US 5,149,080 A · Vibratory sheet feeder

Abstract

A vibratory feeder for sheets includes sheet conveying members for holding and conveying the sheet utilizing travelling waves, a sheet feed detection member for detecting a feed of the sheet, and a drive control circuit for applying alternating electrical signal to each of electric/mechanical energy conversion elements on the basis of the sheet feed detection information from the sheet feed detection member. The travelling wave is formed in each of the sheet conveying members by applying the alternating electric signal controlled by the drive control circuit to each of the electric/mechanical energy conversion elements, by which a conveying force is applied to the sheet. The drive control circuit feeds the sheet in the following manners on the basis of the sheet feed detection information from the sheet feed detection member. The sheet is fed first at a fixed high speed until it has been fed to a position close to the desired distance. Thereafter, feeding of the sheet is temporarily suspended, and then the sheet is fed stepwise until it reaches the desired position.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A vibratory feeder for a sheet comprising:

a vibration member brought into frictional contact with the sheet to be fed, said vibration member generating a travelling wave for feeding the sheet in response to an electrical signal applied thereto;
and
a control member operationally connected to said vibration member for controlling the travelling wave, said control member-generating a first travelling wave controlling state in which the sheet is fed at a first- speed and a second travelling wave- controlling state in which the sheet is fed at a second speed slower than the first speed, said second travelling wave controlling state being achieved when the sheet has been fed through a predetermined distance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vibratory sheet feeder

Life of this patent

Vibratory sheet feeder

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13