Correspondence collator and multi-sheet folding device

Abstract

A correspondence collator for collating at least one page of paper directly printed out from a printer in a regular order, including: a paper entry for advancing the page of paper into the correspondence collator; an organizer, provided downstream of the paper entry for flipping the page of paper end-to-end and upside-down; a paper carrier, provided downstream of the organizer, including: a chain carrying the flipped page of paper through the paper carrier; an optional folding device, and a mail exit, provided downstream of the paper carrier for discharging the page of paper from the correspondence collator; wherein the paper entry, organizer, paper carrier, optional folding device and mail exit jointly form a paper path

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A correspondence collator for collating at least one individual page of paper directly printed out from a printer in a regular order, comprising: 
 a paper entry for advancing each of the individual page of paper into the correspondence collator;    an organizer, provided downstream of the paper entry for flipping the individual page of paper end-to-end and upside-down, including: a first pair of organizer rollers, a stopper, and a third pair of organizer rollers, wherein the stopper is located downstream of and above the first pair of organizer rollers and the third pair of organizer rollers is located downstream of and next to the first pair of organizer rollers;    a paper carrier, provided downstream of the organizer, including: a chain carrying the individual, flipped page of paper through the paper carrier;    a mail exit, provided downstream of the paper carrier for discharging the individual page of paper from the correspondence collator;    wherein the paper entry, organizer, paper carrier and mail exit jointly form a paper path.    
     
     
         2 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a folding device, provided between the paper carrier and the mail exit for folding the individual page of paper into a folded mail that is then discharged from the correspondence collator through the mail exit, and wherein the folding device forms part of the paper path.  
     
     
         3 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 2 , wherein the stopper includes a second pair of organizer rollers.  
     
     
         4 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 3 , wherein the first, second and third pairs of organizer rollers are each constructed by two rollers such that the paper path is formed between each pair of rollers, with one of the rollers in each pair of rollers being a lower roller and located beneath the paper path and the other roller being an upper roller and located above the paper path.  
     
     
         5 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 4 , wherein the upper roller of the third pair of organizer rollers abuts the lower roller of the first pair of organizer rollers, thereby forming a flipping path therebetween.  
     
     
         6 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 5 , wherein the organizer further includes a guide extending between the second pair of organizer roller and the flipping path, and a baffle located at an exit of the flipping path.  
     
     
         7 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 5 , wherein the organizer further includes a first organizer sensor located at an entrance of the first pair of organizer rollers, and a second organizer sensor located at an exit of the third pair of organizer rollers.  
     
     
         8 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 7 , wherein the upper roller of the second pair of organizer rollers slightly tips towards the first pair of organizer rollers.  
     
     
         9 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 8 , wherein the organizer further includes an O-ring and a hold down roller that are provided at an exit of the third pair of organizer rollers.  
     
     
         10 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 9 , wherein the organizer further includes grounding means maintaining constant contact with the organizer rollers and hold down roller.  
     
     
         11 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 10 , wherein the grounding means includes a first metal roller and a second metal roller provided next to and driven by the upper organizer roller and the hold down roller, respectively.  
     
     
         12 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 11 , wherein the paper entry further includes a paper entry motor for driving the paper entry roller, and wherein the paper entry sensor detects a total number of paper forming a set of correspondence to be printed by the printer.  
     
     
         13 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 12 , wherein the first and third pairs of organizer rollers are driven by the paper entry motor.  
     
     
         14 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 13 , wherein the organizer further includes an organizer motor for driving the second pair of organizer rollers.  
     
     
         15 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 14 , wherein the chain of the mail carrier further includes a tongue protruding into the mail path within the mail carrier, and wherein the tongue is at a normal position not impeding entry of the paper into the paper carrier.  
     
     
         16 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 15 , wherein the paper entry includes a pair of paper entry rollers and a paper entry sensor located along the paper path within the paper entry.  
     
     
         17 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 16 , wherein the folding device is a tri-fold folding device.  
     
     
         18 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 17 , wherein the folding device includes: 
 a first folding roller, a second folding roller, a third folding roller and a fourth folding roller driven by a folding roller motor, between every two neighboring folding rollers being formed with a paper path;    a first folding line adjustment board having a baffle with an adjustable position and being provided at an exit of the paper path formed between the first and second folding rollers; and    
     
     
         19 . a second folding line adjustment board having a baffle with an adjustable position and being provided at an exit of the paper path formed between the second and third folding rollers. The correspondence collator according to  claim 18 , wherein the baffle of each of the folding line adjustment boards is spring-loaded, and wherein each of the folding line adjustment boards further comprises a covering guide covering and retained to the folding line adjustment board by means of spring-loaded retainer at an entrance of the folding line adjustment board.  
     
     
         20 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 19 , wherein the mail exit further includes a pair of mail exit rollers driven by the folding roller motor.  
     
     
         21 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 20 , wherein the mail carrier further includes a chain switch being coupled to the chain and a chain motor for driving the chain.  
     
     
         22 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 21 , wherein the paper entry motor and the organizer rollers are activated to, respectively, drive the pair of paper entry rollers as well as the first and third pairs of organizer rollers and the second pair of organizer rollers subjecting each of the individual pages of paper in the set of correspondence to enter the paper entry.  
     
     
         23 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 22 , wherein the organizer motor is activated to drive the second organizer rollers to rotate in a forward direction when the first organizer sensor detects a leading edge of each of the individual pages of paper in the set of correspondence, and to rotate in a reverse direction after the first organizer sensor detects a trailing edge of each of the individual pages of paper in the set of correspondence, such that the individual pages of paper entering the second pair of organizer rollers are guided by the guide to enter the flipping path; and wherein the organizer motor is again de-activated when the second organizer sensor detects that the individual pages of the paper have completely left the third organizer rollers.  
     
     
         24 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 23 , wherein the chain motor is activated to drive the chain that is coupled to the chain switch, subjecting the tongue to carry the flipped, individual pages of paper towards the folding device when the paper entry sensor detects that the individual page of paper passing through the paper entry sensor is the last page in the set of correspondence to be printed by the printer and the second organizer sensor detects that the last page has completely left the third pair of organizer rollers.  
     
     
         25 . The correspondence collator according to  claim 24 , wherein the chain motor is activated to rotate in a reverse direction by the chain switch so as to return the tongue to its normal position after the tongue has carried the individual pages in the set of correspondence into the folding device.  
     
     
         26 . A multi-sheet folding device having a plurality of rollers for forming a paper path through which at least one page of paper pass, comprising: 
 at least one folding line adjustment board provided at an exit of the paper path, having: 
 a spring-loaded baffle with an adjustable position; and;  
 a covering guide covering and retained to the folding line adjustment board by means of spring-loaded retainer at an entrance of the folding line adjustment board.  
   
     
     
         27 . The multi-sheet folding device according to  claim 26 , wherein the covering guide is situated that a wider entrance is formed at the spring-loaded retainers.  
     
     
         28 . The multi-sheet folding device according to  claim 27 , wherein the folding line adjustment board is formed with an enlarged mouth at the entrance.  
     
     
         29 . The multi-sheet folding device according to  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of rollers includes: 
 a first folding roller, a second folding roller, a third folding roller and a fourth folding roller driven by a folding roller motor, between every two neighboring folding rollers being formed with the paper path.    
     
     
         30 . The multi-sheet folding device according to  claim 29 , wherein a first folding line adjustment board is provided at an exit of the paper path formed between the first and second folding rollers, and a second folding line adjustment board provided at an exit of the paper path formed between the second and third folding rollers.  
     
     
         31 . The multi-sheet folding device according to  claim 30 , wherein the baffle of the first folding line adjustment board is adjusted to a location away from the exit of the paper path formed between the first and second folding rollers at a distance that is approximately two-thirds of a total length of the page of paper to be folded; and wherein the baffle of the second folding line adjustment board is adjusted to a location away from the exit of the paper path formed between the second and third folding rollers at a distance that is approximately one-third of the total length of the paper to be folded.