Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-31
2001-12-25
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S005000, C271S100000, C271S102000, C271S107000, C271S106000, C271S108000, C271S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332607
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for individually separating outer sheets or outer sets of sheets of a stack.
Such an apparatus and such a method are known from Dutch patent specification 10 02743, In this known apparatus, the separation is carried out by placing a suction mouth against an outer sheet and thereupon creating a reduced pressure in the suction mouth. Thereupon the suction mouth is moved away from the stack, while the sheet, owing to the reduced pressure, is held against the suction nozzle and is thereby, at least locally, carried along. Thereafter, a separation element is brought between the sheet and the stack, which engages the sheet and separates it further from the stack and moves it away from the stack. Instead of sheets, sets of sheets can be separated, such as sets of sheets bound to form quires or booklets, or envelopes with sheets inserted in them.
To obtain a reliable operation in such a system, the reduced pressure needs to be set fairly accurately in accordance with the properties of the sheet or sets of sheets to be separated. This is objectionable in particular when the properties of the sheets within a stack or in different stacks vary. More particularly, the suction force must be strong enough to displace the sheet or the sets of sheets, but must not be so strong that suction is applied through the sheet, thereby causing a next sheet to be moved away from the stack as well, or that the outer sheet is damaged.
Further, the suction mouth, which, with a view to a proper sealing, must be made of pliable material, in each case touches the sheet to be separated. This limits the life of the suction mouth and sometimes causes prints on the outer sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to obviate the problems described hereinabove and in particular to limit the sensitivity to the setting of the reduced pressure and to prevent the formation of prints on separated sheets.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by designing an apparatus of the initially indicated kind with a holder with a support structure for holding the stack with an outer sheet or an outer set of sheets in a particular initial position; a suction assembly for generating, in the area of the initial position, a suction for sucking at least a portion of an outer sheet or an outer set of sheets of the stack, for displacing an outer sheet or an outer set of sheets from the initial position away from the stack to a discharge position; and a discharge structure for discharging a sheet or a set of sheets from the discharge position away from the stack, wherein the suction assembly is arranged for generating the suction in a pulsed manner in a position spaced from the initial position. Towards this object, the invention further provides a method of the initially indicated kind, wherein a suction for sucking at least a portion of an outer sheet or outer set of sheets in an initial position is generated, at least a portion of an outer sheet or an outer set of sheets is displaced from the initial position, away from the stack, and thereafter the sheet or set of sheets is discharged away from the stack by engagement of the at least partly displaced sheet or the at least partly displaced set of sheets, wherein the suction of air is carried out in a pulsed manner and from a position spaced from the initial position of the outer sheet or the outer set of sheets.
Owing to the provision of a suction assembly which, in a position spaced from the initial position of the stack of sheets or sets of sheets to be separated, draws in air in a pulsed manner, the outer sheet or the outer set of sheets, as a result of a pulsed air displacement in an area adjacent to the sheet or the set of sheets, is, at least locally, displaced to a discharge position. As a result, surprisingly, the displacement of the sheets to the discharge position has been found to be possible in a very reliable manner without the next sheet or the next set of sheets being essentially carried along, and to be relatively insensitive to the value of the reduced pressure and the amount of air displaced. Further, the suction assembly does not need to be displaced as much, if at all, and it does not need to touch the sheet or the set of sheets to be separated. Since air needs to be displaced only in a pulsed manner, the suction assembly can be of simple design and acoustic emissions in operation can be readily limited to a low level.
Further objects, embodiments and elaborations of the apparatus and the method according to the invention will be apparent from the following description, in which the invention is further illustrated and elucidated on the basis of a number of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the drawings.
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Burns,Doane, Swecker & Mathis, L.L.P.
Neopost B.V.
Schlak Daniel K
Walsh Donald P.
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