Cutting – With control means responsive to replaceable or selectable... – Arithmetically determined program
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-17
2001-10-02
Rada, Rinaldi I. (Department: 3724)
Cutting
With control means responsive to replaceable or selectable...
Arithmetically determined program
C083S370000, C083S334000, C083S669000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295908
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming holes in a medium. More particularly, the invention relates to an automated apparatus for selectively forming a desired number of holes in the medium.
2. Description of Related Art
Documentation, such as paper sheets, often require holes punched therein for subsequent filing. For example, three ring binders are commonly used to retain 8½×11 size paper. These binders require three holes of predetermined spacing formed in the left margin of the paper to be stored therein. Two and five ring binders are also known. On the other hand, legal size (11×14) paper is commonly retained by two rings or pins inserted through two holes formed in the top margin of the medium.
Manual or automated hole punching machines are wellknown for forming such holes in media. Typically, one or more sheets of paper are placed in these machines and the operator either manipulates a lever or presses a button to cause punching studs to cut through the paper and form the holes. Because the spacing between holes in standard two-hole and three-hole formats differs, certain manual hole punching machines allow the position of at least one punch to be adjusted to permit punching in either format. Typically, such adjustment is a tedious, time-consuming process that includes loosening clamps holding the punch in position, sliding the movable punch to the desired position and retightening the clamps. Switching between two- and three-hole punching in certain automated machines is much simpler, merely requiring the sliding of a switch. In some models, the switch also functions as a paper guide, the position of which differs depending on the size of the paper to be punched.
When the paper to be punched has an image formed thereon by a printer or a copier, an operator would typically remove the recorded paper from the discharge tray or sorter of the printer or copier, carry it to a separate punching machine and effect the punching process. In order to eliminate a number of steps in forming printed media with holes punched therein, it has been proposed to incorporate an automated hole punching mechanism disposed before or after the sorter or discharge tray in the medium conveying path of a printer or copier, for example. However, these apparatuses cannot readily switch between forming different numbers of holes in the recorded media. That is, the punching mechanism has to be reconfigured if three holes are to be formed in the discharged media rather than two holes, for example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an automated hole forming apparatus that can selectively form a desired number of holes in media.
It is another object of the present invention to selectively form a desired number of holes in media without reconfiguring the apparatus.
A still further object of the present invention is to incorporate a selectively operable hole forming device into an image forming apparatus or an input or output accessory to the image forming apparatus, such as a sorter.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus with a selectively operable hole forming device that will not delay the throughput of the image forming apparatus.
In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for forming a number of holes in a medium includes a punching unit, a selector and a controller. The punching unit forms the holes in the medium and includes a punching roller having at least first and second sets of aligned punching studs and a parallel die roller having at least first and second sets of aligned recesses complementary to the first and second sets of punching studs, respectively, with the first set of punching studs numbering a first predetermined number and the second set of punching studs numbering a second predetermined number. The selector selects whether to form the first predetermined number or the second predetermined number of holes in the medium. The controller controls the punching unit based on the number of holes selected by the selector. The controller controls the punching roller and the die roller to rotate with the first set of punching studs engaging the first set of recesses through the medium to form the first predetermined number of holes in the medium when the first predetermined number is selected, and to rotate with the second set of punching studs engaging the second set of recesses through the medium to form the second predetermined number of holes in the medium when the second predetermined number is selected.
In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for selectively forming a number of holes in a medium includes a punching unit, a selector, a conveyor, a sensor and a controller. The punching unit forms the holes in the medium and includes a punching roller having one punching stud and a parallel die roller having a complementary recess. The selector selects a predetermined number of holes to be formed in the medium. The conveyor conveys the medium through the punching unit. The sensor detects a position of the medium. The controller controls the conveyor and the punching unit based on the predetermined number of holes selected by the selector and an output of the sensor. The controller controls the punching roller and the die roller to rotate with the punching stud engaging the recess through the medium to form a first hole of the predetermined number of holes at a first location in the medium after the conveyor conveys the medium a first predetermined distance from where said sensor has sensed the position of the medium, and controls the punch roller and the die roller to rotate with the punching stud engaging the recess through the medium to form a second hole in the medium after the conveyor conveys the medium a second predetermined distance from the first location where the first hole is formed.
In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for forming a number of holes in a medium includes selecting means, hole forming means and control means. The selecting means selects the number of holes to be formed in the medium, the number of holes being selected from at least two predetermined numbers. The hole forming means forms the holes in the medium. The control means controls the hole forming means to form in the medium the number of holes selected by the selecting means.
In still another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for selectively forming a number of holes in a medium includes punching means, selecting means, conveying means, sensing means and controlling means. The punching means forms the holes in the medium. The selecting means selects a predetermined number of holes to be formed in the medium. The conveying means conveys the medium through the punching means. The sensing means detects a position of the medium. The controlling means controls the conveying means and the punching means based on the predetermined number of holes selected by the selecting means and an output of the sensing means. The controlling means controls the punching means to form a first hole of the predetermined number of holes at a first location in the medium after the conveying means conveys the medium a first predetermined distance from where the sensing means has sensed the position of the medium, and controls the punching means to form a second hole in the medium after the conveying means conveys the medium a second predetermined distance from the first location where the first hole is formed.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for forming a number of holes in a medium includes a punching section, a selector and a controller. The punching section forms the holes in the medium and includes a punching device having at least first and second sets of aligned punches. The first set of punches numbers a first predetermined number and the second set of punches numbers a second predetermined number. The selector selects whether to form the fir
Holzhauser Ronald C.
Moore Charles A.
Canon Virginia, Inc.
Druan, Jr. Thomas J.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Rada Rinaldi I.
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