Method to accommodate a large capacity of sheets in a feeder mechanism
View Patent ↗The sheet capacity of a pivoting feed head is combined with a complimentary pivoting design for the paper tray lift, such that a large total capacity of sheets is attained within a compact space, while allowing the lifting mechanisms to be located outside of the perimeter of the paper tray.
1. A device for feeding sheets to a feeder, the device comprising;
a tray assembly containing sheets, wherein the sheets rest on a pivoting support; and the tray assembly has a tray having a feed sheet end and a tray load end; a base and a fixed cover that slopes downward from the tray feed end to the tray load end;
a feed assembly that singulates the sheets, wherein the feed assembly pivots on an axis parallel to the pivoting support;
a linkage mechanism that couples an angle of a pivoting support motion of the tray assembly to a pivoting motion of the feed assembly so that sheets may be presented by the pivoting support to the feed assembly so that a capacity of sheets in the device exceeds a capacity of the sheets in the tray assembly and a capacity of the sheets in the feed assembly;
wherein the linkage mechanism comprises:
a lift arm that lifts the tray;
a lift arm cam;
a first cam follower connecting the lift arm to the lift arm cam;
a motor which drives the lift arm cam;
a feed assembly cam which lifts the feed assembly; and
a second cam follower connecting the feed assembly to the feed assembly cam; so that the motor drives the feed assembly cam.
2. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pivoting support pivots about an angle between zero degrees and sixty degrees.
3. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tray assembly comprises: adjustable side walls.
4. The device claimed in claim 3 , wherein the adjustable side walls cover less than one half of the tray length so that sheets may be loaded into the tray.
5. The device claimed in claim 3 , wherein the adjustable side walls of the tray are sloped downward from the tray feed end to the tray load end.
6. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises:
a sensor that senses the angle of the feed assembly.
7. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises:
a sensor that senses the position of the lift arm cam.
8. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises:
a sensor that senses the position of the feed assembly cam.
9. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein a pivoting sheet support may be lowered to allow the sheets to be loaded into the tray assembly.
10. The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the feed assembly is raised to allow the sheets to be loaded into the tray assembly.