Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This is a division of commonly assigned Canadian
Patent Application No. ~8~,195 filed June 17, 1985.
Fiel~ o~ the InventiDn
Our invention relates to an assembly for
registering a sheet prior to feeding it to a subsequent
location such as the image-transfer station of an
electrophotographic copier. Our invention relates further
to apparatus for deforming the leading edge of such a sheet
to facilitate its separation from a member such as a
photoconductor from which the sheet receives a developed
image.
Back~round o~ the Invention
Electrophotographic copiers of the image-transfer
type, or plain-paper copiers as they are generally called,
are well known in the art In copiers of this type, an
electrostatic latent image is first formed on a
photoconductor by uni.formly charging the photoconductor and
then exposing the photoconductor to a light image of an
original document to discharge portions of the
photoconductor in a pattern corresponding to the graphic
matter on the document. The photoconductor bearing the
latent image is then
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subjected to the ac-tion of a developer, ox toner, to form
a developed toner image, which i~ transferred ko a carrier
sheet such as papsr. Generally, ln electrophotographic
copiers employing the proceqs described above, the photo-
conductor comprises an endless member, usually in the formof a drum, that i3 contin~ously moved at a predetermined
velocity throughout the entire copy cycle. To transfer the
developed toner image from the photoconductor to the carrier
sheet, the ~heet is brought into close proximity or actual
contact with the photoconductor, while moving at the same
velocity, in a t~ansfer station.
In order to ensure that the leading edge of the
carrier sheet i9 advanced to the transfer gtation ln synchron-
ism with the arrival of the leading edge of the developed
toner image, the carrier 9heet i~ first fe~ to a registration
s-tation, where it i9 momentarily held. As the lea~ing edge
of the developed imaye approacheg the trangfer station, feed
members are actuated to advance the gheet ~rom the registra-
tion station. By prefeeding tha carrier sheet to the
2~ registration station in this manner, one avoids -the lc99 of
synchronism that may occur if the gheet ~lip9 relative to a
feed member as it i~ in~tially fed from a ~tack.
~ enerally, in registration ~tations of the prior
art, the leading edge o the carrier sheet i9 advanced to a
registration position d~fined by a pair of opposing friction
feed rollers, which remain gtationary while the sheet is
being held. Ons disadvantage of registration sy~tems of
this type i9 that the regi9tration position depends on the
sheet thickness, as well ag the longitudinal extent of the
registration nip. The lo~gitudinal extent of the registra-
tion nip depends in turn on such factors as the compliance
of the registration rollers and the normal nip force. Since
these factors cannot be precisely controlled, the exact
registration position of the carrier sheet remains uncertain.
' Another problem encountered with registration
s~stems of this type involveg the acceleration of the
carrier sheet to the p~lotoconductor velocity when the regis-
tration rollers are actuated. Even a momentary slippage
between the carrier sheet and the registration rollers will
result in 1099 of synchronism between t~e leading edge of
the sheet and that of the developed toner image. Further,
if unequal slippage occurs acrosg the width of the sheet,
skewing will result. It ig known in the art to advance a
carrier sheet a su~ficient di9tance froln the ~tack so as to
create a buckle in the registratlon nip, thereby urging the
leadiny edge into the n;p, so as to minimize ~lippage upon
ac-tuation of the registration rollers. However~ even this
expedient doe~ not entirely eliminate the po~sibilities for
slippage. Slippage i9 part~cularly likely to occur i the
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leading edge of the ~heet is registered against a gate which
is intermittently moved into the shee-t path slightly upstream
of the rollers.
Still another problem, inherent in image-transfer
electrophotographic copier~ generally, is that of
separating the carrier 3hèet from the photoconductor surface
following transfer of the developed image. A common
expedient is to use a pickoff blade which intercepts the
leading edge of the carrier sheet as it emerges from the
transfer station to separa-te the adjacent edge portion oE
the sheet from the photoconductor, However, if such a blade
is allowed to contact the photoconductor drum it will
damage the drum suxface over time. Further, the blade will
become contaminated with remanent developer from the drum
surface, producing streakg on the pa~sing surface of the
copy sheet.
It is known in the art~ a9 9hown in IluXuda et al
4,40~,861, to deform a portion o~ the ieading edge of the
carrier sheet at the reglstration station so that the
deformed edge portion remains spaced from the photoconductor
at the transfer station. In ~uch a system, the pickoff
i blade may be spaced s:Lightly from the drum surface so as to
avoid abrasion of the drum 8urface or contaminatlon of the
contacting blade portion. ~Iowever, in the apparatus dis-
closed in the patent, all or a sub~tantial portio~ of the
I!
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leading edge of the sheet is bent away from thephotoconductor, producing a corregponding ~oid in the
leading edge portion of the transferred image. Further,
in the disclosed apparatus, in which a ro-tating deforming
5 ! member urges the leading edge of the shee~ against a
resilient roller, the extent of sheet deformation remains
uncertain.
Objects o the Inven_ion
One object of our invention is to provide a
registration system that ensures accurate registration of a
sheet prior to its feeding to a subsequent location, such as
the transfer station oE an electrophotographic copier.
Another object oE our invention is to provide a
registration sy~tem that advances a sheet to a su~sequent
station without slipping or skewing.
Still another object oE our invention is to
provide a registration system Eor an electrophotographic
copier that allows the use of a pickoff member that ;9
spaced from the photoconductor.
A further ob~ect o our invention is to provide
a registration system that doe~ not produce large image void~
along the leading edge o the sheet.
A still further object of our invention is to
provide a registration system that i8 simple and inexpen~ive.
Other and further ob~ects of our invention will
be apparent from the following description.
Summ~r~ of the Invention
Generally speaking, the invention of the
aforementioned parent application may be considered as
providing an apparatus for deforming an edge portion of a
sheet including in combination a rotatably supported anvil,
a hammer carried by the anvil for movement in the direction
thereof, the hammer and the anvil being rotatable to a
sheet-receiving position for movement of the ed8e portion
therebetween and having surface portions adapted to crimp
the edge portion upon movement of the hammer toward the
anvil, a deflector dlsposed along the path swept by the
hammer in the course of rotation of the anvil, the
deflector being adapted to drive the hammer toward the
anvil upon rotation of the anvil from the sheet-receiving
position, and means for rotating the anvil from the sheet-
receiving position to cause the deflector to drive the
hammer toward the anvil to deform the portion of the sheet.
On khe other hand, the present invention provides
apparatus for registering a sheet at a predetermined
loc~tion along a path including in combination a
registration member, a shaft supporting the registration
member for rotation to a positlon interrupting the movement
of the sheet at ~he location, means providing a friction
coupling between the régistration member and the shaft,
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means for rotating the shaft to rotate the registration
member through the coupling, and selectively operable means
for intercepting the registration member at the position to
register the sheet.
Furthermore, the present invention may be
considered as providing apparatus including in combination
a relatively rigid feed member disposed along a path, a
relatively compliant feed member disposed along the path at
a position aligned with the first feed member, means
cooperating with the relatively rigid feed member to form a
first nip, and means cooperating with the relatively
complaint feed member to form a second nip having a
longitudinal extent greater than the first nip.
Brief De~cription of the DrawinRs
In the accompanying drawings, which form part of
the instant specification and which are to be read in
conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals
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are used to indicate like parts ln the variou3 views:
FIGUR~ 1 is a fragmentary section of the
processing and sheet-feeding portion~ of an
electrophotographic copier incorporating our registration
assembly.
FIGUR~ 2 is a fragmentary section of the
registration assembly of the copier shown in FIGURE 1,
along line 2-2 thereof.
FIGUR~ 3 i8 an enlarged section of the
registration assembly shown in FIGURE 2, taken along line
3-3 tllereof with the registration gates held in a blocking
position.
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section of the
registration assembly shown in FIGURE 2, taken along l~ne
3-3 thereof, with the regi3tration gates held in a non-
blocking position.
FIGUR~ 5 is an enlarged 3ection of the sheet
crimper of the registration assembly shown in FIGURE 2,
taken along line S-S of FIGURE 2, with the registration
gates in the blocking position shown in FIGURE 3,
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FIGU~E 6 i3 an enlarged section of the sheet
crimper of the registration assembly shown in FIGURE 2, at
a stage in the copy cycle subse~uent to that in which a
I sheet i9 blocked.
5¦ FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the
sheet crimper of the regigtration assembly shown in FIGURE 6,
; taken along line 7-7 thereof.
, FIGURE 8 .is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view
of the pickoff area of the copier shown in FIGVRE 1.
FIGURE 9 is a greatly enlarged Eragmentary
section of the pickoff area of the copier shown in FIGURE l
along line 9-9 thereof.
FIGURE lO is a grea~ly enlarged ragmentary
section of the pickoff area of the copier shown in FIGURE l
alony line lO-lO of FIGURE 8.
FIGVRE 11 is a gchematic diagram of the control
circuit for the sheet-feeding and registration portions of
the copier shown in FIGURE 1.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring now to EIGURE l, a copier, indicated
generally by the reference numeral lO, incorporating our
registration as~embly includes an electrophotographic imaging
.
drum, indicated generally by the reference numeral 12,
having a peripheral photoconductor 14 supported by a
conductive sub~trate 16. Drum 12 i9 mounted on a shaft 18
for ro-tation therewith, and ig drlven in the counterclockwise
direction as viewed in FIGURE l at a uniEorm velocity by any
suitable means (not shown~ n a manner well known in the
art, the drum photoconductor l~ i3 rotated ~irst past a
charging station 20 at which the surEace of the photoconductor
receive~ a uniform electrostatic charge, then past an
exposure station 22 at which the electrostatically charged
surface is exposed to a flowing light image of an original
document (not shown) to form an electrostatic latent image,
then pa~t a developing ~tation 24 at which a carrier liquid
containing a suspension of charged toner particles is
applied to the laten-t-image-bea.ring surface to form a
developed toner image. Upon emerging from the developing
station 24, the developed-image-bearing surEace 14 tnoves
past a metering roller 26, which i~ digpoged at a slight
spacing from the surface 14 and rotated in a rever~e
direction of surface movement at a high speed to reduce the
thickness of the liquid layer (not shown) on the surface 140
Thereafter, the ~urface 14 moves past a tran3fer station 28
at which the developecl toner image 18 ~ransferred from the
- photoconductor to a carr.ier sheet 34, past a cleaning
~s~
station 30 at which the surface 14 is cleaned of any
remaining toner particles or dev210per liquid, and finally
past an erasing corona 32 Which neutralizes any remaining
electrostatic charge on the surface 14.
In the sheet-feediny portion of cop.ier 10~ a
friction separator rolle~ 38 bearing agains-t the upper sheet
of a stack 36 of carrier she2ts is momentarily drive~ at
theIproper time in thg copy cycle, in a manner to be
described, to advance the top shePt 34 to the left as
viewed in FI~URE 1 to a pair of opposing feed rollers 40 and
42. Rollers 40 and 42 continue to feed the sheet 34 up-
wardly between a pair of 6paced guides 44 and 46 to a
regis-tration assembly, indica~ed generally by the reference
numeral 48, that i~ the gubject matter of our invention.
Referring now also to FIGURE 2, in the registration
assembly 48, an upper shaft 66 rotatably supported by
respective front and rear side plates 70 and 72 of the copier
10 supports a plurality of axlally ~paced friction feed
rollers 50, 52, 54 and 56, formed of a sol~dO or noncellular,
elastomer such as polyurethane. Feed rollers 50 to 56
oppose a corr2sponding plurality of axially spaced lower
feed rollers 58, 60, 62 and 64, pre~erably formed of the
same noncellular elastomer material ag upper roll2r~ 50 to
56, supported on a lower shaft 68 rotatably received by the
25 Rame side plates 70 and 72~ Shaft~ 66 and 68 are driven
476~
continuously by any suitable mean3 (not shown) at such a
speed that rollers 50 to 64 move at the peripher~l velocity
of the drum 12.
Referring now also -to FIGUR~S 3 and 4, we
arrange respective rotary registration gates 749 76, 78 and
80 on lower shaft 68 at locations ju~-t inboard of
respective rollers 58 to 64. Respective cl~tche~ 82, 84,
86 and 88 of any suitable type known to ~he art provide
slipping couplings between gates 74 to 80 and shaft 68. As
shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 for gate 7~, each of the gates 74
to 80 ha~ a sector 90, smaller in diameter than solid
rollers 58 to 64, as well as a sector 92 of appreciably
larger diameter than roller~ 58 to 64. Larger-diameter
sector 9Z has a radially extending trailing edge 94 that
serves as a registration edge for copy sheets 34 approaching
the nip formed by roller0 50 to 64.
The leading edgeg 96 of gate ~ectors 92 serve as
s-tops for controlling the pogition3 of the gates 74 to 80.
Referring also to FIGURE 2, re~pective control latch2s 98,
100, 102 and 104, Rupported by a shaft 106 rotatably received
by side plates 70 and 72, are selectively actuated to
arrest gates 74 to 80 either in a blocking position~ 9hown
in FIGURE 3, in which registration edges 94 are about 2 to
3 millimeters upstream of the nips formed by rollers 50 to
64, or in a nonblocXing po3ition, shown in FIGVRE 4, in
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which sectors 92 are held at a po3ition remote from the
sheet path. Referring now particularly to FIGURES 3 and 4,
each o~ the latches 98 to 104 ha~ an upwardly extending arm
108, as well as a lower arm 110 formed with a catch 1120
A tension spring 118 extending between the copier frame and
an arm 116 carried by sha~t 106 normally biases shaft 106,
and hence latches 98 to 104, counterclockwise to the
position shown in FIGURE 3, in whlc~ th2 upper arm~ 108
arrest registration gates 74 ~o 80t causing them to 51ip
relative to shaft 68, in the blocking position ~hown in
FIGURE 3. In this po~ition, gates 74 to 80 hold the leading
edge of sheet 34 in a registered position about 2 to 3 milli-
meter3 upstream from the nip of solid rollers 50 to 64.
When it is desired to feed ~heet 34 through the
nip, a solenoid 120 is actuated to rotate ths latches 98 to
104 clockwi~e, again~k the action of the 3pring 118. This
retracts the upper arms 108 from gates 74 to 80, allowing
the gates to rotate with ghaft 68. Gates 74 to 80 continue
to rotate until gate aectors 92 reach ca-tches 112, which
bear against gate~ 74 to 80 under the actlon of solenoid
120. At this point, gates 74 to 80 again slip relative to
shaft 68 in the non-blocking po~ltion shown ln FIGURE 4,
with the gate sectors 92 remote from the sheet path. After
the trailing edge of a sheet 34 has cleared the registration
assembly 48, solenoid 120 ~ 9 again deactuated to allow gate~
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74 to 80 to rotate along with shaft 6~ until they reach the
registration position shown in ~XGURE 3, in preparation for
the next copy sheet 34.
To ensure agains-t momantary ~lippage of sheet 34
relative to solid rollers 50 to 64 as the sheet i3 fed
forward from the roller n~ip, we also provide upper shaft 66
with axially spaced foam feed rollers 122, 124, 126 and 128
inboaxd of respective registration gates 74 to 80. Likewise,
we provide lower shaf~ 68 with respective foam feed rollers
130, 132, 134 and 136 at locati3ns opposite upper foam
rollers 122 to 128. Roller~ 122 to 136, which are formed of
any suitable elastomeric cellular material such as poly-
urethane, are of appreciably larger diameter than solid
rollers 50 to 64. Accordingly, in the blocking poYitiOn
shown in FIGURE 3, the registration edges 94, while lying
upstream of the nips of ~olid rollers 50 to 640 lie withln
the nip region of foam roller~ 122 to 136. Thus, rollers
122 to 136, which rotate continuously, grip a sheet 34 with
sufficient orce to en~ure that the sheet i~ fed forward
without ~lipping when the sheet i~ ~dvanced from the
registration as~emhly ~8 to the transfer station 28. ~t the
same time, rollers 122 to 136 do not press against shee-t 34
with suffibient force to crumple the leading edge of the sheet
against regi~tration edge~ 94.
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14
Referring now particularly to FIGURES 5 to 7, the
crimper of the registration assembly 4B, indicated generally
by the reference numeral 164~ includes a rotary anvil 166
having a rounded sheet-receiv~ng portion substantially the
same diameter a~ solid rollerg 58 to 64. A reduced-
diameter sleeve 168 of anvil 166 f~rmg an interference fit
with a counterbore 170 formed in registration gate 76, so
that crimper 164 rotates with gate 76 and i9 controlled in
a like manner by solenoid 120. A pin 176 received by anvil
166 sup~orts a hammer 174 for pivotal movement into a slot
172 formed in the anvil 166. Hammer 174 i9 formed at the
end remote from pin 176 with an oblique clamping surace
178 movable against the corner por~ion 180 of a metal insert
182 received by anvil 166. ~ compression spr~ng 188
received in a bore 190 formed in 810t 172 urgeY hammer 174
partly out of the slot 172 to an open position defined by
a limit stop 192 of hammer 174 which abuts anvil 166. Prefer-
ably, slot 172 is ormed with chamfers 184 along its outer
edges, while metal insert 182 is formed with a slot 186 of the
same width a9 the chamfered portion of ~lot 172~
Crimper 164 is ~o arranged angularly relative to
registration gate 76 that in the blocXing position shown in
FIGURE 3, crimper 164 ig in t~le pogition shown in FIGURE 5,
with the clamping surface 178 jugt above the reglstered
leading edge of the sheet 34 and with the hammer 174 in its
q~
open position. AS the crimper 164 rotates with gate 76
upon actuation of solenoid 120, a leaf spring 194 carried
by hammer 174 bear~ against upper shaft 66 to.urge hammer
174 into the recess 172. By the time crimper 164 reaches
the position shown in FI~URE 6, spring 194 has urged hammer
174 fully into the recess~l72 to sandwich the leading edge
portion of the sheet 34 between gurface 178 and corner
portion 180 to form a crimp 196 in the sheet 34. As the
crimper 164 continues to ro~ate beyond the position shown in
FIGURE 6, leaf spring 194 clears upper shaft 66, allowing
compression spring 188 to urge hammex 74 out of the recess
172, releasing the sheet portion 34. Crimper 164 thereafter
continues to rotate along with gate 176 until the gate
reaches the non blocking position shown in FIGURE 4, in
~15 which it is held by catch 112. With the crimper thus
retracted from the sheet path, the sheet 34 continues to
advance toward the transfer ~tation 28, without interference
either from the hammer 174 or from ~he registration gates 74
to 80. When the trailing edge of the sheet clears the
registratlon assembly 48, solenoid 120 is again deactuated
to return gates 74 to 80 to the position shown in FIGURB 3,
and hence crimper 164 to the position shown in FIGURE 5, in
preparation for the arrival of another sheet.
Referring again to FIGURE 1, the transfer and
picko~f assembly of the copier 10, indicated generally by the
16
reference numeral 138, i9 located in the transfer station 2B.
Assembly 138 is ~upported by a transversely extending shaft
140 for pivotal movement xelative to the side plates 70 and
72 of the copier 10. Torsion springg 144 bias the assembly
138 upwardly to a position defined by spacer rollers 146
carried by respective side plateg 142 of the assembly 138 at
locations opp~site the edgeg o ~he drum surface 14. As a
copy sheet 34 enters the transfer station 28 from the regis-
tration assemhly 48, it m~veg fir~t along a lower guide 148
10 of assembly 138. Lower guide 148 directs the sheet 34 past
a tran~fer corona 152 which provides gheet 34 with an electro-
static charge opposite in polarity to that of the developed
image on the drum 12, ~o as to attract the image electro-
s-tatically from the drum 12 to the paper 34.
Referring also to FIGURES 8 to 10, a picko~f blade
154, aligned axially with crimper hammer 174 and carried by
assembly 138 at a location glightly down3tream of transfer
corona 152, engage,s the crimped portion 196 of the sheet 34
to initiate the separation of the shee-t from the drum surface
20 14. Pickof blade 154 direct3 the separated leading portion
of the sheet 34 toward a set o axially spaced foam rolle rs
156, which rotate at the velocity of the drum surface 14 to
direct the ~heet along an exit guide 15~ tD an exit path A
leading to/an output tray (not shown). A vacuum source 162
25 coupled to the underslde of rollarg 156 and guide 158 by way
17
of a port 160 at the rear of the transfer assembly 138
attrac-ts the separated portion of the sheet 34 toward the
rollexs and guide so as to prevent smearing o the image by
prolonged contact with the blado 154.
Rollers 146 space pickoff blade 154 a distance Erom
the photoconductor surface 14 which is preferably greater
than the thickness of the layer (not shown) of remaining
toner material and Garrier liquid on the surface, but less
thàn the depth of the crimp 196 at the leading edge of the
10 sheet 34. Further, the thickness of the pickoEf blade 154
sho~ld be less than the width of the crimp 196. As a par-
ticular example, the pickoff blade 154 may be spaced 0.2 to
0.3 millimeter from the surface 14 and have a thicknes~ of
0.5 millimeter, while the hammer 174 and slot 172 may be so
formed as to produce a crimp 2 millimeters wideO 0.5 milli-
meter deep at the leading edge of the sheet 34, and 4 to 5
millimeters long.
Referriny now to FI~URE 11, the control circuit
for the registration assembly 4B, indicated generally by the
20 reEerence numeral 2000 includes a digital counter 202
receiving a clock input from a digk encoder 204 that produc~s
a train of pulses synchronous wlth the rotation of th~ drum
12 in a manner known :Ln the art. Counter 202 also receives
a reset input from a ~witch 206 that i~ momentarily closed
at a predetermined point in the copy cycle, also in a manner
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18
known in the art. Switch 206 may be closed either in
response to the rotation of the drum 12 to a predeterinined
angular position or in response ~o movement o a document
scanning element (not shown) past a predetermined point.
Initially, regi~tration gates 74 to 80 and crimper
164 are in the positions shown in ~IGUR~S 3 and 5, and feed
roller~ 40 and 42 rotated by a drive 222. At a p~edetermined
point in the copy cycle, a decoder 208 responsive to counter
202 supplies a timing pulse tl to the set (S) input of an
lo RS ~lip-flop ~16 to set the flip-flop. Flip-flop 216 actuates
a separa-tor roll~r drive 218 ~o initiate the ~eeding of a
sheet 34 from stack 36. Feed rollers 40 and 42 continue to
direct the sheet 34 toward the registration assembly 48.
As the leading edge of the sheet 34 approaches~the
15 registration assembly 48, an optical sensor 198 disposed on
t~le feed path immediately down3tream of the assembly supplies
a signal to a delay circult 210. Upon the lapse of a suffi-
cient time period to permit the leading edge of the sheet 34
to enter the nips of foam roller3 122 to 136 and abut
20 registration gates 74 to 80, the delay circuit 210 supplies
a signal to the reset (R) input o flip-flop 216, disabllng
the separator roller drive 218. Delay circuit 210 also
supplies a signal at thak time to the R input of an RS
flip-flop 220 controlling the Eeed roller drive 222 to dls
able the latter drive.
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19
At a predetermined later point in the copy cycle,
decoder 208 produces a pulse k2, which i5 ~upplied to the S
inputs of flip-flop 220 and of another RS flip-flop 224 con-
t~olling -the gate golenoid 120. Ag a result, gate solenoid
120 is actuated to permit registra-tion gates 74 to 80 to
rotate along with shaft 68 to a position cle~r of the sheet
path, allowing rollers 50 to ~4 to advance the sheet 64 to
the transfer station 28. In the course of movement of gate
76 and crimper 164 from the position ghown in FIGURE 5,
ham~er 174 clamps a leading edge portion of sheet 34 against
cor~er 180 to form a crimp 196, as ~hown in FIGURE 6.
Simultaneously wi-th the ac~ua~ion of solenoia 120~ feed
roller drive 222 is actuated to drive the feed rollers 40 and
42. Feed roller drive and gate ~olenoid 120 remain actuated
15 until the trailing edge of the gheet 34 cleaxs the gate
sensor 198, at which time an inverter 212 suppl~es a high-
level logic signal to a delay circuit 214. Upon the lapse
oE a predetermined period of tim~ sufficient to permit the
trailing edge of the sheet to clear the registrat~on assembly
48, delay circuit 214 suppl~ 9 a high-level logic signal to
the R ~nput of flip-flop 224, disabling gate solenoid 120.
As a result, regi9tration gateg 74 to 80 are again allowed
to rotate until they reach the blocking po~ition shown in
FI~UR~ 3, in preparation for another cycle aimilar to the
one just describedO
It will be seen that we have accomplished the
ob~ect~ of our invention. Our registration system en3ures
accurate registration of a sheet prior to it5 feeding to
a subsequent location9 such as the transfer station of an
electrophotographic copier, Our xegi3tration system advances
a sheet to a ~ubsequent station without slipping or skewing,
and allows the use of a pickof member that is spaced Erom
the photoconductor. Moreover, our registration system
permits the use of ~uch a spaced geparator member without
producing large image voids along the leading edge of ~he
sheet. Finally, our registration system i~ simple and
inexpensive.
It will be understood that certain feature3 and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without
reference to other features and 3ubcombinations. This i9
contemplated by and i9 within the scope of our claim3. It
is further obvious that various changes may be made in
detail~ within the scope of our claims without departing
from the spirit of our invention. It is, therefore, to be
understood that our inventlon ig not to be limited to the
specific details shown and described.
Having -thus described our invention, what we
claim is:
