Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – Multiple discharge
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2002-09-03
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
Multiple discharge
C271S298000, C271S303000, C271S305000, C271S297000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443449
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper sheet discharge apparatus, in particular, to a paper sheet discharge apparatus for receiving, sorting, and accommodating paper sheets such as print paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus such as a printer. The present invention also relates to a printing apparatus including such a paper sheet discharge apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recording medium discharge apparatus has been hitherto known, which is used to receive, sort, and accommodate recording media such as paper sheets discharged from an image-forming apparatus or a printing apparatus such as copying machines, printers and facsimiles.
Such a recording medium discharge apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-197277, comprising a plurality of bins for storing paper sheets, and a pair of transport rollers for receiving paper sheets discharged from an image-forming apparatus and discharging them to a predetermined discharge position, wherein the plurality of bins are vertically moved upwardly and downwardly to the fixed discharge positions of the pair of transport rollers so that the paper sheets are sorted into those stored in the respective bins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,686 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-259093) describes a system comprising a plurality of fixed bins moving belts for transporting paper sheets discharged from an image-forming apparatus, in an alignment direction of the plurality of bins, and gates provided corresponding to the respective bins, for changing the direction of transport of the paper sheets effected by the moving belts so that the paper sheets are guided to the corresponding bins.
However, in recent years, it is further required that the image formation process should be performed at a high speed, in accordance with which it is also required to perform, at a high speed, the process of sorting and accommodating the paper sheets discharged from the image-forming apparatus. In the case of the apparatus in which the plurality of bins are vertically moved upwardly and downwardly to the fixed discharge position of the pair of transport rollers, it takes a long time to vertically move the bins, and it is difficult to contemplate acceleration of the sorting and accommodating process. In the case of the system in which the paper sheets, which are discharged from the image-forming apparatus, are transported by using the moving belts, and the transport direction is changed by using the gate to discharge the paper sheets to the respective bins, it is feared that the rearward end of the paper sheet cannot be discharged reliably to the bin if the resistance between the paper sheet and the bin is large when the paper sheets are fed from the moving belts to the respective bins. Therefore, such a system has a possibility, for example, of being jammed with the paper sheets. Further, in the case of any one of the recording medium discharge apparatus and system, the increase in load exerted on a driving source and the noise generated during operation raise problems when the high speed performance is pursued.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-175714 discloses a paper sheet discharge apparatus comprising multiple stages of delivery units provided in a united manner to make it possible to distribute paper sheets discharged from a paper sheet-processing unit. The delivery unit includes a tray for accommodating paper sheets, a receiving port for receiving the paper sheets transported from the paper sheet discharge apparatus, a transport means for transporting the paper sheets transported from the receiving port, a discharge port for allowing the paper sheets transported by the transport means to be discharged to the receiving port of the delivery unit, and a guide means for guiding the paper sheets imported from the receiving port to the tray or the discharge port (claim 9 in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-175714). However, unlike the present invention, this patent document does not disclose any structure in which a transport direction-switching unit is provided between transport rollers and each of bins or a discharge roller for discharging paper sheets to each of bins or a tray.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems as described above, an object of which is to provide a paper sheet discharge apparatus which makes it possible to sort and accommodate paper sheets such as those discharged from a printing, reliably at a high speed, and provide a printing apparatus including the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet discharge apparatus which makes it possible to reduce the load on a driving source and the generation of noise, and to provide a printing apparatus including the same.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet discharge apparatus for sorting and discharging paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus, comprising:
a casing formed with an introducing section for receiving the paper sheets;
a plurality of bins attached to the casing, for storing the sorted paper sheets respectively;
a plurality of delivery rollers for discharging, to the respective bins, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section, each of the delivery rollers being provided in the casing corresponding to each of the bins;
a transport unit for transporting, to the plurality of delivery rollers, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section; and
a plurality of transport direction-switching units for switching a transport direction of the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section to sort the paper sheets into the plurality of bins, each of the transport direction-switching units being provided between the transport unit and the respective delivery roller.
According to the paper sheet discharge apparatus of the present invention, it is unnecessary to move the bin by using a vertical movement mechanism or the like even when a specified bin to be used for storing the paper sheets is changed to another bin. Each of the transport direction-switching units is provided between the transport unit and the delivery rollers associated with the predetermined bin to which the paper sheets should be discharged. Accordingly, the paper sheets, of which the transport direction is switched by the transport direction-switching unit, are reliably discharged to the corresponding bin by the aid of the delivery roller. Therefore, the paper sheets, on which predetermined images are formed, can be sorted and accommodated reliably at a high speed.
The paper sheet discharge apparatus according to the present invention may further comprise a power-transmitting unit for transmitting power to the respective delivery rollers; and a selective transmitting unit for selectively transmitting power to only a specified delivery roller which is used to discharge the paper sheets, of the plurality of delivery rollers. The selective transmitting unit may comprise a mode-switching unit for making changeover into any one of power transmission and cutoff modes with respect to respective delivery rollers, wherein the mode-switching unit is operated while being interlocked with a switching action of the transport direction-switching unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet discharge apparatus for sorting and discharging paper sheets discharged from a printing apparatus, comprising:
an introducing section for introducing the paper sheets discharged from the printing apparatus;
a plurality of discharge means for discharging the introduced paper sheets;
a plurality of storing units provided corresponding to the respective discharge means, for storing the paper sheets discharged by the discharge means;
a transport means for transporting, to the respective discharge means, the paper sheets introduced from the introducing section; and
a switching means for swi
Kashima Hiroyuki
Takagi Kazuhiko
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Miller Jonathan R
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Walsh Donald P.
LandOfFree
Paper sheet discharge apparatus and printing apparatus 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 sheet discharge apparatus and printing apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Paper sheet discharge apparatus and printing apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2824208