Document transport device

Claim 2

A document transport device for moving a document along a document path comprising a base member; a flexure mounting means supported by and extending from said base member; an elongated elastomer member supported at one end on said flexure mounting means and presenting a surface adjacent said end opposite said one end in confronting relation to said document path; and electromechanical transducer means including a nonmagnetic rod member connected to said flexure mounting means and said elastomer member adjacent said one end thereof, an armature element attached to said rod member in axially spaced relation to said elastomer member, said coil means surrounding said rod member intermediate said armature and said elastomer member; said electromechanical transducer means being connected to said elastomer member at said one end for imparting an oscillatory vibratory motion as a periodic rotation and translation of said elongated elastomer member, whereby said surface adjacent the end opposite said one end is induced to process through a generally elliptical path to induce motion of a document disposed between said surface and said document path.

Claim 3

The document transport device of claim 1, wherein said elongated elastomer member is reduced in cross section from said one end toward said end opposite said one end.

Claim 4

The document transport device of claim 2, wherein said elongated elastomer member surface is formed as a curved surface with the axis of curvature transverse to the direction of document travel as induced by the elliptical path of travel of said surface, whereby said surface makes initial tangential line contact with such document.

Claim 5

The document transport device of claim 1, further comprising control means for periodically energizing said coil at a frequency exceeding a crossover frequency and approaching but less than a stall load resonant frequency where said crossover frequency is that operating freqeuency where the amplitude of armature motion under a no-load condition is equal to the amplitude of armature motion when a document disposed between said surface and said document path is restrained in a stationary position and said stall load resonant frequency is that frequency at which the amplitude of armature motion is maximum when a document disposed between said surface and said document path is restrained in a stationary position.

Claim 6

A document transport device for moving a document along a device surface which defines a document path comprising a base member; a pair of parallel spaced flexure mounting means each supported by and extending from said base member; an elongated elastomer member connected at one end to the first of said parallel flexure mounting means at a surface facing away from the second of said parallel flexure mounting means; said elongated elastomer member presenting a surface at the Distal end thereof in confronting relation to said device surface; rigid interconnecting means secured to said elongated elastomer member and to the second of said pair of said parallel flexure mounting means; and electromechanical transducer means for imparting to said elongated elastomer member an oscillatory vibratory motion as a periodic rotation and translation which causes said elastomer member surface to process through an elliptical path and propel a document disposed between said elastomer member surface and said device surface along said document path.

Claim 7

A document transport device for moving a document along a device surface which defines a document path comprising a base member; a pair of parallel spaced flexure mounting means each supported by and extending from said base member; an elongated elastomer member connected at one end to the first of said parallel flexure mounting means at a surface facing away from the second of said parallel flexure mounting means; said elongated elastomer member presenting a surface at the Distal end thereof in confronting relation to said device surface; rigid interconnecting means secured to said elongated elastomer member and to the second of said pair of said parallel flexure mounting means; and electromechanical transducer means for imparting to said elongated elastomer member an oscillatory vibratory motion as a periodic rotation and translation which causes said elastomer member surface to process through an elliptical path and propel a document disposed between said elastomer member surface and said device surface along said document path.

Claim 8

The document transport device of claim 5, wherein said rigid interconnecting means and said electromechanical transducing means comprise an armature which forms a portion of said rigid interconnecting means and an electromagnet member disposed to attract said armature when said electromagnet is energized.

Claim 9

The document transport device of claim 6, further comprising control means for periodically energizing said electromagnet member at a frequency exceeding a crossover frequency but less than the stall load resonant frequency wherein said crossover frequency is that operating frequency where armature motion under a no-load condition is equivalent to armature motion when a document positioned between said elastomer element surface and said device surface is restrained against movement.

Claim 10

A document transport device for moving a document along a device surface defining a document path comprising: a base member having a laterally extending portion and a projection having a first portion extending generally perpendicularly from said laterally extending portion and a second portion extending from said first postion generally parallel to said laterally extending portion; a pair of laterally spaced parallel flexure mounting members each supported by and extending from said base member; an elongated elastomer member connected at one end thereof to the first of said parallel flexure mounting members and at a surface of such parallel flexure mounting member which faces away from the second of said parallel flexure mounting members; said elongated elastomer member having an end surface opposite said one end in confronting relation to said device surface; an aperture through said second base member projection portion; an armature secured to the second of said parallel flexure mounting members; a rigid nonmagnetic rod extending through said aperture with one end connected to said elongated elastomer member and the other end connected to said armature; a coil surrounding said second base member projection portion; and control means for periodically energizing said coil whereby said elastomer member end surface is caused to process through an elliptical path and propel a document disposed between said elastomer member end surface and said device surface along said document path.

Claim 11

A document transport device for moving a document along a device surface defining a document path comprising: a base member having a laterally extending portion and a projection having a first portion extending generally perpendicularly from said laterally extending portion and a second portion extending from said first postion generally parallel to said laterally extending portion; a pair of laterally spaced parallel flexure mounting members each supported by and extending from said base member; an elongated elastomer member connected at one end thereof to the first of said parallel flexure mounting members and at a surface of such parallel flexure mounting member which faces away from the second of said parallel flexure mounting members; said elongated elastomer member having an end surface opposite said one end in confronting relation to said device surface; an aperture through said second base member projection portion; an armature secured to the second of said parallel flexure mounting members; a rigid nonmagnetic rod extending through said aperture with one end connected to said elongated elastomer member and the other end connected to said armature; a coil surrounding said second base member projection portion; and control means for periodically energizing said coil whereby said elastomer member end surface is caused to process through an elliptical path and propel a document disposed between said elastomer member end surface and said device surface along said document path.

Claim 12

The document transport device of claim 8, wherein said control means energizes said coil at a frequency exceeding a crossover frequency but less than the stall load resonant frequency wherein said crossover frequency is that operating frequency where the amplitude of armature motion under a no-load condition is equivalent to the amplitude of armature motion when a document disposed between said elastomer member surface and said device surface is restrained against movement and said stall load resonant frequency is that frequency at which armature amplitude is maximum when a document disposed between said elastomer member surface and said device surface is restrained against movement.

Claim 13

The document transport device of claim 9, wherein said elongated elastomer element tapers between the ends thereof and said elastomer element end surface is curved about an axis of curvature extending transverse to the direction of document travel along said document path.

Claim 14

A document transport comprising means defining a document path; a plurality of document transport devIces mounted sequentially along said document path at such intervals that a document in said document path continuously confronts at least one of said devices, said transport devices each including an elongated elastomer element with an end portion confronting said document path, said elastomer element being excitable to cause said end portion to process through a generally elliptical configuration to impart unidirectional motion to a document positioned in said path and confronting said elastomer element and an electromagnetic linear actuator including a moveable armature connected to said elastomer and operable to excite said elastomer element; and control means including oscillator means for periodically energizing said linear actuator at a selected frequency, said control means including circuit means for providing a signal to each transport device linear actuator at a frequency exceeding a crossover frequency and approaching but less than a stall load resonant frequency where said crossover frequency is that operating frequency where the amplitude of armature motion under a no-load condition is equal to the amplitude of armature motion when a document in said document path confronts said elongated elastomer member end surface and said document is restrained in a stationary position and said stall load resonant frequency is that frequency at which the amplitude of armature motion is maximum when a document disposed in said document path and confronting said elongated elastomer surface is restrained in a stationary position.

Claim 15

A document transport comprising means defining a document path; a plurality of document transport devIces mounted sequentially along said document path at such intervals that a document in said document path continuously confronts at least one of said devices, said transport devices each including an elongated elastomer element with an end portion confronting said document path, said elastomer element being excitable to cause said end portion to process through a generally elliptical configuration to impart unidirectional motion to a document positioned in said path and confronting said elastomer element and an electromagnetic linear actuator including a moveable armature connected to said elastomer and operable to excite said elastomer element; and control means including oscillator means for periodically energizing said linear actuator at a selected frequency, said control means including circuit means for providing a signal to each transport device linear actuator at a frequency exceeding a crossover frequency and approaching but less than a stall load resonant frequency where said crossover frequency is that operating frequency where the amplitude of armature motion under a no-load condition is equal to the amplitude of armature motion when a document in said document path confronts said elongated elastomer member end surface and said document is restrained in a stationary position and said stall load resonant frequency is that frequency at which the amplitude of armature motion is maximum when a document disposed in said document path and confronting said elongated elastomer surface is restrained in a stationary position.