Abstract: A control includes causing a processing unit to perform a saddle-stitching binding process in which a plurality of sheets are subjected to a binding process and a folding process or a center-folding binding process in which a plurality of sheets are subjected to the folding process, permitting the processing unit to perform the saddle-stitching binding process or the center-folding binding process on a predetermined number of sheets, and controlling such that the number of sheets which are permitted to be subjected to the center-folding binding process is smaller than the number of sheets which are permitted to be subjected to the saddle-stitching binding process.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A first folding portion includes: a first folding roller pair consisting of a common roller and a first roller; and a blade member that feeds a sheet to a first nip, thereby forming a first fold on the sheet in the first nip. A second folding portion includes a second folding roller pair consisting of the common roller and a second roller, thereby forming a second fold on the sheet in a second nip. The common roller and the first roller are parallel in a conveying direction in a case where the sheet is guided toward the first folding portion. The blade member moves in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a conveyance surface. The common roller is disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in the sheet conveying direction.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus is provided with a conveying path forming member that forms a sheet conveying path having a curved portion through which a front edge of the sheet passes, a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet along the sheet conveying path, a sheet folding unit that folds the sheet along the folding line in the sheet conveying path, and then conveys the sheet toward a discharge direction with the folding line discharged first as a front edge, and a sheet position defining unit that defines a position of the front edge of the sheet in the curved portion of the sheet conveying path so that a target position of the folding line on the sheet coincides with a folding position of the sheet folding unit. The sheet position defining unit can adjust an inclination of the front edge of the sheet.

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.

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.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes a stacker for stacking and storing sheets therein, a feeder for receiving sheets and feeding the sheets toward the stacker, a folder for folding a set of sheets stored in the stacker, a preparatory processor, which is located upstream from the folder, for processing sheets preparatory to folding of a set of sheets, a presser for pressing the set of sheets stored in the stacker at a portion processed by the preparatory processor so as to push the set of sheets into the folder, and a controller for controlling the stacker, the feeder, the folder, the preparatory processor and the presser. The controller controls the preparatory processor not to process a sheet that will be an outermost sheet of a folded set of sheets.

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.

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.

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).

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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for feeding and folding sheets. Providing a folding blade having a free edge, reciprocably movable between a retracted position and a folding position, provided with blade surfaces adjacent to the free edge converging towards the free edge at a first angle in the folding position, and by further providing a pressing mechanism having pressing surface areas reciprocably movable between a retracted position and a pressing position, and enclosing in the pressing position a second angle larger than the first angle of the folding blade, allows an apparatus, having a pair of folding rollers and a sheet support, selectively to fold only an outer sheet from a set of sheets or to fold a set of sheets simultaneously.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A cross-fold system for use in combination with a device for folding sheet material and includes a rigid guide structure having a stationary reaction surface for supporting and guiding folded sheet material along a feed path between a sheet feed mechanism and a tensioning mechanism. Furthermore, the cross-fold system includes a paper break assembly disposed between the sheet feed mechanism and the tensioning mechanism. The paper break assembly, furthermore, includes an abrasion bar disposed transversely of the feed path and in opposed relation to the rigid guide. Moreover, the paper break assembly is repositionable from an active position to an inactive position such that, in the active position, the abrasion bar pressingly engages the sheet material against the stationary reaction surface of the guide assembly, and, in the inactive position, the abrasion bar permits the sheet material to pass to the tensioning mechanism without engaging the sheet material.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.

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.

Abstract: A pressing unit includes a pressure roller that slides on the folded side while rotating, an elastic biasing unit that presses the pressure roller in a thickness direction of the stack of sheets, and a driving unit that slides the pressure roller in a direction substantially perpendicular to a conveying direction of the stack of sheets. A lifting unit, when the pressure roller slides to a first position, temporarily lifts up the pressure roller, and when lifted-up pressure roller slides to a second position, lifts the lifted-up pressure roller down onto the folded side.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a taking-in portion configured to support sheets conveyed with their leading edges in a conveying direction directed downward in a standing position and release the support of the sheets, a folding portion configured to crease the sheets, which are supported by the taking-in portion, by pressing and release the creased sheets into the taking-in portion, a loading portion arranged under the taking-in portion to load the creased sheets conveyed from the taking-in portion, a stitching portion configured to stitch a sheet bundle loaded on the loading portion, and a controller configured to execute conveying of the sheets to the taking-in portion and creasing of the sheets supported on the taking-in portion by the folding portion during stitching the creased sheet bundle loaded on the loading portion by the stitching portion.

Abstract: A sheet folding unit, including: a first folding roller configured to rotate around a first axis; a second folding roller configured to rotate around a second axis which is in parallel with the first axis and biased to the first folding roller separably to a separating direction to make a nip together with the first folding roller therebetween; a blade configured to push a surface of a sheet into the nip; and a roller cover configured to move together with the second folding roller in the separating direction to prevent the second folding roller contacting the sheet when the blade unit starts contacting the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a stack tray on which a sheet successively delivered from a delivery port is stacked, the stack tray including: a folding route receiving the sheet from the delivery port; a sheet folding device provided in the folding route to fold the sheet; and a sheet stacking surface for stacking the sheet, wherein the sheet processing apparatus is operable in selectively between a first mode in which a sheet from the delivery port is stacked on the sheet stacking surface, and a second mode in which a sheet folded by the sheet folding device is stacked on the same sheet stacking surface as in the first mode.

Abstract: According to the invention, a sheet finisher has a folding mechanism, a discharging mechanism, a stacking mechanism, and a slip amount calculator. The folding mechanism forms a folding line by folding a sheet which an image forming unit discharges. The discharging mechanism discharges the sheet including the folding line which the folding mechanism forms. The stacking mechanism stacks the sheet which the discharging mechanism discharges. The slip amount calculator outputs a fullness state of the stacking mechanism to the image forming unit, if a slip amount of the discharging mechanism exceeds a threshold.

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.

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.

Abstract: An interfolding machine includes a first folding roll with a series of the gripper assemblies and a series of tucker assemblies uniformly and alternately spaced to interact with a series of gripper and tucker assemblies of an adjacent second folding roll. The series of alternately spaced gripper and tucker assemblies interact to grip, carry, and release a sheet of material in a manner so as to generate an interfolded stack of sheets. Each tucker assembly includes an outwardly biased tucker element that is operable to self-center in a slot formed in the folding roll. The tucker assembly further includes a roller mounted by a pin to the tucker element such that the tucker element rolls along a surface defined by the slot. Another embodiment of the tucker assembly includes a pivot spring and bumper to self-center the tucker element in the slot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for feeding and folding sheets. Providing a folding blade having a free edge, reciprocably movable between a retracted position and a folding position, provided with blade surfaces adjacent to the free edge converging towards the free edge at a first angle in the folding position, and by further providing a pressing mechanism having pressing surface areas reciprocably movable between a retracted position and a pressing position, and enclosing in the pressing position a second angle larger than the first angle of the folding blade, allows an apparatus, having a pair of folding rollers and a sheet support, selectively to fold only an outer sheet from a set of sheets or to fold a set of sheets simultaneously.

Abstract: In a sheet post-processing apparatus that folds a sheet bundle, a folding roller drive motor that drives folding rollers is PWM driven such that its speed is varied in each control during the period until a blade contacts the sheet bundle, during the period when the sheet bundle is conveyed to a discharge port, during discharge operation, and during return of the motor to its home position.

Abstract: A sheet bending apparatus and a sheet postprocessing apparatus are provided for improved alignment of recording sheets during center-folding. A center-folding unit mounted in a sheet postprocessing apparatus performs a center-folding processing to a stack of recording sheets aligned on their sides and placed in a sheet holding member. Side aligning is performed near a central portion in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet holding member. The center-folding unit includes: two upper end aligning members positioned upstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member; and a pair of lower side end aligning members positioned on downstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and are movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member and independently from the upper end aligning members.

Abstract: An assembly to crease a paper set in a booklet maker is provided. A booklet is formed in a booklet marker when a crease blade strikes the middle of the stack and pushes it toward a set of nipped crease rolls. The assembly engages spring-loaded idlers against the crease rolls after the crease blade initiates the buckle of the stack and prior to creasing. The spring loaded idlers apply a drive force to the stack that assists the formation of the crease. With the assistance of this extra drive force, the crease blade tip can be stopped in time to avoid jamming while reducing the chance of getting a cover, or more sheets tearing off the booklet. This design is compact in size and therefore may also be retrofitted into existing designs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet processor apparatus comprising: a sheet stack portion on which a sheet is stacked; a sheet conveyance path for conveying a sheet stacked on the sheet stack portion; a sheet conveyor for conveying to the sheet conveyance path the sheet stacked on the sheet stack portion; and a sheet folding device for folding a sheet in the sheet-set conveyance path. The sheet folding device is provided in the sheet conveyance path, and at least a portion of the sheet conveyance path at which the sheet folding device is positioned is formed into a curved shape.

Abstract: A paper processing apparatus according to one or more embodiments includes a first and second convey mechanism, a first and second alignment mechanism, and a folding mechanism, where the second alignment mechanism is configured to align a paper bundle conveyed by the first convey mechanism in the vicinity of a folding position to fold the paper bundle, and the second convey mechanism is configured to convey the paper bundle aligned by the second alignment mechanism to the folding position, and the folding mechanism is configured to fold the aligned paper bundler at the folding position.

Abstract: A stack of sheets of sheet material is stapled along an axis and fed to a position from which it is folded along the axis by a blade to form a booklet having a curved spine. The blade also inserts the booklet into a position between clamping jaws and determines its final position therebetween. Rotatable guide rollers guide the sheets into the gap and are fitted with one-way clutches to resist upward movement of the folded sheets upon retraction of the blade from the gap. In a first mode of operation, the curved spine of the booklet protrudes a short distance beyond the jaws. The spine is then flattened by a forming roller which passes along the spine. In a second mode of operation, the spinal portion lies between the jaws and the curved end surface is flattened by the clamping force alone. The first mode is suited to booklets having or more sheets; the second to booklets having fewer than sheets or having loop staples and any number of sheets.

Abstract: An improved booklet maker incorporates a movable backstop for compiling incoming sheets and a stapler and creasing module, which is moved to various positions during the booklet making sequence. The moving stapler and creasing function enables the compiling function to occur simultaneously with the stapling and creasing functions. This results in a productivity gain without a footprint increase.