EP0186434B1 - Endgerät mit Rotationssortiergerät - Google Patents

Endgerät mit Rotationssortiergerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0186434B1
EP0186434B1 EP19850309240 EP85309240A EP0186434B1 EP 0186434 B1 EP0186434 B1 EP 0186434B1 EP 19850309240 EP19850309240 EP 19850309240 EP 85309240 A EP85309240 A EP 85309240A EP 0186434 B1 EP0186434 B1 EP 0186434B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sorter
sheets
binding
booklets
station
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 - Lifetime
Application number
EP19850309240
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0186434A3 (en
EP0186434A2 (de
Inventor
Thomas James Hamlin
William Bradford Edwards
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.)
Xerox Corp
Original Assignee
Xerox Corp
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
Priority claimed from US06/684,771 external-priority patent/US4582421A/en
Priority claimed from US06/684,814 external-priority patent/US4564185A/en
Priority claimed from US06/684,772 external-priority patent/US4678179A/en
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Publication of EP0186434A2 publication Critical patent/EP0186434A2/de
Publication of EP0186434A3 publication Critical patent/EP0186434A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0186434B1 publication Critical patent/EP0186434B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
    • G03G15/6538—Devices for collating sheet copy material, e.g. sorters, control, copies in staples form
    • G03G15/6541—Binding sets of sheets, e.g. by stapling, glueing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42C—BOOKBINDING
    • B42C1/00—Collating or gathering sheets combined with processes for permanently attaching together sheets or signatures or for interposing inserts
    • B42C1/12—Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42C—BOOKBINDING
    • B42C1/00—Collating or gathering sheets combined with processes for permanently attaching together sheets or signatures or for interposing inserts
    • B42C1/12—Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures
    • B42C1/125—Sheet sorters combined with binding devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H39/00—Associating, collating, or gathering articles or webs
    • B65H39/10—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad
    • B65H39/105—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad in rotary carriers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00789—Adding properties or qualities to the copy medium
    • G03G2215/00822—Binder, e.g. glueing device
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00789—Adding properties or qualities to the copy medium
    • G03G2215/00822—Binder, e.g. glueing device
    • G03G2215/00827—Stapler
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00789—Adding properties or qualities to the copy medium
    • G03G2215/00822—Binder, e.g. glueing device
    • G03G2215/00864—Plural selectable binding modes

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a finishing apparatus for a copier or reproduction machine, comprising a rotary sorter.
  • a finishing device such as a stitcher or stapler is activated to bind the set.
  • These systems are of the precollation type wherein the document sheets are precollated in the document handling apparatus prior to commencement of a reproduction run. The output for the reproduction machine will likewise be precollated in sets corresponding to the sequenced numbered document set in the document handling apparatus. The copy sheets are collected in collated sets as they are sequentially produced so that binding may be effected without the interaction of additional devices.
  • Such systems are described in US-A-4,134,672.
  • a single array of vertically oriented collecting bins or sorter is positioned and vertically moved in either direction to receive a copy sheet output for collating the copy sheets into collated sets.
  • the bin array or sorter in effect serves as a buffer in the production of finished copy sets.
  • a finishing device such as a stitcher or stapler is positioned and activated to apply a staple to each set as they are completed.
  • a rotary collator-sorter which is devised so as to be selectively usable as either a collator or as a sorter.
  • sheets have been collated/sorted they are pushed one at a time from the bins of the collator-sorter and are transported to a stacker or to a finishing device which may be a conventional stapler/stitcher.
  • the present invention provides a finishing apparatus for a copier or reproduction machine, comprising a rotary sorter having radially extending bins arranged in the path of a stream of sheets at a loading station to receive the sheets, means for imparting rotation to said sorter relative to said loading station such that sheets of like information are received in different bins in turn whereby said stream of sheets is collated into a plurality of like booklets, each booklet comprising a set of sheets, and a binding station at which booklets collated in the sorter can be bound, characterized in that the binding station is located adjacent the sorter and includes a binding device movable into and out of an operative position in which it is cooperable with a booklet in a bin of the sorter to bind the booklet while in the bin, the binding device comprising either an adhesive binding device known per se, which when activated is arranged to apply adhesive material to the spline of the booklets for binding the same, or a stapler/stitcher device known per se, which when activated is arranged to apply a staple
  • the finishing apparatus of the present invention may be utilized in an office environment as a stand alone system.
  • An embodiment of the invention described herein includes means for registering sheets within said radially-extending bins, each of said bins having a sheet retaining means for engaging the received sheets to hold the same in registered condition therein during rotation of the sorter, and means for releasing each of said retaining means individually to permit the entry of a sheet into each of the bins in turn.
  • An advantage of finishing apparatus in accordance with the present invention resides in its ability to register, clamp and finish in the rotary sorter and then automatically unload booklets at high speed and at a very reasonable cost while maintaining a high degree of production quality.
  • an array of collecting bins can be positioned sequentially in a direction wherein successive bins in the array will receive a copy sheet at a fixed point thereby collecting sets of collated copy sheets, and wherein the collected sets in the bins are positioned at another point for binding.
  • FIG. 1 For a general understanding of a reproduction system with which the present invention may be incorporated, reference is made to Figure 1 wherein components of a typical electrostatic printing/finishing system are illustrated.
  • the printing function of the system is preferably of the xerographic type as one including a xerographic processor 1, and a document handling apparatus 2.
  • the processor 1 is the same as the processor in the commerical embodiment of the Xerox duplicators, models 9400 and 9500, which utilize flash, full frame exposure, for very high speed production.
  • the document handling apparatus 2 is the same as those used in the same machines. It will be understood that most any other type of xerographic processor and multiple exposure document handling apparatus may be utilized.
  • a finishing module 3 Operating in conjunction with the processor 1 and apparatus 2 is a finishing module 3 and thereby forms the reproduction system shown in Figure 1.
  • a light image of an original to be reproduced is projected onto the sensitized surface of a xerographic photosensitive surface to form an electrostatic latent image thereon.
  • the latent image is developed with toner material to form a xerographic powder image corresponding to the latent image on the photosensitive surface.
  • the powder image is then electrostatically transferred to a record material such as a sheet of paper or the like to which it may be fused by a fusing device whereby the powder image is caused to adhere permanently to the surface of the record material.
  • the xerographic processor 1 is arranged as a self-contained unit having all of its processing stations located in a unitary enclosure or cabinet.
  • the processor includes an exposure station at which an original to be reproduced is positioned on a glass exposure platen 4 for projection onto a photosensitive surface in the form of a xerographic belt 5.
  • the original or set of individual document sheets are selectively transported by the document feed apparatus 2 one document sheet at a time to the platen 4 for exposure. After a predetermined number of exposures of each document sheet is made, the same is returned to the top of the set until the entire set has been copied.
  • a suitable document handling apparatus of this type is described in US-A-3,944,794.
  • Imaging light rays from each of the document sheets, which is flash illuminated by an illumination system 6 having suitable lamps 7, are projected by means of a lens system and, mirrors, onto the xerographic belt 5.
  • the lamps 7 are connected to a suitable flashing circuit (not shown) which is controlled by the programmer for the processor in timed sequence, and in accordance with the program the operator has preset in the machine. Further details in this regard are not necessary since the Xerox 9400 reproduction machine operates in this manner and is well known.
  • the xerographic belt 5 is mounted for movement around three parallel arranged rollers 8, 9, 10, suitably mounted in the processor 1.
  • the belt is continuously driven by a suitable motor (not shown) and at an appropriate speed.
  • the exposure of the belt to the imaging light rays from a document discharges the photoconductive layer in the area struck by light whereby there remains on the belt an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the light image projected from the document.
  • the electrostatic latent image passes a developing station at which there is positioned a developer apparatus 11 for developing the electrostatic latent image.
  • the powdered image is moved to an image transfer station 12 where the developed image is transferred to a support surface, normally a sheet of copy paper, brought from a main or auxiliary paper tray 13, 14, respectively, as will appear.
  • a support surface normally a sheet of copy paper
  • Each sheet is conveyed to the transfer station by a conveyor 15, which cooperates with sheet registration fingers 16 (only one shown). These fingers rotate in a counterclockwise direction, and engage the leading edge of a sheet, being adapted to effect the accurate timing and positioning of a sheet relative to the movement of a developed image on the belt 5 and the other timed events in reproduction processing. Further details of the timing relationships and related structure and events are described in US-A-3,790,270; US-A- 3,796,486; and US-A-3,917,396.
  • the sheet is moved in synchronism with the movement of the belt 5, and passes between a transfer roller 17 and the belt 5 at the transfer station.
  • the sheet of paper is stripped off the belt 5 and transported by a vacuum conveyor 18 in an inverted condition to a fusing station where a fuser device 19 is positioned to receive the sheet of paper for fusing the powder thereon.
  • the sheet is eventually transported to a finisher station to be described hereinafter either to be stapled/stitched, or bound by adhesive material into copy sets or merely to be separated into sets without binding.
  • the system comprising the processor 1, the document handling apparatus 2, and the finishing module 3 is under control of a programmer P which permits an operator various options: to turn the entire system ON or OFF; to program the reproduction system for a desired number of reproductions to be made of each original document sheet or set; to select whether simplex or duplex copies are to be made; to select a desired output arrangement, that is, sets mode or stacks mode, stapled, or unstapled; to select one of a plurality of paper trays, to condition the machine for the type of document, that is, whether one-sided or two-sided; to select a copy size reduction mode, and other desirable functions.
  • a programmer P which permits an operator various options: to turn the entire system ON or OFF; to program the reproduction system for a desired number of reproductions to be made of each original document sheet or set; to select whether simplex or duplex copies are to be made; to select a desired output arrangement, that is, sets mode or stacks mode, stapled, or unstapled; to select one of a plurality of paper
  • the programmer P also includes a controller which provides all operational timing and synchronization between the processor 1 and all of its xerographic processing functions, and system control functions, the automatic events to be described hereinafter.
  • the controller may include any suitable microprocessor having a CPU and the appropriate machine clock, but preferably the processor is one similar to the Intel 8080 microprocessor manufactured by the Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, California, and having sufficient ROM's and RAM's for all of the necessary functions in the reproduction system.
  • Main paper tray 13 includes a suitable elevator type base 20 on which a supply of sheets rest, base 20 being supported for automatic up and down movement by suitable means (not shown) designated to maintain paper feed belt 21 in operative contact with the topmost one of the sheets on the elevator 20.
  • the belt 21 is operated intermittently in timed relationship to spacing of images on the photoreceptor belt 5 and serves to advance the topmost sheet from the supply stack 13 to the main paper supply transport 15.
  • the auxiliary tray 14 in the exemplary arrangement shown is arranged above main tray 13 and includes a suitable elevator type base 22 on which a supply of sheets may be provided.
  • suitable means (not shown) are provided to raise base 22 of auxiliary tray 14 as the supply of sheets thereon is used up so as to maintain the paper feed belt 23 in operative contact with the topmost sheet.
  • the transport 24 is suitably driven by a drive system not shown and is disposed to discharge sheets drawn from auxiliary tray 14 onto the operating run of main supply transport 15.
  • the sheets from auxiliary tray 14 are thereafter fed to the transfer station.
  • Guides 25 serve to maintain the sheets in driving contact with the auxiliary paper supply transport 24 during movement therealong.
  • copy sheets leaving the processor 1 after exiting the fuser apparatus 19 are conveyed to an exit slot 26 by way of transports 27, 28 if the reproduction system is set for the simplex or one-sided copying. If the system has been programmed for duplex or two-sided copying, copy sheets will be directed to the auxiliary tray 14. If the latter mode of operation is selected, copy sheets conveyed by the transport 27 are intercepted by a deflector 29 which is adapted for movement into the sheet path. When the . deflector 29 is in the interrupt function, the copy sheets are carried around a roller 30 and through the nip formed by this roller and a cooperating roller 31.
  • the sheet is advanced by rollers 30, 31 between an upper sheet guide baffle 32 and a lower sheet guide baffle 33 to a second roller pair 34,35 which further advances the sheet to a transport mechanism 36 which carried the sheet to the auxiliary paper tray 14.
  • the paper handling mechanism for the main tray 13 may be inactivated and the paper handling mechanism for the auxiliary tray 14 activated. It should be understood that in following the paper path around roller 30 and between roller pair 34, 35, the copy sheets are turned over, i.e. the printed material is on the top of the sheets in the tray 14.
  • the sheets from the tray 14 are fed through the reproduction machine by means of the feed belt 23 and the transport 24 for copying on the blank side of the sheet in the same manner as described heretofore.
  • the reproduction system being programmed for the duplex mode, and after completion of the correspondingly programmed number of one-sided sheets, reenergization of the system also produces the raising of a sheet stop 37 into the paper path between the upper guide baffle 32 and the lower guide baffle 33.
  • the feed roller 34 is mounted on the upper baffle 32 to be raised therewith during the phase of duplex copying. In this manner, the feed roller 34 will be displaced away from lower feed roller 35 so that papers fed therebetween are not forwarded thereby.
  • the sheet stop 37 is formed of a ring-shaped resilient material being compliant enough to resume its circular shape and thereby effect the insertion of a sheet into the nip formed between roll 31 and a cooperating roll 38, the trailing edge of the sheet being carried by roll 31 into the nip.
  • the rolls 31 and 38 are formed of a high friction material such as polyurethanefoam to assure positive feeding of a sheet traveling toward stop 37 and positive feeding of the sheet traveling away from the stop against drag force generated between two sheets which may be in the inverter area at the same time traveling in opposite directions.
  • the purpose of the stop 37 and the cooperating action of the rollers 31, 38 is to invert each copy sheet, while production is in the duplex mode, so that the odd numbered page on a copy sheet reaching the exit slot 26 is on the bottom of the sheet.
  • the document handling apparatus 2 serves to feed one document sheet at a time from a supply of document sheets D into copying position on the platen 4 where a single exposure if only one copy set is programmed, or a plurality of exposures may be made. Following exposure one or more times, each document sheet is automatically returned to the document supply and the next document sheet, if any, is brought into the exposure position on plate 4. As will appear, document sheets returned to the supply stack may be recycled by the apparatus 2 or simply removed by the user when the copying program is completed.
  • the document handling apparatus 2 includes base section 40, the lower end of which swingably supports, by means of a shaft 41, matching left and right hand tray members 42.
  • the tray members 42 are substantially U-shaped when seen in cross section, each having a base 43, which are shown cut away at the upper ends thereof to accommodate a document separator/feed roll 44.
  • the trays are adjustable along the shaft 41 to accommodate various size documents.
  • the document separator roller 44 is rotatably supported on a drive shaft 45 under the base section 40 such that a portion of the periphery of the roller projects into the document tray area, the base 40 being suitably apertured to accommodate the separator roller.
  • the shaft 45 is supported for rotation and driven by a continuously driven motor M through suitable pulleys and belts (not shown).
  • a solenoid clutch SOL-1 drivingly connects the motor M to the separator 44 in response to a signal from the machine logic in timed sequence in accordance with the programming arrangement in the logic.
  • a pair of document limiting rollers 46, 47 are disposed on the downstream side of separator roller 44 and function to prevent passage of more than one document sheet at a time.
  • the upper limiting roller 46 is arranged to be driven by the lower limiting roller 47 so long as friction developed between rollers 46,47 remains above a predetermined setting.
  • the upper roller 46 is turned in a document rejecting direction by a suitable drive means (not shown).
  • Document sheets emerging from limiting rollers 46, 47 are carried forward by intermediate rollers underneath a curved document guide 48 to a platen transport belt conveyor 49 which, in turn, carries the document onto the platen 4.
  • a register edge 50 is provided across the inlet side to platen 4, and serves to register or locate document sheets in pre-set position on platen 4 for exposure thereof.
  • the movement of the platen transport belt 49 is reversed for this purpose after the document sheet has been carried past the register 50, reversal of transport 49 serving to move the document sheet backwards to bring the document sheet trailing edge into abutment with register edge 50.
  • the platen transport belt 49 is again operated in reverse to move the document sheet backwards off the platen 4, the register edge 50 being retracted for this purpose by a suitable means (not shown).
  • the document guide fingers 51 deflect or guide the returning document upwardly into the nip of a first return transport roller pair 52, which carry the returning document sheet between return guides 53 and into the nip of a second return transport roller pair 54 and back into tray members 42.
  • a displaceable bail or separator bar 55 is provided substantially opposite to and above the feed roller 44.
  • the bar 55 is supported from a rockable cross shaft 56 which is suitably journaled in the supporting framework of document apparatus 2. Means (not shown) are provided to selectively turn the shaft 56 and raise the bar 55 out from under the document sheets D' resting thereupon and thereafter return the bar 55 back onto the topmost one of the document sheets in the supply.
  • rollers heretofore described are driven by the motor M by way of suitable pulleys and belts (not shown). Since the particular document apparatus 2 is a commercial device being a part of Xerox Corporation's product labeled the 9200 duplicator, and is adequately described in US-A-3,944,794, further description thereof will not be included herein.
  • the document apparatus 2 includes a document tray adapted for supporting a stack comprising a plurality of document sheets in numbered sequence with page one of the multi-page document on the bottom of the stack. Since the illustrated document handling apparatus is of the bottom feed type, page one will be the first document sheet imaged, and so on.
  • copy sheets exiting the fuser device 19 are directly conveyed by the transports 27, 28 to and through the exit slot 26 positioned at one end of the housing for the xerographic processor 1.
  • the finishing module 3 which comprises a rotary sorting mechanism, a stapler/stitcher apparatus, an adhesive binding device, and an output elevator/conveyor system.
  • each sheet is directed to a transport 60 within the finishing module 3.
  • the transport 60 includes a registration device (not shown) which provides rear edge registration of the sheets so that each sheet is programmed or placed in timed sequence relative to the ensuing sorting function.
  • a registration device (not shown) which provides rear edge registration of the sheets so that each sheet is programmed or placed in timed sequence relative to the ensuing sorting function.
  • the sheets are directed seriatim into the bins 63 of a rotary sorter 64 driven by a motor drive M-2 connected to a supporting shaft 65.
  • the drive and control system therefor is adapted to impart indexing rotary motion successively or continuously to the sorter, as will be described below.
  • the sorter rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 66. While a sheet is being directed into a bin 63, and the sorter 64 is indexed to position the next succeeding bin adjacent the sheet receiving station 62, the sheet or sheets in the previous bin will be operated upon by a tamping device 67. Each sheet entering a bin is tamped so as to insure corner registration of a finished copy set just prior to a stapling/stitching or adhesive binding action, as will be described below.
  • the next operating station after the tamper 67 is an adhesive binder station whereat an adhesive binder 70 is arranged for effecting the application of hot adhesive material to the spine of completed copy sets or booklets, if this operation has been programmed in the programmer P by the operator, and when all of the programmed copy sheets have been collected in the bins.
  • the sorter 64 brings the adhesive bound copy sets, if such has been programmed, to a station whereat a cooling device 71 is positioned for cooling the still hot adhesive material.
  • the device comprises a fan and a manifold having discharge openings arranged to span the openings of at least two of the sorter bins 63 and running axially of the sorter 64. This arrangement provides sufficient cooling of the hot adhesive material on the spline of the copy sets or booklets in the bins.
  • Still further rotation of the sorter brings the indexing bins to a discharge station 72 whereat finished copy sets are unloaded after stapling, adhesive binding, or as unbound copy sets.
  • an unload transport system is positioned (see Figure 5) comprising a nip roller pair 73, 74, and a belt 75 entrained around a drive shaft 76 for driving the rollers 73, 74.
  • the rollers 73, 74 are made of very compliant foam material to permit the transport through the nip of copy sets ranging between two sheets to fifty sheets without deforming the copy sets or causing undue wear of the rollers.
  • copy sets are directed to the platform or tray 77 of an elevator 78 arranged for vertical motion in either direction by a pair of elongated screws.
  • the next and final finishing station along the path of bin movement is a stapler device 80 suitably mounted on the frame of the apparatus 3 for pivotal movement in a plane inclined relative to a horizontal plane.
  • the device 80 is mounted at the end of the sorter 64 and, when activated, is pivoted inwardly to a corner of the registered copy sets or booklets within the bins 63.
  • the sorter 64 comprises circular front and rear end plates 81, 82, respectively, (see Figure 3 and Figure 4) to which the bin plates 63 are attached in radial configuration.
  • the inner edge of each of the bin plates 63 is formed with bottom registration edge 83 against which sheets come to rest when inserted into the bins.
  • the tamping device 67 cooperates with the edge 83 to effect corner registration of each copy set or booklet being assembled in the bins.
  • Each of the bins 63 has a copy set gripper bar mechanism associated therewith for holding copy sheets within the respective bins during rotation of the sorter 64.
  • the gripper bars are opened to permit ingress of sheets into the bins when at the loading station 62, and the unloading station 72 by a bin opening/closing actuating mechanism associated with the gripper bars as the affected bin approaches the respective station.
  • the gripper bar mechanism serves to hold the copy sheets in registered condition as the sorter rotates during a reproduction run, and to prevent displacement of the sheets when the bins are in inverted positions.
  • each of the bins has positioned therein a gripper bar 84 extending the length of the bin axially of the sorter 64. Since all of the bars and their associated opening and closing mechanisms are identical, only one will be described in detail.
  • Each bar includes a plate member 85 which extends into a bin being pivotally retained at its lower end on a bin plate 63 and at its upper end to a gripper bar so as to permit smooth translational movement of each plate member 85 away from and against the sheets in each bin, during actuation of a gripper bar.
  • the outer edge of each plate member is turned to form a gripper edge 86 and when in gripping condition, engages the sheet(s) along the longitudinal edge thereof adjacent the opening of its respective bin.
  • the bar 84 is pivoted on a rod 87 extending parallel to the axial shaft 65 and secured to suitable castings or brackets on the frame for the sorter to permit rotation of the bar into and out of gripping positions
  • a coil spring 88 at each end of the rod 87, each having an end secured to the gripper bar and the other end secured to the bin plate 63 serves to bias the bar 84 normally clockwise, as shown in Figure 3, to force the plate member 85 against the sheets S and the gripper edge 86 into gripping or retaining position with the sheets.
  • the rollers 90 for all of the gripper bars, one for each bin in the sorter 63, are adapted to engage two cam control devices arranged at the rear of the machine adjacent the rear plate 82 and spaced peripherally of the sorter.
  • One of the cam devices is illustrated in Figure 3 by the reference numeral 91 as being operative on the gripper bars when the same are adjacent the loading station 62 for the finishing apparatus and the other cam device illustrated by the reference numeral 92, in Figure 5, is operative on the gripper bars when the same are adjacent the unloading station 72.
  • the cam device 91 is formed with two cam surfaces 93, 94 engagable with the rollers 90 and separated by a projection or high point 95 for the joint cam surfaces.
  • the cam surface 93 serves to drive the gripper bars 84 and consequently the associated gripper edges 86 counterclockwise, out of engagement with the sheets, against the bias of the springs 88. The sequence of this operation is as follows.
  • the roller 90b has been carried beyond the high point 95 and upon the cam surface 94; however, the return movement of gripper edge 86b is just beginning since the portion of the cam surface 94 from engagement of the roller 90b to the high point 95 is effectively a dwell cam action producing very little return movement. Therefore, in this position of the parts, the sheet S, has progressed a little further in the bin 63b. Still further rotation of the sorter carries the roller 90c further along the cam surface 94, which is shaped to permit clockwise return rotation of the gripper bar 84c and the edge 86c toward the sheets S in the bin 63c. Finally, still further rotation of the sorter moves the roller 90d toward the end of the cam surface 94 thereby effecting complete return of the gripper bar 84d and the edge 86d against the sheets in the bin 63d.
  • At least three bins 63 have their associated gripper bars separated from sheets contained therein. This permits adequate spacing and timing for the tamper 67 to effect corner registration of the sheets contained in the bins. By having at least three unobstructed bin openings, there is assurance that each sheet will have sufficient time to enter each bin and be registered. In addition, the mechanical action in this lengthy sequence lessens the chances of jams caused by the mis-timing of sheet arrival or, as a result of machine tolerances.
  • the rotary sorter 64 continues to rotate in the direction of the arrow collating the stream of sheets entering the sorter until the job is completed, if the programmed number of copy sets or booklets is less than the number of bins, preferably 24 bins, or will discontinue collecting sheets when the 24 bins are all occupied with complete booklets.
  • the sorter will rotate in the same manner as when collating to bring each bookletto either the adhesive binding device 70 or the stapler/stitcher 80.
  • a binding action is initiated as soon as a booklet is completed and has been moved into a binding position, even as the last sheet of each booklet is being received in the sorter bins.
  • the cam device 92 is associated with the discharge or unload station 72 for controlling the discharge of bound sets of sheets.
  • the cam device 92 is formed with a cam surface 97 against which the gripper mechanism rollers 90 are directed when the device 92 is in the path of movement of these rollers and in a position to intercept the same.
  • the device 92 is pivoted on a pivot 98 and is actuated into and out of the path of the movable rollers 90 by a motor and drive. M-3 which is under control of the programmer P for the machine.
  • the motor and drive M-3 includes a driven shaft 99 having a rotating eccentric cam 100 attached thereto and engagable with the end of the device 92 remote from the pivot 98.
  • the lobe thereon for each revolution causes the device 92 and therefore the cam surface 97, to be moved into and out of the path of movement of the rollers 90, as the sorter 64 is rotated.
  • the surface 97 is adapted to effect rotation of a gripper bar 89e counterclockwise against the bias of the springs 88 as the gripper actuating roller 90e rides upon the cam surface.
  • the roller 90e engages the surface 97 and commences to rotate the gripper bar 89e.
  • Continued rotation of the sorter 64 completes the full rotation of the gripper bar and corresponding movement of the gripper edge 86e away from the set S, as the set is moved adjacent the unload station 72 between the rollers 73, 74 of the unload transport system.
  • the set S falls out of the bin 63 containing the same and upon the transport belt to be carried to the elevator tray 77 to be stacked thereon.
  • Further rotation of the sorter moves the gripping actuating roller 90f away from the cam surface 97 to permit rotation of the gripper bar to its normal biased position for a bin 63 which has been emptied or unloaded.
  • Energization of the motor and drive M-3 to effect unloading of the bins 63 of bound sets of sheets is under control of the programmer P.
  • the motor remains deenergized, thereby maintaining the camming device 92 inactive as the rotary sorter 64 rotates to receive the sheets in the sets.
  • a signal to this effect is initiated, for example, by a counter which counts sheets entering the sorter at the transport 60 and which divides the total number of sheets by the number of bins 63, or by the programmed number of sets to be collated if less than the number of bins.
  • This signal is transmitted to the machine programmer and, at a suitable point in time, generally starting from the first bound set, the motor M-3 is energized and remains energized until the sorter 64 is unloaded.
  • Each revolution of the cam 100 is timed to the index movement of the sorter, one revolution per index or bin, so that rotation of the sorter, one bin movement and one rotation of the cam combine to produce unloading of the sorter, a bin at a time, and at the speed of rotation of the sorter which is utilized for loading the bins. In this manner, at certain times during a reproduction job, loading and unloading can occur simultaneously as the sorter rotates at the same constant speed.
  • the tray 77 As the completed, bound and unloaded sets are deposited on the tray 77, the same lowers, for example, by a height sensor and incremental actuation of a motor. When the tray 77 is full and in its most lowered position, further unloading is terminated, and the tray automatically moves upward to its highest position, illustrated by dotted lines 110, (see Figure 1) permitting the operator to remove the complete sets. When the sets have been removed, the tray automatically returns to its unloading position as shown.
  • the adhesive binding apparatus 70 (see Figure 6) includes an adhesive applicating roller 115 partially immersed in container 116 for adhesive material M.
  • the container is mounted on a frame 117 which is movably mounted on the bed of the finishing apparatus 3 by a pair of roller races 119.
  • a motor M-4 is also mounted on the frame 117 and is drivingly connected to the roller 115 when energized by a signal from the programmer P. Such signal is automatically initiated when adhesive binding has been programmed and the sets of sheets S have been completed and ready for binding.
  • Means such as a motor M-5 and a crank system 120, are employed to move the roller 115 into and out of its position to apply adhesive material to the splines of the booklets or sets S.
  • the binding device 70 is moved into its operative position, as shown in Figure 7.
  • a pair of heaters 122 are suitably positioned under the container 116 for maintaining the adhesive material at a hot melt temperature best suited for entering the spline of each booklet to be absorbed therein.
  • a signal from the programmer P is utilized to produce heating of the material and may be set to be instituted when the adhesive binding mode of operation has been programmed.
  • a cooling device (not shown) may be included adjacent the rotary sorter and arranged to cool the adhesive material which may be applied hot to the spline of each booklet.
  • FIG 7 is a schematic illustration depicting the application of adhesive material to the splines of completed booklets or sets S.
  • the applicator roller 115 is movable toward this line during the adhesive binding mode in order to apply the material M, supported in the periphery of the roller, to the spline edge of each booklet.
  • Each booklet is finished with a thin layer of adhesive material, as illustrated by the reference numeral N, along the bound edge.
  • the circular line of movement L is slightly spaced from the periphery of the roller 115 so that the adhesive material may be deposited with some thickness to the edge of the booklets.
  • this arrangement provides beads of material B at both corners of the spline.
  • the peripheral speed of the roller 115 is made to equal approximately the peripheral speed of the splines of the booklets along the line L.
  • the stapler 80 is mounted for pivotal movement on a pivot pin 130 suitably supported on the frame for the apparatus 3.
  • the pin 130 is oriented at an angle relative to the horizon (see Figure 1) so that the plane of pivotal movement for the stapler is such as to be coplanar or in alignment with each booklet to be stapled while in its radial orientation within the sorter 64.
  • the anvil 131 and stapling head 132 for the stapler will be arranged to receive a corner of the booklet at the proper stapling angle, and with sufficient clearance to avoid jamming.
  • Each of the plates 85 associated with the gripper mechanism is formed with a notch 133 (see Figure 4) at the rear ends thereof to receive the anvil 131 and head 132 of the stapler 80 during a stapling operation.
  • Movement of the stapler in its plane of pivotal movement is effected by a motor M-6 mounted on the frame for the apparatus 3.
  • a crank mechanism 134 connected between the stapler and the frame produces pivotal movement of the stapler into and out of its stapling position for each indexing action by the sorter 64.
  • the motor M-6 When energized by a signal from the programmer P, the motor M-6 rotates the stapler 80 to position the anvil 131 and head 132 into the notch 133 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8.
  • a solenoid SOL-3 mounted in the stapler 80 is then energized by a signal from the programmer P to produce a stapling operation.
  • the motor M-6 still being energized, returns the stapler to its inoperative position away from the now rotating sorter 64.
  • FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a control arrangement for the reproduction and finisher system in Figure 1.
  • the programmer P is operatively connected to four remotes (1) the processor 1 for controlling the xerographic processing, copy sheet feed and movement, timing and monitoring and all other parameters in the processor; (2) the input station comprising the flash illumination system 6 and circuitry and copy size reduction of this feature is available; (3) the automatic document handling apparatus 2; and (4) the finishing station 3.
  • the finishing station 3 includes a driver operatively connected to a servo controller which, in turn, is connected to a power amplifier serving to energize and operate the rotary sorter indexing motor M-2.
  • the remote for the finishing station 3 also includes drivers for the unload or discharge cam motor M-3, the adhesive applicator motor M-4, the adhesive binder positioning motor M-5, and the stapler positioning motor M-6.
  • FIG. 10a, 10b, 10c depict operational control for the handling of the stream of copy sheets from the processor and document handling apparatus 2 as the sheets enter the finishing station 3.
  • the stream comprises a series of multiple copies of the same document sheet which are collected in the rotary sorter 64.
  • collation proceeds until completed for the document sheets in the apparatus 2 and depending upon the number of copy sets or booklets that were programmed and the number of bins in the sorter. If the programmed number of sets is less than the number of bins, then after the last bin receives the last sheet, the binding operation commences, as depicted in Figure 10c. If the programmed number is larger than the number of bins, then after the bins are loaded with completed sets, the binding operation commences. After unloading of the entire sorter when binding has been completed, collation commences as before, and so on. Suitable sensors and switches are placed in the system to insure sheet counts and positioning for job timing.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)
  • Folding Of Thin Sheet-Like Materials, Special Discharging Devices, And Others (AREA)

Claims (13)

1. Endgerät für eine Kopier- oder Reproduktionsmaschine, enthaltend einen umlaufenden Sortierer (64) mit sich radial erstreckenden Fächern (63), die im Weg eines Stroms aus Blättern (S1) an einer Aufgabestation (62) angeordnet sind, um die Blätter entgegenzunehmen, eine Einrichtung (M-2), die den Sortierer relativ zu der Aufgabestation derart in Drehung versetzt, daß Blätter oder dgl. in Formation ihrerseits in unterschiedlichen Fächern aufgenommen werden, wodurch der Blätterstrom in mehrere gleiche Broschüren kollationiert wird, wobei jede Broschüre einen Satz (S) von Blättern enthält, und eine Bindestation, an der die in den Sortierer kollationierten Broschüren gebunden werden können, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Bindestation benachbart dem Sortierer angeordnet ist und eine Bindevorrichtung (70, 80) enthält, die in und aus einer Betriebsstellung beweglich ist, in der sie mit einer Broschüre in einem Fach des Sortierers zusammenwirken kann, um die Broschüre in dem Fach zu binden, wobei die Bindevorrichtung entweder eine Klebstoffbindevorrichtung (70) bekannter Art enthält, die, wenn sie aktiviert ist, dazu eingerichtet ist, Klebstoffmaterial (M) auf den Rücken der Broschüre aufzubringen, um diese zu binden, oder eine Klammer/ Nadelvorrichtung (80) bekannter Art enthält, die, wenn sie aktiviert ist, dazu eingerichtet ist, eine Klammer an jeder der Broschürenanzubringen.
2. Endgerät nach Anspruch 1, bei dem zwei Bindestationen vorgesehen sind, die jeweils benachbart dem Sortierer angeordnet sind, wobei eine erste der Stationen die Klebstoffbindevorrichtung enthält und die zweite Station die Klammer/Nadelvorrichtung enthält, und weiterhin enthaltend eine Einrichtung (P, M-4, M-5) zum selektiven Aktivieren jeder der Bindestationen zur Erzeugung entweder von mit Klebstoff gebundenen Broschüren oder von gehefteten Broschüren.
3. Endgerät nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, enthaltend eine Steuereinrichtung zum Aktivieren der/jeder Bindestation in zeitlicher Abstimmung mit der Aufnahme der Blätter an der Aufgabestation.
4. Endgerät nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, enthaltend eine Einrichtung, die dem Sortierer eine schrittweise Drehung gegenüber der Aufgabestation vermittelt, wo ein Blatt bei jeder Schrittbewegung entgegengenommen wird.
5. Endgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, enthaltend eine Einrichtung, die dem Sortierer eine kontinuierliche Drehung vermittelt.
6. Endgerät nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die sich radial erstreckenden Fächer die in Broschüren kollationierten Blätter derart enthalten, daß die Rücken der Broschüren sich radial nach außen erstrecken und eine Bewegungsumfanglinie (L) um die Drehachse des Sortierer während der Drehung desselben definieren, wobei die Klebstoffbindevorrichtung einen drehenden Aufbringer (115) enthält, dessen Drehachse im wesentlichen parallel zur Drehachse des Sortierers verläuft, wobei der Umfang des Aufbringers in der Betriebsstellung der Vorrichtung benachbart der genannten Umfangslinie ist und dazu eingerichtet ist, das Klebstoffmaterial auf die Rücken der Broschüren aufzubringen, wenn sie die betreffende Bindestation während der Drehung des rotierenden Sortierers und des Aufbringers durchlaufen.
7. Endgerät nach Anspruch 6, bei dem der Aufbringer dazu eingerichtet ist, das Klebstoffmaterial auf die Rücken der Broschüren längs einer zweiten Bewegungsumfangslinie aufzubringen, die benachbart und im wesentlichen in derselben Ebene wie die erste Bewegungsumfangslinie verläuft.
8. Endgerät nach Anspruch 6 oder 7, bei dem die Drehgeschwindigkeit der Bewegung der Rükken während der Drehung des Sortierers etwa gleich der Umfangsgeschwindigkeit des rotierenden Aufbringers während eines Bindebetriebszustands ist.
9. Endgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 6 bis 8, bei dem die Bindevorrichtung einen Tank (16) mit Klebstoffmaterial enthält, in das der Aufbringer teilweise eingetaucht ist.
10. Endgerät nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, enthaltend eine Einrichtung (67) zum Ausrichten der Blätter innerhalb der sich radial erstreckenden Fächer, wobei jedes der Fächer eine Blatthalteeinrichtung (84, 85) aufweist, um die aufgenommenen Blätter zu ergreifen und diese in ausgerichtetem Zustand darin während der Drehung des Sortierers zu halten, und eine Einrichtung (91) zum individuellen Lösen einer jeden der Halteeinrichtungen, um den Eintritt eines Blattes in jedes der umlaufenden Fächer zu ermöglichen.
11. Endgerät nach Anspruch 10, enthaltend eine Steuereinrichtung, die mit jeder der Halteeinrichtungen zusammenwirken kann, um das Lösen derselben zu steuern.
12. Endgerät nach Anspruch 11, bei dem jede der Halteeinrichtungen ein Betätigungselement enthält, das mit der Steuereinrichtung in Eingriff bringbar ist, wenn sich das zugehörige Fach benachbart der Ladestation befindet.
13. Endgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 10 bis 12, enthaltend eine Abgabestation, bei der die fertigen Broschüren abgegeben werden, und weiterhin enthaltend eine zweite Einrichtung (92) zum Lösen einer jeden der Halteeinrichtungen, wenn das zugehörige Fach sich benachbart der Abgabestation befindet.
EP19850309240 1984-12-21 1985-12-18 Endgerät mit Rotationssortiergerät Expired - Lifetime EP0186434B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (10)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US68481384A 1984-12-21 1984-12-21
US68481284A 1984-12-21 1984-12-21
US684772 1984-12-21
US06/684,771 US4582421A (en) 1984-12-21 1984-12-21 Copying machine with rotary sorter and adhesive binding apparatus
US06/684,814 US4564185A (en) 1984-12-21 1984-12-21 Copying apparatus with finisher having stapler and adhesive binder stations
US684813 1984-12-21
US684812 1984-12-21
US684771 1984-12-21
US684814 1984-12-21
US06/684,772 US4678179A (en) 1984-12-21 1984-12-21 Copying machine with a rotary sorter having sheet gripping devices

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0186434A2 EP0186434A2 (de) 1986-07-02
EP0186434A3 EP0186434A3 (en) 1987-02-04
EP0186434B1 true EP0186434B1 (de) 1990-06-13

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EP19850309240 Expired - Lifetime EP0186434B1 (de) 1984-12-21 1985-12-18 Endgerät mit Rotationssortiergerät

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DE (1) DE3578235D1 (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5320335A (en) * 1987-08-07 1994-06-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Control method for sheet discharger with stapler method of stapling a group a discharged sheets into sub-groups having up to n sheets
DE3853972T2 (de) * 1987-08-07 1995-12-14 Canon Kk Kontrollvorrichtung für eine Bogenausgabevorrichtung mit einer Heftmaschine.
EP1199187A1 (de) * 2000-10-20 2002-04-24 Grapha-Holding AG Anordnung zur Bearbeitung von Druckprodukten

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1436096A1 (de) * 1964-04-20 1969-01-30 Utermann Dipl Ing Gerd Zusammentrag- oder Sortiermaschine
US3995748A (en) * 1975-07-21 1976-12-07 Xerox Corporation Sorter apparatus
US4134672A (en) * 1976-03-30 1979-01-16 Eastman Kodak Company Copier finisher for an electrographic reproducing device
US4145038A (en) * 1977-06-29 1979-03-20 Pitney Bowes, Inc. Rotary drum collator-sorter
US4444491A (en) * 1980-08-21 1984-04-24 Xerox Corporation Very high speed duplicator with finishing function
US4500241A (en) * 1982-01-28 1985-02-19 E.C.H. Will (Gmbh & Co.) Machine for making ruled pads or the like

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0186434A3 (en) 1987-02-04
DE3578235D1 (de) 1990-07-19
EP0186434A2 (de) 1986-07-02

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