US 6,742,779 B2 · Automatic document transport method and device using suction to retain unfed documents during feeding

Abstract

In connection with a method for automatically inserting documents to be displayed on a display device and/or copied in a digitizing device, such as microfiches, microfilm jackets or the like, in which process one document at a time is transported from a stack of documents to be processed to a document support and from there to a deposit magazine for the processed documents, provision is made according to the invention that the top document of a stack of documents contained in the holding magazine is pulled up by suction to about the level of the document support and the remaining stack is subsequently retained by suction acting in the opposite direction; the document pulled up by suction is transported sideways to the document support, and deposited on said support by terminating the suction effect, and the document is then picked up by suction again after it has been processed, and is transported to the deposit magazine.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method for automatically transporting documents for processing by and removal from a digitizing device comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a stack of documents comprising a top document and a plurality of lower documents in a holding magazine;
(b) removing the top document from the plurality of lower documents in the stack contained in the holding magazine by applying suction in a first direction to lift the top document to a level corresponding to a level of a document support and applying suction in a second direction opposite to said first direction to retain the plurality of lower documents in the holding magazine;
(c) transporting the top document laterally to the document support;
(d) terminating the suction applied to the top document to deposit the top document on the document support;
(e) subjecting the top document to a digitizing process;
(f) following step (e), applying a suction to engage the top document;
and
(g) transporting the top document to a deposit magazine.

5 more elements

A device for automatically transporting documents for processing by and removal from a digitizing device, comprising:

(a) a holding magazine for a stack of documents to be processed, said holding magazine comprising a container dimensioned to receive the stack of documents having a double-walled bottom part and double-walled side parts extending from said bottom part to form a suction evacuation cavity, said side parts having inner walls comprising openings in said inner walls;
(b) a document support;
(c) a deposit magazine;
(d) means for transporting a document picked up by suction from the holding magazine to the document support, said means for transporting a document picked up by suction from the holding magazine to the document support comprising a planar board comprising suction openings connected to a suction device for evacuation of the suction evacuation cavity, said suction openings being adapted to be completely covered by the document picked up by suction;
(e) means for transporting the document from the document support to the deposit magazine;
and
(f) means for forming gap areas between the board and the side parts.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic document transport method and device using suction to retain unfed documents during feeding

Life of this patent

Automatic document transport method and device using suction to retain unfed documents during feeding

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25