Patent US4944505A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4944505A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet length detector with skew compensation
Assignee: Talaris Holdings US Inc
•
Filing: 1989-01-30
•
Granted: 1990-07-31
•
Expires: 2009-01-30
Abstract
Abstract A sheet length detector with skew compensation for use in apparatus for batching and counting currency, food stamps or the like. Sheets are advanced past a pair of sheet sensors which are disposed at transversely spaced locations on the feed path on either side of the nip formed by a pair of opposing feed members. A timing interval is begun upon the actuation of both sheet sensors and ended upon the deactuation of both sensors following their initial actuation. The duration of the timing interval provides a measure of sheet length. This measure is then corrected for skew, which is determined from the time lapse, if any, between the deactuation of one sensor and the deactuation of both sensors. The corrected measure may be compared with an absolute reference or with the results of a previous length measurement.
Inventors
- 👤 William Sherman, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:05
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H7/00; B65H7/02; B65H5/00; B65H5/002; B65H7/06; B65H7/12; B65H7/125; G; G07; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/16; G07D7/162; B65H2511/00; B65H2511/10; B65H2511/11; B65H2511/50; B65H2511/51; B65H2511/514; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/13; B65H2701/131; B65H2701/1311; B65H2701/1313; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/1912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
In a sheet feeder having first means for advancing a sheet along a path having a centerline to a nip formed by second feed means in which said sheet is subject to slippage relative to said first feed means before reaching said nip, apparatus for detecting sheet length including in combination a pair of sheet sensors disposed at transversely spaced locations along said path on either side of said centerline, each of said sensors being actuatable between two distinct conditions, means for producing a first signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the same one of said conditions by the leading edge of a bill, means for producing a second signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the other one of said conditions by the trailing edge of the bill and means responsive to said first and second signals for providing a measure of sheet length.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a sheet feeder having first means for advancing a sheet along a path having a centerline to a nip formed by second feed means in which said sheet is subject to slippage relative to said first feed means before reaching said nip, apparatus for detecting sheet length including in combination a pair of sheet sensors disposed at transversely spaced locations along said path on either side of said centerline, each of said sensors being actuatable between two distinct conditions, means for producing a first signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the same one of said conditions by the leading edge of a bill, means for producing a second signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the other one of said conditions by the trailing edge of the bill and means responsive to said first and second signals for providing a measure of sheet length.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said signal responsive means generates a predetermined signal in response to the deactuation of both of said sensors before the lapse of a predetermined time interval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said signal responsive means generates a predetermined signal in response to the lapse of a predetermined time interval before the deactuation of both of said sensors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
283 words
In a sheet feeder having first means for advancing a sheet along a path having a centerline to a nip formed by second feed means in which said sheet is subjected to slippage relative to said first feed means before reaching said nip, apparatus for measuring the length of a sheet moving along said path including in combination a pair of sheet sensors disposed at transversely spaced locations along said path on either side of said centerline, each of said sensors being actuatable between two distinct conditions, signal responsive means adapted to be operated to generate time measurements, means responsive to actuation of one of said sensors to one of said conditions by the leading edge of said bill for producing a first signal, said first signal setting said signal responsive means in operation, means responsive to the actuation of both of said sensors to said one condition by said leading edge of said bill for producing a second signal, said second signal operating said signal responsive means to generate a first time measurement, means responsive to the actuation of one of said sensors to the other of said conditions by the passage of the trailing edge of said bill for producing a third signal, said third signal operating said signal responsive means to generate a second time measurement, means responsive to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the other one of said conditions by the passage of the trailing edge of said bill for producing a fourth signal, said fourth signal operating said signal responsive means to generate a third time measurement and means responsive to said time measurements for providing a measure of the length of said sheet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
283 words
In a sheet feeder having first means for advancing a sheet along a path having a centerline to a nip formed by second feed means in which said sheet is subjected to slippage relative to said first feed means before reaching said nip, apparatus for measuring the length of a sheet moving along said path including in combination a pair of sheet sensors disposed at transversely spaced locations along said path on either side of said centerline, each of said sensors being actuatable between two distinct conditions, signal responsive means adapted to be operated to generate time measurements, means responsive to actuation of one of said sensors to one of said conditions by the leading edge of said bill for producing a first signal, said first signal setting said signal responsive means in operation, means responsive to the actuation of both of said sensors to said one condition by said leading edge of said bill for producing a second signal, said second signal operating said signal responsive means to generate a first time measurement, means responsive to the actuation of one of said sensors to the other of said conditions by the passage of the trailing edge of said bill for producing a third signal, said third signal operating said signal responsive means to generate a second time measurement, means responsive to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the other one of said conditions by the passage of the trailing edge of said bill for producing a fourth signal, said fourth signal operating said signal responsive means to generate a third time measurement and means responsive to said time measurements for providing a measure of the length of said sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 in which said timing means comprises a pulse generator and a counter responsive to said pulse generator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 in which said second feed means includes a movable feed member, said pulse generator generating pulses synchronously with the movement of said member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 in which said means responsive to said time measurements comprises means responsive to said first and third time measurements for producing an apparent length measurement, means responsive to said second and third time measurements for providing a measure of skew and means responsive to said skew measure for correcting said apparent length measurement.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of measuring sheet length in a sheet feeder having a pair of sheet sensors actuatable between two distinct conditions and disposed at transversely spaced locations on either side of the centerline of a path along which a sheet is advanced including the steps of producing a first signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the same one of said conditions by the leading edge of a bill, producing a second signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the other one of said conditions by the trailing edge of the bill, measuring the time interval between the occurrence of said first and second signals and converting said time interval measurement into a measure of sheet length.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of measuring sheet length in a sheet feeder having a pair of sheet sensors actuatable between two distinct conditions and disposed at transversely spaced locations on either side of the centerline of a path along which a sheet is advanced including the steps of producing a first signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the same one of said conditions by the leading edge of a bill, producing a second signal in response to the actuation of both of said sheet sensors to the other one of said conditions by the trailing edge of the bill, measuring the time interval between the occurrence of said first and second signals and converting said time interval measurement into a measure of sheet length.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 8 in which said measuring step comprises the steps of generating a train of pulses and counting the number of said pulses between the occurrence of said first signal and the occurrence of said second signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 9 in which said pulse generating step comprises generating said pulses in synchronism with the movement of said sheet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 8 in which a predetermined signal is generated in response to the lapse of a predetermined time interval before the deactuation of both of said sensors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 8 in which a predetermined signal is generated in response to the deactuation of both of said sensors before the lapse of a predetermined time interval.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of measuring sheet length in a sheet feeder having a pair of sheet sensors actuatable between two distinct conditions and disposed at transversely spaced locations on either side of a path along which a sheet is advanced including the steps of measuring a first time interval between the actuation of one of said sensors to one of said conditions by the leading edge of a bill and the actuation of both of said sensors to said one condition by the leading edge of a bill, measuring a second time interval between the end of said first interval and the actuation of one of said sensors to the other condition by the trailing edge of a bill, measuring a third time interval between the end of said first interval and the actuation of both of said sensors to the other condition by the trailing edge of the bill, and calculating the length of said sheet from said measurements.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of measuring sheet length in a sheet feeder having a pair of sheet sensors actuatable between two distinct conditions and disposed at transversely spaced locations on either side of a path along which a sheet is advanced including the steps of measuring a first time interval between the actuation of one of said sensors to one of said conditions by the leading edge of a bill and the actuation of both of said sensors to said one condition by the leading edge of a bill, measuring a second time interval between the end of said first interval and the actuation of one of said sensors to the other condition by the trailing edge of a bill, measuring a third time interval between the end of said first interval and the actuation of both of said sensors to the other condition by the trailing edge of the bill, and calculating the length of said sheet from said measurements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as in claim 13 in which said calculating step comprises calculating the apparent length of said sheet from said first and third measurements, calculating sheet skew from said second and third measurements and correcting said apparent length calculation by said skew calculation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2933185A
Cited
US3240487A
Cited
US3386576A
Cited
US3621266A
Cited
US4248267A
Cited
JPS5748546A
Cited
JPS57142503A
Cited
US4623975A
Cited
US4671502A
Cited
US4506969A
Cited
JPS6123054A
Cited
JPS6231641A
Cited
US4664369A
Cited
US4825248A
Cited
US4761002A
Cited
US4741526A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-07-30 | 1994-01-29 | 1994-07-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-30 | 1998-01-29 | 1998-07-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-30 | 2002-01-29 | 2002-07-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |