Rotary Folder Patents (Class 493/424)
  • Patent number: 11186460
    Abstract: In a sheet folding apparatus for folding a sheet, a sheet is pushed at a predetermined position thereof by a push member while the sheet is being conveyed by a conveyance roller. The predetermined position of the sheet is guided to the nip section of a folding roller pair. Then, the sheet is nipped at the predetermined position thereof and folded by the folding roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Hiroki Komada, Shoubu Kato, Shogo Iwai, Shinichi Ito, Keiichi Atsumi, Akihito Sakano
  • Patent number: 10766729
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet binding device includes a first mounting part, a second mounting part, and a mounting adjustment part. The first mounting part mounts a tape on an edge part of a sheet bundle. The second mounting part is opposite to the first mounting part in a sheet bundle thickness direction. The mounting adjustment part is capable of adjusting a mounting gap between the first mounting part and the second mounting part based upon a thickness of the sheet bundle. The mounting gap is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the sheet bundle before the sheet bundle is inserted between the first mounting part and the second mounting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kikuo Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10768568
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet binding apparatus includes a first roller, a second roller, and a nip-pressure adjusting section. The first roller attaches a tape to an edge portion of a sheet bundle. The second roller is opposed to the first roller in the sheet bundle thickness direction. The nip-pressure adjusting section is capable of adjusting, on the basis of the position of an edge portion leading end of the sheet bundle, a pressing force of a nip formed by the first roller and the second roller. Before the sheet bundle is inserted between the first roller and the second roller, an interval between the first roller and the second roller is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kikuo Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10760214
    Abstract: A method of producing a paper product by forming a paper web on a paper machine, the web including a plurality of sections, analyzing the web, marking the web, winding the web to form a parent roll after the web has been inspected and marked, assigning an action score to each section of the web, at least one action score having an action value, unwinding a web from a parent roll, reading at least one of a plurality of marks with a mark reading unit, obtaining the action score associated with a second one of the marks, calculating a distance between a mark read by the reading unit and the second one of the marks, changing at least one operational parameter of a converting line based upon the action score of the second of the marks when the distance is less than a threshold, and converting the paper web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Andrew G. Bomstad, Thomas J. Petersen, Joseph A. Schulz, Gregory T. Johnson, Mark F. Gerrits
  • Patent number: 10625971
    Abstract: The present sheet processing apparatus is to obtain that folding in the center portion in the width direction of sheets is made, folding in the end portion is made more reliably by repeatedly pressing the end portion in the width direction, the folded sheets are harder to open, the appearance is also enhanced, and that collection characteristics are improved in stacking bunches of folded sheets, a sheet processing apparatus is provided with pairs of press members (press rollers 70) that press a folded loop BL of folding sheets BS, and a support unit 56 that shifts in the width direction of the folding sheets, while supporting a plurality of rows with a distance between the press members narrowed stepwise in the shift direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Satoshi Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 10303104
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus, including: a rotary member pair configured to nip a sheet conveyed in a conveyance path and rotate to fold the sheet; and a guide portion provided between one rotary member of the rotary member pair and the conveyance path, the one rotary member including: a first part; and a second part, wherein a first distance between the first part and a rotary shaft center of the one rotary member is greater than a second distance between the second part and the rotary shaft center, and wherein the guide portion is positioned at a first position in case that the second part is positioned at a first rotational position, and the guide portion is positioned at a second position different from the first position in a distance from the rotary shaft center in case that the second part is positioned at a second rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Endo, Kenichi Matsuno, Ikuhiro Obata, Yuji Kunugi
  • Patent number: 10196226
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (10) includes an apparatus main body (20), a first processing unit (30) and a second processing unit (40). The apparatus main body (20) performs an image forming process onto a paper sheet. The first processing unit (30) and the second processing unit (40) are disposed in vertical direction (91) such that one is located on an upside of the other on a same side face's side of the apparatus main body 20. The second processing unit (40) is disposed on the upside of the first processing unit (30), and is configured in such a manner as to be capable of being slidingly moved in an approaching-leaving direction (92) in relation to the apparatus main body (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuhi Akagawa
  • Patent number: 9688042
    Abstract: A format adjustment device (1) is used to adjust the format of at least one functional element (7) on a packaging machine. The format adjustment device (1) comprises at least one bearing element (2), at least one format gauge (3) comprising at least one mounting section (4) and at least one position element (5) having a stop section (6), and at least one functional element (7) having a connecting section (8). The format gauge (3) can be connected to the bearing element (2) via the mounting section (4). The stop section (6) of the position element (5) can be connected to the connecting section (8) of the functional element (7), such that the position of the at least one functional element (7) relative to the bearing element (2) can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Frank
  • Patent number: 9334140
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: first to third pairs of conveying members; and a bifurcating claw that moves to a first guiding position for guiding the sheet to the second pair of conveying members, a second guiding position for guiding a deflected portion of the sheet to the third pair of conveying members, and a third guiding position for guiding a leading end of the sheet to the third pair of conveying members. The second pair of conveying members is rotated backward in a state in which the sheet is held by the first pair of conveying members and the second pair of conveying members, to guide the deflected portion to the third pair of conveying members and cause the deflected portion to be folded by the third pair of conveying members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shuuya Nagasako, Michitaka Suzuki, Kyosuke Nakada, Akira Kunieda, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9108821
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes: a first sheet conveying unit; a second sheet conveying unit that is disposed downstream of the first sheet conveying unit; a folded part forming unit that forms a folded part on a sheet by nipping a turned-back portion formed on a part of the sheet between the first sheet conveying unit and the second sheet conveying unit; a second conveying path that bifurcates from the first conveying path and in which a sheet with the folded part is conveyed; and a pushing member that is movable between a pushing position at which the pushing member pushes the turned-back portion toward the folded part forming unit and a retracted position. The pushing member also serves as a changing unit that changes a direction of a leading end of the sheet that is conveyed in the first conveying path into a direction toward a second conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kyosuke Nakada, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shuuya Nagasako, Kazuya Yamamoto, Yuji Suzuki, Takahiro Watanabe, Michitaka Suzuki, Akira Kunieda, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8998788
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding articles advancing in a machine direction including a rotatable roll having a roll surface, at least one protrusion that defines an outermost surface of the roll and at least one pocket that defines an innermost surface of the roll. The apparatus also includes a peel assembly and a folding assembly. The peel assembly and/or folding assembly may be configured as one or more movable heads for receiving an article or article portion from a first carrier at a first speed and transferring the article to a second carrier travelling at a second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoichiro Yamamoto, Thomas Ludwig Woschnik
  • Patent number: 8986184
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve methods and apparatuses for folding absorbent articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Yoichiro Yamamoto, Thomas Ludwig Woschnik
  • Patent number: 8939877
    Abstract: An off line apparatus for converting a rolled web into a fan-fold web and method of fan folding a web is described. The apparatus has a creasing station capable of receiving the web at a feed rate. The creasing station has a first die roller, wherein the first die roller comprises a first blade and a first cushion, and a second die roller. A coupling mechanism synchronizes rotation of the rollers such that the first blade engages the second cushion and the second blade engages the first cushion during one each rotation. A reader determines the location of a gap between the labels. A controller receives the location of the gap from said reader and communication with a drive mechanism to adjust the rotation rate such that the first blade and the second cushion engage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Century Printing & Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil C. Waldrop, Jeffrey S. Morris
  • Patent number: 8915832
    Abstract: A method is provided for bifolding articles on a high speed production line on which the articles are moved along a predetermined path. The method includes the use of a vacuum conveyor assembly to engage the leading end portion of an article and transport it in the machine direction, thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment of the article end edges during a bifolding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Glasgow Burns, Jr., Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8821360
    Abstract: A method including: a step of carrying a continuous web; a cut-off step of cutting the continuous web into individual worn articles 1; a first folding step of folding the diaper body 2 so that a skin-contact surface of a front portion 20 and a skin-contact surface of a back portion 21 lie one each other; and a folding step of folding a pair of side panels 3, wherein in the folding step, the pair of side panels 3 are folded as second pads 32, which rotate in a folding direction in which the side panels 3 are folded with respect to a first pad 31, rotate in the folding direction, while the diaper body 2 is held on the first pad 31 and while the side panels 3 are held by the second pads 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Zuiko Corporation
    Inventor: Toyoshi Umebayashi
  • Patent number: 8814773
    Abstract: A booklet maker having a first crease device forming a folded edge on a set of sheets. A second crease device is disposed downstream along a booklet processing path from the first crease device. The second crease device includes an edge engaging mechanism translatable in a direction transverse to the path of booklet travel. The edge engaging mechanism is compressively engagable with the folded edge of a booklet for forming a crease in the booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Chase, Stephen May, Jeffrey W. Ryan, Ian A. Parks, Justin Chase
  • Publication number: 20130303354
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding in two a continuous web (10) that advances in a longitudinal direction (A), comprising: a folding station (22) designed to fold said continuous web (10) along a line of longitudinal folding (B) parallel to said longitudinal direction (A); and an alignment station (24) for mutual alignment of opposite longitudinal edges (14) of said continuous web (10), wherein said alignment station (24) comprises two suction belt conveyors (42, 44) having respective branches facing one another (50, 52) designed to pick up by means of suction respective folded sections (34, 32) of said web (10), said suction belt conveyors (42, 44) being mobile in a transverse direction (D) and being associated to a control device (72) designed to move said suction belt conveyors (42, 44) by the same amount and in opposite directions in said transverse direction (D) as a function of information on the position of said longitudinal edges (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Gabriele Sablone
  • Patent number: 8490960
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is provided with a conveying path forming member that forms a sheet conveying path having a curved portion through which a front edge of the sheet passes, a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet along the sheet conveying path, a sheet folding unit that folds the sheet along the folding line in the sheet conveying path, and then conveys the sheet toward a discharge direction with the folding line discharged first as a front edge, and a sheet position defining unit that defines a position of the front edge of the sheet in the curved portion of the sheet conveying path so that a target position of the folding line on the sheet coincides with a folding position of the sheet folding unit. The sheet position defining unit can adjust an inclination of the front edge of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuya Murata, Mitsuru Ichikawa, Toshikazu Sato
  • Patent number: 8485956
    Abstract: A system is provided for bifolding disposable absorbent articles on a high speed production line on which the disposable absorbent articles are moved along a predetermined path. The system includes the use of one or more vacuum conveyor assemblies to engage and transfer the leading end portion of the article from the surface of a peel-roll to a folding drum. Thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment between opposing edges of an article during a bifolding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Glasgow Burns, Jr., Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8439814
    Abstract: Blanks used in the manufacture of nappies/diapers are folded on a machine comprising a first aspirating roller (5) by which single blanks (2) are advanced in succession toward a second aspirating roller (6) rotating counter and substantially tangential to the first roller (5) at a folding station (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: GDM S.p.A.
    Inventors: Matteo Piantoni, Diego Sacchi, Marco Rosani, Alberto Perego
  • Patent number: 8419604
    Abstract: A device for manipulation of flat articles such as sheets of paper, plastic, cardboard and the like has at least one adjustable conveying unit with conveying elements, especially rollers. The at least one conveying unit is adjustable between at least two positions for performing at least two manipulations on the article. At least one switch that is adjustable between at least two positions for performing at least two manipulations on the article is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventor: Jürg Paul Haller
  • Patent number: 8409067
    Abstract: A leaflet is produced from a pre-printed sheet of material by folding the sheet with at least one crease-line along the line of advancement of the sheet but preferably with two or more such crease-lines so that the sheet is fan-folded. The crease-lines are squeezed by a roller nip and then the sheet is fed into a diametral slot in a mandrel of elliptical cross-section. The leading edge of the sheet is gripped within the slot and then the mandrel is rotated to wind the sheet around the outer surface thereof. The wound sheet is then removed from the mandrel and is squeezed through a roller nip so as to form a substantially flat folded leaflet. The leaflet may be converted to a booklet by joining together the overlying sheets along one folded edge of the compressed leaflet and slitting open the other folded edge of the compressed leaflet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignees: Digi Leaflet Technologies Limited, Vacuumatic Limited
    Inventors: Michael John Cooper, Geoffrey Alan Giles, Edward William Colvill, Peter William Sevenoaks
  • Patent number: 8328707
    Abstract: A folder includes a plurality of rotatable fold rollers and a plurality of rotatable nip rollers. Each nip roller forms a nip having a nip spacing with an adjacent fold roller. The nips may include an input nip for receiving collations, a plurality of intermediate nips for delivering the collations to one of a buckle chute and a deflector to form folded collations, and an output nip for discharging the folded collations. The folder may further include an adjustment system associated with each nip roller for selectively moving the nip roller with respect to the adjacent fold roller based on predetermined collation thickness data to change the nip spacing for sequential collations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Pressman, Alejandro J. De Simone, Vijay K. Aiyar, Louis Agon
  • Patent number: 8277368
    Abstract: A folding machine for folding sheets of paper, board and the like, includes at least one knife-shaft unit for cutting, perforating, scoring or crimping the sheets. The knife-shaft unit has at least one pair of driven knife shafts. Knife-retaining units for retaining knives are fitted in a rotationally fixed manner on the knife shafts. The knife-retaining units have a split construction and are formed by a plurality of partial shells. A knife holder for a knife shaft of a folding machine, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Herbert Ackermann, Jürgen Kübler
  • Patent number: 8273003
    Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention includes: a folding section 2 for folding a web W in two so that opposite side edges Wa and Wb of the web W are brought into a predetermined positional relationship with each other by bringing the web W into contact with an abutting member 4; a pair of carrying means 10A and 10B arranged along opposite sides of the web W for carrying the web W in the longitudinal direction X; a plurality of holding means 20 provided in each of the carrying means 10A and 10B wherein the holding means 20 can be displaced in the transverse direction D of the web W; displacement means 30 for displacing the holding means 20 in the transverse direction D upstream of the abutting member 4 so as to correct a positional relationship between the web W and the abutting member 4; detection means 3 for outputting positional information regarding a position of the web W in the transverse direction D; and control means 200 for controlling the displacement means 30 based on the positional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Zuiko Corporation
    Inventors: Toyoshi Umebayashi, Takahiro Shimada
  • Patent number: 8257237
    Abstract: A system is provided for bifolding disposable absorbent articles on a high speed production line on which the disposable absorbent articles are moved along a predetermined path. The system includes the use of one or more vacuum conveyor assemblies to engage and transfer the leading end portion of the article from the surface of a peel-roll to a folding drum. Thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment between opposing edges of an article during a bifolding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Glasgow Burns, Jr., Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8235881
    Abstract: A method for folding signatures is provided. The method includes the steps of forcing a trail edge of a first signature away from a folding cylinder using a signature support, tucking a second signature held by a gripper using a tucker at a first fold location and performing a mode change to tuck a further signature at a second fold location different from the first fold location, the mode change including moving the gripper and the signature support automatically with respect to the tucker. A signature support is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: David Clarke Pollock
  • Patent number: 8146903
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include as apparatus for folding printed sheets. The apparatus including first crease roller and a second crease roller longitudinally aligned with the first crease roller. A spacing device separating the first and second crease rollers to form a nip space therebetween. A crease blade is disposed adjacent the nip space and adapted to urge the sheets toward the nip space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Ryan
  • Patent number: 8083661
    Abstract: A creasing machine (1) for forming creases in sheets (11) of flexible material, said creasing machine (1) including a creasing mechanism (5), a transport mechanism (3) for transporting sheets (11) of material through the creasing mechanism, and a control system (7) for controlling operation of the creasing mechanism (5) and the transport mechanism (3), said creasing mechanism (3) including first and second creasing members (25,27) and a drive mechanism (28) for driving the creasing members (25,27), wherein the creasing members (25,27) are arranged to move in the direction of movement of the sheet (11) and at least one of said creasing members (25,27) is moveable towards the other creasing member (25,27) to produce a crease in a sheet (11) located between those members (25,27), and wherein the control system (7) is arranged to substantially match the speed of movement of the creasing members (25,27) with the speed of the sheet to enable the sheet to be creased while moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Morgana Systems Limited
    Inventors: Wilfred Macleod Garner, Richard John Kelley
  • Publication number: 20110245060
    Abstract: A system is provided for bifolding disposable absorbent articles on a high speed production line on which the disposable absorbent articles are moved along a predetermined path. The system includes the use of one or more vacuum conveyor assemblies to engage and transfer the leading end portion of the article from the surface of a peel-roll to a folding drum. Thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment between opposing edges of an article during a bifolding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: John Glasgow Burns, JR., Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8029429
    Abstract: In a mechanism and method for bonding two paper sheets on an interfolding machine, pre-compressing mechanisms are provided on each of two folding rollers to produce compress-to-bond areas on overlapped portions of two thick or air-impermeable paper sheets transferred to the two folding rollers, so that all plies of the two paper sheets at the compress-to-bond areas are compressed to bond together. Thereby, when the interfolding machine operates at a high speed, a plurality of the locally compressed and bonded paper sheets may still be smoothly folded to form a stack of interfolded paper sheets, such as a tissue paper stack or a paper towel stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Chan Li Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tung-I Tsai
  • Patent number: 7955244
    Abstract: A system is provided for bifolding disposable absorbent articles on a high speed production line on which the disposable absorbent articles are moved along a predetermined path. The system includes the use of one or more vacuum conveyor assemblies to engage and transfer the leading end portion of the article from the surface of a peel-roll to a folding drum, thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment between opposing edges of an article during a bifolding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Glasgow Burns, Jr., Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7926799
    Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7896795
    Abstract: A folder has a jaw cylinder and a folding cylinder including a gripper for gripping an edge of a first signature and a tucking blade for tucking the first signature into the jaw cylinder. The folding cylinder includes a signature support supporting a second signature against the jaw cylinder, the signature support and the gripper being movable automatically together with respect to the tucking blade. A transfer cylinder, method and signature support are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: David Clarke Pollock
  • Patent number: 7896796
    Abstract: Outserts having printed information thereon are disclosed and are formed in accordance with a method in which a plurality of parallel folds are made in a sheet of paper in a first fold direction using a plurality of pairs of folding rollers and stop members to form an intermediate folded item and in which a plurality of cross-folds are made in the intermediate folded item to form the outsert. The cross-folds may be made to divide the length of the intermediate folded item into ten panels, fourteen panels, or eighteen panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Vijuk Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Mattila, William C. Neubauer
  • Patent number: 7846082
    Abstract: A method is provided for bifolding articles on a high speed production line on which the articles are moved along a predetermined path. The method includes the use of a vacuum conveyor assembly to engage the leading end portion of an article and transport it in the machine direction, thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment of the article end edges during a bifolding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Glasgow Burns, Jr., Yoichiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7775959
    Abstract: A folding device with a folding drum for producing the second longitudinal fold in products of a rotary press has at least two folding blades fixed in folding-blade carriers, a folding-blade shaft is mounted in the folding drum at both ends by means of bearings and between the latter by means of at least one further bearing, the bearing preferably being arranged between the folding-blade carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Hubert Schalk
  • Patent number: 7771337
    Abstract: An interfolding machine includes a first folding roll with a series of the gripper assemblies and a series of tucker assemblies uniformly and alternately spaced to interact with a series of gripper and tucker assemblies of an adjacent second folding roll. The series of alternately spaced gripper and tucker assemblies interact to grip, carry, and release a sheet of material in a manner so as to generate an interfolded stack of sheets. Each tucker assembly includes an outwardly biased tucker element that is operable to self-center in a slot formed in the folding roll. The tucker assembly further includes a roller mounted by a pin to the tucker element such that the tucker element rolls along a surface defined by the slot. Another embodiment of the tucker assembly includes a pivot spring and bumper to self-center the tucker element in the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Fabio Perini S.p.A.
    Inventors: Barton J. White, Andrew L. Haasl
  • Patent number: 7771336
    Abstract: In a variable cut-off length type rotary printing machine, to perform processes such as a process of folding a cut-off sheet with a high degree of accuracy, a folding machine includes a cut-off unit capable of varying and cutting a cut-off length of a web fed from a printing machine of the rotary printing machine, and a processor (such as a folder, etc.) for processing a sheet 10a cut off by the cut-off unit. Between the cut-off unit 50 and the processor, the folding machine further includes a first belt conveyor for conveying the sheet at a speed equal to the web, and a second belt conveyor for receiving the sheet from the first belt conveyor at a speed approximately equal to the sheet conveying speed of the first belt conveyor, then varying the conveying speed to a speed approximately equal to the sheet conveying speed of the processor, and delivering the sheet to processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd
    Inventors: Yukikazu Shoji, Mikio Motooka, Isami Mitamura, Kunihiro Shichijo
  • Patent number: 7758486
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, a method and apparatus for folding sheets are disclosed in which single transverse folds are created by vacuum rolls in one operational mode and double transverse folds are created by vacuum rolls in another operational mode. The folder can have a low profile in which the axes of various elements and assemblies in the folder are located within height ranges relative to the height of a folding roll axis in the folder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: C.G. Bretting Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Edward R. Ochsenbauer
  • Patent number: 7744518
    Abstract: This folder includes a device for cutting sheets from a web of paper, a folding cylinder which is provided with movable retention devices and movable blades for folding the sheets cut from the web, a cam for controlling the movement of the movable retention devices by contact with cam followers, a cam for controlling the movement of the tucking blades by contact with cam followers, and at least one covering cam. The covering cam includes two semi-cams which can each be moved radially between a retracted position and an extracted position, the covering cam being in a configuration for straight operation when the semi-cams are in a retracted position and in a configuration for collect operation when the semi-cams are in an extracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Goss Systemes Graphiques Nantes
    Inventors: Cyrille Belleculee, Michel Griffon
  • Patent number: 7739951
    Abstract: A printed product, with a number of inserts, is printed on a printing machine. The pages of the inserts are printed by the printing machine as product pages on the web. The web is then folded in a folder that is a part of the printing machine to thereby form at least one of the inserts of the printed product. The printed product is laid out at an exit of the folder and the web is folded in such a manner that a final format of each insert completely shows one of these printed pages. Before the printed product is laid out at the exit of the folder, inserts which belong to the same printed product are collected in the folder by placing these inserts one atop the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudolf Stäb
  • Patent number: 7736290
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus, including: a stacker configured to stack a plurality of sheets; a first folding roller configured to rotate around a first axis; a second folding roller configured to rotate around a second axis which is in parallel with the first axis and biased to the first folding roller separably to make a nip together with the first folding roller therebetween; a blade unit configured to push a surface of the plurality of sheets stacked by the stacker, into the nip; a first support configured to support the blade unit and configured to move linearly in a common tangential direction of the first folding roller and the second folding roller at the nip; and a second support configured to support the blade unit, configured to move linearly in the common tangential direction when the blade unit passes a section between where the blade unit starts touching at the plurality of sheets and where the plurality of sheets approaches the nip, and configured to deviate the blade away from the common tangenti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oshiro, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Tomomi Iijima
  • Patent number: 7699300
    Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7695422
    Abstract: A folding drum and method of operation is disclosed. The folding drum is used for folding material, in particular for a printing press. The folding drum is mounted rotatably on its longitudinal axle. The folding drum has a folding-blade spindle, the longitudinal axle of which is coupled to the longitudinal axle of the folding drum and is spaced apart from the longitudinal axle of the folding drum. Furthermore, the folding drum comprises a force generation means for generating a relief force which is opposed to a centrifugal force which is generated in the case of a rotating folding drum by the co-rotating folding-blade spindle. Thus, the disadvantageous influence of the centrifugal force can be reduced. As a result, in particular, a mounting of the folding-blade spindle can be relieved. The wear of the mounting can be reduced and its service life can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Frank Schmieder
  • Patent number: 7690632
    Abstract: A sheet bending apparatus and a sheet postprocessing apparatus are provided for improved alignment of recording sheets during center-folding. A center-folding unit mounted in a sheet postprocessing apparatus performs a center-folding processing to a stack of recording sheets aligned on their sides and placed in a sheet holding member. Side aligning is performed near a central portion in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet holding member. The center-folding unit includes: two upper end aligning members positioned upstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member; and a pair of lower side end aligning members positioned on downstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and are movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member and independently from the upper end aligning members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Izumichi, Mitsutoshi Takemoto, Takashi Kotani, Terumitsu Noso
  • Publication number: 20100075820
    Abstract: Folding and stacking machine (100) of a web of paper, or similar products includes a first sheet feeding line (201) and a second sheet feeding line (202). The machine (100) also includes a folding section (200) having a couple of folding rollers (7, 8) that work at a linear folding speed VP and are adapted to receive a plurality of sheets (11) of length L that are overlapped for a fraction Y of their length L and to fold them into a plurality of panels (P). The first and the second sheet feeding lines (201, 202) provide respective cutting sections of the sheets starting from webs of paper (10, 10?). These proceed respectively at a speed V1 and V2 with respect to the folding speed VP, where a first speed (V1) has a ratio X1 with respect to the folding speed VP, V2 and a second speed V2 second has a ratio X2 with respect to the folding speed VP. The first and the second sheet feeding lines (201, 202) can be operated selectively and independently, i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: MTC- MACCHINE TRASFORMAZIONE CARTA S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alessandro De Matteis
  • Publication number: 20090298664
    Abstract: A device for folding an endlessly producible web of corrugated cardboard comprises a stand with two retaining members, at least one engagement member mounted in the stand, the engagement member comprising at least one projection which comprises at least one free end forming a contact edge, and at least one driving device for moving the at least one engagement member, with the at least one engagement member being movably mounted in the stand in such a way that the contact edge is movable at an angle relative to the contact surface along a predetermined trajectory so as to bring the contact edge into engagement with the web of corrugated cardboard sliding on the contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: BHS Corrugated Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Martin GRILL
  • Patent number: 7540836
    Abstract: In the drive for cylinders of a rotary press which operate together, one of the cylinders includes a pair of cylinder segments which can be driven and rotated independently of one another by respective electric motors. The further cylinder is driven by a dedicated electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Nils-Hendric Schall, Andreas Stieler
  • Publication number: 20090137374
    Abstract: A folding unit folds a sheet. A pressing unit presses a folded side of the folded sheet. A driving unit causes the pressing unit to slide in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction. A control unit independently sets number of slides at which the pressing unit is to slide on each of a plurality of sections of the folded side depending on a distance of each of the sections from a reference position, and controls the driving unit so as to slide in each of the sections for the number of slides set for that section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Masahiro Tamura, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Hiroshi Maeda, Atsushi Kuriyama, Makoto Hidaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Junichi Tokita, Akira Kunieda, Takashi Saito, Ichiro Ichihashi