Abstract: The present invention concerns the high speed packaging of folded paper articles such as tissues, napkins and the like, and more precisely it concerns an apparatus for continuously feeding such articles, arranged in stacked groups(P, P1) coming from folding machines, towards packaging machines, for example with a rotating drum, arranged downstream.

Abstract: A system for collating a plurality of media including a compiler having a first position and a second position, a first bin arranged elevationally lower than the first position, a second bin arranged elevationally lower than the second position and adjacent to the first bin, a collated stack receiver arranged proximate the second bin opposite the first bin, first, second and third guides, the first and second guides positioned on opposing sides of the first bin, and the second and third guides positioned on opposing sides of the second bin, a movable wall arranged generally perpendicular relative to the first, second and third guides, the movable wall forming a side of the first and second positions, the movable wall and the first, second and third guides forming three sides of the first and second bins, the movable wall is translatable in a process direction, and a pusher.

Abstract: A system for collating a plurality of media including a first bin, a second bin arranged adjacent to the first bin, a collated stack receiver arranged proximate the second bin opposite the first bin, three guides, a movable wall arranged generally perpendicular relative to the three guides, and a pusher. The movable wall is translatable in a process direction. When the guides are positioned in non-retracted locations, a first set of the plurality of media is deposited in the first bin and a second set of the plurality of media is deposited in the second bin, and when the guides are positioned in retracted locations, the pusher moves the first set to the second bin vertically above the second set to form a combined set and moves the combined set to the collated stack receiver. The position of the movable wall varies based on characteristics of the plurality of media.

Abstract: A system for collating a plurality of media including a first bin, a second bin arranged adjacent to the first bin, a collated stack receiver arranged proximate the second bin opposite the first bin, first, second and third guides, the first and second guides positioned on opposing sides of the first bin, and the second and third guides positioned on opposing sides of the second bin, and a pusher. When the first, second and third guides are positioned in non-retracted locations, a first set of the plurality of media is deposited in the first bin and a second set of the plurality of media is deposited in the second bin. When the first, second and third guides are positioned in retracted locations, the pusher moves the first set to the second bin vertically above the second set to form a first combined set and moves the first combined set to the collated stack receiver.

Abstract: A finisher includes an ejection port, a stacking tray, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element, a communication section that performs data communication with an image forming apparatus and acquires a coverage rate of paper stacked on the stacking tray, and a paper-amount determination section that determines whether the amount of paper on the stacking tray exceeds a predetermined stack capacity of the stacking tray by comparing a predetermined threshold value with the amount of light received by the light-receiving element. The paper-amount determination section corrects the threshold value by using the coverage rate acquired by the communication section, compares the corrected threshold value with the amount of the light received by the light-receiving element, and determines that the amount of the paper stacked on the stacking tray exceeds the stack capacity of the stacking tray if the light amount is equal to or greater than the corrected threshold value.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for producing a printed product, in which a printed product, preferably produced in a forme-bound high-capacity printing process, in the form of a main product (2) or a subproduct is provided with an identification means which comprises a piece of individualizable product-specific information. At least two downstream individualization steps are performed, wherein the identification means allow the piece of information which is to be added in the at least two further downstream individualization steps to be associated with the respective product. Preferably, the new addressee-specific digital printed product comprises blog articles, preferably in the form of a blog insert, which is in turn preferably produced using digital printing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for preparing mail pieces. By determining the number of postal items of a mail set that is fed or to be fed to a gathering station, the further processing can be based thereon, and if the number of postal items exceeds a predetermined maximum, the mail set is split by transporting the already gathered postal items from the gathering station to the inserting station, where the postal items are inserted in an envelope and an envelope printer can print an association marking on the envelope of the formed mail piece.

Abstract: A method and system for validating the completeness of a document collation includes obtaining information concerning a document having a first page and a last page, and processing the obtained information. The processed information is employed to apply a marking on the document that may be readable through an enclosure that visually obscures the marking. The marking may provide information regarding the completeness of the document collation within the enclosure. The processed information may be employed in a manner such that the applied marking includes a first page mark on the first page of the document collation and a last page mark in the last page of the document collation. The marks may be applied in respective predetermined zones on the first page and the last page. The first page zone and the last page zone may have a predetermined relationship for a document collation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing waste sheets from a sheet feed apparatus, removes waste sheets in a ergonomic manner. The bottom sheet or sheets from a stack of sheets is moved from an input hopper to a waste hopper. An accumulation of sheets in the waste hopper are rotated to an on-end orientation for convenient removal from the sheet feed apparatus. A conveyor may be provided to convey the on-end waste sheet out of the sheet feed apparatus. Sensors and alarms may be provided to modify a user when the waste sheet hopper is full. An interlock mechanism may be provided to prevent waste sheets from being added to the waste sheet hopper when it is full or tilted for sheet removal.

Abstract: Sheet processing systems and methods are provided, including systems and methods for advancing and organizing sheets. System can include an alignment mechanism having an alignment plate, a first advancing mechanism configured to individually advance each sheet of a series of sheets in a first direction from a lower feeder to the alignment mechanism, a second advancing mechanism configured to individually advance each sheet of the series of sheets in a second direction from the alignment mechanism to an accumulator, such that the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a sensor configured to read an identification code of each sheet of the series of sheets, and a processor configured to control operation of the first and second advancing mechanisms based on sensor readings of the identification codes.

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.

Abstract: An improved method for monitoring stack quality in a finisher of a printer includes examining the net displacement of a compiling tray after each set has been ejected. A deviation from the normal increments of displacement for each set triggers a “tray full” condition which alerts a user to empty the tray.

Abstract: An improved sloped stack detection system for a multi-function finisher includes a reflective sensor which suspends the conveying of stapled sets to an output tray when staple build-up in small stapled sets causes the stacked output to become sloped.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling inserts for printed materials has been developed. The apparatus includes a printed material conveyor that includes a support post and a gripper. The conveyor receives and supports the printed material from below. After an insert has been placed inside the printed material, it is delivered to a stacker and jackets with insert errors are automatically returned to the conveyor.

Abstract: An integrated remote control and integrated scanner (20) for use with a mail inserter (10), including a user interface and device logic module (20b), a transceiver (20a) for wirelessly communicating with the mail inserter (10), and an (embedded) scanner (20c), all provided as a single hand-held device (20). An operator can use the device (20) to send remote control commands to the mail inserter (10) and also operate the included scanner (20c) (used, e.g., for obtaining scan codes of mail pieces so that the operator can indicate to the mail inserter (10) whether to recreate the mailpiece).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention enables a user to remove the printed papers from the finisher without the image forming apparatus mistakenly judging that a paper jam has occurred; and has effects including a preventing the occurrence of malfunctions such as a jammed staples and the like, a wasting of resources and time for unnecessary re-printing, and increasing usability of the image forming apparatus by allowing a user in a hurry to remove printed copies without affecting the performance of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A printer (2; 52) prints documents which, after arriving in a finishing system (1; 51), are detected and finished in an order corresponding with the order in which the documents have been printed by the printer (2; 52). The printer (2; 52) generates verification markings following one of the documents and prior to a next one of the documents. The number of documents that arrive in an interval limited by at least one of the verification markings are counted and compared with a reference number. An error message is generated if the counted number of arrived documents does not agree with the reference number. This makes it possible to monitor whether, after the documents have been printed, any faults have occurred. Further, a system for finishing documents is described.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the thickness of flat products such as sheets or signatures, the flat products being fed from a pile of signatures to a pocket by a pocket feeder. The pocket feeder includes a first and second roller. The first roller is arranged against the second roller to form a nip therebetween for receiving a flat product. The first roller is deflectable when a flat product enters the nip. The apparatus comprises a first proximity target which is arranged on the first roller and a second proximity target which is fixedly arranged on the receiving unit. A proximity switch monitors the targets and a control unit starts and stops counting the pulses generated by an encoder. To calculate the thickness of a flat product, the counted pulses are compared to a stored value.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the thickness of flat products such as sheets or signatures, where the flat products are fed from a pile of signatures to a pocket by a pocket feeder. The apparatus has a light source and light sensor for sensing the light transmitted from the light source. The pocket feeder includes a first roller and second roller, the first roller being arranged against the second roller to form a nip therebetween for receiving flat product, wherein the first roller is deflectable when a flat product enters the nip. The apparatus includes a first reflecting element which is arranged on the first roller for reflecting incident light, a light source for directing light to said first reflecting element and a first sensor element for sensing light reflected from said reflecting element which produces a sensor signal. A calculating unit for calculating the thickness based on that sensor signal is also provided.