Lexmark International, Inc.

Scott Stephen Williams

Edward Alan Rush

Darin Michael Gettelfinger

Kevin Dean Schoedinger

Phillip Byron Wright

Kerry Leland Embry

Daniel Paul Cahill

Robert Julian Rosacker

John Patrick Spicer

Michael William Lawrence

Philip Jerome Heink

Douglas Anthony Able

Wilson Morgan Routt, Jr

Mark Stephen Underwood

David John Mickan

Ronald Todd Sellers

Curtis Duane Woodson

Todd Alan Dutton

Robert Galon Newman

Christopher Edward Rhoads

Armando V Flores

John Anthony Schmidt

Daniel L Huber

Daniel Guerand

Adam Gordon Price

Sishuang Li

Robert Joseph Feldman

Richard Gayle Snapp

Martin J Padget

Kevin James McLeod

An exit path assembly for an imaging device according to one embodiment includes a first exit nip formed by a first roller and a second roller and a second exit nip formed by the second roller and a third roller. The rotational direction of the second roller is opposite the rotational direction of the first and third rollers. The exit path assembly further includes a common drive linkage for driving the rotation of the first, second and third rollers. The common drive linkage has a one-way clutch coupled to the third roller for limiting the drive of the third roller to one direction.

Exit path assembly for an imaging device

The present application is directed to devices and methods for directing media sheets moving along a media path within an image forming apparatus. In one embodiment, a gate is positioned in proximity to the media path. The gate may include an elongated shape that extends across at least a section of the media path. A fluid damper may be operatively connected to the gate and may include a shaft and a chamber that holds fluid. The shaft is rotationally positioned with a first section within the chamber and a second section extending outward from the chamber. Rotation of the shaft in a first direction may force the fluid within the chamber to move relative to the body and cause the gate to move to a first position in the media path to direct the media sheets towards a first part of the media path. Rotation of the shaft in a second direction may force the fluid within the chamber to move relative to the body and cause the gate to move to a second position to direct the media sheets towards a second part of the media path.

Movable gate with fluid damper for directing media sheets within an image forming apparatus

A pick mechanism, having a clutch mechanism, for picking media sheets from an input tray and introducing them into a paper path of an image forming apparatus. The clutch mechanism comprises a plurality of balls positioned between an inner race and an outer race. Angular backlash between the inner race and the outer race may result in variations in the timing of the media sheets. An algorithm is further included to estimate the pick timing of the media sheets. The algorithm calculates an estimated pick time for a subsequent media sheet that incorporates the known engagement variations of the ball clutch pick mechanism.

Pick mechanism and algorithm for an image forming apparatus

Control (P) of imaging device () senses the period of time sensor () senses media () at input feed roller (). When a too-long-over-sensor condition is sensed, drive of input feed roller () is terminated by operation of clutch (C). A feed roller () farther in the media path continue to operate. One sheet of media () is fed while a dual fed sheet is held in the nip of feed roller () and idle roller (). Subsequently, feed roller () is again driven to feed the dual fed sheet for normal imaging.

Recovery from double media feed

Method and apparatus for controlling a sheet feeder assembly for an imaging apparatus, the sheet feeder assembly including a motor coupled to a gear train for applying a rotational force to a sheet picker roller, a media supply tray for holding a media stack having a plurality of media sheets, and a buckler for buckling a top sheet of print media to separate the top sheet from the media stack, the method including the steps of driving the sheet picker roller at a initial velocity until a backlash of the gear train is eliminated and/or the top sheet has been buckled; and thereafter, accelerating the sheet picker roller from the initial velocity to a target velocity using selectable sheet picker roller velocity profiles.

Method and apparatus for controlling an auto compensation pick mechanism to reduce the occurence of multi-feeds

A dam has a slat disposed therein with protrusions along its sheet-engaging surface. If more than one sheet is fed from a stack to the dam, the sheets strike the slat surface and protrusions, causing the sheets to buckle and then separate from each other.

Sheet separator dam with buckling element

A single pick feed mechanism is rotatable between two positions. In a first position, the single pick feed mechanism has its pick rolls rotate in one direction to pick the top sheet of a first source of media. In a second position, the single pick feed mechanism has its pick rolls rotate in the opposite direction to pick the bottom sheet of a second source of media. The first source may have sheets of a different width than the second source. The single pick feed mechanism is disposed between the sources of media.

Apparatus for feeding sheets from two separate sources

An image forming apparatus includes a print media supply with a pair of opposite sides and a bottom for supporting a plurality of print media sheets. A paper feed assembly defines a media path through which the print media sheets travel. A sheet picker assembly includes a sheet picker positioned adjacent to one of the sides of the print media supply. The sheet picker is configured to move a picked sheet in a pick direction substantially parallel to the bottom from the print media supply into the print media path. A separator dam is positioned between the print media supply and the paper feed assembly. The separator dam includes a wall positioned at a transverse angle relative to the bottom. The separator dam includes at least one resistive strip or abutments on the wall. The resistive strip or abutment is positioned adjacent the side which is opposite the one side. The resistive strip or abutment has a resistance to paper movement which is greater than the first coefficient of friction.

Image forming apparatus with sheet separator

An apparatus for straightening material includes a first guide surface and a second guide surface opposite the first guide surface. Pin (20) for pivoting the second guide surface is included, this operating to pivot the second guide surface toward the first guide surface and away from the first guide surface. A spring (22) for biasing the second guide surface toward the first guide surface is also included, with a variable rate characteristic resulting from contact of the spring with a post (34). The variable rate characteristic allows the second guide surface to pivot away from the first guide surface in proportion to a rigidity of the material to be straightened. Material of varying rigidities is passed between the first guide surface and the second guide surface and the apparatus straightens the material for subsequent processing.

Apparatus for curling materials

A sheet feeding apparatus having an edge aligned system always maintains a nip between an intermittently driven pick roll and a friction or separator pad. When a top sheet of a stack is being advanced by the pick roll, a first spring exerts a first force on the friction or separator pad to enable advancement and separation of the top sheet. When the pick roll is stopped, a second spring exerts a second force substantially smaller than the first force on the friction or separator pad but sufficient to maintain the nip between the pick roll and the friction or separator pad to retard.

Sheet separator friction pad

A paper tray or fixed platform for loading paper includes an adjustable edge guide including a primary paper guide surface and a cantilever portion including an end surface, the end surface movable between retracted and extended positions, so that when the end surface is disposed in its extended position and the edge guide is moved to bring the end surface in contact with a supply of paper, the primary paper guide surface is sufficiently spaced away from the supply of paper to avoid paper pinching and excessive clearance conditions. The edge guide is molded as one piece with a living hinge, removed from the mold while warm, and a pin is inserted to prevent the cantilever portion from warping toward the guide surface during cooling.

Pinch-proof edge guide

Height barriers (15a, 15b) on the bottom of the feed arm frame (5) are located a distance above the bottom of paper drawer (1) of a printer (13). the drawer is pulled out to load paper, and then pushed in. If the paper stack (25) is high enough to encounter the barriers, paper which encounters the barrier is pushed off the top of the stack as the drawer moves further. The pushed paper emerges in front of the printer and is removed by the operator. Back restraint (17) is integral to the elevated region (17b) followed by an inclined region (17a). Overloading of paper is prevented and the paper stack not uncompressed during subsequent paper feed.

Paper stack height control

A dam has a plurality of substantially parallel ribs with recesses therebetween. At least one of the recesses has a pad therein with its sheet engaging surface being interior of the sheet engaging surfaces of the ribs. The rib surfaces, which are engaged first by the sheets being fed, have a lower coefficient of friction with the sheets than the sheet engaging surface of the pad. If more than one sheet is fed from a stack to the dam, the sheets will strike the rib surfaces first and then the pad surface if not separated from each other by the rib surfaces. Since the pad surface has a coefficient of friction substantially equal to the sheet to sheet friction, this step function in friction helps to separate the top sheet from the next adjacent sheet.

Sheet separator dam with inset friction element

Apparatus and method is provided for determining a relative vertical position of a media sheet within a supply tray by sensing a picked sheet traveling through a media path, and therefrom determining time and/or distance traveled by the picked sheet. The vertical position of the media sheet within the supply tray is translated into a relative media level in the supply tray.

Apparatus and method of determining a media level in a supply tray

Paper from a bin (1) enters a nip between a drive roller (13) and a torque-limited restraint roller (15). The drive roller is mounted on a pivoted bracket (7), having a gear train of a drive gear (9) and a driven gear (11). The drive roller is coaxial with the driven gear and turns with the driven gear. The bracket is self-compensating in that it automatically applies normal force to the drive roller sufficient to permit movement of paper (3). When the paper is more than one sheet, sufficient force is automatically applied to the drive roller to move the top sheet while the restraint roller holds or moves backward the bottom sheet.

Growing community of inventors

Versailles, KY, United States of America

Scott Stephen Williams