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US 5,954,438 AGranted
Sheet presenter and method of using same
AssigneeBDT Products, Inc.
InventorsGlenn F. Klein, Guenter Rudolf Weist
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The sheet presenter includes a housing having a feed path therethrough from a feed end to a presenting end, and which defines an escrow area between the feed end and the presenting end. Presenting rollers at the presenting end initially restrain forward movement of a continuous sheet along the feed path, and cooperate with a gate to divert the sheet from the feed path into the escrow area to enable the sheet to be accumulated in the escrow area as the sheet is being imprinted. Subsequently, the presenting rollers urge the imprinted portion of the sheet out of the escrow area to present the imprinted portion. The presenting rollers are de-clutched to allow the recipient to grab the imprinted portion and pull it out without damaging the mechanism or the remaining sheet.
Claims17
A sheet presenter comprising:
- housing means having a presenting end, an opening at said presenting end, and a feed end, for defining a feed path along which the sheet initially travels as it is fed from said feed end to said presenting end, and for defining an escrow area adjacent to said feed path between said presenting end and said feed end;
- drive means disposed in said feed path at about said presenting end for engaging the sheet to limit the travel of the sheet along said feed path for facilitating the continuous accumulation of the sheet within said escrow area as the sheet is fed continuously from said feed end, and for urging the sheet out of said escrow area through said opening after the feeding of the sheet has ceased;
- and
- diverting means for selectively blocking access to said escrow area to help guide the sheet along said feed path, said diverting means being responsive to the sheet reaching said presenting end for permitting the sheet to be diverted out of said feed path into said escrow area to enable the sheet to be accumulated as the sheet is fed to temporarily store the sheet prior to said drive means urging the sheet out of said opening.
1 more element
A method of presenting a sheet, comprising:
- using a housing defining a feed end, presenting end, a feed path therebetween for guiding the sheet, and an escrow area for temporarily storing the sheet, said housing including an opening at about said escrow area for presenting the sheet therethrough;
- imprinting a portion of the sheet, said imprinted portion having a leading portion;
- urging the imprinted portion in a forward direction along said feed path until said leading portion becomes disposed at said presenting end;
- stopping the leading portion at said presenting end;
- continuing to urge said imprinted portion in said forward direction to cause said imprinted portion to sag into said escrow area;
- separating said imprinted portion from the sheet to facilitate presenting said imprinted portion;
- urging with a roller means said separated imprinted portion out of said escrow area through said opening in response to the sheet being separated;
- and
- declutching said roller means when a user pulls said separated imprinted portion from said opening, thereby enabling the user to remove said separated imprinted portion from said opening without damaging said roller means or said separated imprinted portion.
6 more elements
A method of presenting a sheet, comprising:
- using a housing defining a feed end, presenting end, a feed path therebetween for guiding the sheet, and an escrow area for temporarily storing the sheet, said housing including an opening at about said escrow area for presenting the sheet therethrough;
- imprinting a portion of the sheet, said imprinted portion having a leading portion;
- urging the imprinted portion in a forward direction along said feed path until said leading portion becomes disposed at said presenting end;
- stopping the leading portion at said presenting end;
- continuing to urge said imprinted portion in said forward direction to cause said imprinted portion to sag into said escrow area;
- separating said imprinted portion from the sheet to facilitate presenting said imprinted portion;
- urging said separated imprinted portion out of said escrow area through said opening in response to the sheet being separated;
- sensing said imprinted portion at about said presenting drive means;
- selectively blocking access to said escrow area to help guide the sheet along said feed path;
- and
- permitting said imprinted portion to be accumulated in said escrow area when said imprinted portion is sensed to enable said imprinted portion to be stored temporarily.
8 more elements
A compact printing apparatus for a continuous sheet, comprising:
- housing means for helping to define a feed path for guiding the sheet and an escrow area for temporarily storing the sheet, said housing means including an opening at about said escrow area for presenting the sheet therethrough;
- printing means disposed along said feed path for imprinting a portion of the sheet;
- drive means for urging the sheet along the feed path, said drive means including feed drive means disposed at said feed path for controlling the movement of the sheet along said feed path to feed said printed portion in a forward direction along the feed path;
- said drive means further including presenting drive means disposed at said feed path spaced apart from said feed drive means and adjacent to said opening for controlling the movement of said printed portion to stop the movement of said printed portion in said forward direction for accumulating said printed portion in said escrow area as said feed drive means continues to feed the sheet;
- said presenting drive means further comprising a pair of de-clutchable rollers;
- cutting means disposed at said feed path intermediate said feed drive means and said presenting drive means for separating said printed portion from the sheet to facilitate presenting the printed portion;
- and
- said presenting means being responsive to said separation of said printed portion from the sheet to urge said printed portion out of said escrow area through said opening, the de-clutchable rollers causing said separated printed portion to be removed by the user from said printing apparatus without damaging said printing apparatus or said separated printed portion.
5 more elements
A compact printing apparatus for a continuous sheet, comprising:
- housing means for helping to define a feed path for guiding the sheet and an escrow area for temporarily storing the sheet, said housing means including an opening at about said escrow area for presenting the sheet therethrough;
- printing means disposed along said feed path for imprinting a portion of the sheet;
- drive means for urging the sheet along the feed path, said drive means including feed drive means disposed at said feed path for controlling the movement of the sheet along said feed path to feed said printed portion in a forward direction along the feed path;
- said drive means further including presenting drive means disposed at said feed path spaced apart from said feed drive means and adjacent to said opening for controlling the movement of said printed portion to stop the movement of said printed portion in said forward direction for accumulating said printed portion in said escrow area as said feed drive means continues to feed the sheet;
- cutting means disposed at said feed path intermediate said feed drive means and said presenting drive means for separating said printed portion from the sheet to facilitate presenting the printed portion;
- said presenting means being responsive to said separation of said printed portion from the sheet to urge said printed portion out of said escrow area through said opening;
- and
- further including diverting means for selectively blocking access to said escrow area to help guide the sheet along said feed path, said diverting means being responsive to said sensing means for permitting said printed portion to sag out of said feed path into said escrow area to enable said printed portion to be stored temporarily.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.