Document imaging system and method for imaging document

Abstract

A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for scanning documents, comprising:
 a generally horizontal conveyor for receiving documents dropped onto the conveyor, wherein the conveyor comprises a first end and a second end;   a scanner for scanning the documents dropped onto the conveyor;   a feeder for receiving documents from the horizontal conveyor in a generally horizontal orientation, wherein the feeder serially feeds the documents to the scanner;   a first support that is pivotable;   a second support that is pivotable, wherein in a first orientation the first and second supports are spaced apart from one another with the conveyor between the first support and the second support so that the conveyor is spaced off the ground and provides an open area between the conveyor and the ground; and wherein in a second orientation the first and second supports pivot to collapse the apparatus for transportation;   wherein the first and second supports support the conveyor, feeder and scanner.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein in the first orientation the first and second supports are generally vertical and in the second orientation the first and second supports are generally horizontal. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of claim  50  comprising an elongated brace for retaining the first and second supports in the first orientation. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of claim  50  comprising a generally horizontal arm extending outwardly adjacent the scanner and a first wheel for supporting the weight of the scanner, feeder and conveyor when the first and second pivotable supports are displaced into the second orientation. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  comprising a generally horizontal shaft connected to the horizontal arm and a second wheel for supporting the weight of the scanner, feeder and conveyor, wherein the second wheel is spaced apart from the first wheel. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of claim  50  comprising a first releasable latch for latching the first support in the first orientation and a second releasable latch for latching the second support in the first orientation. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of claim  50  comprising a mechanism for adjusting the spacing between the first and second pivotable supports when the supports are in the first orientation. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of claim  50  wherein the second pivotable support pivots away from the first pivotable support when the second support is pivoted from the first orientation to the second orientation. 
     
     
         29 . A method for scanning documents, comprising the steps of:
 providing a scanner workstation having a generally horizontal conveyor for receiving documents dropped onto the conveyor a scanner for scanning the documents dropped onto the conveyor, a feeder for receiving documents from the horizontal conveyor in a generally horizontal orientation, a first support that is displaceable, and a second support that is displaceable;   displacing the first and second supports into a first orientation in which the first and second supports are spaced apart from one another with the conveyor between the first support and the second support so that the conveyor is spaced off the ground and provides an open area between the conveyor and the ground;   inserting a portion of the scanning workstation onto a vehicle and then displacing the first and second supports into a second orientation to collapse the apparatus for transportation while the portion of the scanning workstation supports the scanning workstation.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  comprising the step of loading the workstation onto the vehicle after the step of displacing the first and second supports into the second orientation. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the step of inserting a portion of the scanning workstation onto a vehicle comprises rolling a roller onto the vehicle. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus for scanning documents, comprising:
 a conveyor for receiving documents dropped onto the conveyor, wherein the conveyor comprises a first end and a second end;   a scanner for scanning the documents dropped onto the conveyor;   a feeder for receiving documents from the conveyor, wherein the feeder serially feeds the documents to the scanner;   a collapsible support for supporting the conveyor, scanner and feeder, wherein the collapsible support is operable between an extended position in which the conveyor is positioned at a height to facilitate operation by a seated operator and a collapsed position in which the support is collapsed into a more compact configuration;   a loading wheel extending outwardly from the scanner or conveyor, wherein the loading wheel is configured to support the weight of the scanner, feeder and conveyor when the collapsible support is collapsed into the collapsed position.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  comprising a loading arm extending outwardly adjacent the scanner or conveyor wherein the loading wheel is connected with the loading arm. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33  comprising a generally horizontal shaft connected to the loading arm and a second wheel for supporting the weight of the scanner, feeder and conveyor, wherein the second wheel is spaced apart from the loading wheel and the loading wheel and second wheel are mounted onto the shaft. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 33  wherein the loading arm is pivotable between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein in the first position the loading wheel is deployed for use in loading the apparatus into a vehicle and in the second position the loading wheel is retracted into a stored position below the scanner or conveyor. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the collapsible support comprises a pair of pivoting support arms pivotable from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position, wherein when the collapsible support is in the extended position the support arms are generally vertical and in the collapsed position the support arms are generally horizontal. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  comprising a releasable lock locking the pivoting support arms in the generally vertical position.