WO2002049944A1

WO2002049944A1 - Anti-static sheet feeding mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2002049944A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/044839
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Bakoledis
Original assignee: GbR Systems Corp
Current assignee: GbR Systems Corp
Priority date: 2000-12-18
Filing date: 2001-10-31
Publication date: 2002-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2003-06-18
Also published as: US20020074713A1

Abstract

Sheet feeding mechanism comprising a pair of cables (1, 2). Moving the sheets (S) along the cables (1, 2) from one portion of the mechanism to another portion. Mechanism for dissipating and eliminating any static electricity (1, 2 or 12) built up on the sheets (S). The cables (1, 2) are made of conducting material, such as steel. Alternately, a stainless steel brush (12) may be placed in the path of the sheets (S) to eliminate static electricity.

Description

ANTI-STATIC SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM

Background

The present invention relates to an anti-static sheet feeding mechanism and

more particularly to an anti-static sheet feeding mechanism for feeding sheets, such

as sheets made of paper or the like, from one machine to another or from one

portion of a machine to another portion of the machine.

In some sheet feeding mechanisms, single paper sheets are fed from one

mechanism, i.e. a printer, to another mechanism, i.e. an accumulator, and

thereafter the accumulated sheets are fed to some other mechanism, such as a

stapler. In feeding the sheets, static electricity builds up by the movement of the

paper sheets through various mechanisms. This static electricity can disrupt the

feeding of the sheets and cause malfunctions in operation.

Present mechanisms which try to avoid these static electricity problems are

complicated and expensive to manufacture and complex to operate. Objects

The present invention avoids these problems and has for one of its objects

the provision of an improved sheet feeding mechanism in which the static

electricity built up on the sheets is eliminated.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved anti

static sheet feeding mechanism which is simple to use.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved anti

static sheet feeding mechanism which is inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an

understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be

indicated in the appended claims and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

Brief Description of the Drawings:

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of

illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a

part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a type of machine in which the present

invention is to be used.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the anti-static mechanism of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig 5. Description

Sheets S are fed one-by-one by a plurality of rollers, such as the input

rollers IR through a machine M. They may be fed to an accumulating area A from

which they are removed by other rollers, such as the exit rollers ER. The sheets S

are moved between stationary cables 1 and 2 which are mounted in spaced vertical

and horizontal relationship to each other. Cables 1 are spaced horizontally from

each other. Cables 2 are also spaced horizontally from each other but are also

spaced below cables 1 so that a space P is formed between them. The rollers IR

and ER move ( i.e. push and/or pull) the sheets in the space P between the

stationary cables 1 and 2 from one portion of the machine M to the other. The

sheets S are supported on cable 2 and cable 1 keeps them within the space P. For

example, in the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. l, the sheets S

are fed one-by-one in the space P between cables 1 and 2 to the accumulating area

A to form a stack of sheets (not shown). After a number of sheets S are accumulated in a stack, the stack of accumulated sheets S is moved out of the

accumulated area A and moves between the cables 1 and 2.

Static electricity is built up on the sheets S because of the movement of

the sheets S through the machine. In order to eliminate this static, the cables 1 and

2 between which the sheets S move are made of a conducting material, such as

steel, It is within the preview of the present invention to make only one of the

cable 1 and 2 as long as the moving sheets contacts that cable. However, in the

preferred embodiment of the invention, both cables 1 and 2 are made of

conducting material. The cables 1 and 2 are grounded in any conventional or well

known manner. The sheets S movement between the cables 1 and 2 and come into

contact with either or both of the cables 1 and 2 so that any static electricity built

up by the movement of the sheets S is dissipated away (as by conducting to

ground) by the steel cables 1 and eliminated. Referring to the embodiment in Figs. 5 to 7 some machines have cables 10

and 11 (which are positioned in a manner similar to the positions of cables 1 and 2)

which are not made of steel or other conducting material so that the static

electricity built up by the movement of the sheets S is not eliminated by contact of

the sheets S with the cables 10 and 11. For example, cables 10 and 11 may be

coated with Teflon or some other non-conducting material. In this instance, a

brush 12, or some other similar element, made of steel or some other conducting

material, is mounted beneath the path of the sheets S. The baish 12 is also

grounded in order to conduct any static electricity to ground. The sheets S come

into contact with the brush 12 and any static electricity built up on the sheets S is

disipitated away and eliminated. The brush 11 may be stationary, or preferably,

rotatable on an axis 12.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved sheet

feeding mechanism in which the static electricity built up on the sheets is eliminated, which is simple to use and which is inexpensive and simple to

manufacture.

As many and varied modifications of the subject matter of this invention

will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description given

hereinabove, it will be understood that the present invention is limited only as

provided in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN

EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS

FOLLOW:

1 Sheet feeding mechanism comprising at least one cable, means for

moving sheets along said cable from one portion of the mechanism

to another portion of the mechanism and means for disipating and

eliminating any static electricity built up on said sheets.

2 A mechanism as said forth in Claim 1 wherein said static electricity

eliminating means comprises said cable being made of conducting

material.

3 A mechanism as said forth in Claim 2 wherein said cable is

grounded.

A mechanism as set forth in Claim 3 wherein a plurality of cables is

provided, said cables being spaced laterally with respect to each other.

A mechanism as set forth in Claim 4, wherein a plurality of second

cables is provided below the said first cables to create a space

between said first and second cables an wherein the sheets move in

the space between said first and second cables.

A mechanism as set forth in Claim 5, wherein said conducting

material is seel.

A mechanism as said forth in Claim 1 wherein said static electricity

eliminating means comprises an element in the path of said moving

sheets adapted to be contacted by said moving sheets.

A mechanism as said forth in Claim 7 wherein said mechanism

comprises a batsh against which the sheets move.

A mechanism as said forth in Claim 8 wherein said brush is

mounted below the path of the sheets. 10 A mechanism as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said brush is

grounded.

11 A mechanism as set forth in Claim 10 wherein said brush is made of

steel.

12 A mechanism as said forth in Claim 11 wherein said brush is

stationary.

13 A mechanism as said forth in Claim 11 wherein said brush is

rotatable.