Device for collecting folded and unfolded copy sheets
AssigneeOce-Nederland B.V.
InventorsHendrik Gerard Jozef Rutten, Jacobus Arnoldus Peter Berkers, Gert Vegter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device with a collecting station collects copy sheets which can be provided with a Z-fold in a folding station. The folding station is situated in a transport path for unfolded copy sheets which leads to the collecting station. The folding station is formed by a first pair of folding rollers, the folding nip of which is situated in the transport path, and a second pair of folding rollers, the folding nip of which is situated in a folding path branching off from the transport path. The direction of rotation of the folding rollers is reversible.
Claims22
A device for collecting copy sheets into a stack, at least one sheet in the stack being foldable with length and width dimensions when folded which are at maximum equal to length and width dimensions of unfolded copy sheets in the stack, the device comprising:
- a collecting station for holding the stack of copy sheets;
- a first transport path for feeding copy sheets to the collecting station;
- at least one pair of first folding rollers forming a first folding nip, the first folding nip being situated in the first transport path;
- a first transport nip in the first transport path for transporting a copy sheet to the first folding nip;
- a second transport path adjacent a side of one of the first folding rollers, the second transport path facing the first transport nip and extending as far as the first transport path;
- and
- a second transport nip in the second transport path, a direction of transport of the second transport nip being reversible.
A method for collecting copy sheets into a stack, at least one sheet in the stack being foldable with length and width dimensions when folded which are at maximum equal to length and width dimensions of unfolded copy sheets in the stack, the method comprising the steps of:
- feeding copy sheets through a first transport path in a transport direction;
- providing a first folding nip in the first transport path, the first folding nip being formed by at least one pair of first folding rollers;
- providing a first transport nip in the first transport path for transporting a copy sheet to the first folding nip;
- selectively feeding the copy sheets to a second transport path when the sheets are to be folded, the second transport path being adjacent a side of one of the first folding rollers and facing the first transport nip, the second transport path extending as far as the first transport path;
- providing a second transport nip in the second transport path, a direction of transport of the second transport nip being reversible;
- and
- discharging the copy sheets from the first transport to a collecting station for holding the stack of copy sheets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.