Image-related device having image-medium receiving tray, and a tray for same, and a method for designing such tray
US5887239A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H2801/06
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An image-related device has an image-medium receiving tray. The tray is designed by a method that enables the tray to control the contouring of sheets of image medium during reception. The tray has a planar surface and a curved surface. The curved surface is designed by selecting a series of transverse and longitudinal curves to define a curved surface that is generally concave in the transverse direction while also sloping upward in the longitudinal direction. The combined concave and sloped shape of the curved surface causes the leading-edge region of the image medium to transversely curl and thereby obtain sufficient rigidity to extend beyond the front end of the tray. In addition, the curved surface--operating in conjunction with the kickout mechanism of the device--interacts with sheets of medium in a way that causes the sheets to land on top of each other instead of sliding against each other, thereby reducing the possibility of smearing while at the same time producing a neat, evenly stacked pile of media.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.