Sheet stacking apparatus
AssigneeCanon Production Printing Holding B.V.
InventorsLodewijk T. HOLTMAN, Fabian T. ROSENBOOM, Hermanus M. KUYPERS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet stacking apparatus includes a sheet alignment mechanism configured for aligning a sheet in a predetermined reference position; a gripper arrangement configured to grip the aligned sheet at at least two spaced-apart points of the sheet and to release the sheet on a stack; and a holder configured to hold the sheet in position on the stack while the gripper arrangement releases the sheet. The gripper arrangement is movable along a predetermined trajectory for moving the sheet from the reference position to a stacking position.
Claims14
A sheet stacking apparatus comprising:
- a sheet alignment mechanism configured for aligning a sheet in a predetermined reference position;
- a gripper arrangement configured to grip the aligned sheet at at least two spaced-apart points of the sheet and to release the sheet on a stack;
- and
- a holder configured to hold the sheet in position on the stack while the gripper arrangement releases the sheet,
- wherein the gripper arrangement is movable along a predetermined trajectory for moving the sheet from the reference position to a stacking position.
A method of aligning and stacking sheets, the method comprising the steps of:
- aligning a sheet in a predetermined reference position and/or orientation;
- controlling a gripper arrangement to grip the sheet at at least two spaced-apart points of the sheet at a time when the sheet has been aligned in the reference position;
- moving the gripper arrangement with the sheet held therein from the reference position to a stacking position above a stack of sheets;
- and
- when the sheet has reached the stacking position, controlling the gripper to release the sheet and simultaneously controlling a holder to hold the sheet in place on a top of the stack at least until the sheet has come to rest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.