Platen Design for Easy Removal of Documents from a Copier or Scanner (16-Sep-2009)

This idea proposes an improvement to the platen glass of a document scanner.  The improvement will make it easier to remove documents that are attracted to the platen glass by electrostatic force.  It has been observed that static electricity can cause documents to stick to the platen glass and although they will slide across the surface of the platen, picking up the document up is difficult. The proposal is to have a pick-off ramp or dip either at a corner or along an edge of the platen glass making it easier to remove documents that are adhered to the platen by static attraction.  The idea is to slide the documents over to the pick-off point where they could be easily lifted off.

When an original document is placed on the platen glass, it has a tendency to stick to the platen.  This can be due to static attraction or simply surface attraction.   A glossy photo for example, where two surfaces are in close contact, sliding the two is possible but parting the two is hard and a peeling action is required. In some instances a vacuum may also be created making it difficult to separate the original from the glass. The proposal allows the operator to slide the document to a ramp or dip to allow access to an edge and simply peel the original from the glass.

There are many wa...