Abstract:
An assembly is provided for adjustably aligning sheets of material, particularly sheets of print material fed into a printing apparatus. The assembly includes an alignment section adapted to convey the print material in a direction toward the printing apparatus. The alignment section includes first and second guide members for controlling the position of print material passing through the assembly. Each guide member extends generally parallel to the direction toward the printing apparatus. The assembly also includes a control mechanism for adjustably securing the position of the guide members. The control mechanism includes a first and second shaft extending laterally to the first direction. The first guide member is supported by the first shaft and the second guide member is supported by the second shaft. In this way, rotation of the first shaft selectively translates the first guide member longitudinally along the first shaft without translating the second guide member.

Description:
[0001]     The present application claims priority to provisional patent Application Ser. No. 60/674,138, filed Apr. 22, 2005. This earlier filed provisional application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an adjustable aligner mechanism and more specifically a mechanism for handling and aligning sheets of print material.  
         [0003]     Alignment and handling mechanisms are commonly used for manipulating sheets of print material, such as paper, in both commercial and consumer applications. Generally, when print material must be cut, folded, printed onto or otherwise altered, an alignment mechanism is desirable. Also, in order to suit customized or unique projects, an alignment mechanism should be adjustable. Preferably, such adjustments are easily performed by an operator making the overall application more efficient. However, once configured for proper alignment, the apparatus must reliably maintain settings throughout even the largest projects. In particular, printing presses require precision when it comes to the position of the print material relative to the impression stamps, plates, cylinders or other image transfer components.  
         [0004]     In a printing application, print material is generally conveyed from a stack and fed individually into a press or printing station. When printing on sheets of paper or envelopes, alignment is often performed while transporting the print material between the stack and the printing station. Each piece is moved along a path while being aligned by guides or rails on two opposed lateral edges. The alignment registers the print material in a position that corresponds with the settings of the print station. In order to accommodate print material of different sizes, it is common to provide an alignment and handling mechanism that allows lateral adjustment of the guides or rails relative to the direction of travel along the path.  
         [0005]     Traditionally, any adjustments in alignment guides required removal, repositioning and re-securing of the guides. While adjustable laterally, the guides were often limited in the number of positions available for repositioning. Also, even minor adjustment of the guide positions required tools and was time consuming.  
         [0006]     Alternatively, the guide members could slide laterally along a shaft or on a track, providing more flexibility in the number of lateral positions. However, many contemporary alignment mechanisms employing such slide configurations are prone to binding orjamming during adjustment, which can result in undesirable delays.  
         [0007]     Additionally, it is common to provide guide and/or handling members that maintain a fixed register for the print material. Often, both edge guides adjust laterally in unison maintaining a common centerline register, while accommodating print material of different sizes. Alternatively, one fixed lateral guide provides a common register, with an adjustable opposite lateral guide accommodating print material of varying width. However, maintaining a fixed register position for the print material (i.e., centerline or one side edge) requires the print station to be adjusted relative to that position. Adjusting the print station position between or during print jobs, can be time consuming.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an alignment mechanism with lateral edge guides or rails that are easily adjustable and are not limited in the number of positions in which they can be secured. Also, it is desirable to provide an adjustment mechanism that does not easily jam or make adjustment difficult. Further, it would be advantageous to provide independently adjustable lateral guides. Such independent adjustment would mean that the print material register position could be easily changed without having to adjust setting in the printing station.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides an adjustable aligner for handling sheet material. The aligner may include independently adjustable first and second guide members for adjusting the position of the sheet material.  
         [0010]     The present invention provides an assembly for adjustably aligning a sheet of material. The assembly includes an alignment section adapted to convey the print material in a direction toward the printing apparatus. The alignment section includes a first guide member and a second guide member for controlling the position of print material passing through the assembly. Each guide member extends generally parallel to the direction toward the printing apparatus. The assembly also includes a control mechanism for adjusting the position of the guide members. The control mechanism includes a first and second shaft extending laterally to the first direction. The first guide member is supported by the first shaft and the second guide member is supported by the second shaft. In this way, rotation of the first shaft selectively translates the first guide member longitudinally along the first shaft without translating the second guide member.  
         [0011]     The present invention further provides an assembly including a frame and an alignment mechanism for controlling the position of print material. The frame includes a first side member, a second side member opposed to the first side member, and a central member disposed between the first and second side members. The alignment mechanism includes a first guide member supported on a first shaft. Rotation of the first shaft causes the first guide member to translate. The first shaft extends between the first side member and the central member. The alignment mechanism also includes a second guide member supported on a second shaft. Rotation of the second shaft causes the second guide member to translate. The second shaft extends between the second side member and the central member. The alignment mechanism further includes a control mechanism with an one actuator linked to at least one of the first and second shafts such that activation of the actuator causes the first shaft to rotate independent of the second shaft.  
         [0012]     The present invention also provides an assembly for adjustably aligning a sheet of material. The assembly includes first and second guides for controlling the position of the sheet. The first and second guides are laterally movable independent of each other. The first guide includes a first carriage operatively connected to a first drive and a second carriage is operatively connected to a second drive. The first and second drives are operatively linked together such that operation of one of the first and second drives causes operation of the other of the first and second drives, thereby causing lateral translation of the first and second carriages and the first guide. Additionally, The second guide preferably includes a third carriage operatively connected to a third drive and a forth carriage connected to forth drive. The third and forth drives are operatively linked together such that operation of one of the third and forth drives causes operation of the other of the third and forth drives, thereby causing lateral translation of the third and forth carriages and the second guide.  
         [0013]     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a printing machine having an aligner of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the aligner of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the aligner with the top paper guides removed and part of a rail in section.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the aligner with the support rails and pusher chain mechanism removed.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the aligner of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the aligner of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a top exploded perspective view of a support rail of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     The present invention relates to a device for aligning and handling sheets of material conveyed from a stack and loaded into an adjacent material handling apparatus. The invention has particular application to print material handling. Sheets of material can include paper, fabric, polymers or other known substrates. Also, traditional sheets of paper, envelopes, card stock, tags or other printable material could be manipulated using the present invention.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the printing machine  10  may preferably include a feeder  12  in which printable material  13  such as envelopes or sheets of paper may be stored and fed into the printing process. Adjacent the feeder  12  is an aligner  14  which receives the material from the feeder  12  and guides, aligns and transports it to a printing unit  16 . The printable material exits the printing unit  16  to an output table  17 . In the printing unit, an image may be formed on the material. The printing unit may be in a form of an offset printer; however, any known printing process may be employed. The feeder and printing unit may be of a type well known in the art.  
         [0024]     The aligner  14  of the present invention permits a high degree of adjustability, thereby permitting a user to accurately position the printable material as it is carried into the printing unit. As shown in  FIG. 2 , in the preferred embodiment, the aligner  14  includes a frame  18  that supports a first pair of carriages  22  and a second pair of carriages  24 . The carriages in each pair are aligned with each other along the direction of printable material travel T. Supported on each of the carriage pairs  22  and  24  are elongate support rails  26  and  28  that extend in the direction of the travel of the printable material  13  of the type shown in  FIG. 2  and are well known in the art. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the support rails have an upper surface  26   a  and  28   a  upon which printable material  13  may be slidingly supported along the lengths of the rails. The support surfaces  26   a  and  28   a  have a lateral extent that supports the sides of the printable material as it travels along the aligner  14 .  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first pair of carriages  22  and the second pair of carriages  24  also each cooperate with first and second pusher mechanisms  27   a  and  27   b.  The first pusher mechanism  27   a  includes sprockets  20   a  and  20   b,  which are supported on shafts  29   a  and  29   b  respectively. A pusher chain  30  is operably connected to sprockets  20   a  and  20   b  and extends between the first pair of carriages  22 . The sprockets  20   a  and  20   b  allow pusher chain  30  to travel along a linear path over the length of the aligner  14 . Carriages  22   a  and  22   b  include extended forks  22   c  and  22   d,  respectively. The forks  22   c  and  22   d  are placed in the circumferential grooves  23   a  (not shown) and  23   b  adjacent sprockets  20   a  and  20   b  respectively. Translation of the carriages results in the corresponding movement of the sprockets connected thereto along shafts  29   a  and  29   b.    
         [0026]     Second pusher mechanism  27   b  is similar to the first pusher mechanism and includes sprockets  24   a  and  24   b,  which are supported on shafts  29   a  and  29   b  respectively. A pusher chain  31  is operably connected to sprockets  21   a  and  21   b  and extends between the second pair of carriages  24 . The sprockets  21   a  and  21   b  allow pusher chain  31  to travel along a linear path over the length of the aligner  14 . Carriages  24   a  and  24   b  included extended forks  24   c  and  24   d,  respectively. The forks  24   c  and  24   d  are placed in the circumferential grooves  25   a  (not shown) and  25   b  adjacent sprockets  21   a  and  21   b,  respectively. Translation of the carriages results in the corresponding movement of the sprockets connected thereto along shafts  29   a  and  29   b.    
         [0027]     Each of the sprockets  20   a,    20   b,    21   a  and  21   b,  are preferably operably connected to their respective shafts  29   a  and  29   b  in a manner that permits the sprockets to translate along the shafts. However, the sprockets are rotationally fixed to at least one of the shafts, such that rotation of the shaft results in rotation of the sprockets and the attached pusher chains. Such a connection may be achieved by having the sprockets keyed to the shaft with the shaft having a longitudinally extending slot. Alternatively, only one of the paired sprockets linked by a pusher chain  20   a,    20   b  and  21   a,    21   b  needs to be keyed to its respective shaft. Thus, only sprockets  20   a  and  21   a  or sprockets  20   b  and  21   b,  would drive the pusher chain.  
         [0028]     Attached to pusher chains  30  and  31  are a plurality of pushers  32  (which includes a base structure not shown in  FIG. 3 ) spaced along their lengths. The pushers include an extending portion  34  that may engage the trailing edge of the printable material  13  and move the material along rails  26  and  28 , upon rotation of the pusher chains  30  and  31 . Such pushers and chain mechanisms may be of a type well known in the art for transporting sheet-like material such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,461, incorporated herein by reference. The first and second pair of carriages  22  and  24  may each include a pusher chain support to help prevent sagging of the chain as it extends between the sprockets. The pushers ride in a longitudinally extending slot  35  created between support rails  26  and  28  and inner guides  26   b  and  28   b.  The inner guides  26   b  and  28   b  are attached to the first and second pair of carriages, respectively, and assist in supporting the printable material.  
         [0029]     In order to further assist in guiding the printable material  13 , the first and second rails  26  and  28  each include an elongate edge guide  36  and  38 . The edge guides are positioned adjacent the outer edges of the printable material and guide the material during its travel along the length of the support rails. These edge guides may each have a vertical containment wall  36   a  and  38   a  providing a surface along which the edge of the printable material may travel toward the printing unit along a directed course. Referring additionally to  FIG. 8 , edge guide  38  preferably has a flange  41   c  extending perpendicularly from the bottom of wall  38   a.  Edge guide  36  has a similar flange. There is preferably no gap between the upstanding walls and the flange in order to prevent an edge of the printable material from becoming jammed. This is preferably achieved by forming each edge guides as a unitary integral piece.  
         [0030]     Edge guides  36  and  38  are each adjustably connected to one of the support rails. Preferably, support rails  26  and  28  include a plurality of laterally spaced elongate channels  41  formed therein, and the edge guides are fastened to the support rails with threaded fasteners  41   a.  Depending on the width of the printable material the edge guide on each support rail may be moved into a different channel  41 . The movement of the edge guides provides a user with a great deal of flexibility when aligning the printable material. For example, a printing plate of printing unit  16  may be used to print an image on one size material, and by adjusting the edge guides a different size printable material may be printed with the image without changing the printing plate.  
         [0031]     Each support rail  26  and  28  may have printable material supporting surfaces  41   b  being of the same elevation. Printable material  13  slides on surfaces  41   b  as it travels along the aligner  14 . Printing material supporting surfaces formed by edge guide flanges  41   c  are preferably positioned below surfaces  41   b  of rails  26  and  28  when connected in a channel  41  to prevent jamming of printing material  13 .  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first and second pair of carriages may also support top paper guides  40 , which hold the printable material  13  down on the support rails as it travels along the aligner  14 . In addition as shown in  FIG. 3 , frame  18  may include a center support  39  located between the first and second rails. Center support  39  may extend along a length of the aligner and have a lateral extent. Center support  39  supports the printable material along a length between its ends in order to assist the transportation of the material along the aligner  14 .  
         [0033]     The position of the support rails  26  and  28  and edge guides  36  and  38  determine the position of the printable material as it is fed into the printing unit  16 . The present invention provides for independent adjustability of the support rails  26  and  28 , thereby permitting the printable material to be properly position. As the sheet of printable material is fed into the printing unit  16  from the aligner  14 , it is very important that the material be properly aligned such that the image is printed on the material at the correct position. Failure to properly align a piece of material may result in the printing to be of unacceptable quality.  
         [0034]     The aligner  14  of the present invention permits both first  26  and second  28  rails to be independently adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the direction of material travel T. Such independent adjustment allows an operator of the printing machine  10  to effectively adjust the center of the printable material  13  relative to the printing unit  16 . In this way, a sheet of printable material  13  can also be run through printing unit  16  more than once in different positions. Thus, with an additional pass through the aligner  14 , an image could be transferred to more than one position on a single sheet without having to adjust the printing unit  16 . Generally, the independent adjustment provides an operator accurate and selective positioning of the sheet of printable material  13  relative to an image transfer element disposed in the printing unit  16 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 3-7 , in order to achieve independent support rail adjustment, the present invention includes a first adjustment mechanism  42  and a second adjustment mechanism  44 . Actuation of the first adjustment mechanism  42  causes lateral movement of the first pair of carriages  22  along with the first support rail  26 , inner guide  26   b,  edge guide  36  and pusher chain  30 . Actuation of the second adjustment mechanism  44  results in lateral movement the second pair of carriages  24 , second support rail  28 , inner guide  28   b,  edge guide  38 , and pusher chain  31  attached thereto. In the preferred embodiment, movement of the first adjustment mechanism  42  does not move the second pair of carriages  24 . Likewise, actuation of the second adjustment mechanism  44  does not move the first pair of carriages  22 .  
         [0036]     The first adjustment mechanism  42  includes a first shaft  46  having a threaded portion  48 . The first shaft  46  is rotatably supported at one end on center frame member  50  by a bearing  49 . The other end of first shaft  46  is rotatably supported on first frame end member  52  by a bearing  47 . A portion of the first shaft  46  extends beyond the first frame member  52  and attaches to a sprocket  54 . One of the first pair of carriages  22   a  includes a central opening extending there through aligned with the first shaft  46 . A portion of the central opening has female threads  75  which threadedly engaged threaded portion  48  of the first shaft  46 . Rotation of the first shaft  46  results in the carriage  22   a  moving in a lateral direction L perpendicular to the direction of material travel T.  
         [0037]     The other carriage of the first carriage pair  22   b  is supported on a second shaft  57  which is similar to first shaft  46 . Second shaft  57  includes a threaded portion  59 , which engages internal threads  75  formed on a central opening extending through carriage  22   b.  One end of the second shaft  57  is rotatably supported in center frame member  50  by a bearing. The other end of second shaft  57  extends through the frame first end member  52  and is rotatably supported by a bearing held in the frame first end member  52 . The portion of second shaft  57  extending through the first frame end member  52  includes two sprockets  51  and  53  secured thereto. Rotation of second shaft  57  result in carriage  22   b  translating in the direction L perpendicular to the motion of the transported printed material.  
         [0038]     Since the first support rail  26  is attached to carriages  22   a  and  22   b,  it is preferred that the carriages translate in a lateral direction simultaneously. This is preferably achieved by having the first  46  and second  57  shafts rotate simultaneously. In the preferred embodiment, the first and second shafts are operably linked. Simultaneous movement is initiated by the rotation by a user of a first actuation device in the form of a first handle  55 . First handle  55  is attached to a post  56  that is rotatably secured in the frame first end member  52 . Attached to post  56  is a sprocket  58 . A first chain  60  extends between sprocket  58  and sprocket  51 . A second chain  62  extends between sprocket  53 , secured to second shaft  57  and sprocket  54 , which is attached to the end of first shaft  46 . Therefore, rotation of first handle  55  causes both the first and second shafts  46  and  57  to rotate simultaneously. This rotation will result in linear movement of the first pair of carriages  22  and the first support rail  26  attached thereto. The pusher chain  30  with pushers  32  secured to sprockets  20   a  and  20   b  will also move.  
         [0039]     The position of the second support rail  28  is adjusted in a manner similar as that of the first rail  26  by way of the second adjustment mechanism  44 . The second pair of carriages  24  is supported on third and forth shafts  72  and  74  that extend from frame center  50  and to and through a frame second end member  76 . The third and fourth shafts are preferably rotatably supported by bearings secured to the frame center  50  and frame second end member  76 . Third shaft  72  and first shaft  46  are longitudinally aligned, and adjoin the center frame member  50  at generally the same position. These shafts thus rotate on a common axis, but rotate independently of each other. Similarly, the second  57  and forth  74  shafts are longitudinally aligned sharing a common rotational axis, and adjoin at the center frame member  50  at generally the same position. However, these shafts also rotate independently of each other. The third and forth shafts included threaded portions  72   a  and  74   a,  respectively. The second pair of carriage members  24   a  and  24   b  includes an opening extending there through, and the openings include internally threaded portions  77  that cooperate with the threaded portions  72   a  and  74   a  of the third and fourth shafts. Therefore, when the shafts  72  and  74  rotate the carriages  24   a  and  24   b  translate in the lateral direction L. Third shaft  72  may include two sprockets  84  and  86  on the end extending through the frame second end member  76 . Fourth shaft  74  may include a single sprocket  88  on its end extending through the frame second end member  76 .  
         [0040]     In the preferred embodiment, the third and fourth shafts are operably linked so that the carriages  24   a  and  24   b  move together. Carriages  24   a  and  24   b  preferably move simultaneously upon operation by a user of a second actuation device. In the preferred embodiment, second actuation device includes a handle shaft  78  extending from the first end member  52  through the center frame member  50  and through the second frame end member  76 . The handle shaft  78  may be rotatably supported on the frame first and second end members by bearings. A second handle  80  may be attached to the end of the handle shaft  78  in order to permit a user to turn shaft  78 . Accordingly, both the first  55  and second  80  handles are disposed on the same side of the frame  18  facilitating ease of use by an operator. The end of the handle shaft  78  extending through the frame second end wall includes a sprocket  82 . A chain  89  extends between the sprocket  82  and sprocket  86  secured to third shaft. A chain  91  then is attached and extends between third shaft sprocket  84  and fourth shaft sprocket  88 . Therefore, rotation of second handle  80  causes the second pair of carriage members, along with the components connected thereto, to translate in the direction L perpendicular to the direction of printable material movement through the aligner.  
         [0041]     In addition to the first, second, third, and fourth shafts, in a preferred embodiment in order to provide structural rigidity to the frame, fixed shafts  90  and  92  may be employed running between the first frame end member  52  and second frame end member  76  and extending through openings in the frame center member  50 .  
         [0042]     In the preferred embodiment, the first and second adjustment device includes chains and sprockets. However, it is within the contemplation of the invention that belts and pulleys and/or other types of mechanical linkages may be employed in order to connect the various shafts. Also, while manual actuators in the form of handles  55  and  80  are shown, it is further contemplated that motorized or automated actuators be integrated into the assembly.  
         [0043]     In operation, in order to adjust the aligner  14 , an operator would first set the position of one of the support rails. For example, an operator may rotate the first handle  55  which would cause sprocket  58  to turn. Due to the linkage of chain  60 , second shaft  57  would rotate along with sprockets  51  and  53 . Chain  62  connecting sprocket  53  to sprocket  54  would cause first shaft  46  to turn. Accordingly, both of the first pair of carriages  22   a  and  22   b  would translate laterally moving support rail  26 , and associated components. Movement of the first pair of carriages  22  can be controlled from side to side by selectively changing the direction of rotation of the handle  55 . With the position of support rail  26  set, the operator may then rotated handle  80  to turn handle shaft  78  and the sprocket  82  attached thereto. The linkage created by chain  89  will rotate sprocket  86  and the third shaft  72  secured thereto. Such rotation rotates sprocket  84 , which through the linkage to sprocket  88  created by chain  91 , turns fourth shaft  74 . Therefore, second pair of carriages  24   a  and  24   b  move laterally together along with the support rail  28 , and associated components, to their desired position. An operator may also adjust the edge guides  36  and  38  into the appropriate channel  41  to accommodate the width of the printable material. This edge guide adjustment may be done either before or after the adjustment of the support rails.  
         [0044]     Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.