Patent ID: 6494447
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A stacker wheel start-stop synchronization arrangement for a sheet inspection or processing apparatus, comprising:a stacker wheel connected to a shaft and including a plurality of spiral blades defining grooves into which sheets are intermittently diverted; a stepper motor connected to said shaft for accelerating, rotating and decelerating the stacker wheel; and a controller connected to said stepper motor and arranged to: a. hold said stacker wheel stationary in a first, predetermined position at which a first sheet will enter a first groove without jamming, until the first sheet has entered said first groove, b. before a second sheet arrives, index the stacker wheel to a second, predetermined position at which a second sheet will enter a second groove without jamming, and c. hold the stacker wheel stationary at the second position at least until the second sheet enters the second groove, thereby providing stop/synchronization of the stacker wheel with arriving sheets.