Creasing, perforating and folding device

Abstract

The present invention provides a device ( 1 ) for creasing, perforating and/or folding paper or other similar media to suit envelopes of various sizes. The device ( 1 ) includes a selectable creasing ( 15 ) or perforating head ( 20 ) which cooperates with an anvil ( 35 ), a Top Of Form sensor ( 46 ), a jam roller ( 59 ), associated pinch rollers ( 49, 63, 66 ) and a firmware for entering the paper size and type of paper for folding. After a predetermined paper length is fed into the paper path, the creasing ( 15 ) or perforating head ( 20 ) traverses a width of the paper to form a crease and after a predetermined length of paper passes the Top Of Form sensor ( 46 ), the jam/pinch rollers ( 59/49, 63, 66 ) are programmed to reverse in direction to cause the paper to buckle at the crease to form a fold. The types of folding operable by the device ( 1 ) are: letter, z, engineering, gate or half-fold.

1 . A paper folding and perforating device comprising:
 a top-of-form sensor;   a selectable creasing or perforating head which cooperates with an anvil, said anvil is disposed in a paper path after said top-of-form sensor;   a jam roller and associated pinch roller disposed in the paper path after said anvil; and   a firmware for inputting the paper size and type of paper folding so that creasing and/or perforating positions are predetermined;   wherein after a predetermined paper length is fed into the paper path and after the leading edge goes through the jam/pinch rollers, the jam/pinch rollers reverse in direction to cause the paper to buckle at the crease to form a fold.   
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein when the creasing head is selected, the creasing head traverses a width of the paper to form a crease. 
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein when the perforating head is selected, a perforated line is formed on the paper by the perforating head. 
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the creasing and perforating heads are separately mounted on opposite sections of a belt, which is strung between a driver pulley and a follower pulley. 
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the creasing head comprises a ring whilst the perforating head comprises a perforating wheel. 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 5 , wherein the ring or perforating wheel is supported on a resilient means. 
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the creasing and perforating heads further comprises a tab and a sensor for differentiating the tab on the creasing head from the tab on the perforating head. 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the creasing and perforating heads comprise rollers at two sides for guiding traverse of the respective heads on two side plates. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the jam roller is coupled to a jam roller mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the jam roller mechanism comprises:
 a unidirectional drive gear having a one-way clutch;   a solenoid;   a jam swing arm pivotable about an end of the jam roller, said jam swing arm has a drive train and said jam swing arm is operable by the solenoid from an initial or paper feed position to an activated or paper folding position; and   a transmission swing arm coupled to a feed roller disposed in the paper path before the jam/pinch rollers, said transmission arm is operable to pivot about said feed roller by swinging from a feed-through position to an activated position as a result of activation of the solenoid and jam swing arm, wherein said jam and transmission swing arms are disposed on the same side of said device;   such that after the predetermined leading edge of the paper goes through the jam/pinch rollers, activation of the solenoid causes the drive train on the jam swing arm to engage with said unidirectional drive gear, thereby reversing the direction of the jam/pinch rollers.   
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the solenoid is not activated and the paper continues to feed through the jam/pinch rollers. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the first fold is formed at about ⅓ of paper length measured from the paper's trailing edge, by means of the jam roller mechanism, in the formation of letter fold. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the first fold is formed at about ⅔ of paper length measured from the paper's trailing edge, by means of the jam roller mechanism, in the formation of Z-fold. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the second fold is formed between buckling and discharge rollers after the first folded edge of the paper hits a hard stop, while the rear portion of the paper continues to said buckling and discharge rollers. 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 13 , wherein the second fold is formed between buckling and discharge rollers after the first folded edge of the paper hits a hard stop, while the rear portion of the paper continues to said buckling and discharge rollers.