FRICTION FEEDING SEPARATING SYSTEM

• US 20190193966A1
• Filed: 12/21/2017
• Published: 06/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superior Product Handling Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Superior Paper Handling Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Sands, Steven G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/416 of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/10 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/41 Direction of movement
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/50 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2551/18 Graphical interactive displays; Mouses; Touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/042 separating from the bottom of the pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0623 acting at least during a part of each separation cycle on the articles in a direction opposite to the final separating direction
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0669 Driving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/5284 Retainers of the roller type, e.g. rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/20 Controlling associated apparatus

Abstract

A friction sheet feeding machine is provided. The friction sheet feeding machine comprises a hopper configured to hold a stack of items. The friction sheet feeding machine also comprises a receiver configured to receive an item from the stack of items. The friction sheet feeding machine also comprises a separating mechanism configured to separate the item from the stack of items. The separating mechanism comprises a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is configured to operate in a forward direction and a reverse direction. The friction sheet feeding machine also comprises a controller configured to generate signals to the drive mechanism to operate in the forward direction for a first period of time, and in the reverse direction for a second period of time.

Claims

1. A friction sheet feeding machine comprising:

a hopper configured to hold a stack of items;

a receiver configured to receive an item from the stack of items, the item having a surface that faces in a direction away from another item in the stack;

a separating mechanism configured to engage the surface of the item and separate the item from the stack of items, wherein the separating mechanism comprises a drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to operate in a forward direction and a reverse direction; and

a controller configured to generate signals to the drive mechanism to operate in the forward direction for a first period of time, and in the reverse direction for a second period of time.

2. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 1, and further comprising a user input mechanism configured to receive a user input, wherein the controller is configured to generate the signals that defines a control variable based on the user input.

3. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 2, wherein the control variable comprises an operational direction of the drive mechanism.

4. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 2, wherein the control variable comprises an operational speed of the drive mechanism.

5. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to access memory storing a set of instructions, based on which the controller generates the signals for the drive mechanism.

6. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 5, wherein the memory comprises a cloud-based data storage.

7. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 5, wherein the memory comprises a data store local to the friction sheet feeding machine.

8. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 2, wherein the control variable comprises an operational time of the drive mechanism.

9. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a paper-based product.

21. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to access a set of programmatic control instructions that are executed by the controller to generate control signals that control the drive mechanism to perform a series of drive operations, each drive operation having a predefined direction and time for operating the drive mechanism.

10-20. -20. (canceled)

22. A friction sheet feeding machine comprising:

a hopper configured to hold a stack of items;

a receiver configured to receive an item from the stack of items;

a separating mechanism configured to separate the item from the stack of items, wherein the separating mechanism comprises a drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to operate in a forward direction and a reverse direction; and

a controller configured to access a set of programmatic control instructions that are executed by the controller to generate control signals that control the drive mechanism to perform a series of drive operations, each drive operation having a predefined direction and time for operating the drive mechanism.

23. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein each drive operation has a predefined speed for the drive mechanism.

24. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein the set of programmatic control instructions are received from a cloud-based data storage.

25. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein the set of programmatic control instructions are received from a data store local to the friction sheet feeding machine.

26. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein a first drive operation in the series has a different rotational direction of the drive mechanism than a second device operation in the series.

27. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein the set of programmatic control instructions are based on user input.

28. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 27, and further comprising a user input mechanism that receives the user input.

29. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein the item has a surface that faces in a direction away from another item in the stack, and the separating mechanism is configured to engage the surface of the item to separate the item from the stack of items.

30. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein a first drive operation in the series has a different speed or duration than a second device operation in the series

31. The friction sheet feeding machine of claim 22, wherein the item comprises a paper-based product.