Automatic document feeders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11312588-B2
Application number	US-201716650672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2017
Priority date	Oct 5, 2017
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

An example automatic document feeder device includes a document tray, a pair of rollers, at least one controller that automatically adjusts a height of the document tray and the pair of rollers based on an amount of media contained on the document tray, Sand a slide aligned to the pair of rollers to alter a media pathway distance as the height of the pair of rollers changes. The controller may adjust the height of the document tray independently from adjusting the height of the pair of rollers. A guide may be provided adjacent to the document tray, wherein the guide may bend as the height of the document tray increases. A sensor may determine a thickness of media contained on the document tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic document feeder device comprising:
a document tray;
a pair of rollers;
at least one controller that automatically adjusts a height of the document tray and the pair of rollers based on an amount of media contained on the document tray, wherein the at least one controller is to adjust the height of the document tray independently from adjusting the height of the pair of rollers; and
a slide aligned to the pair of rollers to alter a media pathway distance as the height of the pair of rollers changes.

2. The automatic document feeder device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a first controller that automatically adjusts the height of the document tray, and a second controller that automatically adjusts the height of the pair of rollers.

3. The automatic document feeder device of claim 1 , comprising a guide adjacent to the document tray, wherein the guide is to bend as the height of the document tray increases.

4. The automatic document feeder device of claim 1 , wherein the slide comprises any of a flexible, stretchable, bendable, and telescoping slide.

5. The automatic document feeder device of claim 1 , comprising a slot retaining at least a portion of the slide, wherein the slide is to move with respect to the slot as the height of the pair of rollers changes.

6. The automatic document feeder device of claim 1 , comprising a sensor to determine a thickness of media contained on the document tray.

7. A device comprising:
an automatic document feeder tray;
at least one media output roller;
a control system to automatically adjust a height of the automatic document feeder tray and the at least one media output roller based on a height of media contained on the automatic document feeder tray, wherein the control system is operable to adjust the height of the automatic document feeder tray independently from adjusting the height of the at least one media output roller; and
a guide in between the automatic document feeder tray and the at least one media output roller to provide a clear media discharge path emanating from the at least one media output roller.

8. The device of claim 7 , comprising a slide aligned to the at least one media output roller, wherein the slide is to alter a media pathway distance as the height of the at least one media output roller changes.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the guide is to bend away from the at least one media output roller as the height of the automatic document feeder tray increases.

10. The device of claim 7 , comprising:
a mechanism to rest on the media on the automatic document feeder tray; and
a sensor to determine a pivot angle of the mechanism as the height of the media on the automatic document feeder tray decreases.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the control system comprises:
a first motor to automatically adjust the height of the automatic document feeder tray based on the height of media contained on the automatic document feeder tray; and
a second motor to automatically adjust the height of at least one media output roller based on the height of media contained on the automatic document feeder tray.

12. An apparatus comprising:
an automatic document feeder tray to hold media;
at least one media output roller comprising rotational and translational movement;
a sensor adjacent to the automatic feeder tray; and
a processor to:
receive a measurement of a thickness of the media on the automatic document feeder tray from the sensor; and
send a signal to adjust a height of the automatic document feeder tray and the at least one media output roller based on the measured thickness of the media, wherein the processor is operable to adjust the height of the automatic document feeder tray independently from adjusting the height of the at least one media output roller.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , comprising:
a slide aligned to the at least one media output roller, wherein the slide is to alter a media pathway distance for the media as the at least one media output roller translationally moves; and
a guide separating the automatic document feeder tray from the at least one media output roller, wherein the guide is to provide an unobstructed media discharge path between a discharge of the at least one media output roller and an area underneath the automatic document feeder tray.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is to send the signal to adjust the height of the at least one media output roller after the automatic document feeder tray has changed height to a certain level.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Heineck John

Classifications

• B65H29/50

  Piling apparatus of which the discharge point moves in accordance with the height to the pile · CPC title

• B65H2601/523

  Required space · CPC title

• B65H29/125

  between two sets of rollers · CPC title

• B65H1/04 Primary

  adapted to support articles substantially horizontally, e.g. for separation from top of pile · CPC title

• B65H29/52

  Stationary guides or smoothers · CPC title