Media transport jam prevention

Abstract

According to an example, an apparatus to prevent media transport jams may include an actuator to load and advance a media within a media path width. The apparatus may also include a first sensor and a second sensor to detect respective edges of the media, in which the first sensor and the second sensor may be positioned outside of a media action area and on opposite sides of the media path width. The apparatus may further include a controller to prevent the actuator from advancing the media along the media path in response to a detection of one or both of the first edge of the media by the first sensor and the second edge of the media by the second sensor.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus to prevent media transport jams, comprising:
 an actuator to load a media into a media transport apparatus and to advance the media within a media path width;   a first sensor to detect a first edge of the media;   a second sensor to detect a second edge of the media, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are positioned outside of a media action area and on opposite sides of the media path width; and   a controller to determine whether the media is correctly loaded into the media transport apparatus in response to a detection of one or both of the first edge of the media by the first sensor and the second edge of the media by the second sensor and to prevent the actuator from advancing the media along the media path in response to a determination that the media is not correctly loaded.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein, responsive to the detection of one of the first edge of the media and the second edge of the media, the controller is to determine that an offset loading error of the media has occurred. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a user interface; and   wherein the controller is to display a message on the user interface with proper media loading procedures responsive to the determination of that the offset loading error has occurred.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein responsive to the detection of both the first edge of the media and the second edge of the media, the controller is to determine that a wide media size error of the media has occurred. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a display; and   wherein the controller is to display a message on the display with media size guidelines responsive to the determination that the wide media size error has occurred.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an intermediate sensor to detect a presence of the media in the media path width, wherein the intermediate sensor is positioned between the first sensor and the second sensor.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is a document feeder. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is a machine selected from the group consisting essentially of a scanner, printer, photocopier, facsimile machine, and shredder. 
     
     
         24 . A method to prevent media transport jams, comprising:
 determining, by a controller, that a media is loaded within a media path width of a media transport apparatus;   receiving, by the controller, a notification from an offset sensor that a side border of the media has been detected, wherein the offset sensor is positioned outside of a media action area, and wherein the media action area is within the media path width; and   halting advancement of the media through the media transport apparatus in response to receipt of the notification from the offset sensor.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 displaying at least one of a message with proper media transport apparatus loading procedures for the media and an offset loading error message in response to receipt of the notification from the offset sensor.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the media action area comprises an area within the media path width over which an action is performed on the media. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus to prevent media transport jams, comprising
 an actuator to advance media that is loaded within a media path width of a media transport apparatus;   at least one of a first sensor and a second sensor to detect an edge of the media during the first loading and advancement of the media, wherein the at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is positioned outside of a media action area, and wherein the media action area is positioned within the media path width; and   a controller to calculate a skew rate to determine the advancement of the media.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein to calculate the skew rate, the controller is to:
 evaluate a progression distance of the advancement of a portion of the media prior to the detection of the edge of the media;   assess a margin distance between the at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor and the end of the media path width; and   estimate whether the margin distance permits the advancement of a remaining portion of the media without causing a media transport jam.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, responsive to estimating that the margin distance permits the advancement of the remaining portion of the media, the controller is to advance the remaining portion of the media through the media transport apparatus. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, responsive to estimating that the margin distance does not permit the remaining portion of the media to be advanced, the controller is to:
 halt the advancement of the media; and   display an alert of a prospective media transport jam and instructions for preventing the prospective media transport jam.