original, etc. Display 162 ~hows messages indicsting to ~he operator v~rious condi~ion6 which occur in spparatus 10, for example, the mode ~he app~ratus i6 opera~ing in, what action should be taken next, where ~ams may be located, etc.
Wi~h reference to Flgures 3 ~hrough 7, the operstion of apperatu~ 10 will now be de6crlbed in accordance with th present invention in whlch printed ~abs ~re produced. In Fig. 3, there i8 ~hown ~ flow chart for a ~ab set-up mode. In thi~ mode, tabs 76 are placed in supply 78, snd copy 6hee~s 77 are placed in 6upply 82. Sheets 77 from supply 82 may, for example, be 6heets having a white color ~nd of typewriter weight 6uch a6 16-lb. bond paper. To enter the tab set-up mode, the operator mu6t pre6s 888 (~) on panel 110. Upon pres6ing 888(*) the operator will be prompted with ~n introductory message on display 162 "TAB PRINTING MODE, PRESS
LIGHTEN FOR SELECTIONS, OR STOP TO EXIT." The operator uses a "lighten copies" button 147 to 6croll through the various ~b prlnting modes available.
~hen the desired mode is displayed, a "normsl copy"
bu~ton 149 ls pu~hed to select that p~rticular mode.
Thu~, if tab to t~b is requested in which 9 inch originals are reproduced on 9 inch t~bs 76, ~he ~;253~9R3 apparatu~ 10 will function as ~hown ~n Fi~ure 4; lf tab ~o letter 61ze i6 6elec~ed, in which 9 inch orlginals sre reproduced on 8-1/2 inch copy ~heet~, apparatu6 10 will function a~ 6hown in F~gure 5, ~nd lf it i6 desired to make printed t~b~ from 8 1/2 wide or~ginals u6ing feeder 30, the appar~tu~ 10 will function as shown in Figure 7.
As shown in Figure 4, when it is desired to produce printed tab~ from 9 inch original6, a reduction of 94% must be effected to fi~ the projec~ed image in the image area of belt 12. Also, the exposure of the original is delayed 6ufflciently to 6hift the image approximately 0.25 inche6 toward the trailing edge of the copy. To correctly place the image on the tab6 76, the feeding of ~ t~b 76 from 6upply 78 i6 del~yed eufficiently by mech~nl~m 86 to ~ccomplish a second 0.25 inch shlft of the - image ~nd thereby produc~ ~he printed ~ab w~th the image located 6uch that the image i~ visible along ehe edge when interspersed in a 6et of copy 6heet6 77. The reduction, image 6hift, and delayed eed are effected automatically by LCU 62 in accord~nce with the mode ~elected.
As shown in Figure 5, the 8 1l2 inch copy sheets from 9 inch originals cRn be produced, u6ing 94% reduction and top exit. The 9 inch original6 are fed manuslly u~ing document po6itioner 31.
~ separste set-up mode (Fig. 6) i6 used when 9 inch tabs are desired rom 8-1/2 inch original6 (letter size) usin~ feeder 30. In the fir6t step of the letter to tab set-up mode, the operator ~elect6 eikher the 6implex-duplex or the simplex-6implex mode for the appara~us 10 by depres6~ng either button 144 or button 146. Thu6, the oper~tor indicate6 whether two-6ided copy i~ to be produced and sl60 lndicates whether the feeder 30 1~ to be operated in a colla~e or noncoll~te mode. For purpo6es o illu6tration, lt will be assumed that a simplex set of orlginals 34 are placed in tray 32 of feeder 30, and that only one copy of the set of originals 3~ is to b~ made.
The next step is for the operator to place the set of originals 34 in tray 32 of fee~er 30 so that the pages are Eacing up with the last original in the set on the bottom and the Eirst original on top.
The image inEormation to be placed on the tab should be towards the left hand edge of the originals. Set count Einger 61 is initially on top of the first original. After the operator has entered the number of copies requested the "1" 'button is depressed to place feeder 30 under operator control so that each time the start button 136 is depressed, feeder 30 feeds the lowermost original past detector 60, around a circulation loop and back up onto the top of the set of origlnals 34. Detector 60 sends a copy count signal to be stored in temporary memory 112, and the circulated original is visible to the operator on top of the set. The operator continues to press start button 136 to sequentially circulate originals back to the top of the set until an original arrives which is to be copied onto a tab 76; for this original, the operator presses the "~" button 134 which enters lnto the temporary memory 112 the location of such original within the set. ~'he operator continues to press the start 'button 136 and to designate any further originals which are to be copied onto tabs 76. When the originals are back in the starting order, the letter to tab set-up mode is complete.
After the letter to tab set-up mode has been completed, the apparakus 10 is prepared to operate as shown in Figure 7. The operator pushes start button 136 to initiate copying. Apparatus 10 may also be programmed to start automatically (auto--start) after a certain delay. In either event, apparatus 10 is started and feeder 30 sequentially circulates originals from tray 32 to exposure platen 28. After 3 ~ 3 each cir~ulHtion of an ori~in~l, the copy count detector 60 sends a 61gnal to logic and co~erol unlt 62 which de~ermines whether or not ~he origlnal ~ust fed was an original for a tab 76. If noe, ~ copy sheet i6 fed from lower supply 82. If the originel ~ust fed is a tab original, the apparutu6 10 is programmed to ~kip a frame, i.e., form no image in the image area, before the origi~l iB exposed by flash l~mps 46 and 48; the ~ctua~ion of fl~6h l~mp6 46 and 48 ls delayed relative to the actuation point in the operating cycle for B COpy sheet 77 to ~hif t the image toward the trsiling ~dge of the image area. A frame is filso ~kipped af~er the exposed frsme; the 6klpped fr~me before the expo6ure of the tab original and ehe sk~pped frame after expo~ure facilitate the conveying of ~he relatively wide tab 76 through ~pparatus 10~ A ~ab 76 i8 fed from upper supply 78, and the feeding i6 delayed to ~hift the imsge on belt 12 toward the erailing edge of t~b 76 and thereby locate the lmage on area 81 of eab 76.
The originals are recirculated ~equentially one at a time from receiving tray ~2 to expo6ure plHten 28 and back to the top of receivlng tr~y 32, with de~ign~ted originals being copied onto t~bs 76 from ~upply 78 and nondesignated originals being copied on copy sheet 77 from supply 82. When the uppermo6t original ~s fed onto platen 28, ~et count finger 61 ~ndic~tes to LCU 62 that the set of originals 34 h~s been circulated and the original ~ust fed i6 the fir6t original in the 6et. Since only one copy hs~ been requested, the copier ~ob i~ completed, ~nd appar~tu6 10 is turned off.
This invention ha6 been de6cribed in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but ~t will be understood that v~riation6 and modifications c~n be effected within the spirlt ~nd ~cope of the invention. For exsmple, it will be apparent tha~, wi~.h 6uitAble modiflc~tion~ to ~53 ~3 appsratus 10, the desired lmage ~hift could be accomplished by sdvancing the expo~ure ~nd the feeding of a tab 76.

Claims (9)

We Claim:

1. Apparatus for producing printed tabs, said apparatus comprising:
an image transfer member movable along a transport path and having a plurality of spaced nonoverlapping image areas;
means for producing an image in an image area of said transfer member in a timed relation to the movement thereof;
means for positioning a tab relative to said image transfer member in transferable relationship therewith to receive an unfixed image, said tab having a first area generally equal in size to said image area and a second area outside of said first area and along one edge of the tab; and means for effecting the transfer of an image to said second area to form a printed tab.

2. Apparatus, as recited in Claim 1, wherein said means for effecting the transfer of an image includes means for controlling the timing of the exposure of said original to shift said image toward an edge of the image area.

3. Apparatus, as recited in Claim 2, wherein said means for effecting the transfer of an image includes means for controlling said positioning means to shift the image into said second area.

4. Apparatus for producing a set of copy sheets having printed tabs at selected locations in said set, said apparatus comprising:
image-producing means for producing images of originals, said image-producing images of originals, said image-producing means including an exposure position;
circulating feeder means for receiving a set of originals at a receiving position and for sequentially circulating originals from said receiving position to said exposure position and then back to said receiving position;
supply means for selectively supplying a copy sheet of either a first width or of a second width to said image-producing means, said sheets of a second width being wider than sheets of said first width and having an edge area to receive indicia to form a tabbed copy sheet;
control means operable in a set-up mode and including operator actuatable means for designating selected originals to be copied on copy sheets of said second width to form printed tab;s said control means being operable in a producing mode for controlling (a) said circulating means to circulate said originals to said exposing position and (b) said producing means to produce sequential images of said originals, and (c) said supply means to supply to said producing means copy sheets of said first width to receive images of non-designated originals thereon and copy sheets of said second width to receive images of designated originals in said edge area.

5. Apparatus, as defined in Claim 4, and further comprising a positioner having means for feeding an original to the receiving position and away from the exposure position along a noncirculating path.

6. A method of producing printed tabs in electrophotographic apparatus adapted to produce copies of originals on copy sheets of a first width and on tabs having a portion at least which is wider than said first width, said apparatus being operable in a cycle to produce copies on said copy sheets in which an original is exposed at a first point in said cycle to produce an image on an image transfer member and a copy sheet is positioned relative to the image transfer member at a second point in the cycle, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) exposing an original after said first point in the cycle to shift the image produced thereby a predetermined amount on the image transfer member;
and (b) positioning a tab relative to the image transfer member after said second point in the cycle to shift the image toward a trailing edge thereof.

7. A method, as recited in Claim 6, wherein the image is produced in said exposing step is a reduction of the original.

8. A method, as recited in Claim 7, wherein said apparatus is adapted to selectively produce an image in successive image areas of the image transfer member, and said exposing step is timed to produce an image in an image area between two image areas having no image thereon.

9. A method of printing on copy sheets in an apparatus, said copy sheets having a first area and a second area outside said first area, said apparatus comprising means for producing an image on a movable image transfer member in an image area generally equal to said first area and means for positioning copy sheet relative to said image tranfer member as it is moving, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) exposing an original to produce an image in an image area; and (b) positioning a copy sheet relative to said image area such that said second area is in a position to receive said image.