Apparatus and method for processing a sheet material

Abstract

A sheet material processing apparatus comprises a second sorting section configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the processing section to be sorted in a third or a fourth direction based on processing information of a processing section, a stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by a second sorting section to be stacked thereon, a second conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by a second sorting section in the fourth direction to be conveyed, a meeting site where the first and second conveying paths meet, and a “discharge” stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed along the first or second conveying path and passed through the meeting site to be stacked thereon.

1 . An apparatus for processing a sheet material comprising: 
 a pick-up device configured to pick up a sheet;    a conveying device configured to allow the sheet which is picked up by the pick-up device to be conveyed along a conveying path;    a first processing device configured to process the sheet which is conveyed by the conveying device;    a first sorting device configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the first processing device to be sorted in first and second directions based on processing information of the first processing device;    a second processing device configured to process the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the first direction;    a first conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the second direction to be conveyed;    a second sorting device configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the second processing device to be sorted in a third or a fourth direction based on the processing information of the second processing device;    a stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the third direction to be stacked thereon;    a second conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the fourth direction to be conveyed;    a meeting site where the first and second conveying paths meet; and    a discharge stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed along the first or second conveying path and passed through the meeting site to be stacked thereon.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide site has a guide configured to allow the sheets which are conveyed by the first and second conveying paths to be guided and met thereat.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the meeting site has a conveyor belt pair configured to allow the sheet which is guided by the guide to be sandwiched therebetween and conveyed.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the conveyor belt pair is configured to run on a fixed idle roller and to obtain a sandwiching force by being downwardly bent with the fixed idle roller as a fulcrum.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the conveyor belt pair obtains a sandwiching force by being sandwiched between the fixed idle roller and a pinch idle roller.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for processing a sheet material comprising: 
 a device configured to pick up a sheet;    a conveying device configured to allow the sheet which is picked up by the pick-up device to be conveyed along a conveying path;    a first processing device configured to process the sheet which is conveyed by the conveying device;    a first sorting device configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the first processing device to be sorted in first and second directions based on the processing information of the first processing device;    a second processing device configured to process the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the first direction;    a first conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the second direction to be conveyed;    a second sorting device configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the second processing device to be sorted in a third or a fourth direction based on the processing information of the second processing device;    a stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the third direction to be stacked thereon;    a second conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the fourth direction to be conveyed;    a meeting site where the first and second conveying paths meet; and a discharge stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed along the first or second conveying path and passed through the meeting site to be stacked thereon, wherein, with L1 indicating a path length extending from the first sorting device through the second processing device and further through the second conveying path to the meeting site and L2 indicating a path length of the first conveying path, a relation    L1=m×P+α and L2=n×P+α is established, where P: a conveying distance of the sheet; α: a constant distance; and m, n: integers.    
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the difference between the path lengths L1 and L2 is an integral multiple of the conveying distance of the sheet.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide site has a guide configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed by the first and second conveying paths to be guided and met thereat.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the meeting site has a conveying belt pair configured to allow the sheet which is guided by the guide to be sandwiched therebetween and conveyed.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the conveying belt pair is configured to run on a fixed idle roller and to obtain a sandwiching force by being downwardly bent with the fixed idle roller as a fulcrum.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the conveyor belt pair obtains a sandwiching force by being sandwiched between the fixed idle roller and a pinch idle roller.  
   
   
       12 . A method for processing a sheet material comprising: 
 a step of picking up a sheet;    a step of conveying the picked-up sheet along a conveying path;    a step of processing the conveyed sheet by a first processing device;    a step of sorting the sheet which is processed by the first processing device by a first sorting device in first and second directions based on processing information of the first processing device;    a step of processing the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the first direction by a second processing device;    a step of conveying the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the second direction by a first conveying path;    a step of sorting the sheet which is processed by the second processing device by a second sorting device in a third or a fourth direction based on the processing information of the second processing device;    a step of stacking the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device on a stacking section;    a step of conveying the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the fourth direction by a second conveying path;    a step of meeting the first and second conveying paths at a meeting site; and    a step of stacking the sheet which is conveyed along the first or second conveying path and passed through the meeting site onto a discharge stacking section.