Lexmark International, Inc.

Stacey Vaughan Mitchell

Dustin Daniel Fichter

Neal Douglas McFarland

Edward Lynn Triplett

Brian Allen Blair

Angel Macuha Alagos

Pat Marlon Cartagena Limosnero

Michael William Lawrence

Douglas Andagan Baena, Jr

Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges

David Emerson Greer

Edmund Hulin James, Iii

Derek Masami Inouye

Daniel Lee Thomas

Louann Behymer Samuels

Curtis Duane Woodson

Michael James Shanor

Chad Michael Piening

Daniel Joseph Westhoff

Jeffrey Allen Ardery

Michael Kurt Gordon

Hannibal Bartolata Aljecera

Winston Bercades Gomez

Lowell Libo-On Tacadao

Genri Solano Belarmino

Edward Joseph Walden

Separation strips in a dam aid in the separation of adjacent sheets of media being fed from a stack of sheets so that only one sheet is fed to a process station and, more particularly, to separating the uppermost or top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet during feeding of the top sheet from the stack of sheets of media. When a lift plate is present that adjusts the height of the media stack, rotation of the separation strips to maintain a constant separation angle improves media feed reliability. Curvature of the separation strips may also maintain the separation angle as the lift plate raises the position of the top media sheet.

Variable separation pads based on lift height, and methods to rotate or curve the pads

A removable media tray assembly for an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a media tray having a bottom surface and a front wall extending upward from the bottom surface. A bottom surface defines a media storage location for storing a stack of media sheets. The assembly includes a housing having an opening therein to receive the media tray. A magnet and a plate provide a latching force FL greater than a pick motor stall force keeping the media tray in a closed position during media picking. A handle assembly including a finger bar and a pivoting link is mounted to the front wall. With the media tray being held closed by the latching force, a user-supplied actuation force FA that is less than 22.2 N applied to the finger bar, pivots the link which acts as a force multiplier providing a release force exceeding the latching force.

Removable media tray having a high latching force and a low opening force

A media restraint for a removable media tray and slidably operable without the use of a pinching force. The media restraint slidably positionable on a track in a removable media tray and is operable without pinching. A latching plunger in the media restraint is biased into engagement with a track provided in the removable media tray and is moved by a rack and pinion mechanism to a released position allowing the media restraint to be moved along the track. The media restraint is operable by a finger of the user applying a downward force to the media restraint to release the plunger from the track and allowing the media restraint to be moved along the track. Upon removal of the downward force, a biasing member reengages the plunger with the track.

Removable media tray having a media restraint with a latching plunger operable without the use of pinching

A media restraint for a removable media tray and slidably operable without the use of a pinching force. The media restraint slidably positionable on a track in a removable media tray and is operable without pinching. A pair of latching cams are used to engage the media restraint to the track and have serrated portions pivotally mounted to a bottom of the media restraint. The media restraint is operable by a finger of the user applying a downward force to the media restraint allowing a rack and pinion to horizontally translate a rack portion of the pair of latching cams away from the track and pivot the serrated portions away from the track and allowing the media restraint to be moved along the track. Upon removal of the downward force, a biasing member translates the latching cams back to reengage with the track.

Removable media tray having a media restraint with translating and pivoting latching cams operable without the use of pinching

A media restraint for a removable media tray and slidably operable without the use of a pinching force. The media restraint slidably positionable on a track in a removable media tray and is operable without pinching. A pair of pivoting latching cams are used to engage the media restraint to the track and have serrated portions pivotally mounted to a bottom of the media restraint. The media restraint is operable by a finger of the user applying a downward force to an actuator that spreads two cam plates apart which in turn pivot the pair of latching cams to release the media restraint from the track and allowing it to be moved along the track. Upon removal of the downward force, a biasing member lifts the actuator to bring the two cam plates back to their first positions thereby pivoting the pair of latching cams back to reengage with the track.

Removable media tray having a media restraint with sliding cams and pivoting latching cams operable without the use of pinching

An imaging device having a sheet restraint sensing system is disclosed. The system includes a frame having an opening, a linear sensor strip located on the frame having a length, and a media tray having a sheet restraint that presses against the linear sensor strip when the media tray is located in the opening. The sheet restraint is constrained by the media tray to move relative to the media tray no more than a maximum adjustment displacement. The maximum adjustment displacement is less than the length of the linear sensor strip. Other systems are disclosed.

Systems for sensing sheet restraint position

A detachable reversible pick mechanism for a media input tray. The pick mechanism comprises a reversible drive transmission having a drive shaft gear operatively connected to a pick axle gear, the drive shaft gear slidably engageable onto a cantilevered drive shaft extending from a housing, a pick axle having a pick wheel at each end, the pick axle operatively connected to the pick axle gear; and a transmission housing consisting of a top, a bottom, and a side surface defining a cavity therein for containing the reversible drive transmission, an opening in a front portion and in a rear portion of the transmission housing through which the pick axle and drive shaft, respectively, pass, the front portion dimensioned so that the pick wheels each extend beyond the top and the bottom of the front portion, and a releasable latch mounted on the side surface for rotatably engaging a free end of the cantilevered drive shaft to axially position the pick mechanism on the drive shaft, the latch allowing a user to readily dismount the pick mechanism for service or replacement.

Detachable reversible pick mechanism for feeding media from a media tray of an image forming device

A removable input tray assembly for an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a media tray having a bottom surface and a wall extending upward from the bottom surface. The bottom surface defines a media storage location for storing a stack of media sheets. The assembly further includes a housing having an opening therein to receive the media tray. An inclined media dam is formed in the wall and has a media contact surface for directing media advanced from the media storage location. A channel is provided in the wall and extends the height of the wall for directing media passing therethrough. A roller nip is formed in the channel within the media tray by a pair of rollers for advancing media through the channel.

Removable input tray assembly having an integrated roller nip for an image forming device

A removable input tray assembly for an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a media tray having a bottom surface defining a media storage location, a wall extending upward from the bottom surface and a housing having an opening therein to receive the tray. An inclined media dam having a media contact surface is formed in the wall. A channel extends the height of the wall and has a front wall, a rear wall, a bottom opening and a top opening. A separator roller is rotatably mounted below the media contact surface and has a first portion of its surface radially extending through a corresponding aperture in the media dam and a second portion radially extending through a corresponding aperture in the rear wall of the channel. A roller nip is formed in the channel within the media tray by the separator roller and an opposing backup roller.

Removable input tray assembly having a dual function roller for feeding media and separating media in an image forming device

Sheets ( ) exit printer ( ) into finisher ( ) where they are moved against perpendicular reference walls ( ) by frictional fingers ( ). The fingers are rotated away while a sheet is moved downward. Since the fingers are near their reference surface, buckling of the sheets normally does not occur, so the sheet stays in place. In an embodiment, the fingers move with a resilient force selected to be low enough so that the fingers stop when the sheet contacts the reference wall.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Stacey Vaughan Mitchell