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US 11,192,739 B2Granted
Paper path structure, stacker, printer and method for operating a paper path structure
AssigneeCanon Production Printing Holding B.V.
InventorsHenricus J. A. Van De Sande, Peter G. La Vos, Kevin H. J. R. Prinsen, Jacobus M. G. Eijssen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a paper path structure that is able to perform the following four functions: pass a sheet of paper through the paper path structure with is original orientation maintained; pass a sheet of paper through the paper path structure with its original orientation reversed; stack a sheet of paper in a stack repository with its original orientation maintained; and stack a sheet of paper in the stack repository with its original orientation reversed. The invention also provides a method to operate said paper path structure as well as a stacker and a printer comprising said paper path structure.
Claims18
A paper path structure, comprising:
- an input path section for receiving sheets of paper into the paper path structure;
- an output path section for outputting sheets of paper from the paper path structure;
- a stack repository for storing a stack of sheets of paper;
- a flipping device configured for depositing sheets of paper in the stack repository;
- a first path section controllable to convey sheets of paper to the flipping device;
- a second path section connected to the input path section and configured to transport sheets of paper to the first path section;
- a third path section controllable to transport a sheet of paper to the first path section independently from the input path section;
- wherein the first path section is also controllable to transport sheets of paper to the third path section and wherein the third path section is also controllable to receive sheets of paper from the first path section and to transport the received sheet of paper away from the first path section,
- wherein the paper path structure is configured to:
- a) transport a sheet from the input path section via the second path section to the flipping device, such that the sheet is stacked in an orientation flipped with respect to said sheet's orientation on the input path section;
- b) transport a sheet from the input path section via consecutively the second and third path sections to the output path section, such that said sheet is output to the output path section in an orientation flipped with respect to said sheet's orientation on the input path section;
- c) transport a sheet from the input path section to the output, path section via a fifth path section which bypasses the second and third path sections, such that said sheet is output to the output path section in the same orientation with respect to said sheet's orientation on the input path section;
- and
- d) transport a sheet from the input path section via consecutively the fifth and third path sections to the flipping device, such that said sheet is stacked in the same orientation with respect to said sheet's orientation on the input path section.
11 more elements
A method for operating a paper path structure, the paper path structure comprising:
- an input path section for receiving sheets of paper into the paper path structure;
- an output path section for outputting sheets of paper from the paper path structure;
- a stack repository for storing a stack of sheets of paper;
- a flipping device configured for depositing sheets of paper in the stack repository;
- a first path section controllable to convey sheets of paper to the flipping device:
- a second path section connected to the input path section and configured to transport sheets of paper to the first path section;
- a third path section controllable to transport a sheet of paper to the first path section independently from the input path section;
- wherein the first path section is also controllable to transport sheets of paper to the third path section and wherein the third path section is also controllable to receive sheets of paper from the first path section and to transport the received sheet of paper away from the first path section
- the method comprising:
- receiving, by the input path section, a sheet of paper having an original orientation of its front side is into the paper path structure;
- and
- wherein, when a sheet of paper is to be stacked with a reversed orientation, following steps are performed:
- transporting the sheet of paper via the input path section, the second path section and the first path section to the flipping device;
- flipping, by the flipping device, the sheet of paper;
- and
- depositing, by the flipping device, the sheet of paper in the stack repository such that the sheet of paper is stacked with the reversed orientation,
- wherein, when a sheet of paper is to be stacked with its original orientation maintained, following steps are performed:
- transporting the sheet of paper via the first path section and the fifth path section to the fourth path section;
- reversing a direction of transporting of the sheet of paper by the fourth path section;
- transporting the sheet of paper via the fourth path section, the third path section and the first path section to the flipping device, wherein the sheet of paper is flipped for a first time by travelling along the third path section;
- flipping, by the flipping device, the sheet of paper for a second time;
- and
- depositing, by the flipping device, the sheet of paper in the stack repository such that the sheet of paper is stacked with its original orientation.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.