Imaging apparatus with media pickup system employing curved surface for media separation

Abstract

A media pickup system suitable for use with an imaging apparatus including a pickup assembly including at least one pickup bar having a concave channel a curved surface, and an actuator configured to move the pickup bar between a first position and a second position, wherein the pickup assembly, when the pickup bar is in the second position, is configured to selectively engage and draw a portion of a first sheet of a stack of sheets of imaging media into the concave channel to bend the first sheet to create and air channel between and to separate the first sheet from a remaining portion of the stack of sheets of imaging media.

1 . An imaging apparatus, comprising:
 a media source including a stack of one or more sheets of imaging media; and   a pickup assembly including:
 a pickup bar moveable between a first position and a second position and having a concave channel with a curved surface; 
 a plurality of suction cups positioned in a spaced fashion in and along the concave channel and configured to contact a first sheet of imaging media of the stack when the pickup bar is in the second position; and 
 a vacuum system configured to deliver a vacuum to the suction cups when the pickup bar is in the second position to cause the suction cups to engage the first sheet and to draw and deform the suction cups against the curved surface to bend the first sheet to create an air channel between and separate the first sheet from a remaining portion of the stack. 
   
   
   
       2 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the curved surface is curvilinear in shape. 
   
   
       3 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal dimension of the concave channel is positioned substantially parallel to a leading edge of the first sheet of imaging media when the pickup bar is in the second position. 
   
   
       4 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the pickup bar is positioned so that a distance between at least one of the suction cups and a lateral edge of the first sheet of imaging media is less than a distance between the suction cups and a leading edge of the first sheet of imaging media. 
   
   
       5 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the suctions cups of the plurality of suction cups are configured to extend beyond edges of the pickup bar to prevent contact between the first sheet of imaging media and the pickup bar. 
   
   
       6 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the level of vacuum pressure provided by the vacuum system is at a level high enough to deform the suction cups and to bend the first sheet of imaging media without damaging the first sheet of imaging media. 
   
   
       7 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a level of vacuum pressure provided by the vacuum system is based on characteristics of the sheets of imaging media. 
   
   
       8 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , further including an actuator system coupled to and configured to move the pickup bar between the first position and the second position. 
   
   
       9 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 an exposure and processing system configured to form a desired image on a sheet of imaging media; and   a feeder assembly configured to engage and deliver sheets of imaging media to the exposure and processing system, wherein the actuator system is configured to move to the pickup bar from the second position to the first position to provide the separated first sheet of imaging media from the pickup assembly to the feeder assembly.   
   
   
       10 . The imaging apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the vacuum system is configured to release the vacuum after engagement of the first sheet of imaging media by the feeder assembly. 
   
   
       11 . A method of removing a sheet of imaging media from a stack of sheets of imaging media in an imaging device, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning a pickup bar having a concave channel proximate to a first sheet of imaging media of the stack; and   drawing a portion of the first sheet of imaging media into the concave channel to bend the first sheet to create an air channel between and separate from the first sheet from a remaining portion of the stack.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein positioning the pickup bar includes aligning a longitudinal dimension of the concave channel substantially parallel to a leading edge of the first sheet of imaging media. 
   
   
       13 . An actuator system suitable for use with a media pick-up system of an imaging apparatus, the actuator system comprising:
 a drive linkage assembly including a drive point configured to move in a first plane defined by a first axis and a perpendicular second axis;   at least one idler linkage assembly including an idler point configured to move in a second plane defined by the first axis and a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes;   a support element pivotally coupled to the drive point and pivotally coupled to the idler point such that together the drive point, idler point, and support element can move linearly along only the first axis; and   an actuator coupled to and configured to apply a drive force to the drive linkage assembly to move the drive point along the first axis to move the support element linearly along the first axis.   
   
   
       14 . The actuator system of  claim 13 , wherein the support element is coupled to a pickup mechanism of a media pickup system, wherein the pickup mechanism is configured to engage a major surface of a sheet of imaging media, and wherein the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the major surface. 
   
   
       15 . The actuator system of  claim 13 , wherein the drive linkage assembly includes:
 a first drive link configured to rotate substantially in the first plane about first pivot; and   a second drive link having a first end and coupled at a second end to the first drive link via a second pivot and configured to rotate in the first plane about the second pivot; wherein the drive point is proximate to the first end.   
   
   
       16 . The actuator system of  claim 15 , wherein the idler linkage includes:
 a first idler link configured to rotate substantially in the second plane about a third pivot; and   a second idler link having a first end and coupled at a second end to the first idler link via a fourth pivot and configured to rotate in the second plane about the fourth pivot, wherein the idler point is proximate to the first end.   
   
   
       17 . The actuator system of  claim 16 , wherein the first and third pivots are coupled to a structural element of the imaging apparatus. 
   
   
       18 . The actuator system of  claim 16 , including first and second idler linkage assemblies having corresponding idler points coupled to the support element. 
   
   
       19 . The actuator system of  claim 16 , wherein the actuator is configured to provide a rotational force to the first drive link to rotate the first drive link about the first pivot. 
   
   
       20 . The actuator system of  claim 19 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor having a rotating shaft, wherein the shaft comprises the first pivot to which the first drive link is coupled. 
   
   
       21 . The actuator system of  claim 19 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor having a rotating shaft coupled to and configured to rotate the first drive link about the first pivot via a plurality of gears. 
   
   
       22 . A media pickup system comprising:
 a pickup assembly including:   at least one pickup bar having a linear concave channel; and   a plurality of suction cups coupled to the pickup bar and positioned in a spaced fashion within the linear concave channel.   
   
   
       23 . The media pickup system of  claim 22 , wherein the concave channel is non-flexible. 
   
   
       24 . The media pickup system of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of suction cups are spaced in a collinear fashion along a longitudinal dimension of the linear concave channel. 
   
   
       25 . The media pickup system of  claim 22 , wherein the pickup assembly comprises a single pickup bar, and wherein the pickup bar is positioned such that linear concave channel is substantially parallel to a leading edge of a sheet of media to be picked up by the media pickup system. 
   
   
       26 . The media pickup system of  claim 22 , wherein the pickup assembly includes a pair of pickup bars, each pickup bar having a linear concave channel and a plurality of suction cups positioned in a spaced fashion therein, wherein the pickup bars are spaced apart from one another and positioned such that the linear concave channels are positioned proximate to and in parallel with opposing lateral edges of a sheet of media to be picked up by the media pickup system. 
   
   
       27 . The media pickup system of  claim 22 , wherein the concave channel has a curvilinear surface. 
   
   
       28 . The media pickup system of  claim 22 , wherein pickup bar is positioned such that a distance between a center of one of the suction cups and a lateral edge of a sheet of media to be picked up by the media pickup system is less than a distance from the center of the suction cup to a leading edge of the sheet of media.