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:
Aug. 21, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2009
Daniel Robert Gagnon, Harrodsburg, KY (US);
Robert Warren Rumford, Lexington, KY (US);
John Thomas Writt, Lexington, KY (US);
Daniel Robert Gagnon, Harrodsburg, KY (US);
Robert Warren Rumford, Lexington, KY (US);
John Thomas Writt, Lexington, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring media stack height utilizes a pick mechanism and stack height sensing mechanism. The pick mechanism has a pick arm and a pick roller, the arm rotatably mounted at one end to pivot about an axis and change its angular position relative thereto. The roller rotatably mounted to an opposite end of the arm contacts a media stack top and is rotatably driven to feed sheets one at a time from the stack top changing the stack height. The angular position of the arm relative to the stack changes as the stack height changes. The stack height sensing mechanism arranged on and adjacent to the arm senses arm angular displacement as the stack height changes to provide an indication of the sheet quantity remaining in the stack. A method for calibrating stack height sensing of the monitoring system provides one or more calibration points such as at 'full stack' and 'stack out' conditions.