Reciprocatory Folder Patents (Class 493/437)
  • Patent number: 11926500
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a sheet conveyance path, a first folding conveyance path, a first folding roller pair, a first folding guide, and a conveyance roller. The first folding roller pair is composed of a first roller and a second roller forming a first folding nip by being brought into pressure contact with an upstream side of the first roller. The first folding guide is movable between a folding position at which it approaches the first folding nip, guiding a to-be-folded part of a sheet to the first folding nip, and a retracted position at which it is away from the first folding nip. The conveyance roller forms, together with the second roller, a first assist roller pair that conveys the sheet along the sheet conveyance path. The first folding guide has a pivot fulcrum on a downstream side relative to the first folding nip in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tadahisa Kishimoto, Koji Murata
  • Patent number: 11560286
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a folding rollers pair, a folding blade and a sheet guide. The folding rollers pair causes a sheet to pass through a first nip area to fold the sheet. The folding blade includes a blade portion and a pair of arm portions. The blade portion is selectively disposed in a folding position where the blade portion pushes a folded portion of the sheet into the first nip area and in a retracting position where the blade portion is retracted from the folding position. The pair of arm portions couples both end portions of the blade portion with the pivot shaft. The sheet guide can be passed between the pair of arm portions. Between the blade portion and the sheet guide, a retreating path in which a part of the sheet is retreated when the folded portion is pushed into the first nip area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Murata, Tadahisa Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11459204
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a folding rollers pair, a folding blade, a movable guide, and a driving mechanism. The folding rollers pair includes a first roller and a second roller, and causes a sheet conveyed in a first conveyance direction to pass through a first nip area between the rollers. The folding blade is selectively disposed in a folding position and in a retracting position. The movable guide can reciprocate between a covering position covering the second roller disposed downstream of the first roller in the first conveyance direction and the first nip area and a non-covering position exposing the second roller and the first nip area. The drive mechanism disposes the folding blade in the folding position while disposing the movable guide in the non-covering position, and disposes the folding blade in the retracting position while disposing the movable guide in the covering position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Murata, Tadahisa Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20150133282
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet folding device comprising a deceleration means which halts a sheet by pressing. A pressure member such as rubber is disposed upon the leading end of a rod-shaped member which is rotatably retained. A sheet is decelerated by the pressure member being applied obliquely to the sheet. The entire surface of the rubber does not make close contact with paper, and thus, a wrinkle is not formed in the paper. It is possible to ensure a stable folding location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: TAIYOUGIKEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ishii, Keiichi Arai
  • Patent number: 8894558
    Abstract: A recording material processing apparatus includes: a stacker stacking recording materials to form a bundle; a pressing member including blade sections arranged at intervals to press portions of the bundle, where folds are to be formed, to move the portions in a recording material transport direction; a pair of first fold-forming rolls, each of which includes plural rolls arranged at intervals to enter between the blade sections when the blade sections press the portions, the pair of first fold-forming rolls forming the folds at intervals by nipping the portions pressed by the blade sections; and a pair of second fold-forming rolls, each of which includes plural rolls arranged at intervals to correspond to the blade sections, the pair of second fold-forming rolls further forming the folds on the bundle by nipping portions of the bundle, which exist between the folds formed by the pair of first fold-forming rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8776484
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine is adapted to manufacture a bag having a gusset section, and includes a conveying part, a plurality of splitters and an inward-folding member. The conveying part is configured and arranged to convey a tubular packaging material. The splitters extend along a conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material to contact with the tubular packaging material from an interior side. The inward-folding member has a pressing part including a plurality of contacting portions that are three-dimensionally arranged to generally correspond to a shape of the gusset section. The inward-folding member is configured and arranged to press the contacting portions of the pressing part from an external side of the tubular packaging material against an outer surface of a gusset formation area of the tubular packaging material located between the splitters to form the gusset section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Kondo, Makoto Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8556790
    Abstract: A flap folding system for a disposable article, includes: main pads each for receiving a main body on a main holding surface thereof provided along a conveyance circle about a main rotation shaft and moving along the conveyance circle following rotation of the main rotation shaft while holding the main body on the main holding surface; a pair of side pads provided for each main pad adjacent to the conveyance circle of the main pad each for receiving an end portion of the flap in a girth direction on a sub-holding surface thereof provided along the conveyance circle and holding the end portion of the flap on the sub-holding surface; and a folding mechanism for rotating the side pads with respect to the main pad so that the sub-holding surfaces of the side pads oppose the main holding surface of the main pad, thereby folding the flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Zuiko Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiko Fujita
  • Patent number: 8512214
    Abstract: A method for folding sheets of a medium is provided. The method includes rotating a cam mechanism through a first period of rotation to cause a crease blade to move in a contact direction to create a crease in the sheets by pushing the sheets between a pair of first rolls, and rotating the cam mechanism through a second period of rotation to cause the crease blade to move in a retracting direction away from the sheets and cause a lever to move first and second scissor arms such that the pair of first rolls is separated and a pair of second rolls is separated. One of the second rolls is movable by the second scissor arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Hubbard, Mike Snelling, Jeff Ryan, Ian Parks, Chris Pearce
  • Patent number: 8262073
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pushing member, a drive device, a first conveyance unit, a second conveyance unit provided on a downstream side of the first conveyance unit, a first detection unit, a second detection unit, and a control unit. The drive device moves the pushing member to push a portion of a sheet bundle to fold the sheet bundle. The first conveyance unit uses a roller pair to convey the folded sheet bundle folded. The second conveyance unit conveys the sheet bundle. The first detection unit detects an amount by which the pushing member is moved by the drive device. The second detection unit detects an amount by which the sheet bundle is conveyed by the first conveyance unit. The control unit separates the roller pair based on the amounts detected by the first and second detection units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Tomoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8197394
    Abstract: It is disclosed a device (1) for altering the storage capacity of a tubular mesh bag of heat sealable material during the manufacture thereof and the bag (15) obtained from its using. The device comprises an expansion core (2) to which the tubular mesh is peripheral, which is essentially oblong and will be inserted vertically inside the tubular mesh, thus determining two from faces (21) and two side faces of said mesh as it passes over the expansion core. The device has a mechanism for inserting, in a variable way as the mesh passes over the expansion core, sections of the peripheral tubular mesh into it, thus accumulating a greater or smaller quantity of mesh in each longitudinal section of mesh corresponding with one bag unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Girnet Internacional, S.L.
    Inventor: Ezequiel Giro Amigo
  • Patent number: 8105227
    Abstract: A device for folding sheets of a medium is provided. The device has a frame; a cam mechanism attached to the frame; a lever attached to the frame, the lever being actuated by the cam mechanism; a first scissor arm attached to the frame, the first scissor arm being actuated by the lever; a pair of first rolls, one of the first rolls being movable by the first scissor arm; a second scissor arm attached to the frame, the second scissor arm being actuated by the lever; a pair of second rolls, one of the second rolls being movable by the second scissor arm; and a crease blade for contacting the sheets to create a crease in the sheets. Rotation of the cam mechanism through a first period of rotation causes the crease blade to move in a contact direction to create the crease in the sheets by pushing the sheets between the first rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Hubbard, Mike Snelling, Jeff Ryan, Ian Parks, Chris Pearce
  • Publication number: 20110319243
    Abstract: A flap folding system for a disposable article to be worn, including: a plurality of main pads 11 each for receiving at least a main body 2 on a main holding surface 11s thereof provided along a conveyance circle C about a main rotation shaft 91 and moving along the conveyance circle C following rotation of the main rotation shaft 91 while holding the main body 2 on the main holding surface 11s; a pair of side pads 12 provided for each main pad 11 adjacent to the conveyance circle C of the main pad 11 each for receiving at least an end portion of the flap 3 in a girth direction on a sub-holding surface 12s thereof provided along the conveyance circle C and holding the end portion of the flap 3 on the sub-holding surface 12s; and a folding mechanism 40 for rotating the pair of side pads 12 with respect to the main pad 11 so that the sub-holding surfaces 12s of the pair of side pads 12 oppose the main holding surface 11s of the main pad 11, thereby folding the flap 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: ZUIKO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiko Fujita
  • Patent number: 7780589
    Abstract: It is disclosed a device (1) for altering the storage capacity of a tubular mesh bag of heat sealable material during the manufacture thereof and the bag (15) obtained from its using. The device comprises an expansion core (2) to which the tubular mesh is peripheral, which is essentially oblong and will be inserted vertically inside the tubular mesh, thus determining two from faces (21) and two side faces of said mesh as it passes over the expansion core. The device has a mechanism for inserting, in a variable way as the mesh passes over the expansion core, sections of the peripheral tubular mesh into it, thus accumulating a greater or smaller quantity of mesh in each longitudinal section of mesh corresponding with one bag unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Girnet Internacional, S.L.
    Inventor: Ezequiel Giro Amigo
  • Publication number: 20090298661
    Abstract: An installation for folding and stacking an endlessly producible web of corrugated cardboard comprises a folding device for folding a web of corrugated cardboard along predetermined folds and a stacking device which is arranged downstream of the folding device for stacking the web of corrugated cardboard, which has been folded along the folds, in stacks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: BHS Corrugated Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Martin GRILL
  • Patent number: 7575545
    Abstract: A system comprises alternative processing sections for use in the further processing of products. A separator, at which a transport section is divided into several alternative transport sections for the further processing of products in processing stages, is provided. A sensor, that detects the phasing of the products, is located upstream of the separator. A request from the sensor acts on a drive which actuates the separator through a control device. A further sensor, which detects the product phasing, is located on each of the at least two transport sections. This further sensor is connected to a drive for the processing stage served by respective ones of the separate transport sections. The drive of each such processing stage is controlled independently of the drive for the respective transport section by a suitable control unit which takes into consideration the detected product phasing for the associated transport section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Holger Ratz
  • Patent number: 6901718
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of packaging paper products (such as facial tissue) in a dispenser. A clip of paper product is folded. The folded clip has a central region and a pair of opposing peripheral regions separated from one another by the central region. The peripheral regions of the folded clip are pressed toward one another to compress the peripheral regions. After the peripheral regions are compressed, the folded clip is transferred into the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Potlatch Corporation
    Inventors: Celeste Osborne, Mike Ellis, Mike Ruark
  • Patent number: 6878104
    Abstract: A system for folding sheet material is provided, including a fold blade, two fold components biased toward one another, and first drive means for moving at least one of the fold blade and the two fold components to position the fold blade between the two fold components and thereby displace the two components away from one another, where the two fold components are mounted on different support elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steven W. Trovinger, Ross R. Allen
  • Patent number: 6846278
    Abstract: A card package production system (20) for producing card packages (22) with cards (26) mounted to bifold carrier forms (24) with a pair of parallel, spaced, preweakened fold lines (33) and (34) dividing the body (32) of the carrier forms into leading end (35), middle (36) and lagging end (37) sections, a card carrier form folding apparatus (30) having a stop member (46) located extending downwardly into a blocking position along a folding path (44), a plurality of rollers (38)(39) and (40) for moving the carrier forms (24) along the folding path (44) and into the stop member (46) to buckle the leading end (35) and middle section (36) away from the folding path (44), a pushing member (56) driven by an electric motor (57) engaging the lagging end section (37) to push the carrier form (24) along the folding path (44) to pivotally swing the stop member (46) to a nonblocking position enabling the middle section (36) to fall back against the lagging section (37) folding the carrier (24) along fold lines (33) and (3
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hill, Jeffery L. Hill, Robert J. Bretl
  • Patent number: 6668523
    Abstract: To fold a piece of linen to a very small final dimension, for example a bed sheet to 9″×6″, the piece of linen is kept constantly under pressure after final folding until it has been fixed in a storage position, in order to prevent opening of said final fold. This can be effected by pushing it during final folding by means of a folding sword into a receptacle, from where it is pushed by means of a ram onto a stacking line where its outer surfaces each rest against a corresponding outer surface of an adjacent piece of linen or another stop surface formed by slides or a pressure plate, so that it is fixed in its final configuration. Alternatively, the piece of linen can be fed, while maintaining pressure on the outer surfaces, to a packing apparatus and surrounded there by a strip of packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Jensen AG Burgdorf
    Inventor: Samuel Gerber
  • Patent number: 6669619
    Abstract: A device for folding printing copies in a web-fed rotary printing machine includes a folding knife, controls for reciprocatingly moving the folding knife at least approximately in one plane, the controls including a first and a second toggle lever, which, at one of the ends thereof, respectively, are movably attached to frame-fixed parts of the printing machine and at the other ends thereof, respectively, are movably attached to the folding knife, and a rotary element simultaneously actable upon both the first and the second toggle levers for operating the controls; a folder including the folding device; and an assembly including the folder with the folding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Herbert Bialek
  • Patent number: 6659931
    Abstract: A jaw device for rotary-press folding section provided on a jaw cylinder in which the a continuous paper web guided in between a cutting cylinder and a folding cylinder is guided along the outer periphery of the folding cylinder, with the leading edge thereof held by a holding mechanism provided on the folding cylinder and wound around the outer periphery of the folding cylinder by the rotation of the folding cylinder, cut to a predetermined length with a cutting mechanism; the cut paper sheet being guided to an appropriate position along the outer periphery of the folding cylinder; the leading edge of the cut sheet being released from the held state and caused to protrude into the jaw cylinder with an insertion blade, thereby the cut sheet being folded by gripping the insertion blade and the cut sheet caused to protrude by the insertion blade; the folding section jaw device comprising an opening provided on the outer periphery of the jaw cylinder in parallel with the axial line, and a jaw proper comprising a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Uera, Takeo Nanba, Toshio Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6645134
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming informational items such as outserts and booklets may include folding a sheet of paper having product information printed thereon by making a plurality of folds in the sheet of paper to form a first folded article, the folds in the sheet of paper being made using a first folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers; (b) making a fold in the first folded article to form a second folded article, the fold being parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the fold being made using a second folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers; (c) applying pressure at least about 30 psi and no greater than about 500 psi to the second folded article a first pressing unit having a pair of pressure rollers; and (d) making one or more folds in the second folded article to form an outsert using a third folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, the movable blade member making contact with a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Vijuk Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Neubauer, Ilija Ilijevski, Roger Mattila
  • Patent number: 6592505
    Abstract: A device for forming a tube provided with gussets out of a single- or multi-layer, continuously pre-stressed material web consists of divided upper and lower folding plates mounted on the machine frame that determine the width of the tube to be formed when it is laid flat, which approach one another with regard to their distance from one another approximately in the shape of a wedge and in a manner perpendicular to the plane of the tube to be formed, beginning from the approach sides, with the wedge angle being adjustable, and with the device having two rows of insertion discs respectively mounted on carriers reaching between the folding plates for forming the gussets, whose distance from one another may be adjusted in the plane of the tube to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Windmoeller & Hoelscher
    Inventor: Achim Seeberger
  • Patent number: 6510671
    Abstract: During the production of cuboid-shaped packages, in particular bundle packages made of thin cardboard, it is necessary to form sharp-edged package edges (44, 45), namely those having a right-angled cross-section. This is ensured by means of a folding aid, namely by edge supports (40, 41), around which the folding flaps (27, 28) are folded to form the package edges (44, 45). The edge supports (40, 41) are retracted from their supporting position after folding is completed and the package is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Reinhard Lohmann
  • Patent number: 6511407
    Abstract: For folding sheet layers the folding blade (20) forms a comb. The comb gaps (27) are closed during fold pressing and opened during transfer of the fold to a conveyor (21). Thus the conveyor (21) engages the sheet only in the region of the comb gaps and easily withdraws the sheet without pressing it into contact against the folding blade (20). For controlling the gap variations a fully mechanical cam control (30) is provided underneath the working plane (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: bielomatik Leuze GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Karl Wahl
  • Patent number: 6309336
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for folding a portion of a textile length, in particular a bed sheet or similar, with a lengthwise folding device (16) in which the textile length is folded to produce a tubular folded product (2) with lengthwise folding edges extending substantially parallel to one another, and a crosswise folding device (1) in which the tubular folded product (2) is folded to produce a folded product in packet form with at least one crosswise folding edge (14) extending substantially perpendicularly to the lengthwise folding edges. The tubular folded product (2) can be brought to lie with one lengthwise edge against a stop strip (23, 24), at least in certain regions, in the crosswise folding device (1) before being folded. A drawing device (12) is disposed in the region between the two ends of the tubular folded product in order to draw in the folded product for crosswise folding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Texpa Maschinenbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Karl Muessig, Guido Erhart
  • Patent number: 6305146
    Abstract: To fold a piece of linen (5) to a very small final dimension, for example a bed sheet to 9″×6″, said piece of linen is kept constantly under pressure after final folding until it has been fixed in a storage position, in order to prevent opening of said final fold. This can be effected by pushing it during final folding by means of a folding sword into a receptacle (20), from where it is pushed by means of a ram (26) onto a stacking line (27) where its outer surfaces each rest against a corresponding outer surface of an adjacent piece of linen (5′) or another stop surface formed by slides (31a,b) or a pressure plate (33), so that it is fixed in its final configuration. Alternatively, the piece of linen can be fed, while maintaining pressure on the outer surfaces, to a packing apparatus and surrounded there by a strip of packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Jensen AG Burgdorf
    Inventor: Samuel Gerber
  • Patent number: 6276045
    Abstract: Upper and lower mirror image die plates are resiliently supported and have predetermined displacement values for forming vortex generators and foldline crease channels without compressive deformation in a porous sintered metal fiber sheet material. Cutters and ridges coupled to the upper and lower die plates form the respective vortex generators and channels. The sheet of so formed material is then placed in an apparatus for bending the sheet at the foldline channels to corrugate the sheet without deformation of the sheet material between the corrugation bends. Fingers align with and engage the channels. The fingers are on plates that are ramped closer together simultaneously while the fingers on two mirror image coplanar sets of plates displace toward each other as the sheet material is folded. Pins on a pair of rotating levers engage each of the finger plates of the two sets for relatively horizontally displacing the plates and corresponding fingers as they are ramped together vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Lummus Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Franz Büchi, Ernst Vogt, Peter Dubach, Timothy Griffin, Jonathan Lloyd, Bettina Paikert
  • Patent number: 6263814
    Abstract: A package of a continuous strip of material includes a plurality of parallel side by side stacks each containing a length of the strip which is folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the stack is folded relative to the next portion about a line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the strip portions are aligned. The strip of material includes a splice defined by the two ends of the strip. The two ends of the strip are held together by yarn stitches passing through and bridging the strip ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: BKI Holding Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence J. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 6074332
    Abstract: A knife folder for folding a sheet material comprises a sheet-material feeder for feeding the sheet material in a first direction, a folder for folding said sheet material, and a sheet-material conveyer used for conveying the sheet material and comprising at least one pair of rotating conveying components whose axes of rotation are arranged in a second direction substantially at right angles to the first direction. The folder pushes the folded sheet material between the conveying components of the at least one pair of conveying components when it is at its folding position. The sheet material is advanced up to a stop. The folder comprises a knife extending in a third direction substantially at right angles to said first and said second direction. The sheet material can be conveyed in the third direction by actuating the conveying components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Bowe Systec AG
    Inventors: Maximilian Helmstadter, Karlheinz Weinmann
  • Patent number: 5989175
    Abstract: In the present invention, when a signature is formed with a chopper folding device, the conveying force of a sheet etc. conveyed to a position for sheet positioning is reduced, and the sheet etc. is released from restraint of the conveying force, by which the effect of the conveying force is not brought to the subsequent sheet folding process, so that a signature can be formed smoothly and properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masao Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 5966905
    Abstract: A package of a continuous strip of material includes a plurality of parallel side by side stacks each containing a length of the strip, which is folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the stack is folded relative to the next portion about a line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the strip portions are aligned. The strip is continuous through each stack and can be connected by a splice from the end of one stack to beginning of the next stack. The package is compressed to reduce the height of the stacks and maintained in the compressed condition by an evacuated sealed bag. The package can have the stacks oriented vertically or horizontally. When the stacks are horizontal, the spliced portions are vertical and coplanar with the strips and at alternate ends. When the stacks are vertical, the spliced portions extend from the bottom of the stack along one end of the stack to the top of the next stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Stac-Pac Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence J. O'Connor, Mark B. Davidson, Darrell Van Mol
  • Patent number: 5961435
    Abstract: A folding device (10) includes: two cam-controlled folding knives (20, 21) that are vertically moveable relative to each other; a run-in table (60) vertically shiftable synchronously with the folding knives; and a counter-pressure line (80) having at least one pressure cylinder (82) per sliding block (84). The shafts (30, 31) and their drive systems (50, 51) are shiftable in mutually opposed vertical directions and are synchronized, e.g. electronically or via T-type gears (53, 54) having a common motor (52). At least one shaft (31) with its motor (51) is shiftable in a linear carriage (37) of a vertical linear slideway (38). The folding knives (20, 21) are rotatably supported at linear carriages (24, 25) guided on linear slideways (27, 28) and connected to cam disks (40, 41) which, synchronously with at least two eccentric disks (44) fixed to the shafts (30,31), bear on associated rocker levers (45).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Inventor: Hermann Schafer
  • Patent number: 5961431
    Abstract: The device for turning a front panel of a platelike workpiece within a folder-gluer comprises a retaining plate 20 extending across and somewhat above the traveling plane of the workpiece and a series of lifting fingers 30 positioned transversely below the travelling plane and somewhat upstream of the retaining plate 20. The lifting fingers are actuated by a piston from a resting position below the travelling plane to a raised slanted raised position, at the arrival of the blank's front panel. The front panel includes a partially separated flap that must be parted. The device also comprises at least one pusher 40 that is substantially perpendicular to the plate 20, the pusher 40 being actuated by an actuator 44 in order to separate the flap when the panel reaches maximum height against the plate 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Bobst S.A.
    Inventors: Gerard Coullery, Jean-Louis Wenger
  • Patent number: 5876027
    Abstract: A sheet bundle folding apparatus causes a bundle of sheets to be rolled into a pair of fold rollers thereby folding the bundle of sheets. The apparatus is provided with a drive source for rotating the pair of fold rollers in a normal direction to roll in the bundle of sheets and in a reverse direction to return the rolled-in bundle of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Aptex Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Fukui, Yoshihiko Kitahara
  • Patent number: 5480372
    Abstract: The front bag (12) of a supply of bags (12) stored in a magazine (250) is removed by an unloading device (252) including four linkages (254, 256, 258, 260) which are pivoted to attach suction cups (264) thereto. The unloading device (252) inserts the bag (12) between nip rollers (52, 54) including spaced wheels (56, 58) which drive the bag (12) downward until the closed end (20) rests upon an adjustable stop (72). A tucking plate (90) moves from a retracted position to an extended position generally perpendicular to the bag (12) to drive the bag (12) into a slot (46) of a fixture (32), with the bag (12) having a U-shaped configuration around the tucking plate (90). The bag (12) is prevented from moving from the slot (46) with the tucking plate (90) as the tucking plate (90) moves from the extended position to the retracted position by a compression roller (208) pivotable by a cam (214) movable with the tucking plate (90) to sandwich the side edges of the bag (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney K. Gwiazdon, John E. Korte, Richard S. Deadmond, Wayne A. Smith
  • Patent number: 5458557
    Abstract: A quarter fold folding device is described, having a quarter fold blade suspended by two opposite ends from two pivots, which are free to rotate with respect to the blade and are securely fastened to two connecting rods at one of their ends. The connecting rods are, at their opposite ends, rotationally driven in opposite directions, respectively, by means of two horizontal shafts rotating about their longitudinal axis. The rotating shafts are simultaneously rotationally driven in opposite directions respectively about two horizontal and parallel central axes, so that when the two rotating shafts perform a complete revolution about the parallel central axes, the two opposite ends of the folding blade driven by the connecting rods describe two parallel vertical segments of a straight line between a bottom position and a top position of the quarter fold blade. The quarter fold blade in the bottom position engages a signature between two folding cylinders, so as to form a longitudinal fold in the signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Gerard Bladie, Eddie Smelten
  • Patent number: 5445592
    Abstract: A signature booklet maker (SBM) finishing apparatus for an image producing device includes a modified fold blade having a plurality of contacting teeth spaced part by a predetermined distance. The contacting teeth further include a predetermined contact surface width and a predetermined thickness. The grind direction of the teeth is specified to reduce inside sheet drag during folding. The spaced teeth are adapted drive the stitched signature set in a folding unit without contacting the stitches, thereby eliminating fold skew and inside sheet marking. Moreover, the fold blade has a predetermined hardness to ensure that the blade is not damaged during folding. The SBM further includes a trim waste elimination device and knife guard to prevent booklet trimmings from migrating throughout the trimmer unit. The knife guard eliminates the safety hazard caused by the blade in the resting position and guides air from an air blower to force booklet trimmings into a waste chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Paul N. Richards
  • Patent number: 5273515
    Abstract: An arrangement for transferring transversely folded printed products to a third fold has a mechanism for providing a first longitudinal fold, a subsequently arranged mechanism for forming a transverse fold and having an outlet gap, two devices for forming a third fold, located one above the other and each having an inlet gap, two drawing-in roller pairs associated with a respective one of the devices and each having a central axis located in one imaginary vertical plane. The inlet gaps of the devices for forming a third fold and the outlet gap of the mechanism for forming a transverse fold are arranged relative to one another so that an imaginary horizontal plane extending through the outlet gap is simultaneously a plane of symmetry for the inlet gaps. A mechanism for connecting the outlet gap with the inlet gaps and includes a first transporting roller pair, a product deflector and two mirror-symmetrical sheet guides of a same length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Zirkon Druckmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Fenske
  • Patent number: 5222934
    Abstract: A signature conveying assembly for a longitudinal folder of a web-fed rotary printing press utilizes a horizontally adjustable belt support roll to vary the intensity of the clamping force of the belts against the conveyed signatures and the impact force of the signatures against a stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Albert-Frankenthal Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudolf P. Ochsner
  • Patent number: 5085625
    Abstract: A chopper type fold device includes a chopper blade supported by at least two linear feeding crank mechanisms provided along a longitudinal direction of the chopper blade, each linear feeding crank mechanism comprising two crank members mutually rotating in opposite directions and two connecting rods having the same length, the upper end of each connecting rod being connected to one of the crank members, the lower end of each connecting rod being coaxially connected to an upper end of the chopper blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Komori Corporation
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 4985013
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for folding paperlike material, such as documents, which may have different quality and length and are conveyed in assembled form or successively in a transport track, said paperlike material having a leading and a trailing edge and being provided with a fold at a location between its leading and its trailing edge by bending the leading edge and the contiguous portion of the material out of the transport track during conveying of the material until the trailing edge reaches a predetermined position and creating a sharp folding edge by bringing the edge to be folded between folding means by a folding blade moving substantially in the transport track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1991
    Assignee: Hadewe B.V.
    Inventors: Jeichienus A. van der Werff, Robert van Wijk
  • Patent number: 4909779
    Abstract: A web of flat plastic bag stock formed with transverse perforations and heat seals is separated into individual bags, then individually formed in plural folds and the folded bags are stacked for packaging. To form as many as three folds, four rollers are used. The individual, separated bag is forced between the first and second rolls by a reciprocating first "blade" which contacts the middle of the bag. After being formed with the first fold, the bag is forced between the second and third rolls by a reciprocating second "blade". The twice-folded bag is then forced between the third and fourth rolls by a third reciprocating "blade" and, after the third fold, is conveyed away on belts to a stacking station where plural bags are deposited as a layer on a table. The layers may be packaged by hand or by suitable machinery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Inventor: Helmut T. Schaffron
  • Patent number: 4857039
    Abstract: A mechanical folding device fires a multiplicity of pins through an air table and a multiplicity of parallel endless belts forming the conveyor to lift a flexible foldable length of material, such as a plastic film bag body, into a catching device such as a pair of nip conveyors carrying sets of folding belts for completing the fold and carrying the length of material away from the first conveyor. The pins are fired through the air table and conveyor belts by means of a torsion bar coupled by means of lever arms to a carriage carrying the pins. The torsion bar is mechanically loaded by a first air cylinder while the carriage is locked in a lowered position. When the carriage is released by a second air cylinder, the torsion bar first accelerates the carriage upward then decelerates the carriage during the upper half of the extension of the pins. The bar forces the pins to return to a retracted position within the air table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Paul V. Osborn, Clyde C. Tendick
  • Patent number: 4834696
    Abstract: In a folding device for flexible sheet material, a plurality of longitudinally in-line sheet contactor members (1a-23a), called contactors, are provided, each of which are controllably pivotally movable about a pivot axis (113) so as to collectively pivot a sheet (102) about its score line (110). The contactors are controlled so that they have a successive undulating wave action and are formed in sets including a sheet infeed set (121) and a sheet discharge set (123), with an intermediate set (122) disposed therebetween. All of the contactors in the various sets are arranged to have a fixed "at rest" position from which they move. Under the influence of a control device (1b-23b), the contactors individually and pivotally move through varying angles from their respective at rest positions to contact and fold the sheet. The incremental angular displacement of each contactor is such that the leading edge of a sheet progressing from one contactor station to the next downstream station will not be distorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Marquip, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl R. Marschke
  • Patent number: 4784379
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for automatically preparing large mailings in which one or more documents are nested within the fold of a letter sheet prior to insertion into an outer envelope. One or more unfolded letter sheets are transported to a folding operation involving a clamp assembly and a roller folding assembly which is movable into engagement with the clamp assembly. After folding and prior to stuffing into an envelope, one or more inserts can be inserted within the folded letter sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: Gary L. Vander Syde, Paul Beatty, Myron A. Bowles, Kenneth L. Guenther, K. George Rabindran, Gerald D. Warden, Michael A. Wisniewsi, Kenneth Viani
  • Patent number: 4746108
    Abstract: An improved chopper device for use in a folder for folding a signature which has been subjected to parallel folding at a parallel folding device and then conveyed by means of a conveying belt, in a direction perpendicular to the parallel folding direction. The chopper device is provided with an elongated opening having a mouthpiece below the conveying path therefor. An upwardly and downwardly movable chopper blade lowers when the signature is stopper at a predetermined position and forces the signature into the opening. A pair of rollers is provided below the opening in order to grip the signature forced into the opening by the chopper blade nd deliver it to a delivery conveyor. Brushes are provided on both sides of the opening thereabove so as to slidably hold both sides of the signature when the signature is lowered by the rollers through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1988
    Assignee: Komori Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiki Hirayama, Shigeaki Kurihara
  • Patent number: 4650173
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a diaper-producing machine where a series of unfolded diapers are advanced along a path containing a plurality of stackers each having a folding blade, the apparatus having means for periodically altering the movement of one blade to permit diaper movement past that stacker to a subsequent one, thereby continuing stacking while a previously completed stack is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Co.
    Inventors: Gary E. Johnson, Andrew M. Van Egeren, James F. Campbell, Harvey J. Spencer
  • Patent number: 4647029
    Abstract: A paper sheet folding apparatus includes three rotatably mounted folding rollers which cooperate in pairs to provide two folds in a single paper sheet or a packet of paper sheets. A first paper support member on one side of the rollers cooperates with a delivery roller to flex paper into one of the pairs of rollers to provide a first fold in the paper. A second paper support member on the opposite side of the rollers receives the folded paper and cooperates with the first pair of rollers to flex the paper into the second pair of rollers to provide a second fold in the paper. The second pair of rollers then discharges the paper from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Duplo Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masami Ohmori
  • Patent number: 4637812
    Abstract: An apparatus for folding a web of plastic film at predetermined locations and in a Z-shaped manner. The apparatus, by use of a mechanism for supplying the web material, has a pair of film feeding arms supplying the web material to the folded end portions in such a manner that the web material is pressed from front and rear surfaces different from each other, guided and supplied to the folded end portions, the web material is alternately guided around folded end holding members linearly movable at least from one side in the widthwise direction of the web material out of and into the respective folded end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Ogawa