US 5,547,181 AGranted

Media sheet pick and feed system

AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company

InventorJohn A. Underwood

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A media sheet pick and feed system includes a pick roller shaft that is mounted for rotation and a media sheet tray which supports a stack of media sheets on a support surface. The support surface is separated from the pick roller shaft by a fixed distance during pick operations. An arm structure is coupled to and extends from the pick roller shaft and includes a pick roller that is geared to the pick roller shaft. A drive motor having first and second directions of rotation is couplable via a clutch to the pick roller shaft. During a driven state, the drive motor, through the clutch, causes the pick roller shaft to rotate and operate the pick roller. The clutch mechanism in the non-driven state is uncoupled from the pick roller shaft and enables the pick roller to free wheel while it still remains in contact with a media sheet being fed. The pick roller is never out of contact with media sheets supported by the media sheet tray.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A media sheet pick and feed system comprising:

a pick roller shaft mounted for rotation;
a media sheet support surface for supporting a stack of media sheets during pick and feed operations, said support surface separated from said pick roller shaft by a fixed distance during said operations;
arm means coupled to and extending from said pick roller shaft;
pick roller means rotatably supported by said arm means so as to rest upon an upper most media sheet of said stack, and drivingly engaged with said pick roller shaft;
drive means juxtaposed to, and for rotating said pick roller shaft and having first and second directions of rotation;
and
clutch means positioned between said drive means and said pick roller shaft, having a driving state and a non-driving state and in said driving state, coupling said drive means to said pick roller shaft to cause a rotation thereof and a pick rotation of said pick roller means said clutch means in said non-driving state being uncoupled from said pick roller shaft to enable free wheeling of said pick roller shaft and pick roller means while still in contact with a media sheet being fed.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/579,727Filed 20 Dec 1995 · continuation
Priority: 3 Aug 1994
Granted: 20 Aug 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B65H 3/0684
Rollers or like rotary separators: on moving support, e.g. pivoting, for bringing the roller or like rotary separator into contact with the pile
B65H 3/0615
Rollers or like rotary separators: reciprocating and rotatable in one direction only
B65H 3/0669
Rollers or like rotary separators: driving devices therefor
B65H
Handling thin or filamentary material