1. A system for limiting medium movement on an imaging apparatus, the system comprising:
an imaging surface; and
a moveable surface disposed to be moved to sandwich the medium between the imaging surface and the moveable surface, and at least one air passage opening disposed to pass air through the moveable surface.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a compressible pad disposed upon the moveable surface so that when the moveable surface is moved to sandwich the medium adjacent the imaging surface, the pad is between the moveable surface and the medium, wherein the pad includes at least one air passage opening corresponding to the at least one air passage opening through the moveable surface to pass air through both the pad and the moveable surface.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an axis about which the moveable surface can be rotated.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein more than one air passage opening is disposed through the moveable surface, and the air passage openings are disposed about the moveable surface to provide for increased volumes of air to be passed through the moveable surface at distances along the moveable surface from the axis over volumes of air passed through the moveable surface at distances along the moveable surface closer to the axis.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein there is at least one air passage opening provided between projections extending from the moveable surface to pass air away from the moveable surface.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the projections are cylindrical.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging apparatus is selected from the group consisting of scanners, copiers, facsimile machines and printers.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one air passage opening is provided by at least one opening in a fabric disposed on the moveable surface.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one air passage opening includes at least one turn to attenuate light from being passed through the moveable surface onto the imaging surface.
10. A system for limiting medium movement on an imaging apparatus, the system comprising:
an imaging surface;
a moveable surface capable of being moved to sandwich the medium between the imaging surface and the moveable surface; and
at least one air passage opening disposed adjacent the imaging surface to allow air to pass when the moveable surface is moved.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one air passage opening has at least one turn.
12. A method for limiting movement of a medium on an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
positioning the medium against an imaging surface;
moving a moveable surface to sandwich the medium between the imaging surface and the moveable surface; and
passing air through at least one opening disposed to reduce forces acting on the medium that are caused by air currents generated adjacent the imaging surface when the moveable surface is moved.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein more than one opening is disposed through the moveable surface so as to provide for passage of increased volumes of air to be passed through the moveable surface at distances along the moveable surface from an axis about which the moveable surface is rotatably moved over volumes of air passed through the moveable surface at distances along the moveable surface closer to the axis.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one opening is provided between projections extending from the moveable surface.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one opening is disposed through said moveable surface.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one opening is disposed adjacent the imaging surface.
17. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one opening to pass air includes at least one turn.
18. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one opening includes an opening that is disposed adjacent the imaging surface.
19. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one opening includes a plurality of openings disposed through a fabric disposed over a larger opening through the moveable surface.
20. A system for limiting medium movement on an imaging apparatus, the system comprising:
a moveable surface means for movement to sandwich the medium between an image scanning surface and the moveable surface means; and
at least one air passage opening means for passing air when the moveable surface means is moved.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein more than one air passage opening means are disposed through the moveable surface means, and the air passage opening means are disposed in the moveable surface means for passing increased volumes of air through the moveable surface means at distances along the moveable surface from an axis about which the movable surface means is rotated over volumes of air passed through the moveable surface means at distances along the moveable surface means closer to the axis.
22. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one air passage opening means includes at least one turn means for attenuating light from being passed through the moveable surface onto the imaging surface.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A crop engaging element for the rotor of a rotary combine, said crop engaging element comprising:
a hollow mounting structure having a ramp portion terminating in a flat top portion that is provided with at least one hole;
a rasp bar comprising a base having a flat bottom surface and a curved convex top surface and a plurality of fins extending from said top surface, each of said plurality of fins having a fin longitudinal axis, and said base being provided with at least one mounting holes through which a threaded fastener is passed to mount said rasp bar to said hollow mounting structure;
a leading mounting flange and a trailing mounting flange that extend from said hollow structure for mounting the crop engaging element to the rotor, wherein one of said mounting flanges is provided with at least one circular mounting apertures and the other of said mounting flanges is provided with at least one mounting apertures in the form of a slot through which mounting bolts are passed to mount the crop engaging element on the rotor.
2. The crop engaging element of claim 1 wherein said hollow mounting structure is a single structure of unitary construction.
3. The crop engaging element of claim 1 wherein said hollow mounting structure, said rasp bar, said leading mounting flange and said trailing mounting flange are a single structure of unitary construction.
4. The crop engaging element of claim 1 wherein said fin longitudinal axes are substantially parallel.
5. The crop engaging element of claim 1 further comprising:
a rear wall;
wherein said trailing mounting flange is provided with at least one gusset extending between said trailing mounting flange and said rear wall.
6. The crop engaging element of claim 5 wherein said rear wall is open forming a rectangular frame.
7. A crop engaging element for the rotor of a rotary combine, said crop engaging element comprising:
a hollow structure having a ramp portion terminating in a flat top portion that is provided with a rasp bar, said rasp bar comprising a base having a curved convex top surface and a plurality of fins extending from said surface, each of said plurality of fins having a fin longitudinal axis; and
a leading mounting flange and a trailing mounting flange extend from the hollow structure for mounting the crop engaging element to a rotor, wherein one of said mounting flanges is provided with a first mounting aperture and the other of said mounting flanges is provided with a second mounting aperture through which mounting bolts are passed to mount the crop engaging element on the rotor.
8. A crop processing rotor for a rotary agricultural combine or a rotary pharmaceutical combine, said crop processing rotor comprising:
a cylindrical drum; and
a plurality of crop processing elements mounted to said cylindrical drum, each of said crop processing elements comprising the crop engaging element of claim 1.
9. A rotary agricultural or pharmaceutical combine comprising:
a concave; and
a crop processing rotor assembly comprising the crop processing rotor of claim 8, said crop processing rotor being rotatably mounted in said concave.
10. A method for improving the ability of a rotary combine to gently thresh a crop and to gently convey the crop through the threshing section of the rotary combine, said method comprising:
introducing the crop to the threshing section of the rotary combine; and
rotating within said threshing section a rotor upon which are mounted a plurality of crop engaging elements, each said crop engaging element comprising a single, unitary, hollow structure having a ramp portion terminating in a flat top portion that is provided with at least one hole, a rasp bar comprising a base having a flat bottom surface and a curved convex top surface and a plurality of fins extending from said top surface, and said base being provided with at least one mounting hole through which a threaded fastener is passed to mount said rasp bar to said hollow structure, and a leading mounting flange and a trailing mounting flange that extend from the hollow structure for mounting the crop engaging element to the rotor, wherein one of said mounting flanges is provided with at least one circular mounting aperture and the other of said mounting flanges is provided with at least one mounting aperture in the form of a slot through which mounting bolts are passed to mount the crop engaging element on the rotor.
11. A method for improving the ability of a rotary combine to gently thresh a crop and to gently convey the crop through the threshing section of the rotary combine, said method comprising:
introducing the crop to the threshing section of the rotary combine; and
rotating within said threshing section a rotor upon which are mounted a plurality of crop processing elements, each said crop engaging element comprising the crop engaging element of claim 1.
12. A crop engaging element for the rotor of a rotary combine, the rotor having a plurality of radial planes, said crop engaging element comprising:
a hollow structure having a ramp portion terminating in a top portion;
a rasp bar that is attached to said top portion, said rasp bar comprising a base having a curved convex top surface and a plurality of fins extending from said surface, each of said plurality of fins having a fin longitudinal axis;
whereas said fin longitudinal axes are substantially parallel to one another and are oriented at an angle relative to one of the radial planes of rotation, said angle being in the range of about forty-one to about fifty-nine degrees or in the range of about sixty-one degrees to about eighty-nine degrees.
13. The crop engaging element of claim 12 wherein said angle is about fifty degrees.
14. The crop engaging element of claim 12 wherein said angle is about seventy degrees.
15. The crop engaging element of claim 12 wherein said angle is in the range of about forty-two degrees to about fifty-eight degrees.
16. The crop engaging element of claim 12 wherein said angle is in the range of about sixty-two degrees to about eighty-eight degrees.
17. A crop engaging element for the rotor of a rotary combine, the rotor having a plurality of radial planes, said crop engaging element comprising:
a rasp bar mount that is attached to the rotor, said rasp bar mount having a ramp portion and a rasp bar portion, said rasp bar having a plurality of fins, each of said fins having a longitudinal fin axis, each longitudinal axis being disposed at an angle relative to one of said radial planes;
wherein said angle is in the range of about forty-two degrees to about fifty-eight degrees or about sixty-two degrees to about eighty-eight degrees.
18. The crop engaging element of claim 17 wherein said angle is about fifty degrees.
19. The crop engaging element of claim 17 wherein said angle is about seventy degrees.
20. The crop engaging element of claim 17 wherein said rasp bar mount and said rasp bar portion make up a single, unitary cast metal structure.