Systems and methods for implementing an auger-based transport mechanism for vertical transport of image receiving media in image forming systems

A method for handling image receiving media substrates in an image forming system, comprising:

• providing a plurality of processed image receiving media substrates at an output of a first image receiving media substrate processing device in an image forming system;
• providing a vertical compiler in a vicinity of the output of the first image receiving media substrate processing device as a transport mechanism for one of individual substrates or collected sets of image receiving media substrates exiting the first image receiving media substrate processing device, the vertical compiler comprising:
• a plurality of augers as the vertical transport mechanisms in the vertical compiler;
• at least one auger motor for driving the augers in a coordinated manner about respective vertical auger shafts for the plurality of augers;
• and
• an auger motor controller that controls operation of the at least one auger motor;
• collecting a set of image receiving media substrates in a first position on a top of the plurality of augers;
• and
• operating the plurality of augers to move the collected set of image receiving media substrates downward in the vertical compiler to a second position;
• receiving, with the auger motor controller, signals regarding image processing in the first image receiving media substrate processing device indicating collection of a first full set of image receiving media substrates in the first position on the plurality of augers;
• causing, with the auger motor controller, the at least one auger motor to operate to move the first full set of image receiving media substrates lower in the vertical compiler to the second position leaving the top of the augers open to receive a second full set of image receiving media substrates in the first position;
• executing second processing on the first full set of image receiving media substrates with a second image receiving media substrate processing device when the first full set of image receiving media substrates is positioned at the second position;
• receiving, with the auger motor controller, additional signals regarding image processing in the second image receiving media substrate processing device indicating completion of the second processing on the first full set of image receiving media substrates in the second position;
• and
• causing, with the auger motor controller, the at least one auger motor to operate to move the first full set and the second full set of image receiving media substrates lower in the vertical compiler to respective third and second positions leaving the top of the augers open to receive a third full set of image receiving media substrates in the first position.