Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-10-02
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S117000, C271S010120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296244
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for guiding media in a media supply apparatus and, more specifically, to a media guiding apparatus that reliably guides a sheet of media upwardly along a guide surface to a transport nip.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many imaging apparatus, such as ink jet and electrophotographic printers, copiers and the like, utilize one or more media trays to hold a stack of sheets of media. A mechanism in the tray or in the printer housing separates and delivers individual sheets to the imaging apparatus for printing or copying. One well-known type of media tray takes the form of a rectangular bin having vertical walls for containing the stack of media. This type of tray utilizes springs and pressure plates to urge the stack of media upwardly against one or more drive rollers that feed individual sheets to the imaging apparatus.
Another type of tray and sheet delivery mechanism that does not use springs or pressure plates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,969 (the '969 patent).
FIG. 2
of the present application schematically illustrates a portion of this type of mechanism and tray, generally indicated by the reference numeral
30
. The tray includes a bottom support surface
26
on which a stack of paper
14
is placed flat. At a delivery end of the support surface
26
is an inclined wall
32
that is oriented up and away from the support surface
26
and the stack of paper
14
. The sheet delivery mechanism utilizes a sheet separator
11
that includes a support arm
12
and a roller
16
rotatably coupled to the arm. The separating roller
16
rests on the stack of media
14
and acts by friction to push individual sheets laterally against and upwardly along a slanted guide surface or ramp
6
on the upwardly inclined wall
32
.
The support arm
12
is pivotally mounted in the printer housing to allow the arm to rise and fall with the height of the media stack
14
(indicated by action arrow A). The support arm
12
may also move laterally away from the ramp
6
and over the stack of media
14
(indicated by action arrow B). This lateral movement allows for a sufficient distance between the ramp
6
and the roller
16
to insure that the top sheet
4
bends between its front edge against the ramp and its contact line with the roller. This bending is necessary for the front edge of the sheet
4
to be pushed along the ramp
6
and lifted up from the stack
14
. When the tray
30
is removed from the printer, the support arm
12
pivots upwardly and is stored behind the transport rollers
15
,
17
.
In proper operation, the separating roller
16
urges a sheet
4
upwardly along the ramp
6
and into a guide surface
10
that directs the sheet into the transport nip
8
for delivery to the printer. As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, however, in certain situations the sheet
4
can float or curl away from the ramp
6
and thereby miss the guide surface
10
and transport nip
8
. This misfeed requires the user to remove the tray and clear the misfed sheet.
What is needed is a media guiding apparatus that reliably delivers a media sheet to the transport nip
8
, while also allowing the support arm
12
to move freely within the tray during operation and to pivot upwardly for storage when the tray is removed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a media guiding apparatus in a media supply apparatus.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a guided media path between a sheet separator in the media tray and a transport nip.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a substantially uninterrupted media path between the sheet separator and the transport nip regardless of the height of the media stack or the position of the sheet separator in the media tray.
It is another feature of the present invention that the media guiding apparatus allows the sheet separator to freely move within the media tray.
It is yet another feature of the present invention that a media guide is extendible as the sheet separator moves within the media tray.
It Is an advantage of the present invention that the media guiding apparatus avoids sheet misfeeds caused by sheets curling away from the transport nip.
It is another advantage of the present invention that the media guide is a simple and reliable mechanism.
To achieve the foregoing and other aspects, features and advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a media guiding apparatus and related method for reliably directing a media sheet from a media tray to a transport nip are provided. In one embodiment, the media guiding apparatus includes at least one guide member that extends from a first guide surface adjacent to the transport nip to the sheet separator in the media tray. The guide member cooperates with a second guide surface spaced from the first guide surface to create a substantially uninterrupted media path between the sheet separator and the transport nip. The guide member is also extendible as the sheet separator moves relative to the first and second guide surfaces within the media tray. In another embodiment, the media guiding apparatus comprises a fan that creates a positive air pressure that urges the sheet against the guide surface as the sheet advances toward the transport nip.
Still other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled In this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. And now for a brief description of the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3411768 (1968-11-01), Gatti
patent: 3640524 (1972-02-01), Fredrickson
patent: 3785638 (1974-01-01), Beazley
patent: 4306713 (1981-12-01), Avritt et al.
patent: 4310151 (1982-01-01), Fujimoto
patent: 5377969 (1995-01-01), Steinhilber
patent: 5507478 (1996-04-01), Nottingham et al.
patent: 5615873 (1997-04-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5620269 (1997-04-01), Gustafson
patent: 6158733 (2000-12-01), Muraki
patent: 6168146 (2001-01-01), Komuro et al.
patent: 6203005 (2001-03-01), Bednarek et al.
patent: 6209862 (2001-04-01), Kelley
patent: 57-13036 (1982-01-01), None
patent: 65-51521 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 1-117138 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 1-288539 (1989-11-01), None
patent: 2-282125 (1990-11-01), None
patent: 5-338826 (1993-12-01), None
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 19, No. 7 Dec. 1976, “Sheet Feeding Apparatus” —Fallon et al.
Hanks David W.
MacLane Donald B.
Schlak Daniel K
Virga Philip T.
Walsh Donald P.
Xerox Corporation
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