Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Pack holders
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-09-04
Skaggs, H. Grant (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Pack holders
C271S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283469
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device and a method for providing a supply of single sheets, and particularly for its utilization in a printer or copier.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Applications for printers or copiers or the like exist for providing a supply of single sheets, such as single sheets of paper, wherein the thickness of a single sheet varies. For example, when a strip-shaped and preprinted stick-on label is applied to a single sheet, the thickness considerably increases in the area where the stick-on label is applied. Generally, the single sheets are rectangular, wherein the stick-on labels include a strip extending in the direction of the sheet width. As a result, the increased thickness makes it difficult to remove an individual single sheet from the stack during the application of providing the supply of single sheets.
An example of this difficulty exists during printing operations that require the single sheets to be removed along the direction of the sheet width for increased throughput of the single sheets. In this case, the longitudinal edge of the uppermost single sheet in the stack has a visible bend due to the varying thickness across the single sheets. As a result of this bend, the throughput of single sheets may decrease because of a paper jam or because single sheets are not individually dispensed from the stack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,435 discloses a device for providing a supply of single sheets wherein the single sheets have a greater thickness at one side due to a mylar strip for supporting margin perforations. The uppermost single sheet is removed from the stack in a lengthwise direction during printer operations. This device further includes a compensation device that has two movable plates. These plates are flexibly connected to one another wherein one plate is rigidly supported and the other block is supported by springs. The movable plates are aligned for positioning the uppermost single sheet in a flat or planar position from which it can be easily removed along its lengthwise direction. The device further discloses that the movable plates can be replaced by stationary plates for positioning the uppermost single sheet.
German Patent Document DE-A-26 17 334 discloses an insertion device for a pre-folded continuous stock web. The insertion device includes compensation elements for positioning the uppermost single sheet of the paper stack in an optimally planar position.
German Patent Document DE-A-27 12 571 discloses a depositing device for a pre-folded continuous stock web in a forms stacker. This device includes a movable plate that upwardly supports the stack of single sheets so that the uppermost sheet is optimally positioned in a planar or flat position. Each of the single sheets has a varying thickness due to a margin region.
International Patent Documents WO-A-98/18051 and WO-A-98/18054 have the same applicant as the present invention. These patent documents disclose output devices for single sheets. The output devices include single sheets that form of a stack. The single sheets are removed and fed into a printer or copier device.
German Patent Document DE-UI 93 00 292.0 discloses a magazine for storing flat articles made of paper, such as photo sleeves. The magazine has two areas. The first area includes those parts of the photo sleeves that are a single-layer wherein the second area includes parts of the photo sleeves that are in two-layers. The two areas include supporting surfaces that are mechanically decoupled from each other. The stack regions of varying thickness are positioned at different levels as a result thereof.
German Patent Document DE LP 532 292 discloses a stack table of a suction pump sheet feeder for printers wherein a plurality of seating boards are adjustable in height. As a result, the positions of the print sheets can be adapted to a suction rod with respect to different suction points in order to achieve improved suction properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a device and method for providing a supply of single sheets that is operationally reliable for removing or dispensing single sheets from a stack of single sheets, wherein each of the single sheets has a varying thickness.
An object of the present invention is to optimally position all uppermost single sheet of the stack in a planar or flat position.
An object of the invention is to increase the throughput results of the single sheets within a printer, a copier or the like wherein the single sheets are dispensed along a direction of a sheet width.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device of simple construction that is easily incorporated within presently existing paper supply applications, such as printer and copier applications.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1490070 (1924-04-01), Korth
patent: 3720407 (1973-03-01), Woodward
patent: 4942435 (1990-07-01), Kniesel et al.
patent: 5364087 (1994-11-01), Schieck et al.
patent: 6039315 (2000-03-01), Lim
patent: 532 292 (1931-08-01), None
patent: 27 12 571 C3 (1981-08-01), None
patent: 26 17 334 C2 (1988-12-01), None
patent: 93 00 292. U (1993-04-01), None
patent: 689 16 353 T2 (1995-02-01), None
patent: WO 98/18051 (1998-04-01), None
patent: WO 98/18054 (1998-04-01), None
Oce Printing Systems GmbH
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Skaggs H. Grant
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