US3682328A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tray apparatus
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1970-09-09
•
Granted: 1972-08-08
•
Expires: 1990-09-09
Abstract
Abstract Tray apparatus for receiving sheet material along a predetermined path and which lowers incrementally in response to a sensing circuit including a motor which lowers a tray member to maintain a constant level of the top sheet received with the sheet path. Two lamp and photodetector pairs serve to sense the level of sheet material received on the tray member and signifies when the tray member is to be lowered. The motor is reversible to return the tray member to its starting position for unloading the sheet material when full.
Inventors
- 👤 Lyman H Turner
- 👤 William P Kukucka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:21
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H31/00; B65H31/04; B65H31/12; B65H31/18; B65H2801/00; B65H2801/03; B65H2801/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
Tray apparatus for stacking paper sheet material comprising a tray member for receiving paper sheet material transported along a sheet path, drive means including a reversible motor drivingly connected to said tray member for lowering and raising thereof, and cover means associated with said tray member operative to move from a first position in which sheet material is received by said tray member to a second position after the sheet material is received, circuit means coupled to the drive means and cover means operative to actuate the motor for lowering said tray member in response to discrete signals from stack height sensing means to maintain the height of the sheet material received level with the sheet path and then to raise said tray member to its original position in response to another signal to reverse the direction of said motor upon moving said cover means from its first to its second position for unloading said tray member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
Tray apparatus for stacking paper sheet material comprising a tray member for receiving paper sheet material transported along a sheet path, drive means including a reversible motor drivingly connected to said tray member for lowering and raising thereof, and cover means associated with said tray member operative to move from a first position in which sheet material is received by said tray member to a second position after the sheet material is received, circuit means coupled to the drive means and cover means operative to actuate the motor for lowering said tray member in response to discrete signals from stack height sensing means to maintain the height of the sheet material received level with the sheet path and then to raise said tray member to its original position in response to another signal to reverse the direction of said motor upon moving said cover means from its first to its second position for unloading said tray member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes a plurality of sources of illumination each having an associated sensing device and spaced to effect sensing at different locations along the edge of the sheet material, and wherein said circuit means includes means to cause operation of only a portion of the sources of illumination to achieve sensing at a predetermined location along the edge of the sheet material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said motor has a brake associated therewith to effect incremental lowering of said tray member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said tray member is inclined from about 5* to about 10* to the horizontal plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 including stacking means associated with said tray member operative to move sheet material received thereby into identifiable stacks.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2707142A
Cited
US2639823A
Cited
US2875908A
Cited
US2918852A
Cited
US2928559A
Cited
US3149836A
Cited
US3303942A
Cited
US3374902A
Cited
US3369675A
Cited
US3426923A
Cited
US3583614A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-08 | 1976-02-07 | 1976-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-08 | 1980-02-07 | 1980-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-08 | 1984-02-07 | 1984-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |