Patent Publication Number: US-5527026-A

Title: Auto compensating paper feeder

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to paper feeders with compensating pick or feed rollers and to paper feeder with corner bucklers, or dams. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With paper picking devices there exists a critical normal force relationship between the pick roller and the paper stack. Too much normal force will result in multi-feeds and too little normal force will result in fails to feed. In conventional devices either the paper stack or the pick roll is spring loaded against the other to provide normal force for picking. Even with extensive tuning of this force the result is usually a very narrow range of media that will run reliably. These systems are vulnerable to a couple of media characteristics: Density or net weight, and stiffness. When the paper stack is spring loaded, density or net weight of the media can vary the resultant normal force. When the pick roller is spring loaded against the paper, the problem of counterbalancing the paper weight is eliminated but the media stiffness is still a problem. Presently, the common way to deal with these problems is through a force adjustment mechanism that requires operator intervention when switching from media to media. U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,491 to Eisner et al shows a driver roller on a pivoted gear train as is true for this invention, but without mention of auto compensation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,686 to Ono et al shows a drive roller on a pivoted arm, but not with auto compensation from a gear train. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention solves both of these problems. There are no springs used in this picking device. The pick roll is mounted on a rotating swing arm. The roll rests on the paper stack. When pick roll drive is initiated through a gear located on the pivot shaft of the swing arm and counter rotating to the direction of feed, a torque is applied to the swing arm through the downstream gear train which rotates the swing arm and pick roll into the paper stack. The normal force generated is dictated by the buckling resistance of the media being picked. In theory, the normal force generated is no more than is required to buckle a single sheet of media plus the frictional resistance between the first and second sheet. Therefore; as long as the required buckling force of the media is greater than the frictional resistance of the second sheet, multifeeding is a physical impossibility. After the sheet has buckled the normal force automatically seeks equilibrium dictated by the frictional drag between the first and second sheet. The beauty of this picking device is that it never delivers more normal force than what is required to feed a single sheet of media, yet its picking power is virtually unlimited. 
     Another unique feature of this device is that after drive to the pick roll is discontinued the sheet in process will impart rotation to the pick roll that causes the swing arm to rotate up off of the stack to a point where the normal force theoretically goes to zero. Therefore: if the swing arm is counterbalanced such that at rest the normal force is zero, then the need for overrunning clutches or gear train disengagement is eliminated. Minimal drag will be imparted to sheet in process even though the pick roll is not turning. 
     Because of the unlimited pick power of this device picking with no paper present in the device can be disastrous. To solve this problem the restraint pad, normally found in corner buckler designs, has been replaced with a pressure sensitive restraint roll. The restraint roll is a high friction roll located under the pick roll. It is biased up by a resilient spring against the bottom of the tray such that the friction between the roll and the tray will not allow it to rotate during normal feeding. When the tray is empty the pick roll will eventually deliver enough normal force to overcome the spring loading of the restraint roll against the tray bottom, driving it down out of engagement with the tray and allowing it to rotate freely. Other ways to deal with this problem include sensing out of paper and not picking, torque limiting the drive to the pick roll, and just stalling the motor that is delivering power to the pick roll. 
     Another weakness of corner buckler picking mechanisms from a reliability standpoint is what is known as corner buckler hang. Corner buckler hang occurs when the buckle forms in the wrong direction, driving the buckler up off of the stack and wedging the sheet under the buckler usually resulting in a jam. This feeder is more resistant to this problem because of the strategic location selected for the corner buckler pivot point. By locating the pivot of the corner buckler below the bottom of the paper stack, when the paper is driven into the buckler, a rotational force acts on the buckler driving it down into the paper stack helping to counter the forces trying to lift the corner buckler. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The details of this invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows an illustrative implementation with paper in the tray; FIG. 2 shows a portion of the same embodiment as FIG. 1 when the paper tray is empty; FIG. 3 shows preferred embodiment in which the pivot point is lower by placing the swing arm outside the paper tray; and FIG. 4-FIG. 7 support a discussion of an analysis of operation and design in accordance with this invention. 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is an illustrative embodiment with swing arm 1 carrying a train of gears 3, 5, 7 and 9. Swing arm 1 is pivoted at point 11, which is at the center of gear 3. Gear 9 is integral with a larger, driver roller 13. 
     Driver roller 13 resets on the top of paper stack 15, and function as a pick roller to move the top sheet of paper stack 15 in the feed direction, shown illustratively as arrow 17. As is conventional for corner buckler systems, corner buckler 19 is a rigid metal tab generally parallel with the surface of paper stack 15 which during pick operation by drive roller 13 causes the top sheet of paper stack 15 to bow upward, followed by the sheet then moving decisively over buckler 19. 
     Paper stack 15 rest on a stationary tray 21. Corner buckler 19 is integral with a pivot arm 23 which rotates on pivot 25 located under tray 21. Pivot arm 23 is in the order of magnitude of 10 inches in length. 
     Roller 27 is positioned under tray 21 and positioned to be contacted by drive roller 13 when tray 21 is empty. It is moveable vertically upward under the action of a spring 29 (FIG. 2) and passes through a hole 31 in tray 21. 
     In operation to feed paper gear 3 is rotated counterclockwise, as by a motor (not shown). This immediately places a counterclockwise torque on swing arm 1 which is free to move on pivot 11 (shown illustratively by arrow 31). The gear train of gears 3, 5, 7 and 9 also translates rotary force to turn gear 9, and therefore drive roller 13, clockwise. The top sheet of paper stack 15 is pressed with increasing forces until roller 9 begins to rotate, which terminates the previous torque around pivot 11 correspondingly. As the paper stack 15 becomes lower by feeding of sheets, arm 23 moves downward under gravity (shown illustratively by arrow 33). Paper from stack 15 when driven in the feed direction also tends to drive arm 23 downward. This automatically repositions the corner buckler 19 for best operation. (This invention also functions well with a simple ramp surface facing paper 15, conventionally termed a dam. The advantage of a dam is ease of paper loading.) 
     Since the pivot force of swing arm 11 is theoretically unlimited until gear 9 turns, roller 27 is provided to present a turning surface when tray 25 is empty, as shown in FIG. 2. 
     ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT 
     The illustrative configuration pictured in FIGS. 1 and 2, has a strict limitation on paper stack height since the swing arm 1 and it&#39;s gear train of gears 3, 5, 7, and 9 are cantilevered out over the paper stack 15. Also, since the swing arm pivot 11 is above the paper stack 15 and the corner buckler pivot 25 is below the paper stack 15, the distance from the drive roller 13 to the corner buckler 19 varies considerably from a full stack 15 to an empty stack 15 as the swing arm pivot 11 was raised to increase capacity, this situation becomes a problem. 
     An alternate configuration, that solves the capacity issue, moves the swing arm 1 over at the side of the paper stack 15, outside its retaining boundary or wall, and only cantilevers the drive roller 13 out over the paper 15. This allows the swing arm pivot 11 to be moved down toward the center of the paper stack, reducing the variation in the distance from the corner buckler 19 to the drive roller 13 by a factor 5. 
     This is shown in FIG. 3, in which corresponding elements are given the same number as in FIG. 1, with a suffix &#34;a&#34;, even though they are somewhat changed as discussed above. FIG. 3 shows the paper tray 21 empty and the apparatus therefore is the status of FIG. 2. The lower position of pivot point 11, opposite a level in tray 21 used to contain paper 15a, reduces the angular variation of drive roller 13a with large paper stacks 15 in tray 21. 
     THEORY 
     Objective 
     The objective of this analysis is to determine the parameters under which the bellcrank type paper picking mechanism will function. In order to accomplish this, a force balance will be carried out on the mechanism in terms of assigned variables. Analytical relationships that describe the mechanism will be derived and these will allow one to easily assess the validity of a given design. 
     Problem Statement 
     A diagram of the mechanism can be found on FIG. 4, in which elements corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are given the same number as in FIG. 1 with the suffix &#34;b&#34;, the bellcrank axis is 16, the drive gear is 3b, the next idler gear is 5b, the next idler gear is 7b, the next idler gear is 9b, the pick roller is 13b, the paper is 15b and the corner buckler is 19b. 
     The operation of this mechanism is fairly simple. The drive gear 3b has an applied clockwise torque. Assuming that the pick roller 13b does not slip and start to rotate, the applied torque will cause an increased normal force between the pick roller 13b and the top sheet of paper 15b. The gear train 3b, 5b, 7b and 9b will remain locked and the normal force will continue to build up until the paper 15b buckles. Once this occurs, the pick roller 13b will continue to drive the paper 15b forward until it is passed on to a second drive roller (not shown). 
     Analysis 
     The simplest method of analyzing the mechanism is to construct free body diagrams of each component. The first is the model of the bellcrank with this gear locked. It is shown on FIG. 5, in which Ry and Rx are the reaction applied at axis, T is the input force, W is weight, N is normal for, B is buckling force, and X is a positive angle. 
     Summing the forces in the x and y direction yields: 
     
         ΣF.sub.x =R.sub.x -B=0 
    
     and, 
     
         ΣF.sub.y =R.sub.y +N-W=0 
    
     However, the most useful result is found from the balance of the moments about the bellcrank&#39;s axis. 
     
         ΣM.sub.axis =N·L cos(∝)-W·d·cos(∝)-B·R.sub.r +L·sin(∝))-T=0 
    
     where, 
     d=distance from the axis of rotation to the center of gravity of the mechanism 
     L=distance from the axis of rotation to the pick roller 13 axis. 
     The next important analysis is of the drive gear 13b by itself. This can be found on FIG. 6, in which F is force in the y direction and B is the angle between the force and a tangent to 13b and R 1  is the radius of drive gear 13b. 
     Summing the moments about the axis of rotation, the following equation may be obtained. 
     
         T=F·R.sub.1 ·cos(β). 
    
     The final relationship can be determined from the gear 9b/pick roller 13b geometry. This is simplified by the fact that the force that drives this gear is equal in magnitude to F (because forces on gear teeth, not torque, are transmitted through a gear train at the same magnitude). FIG. 7 shows the force balance for the pick roller 13b and gear 9b. Again, summing the moments about the axis of rotation yields: 
     
         ΣM=F·R.sub.4 ·cos(β)-B·R.sub.r =0. 
    
     However, equation 5 only pertains to the instant at which the paper starts to buckle. To get a more useful result, the buckling force, B, can be related to the normal force, N, via the following: 
     
         B≧f.sub.s N. 
    
     Thus, from the beginning of the pick cycle until the start of buckling, Equations 5 and 6 can be combined to obtain: 
     
         F·R.sub.4 ·cos(β)=f.sub.s ·N·R.sub.r. 
    
     It should be noted that this approach assumes that the pick roll will not slip. This is acceptable, because it allows one to construct relationships that will ensure that slipping does not occur. 
     Combining Equations 3, 4, and 7 with general knowledge about the mechanism, one will find that if the following simplified inequality holds, the mechanism should work adequately. ##EQU1## 
     In order to evaluate the effects of tilting the entire mechanism relative to horizontal, one modification to Equation 8 must be made. The term involving the weight must be adjusted to account for the angle at which the entire mechanism is tilted, θ, as follows. ##EQU2## 
     Equation 9 is valid for all situations and should be used to evaluate any the mechanism in its final design stages. However, a very conservative estimate of a given geometry&#39;s potential to operate successfully can be had from a much simpler equation. 
     By removing the contributions of the weights (which always helps to add picking force) and the moment caused by the buckling force (which assists the auto compensating effect when ∝≧-sin -1  (R r  /L)) and assuming a worst case value for a, a simple ratio of geometric parameters can be found. ##EQU3## Equation 10 should be vary useful in the early design stages. If a given mechanism satisfies this, the mechanism should pick any media up to the maximum torque the machine can provide. 
     After the geometry is defined, one should use Equation 9 to determine the location of the center of gravity and the weight of the mechanism. These parameters should be set such that the weight&#39;s contribution to normal force does not exceed the smallest normal force expected from the lightest of media. This will prevent double and pack feeding. Furthermore, the operating parameters, with regard to ∝, should be adjusted to that the buckling force acting on the system does not add to the torque required by the system.