Method and apparatus for feeding print media

An apparatus for feeding sheets to a sheet discharge position, said apparatus comprising:

• sheet retaining means having first and second opposite ends respectively located remote and proximate the discharge position, said ends corresponding to the first and second ends of the sheet and being adapted for receiving a stack of sheets therein;
• sheet engaging vacuum applying means reciprocatable between the first and second positions corresponding to the ends of said sheet retaining means, and including sheet engaging vacuum roller means for engaging the sheet by applying vacuum near the first end and rolling the sheet thereabout to a selected first angular position and for releasing the first end at said first angular position by releasing the vacuum, and thereafter applying vacuum to and adjacent the second end of the sheet as said roller means approaches the second end for carrying the sheet thereabout to a selected second angular position and releasing vacuum on the sheet at said second angular position as said roller means approaches said second end so as to allow the sheet to be removed from said retaining means;
• and,
• said sheet engaging and vacuum roller means includes means operable for selectively applying vacuum to said roller means for effecting engagement and release of the respective first and second sheet ends at said corresponding first and second angular positions.

A method of feeding at least a single sheet from a stack of sheets in a selected direction of sheet feed travel from a pickup position to a discharge position, said method comprising the steps of:

• retaining a stack of sheets having a pickup end portion and a discharge end portion at the respective pickup and discharge positions and the portions extending transversely to a sheet feeding direction of travel;
• engaging a top sheet of a stack adjacent the pickup end portion with a vacuum roller means and applying vacuum by a source thereof so as to secure the sheet on the roller means;
• rotatably advancing the vacuum roller means, while engaging the top sheet, in the sheet feed travel direction so as to roll the sheet thereabout to a selected first angular position of the roller means;
• releasing the pickup end portion from the roller means by releasing the vacuum thereon at the first angular position;
• applying vacuum adjacent the discharge end portion of the top sheet as roller means is advancing in the sheet feed travel direction so as to engage the sheet adjacent the discharge end portion thereof and rolling the sheet thereabout to a second selected angular position of the roller means adjacent the discharge position;
• and,
• releasing the sheet from the roller means at the second angular position by releasing the vacuum source as the roller means approaches the discharge position to allow discharge of the sheet from the roller means.