Envelope feeder
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorWilliam Joseph Thornhill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A feed roll has a plurality of equiangularly spaced flat faces thereon for engaging a restraint roll to form a nip therebetween through which the lowermost envelope in a stack of envelopes is fed. A spring continuously urges the restraint roll into engagement with the feed roll. In one embodiment, curved portions connect the flat faces to each other. In another embodiment, the adjacent flat faces intersect each other to form comers on the periphery of the feed roll.
Claims17
An envelope feeder for feeding an envelope from a stack of envelopes including:
- support means for supporting a stack of envelopes;
- advancing means for advancing an envelope from the stack of envelopes;
- a nip for receiving each advanced envelope during its removal from the stack of envelopes by said advancing means, said nip being formed by a restraint roll and a driven feed roll, said restraint roll being movable to said feed roll and being urged to move to said feed roll;
- and
- at least one lower section on the periphery of said feed roll forming a nip between said restraint roll and said lower section in which said restraint roll follows the periphery of said lower section to vary the size of the entry opening to said nip from a maximum when it initially receives an advanced envelope to a minimum as the advanced envelope is advanced by said advancing means.
An envelope feeder for feeding a lowermost envelope from a stack of envelopes including:
- support means for supporting a stack of envelopes;
- advancing means for advancing the lowermost envelope from the stack of envelopes;
- a nip for receiving the lowermost envelope during its removal from the stack of envelopes, said nip being formed by a restraint roll and a driven feed roll, said restraint roll being movable to said feed roll and being urged to move to said feed roll;
- and
- at least one lower section on the periphery of said feed roll forming a nip between said restraint roll and said lower section in which said restraint roll follows the periphery of said lower section to vary the size of the entry opening to said nip from a maximum when it initially receives the lowermost envelope to a minimum as the lowermost envelope is advanced by said advancing means.
A media feeder for feeding media from a stack of media comprising:
- a support surface for holding a stack of media on said support surface;
- media advancing means for advancing media off of said stack of media;
- a restraint roll, said restraint roll being mounted for movement in a first direction and being urged to move in said first direction;
- and
- a driven feed roll, said feed roll having at least one generally flat, lower section on the periphery of said feed roll,
- wherein said restraint roll and said feed roll form a nip for receiving media advanced by said media advancing means and said first direction is toward said nip so that said restraint roll follows said generally flat lower section to form a moving nip having an entry opening which is largest when said generally flat, lower section is first opposite said restraint roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.