Paper separation and feed mechanisms utilizing electrostatic force

New mechanisms of paper separation and feed systems were proposed to realize a highly reliable paper-handling system for printers. The new paper-separation system consisted of a pair of parallel electrodes and a paper pile between the electrodes. In this system, electrostatic separation of a piece of paper was realized always at the top of the pile when the applied voltage exceeded a threshold to generate electrostatic force larger than the weight of a paper. The threshold voltage was about some hundred volts, and it agreed with the numerical value calculated by the FEM for the electrostatic field. Additionally, lateral pull-off force of a paper from the attached electrode was measured to confirm the required force to feed the separated paper. The value was some muN/mm(2) that was also in the same order as the calculated pull-off force estimated from the friction coefficient between them and the electrostatic force between the plate electrode and the adhered paper. Two kinds of new paper-feed systems have been also developed. One consisted of a pair of parallel plate electrodes and two sheets with slanted fibers. In this system, vertical vibration of the electrodes was realized when the alternating electric field was applied between the electrodes. Paper attached between the sheets was fed in the horizontal direction in the order of 1 mm/s utilizing the vibration and anisotropic feature of the friction of slanted fibers. Another system consisted of an electrostatic particle conveyer with parallel electrodes, particles, and a sheet of paper on them. The paper is fed about 100 mm/s almost synchronized with the linear motion of particles driven by traveling electrostatic field.