US5305995A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet feeding apparatus for re-feeding a sheet without smearing
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1992-10-19
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Granted: 1994-04-26
•
Expires: 2012-10-19
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus which includes a first conveying device for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward the predetermined direction or toward an opposite direction, a separating device disposed at a downstream side of the first conveying means in the predetermined direction and adapted to separate an outermost sheet from the sheet stack being fed by the first conveying device, a second conveying device for conveying the sheet separated by the separating device, and control device for controlling the first conveying device in such a manner that the first conveying device is activated to convey the sheet stack in the predetermined direction and the first conveying device is stopped after the sheet separated by the separating device starts to be conveyed by the second conveying device.
Inventors
- 👤 Hisao Nakajima
- 👤 Yasumi Yoshida
- 👤 Minoru Nada
- 👤 Noriaki Koyanagi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:24
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6555; G03G15/6579; G03G15/22; G03G15/23; G03G15/231; G03G15/232; G03G15/234; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00367; G03G2215/00417; G03G2215/0043; G03G2215/00434; G03G2215/00535; G03G2215/00556; G03G2215/00578; G03G2215/00586
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction or toward an opposite direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in said predetermined direction for separating an outermost sheet from the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; second conveying means for conveying the sheet separated by said separating means; and control means for controlling said first conveying means in such a manner that said first conveying means is activated to convey the sheet stack in said predetermined direction and said first conveying means is stopped after the sheet separated by said separating means starts to be conveyed by said second conveying means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction or toward an opposite direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in said predetermined direction for separating an outermost sheet from the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; second conveying means for conveying the sheet separated by said separating means; and control means for controlling said first conveying means in such a manner that said first conveying means is activated to convey the sheet stack in said predetermined direction and said first conveying means is stopped after the sheet separated by said separating means starts to be conveyed by said second conveying means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first conveying means conveys said sheet stack while pinching it.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second conveying means conveys the sheet separated by said separating means while pinching it.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating means guides the outermost sheet and other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means into different directions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating means includes a separating member having a pointed free end inserted between the outermost sheet and other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means to separate the outermost sheet from the other sheets.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said free end of said separating member is urged against a surface portion of the outermost sheet which is opposed to the other sheets but does not contact with the other sheets, to separate the outermost sheet from the other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 6, further including a guide member for guiding a surface of the outer most sheet which does not contact with said separating member, said guide member having. recessed portion for receiving the sheet flexed due to the contact between the sheet and said separating member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in said predetermined direction for separating an outermost sheet from the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; and second conveying means for conveying the outermost sheet separated by said separating means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in said predetermined direction for separating an outermost sheet from the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; and second conveying means for conveying the outermost sheet separated by said separating means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first conveying means conveys said sheet stack while pinching it.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second conveying means conveys the sheet separated by said separating means while pinching it.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating means guides the outermost sheet and other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means in different directions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating means includes a separating member having a pointed free end inserted between the outermost sheet and other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means to separate the outermost sheet from the other sheets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said free end of said separating member is urged against a surface portion of the outermost sheet which is opposed to the other sheets but does not contact with the other sheets, to separate the outermost sheet from the other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 13, further including a guide member for guiding a surface of the sheet which does not contact with said separating member, said guide member having recessed portion for receiving the outer most sheet flexed due to the contact between the sheet and said separating member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, further including control means for controlling said first conveying means in such a manner that said first conveying means is activated to convey the sheet stack in said predetermined direction and said first conveying means is activated to convey the other sheets in the reverse direction after the outermost sheet separated by said separating means starts to be conveyed by said second conveying means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
133 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction; second conveying means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in a sheet conveying direction, for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first conveying means; and guiding means disposed between said first and second conveying means and adapted to guide an outermost sheet or other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means toward a position where said outermost sheet or said other sheets are not conveyed by said second conveying means, by sliding between the outermost sheet of the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means and other sheets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
133 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction; second conveying means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in a sheet conveying direction, for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first conveying means; and guiding means disposed between said first and second conveying means and adapted to guide an outermost sheet or other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means toward a position where said outermost sheet or said other sheets are not conveyed by said second conveying means, by sliding between the outermost sheet of the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means and other sheets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said guiding means guides the outermost sheet and the other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means in different directions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said guiding means includes a guiding member having a pointed free end inserted between the outermost sheet and the other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means to guide the sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said guiding member is urged against a surface portion of the outermost sheet which is opposed to the other sheets but does not contact with the other sheets, to guide the sheet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
53 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 19, further including a guide member for guiding a surface of the sheet which does not contact with said guiding member, said guide member having a recessed portion for receiving the sheet flexed due to the contact between the outer most sheet and said guiding member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
72 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 16, further including control means for controlling said first conveying means in such a manner that said first conveying means is activated to convey the sheet stack in said predetermined direction and said first conveying means is activated to convey the other sheets in the reverse direction after the outermost sheet separated by said guiding means starts to be conveyed by said second conveying means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
172 words
An image forming system comprising: containing means for containing sheets; supplying means for feeding out the sheet contained in said containing means; image forming means for forming an image on the sheet fed out by said supplying means; stacking means for stacking the sheets on which the image are formed by said image forming means in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction; first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by the predetermined distance in the predetermined direction by said stacking means toward said predetermined direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in a sheet conveying direction and adapted to be slid between an outermost sheet and other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means to separate said outermost sheet from said other sheets; and second conveying means for conveying the outermost sheet separated by said separating means to said image forming means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
172 words
An image forming system comprising: containing means for containing sheets; supplying means for feeding out the sheet contained in said containing means; image forming means for forming an image on the sheet fed out by said supplying means; stacking means for stacking the sheets on which the image are formed by said image forming means in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction; first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by the predetermined distance in the predetermined direction by said stacking means toward said predetermined direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in a sheet conveying direction and adapted to be slid between an outermost sheet and other sheets in the sheet stack being conveyed by said first conveying means to separate said outermost sheet from said other sheets; and second conveying means for conveying the outermost sheet separated by said separating means to said image forming means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
104 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in said predetermined direction for separating an outermost sheet from the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; second conveying means for conveying the sheet separated by said separating means; and image forming means for forming an image on the sheet conveyed by said second conveying means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
104 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: first conveying means for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward said predetermined direction; separating means disposed at a downstream side of said first conveying means in said predetermined direction for separating an outermost sheet from the sheet stack fed out by said first conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; second conveying means for conveying the sheet separated by said separating means; and image forming means for forming an image on the sheet conveyed by said second conveying means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
124 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: conveying means for conveying bundle of sheets stacked with shifting predetermined length in predetermined direction in one direction or other direction; separating means disposed upstream of said conveying direction, for separating an outermost sheet from other sheets among the sheets conveyed by said conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; nipping means for nipping the other sheets separated by said separating means; and control means for controlling said conveying means so that the sheet bundle is conveyed in the other direction by said conveying means, the other sheets separated by said separating means are nipped by said nipping means, and the outermost sheet not nipped is conveyed in the one direction by said conveying means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
124 words
A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: conveying means for conveying bundle of sheets stacked with shifting predetermined length in predetermined direction in one direction or other direction; separating means disposed upstream of said conveying direction, for separating an outermost sheet from other sheets among the sheets conveyed by said conveying means by sliding between the outermost sheet and other sheets; nipping means for nipping the other sheets separated by said separating means; and control means for controlling said conveying means so that the sheet bundle is conveyed in the other direction by said conveying means, the other sheets separated by said separating means are nipped by said nipping means, and the outermost sheet not nipped is conveyed in the one direction by said conveying means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said conveying means conveys said sheet stack by nipping
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said nipping means conveys the sheet separated by said separating means by nipping it.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said separating means guides the outermost sheet and other sheets conveyed by said conveying means in different directions.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said separating means separates the sheets by abutting an area not in contact with the other sheets of the sheet surface opposed to the other sheets.
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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) | 1997-04-25 | 1997-10-25 | 1998-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-04-25 | 2001-10-25 | 2002-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-04-25 | 2005-10-25 | 2006-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |