US3844552A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document feed device
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1972-06-12
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1992-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A document feed device is disclosed which utilizes intermittently operated endless drive belts to transport a document sheet from an entry guide to an exposure zone and from there to an exit hopper where the drive belts are tensioned over the trailing and leading edges of the work station to provide concentrated drive forces at those points and where the leading edge is slightly elevated from the plane of the work station to provide a region of force relief immediately after passing the leading edge. The document is moved into engagement with the drive belt by picker roll mechanism which controls initiation of feed and is accelerated away from the work station by an accelerator roll arrangement which drives the document at a speed faster than it is normally fed to make room for the next document. Alignment is accomplished by an alignment guide having fingers inter-digitated with the plurality of feed belts and providing a positive stop against which the document is lightly urged by the feed belts. The feed belt/work station surface arrangement is such as to provide an increasing urging force in the direction of feed.
Inventors
- 👤 J Spears
- 👤 C Bleau
- 👤 J Rogers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:00
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/62; G03B27/6207; G03B27/625; G03B27/6264
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A document feed device for positioning documents on a document plane of an electrophotographic copier comprising: feed belt means supported by drive means for driving said feed belt means; a first and second edge means positioned proximate to the inlet edge and exit edge of said document plane; said belt means wrapping on said first and said second edge means, said feed belt means, said first and second edge means, and said document glass arranged to define a plurality of regions comprising a first region of positive frictional engagement with a document between said belt means and said first edge means; a second region of substantially no frictional engagement between said belt means and said document; a region of increasing frictional engagement between said belt means and said document; and a further region of positive frictional engagement between said document and said belt together with said second edge means; thereby providing a positive input drive into a region of substantially no frictional engagement where the document is inserted into said region of substantially no frictional engagement and is then progressively engaged with a progressively increasing frictional engagement with said belt means and is removed from said document plane by a positive engagement in a second region of positive frictional engagement between said belt and said document to feed, position and remove a document from a document plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
A document feed device for positioning documents on a document plane of an electrophotographic copier comprising: feed belt means supported by drive means for driving said feed belt means; a first and second edge means positioned proximate to the inlet edge and exit edge of said document plane; said belt means wrapping on said first and said second edge means, said feed belt means, said first and second edge means, and said document glass arranged to define a plurality of regions comprising a first region of positive frictional engagement with a document between said belt means and said first edge means; a second region of substantially no frictional engagement between said belt means and said document; a region of increasing frictional engagement between said belt means and said document; and a further region of positive frictional engagement between said document and said belt together with said second edge means; thereby providing a positive input drive into a region of substantially no frictional engagement where the document is inserted into said region of substantially no frictional engagement and is then progressively engaged with a progressively increasing frictional engagement with said belt means and is removed from said document plane by a positive engagement in a second region of positive frictional engagement between said belt and said document to feed, position and remove a document from a document plane.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of feeding and positioning a document on a document plane of an electrophotographic copier comprising: positively urging said document in the direction of feed through a zone of positive engagement by engaging one side of said document with a driven flat belt and a fixed member engaging said document on said document''s second side; progressively releasing said document from said zone of positive engagement; progressively increasingly re-engaging said document frictionally between said belt and said document plane and urging said document in the direction of feed, such that the normal forces exerted on said document''s leading portion is greater than the normal forces on said document''s trailing region, after said trailing region has passed said zone of positive engagement; positively stopping said document and interrupting its forward movement to align said document causing said belt to slip over said document; and positively feeding said document in the direction of feed to remove said document from said document plane.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of feeding and positioning a document on a document plane of an electrophotographic copier comprising: positively urging said document in the direction of feed through a zone of positive engagement by engaging one side of said document with a driven flat belt and a fixed member engaging said document on said document''s second side; progressively releasing said document from said zone of positive engagement; progressively increasingly re-engaging said document frictionally between said belt and said document plane and urging said document in the direction of feed, such that the normal forces exerted on said document''s leading portion is greater than the normal forces on said document''s trailing region, after said trailing region has passed said zone of positive engagement; positively stopping said document and interrupting its forward movement to align said document causing said belt to slip over said document; and positively feeding said document in the direction of feed to remove said document from said document plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as defined in claim 2, further comprising the step of accelerating said document after the second step of positively feeding said document.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of feeding a document as defined in claim 2, wherein a plurality of said steps may be simultaneously occurring on different regions of a single document at any point in time.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |