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US 12,049,376 B2Granted
Paper folding device
AssigneeDuplo Seiko Corporation
InventorChikara Miyamoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A paper folding device that folds a planar paper sheet while conveying the paper sheet along a paper sheet conveyance surface includes a pair of first conveyance rollers disposed on an upstream side in a paper sheet conveyance direction, a pair of second conveyance rollers disposed on a downstream side in the paper sheet conveyance direction, a switching gate plate installed on the paper sheet conveyance surface between both pairs of the rollers, a folding plate disposed above the switching gate plate, and a control unit that controls an operation of an entire device.
Claims8
A paper folding device that folds a planar paper sheet while conveying the paper sheet along a paper sheet conveyance surface, the paper folding device comprising:
- a pair of first conveyance rollers disposed on an upstream side in a paper sheet conveyance direction;
- a pair of second conveyance rollers disposed on a downstream side in the paper sheet conveyance direction;
- a switching gate plate installed on the paper sheet conveyance surface between both pairs of the rollers;
- a folding plate disposed above the switching gate plate;
- a first drive mechanism configured to drive the switching gate plate;
- and
- a second drive mechanism configured to drive the folding plate,
- wherein the switching gate plate is switchable between a first guide position at which the switching gate plate interferes with the conveyed paper sheet and guides a leading end portion of the paper sheet upward so as to pass through an upper surface of an upper roller of the pair of second conveyance rollers and a second guide position at which the switching gate plate guides the leading end portion of the paper sheet toward a nip portion of the pair of second conveyance rollers along the paper sheet conveyance surface,
- the folding plate is configured to be movable in a vertical direction in a substantially horizontal state, and is switchable between a folding position close to the switching gate plate disposed at the second guide position and a retracting position retracted at a predetermined interval from the switching gate plate, and
- the first and second drive mechanisms are configured to, after the leading end portion of the paper sheet to be conveyed is guided by the switching gate plate disposed at the first guide position so as to pass through the upper surface of the upper roller of the pair of second conveyance rollers by a predetermined amount, switch the switching gate plate to the second guide position, and then lower the folding plate disposed at the retracting position to the folding position in a substantially horizontal state so as to sandwich the paper sheet on the switching gate plate, thereby folding back the leading end portion of the paper sheet along a surface of the upper roller of the pair of second conveyance rollers.
7 more elements
A paper folding device that folds a planar paper sheet while conveying the paper sheet along a conveyance surface, the paper folding device comprising:
- a pair of first conveyance rollers disposed on an upstream side in a paper sheet conveyance direction;
- a pair of second conveyance rollers disposed on a downstream side in the paper sheet conveyance direction;
- a switching gate plate installed on a paper sheet conveyance surface between both pairs of the rollers;
- a folding plate disposed to face the switching gate plate;
- a first drive mechanism configured to drive the switching gate plate;
- and
- a second drive mechanism configured to drive the folding plate,
- wherein the switching gate plate is switchable between a first guide position at which the switching gate plate interferes with the conveyed paper sheet, bends the paper sheet conveyance direction outward from the paper sheet conveyance surface, and guides a leading end portion of the paper sheet toward a surface of one roller of the pair of second conveyance rollers and a second guide position at which the switching gate plate guides the leading end portion of the paper sheet along the paper sheet conveyance surface toward a nip portion of the pair of second conveyance rollers,
- the folding plate is configured to be movable toward the switching gate plate in a substantially horizontal state, and is switchable between a folding position close to the switching gate plate disposed at the second guide position and a retracting position retracted at a predetermined interval from the switching gate plate, and
- the first and second drive mechanisms are configured such that after the leading end portion of the paper sheet to be conveyed is guided by the switching gate plate disposed at the first guide position so as to pass by a predetermined amount toward the surface of one roller of the pair of second conveyance rollers, the switching gate plate is switched to the second guide position, and then the folding plate disposed at the retracting position is lowered to the folding position in a substantially horizontal state so as to sandwich the paper sheet on the switching gate plate, whereby the leading end portion of the paper sheet is folded back along the surface of one roller of the pair of second conveyance rollers.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.