Importance

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Abstract

A control system for a host device sheet feeder that lengthens the life of the input feed roller of the host device by reducing drag on the sheet of paper being dragged into the host device by the feed roller thereof. Drag is reduced by sensing when a sheet of paper has been pushed far enough into the paper path to be close to engagement with the input feed roller of the host device. Then the control system pushes the sheet of paper a predetermined distance further until it engages with or is about to be engaged with the host device feed roller and starts being drawn into the host device. When the sheet of paper has travelled the predetermined distance, the control system drops a movable floor of the paper magazine of the sheet feeder sufficiently to take the top sheet of paper out of contact with the feed roller of the sheet feeder. This reduces or eliminates the drag associated with pinching of the top sheet of paper between the feed roller of the sheet feeder and the next sheet of paper down in the stack. In an alternative embodiment, the feed roller of the sheet feeder can be selectively raised so as to be out of contact with the back end of the sheet of paper being drawn into the host device to eliminate drag after the sheet has been engaged by the feed roller of the host device.

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First Claim