Beltless cut sheet media feeder and method for feeding and ejecting sheets to and from a scanner apparatus
US5788227A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S271/902
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A beltless, automatic document feeder for a flat bed document scanner or other hard copy apparatus using a flat bed scanning station is disclosed. A paper path is formed between a feeder frame guide and a paper loading tray. A document sheet pulled from a stack loaded in the tray is transported along the path by a dual function driver. A pad overlaying the flat bed of the scanner is provided with a cooperative lip such that the leading edge of the pulled document sheet is directed from the paper path to the flat bed and under the pad. A second, bi-directional driver, associated with the pad and the flat bed, transports the document sheet to a fully scannable position between the pad and flat bed without releasing the trailing edge of the document sheet. After scanning, the second driver is reversed to remove the scanned document sheet from the bed and transport it to the dual function driver which then ejects the sheet along a second path. The first path and second path are on the same side of the flat bed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.