Self-adjusting closed-loop friction feeder
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for feeding and separating sheets individually from a stack of sheets, comprising:
- a nudger, disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the stack;
a mechanism, disposed adjacent a sheet on the stack to be fed, including a rotatable friction feed belt thereon, the mechanism and nudger being adapted for sheet feeding engagement of sheets from the stack;
urging means for providing a variable normal force against the portion of the stack between the nudger and the friction feed belt of the mechanism;
sensor means for detecting a lead edge of a sheet at a first preselected location relative to the mechanism; and
control means, responsive to the sensor means, for causing the urging means to stop increasing the normal force against the stack between the mechanism and the nudger when the lead edge of a sheet is detected by the sensor means, and causing the urging means to maintain the last value of the normal force after causing the urging means to stop increasing the normal force.
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Abstract
An apparatus feeds and separates sheets individually from a stack of sheets. A nudger is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the stack, and a mechanism, including a rotatable friction feed belt thereon, is disposed adjacent a sheet on the stack to be fed. A variable normal force is provided between the nudger and the friction feed belt of the mechanism. A sensor detects a lead edge of a sheet at a preselected location relative to the mechanism, and the increase in the normal force between the mechanism and the nudger is stopped when the lead edge of a sheet is detected by the sensor.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for feeding and separating sheets individually from a stack of sheets, comprising:
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a nudger, disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the stack; a mechanism, disposed adjacent a sheet on the stack to be fed, including a rotatable friction feed belt thereon, the mechanism and nudger being adapted for sheet feeding engagement of sheets from the stack; urging means for providing a variable normal force against the portion of the stack between the nudger and the friction feed belt of the mechanism; sensor means for detecting a lead edge of a sheet at a first preselected location relative to the mechanism; and control means, responsive to the sensor means, for causing the urging means to stop increasing the normal force against the stack between the mechanism and the nudger when the lead edge of a sheet is detected by the sensor means, and causing the urging means to maintain the last value of the normal force after causing the urging means to stop increasing the normal force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A mechanism for use in a sheet feeding apparatus, adapted for selectable positioning between a nudger ski and an adjacent fixed surface, the mechanism and nudger ski being adapted for sheet feeding engagement with sheets in a stack, comprising:
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a first roller, rotatable around a first axis; a second roller, rotatable around a second axis; a friction feed belt entrained about the first roller and the second roller; a cam adapted to engage the fixed surface, thereby displacing the second roller relative to the fixed surface; and transfer means, for transferring rotational motion to the cam; whereby, when the cam displaces the second roller relative to the fixed surface, the mechanism rotates around the first axis so that the second roller is urged against the nudger ski. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In an electrophotographic printer, an apparatus for feeding and separating sheets individually from a stack of sheets, comprising:
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a nudger, disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the stack; a mechanism, disposed adjacent a sheet on the stack to be fed, including a rotatable friction feed belt thereon, the mechanism and nudger being adapted for sheet feeding engagement of sheets from the stack; urging means for providing a variable normal force against the portion of the stack between the nudger and the friction feed belt of the mechanism; sensor means for detecting a lead edge of a sheet at a first preselected location relative to the mechanism; and control means, responsive to the sensor means, for causing the urging means to stop increasing the normal force against the stack between the mechanism and the nudger when the lead edge of a sheet is detected by the sensor means, and causing the urging means to maintain the last value of the normal force after causing the urging means to stop increasing the normal force. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification