Sheet collecting apparatus with integrated staple mechanism
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSteven W Trovinger, Ross R. Allen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sheet collecting apparatus in a sheet-wise booklet making system is provided, including a collecting device for supporting folded sheets of material in a stack arranged for stapling, and a stapling device for stapling the folded sheets of material supported by the collecting device. The collecting device and the stapling device are attached to a movable frame such that the stapling device remains aligned with the collecting device during movement of the movable frame.
Claims21
A sheet collecting apparatus in a sheet-wise booklet making system, comprising:
- a collecting device for receiving plural folded sheets of material on a sheetwise basis and for supporting folded sheets of material in a stack arranged for stapling;
- and
- a stapling device for stapling the folded sheets of material supported by the collecting device, the stapling device translatably mounted for positioning the stapling device with respect to each of a plurality of staple positions on the collecting device,
- wherein the collecting device and the stapling device are attached to a movable frame such that the stapling device remains aligned with the collecting device during movement of the movable frame.
A method for stapling a booklet, comprising the steps of:
- providing a collecting device and a stapling device both mounted on a movable frame;
- delivering a booklet sheet;
- and
- stapling a folded edge of the booklet sheet with the stapling device when the movable frame is at a second position,
- wherein the stapling device and the collecting device remain aligned while the movable frame is moved between a first position and the second position, and
- wherein the stapling device is translatable relative to the collecting device to a plurality of staple positions on the collecting device.
A method for stapling a booklet, comprising the steps of:
- providing a collecting device and a stapling device both mounted on a movable frame;
- delivering a booklet sheet, wherein the step of delivering comprises the steps of locating the movable frame at a first position, transferring a leading edge of a first folded sheet to the collecting device, moving the movable frame to the second position, such that the collecting device can receive a trailing edge of the first folded sheet, and repeating the steps of locating, transferring, and moving until a predetermined number of booklet sheets are delivered to the collecting device;
- and
- stapling a folded edge of the booklet sheet with the stapling device when the movable frame is at a second position,
- wherein the stapling device and the collecting device remain aligned while the movable frame is moved between the first position and the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.