EP0939045A2 - Plateau support de feuilles comportant un dispositif pour rigidifier l'extrémité des feuilles - Google Patents

Plateau support de feuilles comportant un dispositif pour rigidifier l'extrémité des feuilles Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0939045A2
EP0939045A2 EP19980118428 EP98118428A EP0939045A2 EP 0939045 A2 EP0939045 A2 EP 0939045A2 EP 19980118428 EP19980118428 EP 19980118428 EP 98118428 A EP98118428 A EP 98118428A EP 0939045 A2 EP0939045 A2 EP 0939045A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
paper
tray
support
bow
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19980118428
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Modest Khovaylo
Rodney C. Harris
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HP Inc
Original Assignee
Hewlett Packard Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hewlett Packard Co filed Critical Hewlett Packard Co
Publication of EP0939045A2 publication Critical patent/EP0939045A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H31/00—Pile receivers
    • B65H31/02—Pile receivers with stationary end support against which pile accumulates
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/50—Auxiliary process performed during handling process
    • B65H2301/51—Modifying a characteristic of handled material
    • B65H2301/512—Changing form of handled material
    • B65H2301/5122—Corrugating; Stiffening
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2405/00—Parts for holding the handled material
    • B65H2405/10—Cassettes, holders, bins, decks, trays, supports or magazines for sheets stacked substantially horizontally
    • B65H2405/11—Parts and details thereof
    • B65H2405/111—Bottom
    • B65H2405/1113—Bottom with surface portions curved in width-wise direction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2801/00—Application field
    • B65H2801/03—Image reproduction devices
    • B65H2801/06—Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to sheet support trays and, more particularly, to a sheet support tray for supporting a sheet of paper having a length longer than the length of the support tray.
  • Modern paper handling and processing devices such as copy machines, printers, fax machines, scanner automatic document feeders (ADF's) and the like must be adapted to handle paper of several different lengths; typically 8-1/2 in. X 11 in. letter size, 8-1/2 in. X 14 in. legal size and 8-9/32 in. X 11-11/16 in. A4 size.
  • ADF's scanner automatic document feeders
  • paper feeding and receiving trays for such devices must be able to hold paper of such varying lengths.
  • the sheet of paper may droop at the unsupported end, sometimes sufficiently to cause the paper to curl at the unsupported end or to becomes separated from the paper stack on the tray or even causing the paper to fall completely out of the tray.
  • One obvious solution for supporting varying length sheets is to use trays which are at least as long as the longest sheet that is to be used.
  • devices equipped with such maximum length trays generally have a larger "footprint," i.e. occupy more desk top space or floor space than devices having smaller trays.
  • Compactness of such devices, particularly desk top devices is generally an important design criterium and thus various alternatives to such maximum length paper trays have been sought.
  • One alternative is a tray, shorter in length than the length of the longest sheet of paper, which is inclined such that the unsupported end of a longer sheet is positioned higher than the other end. Such an inclined orientation tends to prevent the unsupported end from drooping and thus allows a relatively longer sheet to be stabily supported than that supported by a tray arranged horizontally.
  • tray inclination Another technique which has been used, often in combination with tray inclination, is to curve the tray along its length to effectively increase the surface length of the sheet which is in contact with the tray in a relatively shorter horizontal distance than would be provided by a tray which if not curved along its length.
  • tray inclination and longitudinally arcuate trays have practical limitations. For example if a tray receiving paper from a printer discharge port is inclined too much, the sheets being discharged into the tray tend to buckle and cause paper jams.
  • a tray having too much longitudinal curvature may have similar problems with buckling and jamming and may also give paper sheets resting therein for long periods an undesirable curled shape.
  • Another tray design used to support sheets of different lengths is an expandable length tray.
  • One implementation of this design employs a wire bracket which may be pulled out from the terminal end of the tray to provide an extra length of support surface for longer length sheets.
  • expandable tray configurations tend to be more expensive to produce and tend to be less durable than trays with no moving parts.
  • trays, when expanded, have the same disadvantage as maximum length trays, i.e. they occupy a relatively large amount of space.
  • the present invention is directed to a paper tray which is capable of stabily supporting a sheet of paper which has a length considerably longer than the length of the tray itself and without encountering the above described problems of other paper tray designs.
  • the present invention may comprise a sheet support tray having a sheet support portion with a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end.
  • the first end of the sheet support portion is adapted to receive a first end of a sheet of paper in longitudinal registration therewith.
  • the sheet of paper when supported on the sheet support portion has an overhanging portion extending beyond the second end of the sheet support portion.
  • the overhanging portion has a length greater than the critical overhang length of the paper.
  • the sheet support portion comprises a widthwise varying height surface portion positioned proximate the second end of the sheet support portion adapted to bow a portion of the sheet of paper widthwise sufficiently to prevent the overhanging portion of the sheet of paper from drooping more than the critical droop distance of the paper.
  • the invention may also comprise a sheet support tray for supporting at least one sheet of paper thereon which has a first end portion which extends outwardly from a first end portion of the support tray by a distance greater than the critical overhang length of the sheet of paper.
  • the tray includes a widthwise variable height portion positioned at the first end portion of the support tray which is constructed and arranged to support the sheet of paper in a bowed configuration of sufficient curvature to prevent the end portion of the sheet of paper from drooping by more than the critical droop distance of the sheet of paper.
  • the invention may also comprise a sheet support tray for supporting at least one sheet of paper thereon which has an outwardly extending paper end portion extending outwardly from a terminal end of the support tray by a distance greater than the critical overhang length of the sheet of paper.
  • the tray may include a paper support; and means in the paper support for forming a widthwise bow in the outwardly extending end portion of the sheet of paper.
  • the invention may also comprise a method of supporting a sheet of paper on a paper tray when the length of the paper is longer than the length of the paper tray by an amount greater than the critical overhang length of the paper.
  • the method may include placing the sheet on the tray and bowing an overhanging end portion of the sheet widthwise sufficiently to prevent it from drooping beyond the critical droop distance of the sheet.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a sheet of paper 10 having a central longitudinal axis AA and a plurality of lateral axes BB, CC, etc. extending transversely of AA.
  • the sheet of paper has a first or front longitudinal end portion 12 having a point 13 at the edge thereof on axis AA.
  • the sheet of paper further includes a second longitudinal end portion 14, a first lateral side portion 16 having a corner 17 and a second lateral side portion 18 having a corner 19.
  • the sheet of paper has a length "a" and a width "b" which, in the case of a legal size sheet of paper, are 8-1/2 in. and 14 in., respectively.
  • the sheet of paper has an upper surface 22 and a lower surface 24.
  • the sheet of paper may be a relatively thick, stiff sheet of paper such as heavy bond typing paper or a relatively thin, flexible sheet of paper such as onion skin paper, or may be of any intermediate thickness and stiffness.
  • the thickness/stiffness of a sheet of paper will effect its "critical overhang length" (defined below). Sheets of paper are of course well known in the art and Figs. 1 and 2 merely set forth terminology which will be used herein.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates sheet 10 supported on a planar support surface 30 having a terminal end 32 and having a horizontal plane PP projecting outwardly from end 32.
  • Sheet 10 has an overhanging portion 34 extending beyond terminal end 32 of the planar support surface by a horizontally measured distance "l”.
  • Longitudinal end portion 12 of the sheet 10 is deflected downwardly from horizontal plane PP by gravity by a vertically measured distance "d” referred to herein as “droop distance” or simply “droop”.
  • the droop distance d is measured from plane PP to the center point 13 at the overhanging end 12 of the sheet.
  • the downward sagging of an unsupported end of a sheet is referred to herein as "drooping.”
  • drooping As a sheet of paper is moved so that the amount of horizontal overhang l is increased, the amount of downward deflection or droop d tends to increase due to the greater bending moment placed on the overhanging portion by the force of gravity.
  • the ratio of d to l, i.e., d/I is referred to herein as the "droop ratio" of the sheet and varies with the overhang length.
  • the larger the amount of overhang the larger the droop ratio becomes with a significant increase occurring at a length of around 2 or 3 inches for most business quality typing paper.
  • “Critical overhang length" (“l C ", Fig.
  • d c is the droop distance of the sheet when it is supported in a planar configuration and when d/l is equal to 0.25.
  • the sheet 10 is shown supported on a horizontal surface, it is to be understood that the above discussed parameters also apply to a sheet supported on an upwardly inclined surface wherein the overhang length l refers to the horizontal projection of that inclined sheet and the droop d refers to the vertical drop of an end portion of the sheet from the point that the end portion would have occupied if the sheet extended parallel to its support surface.
  • critical overhang length of different types of paper or other sheets of material vary significantly depending upon the longitudinal stiffness of the sheet.
  • a sheet of stiff, heavy weight bond paper will have a relatively long critical overhang length whereas a thin, low tensile strength sheet of paper such as onion skin paper will have a relatively short critical overhang length.
  • the vertical amount d that a given horizontal overhang length l of a sheet droops typically varies somewhat with time and accordingly, critical overhang length and critical droop distance as used herein are determined at a point in time when the subject sheet of paper has been supported in an overhang position for a period of one minute.
  • Temperature and humidity may also effect critical overhang length and thus unless otherwise specified herein critical overhang length l C for a sheet of paper is to be measured at standard temperature and humidity conditions such as are typically found in most modern air conditioned office environments.
  • Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate one embodiment of a bow-forming sheet support structure 40.
  • the bow-forming sheet support structure comprises first and second elongate, parallel rib members 42, 44 fixedly supported on a cross member 45.
  • the rib members 42, 44 are spaced sufficiently far apart to cause the central longitudinal axis AA of the paper, including point 13, to be deflected downwardly relative to the first and second lateral side portions 16, 18 of the sheet.
  • the sheet has a bow-shaped cross section when supported by this structure.
  • the relative amount of bowing at any cross sectional portion of the sheet may be represented by a bow ratio "e/f" where "e” is the vertical height between axis AA and a line drawn between the edges of lateral side portions 16, 18 of the sheet and where "f" represents the distance between lateral edges.
  • the bow ratio of the paper e/f at the terminal end 32 of support structure 40 is sufficient so that the horizontal length l of the sheet is at least 25% greater than the critical overhang length l C of the sheet at the overhang position where the bowed sheet droops by an amount d C .
  • a sheet having such a horizontal overhang extension (1.25l c ) or greater extension without drooping more than the critical droop distance d C is referred to herein as being erect or being in an erect state.
  • a bow ratio e/f of about 0.02 or more in the cross section of the paper positioned at the terminal end 32 of the support structure is sufficient to place sheet of typical business grade typing paper such as twenty pound, bond office stationary, in an erect state.
  • Figs. 5 and 6 illustrates a bow formed by two spaced-apart ribs with no lower support for the paper, i.e. the depth e to which the paper sags is limited only by the tensile strength of the paper in the width direction.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates another bow-forming structure viewed from a terminal end 32 thereof, with the paper sheet supported thereon shown in cross section. This structure has a continuous bow-shaped surface 54 which supports the paper sheet at all points across the width thereof.
  • Fig. 8 is an end view of another embodiment of a support structure in which the paper is supported by a multi-ribbed, bow-shaped support surface 56 comprising ribs 57 through 63.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates a compound bow-forming support structure comprising outer ribs 65, 69 positioned at a first elevation and central rib 67 positioned at a second elevation.
  • the compound bow shape could be formed by use of many more ribs or a continuous surface as well as the 3 rib configuration. For supporting extremely wide sheets, multiple compound bow-shaped configurations could be used.
  • Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a bow forming structure that urges a sheet of paper supported thereon into a bow shaped configuration along its entire length.
  • the second end 14 of the sheet remain in a planar configuration.
  • an infeed tray or discharge tray of a printer or automatic document handler may experience paper jamming if the end of the paper proximate the infeed/discharge port is not flat.
  • Fig. 10 shows an automatic document feeder 90 mounted on an optical scanner 92.
  • the automatic document feeder 90 includes an upper paper tray 94 which acts as an infeed tray.
  • the tray has a first (front) longitudinal end 96, a second (rear) longitudinal end 98, a first lateral side 100 and a second lateral side 101.
  • the tray includes a paper support surface 102 adapted to contact the bottom surface 24 of a sheet of paper 10 positioned thereon.
  • the paper support surface 102 may comprise a generally flat, ribbed surface 103 having longitudinally extending ribs 104, 106, etc. which may be spaced at intervals of about 1/8" and which may have a height above a flat surface of about 1/64".
  • the rib surface 103 terminates proximate the rear longitudinal end 94 of the support tray at rear border 105 and thereafter, the surface indicated as 107, may be flat and unribbed.
  • the tray also includes an unribbed multi-curved surface 110 located proximate end 96 which is defined, in part, by a cut-out 112 positioned at the center of front longitudinal end 96.
  • Tray 94 may include vertically projecting guide rails 114, 116 positioned adjacent to the lateral sides thereof.
  • the guide rails comprise vertical surfaces 117, 119.
  • Tray 94 may be partially covered by a housing lid 118 which may house drive rollers, etc. (not shown) which may operate in a conventional manner to draw paper stacked on the support tray into the automatic document feeder in feed direction 119.
  • a vertical gap 120 between the front bottom portion of lid 118 and paper support surface 102 which may be e.g., "1/2" initially, reducing to about 1/8 inch about 3/4 inch re farther in, allows papers stacked on surface 102 to slide under the housing lid 118 and come into abutting contact with a paper abutment surface or stop 122.
  • a paper infeed mechanism (not shown), which may be of a conventional type, pulls sheets from the top of the paper stack one at a time and moves each sheet through the automatic document feeder and then out a discharge port onto lower paper tray 210. Paper infeed an handling mechanisms for automatic document feeders are well known in the art and will thus not be further described.
  • Upper tray longitudinal end 96 terminates at vertical terminal wall portion 130 which intersects vertical terminal wall portions 132, 134 of lateral rails 114 and 116 at corners 136 and 138.
  • Unribbed surface 110 includes a laterally extending border 142 and longitudinally extending borders 146, 148 which border the ribbed surface portion 103.
  • the front end cut-out 112 may be defined by laterally and vertically extending terminal wall portion 152 and longitudinally and vertically extending wall portions 154 and 156.
  • Wall portion 152 intersects the curved upper surface of unribbed surface 110 at intersection line 153.
  • Vertical wall portions 154 and 156 intersect the curved upper surface of unribbed surface 110 at linear intersection lines 155 and 157. Longitudinally extending wall portions 154, 156 intersect vertical terminal wall 130 at corners 158, 160.
  • Unribbed surface 110 comprises first and second longitudinally extending, generally rectangular portions 164 and 166 positioned in mirror image relationship. These longitudinally extending portions slope inwardly and downwardly and may comprise a radius of curvature of about 6-12 inches and a total vertical drop of about 1/inch.
  • the laterally extending portion 162 intersects with the longitudinally extending portions 164, 166 at intersection regions 168, 170, respectively. The curvature in these intersection regions may vary to provide a smooth blending of the curves of the respective curved portions 162, 164 and 166.
  • the distance between vertical terminal walls 117, 119 may be about 8 and 3/4 inches.
  • the length of the paper tray between longitudinal ends 96 and 98 thereof, i.e., between vertical terminal wall portion 130 and abutment surface 122 measured along the rib surface portion next adjacent one of the guide rails may be about 10 and 1 ⁇ 2 inches.
  • the unribbed area 140 may have a width measured along border 142 of about 7 and 1 ⁇ 2 inches and may have a length measured from border 142 to vertical wall 130 along borders 146 and 148 of about 4 and 5/8 inches.
  • the corners 158, 160 of the cut-out portion are positioned a longitudinal distance "i" from corner portions 136, 138 of the guide rail and i may be about 3/8 inches.
  • Front vertical wall 130 may have a radius of curvature in the plan view of Fig. 11 of about 30 inches.
  • the drop "h" from border 142 to edges 153, 155, 157, as illustrated in Fig. 12, may be about 1/4 inches.
  • the longitudinal length of intersection line 155 and intersection line 157 may each be about 3 inches.
  • the lateral dimension of intersection line 153 may be about 4-1/4.
  • the ribbed surface portion 103 of the paper support surface 102 may slope downwardly and rearwardly from a point about even longitudinally with cut-out wall 152 and may extend forwardly generally horizontally from that location.
  • the vertical surface 152 of the cut-out may be about 7-1/2" (measured along the surface) forward of abutment surface 122 and the downward slope from the portion of the rib surface adjacent 152 may extend to about 1 inch forward of abutment surface 122.
  • the rib surface 103 may terminate at 105 and a flat, unribbed surface 107 may extend from the edge of the rib surface to the abutment surface 122.
  • the total drop of the rib surface as it proceeds rearwardly may be about 3-4 inch.
  • the front generally flat portion of the rib surface is indicated at 174 and 176 and comprises a portion on either side of the unribbed surface.
  • the paper support surface 102 of the upper paper tray 94 may, in the alternative, be provided with generally half disk-shaped paper guides 182, 184 adapted to guide legal/letter width sheets and A4 width sheets, respectively.
  • Each guide may have a thickness of about 1/8 inch and may be about 1 inch long and about 3/16 inch high and may have a radius of curvature of about 3/4 inch.
  • guide 182 may have a central longitudinal axis positioned parallel to surface 119 and spaced 9/16 inch therefrom.
  • Guide 184 may have its central longitudinal axis spaced 5/16 inch from surface 119.
  • the rear edge of guide 182 may be at the same longitudinal position as border 142.
  • the forward edge of guide 184 may be positioned about 7/16 inch rearwardly of corner 160.
  • guide 182 and surface 117 serves to guide a lateral edge portion of a legal/letter sized sheet of paper to maintain it in a straight orientation in the tray.
  • Guide 184 and surface 117 perform the same function for A4 width sheets.
  • the leading edge rides up and over guide 184.
  • guide 184 acts to support a portion of a letter/legal-sized sheet above the surface of tray 102 and acts as a portion of the tray structure which causes the end of the supported sheet to adopt a generally bow-shaped configuration.
  • a lower paper tray 210 which may comprise a discharge paper tray is best shown in Fig. 13 which shows the upper paper tray 90 pivoted upwardly and broken away to expose details of the lower paper tray.
  • the lower paper tray 210 includes a first or front longitudinal end 212, a second or rear longitudinal end 214 and a first lateral side 216.
  • a first longitudinally extending guide rail 222 having a top surface 223 and an inner vertical side surface 224, is positioned adjacent the first lateral side 216 and a second longitudinally extending guide rail 226 having a top surface 227 and a vertical surface (not shown) in mirror image relationship to surface 224 is positioned adjacent second lateral side 218.
  • the lower tray 210 may comprise a flat, horizontally extending base surface 232.
  • a rear abutment surface 234 projects vertically upwardly from the flat horizontally extending surface.
  • First rib 236 may be positioned one inch from guide rail surface 224
  • second vertical rib 238 may be positioned one inch from vertical rib 236,
  • vertical rib 240 may be positioned 3/4 inch from vertical rib 238.
  • Vertical rib 242 may be positioned 2 and 1 ⁇ 2 inches from vertical rib 240.
  • Vertical rib 244 may be positioned 3/4 inch from rib 242.
  • Rib 246 may be positioned one inch from rib 244 and one inch from the inner vertical wall surface of second guide rail 226.
  • each of the vertically extending ribs 236, 238, etc. may have a generally sine wave-shaped configuration.
  • the first end of each rib 250 may comprise a first trough portion of the rib which may have a height of 0 inches above the flat, horizontal-extending base 232. This point 250 on the rib may be positioned 2-1/4 inches forward of abutment surface 234.
  • Each rib has a rib crest 252 positioned 5-1/4 inches horizontally forward of abutment surface 234 and may have a height of 3/8 inches above the flat base surface.
  • Each rib has a second trough portion 254 which may be the front terminal end of the rib and may be positioned 10 inches horizontally forward of abutment surface 234 and may have a height of about 1/8 inch above the base surface.
  • the forward end of each rib may terminate at a shoulder surface 258 which is in turn connected to an upwardly and forwardly ramping surface 256.
  • the top of the shoulder surface 258 may have the same height as the second trough 254 of each rib.
  • the forward edge 260 of the upwardly ramping surface may be positioned 11-1/2 inches horizontally forwardly of abutment surface 234.
  • the front edge 260 of the upwardly ramping surface intersects a top surface 264 of a horizontally extending front rim portion 262.
  • the top surface 264 is coplanar with the top surfaces 223 and 229 of the guide rails 222, 226.
  • the front rim 260 and the upwardly ramping surface 256 are integrally connected with a generally truncated converging half pipe-shaped portion 265 which terminates in an inverted handlebar mustache-shaped portion 266.
  • the truncated converging half pipe-shaped portion 265 includes a curved, concave upward surface 267 which intersects the upwardly ramping surface 256 at intersection lines 269, 271 which in turn intersect at point 273 at the shoulder 258 of upwardly ramping surface 256.
  • the inverted handlebar mustache-shaped portion 266 comprises a first laterally extending handlebar portion 268 having a slightly inwardly and downwardly curving upper surface 270 which may have a radius of curvature of about 1-3/4 inches.
  • the handlebar portion 268 may comprise a rear surface 272 sloping downwardly and rearwardly which is a continuation of upwardly and forwardly ramping surface 256.
  • the inverted handlebar mustache-shaped portion may have a second laterally extending handlebar portion 276 which may be a mirror image of portion 268.
  • the highest points on the handlebar portions forms a second crest of the sinusoidal support surface and may be about 1 inch higher than the first trough portion 250.
  • the inverted handlebar mustache-shaped portion 266 may comprise an intermediate portion 280 having a generally bow-shaped upper surface 282 which is a continuation of surface 267 and which may have a radius of curvature "r" shown in Fig. 12 of about 5-1/2 inches. As previously discussed, the inverted, mustache-shaped portion 266 intersects the upwardly ramping surface 256 at intersection lines 269, 271. The depth "m" of the bow-shaped portion below a plane MM across the top of the handlebar-shaped portion may be approximately 3/4 inch. The truncated converging half pipe-shape of portion 265 causes a slight gap, e.g. 1/16 inch (Fig.
  • the truncated converging half pipe-shaped portion 265 and particularly the inverted handlebar mustache-shaped portion 266 thereof is a sheet bow-forming structure.
  • this bow-forming structure has a depth m of about 3/4 inches and a width n of about 6-1/8 inches and is capable of supporting sheet in a generally horizontally erect state at a length substantially longer, e.g. at least 25% longer, than the critical overhang length of the paper due to the bow formed in the paper by the inverted handlebar mustache-shaped portion.
  • the bow formed may have a radius of curvature greater than that of the bow of the inverted mustache-shaped portion if the paper supported is sufficiently stiff to prevent deformation to the entire depth m of the inverted mustache-shaped portion.
  • the paper may be made to more closely assume the shape of the inverted mustache-shaped portion by urging the paper downwardly as by positioning one's hand on the paper and pushing downwardly or through the force of gravity due to the weight of a stack of paper supported on the lower paper support tray. Even after release of such downward pressure the paper tends to stay in this more bow-shaped configuration which in turn allows for greater horizontal projection of the paper from the tray end without drooping.
  • a similar bow-forming process occurs in the upper support tray as well, except that there is no lower limit to the deformation of the paper provided by a support surface and thus, the paper itself will provide the maximum limit of deformation.
  • the bow-forming portion of both the upper tray and the lower tray are provided only at the front ends thereof. This configuration allows the paper to maintain a generally, horizontally-flat orientation across the rear longitudinal end thereof facilitating interface with the paper infeed mechanism 290, etc. of the ADF associated with the upper tray 90 and the paper discharge mechanism 292, etc. associated with the lower tray 210.
  • the forward end 12 of a sheet supported in each of these support trays is placed in the bow-shaped configuration which provides longitudinal rigidity while enabling the rear end portion 14 of the paper to remain relatively flexible and positioned in a generally laterally flat orientation on the associated tray.
  • Fig. 14 illustrates sheets of paper 10 supported on both the upper support tray and the lower support tray without drooping at a distance beyond the critical overhang length of the paper.
  • Fig. 15 is an end view of Fig. 14.
  • Fig. 16 illustrates a problem associated with the discharge of sheets of paper onto a flat paper support tray 308.
  • a sheet 310 is discharged into the support tray 308 in feed direction 312 and comprises a leading edge 314 and a trailing edge 316 which tend to curl upwardly after the paper is discharged from paper discharge port 318.
  • This upward curling of the edge of the paper may be produced as when paper is fed through a laser printer or some other device which causes differential heating of the paper.
  • Each upwardly curved end may rise as much as 1 inch or more.
  • Fig. 17 illustrates the support of sheet 310 on a sinusoidal support surface 330 having a first trough 332, a crest 334, and a second trough 336 such as that described for the rib portions of the lower support tray 210.
  • this sinusoidal support surface shape causes the ends of the paper 314, 316 to be positioned in a generally flat orientation on the support tray resulting in the leading edge 322 of the next incoming sheet of paper passing over, rather than under, the trailing edge 316 of the first sheet and avoiding paper jams. It has also been discovered that causing the leading edge 314 of the sheet to move upwardly over a support surface such as provided by the upwardly ramping surface 256 of the lower support tray results in improved paper handling by slowing the movement of the paper out of the tray to prevent the paper from sliding out of the try, even in a paper tray configuration where the paper does not project outwardly from the tray sufficiently such that it needs a bow formed at the end thereof for overhang rigidity.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Pile Receivers (AREA)
  • Handling Of Cut Paper (AREA)
EP19980118428 1998-02-27 1998-09-29 Plateau support de feuilles comportant un dispositif pour rigidifier l'extrémité des feuilles Withdrawn EP0939045A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US3242698A 1998-02-27 1998-02-27
US32426 1998-02-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0939045A2 true EP0939045A2 (fr) 1999-09-01

Family

ID=21864906

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19980118428 Withdrawn EP0939045A2 (fr) 1998-02-27 1998-09-29 Plateau support de feuilles comportant un dispositif pour rigidifier l'extrémité des feuilles

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0939045A2 (fr)
JP (1) JPH11286364A (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006079378A1 (fr) * 2005-01-27 2006-08-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contenant pour envois dans une machine de tri, pour la decharge ciblee d'envois plats
US20140241775A1 (en) * 2013-02-22 2014-08-28 Kyocera Document Solutions Inc. Sheet tray, sheet feeder with sheet tray,image forming apparatus with sheet tray, and image reading device with sheet tray
US20230054282A1 (en) * 2021-08-23 2023-02-23 Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. Container member and image forming apparatus

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006079378A1 (fr) * 2005-01-27 2006-08-03 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contenant pour envois dans une machine de tri, pour la decharge ciblee d'envois plats
US20140241775A1 (en) * 2013-02-22 2014-08-28 Kyocera Document Solutions Inc. Sheet tray, sheet feeder with sheet tray,image forming apparatus with sheet tray, and image reading device with sheet tray
US9323203B2 (en) * 2013-02-22 2016-04-26 Kyocera Document Solutions Inc. Sheet tray, sheet feeder with sheet tray,image forming apparatus with sheet tray, and image reading device with sheet tray
US20230054282A1 (en) * 2021-08-23 2023-02-23 Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. Container member and image forming apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH11286364A (ja) 1999-10-19

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6065747A (en) Sheet support tray with compensation for curled sheets
CA1204796A (fr) Systeme de regerbage de documents de fortes dimensions
JP4053952B2 (ja) 受動型の用紙分離装置
JPH1111719A (ja) シート移動装置及びシートセパレータ
US4300757A (en) Apparatus for receiving recording sheets in upset state for copying machine
EP0640546B1 (fr) Système d'empilage de feuilles à grande capacité avec introduction et positionnement d'empilage à hauteur variable
US7559547B2 (en) Tray for non-uniform thickness objects
EP0704395A1 (fr) Dispositif d'alimentation en feuilles
JP2017088263A (ja) 排紙トレイ装置
EP0590822A1 (fr) Appareil pour le traitement d'une pile de papier d'une imprimante
JP2894637B2 (ja) 可変圧力押え板を有するスタッカー組立体
JPS5882934A (ja) 最下部シ−ト給送装置
EP0939045A2 (fr) Plateau support de feuilles comportant un dispositif pour rigidifier l'extrémité des feuilles
JPH057291B2 (fr)
JP2017088262A (ja) 排紙トレイ装置
GB2215313A (en) Sheet stacking and guiding
EP1489028A1 (fr) Dispositif d'alimentation feuille a feuille et imprimante
US7828286B2 (en) Automatic document scanner with upright visible document images
JP2006232501A (ja) 排出シート積載装置と該装置を備えた画像読取装置
US6551052B2 (en) Sheet and stack feeding mechanism
JP2003081475A (ja) 原稿給紙装置
JPS59198252A (ja) 反転型のシ−ト受けトレイ
GB2063222A (en) Deskewing documents
KR20020020751A (ko) 베일 어셈블리
JP3912477B2 (ja) ペーパーサポート，給紙装置，記録装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN

18W Application withdrawn

Withdrawal date: 20000210