Diverter assembly, printing system and method

A printing system comprising:

• a sheet media source;
• a sheet media outlet;
• a marking engine operatively disposed between said sheet media source and said sheet media outlet;
• a media pathway interconnecting said sheet media source, said sheet media outlet and said marking engine, said media pathway including:
• a first path portion;
• a diversion point disposed along said first path portion;
• second and third path portions in communication with said first path portion and extending from said diversion point in outward relation to one another;
• and,
• a fourth path portion in communication with said first path portion and
• extending from said diversion point between said second and third path portions;
• a first rotary member including a first axis and a first diverter surface eccentric to said first axis, said first rotary member supported along a first side of said first path portion of said media pathway adjacent said diversion point and rotatable about said first axis such that upon full rotation of said first rotary member about said first axis said first diverter surface extends into the first path portion and is retracted out of the first path portion at least once;
• a second rotary member including a second axis and a second diverter surface eccentric to said second axis, said second rotary member supported along an opposing second side of said first path portion of said media pathway in laterally-spaced relation to said first rotary member and rotatable about said second axis such that upon full rotation of said second rotary member about said second axis said second diverter surface extends into the first path portion and is retracted out of the first path portion at least once;
• a first rotational motion source operatively connected to said first rotary member that rotates said first rotary member about said first axis;
• a second rotational motion source operatively connected to said second rotary member that rotates said second rotary member about said second axis;
• and,
• a control system in communication with at least said marking engine, said first rotational motion source and said second rotational motion source, said control system operating said first and second rotational motion sources in a first mode and a second mode such that:
• 1) in said first mode, said first and second rotary members are fully and substantially continuously rotated by said first and second rotational motion sources with said first and second rotary members oriented in a first rotational phase relative to one another, and during said full and substantially continuous rotation in said first mode said first and second rotary members alternating between a first condition in which said third and fourth path portions are at least partially blocked and a second condition in which said second and fourth path portions are at least partially blocked;
• and,
• 2) in said second mode, at least one of said first and second rotary members is rotated by said first and second rotational motion sources through less than a full rotation and into a second rotational phase relative to one another that is different from said first rotational phase and in which at least a portion of said first and second diverter surfaces extend into and are maintained within said media pathway such that said second and third path portions are at least partially blocked and associated sheets of media are directed into said fourth path portion.

A method of transporting sheets of media along a media pathway of a printing system, the media pathway including a first path portion, a diversion point disposed along the first path portion, and second, third and fourth path portions extending from along the diversion point with the fourth path portion disposed between the second and third path portions, said method comprising:

• a) providing first and second rotary members, supporting said first rotary member for rotational operation along one side of the first path portion adjacent the diversion point and supporting said second rotary member for rotational operation along an opposing side of the first path portion in spaced relation to the first rotary member, said first rotary member including a first axis and a first diverter surface eccentrically disposed relative to said first axis, said second rotary member including a second axis and a second diverter surface eccentrically disposed relative to said second axis;
• b) providing first and second rotational motion sources, said first rotational motion source connected with said first rotary member, and said second rotational motion source connected with said second rotary member;
• c) operating said printing system in a first mode that includes:
• c1) orienting said first and second rotary members relative to one another into a first phase relationship using at least one of said first and second rotational motion sources;
• and
• c2) rotating said first and second rotary members through a plurality of full rotations in a substantially synchronous manner such that said first phase relationship is substantially maintained therethrough and such that during said plurality of full rotations said first and second rotary members reach:
• a first condition in which said first diverter surface at least partially blocks the second and fourth path portions and said second diverter surface is retracted from the media pathway which permits passage of sheet media along the third path portion;
• and,
• a second condition in which said second diverter surface at least partially blocks the third and fourth path portions and said first diverter surface is retracted from the media pathway which permits passage of sheet media along the second path portion;
• and,
• d) operating said printing system in a second mode that includes orienting said first and second rotary members relative to one another in an asynchronous manner into a second phase relationship that is different than said first phase relationship using at least one of said first and second rotational motion sources such that in said second phase relationship at least a portion of said first and second diverter surfaces of said first and second rotary members extend into the media pathway and at least partially block the second and third path portions which permits passage of sheet media along the fourth path portion.