Patent ID: 7762552

Claim:
A device to direct media sheets moving along a media path within an image forming apparatus, the device comprising: a housing positioned in proximity to the media path; a gate movably connected to the housing, the gate including an elongated shape that extends across at least a section of the media path; a fluid damper operatively connected to the gate and including a chamber to hold fluid and a shaft with a first section positioned within the chamber and a second section extending outward from the chamber, the shaft being operatively connected to a motor; rotation of the shaft in a first direction moves the fluid damper relative to the housing and causes the gate to move to a first position in the media path to direct the media sheets towards a first part of the media path; rotation of the shaft in a second direction moves the fluid damper relative to the housing and causes the gate to move to a second position to direct the media sheets towards a second part of the media path; and first and second stops each attached to the housing and spaced apart a predetermined distance, the gate contacting against the first stop when the shaft rotates in the first direction and contacting against the second stop when the shaft rotates in the second direction.