US 4,147,339 AGranted

Sheet feed and positioning mechanism

AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.

InventorToshio Shiina

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An original sheet document for electrostatic reproduction is inserted into the mechanism face up, and the mechanism feeds and positions the document onto a glass platen face down. Endless belts are trained over pulleys forming a plurality of parallel runs which are disposed closely above the platen. Idler feed rollers are disposed above the pulleys which feed the document into engagement with a guide member which reverses the direction of movement of the document by 180.degree. and guides the document between the belts and the platen. The belts are oriented at an angle to the edges of the platen and move the document both forwardly and laterally across the platen. Elongated stops are provided at the edges of the platen toward which the document is moved by the belts, and the document aligningly abuts against the stops. The belts are arranged to yield upon said abutment. The stop at the forward edge is movable to allow the belts to move the document off the platen onto a receiving tray.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A mechanism for feeding and positioning a sheet on a substantially horizontal rectangular plate, comprising in combination:

a first elongated stop disposed along a first edge of the plate;
a second elongated stop disposed along a second edge of the plate which is perpendicular to the first edge;
an idler shaft disposed adjacent to the first stop;
a plurality of idler pulleys supported for rotation by the idler shaft;
a drive shaft rotatably supported adjacent to a third edge of the plate which is parallel to the first edge;
a plurality of drive pulleys fixed for rotation with the drive shaft;
a plurality of endless belts trained over the drive and idler pulleys respectively to form a plurality of parallel runs, said plurality of belts being disposed closely above and parallel to the plate, each belt having a lower surface and forming an angle with the second edge of the plate so that the lower surfaces of the belts are movable in a direction toward both the first and second stops and yieldably engageable with the sheet when the sheet is inserted between the plate and the belts so as to move the sheet into aligning abutment with the first and second stops and release the sheet upon said abutment;
control means to stop movement of the belts at a predetermined time after the sheet abuts against the first stop and resumes movement of the belts at a second predetermined time after the first predetermined time;
a feed idler shaft disposed parallel to and above the drive shaft;
a plurality of feed idler rollers supported for rotation by the feed idler shaft above the drive pulleys respectively;
biasing means urging the feed idler rollers toward engagement with portions of the endless belts trained over the drive pulleys respectively;
a guide member disposed adjacent to the third edge of the plate in such a manner that the sheet when inserted between the belts and the feed idler rollers is fed thereby into engagement with the guide member which guides the sheet into insertion between the belts and the plate;
and
means for pivotally mounting the mechanism so as to be rockable away from the plate.

11 more elements

A mechanism for feeding and positioning a sheet on a substantially horizontal rectangular plate, comprising in combination;

a first elongated stop disposed along a first edge of the plate;
a second elongated stop disposed along a second edge of the plate which is perpendicular to the first edge;
an idler shaft disposed adjacent to the first stop;
a plurality of idler pulleys supported for rotation by the idler shaft;
a drive shaft parallel to said idler shaft and rotatably supported adjacent to a third edge of the plate which is parallel to the first edge;
a plurality of drive pulleys fixed for rotation with the drive shaft;
a plurality of endless belts trained over the drive and idler pulleys respectively to form a plurality of parallel upper and lower runs, said plurality of belts having their longitudinal axes disposed in parallel planes and each belt being disposed closely above and parallel to the plate, each belt having a lower surface and forming an angle with the second edge of the plate so that the lower surfaces of the belts are movable in a direction toward both the first and second stops, said belts being constructed and arranged such that during operation, slack in the lower runs will cause the latter to yieldably engage the upper surface of the sheet when the sheet is inserted between the plate and the belts so as to yieldably move the sheet into aligning abutment with the first and second stops and release the sheet upon said abutment;
a feed idler shaft disposed parallel to and above the drive shaft;
a plurality of feed idler rollers supported for rotation by the feed idler shaft above the drive pulleys respectively;
biasing means urging the feed idler rollers toward engagement with portions of the endless belts trained over the drive pulleys respectively;
and
a guide member disposed adjacent to the third edge of the plate in such a manner that the sheet when inserted between the belts and the feed idler rollers is fed thereby into engagement with the guide member which guides the sheet into insertion between the belts and the plate.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/837,492Filed 28 Sep 1977 · continuation
Priority: JP 50-3529526 Mar 1975
Granted: 3 Apr 1979
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B65H 9/163
Inclined tape, roller, or like article-forwarding side registers: tape
B65H 5/025
By belts: between belts and rotary means, e.g. rollers, drums, cylinders or balls, forming a transport nip
B65H 5/026
By belts: between belts and stationary pressing, supporting or guiding elements forming a transport nip
B65H 15/008
Overturning articles: employing belts