Patent ID: 7819615
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: B42C

Abstract:
1. A finishing station comprising: a substantially planar support including a first support surface configured to support a plurality of sheets accumulated into a stack of sheets at a first position of the first support surface; a scoring apparatus positioned generally opposite the first support surface and opposite to the first position at which the sheets are accumulated, the scoring apparatus remaining generally stationary relative to a width of the first support surface, wherein the scoring apparatus is configured to be vertically movable between a second position spaced apart from the first support surface and a third position in which the scoring apparatus is moved vertically downward toward the first support surface to cause scoring of the respective sheets at the first position of the support surface via the scoring apparatus compressing the sheets between the support surface and the scoring apparatus without the scoring apparatus extending through the support; a binding mechanism positioned generally opposite to the first support surface and opposite to the first position at which the sheets are scored, the binding mechanism remaining generally stationary relative to the width of the first support surface, wherein the binding mechanism is configured to be vertically movable between a fourth position spaced apart from the first support surface and a fifth position in which the binding mechanism is moved vertically downward toward the first support surface to cause binding of the stack of sheets into a bound document while the stack of scored sheets is in the first position, an actuating mechanism positioned on a same side of the first support surface as the scoring apparatus and the binding mechanism, wherein the actuating mechanism is located vertically above the scoring apparatus and above the binding mechanism, and the actuating mechanism including a first portion and a second portion while being configured to operate in: a first mode in which a first portion of the actuating mechanism causes selective movement of the scoring apparatus from the second position to the third position; and a second mode, operating after the first mode, in which a second portion of the actuating mechanism releasably engages the binding mechanism to move the binding mechanism from the fourth position to the fifth position, wherein the second portion of the actuating mechanism extends generally laterally outward from a surface of the first portion of the actuating mechanism, wherein the first portion of the actuating mechanism remains in contact with at least a portion of the scoring apparatus in both the respective first and second modes, and wherein the actuating mechanism, the scoring apparatus, and the binding mechanism remain generally stationary at the first position relative to the width of the first support surface in both the respective first and second modes.