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US 4,361,320 AGranted
Sheet distribution method and apparatus
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsHideo Kikuchi, Tamaki Kaneko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plurality of bins (31) to (40) are divided into two groups which are used alternatingly when a number of copies N to be collated exceeds the number of bins, thus allowing a copying machine to operate continually and further allowing an operator to remove the collated copies from one group while the copies are being collated in the other group. When the number of pages P of a document exceeds a predetermined number, the first group is defined to contain more bins than the second group, thereby reducing the number of times each page must be fed to the copying machine. A unique sensor arrangement (151) senses for feed failures using only two sensors (78), (79).
Claims26
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- first sensor means for sensing presence of a sheet at an inlet of the distribution means;
- second sensor means for sensing presence of the sheet at an outlet of the distribution means;
- and
- timing means responsive to the first and second sensor means for generating an alarm at a first predetermined time after the first sensor means senses the presence of the sheet unless the second sensor means senses presence of the sheet within the first predetermined time;
- the first and second sensor means being constructed to produce first and second signals respectively in response to sensing of a leading edge of the sheet, the timing means generating the alarm unless the second signal is generated within the first predetermined time after the first signal is generated;
- the distribution means comprising a fixed inlet means and an outlet means which is movable relative to the bins, the first and second sensor means being disposed adjacent to the inlet and outlet means respectively;
- the timing means being responsive to a position of the outlet means and constructed to compute the first predetermined time as a function thereof, the first predetermined time being slightly greater than a time required for the leading edge of the sheet to be fed from the first sensor means to the second sensor means.
4 more elements
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- control means for controlling the distribution means to distribute a plurality of sets of sheets into respective bins and computing means for computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the control means being further constructed to, when the number of sets of sheets is equal to or smaller than the number of bins, distribute the sets of sheets into the bins using all of the bins as a single group;
- the computing means being further constructed to compute whether a number of sheets in each set is greater than a predetermined number, the control means, when the number of sheets is greater than the predetermined number, dividing the bins into the first and second groups in such a manner that the first group contains more bins than the second group.
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- control means for controlling the distribution means to distribute a plurality of sets of sheets into respective bins and computing means for computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the control means being further constructed to, when the number of sets of sheets is equal to or smaller than the number of bins, distribute the sets of sheets into the bins using all of the bins as a single group;
- the computing means being constructed to, after the distribution means distributes sets of sheets into the first and second groups, compute whether a number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into the first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the control means being constructed to, after the distribution means distributes sets of sheets into the first and second groups, sense when the first group of bins has been emptied and control the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins when the first group of bins has been emptied and sensing when the second group of bins has been emptied and control the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins when the second group of bins has been emptied.
1 more element
A sheet distribution method for distributing a plurality of sets of sheets into separate bins, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing the sheets to the bins;
- (b) computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins;
- and
- (c) when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups, distributing sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distributing sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the method further comprising the step, following step (b), of:
- (i) computing whether a number of sheets in each set is greater than a predetermined number of sheets, step (c) comprising, when the number of sheets is greater than the predetermined number of sheets, dividing the bins into the first and second groups in such a manner that the first group contains more bins than the second group.
3 more elements
A sheet distribution method for distributing a plurality of sets of sheets into separate bins, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing the sheets to the bins;
- (b) computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins;
- and
- (c) when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups, distributing sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distributing sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the method further comprising the steps, following step (c), of:
- (j) computing whether a number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins;
- and
- (k) when the number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into the first and second groups, distributing sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distributing sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- step (k) comprising sensing when the first group of bins has been emptied and distributing sets of sheets into the first group of bins when the first group of bins has been emptied and sensing when the second group of bins has been emptied and distributing sets of sheets into the second group of bins when the second group of bins has been emptied.
6 more elements
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- first sensor means for sensing presence of a sheet at an inlet of the distribution means;
- second sensor means for sensing presence of the sheet at an outlet of the distribution means;
- timing means responsive to the first and second sensor means for generating an alarm at a first predetermined time after the first sensor means senses the presence of the sheet unless the second sensor means senses presence of the sheet within the first predetermined time;
- and
- control means for controlling the distribution means to distribute a plurality of sets of sheets into respective bins and computing means for computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the computing means being further constructed to compute whether a number of sheets in each set is greater than a predetermined number, the control means, when the number of sheets is greater than the predetermined number, dividing the bins into the first and second groups in such a manner that the first group contains more bins than the second group.
3 more elements
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- first sensor means for sensing presence of a sheet at an inlet of the distribution means;
- second sensor means for sensing presence of the sheet at an outlet of the distribution means;
- timing means responsive to the first and second sensor means for generating an alarm at a first predetermined time after the first sensor means senses the presence of the sheet unless the second sensor means senses presence of the sheet within the first predetermined time;
- and
- control means for controlling the distribution means to distribute a plurality of sets of sheets into respective bins and computing means for computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the computing means being constructed to, after the distribution means distributes sets of sheets into the first and second groups, compute whether a number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into the first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the control means being constructed to, after the distribution means distributes sets of sheets into the first and second groups, sense when the first group of bins has been emptied and control the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins when the first group of bins has been emptied and sensing when the second group of bins has been emptied and control the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins when the second group of bins has been emptied.
4 more elements
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- control means for controlling the distribution means to distribute a plurality of sets of sheets into respective bins and computing means for computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the computing means being further constructed to compute whether a number of sheets in each set is greater than a predetermined number, the control means, when the number of sheets is greater than the predetermined number, dividing the bins into the first and second groups in such a manner that the first group contains more bins than the second group.
A sheet distribution apparatus including a predetermined number of bins and distribution means for selectively distributing sheets into the bins, characterized by comprising:
- control means for controlling the distribution means to distribute a plurality of sets of sheets into respective bins and computing means for computing whether a number of the sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the computing means being constructed to, after the distribution means distributes sets of sheets into the first and second groups, compute whether a number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, the control means, when the number of undistributed sets of sheets is greater than the number of bins, dividing the bins into the first and second groups and controlling the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins and then distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins;
- the control means being constructed to, after the distribution means distributes sets of sheets into the first and second groups, sense when the first group of bins has been emptied and control the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the first group of bins when the first group of bins has been emptied and sensing when the second group of bins has been emptied and control the distribution means to distribute sets of sheets into the second group of bins when the second group of bins has been emptied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.