	US 7,611,143 B2
	Sheet separating apparatus and method
Martin R. Walsh, St. Albans (United Kingdom); and Adrian Purnell, Kingswood (United Kingdom)
Assigned to Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, Conn. (US)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/894,385.
Prior Publication US 2009/0051105 A1, Feb. 26, 2009
Int. Cl. B65H 5/34 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 271—265.02 [271/270]

21 Claims

9. A xerographic system, comprising: a sheet feeding apparatus having a first nip and an associated first sensor upstream from a second nip and an associated second sensor;

said first sensor is upstream from said first nip and said second sensor is downstream from said second nip;

said first nip includes a first motor and said second nip includes a second motor for selectively and independently feeding sheets therebetween;

said first nip having a feed motion adapted to feed at least a pair of sheets in a feed direction from said first nip toward said second nip during said feed motion;

said second nip having a feed motion adapted to feed a top sheet from said at least a pair of sheets in said feed direction;

said first nip adapted to halt said feed motion responsive to said first and second sensors wherein an underlying sheet is stopped at a wait point positioned between said first nip and said second nip until said top sheet clears said second sensor;

said first sensor and said second sensor have a fixed first spacing therebetween wherein said first spacing is greater than a sheet length; and,

said first nip and said second nip have a fixed second spacing therebetween, wherein said first spacing is greater than said second spacing.