US3866904A - Multiple feed sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Multiple feed sorting apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3866904A
US3866904A US319955A US31995572A US3866904A US 3866904 A US3866904 A US 3866904A US 319955 A US319955 A US 319955A US 31995572 A US31995572 A US 31995572A US 3866904 A US3866904 A US 3866904A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
tray
tray members
sheet discharge
sheets
sheet
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
US319955A
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English (en)
Inventor
Denis J Stemmle
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
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Priority to US319955A priority Critical patent/US3866904A/en
Priority to CA187,862A priority patent/CA1001109A/en
Priority to GB5883073A priority patent/GB1432790A/en
Priority to JP49004538A priority patent/JPS4999040A/ja
Priority to DE2364898A priority patent/DE2364898A1/de
Priority to NL7400044A priority patent/NL7400044A/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3866904A publication Critical patent/US3866904A/en
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
    • 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
    • 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
    • B65H39/11—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad in superposed carriers

Definitions

  • the second transport path directs duplex copies through another [56] References C'ted sheet discharge zone at the opposite end of the tray UNI STATES PATENTS members.
  • Cam members which drive the tray mem- 2,492,386 12/1949 Little 271/173 bers are formed with low pitch sprial camming sur- 2,649,302 8/1953 faces and also a high pitch spiral camming surface po- 6 12/1953 sitioned adjacent to the sheet discharge zones to effect a spreading movement of the trays upon passing the 3:721:435 3/1973 sheet discharge zone.
  • PATENTEDFEBI 81915 2. 866.904
  • This invention relates to a sorting apparatus for sorting simplex and duplex copies advanced from a high speed copier/duplicator.
  • the present invention is, generally speaking, a moving bin or tray sorter/collator adapted for universal usage with copier/duplicators of all types as for example, machines capable of operating in simplex and duplex modes of operation.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the xero graphic components of a copier/duplicator system which can be used with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the copier/duplicator system including the sorter/collator apparatus
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tray assembly of the sorter/- collator apparatus
  • FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the tray assembly and FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cam drive member for the sorter/collator apparatus.
  • the copier/duplicator system includes a high speed copier/duplicator capable of producing simplex or duplex copies at the option of a machine operator.
  • the copier machine has a platen for receiving documents to be reproduced, and a control panel 5 which includes various control knobs, switches, and buttons for selecting various modes of operation such as simplex and duplex copies and the number of copies to be reproduced.
  • the copier/duplicator system includes a sorting apparatus 6 having tray assemblies 7.
  • the copier/duplicator system includes an automatic xerographic apparatus which includes a photosensitive plate including a photoconductive layer 10 that is placed over a conductive backing.
  • the plate is formed in the shape of a drum 11 and the drum mounted upon a shaft 12 that is journaled for rotation in the machine frame.
  • the xerographic drum is rotated in the direction indicated so as to pass sequentially through a series of xerographic processing stations.
  • the photosensitive drum and the xerographic processing apparatus are driven at predetermined speeds relative to each other from a drive system (not shown) and the operations thereof coordinated in order to produce proper cooperation of the various processing mechanisms.
  • the original, to be reproduced, is placed upon a transparent horizontally supported platen 4 and the original scanned by means of a moving optical scanning system and to produce a flowing light image of the original.
  • the scanning system includes an elongated horizontal extended aperture lamp l5 and a movable lens element 18.
  • the lamp and lens element moves in coordination across the objected supported upon the platen to focus successive incremental bans of illumination reflected from the object onto the moving drum surface at synchronous speeds therewith.
  • the optical path is folded by means of a pair of image mirrors 19 and 20 interposed between the lens and the drum surface, the drum is first uniformly charged by means of a corona generator 13 positioned in charging station A. Under the influence of the flowing light image, the uniformly charged photoconductive surface is selectively dissipated in the non-image areas to form what is commonly known as a latent electrostatic image".
  • the latent electrostatic image is carried on the drum surface from the exposure station into the developing station C.
  • the developing station primarily is comprised of a developer housing 22 adapted'to support a supply of two-component developer material 21 therein.
  • the developer material is transported by means of a bucket system 23 from the bottom of the developer housing to an elevated position where the material is delivered into the active development zone.
  • the developer material is caused to flow downwardly in contact with the upwardly moving drum surface under closely controlled conditions wherein charged toner particles are attracted from the developer mix into the image areas on the plate surface thus making the image visible.
  • the moving drum surface next transports the developed xerographic image to a transfer station D. Cut
  • a stripper finger 28 is positioned downstream from the transfer corotron. The finger is arranged to move between the drum surface and the copy sheet and lifts the sheet from the drum surface and the copy sheet is directed along a predetermined path of travel into contact with a stationary vacuum transport 29.
  • the copy sheet which has been removed from the drum surface after the transfer operation, is moved along stationary transport 29 into fusing station F.
  • the fuser 33 is basically made up of an upper fuser roll 34 and a lower fuser roll 35 mounted in operative relation to each other and arranged to coact so as to support a sheet of material in pressure driving contact therebetween.
  • the lower roll is heated. As the heated roll is rotated in the direction indicated, the heated surface of the lower roll is pressed into intimate contact with the image face of the support sheet. Mechanical and heat energy transported from the roll surface to the support sheet to permanently bond the toner particles to the support material.
  • the fixed copy sheet Upon leaving the fuser, the fixed copy sheet is passed through a eurvalinear sheet guide system, generally referred to as 39, into cooperating advancing roll 43 and 44. At this point, depending on the mode of operation selected, the copy sheet is either forwarded directly to the sorter or into the upper supply tray 52 by means of a movable sheet guide 45 before entering the sorter.
  • a eurvalinear sheet guide system generally referred to as 39
  • SORTING APPARATUS Sorting apparatus 6 comprises a horizontal vacuum transport assembly 103 which receives copy sheets from the copier/duplicator and advances them to different sides of a plurality of tray assemblies 7 depending on whether simplex or duplex mode of operation is used.
  • a drive apparatus moves the tray assemblies vertically for receiving copy sheets advanced along the different transport paths as will be explained hereinafter.
  • Transport assembly 103 has a deflector gate 110 which serves to direct copies towards a vertical vacuum transport assembly ll2 for duplex copies or towards another vertical vacuum transport assembly 120 for simplex copies.
  • the position of the gate 110 is determined by selection of the mode of operation on the control panel 5.
  • Transport assembly 112 guides the copies into contact with pinch rolls 116 and 117 which pitch the copies into the moving tray assemblies 7 at the sheet discharge zone where the tray assemblies open or separate as will become more apparent hereinafter. It will be appreciated that the duplex copies are turned about 110 before entering the tray assemblies.
  • the copies are directed by transport 120 to pinch rolls 124 and 126 which pitch the copies down into the moving tray assemblies as they pass the sheet discharge zone.
  • the tray assemblies 7 are arranged in a vertical array. Each of the tray assemblies has a tray portion 205 which is inclined at an angle of approximately 20 to the horizontal and an end portion 207 which is perpendicular to the tray portion 205. Tray assemblies 7 are mounted on cam followers 228 which engage a spiral slot formed in the cylindrical surface of cam members 230 as described more fully in copending application Ser. No. 319,957, now US. Pat. No. 3,788,640, filed Dec. 29, 1972 and commonly assigned herewith.
  • Cam members 230 are made out of any suitable material such as Delrin" a trademark of DuPont Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware.
  • the spiral slot has a series of fine closely spaced or low pitch surfaces 231 separated by a high pitch surface 233 at the vicinity of sheets entering the sheet discharge zone.
  • the construction of the cam member 230 with pitch portion 233 renders a tray or bin opening tray or bin features as each of the tray assemblies passes the transport which moves the copy sheets into each of the tray assemblies.
  • this opening bin feature makes less difficult the movement of the copy sheets into the moving tray assemblies, even where large stacks of paper are received in the tray assemblies to enable a reliable trouble free operation.
  • the sorter construction by virtue of the sorter construction, a great number of tray assemblies can be used in a relatively small area.
  • the construction of the cam member enables receiving of high volume of sheets in a tray assembly.
  • the drive mechanism for moving the tray assemblies vertically includes a main drive motor which drives timing belts (not shown).
  • the drive motor is reversible so that the tray assemblies move down for the first sheet, up for the second sheet, then down for the third sheet, etc.
  • the control of the drive motor can be accomplished in any suitable manner such as machine logic which counts the sheets.
  • Sorting apparatus for receiving sheets from a reproducing machine distributing in both simplex and duplex sorting modes of operation comprising:
  • tray members are supported on at least one vertically'extending cam member having a spiral shape, said cam member being driven by a re versible drive to move the tray members up and down past the sheet discharge zone to receive the copy sheets, wherein said cam member is formed with a higher pitch camming surface at the sheet discharge zones to effect a spreading movement between tray members upon passing said sheet discharge zones.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)
  • Paper Feeding For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Conveying Record Carriers (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US319955A 1972-12-29 1972-12-29 Multiple feed sorting apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3866904A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US319955A US3866904A (en) 1972-12-29 1972-12-29 Multiple feed sorting apparatus
CA187,862A CA1001109A (en) 1972-12-29 1973-12-11 Multiple feed sorting apparatus
GB5883073A GB1432790A (en) 1972-12-29 1973-12-19 Multiple feed sorting apparatus
JP49004538A JPS4999040A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-12-29 1973-12-26
DE2364898A DE2364898A1 (de) 1972-12-29 1973-12-28 Sortiervorrichtung zur aufnahme von kopieblaettern von einer reproduktionsmaschine
NL7400044A NL7400044A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-12-29 1974-01-02

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US319955A US3866904A (en) 1972-12-29 1972-12-29 Multiple feed sorting apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3866904A true US3866904A (en) 1975-02-18

Family

ID=23244270

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US319955A Expired - Lifetime US3866904A (en) 1972-12-29 1972-12-29 Multiple feed sorting apparatus

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3866904A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4999040A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA1001109A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2364898A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1432790A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7400044A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3977667A (en) * 1974-12-09 1976-08-31 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus
US3998450A (en) * 1973-03-09 1976-12-21 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus
US4140387A (en) * 1976-06-01 1979-02-20 Eastman Kodak Company Apparatus for producing collated copies from two sided originals
US4162787A (en) * 1975-09-12 1979-07-31 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sheet sorting device
US4174905A (en) * 1977-02-14 1979-11-20 Eastman Kodak Company Method and apparatus for producing duplex copies
US4200278A (en) * 1977-02-18 1980-04-29 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Sorting apparatus for reproduction machine producing simplex and duplex copies
FR2469961A1 (fr) * 1979-11-27 1981-05-29 Gradco Dendoki Inc Trieuse pour copieur
US4291970A (en) * 1979-11-29 1981-09-29 Eastman Kodak Company Apparatus for producing duplex copies
FR2481958A1 (fr) * 1980-05-07 1981-11-13 Gradco Dendoki Inc Trieuse a plateaux mobiles pour copieur
US4348101A (en) * 1980-09-30 1982-09-07 Sperry Corporation Duplex printing apparatus
US4378110A (en) * 1978-04-17 1983-03-29 Greene Ronald W Continuous paper sorting machine
US4449812A (en) * 1980-10-17 1984-05-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Paper leaf handling apparatus
US4466609A (en) * 1982-04-19 1984-08-21 Gradco Systems, Inc. Compact sheet sorter
USRE31768E (en) * 1973-03-15 1984-12-18 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus for collating simplex and duplex copies
US4512651A (en) * 1977-07-05 1985-04-23 Eastman Kodak Company Collating document feeder and reproduction apparatus having copy duplexing capabilities
US4681310A (en) * 1985-09-23 1987-07-21 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus
USRE32541E (en) * 1976-01-15 1987-11-10 Xerox Corporation Fluidic feeding of documents to an exposure station
US5217215A (en) * 1990-09-28 1993-06-08 Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. Sorter and stapler with rotating gate
US5326093A (en) * 1993-05-24 1994-07-05 Xerox Corporation Universal interface module interconnecting various copiers and printers with various sheet output processors
US5390910A (en) * 1993-05-24 1995-02-21 Xerox Corporation Modular multifunctional mailbox unit with interchangeable sub-modules
US5445277A (en) * 1991-07-11 1995-08-29 Kabushiki Kaisha Ace Denken Paper strip conveying and stacking apparatus
US6189882B1 (en) * 1997-04-25 2001-02-20 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Imaging forming apparatus

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4281920A (en) * 1979-10-30 1981-08-04 Xerox Corporation Stapler arrangement for a copier/finisher
US4478406A (en) * 1982-06-23 1984-10-23 Gradco Systems, Inc. Apparatus for sorting photocopies
JPS5875163A (ja) * 1982-09-08 1983-05-06 Canon Inc 両面原稿制御方法
JPS61110664U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1984-12-22 1986-07-12

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2492386A (en) * 1945-05-04 1949-12-27 Ditto Inc Sheet sorting device
US2649302A (en) * 1949-10-31 1953-08-18 Continental Can Co Metal sheet stacker
US2661209A (en) * 1949-06-18 1953-12-01 David C Mcgalliard Sheet distributor
US2990174A (en) * 1958-04-18 1961-06-27 Charles A Kimbrough Collator
US3107912A (en) * 1960-12-29 1963-10-22 Ibm Stacking device
US3721435A (en) * 1970-08-14 1973-03-20 Oce Van Der Grinten Nv Apparatus for collating sheets

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2492386A (en) * 1945-05-04 1949-12-27 Ditto Inc Sheet sorting device
US2661209A (en) * 1949-06-18 1953-12-01 David C Mcgalliard Sheet distributor
US2649302A (en) * 1949-10-31 1953-08-18 Continental Can Co Metal sheet stacker
US2990174A (en) * 1958-04-18 1961-06-27 Charles A Kimbrough Collator
US3107912A (en) * 1960-12-29 1963-10-22 Ibm Stacking device
US3721435A (en) * 1970-08-14 1973-03-20 Oce Van Der Grinten Nv Apparatus for collating sheets

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3998450A (en) * 1973-03-09 1976-12-21 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus
USRE31768E (en) * 1973-03-15 1984-12-18 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus for collating simplex and duplex copies
US3977667A (en) * 1974-12-09 1976-08-31 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus
US4162787A (en) * 1975-09-12 1979-07-31 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sheet sorting device
USRE32541E (en) * 1976-01-15 1987-11-10 Xerox Corporation Fluidic feeding of documents to an exposure station
US4140387A (en) * 1976-06-01 1979-02-20 Eastman Kodak Company Apparatus for producing collated copies from two sided originals
US4174905A (en) * 1977-02-14 1979-11-20 Eastman Kodak Company Method and apparatus for producing duplex copies
US4200278A (en) * 1977-02-18 1980-04-29 Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.P.A. Sorting apparatus for reproduction machine producing simplex and duplex copies
US4512651A (en) * 1977-07-05 1985-04-23 Eastman Kodak Company Collating document feeder and reproduction apparatus having copy duplexing capabilities
US4378110A (en) * 1978-04-17 1983-03-29 Greene Ronald W Continuous paper sorting machine
FR2469961A1 (fr) * 1979-11-27 1981-05-29 Gradco Dendoki Inc Trieuse pour copieur
US4291970A (en) * 1979-11-29 1981-09-29 Eastman Kodak Company Apparatus for producing duplex copies
FR2481958A1 (fr) * 1980-05-07 1981-11-13 Gradco Dendoki Inc Trieuse a plateaux mobiles pour copieur
US4348101A (en) * 1980-09-30 1982-09-07 Sperry Corporation Duplex printing apparatus
US4449812A (en) * 1980-10-17 1984-05-22 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Paper leaf handling apparatus
US4466609A (en) * 1982-04-19 1984-08-21 Gradco Systems, Inc. Compact sheet sorter
US4681310A (en) * 1985-09-23 1987-07-21 Xerox Corporation Sorting apparatus
US5217215A (en) * 1990-09-28 1993-06-08 Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. Sorter and stapler with rotating gate
US5445277A (en) * 1991-07-11 1995-08-29 Kabushiki Kaisha Ace Denken Paper strip conveying and stacking apparatus
US5326093A (en) * 1993-05-24 1994-07-05 Xerox Corporation Universal interface module interconnecting various copiers and printers with various sheet output processors
US5390910A (en) * 1993-05-24 1995-02-21 Xerox Corporation Modular multifunctional mailbox unit with interchangeable sub-modules
US6189882B1 (en) * 1997-04-25 2001-02-20 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Imaging forming apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2364898A1 (de) 1974-07-04
NL7400044A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-03-25
GB1432790A (en) 1976-04-22
JPS4999040A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-09-19
CA1001109A (en) 1976-12-07

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