| 摘要 |
A media diverter system for an imaging device including a single motor coupled to one of a plurality of diverter assemblies for sequentially directing media sheets from an input path to one of a plurality of output destinations. Each diverter assembly includes a gate moveable between a first and a second position for opening a path between an input and a first and a second output, respectively, a pivot arm coupled to the gate, and a drive gear providing a lobe having up and down camming surfaces on which the pivot arm travels. The single drive motor rotatably is coupled to the drive gears, and, as the drive motor is driven, the drive gears synchronously rotate and corresponding gates are moved to one of a first and a second position for providing a media path from an input of the system to a selected one of the output destinations. |
| 主权项 |
1. A multi-path media diverter system for selectively directing a media sheet from a media path to one of a plurality of output destinations, the media diverter system comprising:
a frame; a first stage diverter assembly having an input and a first output and at least one second output, the input of the first stage diverter assembly in communication with the media path and sized to receive the media sheet; at least one second stage diverter assembly having an input and a first and at least one second output, the input of the at least one second stage diverter assembly in communication with one of the first and the at least one second outputs of the first stage diverter assembly, and the first and the at least one second outputs of the at least one second stage diverter assembly in communication with a respective first and at least one second output destination in the plurality of output destinations; each of the first and the at least one second stage diverter assemblies comprising:
a gate extending across the media path and moveable between a first position and at least one second position to direct a media sheet to the first output and to the at least one second output, respectively, the gate having a shaft rotatably mounted to the frame, and a pivot arm radially extending from the shaft and having two free ends;a drive gear rotatably mounted to the frame, the drive gear having a lobe thereon, the lobe having a first and at least one second camming surface having a respective first and second lengths for engaging with a first free end of the pivot arm, wherein, when the first free end of the pivot arm is on the first camming surface, the gate is in one of the first and the at least one second positions, and, when the first free end of the pivot arm is on the at least one second camming surface, the gate is in the other of the first and the at least one second positions; and,a biasing member having a first end attached to the frame and a second end attached to a second free end of the pivot arm for biasing the gate toward one of the first and the at least one second positions; and, a drive mechanism having a single drive motor operably coupled to the drive gears of the first and the at least one second stage diverter assemblies, wherein as the respective drive gears are rotated by the drive motor, the input of the first stage diverter assembly is sequentially connected to each output destination in the predetermined plurality of output destinations. |
