Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080272533 | Document stream merging method and apparatus - A collation control mechanism is used to transfer a collation from a dual accumulator to an exit nip of a collation machine. The collation control mechanism has a middle drum and two side rollers to form an upper nip and a lower nip. The drum is caused to rotate alternately in a clockwise direction and in a counter-clockwise direction for transferring a collation from the upper bay and the lower bay, respectively, to the exit nip. A motor is used to drive the drum in both the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction. A coupling mechanism including two sets of one-way clutches is used to engage the motor to the upper and lower rollers of the exit nip so that the upper roller is caused to rotate only in the counter-clockwise direction while the lower roller is cause to rotate only in the clockwise direction. | 11-06-2008 |
20090314611 | RECONFIGURABLE TRANSPORT SYSTEM - A reconfigurable transport system includes a transport device for receiving items in a first orientation in one of a first portion and a second portion and releasing the items from the other of the first portion and the second portion. The transport device includes rotating transport elements in opposing relation. Items received between the transport elements are conveyed along a transport axis. The transport system further includes a positioning device for selectively moving the second portion between a first position in which the transport device maintains the items in the first orientation, and a second position in which the transport device rotates the items substantially about the transport axis to a second orientation. | 12-24-2009 |
20100032894 | RIGHT ANGLE TURN (RAT) MODULE FOR CONVEYING MAILPIECE COLLATIONS - A Right Angle Turn (RAT) module for processing multi-sheet collations includes opposed belt segments defining a conveyance channel for capturing multi-sheet collations therebetween and for conveying multi-sheet collations from an input and to an output end of the conveyance channel. The opposed belt segments define a first re-directing bend, a second re-directing bend, and a twist section disposed therebetween. The first re-directing bend includes a rolling element for re-directing the opposed belt segments about a first axis of rotation while the second re-directing bend includes a rolling element for re-directing the opposed belt segments about a second axis of rotation. The first and second axes of rotation are orthogonal to each other so as to effect a twist section therebetween. The RAT module additionally includes a mechanism for driving the opposed belt segments about the first and second re-directing bends to convey the multi-sheet collations from the input to output ends and effect a right angle turn of the multi-sheet collations. | 02-11-2010 |
20100078873 | SINGULATING SHEET FEEDER - A singulating sheet feeder includes a deck for slidably supporting a plurality of sheets and a drive system for moving the sheets along the deck. The drive system includes a drive element for engaging a lowermost sheet to move the sheets into a shingled arrangement. The sheet feeder further includes a transport element for transporting the lowermost sheet away from the plurality of sheets and a separator element proximate to the transport element including a substantially planar surface for engaging leading edges of subsequent sheets to retard motion of the subsequent sheets as the lowermost sheet is transported, wherein the substantially planar surface is disposed at an acute angle to the deck. | 04-01-2010 |
20100078880 | ALIGNMENT/REGISTRATION AND CONVEYANCE APPARATUS - An apparatus for registering sheet material while being conveyed along a feed path including: (i) a conveyance deck for conveying sheet material along a support surface, (ii) a registration member defining an abutment surface operative to align an edge of the sheet material as the sheet material is conveyed along the support surface of the conveyance deck, and (iii) a drive mechanism disposed adjacent to the registration member and along the conveyance deck. The drive mechanism includes a flexible belt disposed about and supported by at least two rolling elements, and a means for driving the flexible belt about the rolling elements. The flexible belt includes a twisted section defining a plurality of spiral edge segments operative to (i) frictionally engage a surface of the sheet material to urge the sheet material against the abutment surface and (ii) convey the sheet material along the conveyance deck. | 04-01-2010 |
20100156042 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING NESTED/UNESTED MAILPIECE CONTENT MATERIAL - A system for processing nested/unnested content material in a mailpiece inserter includes a first accumulator, a second accumulator and a folding module disposed therebetween. The first accumulator is operative to feed individual sheets of content material, in one operating mode, and accumulate multiple sheets of content material in another operating mode. The second accumulator is operative to accumulate unnested, folded sheets of content material in one operating mode, and feed sheets of nested, folded sheets of content material in another operating mode. The folder interposes the first and second accumulators and is operative to (i) receive the individual sheets of content material from the first accumulator, fold the individual sheets, and feed the unnested, folded sheets to the second accumulator, in one of the operating modes, and (ii) receive the multiple sheets of content material from the first accumulator, fold the multiple sheets, and feed the nested folded sheets to the second accumulator, in the other of the operating modes. A system processor is operatively coupled to, and controls the operation of, the first accumulator, second accumulator and the folder in each of the operating modes. | 06-24-2010 |
20110095468 | RECONFIGURABLE STITCHER FOR BINDING CONSECUTIVE VARIABLE THICKNESS COLLATIONS - A stitcher for binding variable thickness collations including a means for determining the thickness of a multi-sheet collation, a stitch head operative to drive a stitch through the multi-sheet collation, an anvil operative to clinch the stitch to bind the sheets of the collation and a plurality of actuators operative to displace forming elements of the stitch head to form the stitch, position the stitch head and anvil against opposite surfaces of the multi-sheet collation, drive the stitch through the collation and clinch the ends of the stitch. A processor, responsive to the thickness value signal, controls the actuators to form the stitch and bind the collation. | 04-28-2011 |
20110095469 | STITCHER/STAPLER FOR BINDING MULTI-SHEET COLLATIONS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - A system for binding variable thickness multi-sheet collations includes first and second processing stations including a stitcher and stapler, respectively and a means for determining the thickness of a multi-sheet collation. A processor is responsive to a thickness value signal and selects one of the first and second processing stations to bind the multi-sheet collation. A conveyance system then transports the multi-sheet collation to the selected one of the first and second processing stations. A method includes the steps of: stacking sheet material to produce a multi-sheet collation, determining the thickness of the multi-sheet collation, and selecting an apparatus to bind the multi-sheet collation from one of at least two binding apparatus based upon the thickness of the multi-sheet collation. The multi-sheet collation is then conveyed along a feed path to a selected one of the binding apparatus. The method further includes the steps of disposing the multi-sheet collation between a pair of opposed registration members and aligning opposed edges of the multi-sheet collation by oscillating at least one of the registration members into and out of engagement with at least one of the opposed edges based upon the thickness of the multi-sheet collation. | 04-28-2011 |
20110098848 | TRANSPORT AND ALIGNMENT SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING VARIABLE THICKNESS COLLATIONS - A system is provided for aligning multi-sheet collations including a conveyance system having a transport deck for supporting and conveying the multi-sheet collation along a feed path. The system includes a first pair of registration members disposed orthogonal to the feed path and defining a processing station along the feed path. The registration members further define registration surfaces which are repositionable from an active position above the transport deck to an idle position below the transport deck. A first displacement mechanism raises and lowers the registration members into and out of the active and idle positions, and oscillates at least one of the registration surfaces forward and aft in a direction parallel to the feed path when the registration member is in its active position. A processor controls the motion of the conveyance system relative to the registration members of the alignment station, and controls the first displacement mechanism to: (i) raise the registration surfaces into the active position, (ii) oscillate the registration surfaces to align the opposing edges of the multi-sheet collation, and (iii) lower the registration surfaces into the idle position to facilitate conveyance of the aligned multi-sheet collation along the feed path. | 04-28-2011 |
20110166695 | System and method for producing and arranging sheet material for use in a mailpiece inserter - A system and method for producing printed sheet material for use in a mailpiece inserter. The system comprises an input module for supplying the printed sheet material associated with a mailpiece fabrication job of the mailpiece inserter and a transfer module adapted to receive the printed sheet material from the input module and dispense the printed sheet material. An output module is adapted to receive the printed sheet material from the transfer module and convey the printed sheet material along the transport deck. A processor is operatively coupled to a mail run data file of the mailpiece fabrication job for controlling the input, transfer and output modules to stack the printed sheet material in accordance with the mail run data file. In the method, the output module includes at least two transport decks which may be repositioned such that one of the transport decks receives/stacks the printed sheet material in a manner which is best suited for subsequent use by the mailpiece inserter. | 07-07-2011 |