"A Roller Folder"

Abstract

The present invention provides a roller folder ( 100 c ). Existing roller folders do not provide sufficient entry margin for entry of intermediate items into the roller folder. The roller folder includes swiveling arms ( 212 or 224 ) that are angularly oriented from a first tangent ( 221 ) which increase entry margin ( 220 ) for the intermediate items such as paper strips. In some of embodiments, biasing members ( 237 or 238 ) restore positions of swivel arms ( 212 or 224 ) during folding operation. In other embodiments, slots ( 300 or 310 ) are provided for changing the angular orientation of the swiveling arms ( 212 or 224 ). The angular orientation of the swivel arms ( 212 or 224 ) reduces the occurrence of jamming of intermediate items while performing folding, pressing operations.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A roller folder ( 100   c ,  100   d ,  100   d ,  100   e ,  100   f ,  100   g ,  100   h ,  100   i  and  100   j ), the roller folder ( 100   c ,  100   d ,  100   d ,  100   e ,  100   f ,  100   g ,  100   h ,  100   i  and  100   j ) includes a first roller ( 210 ) rotatably connected to a frame ( 100   a ) of the roller folder ( 100 ), the first roller ( 210 ) rotates around a first roller center ( 211 ) of the first roller ( 210 ), the roller folder ( 100 ), characterized in that:
 a second swiveling arm ( 212 ) pivotally connected to the frame ( 100   a ) at a second hinge ( 213 );   a second roller ( 214 ) connected to a second arm end ( 215 ) of the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) at a second roller center ( 214   a ) of the second roller ( 214 ), the second roller ( 214 ) is rotatable around the second roller center ( 214   a );   wherein the second roller ( 214 ) is swivelable around the second hinge ( 213 ) between a first position ( 216 ) and a second position ( 217 ), the first position ( 216 ) is a position of the second roller ( 214 ) at which a second tangent ( 218 ) of the second roller ( 214 ) which is perpendicular to a second radius ( 219 ) of the second roller ( 214 ) which is extending towards the first roller ( 210 ) is at a predefined first parallel distance ( 220 ) from a first tangent ( 221 ) of the first roller ( 210 ) which is perpendicular to a first radius ( 222 ) of the first roller ( 210 ) which is extending towards the second roller ( 214 ), the second position ( 217 ) is a position of the second roller ( 214 ) at which the second tangent ( 218 ) is at a predefined second parallel distance ( 223 ) from the first tangent ( 221 ), wherein the magnitude of the second parallel distance ( 223 ) is more than the first parallel distance ( 220 ),   wherein when the second roller ( 214 ) is at a position between the first position ( 216 ) and the second position ( 217 ), the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) is extended either non-parallel or non-perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ) or both.   
     
     
         2 . The roller folder ( 100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e ,  100   f ,  100   g ,  100   h ,  100   i  and  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 1 , the roller folder ( 100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e ,  100   f ,  100   g ,  100   h ,  100   i  and  100   j ) includes:
 A third swiveling arm ( 224 ) pivotally connected to the frame ( 100   a ) at a third hinge ( 225 );   A third roller ( 226 ) is connected to a third arm end ( 227 ) at a third roller center ( 228 ) of the third roller ( 226 ), the third roller ( 226 ) is rotatable around the third roller center ( 228 ), wherein the third roller ( 226 ) is swivelable around the third hinge ( 225 ) between a third position ( 229 ) and a fourth position ( 230 );   the third position ( 229 ) is a position of the third roller ( 226 ) at which a third tangent ( 231 ) of the second roller ( 226 ), which is perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ) is at a predefined third parallel distance ( 232 ) from a fourth tangent ( 233 ) of the second roller ( 214 ) which is perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ), the fourth position ( 230 ) is a position of the third roller ( 226 ) at which the third tangent ( 231 ) is at a predefined fourth parallel distance ( 234 ) from the fourth tangent ( 233 ) when the second roller ( 214 ) is at the first position ( 216 ), wherein the magnitude of the fourth parallel distance ( 234 ) is more than the third parallel distance ( 232 );   Wherein when the second roller ( 226 ) is at a position between the third position ( 229 ) and the fourth position ( 230 ), the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) is extended either non-parallel or non-perpendicular to the fourth tangent ( 233 ) or both.   
     
     
         3 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h  or  100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) is extended at an angle (θ c ) from the first tangent ( 221 ) in anticlockwise direction when the second roller ( 226 ) is at the first position ( 216 ). 
     
     
         4 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h  or  100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) is extended at an angle (θ d ) from the first tangent ( 221 ) in a clockwise direction when the third roller ( 226 ) is at the third position ( 229 ). 
     
     
         5 . The roller folder ( 100   c ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a position of the first roller center ( 211 ) of the first roller ( 210 ) is fixed. 
     
     
         6 . The roller folder ( 100   d ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the roller folder ( 100   d ) includes a first swiveling arm ( 210   a ) pivotally connected to the frame ( 100   a ) at a first hinge ( 241 ), the first roller ( 210 ) is connected to a first arm end ( 210   b ) at the first roller center ( 211 ) of the first roller ( 210 ) and the first roller ( 210 ) is swivelable around the first hinge ( 241 ). 
     
     
         7 . The roller folder ( 100   g  or  100   h ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second hinge ( 213 ) is connected to the frame ( 100   a ) at a position between a fifth position ( 300   a ) to a sixth position ( 300   b ), thereby anchoring the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) non-parallel or non-perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ) or both, wherein the fifth position ( 300   a ) is an angular position of the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) at an angle (θa) from the first tangent ( 221 ) and the sixth position ( 300   b ) is an angular position of the second swiveling arm ( 221 ) at an angle (θb) from the first tangent ( 221 ). 
     
     
         8 . The roller folder ( 100   g  or  100   h ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the third hinge ( 225 ) is connected to the frame ( 100   a ) at a position between a seventh position ( 310   a ) to an eighth position ( 310   b ), thereby anchoring the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) non-parallel or non-perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ) or both, wherein the seventh position ( 310   a ) is an angular position of the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) at an angle (θe) from the first tangent ( 221 ) and the eighth position ( 310   b ) is an angular position of the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) at an angle (θf) from the first tangent ( 221 ). 
     
     
         9 . The roller folder ( 100   g  or  100   h ) as claimed in  claim 7 , the roller folder ( 100   g  or  100   h ) includes:
 a first slot ( 300 ) is configured in the frame ( 100   a ), the first slot ( 300 ) extends from the fifth position ( 300   a ) to the sixth position ( 300   b ), wherein the second hinge ( 213 ) is movable within the first slot ( 300 ) between the fifth position ( 300   a ) to the sixth position ( 300   b ); and   a first anchoring mechanism ( 235 ) for fixing the second hinge ( 213 ) at a position between the fifth position ( 300   a ) to a sixth position ( 300   b ), thereby anchoring the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) non-parallel or non-perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ) or both.   
     
     
         10 . The roller folder ( 100   g  or  100   h ) as claimed in  claim 8 , the roller folder includes:
 a second slot ( 310 ) is configured in the frame ( 100   a ), the second slot ( 310 ) extends from the seventh position ( 310   a ) to the eighth position ( 310   b ), wherein the third hinge ( 225 ) is movable within the second slot ( 310 ) between the seventh position ( 310   a ) to the eighth position ( 300   b ); and   a second anchoring mechanism ( 236 ) for fixing the second hinge ( 225 ) at a position between the seventh position ( 310   a ) to the eighth position ( 310   b ), thereby anchoring the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) non-parallel or non-perpendicular to the first tangent ( 221 ) or both.   
     
     
         11 . The roller folder ( 100   e  or  100   f ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first biasing member ( 237 ) is attached to the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) to restore the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) at the first position ( 216 ). 
     
     
         12 . The roller folder ( 100   e  or  100   f ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a second biasing member ( 238 ) is attached to the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) to restore the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) at the third position ( 229 ). 
     
     
         13 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h  or  100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) is swiveled between the first position ( 216 ) and the second position ( 217 ) by applying a force on the second swiveling arm ( 212 ) through a manual effort or a linear actuator or a rotary actuator. 
     
     
         14 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h  or  100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) is swiveled between the third position ( 229 ) and the fourth position ( 230 ) by applying a force on the third swiveling arm ( 224 ) through a manual effort or a linear actuator or a rotary actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h  or  100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a folded article enters through the first parallel distance ( 220 ) between the first roller ( 210 ) and the second roller ( 214 ) when the second roller ( 214 ) is at the first position ( 216 ) and further passes through the third parallel distance ( 232 ) between the second roller ( 214 ) and the third roller ( 226 ) when the third roller ( 226 ) is at the third position ( 229 ). 
     
     
         16 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h  or  100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a folded article enters through the first parallel distance ( 220 ) between the first roller ( 210 ) and the second roller ( 214 ) when the second roller ( 214 ) is at the first position ( 216 ) and further passes through the third parallel distance ( 232 ) between the second roller ( 214 ) and the third roller ( 226 ) when the third roller ( 226 ) is at the third position ( 229 ). 
     
     
         17 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a folded article enters through the second parallel distance ( 223 ) between the first roller ( 210 ) and the second roller ( 214 ) when the second roller ( 214 ) is at the second position ( 217 ) and further passes through the fourth parallel distance ( 234 ) between the second roller ( 214 ) and the third roller ( 226 ) when the third roller ( 226 ) is at the fourth position ( 230 ). 
     
     
         18 . The roller folder ( 100   c  or  100   d  or  100   e  or  100   f  or  100   g  or  100   h ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a folded article enters through the second parallel distance ( 223 ) between the first roller ( 210 ) and the second roller ( 214 ) when the second roller ( 214 ) is at the second position ( 217 ) and further passes through the fourth parallel distance ( 234 ) between the second roller ( 214 ) and the third roller ( 226 ) when the third roller ( 226 ) is at the fourth position ( 230 ). 
     
     
         19 . The roller folder ( 100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 1 , a first driving gear ( 410 ) is arranged with the first roller ( 210 ) and the third roller ( 226 ), wherein the first driving gear ( 410 ) is fixed in contact with the first roller ( 210 ) and the third roller ( 226 ) so that meshing between the rollers ( 210  and  226 ) and the driving gear ( 410 ) is retained after swiveling of the rollers ( 210  and  226 ). 
     
     
         20 . The roller folder ( 100   i  or  100   j ) as claimed in  claim 2 , a second driving gear ( 411 ) is arranged with a fourth roller ( 412 ) and the second roller ( 214 ), wherein the second driving gear ( 411 ) is fixed in contact with the fourth roller ( 412 ) and the second roller ( 214 ) so that meshing between the rollers ( 412  and  214 ) and the second driving gear ( 411 ) is retained after swiveling of the rollers ( 412  and  214 ).