Three state shifting device for multi-function office equipment
US5954326A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H2403/40
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multi-function sheet handling system including an automatic document feeder (ADF) for automatically feeding sheets of a document held in an ADF input tray. An ADF pick roller selectively picks a sheet of the document and advances the picked sheet along an ADF path. The system includes an automatic sheet feeder (ASF) for automatically feeding sheets of a print media held in an ASF input tray. An ASF pick roller selectively picks a sheet from the ASF input tray and advances the picked sheet along an ASF path. The system further includes an ADF gear for driving the ADF roller, an ASF gear for driving the ASF roller, and a motor drive including a gear train, the motor drive including a stepper motor or other motor with position control. A three-state shifting device couples the motor drive gear train to the ADF and the ASF gears. The shifting device has a neutral state wherein neither the ADF gear nor the ASF gear is driven, an ADF state wherein only the ADF gear is driven, and an ASF state wherein only the ASF gear is driven. The shifting device includes a cam swing arm having a plurality of cam surfaces, and a ratcheting cam follower. The shifting device is shifted from one state t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.