Granted Patent B2

US 7,828,279 · App. 12/276,641 · Granted Nov 9, 2010

Abstract

Claims (62)

1. A method of scanning at least first and second documents comprising repeating, for each document, the steps of:

obtaining the document that is to be scanned, leading edge first, from an input tray;

transporting the document at a transport velocity past a scanner to obtain image data therefrom;

stacking each scanned document aligned with trailing-edge registration in a sloped output tray, in the order of scanning, by a sequence that comprises:

detecting the trailing edge of the scanned document;

feeding the leading edge of the scanned document from an exit nip in a forward direction and above the sloped output tray at a transport velocity;

changing the speed of the document transport at the exit nip to an exit velocity, different from the transport velocity, according to the timing of the trailing edge detection;

ejecting the trailing edge of the scanned document from the exit nip at the exit velocity;

restoring speed at the exit nip to the transport velocity for feeding the leading edge of a subsequent document from the exit nip at the transport velocity; and

wherein the exit velocity is slower than the transport velocity.

2. A method of scanning at least first and second documents comprising repeating, for each document, the steps of:

obtaining the document that is to be scanned, leading edge first, from an input tray;

transporting the document at a transport velocity past a scanner to obtain image data therefrom;

stacking each scanned document aligned with trailing-edge registration in a sloped output tray, in the order of scanning, by a sequence that comprises:

detecting the trailing edge of the scanned document;

feeding the leading edge of the scanned document from an exit nip in a forward direction and above the sloped output tray at a transport velocity;

changing the speed of the document transport at the exit nip to an exit velocity, different from the transport velocity, according to the timing of the trailing edge detection;

ejecting the trailing edge of the scanned document from the exit nip at the exit velocity;

restoring speed at the exit nip to the transport velocity for feeding the leading edge of a subsequent document from the exit nip at the transport velocity; and

wherein the output tray comprises at least first and second sloped portions that guide the trailing edge of the scanned document backward against a tapered rear wall, wherein the first sloped portion of the output tray nearest the tapered rear wall is disposed at a first angle relative to horizontal and wherein the second sloped portion extends outward from the first sloped portion and is disposed at a second angle, wherein the first angle is steeper than the second angle.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the output tray further comprises an adjustable member that is positionable to change the length of the first sloped portion.

4. A method of scanning at least first and second documents comprising repeating, for each document, the steps of:

obtaining the document that is to be scanned, leading edge first, from an input tray;

transporting the document at a transport velocity past a scanner to obtain image data therefrom;

stacking each scanned document aligned with trailing-edge registration in a sloped output tray, in the order of scanning, by a sequence that comprises:

detecting the trailing edge of the scanned document;

feeding the leading edge of the scanned document from an exit nip in a forward direction and above the sloped output tray at a transport velocity;

changing the speed of the document transport at the exit nip to an exit velocity, different from the transport velocity, according to the timing of the trailing edge detection;

ejecting the trailing edge of the scanned document from the exit nip at the exit velocity;

restoring speed at the exit nip to the transport velocity for feeding the leading edge of a subsequent document from the exit nip at the transport velocity; and

wherein the transport velocity is taken from a set having multiple values.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the transport velocity is selectable according to an operator instruction.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the transport velocity is changed in accordance with scanning resolution.

7. A method of scanning at least first and second documents comprising repeating, for each document, the steps of:

obtaining the document that is to be scanned, leading edge first, from an input tray;

transporting the document at a transport velocity past a scanner to obtain image data therefrom;

stacking each scanned document aligned with trailing-edge registration in a sloped output tray, in the order of scanning, by a sequence that comprises:

detecting the trailing edge of the scanned document;

feeding the leading edge of the scanned document from an exit nip in a forward direction and above the sloped output tray at a transport velocity;

changing the speed of the document transport at the exit nip to an exit velocity, different from the transport velocity, according to the timing of the trailing edge detection;

ejecting the trailing edge of the scanned document from the exit nip at the exit velocity;

restoring speed at the exit nip to the transport velocity for feeding the leading edge of a subsequent document from the exit nip at the transport velocity; and

wherein the at least first and second documents comprise first and second documents of different lengths.

8. A scanner document transport system comprising:

an input tray for holding a stack of documents of any dimension within a predetermined range of dimensions;

a document transport apparatus comprising:

a feed mechanism actuable to obtain each document, successively, from the input tray;

a first motor actuable to provide motion for a feed path that directs each obtained document individually past a scanner at a transport velocity;

an exit transport apparatus comprising:

an edge-sensor disposed to provide a signal indicating the trailing edge of the scanned document;

a second motor actuable at a first output feed speed to direct the leading edge of the scanned document in a forward direction through an exit and above a sloped output tray at the transport velocity and, according to the timing of the edge-sensor signal, actuable at a second output feed speed to eject the trailing edge of the scanned document through the exit in the forward direction above the output tray at an exit velocity; and

wherein the second output feed speed is slower than the first output feed speed.

9. A scanner document transport system comprising:

an input tray for holding a stack of documents of any dimension within a predetermined range of dimensions;

a document transport apparatus comprising:

a feed mechanism actuable to obtain each document, successively, from the input tray;

a first motor actuable to provide motion for a feed path that directs each obtained document individually past a scanner at a transport velocity;

an exit transport apparatus comprising:

an edge-sensor disposed to provide a signal indicating the trailing edge of the scanned document;

a second motor actuable at a first output feed speed to direct the leading edge of the scanned document in a forward direction through an exit and above a sloped output tray at the transport velocity and, according to the timing of the edge-sensor signal, actuable at a second output feed speed to eject the trailing edge of the scanned document through the exit in the forward direction above the output tray at an exit velocity; and

wherein the output tray surface has at least a first portion at a first slope and a second portion at a steeper slope and disposed to guide the trailing edge of the scanned document in a backward direction into alignment against a tapered back wall.

10. The system of claim 9 where the output tray further comprises a movable portion that adjusts the length of either the first or second portion of the output tray surface.

Assignments (11)