Conveyor-receiver For Imbricated Sheets Patents (Class 271/216)
  • Patent number: 11702308
    Abstract: A sheet processing machine stores sheets transported by a transport unit. The sheet processing machine includes: a reel on which a first end side of a tape is wound; a first stepper motor that rotates the reel about a rotation axis of the reel; a drum configured to wind up a second end side of the tape together with the sheets to form a winding body together with the tape and the sheets; a second stepper motor that rotates the drum about a rotation axis of the drum; and circuitry configured to change an interval between the sheets wound on the drum by controlling a rotation of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor based on a parameter indicating a condition of the winding body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GLORY LTD.
    Inventors: Yusaku Tachibana, Takeshi Yokawa, Yuya Kataoka, Keisuke Nada, Daiki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11649126
    Abstract: To prevent a failure or the like caused by winding of a tape in a reverse direction to a proper direction, a paper sheet circulation device includes a travelling-direction mark having a pattern that is formed along a travelling-direction of a detection tape and indicates the difference of the travelling-direction of the tape, and a sensor module that detects the travelling-direction mark and outputs a detection signal. The paper sheet circulation device determines a travelling-direction of the tape from a pattern signal in accordance with the travelling-direction of the tape acquired on the basis of a temporal change of the detection signal, and determines a winding direction of the tape on a drum from the travelling-direction of the tape and a rotation direction of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Cash Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yasutaka, Yoshimi Ezawa, Tomonori Kitano, Hiroji Ishihata, Toru Seki
  • Patent number: 10315877
    Abstract: A double-tape banknote temporary storage device is provided, which includes a banknote temporary storage reel, a pair of tape withdrawing reel assemblies, a pair of tapes, a pair of tape pressing wheels. The double-tape banknote temporary storage device further includes a planetary gear decelerating motor and a synchronous gear transmission system, and a driving gear is provided on an output shaft of the planetary gear decelerating motor. The synchronous gear transmission system includes a first gear, a first transmission gear set engaged with the driving gear and transmitting power to both of the banknote temporary storage reel and the first tape withdrawing reel assembly simultaneously, and a second transmission gear set connecting the first gear and the second tape withdrawing reel assembly and transmitting power to the second tape withdrawing reel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: GRG BANKING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhiyuan Zhou
  • Patent number: 8967522
    Abstract: A paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus includes strip films at least one of which is affixed, on at least one of front and back sides, with marks at intervals of a predetermined pattern in a predetermined shape and in a color different from a color of the strip films, a detection sensor for detecting the marks, and a storage device for storing a table that indicates an association between a roll outer diameter of the strip films wound around a winding drum and driving pulses of a stepping motor. The apparatus calculates the roll outer diameter based on the number of rotations of the winding drum, which is calculated based on detection pulses of the marks, and thicknesses of the strip films and a paper sheet, and controls rotations of the motor with driving pulses read from the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ebinuma, Kazuhiro Kagoshima
  • Patent number: 8955837
    Abstract: A control method based on a single-power caching mechanism. The single-power caching mechanism comprises an active coiling block, a driving motor, passive coiling blocks, and a tape coiling. The active coiling block is disposed on the driving motor. The active roiling block and the passive coiling blocks are connected through the tape coiling. The control method comprises the following steps: 1) when the driving motor needs to be shut down, detecting a rotational inertia of the active coiling block, a semidiameter of the active coiling block, a semidiameter of the passive coiling blocks, and a rotational inertia of the passive coiling blocks; and 2) controlling a breaking torque of the driving motor to be M1?I1×r×M2/(I2×R), M2 being a torsional moment of the passive coiling blocks. Also disclosed is a control system based on a single-power caching mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: GRG Banking Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fazhi Yin, Guoyou Liang, Yanwen Ha
  • Publication number: 20140265107
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet-like medium stacking apparatus provided for bearing and arranging sheet-like medium. The apparatus comprises: a bearing plate for receiving and bearing sheet-like medium delivered by the conveyance channel; a blocking mechanism facing an outlet at the end of the conveyance channel and used for preventing the sheet-like medium from continuing to move forward, the blocking mechanism comprising a storage part baffle plate in a lap joint with the bearing plate to form an accommodating chamber accommodating the sheet-like medium; and an arcuate section extending and curving towards the storage part baffle plate, is provided at the end of the bearing plate remote from the conveyance channel, the arcuate section overlapping the storage part baffle plate. The sheet-like medium stacking apparatus can effectively solve the problem of bills delivered at high speed becoming folded up or even blocking the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GRG Banking Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianxin Kang, Hongjun Wu, Zhongwu Lai
  • Patent number: 8777218
    Abstract: A media processor is provided with includes a conveyance channel over which a paper sheet-like medium is conveyed, and an accumulation mechanism which accumulates the medium sent from the conveyance channel, the accumulation mechanism including a guide member for guiding and accumulating the medium sent from the conveyance channel and a conveyor for catching the medium guided by the guide member against the guide member to draw the medium onto the guide member. It is thus possible to shorten times required for the preparing operation to accumulate bills and for the bill accumulating operation, and further to prevent mechanical malfunction such as bill jamming from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nemoto
  • Patent number: 8774702
    Abstract: There are provided a sheet post-processing apparatus which can reliably stack a sheet bundle in imbricated state without bending it and an image forming apparatus having the same. A sheet post-processing apparatus includes: a stacking portion which stacks a folded sheet bundle subjected to the folding process; a discharge portion which discharges the folded sheet bundle onto the stacking portion with the folded end thereof set to the leading position; and a conveying portion which conveys the folded sheet bundle stacked onto the stacking portion, wherein the conveying portion starts the conveyance of a previous folded sheet bundle at the timing at which the folded end of a next folded sheet bundle discharged by the discharge portion is abutted onto the previous folded sheet bundle which is being conveyed to the downstream side in the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akito Sekigawa
  • Patent number: 8770579
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a holding unit that holds a recorded recording medium in a standing posture, a roller that sends the recording medium to the holding unit, and a restricting unit that restricts the position of the recording medium not to be in contact with the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Sanshiro Takeshita, Takehiko Saito, Hidenao Suzuki, Hiroyuki Yoda
  • Patent number: 8678379
    Abstract: A method for feeding sheets to a printing technology machine improves reliability of feeding sheets and reduces an acceleration time from a base speed to a production speed. The sheets are conveyed onto a feed table in shingled formation by a first drive and are individually and successively conveyed from the feed table to a first processing station of the machine by a second drive. The sheets are conveyed onto the feed table before an acceleration of the second drive to production speed is completed and the first drive is accelerated to the production speed when the processing station has reached the production speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Bechberger, Holger Edinger, Rolf Kündgen, Klaus Lulay, Burkhard Wolf
  • Patent number: 8636280
    Abstract: An apparatus for stacking flat articles on-edge has a helical drive assembly with spaced-apart helical screws. The helical screws receive and hold the articles on-edge therebetween, and eject the articles towards a stack holding unit. The stack holding unit is configured to hold a stack of articles on-edge separately from the helical screws. The apparatus includes a conveyor that supports the lower edges of the articles during their transport to the stack holding unit. The stack holding unit has an article entry opening with a height that is smaller than a height of the articles to be stacked during operation, and the height of the article entry opening is preferably adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: W+D Direct Marketing Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Arne Dörrie, Gerald Benders, Horst Kostrzewa, Wilfried Wieneke
  • Patent number: 8517377
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes a suction mechanism that suctions an interior of a bag, and a connecting mechanism that connects an opening of the bag and the suction mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 8413919
    Abstract: A roller storage system is proposed for storing sheet-like items, especially bank notes, comprising at least one film drum (3, 4) that can be driven rotatably by a motor having at least one strip-type film (7, 11), a winding drum (1) that can be driven rotatably by a motor and a hysteresis coupling (21) on the film drum (3, 4) and/or on the winding drum for transmitting torque from a motor to the film drum (3, 4) and/or the winding drum (1). The film (7, 11) is wound from the film drum (3, 4) onto the winding drum (1) for the reception of the sheet-type items (20) and wound from the winding drum (1) onto the two film drums (3, 4) for the delivery of the sheet-type items (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH
    Inventor: Andre Michels
  • Patent number: 8398076
    Abstract: A storage device for a mail-handling machine, said storage device comprising a mailpiece-receiving deck along a longitudinal edge of which a referencing wall extends, and through which a conveyor belt passes for the purpose of conveying mailpieces along said referencing wall, and a shock-absorber ramp that is mounted against the referencing wall and that is hit by the mailpieces after they are ejected from said mail-handling machine, and before they fall back down onto the conveyor belt so as to be conveyed towards the sloping surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Neopost Technologies
    Inventors: Emmanuel Bernard, Stéphane Le Gallo
  • Patent number: 8353509
    Abstract: A stacker device includes a conveying belt, a longitudinal receiving guide, a paper sheet discharge detecting part, a first detecting part having a rod body, a second detecting part, and a control part for controlling the guide drive mechanism and the belt drive mechanism. The control part is formed so as to control both the mechanisms so that after the predetermined time T, which is required for the paper sheet to be stacked on the stacking surface after the paper sheet discharge detecting part detects the rear edge of the paper sheet having been conveyed to the discharging roller, passes and until the first detecting part detects the paper sheet, the longitudinal receiving guide and the conveying belt move to the upstream side of the conveyance direction at the same time, and after that, until the first detecting part does not detect the paper sheet, the longitudinal receiving guide and the conveying belt move to the downstream side of the conveyance direction at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Oota, Hideki Oiwa, Masasuke Funase, Takaaki Maeda
  • Patent number: 8342439
    Abstract: In a media storing and feeding device for winding up or rewinding the tapes between reels attached to reel shafts and a drum 120 by torque limiters to feed or store the medium, at the time of feeding the medium, the reel shafts are rotated at a speed faster than a speed at which the drum rewinds the tapes, and at the time of storing the medium, the reel shafts are rotated at a speed slower than a speed at which the drum winds up the tapes. A difference between the rotational speeds of the reel shafts and the reels is absorbed by the torque limiters. The media storing and feeding device is thus implemented by inexpensive torque limiters which operate at low speed in place of expensive torque limiters supporting high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 8302757
    Abstract: A media storage unit for a media recycler is described. The media storage unit comprises: a first rotary storage device; a second rotary storage device aligned with the first rotary storage device; and storage tape wound around each of the first and second storage devices and including calibration marks disposed along one side of the storage tape. The media storage unit also comprises a sensor for detecting the calibration marks; an entry/exit port between the first and second rotary storage devices through which media items can be inserted or removed; and a controller operable to rotate the first and/or second storage devices to move the storage tape forwards or backwards while sensing the calibration marks to locate either (i) a media item of the desired type for a dispense transaction, or (ii) a space on the storage tape of the required type for a deposit transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Robin Angus, Gordon Walker
  • Patent number: 8297547
    Abstract: A roller storage system (1) for sheet-type media has at least one film drum (5) driveable by a motor with at least one strip-type film (5) and at least one winding drum (4) with a central drive spindle (8) driveable by a motor, wherein the strip-type film (5) can be wound onto the winding drum (4), where the winding drum (4) is carried floating on the drive spindle (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH
    Inventors: André Michels, Heinz Saathoff
  • Patent number: 8256765
    Abstract: A storage device for a mail-handling machine, said storage device comprising a mailpiece-receiving deck along a longitudinal edge of which a referencing wall extends, and through which a conveyor belt passes for the purpose of conveying mailpieces along said referencing wall from an inlet of the device towards a sloping surface against which said mailpieces accumulate, said storage device further comprising a pivot arm that is mounted to move both vertically about hinge pin and horizontally along a slide rail, on which arm firstly a friction roller is mounted for pressing said mailpieces against the conveyor belt, and secondly a holding roller is mounted for pressing said mailpieces against the sloping surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Neopost Technologies
    Inventor: Régis Desire
  • Patent number: 8215579
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a banknote storing and feeding unit 19 capable of increasing the maximum storage quantity of banknote 45 and stably storing and feeding banknote 45. A first tape 36 and a second tape 37 are pressed by a tape pressing body 87 between first and second winding reels 38 and 39 and a winding drum 40 so as to come into contact with each other. Even the banknote 45 having a short length in a transporting direction is held between the first tape 36 and second tape 37 at a position of the tape pressing body 87 for transportation. An outer diameter of the winding drum 40 is detected by an outer diameter detecting unit 85, and the tape pressing body 87 is moved by a moving unit 92 in accordance with the detected outer diameter of the winding drum 40, and the tape pressing body 87 is moved to an appropriate position following a change in the outer diameter of the winding drum 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuguo Mizoro
  • Patent number: 8006975
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided to convey and align sheets being fed to a processing machine. In the event of a machine “stop,” a sheet, which has been separated from an overlapping stream, is conveyed back into the overlapping stream by raising the rear sheet edge with a mechanical or pneumatic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Müller, Burkhard Wolf
  • Patent number: 7780111
    Abstract: A roll storage module comprises a storage roll (4) and a band roll (1). A band (3) extends between the storage and band rolls, the rolls being rotatable so that the band can be rolled around and unrolled from each roll. A storage roll motor (5) applies a rotational torque directly to the storage roll (4), a band roll motor (2) applies a rotational torque directly to the band roll (1). A control system (6) controls the motors (2,5) so as to cause the band (3) to roll on and unroll from the storage and band rolls (1,4) respectively in a determined manner. The control system includes a processor (6) for monitoring rotation of the band roll (1), and for calculating one or more parameters relating to the band (3) based on the monitored band roll rotation thereby to control the band and storage roll motors to rotate their respective rolls in the determined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Talaris Holdings Limited
    Inventor: Antoine Guillaume Elbel
  • Publication number: 20100119245
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper discharge device that can sort sheets on a tray. The paper discharge device has paper discharge rollers, a tray and a driving mechanism. The paper discharge rollers are configured to discharge a sheet having an image formed thereon. The tray is configured to be stacked with the sheet discharged from the paper discharge rollers. The driving mechanism is configured to move the tray in a direction approaching the paper discharge rollers and a direction away from the paper discharge rollers and vary a stacking position of the sheet on the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao YAHATA, Hiroyuki TAKI
  • Patent number: 7690646
    Abstract: A sheet storing device having a conveyance device that converts the conveyance direction while holding the sheet and a storing section that has the first support member supporting the surface of the sheet substantially vertically, the second support member supporting the edge of the sheet and a pressing member pressing the sheet against the first support member, a post-processing apparatus equipped with the sheet storing device and an image forming system equipped with the aforesaid items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshio Shida, Masashi Kougami
  • Publication number: 20100025925
    Abstract: A device (1) for the scaled depositing of bags (6, 6a) arriving immediately behind each other from a bag production machine (12), the device comprising a conveyor belt (2) and a pressing belt (3) extending at least partially parallel at a distance to the conveyor belt (2), characterized by at least one beater arm (4) directly in front of the conveyor belt (2), wherein a force can be applied to the end of each bag (6) by means of the beater arm (4), the force pressing the end of the bag (6) beneath the level of the conveyor surface of the conveyor belt (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Hartmut Odenthal, Jakob Schneider
  • Patent number: 7654485
    Abstract: A method of controlling a banknote store comprising at least one winding means and at least one elongate support means which can be wound and/or unwound from the winding means for storing and/or transporting a banknote, comprises determining the radius or diameter of a spool comprising at least the winding means using the degree of rotation of the winding means and the corresponding linear amount of movement of the elongate support means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: MEI, Inc.
    Inventors: Didier Rossel, Christian Voser
  • Patent number: 7494122
    Abstract: Described herein are a device and a method for storing and/or dispensing plane, rigid, or flexible items, such as banknotes, cards or the like. The items are stored sequentially between successive windings of ribbon means which are wound and unwound between a supporting element, driven in rotation by at least one electric motor, and at least one take-up member. The supporting element has a non-circular cross section for obtaining one or more distinct resting surfaces on which the ribbon means are wound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Inventor: Alberto Spinetti
  • Patent number: 7322575
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for aligning at least the front edge of several sheets arranged in a stack, one above the other, whilst maintaining the order of the sheets. Said device comprises a stacking table, one side of which is provided with a front edge stop for aligning the front edge of the sheets. A supporting platform, upon which a stack of sheets can be placed with non-aligned front edges, is arranged upstream of the stacking table. The device is provided with a sheet feeder, which removes the sheets from the supporting platform by placing them in an overlapping stream with the front edges placed under the preceding sheets. A turning device is provided downstream of the sheet feeder, said device turning the overlapping stream in such a way that the front edge area of each sheet is freely accessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: KBA-Giori S.A.
    Inventors: Hartmut Karl Sauer, Rudolf Wukovich
  • Patent number: 7059598
    Abstract: A conveying arrangement for sheet quires, includes at least two successively arranged conveying devices of which a front conveying device as seen in a conveying direction has a lower speed than a rear conveying device. At least one ionization device electrostatically charges the sheet quires. An area of the front conveying device includes a suction device for administering suction air to the sheet quires in at least one region of the sheet quires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: E.C.H. Will GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Hagemann, Frank Herpel, Jürgen Peter
  • Patent number: 7055816
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a stream of sheet-like products, such as printed magazines and newspapers, whereby the orientation of the products in the stream is changed to facilitate subsequent processing. The products are conveyed in an imbricated stream, or in a non-imbricated stream, and sections of adjacent products are combined into stacks which are conveyed away from the trailing products once the stacks are formed. The stacks are then further processed so that the products in each stack are disposed in a reverse order in relation to their original order, i.e. last in/first out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Willi Leu
  • Patent number: 7014188
    Abstract: A banknote store (10, 12, 14, 16) comprises first and second drums (18, 20; 18, 22) mounted for rotation about respective axes on, respectively, first and second shafts (51), an elongate support strip (24; 26) which can be unwound from one of the drums onto the other of the drum, and vice versa, such that banknotes (60) can be supported in succession by the support strip while that is wound around at least one of the drums, coupling means (44, 46, 50) for coupling the shafts together, first biasing means (54) between the coupling means and the first drum and second biasing means (56; 58) between the coupling means and the second drum for allowing biased relative motion between each said drum and said coupling means, and for maintaining tension in the support strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Mars Incorporated
    Inventors: Roberto Polidoro, Jerome Daout
  • Patent number: 6969064
    Abstract: The present invention provides a paper sheet storing and releasing apparatus which stores and releases paper sheets by winding and unwinding a tape between a wheel and a reel, wherein the apparatus can remove dust stacked on the tape during an operation thereof and reduces damage on the tape. In the paper sheet storing and releasing apparatus which includes a reel which winds and unwinds a tape and a wheel which winds and unwinds the tape and paper sheets and in which running of the tape is stopped at a stop position which constitutes a reference, at the time of releasing the tape from the wheel, the releasing of the tape is temporarily stopped before the tape is stopped at the tape stop position which constitutes the reference and, thereafter, a tape winding operation of a given quantity is performed whereby the dust scraped by a scraper are made to fall and are transferred onto a tape side and the tape is released again so as to reduce a quantity of dust stacked at a final stop position of the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ichikawa, Hisahiro Koshizuka, Riichi Kato, Yasunari Niioka
  • Patent number: 6945529
    Abstract: A conveying arrangement for sheet quires includes successively arranged conveying devices of which a downstream conveying device as seen in a conveying direction has a lower speed than an upstream conveying device and at least one ionization device for electrostatic charging of the sheet quires. The downstream conveying device includes a suction device for administering suction air to the sheet quires at stationary suction openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: E.C.H. Will GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Hagemann, Frank Herpel, Jürgen Peter
  • Patent number: 6840513
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an automatic mail tray loading device that is adapted to receive envelopes from an inserting machine or from other mail-processing systems and place them in mail trays. The device has a two-stage envelope buffer, which buffers the envelopes into a shingled array before depositing them into the mail tray. The first stage buffers the envelopes during purging of the second stage and the second stage buffers the mail during a tray change. The mail trays are held on a tray conveyor, at an inclination that ensures proper loading of the tray and reliable transfer of envelopes from the tray. The tray conveyor incrementally moves the envelope tray downward until the tray is full of envelopes. A new, empty tray is then moved into position and the filled tray is moved laterally to the tray offload station. The system comprises an envelope conveyor, a tray conveyor, a lateral tray transfer mechanism and an auxiliary buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Inventor: K. George Rabindran
  • Patent number: 6817608
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for stacking mailpieces received from a mail-processing machine in consecutive order. There is a receiving conveying section positioned at a greater height than the following stacking conveying section. A stacking ramp extends from the downstream portion of the stacking conveying section. The receiving conveying section has a single continuous belt extending along the receiving conveying section in a first direction and positioned centrally along a second direction of the conveying section. The continuous belts of the stacking conveying section are positioned substantially at equal intervals extending along the first direction of the stacking conveying section and have top surfaces which extend above the stacking conveying section and which contact the mailpieces received from the mail processing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Sloan, Jr., Paul R. Sette, Jeffrey T. Mulreed
  • Patent number: 6715753
    Abstract: In a method for putting into storage and dispensing sheet-like objects, in particular bank notes, between at least one tension storage belt into or from a storage reel, in time periods between input and dispensing cycles, at least one belt tightening operation (F1-F3), which uses an increased belt tightening tension by comparison with the base belt tension is carried out. This operation is used to tighten up the belt in the belt spool of the storage reel so that the objects in the belt spool are tightened to increase the storage reel capacity and in order preferably to lend the belt spool greater mechanical stability so that the latter remains stable at the sides even when the filling level is high. Advantageously, the belt tightening is carried out in pulsed manner at a repetition frequency in the Hertz range using a pulse duty factor of active tensioning force relative to a base nominal value of between 0.2 and 2.0, preferably in the region of 1.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: De La Rue International, Ltd.
    Inventors: Olivier Conca, Olivier Gaeumann
  • Patent number: 6691995
    Abstract: A conveying unit that is useable for the conveyance of generally flat objects, particularly in a folder of a rotary printing press, includes endless first and second belts and a roller. A conveying path for the flat objects extends initially between the two belts and then subsequently between the second belt and the surface of the roller. The second belt is driven by a drive device at a speed which can be regulated independently of the rotational speed of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Berthold Peter Held
  • Patent number: 6669136
    Abstract: In a paper money handling device of the type in which paper money conveying unit, wheel driving unit and reel driving unit are driven to wind a tape between a wheel and a reel and to rewind the tape wound on the wheel to the reel and to deliver paper money, an initial diameter of the reel and a moving speed of the tape are calculated on the basis of the add-up value of pulses generated from an encoder, and the wheel driving unit and the reel driving unit are controlled so that the moving speed so calculated attains a set speed. Jamming is prevented by slightly changing the set speed from the speed of the paper money conveying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunari Niioka, Takeshi Kanagawa, Hiroki Matsuse
  • Publication number: 20030234485
    Abstract: For being stacked, flat articles, in particular printed products, are supplied to a feed point in an imbricated stream, in which they overlap one another and are arranged standing substantially upright. In the feed point, their leading edge is pushed against an aligning element arranged transverse to the supply direction and thereby they are redirected at right angles and arranged in a stack-like arrangement. The stack-like arrangement grows in the stacking direction into a receiving device, being laterally guided and being supported at its downstream end by a supporting element. Distanced in the stacking direction from the feed point a condensing means is provided for accelerating the articles in the stack-like arrangement towards the supporting element in such a manner, that a downstream part of the stack-like arrangement is condensed and a feed-side part is kept loose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventor: Reinhard Gosslinghoff
  • Patent number: 6666136
    Abstract: A paper-feed roller and a fabrication method thereof in an office automation machine, such as a photocopier, a printer, and a facsimile machine, etc, includes forming a plastic roller along a general stainless shaft by a molding and forming a ceramic coating layer on a surface of the plastic roller. Accordingly, the paper-feed roller is capable of providing an economical effect in a fabrication cost and preventing a slipping of paper or a paper jam that is caused by a heat distortion and an abrasion occurring on a surface of a long time operated roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 6619651
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus for forming an imbricated stream of first and second printed products, in which in each case a first and a second printed product are located substantially congruently one upon the other in double imbricated formation. The first and second printed products are individually gripped alternately by an intermediate conveyor and conveyed one behind the other at a conveying spacing d. In each case a first printed product is transferred in a transfer region from the intermediate conveyor to a removal conveyor, which is designed as a belt conveyor, such that the first printed product comes to rest on the belt conveyor and overlaps the preceding printed product in an imbricated manner. A second printed product is then deposited such that it comes to rest substantially congruently on a first printed product which has already been deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Carl Conrad Mäder
  • Publication number: 20030155704
    Abstract: A banknote store (10, 12, 14, 16) comprises first and second drums (18, 20; 18, 22) mounted for rotation about respective axes on, respectively, first and second shafts (51), an elongate support strip (24; 26) which can be unwound from one of the drums onto the other of the drum, and vice versa, such that banknotes (60) can be supported in succession by the support strip while that is wound around at least one of the drums, coupling means (44, 46, 50) for coupling the shafts together, first biasing means (54) between the coupling means and the first drum and second biasing means (56; 58) between the coupling means and the second drum for allowing biased relative motion between each said drum and said coupling means, and for maintaining tension in the support strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Roberto Polidoro, Jerome Daout
  • Patent number: 6585098
    Abstract: A bill-receiving/discharging device for storing bills in their shorter-side direction by using one small-width tape has a problem that a corner of a bill is highly lifted due to folds of the bill when discharged, because a distance from a tape-holding point to a bill end is large in the axial direction, and the bill corner causes edge folding that the bill is folded like a triangle, and the bill cannot normally discharged to the outside of the device. The invention solves the above problem by the structure that comprises a wheel for winding a tape together with bills at the central portion of a transfer route for carrying the bills, a reel for winding the tape let out from the wheel, and a guide unit for guiding front ends of the bills discharged from the wheel together with the tape, which extends from an end in the width direction of the tape toward a width direction of the bill transfer route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Satou, Yasunari Niioka, Riichi Katou, Kazushi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6565082
    Abstract: In a bill receiving and discharging device having a wheel for winding a tape together with a bill and a reel for winding the tape rewound from the wheel, a bill in which a cut exists at a position at which the bill cannot be held within width of the tape sometimes has a trouble such that the bill is cut into two sections at a time of discharging. In the present invention, in order to eliminate the above-described trouble, a regulating device and a discharging device for guiding an end portion of a bill to an outside of a back side region of the tape are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Sasaki, Tadashi Satou, Yasunari Niioka, Kazushi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6446962
    Abstract: A device for vertically forming partial stacks of printed products. Said device comprises a belt conveyor (1) for transporting printed products, a bulging device (11), by which the printed products conveyed on the belt conveyor (1) may be provided with a convexity around an axis extending in the conveying direction of the belt conveyor (1) vertically extending collecting shaft (2), adjustable in format and disposed at one end of the belt conveyor (1) in the extension thereof, and having an openable stacking support (21) disposed therein, from which a stack of printed products may be picked up, and a first supporting finger (3), disposed on the side of the belt conveyor (1) facing away from the collecting shaft (2) and above the stacking support (21), said finger being displaceable by a displacing device (5) from a starting position, in which it extends centrally into the collecting shaft (2) above the stream of printed products, vertically downwards into said stream of conveyed printed products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: D.E. Pfaff Ingenieurburo GmbH & Co. KG.
    Inventor: Michael Taffertshofer
  • Publication number: 20020060413
    Abstract: A paper discharge device for a printer has a housing having a circular inside guide wall, a paper inlet, a paper taking out opening, a paper discharge opening, and a paper discharge space. A paper winding roll is rotatably provided in a space inside the circular inside guide wall. A paper introducing roller is provided for introducing a paper sheet into the paper winding roll, and a paper discharge roller is provided for discharging the paper sheet in the paper discharge space. A first sensor is provided for detecting a rear end of the paper sheet when the paper sheet is fed to the paper discharge opening, and a second sensor is provided for detecting a forward end of the paper sheet when the paper sheet is fed to the paper taking out opening. In response to output signals of the first and second sensors, the rotation of the paper winding roll is controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Hitoshi Sato, Shinichi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 6213463
    Abstract: The conveying apparatus has a transport belt (10) which is intended to feed flexible, flat articles (12) arising in imbricated formation (S), resting freely, to a conveyor (14). The transport belt (10) is led around a deflection drum (16) and, together with the latter, forms a deflection and conveying gap (26) for the imbricated formation (S). On one side, an edge section (21) of said imbricated formation projects beyond the deflection drum (16). The circulation path (104) of the conveyor (14) runs alongside the drum. Said conveyor is equipped with grippers (20) which are intended to grip the deflected imbricated formation (S) in the edge section and to transport it further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Jürg Eberle, Willy Leu
  • Patent number: 6213461
    Abstract: Printed products are guided from an infeed to a delivery belt by a plurality of partially overlapping paddle blades. The paddle blades are secured to an endless carrier such as a chain or a toothed belt. The printed products are deposited on the delivery belt in a smooth, gentle manner as they slip out of the pockets defined by the adjacent overlapping paddles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Ratz, Rudolf Stäb
  • Patent number: 6199858
    Abstract: Apparatus for stacking sheets comprises a duplex tray for holding a sheet in a temporary storage position. A dispense nip is formed at an outlet of the tray. Rollers feed a sheet from the temporary storage position by a predetermined distance through the dispense nip. Any sheets already located in the dispense nip are fed at the same time by substantially the same predetermined distance, whereby a shingled stack of sheets is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew F. Wyer
  • Patent number: 6196540
    Abstract: A sheet-stacking apparatus has a conveyor including a plurality of parallel upper belts extending in a transport direction for delivering a succession of sheets one at a time to a stacking station and a plurality of blow tubes each having a main portion extending in the direction. The main portions are interleaved with the upper belts and are each formed with a plurality of downwardly open holes. Respective tubular rivet bodies set in the holes have heads bearing upward against the respective tube main portions and form downwardly open nozzles. Interiors of the tubes can be pressurized with air to project jets of air downward from the nozzles of the tube main portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Jagenberg Papiertechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Schmid, Jürgen Menzel