Sheet feed apparatus

Abstract

A sheet feed apparatus includes a first surface configured to extend along a first face of a stack of print media, a media driving surface configured to contact a second opposite face of the print media and a second surface configured to extend along an edge of the stack of print media.

1 . A sheet feed apparatus comprising: 
 a first surface configured to extend along a first face of a stack of media;    a media driving surface configured to contact a second opposite face of the stack of media; and    a second surface configured to extend along an edge of the stack of media, wherein the first surface and the second surface are angularly spaced at an angle in the range of 108 degrees to 116 degrees.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection and wherein the media driving surface is configured to contact the second face of the stack of media at a location spaced a distance less than or equal to 31 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection wherein the media driving surface is configured to contact the second face of the media at a location less than or equal to 30 millimeters away from the intersection.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection and wherein the media driving surface is configured to contact the second face of the media at a location less than or equal to 25 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a cylinder providing the media driving surface.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the cylinder rotates about a first axis and wherein the apparatus further comprises a support pivotally supporting the cylinder about a second axis.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first axis is spaced from the second axis by at least 30 millimeters.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the support is configured such that the second axis is spaced from the second face of the stack of media in a direction perpendicular to the second face by at least 12 millimeters.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first surface extends in a plane and wherein the second axis is perpendicularly spaced from the plane by at least 12 millimeters.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first surface extends in a plane and wherein a line intersecting the first axis and the second axis is angularly spaced from the plane by at least 12 degrees.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface is smooth.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface has a static coefficient of friction of less than 0.25 with respect to a six inch edge of a 4 inch by 6 inch sheet of the stack of media, wherein the sheet has a thickness of 11.3 mils and a weight of 286 grams/m 2 .  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface includes a compressible portion opposite the media driving surface.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the media driving surface rotates about a first axis and is pivotally supported about a second axis spaced from the first axis by a distance D 1 , wherein the second axis is perpendicularly spaced from the first inclined surface by a distance D 2  and wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2  is at least 0.28.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2  is at least 0.7.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface includes a plurality of transversely spaced landings.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each landing has a minimum transverse width of 5 millimeters.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  including a media sheet datum along the second surface, wherein one of the landings has a first edge based from the datum by a distance less than or equal to 56.8 millimeters and has a second opposite edge spaced from the media datum by a distance no less than 66.2 millimeters.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first inclined surface is declined with respect to a vertical by no less than 8 degrees.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the first inclined surface is angularly spaced from the vertical by an angle of less than or equal to 16 degrees.  
   
   
       21 . A media feed apparatus comprising: 
 a first surface configured to extend along a face of print media;    a second surface configured to extend along an edge of the media wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection; and    a media driving surface configured to contact a second opposite face of the media at a location less than or equal to 31 millimeters from the intersection.    
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the media driving surface is configured to contact the second face of the media at a location less than or equal to 30 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the media driving surface is configured to contact the second face of the media at a location less than or equal to 25 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 21  including a cylinder providing the media driving surface.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the cylinder rotates about a first axis and wherein the apparatus includes a support pivotally supporting the cylinder about a second axis.  
   
   
       26 . A sheet feed apparatus comprising: 
 a media driving surface; and    means for engaging edges of sheets of media with a surface having a static coefficient of friction of less than 0.25 with respect to a six inch edge of a 4 inch by 6 inch sheet of the stack of media, wherein the sheet has a thickness of 11.3 mils and a weight of 286 grams/m 2  while enabling the media driving surface to pick an individual sheet from the sheets.    
   
   
       27 . A method comprising: 
 positioning a face of a stack of media sheets against a first surface and an edge of the stack against a second surface angularly spaced from the first surface between 108 degrees and 106 degrees; and    moving a sheet of the stack away from the stack.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein moving includes moving the sheet in a direction parallel to the stack.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection and wherein moving the sheet includes contacting the sheet at a location less than or equal to 31 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection and wherein moving includes contacting the sheet at a location less than or equal to 30 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first surface and the second surface extend in planes that intersect along an intersection and wherein the step of moving includes contacting the sheet at a location less than or equal to 25 millimeters from the intersection.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second surface has a static coefficient of friction of less than about 0.25 with respect to a six inch edge of a 4 inch by 6 inch sheet of the stack of media, wherein the sheet has a thickness of 11.3 mils and a weight of 286 grams/m 2 .  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein moving includes rotating a cylinder in contact with the sheet.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein positioning the stack includes pivoting a media driving surface away from the first surface.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 27  including printing upon the sheet of media.