Systems and methods for detecting transparent media in printers

• US 10,129,414 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: d'Armancourt, Sebastien Michel Marie Joseph, Siew, Adriel Kee Fatt
• Primary Examiner(s): Washington, Jamares Q
• Application Number:
  US14/931,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 358 19, 358 112, 358505, 382103, 382112
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00058 using a separate apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00092 relating to the original or to the reproducing medium, e.g. imperfections or dirt detecting properties of a sheet H04N1/00681
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00724 Type of sheet, e.g. colour of paper or transparency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00734 Optical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0075 Detecting a change in reflectivity

Abstract

A printer that includes systems for detecting transparent medium may include a medium dispenser for transporting print medium along a transport pathway to a print station which receives the print medium. Transmitters and receivers may be positioned on opposite sides of the transport pathway for scanning the print medium with a light beam. The sensor arrangement may be configured to detect deflection of the light beam when a transparent print medium is transported on the transport pathway between the transmitter and the receiver. The results of the scan may be communicated to a controller to facilitate proper print settings.

Claims

1. A system for detecting transparent medium, comprising:

a medium dispenser for transporting print medium along a transport pathway to a print station which receives the print medium; and

a sensor arrangement for scanning the print medium, the sensor arrangement including (i) a transmitter having an electromagnetic source configured to emit light toward a first surface of the print medium, and (ii) a receiver positioned about a second surface of the print medium opposite the first surface, and configured to receive at least a portion of the light emitted from the transmitter;

wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to detect deflection of the light emitted when a transparent print medium is transported on the transport pathway and the transparent print medium is interposed between the transmitter and the receiver; and

wherein the deflection is based, at least in part, upon the transparent print medium'"'"'s refractive index.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a narrow light beam transmitter.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the light beam is deflected as it propagates through the transparent medium.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises photodiodes.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to be adjusted along the transport pathway.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transparent medium comprises transparent plastic labels attached to a transparent releasable liner.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is tilted at an angle with respect to the surface of the transparent medium.

8. The system according to claim 7, where the angle is 45°

.

9. A printer, comprising:

a print station having an opening for receiving print medium traveling along a transport pathway;

a medium dispenser for transporting the print medium on the transport pathway to the print station;

a sensor arrangement for scanning the print medium, the sensor arrangement including (i) a transmitter having an electromagnetic source configured to emit a light beam toward a first surface of the print medium, and (ii) a receiver positioned about a second surface of the print medium opposite the first surface, and configured to receive at least a portion of the light beam from the transmitter; and

a controller subsystem comprising a central processing unit and memory in communication with the sensor arrangement;

wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to detect deflection of the light beam emitted when a transparent print medium is transported on the transport pathway and the transparent print medium is interposed between the transmitter and the receiver; and

wherein the deflection is based, at least in part, upon the transparent print medium'"'"'s refractive index.

10. The printer according to claim 9, wherein the transparent medium comprises transparent labels.

11. The printer according to claim 10, wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to detect the leading edge of the transparent label.

12. The printer according to claim 11, wherein the controller subsystem is configured to maintain proper registration of the print medium based upon the detected position.

13. The printer according to claim 12, wherein the memory includes a registration logic program.

14. The printer according to claim 9, wherein the transmitter is tilted at an angle between 0°

and 90°

with respect to surface of the transparent medium.

15. The printer according to claim 9, comprising an array of receivers positioned along the transport pathway.

16. A method of determining the presence of transparent medium in a printer, comprising:

advancing transparent print medium into a medium transport pathway;

emitting light toward a first surface of the transparent print medium with a transmitter;

receiving light emitted from the transmitter with a receiver positioned about a second surface of the transparent print medium opposite the first surface; and

detecting, when the transparent print medium is transported on the transport pathway and the transparent print medium is interposed between the transmitter and the receiver, if the beam of light has been deflected with the transmitter and receiver sensor arrangement;

wherein the deflection is based, at least in part, upon the transparent print medium'"'"'s refractive index.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

communicating the results of the detection to a controller subsystem.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting the rate at which the print medium is advanced through the transport pathway based upon the results of the detection.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting the rate at which content is applied to the print medium at a print station based upon the results of the detection.