Sheet Associating Patents (Class 270/45)
  • Patent number: 8608150
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus is provided that includes a first delivery path that guides a sheet to a first post-processing portion, a delivery holding path having a first holding path which branches off from a branch point of the first delivery path and a second holding path which is formed to be continuous with the first holding path and joins together with the first delivery path; a second delivery path that branches off from a branch point of the first holding path and guides the sheet to the second post-processing portion; a first path switching portion that is provided at the branch point of the first delivery path; and a second path switching portion that is provided at the branch point of the first holding path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Keiji Okumura
  • Patent number: 8596630
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of stabilizing a stop position of the sheet bundle, to thereby enable creation of a high finish quality product, and is compact in size and can be manufactured at low costs. Conveyance belts convey the sheet bundle to a flattening position. A pressing roller flattens the folded spine of the sheet bundle by pressing the folded spine. Clampers hold the sheet bundle such that the sheet bundle is not moved when flattening is performed. A CPU starts to stop driving of the conveyance belts when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a predetermined location upstream of the flattening position in the conveying direction of the sheet bundle, and stops the sheet bundle at the flattening position by holding the sheet bundle with the clampers before the conveyance of the sheet bundle is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Tomoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8596631
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a binding unit, a folding unit, a conveyance unit, a press unit, a grasping unit, and a control unit. The binding unit performs binding processing on a sheet bundle stacked in the sheet stacking unit. The conveyance unit conveys a sheet bundle folded by the folding unit. The press unit presses a fold line portion of the conveyed sheet bundle from a direction perpendicular to a surface of a front page of the sheet bundle while moving along the fold line portion. The grasping unit is switched between a first state in which the grasping unit fixes the sheet bundle in position and a second state in which the grasping unit does not grasp the conveyed sheet bundle. The control unit shifts the grasping unit to the first state and causes the press unit to press the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Tomoharu Sato
  • Publication number: 20130307206
    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: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Sachio Izumichi, Seiichi Shirasaki
  • Publication number: 20130307207
    Abstract: An inserter including a pocket for holding an unevenly folded printed product having a fold edge, a first section on a first side of the fold edge and a second section on a second side of the fold edge that is at least 20 percent shorter than the first section is provided. The pocket includes a lower support surface for supporting the fold edge, a first wall for supporting the first section and a second wall for supporting the second section. The first and second walls each have at least one cutout defined therein. The at least one cutout of the second wall includes a lower cutout edge that is less than a length of the second section away from the lower support surface. The inserter also includes a gripper for securely gripping unevenly folded printed product and removing the unevenly folded printed product from the pocket by passing through the at least one cutouts in the first and second walls. A method of inserting an insert into an unevenly folded printed product is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Goss International Americas, Inc
    Inventor: Peter Roy TASSINARI
  • Patent number: 8573581
    Abstract: A skew correction device includes: a conveying path through which a booklet formed by folding a sheet bundle is conveyed in a conveying direction; a positioning unit on which a leading-end portion of the booklet in the conveying direction is to abut, the positioning unit being arranged to be able to protrude into and retreat from the conveying path; an abutting unit that pushes a trailing-end portion of the booklet in the conveying direction, thereby moving the booklet toward the positioning unit and causing the leading-end portion of the booklet to abut on the positioning unit; and a pushing force changing unit that changes a pushing force applied by the abutting unit to the booklet to push the booklet against the positioning unit based on a pushing amount of the abutting unit to the booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Kiyoshi Hata, Kei Sasaki, Shingo Matsushita, Makoto Hidaka, Takashi Saito, Akihiro Musha, Takamasa Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8573583
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a booklet conveying device includes: a pair of conveying units; a positioning unit; a pressing unit; and a conveying-force changing unit. The pair of conveying units convey a booklet made of a stack of folded sheets, and change a distance therebetween. The positioning unit positions the booklet by making a leading-end portion of the booklet abut thereto. The pressing unit presses the booklet positioned by the positioning unit onto one of the conveying units in order to fix. The conveying-force changing unit changes the conveying force exerted by the conveying units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Musha, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Kiyoshi Hata, Kei Sasaki, Makoto Hidaka, Takashi Saito, Takamasa Matsumoto, Shingo Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8544835
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a holding portion which holds a booklet containing a two-folded sheet; and a pressing portion which presses a spine of a booklet into shapes during movement along the spine of the booklet held by the holding portion. The pressing portion can decrease, or release a pressing force to be applied to the booklet spine within a predetermined area of a moving range in which the pressing roller moves along the booklet spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideto Abe
  • Patent number: 8544834
    Abstract: A finisher deforms a fold end portion of a sheet bundle with a lower pressing plate and an upper pressing plate. A pressing unit holds a sheet bundle so that the fold end portion is positioned between the lower pressing plate and the upper pressing plate. A third pressing roller includes a third pressing surface that presses the fold end portion of the sheet bundle between the lower pressing plate and the upper pressing plate. The third pressing roller moves in between the lower pressing plate and the upper pressing plate. The third pressing roller or the pressing unit moves so that the third pressing surface of the third pressing roller presses the fold end portion at a predetermined position based on a tip of the fold end portion. The fold end portion projects after the sheet bundle is held between the lower pressing plate and the upper pressing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoharu Sato, Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8528891
    Abstract: A creasing device includes: a first member including a creasing blade; a first receiving member including an attachment surface where the first member is to be attached; a second member arranged to face the first member and including a first creasing channel and a second creasing channel opposite to the first creasing channel, the first creasing channel configured to allow the creasing blade to be fitted thereinto with the sheet between the first creasing channel and the creasing blade, the second creasing channel configured to allow the creasing blade to be fitted thereinto with the sheet between the second creasing channel and the creasing blade; a second receiving member including an attachment surface where the second member is to be attached; and a driving section that brings the first and second members into contact with each other and separates the first member and the second member from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Aiba, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Shuuya Nagasako, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Akihiro Musha, Naohiro Kikkawa, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8505901
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes: an accumulating unit accumulating a sheet having been conveyed; a center-folding unit folding a central portion, in a conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed, of the sheet, which has been accumulated by the accumulating unit, and a pressing force moving unit that applies a pressing force to the sheet, which has been folded by the center-folding unit, and moves a portion, at which the pressing force is applied, on the sheet in the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Akihiro Tsuno
  • Patent number: 8505902
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a reinforce roller to further reinforce the fold of a sheet which has been folded by a fold roller pair, a support portion to move the reinforce roller in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a motor to drive the support portion, and a control unit to control the motor so that the support portion moves at a faster moving speed at the time of a homeward route than a moving speed at the time of an outward route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Sugiyama, Shinichiro Mano
  • Patent number: 8505900
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet post-processing apparatus for performing squaring processing of a spine in a well-looking manner without leaving “wrinkles” on back portion of booklet and an image forming apparatus including such a sheet post-processing apparatus. It is a characteristic feature thereof that when squaring of the spine by reciprocating the pressing unit along the spine of the booklet by the moving unit is performed, the distance from the spine of the booklet prior to squaring by the pressing unit to the pressing position is changed by the changing portion such that the distance of a backward movement of reciprocating the pressing unit becomes larger than the distance of a forward movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuri Urano
  • Patent number: 8505903
    Abstract: A sheet folding device that performs a folding process on a bundle of sheet members includes: a folding unit that folds the bundle of the sheet members; a pushing unit that abuts on a surface of the bundle of the sheet members so as to push the bundle of the sheet members into the folding unit; pressing plates that form a pair, that have convexly curved surfaces to face each other, and that form a crease by pressing the bundle of the sheet members therebetween; a driving unit that performs a pressing operation and a press-releasing operation of the pair of the pressing plates; a moving unit that moves a pressing position of the pair of the pressing plates interposing the bundle of the sheet members; and a control unit that controls the driving unit and the moving unit. The control unit controls a moving speed of the pressing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Minoru Hattori
  • Patent number: 8500111
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding roller unit configured to form a fold in a sheet while the sheet passes through a nip of rollers, and a fold-enhancing roller unit having a first roller, a second roller, and a third roller, the first roller being provided facing a first surface of the sheet, orthogonal to a direction of transport of the sheet, the second and third rollers being provided facing a second surface of the sheet orthogonal to the direction of transport of the sheet and different from the first surface, the second and third rollers forming nips with the first roller, in which the fold-enhancing roller unit is moved along the fold with the sheet nipped in the nip between the first roller and the second roller and in the nip between the first roller and the third roller, to form a fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 8490957
    Abstract: A creasing apparatus that performs a creasing process on a sheet, the creasing apparatus including a first conveying path on which a creasing unit is located, the creasing unit performing a creasing process on a sheet conveyed therein; a second conveying path that conveys a sheet conveyed therein to a downstream side without any process being performed on the sheet; and a control unit that, while the first conveying path conveys a sheet so that the creasing unit performs the creasing process on the sheet, causes a subsequent sheet to be conveyed to the downstream side from the second conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shuuya Nagasako, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Akihiro Musha, Go Aiba, Naoki Oikawa, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naohiro Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 8490959
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a roller unit having a reinforce roller which moves along a fold of a sheet perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction and thereby further reinforces the fold by the reinforce roller, and a control unit which counts the number of halts of the roller unit generated during the reinforcing operation of the sheet, and in case that the counted number of the halts of the roller unit is less than a prescribed number of times, makes the roller unit to be moved to a retract position and then makes the roller unit to be driven again to perform the reinforcing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tohsiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuuki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8490960
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is provided with a conveying path forming member that forms a sheet conveying path having a curved portion through which a front edge of the sheet passes, a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet along the sheet conveying path, a sheet folding unit that folds the sheet along the folding line in the sheet conveying path, and then conveys the sheet toward a discharge direction with the folding line discharged first as a front edge, and a sheet position defining unit that defines a position of the front edge of the sheet in the curved portion of the sheet conveying path so that a target position of the folding line on the sheet coincides with a folding position of the sheet folding unit. The sheet position defining unit can adjust an inclination of the front edge of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuya Murata, Mitsuru Ichikawa, Toshikazu Sato
  • Patent number: 8480069
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a correcting unit that corrects alignment of a sheet; a post-processing unit that performs post-processing on the sheet after the correcting unit corrects the alignment of the sheet; and a creasing unit that forms a crease on the sheet after the correcting unit corrects the alignment of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Akihiro Musha, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Patent number: 8474807
    Abstract: A conveying device that conveys a sheet bundle with a flattened back-face portion includes a first conveying unit, a driving unit, and a second conveying unit. The first conveying unit retracts to a position where no driving force is exerted on the sheet bundle before a leading end of the sheet bundle formed in a flat spine shape enters, and abuts on the sheet bundle to exert conveying force after the leading end of the sheet bundle passes a conveying position. The driving unit moves the first conveying unit to retract to the position and to abut on the sheet bundle. The second conveying unit is positioned on an upstream side of the first conveying unit in a sheet bundle conveying direction and conveys the sheet bundle towards the first conveying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Asami, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Kiichiroh Gotoh
  • Patent number: 8465012
    Abstract: A creasing device that creases sheets on a per-sheet basis and includes: a first member extending perpendicularly to a sheet conveying direction and including a convex blade; a second member extending perpendicularly to the sheet conveying direction and including a concave blade, into which the convex blade is to be fitted; a drive unit that brings the first and the second members into and out of contact with each other, thereby producing a crease in a sheet interposed between the first and the second members; a sheet retainer driven by the drive unit and brought into contact with the second member with the sheet therebetween to retain the sheet across its full width; and a holding unit that holds the sheet retainer in a retaining state during creasing where the contact between the first and the second members starts at one point and develops in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ishikawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Naohiro Kikkawa, Shuuya Nagasako, Takashi Saito, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Publication number: 20130147105
    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 nearly 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 nearly 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: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    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: 8459629
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus comprises: a conveying portion which contacts a doubled up booklet and conveys the booklet; an end conveying portion which abuts against an open end of the booklet and pushes out the booklet, thereby conveying the booklet; a stopper which abuts against a back of the booklet to position the booklet; a holding portion which holds the booklet which abuts against the stopper; a processing portion which processes the booklet held by the holding portion; wherein the conveying portion can come into contact with and separate from the booklet, the conveying portion separates from the booklet, or a pressure for bringing the conveying portion into contact with the booklet is reduced before the back of the booklet abuts against the stopper, the back of the booklet is abutted against the stopper by the end conveying portion and then, the holding portion holds the booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideto Abe
  • Patent number: 8459630
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus are provided which can stabilize the shape of the spine after a squaring process. To square a spine Sb of a sheet bundle S, a spine processing apparatus 400 which squares the spine Sb performs squaring of the spine by moving the spine Sb which projects from a pair of first nipping rollers 405 and 406 while pressing the spine Sb by means of a pressing roller 411 in a state where the spine Sb is nipped by a pair of second nipping rollers 403 and 404.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Hideto Abe
  • Patent number: 8459631
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a binding unit, a folding unit, a conveyance unit, a press unit, a grasping unit, and a control unit. The binding unit performs binding processing on a sheet bundle stacked in the sheet stacking unit. The folding unit folds the sheet bundle that is subjected to binding processing. The conveyance unit conveys the folded sheet bundle. The press unit presses a fold line portion of the conveyed sheet bundle. The grasping unit is separate from the conveyance unit and switches between a first state in which the grasping unit grasps the conveyed sheet bundle to fix the sheet bundle in position and a second state in which the grasping unit does not grasp the conveyed sheet bundle. The control unit shifts the grasping unit to the first state and causes the press unit to press the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Tomoharu Sato
  • Publication number: 20130127106
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a folding section configured to nip a sheet using a plurality of rollers to form a fold line for saddle stitching and a control section to control the nipping amount in the folding section. When carrying out square back processing to flatten the spine folded portion of a sheet bundle where a fold line for saddle stitching is formed, the post-processing apparatus allows the nipping amount in the folding section to be smaller than that in the case where the square back processing is not carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventor: Tomoya MOTOYOSHI
  • Patent number: 8439340
    Abstract: A finisher includes an intermediate tray that collects sheets to form a sheet bundle, a sheet gripping member that grips one end of the sheet bundle in a conveying direction and a positioning member that grips the other end of the sheet bundle in a conveying direction, a moving portion that moves the sheet gripping member and the positioning member to come close to each other, a pair of folding rollers that folds the sheet bundle while conveying the sheet bundle, a projecting member that projects a part between the one end and the other end of the gripped sheet bundle toward the pair of folding rollers, and a controller that controls the moving portion, such that the sheet gripping member and the positioning member come close to each other in synchronization with an operation of projecting the projecting member toward the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromasa Maenishi, Mitsuhiko Sato, Naoto Watanabe, Yushi Oka, Toshiyuki Miyake, Takashi Yokoya, Yutaka Ando
  • Patent number: 8439341
    Abstract: A sheet bundle treatment apparatus may include a folding device, a conveying unit, a flattening device, and a control unit. The folding device performs a folding process on a sheet bundle to produce a folded sheet bundle. The conveying unit conveys the folded sheet bundle. The flattening device performs a flattening process to press a folded portion of the sheet bundle from the folded portion toward a fore edge to flatten the folded portion after the conveyance of the sheet bundle. The control unit causes the sheet bundle to be conveyed at a first velocity when the flattening process is not to be performed, and causes the sheet bundle to be conveyed at a second velocity which is slower than the first velocity when the flattening process is to be performed, thereby stopping the sheet bundle at a position where the flattening process is to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Tomoharu Sato
  • Publication number: 20130113153
    Abstract: A system for preparing a collation of sheets for a subsequent folding operation wherein edges of the collation are aligned to eliminate the need for additional trimming operations. The system comprises: a cutting device operative to cut each sheet of the collation based upon a length dimension of each of the inner and outer sheets, an accumulating device operative to stack the sheets to form the collation, a registration device operative to register at least one edge of the collation, a conveyance device for transporting the sheet material along a feed path to the cutting, accumulating and registration devices, and a processor operatively coupled to, and controlling, the cutting, accumulating, registration and conveyance devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: MARK S. HANCOCK, Robert F. Marcinik
  • Publication number: 20130113152
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a collation of sheets for folding operations. The system includes a registration device including multiple registration stations and a conveyance device for transporting the collation to one of the registration stations. Each registration station is adapted to register the edges of the collation based upon a desired edge geometry. A processor determines the fold configuration of the collation and determines the edge geometry thereof based upon the fold configuration of the collation. The processor selects one of the registration stations based upon the fold configuration and then controls the conveyance device to transport the collation to the selected registration station. The registration station selected may also be based upon the thickness of the collation and a desired location for binding the collation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Hancock, Robert F. Marcinik
  • Patent number: 8434751
    Abstract: An apparatus compares, when executing a job using sheets of a first size and sheets of a second size having a greater width in a sheet conveyance direction than the first size, the width in the conveyance direction of the sheets of the first size with the folding width of the sheets of the second size. The apparatus controls execution of a job based on a comparison result between the width in the conveyance direction of the sheets of the first size and the folding width of the sheets of the second size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Munetaka Sakata
  • Patent number: 8430389
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a staple processing portion and a sheet stacking portion on which a sheet is stacked and abutted. The sheet processing apparatus also includes a fold processing portion, a conveyance guide member, an end part processing portion to perform an end part process to the folded end part, and a controlling portion. After a stapling process is performed, the fold processing portion folds the sheet bundle in two to create a folded sheet bundle having a folded end part between a first surface and a second surface. The conveyance guide member guides the folded sheet bundle with the folded end part as a leading end while the first surface slides against the conveyance guide member. The controlling portion controls the positioning member such that the stapling position is moved, by a predetermined distance, to an area on the sheet bundle that will become the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Tokuma, Yusuke Obuchi, Yuri Urano
  • Patent number: 8424859
    Abstract: A creasing apparatus forming a crease on sheets one by one includes: a first member having a linear convex blade formed in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; a second member having a concave blade being paired with the convex blade; and a drive unit that moves the first and second members so as to cause the convex blade and the concave blade to form a crease on a sheet stopped at a predetermined position. The first member forms the convex blade with first comb and second comb and the second member forms the concave blade with third comb and fourth comb that advance and retract relative to each other. The drive unit selects advanced and retracted positions of the first comb and second comb and advanced and retracted positions of the third comb and fourth comb so as to perform a creasing process or a perforating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ishikawa, Naohiro Kikkawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Shuuya Nagasako, Takashi Saito, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Akihiro Musha, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Patent number: 8419003
    Abstract: A creasing device, that forms a crease on a sheet, includes: a first member, extending in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, on which a convex blade is formed; a second member on which a groove-like concave blade is formed such that the convex blade can be fitted into the concave blade by interposing the sheet therebetween; a drive unit that causes the first and the second members to interpose, therebetween, the sheet to form a crease on the sheet; a sheet-information acquiring unit that acquires first sheet information of the sheet to be creased; an adjusting unit that adjusts a pressing force exerted by the drive unit; and a control unit that sets the pressing force to an optimum pressing force for the sheet and that causes the drive unit to drive the first and the second members for creasing the sheet at the optimum pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Naohiro Kikkawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Shuuya Nagasako, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Akihiro Musha, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Publication number: 20130087965
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet post-processing device folding a sheet output from an image forming device at a predetermined target fold position, comprising: a first rotating body pair conveying the sheet; a second rotating body pair disposed along a sheet conveyance path and further downstream than the first rotating body pair in a sheet conveyance direction; a push unit moving a push member in a direction transverse to the sheet conveyance path so that, while the sheet is being conveyed, the push member comes into contact with the sheet and pushes the sheet into a nip of the second rotating body pair, the push member being disposed opposite the second rotating body pair across the sheet conveyance path; and a control unit controlling the push unit so that the pushing operation of the push member is performed at a timing preset according to the target fold position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventor: Satoru SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 8413975
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for making an album in a full-automatic way, comprising the steps below: feed the album paper into a creasing machine piece by piece; crease the album paper in the middle and then transfer the album paper to a folding mechanism; fold the album paper along the middle seam and transfer the album paper to a pasting mechanism; select automatic pasting process according to the album making command, when an interlayer is not required, apply the adhesive on one external side of the album paper, align with the other external side of the previous piece of the album paper that is without the adhesive coating, and so forth, so that all the album paper is bonded together to form the album core; when an interlayer is required, feed the pasting mechanism between the album paper and the interlayer, apply the adhesive on one side of the interlayer, paste it with the external side of the previous piece of the album paper, apply the adhesive on one external side of the next piece of th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Imetto Digital Imaging Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weijun Yuan, Xiaoqiang Zhang, Yiqiang Deng
  • Patent number: 8413976
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: a folding unit that folds a sheet of paper to form a fold in the sheet; a creasing unit that, before the sheet is folded, produces a crease in the sheet at a fold position where the fold is to be formed; a crease-position adjusting unit that adjusts a crease position where the crease is to be produced; a fold-position adjusting unit that adjusts the fold position; a first input unit that receives an input specifying an amount, by which the crease position is to be adjusted; and a second input unit that receives an input specifying an amount, by which the fold position is to be adjusted, wherein when the fold position is adjusted by the second input unit, the crease position is also adjusted in synchronization with the adjustment of the fold position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Naohiro Kikkawa, Shuuya Nagasako, Takashi Saito, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Patent number: 8413974
    Abstract: A creasing device for creasing sheets on a per-sheet basis, the creasing device includes: a first member extending perpendicularly to a sheet conveying direction and including a male blade, which has a convex cross section; a second member extending perpendicularly to the sheet conveying direction and including a grooved female blade, into which the male blade to be fitted with a sheet between the female blade and the male blade; and a drive unit that brings the first member and the second member relatively into and out of contact with each other to cause a sheet stopped at a predetermined position to be pinched between the first member and the second member and creased. An edge portion of any one of the first member and the second member has an arcuate shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Yuusuke Shibasaki, Naohiro Kikkawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Shuuya Nagasako, Takashi Saito, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Patent number: 8387964
    Abstract: A creasing device includes a creasing unit that creases sheets on a one-by-one basis, which is conveyed to a folding device of a subsequent stage, a sheet detection unit that detects a position of a sheet delivered to the creasing device and a control unit that obtains reference information of a fold-position for the folding device and performs control of a stop position of the sheet according to reference information of the fold position, thereby adjusting a crease position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Saito, Naohiro Kikkawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Shuuya Nagasako, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Publication number: 20130049278
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus pushes, with a folding plate, a sheet bundle held by a stacker into a nip portion formed by a first folding roller and a second folding roller and forms a fold. The first folding roller includes a first folding section configured to come into contact with the second folding roller and form the nip portion and a first groove configured to form a gap between the first groove and the second folding roller in a state in which the first folding section is in contact with the second folding roller. The first groove is formed in a position where an end in the width direction of a sheet bundle of a predetermined size pushed in by the folding plate passes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Katsuhiko TSUCHIYA, Hideaki Sugiyama, Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 8382089
    Abstract: A sheet cutting apparatus, including: a conveying member configured to convey a half-folded sheet bunch in a conveyance path in which the conveying member is provided; a registration member which comes into contact with a leading edge portion of the sheet bunch to correct a skew feed of the sheet bunch; a cutting member positioned upstream of the registration member to cut a trailing edge portion of the sheet bunch; and a discharging member provided at an outlet of the conveyance path to discharge the sheet bunch, wherein the leading edge portion of the sheet bunch is positioned outside the discharging member when, after the skew feed is corrected, the sheet bunch is conveyed downstream in the conveying direction by the conveying member and the trailing edge portion of the sheet bunch is conveyed to a cutting position of the cutting member to cut the trailing edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Yonekawa, Kenji Toppada, Keiichi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 8376344
    Abstract: A folded spine of a booklet held by a pair of opposing holding members is deformed by entering a pressing member into a gap between the pair of holding members and bringing the pressing member into pressure contact with the folded spine. In consequence, the folded spine is prevented from receiving an excessive pressing force, and a smooth surface with a width substantially equal to the thickness of the booklet is thus formed on the folded spine, whereby a booklet with a good appearance can be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8366095
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a discharge portion configured to discharge a sheet having a folding portion, a conveyance portion configured to abut on a lower surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction of the discharge portion, a pressing portion arranged at a position opposing the conveyance portion, configured to press an upper surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, and a moving portion configured to move the pressing portion in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, in which the moving portion moves the pressing portion upstream in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, to move the pressing portion from a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is not pressed to a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuri Urano, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8353506
    Abstract: The present utility model relates to an equipment for making an album core automatically, which comprises automatic feeding mechanisms for feeding an album paper and an interlayer, a creasing mechanism for creasing the middle of the album paper to form a crease, a folding mechanism for folding the album paper along the crease and a pasting mechanism for pasting the album or the interlayer by coating glue, wherein the automatic feeding mechanisms include an album paper feeding mechanism, an interlayer feeding mechanism and a control mechanism connected to the two feeding mechanisms. The equipment in the utility model has higher automaticity and can select the kinds of album papers freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Imetto Digital Imaging Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weijun Yuan, Xiaoqiang Zhang, Yiqiang Deng
  • Patent number: 8353504
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a blade member having an edge configured to push a surface of a sheet so as to push the sheet into a sheet folding unit configured to fold the sheet, a pair of nipping members that is included in the sheet folding unit and nips the sheet pushed into the sheet folding unit by the blade member, a blade member moving unit that moves the blade member and a nipping member moving unit that moves the pair of nipping members. The blade member moving unit and the nipping member moving unit are driven by the same driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Minoru Hattori, Akihiro Tsuno
  • Patent number: 8342496
    Abstract: A printing system which is capable of performing square back processing and has a mechanism that makes it possible to prevent occurrence of a new trouble of inadvertently creating a saddle-stitched brochure defective in appearance and/or stackability, which is unexpected by an operator. A printing apparatus receives plural jobs including a saddle-stitch job for creating a saddle-stitched brochure of a predetermined kind. In the saddle-stitch job, saddle-stitch processing and square back processing are carried out. The square back processing is performed by a saddle-stitching machine. The saddle-stitching machine forms a flat surface on the back of a saddle-stitched brochure. A controller permits or inhibits creating the saddle-stitched brochure of the predetermined kind for a job based on whether the job meets a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Kiyoshi Tokashiki, Kazuhiko Ushiyama
  • Patent number: 8342498
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus is capable of neatly squaring a booklet spine without any damage such as a wrinkle on the spine, usable in an image forming apparatus. According to the sheet post-processing apparatus, a drive motor drives first and second pressing members. A circumferential velocity of the pressing member on a pressing surface pressed against the booklet spine is configured to be reverse to and greater than a moving velocity of a moving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuri Urano
  • Patent number: 8342497
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a holding portion which holds a booklet containing a two-folded sheet; and a pressing portion which presses a spine of a booklet into shapes during movement along the spine of the booklet held by the holding portion. The pressing portion can decrease, or release a pressing force to be applied to the booklet spine within a predetermined area of a moving range in which the pressing roller moves along the booklet spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideto Abe
  • Patent number: 8336869
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding roller pair, a sheet pushing member, a detection unit, and a control unit. The folding roller pair folds a sheet or a sheet bundle by a nip portion and conveys a folded sheet or a folded sheet bundle. The sheet pushing member performs a pushing operation in which a tip of the sheet pushing member pushes the sheet or the sheet bundle into the nip portion of the folding roller pair. The detection unit detects whether the tip of the sheet pushing member reaches a predetermined position in a moving direction of the sheet pushing member. The control unit controls driving of the sheet pushing member according to a result of detection by the detection unit such that the sheet pushing member repeats the pushing operation until the detection unit detects that the tip of the sheet pushing member reaches the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Tomoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8333371
    Abstract: A creasing device includes: a first member on which a linear convex-edged blade is formed in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; a second member on which a concave-edged blade pairing with the convex-edged blade is formed; and a drive unit that drives the first and second members to relatively come close to and away from each other, thereby making a crease on the sheet, wherein in a standby state, the drive unit keeps faces of the first member and second member not parallel; and in making a crease on the sheet, causes the convex-edged blade and the concave-edged blade to have point contact with each other via the sheet held therebetween so as to initiate a creasing movement by a rotation movement thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Kikkawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Shuuya Nagasako, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba