GB2250714A - Annotating devices for photostatographic machines. - Google Patents

Description

2230714 MICROFORM PRINTING SYSTEM INCLUDING A PRINT SCRIBE ASSEMBLY FOR

SIMULTANEOUSLY PRINTING ADDITIONAL MICROGRAPHICS The present invention relates in general to a microform printing system and in particular to a microform printing system adapted to print annotation micrographics simultaneously with the printing of the microform images. It also relates in particular to a print scribe assembly for a photoconductive drum copying machine and to such a machine itself.

Microform images greatly reduce the space required to store documentation. These microform images may appear for example on microfilm, microfiche or aperture cards. Many printing systems exist to print the images carried by the microform onto plain paper copies. Reference may be had for example to U.S. Patent No. 4,860,060 for an exemplary showing of a microfiche printing system and method, which patent is owned by the assignee of the present invention.

The person copying the microform image may desire to include additional annotation information on the plain paper copy which does not appear on the microform image. For example, it may be desired to include information such as the time and date of making the copy, the department making or receiving the copy and the status of the copy. In this latter context, the annotated printed copy may indicate, for example, DRAFT, or PRELIMINARY, or FINAL, or CONFIDENTIAL or for bid purposes only, etc.

One way of adding information to a printed copy is to apply a stamp thereto after the printing process has been completed. However, a dedicated stamp or indexable stamp must generally be provided for every message desired. One or more stamps may inadvertently be 2 removed or lost further reducing discretion in applying additional annotation information to the prints. The stamps usually include rather large letters often displayed on more than one line. This reduces flexibility in applying the stamp to the document and may require stamping over information on the document. Stamps are often used to apply annotation information to the back of the printed copy to avoid obscuring information on the face of the document.

Still another method of applying additional annotation information to a printed copy is an ink jet printer. Annotation information may be programmed into the ink j at printer system and applied to the printed paper copy in a subsequent printing operation.

These annotation techniques require at least one post printing or copying step. The substance of the annotation information may also be limited. The position of the annotation information may vary from document to document and may obliterate or obscure original information on the print.

The present invention adapts a microform printing system to apply annotation micrographics to the microform print simultaneously with the copying of the main microform image. The annotation micrographics to be simultaneously printed can be pre-programmed into an 80 character field, which will appear on the selected portion of the copied document. This simultaneous printing saves subsequent steps and time,- and the size of the character field provides for flexibility in custom creating the annotation micrographics desired.

The microform printing system is provided 7ith a secnndary optics system utilizing digitized fiber optics. This secondary optics system may be placed 3 adjacent the rotating photoconductive drum to emit light bursts onto the photoconductive drum to create the latent image of the annotation micrographics thereon in a dot matrix type format.

The secondary optics system can be adjusted to preselect the position of the annotation micrographics on the paper or to retain the same relative position for the annotation micrographics on different paper sizes. For this purpose, fiber optic strands lead from a bank of programmable LEDs to a scribe printing head. The scribe printing head may be adjustably moved relative to the rotating photoconductive drum to change the relative position of the resultant annotation micrographics on the paper.

The secondary digitized fiber optic system is inter-related with the main optics of the microform printing system to allow the microform image and annotation micrographics to be simultaneously printed without interference. The side masks of the main printing optics are controlled to create a "window" on the photoconductive drum adapted to be exposed to the digitized fiber optic light emissions.

The secondary digitized fiber optic system may be conveniently received in the conventional corona assembly, particularly for the negative printing process used for most microform image duplication. This corona assembly is positioned immediately adjacent the rotating photoconductive drum to permit easy installation of or maintenance to the secondary fiber optics system. This positioning provides focused print scribing for the annotation micrographics.

These and other objects and advantages 6f the pretdht invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

4 The invention, then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be embodied.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a schematic vertical cross section through the microform printing system showing the secondary fiber optics system for the annotation micrographics; - Fig. 2 is a plan view of the corona assembly taken generally along the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the print scribe assembly utilized in the secondary fiber optics system; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of the corona assembly taken generally along the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom view taken along the plane 4-4 in Fig. 3 illustrating the linearly arranged ends of the fiber optic strands as contained in the adjustable scribe printing head; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the termination block and interface bar illustrating the alignment between the light emitting diodes (LEDs) and one end of the fiber optic strands; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section of the termination block, interface bar and tie plate taken generally along the plane 6-6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a front elevat ion of the side edge mask assembly in the main printing optics; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the side edg(-- mask assr-mbly of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a schematic illustration of a paper copy fcom the microform printing system illustrating the 4nnotation micrographics along one marginal edge thereof.

Turning now in more detail to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1, a microform printing system, indicated generally at 1, includes the main optics system, indicated generally at 2, and a secondary digitized fiber optics system, indicated generally at 3. The microform printing system is used to print microform images onto plain paper copies. As used herein, the term microform generically describes microfilm, microfiche and aperture cards.

Turning first to the main optical system 2, a light source 5 emits a beam of light traveling through the main optical system in a light path, indicated generally at 6. The central portion of the optical cone along the center line 7 of the light beam, in the main optics system is used to print the microform image, while the unused portion 8 of the optical cone may be directed by mirror 9 to a pilot screen 10.

The light beam emanating from source 5 passes through a condensing lens 12 operative to focus the light beam on the microform image 13 in alignment therewith. For example, a sheet containing a number of microfiche images may be sequentially indexed through the light beam of the main optics system to optically transmit the microfiche images through the system. Although a microfiche image duplication is illustrated, it will be understood that microfilm and/or aperture cards may be indexed or passed through the light path 6 of the main optics system for copying.

6 The light passing through the microform image enters an objective lens 14. The light beam emanating from objective lens 14, which optically carries the microfiche image scanned, is reflected by mirror 15 to a pair of zoom mirrors 17.

The zoom mirrors are simultaneously adjustable to reposition the same for the magnification required to enlarge from the microform image size being printed to the desired print or copy size. The light beam of the main optic system is sequentially reflected off the pair of zoom mirrors 17 toward a pivotal shutter 18.

In the full line position shown, shutter 18 reflects the light beam toward a sensing apparatus 19, which is described in more detail in the abovereferenced U.S. Patent No. 4,860,060. In the full line position, the pivotal shutter 18 is acting as an edge mask between respective microform images being scanned by the main optic system.

In the dotted line position 18A, the pivotal shutter allows the light beam to move therepast to reflective mirror 21. The light beam is reflected off mirror 21 and directed toward the photoconductive reproduction drum, indicated generally at 22. The optical path between mirror 21 and drum 22 passes through an edge mask assembly, indicated generally at 23. This side edge mask assembly 23,;;hich will be described in more detail below, works in conjunction with the secondary digitized fiber optics system to allow the microform images and annotation micrographics to be printed simultaneously.

Turning now to the secondary digitized fiber optics system 3, as best illustrated-in Figs. 2 through 6, -a- -corona assembly,, indicated generally at 25, can advantageously be used to enclose this secondary optics 7 system. The corona assembly 25 is positioned immediately adjacent the rotating photoconductive drum 22 and is a conventional component in the main microform printing system. The corona assembly 25 includes a housing 26 enclosing the secondary fiber optics system.

A printed circuit board 28 is mounted in housing 26. This printed circuit board includes the electronics for the secondary optic system. The circuit board includes drivers f or a bank of light emitting diodes (LEDs), indicated generally at 29. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, seven LEDs 29A-29G are respectively individually mounted in a f irst set of bores 36 in an interface bar 31. The surface of the interface bar 31 on the side of light emission from the LEDs is in abutment with a surface 32 on a termination block 33.

The termination block 33 includes a well 35 and a second set of spaced bores 36 extending from the bottom of well 35 to surface 32. The first ends of seven fiber optic waveguides or strands 38A-38G pass through well 35 and are respectively individually received in the individual bores of the second set of bores 36. The first ends of fiber optic strands 3SA-38G terminate at surface 32 on termination block 33 and are co-planar therewith. The fiber optic strands are held in such position by a layer of epoxy or adhesive 40 received in well 35.

The fiber optic strands 3SA-38G are held in alignment with and abutment against the LEDs 29A through 29G. The surface 32 and the co-planar ends of the fiber optic strands 38A-38G are polished so that light bursts emitted from the LEDs may be received by and transmitted aloiig 'the fiber optic strands or waveguides. The interface between the interface bar and termination block is maintained by a.tie plate 42 spanning the top 8 s=face of both such members. As best shown in Fig. 6, the tie plate is secured by fasteners 43 to the interface bar and termination block to create a rigid termination assembly therebetween.

The programmed light bursts emitted by LEDs 29A29G travel along the length of the fiber optic strands. These strands extend down the central channel 45 in corona housing 26. The length of the fiber optic strands is sufficiently long to provide slack therein as indicated generally at 46. In addition, the strands are preferably held together toward their other end as illustrated to avoid tangling or twisting of the strands.

The other or second ends of the fiber optic strands 38A-38G are received in a scribe printing head, indicated generally at 47. The scribe printing head includes a main body 49, stop arms 50 extending upwardly therefrom and an alignment 'member 51 cooperating therewith.

The alignment member 51 includes a channel 52 in its upper surface extending the full length thereof. The fiber optic strands 38A-38G are laid in side-byside relationship along the channel and adhesively secured in that position. The second ends of the fiber optic strands terminate at the end of the alignment member 51.

For assembly, once the fiber optic srands have been secured in side-byside relationship in channel 52, the alignment member 51 is positioned against the angular face 53 of body member 49 and secured thereto by fasteners 55. The fiber optic strands are retained in assqpbled position, without tension thereon, by being strung around screw 56 extending between the. stop 9 shoulders 50 and by being captured between the alignment member 51 and the head body 49.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bottom ends of alignment member 51 and main body 49 cooperatively form a surface 57, with the second ends of the seven f iber optic strands terminating in the plane of that surface. Surface 57 and the ends of the fiber optic strands are polished to allow the burst of light transmitted along the fiber optic strands or waveguides to be emitted from the print scribe head 47.

The light bursts pass from the linear array of the fiber optic strand ends through a slot 59 in corona housing 26 toward the photoconductive drum 22 for exposure of that drum, as schematically illustrated in Fig. 1. The slot 59 is normally used in conjunction with erase lamps in a positive printing system. However these erase lamps are unnecessary for a negative printing process and are thus removed to readily provide an elongated slot for cooperation with the scribe printing head 47. The position. of the print scribe head 47 and the linear fiber optic strand array carried thereby may be varied along slot 59 relative to the rotating photoconductive drum 22..

For that purpose, the main body 49 may have an apex nut 60 fixedly mounted therein. The internal threads on the apex nut 60 mate with the external threads on elongated apex screw 61, rotatably mounted in and extending longitudinally of the corona housing 26. The apex screw 61 is rotatably driven by a stepper motor 63. When motor 63 is actuated to rotate. screw 61, the threaded connection between the screw and nut will drive the print scribe head 47 along the length of the bcrew. The- - direction of screw rotation will determine the longitudinal direction of print scribe head movement, with the slack in the fiber optic strands accommodating such movement. The print scribe head is automatically moved to a longitudinal location along the screw 61 which is consistent with the relative spacial'position required between the head and drum to print the annotation micrographics on the paper at the selected position.

The relative position of the print scribe head 47 can be continuously monitored through the number of steps the stepper motor has taken relative to its home position. This home position is established by a photosensor 65 mounted in the wall of housing 26 adjacent the outer end of slot50. This photosensor 65 cooperates with a photosensitive tab on the stop arms 50, which extend upwardly from the head-body 49. When the photosensitive tab is in alignment with photosensor 65, the print scribing head 47 is at its outermost position and the stepper motor 63 will not drive the head any further in that direction. It will be appreciated that the home position could be established anywhere a[long screw 61.

The relative position of the print scribing head is continuously monitored and fed back to the printed circuit board 28. This printed circuit board provides electronic controls for the secondary digitized fiber optics system and interrelated control with the main optics system.

The desired annotation information can be programmed into the system along with the desired copy paper size and desired position for the annotation micrographics on that paper. The secondary fiber optic system is provided with a micrographics scribing 17ine of up to'80 alpha-numeric characters. As shown in Fig. 9, the annotation micrographics, indicated generally at 67, 11 can appear along a margin of the document, such as drawing 68. The digitized fiber optics system allows the annotation micrographics to appear, for example, on the same location of every drawing copied irrespective of the drawing size. By programming the paper size to be used into the system, the print scribe head 47 will automatically be moved along screw 61 to accommodate that paper size and to print the annotation micrographics in the same relative location of each such paper size. Alternatively, the desired location of the annotation micrographics can be varied to print at any selected location on the resultant print to accommodate unique information or graphic formats on the microform image being copied.

The secondary fiber optics system has to be interrelated with the primary optics system through the side edge masks to allow the systems simultaneously to print the microform images and annotation micrographics without interference therebetween. For that purpose, the present microform printing system is a negative system in that the microform images being copied have a dark background with the words, characters or graphics constituting clear film. To accommodate printing these microform images,, the photoconductive drum reproduction technique is conventional except that the charges on the drum and toner are opposite to the conventional positive reproduction system. Thus, light that has passed through the dark background of the microform images at the location desired for the micrographics. must be blocked or masked so that the portion of the drum which would otherwise be in alignment therewith may have the annotation micrographics exposed thereon for subsi-mquent transfer to the paper. The top and bottom edge masks are used for this purpose.

1 12 Turning now to Figs. 7 and 8, the edge mask assembly, indicated generally at 23, includes a left edge mask 70 and a right edge mask 71. The left and right edge masks are formed by two strips 72 and 73 of thin and narrow, flexible strip material respectively wound on spools 75 and 76. These strips are driven toward or away from one another by a stepper motor or motors. The details of the side mask assembly are set forth in U. S. Patent No. 4,860,060, which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

For purposes of masking the portion of the light beam in the main optical system which will ultimately be required for printing the annotation micrographics, the right edge mask will be advanced further than the left edge mask f or a brief period of time. This further advancement of the right edge mask will be coordinated with the scanning of the microform image and the micrographics position selected to temporarily block the light path of the main optic system to in effect provide a window on the photoconductive drum to receive exposure from the light bursts of the secondary printing system.

These light bursts pass through the slot 59 in corona housing 26 in preselected sequences and intervals and then impinge upon the photoconductive drum to provide an exposed latent micrographics image on that drum. The bursts of light emitted from the ends of the fiber optic strands are controlled to create dot matrix printing for the selected annotation micrographics. By having a linear array of fiber optic strands coupled with rotary movement of the photoconductive drum, the entire alphabet and numeric system can be printed by the secondary digitized fiber optics system 3.

Although the operation of the microform printing system including a print scribe assembly is believed 13 apparent from the above, a brief description of the invention is included for purposes of completeness.

Initially, the operator of the microform printing system decides how many copies are to be made, what size paper is to be used, what the content of the annotation micrographics message is to say and where the annotation micrographics are to be located on the copy-. This information is then programmed into the system, and software is provided for that purpose. The microform printing system will be automatically conditioned for the desired operation before the printing process begins.

For this purpose, the print scribing head 47 will be moved along screw 61 to the required position for the paper size being used and for the desired location of the annotation micrographics on that paper. The printing process then begins.

The main optic system 2 optically scans the microform image and creates a latent image thereof on the photoconductive drum 22. Simultaneously, the secondary digitized fiber optics system 3 emits a series of light bursts to expose the photoconductive drum and thereby create a latent image thereon of the annotation micrographics in dot matrix format. The simultaneous drum application of the latent images of the microform image and the annotation micrographics is permitted by controlling the edge masking of the main optical system to prevent interference therebetween. The latent images of the microform image and the annotation micrographics on the drum surface are then transferred-by rotation of the drum to the paper travelling therepast. This paper moves along paper feed path 78 toward the delivei:y bin of the system.

14 It will be apparent from the foregoing that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration without departing from the _. invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (18)

1. A print scribe assembly for photoconductive drum copying machines comprising a scribe printing head positioned adjacent a rotating photoconductive reproductive drum which sequentially transfers latent images to paper sheets moving therepast, optics means to emit light in preselected patterns and intervals from said scribe printing head onto said rotating drum to create images thereafter printed as annotation micrographics on the paper and means to selectively move said scribe printing head relative to said rotating drum to position said micrographics at a selected position on the paper being used.

2. The print scribe assembly of claim 1 wherein said optics means includes a bank of light emitting diodes and fiber optic strands operatively associated therewith to transmit and subsequently emit light bursts from those the light emitting diodes, said fiber optics strands being sufficiently long to provide enough slack to accommodate the full range of motion desired for said scribe printing head.

3. The print scribe assembly of claim 2 wherein the fiber optic strands have their first ends embedded in _a termination block including a first polished surface associated with and adjacent to said bank of light emitting diodes, said first polished surface being operative to receive light bursts from said light emitting diodes for transmission along said fiber optic strands.

4. The print scribe assembly of claim 3 wherein the fiber optic strands have their opposite second ends embedded in said scribe printing head terminating in a 16 polished second surf ace, said second polished surf ace being operative to emit the light bursts transmitted by said f iber optic strands toward said rotating drum to create an exposed latent image on the drum subsequently transferred to paper moving therepast.

5. The print scribe assembly of claim 3 wherein the bank of light emitting diodes is mounted in an interface bar which is held in abutting relationship to the termination block by a tie plate.

6. The printing scribe assembly of claim 5 wherein the interface bar has a first set of individual spaced bores extending therethrough, the individual light emitting diodes being respectively received in the individual bores of said first set of bores.

7. The printing scribe assembly of claim 6 wherein the termination block includes a well and a f irst set of individual spaced bores leading from the bottom of the well to a side abutting the interface bar, the fiber optic strands being respectively strung through said well and said individual spaced bores, epoxy being positioned in said well to secure said first ends of said f iber optic strands to said termination block in alignment with the light emitting diodes.

8. The printing scribe assembly of claim 4 wherein the scribe printing head includes an alignment member having a channel receiving the second ends of the fiber optic strands in side by side relationship and a main body to which said alignment member is secured.

9. The printing scribe assembly of- claim 8 wherein the means to selectively move includes a selectively rotatable screw cooperating with a nut mounted in said main body, said screw passing through and bding threadedly mated to said nut to selectively 17 drive said nut and scribe printing head therealong during rotation thereof.

10. The printing scribe assembly of claim 9 wherein a motor drives the screw; and the motor, screw, optics means and scribe printing head are mounted in a corona assembly adjacent the drum.

11. The printing scribe assembly of claim 9 wherein the main body includes stop arms projecting therefrom cooperating with at least one sensor positioned along the path of the scribe printing head to detect its position.

12. The print scribe assembly of claim I further including means to control masking in a main optics system utilized to print microform images in the drum copying machines, the masking allowing the micrographics and microform image to be printed simultaneously on paper moving past the photoconductive drum.

13. A microform printing system for printing images carried by microform onto paper comprising a first optics means, including a first light source and a first light path extending from the first light source to a photoconductive reproductive drum, means to pass light in the f irst optical path through microform images to optically carry those images along said f irst optical path to said photoconductive drum as latent images for subsequent transfer to paper moving past the drum and a second optics means including light emitting diodes' as a second light source means and a second f iber optics optical path extending from the second light source means to the photoconductive drum selectively to utilize light patterns generated by the second' light source means to simultaneously create additional exposed latent images on the drum subsequently transferred to is the paper as discrete micrographics not originally carried on the microform image.

14. The microform printing system of claim 13 wherein fiber optic strands extending from the light emitting diodes to a scribe printing head which is operative to transmit light selectively emitted from the light emitting diodes to the photoconductive drum, said scribe printing head being selectively movable relative to the drum to change the position of the additional micrographic images on the drum and thus the position of those micrographics on the paper being used.

15. The microform printing system of claim 14 wherein the first optics means includes mask means selectively blocking the first optical path, said mask means being coordinated with said second optical means so that a portion of the first optical path is temporarily blocked, which portion would otherwise have the second optical path superimposed thereon at the drum.

16. A printing scribe assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A microform printing system substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel combination or sub-combination of features disclosed and/or illustrated herein.