Platform of cellular omni wheels for a registration system

{
  "publication_number": "US10421631B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Platform of cellular omni wheels for a registration system",
  "abstract": "A registration system for a printing device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. For example, the registration system includes at least one sensor to detect a position of a print media, a platform comprising a plurality of cellular omni wheels, and a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the plurality of cellular omni wheels, wherein the processor calculates a desired movement of each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels based on the position of the print media.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A registration system for a printing device, comprising: at least one sensor to detect a position of a print media; a platform comprising a plurality of cellular omni wheels, wherein each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels, comprises: a body portion comprising a flat top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the body portion comprises a hexagonal shape; a plurality of omni wheels coupled to the bottom surface of the body portion, wherein each one of the plurality of omni wheels comprises: a central body portion that rotates around a respective center axis of rotation; and a plurality of roller components coupled to an outer periphery of the central body portion, wherein each one of the plurality of roller components rotate around an axis that is perpendicular to the respective center axis of rotation, wherein the body portion comprise a cut-out along an outer perimeter for each one of the plurality of omni wheels to allow a portion of the each one of the plurality of omni wheels to be above the flat top surface, wherein the cut-out is located on every other edge of the hexagonal shape; and a motor coupled to each one of the plurality of omni wheels coupled to the bottom surface of the body portion; and a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the plurality of cellular omni wheels, wherein the processor calculates a desired movement of each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels based on the position of the print media.",
    "2. The registration system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is located upstream from the platform.",
    "3. The registration system of claim 1, further comprising: a transport nip downstream from the platform to transport the print media after the position of the print media is adjusted by the plurality of cellular omni wheels.",
    "4. The registration system of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of idler rollers located opposite the platform.",
    "5. The registration system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of omni wheels comprises three omni wheels arranged symmetrically around the bottom surface of the body portion aligned with a respective cut-out.",
    "6. The registration system of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of connection edges.",
    "7. The registration system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of cellular omni wheels are connected via the plurality of connection edges to form the platform.",
    "8. The registration system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of omni wheels of the each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels is aligned in a process direction.",
    "9. The registration system of claim 1, wherein the desired movement comprises a speed of rotation of each one of the plurality of omni wheels.",
    "10. A registration system for a printing device, comprising: at least one sensor to detect a position of a print media; a platform comprising a plurality of cellular omni wheels, wherein each one of the cellular omni wheels comprises: a hexagonal body portion comprising a flat top surface and a bottom surface, wherein hexagonal body portion comprises alternating edges of a cut-out portion and a connection edge, wherein each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels are connected to each other by the connection edge; a plurality of omni wheels coupled to the bottom surface of the body portion and spaced 120 degrees apart around the outer edge of the hexagonal body portion in respective cut-out portions of the hexagonal body, wherein a portion of each one of the plurality of omni wheels is located above the flat top surface of the hexagonal body portion, wherein one of the plurality of omni wheels is aligned in a process direction; and a motor coupled to the each one of the plurality of omni wheels and coupled to the bottom surface of the hexagonal body portion; a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the plurality of cellular omni wheels, wherein the processor calculates a desired movement of each one of the plurality of omni wheels of the each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels based on the position of the print media."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to printing devices and, more particularly, to a platform of cellular omni wheels for a registration system within a printing device.\n\nPrinting devices can be used to print images on print media. The print media can be fed through the printing device along a transport path and imaging path to have the image printed. Along the transport path and the imaging path, there are certain locations where processing errors can occur that can cause a misalignment of the image relative to the print media.\n\nFor example, the printing devices can have a registration system. The registration system may be responsible for correctly feeding the print media to an imaging system such that the printed image is correctly aligned with the print media. As the size and weight of print media grows larger and larger, it can be more and more difficult for currently designed registration systems to handle the larger print media.\n\nAccording to aspects illustrated herein, there are provided a registration system for a printing device and a method for controlling the same. One disclosed feature of the embodiments is a registration system for a printing device comprising at least one sensor to detect a position of a print media, a platform comprising a plurality of cellular omni wheels, and a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the plurality of cellular omni wheels, wherein the processor calculates a desired movement of each one of the plurality of cellular omni wheels based on the position of the print media.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65H 9/002",
    "B41J 11/0055",
    "B41J 11/0095",
    "B41J 13/0018",
    "B41J 13/03",
    "B41J 13/076",
    "B41J 13/32",
    "B65H 2402/10",
    "B65H 2404/12",
    "B65H 2404/1542",
    "B65H 2404/162",
    "B65H 5/062",
    "B65H 9/20"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B41J 11/00",
    "B41J 13/00",
    "B41J 13/03",
    "B41J 13/076",
    "B65H 5/06",
    "B65H 9/00",
    "B65H 9/20",
    "B65H 9/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Xerox Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "D. Clay Johnson",
    "Timothy P. Foley",
    "Eliud Robles Flores"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-04-09",
  "publication_date": "2019-09-24",
  "grant_date": "2019-09-24",
  "priority_date": "2018-04-09",
  "application_number": "US-201815948391-A",
  "family_id": "67988468",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US5065998A",
    "US6059284A",
    "US6554276B2",
    "US20080179826A1",
    "US8567587B2",
    "WO2014012861A1",
    "US9758330B2",
    "US9156642B2",
    "US9422127B2"
  ]
}