Bar clamp for media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933658-B2
Application number	US-201616332070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

An example system includes a stacking portion having a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, the stacking portion being to receive print media transported into the stacking portion in a direction from the trailing edge portion to the leading edge portion; a bar clamp extending longitudinally in the direction of transport of the print media; and a driver arrangement to selectively extend the bar clamp onto the stacking portion and to retract the bar clamp away from the stacking portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to stack print media, comprising:
a stacking portion having a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, the stacking portion being to receive print media transported into the stacking portion in a direction from the trailing edge portion to the leading edge portion;
a bar clamp extending longitudinally in the direction of transport of the print media; and
a driver arrangement to selectively extend the bar clamp toward the stacking portion and to retract the bar clamp away from the stacking portion,
wherein the driver arrangement comprises:
a driven arm coupled to a first portion of the bar clamp;
a passive arm coupled to a second portion of the bar clamp; and
a driver to drive the driven arm in a first direction to extend the bar clamp and in a second direction to retract the bar clamp, the passive arm to follow movement of the driven arm through movement of the bar clamp.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bar clamp extends substantially from the leading edge portion to substantially the trailing edge portion.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the bar clamp is downstream of the second portion.

4. The system of claim 3 , comprising:
a lost motion arrangement coupled to the passive arm, the lost motion arrangement biasing the passive arm in the first direction.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the lost motion arrangement is to cause the bar clamp to contact the trailing edge portion of the stacking portion before the leading edge portion of the stacking portion when the driven arm is driven in the first direction.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a second bar clamp extending longitudinally in the direction of transport of the print media, wherein the bar clamp and the second bar clamp are positioned on opposing sides of the stacking portion,
wherein the driven arm is coupled to the first portion of the bar clamp through a first cross bar, the first cross bar being further coupled to a first portion of the second bar clamp, and
wherein the passive arm is coupled to the second portion of the bar clamp through a second cross bar, the second cross bar being further coupled to a second portion of the second bar clamp.

7. A system to stack print media, comprising:
a bar clamp;
a first arm coupled to a first position on the bar clamp, the first arm being driven by a drive mechanism to selectively extend or retract the first arm relative to a frame;
a second arm coupled to the frame and to a second position on the bar clamp, the second arm to substantially follow movement of the first arm through movement of the bar clamp; and
a lost motion mechanism coupling the second arm to the frame.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the lost motion mechanism includes a resilient member to bias the second arm to be more extended than the first arm.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second bar clamp extending parallel to the bar clamp,
wherein the first arm is coupled to the first portion of the bar clamp through a first cross bar, the first cross bar being further coupled to a first portion of the second bar clamp, and
wherein the second arm is coupled to the second portion of the bar clamp through a second cross bar, the second cross bar being further coupled to a second portion of the second bar clamp.

10. A method for stacking print media, comprising:
detecting an incoming print medium being transported to a stacking portion;
actuating a drive mechanism coupled to a bar clamp arrangement to retract the bar clamp arrangement away from the stacking portion, the bar clamp arrangement including a bar clamp extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to a direction of transport of the incoming print medium;
detecting completion of transport of the incoming print medium to the stacking portion; and
actuating the drive mechanism to extend the bar clamp arrangement toward the stacking portion,
wherein the driver arrangement comprises:
a driven arm coupled to a first portion of the bar clamp;
a passive arm coupled to a second portion of the bar clamp; and
a driver to drive the driven arm in a first direction to extend the bar clamp and in a second direction to retract the bar clamp, the passive arm to follow movement of the driven arm through movement of the bar clamp.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the bar clamp extends substantially from a leading edge portion of the stacking portion to substantially a trailing edge portion of the stacking portion.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises:
a lost motion arrangement coupled to the passive arm, the lost motion arrangement biasing the passive arm in the first direction.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the bar clamp arrangement comprises:
a second bar clamp extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the bar clamp and the second bar clamp are positioned on opposing sides of the stacking portion,
wherein the driven arm is coupled to the first portion of the bar clamp through a first cross bar, the first cross bar being further coupled to a first portion of the second bar clamp, and
wherein the passive arm is coupled to the second portion of the bar clamp through a second cross bar, the second cross bar being further coupled to a second portion of the second bar clamp.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Morgan Lonny
• Allison Michael
• Johnson Bruce G
• Yraceburu Robert
• Downing Elliott

Classifications

• B65H2402/30

  Supports; Subassemblies; Mountings thereof · CPC title

• B41J13/106

  for the sheet output section · CPC title

• B41J11/0005 Primary

  Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material · CPC title

• B65H31/02

  with stationary end support against which pile accumulates · CPC title

• B65H31/34

  Apparatus for squaring-up piled articles · CPC title