التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
Sheet-Folding Apparatus and Image-Forming System Equipped with the Same |
| Document Number: |
20070290427 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
December 20, 2007 |
| Appl. No: |
11/754388 |
| Application Filed: |
May 29, 2007 |
| مستخلص: |
Sheets after having been sequentially folding-processed are stowed neatly without becoming dog-eared, wrinkled, etc. in the course of being transported to a stacker. A folding process unit folds sequentially fed copy paper or other sheets, and a sheet stacking unit loads/stows sheets from the folding unit. A conveyance device conveying one folding-processed sheet at a time is furnished between the folding unit and the sheet stacking unit. The conveyance device includes a first, upstream conveyance unit conveying sheets from the folding process unit in a direction approximately orthogonal to the sheets' crease(s), and a second, downstream conveyance unit conveying sheets in the orientation of the crease(s). The second conveyance unit is configured with a tray member where sheets are supported one at a time, and is configured so as to sequentially deliver each sheet to the sheet stacking unit along the tray member in the orientation of the crease(s). |
| Inventors: |
Horii, Toshihiro (Kofu-shi, JP); Imazu, Hiroki (Kofu-shi, JP); Yamada, Hiroyuki (Nakakoma-gun, JP) |
| Assignees: |
NISCA CORPORATION (Yamanashi-ken, JP) |
| Claim: |
1. A sheet folding apparatus comprising: a folding process unit for folding sequentially delivered sheets into a predetermined form defining a crease orientation; a sheet stacking unit for stacking and stowing sheets from said folding process unit; and conveyance means, provided between said folding process unit and said sheet stacking unit, for conveying one folding-processed sheet at a time; wherein said conveyance means is composed of an upstream first conveyance means for conveying sheets from said folding process unit in a direction approximately orthogonal to the crease orientation, and a downstream second conveyance means for conveying sheets in the crease orientation; and said second conveyance means is composed of a tray member for loading sheets from said first conveyance means, and a shift member for transporting sheets on the tray member in the crease orientation. |
| Claim: |
2. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said first conveyance means is constituted by a pair of rollers for nipping and thereby conveying sheets; and said shift member is configured to engage the trailing edges of sheets on said tray member to convey the sheets into said sheet stacking unit. |
| Claim: |
3. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tray member is configured to be shorter than the length of at least the maximum-size sheet in its conveyance direction. |
| Claim: |
4. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said tray member is configured to be shorter than the length of at least the maximum-size sheet in its conveyance direction. |
| Claim: |
5. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said sheet stacking unit is constituted by a stacker for loading/stowing sheets from said conveyance means; and between said first conveyance means and said tray member a first level-split for drop-accommodating sheets, and between said tray member and said stacker a second level-split for drop-accommodating sheets are respectively formed. |
| Claim: |
6. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said sheet stacking unit is constituted by a stacker for loading/stowing sheets from said conveyance means; and between said first conveyance means and said tray member a first level-split for drop-accommodating sheets, and between said tray member and said stacker a second level-split for drop-accommodating sheets are respectively formed. |
| Claim: |
7. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: said sheet stacking unit is constituted by a stacker for loading/stowing sheets from said conveyance means; and between said first conveyance means and said tray member a first level-split for drop-accommodating sheets, and between said tray member and said stacker a second level-split for drop-accommodating sheets are respectively formed. |
| Claim: |
8. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a sheet discharge path running from a downstream side of said first conveyance means, for conveying further downstream sheets from said folding process unit; a path switching member provided in the sheet discharge path for selectively guiding to the sheet discharge path or to said tray member sheets from said first conveyance means; and a guide member provided above the tray member, for guiding sheets from said path switching member onto said tray member; wherein said guide member is configured to be free to shift between a retracted position where it does not hinder the conveying of sheets in the sheet discharge path, and a guiding position for guiding sheets to said tray member. |
| Claim: |
9. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a sheet discharge path running from a downstream side of said first conveyance means, for conveying further downstream sheets from said folding process unit; a path switching member provided in the sheet discharge path for selectively guiding to the sheet discharge path or to said tray member sheets from said first conveyance means; and a guide member provided above the tray member, for guiding sheets from said path switching member onto said tray member; wherein said guide member is configured to be free to shift between a retracted position where it does not hinder the conveying of sheets in the sheet discharge path, and a guiding position for guiding sheets to said tray member. |
| Claim: |
10. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a sheet discharge path running from a downstream side of said first conveyance means, for conveying further downstream sheets from said folding process unit; a path switching member provided in the sheet discharge path for selectively guiding to the sheet discharge path or to said tray member sheets from said first conveyance means; and a guide member provided above the tray member, for guiding sheets from said path switching member onto said tray member; wherein said guide member is configured to be free to shift between a retracted position where it does not hinder the conveying of sheets in the sheet discharge path, and a guiding position for guiding sheets to said tray member. |
| Claim: |
11. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a sheet discharge path running from a downstream side of said first conveyance means, for conveying further downstream sheets from said folding process unit; a path switching member provided in the sheet discharge path for selectively guiding to the sheet discharge path or to said tray member sheets from said first conveyance means; and a guide member provided above the tray member, for guiding sheets from said path switching member onto said tray member; wherein said guide member is configured to be free to shift between a retracted position where it does not hinder the conveying of sheets in the sheet discharge path, and a guiding position for guiding sheets to said tray member. |
| Claim: |
12. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: an engagement slot into which said shift member is fit is provided in said tray member, extending along the sheet-crease orientation; and said guide member guides sheets to above said tray member in such a way that the leading edge of a sheet advancing into said tray member does not advance into the engagement slot. |
| Claim: |
13. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: an engagement slot into which said shift member is fit is provided in said tray member, extending along the sheet-crease orientation; and said guide member guides sheets to above said tray member in such a way that the leading edge of a sheet advancing into said tray member does not advance into the engagement slot. |
| Claim: |
14. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: an engagement slot into which said shift member is fit is provided in said tray member, extending along the sheet-crease orientation; and said guide member guides sheets to above said tray member in such a way that the leading edge of a sheet advancing into said tray member does not advance into the engagement slot. |
| Claim: |
15. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said shift member is provided so as to circulate around the front and back sides of the tray member, along an engagement slot formed in said tray member, extending along the sheet-crease orientation; and said shift member is configured to be free to bob so that coming into contact with sheets on said stacker in the course of the circulating of said shift member topples it. |
| Claim: |
16. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: said shift member is provided so as to circulate around the front and back sides of the tray member, along an engagement slot formed in said tray member, extending along the sheet-crease orientation; and said shift member is configured to be free to bob so that coming into contact with sheets on said stacker in the course of the circulating of said shift member topples it. |
| Claim: |
17. An image-forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus for imaging onto sheets; a sheet folding apparatus for folding sheets from said image-forming apparatus; and a finisher for stacking into a bundle and binding together sheets from said folding apparatus; wherein said sheet folding apparatus is provided with a sheet discharge path for conveying sheets from said image-forming apparatus to said finisher, and a folding process path for folding sheets from said image-forming apparatus; and said sheet folding apparatus is furnished with the configuration set forth in claim 1. |
| Claim: |
18. An image-forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus for imaging onto sheets; a sheet folding apparatus for folding sheets from said image-forming apparatus; and a finisher for stacking into a bundle and binding together sheets from said folding apparatus; wherein said sheet folding apparatus is provided with a sheet discharge path for conveying sheets from said image-forming apparatus to said finisher, and a folding process path for folding sheets from said image-forming apparatus; and said sheet folding apparatus is furnished with the configuration set forth in claim 2. |
| Claim: |
19. The image-forming system according to claim 17, further comprising an inserter, said inserter having a tray for holding sheets in place, and separating means for separating and feeding out one-by-one sheets on said tray; wherein the image-forming system is configured to feed selectively to said folding process path sheets on said tray with sheets from said image-forming apparatus. |
| Claim: |
20. The image-forming system according to claim 18, further comprising an inserter, said inserter having a tray for holding sheets in place, and separating means for separating and feeding out one-by-one sheets on said tray; wherein the image-forming system is configured to feed selectively to said folding process path sheets on said tray with sheets from said image-forming apparatus. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
270032/000 |
| Current International Class: |
41 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20070290427 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |