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:
Mar. 16, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 09, 1996
Thomas F Szlucha, Fairport, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A copy sheet collection station, in one embodiment as used in an ink jet printer, incorporates an exit guide ramp which prevents the sheets deposited into the output tray from being smeared by successively deposited sheets. The exit guide ramp comprises a sheet support surface balanced on a pivot edge, the position of the ramp on either side of the pivot point effectively forming an articulated ramp. A ramp segment on the print zone exit side of the printer has a greater mass than the remaining segment. As the copy sheet exits the print zone and moves along the surface of the ramp, it extends past the ramp edge in cantilevered fashion. At some point, the weight of the paper overcomes the mass of the print side ramp segment causing the ramp member to rotate clockwise, lowering the sheet to its final position in the output tray. Once the sheet clears the edge of the ramp, the ramp rotates back to its unloaded position.