Patent ID: 9623684
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: B41J,B65H

Claim:
1. A media sheet router for routing media sheets from a digital printer selectively to a plurality of finishers, for use in connection with a first finisher and a bypass finisher, and a media sheet having a lead edge and a trail edge, the media sheet moving in a process direction along a process path, the router comprising: a router inlet path for inputting the media sheet into the router, the router inlet path being adapted for alignment with a process outlet path of the printer; a router first outlet path for outputting the media sheet from the router, the router first outlet path being disposed at ninety degrees to the router inlet path, the router first outlet path being adapted for alignment with a first finisher inlet path; a first turning element mounted on a first axis disposed at forty-five degrees to the router inlet path, the first turning element having a first entry path adapted for receiving the media sheet from the router inlet path, the first turning element being adapted for receiving the media sheet from the first entry path and directing the media sheet in a helical path around the first turning element and discharging the media sheet to the router first outlet path; a bypass transfer for moving the media sheet away from the first entry path and toward a bypass outlet path, so as to bypass the first turning element, the bypass outlet path being adapted for outputting the media sheet from the router, the bypass outlet path being adapted for alignment with a bypass finisher inlet path; a secondary diverter for selectively directing the media sheet onto a one of the first entry path and the bypass transfer; a router second outlet path for outputting the media sheet from the router, the router second outlet path being disposed at ninety degrees to the router inlet path, the router second outlet path being opposed to the router first outlet path, the router second outlet path being adapted for alignment with a second finisher inlet path; a second turning element mounted on a second axis disposed at forty-five degrees to the router inlet path and at ninety degrees to the first axis, the second turning element having a second entry path adapted for receiving the media sheet from the router inlet path, the second turning element being adapted for receiving the media sheet from the second entry path and directing the media sheet in a helical path around the second turning element and discharging the media sheet to the router second outlet path; and a primary diverter for selectively directing the media sheet onto a one of the first entry path and the second entry path; wherein, the router is adapted for moving the media sheet from the digital printer through the router and selectively to the plurality of finishers at full process speed and while maintaining sheet orientation.