Continuously adjustable paper path guide deck
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorJohn R. Masotta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guide deck for use with a sheet processing device having a paper path. The adjustable paper path guide deck apparatus includes a first roller proximal the input end and a second roller proximal to the output end. These rollers support a flexible sheet of non-permanently deforming material wrapped around them. The surface of the sheet forms a guide deck for the paper path. To adjust for different sized sheets, the guide deck is movable along a paper path direction while moving around the first and second rollers. A locking mechanism is coupled to the adjustable paper path guide deck apparatus for preventing the flexible sheet from moving around the first and second rollers when in a locked position, and allowing movement around the first and second rollers when in an unlocked position.
Claims18
A paper processing device having a paper path with an input end and an output end, comprising:
- an adjustable paper path guide deck apparatus, comprising:
- a first roller proximal to the input end;
- a second roller proximal to the output end;
- and
- a flexible sheet of non-permanently deforming material wrapped around the first and second rollers, a surface of the sheet forming a guide deck comprising a portion of the paper path, the guide deck being stationary during processing of paper and movable along a paper path direction while moving the flexible sheet around the first and second rollers during adjustment of the flexible sheet;
- a locking mechanism coupled to the adjustable paper path guide deck apparatus for preventing the flexible sheet from moving around the first and second rollers when in a locked position, and allowing movement of the flexible sheet around the first and second rollers when in an unlocked position;
- and
- a sheet manipulating device in the paper path and coupled to the flexible sheet, whereby a position of the sheet manipulating device between the input end and the output end of the paper path is adjustable by moving the flexible sheet around the first and second rollers, wherein the sheet manipulating device comprises a sheet accumulator having a ramp for allowing subsequent sheets to be stacked on top of one another downstream of the ramp.
A paper processing device having a paper path with an input end and an output end, comprising:
- an adjustable paper path guide deck apparatus, comprising:
- a first roller proximal to the input end;
- a second roller proximal to the output end;
- and
- a flexible sheet of non-permanently deforming material wrapped around the first and second rollers, a surface of the sheet forming a guide deck comprising a portion of the paper path, the guide deck being movable along a paper path direction while moving the flexible sheet around the first and second rollers;
- a locking mechanism coupled to the adjustable paper path guide deck apparatus for preventing the flexible sheet from moving around the first and second rollers during processing of paper, and allowing movement of the flexible sheet around the first and second rollers during adjustment of the flexible sheet;
- and
- a sheet manipulating device in the paper path and coupled to the flexible sheet, whereby a position of the sheet manipulating device between the input end and the output end of the paper path is adjustable by moving the flexible sheet around the first and second rollers, wherein the sheet manipulating device comprises a sheet accumulator having a ramp for allowing subsequent sheets to be stacked on top of one another downstream of the ramp.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.