摘要 |
A self-adaptive sheet feeding roll (100) for reliably feeding, within a sheet feeding apparatus (60), sheets (55) of various and different sheet weights along a sheet path (104). The self-adaptive sheet feeding roll (100) includes (a) a cylindrical core (106) having a longitudinal axis (108) and an outer surface (110); (b) a compliant surface layer (112) formed over the outer surface (110) of the cylindrical core (106) and having an external surface (114) and a given layer thickness (TL); and (c) a series of spaced apart, non-radial slots (118) formed from the external surface (114) into the compliant surface layer (112) and defining a series of spaced apart blade portions (120) within the compliant surface layer (112) for adaptively compressing and deforming against, and responsively to, sheets (55) of various and different sheet weights, thereby self-adjusting a normal force Fn as well as a sheet driving force Fd thereof and enabling reliable feeding, within a sheet feeding apparatus (60), of such sheets (55) of various and different sheet weights. <IMAGE>
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