Feeder device having adjustably flexible gate apparatus and associated method

• US 7,419,154 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Pelletier, Joel, Boisdon, Olivier, Zumbiehl, Sylvain
• Primary Examiner(s): Joerger; Kaitlin S
• Application Number:
  US10/837,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 271/124, 271/121, 271/137, 271/167, 271/110, 271/160
• US Class Current: 271/124
• 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 2301/42322 from bottom of the pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/13 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2515/81 Rigidity; Stiffness; Elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1914 Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/126 separating from the bottom of pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/523 the retainers positioned over articles separated from the bottom of the pile

Abstract

A feeder device for feeding a unit of media from a stack of media to a receiving apparatus is provided. The feeder device comprises a drive mechanism for driving the media in a feed direction through an opening defined by a gate apparatus. The opening extends from a first to a second edge of the gate apparatus and defines a fixed height greater than the thickness of the media. A flexible blade member is fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and is cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus. The blade member defines a length and extends from the first edge toward the second edge to reduce the opening height. The blade member is further configured to have an adjustable flexibility to allow the feeder device to feed media of varying thickness to the printing apparatus. An associated method is also provided.

Claims

1. A feeder device for feeding a media unit from a stack of media units to a receiving apparatus, each media unit having a thickness, said feeder device comprising:

a drive mechanism adapted to drive a media unit from the stack of media units in a feed direction;

a gate apparatus defining an opening having a height and being aligned with the drive mechanism such that the drive mechanism feeds the driven media unit in the feed direction through the opening;

a flexible blade member fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus so as to define a free end extending toward the drive mechanism, the blade member defining a length between the fixed end and the free end and extending from the fixed end so as to reduce the height of the opening, the blade member being further configured such that the flexibility thereof is adjustable, whereby the flexibility of the blade member is adjusted in correspondence with the thickness of the driven media unit being fed to the receiving apparatus; and

a biased member disposed opposite the driven media unit from the drive mechanism and upstream of the blade member with respect to the feed direction, the biased member being configured to bias the driven media unit against the drive mechanism, as the driven media unit is fed therebetween in the feed direction, so as to separate the driven media unit from other media units within the stack and to increase a driving force on the driven media unit fed toward the blade member;

wherein the biased member and the flexibility of the blade member are linked such that the flexibility of the blade member adjusts in response to a displacement of the biased member.

2. A feeder device according to claim 1 further comprising a hopper configured to hold the stack of media units and capable of being operably engaged with the drive mechanism so as to allow the drive mechanism to feed the media unit in the drive direction.

3. A feeder device according to claim 1 further comprising an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction.

4. A feeder device according to claim 1 further comprising an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in substantially parallel relation to the gate device, along the length of the blade member toward and away from the fixed end, so as to vary the cantilevered length of the blade member, the varying cantilevered length thereby varying the flexibility of the blade member downstream in the feed direction and providing the adjustable flexibility thereof.

6. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed end of the blade member comprises opposing ends of the blade member that are fixedly engaged with the gate device and wherein the free end of the blade member comprises a medial portion of the blade member that extends from a first edge toward a second edge of the opening, and the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device and movably engaged with the blade member between the opposed ends such that at least a portion of the adjusting member is at least partially surrounded by the opposing ends and medial portion of the blade member, the adjusting member being movable in substantially parallel relation to the gate device, toward and away from the medial portion of the blade member, so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member downstream in the feed direction and provide the adjustable flexibility thereof.

7. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the opening extends laterally between a first side and a second side so as to define a width, and the blade member contiguously extends at least partially across the width of the opening.

8. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the blade member defines a thickness between an upstream side and a downstream side thereof with respect to the feed direction, and the thickness of the blade member is substantially constant over the length of the blade member.

9. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the blade member is comprised of a thermoelastic material.

10. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the blade member defines a thickness between an upstream side and a downstream side thereof, with respect to the feed direction, and a hardness of the blade member varies in inverse relation to the thickness of the blade member.

11. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the blade member is configured to have a plurality of discrete flexibility levels, each flexibility level corresponding to a range of thicknesses of the media units fed by the feeder device.

12. A feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one of a transport belt and a drive roller.

13. A feeder device according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor for sensing the thickness of the media unit, the sensor being operably engaged with the blade member such that the flexibility of the blade member is capable of being varied relative to the thickness of the media unit as sensed by and in response to the sensor.

14. A feeder device according to claim 1 wherein the biased member is further configured to be capable of contacting at least an upper surface of the driven media unit so as to be displaced from the drive mechanism by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the driven media unit, and the feeder device further comprises:

an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction;

a sensor in communication with the biased member for sensing the displacement distance of the biased member in response to the thickness of the driven media unit; and

a processor in communication with the sensor and the adjusting member, the processor being configured to direct adjustment of the adjusting member in response to the sensor so as to adjust the flexibility of the blade member with respect to the thickness of the driven media unit.

15. A feeder device according to claim 1 further comprising:

an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction;

a sensor configured to sense the thickness of the driven media unit; and

a processor in communication with the sensor and the adjusting member, the processor being configured to be capable of directing adjustment of the adjusting member in response to the sensor so as to adjust the flexibility of the blade member with respect to the thickness of the driven media unit.

16. A feeder device according to claim 1 wherein the biased member is further configured to be capable of contacting at least an upper surface of the driven media unit so as to be displaced from the drive mechanism by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the driven media unit, and the feeder device further comprises:

an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction; and

a linkage operably engaged between the adjusting member and the biased member, the linkage being configured such that the displacement of the biased member in response to the thickness of the driven media unit correspondingly moves the adjusting member with respect to the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member.

5. A feeder device for feeding a media unit from a stack of media units to a receiving apparatus, each media unit having a thickness, said feeder device comprising:

a drive mechanism adapted to drive a media unit from the stack of media units in a feed direction;

a gate apparatus defining an opening having a height and being aligned with the drive mechanism such that the drive mechanism feeds the driven media unit in the feed direction through the opening;

a flexible blade member fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus so as to define a free end extending toward the drive mechanism, the blade member defining a length between the fixed end and the free end and extending from the fixed end so as to reduce the height of the opening, the blade member being further configured such that the flexibility thereof is adjustable, whereby the flexibility of the blade member is adjusted in correspondence with the thickness of the driven media unit being fed to the receiving apparatus; and

a biased member disposed opposite the driven media unit from the drive mechanism and upstream of the blade member with respect to the feed direction, the biased member being configured to directly engage each driven media unit from the stack of media units in order to bias the driven media unit against the drive mechanism, as the driven media unit is fed therebetween in the feed direction, so as to separate the driven media unit from other media units within the stack and to increase a driving force on the driven media unit fed toward the blade member and;

an adjusting member opposing the gate device downstream in the feed direction and having the blade member disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being disposed medially with respect to the fixed and free ends of the blade member and movable in substantially perpendicular relation to the gate device, toward and away from the blade member, upstream and downstream with respect to the feed direction, respectively, so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member downstream in the feed direction and provide the adjustable flexibility thereof.

17. A method of feeding a media unit from a stack of media units to a receiving apparatus with a feeder device comprising a drive mechanism, a biased member, a gate apparatus, and a flexible blade member, each media unit having a thickness, said method comprising:

driving a media unit from the stack of media units in a feed direction with the drive mechanism, through an opening defined by the gate apparatus and aligned with the drive mechanism;

adjusting the flexibility of the blade member, the blade member being fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus so as to define a free end extending toward the drive mechanism, the blade member defining a length between the fixed end and the free end and extending from the fixed end so as to reduce the height of the opening, in correspondence with the thickness of the driven media unit being fed to the receiving apparatus;

biasing the driven media unit against the drive mechanism with a biased member disposed opposite the driven media unit from the drive mechanism and upstream of the blade member with respect to the feed direction, as the driven media unit is fed therebetween in the feed direction, so as to separate the driven media unit from other media units within the stack and to increase a driving force on the driven media unit fed toward the blade member and

linking the flexibility of the blade member with the biased member such that the flexibility of the blade member adjusts in response to a displacement of the biased member.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, and the method further comprises moving the adjusting member in relation to the blade member so as to engage the blade member and thereby vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, and the method further comprises moving the adjusting member in substantially parallel relation to the gate device, along the length of the blade member toward and away from the fixed end, so as to vary the cantilevered length of the blade member and thereby vary the flexibility of the blade member downstream in the feed direction.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the fixed end of the blade member comprises opposing ends of the blade member that are fixedly engaged with the gate device and wherein the free end of the blade member comprises a medial portion of the blade member that extends from a first edge toward a second edge of the opening, and the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device and slidably engaged with the blade member between the opposed ends such that at least a portion of the adjusting member is at least partially surrounded by the opposing ends and medial portion of the blade member, wherein the method further comprises moving the adjusting member in substantially parallel relation to the gate device, between the opposed ends and toward and away from the free end of the blade member, so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member downstream in the feed direction.

23. A method according to claim 17 further comprising sensing the thickness of the driven media unit, and correspondingly varying the flexibility of the blade member in response thereto.

24. A method according to claim 17, wherein the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction;

and wherein the biased member is configured to contact at least an upper surface of the driven media unit so as to be displaced from the drive mechanism by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the driven media unit; and

the method further comprises;

sensing the displacement distance of the biased member in response to the thickness of the driven media unit; and

directing adjustment of the adjusting member in response to the sensed displacement distance so as to adjust the flexibility of the blade member with respect to the thickness of the driven media unit.

25. A method according to claim 17, wherein the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction, and the method further comprises:

sensing the thickness of the driven media unit; and

directing adjustment of the adjusting member in response to the sensed thickness of the driven media unit so as to adjust the flexibility of the blade member with respect to the thickness of the driven media unit.

26. A method according to claim 17, wherein the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member operably engaged with the gate device downstream in the feed direction such that the blade member is disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being movable in relation to the blade member and configured to engage the blade member so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member in the feed direction;

wherein the biased member is configured to contact at least an upper surface of the driven media unit so as to be displaced from the drive mechanism by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the driven media unit; and

wherein a linkage is operably engaged between the adjusting member and the biased member; and

the method further comprises;

adjusting the adjusting member with respect to the blade member, in correspondence with the displacement of the biased member in response to the thickness of the driven media unit, via the linkage, so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member.

20. A method of feeding a media unit from a stack of media units to a receiving apparatus with a feeder device comprising a drive mechanism, a biased member, a gate apparatus, and a flexible blade member, each media unit having a thickness, said method comprising:

driving a media unit from the stack of media units in a feed direction with the drive mechanism, through an opening defined by the gate apparatus and aligned with the drive mechanism;

adjusting the flexibility of the blade member, the blade member being fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus so as to define a free end extending toward the drive mechanism, the blade member defining a length between the fixed end and the free end and extending from the fixed end so as to reduce the height of the opening, in correspondence with the thickness of the driven media unit being fed to the receiving apparatus; and

biasing the driven media unit against the drive mechanism with a biased member, the biased member being configured to directly engage each driven media unit from the stack of media units, and the biased member being disposed opposite the driven media unit from the drive mechanism and upstream of the blade member with respect to the feed direction, as the driven media unit is fed therebetween in the feed direction, so as to separate the driven media unit from other media units within the stack and to increase a driving force on the driven media unit fed toward the blade member and

wherein the feeder device further comprises an adjusting member opposing the gate device downstream in the feed direction and having the blade member disposed therebetween, the adjusting member being disposed medially with respect to the fixed and free ends of the blade member, and the method further comprises moving the adjusting member in substantially perpendicular relation to the gate device, toward and away from the blade member, upstream and downstream with respect to the feed direction, respectively, so as to vary the flexibility of the blade member downstream in the feed direction.

22. A method of feeding a media unit from a stack of media units to a receiving apparatus with a feeder device comprising a drive mechanism, a biased member, a gate apparatus, and a flexible blade member, each media unit having a thickness, said method comprising:

driving a media unit from the stack of media units in a feed direction with the drive mechanism, through an opening defined by the gate apparatus and aligned with the drive mechanism;

adjusting the flexibility of the blade member, the blade member being fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus so as to define a free end extending toward the drive mechanism, the blade member defining a length between the fixed end and the free end and extending from the fixed end so as to reduce the height of the opening, in correspondence with the thickness of the driven media unit being fed to the receiving apparatus; and

biasing the driven media unit against the drive mechanism with a biased member, the biased member being configured to directly engage each driven media unit from the stack of media units, and the biased member being disposed opposite the driven media unit from the drive mechanism and upstream of the blade member with respect to the feed direction, as the driven media unit is fed therebetween in the feed direction, so as to separate the driven media unit from other media units within the stack and to increase a driving force on the driven media unit fed toward the blade member and

further comprising adjusting the flexibility of the blade member among a plurality of discrete flexibility levels, each flexibility level corresponding to a range of thicknesses of the media units fed by the feeder device.