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. 17, 2009
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2007
Kenji Totsuka, Lexington, KY (US);
John Spicer, Lexington, KY (US);
Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Nicholasville, KY (US);
Kenji Totsuka, Lexington, KY (US);
John Spicer, Lexington, KY (US);
Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Nicholasville, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
The present application is directed to methods and devices for determining the absence of media sheets within an image forming device. In one embodiment, a support section configured to hold a stack of media sheets is positioned in an input area of the image forming device. A pick mechanism is positioned to contact a top-most sheet in the support section. The pick mechanism may include a pick motor and a pick roller. A sensor roller may be positioned to contact the top-most media sheet at a position spaced away from the pick roller. A controller may determine the absence of a media sheet based on the movement of the sensor roller after a predetermined movement of the pick motor.