US3900192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet feeding apparatus
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1973-12-26
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Granted: 1975-08-19
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Expires: 1993-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A storage bin, which is to receive sheets on which duplexed images are to be formed by a photocopy machine after a first image is formed thereon, has its rear wall at an oblique angle to the path along which the sheet is traveling from the reproduction portion of the photocopy machine. This causes each of the sheets to be stored with its side, which is to engage a vertically disposed aligner as it passes through the photocopy machine prior to the reproduction portion, at an angle to the aligner, which has a U-shaped cross section, so that the leading corner of the sheet on the side that engages the aligner will pass the upper edge of the aligner before the aligner engages the side of the sheet. A pivotally mounted wheel receives energy from the sheet as the sheet enters the storage bin to prevent bounce back of the sheet when its edge abuts the rear wall of the storage bin so that the edge of the sheet remains against the rear wall. To insure that the sheet, irrespective of its width, arrives at a gate in its path to the reproduction portion of the photocopy machine within a predetermined time period upon its advance from the storage bin, the feed cycle of the sheet from the storage bin is divided into first and second portions. During the first portion, the sheet is fed to a predetermined position. The second portion begins a fixed period of time after the start of the feed cycle to feed the sheet from this predetermined position so that the sheet arrives at the gate within the predetermined time period.
Inventors
- 👤 David K Gibson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:30
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6555; G03G15/6579; B; B65; B65H; B65H5/00; G03G15/22; G03G15/23; G03G15/231; G03G15/232; G03G15/234; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00367; G03G2215/00417; G03G2215/0043; G03G2215/00434; G03G2215/00438
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A sheet feed apparatus for sequentially feeding each sheet from a stack of sheets located in a storage bin or the like to a predetermined position within a predetermined time period irrespective of the dimension of each sheet in the feed direction or its location in the feed direction within the storage bin including: means to advance a sheet from the storage bin in the feed direction; first activating means to activate said advancing means at the start of a sheet advance cycle if a sheet is not at a first position; first inactivating means to inactivate said advancing means when the sheet is advanced to the first position by said advancing means, said first inactivating means preventing activation of said advancing means by said first activating means if the sheet is at the first position at the start of the sheet advance cycle; and second activating means to activate said advancing means a constant predetermined period of time after the start of the sheet advance cycle and greater than the period of time for said advancing means to advance a sheet of minimum dimension in the feed direction to the first position from its most remote position in the storage bin to advance the sheet from the first position toward the predetermined position irrespective of whether said first activating means activated said advancing means at the start of the sheet advance cycle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
233 words
A sheet feed apparatus for sequentially feeding each sheet from a stack of sheets located in a storage bin or the like to a predetermined position within a predetermined time period irrespective of the dimension of each sheet in the feed direction or its location in the feed direction within the storage bin including: means to advance a sheet from the storage bin in the feed direction; first activating means to activate said advancing means at the start of a sheet advance cycle if a sheet is not at a first position; first inactivating means to inactivate said advancing means when the sheet is advanced to the first position by said advancing means, said first inactivating means preventing activation of said advancing means by said first activating means if the sheet is at the first position at the start of the sheet advance cycle; and second activating means to activate said advancing means a constant predetermined period of time after the start of the sheet advance cycle and greater than the period of time for said advancing means to advance a sheet of minimum dimension in the feed direction to the first position from its most remote position in the storage bin to advance the sheet from the first position toward the predetermined position irrespective of whether said first activating means activated said advancing means at the start of the sheet advance cycle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said first inactivating means includes: means to sense when the sheet is at the first position; and means responsive to said sensing means sensing the sheet at the first position to inactivate said advancing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said advancing means includes means to prevent more than one of the sheets from being advanced from the first position by said advancing means during each sheet advancing cycle, said preventing means being spaced from the storage bin in the direction in which the sheet is advanced from the storage bin by said advancing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 including second inactivating means to inactivate said advancing means a constant predetermined period of time after being activated by said second activating means, said second inactivating means being separate from said first inactivating means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said advancing means includes means to prevent more than one of the sheets from being advanced from the first position by said advancing means during each feed cycle, said preventing means being spaced from the storage bin in the direction in which the sheet is advanced from the storage bin by said advancing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
87 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said advancing means includes: first means to engage the top surface of the top sheet in the storage bin to start feed of the sheet therefrom; and second means to prevent more than one of the sheets from being advanced past said second means during each sheet advance cycle, said second means of said advancing means being spaced from the storage bin in the direction in which the sheet is advanced from the storage bin by said advancing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 in which: said second means of said advancing means includes: a fixed restraint pad having a curved surface; and a separator roll engaging said curved surface of said fixed restraint pad to prevent more than one sheet from passing therebetween during any sheet advance cycle while advancing the one sheet therebetween; and said first means of said advancing means and said separator roll being driven at the same time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
196 words
An arrangement for controlling the position of an edge of a sheet in a storage bin or the like relative to a predetermined path along which the sheet travels into the storage bin including: first means to advance the sheet into the storage bin along the predetermined path; abutment means in the storage bin disposed at an oblique angle to the predetermined path for the sole engagement by the leading entry edge of the sheet in its travel along the predetermined path into the storage bin; means to cooperate with each sheet as it travels through the storage bin and strikes said abutment means to control the position of the sheet relative to said abutment means so that the leading entry edge of the sheet remains against said abutment means whereby the trailing entry edge of the sheet is at an oblique angle to the predetermined path; and second means to advance each of the sheets in the storage bin out of the storage bin in a direction away from said abutment means and substantially parallel to the predetermined path to cause each of the sheets to remain at its angled relation to the predetermined path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
196 words
An arrangement for controlling the position of an edge of a sheet in a storage bin or the like relative to a predetermined path along which the sheet travels into the storage bin including: first means to advance the sheet into the storage bin along the predetermined path; abutment means in the storage bin disposed at an oblique angle to the predetermined path for the sole engagement by the leading entry edge of the sheet in its travel along the predetermined path into the storage bin; means to cooperate with each sheet as it travels through the storage bin and strikes said abutment means to control the position of the sheet relative to said abutment means so that the leading entry edge of the sheet remains against said abutment means whereby the trailing entry edge of the sheet is at an oblique angle to the predetermined path; and second means to advance each of the sheets in the storage bin out of the storage bin in a direction away from said abutment means and substantially parallel to the predetermined path to cause each of the sheets to remain at its angled relation to the predetermined path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The arrangement according to claim 8 in which said cooperating means includes means exerting a force on each sheet initially only as it strikes said abutment means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The arrangement according to claim 9 in which said force exerting means includes a pivotally mounted wheel rotating in the same direction as the direction of the sheet before the sheet strikes said abutment means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The arrangement according to claim 10 including means to support said wheel for engagement by the sheet as the sheet is advanced along the predetermined path toward said abutment means to cause said wheel to receive its direction of rotation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
The arrangement according to claim 8 including: first activating means to activate said second advancing means at the start of a sheet advance cycle if a sheet is not at a first position; means to inactivate said second aDvancing means when the sheet is at the first position; and second activating means to activate said second advancing means a constant predetermined period of time after the start of the sheet advance cycle to advance the sheet from the first position to a predetermined position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The arrangement according to claim 12 in which said inactivating means includes: means to sense when the sheet is at the first position; and means responsive to said sensing means to inactivate said second advancing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The arrangement according to claim 10 including means to pivotally mount said wheel for movement into and out of engagement with the top of the sheets in the storage bin.
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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) | 1978-08-18 | 1979-02-17 | 1979-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-18 | 1983-02-17 | 1983-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-18 | 1987-02-17 | 1987-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |