US 2006/0232001 A1Published application

Feed paper apparatus

AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorMitsuhiko Otaki

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Abstract

A paper feed has a door and a paper carrying tray, and raises the tray as paper is fed. A first detector that detects the presence of paper is located below a paper feed position by a margin corresponding to a given number of paper sheets, and second detector that detects the presence of paper is located below the first detector. If an open state of the door is detected, the paper carrying tray is lowered to a position where the second detector ceases to detect the presence of paper. If the first and second detectors detect the presence of paper after the tray is lowered, the tray is lowered to the position where the second detector ceases to detect the presence of paper. If a closed state of the door is detected after the tray is lowered, the tray is raised so that the uppermost one of paper sheets on the tray is situated in the paper feed position.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A method for moving a paper carrying tray when paper is fed to a paper feed apparatus which has a door adapted to be opened and closed as paper is fed, successively feeds paper on a top portion of the paper carrying tray, and raises the tray as the paper is fed, said method comprising:

a first sensing step of sensing the open or closed state of the door;
a second sensing step of sensing whether paper is present at a first position which is lower than a paper feed position by a predetermined number of paper sheets;
a third sensing step of sensing whether paper is present at a second position which is lower than the first position by a predetermined number of paper sheets;
a first lowering step of lowering the paper carrying tray to a position where the third sensing step ceases to sense the presence of paper if the first sensing step senses the open state of the door;
a second lowering step of lowering the paper carrying tray to the position where the third sensing step ceases to sense the presence of paper if the second and third sensing steps sense the presence of paper;
and
a raising step of raising the paper carrying tray so that the uppermost one of paper sheets on the tray is situated in the paper feed position if the first sensing step senses the closed state of the door after the tray is lowered in the first or second lowering step.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/453,889Filed 16 Jun 2006
Priority: 17 Dec 2002
Published: 19 Oct 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G03G 15/6508
Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor: automatic supply devices interacting with the rest of the apparatus, e.g. selection of a…
B65H 1/14
With means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device: comprising positively-acting mechanical devices
G03G 15/6511
Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor: feeding devices for picking up or separation of copy sheets
B65H 2301/422548
Boxes; Cassettes; Containers: filling or loading process

Family

Application10/320,392Continuation · filed 17 Dec 2002
Application10/947,290Division · filed 23 Sep 2004
Application10/947,290Continuation · filed 23 Sep 2004
Application11/453,889Division · filed 16 Jun 2006
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.