Patent US5015109A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5015109A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet feed construction for compact printers
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
•
Filing: 1989-11-24
•
Granted: 1991-05-14
•
Expires: 2009-11-24
Abstract
Abstract An improved sheet separator and guide construction for a printer having a supply station and a feeder/platen for feeding a top sheet from a supported sheet stack and transporting it through the printing region. The construction includes a force plate for urging a supported sheet stack so that its top sheet contacts the feeder-platen and is moved toward a supply station egress region. A pair of sheet corner deflectors located respectively at opposite edges of the supply station egress region are constructed to direct sheet corners fed there-against inwardly toward the sheet center, and a central deflector located along a central portion of the egress region in spaced relation between the corner deflectors is constructed to direct the center lead-edge of a sheet fed there-against upwardly toward the printer top.
Inventors
- 👤 John M. Brandon
- 👤 Brian D. Bradley
- 👤 Richard J. Ratermann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:30
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J29/00; B41J29/02; B41J29/026; B41J13/00; B41J13/10; B41J13/103
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
In a printer having a printing region, a sheet supply station, located below said printing region and constructed to support a sheet, and a rotatable feeder/platen located above said supply station for feeding a top sheet from a supported sheet stack and transporting it through said printing region, an improved sheet separator and guide construction comprising: (a) a supply station egress region extending along across the path of sheet feed from said supply station and perpendicular to the direction for sheet feed; (b) means for urging a supported sheet stack so that the top sheet contacts said feeder-platen and is moved into said egress region; (c) a pair of sheet corner deflectors located respectively at opposite edges of said egress region, said deflectors being constructed to direct sheet corners feed three-against inwardly toward the sheet's center and downwardly; and (d) a central deflector member located along a central portion of said egress region in spaced relation between said corner deflectors, said central deflector member being constructed to direct the center lead-edge of a sheet fed there-against upwardly toward the printer top at the same time said sheet corners are directed downwardly by said corner deflectors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a printer having a printing region, a sheet supply station, located below said printing region and constructed to support a sheet, and a rotatable feeder/platen located above said supply station for feeding a top sheet from a supported sheet stack and transporting it through said printing region, an improved sheet separator and guide construction comprising: (a) a supply station egress region extending along across the path of sheet feed from said supply station and perpendicular to the direction for sheet feed; (b) means for urging a supported sheet stack so that the top sheet contacts said feeder-platen and is moved into said egress region; (c) a pair of sheet corner deflectors located respectively at opposite edges of said egress region, said deflectors being constructed to direct sheet corners feed three-against inwardly toward the sheet's center and downwardly; and (d) a central deflector member located along a central portion of said egress region in spaced relation between said corner deflectors, said central deflector member being constructed to direct the center lead-edge of a sheet fed there-against upwardly toward the printer top at the same time said sheet corners are directed downwardly by said corner deflectors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention defined in claim 1 further comprising smoothing arm portions extending from the upper edges of sad central deflector member around the path of feeder/platen rotation and outwardly to the edges of the sheet feed path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention defined in claim 2 further comprising a pair of bail rollers mounted to rotatably engage edge zones of said feeder/platen at a location downstream from said supply station egress region and wherein said smoothing arm portions extend to locations proximate said bail rollers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said central deflector and its smoothing arms extend around said feeder-platen in closely spaced relation and have a line printing opening between said smoothing arms to allow access by the printing means of said printer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4583873A
Cited
EP0167988A2
Cited
US4723857A
Cited
US4728966A
Cited
US4763138A
Cited
US4783669A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-13 | 1994-11-12 | 1995-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-13 | 1998-11-12 | 1999-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-13 | 2002-11-12 | 2003-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |