Automatic document feeder

Details Automatic document feeder Automatic document feeder

2001-12-19

2003-08-05

Walsh, Donald R. (Department: 3651)

Sheet feeding or delivering

Delivering

To receiver for pack of sheets

C271S161000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06601845

ABSTRACT:

This application incorporates by reference Taiwanese application Serial No. 089222406, Filed Dec. 22, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), and more particularly to an ADF using a supporting structure for feeding documents smoothly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Feeding documents smoothly is important for every machine equipped with an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder), such as scanners, printers, facsimile machines or the like. The scanner with an ADF can carry a large amount of documents ready for use at a time, which is more efficient than the flatbed scanner does. Compared with the traditional machine, which is restricted by the image processing speed and memory capacity, the machine nowadays, requires more documents at a time for an efficient and timesaving operation, especially for office automation. However, there are restrictions of the traditional feeding device under some circumstances. For example, the document to be fed might not contact with the feed roller for being carried when the space of the input tray is large but there are only a little documents put in the input tray. The supporting structure is therefore developed for being fixed on the input tray.
Referring to
FIG. 1A
, a cross-sectional view of a conventional ADF is illustrated. As shown in
FIG. 1A
, the ADF
100
may be applied in scanners, printers, facsimile machines or the like for feeding the document
102
to the machines. The ADF
100
includes an input tray
104
, a feed roller
106
, a feed pad
110
, a flat board
108
and a spring
111
. The input tray
104
is for receiving a document
102
. One end of the flat board
108
is pivoted on the input tray
104
by a hinge
115
. Besides, one end of the spring
111
is fixed on the flat board
108
while the other end of the spring
111
is fixed on the notch
113
of the input tray
104
. The flat board
108
and the input tray
104
therefore form an angle &thgr;
1
. The rim of the feed roller
106
touches the feed pad
110
. The feed roller
106
and the feed pad
110
therefore create a feeding end
112
. When the feed roller
106
rotates around the axis
116
, the feed roller
106
drives the document
102
to advance by fiction. The more documents the flat board
108
carries, the smaller the angle &thgr;
1
is. The flat board
108
supports the document
102
by the elasticity of the spring
111
. The leading edge of the document
102
gets into the feeding end
112
so that the feed roller
106
can drive the document
102
to advance while rotating.
Referring to
FIG. 1B
, a cross-sectional view of the ADF in
FIG. 1A
which carries a stack of documents is shown. As shown in
FIG. 1B
, documents
114
are placed on the input tray
104
. The documents
114
include a document
102
a
, document
102
b
, documents
114
a
and document
102
c
. The documents
114
in
FIG. 1B
are a stack of paper and the document
102
in
FIG. 1A
is a sheet. The documents
114
are therefore heavier than the document
102
. Besides, the gravity of the stack of paper
114
downward is far larger than the elasticity of the elastic film
108
upward. The angle &thgr;
2
between the flat board
108
and the input tray
104
is less than &thgr;
1
. The leading edge of the document
102
a
gets into the feeding end
112
.
When the feed roller
106
starts to rotate around the axis
116
, the feed roller
106
drives the document
102
a
to advance toward the feeding end
112
. After the document
102
a
completely passes through the feeding end
112
, the elasticity from the spring
111
pushes the document
102
b
upward for getting into the feeding end
112
. The document
102
b
is then driven to pass through the feeding end
112
by the feed roller
106
. The same operation will be proceeded and the amount of the documents
114
therefore gradually decreases, meanwhile, the angle &thgr;
2
between the flat board
108
and the input tray
104
becomes larger. The feed roller
106
drives the rest of documents put on the input tray
104
to advance toward the feed end
112
sequentially.
After the feed roller
106
drives the document
102
a
, document
102
b
and documents
114
a
to sequentially pass through the feeding end
112
and to be completely fed into the machine (not shown). The last document
102
c
is left on the input tray
104
and the angle &thgr;
2
between the flat board
108
and the input tray
104
becomes equal to &thgr;
1
due to the upward elasticity of the spring
111
. The leading edge of document
102
c
gets into the feeding end
112
for being fed
102
and the feeding process of the ADF
100
is therefore finished.
Nevertheless, the ADF
100
stated above with a pivotal flat board, hinge and spring is structurally complex, costly and difficult to assemble during manufacturing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an Automatic Document Feeder with an elastic film for supporting the documents put on the input tray, the documents are able to be carried by the feed roller for being fed smoothly and sequentially.
The invention achieves the above-identified objects by providing an ADF, which includes an input tray and elastic film. The input tray is for receiving a document or documents to be fed and the elastic film disposed upon the input tray is for supporting the document or documents to be fed by bounce. The elastic film includes a jointing portion for fixing the elastic film onto the input tray and a supporting portion forming an angle with the input tray for supporting the document or documents to be fed. The elastic film further includes a bending portion, wherein one end of the bending portion connects to the supporting portion and the other end of bending portion bends towards the input tray.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4974827 (1990-12-01), Arai et al.
patent: 6027111 (2000-02-01), Rubscha et al.
patent: 4 - 303345 (1992-10-01), None

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