CA1230140A - Finisher tray - Google Patents

Finisher tray

Info

Publication number
CA1230140A
CA1230140A CA000465482A CA465482A CA1230140A CA 1230140 A CA1230140 A CA 1230140A CA 000465482 A CA000465482 A CA 000465482A CA 465482 A CA465482 A CA 465482A CA 1230140 A CA1230140 A CA 1230140A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
booklets
tray
stack
beveled
booklet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000465482A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
James Stocks
Thomas Murray
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eastman Kodak Co
Original Assignee
Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eastman Kodak Co filed Critical Eastman Kodak Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1230140A publication Critical patent/CA1230140A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Pile Receivers (AREA)
  • Sheet Holders (AREA)
  • Folding Of Thin Sheet-Like Materials, Special Discharging Devices, And Others (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)

Abstract

FINISHER TRAY
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A finisher tray has a surface that receives a plurality of booklets in a stack with the sheets of each booklet being secured together by one or more staples adjacent to a side edge of the booklet. The surface has an elevated portion and beveled surface portions tapering downwardly therefrom at two adjacent corners of the tray surface. The beveled portions are positioned relative to the staples for the booklets so that the staples overlie the beveled portions The beveled portions of the tray allow more booklets to be stacked on the tray without interfering with delivery of additional booklets to the tray.

Description

~ 31 ~O

FINISHER TRA_ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a finisher tray and, more specificaliy, to a tray for receivin~ sets of finished booklets with each booklet comprising one or more sheets secured together by st leas~ one ~t~ple adjacent to one side edge of the booklet.
It is known in the art to provide fini6hers for bookiets comprisin~ a plurality vf sheee6 that are stapled together along side edge portions thereof.
Apparatus of this type is disclosed, for exsmple, in U.S. Patent ~o. 4,134,672 which issued on Jsnuary 16, 1979 in the names of L.E. Burlew et ~1. In the patent to Burlew et al, the finisher tray ~urf~ce i~
flat and substantially horizontal. Bookl~ts are stacked on the surface of the tr~y either directly above each other, or in offset relaticn, as they ~re recei~ed fro~ a booklet delivering mechsnism. The booklet delivering mechanism includes a tran~port arm that picks up a finished booklet, swings it to a position over the tray surface and then releases the booklet.
When a booklet is finished by stapling alcng a side edge thereof, or in a corner, the staple u~ually is somewhat thicker than the other portions of the booklet. Thus if a plurality of booklets sre fitacked one on top of another with the staple6 ~ligned or substantially ali~ned, the stapled portionfi of the stack tend to be much thicker than other portions of the stack, such B5 the ed~e portion opposite from the staples. For a 6ubs~anti~1 stack of fini6hed booklets, the difference in the hei~ht of the 6~ck measured at the st~pled portion of ~he booklets and other poreions of the booklets may result in the tack of booklets interfering with the delivery of sdditional booklees into the tr~y. For ex~mple, ~
stack of approximately 50-100 bookiet5 in 8 flat tr~y 3~

of the type disclosed in the Burlew et al patent may interfere with the delivery of additional booklets into the tray. The finisher ~ray of the present invention per~its more finished booklets to be received on the tray without interfering with delivery of additional booklets onto the tray.
As disclosed in the Burlew et al patent, the finisher tray can be adjusted downwardly by an elevator ~echanism as booklets accummulate in the finisher tray. Such adjust~ent ~ends to keep co the top of the stack of booklets below a level where the stack might interfere with delivery of sdditional booklets to the ~tack. However, the tray of such finishers receive unstapled booklets, as well as stapled booklets, and the elevstor adjustment i~ not directly related to ehe thickness of the stack of booklets as measured in the area of staples in the booklets. Thus the adjustment of the tray by an elevator mechanism may not be sufficient to prevent a stack of stapled booklets from interfering with delivery of new booklets to the stack.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
_ In accordance with the present invention, ~ trsy is provided for receiving a plurality of booklets ln a stack. Each booklet to be received includes a plurality of sheets that are ~ecured together by at least on~ staple adjacent one side edge of the booklee. The staples of the booklet are substantially vertic~lly aligned in the ~tack of booklets so that ~he stack tends to be thic~er on the one side edge that is ~tspled. The tray of the invention comprises a surface for receiving ~tapled booklets. The s~rface hss an elevated por~ion snd a beveled portion. The beveled portion is inclined downwardly ~way from the elevated portion ~t an obtuse angle relative to the elevated portion so that bookle~s can be stacked on the tray with the st~ples bein~ over the beveled portion.

_RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drswing6, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a finisher tray of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a view si~ilar to Fig. 1 but showing plurality of stapled booklets on the tray and mechanism for delivering booklets ~o the tray~
DETAII.ED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of a finisher tray of the invention is generally designated 10. Trfly 10 comprises a base 12 which can be provided with ~
handle 14 to facilitate movement of the tray by sn op~rator. Base 12 is supported in ~ subst~ntially horizontal plane by, for example, a set of trsy slides ~not shown) that permits movement of the tr~y in a horizontal plane. Base 12 is generally rectan~ular in shape, and a raised, generRlly rectangular portion 16 of the tray is centrally located on the base and covers a large are~ thereof.
The top surface 18 of the raised portion 16 compri~es a surface for receiving stapled booklets as shown in Fi~. 2 and described in mOre deeail later. Sulf~ce 18 includes a generally flat surface portion 20 that is elevated relative to the base 12 and is generally parallel thereto. Thus portion 20 al~o is in a substan~ially horizontsl pl~ne. Surface 18 ~l~o comprises two beveled surface portion6 22 snd 24 which sre located ~t adjacent corner~ of surace 18 but are spaced from each other by part of ~he elevated surface poreion 20. Thus ~he beveled portion~ 22, 24 are spaced from each other ~long one side 26 of the raised portivn 16 of the tray. The beveled portions also are 6paced from the opposiLe side 2~ of the r~i~ed portion 16.

The beveled portions 22, 24 sre ~ssentially identical to each other but are the mirror image of each other. The beveled portions are inclined downwardly and away from the elevated flat ~urfsee 18 and de~ine with the surface 18 an obtu~e an~le.
While the defined angle may vary, ~he sngle illustrated in the drawin~s is approximately 150-2~0. Beveled portion 22 extends less than half way along side 25 and the adjacent end 27 of the raised portion. Similarly, beveled portion 24 extends less than half way along ~ide 26 and the adjacent end 2~ of the raised portion.
Tray 10 can be used in a copier finisher for ~n electrographic reproducing device ~s gener~lly disclosed in the beforementioned commonly Assigned ~urlew et al ~.S. Patent No. 4,134,672, portions of which are illustrated in Fig. 2. More specificslly, such a finisher may comprise sn assembly tray 30 which receives a plurality of ~heets 32 to be formed into a booklet 34. The booklets shown in Fig. 2 consist of two sheets but can, of course, comprise any number of sheets. Sheets are assembled on tray 30, jog~ed and then st~ples ~re applied to form booklets 34 as disclosed in the Burlew et al pstent.
By way of example, two staple6 36 ~re shown in booklets 34 with the staplefi 36 bein~ located near the ends of one side edge of each booklet. Sometimes a booklet is formed usin~ only one stAple 36 near 8 corner of the booklet.
After the booklet has been formed in tray 30, it is removed from the tray by means of s transport arm 38 which carries at its lower end a fixed ~w 39.
Arm 38 also carries a movable jaw 40 that i~ moved up and down toward the fixed jaw by ~ pneumatic cylinder 42 mounted on the arm 38. When the booklet in tr~y 30 is fully assembled the arm is posîtoned to the right of its illustrfited position 80 thst the fixed ~ LrJ~

and ~ovable jaws straddle the booklet in tray 30.
The~ the ~ylinder 42 drives the mov~ble j~w 40 toward the fixed jaw 39 to thereby cla~p the booklet between the jaws. Then ar~ 38 is swung in the direction indicated by ~rrow 43 from its initial position adjacent tray 30 to the po6ition illustrated in Fig.
2 where the booklet is positioned over the tray 10.
At thi~ ti~e the booklet 34 is released from the j8WS
to allow the booklet ~o drop downwardly onto the tray 10 as shown by arrow 45. Trey 10 is po6itioned with respect eo the booklets bein~ released from between the jaws so that the major portion of ~ booklet 34 is positioned directly over the surface portion 20 of elevated surface 18 and so that the ~t~ples 36 are lS positioned over the beveled portion6 22, 24 of surface 18.
The addition of staples 36 during formation of the booklet results in the stapled areas of the booklet being somewhat thicker than other portions of the booklet. As a ~esult, a 6tsck of booklets 34 arranged with the staples 36 directly ~bove e~ch other, a~ illustrated in Fi~. 2, will be somewhat thicker when ~easured adjacent staple6 36 th~n ~t opposite side ed~e port;ons of the booklet. A6 a stack of booklets 38 is built up on the tray 10, the staples 36 of the first few booklets will be locsted below the surface 20 of the trsy because the ~taples are receiYed in the beveled ere~s 22, 24 of the tray. As ~ore snd more booklet~ ~re placed on tray
3~ 10 the staples will ultimately be ~bove the poreion of the booklets resting directly on the flat ~urfare 20.
In the absence of the beveled portions 22, 24 of the tray, the height of the stack of stapled booklet6 34 would ~oon reach A point where the side edge of the scack of booklets containing the 6taple~ 36 could interfere with delivery of gdditional booklets 34
4~!

from the tray 3G in the manner explained hereinbefore. Because of the beveled portions 22, 24, and their location relative to the st~pled sre~
of the booklets 34, ~any more booklets c~n be pl~ced on tray 10 before the stack will of interfere with delivery of additional booklets. For example, for 8 particular size of booklet it was found that appro~i~ately 75 stapled booklets could be placed on a flat bottom tray before interference occurred.
Using a tray of the inven~ion wi~h the beveled edges beneath the stapled aTea of the booklets, a st~ck of approximately 250-300 booklets can be accommod~ted before interference occurs.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, however it will be under6tood ~hat variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
For exa~ple, portion 16 need no~ be elevated on 2~ base 12. It could be co-planar with or depre~sed from base 12. Beveled portions 22 and 24 would ~till have the same relationship to ~urfsce 18. Al~o, portions 22 and 24 need not be planar a5 illustrated. The configuration of the trsy could be varied for booklets having thrce or more staple6 along one side or one staple in the ~iddle of one side. 5urface portions similar to thAt 6hown at 22, 24 could then be loc&ted to lie beneath ~tspled aleas of booklets. In addition, the tray could include one or more side guides or wali~ on ba~e 12 to slign the booklets in the stack.

Claims (6)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A tray for receiving a plurality of booklets in a stack, each booklet comprising a plurality of sheets secured together by at least one staple adjacent one side edge thereof, the staples of the booklets being substantially vertically aligned in the stack so that the stack is thicker at one side edge of the booklets, the tray comprising a surface for receiving stapled booklets, the surface having an elevated portion and a beveled portion, the beveled portion being inclined downwardly away from the elevated portion at an obtuse angle to the elevated portion so that booklets can be stacked on the tray with the staples being over the beveled portion.
2. The invention as set forth in Claim 1 wherein the tray surface is substantially rectangular in shape, the beveled portion of the surface is at one corner thereof, and the tray surface has a second beveled portion that is inclined downwardly away from the elevated portion at an obtuse angle to the elevated portion so that booklets with two staples can be stacked on the tray with one staple over one beveled portion and another staple over the second beveled portion.
3. The invention as set forth in Claim 2 wherein the elevated portion of the surface is substantially flat, and the two beveled portions are located at adjacent corners of the surface but spaced from each other by part of the elevated portion of the surface.
4. A tray for receiving a plurality of booklets in a stack, each booklet being delivered to the tray by a transport that brings the booklet over the tray and then releases the booklet, each booklet comprising a plurality of staples located near the ends of one side edge thereof, the staples of the booklets being substantially vertically aligned in the stack so that the stack is thicker at the one side edge of the stack of booklets containing the staples, the tray comprising a generally rectangular surface for receiving stapled booklets, the surface having an elevated portion and two spaced beveled portions at two adjacent corners of the surface, the beveled portions being inclined downwardly away from the elevated portion at an obtuse angle to the elevated portion, the booklets being stacked on the tray with the staples being over the beveled portions so that a substantial stack of booklets can be accumulated on the tray without interfering with delivery of additional booklets by the booklet transport.
5. A tray for stacking multi sheet booklets which are individually stapled at substantially the same location adjacent one edge thereof, said tray comprising means defining a first surface for gravitationally supporting a stack of booklets, said surface being relieved in an area corresponding to said location when booklets are supported by said surface to facilitate the stacking of stapled booklets in the tray.
6. A tray for stacking multi sheet booklets which are individually stapled at substantially the same location adjacent one edge thereof, said tray comprising means defining first and second surfaces for gravitationally supporting a stack of booklets, the second surface being inclined downwardly away from the first surface and being disposed under said location when booklets are stacked in said tray to facilitate the stacking of stapled booklets in the tray.
CA000465482A 1983-12-19 1984-10-15 Finisher tray Expired CA1230140A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US56261083A 1983-12-19 1983-12-19
US562,610 1983-12-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1230140A true CA1230140A (en) 1987-12-08

Family

ID=24246986

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000465482A Expired CA1230140A (en) 1983-12-19 1984-10-15 Finisher tray

Country Status (3)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS60127947U (en)
CA (1) CA1230140A (en)
DE (1) DE8436693U1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3916038A1 (en) * 1989-05-17 1990-11-22 Kodak Ag CONTAINER FOR STORING STACKS OF LEAFS
DE3916039A1 (en) * 1989-05-17 1990-11-22 Kodak Ag Container for stacks of sheets stapled together - has sloping depositing surface, with cavity, and stop pieces and rotary piece

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH034541Y2 (en) 1991-02-06
DE8436693U1 (en) 1985-03-14
JPS60127947U (en) 1985-08-28

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