Varying velocity sheet handler

Abstract

A document creating apparatus comprising an image transfer system and a transport system for transporting sheets of material. The transport system has a first and second drive for moving the sheets of material. A controller is connected to the first drive and adapted to vary velocity of the first drive. While a sheet of material contacts the first drive, the controller decreases the velocity before the sheet of material contacts the second drive, and increases the velocity after the sheet of material contacts the second drive.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A document creating apparatus comprising: 
 an image transfer system for transferring an image onto a sheet of material; and    a transport system for transporting the sheet of material along a paper path, the transport system comprising: 
 a first drive located along the paper path for moving the sheet of material;  
 a second drive located along the paper path downstream from the first drive for moving the sheet of material; and  
 a controller connected to the first drive and adapted to vary a drive velocity of the first drive;  
 wherein, while the sheet of material contacts the first drive, the controller decreases the drive velocity of the first drive before the sheet of material contacts the second drive, and wherein the controller increases the drive velocity after the sheet of material contacts the second drive.  
   
     
     
         2 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the image transfer system comprises a printer.  
     
     
         3 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the image transfer system comprises a xerographic toner depositor.  
     
     
         4 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first drive comprises a first idler roll and a first drive roll which transports the sheet of material along the paper path with a variable drive velocity.  
     
     
         5 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a motor connected to the first drive roll, wherein the motor is adapted to variably drive the first drive roll.  
     
     
         6 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second drive comprises a second drive roll and a second idler roll wherein the second drive roll is adapted to intermittent drive the sheet of material along the paper path.  
     
     
         7 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a motor and a clutch connected to the second drive roll, wherein the motor and the clutch are adapted to intermittently drive the second drive roll.  
     
     
         8 . The document creating apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a sensor adapted to sense a leading edge of the sheet of material before the sheet of material contacts the second drive.  
     
     
         9 . A stalled roll registration system for use in a document creating apparatus, the stalled roll registration system comprising: 
 a first drive for driving a sheet of material within a paper path, the first drive comprising a first idler roll and a first drive roll which drives the sheet of material with a variable drive velocity;    a second drive positioned downstream of the first drive within the paper path, the second drive comprising a second drive roll and a second idler roll with the second drive roll being adapted for intermittent driving; and    a controller connected to the first drive and adapted to vary the drive velocity;    wherein, while the sheet of material contacts the first drive, the drive velocity is decreased before the sheet of material contacts the second drive, and wherein the drive velocity is increased after the document sheet contacts the second drive.    
     
     
         10 . A document creating apparatus comprising the stalled roll registration system of  claim 9  and a printer.  
     
     
         11 . A document creating apparatus comprising the stalled roll registration system of  claim 9  and a xerographic toner depositor.  
     
     
         12 . The stalled roll registration system of  claim 9  wherein the first drive further comprises a motor connected to the first drive roll, wherein the motor is adapted to drive the first drive roll with a variable velocity.  
     
     
         13 . The stalled roll registration system of  claim 9  wherein the second drive further comprises a motor and a clutch connected to the second drive roll, wherein the motor and the clutch are adapted to intermittently drive the second drive roll.  
     
     
         14 . The stalled roll registration system of  claim 9  further comprising a sensor adapted to sense a leading edge of the sheet of material before the sheet of material contacts the second drive.  
     
     
         15 . A method of moving a sheet of material in a document creating apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 driving a first drive at a first drive velocity to move a sheet of material at a first speed;    when a leading edge of the sheet of material approaches a second drive, decreasing velocity of the first drive to a slower second drive velocity to thereby move the sheet of material at a slower second speed before the sheet of material contacts the second drive; and    after the sheet of material contacts the second drive, increasing velocity of the first drive to a third drive velocity which is faster than the slower second drive velocity.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of sensing the leading edge of the sheet of material before the sheet of material contacts the second drive and while the sheet of material contacts the first drive.  
     
     
         17 . A method of copying an image comprising the method of  claim 15  and the step of xerographic copying an image onto the sheet of material before or after the sheet of material contacts the first drive.  
     
     
         18 . A method of printing an image comprising the method of  claim 15  and the step of printing on the sheet of material before or after the sheet of material contacts the first drive.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of driving the second drive to move the sheet of material after the step of increasing velocity of the first drive to the third drive velocity which is faster than the slower second drive velocity.