US2006022393A1PendingUtilityA1

Method of sheet accumulation using sideways saddle motion

41
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 30, 2004Filed: Jul 30, 2004Published: Feb 2, 2006
Est. expiryJul 30, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Steven W. Trovinger
B65H 2404/68B65H 2301/436B65H 39/10B65H 2404/64B65H 5/32
41
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A sheet collecting apparatus includes a fold blade having a fold axis in a first direction, a collecting device for supporting folded sheets of material in a stack arranged for stapling, and a translation device. The collecting device is mounted to the translation device for translation in a first direction from a first position to a second position. In the first position, a sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge subtends the fold blade and in the second position the sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge is clear of the fold blade. Optionally, the fold blade is cantilevered to position the fold blade above a sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge. An exemplary method to accumulate sheets on a collecting device on a sheet-wise basis includes translating the collecting device in a translating direction from the first position to the second position to remove the folded sheet from the fold blade and to transfer the folded sheet to the collecting device.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A sheet collecting apparatus, comprising: 
 a fold blade having a fold axis in a first direction;    a collecting device for supporting folded sheets of material in a stack arranged for stapling, the collecting device having a first side, a second side and a peak on a sheet-supporting edge, the peak having a peak axis in the first direction; and    a translation device, the collecting device mounted to the translation device for translation in the first direction from a first position to a second position;    wherein, in the first position, a sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge subtends the fold blade, and    wherein, in the second position, the sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge is clear of the fold blade.    
   
   
       2 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a first sheet drive assembly including a first sheet contacting component, the first sheet drive assembly located on the first side of the collecting device and operable to move between a sheet receiving position and a sheet contacting position, wherein in a sheet-receiving position there is a gap between the first side of the collecting device and the first sheet contacting component.  
   
   
       3 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first sheet contacting component is translatable in common with the collecting device.  
   
   
       4 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first sheet contacting component is mounted to the collecting device.  
   
   
       5 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 2 , comprising a second sheet drive assembly including a second sheet contacting component, the second sheet drive assembly located on the second side of the collecting device and operable to move between a sheet-receiving position and a sheet-contacting position, wherein in the sheet-receiving position there is a gap between the second side of the collecting device and the second sheet contacting component.  
   
   
       6 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fold blade is cantilevered at a first end of the fold axis to a mounting surface.  
   
   
       7 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the translation device is mounted at a first end to the mounting surface.  
   
   
       8 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the translation device includes at least one rail with a longitudinal axis in the first direction and a drive motor operably attached to the collecting device to translate the collecting device from the first position to the second position.  
   
   
       9 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an ejection device mounted on the collecting device to elevate a sheet off the sheet-supporting edge.  
   
   
       10 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a fold blade support protruding from the collecting device in the second direction, the fold blade support contacting the fold blade when the collecting device is in the first position.  
   
   
       11 . A sheet-wise booklet making system comprising: 
 the sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 1;  and    a stapler, wherein the stapler is mounted between the first position and the second position and a sheet-supporting edge of the collecting device is positioned adjacent the stapler as the collecting device translates from the first position to the second position.    
   
   
       12 . A sheet collecting apparatus in a sheet-wise booklet making system, comprising: 
 a fold blade having a fold axis in a first direction; and    a collecting device for supporting folded sheets of material in a stack arranged for stapling, the collecting device having a first side, a second side and a peak on a sheet-supporting edge, the peak having a peak axis in the first direction,    wherein the fold blade is cantilevered above a sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge.    
   
   
       13 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 12 , comprising: 
 a translation device, the collecting device mounted to the translation device for translation in the first direction from a first position to a second position; and    a first sheet drive assembly including a first sheet contacting component, the first sheet drive assembly located on the first side of the collecting device and operable to move between a sheet receiving position and a sheet contacting position,    wherein, in the first position, the sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge is below the cantilevered fold blade, as seen along the second direction,    wherein, in the second position, the sheet-collecting portion of the sheet-supporting edge is clear of the fold blade as seen along the second direction, and    wherein in a sheet-receiving position there is a gap between the first side of the collecting device and the first sheet contacting component.    
   
   
       14 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first sheet contacting component is translatable in common with the collecting device.  
   
   
       15 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first sheet contacting component is mounted to the collecting device.  
   
   
       16 . The sheet collecting apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising a second sheet drive assembly including a second sheet contacting component, the second sheet drive assembly located on the second side of the collecting device and operable to move between a sheet-receiving position and a sheet-contacting position, wherein in the sheet-receiving position there is a gap between the second side of the collecting device and the second sheet contacting component.  
   
   
       17 . A method to accumulate sheets on a collecting device on a sheet-wise basis, the method comprising: 
 positioning a sheet-collecting portion of a collecting device below a fold blade, the sheet-collecting portion having a peak with a longitudinal peak axis parallel to a fold axis of the fold blade, the peak axis and the fold axis each oriented in a first direction;    transferring a sheet to the fold blade;    folding the sheet on the fold blade to position a first portion of the sheet on a first side of the collecting device; and    translating the collecting device in a translating direction parallel to the first direction such that the translating removes the folded sheet from the fold blade and transfers the folded sheet to the collecting device.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein translating the collecting device removes the folded sheet from a free end of the fold blade, and 
 wherein transferring the folded sheet to the collecting device includes positioning a fold of the folded sheet to the peak of the collecting device.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fold blade is cantilevered at a first end to a mounting surface and translating the collecting device removes the folded sheet from a free end of the fold blade, the free end opposite the first end along the fold axis.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first portion of the sheet on the first side of the collecting device is positioned between the first side and a first sheet drive assembly and the method comprises contacting the first sheet drive assembly against the first portion of the sheet prior to translating the collecting device.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein folding the sheet on the fold blade includes positioning a second portion of the sheet on a second side of the collecting device between the second side and a second sheet drive assembly and the method comprises contacting the second sheet drive assembly against the second portion of the sheet prior to translating the collecting device.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein folding the sheet on the fold blade includes positioning a second portion of the sheet on a second side of the collecting device.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising supporting the fold blade with a fold blade support projecting from the collecting device when the collecting device is in the first position.  
   
   
       24 . A method to assemble a booklet comprising: 
 accumulating sheets on a collecting device on a sheet-wise basis according to  claim 16;  and    binding the accumulated sheets to form the booklet.

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