Staple estimation device and method
First Claim
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1. A document handling machine, comprising:
- a stapling device; and
a staple cartridge operatively connected to said stapling device and including a staple estimating device adapted for measuring rotational movement of a roll of staples held within said staple cartridge and for estimating a quantity of the staples based on the measured rotational movement, wherein said staple estimating device comprises a potentiometer.
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Abstract
A document handling machine comprises a stapling device, and a staple cartridge operatively connected to the stapling device and including a staple estimating device adapted for measuring rotational movement of a roll of staples held within the staple cartridge and for estimating a quantity of the staples based on the measured rotational movement.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A document handling machine, comprising:
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a stapling device; and
a staple cartridge operatively connected to said stapling device and including a staple estimating device adapted for measuring rotational movement of a roll of staples held within said staple cartridge and for estimating a quantity of the staples based on the measured rotational movement, wherein said staple estimating device comprises a potentiometer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A device for estimating the number of staples held within a staple cartridge, wherein said staples are in the form of a roll and wherein said roll of staples rotates as individual staples of said roll are removed from said roll, the device comprising:
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a potentiometer including a component that rotates simultaneous with rotation of said roll of staples, wherein rotation of said potentiometer component causes a change in resistance of said potentiometer, and a processor for estimating the number of staples based on the change in resistance of said potentiometer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of estimating the number of staples remaining in a staple roll, comprising the steps of:
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dispensing individual staples from a roll of staples by rotating the roll;
calculating the angle of rotation of the roll; and
estimating a number of staples remaining in the roll based on the measured angle of rotation of the roll, wherein said step of calculating the angle of rotation of the roll comprises controlling a potentiometer input with the rotation of the roll of staples and measuring an output from the potentiometer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A printing machine comprising:
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a housing that includes a display pad adapted for displaying an estimate of a number of staples remaining in a staple cartridge of said housing;
a printing device for printing an image on a sheet of print media;
a stapling device for stapling a document together, wherein said document is comprised of a plurality of said sheets of print media;
a staple cartridge for storing a strip of staples therein;
a potentiometer that measures rotational movement of said strip of staples; and
a calculation device that calculates the estimate of the number of staples remaining in said strip of staples based on the rotational movement of said strip of staples measured by said potentiometer.
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16. A device for estimating the number of staples held within a staple cartridge, comprising:
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a staple cartridge including a core adapted for receiving a roll of staples thereon, wherein said core rotates as individual staples are removed from a roll of staples on said core; and
a potentiometer operatively connected to said core such that rotation of said core causes a change in resistance of said potentiometer, and a processor configured to estimate a number of staples remaining in said roll based on the resistance of said potentiometer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A document handling machine, comprising:
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storing means for storing staples; and
estimation means for estimating a number staples stored within said storing means, said estimating means adapted for measuring rotational movement of a roll of staples held within said storing means so as to estimate an amount of staples held within said storing means, wherein said estimation means comprises a potentiometer.
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Specification