Associating And Folding Patents (Class 270/32)
  • Patent number: 11952236
    Abstract: To prevent displacement of first fold positions and collapse of discharged and stacked sheets when sheet fold processing is performed a plurality of times for each sheet. First fold processing is applied to a sheet conveyed to a conveying path by a rotating body pair 22. The sheet that has been subjected to the first fold processing is fed back to the conveying path while a first fold line is being opened. Then, second fold processing is applied to the sheet that has been fed back to the conveying path by the rotating body pair 22. The resultant sheet is discharged with the first fold line opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kubota
  • Patent number: 11858773
    Abstract: A post-processing device, includes a tray that accepts a carried sheet and places thereon; a post-processing unit that performs a post-processing to the sheet placed on the tray; and a controller that controls an operation of the post-processing unit. The controller that: obtains both of: a first sheet type specified by a user; and a second sheet type detected by a media detector that is installed on a sheet carrying path; and controls the operation of the post-processing unit based on the second sheet type when the first sheet type and the second sheet type are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yasuomi Mitsui
  • Patent number: 11772405
    Abstract: A recording medium processing apparatus includes first teeth that are used for binding processing of a recording medium bundle; second teeth that move toward the first teeth and press the recording medium bundle located between the first teeth and the second teeth; and a control unit that moves the second teeth toward the first teeth to press the second teeth against the first teeth in a state in which there is no recording medium bundle between the first teeth and the second teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Nakamura, Takayuki Uchiyama, Satoko Monoe
  • Patent number: 11667491
    Abstract: The present invention is to enable folding processing to be applied to also large sheet sizes without upsizing the entire apparatus, in the sheet post-processing apparatus for performing the folding processing and binding processing on sheets, a sheet post-processing apparatus is provided with a binding processing section for performing binding processing using a binding needle on a sheet bunch inside a storage section, first folding roller pair for nipping a sheet P inside the storage section in a first position to form a first fold portion, a receiving section for receiving the sheet with the first fold portion formed fed out of the first folding roller pair, and second folding roller pair for nipping the sheet inside the receiving section in a second position to form a second fold portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Satoru Matsuki
  • Patent number: 11661302
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a folding roller pair that forms a first fold line owing to that the folding roller pair nips a first position of the sheet, which has a loop to be formed on an upstream side of the folding roller pair due to continuous conveyance of the sheet by a conveyance roller pair in a stopped state in which a front end of the sheet being conveyed from the conveyance roller pair is nipped by the folding roller pair, as starting conveyance of the sheet while a pushing plate is pushing the sheet and moving toward the folding roller pair, and thereafter, forms a second fold line owing to that the folding roller pair nips a second position of the sheet with the loop formed as aligning with a rear end of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Atsumi, Akihito Sakano, Akito Yoda
  • Patent number: 11634297
    Abstract: A media folding device includes a stacking portion on which media transported from an introduction path are placed; a folding roller pair that folds the media at a folding position after the media have been stacked in the stacking portion; and a bend forming mechanism that includes a first abutting portion configured to abut against a front end of the media, which are stacked in the stacking portion, in a transport direction, and a second abutting portion that is configured to abut against a rear end of the media, which are stacked in the stacking portion, in the transport direction, and that causes the folding position of the media to be nipped by the folding roller pair the folding roller pair by shortening the relative distance between the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion to bend the media toward the folding roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaro Harada, Katsuyuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 11616887
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a processor configured to obtain a positional deviation amount of an actual folding line from an expected folding line on a test sheet, and generate, based on the positional deviation amount, sheet image information including image data representing an image to be formed on a sheet, so as to change a position of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawai, Shogo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11541679
    Abstract: A post-processing device (1) for simultaneously performing both square folding and trimming of a booklet (3), wherein the device (1) comprises a square folding assembly (8) and a cutting assembly (5) at least one of which is movably attached to the post-processing device (1), and a clamping assembly (17) for holding the booklet (3) static during operation of the square folding assembly (8) and the cutting assembly (5). Also, a method of operating such a device (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Plockmatic International AB
    Inventor: Lennart Eriksson
  • Patent number: 11509784
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a processor is configured to: read an image of at least one of a first surface or a second surface of a medium with the medium folded; discriminate whether the image is of the first surface or the second surface based on an identification image in the image; specify, based on the image, a surface on which a folding deviation occurs; and determine a correction direction of the folding deviation according to whether the surface on which the folding deviation occurs is the first surface or the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Shogo Tanaka, Kenji Sawai
  • Patent number: 11350006
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a folder configured to fold a medium by forming a fold such that a side of the medium is aligned with a predetermined first position on the medium; and an image forming device configured to form a first image on a region different from a region located within a predetermined range from the first position, on at least a part of the side of the medium before the medium is folded by the folder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawai, Shogo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11274013
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sheet-folding apparatus which includes transporting rollers, folding rollers, a pushing member provided between the transporting rollers and the folding-rollers, and a guide unit for guiding the sheet to the folding-roller pair by using the pushing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Shimizu, Dai Tamura, Daichi Tojo
  • Patent number: 11258911
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a processor configured to: obtain image information obtained by reading a sheet that is folded with an intention that a folding line is formed at a position apart from a sheet center position in a specific direction by a predetermined distance, using an image reading device in a state in which a short folded piece of the sheet faces a sensor surface; obtain positions of two edges that are opposite to each other across a folding back of the sheet in the image information; and detect a deviation amount of the folding line based on the positions of the two edges and the predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawai, Shogo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11066270
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet folding apparatus for folding sheets, including: a feeding-roller pair; a loop-forming space provided downstream from the feeding-roller pair, for forming a sheet loop; a pushing member for pushing the looped sheet; a folding-roller pair for nipping a prescribed part of the sheet pushed by the pushing member, thereby to fold the sheet; and a path provided between the feeding-roller pair and the folding-roller pair, for guiding the sheet fed from the feeding-roller pair toward the loop-forming space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Shimizu, Shogo Iwai
  • Patent number: 10810473
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cognitive multi-card handling system for automatic testing of transaction apparatus and a testing method. Conventional techniques such as manual testing and automatic testing require lot of testing time and have limitations to test with number of test cards and different card types, identifying required test card from heterogeneous stack of multiple test cards and without much manual intervention. The disclosed cognitive multi-cards handling system comprising a mechanical sub-system and a multi-card handling sub-system provides a mechanism to test number of test cards of different card types, identify and eject the required test card from a heterogeneous stack of multiple test cards, as per the test case to perform the transaction operations. The disclosed testing method ensures smooth completion of automatic testing process consisting of thousands of test cases without manual intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Manecius Selvakumar Joseph, Vinod Kumar Sekaran, Roshy Manayil John
  • Patent number: 10781068
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image former that forms an image on a paper sheet; a post-processor that executes post-processing on the paper sheet; a paper sheet stacker that stacks the paper sheet output from the post-processor on a paper discharge tray; and a hardware processor that controls the image former, the post-processor, and the paper sheet stacker, wherein in a case where insertion paper is output to the paper sheet stacker and is placed on an uppermost paper sheet on the paper discharge tray, when it is determined that a size of the insertion paper is larger than a size of the uppermost paper sheet by a predetermined size determination value or more, the hardware processor executes insertion paper processing control for changing an outer shape of the insertion paper to change the size of the insertion paper and outputting the insertion paper to the paper sheet stacker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Wagatsuma
  • Patent number: 10723581
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first conveyer to convey a sheet, a first folding device to fold the sheet and put a crease in the sheet, a second conveyer to convey the sheet folded by the first folding device, a second folding device to fold the sheet and put a crease in the sheet, and a guide. The first conveyer and the second conveyer are rotatable in reverse. The guide guides the sheet conveyed downstream from the first conveyer and the sheet conveyed downstream from the second conveyer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Asami, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Fumiharu Yoneyama, Makoto Hidaka, Koki Sakano, Akira Kunieda, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 10723148
    Abstract: A printer includes a recording unit which performs recording on paper, an discharge portion which discharges the paper after the recording by the recording unit, a first paper discharge tray on which the paper which is discharge from the discharge portion is placed, and a retainer which includes a plurality of retaining portions which retains the paper toward the first paper discharge tray on a downstream in a medium discharge direction of the discharge portion, in which the plurality of retaining portions includes a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion which retains closer to an upstream in the medium discharge direction than a retaining position of the first retaining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Haruna Takahashi, Mafumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10536598
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: a fold unit that folds an adjustment sheet in which a first adjustment pattern including at least one line segment, and a second adjustment pattern filled in with black are formed, based on a predetermined reference fold position to across the first and second adjustment patterns; an image reader that reads an image of the first adjustment pattern and an image of the second adjustment pattern of the adjustment sheet with the adjustment sheet unfolded; a position identifying unit that identifies a position of a fold line based on distortion of the line segment on the image of the first adjustment pattern, or a fold line on the image of the second adjustment pattern; and a position adjusting unit that adjusts a fold position of the fold unit based on a difference between the position of the fold line and the reference fold position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 10464772
    Abstract: A post-processing device for processing a sheet includes a first post-processing section and a second post-processing section, for processing a sheet; a buffer section for temporarily staying a sheet transferred from a carry-in port; a first conveying section for conveying a sheet at the buffer section to the first post-processing section; and a second conveying section for conveying a sheet at the buffer section to the second post-processing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 10410400
    Abstract: Systems and techniques provide a user interface within an application to enable users to designate a folded object image of a folded object, as well as a superimposed image of a superimposed object to be added to the folded object image. Within the user interface, the user may simply place the superimposed image over the folded object image to obtain the desired modified image. If the user places the superimposed image over one or more folds of the folded object image, portions of the superimposed image will be removed to create the illusion in the modified image that the removed portions are obscured by one or more folds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Adobe Inc.
    Inventors: Duygu Ceylan Aksit, Yangtuanfeng Wang, Niloy Jyoti Mitra, Mehmet Ersin Yumer, Jovan Popovic
  • Patent number: 10384906
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sheet folding apparatus comprises a first roller, a second roller configured to be energized to the first roller, form a nip section together with the first roller, fold a sheet in half together with the first roller through the nip section and convey the sheet folded in half together with the first roller and a pressing force adjusting mechanism configured to be capable of increasing and decreasing a pressing force generated at the nip section. The pressing force adjusting mechanism causes a pressing force in a state of being conveying the sheet folded in half to be lower than that in a state of being folding the sheet in half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiaki Oshiro
  • Patent number: 10350931
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a fold unit that folds an adjustment sheet, in which an adjustment pattern including at least one line segment is formed, over the at least one line segment based on a predetermined reference fold position; an image reader that reads an image of the adjustment pattern of the adjustment sheet with the adjustment sheet folded by the fold unit unfolded; a position identifying unit that identifies, as a position of a fold line, a position of distortion of the at least one line segment or a predetermined position of an area which appears in the image of the adjustment pattern read by the image reader; and a fold position adjusting unit that adjusts a fold position of the fold unit based on a difference between the position of the fold line identified by the position identifying unit and the reference fold position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 10348920
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a fold unit that folds an adjustment sheet, in which an adjustment pattern is formed, over the adjustment pattern based on a predetermined reference fold position; an image reader that reads an image of the adjustment pattern of the adjustment sheet with the adjustment sheet folded by the fold unit unfolded; a position identifying unit that, based on a fold line which appears in the image of the adjustment pattern read by the image reader, identifies a position of the fold line; and a fold position adjusting unit that adjusts a fold position of the fold unit based on a difference between the position of the fold line identified by the position identifying unit and the reference fold position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 10106364
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a second conveying roller pair that receives and conveys a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller pair; a first folding roller pair that forms a first fold on the sheet; and a first rotation unit capable of rotating the second conveying roller pair and the first folding roller pair. One roller of the second conveying roller pair and one roller of the first folding roller pair are a common roller shared therebetween. The second conveying roller pair causes the sheet to be deflected and guided to the first folding roller pair, and the first folding roller pair forms the first fold on the deflected sheet by rotating the first rotation unit in a certain direction in a state in which the sheet is held by the first conveying roller pair and the second conveying roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Michitaka Suzuki, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yuji Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10093513
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding sheets or sheet stacks, including at least two folding/transport rollers, transport device and knife, the transport device defining transport plane E for sheets or sheet stacks fed in transport direction R, knife being movable substantially perpendicularly to and through transport plane E, folding/transport rollers being arranged above transport plane E, oppositely on both sides of knife, axis of rotation A of folding/transport rollers extending substantially perpendicularly to transport plane E, and at least two folding/transport rollers each having, at their end facing toward transport plane E, rounded portion, such that narrowing gap S is formed between the at least two folding/transport rollers, into which gap sheets or sheet stacks can be introduced by means of knife so as to be folded there and at same time conveyed away in transport direction R, and to corresponding method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: HUNKELER AG
    Inventors: Kurt Graber, Friedrich Faulhaber
  • Patent number: 10065829
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing device for, after sheets that are ejected from an image forming device are stored on a storage tray, transporting the sheets in a transport direction to a post-processing position and performing post processing at the post-processing position, including: an aligner configured to align sheets on the storage tray; and a transporter configured to transport to the post-processing position a stack of sheets aligned by the aligner. The transporter includes a first contact member and a second contact member, and transports the stack to the post-processing position by causing the first contact member and the second contact member to simultaneously move in the transport direction while causing the first contact member to be in contact with a rear end portion of the stack in the transport direction and the second contact member to be in contact with a leading end portion of the stack in the transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Naoya Nakayama, Riichi Hama, Ryo Morita, Takuya Inoue
  • Patent number: 10023424
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: an output unit that renders one side of a sheet convex and outputs the sheet, the sheet having the one side and other side; a first folding unit that mountain-folds the one side of the sheet, which is rendered to be convex, to form a first fold in the sheet; and a second folding unit that mountain-folds the one side of the sheet, which includes the first fold formed therein, to form a second fold in the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Awano
  • Patent number: 10023423
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Kiyoshi Hata, Atsushi Kikuchi, Tomomichi Hoshino, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Satoshi Saito, Mamoru Kambayashi
  • Patent number: 9975725
    Abstract: A process for the production of books (22) with digital printing from signatures, in which the book comprises signature groups (33), each formed with basic sheets (34), are parts of respective signature sheets (42). The process employs a manufacturing system (21) which includes a transversal cutting equipment (41) for cutting transversally the signatures sheets, and transversal and longitudinal folding equipment (46) for the formation of respective signatures (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Tecnau S.r.l.
    Inventor: Giuliano De Marco
  • Patent number: 9932199
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a plurality of first units and a second unit. The first units each include, as one unit, a pressing member that presses a folding loop, a frame that movably holds the pressing member in a sheet pressing direction, and an elastic member that is disposed between the frame and the pressing member to bias the pressing member in the sheet pressing direction. The second unit supports, as one unit, a plurality of rows of first units such that the first units of each row are arranged, as a pair, so as to be opposed to each other and that an interval between the pairs is reduced stepwise from a downstream side to an upstream side in a moving direction of the second unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Katsumata, Hisashi Osada, Takeshi Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 9919893
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet processing device capable of preventing a folded sheet bundle from being opened after pressing to improve accumulating property and aligning property of the sheet bundle. A sheet processing device includes: a pair of sheet pressing members 70 that press a fold of a folded sheet bundle in a thickness direction of the fold; and a moving member 56 that moves the sheet pressing member pair 70 along the fold of the folded sheet bundle. The moving member 56 supports a plurality of rows of the sheet pressing member pairs 70 arranged in a moving direction of the moving member 56. The sheet pressing member pairs 70 press the folded sheet bundle with the intervals therebetween in the respective rows reduced stepwise in the moving direction of the moving member 56.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fukasawa, Hisashi Osada, Akira Takei
  • Patent number: 9895858
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a processing unit, a sheet discharge unit, a determination unit, and a control unit. The processing unit performs crease processing on a sheet. The sheet discharge unit discharges a sheet having been subjected to the crease processing by the processing unit. The determination unit determines whether a number of the discharged sheets having been subjected to the crease processing exceeds a predetermined number of sheets. The control unit performs control to cause the discharge unit to discharge a sheet. In a case where the determination unit determines that the number of the discharged sheets having been subjected to the crease processing exceeds the predetermined number of sheets, the control unit performs control to cause the discharge unit to not discharge sheets having been subjected to the crease processing onto the discharge destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 9897962
    Abstract: A sheet pressing device of the present invention includes: a pair of pressing rollers 70 that press, in a fold thickness direction, a fold of a folded sheet bundle BS conveyed in a folded state; and a pressing roller unit 56 that moves the pressing roller pair in a sheet fold direction while supporting the same. The pressing roller pair 70 presses the fold in one of a first region R1 where rollers of the pressing roller pair 70 are brought into pressure contact with each other and a second region R2 adjacent to the first region R1 on an upstream side thereof where rollers of the pressing roller pair 70 are opposed to each other at an interval. With this configuration, it is possible to minimize damage on a sheet end portion and reduce a moving load of the pressing roller pair 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Hisashi Osada
  • Patent number: 9868609
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pressing unit and a shifting unit. The pressing unit has a protrusion and presses the protrusion against a fold section of a sheet. The fold section extends in one direction. The shifting unit moves at least one of the protrusion of the pressing unit and the sheet so as to shift a pressing position, at which the fold section is pressed by the protrusion, in the one direction or in a direction opposite to the one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Awano, Hiroaki Mogi
  • Patent number: 9731930
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes two pressing members and an advancing-receding unit. The pressing members nip and press against a fold section of a sheet. The advancing-receding unit causes the pressing members to repeatedly press against the fold section by causing at least one of the pressing members to advance to and recede from the other pressing member. The advancing-receding unit varies a reception separation amount and a post-receding separation amount from each other and sets the post-receding separation amount to be smaller than the reception separation amount. The reception separation amount is a separation amount by which the pressing members are separated from each other when the fold section is to be received between the pressing members. The post-receding separation amount is a separation amount by which the pressing members that have pressed against the fold section are separated from each other after receding from the fold section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Nobe
  • Patent number: 9708150
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding print sheets includes two folding rollers arranged on one side of a guide plane to define a folding gap. A compressed air device is arranged on the other side of the guide plane in a region of the folding gap. The compressed air device is connected to the compressed air source and to the control unit, and includes an exit opening for the compressed air that is focused onto the folding gap. Control elements can be activated by the control unit to change the time interval during which the at least one exit opening is admitted with compressed air, and/or the cross-sectional surface of the exit opening, and the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the exit opening may also be changed by a different control element, to adapt a compressed air blast to properties of the print sheet made available to the folding gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MUELLER MARTINI HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Peter Braschoss, Hanspeter Duss, Christoph Gysin, Martin Thurnherr
  • Patent number: 9688503
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet processing device capable of preventing a folded sheet bundle from being opened after pressing to improve accumulating property and aligning property of the sheet bundle. A sheet processing device B that presses a folded sheet bundle includes a pair of pressing rollers 70 that press a fold of the folded sheet bundle in a thickness direction of the fold, a pressing roller unit 56 that moves the pressing roller pair 70 along the fold of the folded sheet bundle, and a cam member 80 that regulates an interval between the pressing roller pair 70. When the pressing roller unit 56 is moved along the fold of the folded sheet bundle to press the fold in the fold thickness direction, the cam member 80 reduces stepwise the interval between the pressing roller pair 70 in accordance with a moving direction of the pressing roller unit 56.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Fukasawa, Hisashi Osada, Akira Takei
  • Patent number: 9487373
    Abstract: A process for the production of books (22) with digital printing on a continuous paper strip (23), in which the strip defines book sections in sequence, with signature groups (33), each formed with basic sheets (34); the process employs a manufacturing system (21) which includes a transversal cutting equipment (41) for separating signature groups (33) as signatures sheets, and transversal and longitudinal folding equipment (46) for the formation of respective signatures (48); for a book with at least a sheet section devoid of text and/or figures in a last signature group, the method provides: a) identify a reduced signature group (59) including a number of sheet sections having at least a page with text and/or figures; b) cut the paper strip (23) to separate the reduced signature group as reduced signature group; c) actuate the transversal folding equipment (46) limited to the sheet sections having at least a page with text and/or figures and skipping the actuation of the transversal folding equipment (46) fo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Tecnau S.r.l.
    Inventor: Giuliano De Marco
  • Patent number: 9469144
    Abstract: Provided is a post-processing device including a stacking section that aligns and stacks recording materials which are sequentially transported, a saddle stitching section that binds plural sheets of recording materials in central portions of the recording materials, a center folding section that folds the plural sheets of recording materials into two in the central portions, a pressing section that presses a booklet in a thickness direction of the booklet, and a discharge section that discharges the booklet, which is pressed by the pressing section, with a folded portion of the booklet being a leading portion, wherein the booklet is held and stopped in a state of being nipped by the discharge section, and transport is initiated after the lapse of a predetermined stop time so that the booklet is discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Awano
  • Patent number: 9463944
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a paper processing apparatus comprises a perforation unit configured to include a rotary blade for perforating conveyed paper in a direction parallel to a conveyance direction and be capable of moving the rotary blade in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance path of the paper; a skew detection section configured at the upstream side of the perforation unit to detect the skew of the paper; a skew correction mechanism configured to incline the perforation unit and the rotary blade according to the detected skew amount of the paper; and a control section configured to control the position of the rotary blade and move the rotary blade to a perforation processing position before the paper is conveyed to the perforation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahide Kenmotsu, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya, Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 9085437
    Abstract: To enable a sheet to be folded in an accurate position with a simplified folding mechanism in performing folding processing on the sheet with a pair of folding rollers, a second transport path is disposed in a direction for crossing a first transport path for guiding a sheet from a carry-in portion to a carrying-out portion, and in the cross portion are disposed a folding roller pair for performing folding processing on a sheet, and a folding deflecting member for inserting a fold of the sheet in the nip portion. Then, the folding deflecting member is comprised of a driven roller that comes into press-contact with a roller periphery of the folding roller pair, and a shift member for shifting the driven roller from a waiting position to an actuation position, and by the operation of shifting the driven roller from the waiting position outside the path to the actuation position, the sheet front end portion is fed to the nip portion from an upstream-side guide path formed in the second transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mizuho Shirakura, Hiroki Imazu, Shinichi Ito, Toshiaki Kagami, Mitsunori Tomono, Yuichi Kubota
  • Patent number: 9016679
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a folding processing unit that folds a sheet by reversely rotating a second conveying member in a condition in which the sheet is held by a first and the second conveying members; a calculating unit that calculates an amount of deflection of the sheet held by the first and second conveying members from timings at which the sheet is detected by first and second detecting units disposed upstream of the first conveying member and downstream of the second conveying member and a distance between disposed positions of the first and second detecting units; and a control unit that sets, from the calculated amount of deflection of the sheet, an amount of conveyance for the first conveying member in a direction opposite to a sheet conveying direction in a condition in which the sheet is held by the first and second conveying members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shuuya Nagasako, Michitaka Suzuki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Takahiro Watanabe, Yuuji Suzuki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8989648
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium; a tray for supporting the recording medium recorded by the recording unit; a conveyor mechanism for conveying the recorded medium to the tray; and an alignment mechanism for aligning a plurality of recording media stacked on the tray, by application of an external force. In a period from a start to an end of recording based on one recording job, the alignment mechanism aligns the plurality of recording media stacked on the tray in a period in which image recording is not performed, and the alignment mechanism does not align the plurality of recording media stacked on the tray in a period in which image recording is being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keita Koyama
  • 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
  • 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: 8931774
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of completing a bound document containing appropriately Z-folded sheets when performing folding together with edge cutting and binding. The sheet processing apparatus controls a Z-folding process, a cutting process, and a binding process for a sheet. A first folding position from a free end of the sheet coincides with a position corresponding to half a width of the sheet excluding a cut width of the sheet a binding margin, when the Z-folding process, the cutting process, and the binding process are executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masamichi Akashi
  • Patent number: 8915490
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a transport path, a loading part, a first folding member, a second folding member, a drive mechanism, a position detecting unit, a time information output part, a time monitoring part, and a rotational driving control part. The time monitoring part measures a moving time of the blade member from a first position between an initial position and a protrusion position to a second position, and determines whether the moving time has elapsed by a predetermined time. When the time monitoring part determines that the moving time has elapsed by the predetermined time, the rotational driving control part controls a rotary drive part so as to switch a rotational driving direction into a backward rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Sachio Izumichi, Seiichi Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 8894558
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8894056
    Abstract: Sheets center-folded by a center-folder are placed on a main saddle. A buffer saddle is provided separately from the main saddle, on an opposite side of the center-folder across the main saddle. The pile of sheets saddle-stitched on the main saddle is placed on the buffer saddle. When viewed from above, the buffer saddle is movable in a direction separating from the main saddle that is a reverse direction to the center-folder, and in a direction orthogonal to the direction separating from the main saddle. A sheet processing device is arranged in the orthogonal direction where the buffer saddle is movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Keisuke Oshima