Sheet Inverting Means Patents (Class 271/186)
  • Patent number: 5971394
    Abstract: A sheet conveyed into a sheet discharge processing device is conveyed through a straight convey path by first convey rollers and then is discharged onto a first discharge tray by second convey rollers and first discharge rollers. Second discharge rollers are arranged on a reverse convey path. A second discharge tray and a fan for applying an external force to the rear surface of a sheet are placed below the reverse convey path. When the trailing end of a sheet is detected by a second detection sensor, the fan is driven for a predetermined period of time to blow air against the rear surface of the discharged sheet. When sheets conveyed into the sheet discharge processing device are guided to a post-processing convey path by the first convey rollers so as to be subjected to post-processing, and are sequentially conveyed to a sheet storing section by convey rollers from the last or start page, the sheets are guided along one of guide plates constituting the sheet storing section to be aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kida, Norio Hontani, Masanori Kato, Masanori Takeda, Kiyohide Ochi
  • Patent number: 5967505
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for feeding fabric workpieces one at a time from the top of a stack of like workpieces having a first rough side and a second smooth side, the workpieces being stacked with alternating sides up. A computer controlled picker is used to separate the top workpiece from the remaining workpieces in the stack, and for depositing the workpiece on a downstream conveyor. An ultrasonic face detector is mounted above the first conveyor for determining whether the side of the workpiece facing the face detector--the top surface--is relatively rough or relatively smooth. A pivoting feeder/inverter is provided at the end of the first conveyor. If the workpiece has the desired side up for subsequent sewing operations, the inverter/conveyor is placed in a first position so that the workpiece is directed into a sandwich belt type conveyor which will not change the orientation of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Levi Strauss & Co.
    Inventors: Wei-Chin Lin, Donald L. Klusmann, Frederick N. Mueller, Pedro T. Silva, Frank Ch Kim, Kent Joell Halland, Timothy Matthew Blount, Steven Alan Amigh
  • Patent number: 5957450
    Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus has a plurality of trays for receiving sheets from an image forming apparatus and discharge rollers corresponding to the respective trays. The discharge rollers are rotatable in forward and reverse directions. The sheet discharging apparatus has a transport path for connecting the trays and a sheet discharge opening of the image forming apparatus. A gate for switching the destinations of sheets is disposed at each branched point in the transport path. A selected tray for finally receiving sheets is selected from the trays, and a temporary tray is selected from the trays other than the selected tray. A sheet is temporarily fed in a non-reversed state to the temporary tray from the image forming apparatus. Then, by rotating the discharge rollers in the reverse direction, the sheet is discharged in a reversed state to the selected tray from the temporary tray. A tray which can efficiently execute reverse discharge processing is appropriately specified according to the selected tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kida, Syoichiro Yoshiura
  • Patent number: 5953575
    Abstract: A paper guide device for a duplex image forming apparatus. The paper guide device for a duplex image forming apparatus having, on a reverse paper feed path, an upper paper guide, a lower paper guide installed under the upper paper guide, and a paper cassette installed under the lower paper guide, includes a first side guide rail extended along one side of the lower paper guide and bent inwards, and a hinge guide having one side coupled to the lower paper guide by a hinge and having the opposite side curved upwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seo-Won Park, Byeong-Hwa Ahn
  • Patent number: 5947464
    Abstract: A document setting tray of the ADF is disposed above a platen glass of an image forming apparatus. A duplex document ejecting tray is disposed above a document setting tray. A switch back table, on which the duplex document is switched back after one side thereof has been read by the reading device and fed again toward the image reading device, is disposed between the document setting tray and the duplex document ejecting tray. A switch back return path is disposed between the reading position of the image reading position and the switch back table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiromi Takada
  • Patent number: 5941522
    Abstract: An identification card processor receives cards from a hopper, and passes them through a graphic imager for printing, and either prior to printing or subsequently the cards are positioned on an index table that permits moving the cards about an axis to different positions for further operations. The further operations take place at locations set off from the plane of movement of the cards in the graphics imager to conserve space. The indexing table is capable of being indexed to any desired rotational position in a full 360.degree. of movement, and for moving a card under positive drive to and from the index table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Fargo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Erick Hagstrom, Matthew K. Dunham, Darren W. Haas
  • Patent number: 5937261
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus and a method of using the image recording apparatus. The image recording apparatus has a sheet sending path connecting a sheet supply section, an image forming section, and a sheet discharge section. A pull-in path branches from the sheet sending path, and a return path branches from the pull-in path to define a branch point. A first pair and a second pair of conveying rollers are provided on the pull-in path on respective sides of the branch point.The first pair and the second pair of conveying rollers are independently drivable in a forward direction and a reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Shirakawa, Masayuki Ainoya, Minoru Seino
  • Patent number: 5931458
    Abstract: A paper-reversing device includes: a driving roller that rotates in one direction; a plurality of driven rollers that are installed around the driving roller while being kept in contact with the driving roller, and that revolve around the driving roller while rotating on their respective axes following the rotation of the driving roller. There is a paper-sending roller that rotates without contacting the driving roller; a roller supporting plate for supporting the driving roller and the driven rollers; a paper-feeding guide section; a paper-reversing guide section; and a solenoid. Paper, which has been fed to the paper-feeding guide section, is sent to the paper-reversing guide section by being sandwiched between the driving roller and one of the driven rollers. Thereafter, the driven roller is separated from the driving roller and is pressed against the paper-sending roller by the revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihide Morimoto
  • Patent number: 5926681
    Abstract: A document feeding device mounted on an image processing device such as a copying machine for automatically feeding duplex original documents having images to be read on both sides to an image reading point one by one in such a manner that the document fed from a supply tray is reversed at a switchback part, sent through the image reading point to read the image on one side thereof, sent back to the switchback part to be turned upside down, again sent through the image reading point to read the image on the other side thereof, and then, discharged to a discharge tray. The documents can be rationally transported at high speed with high efficiency, and consecutively discharged to the discharge tray in the same order of page as those initially set on the supply tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Nisce Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 5887865
    Abstract: According to a document feeder for an image-forming apparatus of the present invention, when a double-sided document fed from a feed paper stacker, the document with the front surface thereof having been read out by a document reader unit is inverted in a switch-back path provided between the document reader unit and a discharged paper stacker on which documents after having been read out will be stacked, and is conveyed again to the paper reader unit so that the back surface is read out. The document after its both surfaces have been read out is again inverted in the switch-back path and then discharged onto the discharged paper stacker. With such a construction, the documents after having been read out can be stacked in the order of sequence of pages of the documents. Furthermore, the size of the device can be decreased, contributing to shortening the time required for reading the double-sided document and to increasing the efficiency for forming images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignees: Konica Corporation, Nisca Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 5887868
    Abstract: An apparatus for moving a sheet bi-directionally. The apparatus includes a first roller and a second roller. A drive system is associated with the rollers to drive the first roller in a first direction. The drive system is adapted to rotate the second roller simultaneously with the first roller in the same direction as the first roller or in the opposite direction thereto. In addition, the drive system is capable of idling the second roller so as to adjust the timing of the sheet as it moves to subsequent processing stations within a printing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas P. Lambert, Gregory A. Ludgate
  • Patent number: 5884137
    Abstract: A two-sided copying apparatus includes: an image forming device for forming an image on a recording sheet; a fixing device for fixing the image on the recording sheet; a branching device for branching the recording sheet on which the image was fixed by the fixing device to eject outside the apparatus or to feed again inside the apparatus for a two-sided image formation; a plurality of holding devices each for holding one edge of the recording sheet fed again inside the apparatus, wherein the holding device temporarily stops while holding the recording sheet and feeds again in a reverse direction onto a transfer station; and a supporting and guiding device for supporting and guiding the plurality of the holding devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Shida, Atsushi Ogane, Naoki Otomo, Hisao Sato, Kenji Kato, Hideki Endo
  • Patent number: 5882006
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an article orienting apparatus for use in a printing process. The apparatus includes a power roller inclined at an acute angle to the article path for wrappingly receiving an article. The article is moved from a first orientation to a second orientation. The apparatus further includes a second drum for inverting the moving articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Baldwin Technology Corporation
    Inventor: David L. Bell
  • Patent number: 5868387
    Abstract: First and second switchback convey paths are arranged to be symmetrical about the convey path between an inlet and a discharge path. First and second detection sensors are arranged on the first and second switchback convey paths, respectively, to detect sheets conveyed therein. A switching gate is rotatably placed between the respective convey paths. The switching gate is constituted by a first reverse guide path for causing the inlet to communicate with the first switchback convey path and also causing the discharge path to communicate with the first switchback convey path, and a second reverse guide path for causing the discharge path to communicate with the second switchback convey path and also causing the inlet to communicate with the second switchback convey path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kida, Norio Hontani, Masanori Kato, Masanori Takeda, Kiyohide Ochi
  • Patent number: 5868838
    Abstract: Sheets to be coated with water-based coating material, for example a primer and a low adhesion backsize, are supplied from a feeder (1), in end-to-end overlapping relationship, to a dual coater (3) in which the sheets are coated individually on both sides. A sheet inserter (2) is provided, upstream of the dual coater, to insert sheets from a second supply into the sheets from the feeder (1). The dual coated sheets are dried as individual sheets or as a pseudo-web of overlapped sheets. The sheets are then overlapped, unless previously overlapped, and the direction of overlap changed, if necessary, to provide the trailing edge of each sheet on top of the leading edge of each succeeding sheet. The overlapped sheets are conveyed through an adhesive transfer station (7) where stripes (236) of at least partially dried adhesive are coated onto the dual coated sheets from a transfer belt (71).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Frederic Pierre Alain Le Riche, Bernard Raymond Pierre
  • Patent number: 5855367
    Abstract: A turning chamber is composed of upper and lower guides disposed vertically with a gap in between. An inputting device is provided in the upper position of the opening of the turning chamber while a discharging device is disposed in the lower portion of the opening of the turning chamber. The lower guide is inclined forming a down slope toward the discharging device. A fan is provided for sending air across the underside of the sheet as it is being inputted into the turning chamber. A duct is attached to the fan and is disposed between the inputting device and discharging device with the blower port thereof directed to the lower guide. The sheet inputted through the inputting device falls due to gravity whilst air is blown across the underside of the sheet so that the sheet can be accommodated into the turning chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Inoue, Yoshitaka Okahashi
  • Patent number: 5849358
    Abstract: Sheets to be coated with water-based coating material, for example a primer and a low adhesion backsize, are supplied from a feeder (1), in end-to-end overlapping relationship, to a dual coater (3) in which the sheets are coated individually on both sides. A sheet inserter (2) is provided, upstream of the dual coater, to insert sheets from a second supply into the sheets from the feeder (1). The dual coated sheets are dried as individual sheets or as a pseudo-web of overlapped sheets. The sheets are then overlapped, unless previously overlapped, and the direction of overlap changed, if necessary, to provide the trailing edge of each sheet on top of the leading edge of each succeeding sheet. The overlapped sheets are conveyed through an adhesive transfer station (7) where stripes (236) of at least partially dried adhesive are coated onto the dual coated sheets from a transfer belt (71).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Frederic Pierre Alain Le Riche, Bernard Raymond Pierre, Mark Steven Vogel
  • Patent number: 5842696
    Abstract: A sheet inverter is used in a method of handling documents, preferably to invert the documents, change them from an in-line configuration to a shingled configuration, and then move them in a direction substantially transverse to the original direction of conveyance of the documents. An inverter shaft is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis and has a plurality of sheet supporting elements, such as rods or bars (such as in an exaggerated generally S-shaped configuration) axially spaced from each other along the shaft, with each sheet supporting element comprising first, second and third portions defining first, second and third closed sides for receipt of a document, and an open fourth side by which the document may enter the elements. A support structure connects each of the sheet supporting elements (either together or individually) to the shaft for rotation with the shaft about its axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Moore Business Forms, Inc.
    Inventors: Henk Haan, Stephen Michalovic, John A. Sabatowski
  • Patent number: 5842695
    Abstract: In a disk-type inverter-stacker system with plural rotatable fingers extending radially from an axis or rotation for sequentially inverting and stacking onto a stacking tray the printed sheets outputted by a reproduction apparatus, by temporarily retaining at least the leading portion of the sheet in sheet transporting slots defined by inside surfaces of the rotatable fingers, a fixed position sheet corrugating member is spaced from but interdigitated with the rotatable fingers, extending slightly radially beyond the inside surfaces of the fingers to slightly corrugate the leading portion of said sheet while it is in the finger-defined slots to provide improved inverting and stacking of sheets exceeding the length of the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel J. McVeigh
  • Patent number: 5842692
    Abstract: A covered feed unit (1) fits on the housing of an office machine (7), in particular, of a flat-bed scanner, having a feed opening (47) for recording media (46), and having a discharge opening which is arranged in a plane located beneath the feed opening, and which is intended for the recording media. Between the feed opening and the discharge opening, the covered feed unit (1) has a deflecting device (6) which has a drive unit (33). The covered feed unit transports the recording media (46) via a transporting path by means of driven transporting rollers (35a, 35b) and idler rollers (38), which form a clamping nip with the transporting rollers. The deflecting device (6) is enclosed by a covering. An upper cover (3) which bounds the feed opening is connected pivotally via a hinge (32) to an upper cover (5) which bounds the discharge opening. The drive unit (33), with its drive-connected transporting rollers (35a, 35b), is disposed in that end region of the upper cover (3), adjacent to the hinge (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Rutishauser Data AG
    Inventor: Thomas Rutishauser
  • Patent number: 5836706
    Abstract: During first side printing, a media sheet is fed along a feed roller over a refeed guide toward a metering roller and into a print zone. As the trailing edge approaches a metering pinch line, the metering roller stops. After a drying time, the rollers reverse direction. The refeed guide directs the media sheet around the metering roller onto an inner guide having a reversible roller. When the trailing edge of the media sheet clears the refeed guide, the reversible roller is moved into contact with the metering roller causing such roller to reverse direction. The media sheet now moves back along the inner guide onto the feed roller. When the media sheet trailing edge is detected at the feed roller, the feed roller and metering roller change direction back to the original direction. The media sheet now is fed through the print zone for second side printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Thomas W. Ruhe
  • Patent number: 5837079
    Abstract: An automated film slide orienting and mounting system includes at least one detector for detecting the orientation of film, a knife assembly for successively cutting the film to generate film segments, a rotatable table for orienting the film segments into a proper orientation, a set of driver assemblies for progressively moving each film segment for insertion into a slide mount, and a magnetic writing device for writing the orientation of the film segment magnetically onto the slide mount in a region of magnetic material disposed upon each slide mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: David L. Patton, Daniel M. Pagano, Dale F McIntyre, Edward Weissberger
  • Patent number: 5800119
    Abstract: An envelope inverter comprises a conveyor (14) arranged below a surface (2) onto which envelopes (6) are delivered through a slot (4). The surface (2) is arranged such that each envelope (6) is unstable thereon, and tends to rotate about the edge (12) of the surface, striking the conveyor (14), which moves in a direction tending to continue the rotating movement until the envelope (6) comes to rest inverted on the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: Christopher Stephen Andrew Biggadike
  • Patent number: 5794929
    Abstract: A variable velocity profile deceleration device is provided for gripping a signature from a cutting cylinder, tape system or other transporting device at high speeds. The signatures are positively gripped, decelerated through a smooth velocity profile, and delivered to a further processing device such as a single copy gripper conveyor, or a stacker. The deceleration device includes a plurality of rotary grippers mounted to a drum. The drum rotates about an axis under the control of a drive. The rotary grippers each include an upper roller in rolling engagement with a lower roller at a nip. An independent gripper drive is coupled to each rotary gripper for rotating the upper and lower rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignees: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Heidelberg Harris, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Daniel Curley, Kevin Lauren Cote
  • Patent number: 5791645
    Abstract: A document setting tray of the ADF is disposed above a platen glass of an image forming apparatus. A duplex document ejecting tray is disposed above a document setting tray. A switch back table, on which the duplex document is switched back after one side thereof has been read by the reading device and fed again toward the image reading device, is disposed between the document setting tray and the duplex document ejecting tray. A switch back return path is disposed between the reading position of the image reading position and the switch back table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiromi Takada
  • Patent number: 5772343
    Abstract: A metering roller and feed guide are included in a desktop printer between a first roller and a print zone. During first side printing, a media sheet is fed along the first roller and directed by an upper feed guide over the refeed guide to a second roller. The metering roller feeds the media sheet through the print zone. As the trailing edge approaches a metering pinch line, the metering roller stops. After a drying time, the second roller reverses direction moving the media sheet back toward the refeed guide. The refeed guide blocks the original path and directs the media sheet toward a repick guide and the first roller. The media sheet is fed onto the first roller for second side printing. In one embodiment the media sheet is wrapped around the first roller and unwrapped into the input tray during the refeed process to accommodate long media sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Company
    Inventors: Robert K. Beretta, Paul W. Martin, Thomas E. McCue, Jr., Thomas W. Ruhe
  • Patent number: 5725207
    Abstract: A feeding/discharging device designed for an image forming apparatus includes an inner tray and an outer tray which also serves as a feed tray, for receiving sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus. In the main body of the image forming apparatus, a transportation system is formed above a feed cassette, and an inner tray is provided in a sheet discharge section formed above the transportation system. The outer tray is mounted to an external section of the main body so as to be freely rotatable. The outer tray is formed at a different level from the inner tray, and there is a gap defined betwen the inner tray and the outer tray. The outer tray is positioned below the inner tray, and in such a manner that the outer tray is positioned below the inner tray at the gap between the inner tray and the outer tray, thereby forming an opening in the gap, which leads to a transportation roller of the transportation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Deguchi
  • Patent number: 5722655
    Abstract: Sheet-like products are fed to the transfer location by a first conveyor. A detector arrangement determines the spacing between the products and controls the first predetermined speed of a second conveyor correspondingly, with the result that, at the transfer location, the formation of the products have a predefined spacing. If the second conveyor is driven, at the stationary transfer location, at the first predetermined speed which differs from a second predetermined speed at the stationary discharge location, the conveying length of the second conveyor changes, thereby displacing a deflection wheel. Different spacings between fed products can thus be evened out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Walter Reist
  • Patent number: 5692740
    Abstract: The disclosed rotatable disks type sheet inverting, registration and stacking system has finger units, with sheet carrying slots, which are mounted to the disk units for variable radial movement. These finger units automatically adjust their radius to release sheets from their respective slots closely adjacent to the top of the output stack of sheets at their registration position to automatically compensate for variations in the height of said stack of sheets, preferably by limited force engagement of the ends of the fingers with the top of the stack. Preferably the finger units are radially pivotally outwardly lightly spring loaded to provide a transporting and inverting position for the sheets in the sheet slots which is at a substantially greater radius than the reduced radius thereof in releasing the sheets at the stacking registration position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce E. Holtje
  • Patent number: 5690325
    Abstract: A triple-roller device having paper-feeding and sending driven rollers, a paper-feeding guide section and a paper-reversing guide section are provided on both sides of a driving roller that rotates in one direction. The paper-reversing guide section has an upper guide section that corresponds to an upper portion from a mid-point of its curved section, and the upper guide section is driven by a solenoid, and allowed to shift. The upper guide section is allowed to shift to a position at which its end on the paper-feeding and sending side is placed between the driving roller and the paper-feeding driven roller, as well as to a position at which it is placed between the driving roller and the paper-sending driven roller. A sheet of paper, which has entered the paper-reversing guide section, is held by a paper-holding roller device. It is possible to provide a shorter paper interval with respect to the paper-sending operation from the paper-reversing guide section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihide Morimoto
  • Patent number: 5666629
    Abstract: In a printer operable in a duplex print mode, a paper is once shifted sideways away from a main path, turned upside down in the widthwise direction thereof, and then returned to the main path. Hence, images printed on both sides of the paper are matched to each other in the up-and-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Kazoh
  • Patent number: 5664772
    Abstract: Apparatus for receiving sheets fed in a first direction and guiding and controlling the sheets through a right angle turn includes at least one right angle turn over module which includes a lower plate with an input belt assembly for receiving the first documents conveyed thereto in a first direction; an upper plate including a 45.degree. turn over section cantilevered above the lower plate, and a turning guide positioned adjacent to the turn over section. The upper plate includes a plurality of output rollers rotatably mounted in the top of the upper plate and oriented for moving sheets at a right angle direction to the first direction. The turning guide includes an upwardly curved edge that extends a fixed distance from the turn over section for guiding sheets around the turn over section. An output belt assembly is suspended above the upper plate for conveying sheets in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Auerbach, William J. Wright
  • Patent number: 5655644
    Abstract: A seamless paper media gate (10) for supporting moving sheets thereon while enabling the sheets to be directed in a range of angular directions, includes a plate member (12), a deflector member (48), and a spring (44). The plate member includes a first sheet supporting surface (14), and an end portion (16). The end portion includes a transition surface (18), which in cross section terminates at a transition edge (20). The deflector member is rotatably mounted on the plate member and includes a second sheet supporting surface (22). The deflector member includes in cross section a first finger portion (26) upon which the second surface is tapered to a point (28) which forms a lineal edge (27) that engages the transition surface. The deflector member also has a first rib (38) that engages a of a first slot (34). The rib includes a cam surface (43) that suitably engages a cam support surface of the slot to provide a fixed pivot point as the deflector member rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: InterBold
    Inventor: H. Thomas Graef
  • Patent number: 5655765
    Abstract: A paper path switching mechanism including a plurality of feeding rollers which feed a page when the page is pressed against the feeding rollers by guide members of a switching guide. The switching guide has long guide members which press the paper against the feeding rollers and short guide members positioned near the edges of the page. The short guide members guide the page without imparting too much resistance at the edges of the page in order to reduce the frequency of paper jams. The longer guide members are tapered in width at portions near the periphery of the feeding rollers in order to reduce the size of the contact area of the page to the long guide members which reduces resistance on the page and consequently reduces paper jams. After the page passes between the switching guide and feeding rollers, its direction of travel is reversed and the page again contacts the switching guide but moves along a different edge of the guide members and along a different paper path in order to invert pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinzi Asami, Yoshiaki Ushirogata, Hiroyuki Ishizaki, Minoru Hattori, Terumitsu Azuma
  • Patent number: 5649698
    Abstract: Apparatus for receiving multiple first documents cut from a single sheet that are being fed side by side in a first direction and individually guiding and controlling the first documents through a right angle turn includes a plurality of right angle turn over modules. Each of such modules includes a lower plate having input structure at one end for receiving the first documents conveyed thereto in a first direction and an upper plate mounted a fixed distance above the lower plate. The upper plate includes a turn over section adjacent to a downstream end of the input structure and angled at 45.degree. to the first direction. The upper plate also includes a plurality of output rollers rotatably mounted in the top of the upper plate and oriented for moving the first documents at a direction orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Auerbach, William J. Wright
  • Patent number: 5649696
    Abstract: A bill receiver has a casing 11 having a guide groove 16 on and along which a bill is put on. A cover handle 31 is operated into a totally closed state to transfer the bill through a speed increasing gear unit 40 and a carrying roller unit 50, thereby piling up the bills on a base 21 fixed on the casing 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Tokai Riken Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 5636832
    Abstract: A conveying belt is deflected around a stationary deflection roller and loops around the bottom of a deflection wheel. The deflection wheel is freely rotatably mounted on a lever and is prestressed in the direction towards the deflection roller by a spring element. The conveying belt, driven by a stepping motor, and the deflection wheel form a conveying gap for the products, which are arranged in an imbricated formation. In this formation each product, as seen in the feed direction, bears on the preceding product, with almost complete overlapping. The products form a stack-like supply and are conveyed to the discharge location, with the result that a product is always available there for discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Werner Honegger, Kurt Bohli
  • Patent number: 5634637
    Abstract: A sheet feeding arrangement has a main body and a width direction. A sheet passage extends in a main body of the arrangement like a letter "U" in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the arrangement. The "U" of the passage has a predetermined width in the width direction of the arrangement. A sheet feeding shaft is supported inside the "U" of the sheet passage and extends in the width direction of the arrangement. The sheet feeding shaft has a drive roller fixedly mounted thereon. The drive roller partly extends into the sheet passage to be able to contact a sheet in the sheet passage. A motor is connected with the sheet feeding shaft for driving the shaft to feed the sheet by the drive roller. A speed reduction mechanism is provided between the motor and the sheet feeding shaft to transmit drive power from the motor to the shaft with a reduced speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5629762
    Abstract: Image-forming apparatus includes a finite length image member such as a seamed photoconductive loop. Images are formed on the image member in one of three different sized image frames, the first image frame being 1/2 the in-track length of the third image frame and the second image frame having an intermediate length. Relatively small size images, for example letter size images are formed in the first size frames while relatively large sized images, for example, ledger sized images are formed in the third size frames. Intermediate sized images, for example images for B-4 receiving sheets are formed in the second or intermediate size image frames. Receiving sheets in duplex are passed through a finite length duplex path which has a speed profile which is substantially the same for receiving sheets bearing images formed in the first and third frame lengths but is different, for example faster, for images formed in the second size image frame while use of the same duplex path for the three frame sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gregory P. Mahoney, Steven M. Russel, Robert M. Peffer, Charles D. Odum
  • Patent number: 5618036
    Abstract: A printer (1) and portable stations (2 and 3) when located side-by-side form a guide (1a, 2a, and 3a) for paper sheets sent out by printer 1. The paper is moved upward into U-shaped guide 1a by pinch rollers (6 and 7) and then moved laterally by pinch rollers (8 and 9) in guide 1a. Similar rollers are in guides 2a and 3a to direct the paper to the selected station and then downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl G. Edwards, Armando V. Flores, John W. Gassett, James P. Harden, Daniel L. Huber, Michael C. Leemhuis, Stephen T. Olson, Bernard L. Wilzbach
  • Patent number: 5601397
    Abstract: An apparatus having a series of conveyor belts for flattening and stacking a plurality of flexible, generally planar articles, such as tortillas. The apparatus includes a first conveyor belt extending along first end, upper, second end and lower surfaces of a belt support. The conveyor belt is adapted to move the planar articles placed on the upper surface of the belt support from the first end to the second end. A second conveyor belt is biased against the first belt at the second end of the belt support for applying compressive and lateral forces to the planar articles as they are moved along the second end of the belt support. A third conveyor belt is located beneath the first and second conveyor belts for receiving the planar articles from the first belt, forming stacks of them, and then discharging the stacked planar articles. Motor assemblies drive the first, second, and third conveyor belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: El Milagro, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Lopez, Rafael Lopez
  • Patent number: 5599010
    Abstract: An automatic loader/unloader for a document feeder capable of feeding individual sheets of a document sheet set stack from a supply tray to an exposure station of a reproduction apparatus, and return such sheets to such supply tray, in a circulating manner along a travel path. The automatic loader/unloader comprises a first transport for transporting document sheets seriatim into the travel path, and a second transport for transporting document sheets seriatim from the travel path. A diverter selectively diverts document sheets into, or out of, the travel path. The diverter is controlled to load document sheets sequentially in the supply tray by directing document sheets transported by the first transport to form a document sheet set stack in the supply tray, or to sequentially unload document sheets from the supply tray by directing document sheets from the travel path to the second transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas R. Hull, David E. Bettiol, Theron W. Genaux
  • Patent number: 5597157
    Abstract: A document handling device overturns a document having a first side, a second side lying opposite the first side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a relatively long lengthwise dimension between the leading and trailing edges. The device comprises a housing unit including a reference surface defining at least in part an opening through which the document is fed into a document path defined within the housing unit. A transport unit receives the document which has been fed through the opening with the first side of the document facing the reference surface of the housing unit. The transport unit overturns the received document and feeds the overturned document back through the opening with the second side of the document facing the reference surface of the housing unit. The units define an accumulating space into which the document can bulge while the document is being overturned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: AT&T Global Information Solutions Company
    Inventors: Alistair R. Hamilton, Robert W. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5597153
    Abstract: The present invention provides an automatic original feed apparatus comprising an original stacking portion on which a plurality of originals can be rested, an introduction path for directing the original supplied from the original stacking portion to a reading portion, an annular reverse rotation path for reversely rotating the original discharged from the reading position and for directing the original to the reading position again, a discharge path for discharging the original discharged from the reading position onto a discharge portion, and original feed rotary members arranged in the introduction path, reverse rotation path and discharge path, respectively, and rotated in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Maruyama, Yuji Takahashi, Yoshikuni Toyama, Shinichi Tanada, Toshihiko Kusumoto, Masahiko Yashiro
  • Patent number: 5590872
    Abstract: A sheet reversing apparatus which has a take-in path, a reversing path which extends from the take-in path in a substantially same direction, a take-out path which extends from a junction of the take-in path and the reversing path in a substantially perpendicular direction to the extending direction of the reversing path. A sheet is fed from the take-in path to the reversing path, and when the trailing edge of the sheet comes out of the take-in path, the sheet is fed back from the reversing path to the take-out path. In an entrance portion of the reversing path, a first reversing roller which is driven to rotate in a feed-back direction toward the take-in path and a second reversing roller which is capable of coming into contact with and moving away from the first reversing roller are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taiichi Oominami, Toshio Sakata, Masayoshi Kuroda, Tomonobu Tamura, Masami Nakane, Kazuhiko Nakatsuka
  • Patent number: 5586758
    Abstract: The sheet discharge apparatus includes a first sheet discharge path for discharging a sheet and a second sheet discharge path for discharging the sheet. The apparatus further includes a sheet stacking tray on which the sheets discharged through the second sheet discharge path and which is pivotally mounted on a body of the apparatus, a reverse rotation guide rotatably supported by the sheet stacking tray and forming a part of the first sheet discharge path, and a holder for holding the reverse rotation guide in a position where the reverse rotation guide forms a part of the first sheet discharge path in a condition that the sheet stacking tray is closed with respect to the body of the apparatus and for releasing the reverse rotation guide to permit the reverse rotation guide to thereby retard to a retard position where the reverse rotation guide is retarded from a stacking surface of the sheet stacking tray not to prevent the sheet from being directed in the sheet stacking tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Kimura, Nobukazu Adachi
  • Patent number: 5570877
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a device for turning a paper of the present invention has a transport roller constantly rotatable in a predetermined direction for paper transport. A reverse transport member is positioned downstream of the transport roller in the predetermined direction, and transports the paper, transported by the transport roller, in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. A turn guide has a first guide face for guiding the paper toward the transport roller, and a second guide face for guiding in a paper discharge direction the paper being transported by the reverse transport member in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. The end portion of the first and second guide faces close to the reverse transport member extends in the direction in which the end portion intersects the periphery of the transport roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Asami, Yoshiaki Ushirogata, Hiroyuki Ishizaki, Minoru Hattori, Terumitsu Azuma
  • Patent number: 5560599
    Abstract: A device for slowing down signatures being transported in a folding machine is provided. The device provides a plurality of rotary grippers which positively grip signatures exiting a tape conveyor system in the folding machine traveling at a high velocity. A deceleration drum is also provided for slowing down the signatures through a smooth velocity profile. The deceleration drum has a plurality of pivot arms pivotally mounted on a pivot disc rotating about a first axis, the pivot arms being connected to a control disc by a control link, the control disc rotating about a second axis parallel to, and offset from, the first axis. The rotary grippers are attached to outward ends of the pivot arms. The rotary grippers grip the leading edges of the signatures as they exit the tape conveyor system while the trailing edges are still being controlled by the tape conveyor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Richard D. Curley, Kevin L. Cote
  • Patent number: 5553840
    Abstract: A bill receiving and feeding-out apparatus for a bill receiving and dispensing machine including a bill accommodating box for accommodating bills, a bill reversing mechanism which includes a bill reversing passage for reversing and feeding bills into the bill accommodating box, a bill non-reversing passage for feeding bills into the bill accommodating box without reversing them, a bill feeding-out passage for feeding out bills from the bill accommodating box to a transporting passage, and a bill receiving and feeding-out mechanism which includes a bill accommodating passage connected to the downstream end of the bill reversing passage and to the upper portion of the bill accommodating box at the downstream end thereof, a bill receiving and feeding-out opening facing the downstream end of the bill non-reversing passage and the upstream end of the bill feeding-out passage and a bill accommodating and feeding-out passage connected to the bill receiving and feeding-out opening at one end and to the upper portion
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Arikawa
  • Patent number: 5538240
    Abstract: Apparatus for receiving sheets fed in a first direction and guiding and controlling the sheets through a right angle turn includes a lower plate having input belt assembly at one end for receiving documents conveyed thereto in a first direction and an upper plate cantilevered a fixed distance above the lower plate. The upper plate includes a turn over section adjacent to a downstream end of the input belt assembly and angled at 45.degree. to the first direction. The upper plate further includes at least one idler roller superposed over the input belt assembly for cooperating with the input belt assembly for transporting sheets received by the input belt assembly through the turn over section. There is a turning guide positioned adjacent the turn over section. The turning guide includes an upwardly curved edge that extends a fixed distance from the turn over section for guiding sheets around the turn over section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes
    Inventors: David R. Auerbach, William J. Wright