Stapling Or Stitching Patents (Class 270/37)
  • Publication number: 20090085281
    Abstract: This is a stacker/stitcher assembly having two disc stackers facing each other. In between the stackers is a common collection tray for receiving the stacked substrates. The assembly can handle printed output of up to 360 ppm. A bypass is provided to divert printed substrates to an exit tray or another finishing station including disc stackers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: William D. Milillo, Douglas F. Sundquist
  • Publication number: 20090072465
    Abstract: There is provided a technique in which in a case where a sheet folding process or a staple process is performed, even in the case where the size precision of a sheet used is not satisfactory, the high-precision staple process and folding process can be performed to the sheet. In a sheet processing method of a sheet processing apparatus to perform a specified process to a sheet, a relatively moved sheet is detected, the size of the sheet is calculated based on the detection result, and a position where the specified process is performed to a bundle of sheets as an object of the specified process is adjusted based on the calculated sheet size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken IGUCHI, Chiaki IIZUKA, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI, Shinichiro MANO
  • Patent number: 7503556
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet finisher including: a push-in member to push a sheet bundle; a pair of rollers to fold the sheet bundle pushed-in by the push-in member; a movement member to move at least one roller of the pair of rollers; an acquiring member to acquire information of a thickness of the sheet bundle; and a control member to control the movement member so as to adjust a clearance between the pair of rollers, based on the information of the thickness of the sheet bundle acquired by the acquiring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eiji Sugimoto, Teruhiko Toyoizumi
  • Publication number: 20090057977
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle-stitching unit to stitch a center of a sheet bundle, a folding unit to fold the center and to form a fold, a first and a second rollers that move along a direction of the fold while nipping and pressing the fold of the sheet bundle and reinforce the fold, and a drive section to move the first and the second rollers along the fold from a standby position apart from an edge of the sheet bundle, and the first and the second rollers are separate from each other in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle at the standby position, and after the first and the second rollers reach to a position where they pass the edge of the sheet bundle of a processable maximum size, they come close to each other in the thickness direction and nip the fold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090057978
    Abstract: A sheet processing device includes a sheet aligning unit that aligns a sheet recording medium. The sheet aligning unit is configured to be pulled out from a main body of the sheet processing device, and includes a sheet conveying member for conveying the sheet recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroshi Maeda, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Tomoichi Nomura, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Ichiro Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 7497427
    Abstract: When a job cancellation instruction has been specified, if the number of the recording sheets loaded on the stacker device of a post-processing apparatus is not greater than the predetermined number of sheets, the aforementioned recording sheets are ejected without being subjected to the process of stapling and if it is greater than the predetermined number of sheets, the recording sheets having been stapled are ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehiro Ogushi, Tetsuo Hirata, Motoki Nakamichi, Norishige Kato, Yasushi Saitsu
  • Patent number: 7497425
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus (1) includes a punching unit (P), an end-binding unit (S) which aligns end portions of a sheet bundle piled on a processing tray (2) and performs a stapling process, and a middle-binding and middle-folding unit (C) which performs a stapling process on the center of the sheet bundle and then folds centering around the stapling portion to be in a brochure form. The middle-binding and middle-folding unit (C) is independently provided on the lower side of the end-binding unit (S) and a middle-binding and middle-folding feeding path (27) feeds sheets to the middle-binding and middle-folding unit (C) without via the processing tray (2) of the end-binding unit (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Taguchi, Mitsutoshi Takemoto, Takeshi Matsuo, Masahiko Miyazaki, Keisuke Egawa
  • Publication number: 20090051098
    Abstract: A printing system which is capable of performing square back processing and preventing occurrence of a new trouble of inadvertently creating a saddle-stitched brochure defective in the appearance of a trimmed edge and/or print appearance, which is unexpected by an operator. A receiving unit receives a job of a first type for creating a saddle-stitched brochure subjected to square back processing and trimming processing or a second type creating a saddle-stitched brochure not subjected to the square back processing but subjected to the trimming processing. A controller controls a trimming position at an end of the sheet bundle for the job and/or an image printing position on a sheet included in the sheet bundle based on whether a job to be processed is of the first type or of the second type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Kiyoshi Tokashiki, Kazuhiko Ushiyama
  • Patent number: 7494116
    Abstract: Above a processing tray, a standby tray for making sheets of paper P stand by is installed. The sheets of paper P on the standby tray are dropped, fed, and moved to the processing tray, thus the conveying path from the standby tray to the processing tray is shortened. Furthermore, a Z-folding mechanism is arranged above the standby tray, and the sheets of paper P folded in a Z shape are dropped, and are mixed and stapled on the standby tray or processing tray, and even when performing a plurality of post processes for sheets, miniaturization of a sheet post-process system is retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Mikio Yamamoto, Tomomi Iijima, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7490820
    Abstract: A sheet bending apparatus bends a sheet in a standing state. The apparatus includes: an information obtaining section that obtains a sheet information indicating the type of the sheet; a sheet moving member that has an abutting section capable of abutting the bottom edge of the sheet and vertically moves the sheet with the abutting section; a sheet bending section that is disposed within a range of the movement of the sheet moved by the sheet moving member, has a pushing member extending laterally and intersecting the vertical direction of the sheet, and bends the sheet by causing the pushing member to push a predetermined position of the sheet; and a controlling section that controls an amount of movement of the abutting section according to the type of the sheet to allow the abutting section to abut the predetermined position of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20090033017
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a taking-in portion configured to support sheets conveyed with their leading edges in a conveying direction directed downward in a standing position and release the support of the sheets, a folding portion configured to crease the sheets, which are supported by the taking-in portion, by pressing and release the creased sheets into the taking-in portion, a loading portion arranged under the taking-in portion to load the creased sheets conveyed from the taking-in portion, a stitching portion configured to stitch a sheet bundle loaded on the loading portion, and a controller configured to execute conveying of the sheets to the taking-in portion and creasing of the sheets supported on the taking-in portion by the folding portion during stitching the creased sheet bundle loaded on the loading portion by the stitching portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090033016
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes an adjuster which supports a stack of sheets stacked on an inclined surface of a sheet path and adjusts a position of the stack of sheets along the inclined surface, a stapler which staples the stack of sheets set at a stapling position, a folding unit which folds the stack of sheets set at a folding position, and a guide provided between the stapler and the folding unit. The stapler ejects a staple from a staple surface by sinking from the inclined surface. The folding unit includes folding rollers and a folding blade which inserts the stack of sheets into a nip between the folding rollers. The guide includes a loading surface offset from the staple surface and an uprising member which is disposed on a part of the loading surface to keep the stack of sheets symmetric with respect to the folding rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TAGUCHI, Yasunobu TERAO, Shinichiro MANO, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090033015
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus including a sheet supporting member which has an inclined surface to support a stack of sheets, a sheet position adjuster which adjusts a position of the stack of sheets along the inclined surface, a sheet pressing unit which presses the stack of sheets against the inclined surface, a folding unit which folds the stack of sheets pressed by the sheet pressing unit, and a controller which controls the sheet pressing unit to press the stack of sheets on the sheet position adjuster against the inclined surface, and to create a gap between the stack of sheets on the sheet position adjuster and the sheet pressing unit to receive a sheet onto the sheet position adjuster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TAGUCHI, Yasunobu TERAO, Shinichiro MANO, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090026687
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first roller, a second roller configured to press the first roller to form a nip portion, a moving member opposite to the nip portion to move from a start position to an operation position approaching the nip portion, a pushing member supported on the moving member to press a sheet by an end thereof by movement of the moving member and push the sheet into the nip portion, and a third and fourth rollers positioned on both sides of the pushing member and supported on the moving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuya SASAHARA
  • Publication number: 20090026686
    Abstract: A post-processing unit of an image forming apparatus includes a vertical conveying path and a horizontal conveying path. A stapling mechanism and a folding mechanism are arranged in the horizontal conveying path. When saddle processing is carried out, paper sheets sent into the horizontal conveying path are struck against a trailing end stopper and, after the number of sheets to be bound is accumulated, the center of the paper sheets is stapled and folded double. A movable tray projected to the outside of a housing is provided at a terminal end of the horizontal conveying path. The movable tray functions as a tray for discharging paper sheets that pass through a saddle stitcher and also functions as a supporting member that supports a leading end side of the paper sheets at the time of the saddle processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Oshiro
  • Publication number: 20080315485
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, the fold reinforcing unit includes a roller unit that includes a first roller and a second roller, and moves along a direction of the fold line while nipping and pressing the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit by the first roller and the second roller, a drive unit configured to move the roller unit along the direction of the fold line from a standby position located at a position separate from an end of the sheet bundle, and a nip unit that includes a first nip plate and a second nip plate, and configured to nip the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit at a position between the fold line and the fold unit, and in the nip unit, the first nip
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315484
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle, in which printed sheets are bundled, with a staple, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, the fold reinforcing unit includes a roller unit that includes a reinforce roller and moves along a direction of the fold line while applying pressure by the reinforce roller to the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit, a drive unit configured to move the roller unit along the direction of the fold line, and a control unit configured to control a movement speed of the roller unit, and the control unit causes the roller unit to move at a first speed in an outside of a specified range including the edge of the staple, and causes the roller unit to move at a second speed not higher than the first speed in the specified range including th
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315481
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, and the fold reinforcing unit includes a placement table on which the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit is placed, a band-like elastic member that is extended to face the fold line of the placed sheet bundle and is formed to be longer than the length of the fold line, and a roller unit that includes a reinforce roller and moves the reinforce roller along the direction of the fold line while pressing it to the fold line through the intervening elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315486
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit that includes a pair of fold rollers and presses the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit into a nip of the fold rollers to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line, and the fold reinforcing unit includes a roller unit that includes a first roller and a second roller, and moves along a direction of the fold line while nipping and pressing the fold line of the sheet bundle by the first roller and the second roller, a drive unit configured to move the roller unit along the direction of the fold line from a standby position, and a nipping unit that includes a first nip plate and a second nip plate, places the sheet bundle on the first nip plate, and nips the sheet bundle at a position between the fold line and the fold unit by the first nip plate and the second nip plate, and a position of the nip of the fo
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315483
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, a fold reinforcing unit that includes a reinforce roller, moves the reinforce roller along a direction of the fold line while applying pressure by the reinforce roller to the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit, and reinforces the fold line, and a control unit configured to transport the sheet bundle from the fold unit to the fold reinforcing unit and to control to stop the fold line of the sheet bundle at a position of the reinforce roller, and the control unit changes, according to a thickness of the sheet bundle, a transport distance from a specified position in the fold reinforcing unit to the position where the sheet bundle is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315488
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, the fold reinforcing unit includes a roller unit that includes a reinforce roller with a structure for preventing an occurrence of a wrinkle, and moves along a direction of the fold line while applying pressure by the reinforce roller to the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit, and a drive unit configured to move the roller unit along the direction of the fold line from a standby position located at a position separate from an end of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315482
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, the fold reinforcing unit includes a roller unit that includes a first roller and a second roller, nips the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit between the first roller and the second roller, and moves along a direction of the fold line while pressing, and a drive unit configured to move the roller unit along the direction of the fold line from a standby position located at a position separate from an end of the sheet bundle, and the first roller and the second roller are separate from each other at the standby position, and approach each other to nip the fold line in a region where the fold line of the sheet bundle exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080315489
    Abstract: There is provided a technique in which while the occurrence of a sheet jam is avoided, a pair of folding rollers for a folding process and a stapler for a staple process can be disposed to be close to each other, and a contribution can be made to the improvement of productivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Shinichiro Mano
  • Publication number: 20080315487
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, and a fold reinforcing unit configured to reinforce the fold line formed by the fold unit, the fold reinforcing unit includes a placement table on which the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit is placed, and a roller unit that includes a reinforce roller and moves the reinforce roller along a direction of the fold line while pressing it to the fold line, and the placement table is provided with a groove-like edge clearance along an edge of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080308985
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes first rollers that convey a sheet, a waiting tray that includes a pair of sheet supporting units movable in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the sheet and on which the sheet conveyed via the first rollers is stacked, second rollers that are provided downstream the waiting tray along the conveying direction of the sheet and are suspended, when projection of a leading end of the sheet from the waiting tray reaches a predetermined projection amount according to the conveyance of the sheet, simultaneously with the first rollers disposed upstream the waiting tray, and an aligning unit that stacks the sheet and continuously-conveyed plural sheets dropped after a trailing end of the sheet is discharged onto the waiting tray by the first rollers and the second rollers and aligns a bundle of the plural sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Sasahara, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080277857
    Abstract: The sheet processing apparatus is equipped with a process tray on which sheets conveyed are stacked, a return belt which moves the sheets stacked on the process tray, a trailing edge stopper which receives an end portion of the sheets moved by the return belt, and a conveyance assist roller which comes into contact with the sheets on the upstream side of the return belt with respect to the sheet moving direction and imparts a load to the movement of the sheets. The return belt moves the sheets to which a load has been imparted by the conveyance assist roller and causes them to be abutted on the trailing edge stopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: WATARU KAWATA, TARO IKEDA, HIROAKI TAKAGISHI, KENICHI HAYASHI, TOMOKAZU NAKAMURA, HIDEKI KUSHIDA, HIROMASA KATAYAMA
  • Patent number: 7431273
    Abstract: A sheet bundle spine folded portion flattening apparatus is provided with a conveying portion which conveys the folded sheet bundle with the spine folded portion of the folded sheet bundle at a head, a sheet bundle moving device for moving it in a direction along the spine folded portion of the sheet bundle, and a pressing device for pressing the spine folded portion of the sheet bundle being moved by the sheet bundle moving device, and is adapted to press and flatten the spine folded portion of the sheet bundle being moved by the sheet bundle moving device, by the pressing device and therefore, can flatten the spine folded portion almost without stopping the movement of the sheet bundle, as compared with the conventional art, and the sheet bundle treating efficiency is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisaku Kamiya, Yusuke Obuchi, Hitoshi Fujimoto, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Tomokazu Nakamura, Kenichi Hayashi, Toshimasa Suzuki, Hideki Kushida, Atsuteru Oikawa
  • Patent number: 7431274
    Abstract: A sheet processor includes a holding unit for holding a folded batch of sheets, a pressing member for pressing against a folded portion of the batch of sheets, a nipping member for nipping portions of the batch adjacent to the folded portion so as to nip the batch of sheets from opposite directions, and a casing for supporting the pressing member and the nipping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Kushida, Yusuke Obuchi, Daisaku Kamiya, Hitoshi Fujimoto, Kiyoshi Watanabe, Tomokazu Nakamura, Kenichi Hayashi, Toshimasa Suzuki, Atsuteru Oikawa
  • Patent number: 7429037
    Abstract: The sheet processing apparatus is equipped with a process tray on which sheets conveyed are stacked, a return belt which moves the sheets stacked on the process tray, a trailing edge stopper which receives an end portion of the sheets moved by the return belt, and a conveyance assist roller which comes into contact with the sheets on the upstream side of the return belt with respect to the sheet moving direction and imparts a load to the movement of the sheets. The return belt moves the sheets to which a load has been imparted by the conveyance assist roller and causes them to be abutted on the trailing edge stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Kawata, Taro Ikeda, Hiroaki Takagishi, Kenichi Hayashi, Tomokazu Nakamura, Hideki Kushida, Hiromasa Katayama
  • Publication number: 20080217834
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention includes a folding mechanism that includes paired folding rollers, presses a sheet to a nip portion of the paired folding rollers from a direction orthogonal to a transport direction, and folds the sheet by rotating the paired folding rollers. Further, there are provided a drive motor capable of making positive rotation and reverse rotation, a variable speed mechanism to convert a rotation force of the drive motor into a rotation output in a single direction and with a low speed or a high speed by changing a rotation direction of the drive motor, a transmission mechanism to transmit the rotation output in the single direction to the paired folding rollers, and a control unit to control the rotation direction of the drive motor and to change the rotation speed of the paired folding rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuya Sasahara
  • Publication number: 20080211158
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a sheet carry-in path along which sheets from a carry-in port are fed through a sheet discharging port to a downstream post-processing position, and a collecting guide, for setting and collecting the sheets into a bunch. The collecting guide is located downstream of the sheet discharging port with a difference in level between the sheet discharging port and the collecting guide, is provided. A post-processing apparatus is provided for executing a stapling process and/or a folding process on the sheet bunch collected on the collecting guide. A sheet leading end regulating device is provided for regulating a position of leading ends of the sheets collected on the collecting guide device. The sheet leading end regulating device is movable according to a sheet size so that trailing ends of the sheet ends are placed at a predetermined position below the sheet discharging port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Fukasawa, Ichitaro Kubota, Kenichi Matsuno, Takahisa Kazuno
  • Publication number: 20080211159
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention including a saddle-stitcher configured to fold and discharge a sheet supplied from an image forming apparatus, and an assisting mechanism arranged in a sheet carrier path extending from the image forming apparatus to the saddle-stitcher and configured to form a folding line on the sheet in a first direction orthogonal to a direction of the carrying of the sheet in order to assist folding of the sheet. The assisting mechanism has a disc-shaped roller blade rotatably attached to a moving body that is movable in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomomi Iijima, Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7419149
    Abstract: A paper sheet processing device (1) for processing paper sheets while carrying the paper sheets, comprising a device body (10), a carrier means (2) for carrying the paper sheets one by one, a carrier driving means for driving said carrier means, processing device parts (4A, 4B, 4C) which are installed in a carrying route (20) formed of the carrier means and which process the paper sheets, and processing driving means for driving the processing device parts. The device is characterized in that the processing device parts are installed detachably from the device body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Oota, Hideki Oiwa, Akira Wada
  • Patent number: 7416177
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus is configured so as to be capable of preventing the misalignment of the end edge of sheets to be scooped and transported from an intermediate tray, and reliably preventing the so-called displacement of end edges in the post-processing steps of sheets as a recording medium with an image formed thereon, and thereby preventing the inferior appearance during binding. A sheet folding apparatus enables a user to easily adjust the misalignment of the fold line of sheets that occurs during actual use, in the middle folding processing steps of sheets as a recording medium with an image formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Kenji Yamada, Hiromoto Saitoh, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Iida, Junichi Tokita, Shingo Matsushita, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako
  • Patent number: 7413179
    Abstract: In a bookbinding apparatus, an adhesive applying portion applies an adhesive to an end face of a sheet bundle allowed to stand in the substantially vertical direction, a storage portion that gathers and stores the sheet bundle which is applied with the adhesive and bound in the adhesive applying portion while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction, transport means for conveying the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction from the adhesive applying portion to the storage portion along a substantially vertical transport path, and a cutting portion which is provided on the transport path between the adhesive applying portion and the storage portion, and which cuts an end face of the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignees: Canon Finetech Inc., Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Honmochi, Masayoshi Kubo, Toshiaki Nochi, Ken Yonekawa, Yuji Ueno, Keiichi Nagasawa, Hiroshi Nakagomi
  • Patent number: 7413181
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes a conveying member configured to convey recording media and a tray configured to receive the recording media conveyed by the conveying member. The tray includes a holding member configured to hold the recording media therein and to contact a first edge of the recording media such that the recording media is positioned, a rotatable moving member configured to contact the recording media such that the holding member abuts against the recording media, a discharging member configured to discharge the recording media stacked by the holding member, and a protruding member mounted on the discharging member and configured to contact a second edge of the recording media such that the recording media is positioned. One of the rotatable moving member and the protruding member positions the recording media stacked in the tray in a travel direction of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Iida, Junichi Tokita, Shingo Matsushita, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Kenji Yamada, Hiromoto Saitoh, Naohiro Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 7410156
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a processing tray on which sheets are stacked in a bundle form, an intermediate portion stapler which staples the intermediate portion of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray, a sheet bundle conveying member which conveys the stapled sheet bundle, a curved sheet bundle conveying path which is downwardly curved on the downstream side of the processing tray with respect to the sheet conveying direction and adapted to guide the sheet bundle conveyed by the sheet bundle conveying member, and a folding device which is arranged in the intermediate portion of the curved sheet bundle conveying path and which folds the stapled sheet bundle, wherein the processing tray is set to be lower on the upstream side than on the downstream side with respect to the sheet conveying direction, and wherein the curved guide path has an extended portion extending to a position under the stacking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taro Ikeda, Hiroaki Takagishi, Kenichi Hayashi, Tomokazu Nakamura, Wataru Kawata, Hideki Kushida, Hiromasa Katayama
  • Publication number: 20080185764
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the present invention includes a folding mechanism that includes a folding roller pair disposed along a conveyance path of sheets, the folding mechanism pushing the sheets from a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction into a nip portion between the pair of folding rollers and rotating the folding roller pair to fold the sheets; and a discharge roller pair for discharging, into a paper discharge tray, the sheets that have been folded by the rotation of the folding roller pair, wherein each roller of the folding roller pair has a multilayer structure including a first layer roller and a second layer roller disposed on the outer periphery of the first roller, with the hardness of the first layer roller being higher than the hardness of the second layer roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shouichi Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20080185763
    Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7408674
    Abstract: When a user enters control information for controlling a printing device, the information is stored in a user information storage unit. All combinations of items of the control information capable of being set by the user and values of items incapable of being set by the user, these having been selected so as to be the optimum values for the combinations, are stored as preset values in a combined information storage unit. An information storage unit compares a value in the user information storage unit with a value in the combined information storage unit. If a combination for which agreement is achieved is found in the combined information storage unit, this value is stored in a printing information storage unit and transmitted to the printing device. Thus, an optimum value can be selected and sent to the printing device even with regard to an item incapable of being selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Moro, Koji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20080181701
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus for transferring sheets from a sheet carry-in port to a first post-processing section and a second post-processing section to execute post-processing such as stapling and sheet folding on the sheets, includes a sheet carry-in path located in a substantially horizontal direction. The sheets fed to the carry-in port are sequentially transferred to a predetermined sheet discharging port. A first switchback conveying path branches off from the sheet carry-in path so as to reverse a sheet conveying direction. The first post-processing section connected to the first switchback conveying path executes the post-processing on the sheets. A second switchback conveying path branching off from between the carry-in port and sheet discharging port of the sheet carry-in path is upstream of the first switchback conveying path so as to reverse the sheet conveying direction. The second post-processing section is located downstream of the second switchback conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Fukasawa, Ichitaro Kubota, Kenichi Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20080164278
    Abstract: A fastening system that enables a tab to be positioned around items to be joined, and a fastener to be passed through the tab and the items to be joined to fasten these. The invention relates to a fastening device for effecting the system, a magazine for storing and dispensing tabs and to the tabs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventor: Martin Myerscough
  • Publication number: 20080150209
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus that is set beside an image forming apparatus and applies staple processing to sheets subjected to image formation and folds the sheets to manufacture a booklet includes a hooking control mechanism that is provided on the opposite side of center folding rollers across a sheet bundle and pushes the sheet bundle in a stapler direction to prevent a bent staple from hooking on an edge of an anvil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinichiro Mano
  • Publication number: 20080150211
    Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus to perform a folding processing to a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor to drive a pair of folding rollers is PWM driven, and its speed is changed according to the sheet type or sheet size and between a period before a blade comes in contact with the sheet bundle, a period when the blade is being inserted between the folding rollers after coming in contact with the sheet bundle, and a period when folding is being performed by the folding rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20080150210
    Abstract: In an apparatus that performs saddle-stitching processing of a sheet pack, a pair of folding rollers is arranged in such a manner that large-diameter parts and small-diameter parts are alternately formed and that the large-diameter parts are abutted against the small-diameter parts at a facing part symmetrically about the center of a transport passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7389979
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus receives sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus one after another on a binding tray to be stacked on top of another, jogs each sheet as the sheet is received on the binding tray, binds a set of the sheets on the binding tray with a binding device, and discharges the bound set of the sheets from the binding tray. Sheets received from the image forming apparatus one after another after the binding device has started binding the set of the sheets on the binding tray and before the binding tray has returned from a discharging position to a receiving position are received one after another, stacked on top another and held on a sheet holding device. The sheet holding device releases the held sheets to be fallen and received on the binding tray after the binding tray has returned to the receiving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Kaneko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamaki Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20080143033
    Abstract: A sheet combining device includes at least one former, at least one longitudinal cutter, and at least two partial web guide routes. A respective partial sheet of partial cut webs can be conveyed on each of the at least two partial web guide routes. These sheets can be combined to form a principal sheet at an exit of the sheet combining device. A stapler is provided on one of the at least two partial web guide routes and is used to staple the partial sheet which is conveyed on that guide route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Burkard Otto Herbert, Stefan Wander
  • Patent number: 7374160
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus has a stapler for stapling a center of plural stacked sheets; a sheet folding mechanism for folding a set of the stapled sheets in half; a sheet recognizing portion for recognizing the number of sheets forming the set of sheets; a sheet transport mechanism for transporting the set of stapled sheets to a position where the center of the set of sheets is folded by the sheet folding mechanism; a transport distance determination table for associating the number of sheets with a distance by which the set of sheets is to be transported by the sheet transport mechanism; and a sheet transport control portion for transporting the set of sheets by a distance determined by the transport distance determination table according to the number of sheets through use of the sheet transport mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Raita Doi
  • Publication number: 20080099975
    Abstract: A sheet stack loader includes a loading table to support a first folded sheet bundle, an elevator to lift the first folded sheet bundle from the loading table, and a conveyer to convey a second folded sheet bundle into a space between the loading table and the first folded sheet bundle, wherein the space is created by the elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7344130
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet processor apparatus comprising: a sheet stack portion on which a sheet is stacked; a sheet conveyance path for conveying a sheet stacked on the sheet stack portion; a sheet conveyor for conveying to the sheet conveyance path the sheet stacked on the sheet stack portion; and a sheet folding device for folding a sheet in the sheet-set conveyance path. The sheet folding device is provided in the sheet conveyance path, and at least a portion of the sheet conveyance path at which the sheet folding device is positioned is formed into a curved shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisaku Kamiya, Masaharu Nemura, Junichi Moteki, Yuzo Matsumoto, Shunsuke Nishimura