Decurler and stabilizer for light-weight papers
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorAlex Feygelman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A decurler to decurl a curled printing media being transported into a release area, the decurler comprising: a) at least one guide arm against which the printing media presses, positioned and adapted to bend the printing media along an axis substantially in a direction of transport thereof; and b) a hinge on which the guide arm is mounted, the hinge being oriented at an angle of between 0.25 degrees and 20 degrees from vertical, wherein a reaction force that the guide arm exerts on the printing media is suitable for decurling the printing media. Another decurler with a flexible strip which hangs down and presses against a middle portion of the printing media.
Claims28
A printer or copier for printing an image on a printing media, comprising:
- a roller which imparts a curl to the printing media;
- a transport mechanism which transports the printing media from the roller into a release area;
- and
- a decurler that decurls the printing media as the printing media is allowed to drop under influence of gravity into the release area, the decurler comprising:
- i) at least one guide arm against which the printing media presses as it falls thereby deflecting the at least one guide arm upward against the influence of gravity;
- and
- ii) a hinge on which the guide arm is mounted, the hinge having an axis about which said guide arm pivots, the axis being oriented at an angle of between 0.25 degrees and 20 degrees from vertical,
- wherein a force that the guide arm exerts on the printing media is suitable for decurling the printing media.
A method of decurling a sheet ejected from an imager comprising:
- a) ejecting the sheet in a generally horizontal direction, while allowing it to fall vertically;
- and
- b) providing at least one guide arm mounted on a hinge, the guide arm being oriented at an angle of between 0.25 degrees and 20 degrees from vertical,
- c) positioning the guide arm so that the sheet falls on the at least one guide arm and by its weight causes the arm to rotate about the hinge, such that the printing media is bent along an axis substantially in said transport direction, the reaction force that the guide arm exerts on the printing media being suitable for decurling the printing media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.