Intelligent feeder

• US 6,588,740 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kodak Alaris Inc (KPP (no. 2) Trustees Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Westcott, Robert M., Brugger, Charles E., Simmons, George, Horstman, Stephen A., Maysick, Randall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOWE, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/734,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 271/10.01, 271/10.02, 271/10.03, 271/10.09, 271/225, 271/258.01, 271/265.01, 271/902, 271/263, 271/256.04, 271/266, 271/262
• US Class Current: 271/10.03
• 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 2403/72 Clutches, brakes, e.g. one-way clutch +F204
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/13 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/51 Presence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/528 Jam
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2551/21 Monitors; Displays
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2551/22 Numerical displays
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/30 using acoustic or ultrasonic elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2557/23 Recording or storing data
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/06 Rollers or like rotary separators B65H3/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 7/125 sensing the double feed or separation without contacting the articles

Abstract

An intelligent feeding and separating device for consistently separating an outermost sheet of media from a stack and feeding it to an imaging rendering apparatus, includes: a) a sheet transport mechanism; b) a feed device for feeding sheets to the sheet transport mechanism; c) a separation mechanism adjacent to the feed mechanism; d) at least one drive mechanism in operable association with the feed or separation mechanisms, and comprising a feed or separation roller reversal mechanism; e) a plurality of different types of sensor devices adjacent to the feed mechanism for measuring characteristics of the sheets being fed; and f) a microprocessor in communication with the sensor devices and the feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism; wherein, depending upon input from the sensor devices, the microprocessor outputs to the feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism to address feed-related problems encountered during operation.

Claims

1. A feeding and separating device for consistently separating an outermost sheet of media from a stack and feeding it to an imaging rendering apparatus, the feeding and separating device comprising:

a) a sheet transport mechanism;

b) a feed mechanism for feeding sheets to the sheet transport mechanism, the feed mechanism being positioned so as to frictionally engage the outermost sheet of the stack to advance the sheet toward the sheet transport mechanism, the feed mechanism comprising a feed roller;

c) a separation mechanism positioned adjacent to the feed mechanism, the separation mechanism comprising a separation roller;

d) at least one drive mechanism in operable association with the feed or separation mechanisms for transmitting a drive force to the feed or separation roller, and comprising a feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism for reversing the direction of the feed or separation roller;

e) a plurality of different types of sensor devices for measuring characteristics of the sheet or sheets being fed, at least one of the sensor devices being positioned adjacent to the feed roller;

f) a microprocessor in operable communication with the sensor devices for comparing and recording measurements, and the feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism;

wherein, depending on input from the sensor devices, the microprocessor automatically outputs to the feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism to address feed-related problems encountered during operation;

wherein the feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism is a mechanism for interrupting the drive connection to the feed roller; and

wherein the microprocessor recognizes a feed problem through input from the sensor devices, and signals the drive connection interruption mechanism, which halts the feed roller, whereupon continued rotation of the adjacent separation roller drives the feed roller in a reverse direction.

2. A feeding and separating device according to claim 1 further comprising:

g) memory in operable association with the microprocessor for retaining such measurements.

3. A feeding and separating device according to claim 2 further comprising an information display screen for communicating information to the operator;

wherein, when the microprocessor inputs to the information display screen, a pre-determined message is displayed, and, when one or more input buttons are depressed, pre-determined commands for altering operation are inputted to the processor.

4. A feeding and separating device according to claim 1 wherein the feed or separation roller direction reversal mechanism is a separate reverse drive mechanism in operable association with the separation or feed roller and the microprocessor.

5. A feeding and separating device according to claim 4 wherein the microprocessor recognizes resolution of the multiple feed problem by reading input from the sensor devices detecting the presence of a single sheet, and automatically halts the reverse drive mechanism, and re-commences the primary drive mechanism.

6. A feeding and separating device according to claim 1 wherein at least one sensor device is an ultrasonic sensor, which is positioned adjacent to the feed roller.

7. A feeding and separating device according to claim 6 wherein at least one sensor device is a thickness sensor positioned adjacent to at least one ultrasonic sensor.

8. A feeding and separating device according to claim 6 wherein the drive mechanism is connected to a clutch mechanism for transmitting an intermittent drive force to at least one roller.

9. A feeding and separating device according to claim 1 wherein, where the feed-related problem is not resolved after repeated returns of the misfed or mulitple sheets to the input tray, the microprocessor signals an alarm within the apparatus to sound or a message to be displayed in the information display screen.

10. A feeding and separating device according to claim 1 wherein the microprocessor automatically recognizes resolution of the multiple feed or misfeed through continued input from the sensor devices, and signals the drive connection interruption mechanism, which restores the drive connection and re-commences rotation of the feed roller.

11. A feeding and separating device according to claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is programmable to re-adjust the pre-determined parameters based on input over time from the sensor devices.