Apparatus and methods for separating a sheet of media from other sheets of media for feeding the separated sheet of media to a media processor

Abstract

A method of feeding a sheet of media to a media processor is provided. The method may include picking up the sheet of media from a stack of sheets. The method may further include curling the picked-up sheet of media to separate the picked-up sheet of media from other sheets of media in the stack of sheets. In addition, the method may include feeding the curled sheet of media to the media processor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of feeding a sheet of media to a media processor, the method comprising: 
 picking up the sheet of media from a stack of sheets;    curling the picked-up sheet of media to separate the picked-up sheet of media from other sheets of media in the stack of sheets; and    feeding the curled sheet of media to the media processor.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of media is an X-ray film.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of media is one of a sheet of paper, a sheet of transparency, and a sheet of photographic paper.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein curling the picked-up sheet of media further includes curling the sheet of media in a lengthwise direction.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising curling the sheet of media at least one more time in the lengthwise direction.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein curling the picked-up sheet of media further includes curling the sheet of media in a widthwise direction.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising curling the sheet of media at least one more time in the widthwise direction.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein curling the picked-up sheet of media further includes curling the sheet of media in both a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting at least one abnormal picking event.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one abnormal event comprises at least one of no sheet of media picked and more than one sheet of media picked.  
     
     
         11 . A media feeder for a media processor, comprising: 
 means for picking up a sheet of media from a stack of sheets;    means for curling the picked-up sheet of media; and    means for feeding the curled sheet of media to the media processor.    
     
     
         12 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet of media is an X-ray film.  
     
     
         13 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet of media is one of a sheet of paper; a sheet of transparency, and a sheet of photographic paper.  
     
     
         14 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , wherein said means for curling the picked-up sheet of media further includes means for curling the sheet of media in a lengthwise direction.  
     
     
         15 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , wherein said means for curling the picked-up sheet of media further includes means for curling the sheet of media in a widthwise direction.  
     
     
         16 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , wherein said means for curling the picked-up sheet of media further includes means for curling the sheet of media in both a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction.  
     
     
         17 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , further comprising means for detecting at least one abnormal picking event.  
     
     
         18 . The media feeder of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one abnormal event comprises at least one of no sheet of media picked and more than one sheet of media picked.  
     
     
         19 . The media feeder of  claim 11 , wherein the means for picking up a sheet of media from the stack of sheets includes at least one of a vacuum chuck, a sticky roller, and a mechanical grabber.  
     
     
         20 . A media feeder for a media processor, comprising: 
 a first drive system;    a pulley coupled to the first drive system;    a bar including at least one suction cup;    at least one linkage connecting the pulley to the bar such that rotation of the pulley by the first drive system moves the bar toward a stack of sheets of film so that the at least one suction cup grips a single sheet of film from the stack of sheets;    a linear member arranged to hold the single sheet of film down such that the single sheet of film curls.    
     
     
         21 . The media feeder of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 at least one roller configured to engage the single sheet of film and feed the single sheet of film to the media processor.    
     
     
         22 . The media feeder of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 a second drive system to drive the at least one roller.    
     
     
         23 . The media feeder of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 at least one idler roller.    
     
     
         24 . The media feeder of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 a spring configured to hold down a corner of the single sheet of film.    
     
     
         25 . The media feeder of  claim 20 , wherein rotation of the pulley by the first drive system moves the bar away from the stack of sheets of film in an arcuate manner.  
     
     
         26 . The media feeder of  claim 20 , wherein the single sheet of film is the top sheet of film.  
     
     
         27 . The media feeder of  claim 20 , wherein the linear member is arranged to hold the single sheet of film such that as the at least one suction cup pulls the single sheet of film from the stack of sheets the single sheet of film curls.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus for feeding a single sheet of media from a stack of sheets of media to a media processor, comprising: 
 a first surface;    a second surface arranged concentrically outside the first surface, the second surface having a plurality of perforations therethrough;    at least one suction cup formed at each perforation of at least a subset of the plurality of perforations;    a pump configured to create an air flow through at least the subset of the plurality of perforations such that a single sheet of media from the stack of sheets is pulled toward the second surface; and    a linear member arranged to hold the pulled single sheet of media down such that the pulled single sheet of media curls.    
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 at least one roller configured to engage the single sheet of media and feed the single sheet of media to the media processor.    
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a second drive system configured to drive the at least one roller.    
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 at least one idler roller configured to form a nip between the at least one roller and the at least one idler roller.    
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 a spring configured to hold down a corner of the single sheet of media.    
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the linear member is arranged to hold the single sheet of media down such that as the at least one suction cup pulls the single sheet of media from the stack of sheets of media the single sheet of media curls.  
     
     
         34 . An apparatus for feeding a single sheet of media to a media processor, the apparatus comprising: 
 a drive system; and    a coupling assembly connecting the drive system to at least one suction cup, whereby the drive system moves the at least one suction cup to lift the single sheet of media.    
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 a member arranged to hold the single sheet of media such that the single sheet of media curls.    
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 at least one roller configured to engage the single sheet of media and feed the single sheet of media to the media processor.    
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 at least one idler roller configured to form a nip between the at least one roller and the at least one idler roller.    
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the sheet of media is one of an X-ray film, a sheet of paper, a sheet of transparency, and a sheet of photographic paper.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 a spring configured to hold down a corner of the single sheet of media.    
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the member is arranged to hold the single sheet of media such that the single sheet of media curls as the at least one suction cup lifts the single sheet of media.