Patent ID: 7753353
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A vertical sheet compiling apparatus for use in a sheet path of a sheet handling apparatus, the vertical sheet compiling apparatus comprising: a slot that accumulates a plurality of sheets, the slot including a first baffle and a second baffle, the first baffle and the second baffle defining generally vertical sides of a sheet path of the slot and being separated from each other by a space therebetween; a monitoring device for determining an amount of available space in the slot during compilation of the sheets in the slot; an actuator coupled to at least one of the first and second baffles to move at least one of the baffles toward or away from the other one of the baffles based on the determined amount of available space, as the sheets are being compiled, thereby adjusting a thickness of the sheet path as the sheets compile in the slot; a second actuator disposed at an upper portion of the sheet path; and a binding mechanism that fastens the plurality of sheets together, wherein the first baffle is a fixed baffle, the second baffle is a movable baffle, the actuator is coupled to and moves the movable baffle, and the second actuator moves an upper portion of the movable baffle independently from a lower portion of the movable baffle, thereby adjusting a thickness of an upper portion of the sheet path to a thickness different than a thickness of a lower portion of the sheet path.