Sheet feeding device

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a feed means for feeding an outermost sheet, said feed means being positionable in frictional contact with said stack to advance said outermost sheet toward a sheet transport means;
• a separation means positioned adjacent to the feed means to prevent double feeding of sheets along a sheet path between said feed means and said separation means, wherein a nip is defined between the feed, means and the separation means, said separation means including an internally braked separation roller;
• a clutch means in operable association with said feed means for transmitting an intermittent drive force to said feed means;
• and
• a retraction means for retracting the separation means away from the sheet path to permit a manual feeding of sheets to said sheet path, said retraction means being coupled to the separation means.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a stack support means for supporting said stack positioned in a first portion of a housing;
• a feed module detachably and pivotally mounted to a second portion of said housing for positioning in contact with said stack, said feed module comprising:
• an urging means for urging an outermost sheet from said stack, said urging means being mounted on said feed module using an infeed shaft, and
• a feed means for feeding the outermost sheet received from said urging means, said feed means being mounted on said feed module using a feed roller shaft;
• a separation means for preventing double feeding of sheets said separation means being detachably mounted to the first portion of the housing by a support means, said separation means being positioned adjacent to the feed means and defining a nip between the separation means and the feed means;
• a drive means for driving the feed module, said drive means being mounted in the second portion of the housing;
• a clutch means connected to said drive means for transmitting an intermittent drive force from the drive means to said feed module;
• and
• a sheet transport means mounted to the housing for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed means;
• wherein said sheet transport means comprises:
• a series of transport rollers for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed means, said series of transport rollers being mounted on said second portion of said housing;
• a series of idler rollers opposing said series of transport rollers and mounted on said first portion of said housing;
• a trailing edge sensing means for detecting a trailing edge of the outermost sheet, wherein said trailing edge sensing means is positioned downstream of the nip, so that said clutch means is activated when said trailing edge of said outermost sheet is detected by said trailing edge sensing means;
• and
• a leading edge sensing means for detecting a leading edge of said outermost sheet, wherein said leading edge sensing means is positioned downstream of a first transport roller, so that said clutch means is deactivated when said leading edge of said outermost sheet is detected by said leading edge sensing means.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a stack support means disposed in a first portion of a housing;
• a feed module detachably mounted to a second portion of said housing so as to be positionable in contact with said stack;
• said feed module comprising:
• an urging means for urging an outermost sheet from said stack, said urging means being mounted in said feed module by an infeed shaft;
• and
• a feed means for feeding the outermost sheet received from said urging means, said feeding means being mounted in said feed module by a feed roller shaft;
• a separation means for preventing a double feeding of sheets, said separation means being detachably mounted to said first portion of said housing by a support means, said separation means being positionable adjacent to the feed module so as to define a nip between the feed module and the separation means;
• a sheet transport means mounted to the housing for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed module;
• a drive means mounted to the second portion of the housing for driving the sheet transport means and the feed module;
• a clutch means connected to said drive means for transmitting an intermittent drive force from the drive means to said feed module;
• and
• a retraction means for retracting the separation means away from the feed module to permit a manual feeding of sheets to the sheet transport means, said retraction means being coupled to the separation means,
• wherein said separation means comprises an internally braked separation roller.

In a method for feeding an outermost sheet from a stack through a sheet feeding device, said method comprising

• placing a stack on a sheet feeding device;
• urging said outermost sheet on top of the stack forward using a feed module which is removably mounted on a housing of said sheet feeding device;
• separating said outermost sheet from the stack using a separation means;
• transporting said outermost sheet through a sheet transport means;
• and
• controlling the feed module using an electronically actuatable clutch driven by a drive means.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a feed means for feeding an outermost sheet, said feed means being positionable in frictional contact with said stack to advance said outermost sheet toward a sheet transport means;
• a separation means positioned adjacent to the feed means to prevent double feeding of sheets along a sheet path between said feed means and said separation means, wherein a nip is defined between the feed means and the separation means, said separation means including an internally braked separation roller which is detachably mounted on a support means which is attached to a housing;
• and
• a clutch means in operable association with said feed means for transmitting an intermittent drive force to said feed means.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack, said sheet feeding device comprising:

• a sheet transport means;
• a feed means for feeding said outermost sheet from said stack positioned so as to frictionally contact the outermost sheet of said stack to advance said outermost sheet toward the sheet transport means;
• a separation means positioned adjacent to said feed roller so as to define a nip between the separation means and the feed means and to prevent double feeding along a sheet path between said feed means and said separation means;
• and
• an intermittent driver in operable association with said feed roller for transmitting an intermittent drive force to said feed means;
• wherein said sheet transport means comprises:
• a sensing means for sensing when a trailing edge of said outermost sheet is positioned downstream of the nip and activating said intermittent driver in response thereto, and for sensing when a leading edge of said outermost sheet is positioned downstream of a first transport roller of the sheet transport means and deactivating the intermittent driver response thereto;
• said sheet feeding device further comprising a housing for mounting said feed means, said feed means comprising a feed module which is detachably mounted to said housing.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack, said sheet feeding device comprising:

• a sheet transport;
• a feed roller for feeding said outermost sheet from said stack positioned so as to frictionally contact the outermost sheet of said stack to advance said outermost sheet toward the sheet transport;
• a separation device positioned adjacent to said feed roller so as to define a nip between the separation device and the feed roller and to prevent double feeding along a sheet path between said feed roller and said separation device;
• and
• an intermittent driver in operable association with said feed roller for transmitting an intermittent drive force to said feed roller;
• wherein said sheet transport comprises:
• a sensor for sensing when a trailing edge of said outermost sheet is positioned downstream of the nip and activating said intermittent driver in response thereto, and for sensing when a leading edge of said outermost sheet is positioned downstream of a first transport roller of the sheet transport and deactivating the intermittent driver response thereto;
• said sheet feeding device further comprising a housing for mounting said feed roller, said feed roller comprising a feed module which is detachably mounted to said housing.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a feed means for feeding an outermost sheet, said feed means being positionable in frictional contact with said stack to advance said outermost sheet toward a sheet transport means;
• a separation means positioned adjacent to the feed means to prevent double feeding of sheets along a sheet path between said feed means and said separation means, wherein a nip is defined between the feed means and the separation means said separation means including an internally braked separation roller;
• an intermittent driver in operable association with said feed means for transmitting an intermittent drive force to said feed means;
• and
• a retraction means for retracting the separation means away from the sheet path to permit a manual feeding of sheets to said sheet path, said retraction means being coupled to the separation means.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a feed module for feeding an outermost sheet, said feed module being positionable in frictional contact with said stack to advance said outermost sheet toward a sheet transport;
• a separation device positioned adjacent to the feed module to prevent double feeding of sheets along a sheet path between said feed module and said separation device wherein a nip is defined between the feed module and the separation device, said separation device including an internally braked separation roller;
• an intermittent driver in operable association with said feed module for transmitting an intermittent drive force to said feed module;
• and
• a retraction means for retracting the separation device away from the sheet path to permit a manual feeding of sheets to said sheet path, said retraction means being coupled to the separation device.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a stack support means for supporting said stack positioned in a housing;
• a feed module detachably and pivotally mounted to said housing for positioning in contact with said stack, said feed module comprising:
• an urging means for urging an outermost sheet from said stack, said urging means being mounted on said feed module using an infeed shaft, and
• a feed means for feeding the outermost sheet received from said urging means, said feed means being mounted on said feed module using a feed roller shaft;
• a separation means for preventing double feeding of sheets said separation means being detachably mounted to the housing by a support means, said separation means being positioned adjacent to the feed means and defining a nip between the separation means and the feed means;
• a drive means for driving the feed module, said drive means being mounted in the housing;
• an intermittent driver connected to said drive means for transmitting an intermittent drive force from the drive means to said feed module;
• and
• a sheet transport means mounted to the housing for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed means;
• wherein said sheet transport means comprises:
• a series of transport rollers for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed means, said series of transport rollers being mounted on said housing;
• a series of idler rollers opposing said series of transport rollers;
• a sensing means for detecting a trailing edge of the outermost sheet, so that said intermittent driver is activated when said trailing edge of said outermost sheet is detected by said sensing means, and for detecting a leading edge of said outermost sheet, so that said intermittent driver is deactivated when said leading edge of said outermost sheet is detected by said sensing means.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a stack support for supporting said stack positioned in a housing;
• a feed module detachably and pivotally mounted to said housing for positioning in contact with said stack, said feed module comprising:
• an urging roller for urging an outermost sheet from said stack, said urging roller being mounted on said feed module using an infeed shaft, and
• a feed roller for feeding the outermost sheet received from said urging roller, said feed roller being mounted on said feed module using a feed roller shaft;
• a separation device for preventing double feeding of sheets, said separation device being detachably mounted to the housing by a support, said separation device being positioned adjacent to the feed roller and defining a nip between the separation device and the feed roller;
• a driver for driving the feed module, said driver being mounted in the housing wherein said driver transmits an intermittent drive force from the driver to said feed module;
• and
• a sheet transport mounted to the housing for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed roller;
• wherein said sheet transport comprises:
• a series of transport rollers for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed roller, said series of transport rollers being mounted on said housing;
• a series of idler rollers opposing said series of transport rollers;
• a sensor for detecting a trailing edge of the outermost sheet, so that said intermittent driver is activated when said trailing edge of said outermost sheet is detected by said sensor, and for detecting a leading edge of said outermost sheet, so that said driver is deactivated when said leading edge of said outermost sheet is detected by said sensor.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a stack support means disposed in a first portion of a housing;
• a feed module detachably mounted to a second portion of said housing so as to be positionable in contact with said stack;
• said feed module comprising:
• an urging means for urging an outermost sheet from said stack, said urging means for being mounted in said feed module by an infeed shaft;
• and
• a feed means for feeding the outermost sheet received from said urging means, said feeding means being mounted in said feed module by a feed roller shaft;
• a separation means for preventing a double feeding of sheets, said separation means being detachably mounted to said first portion of said housing by a support means, said separation means being positionable adjacent to the feed module so as to define a nip between the feed module and the separation means;
• a sheet transport means mounted to the housing for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed module;
• a drive mounted to the housing for driving the sheet transport means and the feed module for transmitting an intermittent drive force from the drive to said feed module;
• and
• a retraction means for retracting the separation means away from the feed module to permit a manual feeding of sheets to the sheet transport means, said retraction means being coupled to the separation means,
• wherein said separation means comprises an internally braked separation roller.

A sheet feeding device for separating an outermost sheet from a stack comprising:

• a stack support disposed in a housing;
• a feed module detachably mounted to said housing so as to be positionable in contact with said stack;
• said feed module comprising:
• an urging roller for urging an outermost sheet from said stack, said urging roller being mounted in said feed module by an infeed shaft;
• and
• a feed roller for feeding the outermost sheet received from said urging roller, said feeding roller being mounted in said feed module by a feed roller shaft;
• a separator for preventing a double feeding of sheets, said separator being detachably mounted to said housing by a support, said separator being positionable adjacent to the feed module so as to define a nip between the feed module and the separator;
• a sheet transport mounted to the housing for receiving said outermost sheet from the feed module;
• a drive mounted to the second portion of the housing for driving the sheet transport and the feed module for transmitting an intermittent drive force from the drive to said feed module;
• and
• a retraction device for retracting the separator away from the feed module to permit a manual feeding of sheets to the sheet transport, said retraction device being coupled to the separator,
• wherein said separator comprises an internally braked separation roller.