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US20190276252A1 - Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block - Google Patents

Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block Download PDF

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Publication number
US20190276252A1
US20190276252A1 US16/462,660 US201716462660A US2019276252A1 US 20190276252 A1 US20190276252 A1 US 20190276252A1 US 201716462660 A US201716462660 A US 201716462660A US 2019276252 A1 US2019276252 A1 US 2019276252A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
height adjustment
adjustment block
sheets
final height
sheet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US16/462,660
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Michael Paul Bauer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Thiele Technologies Inc
Original Assignee
Thiele Technologies Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thiele Technologies Inc filed Critical Thiele Technologies Inc
Priority to US16/462,660 priority Critical patent/US20190276252A1/en
Publication of US20190276252A1 publication Critical patent/US20190276252A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/04—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile
    • B65H1/06—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile for separation from bottom of pile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/30—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for replenishing the pile during continuous separation of articles therefrom
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/02—Separating articles from piles using friction forces between articles and separator
    • B65H3/04—Endless-belt separators
    • B65H3/042—Endless-belt separators separating from the bottom of the pile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/24—Feeding articles in overlapping streams, i.e. by separation of articles from a pile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/26—Particular arrangement of belt, or belts
    • B65H2404/269—Particular arrangement of belt, or belts other arrangements
    • B65H2404/2693—Arrangement of belts on movable frame
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/60—Other elements in face contact with handled material
    • B65H2404/61—Longitudinally-extending strips, tubes, plates, or wires
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2407/00—Means not provided for in groups B65H2220/00 – B65H2406/00 specially adapted for particular purposes
    • B65H2407/20—Means not provided for in groups B65H2220/00 – B65H2406/00 specially adapted for particular purposes for manual intervention of operator
    • B65H2407/21—Manual feeding

Definitions

  • top-feed bypass sheet feeders for copying onto sheets that are inconvenient or difficult to feed from the regular paper trays inside the printer or copier.
  • These top-feed bypass sheet feeders typically include a presence sensor for controlling the feeding of sheets into the bypass sheet feeder based upon sensed presence of a sheet in proper feed position.
  • the bypass trays are biased or periodically driven upward so that the top of the sheet stack on the bypass tray remains in proper feed position as the sheets on the top of the stack are fed into the device.
  • bypass sheet feeders are not well suited for handling larger jobs as they are typically designed to handle less than 100 sheets, and do not accommodate the loading of additional sheets to the stack ad libitum during a run. Hence, for long runs an operator must constantly monitor the process and add additional sheets to the stack when and only when the bypass tray is empty.
  • a first aspect of the invention is an assembly adapted to bottom-feed sheets from a stack of sheets to a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism on a device, such as a copy machine.
  • the assembly includes a sheet feeder, a transport arm, and a final height adjustment block.
  • the sheet feeder has a hopper for holding a stack of sheets and at least one feed belt operable for advancing a bottom-most sheet from the stack of sheets.
  • the transport arm is attached to the sheet feeder for receiving sheets advanced by the at least one feed belt at a proximal end of the transport arm and transporting the received sheets in a machine direction to a distal end of the transport arm.
  • the final height adjustment block is translatably attached to and extends along the distal end of the transport arm for limited transverse translation relative to the machine direction.
  • a second aspect of the invention is a method of feeding sheets to an electronic printing device when the printing device includes at least (i) a sheet feed mechanism for pulling a top sheet from a stack of sheets into the electronic printing device, (ii) an actuatable support for the stack of sheets operable when actuated for lifting the stack of sheets into a position suitable for pulling of a top sheet into the electronic printing device, and (iii) a presence sensor for sensing presence of a sheet in a position suitable for being pulled into the electronic printing device by the sheet feed mechanism.
  • the method includes the steps of (-)placing a transport arm, equipped with a transversely floating final height adjustment block and extending from a bottom-feed sheet feeder, into operable sheet feeding engagement with the sheet feed mechanism on the electronic printing device, with the transversely floating final height adjustment block resting upon the support for the stack of sheets such that lifting actuation of the support for the stack of sheets transversely translates the floating final height adjustment block relative to the transport arm, and (-)thereafter feeding individual sheets from the bottom-feed sheet feeder to the sheet feed mechanism on the electronic printing device.
  • FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of the invention operationally interfacing with the bypass sheet feeder of a copier.
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged front perspective view of the transport arm and final height adjustment block components of the invention depicted in FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 3 is a top view of the transport arm and final height adjustment block components of the invention depicted in FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of the transport arm and final height adjustment block components of the invention depicted in FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged side perspective view of the area depicted in FIG. 1 where the transport arm and final height adjustment block of the invention interface with the bypass sheet feeder of the copier.
  • FIG. 6 is a side view of the area depicted in FIG. 5 .
  • machine direction means the direction in which a sheet travels.
  • cross machine direction means the direction in the plane defined by a traveling sheet which is perpendicular to the direction in which the sheet travels.
  • transverse direction means the direction perpendicular to both the machine direction and the cross machine direction (i.e., direction of sheet thickness).
  • the term “generally cuboidal” means having an overall cuboidal shape, and including those with chamfered or bullnose corners, limited cutouts, shoulder extensions, etc.
  • the term “electronic printing device” includes any and all electronic devices capable of imprinting, marking, embossing or otherwise placing indicia on a sheet, including specifically but not exclusively, copiers, printers and braille embossers.
  • Nomenclature Table REF NO. DESCRIPTION 100 Assembly 200 Sheet Feeder 210 Hopper 220 Feed Belt 290 Support Stand 300 Transport Arm 301 Proximal End of Transport Arm 302 Distal End of Transport Arm 310 Transport Arm Pivot Locking Mechanism 400 Final Height Adjustment Module 410 Mounting Brackets 411 Proximal End of Mounting Brackets 412 Distal End of Mounting Brackets 419 Transverse Slots in Distal End of Mounting Brackets 420 Floating Final Height Adjustment Block 421 Leading Edge of the Floating Final Height Adjustment Block 422 Trailing Edge of the Floating Final Height Adjustment Block 423 Top Surface of Floating Final Height Adjustment Block 424 Chamfered Top Corner of Floating Final Height Adjustment Block 430 Pins or Shoulder Bolts 440 Roller on Floating Final Height Adjustment Block P Electronic Printing Device F Top-Feed Sheet Feeding Mechanism on the Electronic Printing Device with Lift Actuatable Support (e.g., Bypass Sheet Feeder) F R Driven
  • the first aspect of the invention is an assembly 100 adapted to bottom-feed sheets (not shown) from a stack of sheets (not shown) to a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism F on a device, typically an electronic printing device P such as the ubiquitous electronic copy machine.
  • the assembly 100 includes a sheet feeder 200 , a transport arm 300 , and a final height adjustment module 400 .
  • the sheet feeder 200 can be any of the sheet feeders widely available from a number of sources, including those offered by Thiele Technologies under the Streamfeeder line of products. Exemplary sheet feeders 200 suitable for use in this invention include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,932,338 and 8,336,876, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Generally, the sheet feeder 200 has a hopper 210 for holding a stack of sheets and at least one feed belt 220 operable for advancing a bottom-most sheet from the stack of sheets.
  • the sheet feeder 200 is preferably supported upon a height-adjustable support stand 290 equipped with lockable swivel casters for ease of transport.
  • An initial height adjustment of the assembly 100 relative to an electronic printing device P can be achieved using the height adjustable support stand 290 .
  • the transport arm 300 is attached at a proximal end 301 to the sheet feeder 200 for receiving sheets advanced by the at least one feed belt 220 .
  • the transport arm 300 is operable for advancing the received sheets in a machine direction MD from the proximal end 301 of the transport arm 300 to the distal end 302 of the transport arm 300 .
  • the transport arm 300 is preferably pivotally attached to the sheet feeder 200 for allowing an initial height adjustment of the transport arm 300 on the assembly 100 into proper vertical registration with a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism F on an electronic printing device P, such as the bypass sheet feeder on a copy machine.
  • a locking mechanism 310 is preferably provided for locking the transport arm 300 into position once the desired vertical registration relative to a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism F is achieved.
  • the final height adjustment module 400 includes a floating final height adjustment block 420 attached at and extending along the distal end 302 of the transport arm 300 for limited pivoting about an axis extending in a cross machine direction xMD or translation in a transverse direction T relative to the transport arm 300 .
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 can have substantially any geometrical shape so long as the floating final height adjustment block 420 is effective for facilitating advancement of sheets onto and across the floating final height adjustment block 420 from the transport arm 300 into feeding position against the sheet feed mechanism F of an electronic printing device P.
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 is generally cuboidal with a machine direction MD length of 2 to 10 cm, a cross machine direction xMD width of 10 to 100 cm, and a transverse direction T thickness of 0.5 to 10 cm.
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 preferably has a weight of less than 1000 grams, more preferably less than 700 grams and most preferably less than 500 grams.
  • a floating final height adjustment block 420 having a weight of substantially greater than 1000 grams can inhibit lifting of the floating final height adjustment block 420 into proper sheet feeding position by the lift actuatable support of a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism F on an electronic printing device P as such mechanisms are generally designed and constructed to lift about 100 sheets of standard sized paper which would weigh about 500 grams.
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 When the floating final height adjustment block 420 is pivotally attached to the transport arm 300 , the floating final height adjustment block 420 is preferably constrained against pivoting more than about 5° as excessive pivoting can interfere with reliable and consistent advancement of sheets onto and over the floating final height adjustment block 420 .
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 is preferably constrained for transverse T translation relative to the transport arm 300 a distance of between about 2 to 20 mm, most preferably between about 5 to 10 mm Translation of a distance greater than about 20 mm can interfere with reliable and consistent advancement of sheets onto and over the floating final height adjustment block 420 , while translation of a distance less than about 2 mm is insufficient to reliably and consistently ensure that the entire weight of the transport arm 300 is resting upon and supported by the actuatable support of a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism F on an electronic printing device P.
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 may be conveniently attached at the distal end 302 of the transport arm 300 using a pair of side mounting brackets 410 with a proximal end 411 of each side mounting bracket 410 attached to the transport arm 300 and a distal end 412 of each side mounting bracket 410 projecting a distance in the machine direction MD beyond the distal end 302 of the transport arm 300 .
  • One particular structure for providing limited transverse T translation of the floating final height adjustment block 420 relative to the transport arm 300 is to mount the floating final height adjustment block 420 to each of the side mounting brackets 410 with dual pin-in-slot linkages.
  • a pair of machine direction MD spaced pins 430 project in the cross machine direction xMD from each side of the floating final height adjustment block 420 .
  • These pins 430 are supported within corresponding transversely T elongated slots 419 in each of the mounting brackets 410 .
  • the top surface 423 of the floating final height adjustment block 420 is preferably in substantial planar alignment with the upper transport surface (unnumbered) of the transport arm 300 and is reasonably flat and smooth for facilitating advancement of sheets onto and across the floating final height adjustment block 420 from the transport arm 300 into feeding position against the sheet feed mechanism F of an electronic printing device P.
  • the upper corner 424 of the trailing edge 422 of the floating final height adjustment block 420 is preferably chamfered for facilitating advancement of sheets onto the floating final height adjustment block 420 from the transport arm 300 even when the floating final height adjustment block 420 is transversely T translated upward relative to the transport arm 300 such that the top surface 423 of the floating final height adjustment block 420 is transversely T spaced a distance above the upper transport surface (unnumbered) of the transport arm 300 .
  • the floating final height adjustment block 420 may be equipped with an undriven roller 440 rotating about a cross machine direction xMD axis and projecting a distance above the top surface 423 of the floating final height adjustment block 420 proximate the leading edge 421 of the floating final height adjustment block 420 , for registration with a driven feed roller F R on the sheet feed mechanism F of an electronic printing device P in order to facilitate driven advancement of sheets into the electronic printing device P by the driven feed roller F R .
  • the assembly 100 is suited for feeding sheets to an electronic printing device P equipped with (-)a sheet feed mechanism F that pulls a top sheet from a stack of sheets into the electronic printing device P, (-)a support for the stack of sheets actuatable for lifting the stack of sheets into a position suitable for pulling of a top sheet into the electronic printing device P, and (-)a presence sensor for sensing presence of a sheet in a position suitable for being pulled into the electronic printing device P by the sheet feed mechanism F.
  • a sheet feed mechanism F that pulls a top sheet from a stack of sheets into the electronic printing device P
  • a support for the stack of sheets actuatable for lifting the stack of sheets into a position suitable for pulling of a top sheet into the electronic printing device P
  • a presence sensor for sensing presence of a sheet in a position suitable for being pulled into the electronic printing device P by the sheet feed mechanism F.
  • Use of the assembly 100 to feed sheets to such an electronic printing device P includes the steps of (-)placing the transport arm 300 of the assembly into operable sheet feeding engagement with the sheet feed mechanism F on the electronic printing device P, with the transversely floating final height adjustment block 420 resting upon the support for the stack of sheets such that lifting actuation of the support for the stack of sheets transversely translates the floating final height adjustment block 420 relative to the transport arm 300 , and (-)thereafter feeding individual sheets from the bottom-feed sheet feeder 200 to the sheet feed mechanism F on the electronic printing device P.
  • the assembly 100 is preferably configured and arranged, and positioned relative to the sheet feed mechanism F on the electronic printing device P, such that lifting actuation of the support for the stack of sheets does not pivot the transport arm 300 relative to the bottom-feed sheet feeder 200 .
  • the assembly 100 is also preferably configured and arranged, and positioned relative to the sheet feed mechanism F on the electronic printing device P, such that the transport arm 300 , inclusive of the floating final height adjustment block 420 , applies a downward force of less than 5 Newton, preferably less than 3 Newton and most preferably less than 2 Newton upon the support for the stack of sheets.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US16/462,660 2016-12-07 2017-12-07 Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block Abandoned US20190276252A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US16/462,660 US20190276252A1 (en) 2016-12-07 2017-12-07 Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201662430981P 2016-12-07 2016-12-07
PCT/US2017/065045 WO2018106881A1 (fr) 2016-12-07 2017-12-07 Dispositif d'alimentation en feuilles avec bloc de réglage de hauteur terminal flottant pouvant être translaté transversalement
US16/462,660 US20190276252A1 (en) 2016-12-07 2017-12-07 Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20190276252A1 true US20190276252A1 (en) 2019-09-12

Family

ID=62491349

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US16/462,660 Abandoned US20190276252A1 (en) 2016-12-07 2017-12-07 Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US20190276252A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2018106881A1 (fr)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5197590A (en) * 1991-04-30 1993-03-30 Prim Hall Enterprises Inc. Hopper loader
US5584475A (en) * 1994-05-19 1996-12-17 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Sheet feeding device
US20110291348A1 (en) * 2009-09-10 2011-12-01 Kaiping James C Document feeder with pivoting delivery table, particularly for digital printers
US20120299235A1 (en) * 2011-05-24 2012-11-29 Schmidt James P Printing stock feeder
US9221629B1 (en) * 2012-09-28 2015-12-29 Superior Paper Handling Solutions, Inc. Friction feeder

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5078381A (en) * 1990-04-09 1992-01-07 Brabant Yvan E Paper feed apparatus for folder
US6086062A (en) * 1996-12-25 2000-07-11 Minolta Co., Ltd. Sheet feeder unit
US7722028B2 (en) * 2005-08-02 2010-05-25 Bitner Robert J Feeder separation technology

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5197590A (en) * 1991-04-30 1993-03-30 Prim Hall Enterprises Inc. Hopper loader
US5584475A (en) * 1994-05-19 1996-12-17 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Sheet feeding device
US20110291348A1 (en) * 2009-09-10 2011-12-01 Kaiping James C Document feeder with pivoting delivery table, particularly for digital printers
US20120299235A1 (en) * 2011-05-24 2012-11-29 Schmidt James P Printing stock feeder
US8702091B2 (en) * 2011-05-24 2014-04-22 James P. Schmidt Printing stock feeder
US9221629B1 (en) * 2012-09-28 2015-12-29 Superior Paper Handling Solutions, Inc. Friction feeder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2018106881A1 (fr) 2018-06-14

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