Systems and methods for identifying and transferring sheets

{
  "publication_number": "US11089175B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems and methods for identifying and transferring sheets",
  "abstract": "Provided are systems and methods for identifying, isolating, and/or aligning sheets. An identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet by (i) vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet from a zone of detection, and/or (ii) determining a reference axis of the sheet. An isolation system can facilitate accurate isolation of a sheet by (i) providing targeted air flow, and/or (ii) introducing a wave into the sheet. Identification systems and/or isolation systems described herein may facilitate isolation of sheets that were previously fastened together by one or more fasteners. An alignment system can facilitate accurate alignment of a first sheet at an upstream location relative to a second sheet at a downstream location via machine learning.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for isolating a sheet from an adjacent sheet previously fastened to the sheet, comprising: (a) lifting the sheet by a device capable of suction, wherein a portion of a surface of the sheet is coupled to a portion of a surface of the adjacent sheet at a previous fastening location of the sheet and the adjacent sheet by an adhesive force; (b) positioning an air providing device between the sheet and the adjacent sheet, wherein the air providing device comprises an air providing port configured to provide air along a path leading to the previous fastening location; and (c) providing air from the air providing port along the path to overcome the adhesive force.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the air providing device is an air knife.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the air providing device is configured to hold down the surface of the adjacent sheet.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the air providing device comprises a plurality of air providing ports, wherein each of the plurality of air providing ports is configured to provide air along a different path.",
    "5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of air providing ports are configured to provide air to different corners of the sheet.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive force is a static friction force or a lifting force applied by the device capable of suction.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjacent sheet is previously fastened to the sheet via a staple.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: (d) providing a backstop adjacent to a stack of sheets containing the sheet adjacent to the adjacent sheet; (e) directing the sheet lifted by the device capable of suction in a linear motion towards the backstop, wherein the linear motion is interrupted by the backstop; and (f) isolating the sheet from the adjacent sheet, wherein the sheet forms a first wave and the adjacent sheet form a second wave, wherein the first wave and the second wave have different amplitudes.",
    "9. The method of claim 8, wherein the air providing device is provided as the backstop.",
    "10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first wave and the second wave have different frequencies.",
    "11. The method of claim 8, wherein the linear motion is in a direction opposite a direction of sheet transfer.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, subsequent to isolating, transferring the sheet, via the device capable of suction, in the direction of sheet transfer.",
    "13. The method of claim 8, further comprising isolating the sheet from a third sheet previously fastened to the sheet, wherein the third sheet is adjacent to the adjacent sheet.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, wherein the third sheet forms a third wave, and wherein the third wave and the first wave have different amplitudes or frequencies.",
    "15. The method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to (a), removing a fastener coupling said sheet and said adjacent sheet.",
    "16. The method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to (c), identifying the previous fastening location, and communicating the previous fastening location to a controller in operative communication with the air providing device.",
    "17. A system for isolating a sheet from an adjacent sheet previously fastened to the sheet, comprising: a device capable of suction, configured to lift a sheet from a stack of sheets by applying said suction, wherein a portion of a surface of the sheet is coupled to a portion of a surface of the adjacent sheet at a previous fastening location of the sheet and the adjacent sheet by an adhesive force; an air providing device comprising an air providing port configured to provide air along a path leading to the previous fastening location; and a controller in operative communication with the device capable of suction and the air providing device, configured to instruct the air providing device to provide air from the air providing port along the path to overcome the adhesive force.",
    "18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an identification system configured to identify the previous fastening location and transmit the previous fastening location data to the controller.",
    "19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a backstop adjacent to the stack of sheets, wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the device capable of suction to (i) direct the sheet lifted by the device capable of suction in a linear motion towards the backstop, wherein the linear motion is configured for interruption by the backstop, such that the sheet forms a first wave and the adjacent sheet form a second wave, wherein the first wave and the second wave have different amplitudes.",
    "20. The system of claim 19, wherein the air providing device is provided as the backstop."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Information can often be stored on physical document files. Such physical document files may be packed away in archives, warehouses and/or vaults. Access of information stored on physical document files may be costly and time consuming. Physical documents may be disorganized. Often the documents may be stored as disorganized or non-uniform stacks. Not only can the physical documents be difficult to locate and transport, but once the physical documents have been identified, extracting the information from the physical files can also be time consuming as well.\n\nRecognized herein is a need for systems and methods for automating identification and/or transfer of sheets.\n\nProvided are systems and methods for identifying and/or transferring sheets. The systems and methods can individually or collectively: (1) identify one or more characteristics of a single sheet of a physical document, such as from a stack of physical documents, (2) isolate a single sheet of a physical document, such as from a stack of physical documents, and (3) align one or more sheets of physical documents, such as for scanning. The one or more characteristics can include a shape, size (e.g., dimensions), position (e.g., coordinates), orientation, thickness, and/or other characteristics of a sheet.\n\nIn some embodiments, an identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet or a stack of sheets by vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet or the stack of sheets from a zone of detection.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 1/00785",
    "B25J 9/1697",
    "B65H 15/00",
    "B65H 15/02",
    "B65H 2301/5121",
    "B65H 2553/42",
    "B65H 2701/1829",
    "B65H 3/0816",
    "B65H 3/48",
    "B65H 7/14",
    "G05B 2219/39571",
    "H04N 1/0032",
    "H04N 1/00607",
    "H04N 1/0062",
    "H04N 1/00689",
    "H04N 1/00702",
    "H04N 1/00716",
    "H04N 1/00721",
    "H04N 1/00724",
    "H04N 1/00726",
    "H04N 1/00734",
    "H04N 1/00748",
    "H04N 1/00774",
    "H04N 1/0282"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04N 1/00",
    "H04N 1/028"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ripcord Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kevin Christopher HALL",
    "Jens Jordan HURLEY",
    "Jonathan Floyd GRUBB",
    "Joseph David Dills HARTNAGLE",
    "Arthur Joseph Petron",
    "Alex Fielding"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-09-02",
  "publication_date": "2021-08-10",
  "grant_date": "2021-08-10",
  "priority_date": "2017-03-21",
  "application_number": "US-202017010287-A",
  "family_id": "63585726",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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