Abstract:
A sheet or set receiving post processing machine has a plurality of vertically spaced sheet or set receiving trays extending generally horizontally at an incline, a sheet delivering infeed with vertically spaced gates, and a vertically movable sheet sender extending horizontally between each infeed location and a selected tray, wherein the sheet sender has a stapler for stapling sets of sheets thereon and wherein the sender has first and second offsetting devices for offsetting sets of sheets, whether or not stapled, and for feeding the sets to the trays in offset relation.

Description:
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/629,143, filed Jul. 31, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,743. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the application U.S. Ser. No. 356,656, filed Jul. 19, 1999, there is described a sheet post processing device to sort continuously transported sheets into several fixed trays. That device has features including a top infeed to an inverter, a transport path that transports sheets continuously from the inverter, several gates from which a sheet can be taken out along the path, several outlets that can eject sheets from each corresponding fixed location of receiving trays, and a sheet sending device that selectively moves between the several transport gates and the several outlets and sends the sheets transported from the transport gates to the outlets. 
     The state of the art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,747, granted Dec. 2, 1997 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,609, granted Jan. 6, 1998, which show sheet inversion and a vertically movable sender. 
     SUMMARY OR THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improvement in sheet post processing machines of the general type shown in the above mentioned application, wherein the sheets which are received on the sender are collected in sets and sent to the trays in edge aligned sets, which may be horizontally offset from one another, or sent to the trays in sets which may be offset horizontally or not. 
     This improvement relates to providing means for offsetting sheets and forming sets, either offset or not, and stapled or not. No means for offsetting being associated with a sender conveyor extended generally horizontally and located between the vertically spaced gates for sheets and the trays are also vertically spaced and opposite a gate for receiving the sheets or sets. 
     The above and other objects of the invention will be hereinafter described with greater particularity with reference to the drawings forming a part of this application. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section showing a sheet post processing machine to which the invention is applicable, as more particularly illustrated and described in the above referred to prior application Ser. No. 356,656; 
     FIG. 2 is a view taken on the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 showing the sheet set sending device of the indexer and its associated means for aligning and offsetting sheets; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan of a first sheet positioning mechanism; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view in perspective of one of the second sheet positioning mechanism; 
     FIG. 5 is a view on the plane of the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 showing an offset sheet set on a receiving tray; 
     FIGS.  6 ( a ) and  6 ( b ) are views showing the positioning of the first and second adjustment mechanism and the locations of sheet sets on the tray; 
     FIG. 7 is a view showing the offsetting of sheets by the second mechanism; 
     FIGS.  8 ( a ),  8 ( b ) and  8 ( c ) are views showing accumulation of sheets on the indexer and operation of the first and second offsetting mechanisms as the set is moved on the tray; 
     FIG. 9 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow IX of FIG.  8 ( c ); 
     FIGS.  10 ( a ) and  10 ( b ) are timing charts to show the drive timing of the second adjustment device; 
     FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the procedure for movement of the second adjustment device; 
     FIGS.  12 ( a ),  12 ( b ) and  12 ( c ) show accumulation of sheets in the first adjustment device and in FIG.  12 ( c ) the sheets positioned in and by the second adjustment device; 
     FIG. 13 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow XIII in FIG.  12 ( c ); and 
     FIGS.  14 ( a ) and  14 ( b ) show the position of the first and second adjustment devices and show sheets accumulated on the tray without offset. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The sheet post processing machine  1 , as disclosed more fully in pending U.S. application Ser. No. 356,665 separates the sheets whose transporting direction is reversed by the sheet reversing mechanism  2 . The sheets transported from host machines such as copy machines and printers are transported to the sheet reversing mechanism  2  from the direction of the arrow A in FIG.  1 . After the sheet reversing mechanism  2  reverses the transporting direction, the sheets are transported downwardly along the direction of the arrow B by the right side transporting path  4 . The sheet reversing mechanism  2  reverses the transporting direction of the sheets by transporting the sheets from the direction of the arrow A onto the stage  3  and then transporting them to the transporting path  4  from the direction of the arrow B so that the trailing ends of the incoming sheets become the leading ends of the sheet moving in path  4 . 
     The transporting path  4  has multiple sets of rollers to transport sheets in the direction of the arrow B by holding them in front and back directions. Furthermore, the transporting path  4  has multiple deflecting gates  5  that enable sheets to be removed from path  4 . Also, multiple trays  6  are installed in fixed positions at the left side of the body  1 . Therefore, the sheets are transported to the indexer  10  extending between a gate  5  in path  4  and a tray  6 . 
     The indexer  10  installed inside of the body  1  as a sheet transporting device can be moved up and down. The indexer  10  is composed of the sheet transporting portion  11  and the sheet transporting portion  12 . The sheet transporting portion  11  is selectively opposed to a transporting gate  5  and the sheet transporting portion  12  is selectively opposed to a tray  6  according to the vertical position of the indexer  10 . The indexer  10  transports sheets onto the belt  13  from the directions of the arrows C and D through the deflecting gate  5  of the sheet transporting portion  11 . The sheets transported on the belt  13  are transported onto a tray  6  at the opposite side of the sheet transporting portion  12  of belt  13  from the direction of the arrow E, by suitable feed or drive mechanism, not shown. 
     Therefore, the indexer  10  can transport sheets from a position in the transporting path  4  according to the vertical position of the indexer  10  and separate them into multiple trays  6 . For example, when the indexer  10  moves to the lowest position as indicated by solid lines, sheets are separated into the lowest tray  6 . When the indexer  10  moves to the highest position as indicated by a two-point chained line, sheets are separated into the highest tray  6 . Also, the indexer  10  has a stapler  14  that can staple a group of sheets that are accumulated on the stage  13 . The stapled or unstapled sheet groups are moved into tray  6  as individual sets. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan of the indexer  10  and the opposing tray  6 . The indexer  10  has the first and second adjustment devices  30  and  50  that move up and down with the indexer  10 . In the following section, the left side (for example, bottom side in FIG. 3) of the sheet transporting direction (the direction of the arrow E) is described as the left side of the sheet post processing machine of this example. The right side (for example, top side in FIG. 3) of the sheet transporting direction (the direction of the arrow E) is described as the right side of the sheet post processing machine of this example. The first adjustment device  30 , as mentioned later, adjusts the position of the sheets on the belt  13  in the direction of the width of the sheet by individually moving in the directions of the arrows F 1 , F 2 , G 1 , and G 2  of the left and right first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B. 
     The second adjustment device  50  moves up and down with the indexer  10  and is located at the side of the tray  6 . The second adjustment device  50 , as mentioned later, precisely adjusts the positions of the sheets or sets on the tray  6  in the direction of the width of the sheet or sets by individually moving in the directions of the arrows J 1 , J 2 , K 1 , and K 2  of the left and right second adjustment boards  51 A and  51 B. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan for the main portion of the first adjustment device  30 . The left and right first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B are guided in the directions of the arrows F 1 , F 2 , G 1  and G 2  by guides  32 A and  32 B. The left first adjustment board  31 A is connected to the belt  35 A between the pulleys  33 A and  34 A. It slides in the left and right directions of the arrows F 1  and F 2  when the pulley  33 A rotates by the left first motor  36 A. Similarly, the right first adjustment board  31 B is connected to the belt  35 B between the pulleys  33 B and  34 B. It slides to left and right directions of the arrows G 1  and G 2  when the pulley  33 B is rotated by the right first motor  36 B. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the drive mechanism portion of the left second adjustment board  51 A of the second adjustment device  50 . The rod  54  is guided in the base plate  52  in the left side of the indexer  10  by the guide block  53  and can slide in the directions of the arrows J 1  and J 2 . The left second adjustment board  51 A is installed on the front end of the rod  54 . The left second motor  56  is connected to the rack portion  54 A of the rod  54  through the gear row  55 . The rod  54  slides in the directions of the arrows J 1  and J 2  with the second adjustment board  51 A by forward and reverse rotations of the second motor  56 . The light resistant piece  57  is installed on the adjustment board  51 A. The photo sensor  58  detects the home position of the adjustment board  51 A when the light resistant piece  57  shuts off the light path of the photo sensor  58 . The drive mechanism portion of the right second adjustment board  51 B is constructed similarly to the drive mechanism of the left second adjustment board  51 A. The right second adjustment board  51 B slides in the directions of the arrows K 1  and K 2  by forward and reverse rotations of the right second motor. 
     The left and right first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B of the first adjustment device  30 , and the left and right second adjustment boards  51 A and  51 B of the second adjustment device  50  are controlled inter-relatedly to slide according to an accumulation of the sheets S on the tray  6  by a control device not shown. The sheets S are accumulated on the tray  6  one by one or by a set of several sheets, or a set of sheets stapled by the stapler  14 . 
     Movements of the accumulation of A “stack with offset” and B “stack without offset” are described below as interrelated movements of the first and second adjustment devices  30  and  50 . Also, in the following description, the sheets S are accumulated one by one. The same description is applied in the cases of accumulating the sheets by several sheets or stapled group of sheets. 
     A “Stack with Offset” 
     This “stack with offset” is a form that accumulates the sheets S by offsetting the specified numbers or sets of sheets to the left and right on the tray  6  as indicated in FIG.  5 . FIGS.  6 ( a ) and  6 ( b ) (looking in the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 5) indicate the positions of the first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B, the second adjustment boards  51 A and  51 B, and the sheets S on the tray  6 . In an accumulation form such as “stack with offset,” left and right first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B are moved in the directions of the arrows F 1 , F 2 , G 1 , and G 2  between the waiting positions P 1 A- 0  and P 1 B- 0  and the adjustment positions P 1 A- 1  and P 1 B- 1  as indicated in FIG.  6 ( a ). Also, in relation to these left and right first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B, the left and right second adjustment boards  51 A and  51 B are moved in the directions of the arrows J 1 , J 2 , K 1 , and K 2  between the waiting positions P 2 A- 0  and P 2 B- 0  and the adjustment positions P 2 A- 1  and P 2 B- 1  as indicated in FIGS.  6 ( a ) and  7 . 
     The adjustment positions P 1 A- 1 , P 1 B- 1 , P 2 A- 1 , and P 2 B- 1  are most properly established according to the size of the sheets or sets S that are to be separated. Also, for example, the distance L 1  (see FIG.  6 ( a )) between the first adjustment boards  31 A and  31 B and the waiting positions P 1 A- 0  and P 1 B- 0  is 360 mm and the amount of offset L 2  (see FIG.  6 ( b )) is 20 mm. 
     This “stack with offset” movement is described below in A-1 “right stack” that accumulates the sheets or sets S in the front offset position at the right side of FIG.  6 ( b ) and A-2 “left stack” that accumulates the sheets S in the offset position at the left side of FIG.  6 ( b ). 
     A-1 “Right Stack” 
     First of all, after the sheet S is transported by the belt  13  of the indexer  10  as indicated by a two-point chain line in FIG.  8 ( a ), the right first adjustment board  31 B is moved to the adjustment position P 1 B- 1  as indicated by a solid line from the waiting position P 1 B- 0  as indicated by a two-point chain line. The sheet S is offset to the position Pf toward the bottom side in FIG.  8 ( a ), as indicated by a solid line. Then, the sheet S is transported onto the tray  6  as indicated in FIG.  8 ( b ) by a transportation mechanism of the indexer  10 . Then, as indicated in FIG.  8 ( c ), the second adjustment board  51 A is moved to the adjustment position P 2 A- 1  as indicated by a solid line in FIG.  8 ( a ) from the waiting position P 2 A- 0  as indicated by a two-point chain line. The position of the sheet S is precisely adjusted toward the top side in FIG.  8 ( c ), as indicated by a solid line. The first adjustment board  31 B returns to the waiting position P 1 B- 0  from the adjustment position P 1 B- 1  as indicated by a two-point chain line. 
     By repeating such movements, as indicated in FIG. 9, the sheets or sets S are orderly accumulated toward the tray  6 . The position of the top sheet S in the FIG. 9 is precisely adjusted toward left by the second adjustment board  51 A moving to the adjustment position P 2 A- 1  as indicated by a two-point chain line from the waiting position P 2 A- 0  as indicated by a solid line. The position of the top sheet or set S is adjusted with respect to the bottom sheet or set S that has previously been adjusted. 
     FIGS.  10 ( a ) and  10 ( b ) are timing charts to describe drive timing of the second adjustment board  51 A during the “right stack” movements. The motor  56  (see FIG. 4) that drives the second adjustment board  51 A, as mentioned later, forwardly or reversible drives, as indicated in FIG.  10 ( b ) based on the detection timing (FIG.  10 ( a )) of the exit sensor ES that detects if the sheet or set S is transported from the stage  13  of the indexer  10 . 
     FIG. 11 is a flow chart to describe the movement procedure of the second adjustment board  51 A during the “right stack” movement. 
     First of all, in step S 1 , the indexer  10  transports the sheets or set S toward the right of the tray  6  and then evaluates the detection signal of the sensor ES (Step S 2 ). The sensor ES is turned OFF from ON when the sheet S is transported from the belt  13  of the indexer  10  (t 0 ). And, it waits for the specified time TA (for example, 150 msec.) from that time t 0  (Step S 3 ) and when the specified time TA has passed (t 1 ), it drives the motor  56  in a forward rotation and moves the adjustment board  51 A to the adjustment position P 2 A- 1  in the direction of the arrow J 1  (Step S 4 ). The speed of the movement of the adjustment  51 A from the waiting position P 2 A- 0  to the adjustment position P 2 A- 1 , for example, is relatively small 50 mm/sec. And, it waits the specified time TB (for example, 20 msec.) from the time t 2  when the adjustment board  51 A moves to the adjustment position P 2 A- 1  (Step  5 ). When the specified time TB has passed (t 3 ), it drives the motor  56  in a reverse rotation and moves the adjustment board  51 A to the waiting position P 2 A- 0  in the direction of the arrow J 2  (Step S 6 ). The speed of the movement of the adjustment board  51 A from the adjustment position P 2 A- 1  to the waiting position P 2 A- 0  is, for example, relatively large 200 mm/sec. In FIG.  10 ( b ) t 4  is the timing when the adjustment board  51 A returns to the waiting position P 2 A- 0 . 
     A-2 “Left Stack” 
     First of all, after the sheets or set S is transported to the belt  13  of the indexer  10  as indicated by a two-point chain line in FIG.  12 ( a ), the first adjustment board  31 A is moved to the adjustment position P 1 A- 1  as indicated by a solid line from the waiting position P 1 A- 0  as indicated by a two-point chain line. The first adjustment board  31 A offsets the sheets or set S Pr (top side) as indicated by a solid line. Then, the transportation mechanism of the indexer  10 , not shown, transports the sheet S onto the tray  6  as indicated in FIG.  12 ( b ). Then, as indicated in FIG.  12 ( c ), the second adjustment board  51 B moves to the adjustment position P 2 B- 1  as indicated by a solid line from the waiting position P 2 B- 0  as indicated by a two-point chain line and precisely adjusts the position of the sheets or set S as indicated by a solid line. The left first adjustment board  31 A returns to the waiting position P 1 A- 0  form the adjustment position P 1 A- 1  as indicated by a two-point chain line in FIG.  12 ( c ). 
     By repeating these movements, as indicated in FIG. 13, the sheets or sets S are orderly accumulated toward the right of the tray  6 . The position of the top sheets or set S is precisely adjusted toward the second adjustment board  51 B moving to the adjustment position P 2 B- 1  as indicated by a two-point chain line from the waiting position P 2 B- 0  as indicated by a solid line. The top sheet S is adjusted along with the bottom sheet S that has previously been precisely adjusted. 
     The drive timing of the right second adjustment board  51 B is the same as the drive timing of the second adjustment board  51 A in the aforementioned FIGS.  10 ( a ) and  10 ( b ). Also, the movement procedure of the right second adjustment board  51 B is the same as the movement procedure of the second adjustment board  51 A in the aforementioned FIG.  11 . 
     B “Stack without Offset” 
     This “stack without offset” is a form that continuously accumulates the sheets S onto the tray  6  without offsetting them as indicated in FIGS.  14 ( a ) and  14 ( b ). In this example, the first adjustment board  31 B and the second adjustment board  51 A move to accumulate the sheets S toward the right side of FIG.  14 ( b ). However, the second adjustment board  51 B moves to the adjustment position P 2 B- 2  that adjusts the sheets or set S on the tray  6 . Also, the left first adjustment board  31 A is still waiting in the waiting position P 1 A- 0 . Similarly, the sheet S can be accumulated toward the left side of FIG.  14 ( b ). 
     As described above, this invention uses a sheet or set transporting device that selectively moves to positions opposite multiple trays. First of all, it adjusts the position of the sheets in the direction of the width of the sheet by the first adjustment device to be transported onto the tray. After the adjusted sheets are transported onto a tray, the second adjustment device precisely adjusts the position of the sheet in the direction of the width of the sheet by the second adjustment device to accurately adjust and separate them. 
     Furthermore, the second adjustment device moves with the transporting device to precisely adjust the position of the sheet on multiple trays.