Patent ID: 7613420

Claim:
An image forming device comprising: a vertical media path through which media sheets originating from a plurality of sources pass, at least one of the plurality of sources being on a first lateral side of the vertical media path and a second of the plurality of sources being on a second lateral side of the vertical media path, at least two of the plurality of sources being located at a common vertical position on the vertical media path; an alignment mechanism located along the media path, the alignment mechanism comprising first and second rollers; a diverter positioned along the vertical media path upstream of the alignment mechanism and vertically below the alignment mechanism to horizontally alter the course followed by the media sheets and focus an approach of the media sheets such that the media sheets originating from each of the plurality of sources make initial contact with the alignment mechanism at a common predetermined position, the diverter being a portion of the media path and being stationary irrespective of the plurality of the sources from where the media sheet is being picked, the diverter being positioned proximally to the alignment mechanism such that no roller is positioned in the media path between the diverter and the alignment mechanism, a second media path through which media sheets originating from a secondary source other than the plurality of sources pass, the second media path configured to direct media sheets passing through the second media path to make initial contact with the alignment mechanism at the common predetermined position, the second media path positioned upstream of the alignment mechanism and downstream from the diverter.