High capacity sheet feeders for high volume printers

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from the top of the second stack;
• and
• the feed tray having perimeter edges that are sized to enable the tray to pass through a port in the drawer of the utilization device so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer, the feed tray including a pivot positioned on the tray so that the tray is raised and lowered by a stack feed elevator platform in the printer to bring the second stack of sheets, respectively, into and out of contact with the utilization device singulator.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from the top of the second stack;
• and
• the feed tray having perimeter edges that are sized to enable the tray to pass through a port in the drawer of the utilization device so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer, wherein the tray includes a slot along a side thereof for allowing sheets to be slid from the top of the second stack by the utilization device singulator in a direction substantially transverse to a direction in which sheets pass from the feeder singulator to the tray.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from the top of the second stack;
• the feed tray having perimeter edges that are sized to enable the tray to pass through a port in the drawer of the utilization device so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer;
• and
• wherein the drawer includes a front having a selectably releasable door therein for receiving the tray.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a floor-supported feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from the top of the second stack;
• the feed tray having perimeter edges that are sized to enable the tray to pass through a port in the drawer of the utilization device so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer;
• and
• a feed sensor for detecting a thickness of the second stack, the feed sensor being interconnected to the feeder singulator so that a thickness of less than a predetermined level signals the feeder singulator to direct additional sheets to the second stack.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from the top of the second stack;
• the feed tray having perimeter edges that are sized to enable the tray to pass through a port in the drawer of the utilization device so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer;
• and
• wherein the utilization device includes at least two drawers in a vertically stacked relationship, and wherein the feed tray is located through the port in one of the drawers and is remote from and free of interfering with another of the drawers so that the other of the drawers can be accessed for loading with sheets while the feed tray is still located in proximity to the port.

A method for interfacing a high speed sheet feeder with a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, comprising the steps of:

• defining a port in a front of the drawer of the utilization device;
• providing a floor-supported sheet feeder stack of sheets adjacent the host utilization device;
• positioning a feed tray that extends from the sheet feeder stack, through the port into the drawer with the feed tray being located proximate a utilization device singulator;
• directing sheets from a sheet feeder stack to a second stack in the feed tray;
• maintaining a predetermined second stack thickness by adding sheets from the sheet feeder stack to the second stack as sheets are removed from the second stack by the utilization device singulator;
• and
• wherein the step of positioning includes supporting the feed tray on the stack feed elevator platform and selectively moving the feed tray toward and away from the utilization device singulator, the feed tray being moved by the stack feed elevator platform so that a top sheet of the second stack is maintained in engagement with the utilization device singulator.

A method for interfacing a high speed sheet feeder with a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, comprising the steps of:

• defining a port in a front of the drawer of the utilization device;
• positioning a feed tray through the port into the drawer, with the feed tray being located proximate a utilization device singulator and supporting the feed tray on the stack feed elevator platform;
• directing sheets from a sheet feeder stack to a second stack in the feed tray on a side of the second stack opposite a side of the second stack that engages the utilization device singulator;
• raising the stack elevator feed platform of the drawer to place the second stack of the tray into engagement with the utilization device singulator;
• and
• bending edges of sheets of the second stack into a deflected orientation wherein the edges are disposed at an acute, non-zero degree, angle relative to a remaining unbent portion of the sheets, the deflected orientation being substantially parallel to an orientation in which the stack feed elevator platform is aligned and in which sheets are normally supported on the stack feed elevator platform.

A method for interfacing a high speed sheet feeder with a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, comprising the steps of:

• defining a port in a front of the drawer of the utilization device;
• positioning a feed tray through the port into the drawer, with the feed tray being located proximate a utilization device singulator and supporting the feed tray on the stack feed elevator platform;
• directing sheets from a sheet feeder stack of sheets to a second stack in the feed tray;
• maintaining a predetermined second stack thickness by adding sheets from the sheet feeder stack to the second stack as sheets are removed from the second stack by the utilization device singulator;
• directing sheets into the second stack to a side of the second stack opposite a side of the second stack that engages the utilization device singulator;
• raising the stack feed elevator platform of the drawer to place a second stack of the tray into engagement with the utilization device singulator, wherein the stack feed elevator platform includes a plurality of lead screws for raising and lowering the stack feed elevator platform and wherein the step of defining a port includes lowering respective tops of lead screws proximate the door front so that the tray can pass thereover, the step of lowering including supporting bases of the screws in bearings positioned below the level of a base of the drawer.

A method for interfacing a high speed sheet feeder with a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, comprising the steps of:

• defining a port in a front of the drawer of the utilization device;
• positioning a feed tray through the port into the drawer, with the feed tray being located proximate a utilization device singulator;
• directing sheets from a sheet feeder stack of sheets to a second stack in the feed tray;
• maintaining a predetermined second stack thickness by adding sheets from the sheet feeder stack to the second stack as sheets are removed from the second stack by the utilization device singulator;
• and
• wherein the utilization device includes at least two drawers, positioned so that one of the drawers is located atop another of the drawers, and the step of positioning includes locating the feed tray in the port in one of the drawers so that the other of the drawers can be loaded with sheets while the feed tray is positioned in the one of the drawers.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a floor-supported feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the feed tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the feed tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that the sheets can be removed from a top of the second stack, the feed tray including perimeter edges that are sized to enable the tray to pass through a port int he drawer of the utilization device so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer;
• a mounting bracket that interconnects the feed tray with the feed ramp and that enables the feed tray to move toward and away from the utilization device singulator;
• and
• wherein the feed tray includes a supporting surface that engages the feed elevator platform, the feed elevator platform having a stack supporting face that defines an acute angle relative to a face of the feed tray for supporting the second stack of sheets, the supporting surface being located so that a portion of the feed elevator platform engages the supporting surface to support and move the feed tray toward and away from the device singulator.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a base structure for supporting the feed ramp off of a floor surface, the base structure including wheels that engage the floor surface and that enable the base to be moved toward and away from the utilization device;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from a stack;
• a feed tray positioned remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the feed tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the feed tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from a top of the second stack, the feed tray being positionable through a port in the drawer so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer;
• wherein the feed tray extends from the feed ramp at a position suspended over the floor surface;
• and
• wherein the drawer is movable outwardly from a housing of the utilization device to expose an interior of the drawer and wherein the interior of the drawer includes the stack feed elevator platform mounted therein.

A high speed sheet feeder for directing sheets to a host utilization device having a stack feed elevator platform accessed by a drawer, the sheet feeder comprising:

• a feed ramp for supporting a stack of sheets;
• a base structure for supporting the feed ramp off of a floor surface, the base structure including wheels that engage the floor surface and that enable the base to be moved toward and away from the utilization device;
• a feeder singulator for deshingling sheets from the stack;
• a feed tray positioned remote from the feeder singulator for receiving sheets from the feeder singulator, the feed tray including a space for forming a second stack of sheets therein and the feed tray further including an opening proximate the second stack so that sheets can be removed from a top of the second stack, the feed tray being positionable through a port in the drawer so that the second stack of sheets is positioned proximate a utilization device singulator that is located adjacent the drawer;
• and
• wherein the feed tray extends from the feed ramp at a position suspended over the floor surface and the feed tray is pivotally mounted on the feed ramp so that it is movable toward and away from the utilization device singulator.