The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 20, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1996
Raymond A Naramore, Webster, NY (US);
Steve S Counoupas, Rochester, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A system and method for manually removably locking a paper handling module to a reproduction apparatus with greatly reduced manual force, wherein the reproduction apparatus and the paper handling module have respective sheet feed openings which are operatively aligned for sheet feeding therebetween when the module is so locked to the reproduction apparatus in a locking position, and wherein the paper handling module has a weight which is undesirable for manual lifting into the locking position. The module is supported on an integral module transporting system to be freely movable in any horizontal direction into an initial docking position closely adjacent to the reproduction apparatus. Then, slightly vertically lifting at least one side of the module with only a small vertical manual lifting force while most of the weight of the module is lifted with an automatic weight lifting system, moving the module towards the locking position, and then removing the small vertical manual lifting force from the module, to drop and lock the module to the reproduction apparatus. The automatic weight lifting may be provided by vertically movably spring loading at least one side of the module on the module transporting system.