Self-compensating document drive system
US5031895A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H2701/1912
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a document drive system in which the documents are transported along a track and are also urged towards the base of the track so that they are correctly oriented. The documents are driven by a drive roller 14 cooperating with a ball idler assembly resiliently mounted so that the document is gripped between a ball 33 and the drive roller 14. The axis of rotation of the drive roller is inclined with respect to the track so that a downward force is applied to the document. So long as the document can be moved towards the track, the ball 33 rotates about an axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the drive roller, but once the document is aligned with its lower edge in contact with the base of the track, the ball rotates about an axis perpendicular to the base of the track.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.