Sheet feed method, a sheet feeder, and an image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet feeder
AssigneeOce-Technologies B.V.
InventorsMarinus T. W. Gruntjes, Maurice J. M. Bindels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for use in a sheet feeder having a sheet stacking unit with a bottom plate to support a sheet bundle in which air is blown against a side edge of the sheet bundle near the topmost sheets of the bundle, thereby lifting these sheets from the bundle, and separating the uppermost sheet from the bundle, and conveying this sheet away from the bundle, wherein the lifting of the sheets when the bundle is nearly depleted is assisted by forcing an element situated underneath the bundle to push against the bundle solely when air is blown against the side edge of the bundle. A sheet feeder suitable for applying the present method and an imaging apparatus for incorporating the sheet feeder is also provided.
Claims13
A method of dispensing sheets from a sheet bundle in a sheet stacking unit with a bottom plate for supporting the sheet bundle which comprises:
- blowing air against a side edge of the sheet bundle near the topmost sheets of the sheet bundle, thereby lifting the topmost sheets from the sheet bundle,
- separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet bundle, and
- conveying this uppermost sheet away from the sheet bundle;
- wherein the lifting of the sheets from the sheet bundle, upon the sheet bundle being nearly depleted, is assisted by forcing an element situated underneath the sheet bundle to push against the sheet bundle solely when air is blown against the side edge of the sheet bundle.
A sheet dispensing device which comprises:
- a sheet stacking unit with a bottom plate for supporting a sheet bundle,
- air blowing means for blowing air against a side edge of the sheet bundle near the topmost sheets of the sheet bundle, thereby lifting the topmost sheets from the sheet bundle,
- sheet conveying means for conveying the uppermost sheet away from the sheet bundle, and
- an element disposed underneath the sheet bundle, said element being constructed such that it is adapted to push against the sheet bundle solely when air is blown against the side edge of the sheet bundle thereby assisting the lifting of sheets from the sheet bundle upon the sheet bundle being nearly depleted.
A sheet dispensing device which comprises:
- a sheet stacking unit with a bottom plate for supporting a sheet bundle,
- air blowing means for blowing air against a side edge of the sheet bundle near the topmost sheets of the sheet bundle, thereby lifting these sheets from the sheet bundle,
- means for raising the bottom plate as the sheet bundle becomes depleted, and
- an element disposed underneath the sheet bundle, said element being constructed to push against the sheet bundle in cooperation with the blowing action of the air against the side edge of the bundle, said blowing of the air creating a pressure difference which produces a lifting force causing the element to move upwardly against the sheet bundle separately from said bottom plate, thereby facilitating the lifting of the residual sheets from the sheet bundle solely upon the sheet bundle being nearly depleted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.