Cutting Patents (Class 270/52.17)
  • Patent number: 11379165
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor configured to detect an original, a nonvolatile storage that includes a semiconductor area, a setting unit configured to execute a setting for dividing the semiconductor area into a plurality of areas, and a controller configured to execute Trim processing on the divided areas in response to passing of a predetermined time period while the image forming apparatus is in a standby state. The controller is configured to stop the Trim processing based on a detection of the original detected by the sensor while the Trim processing is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuya Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11052695
    Abstract: The invention relates to a book production line and a method for producing individual books as well as very short and short runs of books. The book production line comprises a feed device and a following transport section for book covers, a feed device and a following transport and processing section with a rounding and pressing machine, an adhesive-backing apparatus for book blocks, and a casing-in machine. The rounding and pressing machine forms an upstream-arranged, first adjustment segment. The adhesive-backing apparatus is divided into at least two additional adjustment segments that successively follow each other in a transport direction of the book blocks. Each adjustment segment includes a separate drive and a number of book block positions which is the same for each adjustment segment or differs maximally by three book block positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: MÜLLER MARTINI HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Hans Müller, Stefan Gärtner
  • Patent number: 9446921
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a first aligner to push lateral edges of a sheet inward across a width direction of the sheet conveyed from an upstream side for alignment of the sheet, the width direction being orthogonal to a moving direction of the sheet; a second aligner to abut a front edge of the sheet conveyed from the upstream side for a predetermined period of time for alignment of the sheet; a first aligner driver to drive the first aligner; a second aligner driver to drive the second aligner; and a controller to control operations of the first aligner driver and the second aligner driver, wherein the controller activates or inactivates the first aligner driver and the second aligner driver depending on a predetermined parameter on the conveyed sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Ryosuke Habara
  • Patent number: 9329555
    Abstract: There are provided a sheet processing apparatus which can perform a punching process while suppressing decrease in productivity, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet processing apparatus. In a third carry-in route R3 branching from a first carry-in route, a discharge roller and a buffer roller convey a sheet for which the punching process has been performed by a punching unit, so that an upstream end in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet for which the punching process has been performed precedes an upstream end in the sheet conveyance direction of a succeeding sheet following the sheet for which the punching process has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventors: Norio Motoi, Kenji Toppada, Hiroki Hommochi, Yoshihiko Kitahara
  • Patent number: 8944427
    Abstract: A supply device (10) for a machine for transversely cutting two strips (11 and 12) of a flexible material, in particular a strip of paper, moving continuously, to produce separate stacks of documents cut transversely according to predetermined formats. The device comprises lower and upper driving mechanisms (13, 14) associated with the two strips (11, 12) of flexible material respectively, which each include a mechanically rotated first roller (13a, 14a) and a freely rotatable second bearing roller (13b and 14b). The driving mechanism is mounted on a frame (15) supported by a movable platform (16) which is rigidly connected to a linear actuator (17) arranged to be moved transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the strips (11 and 12). Optical reading cells (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) define the operating modes of the driving servomotors (13b and 14b) and of the linear actuator (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kern A. G.
    Inventors: Christian Habib Jiwan, Christophe Picoulet, Robert Pointurier
  • Publication number: 20140375044
    Abstract: A process for the production of books (22) with digital printing on a continuous paper strip (23), in which the strip defines book sections in sequence, with signature groups (33), each formed with basic sheets (34); the process employs a manufacturing system (21) which includes a transversal cutting equipment (41) for separating signature groups (33) as signatures sheets, and transversal and longitudinal folding equipment (46) for the formation of respective signatures (48); for a book with at least a sheet section devoid of text and/or figures in a last signature group, the method provides: a) identify a reduced signature group (59) including a number of sheet sections having at least a page with text and/or figures; b) cut the paper strip (23) to separate the reduced signature group as reduced signature group; c) actuate the transversal folding equipment (46) limited to the sheet sections having at least a page with text and/or figures and skipping the actuation of the transversal folding equipment (46) fo
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Giuliano De Marco
  • Patent number: 8916028
    Abstract: In a processing machine including a processor having a processing blade and a receiver having a reception member and in which a blade edge of the processing blade and a reception portion, of the reception member, engage with each other to process a paper sheet therebetween, the processing blade is one processing blade selected from a blade group and is attached to the processor so as to be changeable to another processing blade of the blade group, reception portions of kinds corresponding to a plurality of kinds of the processing blades of the blade group are formed on the reception member, and the processing blade attached to the processor is positioned so as to be in a position where the blade edge is engageable with the reception portion of the corresponding kind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Ota, Tomoyuki Nagayama, Masasuke Funase
  • Patent number: 8752463
    Abstract: A device for cutting printed products arranged successively spaced apart and transverse to a conveying direction. The device includes a conveyor to convey the print products in the conveying direction. The printed products rest on a flat side on the conveyor and convey with a bound edge forward. The device also includes a cutting tool synchronized with a timing of the conveyor so that the cutting tool cuts a top and/or bottom edge of the printed products. The device also including a cutter upstream of the cutting tool in the conveying direction so that the cutter is synchronized with the cutting tool and operative to make a cut to the bound edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Marcel Buerge
  • Patent number: 8702085
    Abstract: Theres is disclosed a device (10) for manufacturing a notepad (15) comprising a stack of sheets, a first side of each sheet having an adhesive to attach the first side to a reverse face of a sheet immediately facing said first side in said stack. The device (10) including a sheet feeder (20) for loading one or more loose sheets (24) of similar dimensions with the reverse face of each sheet (24) in said stack facing in the same direction and feeding each said sheet downstream of said device (10). A cutting means (40) is provided to cut each sheet (24) or a number of said sheets (24) to predetermined dimensions. An adhesive applicator (60) applies adhesive to a portion or portions of the first side of each sheet (24). A stacking means (100) stacks the cut sheets one on top of the other whereby a forming means (120) forms the cut sheets together to form the notepad (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ra Corporation Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Ashley Craige Carter, Rohan Tilak Liyanaratchi
  • Patent number: 8622379
    Abstract: A device and process for processing flat articles such as pieces of paper by utilizing a stream of under-shingled flat articles and generating a gap at predetermined intervals. The under-shingling process incorporates an accelerating and decelerating portion wherein each flat article is accelerated and then decelerated while a tail portion of the article is lifted such that the next flat article can slide underneath to establish an under-shingled stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Fokos
  • Patent number: 8613436
    Abstract: In a cover feeding device (1) for feeding covers (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3) separated from a magazine (3, 3?) to book blocks (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) that are transported while being clamped in book block grippers (2), it is proposed that the magazine (3, 3?) features at least a first lateral stop (6.1) that is arranged such that it can be fixed transverse to the withdrawal direction (12) and against which different covers (13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3) intended, in particular, for book blocks (14.1, 14.2, 14.3) of different thickness can be jointly placed, and that at least the magazine (3, 3?) can be adjusted transverse to the withdrawal direction (12) such that an edge (17) of the spine region of the respective cover to be separated is withdrawn essentially in alignment with the rigid gripping jaw (2 a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Yahya Tas, Jürgen Garlichs, Andreas Walther
  • Patent number: 8485512
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for aligning, feeding, trimming, slitting, rotating, cross-slitting and stacking sheets, each containing one or more discrete page images thereon that allows for greater automation of the overall process so that reduced or no manual intervention is required to generate completed book stacks or “blocks” from a stream or stack of printed sheets. Sheets are fed to a first, upstream trimming station to remove margin edges and optionally separate the sheets relative to the discrete page images. The sheets are then rotated 90 degrees and fed to a second, downstream trimming station that trims the right-angle edges and optionally separates the sheets into a final group of full-bleed pages, removing margins and gutter strips. The sheets are feed to a stacking assembly to be tacked in page order and any rejected, defective sheets or stacks are removed from the order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Lasermax Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Lewalski, Hans Eliasson
  • Patent number: 8480070
    Abstract: A scrap stacking apparatus includes a stacking portion to which scraps, generated in processing portions that carry out processes on sheets, are stacked, an oscillation portion that is placed out of the stacking portion, and generates an electromagnetic wave, and a receiving portion that is placed out of the stacking portion, and receives the electromagnetic wave oscillated by the oscillation portion through the stacking portion, wherein the oscillation portion generates an electromagnetic wave in a band from 30 GHz to 100 THz, and the electromagnetic wave, oscillated by the oscillation portion, is received by the receiving portion through the stacking portion so that a stacked state of the scraps housed in the stacking portion is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideto Abe
  • Patent number: 8408530
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Kiyoshi Tokashiki, Kazuhiko Ushiyama
  • 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: 8376345
    Abstract: A cutter device for removing the spine from packets of sheet materials to be enveloped by a mailing machine, including means for redirecting the packets across said cutter device while the packets remain superimposed with other sheet materials to be inserted into the same envelope while being moved along a support surface by a conveyor mechanism, and after cutting being recombined with said other sheet materials prior to being enveloped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sensible Technologies, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Leo A. Haydt, III, Christopher Segatti
  • Patent number: 8371570
    Abstract: In a device for trimming the top edge, bottom edge, and opening edge of a printed product, the printed product is transported through a cutting region of a connected cutting unit in a closed clamp of a synchronously driven conveying apparatus. The conveying apparatus is configured as a conveying rotor and the clamps are guided on a circulating path. The printed product is trimmed in the cutting region of the cutting unit which is arranged between a transfer station and a delivery station. In the cutting region, each clamp transitions from a circular control path section into an intermediate control path section in which the clamp is maintained substantially perpendicular relative to a tangent to a circular cutting path of the cutting unit during trimming of at least the top and bottom edges of the printed product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 8371569
    Abstract: A booklet with a cover sheet and a plurality of inner sheets is produced. The cover sheet is folded to begin the booklet. One at a time, the inner sheets are selectively printed, folded, and nested into the booklet. When each inner sheet is nested in the booklet, an edge of the inner sheet protrudes beyond an edge of the cover sheet. The protruding edge of the inner sheet is cut flush with the corresponding edge of the cover sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Arun Chowdry, Thomas N. Tombs, Brian J. Kwarta
  • Patent number: 8360413
    Abstract: A device and process for processing flat articles such as pieces of paper by utilizing a stream of under-shingled flat articles and generating a gap at predetermined intervals. The under-shingling process incorporates an accelerating and decelerating portion wherein each flat article is accelerated and then decelerated while a tail portion of the article is lifted such that the next flat article can slide underneath to establish an under-shingled stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventor: Robert Fokos
  • Patent number: 8167293
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for aligning, feeding, trimming, slitting, rotating, cross-slitting and stacking sheets, each containing one or more discrete page images thereon that allows for greater automation of the overall process so that reduced or no manual intervention is required to generate completed book stacks or “blocks” from a stream or stack of printed sheets. Sheets are fed downstream on a feed surface, trimmed at a first, upstream trimming station to remove margin edges and optionally separate the sheets relative to the discrete page images. The sheets are then rotated 90 degrees and fed to a second, downstream trimming station that trims the right-angle edges and optionally separates the sheets into a final group of full-bleed pages, removing margins and gutter strips. The sheets are feed to a stacking assembly to be tacked in page order and any rejected, defective sheets or stacks are removed from the order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Lasermax Roll Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Lewalski, Hans Eliasson
  • Publication number: 20120091647
    Abstract: In a device for trimming the top edge, bottom edge, and opening edge of a printed product, the printed product is transported through a cutting region of a connected cutting unit in a closed clamp of a synchronously driven conveying apparatus. The conveying apparatus is configured as a conveying rotor and the clamps are guided on a circulating path. The printed product is trimmed in the cutting region of the cutting unit which is arranged between a transfer station and a delivery station. In the cutting region, each clamp transitions from a circular control path section into an intermediate control path section in which the clamp is maintained substantially perpendicular relative to a tangent to a circular cutting path of the cutting unit during trimming of at least the top and bottom edges of the printed product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: MUELLER MARTINI HOLDING AG
    Inventor: Heinz BOSS
  • Patent number: 8104755
    Abstract: An adjustable delivery web conversion apparatus is provided. The adjustable delivery web conversion apparatus includes a variable cutting apparatus cutting a printed web into a first signature and a second signature, a first assembly receiving the first signature and a second assembly downstream of the first assembly receiving the second signature. Also included are a first delivery section for receiving the first signature from the first assembly, a second delivery section for receiving the second signature from the second assembly and a stack receiving conveyor for receiving the first signature and the second signature. The first delivery section is movable between a first delivery and a first non-delivery position. The second delivery section is movable between a second delivery position and a second non-delivery position. The stacking receiving conveyor is movable between a conveying position and a non-conveying position. A method of producing and delivering signatures is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Joseph Dawley, Kent Dirksen Kasper, Daniel Matthew Perdue, Kyle Albert Sandahl
  • Patent number: 8091879
    Abstract: In a device for trimming the top edge, bottom edge and opening edge of a printed product, for example a newspaper, the printed product is transported through A cutting region of a connected cutting unit in a closed clamp of a synchronously driven conveying apparatus. The conveying apparatus is configured as a conveying rotor and the clamps are guided past a transfer station for loading on a circulating path and past a delivery station for delivering a printed product in an open position. The printed product is trimmed in the cutting region of the cutting unit which is arranged between the transfer station and the delivery station and in which the printed product is clamped in the closed clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Heinz Boss
  • Patent number: 8079582
    Abstract: A method for arranging pages of a print product on fold sheets that are subsequently combined into an imposition scheme on print sheets and for representing the production process and the product it produces is disclosed. The print sheets are initially imprinted with the pages and then cut into the fold sheets. The fold sheets are folded and cut and collated into the print products. To make the determination of the imposition schemes more flexible, the pages are initially assigned to partitions of the print products. Pages of a print product that are included in a partition are either not separated from each other, or are only separated from each other by a last cut of the print product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hiflex Software GesmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Reichhart
  • Patent number: 8047521
    Abstract: A method of making magazine formats in the form of signatures that include a flat 3-D piece that is die-cut from a web on a web press, which produces a plurality of such identical signatures as part of a high speed operation. The flat 3-D piece is located at the upper edge of one sheet and is freed from the remainder of the page on which it is die-cut when the lateral edges of the folded signature are trimmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventor: John K. Volkert
  • Patent number: 8020847
    Abstract: A web conversion and delivery apparatus is provided. The web conversion and delivery apparatus comprises a first delivery for transporting printed products, a second delivery for transporting printed products and a cutting apparatus upstream of the first delivery and the second delivery. The cutting apparatus is capable during a first print job of cutting first images of the fixed image length into first printed products for delivery to the first delivery. The second delivery is inactive during the first print job. The cutting apparatus is capable during a second print job of cutting second images of the fixed image length into second printed products for delivery to the first delivery and the second delivery. The second printed products have a length that is different from the first printed products. A printing press and a method of producing and delivering printed products of variable lengths are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Joseph Dawley
  • Patent number: 8006970
    Abstract: There is described a method for processing stacks (1) of sheets of securities, especially banknotes, into bundles (3) and bundle packs (4), said sheets each having an array of security prints printed thereon which array comprises M columns and N rows. According to this method, each stack (1) of sheets is processed into M successive bundle groups (3*) of N individual bundles (3) each and these M successive bundle groups (3*) are stored in M separate storage areas (11), which storage areas (11) are vertically superposed, whereby each one of the M successive bundle groups (3*) is stored in a predetermined one of the M separate storage areas (11). Subsequent stacks (1) of sheets are processed, whereby each one of the M successive bundle groups (3*) processed from said subsequent stacks (1) of sheets is piled in the same predetermined one of said M separate storage areas (11) as the first stack (1) of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: KBA-Giori S.A.
    Inventor: Hartmut Karl Sauer
  • Patent number: 8002257
    Abstract: A web conversion and collating apparatus is provided. The web conversion and collating apparatus includes a cutting apparatus cutting a printed web into a first signature and a second signature, a transport conveyor for transporting the first signature and the second signature away from the cutting apparatus and a first diverter for diverting the first signature from the transport conveyor. The second signature passes by the first diverter on the transport conveyor. A first assembly receives the first signature from the first diverter and a second assembly downstream of the first assembly receives the second signature. A stack receiving conveyor downstream of the first assembly and the second assembly is also included. The stack receiving conveyor receives the first signature and the second signature and the first signature is stacked on the second signature on the stack receiving conveyor. A printing press and a method of producing and collating signatures are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Joseph Dawley, Kent Dirksen Kasper, Daniel Matthew Perdue, Kyle Albert Sandahl
  • Patent number: 7976001
    Abstract: A sheet stack cutter cuts sheet stacks by means of a moving cutter edge and a stationary cutter edge disposed upward and downward along a predetermined cutting-plane line. The sheet stack cutter includes a sheet loading table for supporting the sheet stack, a press device for pressing and holding the sheet stack on the sheet loading table, a moving cutter edge disposed in up and down cutting directions for cutting the sheet stack on the sheet loading table along the cutting-plane line, a stationary cutter edge disposed to the side of the sheet loading table for pressing the moving cutter edge to cut the sheet stack, and an apparatus frame furnished with the press device and the moving cutter edge. A drive device moves the moving cutter edge in up and down cutting directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Ishii, Hiroshi Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 7963515
    Abstract: An adjustable delivery web conversion apparatus is provided. The adjustable delivery web conversion apparatus includes a variable cutting apparatus cutting a printed web into a first signature and a second signature, a first assembly receiving the first signature and a second assembly downstream of the first assembly receiving the second signature. Also included are a first delivery section for receiving the first signature from the first assembly, a second delivery section for receiving the second signature from the second assembly and a stack receiving conveyor for receiving the first signature and the second signature. The first delivery section is movable between a first delivery and a first non-delivery position. The second delivery section is movable between a second delivery position and a second non-delivery position. The stacking receiving conveyor is movable between a conveying position and a non-conveying position. A method of producing and delivering signatures is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Joseph Dawley, Kent Dirksen Kasper, Daniel Matthew Perdue, Kyle Albert Sandahl
  • Publication number: 20110140338
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for stacking paper tickets, receipts, vouchers and the like that exit a transaction-based printer. A stacking nip is provided which accepts a first ticket from a ticket cutter. The first ticket is fed into the stacking nip, and then advanced by the stacking nip for a fixed distance until a trailing edge of the first ticket is positioned before the stacking nip. A second ticket is then fed towards the stacking nip. The first ticket is held in the stacking nip with the trailing edge positioned before the stacking nip until a leading edge of the second ticket overlaps the trailing edge of the first ticket. The trailing edge of the first ticket and the leading edge of the second ticket are then simultaneously advanced through the stacking nip. The first ticket is ejected from the stacking nip into a ticket bin once the trailing edge is advanced through the stacking nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: TransAct Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Andrew Supron, Bruce Harris
  • Patent number: 7954798
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes a punch unit to punch a sheet, and a saddle unit to bundle and to fold the sheets. A position and an inclination angle of a puncher are changed according to a skew amount of the sheet, the puncher is controlled to form punch holes in the sheet at positions symmetric with respect to a folding line, and punching is performed so that an interval between the folding line and the punch hole becomes small at the inside of a bundle of the sheets and becomes large at the front cover side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taguchi, Tetsuhiro Morita
  • Patent number: 7946566
    Abstract: An apparatus for wire-stitching print products compiled from gathered signatures and for trimming open edges of the print products, includes a first gathering and wire-stitching machine including a first wire-stitching unit. A first cutter is installed downstream from the first gathering and wire-stitching machine. A second gathering and wire-stitching machine having a second wire-stitching unit is selectively connected in-line with the first gathering and wire-stitching machine. A second cutter is installed downstream from the second gathering and wire-stitching machine. A transfer element is also positioned between the first and second gathering and wire-stitching machines for transferring print products or partial print products from the first gathering and wire-stitching machine to the second gathering and wire-stitching machine. The apparatus further includes a drive motor operatively arranged with the first gathering and wire-stitching machine and the first cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: André Schüpbach
  • Patent number: 7913989
    Abstract: A printing press folder is provided. The folder includes a cutting pair cutting a web at a cutting location to form signatures, a pair of transport cylinders forming a first nip and a pair of acceleration cylinders forming a second nip. The pair of transport cylinders receives the signatures downstream of the cutting pair at the first nip and transports the signatures away from the cutting pair. The first nip is separated from the cutting location by a first distance. The pair of acceleration cylinders receives the signatures from the pair of transport cylinders at the second nip and transports the signatures away from the pair of transport cylinders. The second nip is separated from the first nip by a second distance. The pair of transport cylinders is movable with respect to the pair of acceleration cylinders and the pair of acceleration cylinders is movable with respect to the pair of transport cylinder so the first distance and the second distance are selectively variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc
    Inventors: Kyle Albert Sandahl, Douglas Joseph Dawley
  • Patent number: 7887036
    Abstract: A current invention provides a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of obtaining a sheet bundle which can be double-leaved and released without use of any binding device. A slit S to which a projection Pa provided at an end portion opposite to a side to be bound by a binding portion of a front cover P1 is formed in a back cover P3 of a sheet bundle PA by an insertion portion forming portion. Further, creases L1, L2 for inserting the projection Pa into the slit S while surrounding sheets P2 existing between the front cover P1 and the back cover P2 are formed in the back cover P3 of the sheet bundle PA by a crease forming portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Hideki Kushida, Hitoshi Fujimoto, Takaharu Hayasaka, Shigeo Doi
  • Patent number: 7878494
    Abstract: A method of making magazine formats in the form of signatures that include a flat 3-D piece that is die-cut from a web on a web press, which produces a plurality of such identical signatures as part of a high speed operation. The flat 3-D piece is located at the upper edge of one sheet and is freed from the remainder of the page on which it is die-cut when the lateral edges of the folded signature are trimmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventor: John K. Volkert
  • Patent number: 7819615
    Abstract: A method of finishing a plurality of sheets for a bound document. The method comprises accumulating a stack of sheets at a first position, scoring the sheets at the first position, and outputting the stack of scored sheets from the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development
    Inventors: Steven William Trovinger, Miquel Boleda, Abdolreza Movaghar, Greg Burke, Eng-Long Goh
  • Patent number: 7815179
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes a punch unit to punch a sheet, and a saddle unit to bundle and to fold the sheets. A position and an inclination angle of a puncher are changed according to a skew amount of the sheet, the puncher is controlled to form punch holes in the sheet at positions symmetric with respect to a folding line, and punching is performed so that an interval between the folding line and the punch hole becomes small at the inside of a bundle of the sheets and becomes large at the front cover side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taguchi, Tetsuhiro Morita
  • Patent number: 7775509
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a digitally printed product that includes at least one section of sequentially printed sheets folded approximately in the center. The sequentially printed sheets are conveyed one after another on a conveying device and folded inside a folding apparatus to form a first fold. The folded sheets are gathered in a gathering station to form a section which is fed to a work station where the section is folded approximately in the center to form a second fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holdings AG
    Inventors: Daniel Langenegger, Heinz Boss
  • Publication number: 20100201058
    Abstract: A web conversion and collating apparatus is provided. The web conversion and collating apparatus includes a cutting apparatus cutting a printed web into a first signature and a second signature, a transport conveyor for transporting the first signature and the second signature away from the cutting apparatus and a first diverter for diverting the first signature from the transport conveyor. The second signature passes by the first diverter on the transport conveyor. A first assembly receives the first signature from the first diverter and a second assembly downstream of the first assembly receives the second signature. A stack receiving conveyor downstream of the first assembly and the second assembly is also included. The stack receiving conveyor receives the first signature and the second signature and the first signature is stacked on the second signature on the stack receiving conveyor. A printing press and a method of producing and collating signatures are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Joseph Dawley, Kent Dirksen Kasper, Daniel Matthew Perdue, Kyle Albert Sandahl
  • Publication number: 20100187745
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing book blocks includes a station to dispense a sheet web that moves in longitudinal direction and can be imprinted. A printing station has two cylinders that rotate with a circumferential speed corresponding to the movement speed of the web and function to support in a contacting manner the web with their circumferential surfaces over a specified angle. Contactless printing heads are assigned to each cylinder, arranged at a distance to the circumferential surface of the associated cylinder, and positioned side by side and at least essentially transverse to the circumferential and rotational direction of the associated cylinder. The printing head faces are oriented substantially tangential to the associated cylinder and the center lines of the printing heads are oriented to project substantially radially to the circumferential surface of the associated cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: E.C.H. WILL GMBH
    Inventors: Frank HERPELL, Thomas HITSCHER, Rainer KOETZER
  • Patent number: 7722022
    Abstract: A machine is provided for trimming the fore-edge of books including at least one conveyor device having two superposed belts mounted about relative pulleys, the distance between the adjacent branches of the two belts being equal to the thickness of the books, which are fed to one end of the conveyor device with their spine parallel to its direction of movement and their fore-edge to be trimmed projecting from the belts, a trimming blade movable in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the books, and a presser and counter-presser to make contact with opposing parts of a book block which are adjacent to the cutting plane of the trimming blade. The machine further comprises two furrowers, one for each of the two faces of the books to open openable book parts before the trimming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: SCS Automaberg S.N.C
    Inventors: Massimo Scarpellini, Dario Scarpellini, Claudio Crovetto
  • Publication number: 20100095818
    Abstract: A printing press folder is provided. The folder includes a cutting pair cutting a web at a cutting location to form signatures, a pair of transport cylinders forming a first nip and a pair of acceleration cylinders forming a second nip. The pair of transport cylinders receives the signatures downstream of the cutting pair at the first nip and transports the signatures away from the cutting pair. The first nip is separated from the cutting location by a first distance. The pair of acceleration cylinders receives the signatures from the pair of transport cylinders at the second nip and transports the signatures away from the pair of transport cylinders. The second nip is separated from the first nip by a second distance. The pair of transport cylinders is movable with respect to the pair of acceleration cylinders and the pair of acceleration cylinders is movable with respect to the pair of transport cylinder so the first distance and the second distance are selectively variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Albert Sandahl, Douglas Joseph Dawley
  • Patent number: 7661665
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing printed products conveyed along a conveying path includes an adjustable positioning device presenting an adjustable guide curve arranged to adjust a position of the printed products along the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Rudolf Egli
  • Patent number: 7628389
    Abstract: A gatherer stitcher for brochures has a stitching machine, a delivery station that receives brochures step-by-step during operation, a trimming apparatus, and transport components (brochure ejector, trimmer feed) that transport the brochures from the delivery station to the trimming apparatus during operation. Sensors assigned to the stitching machine and the transport components output signals defining their phase position, and a control system processes the signals. One of the transport components (brochure ejector; trimmer feed) is activated in such a way that the brochures assume a correct position in the trimming apparatus at a predetermined phase angle of the stitching machine, without regard to their width. Changeover times in the event of job changes required when the brochure width changes are shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Steinert, Siegmar Tischer
  • Patent number: 7556249
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for making booklets. Such structures of this type, generally, employ a variety of creasing techniques in order to form the booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jose Alvaro Barba Villanueva, Robert J. Lawton
  • Patent number: 7506864
    Abstract: A cutting device that cuts an edge portion of a sheet bundle having plural sheets stacked, includes: a cutting blade; a paddle provided on a side of the cutting blade, which removes chips attached to the cutting blade by rubbing a side surface of the cutting blade; a controller which controls drive of the paddle. The controller includes a judging section which compares a length of the chips in a direction perpendicular to an edge side of the sheet bundle to be cut by the cutting blade with a predetermined length that has been preset. When the length of the chips is shorter than the predetermined length, the controller makes the paddle to rotate in a predetermined direction, and when the length of the chips is longer than the predetermined length, the controller makes the paddle to rotate in a reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, Masaaki Uchiyama, Tsuyoshi Shiokawa
  • Patent number: 7503555
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing a book on demand includes a first printing unit for printing a first component of the book (i.e. a cover), a second printing unit for printing a second component of the book (i.e. a text block), and a binding station for binding the first component and the second component together. The system may further include a computer control system receiving information relating to the book to be manufactured, the information comprising information relating to the content of said first or second component and information relating to the finished size of the book. The computer control system initiates—among other functions—manufacture of the first component by said first printing unit, receives a signal that the printing of the first component is successful and, after receipt of this signal, initiates printing of the second component by said second printing unit. The first component could be stored in a buffer until the second component is ready.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: ePAC Technologies
    Inventor: Sasha Dobrovolsky
  • Patent number: 7458567
    Abstract: A sheet finisher for performing preselected processing with a sheet or a sheet stack conveyed thereto of the present invention includes a cutter unit configured to cut the sheet or the sheet stack in a direction perpendicular to a direction of sheet conveyance. A guide member is positioned upstream of the cutter unit in the direction of sheet conveyance for guiding the sheet or the sheet stack being conveyed. A moving device moves the guide member in a direction parallel to the direction of sheet conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hiromoto Saitoh, Shuuya Nagasako, Junichi Iida, Hiroki Okada, Akihito Andoh, Naohiro Kikkawa, Junichi Tokita
  • Patent number: 7431683
    Abstract: A sheet bending apparatus and a sheet postprocessing apparatus are provided for improving an alignment of recording sheets at the time of center-folding processing. A controller of the center-folding unit mounted in the sheet postprocessing apparatus performs: a first processing of making the upper side end aligning members approach a recording sheet in course of being conveyed into the sheet holding member a predetermined distance shorter than a predetermined approaching distance; a second processing of making the upper side end aligning members approach the recording sheet placed in the sheet holding member a remainder of the approaching distance; and a third processing of making the lower side end aligning members approach the recording sheet placed in the sheet holding member a predetermined approaching distance within a period when the second processing is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Takemoto, Sachio Izumichi