Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Multiple supplies
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-06-05
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Multiple supplies
C221S009000, C221S009000, C221S114000, C221S122000, C358S498000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241237
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS IF ANY
None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for picking the top or the bottom sheet, as desired, from a stack of sheet documents to be scanned in a document scanning device such as an all in one document scanner, copier and facsimile machine or for stand alone scanners, copiers and facsimile machines and the like. As used herein, the term “document scanning device” is therefore intended to encompass all types of devices in which documents are fed to be scanned and the teachings of this disclosure are accordingly not necessarily limited to all in one or stand alone document scanners, copiers and facsimile machines.
Automatic document feeders, particularly for all in one products such as generally described above, require a mechanism which must pick in the correct order of document sheets which are stacked. For facsimile transmission of a multi-page document, the first page picked by the automatic document feeder should be transmitted first to in accordance with conventional first page out facsimile transmission protocol. Conversely, when copying a document, it is conventional to pick and copy the last sheet of the document first in order to assure that the printed output order is correct. This problem is resolved if the user is willing to insert the input documents in one order, e.g., face down for facsimile transmission and in a different order, e.g., face up for simplex (one side) sheet copying. For truly universal operation of an all in one product, not only single sided (simplex) copying, facsimile transmission and scanning should be achievable by the automatic document feeder, but also double sided (duplex) copying, facsimile transmission and document scanning should be achievable without the user being required to stack the document differently depending on the function to be performed.
The present invention is directed to an automatic document feeder which has the capability of picking single document sheets to be scanned with the same mechanism which can be easily controlled to either pick from the top or the bottom of the document stack depending on the function to be achieved and without changing the position of the mechanism on the scanning device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its method aspects, the present invention provides a method of moving a document to be transported to a scan region of a document scanning device from a document stack comprising the steps of:
a) picking a single sheet of document from a surface of a stack of sheets of documents by contacting opposite face sides of said sheet with opposed moveable members which apply differing amounts of frictional force to opposite face sides of said sheet;
b) rotating a first one of said moveable members with a first torque to apply a first frictional force to the surface of said sheet facing outwardly of said stack; and
c) rotating a second one of said moveable members with a second torque to apply a second frictional force to the surface of said sheet which faces said stack, said first torque and force being higher than said second torque and force.
In its broadest apparatus aspects, the present invention provides apparatus for feeding documents to be scanned to a document scanning device comprising:
a) a support for a stack of documents to be fed to said scanning device;
b) a pair of opposed rotary members comprising a sheet pick member and a sheet retard member for contacting opposite face sides of a single sheet of document and applying frictional force thereto; and
c) a drive mechanism for rotating said members in the same forward direction of rotation for uppermost sheet picking and in the same reverse direction of rotation for lowermost sheet picking such that an upper one of said members applies more torque and frictional force than a lower one of said members when picking an uppermost sheet from said stack and said lower one of said members applies more torque and frictional force than said upper one of said members when picking a lowermost sheet from said stack.
Additionally, the present invention further provides a document scanning device comprising:
a) a support for a stack of documents to be scanned;
b) spaced guides defining a path of document travel extending from said support through a scanning region past a document scanner to a scanned document output location;
c) a document drive apparatus for moving documents to be scanned along said path through said scanning region to said scanned document output location;
d) a pair of opposed document contact rollers for picking individual sheets of documents to be scanned from a stack of documents on said support, said rollers comprising a pick roller and a retard roller; and
e) a drive mechanism for moving said rollers in the same forward direction of rotation for uppermost sheet picking and in the same reverse direction of rotation for lowermost sheet picking such that an upper one of said rollers applies more torque than a lower one of said rollers when picking an uppermost sheet from said stack and said lower one of said rollers applies more torque than said upper one of said rollers when picking a lowermost sheet from said stack for moving said sheet to be scanned to said path of media travel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4184671 (1980-01-01), Sasamori
patent: 4348019 (1982-09-01), Stievenart et al.
patent: 4384782 (1983-05-01), Acquaviva
patent: 4515358 (1985-05-01), Fukui
patent: 4632376 (1986-12-01), DuBois
patent: 4674734 (1987-06-01), Ibuchi
patent: 4879578 (1989-11-01), Hisajima et al.
patent: 5022640 (1991-06-01), Greco
patent: 5116034 (1992-05-01), Trask et al.
patent: 5219156 (1993-06-01), Mori
patent: 5887867 (1999-02-01), Takahashi et al.
Bower Kenneth W
Ellis Christopher P.
Hewlett--Packard Company
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