Sheet-material associating – Associating or disassociating – Sheet associating
Utility Patent
1998-05-29
2001-01-02
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3615)
Sheet-material associating
Associating or disassociating
Sheet associating
C270S058090, C414S789900
Utility Patent
active
06168145
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for processing paper, and more particularly, to a paper processing apparatus and method that can sort and staple sheets of paper ejected from a copying machine or printer, on which images have been formed.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
In recent years, various types of sorters for image forming devices such as copying machines and printers have been proposed. These sorters sort sheets of paper on which images have been formed into multiple bins in proper page sequence and staple them together when necessary.
In order to handle a large amount of paper, a sorter of this type must be constructed such that it contains a large-capacity tray separate from the multiple bins, wherein packets of sheets (hereinafter termed “packets”) once sorted into the bins are transferred to the tray such that more sheets may be sorted into the emptied bins. A sorter of this type is conventionally known. See, for example, Japanese Published Patent Application No. 4-66786.
However, in a sorter of the type in which packets are sent from the bins to the high-capacity tray, if the tray reaches the limit of its capacity then Subsequent copy processing must be stopped. As a result, this reduces the productivity of the copy procedure. If copy processing were nonetheless to continue and subsequent sheets were to be sent to the sorter, then the sheets that could not be transferred to the tray and the sheets that were subsequently sent into the sorter would mix together, creating problems.
Thus, there reins an opportunity to improve the sorting and housing of paper in sorters. In particular, there exists a need for a paper processing apparatus and method that can perform continuous sorting for a number of packets exceeding the number of installed bins, and that can continue the image formation process even after the large-capacity tray to which the packets are transferred has reached the limit of its capacity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a paper processing apparatus and method that, in paper sort mode, can perform continuous sorting for a number of packets exceeding the number of installed bins, and that can continue the image formation process even after the large-capacity tray to which the packets are transferred has reached the limit of its capacity.
In order to attain the above object, an apparatus and method for processing paper ejected from an image forming device are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of bins for sorting the paper ejected from the image forming device into packets, and for housing the packets, a tray for stacking the packets; packet conveying device for conveying the packets from the plurality of bins to the tray, detecting device for detecting the maximum amount of paper that can be stacked onto the tray; and control device for halting the packet conveying device when the detecting device detects the maximum amount of paper that can be stacked onto the tray, for counting the number of empty bins from which the packets have already been removed, for transmitting the counted number of empty bins to an image forming device controller, and for controlling the guiding the of paper subsequently ejected from the image forming device in the empty bins.
In the invention, where, for example, 30 packets are to be made but only 20 bins exist to handle them, initially the copy operations for the first 20 packets are performed, and one packet is sent to and housed in each bin. The packets are then removed from the bins and conveyed to and housed in the large-capacity tray by device of the packet conveying means. The subsequent copy operations for the remaining 10 packets are then performed. In this example, where it is detected by the detecting device that the tray has reached the limit of its capacity when the 17
th
packet has been sent to the tray to be housed, the operation of the packet conveying device is stopped temporarily and the counted number of empty bins from which packets have been removed (in this case, 17) is sent to the image forming device controller. The image forming device then performs copying for the remaining 10 packets, and the paper ejected from the image forming device is distributed to and housed in the empty bins.
As is clear from the above explanation, since the number of empty bins is counted and the sheets that are subsequently sent to the sorter are housed in the empty bins, the image forming operation need not be completely prohibited even when the large-capacity tray has become full. Instead, the image forming operation can be continued in accordance with the number of empty bins, and this results in an improved copying efficiency. Moreover, the problem of sheets already housed in the bins becoming commingled with the sheets newly sent to the bins can be prevented.
The above features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken into conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Atsumi Tomoyuki
Kawabuchi Yoichi
Tanaka Hiroharu
Ellis Christopher P.
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Ridley Richard
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