With Reciprocatory Folding Knife Patents (Class 493/444)
  • Patent number: 11407592
    Abstract: An electrode sheet turning mechanism includes a housing, a conveyor belt, a driver, and a stripper. The housing has a suction cavity, and forms an arc-shaped guide surface. A material feeding region and a material discharging region are formed on the arc-shaped guide surface, which is further provided with first suction holes. Second suction holes run through the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is wound on the arc-shaped guide surface, and seals the first suction holes. The driver is for driving the conveyor belt to move. The stripper is for extending to the position between the conveyor belt and the electrode sheet. In the present utility model, the electrode sheet can be automatically turned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU SUPERSONIC AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junfeng Zhang, Changchun Ye, Jiafu Huang
  • Patent number: 11370634
    Abstract: In order to enable a sheet to be properly guided to a nip portion in performing folding processing, a sheet processing apparatus for performing folding processing on a sheet is provided with a rotating body pair which nips the sheet by a nip portion to rotate, and thereby draws the sheet to perform folding processing, a folding blade that pushes the sheet to the nip portion of the rotating body pair, and a blade guide member including a guide portion for pushing the sheet to the nip portion when the folding blade pushes the sheet to the nip portion, where the folding blade and blade guide member are relatively shifted so that a distance from a push front edge portion to the guide portion when the folding blade pushes the sheet to the nip portion is longer than a distance from the front edge portion to the guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Takuya Katayama
  • Patent number: 11275335
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a transport path to guide a sheet transported in a predetermined transport direction, a rotating body pair capable of transporting the sheet in a first direction for nipping the sheet transported to the transport path thereby drawing the sheet to perform folding processing, and in a second direction for switching back the sheet to return to one direction side in the transport direction, a press member for pressing the sheet folded by the rotating body pair in the second direction, and a support portion for supporting the press member, where the support portion is disposed on the side opposite to the rotating body pair with the transport path therebetween and on the other direction side opposite to the one direction side in the transport direction with a nip line for connecting between the nip portion and a front end portion of the folding blade therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Takuya Katayama
  • Patent number: 11261562
    Abstract: A conveyor device for a folding apparatus for folding textiles includes an infeed region for a textile and an outfeed region for a folded textile. A first belt conveyor conveys the textile on a first conveyor plane from the infeed region to a first transfer unit, which feeds the textile to a second conveyor plane of a second belt conveyor. At least one second transfer unit and at least one additional belt conveyor having an additional conveyor plane are disposed downstream of the belt conveyor. At least two subassemblies, each configured as modular conveyor units are provided, into which one belt conveyor and at least one transfer unit are each integrated. The conveyor device is modularly configured, in that a plurality of modular conveyor units are disposed one atop the other and connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Nitschmann, Martin Schubert, Oliver Wuttge
  • Patent number: 11203505
    Abstract: A sheet folding processing device includes a folding processing mechanism that includes a folding roller pair for forming a plurality of folds on the sheet conveyed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction to produce Z-fold, additional folding rollers and a lower folding guide. The additional folding rollers and the lower folding guide are arranged on the downstream side of the folding roller pair in the sheet conveying direction to face each other and cooperate with each other to press the folds. The interval between the folding roller pair and the additional folding rollers is determined such that when the leading fold as viewed in the sheet conveying direction is pressed between the additional folding rollers and the lower folding guide, the sheet part having a plurality of layers of sheet where the sheet is folded between the additional folding rollers can also be held between the folding roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventor: Shinnosuke Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11091346
    Abstract: A sheet supplying unit 1 supplies sheets S one by one. A knife-type folding unit 5 folds the sheet. A first sensor 28 detects the sheet entering the folding position. A second sensor 30a, 30b detects the sheet passing through the opening. A timer 31 measures a time interval from end of sheet detection by the second sensor to start of sheet detection by the first sensor. A sheet feed interval change unit 33 calculates a reduction amount of the sheet feed interval using the measured values of the timer and changes the sheet feed interval based on the reduction amount each time a predetermined number of the sheets are folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Yoshikazu Nakamura, Shigeru Wakimoto, Hideaki Tabuchi
  • Patent number: 11027939
    Abstract: A sheet folding device includes a folding path, a folding roller including at least two rollers that engage with each other to form a folding nip and rotate, a folding blade to be movable to an insertion location at which at least one sheet of paper on the folding path is pushed into the folding nip, and to a retreat location escaping from the folding path, a guide member to move along with the folding blade, located at at least one side of the folding blade, and to push the paper towards the folding roller when the folding blade is moved to the insertion location and an elastic member to apply elasticity to the guide member towards the folding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Jae Hyun Shin, Jung Kyu Park, Eiji Fukasawa, Soo Bok Lee, DongSun Jung
  • Patent number: 9682841
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet folding apparatus which performs a first folding and a second folding on one or a plurality of sheets including a first roller which is one of rollers that form a first nip which performs the first folding, a second roller which forms the first nip with the first roller, a third roller which forms a second nip with the second roller which performs the second folding, a roller drive unit which operates the first, second and third rollers, a first pushing member which pushes a sheet in the first nip, a first push drive unit which operates the first pushing member, a second pushing member which pushes the sheet in the second nip, a second push drive unit which operates the second pushing member, and a control unit which controls the roller driver unit, the first push drive unit and the second push drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Akira Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 9126798
    Abstract: A knife folding machine comprises: a support surface (4) for supporting a lower surface of a sheet (S); a knife blade (5); a pair of folding rollers (6a, 6b) opposed to the knife blade (5) at a fold position with the support surface (4) therebetween. The knife blade (5) is reciprocated between first and second positions by a knife drive unit 7. The first position is away from an upper surface of the support surface, and the second position is adjacent a gap between the folding rollers. The reciprocal movement of the knife blade (5) effects a folding operation every time the sheet (S) is set at the fold position. The sheet (S) is conveyed to the fold position by the conveyer belt (13). The conveyer belt (13) is driven by a first servomotor (11). The control unit (12) controls the rotation of the first servomotor (11) so as to decelerate the sheet (S) before its abutment against the stopper (14) without its rebounding against the stopper (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Shinya Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto, Takehito Yokogi, Tatsuaki Ida, Friedhelm Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 8939880
    Abstract: A sheet folding mechanism includes a sheet conveying path that is curved in a sheet conveyance direction; a pair of folding rollers that are disposed at a downstream side of the sheet conveying path; an abutting stopper member that is disposed at the downstream side of the folding rollers in the sheet conveyance direction and that abuts and restricts a leading edge of a conveyed sheet; a flexure assist member that assists flexure forming of the sheet abutted to the abutting stopper member; a curved conveying guide plate that is located at the sheet conveying path; a movable stopper guide plate that is a part of the curved conveying guide plate as being movable along the sheet conveying path; and a control unit that performs control to vary a movement range of the movable stopper guide plate in accordance with size and folding mode of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu Yamaya
  • Patent number: 8931773
    Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a sheet folding unit configured to perform folding on a sheet; and a sheet stacking unit configured to stack the folded sheet on a sheet stacking surface having an inclined surface and a horizontal surface in order from upstream to downstream in a sheet conveying direction. A downstream end of the inclined surface is higher than an upstream end of the inclined surface with respect to a horizontal plane. The sheet handling apparatus also includes a discharging unit configured to discharge the folded sheet to the sheet stacking unit; a sheet conveying unit configured to convey the discharged sheet from the inclined surface to the horizontal surface; and a conveying force applying unit configured to apply a conveying force to the sheet in contact with an upper surface of the sheet from above the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Sugiyama, Masahiro Tamura, Shuuya Nagasako, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Kazuya Yamamoto, Kyosuke Nakada, Tomomichi Hoshino, Yasuo Niikura, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Akira Kunieda, Takahiro Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshizaki, Kiichiro Goto
  • Patent number: 8915490
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a transport path, a loading part, a first folding member, a second folding member, a drive mechanism, a position detecting unit, a time information output part, a time monitoring part, and a rotational driving control part. The time monitoring part measures a moving time of the blade member from a first position between an initial position and a protrusion position to a second position, and determines whether the moving time has elapsed by a predetermined time. When the time monitoring part determines that the moving time has elapsed by the predetermined time, the rotational driving control part controls a rotary drive part so as to switch a rotational driving direction into a backward rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Sachio Izumichi, Seiichi Shirasaki
  • Patent number: 8900110
    Abstract: A paper folding apparatus for a binding machine, capable of discharging paper sheets by folding the paper sheets twice, includes a first knife unit and a second knife unit. The first knife unit has a first feeding path and a pair of first paper folding rollers. The second knife unit has a second feeding path and a pair of second paper folding rollers. A paper arranging guide is installed in front of the pair of first paper folding rollers, and the second knife unit includes a pinion, a rack selectively engaged with the pinion, a rack guide configured to provide a path on which the rack is moved, a resilient member resiliently supporting the rack, and a second paper folding knife configured to move back and forth between the second paper folding rollers in association with a moving direction of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Biztechone Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kijo Jung
  • Publication number: 20140342894
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for manufacturing absorbent articles. More particularly, the systems and methods for folding absorbent articles advancing in a converting line may be configured with tucker blades that prevent opposing end regions of absorbent articles from colliding directly with each other as the absorbent articles are being folded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Peter Wiedmann, Todd Douglas Lenser, Ricky Reynaldo Yanez, JR., Yoichiro Yamamoto, Andreas Josef Dreher
  • Publication number: 20140342895
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates systems and methods for folding absorbent articles advancing in a converting line. The folding processes and apparatuses herein may be configured with tucker blades that are configured to maximize the period of time wherein the leading edges of the tucker blades move at maximum speeds during the folding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Peter Wiedmann, Todd Douglas Lenser, Ricky Reynaldo Yanez, JR., Yoichiro Yamamoto, Andreas Josef Dreher
  • Patent number: 8844919
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a folding section configured to nip a sheet using a plurality of rollers to form a fold line for saddle stitching and a control section to control the nipping amount in the folding section. When carrying out square back processing to flatten the spine folded portion of a sheet bundle where a fold line for saddle stitching is formed, the post-processing apparatus allows the nipping amount in the folding section to be smaller than that in the case where the square back processing is not carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoya Motoyoshi
  • Publication number: 20140171285
    Abstract: A system for selectively C, Z or half-folding sheet(s) of paper of variable format, comprising: a pocket-like channel (10) with a stop element (12) for defining a paper sheet position and positioning the sheet(s) according to a location of a recipient's address A and a type of fold required, two folding rollers (2, 4) arranged diametrically opposite to each other and forming a folding/nipping area (6), an inducing element (8) movable towards and away from the folding/nipping area for defining a fold line position, and a curved guiding path (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26) which substantially covers at least one of the two folding rollers for receiving and guiding the sheet(s) completely around one or the other of the two folding rollers without changing their rotational direction during the folding cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Neopost Technologies
    Inventor: Laurent FARLOTTI
  • Patent number: 8690141
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a sheet folding device includes a pair of folding rollers which nips a sheet between the folding rollers and thus folds the sheet, a folding blade which pushes the sheet in between the pair of folding rollers, and a folding blade control unit which controls the folding blade to fold a first sheet with the pair of folding rollers, then push a second sheet into the fold of the first sheet, and fold the second sheet with the pair of folding rollers over the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20130288872
    Abstract: A folding device of a printing press for folding signatures is disclosed. The folding device includes a folding blade cylinder, via which signatures to be folded can be fed to a jaw cylinder arranged downstream of the folding blade cylinder subject to forming transverse folds. A cylinder is arranged upstream of the folding blade cylinder, on which the signatures can be collected in any number prior to the forming of the transverse folds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: manroland web systems GmbH
    Inventors: Peter KNAUER, Hubert Schalk, Stephen Uder, Thomas Meyer, Tilmar Geisler
  • 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: 8490957
    Abstract: A creasing apparatus that performs a creasing process on a sheet, the creasing apparatus including a first conveying path on which a creasing unit is located, the creasing unit performing a creasing process on a sheet conveyed therein; a second conveying path that conveys a sheet conveyed therein to a downstream side without any process being performed on the sheet; and a control unit that, while the first conveying path conveys a sheet so that the creasing unit performs the creasing process on the sheet, causes a subsequent sheet to be conveyed to the downstream side from the second conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shuuya Nagasako, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Akihiro Musha, Go Aiba, Naoki Oikawa, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naohiro Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 8443531
    Abstract: A device for feeding, ironing, folding and stacking of linen, having a maximum depth of 2.500 mm, and when viewed in the depth direction thereof, being successively provided with a feeding unit for feeding a piece of linen to be ironed into the device, the feeding unit having detection and measuring means to measure the piece of linen, an ironing unit, having at least one ironing roll and, for each ironing roll, a heated chest for ironing the piece of linen, a folding unit for folding the ironed piece of linen, the folding unit being provided with a longitudinal folding portion located after the ironing mangle for longitudinally folding the ironed piece of linen, and a cross folding portion located below the ironing mangle for cross folding the ironed piece of linen, and a stacking unit located to the right or left of the device for stacking the folded linen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Lapauw International NV
    Inventors: Dominique Lapauw, Yves Lapauw
  • Patent number: 8444540
    Abstract: A device for folding sheets of a medium into a booklet is provided. The device includes 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; a crease blade for contacting the sheets to create a crease in the sheets; and a controller that controls a position of the crease blade, a gap between the pair of first rolls, and a gap between the pair of second rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Parks, Richard Hubbard, Jeff Ryan, Stephen May, Martin Lloyd
  • Patent number: 8439340
    Abstract: A finisher includes an intermediate tray that collects sheets to form a sheet bundle, a sheet gripping member that grips one end of the sheet bundle in a conveying direction and a positioning member that grips the other end of the sheet bundle in a conveying direction, a moving portion that moves the sheet gripping member and the positioning member to come close to each other, a pair of folding rollers that folds the sheet bundle while conveying the sheet bundle, a projecting member that projects a part between the one end and the other end of the gripped sheet bundle toward the pair of folding rollers, and a controller that controls the moving portion, such that the sheet gripping member and the positioning member come close to each other in synchronization with an operation of projecting the projecting member toward the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromasa Maenishi, Mitsuhiko Sato, Naoto Watanabe, Yushi Oka, Toshiyuki Miyake, Takashi Yokoya, Yutaka Ando
  • Publication number: 20130095991
    Abstract: A sheet folder includes a blade for bending a sheet, a pair of folding rollers for sandwiching the sheet bent by the blade, a heating unit for heating a folded part of the sheet sandwiched between the pair of folding rollers by the blade, a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the folded part, and a control unit for keeping a state in which the sheet is sandwiched between the pair of folding rollers until at least one of a temperature change and a temperature of the folded part that are detected by the temperature detection unit satisfies a prescribed condition after the blade allows the sheet to be sandwiched between the pair of folding rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventors: Takeshi ISHIDA, Kiyohito TSUJIHARA, Takatoshi HAMADA, Hiroaki TAKATSU, Yohei YAMADA, Akimasa ISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8336869
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding roller pair, a sheet pushing member, a detection unit, and a control unit. The folding roller pair folds a sheet or a sheet bundle by a nip portion and conveys a folded sheet or a folded sheet bundle. The sheet pushing member performs a pushing operation in which a tip of the sheet pushing member pushes the sheet or the sheet bundle into the nip portion of the folding roller pair. The detection unit detects whether the tip of the sheet pushing member reaches a predetermined position in a moving direction of the sheet pushing member. The control unit controls driving of the sheet pushing member according to a result of detection by the detection unit such that the sheet pushing member repeats the pushing operation until the detection unit detects that the tip of the sheet pushing member reaches the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Tomoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8323162
    Abstract: An inclined position of a product, leaving a nip between two folding rollers of a longitudinal folding machine, is corrected. The product is pressed into the nip between the rollers by a folding blade that can be moved up and down relative to a folding table. The product thus leaves the nip between the rollers and is transported in a direction of transport. The time of passage of a leading or a trailing edge of a product is detected at two measurement points which are spaced apart from each other and which are arranged transversely to the direction of transport of the product to be folded. Based on the times of passage that are detected by the two measurement points, and on commutation and/or data processing techniques, a deviation between a time offset detected during the passage of the corresponding product edge at the two measurement points, and a nominal time offset, is determined and analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus Wilhelm Decker, Klaus Friederich, Christof Horst Höger, Holger Ratz, Gerd Weiler
  • Patent number: 8317180
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle-stitching unit to stitch a center of a sheet bundle, a folding unit to fold the center and to form a fold, a first and a second rollers that move along a direction of the fold while nipping and pressing the fold of the sheet bundle and reinforce the fold, and a drive section to move the first and the second rollers along the fold from a standby position apart from an edge of the sheet bundle, and the first and the second rollers are separate from each other in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle at the standby position, and after the first and the second rollers reach to a position where they pass the edge of the sheet bundle of a processable maximum size, they come close to each other in the thickness direction and nip the fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8297607
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a reinforce roller to further reinforce the fold of a sheet which has been folded by a fold roller pair, a support portion to move the reinforce roller in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a sensor to sense a position of the support portion, a distance sensing portion to sense a distance to a first position and a distance to a second position from a stop position of the support portion, when the sensor senses an abnormal stop of the support portion, and a control unit to compare the distance to the first position and the distance to the second position sensed by the distance sensing portion and to control the support portion to move in a direction where a moving distance is shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Yahata, Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8273004
    Abstract: A paper folding mechanism includes: first and second folding rollers (51, 52); first and second conveyance rollers (61, 62); a protrusion member (71); and a control part. Both the rollers (51, 52) are provided so that a paper is sandwiched therebetween with its fold line located in front, and is allowed to pass therethrough in a first direction. The first folding roller (51) and the first conveyance roller (61) are provided so that the paper is sandwiched therebetween and conveyed in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second folding roller (52) and the second conveyance roller (62) are provided so that the paper is sandwiched therebetween and conveyed in any one of the second direction and the direction opposite thereto. The protrusion member (71) is provided so that the fold line of the paper conveyed by both the rollers (61, 62) is protruded in the first direction and fed between both the rollers (51, 52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Duplo Seiko Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Oota, Hideki Oiwa, Masasuke Funase, Takaaki Maeda
  • 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: 8251882
    Abstract: A longitudinal folding machine comprises a folding blade and a folding table. The folding blade is driven with a cyclical frequency relative to one or more elements of a web-processing machine, or relative to a flow of incoming products. The entry of a leading edge of products is detected at a first measurement point. A relative phase position between the movement of the folding blade and the phase position of the elements and/or the phase position of the flow of products is modified by one of a control and a regulation device to adjust a contact point of the folding blade with the products to be folded. The relative phase position is modified such that the leading edges of the products to be folded are maintained at a distance from the measurement point on the delivery route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus Wilhelm Decker, Klaus Friederich, Christof Horst Höger, Holger Ratz, Gerd Weiler
  • Publication number: 20120208689
    Abstract: A sheet folding mechanism includes a sheet conveying path that is curved in a sheet conveyance direction; a pair of folding rollers that are disposed at a downstream side of the sheet conveying path; an abutting stopper member that is disposed at the downstream side of the folding rollers in the sheet conveyance direction and that abuts and restricts a leading edge of a conveyed sheet; a flexure assist member that assists flexure forming of the sheet abutted to the abutting stopper member; a curved conveying guide plate that is located at the sheet conveying path; a movable stopper guide plate that is a part of the curved conveying guide plate as being movable along the sheet conveying path; and a control unit that performs control to vary a movement range of the movable stopper guide plate in accordance with size and folding mode of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Yamaya
  • Patent number: 8240651
    Abstract: A post-processing device includes a pair of rollers, each arranged such that an axis direction thereof is perpendicular to a transport direction of recording sheets, that forms a fold in the axis direction at a predetermined portion of both surfaces of each recording sheet, a first plate-like member, arranged opposite the pair of rollers, that moves between a feeding position allowing the predetermined portion of each recording sheet to be pinched with a nip portion of the pair of rollers and a standby position being distant from the nip portion, a transport processing unit that causes the recording sheets to be sequentially transported such that the predetermined portion of each recording sheet intervenes between the first plate-like member and the pair of rollers and to be folded by the pair of rollers, and a post-processing unit bundles the recording sheets on each of which the fold has been formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Koichi Mitani
  • Patent number: 8226076
    Abstract: When a sheet is loaded to the sheet tray, the position of a trailing edge regulating section is set in response to the size of an insert sheet. Owing to this, the print sheet ejected from the ejection rollers onto the sheet tray falls onto the surface of the insert sheet. Further, when a booklet with an insert sheet placed therein is produced, an insert sheet is supplied to the sheet tray along the second conveying path. The shift amount of the execution position of center folding or the execution position of center stitching with respect to the sheet bundle is calculated in conformity to the finishing form of the booklet containing the insert sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takumi Shirakuma, Takeshi Tamada, Eiji Sugimoto, Teruhiko Toyoizumi, Hideo Yamane
  • Patent number: 8215628
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a sheet processing apparatus control unit; a folding motor, a rotating direction of which is controlled by the sheet processing apparatus control unit; a low-speed gear train configured to be driven when the folding motor normally rotates; a high-speed gear train configured to be driven when the folding motor reversely rotates; and a saddle-folding driving roller configured to be driven by a gear train selected from the low-speed gear train and the high-speed gear train. When the number of recording media to be saddle-stapled or saddle-folded exceeds predetermined numbers respectively set for the saddle stapling and the saddle folding, the sheet processing apparatus control unit drives the saddle-folding driving roller at low speed. When the number of recording media to be saddle-stapled or saddle-folded does not exceed the predetermined numbers, the sheet processing apparatus control unit drives the saddle-folding driving roller at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8162303
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding roller pair, a sheet pushing member, and a detection unit. The folding roller pair folds a sheet or a sheet bundle by a nip portion. The sheet pushing member results in a tip pushing a portion between two ends of the sheet or sheet bundle into the nip portion and then performs a tip returning operation. The detection unit detects whether the tip reaches a predetermined position within a predetermined time. When the tip does not reach the predetermined position within the predetermined time, the sheet pushing member retries the pushing operation after performing the returning operation. When the tip reaches the predetermined position within the predetermined time, the sheet pushing member stops the pushing operation and controls rotation driving of the folding roller pair such that the folding roller pair starts to convey the sheet or sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Fukatsu, Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Tomoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8146905
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle-stitching unit to stitch a center of a sheet bundle, a folding unit to fold the center and to form a fold, a first and a second rollers that move along a direction of the fold while nipping and pressing the fold of the sheet bundle and reinforce the fold, and a drive section to move the first and the second rollers along the fold from a standby position apart from an edge of the sheet bundle, and the first and the second rollers are separate from each other in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle at the standby position, and after the first and the second rollers reach to a position where they pass the edge of the sheet bundle of a processable maximum size, they come close to each other in the thickness direction and nip the fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawaguchi
  • 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: 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
  • Patent number: 8047524
    Abstract: Provided herein is a sheet processing apparatus including a processing apparatus and a saddle unit. The saddle unit moves from a position inside the processing apparatus, along a direction orthogonal to a sheet transport direction, to a position outside the sheet processing apparatus. When the saddle unit is in the position outside the processing apparatus, a first transport guide is open to expose the outside of a first sheet transport path, and a second transport guide is open to expose the inside of the first sheet transport path. The saddle unit also includes a stapler, a folding blade and a pair of folding rollers, the first sheet transport path, and a second sheet transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Shinichiro Mano
  • Patent number: 8029430
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming informational items such as outserts and booklets may include (a) 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; (b) making a plurality of folds in the first folded article in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and (c) making a final fold in the second direction to form an outsert using a folding apparatus having a pair of adjustably-spaced folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, with the folding rollers spaced apart by a distance within a range of 0.25 inches and 0.45 inches. Water scoring may be used to facilitate folding of the sheet of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Vijuk Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Neubauer, Llija Llijevski, Roger Mattila
  • Patent number: 8002256
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first roller, a second roller configured to press the first roller to form a nip portion, a moving member opposite to the nip portion to move from a start position to an operation position approaching the nip portion, a pushing member supported on the moving member to press a sheet by an end thereof by movement of the moving member and push the sheet into the nip portion, and a third and fourth rollers positioned on both sides of the pushing member and supported on the moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuya Sasahara
  • Patent number: 7988609
    Abstract: A folding table, in particular for a folding device which is provided with a chopper folding device, includes a folding face which is suitable for receiving a flat product to be folded, and a folding aperture which extends in a conveying direction, the table extending along a table plane. The folding face includes guides which are capable of guiding at least one conveyor for conveying a flat product to be folded in the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Goss International Montataire SA
    Inventors: Jéróme Peres, Philippe Herda, Thierry Vauchelle, Franck Chagnon, Eric Pierda, Thierry Melon, Mathieu Rossi
  • Patent number: 7984896
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes: a fold roller pair which forms a nipping portion and inserts the center of a sheet bundle into the nipping portion to form a fold in the sheet bundle; a folding blade which moves from a standby position and presses the center of the sheet bundle against the nipping portion when the fold is formed, and returns to the standby position after the pressing of the nipping portion is completed; and a protection member which prevents an access to a front edge of the folding blade in a longitudinal direction of the front edge when the folding blade is located at the standby position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7954798
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes a punch unit to punch a sheet, and a saddle unit to bundle and to fold the sheets. A position and an inclination angle of a puncher are changed according to a skew amount of the sheet, the puncher is controlled to form punch holes in the sheet at positions symmetric with respect to a folding line, and punching is performed so that an interval between the folding line and the punch hole becomes small at the inside of a bundle of the sheets and becomes large at the front cover side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taguchi, Tetsuhiro Morita
  • Patent number: 7950643
    Abstract: A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle-stitching unit to stitch a center of a sheet bundle, a folding unit to fold the center and to form a fold, a first and a second rollers that move along a direction of the fold while nipping and pressing the fold of the sheet bundle and reinforce the fold, and a drive section to move the first and the second rollers along the fold from a standby position apart from an edge of the sheet bundle, and the first and the second rollers are separate from each other in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle at the standby position, and after the first and the second rollers reach to a position where they pass the edge of the sheet bundle of a processable maximum size, they come close to each other in the thickness direction and nip the fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7946568
    Abstract: A saddle stitching portion which can bind the center portion in the conveying direction of a sheet bundle by a stapler and fold it by a pair of folding rollers and a pushout member, includes an end stopper which receives the downstream end of a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller in a first receiving position on the downstream of the first conveying roller by a length not buckling the sheet on the downstream of the stapler or the downstream end of the sheet conveyed by a second conveying roller in a second receiving position on the downstream of the second conveying roller by the length on the further downstream, wherein the receiving position of the downstream end stopper is selected according to the length in the conveying direction of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Daisaku Kamiya
  • Patent number: 7931259
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes a sheet supporting member which has an inclined surface to support a stack of sheets, a sheet position adjuster which adjusts a position of the stack of sheets along the inclined surface, a sheet pressing unit which presses the stack of sheets from a lower side of the stack of sheets to an upper side of the stack of sheet, and a folding unit which folds the stack of sheets pressed by the sheet pressing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taguchi, Yasunobu Terao, Shinichiro Mano, Takahiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: RE42388
    Abstract: An air folder adjuster (10) includes an air supply (12) and air supply tubing (14) connected to air supply (12) at end (16). The opposite end (18) of air supply tubing (14) is connected to one or more air nozzles (20). In a printing press utilized for folding documents such as books, air folder adjuster (10) is positioned so that air nozzles (20) direct compressed air from air supply (12) downward onto the head (26) of document (24) on either side of chopper arm (34) during the folding process thus ensuring that the document (24) lies flat, square, and untouched during the folding process and thereby allowing the elimination of chopper brushes altogether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Inventor: Scott Summers