WO2010018056A1

WO2010018056A1 - Sheet processing apparatus and method of adjusting a vertical position of a sheet input of a sheet processing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2010018056A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/059652
Authority: WO
Inventors: Floris J. Marcelis; Antonius J. J. Van Gerven
Original assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
Priority date: 2008-08-11
Filing date: 2009-07-27
Publication date: 2010-02-18
Also published as: EP2323937A1; US20110133387A1; US8500123B2; JP2011530465A

Abstract

Sheet processing apparatus (10) and method of adjusting a vertical position (H) of a sheet input (22) of a sheet processing apparatus (10), a support (34, 36, 38, 40) of the apparatus having first vertically elongated guiding members (36) and second vertically elongated guiding members (38), the second guiding members (38) being slideably arranged at the first guiding members (36), the first guiding members (36) being connected to at least one base member (40), and the second guiding members (38) being connected to a support frame (34), and a vertical position of at least one of the second guide members (38) being adjustable relative to a corresponding one of the first guide members (36) in order to adjust a vertical position (H) of the sheet input (22).

Description

Sheet processing apparatus and method of adjusting a vertical position of a sheet input of a sheet processing apparatus

The invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for operatively connecting to a sheet output of a printing apparatus, comprising: a sheet input for receiving a printed recording sheet from a sheet output of a printing apparatus, - at least one processing unit for processing a sheet received at the sheet input, and at least one support for supporting the apparatus on a floor, the support comprising a support frame and at least one base member, the support frame supporting the sheet input and the processing unit.

The invention further relates to a method of adjusting a vertical position of a sheet input of a sheet processing apparatus, wherein the sheet processing apparatus comprises at least one processing unit for processing a sheet received at the sheet input and at least one support for supporting the apparatus on a floor, the support comprising a support frame for supporting the sheet input and the processing unit, the support further comprising at least one base member.

A sheet processing apparatus of the kind mentioned above is also known as a finisher. The sheet processing apparatus may be, e.g., a folder, a baler, or a flat delivery rack, etc.

The sheet input of the sheet processing apparatus is arranged at the sheet output of a printing apparatus, for example a printer or a copier, and is operatively connected to establish an in-line configuration of the printing apparatus and the sheet processing apparatus. Sheets which are ejected from the sheet output of the printing apparatus are sequentially received at the sheet input of the sheet processing apparatus. However, the sheet may as well be a continuous web.

When a sheet processing apparatus is to be used with different printing apparatuses having different vertical positions of their sheet outputs, the vertical position of the sheet input of the sheet processing apparatus has to be adapted to the vertical position of the individual sheet output of a certain printing apparatus.

Folders are known that have a large input table the slope of which can be adjusted in order to adapt the vertical position of the sheet input side of the input table. The size of the input table for wide format sheets may be approximately one square meter, for example. A disadvantage of an input table with adjustable slope is its large size which leads to high costs and requires additional floor space. The input table is also of considerable weight.

From US 5 553 843, an alignment module and transporter unit is known on which an output sheet processing apparatus is mountable. A vertical alignment system has an operator rotatable wheel rotating a threaded rod which raises or lowers an elevating jack system, which in turn raises or lowers a support for the processing apparatus. Thereby, a sheet processing apparatuses may be adapted to a sheet output position of a reproduction apparatus. However, the module requires a certain amount of free space below the sheet processing apparatus. Therefore, the height adjustment range is limited to height differences which are at least as large as the minimum height of the module. Furthermore, the mounting of the sheet processing apparatus on the elevating jack system may bring about mechanical instabilities. Moreover, it is difficult to put a heavy apparatus on top of the alignment module.

When a sheet processing apparatus is shipped from its place of manufacture to a customer, it is desirable to minimise the transport volume. For the reasons of a transport safety, it is also desirable that the centre of gravity of the apparatus is as low as possible. When, however, a support of the sheet processing apparatus is separated from the sheet processing apparatus in order to lower the centre of gravity during shipping, the sheet processing apparatus has to be turned over in order to mount the support at the customers site. This is cumbersome and requires, especially in the case of a heavy apparatus, more than one person.

It is an object of the invention to provide a sheet processing apparatus and a method of adjusting a vertical position of the sheet input of a sheet processing apparatus of the kind mentioned initially which allows an easy set-up and/or adjustment to a sheet output position of a printing apparatus. The object of the invention is achieved by the sheet processing apparatus further comprising: first vertically elongated guiding members and second vertically elongated guiding members, the second vertically guiding members being slideably arranged at the first guiding members, the first guiding members being connected to the at least one base member, and the second guiding members being connected to the support frame, and at least one height adjustment mechanism for adjusting a vertical position of at least one of the second guide members relative to a corresponding one of the first guide members, thereby adjusting a vertical position of the sheet input.

According to another aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a method of adjusting a vertical position of a sheet input of a sheet processing apparatus of the kind mentioned initially, wherein - the support further comprises a first vertically elongated guiding members and second vertically elongated guiding members, the second guiding members being slideably arranged at the first guiding members, the first guiding members being connected to the at least one base member, and the second guiding members being connected to the support frame, - the method comprising a step of adjusting a vertical position of at least one of the second guide members relative to a corresponding one of the first guide members, thereby adjusting the vertical position of the sheet input.

In particular, the vertical position of the sheet input may be adjusted relative to a sheet output of a printing apparatus.

The invention allows to adjust a vertical position of a sheet input having a fixed vertical position relative to the support frame supporting the processing unit. The sheet input may be operatively connected to the sheet output of the printing apparatus without an intermediate sheet transport.

Thus, together with the vertical position of the sheet input, a vertical position of the support frame, and, thus, of the processing unit is adjusted. More preferably, by adjusting a vertical position of at least one of the second guide members relative to a corresponding one of the first guide members, a vertical position of the sheet processing apparatus is adjusted relative to its at least one base member. That is, except for parts of the support, the whole sheet processing apparatus is raised or lowered. The second guiding members are slideable relative to the first guiding members in a vertical direction. Thus, a high mechanical stability of the apparatus is achieved. Moreover, the vertical guiding members do not require much space and can be easily integrated in a conventional support having, for example, vertical legs. Because the height adjustment mechanism and the guide members are integrated into the sheet processing apparatus, a large adjustment range can be provided. Moreover, in a retracted configuration, an extremely low position of the support frame is achieved. This is advantageous when shipping the apparatus. There is no need to turn over the apparatus after shipping, and one person can adjust the height of the apparatus alone. The vertically elongated guiding members are, for example, rods or rails formed of sheet metal having, for example, a base plate and two right angled wings, thus forming a slot. Preferably, the second guiding members are guided in a slot of the first guiding members or vice versa. Preferably, the second guiding members are telescopically guided at the first guiding members.

Preferably, the guiding members are arranged at sides of the support frame. Thereby, they do not interfere with the structure of the processing unit.

The base members may, for example, be formed by two or more feet, which may be, e.g., integrally connected to the first guide members.

A method for operatively connecting a sheet input of a sheet processing apparatus to a sheet output of a printing apparatus may comprise said method of adjusting a vertical position of the sheet output of the sheet processing apparatus relative to the sheet output of the printing apparatus, as described above.

Further useful details of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

Preferably, the height adjustment mechanism comprises: at least one threaded rod connected to one of said first guiding members and a corresponding second guiding member, and at least one nut engaged with the threaded rod and connected to the other one of said first guiding member and said corresponding second guiding member, wherein - said first guiding member is slideable relative to said second guiding member by effecting a rotation of the threaded rod relative to the nut.

By effecting a rotation of the threaded rod relative to the nut, a movement of the nut along an axial direction of the rod relative to the rod, and, thus, a movement of the first support member relative to the second support member is effected.

Preferably, the threaded rod is rotatably connected to said one of said first guiding members and a corresponding second guiding member. The threaded rod or spindle is a simple means for adjusting the height of the support frame. The threaded rod, engaged with the nut, functions as a reducing gear, so that a heavy apparatus can be lifted with comparatively low force. Preferably, the thread pitch is low enough to provide a self-locking function of the threaded rods, due to frictional forces, when in engagement with the nuts.

Preferably, the threaded rod is arranged in a vertical slot of the guiding members. Thereby, a compact structure of the height adjustment mechanism and the support is achieved, and no lateral forces are applied to the rod.

Preferably, the apparatus comprises no electrically drive means for effecting a rotation of the threaded rod relative to the nut. More preferably, the apparatus comprises no driving means for the height adjustment mechanism.

Preferably, the height adjustment mechanism comprises at least on torque transmission connector for engaging with a tool operated by an operator, said connector being adapted to receive a rotational force from said tool and being arranged to transmit said rotational force to at least one of said threaded rod and said nut in order to effect a rotation of the threaded rod relative to the nut. The connector may be suitable for a cordless electric screw driver. Thus, using a handy tool, a user or technician can easily adjust a vertical position of the sheet input when setting up the apparatus or when transferring the apparatus to a different printing apparatus.

Preferably, the height adjustment mechanism comprises at least two of said threaded rods and corresponding nuts, wherein at least two of the rods and/or at least two of the nuts are coupled. By coupling, for example, two threaded rods, a rotational force exerted on one of the threaded rods is transmitted to the other threaded rod, and their height adjustment movements are synchronised. Thus, the apparatus can be prevented from tilting.

Preferably, the height adjustment mechanism comprises a least one locking member for mechanically locking at least one of the second guide members to a corresponding one of the first guide members in a relative position of said first and second guide members, or in particular, more preferably, in one of several relative positions. The locking member comprises, for example, a locking pin or locking screw.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a sheet processing apparatus operatively connected to a printing apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the sheet processing apparatus in a configuration corresponding to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the sheet processing apparatus in a configuration suitable for shipping;

Fig. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view of a detail of a support and a height adjustment mechanism of the sheet processing apparatus; and Fig. 5is a schematic cross sectional view of guiding members of the support corresponding to the line V-V in Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows an in-line configuration of a sheet processing apparatus 10 and a printing apparatus 12. In the printing apparatus 12, a recording sheet 14 is supplied, e.g., from a reel 16, and a printing engine, which is symbolically shown in Fig. 1 as an ink jet printhead 18, ejects drops of ink in an image-wise configuration onto the sheet 14. The printed sheet 14 is output through a sheet output 20 and fed, without an intermediate sheet transport, to a sheet input 22 of the sheet processing apparatus 10 arranged at a height H above a floor on which the sheet processing apparatus 10 and the printing apparatus 12 stand. Thus, the sheet processing apparatus 10 is operatively connected to the printing apparatus 12 in order to process the sheets ejected from the printing apparatus 12. The sheet processing apparatus 10 is a folding apparatus and has a processing unit 24 which is symbolically shown in Fig. 1 as having a folding cylinder 26 and two press cylinders 28 for folding the sheet 14 according to a folding program. The folded sheet is ejected into a delivery tray 30. A feed unit (not shown) feeds the sheet 14 received at the sheet input 22 to the processing unit 24.

The processing unit 24, the feed unit and the sheet input 22, as well as a casing 32 of the sheet processing apparatus 10, are carried by a support frame 34 of a support. The support frame 34 is, in turn, supported by first and second vertically elongated guiding members 36, 38 of the support forming legs near the corners of the sheet processing apparatus 10. The first guiding members 36 are connected at their lower ends to base members 40 formed by horizontal rails. The base members form a base of the support and are provided with wheels. Upper ends of the second guiding members 38 are connected to rails of the support frame 34.

The second guiding members 38 are slideably arranged at the first guiding members, so that the guiding members 36, 38 form extendable legs.

The second guiding members 38 are each connected to a threaded rod 42, said rod 42 being engaged with a nut 44 which is connected to the corresponding first guiding member 36. As will be explained in detail below, the threaded rods 42 and nuts 44 form a height adjustment mechanism for the height H by controlling the extension of the legs. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are schematic front views of the sheet processing apparatus 10, seen from the right sight in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, the guiding members 36, 38 are in an extended state corresponding to the height H of the sheet input 22 as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3, the guiding members 36, 38 are in a non-extended state corresponding to a lowermost height H. This state is suitable for shipping the sheet processing apparatus 10, because the centre of gravity as well as the total height is comparatively low.

By using the height adjustment mechanism as described exemplarily below with reference to Figs. 4 and 5, the apparatus 10 can be adjusted to a position as shown in

Fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 schematically shows details of guiding members 36, 38 corresponding to the right side of the sheet processing apparatus 10 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to the line IV-IV in Fig. 5.

In the cross-sectional view of Fig. 5, the guiding members 36, 38 have a U-shaped cross-section, the first guiding member 36 being an inner guiding member accommodated in the slot formed by the second guiding member 38. That is, the first guiding member 36 is guided between wings 38a of the second guiding member 38 and at a base plate 38b connecting the wings 38a.

As is shown in Fig. 4, the second guiding member 38 is connected to a rail of the support frame 34. A vertically extending threaded rod 42 is rotatably connected to said rail, thereby being rotatably connected to the second guiding member 38. The vertical position of the threaded rods 42 is fixed relative to the second guiding member 38. At the top end of the threaded rod 42, a toothed wheel 46 is arranged. The toothed wheel 42 is engaged with another toothed wheel 48 arranged on a horizontal axle 50 extending to the opposite side of the support frame 34. There, a similar mechanism of toothed wheels connects the axle 50 to a corresponding threaded rod arranged at the guiding members 36, 38 shown in Fig. 1 on the left side of the sheet processing apparatus 10. Thereby, a transmission between both threaded rods 42 is provided in order to synchronise their rotational movements.

In Fig. 4, a torque transmission connector 52 is formed at the end of the axle 50 for engagement with an electric screw driver 54 schematically indicated in Fig. 4. Using this tool, rotation of the threaded rods 42 can be effected.

A nut 44 threadedly engaged with each threaded rod 42 is fixedly connected to the lower first guiding member 36 at the top end of the latter. Thus, a rotation of the threaded rod 42 effects a relative axial movement of the threaded rod 42 and the nut 44. Thereby, a vertical movement of the threaded rod 42 and the second guiding member 38 is effected. Thus, the height H of the sheet input 22 can be adjusted.

In the example described, the height H has to be adjusted separately for the guiding members 36, 38 on the left side and on the right side of Fig. 2 and 3. However, all four threaded rods 42 may be connected by a transmission mechanism comprising e.g. a further axle, a transmission belt, or the like.

When the sheet processing apparatus 10 has been adjusted to the desired height H, locking pins 56 (Fig. 1 ) may be inserted into through holes 58 in the base plate 38b of the second guiding members 38 and the base plate of the first guiding members 36 at appropriate positions in order to lock the guiding members 36, 38 against further vertical relative movement. For example, trough holes 58 may be arranged at regular intervals along the height of the first guiding members 36 and/or guiding members 38, as is schematically indicated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. For example, alternatively or additionally to the torque transmission connector 52, the height adjustment mechanism may comprise a handling member for manually providing a rotational force.

Claims

1. Sheet processing apparatus (10) for operatively connecting to a sheet output (20) of a printing apparatus (12), comprising: - a sheet input (22) for receiving a printed recording sheet (14) from a sheet output (20) of a printing apparatus (12),

- at least one processing unit (24) for processing a sheet (14) received at the sheet input (22), and

- at least one support (34, 36, 38, 40) for supporting the apparatus (10) on a floor, the support comprising a support frame (34) and at least one base member (40), the support frame (34) supporting the sheet input (22) and the processing unit (24), characterised in that the support (34, 36, 38, 40) further comprises:

- first vertically elongated guiding members (36) and second vertically elongated guiding members (38), the second vertically guiding members (38) being slideably arranged at the first guiding members (36), the first guiding members (36) being connected to the at least one base member (40), and the second guiding members (38) being connected to the support frame (34), and

- at least one height adjustment mechanism (42, 44) for adjusting a vertical position of at least one of the second guide members (38) relative to a corresponding one of the first guide members (36), thereby adjusting a vertical position (H) of the sheet input (22).

2. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1 , wherein the height adjustment mechanism (42, 44) comprises:

- at least one threaded rod (42) connected to one of said first guiding members (36) and a corresponding second guiding member (38), and

- at least one nut (44) engaged with the threaded rod (42) and connected to the other one of said first guiding member (36) and said corresponding second guiding member (38), and wherein said first guiding member (36) is slideable relative to said second guiding member (38) by effecting a rotation of the threaded rod (42) relative to the nut (44).

3. Apparatus (10) according to claim 2, wherein the height adjustment mechanism (42, 44) comprises at least one torque transmission connector (52) for engaging with a tool (54) operated by an operator, said connector (52) being adapted to receive a rotational force from said tool (54) and being arranged to transmit said rotational force to at least one of said threaded rod (42) and said nut (44) in order to effect a rotation of the threaded rod (42) relative to the nut (44).

4. Apparatus (10) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the height adjustment mechanism (42, 44) comprises at least two of said threaded rods (42) and corresponding nuts (44), and wherein at least two of the rods (42) and/or at least two of the nuts (44) are coupled.

5. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, the apparatus (10) being a folding apparatus.

6. Method of adjusting a vertical position (H) of a sheet input (22) of a sheet processing apparatus (10), wherein the sheet processing apparatus (10) comprises at least one processing unit (24) for processing a sheet (14) received at the sheet input (22) and at least one support (34, 36, 38, 40) for supporting the apparatus (10) on a floor, the support (34, 36, 38, 40) comprising a support frame (34) for supporting the sheet input (22) and the processing unit (24), the support (34, 36, 38, 40) further comprising at least one base member (40), characterised in that the support (34, 36, 38, 40) further comprises first vertically elongated guiding members (36) and second vertically elongated guiding members (38), the second guiding members (38) being slideably arranged at the first guiding members (36), the first guiding members (36) being connected to the at least one base member (40), and the second guiding members (38) being connected to the support frame (34), further characterised by a step of adjusting a vertical position of at least one of the second guide members (38) relative to a corresponding one of the first guide members (36), thereby adjusting the vertical position (H) of the sheet input (22).