Patent ID: 6155552
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
A sheet sorting apparatus, comprising:a plurality of trays for accommodating sheets;helical cam means, engageable with a cam follower for moving said plurality of trays;cam driving means for driving said helical cam means;sheet set processing means movable between a processing position and a retracted position where said processing means does not interfere with said plurality of trays;driving means for advancing or retracting said sheet set processing means; andcontrolling means for controlling said cam driving means and said driving means;wherein a cam surface of said helical cam is constituted of substantially horizontal portions and slanted portions; andsaid cam driving means and said driving means being controlled by said controlling means, in such a manner that said sheet set processing means starts to enter a processing position when said cam follower shifts from the slanted portions to the horizontal portions, and the entering operation ends by the time said cam follower reaches a middle portion of the horizontal portions, and that said cam driving means is deactivated when the cam follower is substantially at a middle portion of the horizontal portions, and after sheet set processing, said cam driving means and said driving means are actuated, and the sheet processing means is retracted from a moving path region of the tray by the time said cam follower passes through the remaining portion of the horizontal portions.