Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – Multiple discharge
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-05-22
Valenza, Joseph E. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
Multiple discharge
C271S294000, C270S058090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234474
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paper accumulating device for sorting and accumulating a bundle of papers which are sequentially fed.
The paper accumulating device generally comprises a paper bundle feeding port, a paper bundle receiving portion for accumulating a bundle of papers, a delivery path extended between the paper bundle feeding port and the paper bundle receiving portion, and delivery means for delivering the paper bundle to be sequentially fed to the paper bundle feeding port along the delivery path to the paper bundle receiving portion. Furthermore, the paper bundle receiving portion is provided with a sorting mechanism for sorting the delivered paper bundle.
Thus, the adjusted paper bundle is sequentially fed from a sheet collator to the paper bundle feeding port of the paper accumulating device. The fed paper bundle is delivered along the delivery path and is sorted and accumulated onto the paper bundle receiving portion. When the paper bundle is accumulated onto the paper bundle receiving portion up to a predetermined height, it is sent from the paper accumulating device to a processing device at the next step, such as a filing device, or the like.
For example, the sorting mechanism serves to sort the paper bundle by alternately shifting the paper bundle sequentially delivered to the paper bundle receiving portion right and left with respect to a delivery direction.
FIG. 4
shows a state in which the paper bundle is thus sorted and accumulated in the paper bundle receiving portion. In
FIG. 4
, the ends of the papers are adjusted for each paper bundle and the paper bundles are alternately shifted and accumulated. More specifically, the paper bundle is divided into a set in which one of the ends of the bundles make a string of A
1
to AX and a set in which the other ends make a string of B
1
to BX. Thus, the paper bundles are alternately shifted and accumulated so that work for separately sorting the paper bundles is not required at the next step, such as the filing process, or the like. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an advantage that a bookbinding process can efficiently be performed.
The above-mentioned sorting mechanism includes means for reciprocating right and left with respect to the delivery direction of the paper bundles to alternately distribute the paper bundles fed to the paper bundle receiving portion right and left with respect to the delivery direction. The reciprocating means, is driven by driving means such as a motor. The reciprocation requires a constant time.
On the other hand, the operating speed of the sheet collator, that is, a paper discharging speed tends to be increased by the progress of technology. However, the operating speed of the sorting mechanism of the paper bundle receiving portion is lower than the paper discharging speed of the sheet collator, and the increase in the operating speed of the sorting mechanism also has a limitation. In order to deliver the paper bundles to the paper bundle receiving portion according to the operation of the sorting mechanism, therefore, the paper discharging speed of the sheet collator should be adapted to the operating speed of the sorting mechanism. For this reason, the paper discharging speed of the sheet collator is set to a lower speed than the possible maximum speed. Consequently, there has been a problem in that the capability of the sheet collator cannot fully be exhibited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paper accumulating device capable of sorting and accumulating paper bundles at a high speed according to a maximum operating speed (paper discharging speed) that a sheet collator can exhibit.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a paper accumulating device comprising a paper bundle feeding port, a plurality of paper bundle receiving portions including paper bundle receivers for accumulating paper bundles, and a delivery path for delivering the paper bundles sequentially fed to the paper bundle feeding port to the paper bundle receiving portions, the paper bundle receiving portions being provided with sorting mechanisms for sorting the delivered paper bundles, wherein the paper bundle receiving portions are provided, the delivery path includes a main delivery path portion extended from the paper bundle feeding port to a branch point, and a plurality of branch delivery path portions extended from the branch point to the related paper bundle receiving portions respectively, and the branch point is provided with a switching gate plate for operating to selectively connect the main delivery path portion to the branch delivery path portions respectively.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the paper accumulating device further comprises a control portion for controlling the operation of the switching gate plate and that of the sorting mechanisms of the paper bundle receiving portions according to a delivery speed of the paper bundle.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the paper bundle receiving portions are arranged in a line toward the paper bundle feeding port and the branch delivery path portion related to one of the paper bundle receiving portions is provided across an upper portion of the paper bundle receiving portion closer to the paper bundle feeding port than the paper bundle receiving portion.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the paper bundle feeding port sequentially receives the feeding of the paper bundles adjusted by the sheet collator and includes the two paper bundle receiving portions, the paper bundle receiver provided on each paper bundle receiving portion includes a sensor for detecting that accumulation of the paper bundles is completed in the paper bundle receiver, the paper accumulating device further comprising a control portion for controlling operation of the switching gate plate and a paper discharging speed of the sheet collator, the control portion actuating the switching gate plate in such a manner that the paper bundles are alternately delivered to the two paper bundle receiving portions until the accumulation of the paper bundles is completed in one of the paper bundle receivers, actuating the switching gate plate in such a manner that the paper bundles are delivered to only one of the paper bundle receiving portions before the other paper bundle receiver is exchanged for a new empty paper bundle receiver when the sensor detects that the accumulation of the paper bundles has been completed in the paper bundle receiver, and lowering the paper discharging speed of the sheet collator to be adapted to an operating speed of the sorting mechanism of the other paper bundle receiving portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2697388 (1954-12-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 4102253 (1978-07-01), Gannicott
patent: 4373713 (1983-02-01), Loebach
patent: 4477218 (1984-10-01), Bean
patent: 4534552 (1985-08-01), Rahe
patent: 4926220 (1990-05-01), Matysek et al.
patent: 4948112 (1990-08-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5188353 (1993-02-01), Parks
patent: 5293797 (1994-03-01), Spalding et al.
patent: 5666630 (1997-09-01), Zoltner et al.
patent: 5732609 (1998-03-01), Marschke
patent: 6000695 (1999-12-01), Mack et al.
patent: 1167728 (1969-10-01), None
Horii Yoshiyuki
Kashiba Masayuki
Nogawa Masato
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Bower Kenneth W
Horizon International Inc.
Valenza Joseph E.
LandOfFree
Paper accumulating device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Paper accumulating device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Paper accumulating device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2533111