Abstract:
A sheet processing apparatus has an adjustable tray for receiving and storing paper, such as photographic paper, has adjustable sheet width aligning and sheet receiving guide members that can alignably accommodate various sizes of paper. Independent quick release/latch mechanisms enable easy and quick deployment of the adjustable sheet width aligning and sheet receiving guide members.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 09/635,819, filed Aug. 9, 2000, by Spina et al., and entitled, “Adjustable Tray and Method for Receiving and Storing Sheets of Web Material”. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to an apparatus for processing sheets of web material. More particularly the invention concerns an apparatus for processing sheets of web material, such as photographic film or paper, having an adjustable tray for receiving and storing paper having various paper size configurations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Devices for storing and feeding sheets of paper are well known in the art. Such devices are commonly found in document processing equipment, such as copier machines, where sheets of paper are fed from a tray to an image development system where a pre-selected image is formed on the paper. Among several illustrative examples of this type of development are the ones disclosed in, for instance: U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,902, Dec. 22, 1992, titled “Paper Storing Device With A Swingable Engaging Member And An Engaging/Detaching Mechanism,” by Hashimoto, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,972, Nov. 25, 1975, titled “Sheet Stack Receptacle,” by Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,570, Feb. 3, 1998, titled “Paper supply Cassette And Paper Supply Device Having Paper Supply Cassette,” by Ouchi; U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,560, Aug. 21, 1973, titled “Auxiliary Sheet Feeder,” by Kapral et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,311, Nov. 20, 1990, titled “Feeder For Sheet-Feed Printing Machine,” by Tsukimoto. The developments in the patents contemplate sheets of paper being fed from the tray to a processing device, such as a copier machine. However, to the surprise of the inventors, there appears to be no references that teach or suggest an adjustable tray into which paper of various sizes is alignably fed and stacked. Such applications could include sheets of paper fed from paper processing equipment, such as a chopper or slitter. The processed paper would then be stacked in the tray having novel and unobvious adjustable features for receiving paper of different dimensions and moved further down stream in a stacked array for further processing, such as inspection and packaging. 
     An existing practice for processing sheets of paper after processing includes feeding the sheets (from an MSC chopper) into bins on an indexing conveyor. A shortcoming of this practice is that a full-time operator is required to remove each pack or stack of sheets as it was indexed to the last position. These packs are generally very cumbersome and can be as large as 35 mm×43 mm and could weigh 12 lbs. Moreover, the height of the index conveyor is awkwardly high (upwards of 42 inches) which causes ergonomic problems for the operator. The packs or stacks of paper had to then be accumulated on boards and then later transported to the next operation. 
     Therefore, a need persists in the art for an apparatus for processing sheets of paper that incorporates an adjustable tray for receiving and storing sheets of paper of various widths and lengths, and that enables quick adjustments to reduce sheet processing cycle time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for processing sheets of paper having a tray that can receive and store sheets of paper having a predetermined width and length. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus in which the tray has a quick release and latch members for controlling width and length guide elements. 
     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, a sheet processing apparatus, comprises: a sheet feeding member; a sheet processing element arranged for receiving a sheet to be processed; an adjustable tray member for receiving and storing sheets processed, said adjustable tray member including: a platform for stacking sheets of paper; a first lateral edge guide arranged substantially normal to a second lateral edge guide each being supported on said platform; a sheet width aligning guide member and a cooperating sheet receiving guide member, said sheet width aligning guide member being arranged for adjustable movements along a first axis of said platform towards and away from said first lateral edge guide, and said cooperating sheet receiving guide member being arranged for adjustable movements along a second axis of said platform towards and away from said second lateral edge guide; and, means for removing said sheets from said adjustable tray for subsequent processing. 
     There are numerous advantageous effects of the present invention, including: the width of the product processed by the tray does not have to be equivalent to the length; the tray can accommodate various size configurations via use of a custom designed quick release/latch clip; the tray allows operator access for quick and easy removal of the product; and, the tray design allows sheets to be fed from a proprietary chopping machine into the trays in such a manner as to stack the sheets uniformly with the sheet edges aligned, leaving no loose or wedged sheets. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and drawings wherein identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical features that are common to the figures, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the outer top components of the tray; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the internal components of the tray; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the adjustment mechanism for the adjustable guides; and 
     FIG. 4 is an elevated side view of the sheets being fed from typical sheet processing equipment into the adjustable tray. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevated view of the sheets fed singly from a processing apparatus of the invention into the adjustable tray; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevated view of the apparatus positioned to dump a stack of processed sheets into the adjustable tray; and, 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevated view of the apparatus of FIG. 6 with the stack of sheets positioned on the adjustable tray. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the adjustable tray  10  of the invention is illustrated. Broadly defined, adjustable tray  10  for receiving and storing sheets of web material  1 , such as photographic film and paper, having a predetermined width (w) and length (l) includes a platform  12  for stacking sheets of web material or paper  1 . According to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first lateral edge guide  14  and a second lateral edge guide  16 , both preferably fixed, are supported on platform  12 . First lateral edge guide  14  is arranged substantially normal to second lateral edge guide  16  for alignably supporting the stack of sheets of web material or paper  1  being received by platform  12 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, sheet width aligning guide member  18  cooperates along platform  12  with an adjustable sheet receiving guide member  20 . Sheet width aligning guide member  18  is arranged for adjustable movements along a first axis  22  of platform  12  towards and away from the first lateral guide  14  for alignably accommodating a predetermined width (w) of the sheet of web material or paper  1  being fed to adjustable tray  10 . In a preferred embodiment, sheet width aligning guide member  18  is substantially tapered along a top edge  23 . 
     Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, sheet receiving guide member  20  is arranged for adjustable movements along a second axis  24  of platform  12  towards and away from second lateral edge guide  16 . In addition to being the first point of contact of sheets of web material or paper  1  fed to adjustable tray  10  (discussed below), sheet receiving guide member  20  enables the platform  12  to alignably accommodate sheets of web material or paper  1  having a predetermined length (l). In a preferred embodiment, sheet receiving guide member  20  is substantially flat along a top edge  28 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, adjustable tray  10  further includes a first quick release/latch member  30  operably associated with the sheet width aligning guide member  18 . First quick release/latch member  30  is provided for releasing the sheet width aligning guide member  18  from a first position along the first axis  22  and then securing the sheet width aligning guide member  18  in a second position along the first axis  22 . 
     Similarly, a second quick release/latch member (not shown) is operably associated with the sheet receiving guide member  20 . Second quick release/latch member is provided for releasing the sheet receiving guide member  20  from a first position along the second axis  24  and then securing the sheet receiving guide member  20  in a second position along the second axis  24 . 
     According to FIG. 3, preferably, first quick release/latch member  30  is supported in a housing  32  for releasing and latching the sheet width aligning guide member  18  by an adjustable rod  34 . Adjustable rod  34  has a plurality of slots  36  for engaging first quick release/latch member  30  in a plurality of positions along platform  12 . Although not shown, second quick release/latch member governing the sheet receiving guide member  20  has a similar adjustable rod (not shown) and a plurality of slots (not shown) for engaging the second quick release/latch member in a plurality of positions along the platform  12 . A return spring  44  supportedly mounted in housing  32  biases the sheet width aligning guide member  18 . Similarly, a return spring (not shown) biases the sheet receiving guide member  20 . Both the guide members  18 ,  20  are adjusted by pressing the custom quick release/latch member  30  (only one shown) and sliding the guide members  18 ,  20  to the discrete adjustment slots  36  along the adjustment rod  34  until the interface of the quick release/latch member  30  and slots  36  in adjustment rod  34  engage, as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Referring still to FIG. 3, skilled artisans will appreciate that to achieve smooth movement of the guide members  18 ,  20 , some sort of bearing  40  and a bearing rail  42  supporting the bearing  40  may be operably associated with each of the sheet width aligning guide member  18  and sheet receiving guide member  20  (only one bearing arrangement shown). 
     In an alternative embodiment, adjustable tray  10  for receiving and storing sheets of web material  1  having a predetermined width (w) and length (l) includes platform  12  (as described above) for stacking sheets of web material or paper  1 . According to FIGS. 1 and 2, platform  12  has a first guide slot  38  substantially normal to a second guide slot  46 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, first lateral edge guide  14  is substantially parallel to the first guide slot  38  and the second lateral edge guide  16  is substantially parallel to the second guide slot  46 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, sheet width aligning guide member  18  having a plurality of tabs  49  along a bottom edge may be disposed for slidable movements in both a plurality of first grooves  50  formed in the platform  12  and in the second guide slot  46 . Similarly, sheet receiving guide member  20  having a plurality of spaced first tabs  49  along a bottom edge may be disposed for movement along grooves  52  formed in platform  12  and in the first guide slot  38 . Grooves  50 ,  52 , guide members  18 ,  20 , respectively, and tabs  49  form a rake/slot interface that prevent sheets of web material or paper  1  from inadvertently becoming wedged between the guide members  18 ,  20  and the platform  12 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method of feeding sheets of web material or paper  1  into an adjustable tray  10  includes providing the adjustable tray  10 , as described in detail above. At least one sheet of web material or paper  1  for feeding into the tray  10  is provided and positioned for feeding. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the sheet width aligning guide member  18  and sheet receiving guide member  20  (as described above) are preset to correspond to a predetermined width and length of the sheets of web material or paper  1  being fed. The sheets of web material or paper  1  being fed are positioned relative to a top edge  28  of the sheet receiving guide member  20  of tray  10 . Once this is achieved, a leading edge of at least one sheet is directed downwardly towards the sheet receiving guide member  20  until the at least one sheet settles on the platform  12  between the first lateral edge guide  14 , the second lateral edge guide  16 , and the sheet width aligning guide member  18 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5-7, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, an apparatus  100  for processing sheets of web material or paper  102 , such as a chopper, cuts sheets of photographic paper or film to a predetermined length and width and then delivers the cut sheets of web material or paper  102  to an adjustable tray  110  (as described above) for further processing. Generally, apparatus  100  may accommodate a large diameter of roll product, such as film or paper, which is fed into apparatus  100  for processing. According to FIG. 5, the cut sheets of web material or paper  102  processed in apparatus  100  of the invention may be accumulated singly onto a conveyor  106  (FIG. 4) and then fed into adjustable tray  110 . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the sheets of web material or paper  102  may be accumulated into a stack  104  and the entire stack  104  may be dumped via openable doors  108  onto platform  112  of adjustable tray  110  between second lateral edge guide  114  and sheet receiving guide member  116 , as shown in FIG.  7 . In either embodiment, the adjustable tray  110  of apparatus  100  is positioned in such a manner as to allow all the sheets of web material or paper  102  to settle into a stack  104  on platform  112  within the adjustable tray  110 , as described above. 
     The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     PARTS LIST 
       1  sheets of web material 
       10  adjustable tray 
       12  platform 
       14  first lateral edge guide 
       16  second lateral edge guide 
       18  sheet width aligning guide member 
       20  sheet receiving guide member 
       22  first axis along platform  12   
       23  tapered top edge of guide member  18   
       24  second axis along platform  12   
       28  top edge of sheet receiving guide member  20   
       30  first quick release latch member 
       32  housing 
       34  adjustment rod 
       36  plurality of slots 
       38  first guide slot 
       40  bearing 
       42  bearing rail 
       44  return spring 
       46  second guide slot part identifying number  49  tabs. 
       50  plurality of second grooves 
       52  plurality of second grooves 
       100  apparatus for processing sheets of web material or paper 
       102  sheet of web material or paper 
       104  stack of sheets of web material or paper 
       106  conveyor 
       108  openable door 
       110  adjustable tray 
       112  platform 
       114  second lateral edge guide 
       116  sheet receiving guide member