Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Patent
1996-10-15
2000-09-19
Ellis, Christopher P.
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
271 20, 271106, 271161, B65H 332
Patent
active
061200166
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates generally to suction feeder mechanisms for the feeding of sheet material and to methods of feeding sheet material. The suction feeders of the present invention are particularly adapted for use with collating machines, but the principles of the invention have much wider application to any circumstance where one wishes to feed sheets of material, whether paper or other materials.
It is emphasised that the present invention is applicable not only to collating machines but also to photocopiers, printers, and indeed any other mechanism where sheets of material are to be moved around.
In the feeding of sheet material it is desirable that there should be no misfeeds or double feeds. It is also desirable that the mechanism should be able reliably to feed sheets of different types of material. Although there are suction feeder mechanisms which function with reasonable reliability in terms of avoiding misfeeds and double feeds, or else incorporate sensors to detect if and when such faults occur, particular problems arise if one is designing one mechanism which is intended to be able to feed sheet material of different thicknesses and compositions.
EP-B-0465062 describes a top sheet vacuum corrugation feeder with an air knife in the form of a single slot which supplies air at low pressure across the entire width of the sheet to create a thick boundary layer which causes separation of the sheets by aerodynamic drag during feeding of the top sheet.
EP-A-0619259 describes a top sheet feeder mechanism which has a corrugator in the centre of a plurality of perforated belts which move around a plenum chamber. The corrugator is an endless band which extends around the full length of the plenum chamber, and hence is not adjustable. Air is supplied to the region between the underside of the belts and the surface of the top sheet, to assist in the separation of the sheets. The bottom run of the belts and the surface of the top sheet are parallel and their separation is maintained constant by the use of a movable tray on which the sheets are stacked.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a suction feeder mechanism and a method which can reliably feed sheets of material with greatly reduced likelihood of misfeeds or double feeds.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism and a method which enables one to feed sheet material which can vary from for example thin paper up to thick sheets of plastics material which are subject to a large electrostatic charge. Sheets of plastics material are particularly difficult to feed reliably, due to the build-up of electrostatic charges, and this has created particular problems in the past. The present invention solves or at least minimises these problems.
The sheet feed of the present invention has many attributes: sizes; mechanism itself, it is possible for it to be not only very economical but also very fast.
The sheet feeder mechanism of the present invention in its broadest aspect utilises a suction device which both includes means to impart distortion to a sheet attracted to the suction device, and also provides a novel suction effect which aids the maintenance of the sheet in the correct position and attitude for onward movement.
The novel suction device is utilised, as part of the sheet feeder mechanism, in conjunction with a multiple air flow which assists in the separation of the top sheet from a stack.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a suction device for use in the feeding of sheets of material, comprising a housing connectable to a vacuum device and having a flat surface provided with apertures through which a suction effect can be created to attract a sheet towards said surface, and means prominent from said surface to impart distortion to an attracted sheet, wherein the apertures in said surface are such that there is a boost in the suction exerted on the attracted sheet at the time that it is distorted.
Preferably, the distortion-imparting means is adjacent to the leading edge of the housing from which t
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Ellis Christopher P.
Mackey Patrick
Watkiss Automation Limited
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