# US 8,540,233 B2 · Retard feeder

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- Number: US 8,540,233 B2
- Document ID: US8540233B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/964,768
- Filed: 2010-12-10
- Published: 2012-06-14
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-10
- Assignees: Xerox Corporation
- Applicants: Ian A Parks; Neil Flynn; Samuel Hagos; Christopher Pearce; Stephen P Wood; Richard G Hubbard; Allan D Mciver; Justin Chase
- Inventors: Ian A Parks; Neil Flynn; Samuel Hagos; Christopher Pearce; Stephen P Wood; Richard G Hubbard; Allan D Mciver; Justin Chase
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540233B2

## CPC

- B65H 3/5261: {Retainers of the roller type, e.g. rollers}
- B65H 5/062: {between rollers or balls}
- B65H 7/06: responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence)
- B65H 2511/51: Presence
- B65H 2511/515: Absence
- B65H 2513/412: Direction of rotation of motor powering the handling device
- B65H 2513/512: Starting; Stopping
- B65H 2513/52: Age; Duration; Life time or chronology of event
- B65H 2801/06: Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A method for providing increased performance in fully active retard feeders includes driving a feed roll and retard roll pair of a reprographic apparatus backwards periodically at the start of the machine or during idle periods to compensate for contamination buildup and/or roll “set” when left in position overnight.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for removing roll set and debris contamination from separation and retard rolls of a sheet feeder before feeding a first sheet from a sheet stack; comprising:
providing a sheet feeder, said sheet feeder including a separation roll that feeds sheets to a downstream location and a retard roll that forms a sheet feeding nip therewith;
providing a motor drivingly connected to said separation and retard rolls;
energizing a controller, said controller being operatively connected to said motor and adapted when energized to send a signal to actuate said motor to rotate said separation and retard rolls in a backwards direction without touching said sheets prior to feeding said first sheet from said sheet stack;
removing said roll set and debris contamination from said separation and retard rolls with said backwards rotation of said separation and retard rolls; and
sending said signal from said controller to said motor in response to expiration of predetermined time periods.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, including sending said signal from said controller in response to humidity measurement reaching a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, including incorporating said sheet feeder apparatus into a xerographic device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, including using said controller for periodically actuating said motor to drive said separation and retard rolls in said backwards direction during periods when said xerographic device is not being used by an operator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, including actuating said motor to perform a warm-up cycle that includes rotating said separation and retard rolls in a backwards direction at start-up of said xerographic device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, including performing said warm-up cycle after predetermined periods of feeder inactivity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, including increasing the temperature of said separation and retard rolls to thereby increase the coefficient of friction of said separation and retard rolls by performing said warm-up cycle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, including sending said signal from said controller based upon temperature readings within said reprographic device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, including sending said signal from said controller based upon materials used for said separation and retard rolls.

### Claim 10

A method for removing roll set and debris contamination from separation and retard rolls of a sheet feeder positioned within a printer before feeding a first sheet from a sheet stack; comprising:
providing a sheet feeder, said sheet feeder including a separation roll that feeds copy sheets to a downstream location and a retard roll in mating relationship therewith;
providing a motor drivingly connected to said separation and retard rolls;
energizing a controller, said controller being operatively connected to said motor and adapted when energized to send a signal to actuate said motor to rotate said separation and retard rolls in a backwards direction without touching said copy sheets prior to feeding said first sheet from said sheet stack;
removing said roll set and debris contamination from said separation and retard rolls by rotating said separation and retard rolls in said backwards direction; and
sending said signal periodically from said controller to said motor during periods when said printer is not being used by an operator.