Printing system

US6604017B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Check Technology Corporation · US

Inventors

• Michael M. Richardson · Eden Prairie, US
• Allan C. Brittle, Jr. · Wayzata, US
• Lee Fiedler · Denmark, US
• Kent Gorham · Prior Lake, US
• Jay R. Peterson · Eden Prairie, US
• Gary T. Schultze · Savage, US
• Chris J. Vetter · Naples, US
• Eugene G. Weiss · Minneapolis, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 22, 2000
• Grant date: Aug 5, 2003
• Expiry date: May 22, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03G2215/00552
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, a modular printing system has a plurality of modules for processing sheets. One module is a collator module configured to retain the sheets. The collator module has a collator controller and sensors linked to the collator controller. The sensors are arranged to detect erroneously processed sheets. The collator controller is configured to generate an error signal in response to detection of an error. The collator module also includes a feed assembly for presenting the sheets. A printer module is configured to receive sheets presented by the feed assembly. The printer module includes a printer controller and sensors linked to the printer controller. The sensors are arranged to detect erroneously processed sheets and to generate an error signal in response to detection of an error. The module printing system also includes a system controller linked to the collator controller and the printer controller. The system controller is configured to generate and transmit scheduling signals thereby scheduling operation of the printing system for processing sheets. The system controller is further configured to generate error-recovery signals in respon…