Preventing Overfill Of Media Sheets In a Sheet Feeder
A flag with a cam is pivotally attached to a sheet stock edge guide in a sheet loading tray of a copier or printer such that in the event the tray is overfilled, the edge of the sheet stack moves the cam to a position causing the flag to be raised to alert the user of the overfill.
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The present disclosure relates to sheet feeders for copying and printing machines of the type typically employed in offices and for photocopying documents. Such machines are commonly provided with a user loadable tray for insertion of sheets of the desired size into a feeding mechanism which advances the sheets into the photocopying machine. Trays of this sort intended for loading of at least 50 sheets of paper are provided with adjustable guides on the sides of the tray for maintaining the sheets in accurate registration and position for entry into the feeder. However, if the user overloads the tray the sheets can ride up over the guides and become skewed and enter the feeder in a disoriented manner which can result in improper feeding and jamming. Additionally, it has been found that damage to the sheet sensors in the feeding mechanism can result when jamming occurs. Furthermore, if excessive overload of the tray is experienced, the sheets can become driven into the nudger rolls resulting in damage to the rolls themselves.
Heretofore, attempts to prevent tray overload have been addressed by incorporating a wiper blade for removal of excess paper above a specific height in the tray. If sufficient overload of the tray is encountered, the wiper blade can cause curling of a large number of sheets, which may result in forces applied to the tray components and guides; and, in such situations, failures of these components has been experienced.
It has therefore been desired to provide a way or means of preventing or indicating to the user that the sheet stacker or tray has been overfilled and jamming or damage to the machine may occur. It has further been desired to provide such an indication to the user in a manner which is simple and low in cost to incorporate into existing machines, without adding additional complexity to the loading tray or machine.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure describes a way of indicating to the user that a sheet stacker or tray for a copying machine is overfilled to the point that jamming or damage can occur. The present disclosure describes a rotatable flag pivotally mounted on the sheet edge guides employed in the tray whereby the flag remains in the upright position warning the user of overfill in the event that the sheets are loaded into the stacker or tray above a predetermined level. The flag of the present disclosure may be added to an existing sheet tray edge guide without significant modification of the basic components of the tray and edge guides.
Referring to
Edge guides 102, 104, each have a leg portion or extension 112, 114 respectively with a toothed rack 116, 118 respectively along one side of the leg portion 112, 114. The teeth of the racks 116, 118 engage respectively opposite sides of stationary toothed pinions 120, 122 to provide equal and oppositely directed movement of the edge guide upon user adjustment, for effecting centering of the sheet stack in the tray.
It will be noted that the center tower of edge guide 104 has the inscription “MAX” thereon above a visible fill limit line for indicating to the user the level above which the tray should not be filled.
Referring to
The center edge guide tower 14 has provided thereon an overfill indicator indicated generally at 28 provided thereon for providing visual indication to the user that the tray has been filled above the safe limit level as will hereinafter be described.
Referring to
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Thus, the present disclosure describes a unique and novel indicator assembly which may be attached to the edge guide of a media sheet tray or stacker for providing a visual indicator or flag which is raised upon the user loading the tray above the fill limit.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
Claims
1. A device for preventing overfill of media sheets in a sheet feeder comprising:
- (a) a user loadable tray for positioning media sheets therein and adapted for use with the feeder; and,
- (b) an indicator disposed with the tray, wherein upon user fill of sheets in the tray above a predetermined level, the indicator is moved by the sheets from a retracted position to an active position providing an indication of overfill.
2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator in the active position includes a stop operative to block insertion of the tray into the feeder.
3. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the tray includes sheet position edge guides and the indicator is pivotally mounted on one of the guides.
4. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is pivotally mounted on a rear sheet edge guide of the tray.
5. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is operative to display a flag readily visible to the user.
6. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the tray includes guides with integrally formal surfaces for pivoting the indicator thereon.
7. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the guides includes surfaces operative to limit movement of the indicator in the active position.
8. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is pivotally mounted onto a retainer and forms a subassembly which is attached to the tray.
9. The device defined in claim 8, wherein the retainer includes integrally formed surfaces operable to pivotally engage and retain the indicator thereon.
10. The device defined in claim 8, wherein the subassembly is attached to a sheet guide on the tray.
11. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator is mounted on a sheet guide on the tray and the sheet guide includes surfaces operable to limit movement of the indicator.
12. A method of preventing overfill of media sheets in a sheet feeder comprising:
- (a) providing a user loadable tray for positioning media sheets therein for insertion into the feeder;
- (b) disposing an indicator with the tray and moving the indicator from a retracted to an active indicating position in response to an overfill.
13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the step of disposing an indicator includes disposing an indicator on the tray for pivotal movement thereon.
14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the step of providing a tray includes providing adjustable sheet edge guides and the step of disposing an indicator includes pivotally mounting an indicator on one of the guides.
15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the step of disposing an indicator includes pivotally attaching an indicator to a retainer and mounting the retainer on one of the sheet edge guides.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 18, 2008
Publication Date: Aug 20, 2009
Applicant: Xerox Corporation (Norwalk, CT)
Inventor: Julia Annette Allwright (Chingford)
Application Number: 12/032,738