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:
Jul. 23, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2001
Israel Cruz, Jalisco, MX;
Maximo Gayoso, Jalisco, MX;
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An imaging system includes a roller assembly adapted to guide sheet material in the system into an accumulator, a sheet registration assembly. The registration assembly includes a lateral fence extending along a first edge of the accumulator. The lateral fence is adapted to contact a lateral edge of sheets fed into the accumulator. A longitudinal fence extends along a second edge of the accumulator. The longitudinal fence is adapted to contact a longitudinal edge of sheets fed into the accumulator. A helical registration member is mounted in contact with sheet material entering the accumulator and, is adapted for rotation with the roller assembly. Rotation of the helical registration member with the roller assembly causes the helical registration member to exert a force to urge each sheet of material entering the accumulator toward the lateral fence and the longitudinal fence of the accumulator. In an embodiment, the roller assembly includes a selectively rotating shaft, and the helical registration member is mounted on the shaft. The helical registration member can include a cylindrical core member, with a helical contact surface extending radially from the cylindrical core member. The helical registration member can be fabricated from an elastomeric material, such as urethane. The helical contact surface can be provided as a plurality of part-helical contact sections. In an embodiment, the part-helical contact sections comprise a plurality of radially extending fingers aligned in a spiral around the cylindrical core. A method of improving sheet registration in an imaging system including a roller assembly adapted to feed sheet material in the system into an accumulator is also provided. In a first step, a lateral fence is provided extending along a first edge of the accumulator. A longitudinal fence is provided extending along a second edge of the accumulator, the longitudinal fence being substantially perpendicular to the lateral fence. A helical registration member is mounted for rotation with the roller assembly, in contact with sheet material entering the accumulator. When roller assembly feeds individual sheets of sheet material to the accumulator, the helical registration member rotates with the roller assembly, exerting a force to urge each sheet of material entering the accumulator toward the lateral and longitudinal fences.