Paper feeding apparatus for office automation system

Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C271S244000, C271S245000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06199855

ABSTRACT:

CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from applications entitled Paper Feeding Apparatus For Office Automation System earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Mar. 31, 1998, and there duly assigned Serial No. 11319/1998, and a second application entitled Paper Feeding Apparatus For Office Automation System and earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on May 29, 1998 and there duly assigned Serial No. 19919/1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and processes generally, and, more particularly, to a paper feeding apparatus and process in an office automation system capable of preventing sheets of paper from deviating from the paper feeding apparatus during continuous feeding of the paper, realigning the paper for feeding while preventing more than one sheet from being fed and preventing occurrence of curl in the stationary sheets of paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Office automation machinery includes image formation devices such as printers, facsimile transmission units, photocopies and scanners. Printers are used for creating documents by printing characters, symbols and images onto one exposed surface of a printable medium such as a cut sheet of paper that is fed into and transported through the printer, while scanners are used for reading and storing in image files characters, symbols and images from documents that have been fed into the scanner. A multi-functional office automation machine with the functions of both a printer and a scanner makes it possible for users to selectively use either one of these functions, in accordance with the desires of the user.
Since the aforementioned printers, scanners, or multi-functional office automation machines require the feeding of paper during printing, facsimile transmission, photocopy duplication or scanning, they are often equipped with some sort of paper feeding apparatus that feeds one or more sheets of paper to the machine. Papers stored in a paper tray, for example, are fed by the paper feeding apparatus, and are usually moved to a printing unit of the printer, photocopier or facsimile, or to the scanning unit of the scanner by the coordinated operation of several feed rollers. After images and characters of the document are either printed on the blank surface of the paper or read from the printed side of the document, the paper is then extracted through an outlet of the machine.
When printing or scanning is preformed by such paper feeding apparatus, the paper is usually continuously fed by one sheet after another sheet, beginning with the uppermost sheet in the stack of paper that is held by the apparatus. We have noticed however, that conventional paper feeding apparatus has an undesired tendency to simultaneously feed those sheets of paper that are stacked just below the uppermost sheet, together with the uppermost sheet, during the feeding operation of the apparatus. We have also found that this phenomenon occurs when the paper below the uppermost sheet is very thin, or has a curl at a particular portion of the sheet. I have also discovered that when a sheet of paper with such a curl is in contact with a separation finger that is disposed at both lower portions of the paper tray, the ears of the paper are all too often folded. This, in my opinion, frequently causes that sheet of paper to precipitate a problem during the course of the feeding operation, such as a paper jam within either the feeding apparatus for the image formation machine, a printing error, or scanning error. Moreover, when the paper is stored for a long time in a state standing at the feeding apparatus, a few sheets of the paper are abnormally fed to the separation finger along the resistance rib of the main frame of the paper feeding apparatus. Therefore, when the paper which is very thin or has a curl, is fed under the circumstance, the aforementioned abnormal paper feeding occurs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved process and apparatus for serially feeding cut sheets of paper from a stack of the paper.
It is another object to prevent more than one sheet of paper stored in a standing state on the paper feeding plane of a paper feeding apparatus, from being fed during a feeding cycle for one sheet, by adding a simple element to the apparatus.
It is still another object to prevent a few sheets of the paper from being abnormally fed into the paper feeding apparatus during a feeding cycle for a single sheet, by automatically realigning the remaining sheets below the uppermost sheet while feeding the uppermost sheet of paper.
It is yet another object to prevent a cam and a lever that are employed to prevent occurrence of paper curl from deviating from their normal positions.
It is still yet another object to provide apparatus and process in an office automation system capable of preventing sheets of paper from deviating from the paper feeding apparatus during continuous serial feeding of the paper from a stack, realigning paper remaining in the stack, preventing more than one sheet from being fed, and preventing occurrence of curl in the paper awaiting feeding.
These and other objects may be attained with a paper feeding process and device that may be installed in office automation apparatus. As contemplated in the practice of the principles of the present invention, the process may be implemented with a device that includes a storage tray able to hold a stack of cut sheet of paper, a feeding mechanism that serially feeds single sheets of paper from the stack in a selected direction, and an alignment mechanism that arranges sheets of paper remaining in the tray to conform to the state of the feeding mechanism. The alignment mechanism may be constructed with a first rotary shaft disposed over and spaced-apart by a selected distance from the tray, and a first eccentric cam that is preferably coupled to the first rotary shaft, varying the position of those sheets of paper stored on the tray by its rotation. Also, an ascent and descent component part is positioned at a contact face with the first eccentric cam, to ascend and descend relative to the pick-up plate of the tray in consonance with the rotation of the first eccentric cam.
The alignment mechanism may be constructed with a first lever that is rotated between a first position for supporting one-sided end of a sheet of paper so that the paper is aligned and a second position where support of the paper is released. The first lever is rotated in accordance with the feeding state of the feeding mechanism.
The tray may be constructed with a second pick-up plate that ascends and descends, a second rotary shaft disposed spaced-apart by a selected distance from the pick-up plate, and a second eccentric cam coupled to the second rotary shaft, for varying the position of the paper stored on the pick-up plate through the rotation of the second eccentric cam.
The alignment mechanism may be constructed with a guide lever that directs the second cam to rotate along a predetermined path of rotation. The first lever is selectively engaged with the feeding mechanism.
Selectively, the principles of the present invention may be practiced with a paper feeding device constructed with a first driving mechanism providing a reciprocating driving force that is generated simultaneously with the operation of the feeding mechanism, so that the first lever is rotated when the reciprocating driving force is applied through a rod that is hinge-coupled to the first lever. Preferably, either a cylinder solenoid or an electric motor may be used as the driving mechanism.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4362409 (1982-12-01), Endo et al.
patent: 4428666 (1984-01-01), Phelps et al.
patent: 5648808 (1997-07-01), Yanagi et al.
patent: 5655762 (1997-08-01), Yergenson
patent: 5687965 (1997-11-01), Matsuda et al.
patent: 5775684 (1998-07-01), Jackson et al.

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