EP0022210A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Sheet feeding and stacking device and method
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1980-06-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-06-24
Abstract
Abstract A stack of documents (148) is placed in a doument tray beneath which is a plenum (98) to which positive pressure is applied. Holes in the bottom of the tray allow air to pass through to form an air bearing to fly the stack above the bottom of the tray. A combing wheel (30) feeds the top sheet from the stack along a feed path (118), between feed rolls (62 and 64), and on to the document glass of a copier. After copying the document is fed back along path (119) between feed rolls (42 and 62). Support means (122) support one edge of the stack to create an entrance zone to the space between the bottom of the stack and the bottom of the tray to allow the insertion of a document along path (119). After such insertion, lift means (not shown) lifts the one edge of the stack including the inserted document whilst the support means (122) is removed. The support means (122) is returned and the lift means lowered so that the stack including the inserted document is supported along the one edge. Document feeding from the top of the stack can occur during document insertion below the bottom of the stack.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Francis Colglazier
- 👤 Ernest Paul Kollar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:34
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/60; B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/24; B65H29/245; B65H29/246; B65H2301/00; B65H2301/40; B65H2301/42; B65H2301/421; B65H2301/4212; B65H2301/42122; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00172; G03G2215/00177; G03G2215/00181; G03G2215/00185
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
1 A sheet feeding and stacking device comprising a tray for a stack of sheets, air bearing means for elevating the stack of sheets in the tray so that the sheets fly relative to the bottom of the tray, means to feed sheets sequentially from the top of the stack, and means for inserting a sheet into the space generated between the elevated sheets and the bottom of the tray, whereby frictional drag on the sheet being inserted is minimized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
1 A sheet feeding and stacking device comprising a tray for a stack of sheets, air bearing means for elevating the stack of sheets in the tray so that the sheets fly relative to the bottom of the tray, means to feed sheets sequentially from the top of the stack, and means for inserting a sheet into the space generated between the elevated sheets and the bottom of the tray, whereby frictional drag on the sheet being inserted is minimized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
2 A device according to claim 1, in which the tray has a bottom having a plurality of holes therethrough and is seated on a plenum to which positive pressure is supplied.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
3 A device according to claim 1, in which the means for inserting sheets into the space includes a driven friction roller and a back-up roller defining a nip therebetween and positioned upstream of the tray, and driven means within the tray to drive an inserted sheet to a final position withi.n the tray.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
4 A device according to claim 3, in which the driven means includes a drive roller and a source of negative pressure to provide negative pressure about the roller, so as to create friction between the drive roller and an inserted sheet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
5 A device according to claim 4, in which the tray has at least one side wall and a back wall and the drive roller is skewed in relation to the side wall and back wall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
6 A device according to any preceding claim, including removable support means for supporting a stack of sheets along one edge above the bottom of the tray, and lift means movable across the space to lift the stack along the one edge.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
7 A device according to claim 6, in which the support means is operable to support one edge of the stack ' slightly above the fly height of the bottom of the stack.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
8 A device according to claim 6 or 7, in which the support means includes a pivoted bar extending across the tray and movable from a position to support one edge of the stack to a position clear of the edge of the stack.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
9 A device according to claim 6, 7 or 8, in which the lift means includes a pivoted bar extending across the tray with its top surface at or below the top surface of the bottom of the tray and movable to lift the one edge of the stack slightly above the support position of the support means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
lO A device according to claim 9 as appendant to claim 8, in which the bars have interdigitated fingers to allow movement of the lift means with the support means in the support position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
11 A recirculating document feed, for feeding a document to the copy platen of an electrophotographic copier so that the document may be viewed and a copy generated, comprising a tray for supporting a stack of the documents, air bearing means for elevating the stack to fly above the bottom of the tray, selectively operable means to feed a document from the top of the stack onto the copy platen, selectively operable means for supporting one edge of the stack to define an entrance zone for a document to be inserted into the space between the stack and the bottom of the tray, means for receiving a document from the platen and inserting the document through the entrance zone and space under the elevated stack, and selectively operable means for lifting the stack including the inserted document to thereby merge the inserted document in the stack.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
146 words
11 A recirculating document feed, for feeding a document to the copy platen of an electrophotographic copier so that the document may be viewed and a copy generated, comprising a tray for supporting a stack of the documents, air bearing means for elevating the stack to fly above the bottom of the tray, selectively operable means to feed a document from the top of the stack onto the copy platen, selectively operable means for supporting one edge of the stack to define an entrance zone for a document to be inserted into the space between the stack and the bottom of the tray, means for receiving a document from the platen and inserting the document through the entrance zone and space under the elevated stack, and selectively operable means for lifting the stack including the inserted document to thereby merge the inserted document in the stack.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
12 A method for feeding and stacking sheets, comprising elevating a stack of sheets by air bearing means to fly relative to the bottom of a tray for the stack, feeding sheets seriatim from the top of the stack, supporting one edge of the stack, inserting sheets seriatim into the space between the elevated sheets and the bottom of the tray, lifting the one edge of stack including the inserted sheet and withdrawing support from the one edge, supporting the one edge of the stack including the inserted sheet and withdrawing lift from the one edge of the stack.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
99 words
12 A method for feeding and stacking sheets, comprising elevating a stack of sheets by air bearing means to fly relative to the bottom of a tray for the stack, feeding sheets seriatim from the top of the stack, supporting one edge of the stack, inserting sheets seriatim into the space between the elevated sheets and the bottom of the tray, lifting the one edge of stack including the inserted sheet and withdrawing support from the one edge, supporting the one edge of the stack including the inserted sheet and withdrawing lift from the one edge of the stack.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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