Sheet Associating Patents (Class 270/45)
  • Patent number: 11878888
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a blade that is to be pressed against a recording medium at a folding position where the recording medium is to be folded, and a support portion that supports the blade, the support portion includes a movable body to which the blade is fixed and that moves together with the blade and an insertion portion that is inserted into the movable body, and the insertion portion and one surface of the movable body are pressed each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Masakazu Shirai, Koji Kawano, Takayuki Fukamachi
  • Patent number: 11780701
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes: a rotor having a first peripheral surface and a second peripheral surface with a radius smaller than that of the first peripheral surface and configured to convey a sheet; and a guide member configured to be movable between a first position where it guides a sheet being conveyed by the rotor and a second position retracting from the first position. The guide member is disposed so as to move from the second position to the first position while passing within the rotation locus of the first peripheral surface of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Daichi Kobayashi, Takuya Katayama, Koji Kanda
  • Patent number: 11685627
    Abstract: The aligning device receives a sheet conveyed in a sheet conveyance direction in a stackable manner and aligns a position of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction. The moving mechanism moves the sheet aligned by the aligning device in the sheet conveyance direction together with the aligning device. The controller selectively executes a first mode in which first post-processing is performed on the sheet and then second post-processing is performed on the sheet and a second mode in which the second post-processing is performed on the sheet without performing the first post-processing on the sheet. The controller, in response to a selection of the first mode or the second mode, causes the moving mechanism to adjust a position of the aligning device in the sheet conveyance direction before the aligning device receives the sheet as a target of the first post-processing or the second post-processing, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Natsuki Mio, Yasuki Matsuura, Akiyoshi Irie
  • Patent number: 11535480
    Abstract: To enable highly accurate fold processing by properly moving a sheet that has been subjected to fold processing. In a sheet processing apparatus that that performs fold processing in such a manner as to apply first fold processing to a sheet and then apply second fold processing at a position different from a fold line formed in the first fold processing so as to make one end of the sheet folded in the first fold processing lie inside the folded sheet, the first fold processing is applied to a sheet conveyed to an intermediate tray by a fold roller pair and, when a regulating stopper is moved to move the folded sheet that has been subjected to the first fold processing to a predetermined position of the intermediate tray, the folded sheet is gripped by a grip unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Natsuki Shimizu, Takuya Katayama
  • Patent number: 11353817
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a buffering portion having a reverse conveyance roller pair and an intermediate roller pair, with the reverse conveyance roller pair reversing a conveyance direction of a sheet received from a first conveyance path and delivering the reversed sheet into a second conveyance path and being configured to come into contact with and be separated from each other. The intermediate roller pair is disposed in the second conveyance path and disposed upstream of a conveyance roller pair in a sheet conveyance direction, and the reverse conveyance roller pair is caused to nip a first sheet and a second sheet by causing the reverse conveyance roller pair to abut each other after receiving the second sheet by the reverse conveyance roller pair from the first conveyance path in a state in which the intermediate roller pair nips the first sheet reversed by the reverse conveyance roller pair and the reverse conveyance roller pair is separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Agata, Hiroharu Tsuji, Masayoshi Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 11294318
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus performs folding processing so that one end of a sheet exists inside the folded sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes a transport path to guide a transported sheet, a rotating body pair capable of transporting the sheet in a first direction to perform folding processing, and in a second direction for switching back the sheet subjected to the folding processing, a folding blade that pushes the sheet to a nip portion of the rotating body pair, a press member that presses the sheet folded by the rotating body pair in the second direction, and a shift section that shifts the press member for pressing the sheet. In switching back the sheet, a control section controls transport of the sheet so that the one end of the sheet is halted within a region between the press member and a guide face of the transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Takuya Katayama, Daiki Komiyama
  • Patent number: 11225391
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a folding path, a positioning member, a first folding roller, a second folding roller, a folding blade, a guide path, and a conveying roller. The positioning member is to support a leading edge of a sheet fed along the folding path and align the sheet at an initial folding position. The first folding roller is to engage with the second folding roller to form a folding nip. The folding blade is to move to an insertion position to push the sheet on the folding path into the folding nip. The guide path is provided around the first folding roller to return the sheet that has passed through the folding nip to the folding path. The conveying roller is to partially rotate around the first folding roller, to engage with the first folding roller to form a conveying nip and to feed the sheet along the guide path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Eiji Fukasawa, Jung-Kyu Park, Jae-Hyun Shin
  • Patent number: 11167950
    Abstract: A sheet folding processing apparatus performs folding processing on continuously conveyed sheets without lowering productivity. A sheet folding processing apparatus includes a conveyance roller pair, a folding roller pair forming a plurality of fold lines by bending a sheet conveyed from the conveyance roller pair in Z-shape, an additional folding roller and a lower folding guide arranged downstream of the folding roller pair to face each other and pressing the fold line of the sheet in corporation with each other, and a controller controlling operation of the above. The controller controls the folding roller pair to convey the sheet with the fold line downstream in a conveyance direction until the fold line passes through the additional folding position by a predetermined conveyance amount, to return the sheet upstream by reversely rotating the folding roller pair, and to position the fold line to the additional folding position for additional folding processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Atsumi, Akihito Sakano
  • Patent number: 11117763
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet conveyor, a processing tool, a tool contact separation device, a tool moving device, and a tool facing device. The sheet conveyor is configured to convey a sheet. The processing tool is configured to perform processing to the sheet. The tool contact separation device is configured to contact and separate the processing tool with respect to the sheet. The tool moving device is configured to move the processing tool in a direction intersecting a conveyance direction of the sheet. The tool facing device includes a tool facing portion and a sheet gripper. The tool facing portion includes a rotary member supported by a shaft and is disposed at a position facing the processing tool via the sheet. The sheet gripper includes a rotary member supported by a shaft and is configured to grip the sheet with the tool facing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11066269
    Abstract: A sheet folding processing apparatus suppresses an increase in size and cost of the apparatus and performs folding processing on continuously conveyed sheets. In the sheet folding processing apparatus, a sheet conveyed by a feeding roller pair and hang in a loop shape in a loop forming space is pushed into a nipping portion of a folding roller pair by a pushing plate, so that the sheet is folded in a Z-shape to form a plurality of fold lines. The sheet is conveyed in the conveyance direction until the sheet rear end passes through the feeding roller pair, and after the sheet rear end is stored in a loop forming space by moving the pushing plate from a position for pushing the sheet into a nipping portion to a retracting position, the reinforcing processing of the fold line of the sheet is performed by an additional folding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Katsuya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11001467
    Abstract: A paper sheet folding device (sheet folding device) 160 includes a paper sheet folding unit 60 and a tray unit 110 that is provided on one side surface 161a of a device main body 161 and includes a lower discharge tray 121 on which a paper sheet S discharged through a lower discharge port 85 is loaded. The tray unit 110 is pivotable in an up-down direction about a pivotal shaft 111. A discharge drive mechanism 132 is disposed at a center portion of the tray unit 110 in a paper sheet width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Hanamoto
  • Patent number: 11001470
    Abstract: A sheet pressing apparatus includes an inlet port for receiving a sheet having a folding line; additional folding rollers supported by a supporting member arranged downstream from the inlet port; a lower folding guide opposing the additional folding rollers; a first drive mechanism configured to move the additional folding rollers between a pressing position, at which the additional folding rollers approach the lower folding guide to press the sheet at the folding line, and a retreat position to which the additional folding rollers are moved from the pressing position, separating from the sheet; and a second drive mechanism configured to move the additional folding rollers along the folding line. The additional folding rollers are arranged such that one end of the folding line exists between the two additional folding rollers provided at one position and the additional folding roller at the other end position is arranged on the folding line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Shinnosuke Enomoto
  • Patent number: 10974921
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus including a folding roller, a positioning member, a push member, and a shift member. The folding roller including a pair of rollers to rotatably engage with each other to form a folding nip. The positioning member to support a first end of a printing medium which is fed along a folding path and to arrange the printing medium in an initial folding location. The push member to move to an insertion location to push the printing medium on the folding path into the folding nip, and to move to a retreat location. The shift member, located at an exit of the folding nip, to selectively guide the printing medium to a guide path to return the printing medium having passed through the folding nip to the folding path, the guide path being provided around at least one of the pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Eiji Fukasawa, Su Yeon Kim, Jae Hyun Shin, Jung Kyu Park
  • Patent number: 10710834
    Abstract: A folding apparatus includes a folding device to fold a sheet bundle, an additional folding device, a conveyer, and control circuitry. The additional folding device includes a pressure roller disposed downstream from the folding device in a sheet conveyance direction and configured to press the sheet bundle after the folding device folds the sheet bundle and a sheet support member disposed opposite the pressure roller via the sheet bundle. The conveyer conveys the sheet bundle to a position at which the additional folding device presses the sheet bundle and hold the sheet bundle at the position. The control circuitry causes the additional folding device to perform additional folding processing on a first position of the sheet bundle, the conveyer to move the sheet bundle to a second position different from the first position, and the additional folding device to perform the additional folding processing at the second position again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hidaka, Shinji Asami, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Takuya Morinaga, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Koki Sakano, Michitaka Suzuki, Akira Kunieda, Fumiharu Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 10599088
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet processing apparatus, including: a regulation portion configured to contact with an end edge of a sheet to be conveyed and to regulate a position of the sheet; a position adjustment portion configured to perform position adjustment on a sheet in a direction along an end edge of the sheet of which the end edge is in contact with the regulation portion; a folding portion configured to perform folding processing on a sheet which has been regulated by the regulation portion; and a control portion configured to execute: a first mode of causing the folding portion to perform the folding processing on a sheet which has been regulated by the regulation portion, without causing the position adjustment portion to perform the position adjustment on the sheet; and a second mode of causing the position adjustment portion to perform the position adjustment with respect to the regulated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichi Matsuno, Kazunori Endo
  • Patent number: 10351276
    Abstract: A device for transferring leaflets from an upper level to a lower level, where packing apparatus work stations insert the leaflets into boxes together with product, includes at least two belts loop-wound to have two opposed branches defining a substantially vertical straight section and a deflector at the upper level to turn leaflets from an incoming horizontal orientation drawn to draw the leaflets to assume a vertical orientation between the opposed belt branches of the straight vertical section. A drum rotatable about a rotation axis bears two gripping arms for extracting the leaflets in seriatim from the straight section and transferring the leaflets to respective grippers borne by a conveyor to transfer the leaflets to the packing apparatus work stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: MARCHESINI GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Monti
  • Patent number: 10308470
    Abstract: Disclosed is a blade for a saddle folding unit that can saddle-fold a sheet. At the edge of a folding side of the sheet in the blade, a protrusion portion protruding in a pushing direction of the blade is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: KABUHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naofumi Soga, Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 10017350
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus that is capable of properly performing fold line processing at a position depending on a sheet bundle. In a sheet processing apparatus, sheets sequentially received from an image forming apparatus are stacked on a bookbinding processing tray to form a sheet bundle. The sheet bundle is folded at the center thereof, and is conveyed to a processing position. A press unit moves along a fold line portion of the sheet bundle to thereby perform flattening processing for flattening the fold line portion by pressing the fold line portion from a direction orthogonal to a thickness direction. A first pressing strength set by a user using the image forming apparatus and the second pressing strength acquired information on the sheet bundle are compared with each other, and the processing position is determined based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Ando, Akinobu Nishikata, Akihiro Arai
  • Patent number: 9789660
    Abstract: A sheet processing device can prevent a folded sheet bundle from being opened upon accumulation to prevent a reduction in accumulation amount thereof. The sheet processing device includes a pair of pressing rollers pressing a folding loop of a folded sheet bundle in a thickness direction, a support unit mounted to a device frame and supporting a plurality of rows of the pressing roller pairs such that intervals therebetween in the row direction are reduced stepwise, and a gripper member that makes the folding loop of the folded sheet bundle pass through the support unit in a direction that the intervals of the plurality of rows of pressing roller pairs in the row direction are reduced stepwise. The folded sheet bundle passes through the support unit by the gripper member to cause the folding loop to be sequentially pressed by the plurality of rows of pressing roller pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Hisashi Osada, Kazuyuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 9771236
    Abstract: In a saddle-stitching apparatus, when a sheet is transported to a center-folding unit, a folding blade moves from a retrieved position to a nip position between a pair of folding rollers. A forward end of the folding blade comes into contact with a fold of the sheet, so that the sheet is folded along the fold. When the sheet is attached to the nip position between the folding rollers, the folding rollers start rotating and then, the folding blade inserts the center-folded sheet between the folding rollers. After the center-fold finishing is completed, the rotations of the folding rollers stop in timing at which the folding blade is pulled out of the nip position between the folding rollers. When pulling the folding blade out of the nip position between the folding rollers, the rotations of the folding rollers restart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Shohei Otsu, Hirofumi Nakajima, Teruhiko Toyoizumi, Takumi Shirakuma
  • Patent number: 9517897
    Abstract: The system is provided for repositioning flat-disposed objects that can be arranged in an overlapping manner at a system inlet. The system includes a first and a second lateral deviation conveyor, each having an inlet located downstream the inlet of the system. The system also includes a diverting device creating a first transport circuit ending on the right side of a common receiving zone, and a second transport circuit ending on the left side of the common receiving zone. The system can invert the orientation of the objects transported in the first transport circuit with reference to the objects transported in the second transport circuit. The system can advantageously be used with objects having a variable thickness and in particular with folding cartons in a flat configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: CONCEPTION IMPACK DTCI INC.
    Inventors: Dominic Theriault, Mathieu Tremblay, Jonathan Lemay
  • Patent number: 9242822
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: first and second recording modules; a storage accommodating a recording medium; a first path extending from the storage to the first recording module; and a second path extending from the storage to the second recording module and including a first shared portion shared with the first path. The controller is configured to: determine whether a trailing edge of the recording medium on which recording is being performed by the first recording module is located downstream of the first branch position on the first path; and when the trailing edge of the recording medium is located downstream of the first branch position on the first path, cause a recording medium to be supplied from the storage to the second recording module along the second path via the first shared portion and the first branch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhito Shikama, Kohei Terada, Shinya Yamamoto, Akihito Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9221648
    Abstract: The present invention is concerning a sheet processing device comprising: a pressing unit that includes a first pressing roller arranged on one side of a thickness direction of a folded sheet bundle, and a second pressing roller and a third pressing roller arranged on the other side across a fold line part of the folded sheet bundle, and a moving unit that moves the pressing unit in a state in which each of a first line and a second line is not parallel to the thickness direction of the folded sheet bundle, the first line connecting the rotational center of the first pressing roller and the rotational center of the second pressing roller, and the second line connecting the rotational center of the first pressing roller and the rotational center of the third pressing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Kiyoshi Hata, Takeshi Akai, Ikuhisa Okamoto, Jun Yamada, Takao Watanabe, Akihiro Musha
  • Patent number: 9174821
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a first folding unit, a retreat path, a sheet retaining mechanism, and a second folding unit. The first folding unit forms a first fold in a sheet. The retreat path is entered by the sheet having the first fold formed by the first folding unit, and has a stop portion to be contacted by the first fold. The sheet retaining mechanism moves a movable member with respect to the sheet that enters the retreat path, and regulates movement of the sheet in the retreat path in a direction of thickness of the sheet. The second folding unit forms a second fold in the sheet having the first fold while allowing the sheet that has contacted the stop portion to exit the retreat path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Sachio Izumichi
  • Patent number: 9139398
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a flexure forming unit configured to flex sheets to include a portion on which no fold line is formed in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction; a first pressing member pair configured to press a flexure portion of the flexed sheets to form a fold line thereon; and a moving unit configured to move a pressing position of the first pressing member pair in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Satoshi Saito, Makoto Hidaka, Takuya Sano, Takao Watanabe, Shohichi Satoh
  • Patent number: 9102116
    Abstract: In a sheet creaser, a sheet set is pushed between a pair of folding rollers to fold the sheet set. Then, a re-pressing roller re-presses the sheet set, which has been folded by the folding rollers, by rolling along the crease. Pressure applied on the sheet set by the folding rollers is released when the re-pressing roller re-presses the sheet set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Takashi Saito, Akira Kunieda, Hiroshi Maeda, Ichiro Ichihashi, Atsushi Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 9045310
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a folding unit that folds a sheet bundle; a pressing unit that presses a fold part of the sheet bundle, which has been folded by the folding unit, in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle to enhance folding of the fold part; and a moving unit that advances and returns the pressing unit in a width direction of the sheet bundle. The pressing unit starts pressing from a predetermined position in the width direction of the sheet bundle during advancing movement, and releases pressing after going past one end of the sheet bundle. The pressing unit starts pressing from the predetermined position during return movement and goes past the other end of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Comapny, Limited
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama, Atsushi Kikuchi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Mamoru Kambayashi, Shohichi Satoh, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito
  • Publication number: 20150115516
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises a pressing member configured to press a fold line portion of a folded sheet bundle; and moving unit configured to move a position of pressing by the pressing member in a direction of a fold line of the folded sheet bundle, wherein the moving unit is configured to stand by at a pressing start position in which the pressing member is in a non-pressing state, before the folded sheet bundle is conveyed to the pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shohichi Satoh, Makoto Hidaka, Satoshi Saito, Mamoru Kambayashi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Atsushi Kikuchi, Kiyoshi Hata, Keisuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8973912
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus according to one aspect of this invention controls to print images on sheets based on image data of a plurality of pages, generate a bookbinding product by executing folding processing for the image-printed sheets, and output the bookbinding product. The printing control apparatus further accepts the position of an insertion sheet to be inserted into the sheets for which the folding processing is executed, and controls to output a plurality of bookbinding products by using, as a reference, the accepted position of the insertion sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taku Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8944426
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus 3 includes a position aligning section (61A, 61B), a holding section 53, and a processing section (38, 55). The position aligning section (61A, 61B) abuts the inner side or a fold of a sheet bundle (S2), which is formed by collecting a plurality of folded sheets (S1), to align the position of the folds of line plurality of folded sheets (S1). The holding section (53) holds the sheet bundle (S2) in which the position of the folds of the plurality of sheets (S1) has been aligned by the position aligning section (61A, 61B). The processing section (38, 55) performs a predetermined process on the sheet bundle (S2) held by the holding section 53.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Akio Kasuga, Tatsuya Katagiri
  • Publication number: 20150021844
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sheet bundle binding processing apparatus capable of providing relatively strong bonding when a plurality of sheets are bound by corrugation-shaped pressurizing faces with nip-pressure deformation and causing less frictional damage on a sheet face when a sheet bundle is introduced to and discharged from the binding unit. The present invention comprises a sheet bundle binding processing apparatus including a processing tray which includes a sheet placement face on which sheets are stacked, a press binding device which bonds mutually overlapped sheets stacked on the processing tray with pressure-bonding deformation, a taking-off device which applies a taking-off force to sheets bound by the press binding device along the sheet placement face for taking off the sheets from the press binding device, and a sheet bundle discharging device by which the sheets taken off from the press binding device by the taking-off device is discharged from the processing tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicants: NISCA CORPORATION, CANON FINETECH INC.
    Inventors: Mamoru KUBO, Seiji NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 8931773
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet folding unit configured to perform folding on a sheet; and a sheet stacking unit configured to stack the folded sheet on a sheet stacking surface having an inclined surface and a horizontal surface in order from upstream to downstream in a sheet conveying direction. A downstream end of the inclined surface is higher than an upstream end of the inclined surface with respect to a horizontal plane. The sheet handling apparatus also includes a discharging unit configured to discharge the folded sheet to the sheet stacking unit; a sheet conveying unit configured to convey the discharged sheet from the inclined surface to the horizontal surface; and a conveying force applying unit configured to apply a conveying force to the sheet in contact with an upper surface of the sheet from above the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8870174
    Abstract: Machine for producing books, in particular photo books and/or illustrated books includes sheet web dispensing station for dispensing a sheet web moved in its longitudinal direction, printed and/or coated and/or phototechnically processed on one side and provided with print marks and/or print job codes, cross-cutting station arranged downstream of the sheet web dispensing station, grooving and creasing station arranged downstream of the cross-cutting station for the central grooving and creasing of the sheets crosswise to their direction of movement, laminating station for the flat connection of several consecutive creased sheets to one another, three-side cutting station, book cover supply station for supplying and feeding a respectively predetermined individual book cover for the respective book block, joining station downstream of the three-side cutting station for joining book block and assigned book cover and dispensing station for dispensing the completed books.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Kugler-Womako GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Mueller
  • Publication number: 20140291911
    Abstract: An after-processing device for performing sheet folding includes a pair of folding rollers, a heating member, and a supporting unit. The pair of folding rollers is configured to fold a sheet. The heating member is located downstream of the pair of folding rollers in terms of a sheet conveyance direction. The supporting unit supports the heating member in a manner such that position of the heating member in terms of the sheet conveyance direction is changeable in accordance with an amount of conveyance imparted on the sheet by the pair of folding rollers after folding. The position of the heating member in terms of the sheet conveyance direction changes such that the heating member is in contact with a leading edge of a fold portion of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryo MORITA
  • Patent number: 8794615
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus capable of stably stopping a clamping member at a predetermined target position (holding position), of performing post-processing regardless of thickness of a sheet bundle. A holding member is used for holding a sheet bundle. A moving unit moves the holding member between a predetermined reference position and a predetermined holding position at which the holding member holds the sheet bundle. A sheet post-processing unit performs post-processing on the sheet bundle held by the holding member. A control unit configured to, when the holding member is moved from the reference position and is stopped at the holding position by the moving unit, decelerate a moving speed of the moving unit, before performing a stopping process of the moving unit, such that a deceleration rate of the moving speed is smaller as a thickness of the sheet bundle is larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20140203488
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a pressing member that presses a fold part of a bundle of folded sheets so as to perform fold-enhancing; and a moving unit that moves a pressing position of the pressing member in a direction of a fold of the bundle of sheets. The moving unit starts pressing at an area located inside one end of the bundle of sheets while moving at a first velocity, and releases the pressing after passing through other end of the bundle of sheets during a forward movement, and starts pressing at an area located inside the other end of the bundle of sheets while moving at a second velocity that is higher than the first velocity, and passes through the one end of the bundle of sheets during a backward movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Makoto HIDAKA, Satoshi SAITO, Shohichi SATOH, Mamoru KAMBAYASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Kiyoshi HATA, Keisuke SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20140203487
    Abstract: A saddle stitching binding device includes an additional folding roller unit that presses a fold line portion of a folded sheet bundle and performs additional folding, and a unit movement mechanism that causes the additional folding roller unit to reciprocate in the width direction of the sheet bundle. The saddle stitching binding device further includes a sheet supporting device that is located on a movement path of the additional folding roller unit and supports the lower surface side of the sheet bundle when the sheet bundle after pressed is conveyed to the downstream side. In the saddle stitching binding device, a supporting position at which the sheet supporting device supports the sheet bundle and a retreat position at which the sheet supporting device permits the additional folding roller unit to move are set to the sheet supporting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomomichi HOSHINO, Kiyoshi HATA, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Makoto HIDAKA, Satoshi SAITO, Shohichi SATOH, Takao WATANABE, Takuya SANO
  • Publication number: 20140203486
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pressing unit including a first pressing member and a second pressing member. The pressing unit is configured to sandwich and press a fold part of a folded sheet bundle between the first pressing member and the second pressing member. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a moving unit configured to move a position pressed by the pressing unit in a direction of a fold of the sheet bundle. A position pressed by the first pressing member on the sheet bundle and another position pressed by the second pressing member on the sheet bundle are shifted with respect to each other in the direction of the fold of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Kiyoshi HATA, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Makoto HIDAKA, Shohichi SATOH, Satoshi SAITO, Mamoru KAMBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8757608
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of enhancing productivity in flattening a fold top of a sheet bundle. The sheet processing apparatus has a conveying unit that conveys a folded sheet bundle to a processing position, and a holding unit that holds the sheet bundle conveyed by the conveying unit. When the folded sheet bundle has been conveyed by a predetermined distance after a leading end of the sheet bundle has been detected and before the sheet bundle reaches a processing position, the holding unit starts holding the sheet bundle, and then the conveying units stops conveyance of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Tomoharu Sato
  • Publication number: 20140159298
    Abstract: A recording material processing apparatus includes: a stacker stacking recording materials to form a bundle; a pressing member including blade sections arranged at intervals to press portions of the bundle, where folds are to be formed, to move the portions in a recording material transport direction; a pair of first fold-forming rolls, each of which includes plural rolls arranged at intervals to enter between the blade sections when the blade sections press the portions, the pair of first fold-forming rolls forming the folds at intervals by nipping the portions pressed by the blade sections; and a pair of second fold-forming rolls, each of which includes plural rolls arranged at intervals to correspond to the blade sections, the pair of second fold-forming rolls further forming the folds on the bundle by nipping portions of the bundle, which exist between the folds formed by the pair of first fold-forming rolls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka MATSUZAKI
  • Patent number: 8740212
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a transport unit that transports a sheet; an abutting unit that abuts an end of the sheet being transported to form a bent portion at the sheet; a folding unit that nips the bent portion of the sheet by a pair of folding rollers to form a fold line in the sheet; a guide member that partially covers the folding roller and guides the sheet; and a position adjustment unit that adjusts a position of the guide member. An exposure amount of the folding roller with respect to the sheet can be varied by adjusting the position of the guide member through the position adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Isao Yasuda, Ikumi Takashima
  • Patent number: 8733751
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a stacking face (84) is inclined such that a downstream side in a sheet discharging direction is lower, and is composed of a first supporting face (84a) supporting a sheet to be stacked at its front end part in a sheet discharging direction and a second supporting face (84b) supporting the sheet to be stacked at its rear end part in the sheet discharging direction. The first supporting face (84a) is structured to be shorter than ½ of a minimum size length of the sheet to be stacked, and this is provided rotatably upward around a rotating shaft (85x) furnished to a registration part (85r) of regulating the front ends of the sheets. The first supporting face (84a) raises the front ends of the sheets to be discharged by rotation of the registration part (85r).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagami, Shinichi Ito, Mizuho Shirakura
  • Patent number: 8702086
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a discharge portion configured to discharge a sheet having a folding portion, a conveyance portion configured to abut on a lower surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction of the discharge portion, a pressing portion arranged at a position opposing the conveyance portion, configured to press an upper surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, and a moving portion configured to move the pressing portion in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, in which the moving portion moves the pressing portion upstream in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, to move the pressing portion from a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is not pressed to a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuri Urano, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8695959
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a transport unit that transports a sheet; an abutting unit that abuts an end of the sheet being transported to form a bent portion at the sheet; a folding unit that nips the bent portion of the sheet by a pair of folding rollers to form a fold line in the sheet; a guide member that partially covers the folding roller and guides the sheet; and a position adjustment unit that adjusts a position of the guide member. An exposure amount of the folding roller with respect to the sheet can be varied by adjusting the position of the guide member through the position adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Isao Yasuda, Ikumi Takashima
  • Publication number: 20140077436
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a folding unit that folds a sheet bundle; a pressing unit that presses a fold part of the sheet bundle, which has been folded by the folding unit, in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle to enhance folding of the fold part; and a moving unit that advances and returns the pressing unit in a width direction of the sheet bundle. The pressing unit starts pressing from a predetermined position in the width direction of the sheet bundle during advancing movement, and releases pressing after going past one end of the sheet bundle. The pressing unit starts pressing from the predetermined position during return movement and goes past the other end of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kiyoshi HATA, Keisuke SUGIYAMA, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Mamoru KAMBAYASHI, Shohichi SATOH, Makoto HIDAKA, Satoshi SAITO
  • Patent number: 8668192
    Abstract: An insertion system includes a folding device to perform either single-sheet folding to fold a single sheet at a time or batch folding to fold multiple sheets together at a time, an insertion device to insert into an envelope the sheet folded by the folding device, and a batch setting unit to designate either the single-sheet folding or the batch folding from a folding and insertion menu for multiple sheets at a time when the multiple sheets are processed by the folding device and the insertion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Matsushita, Ikuhisa Okamoto, Takeshi Sasaki, Satoshi Saito, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 8662487
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which has a flattening processing unit which presses a folded end of a folded booklet bundle to flatten the folded end, and cutting units which cut and align edges of the booklet bundle, wherein the edges crossing the folded end of the booklet bundle are cut by the cutting unit and the folded end of the booklet is then flattened by the flattening processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Watanabe, Manabu Yamauchi, Takayuki Fujii, Shunsuke Nishimura, Yushi Oka, Toshiyuki Miyake, Takashi Yokoya, Hidenori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8622378
    Abstract: The controller controls the folded bundle conveying portion such that, when a length in the conveying direction of the succeeding folded bundle makes the upstream edge in the conveying direction of the succeeding folded bundle, which is temporarily stopped for the folded end portion processing, remain within a stacking region of the sheet stacking portion, before the preceding folded bundle has been finally moved to the second stacking position, the succeeding folded bundle is conveyed until the upstream edge in the conveying direction of the succeeding folded bundle, to which the folded end portion processing has been applied, passes through outside the stacking region of the sheet stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akito Sekigawa
  • Patent number: 8616542
    Abstract: A print-medium post-treatment apparatus and a control method thereof, to increase the number of print media stacked on a bookbinding stack tray by controlling operation of a conveyor belt. The a print-medium post-treatment apparatus includes a bookbinding stack tray including a tray sensor to sense a print medium and a conveyor belt to move the print medium, and a controller to move the print medium in a given discharge direction by operating the conveyor belt in a first direction if the tray sensor senses the print medium moved onto the bookbinding stack tray and to move the print medium in an opposite direction of the discharge direction by operating the conveyor belt in a second direction so as to reduce a distance between a previously discharged print medium and a subsequently discharged print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji Hoon Min, Hyun Woo Kang
  • Patent number: 8613435
    Abstract: A folding line is pressed using both a first and second pressing members of press roller pairs. Further, positions of the first and second pressing members are shifted from each other. When the number of the sheets included in a booklet is a predetermined number or less, the folding line is pressed by only the first pressing member. When the number of the sheets is more than the predetermined number, the folding line is pressed by both the first and second pressing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Tomoharu Sato