Handoff mechanism for a media production apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10167163-B2
Application number	US-201415311729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A handoff mechanism for use with a media stacker of a media production apparatus comprises a plurality of kicker units ( 101 ) arranged across a width of the handoff mechanism. A common drive mechanism ( 103 ) is provided to move the plurality of kicker units ( 101 ) between a closed position and an open position. Each kicker unit ( 101 ), when in the closed position during use, applies a pressure to any media sheets that are already stacked in a stacker tray ( 105 ) while a new media sheet is being fed to the stacker tray. The pressure provided by each kicker unit ( 101 ) is independent of the pressure provided by the other kicker units ( 101 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A handoff mechanism for use with a media stacker of a media production apparatus, the handoff mechanism comprising:
a plurality of kicker units arranged across a width of the handoff mechanism;
a common drive mechanism to move the plurality of kicker units between a closed position and an open position;
whereby each kicker unit, when in the closed position during use, applies a pressure to any media sheets that are already stacked in a stacker tray while a new media sheet is being fed to the stacker tray, and wherein the pressure provided by each kicker unit is independent of the pressure provided by the other kicker units.

2. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a kicker unit comprises:
a drive component coupled to the common drive mechanism, to move a kicker element between the closed position and the open position;
a contact component which, in use, applies pressure to any media sheets already stacked in a stacker tray, wherein the contact component is moveable relative to the drive component; and
a first biasing element coupled between the drive component and the contact component, to control movement of the contact component relative to the drive component.

3. A handoff mechanism as claimed 2 , wherein the drive component and the contact component move relative to one another about a common axis.

4. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the force of the first biasing element controls the pressure applied by the contact component to any media sheets already stacked on the stacker tray, while the kicker unit is in the closed position.

5. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the force applied by the first biasing element is low enough to allow each kicker unit to adapt to a particular depth of a media stack and/or any manufacturing tolerances of a stacker tray, but high enough to sufficiently hold media sheets already stacked.

6. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring.

7. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the drive component comprises a rack arrangement to engage with a gear wheel of the common drive mechanism; and
the contact component comprises an envelope structure which surrounds the drive component, such that the drive component is moveable within the contact component.

8. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the contact component comprises at least one slot, and the drive component comprises at least one guide pin, wherein a guide pin moves within the slot to guide the movement of the drive component relative to the contact component.

9. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a first end of the contact component which, in use, contacts any media sheets in the stacker tray, comprises a pivotable section.

10. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the contact component comprises an indicator element to indicate the fill status of the stacker tray.

11. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the indicator element comprises a protrusion or an opening located at a second end of the contact component, whereby the protrusion or opening, in use, cooperates with a sensor to indicate whether a maximum stacker capacity has been achieved.

12. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a linkage mechanism to enable the kicker units to move from the closed position to the open position, and from the open position to the closed position, in response to a motor of the common drive mechanism rotating in a single direction.

13. A handoff mechanism as claimed in claim 12 wherein the linkage mechanism comprises;
a toothed gear wheel driven by the common drive mechanism, to drive a rack arrangement on the drive component, wherein the toothed gear wheel comprises a plurality of missing teeth; and
a second biasing element to tension the kicker unit towards the closed position.

14. A kicker unit for use with a handoff mechanism of a media production apparatus, the kicker unit comprising:
a drive component coupled to a common drive mechanism, to move the kicker element between a closed position and an open position;
a contact component which, in use, applies pressure to any media sheets already stacked in a stacker tray, wherein the contact component is moveable relative to the drive component; and
a first biasing element coupled between the drive component and the contact component, to control movement of the contact component relative to the drive component, such that when the kicker unit is in a closed position during use, the contact component applies a pressure to any media sheets that are already stacked in a stacker tray while a new media sheet is being fed to the stacker tray, and wherein the pressure provided by the kicker unit is independent of the pressure provided by other kicker units of the handoff mechanism.

15. A kicker unit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the drive component and the contact component move relative to one another about a common axis.

16. A kicker unit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a force of the first biasing element controls the pressure applied by the contact component to any media sheets already stacked on the stacker tray, while the kicker unit is in the closed position.

17. A kicker unit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a force applied by the first biasing element is low enough to allow the kicker unit to accommodate different depths of a media stack and/or any manufacturing tolerances of a stacker tray, but high enough to sufficiently hold media sheets already stacked.

18. A kicker unit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring.

19. A printer apparatus comprising a handoff mechanism for use with a media stacker of a media production apparatus, the handoff mechanism comprising:
a plurality of kicker units arranged across a width of the handoff mechanism;
a common drive mechanism to move the plurality of kicker units between a closed position and an open position;
whereby each kicker unit, when in the closed position during use, applies a pressure to any media sheets that are already stacked in a stacker tray while a new media sheet is being fed to the stacker tray, and wherein the pressure provided by each kicker unit is independent of the pressure provided by the other kicker units.

20. A printer apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , wherein each kicker unit comprises:
a drive component coupled to a common drive mechanism, to move the kicker element between a closed position and an open position;
a contact component which, in use, applies pressure to any media sheets already stacked in a stacker tray, wherein the contact component is moveable relative to the drive component; and
a first biasing element coupled between the drive component and the contact component, to control movement of the contact component relative to the drive component, such that when the kicker unit is in a closed position during use, the contact component applies a pressure to any media sheets that are already stacked in a stacker tray while a new media sheet is being fed to the stacker tray, and wherein the pressure provided by the kicker unit is independent of the pressure provided by other kicker units of the handoff mechanism.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Chanclon Fernandez Ismael
• Gonzalez Perello Daniel
• Ormaechea Saracibar Joseba
• Royo Xavier Miguel

Classifications

• B65H2301/442

  by acting on edge of handled material · CPC title

• B65H2701/1313

  trailing edge · CPC title

• B65H2301/4422

  with guide member moving in the material direction · CPC title

• B65H2405/11151

  with surface inclined upwardly in transport direction · CPC title

• B65H2403/41

  Rack-and-pinion, cogwheel in cog railway · CPC title