U.S. patent application number 12/032738 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-20 for preventing overfill of media sheets in a sheet feeder.
This patent application is currently assigned to Xerox Corporation. Invention is credited to Julia Annette Allwright.
Application Number | 20090206544 12/032738 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40954376 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090206544 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Allwright; Julia Annette |
August 20, 2009 |
Preventing Overfill Of Media Sheets In a Sheet Feeder
Abstract
A flag with a cam is pivotally attached to a sheet stock edge
guide in a sheet loading tray of a copier or printer such that in
the event the tray is overfilled, the edge of the sheet stack moves
the cam to a position causing the flag to be raised to alert the
user of the overfill.
Inventors: |
Allwright; Julia Annette;
(Chingford, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FAY SHARPE / XEROX - ROCHESTER
1228 EUCLID AVENUE, 5TH FLOOR, THE HALLE BUILDING
CLEVELAND
OH
44115
US
|
Assignee: |
Xerox Corporation
Norwalk
CT
|
Family ID: |
40954376 |
Appl. No.: |
12/032738 |
Filed: |
February 18, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/145 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2403/531 20130101;
B65H 2511/152 20130101; B65H 2511/512 20130101; B65H 1/266
20130101; B65H 2551/20 20130101; B65H 2511/152 20130101; B65H
2220/01 20130101; B65H 2511/512 20130101; B65H 2220/02 20130101;
B65H 2220/11 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/145 |
International
Class: |
B65H 1/00 20060101
B65H001/00 |
Claims
1. A device for preventing overfill of media sheets in a sheet
feeder comprising: (a) a user loadable tray for positioning media
sheets therein and adapted for use with the feeder; and, (b) an
indicator disposed with the tray, wherein upon user fill of sheets
in the tray above a predetermined level, the indicator is moved by
the sheets from a retracted position to an active position
providing an indication of overfill.
2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator in the
active position includes a stop operative to block insertion of the
tray into the feeder.
3. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the tray includes sheet
position edge guides and the indicator is pivotally mounted on one
of the guides.
4. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is
pivotally mounted on a rear sheet edge guide of the tray.
5. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is
operative to display a flag readily visible to the user.
6. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the tray includes guides
with integrally formal surfaces for pivoting the indicator
thereon.
7. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the guides includes
surfaces operative to limit movement of the indicator in the active
position.
8. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is
pivotally mounted onto a retainer and forms a subassembly which is
attached to the tray.
9. The device defined in claim 8, wherein the retainer includes
integrally formed surfaces operable to pivotally engage and retain
the indicator thereon.
10. The device defined in claim 8, wherein the subassembly is
attached to a sheet guide on the tray.
11. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is mounted
on a sheet guide on the tray and the sheet guide includes surfaces
operable to limit movement of the indicator.
12. A method of preventing overfill of media sheets in a sheet
feeder comprising: (a) providing a user loadable tray for
positioning media sheets therein for insertion into the feeder; (b)
disposing an indicator with the tray and moving the indicator from
a retracted to an active indicating position in response to an
overfill.
13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the step of disposing
an indicator includes disposing an indicator on the tray for
pivotal movement thereon.
14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the step of providing a
tray includes providing adjustable sheet edge guides and the step
of disposing an indicator includes pivotally mounting an indicator
on one of the guides.
15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the step of disposing
an indicator includes pivotally attaching an indicator to a
retainer and mounting the retainer on one of the sheet edge guides.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure relates to sheet feeders for copying
and printing machines of the type typically employed in offices and
for photocopying documents. Such machines are commonly provided
with a user loadable tray for insertion of sheets of the desired
size into a feeding mechanism which advances the sheets into the
photocopying machine. Trays of this sort intended for loading of at
least 50 sheets of paper are provided with adjustable guides on the
sides of the tray for maintaining the sheets in accurate
registration and position for entry into the feeder. However, if
the user overloads the tray the sheets can ride up over the guides
and become skewed and enter the feeder in a disoriented manner
which can result in improper feeding and jamming. Additionally, it
has been found that damage to the sheet sensors in the feeding
mechanism can result when jamming occurs. Furthermore, if excessive
overload of the tray is experienced, the sheets can become driven
into the nudger rolls resulting in damage to the rolls
themselves.
[0002] Heretofore, attempts to prevent tray overload have been
addressed by incorporating a wiper blade for removal of excess
paper above a specific height in the tray. If sufficient overload
of the tray is encountered, the wiper blade can cause curling of a
large number of sheets, which may result in forces applied to the
tray components and guides; and, in such situations, failures of
these components has been experienced.
[0003] It has therefore been desired to provide a way or means of
preventing or indicating to the user that the sheet stacker or tray
has been overfilled and jamming or damage to the machine may occur.
It has further been desired to provide such an indication to the
user in a manner which is simple and low in cost to incorporate
into existing machines, without adding additional complexity to the
loading tray or machine.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure describes a way of indicating to the
user that a sheet stacker or tray for a copying machine is
overfilled to the point that jamming or damage can occur. The
present disclosure describes a rotatable flag pivotally mounted on
the sheet edge guides employed in the tray whereby the flag remains
in the upright position warning the user of overfill in the event
that the sheets are loaded into the stacker or tray above a
predetermined level. The flag of the present disclosure may be
added to an existing sheet tray edge guide without significant
modification of the basic components of the tray and edge
guides.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sheet stacker
or tray showing an adjustable edge guide with the overfill
indicating flag of the present disclosure mounted thereon.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pivotal flag component
of the present disclosure;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the flag of FIG. 2 mounted
on a retainer;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the retainer assembly of FIG. 3
mounted on the edge guide of the tray of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 5 is an edge view of the flag of the present disclosure
in the upright or indicating position in solid outline and the
retracted position shown in dashed line;
[0010] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an existing sheet stacker or
tray with the elevate plate in place; and,
[0011] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, with the elevate plate
removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an example of a prior art sheet
stacker or tray assembly is indicated generally at 100, and
includes front and rear triple towered sheet edge guides 102, 104
respectively and an adjustable side or length edge guide 106
adjustably mounted on the deck 108 of the assembly 100. The sheet
stack (not shown) when loaded into tray 10 registers against the
side rail 110 of the tray.
[0013] Edge guides 102, 104, each have a leg portion or extension
112, 114 respectively with a toothed rack 116, 118 respectively
along one side of the leg portion 112, 114. The teeth of the racks
116, 118 engage respectively opposite sides of stationary toothed
pinions 120, 122 to provide equal and oppositely directed movement
of the edge guide upon user adjustment, for effecting centering of
the sheet stack in the tray.
[0014] It will be noted that the center tower of edge guide 104 has
the inscription "MAX" thereon above a visible fill limit line for
indicating to the user the level above which the tray should not be
filled.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, a portion of a stacker or a sheet
loading tray for a copy or printing machine in accordance with the
present disclosure is indicated generally at 10 and has a rear edge
guide with towers 12, 14, 16 attached to a bar or strap 18 which
has a leg or portion 20 thereof extending generally at right angles
thereto which may be formed integrally therewith and which is
slidably received on the base or bottom 24 of the tray. Guide
surfaces 17, 21 are provided on the end of strap 18-T for engaging
corresponding guide surfaces (not shown) on base 24. The leg
portion 20 may include a notched rack 26 for engagement by a
toothed pin (not shown) similar to pinions 120, 122 of FIG. 7 for
securing the guides 12, 14, 16 in a desired position for the
selected print media sheets in a manner well known in the design of
sheet trays.
[0016] The center edge guide tower 14 has provided thereon an
overfill indicator indicated generally at 28 provided thereon for
providing visual indication to the user that the tray has been
filled above the safe limit level as will hereinafter be
described.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 2, the indicator 28 comprises the tab or
flag 30 which has a pair of oppositely extending half axles or
trunnions 32, 34 formed thereon with a cam 36 extending from
trunnion 32 and oriented to be aligned with the flag 30 and extend
from the opposite side of the trunnion 32.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 3, the indicator 28 is shown with the
trunnions 32, 34 received in a retainer 38 and snap locked therein
for pivotal movement with respect thereto. The retainer 38 has a
slot or notch 40 to provide clearance for cam 36 to rotate with the
flag 30. Retainer 38 may be provided with a pair of mounting towers
42, 44 each centrally apertured as denoted respectively by
reference numerals 50, 52 for receiving suitable fasteners
therethrough.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 4, the retainer 38 is shown as positioned
on the back side of edge guide 14 with the towers 42, 44 positioned
for receiving mounting screws (not shown) therethrough for
attachment to the edge guide 14. The flag 30 is shown in FIG. 4 in
the retracted or horizontal position.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 5, the tray assembly 10 is shown in edge
view with the indicator 28 shown in solid outline with the flag 30
disposed vertically upward to provide an indication to the user
that the tray has been filled to the limit. In the position shown
in solid outline, the indicator 28 has cam 36 held in a downward
position by the edge 56 of the sheet stack which has its top
surface denoted by reference numeral 54. If the top surface of the
sheet stack 54 is below the position of cam 36 shown in solid
outline in FIG. 5, the cam 36 will not be held in the downward
position; and, the indicator, under the force of gravity, will
rotate counterclockwise to the position shown in dashed outline
thereby retracting the flag 30 and raising the cam 36 to the
horizontal position shown in dashed outline.
[0021] Thus, the present disclosure describes a unique and novel
indicator assembly which may be attached to the edge guide of a
media sheet tray or stacker for providing a visual indicator or
flag which is raised upon the user loading the tray above the fill
limit.
[0022] It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed
and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be
desirably combined into many other different systems or
applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or
unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or
improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in
the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following
claims.
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