Sheet feeder with transversely translatable floating final height adjustment block

Abstract

An assembly (100) and method for bottoming feeding sheets from a stack of sheets to a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism (F) on a device (P), such as a copy machine. The assembly (100) includes a sheet feeder (200), a transport arm (300), and a final height adjustment block (420) translatably attached to and extending along the distal end (302) of the transport arm (300) for limited transverse (T) translation relative to the machine direction (MD).

I claim: 
     
         1 . An assembly adapted to bottom-feed sheets from a stack of sheets to a top-feed sheet feeding mechanism on a device, the assembly comprising:
 (a) a sheet feeder having a hopper for holding a stack of sheets, and at least one feed belt operable for advancing a bottom-most sheet from the stack of sheets,   (b) a transport arm attached to the sheet feeder for receiving sheets advanced by the at least one feed belt at a proximal end of the transport arm and transporting the received sheets in a machine direction to a distal end of the transport arm, and   (c) a final height adjustment block translatably attached to and extending along the distal end of the transport arm for limited transverse translation relative to the machine direction.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block is limited to transverse translation of between 2 and 20 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block is constrained from pivoting about an axis extending in a cross machine direction. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the final height adjustment block is constrained from pivoting more than 5° about an axis extending in a cross machine direction. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block (i) has a top surface, (ii) receives sheets transported by the transport arm, and (iii) has a chamfered top corner proximate the distal end of the transport arm for guiding leading edges of sheets received by the final height adjustment block onto the top surface of the final height adjustment block. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block is generally cuboidal with a machine direction length of 2 to 10 cm, a cross machine direction width of 10 to 100 cm, and a transverse direction thickness of 0.5 to 10 cm. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block weighs less than 1000 grams. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block weighs less than 700 grams. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the final height adjustment block weighs less than 500 grams. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 5  wherein the top of the final height adjustment block is flat and smooth. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an undriven roller, rotating about an axis extending in the cross machine direction, attached to the final height adjustment block and projecting in a transverse direction above the top of the final height adjustment block for contacting sheets transported over the final height adjustment block. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the undriven roller attached to the final height adjustment block is configured and arranged to cooperate with a driven sheet feeder roller on an electronic printing device for feeding sheets into the electronic printing device. 
     
     
         13 . A method of feeding sheets to an electronic printing device that includes a sheet feed mechanism for pulling a top sheet from a stack of sheets into the electronic printing device, a support for the stack of sheets actuatable for lifting the stack of sheets into a position suitable for pulling of a top sheet into the electronic printing device, and a presence sensor for sensing presence of a sheet in a position suitable for being pulled into the electronic printing device by the sheet feed mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) placing a transport arm equipped with a transversely floating final height adjustment block and extending from a bottom-feed sheet feeder into operable sheet feeding engagement with the sheet feed mechanism on the electronic printing device, with the transversely floating final height adjustment block resting upon the support for the stack of sheets such that lifting actuation of the support for the stack of sheets transversely translates the floating final height adjustment block relative to the transport arm, and   (b) thereafter feeding individual sheets from the bottom-feed sheet feeder to the sheet feed mechanism on the electronic printing device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein lifting actuation of the support for the stack of sheets does not pivot the transport arm relative to the bottom-feed sheet feeder. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the transport arm, inclusive of the transversely floating final height adjustment block, applies a downward force of less than 5 Newton upon the support for the stack of sheets after the placement step. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the transport arm, inclusive of the transversely floating final height adjustment block, applies a downward force of less than 3 Newton upon the support for the stack of sheets after the placement step. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the transport arm, inclusive of the transversely floating final height adjustment block, applies a downward force of less than 2 Newton upon the support for the stack of sheets after the placement step.