Creasing apparatus having rotating base with recess

An apparatus includes a sheet path, an creasing member positioned on a first side of the sheet path, and a base positioned on a second side of the sheet path opposite the creasing member. The base is positioned relative to the creasing member so that a sheet of print media passes along a processing plane between the creasing member and the base when traveling in a processing direction along the media path. The processing plane is parallel to flat sides of the sheet of print media as the sheet of print media passes between the creasing member and the base. The base comprises a surface positioned parallel to the processing plane. The surface of the base has a recess having a shape corresponding to the creasing member. The surface of the base rotates in the processing plane.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments herein generally relate to devices that create creases, fold, cut, etc., sheets of print media and more particularly to devices that include a base (anvil) that has a recess where the base rotates to keep relative position to the embossing pin or wheel.

Digital printing for low volume personalized packaging is a growing market segment. The embossing action may not be adequate to weaken or stretch the paper fibers along the fold line. This can cause the top surface of the media and any image applied to that surface to crack and/or tear when the media is folded along the crease line. The crease/fold quality produced by these low cost digital cut and crease devices is a significant trade off to the crease quality of conventional vertical or rotary die cut and crease finishers.

More specifically, conventional cutters offer different folding options. The cutting knife can score the top surface of the package at the designated fold lines to weaken the media and bend at the cut to produce a straight fold. The disadvantage is the score line cuts through the image and exposes the media at the fold lines.

Alternatively, some low cost cutting and creasing finishing machines create a crease in the media by pressing a rounded pin or small beveled wheel into the top surface of the media. The opposite side of the media is supported by a thin elastomeric pad that enables the pin or wheel to emboss the media at the designated fold line. Thus, the operator can replace the knife with a scoring pen, which compresses the media against a thin pad creating a light embossing. The disadvantage here is the media deformation created by the scoring pen is very small and does not sufficiently weaken or delaminate the media at the fold lines so the folds are not crisp and straight. More specifically, this type of embossing action does not cause the media to yield, so it does not delaminate at the center when folded. The inner fibers are forced into the center of the sheet. This increases the tension in the outer fibers as the media is folded causing the fibers to tear and burst outward, which destroys the surface image along the fold line.

SUMMARY

An exemplary print media processing apparatus herein includes a sheet path, an elongated member positioned on a first side of the sheet path, and a base positioned on a second side of the sheet path opposite the elongated member. The base is positioned relative to the elongated member so that a sheet of print media passes along a processing plane between the elongated member and the base when traveling in a processing direction along the media path. The processing plane is parallel to flat sides of the sheet of print media as the sheet of print media passes between the elongated member and the base. The base comprises a surface positioned parallel to the processing plane. For example, the base can comprise a flat, planar surface or a rounded, slightly curved surface. The surface of the base has a recess having a shape corresponding to the elongated member. The surface of the base rotates in the processing plane.

Another exemplary print media processing apparatus herein includes a sheet path, an elongated member positioned on a first side of the sheet path, a base positioned on a second side of the sheet path opposite the elongated member, a first actuator connected to the elongated member, a second actuator connected to the base, and a processor operatively connected to the sheet path, the first actuator, and the second actuator.

The base is positioned relative to the elongated member so that a sheet of print media passes along a processing plane between the elongated member and the base when traveling in a processing direction along the media path. The processing plane is parallel to flat sides of the sheet of print media as the sheet of print media passes between the elongated member and the base.

The elongated member comprises, for example, an elongated cube, a wheel, a rod having a rounded end, etc. The base comprises a surface positioned parallel to the processing plane. The surface of the base has a recess having a shape corresponding to (but a mirror image of) the elongated member. Thus, the elongated member comprises, in cross-section, a structure having rounded exterior corners, and the recess comprises, in cross-section, a matching recess having rounded interior corners. The shape of the recess and elongated member cause the elongated member to delaminate interior layers of the sheet of media at a location of the crease, without breaking outer layers of the sheet of print media.

The processor controls the first actuator to move the elongated member into the recess and along the processing plane to form a crease in the sheet of print media. The processor also controls the second actuator to rotate the base in a plane parallel to the processing direction of the sheet path. Thus, the processor coordinates movement of the elongated member and the base to position the recess in the same path along which the elongated member forms the crease. The elongated member and the base rotate with each other to create a crease in any direction within the flat sides of the sheet of print media.

An exemplary printing apparatus herein includes a sheet path, and a print engine adjacent the sheet path. The print engine prints markings on a sheet of print media traveling along the sheet path. The printing apparatus further includes an elongated member positioned on a first side of the sheet path, and a base positioned on a second side of the sheet path opposite the elongated member.

The base is positioned relative to the elongated member so that a sheet of print media passes along a processing plane between the elongated member and the base when traveling in a processing direction along the media path after the sheet of print media exits the print engine. The processing plane is parallel to flat sides of the sheet of print media as the sheet of print media passes between the elongated member and the base. The base comprises a surface positioned parallel to the processing plane. The surface of the base has a recess having a shape corresponding to the elongated member. The surface of the base rotates in the processing plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, in conventional systems the top surface of the media and any image applied to that surface can crack and/or tear when the media is folded along the crease line. Therefore, the embodiments herein provide a movable head located on the backside of the media that tracks with the scoring probe or wheel traversing the top surface of the media. The head contains a pivoting anvil with a groove or pivoting wheel with an annular groove that minors the motion of the top scoring probe or wheel and allows the scoring implement to extrude the media into the recess or groove. This extrusion process stretches and weakens the media along the fold line allowing the bottom surface to buckle inward when the media is folded. As the bottom surface buckles in, the tension stress on the top surface is reduced which minimizes or eliminates any cracking or tearing on the top surface and corresponding printed image.

As shown inFIG. 1, print media104is positioned over the bottom platen100and the die plate containing the cutting and creasing rules106is pressed against the platen plate100. InFIG. 1, item106can represent a number of interchangeable structures including a rule, a pen, an elongated member, etc. The creasing rule106extrudes the media104into the matrix108creating four distinct yield points in the sheet. The media104is fed back and forth under the creasing rule106as the creasing rule106traverses in the cross process direction over the media104to fold the desired pattern. The rounded anvil102surface provides a smooth lead on and off transition between the anvil102and media104. The width of the creasing wheel106and contour of the groove108in the anvil102can be increased to accommodate thicker media104or decreased for thinner media104.

As shown inFIG. 2, these yield points cause the media104to delaminate at the center of the sheet130resulting in the inside portion of the media130to buckle inward as the sheet is folded creating a small void at the center of the sheet. With over 50% of the media104thickness buckling inward, the tension on the outside fibers132is reduced as they are stretch around the fold so the fibers along the outmost layers132of the media104do not tear or otherwise disturb the surface image.

FIGS. 3 and 4show different views (end-on view (FIG. 3) and side view (FIG. 4)) of a similar structure that includes the anvil102with the recess and the creasing wheel106. The creasing wheel106is supported by a rotating frame140and the anvil102is similarly supported by a rotating frame142(each of which can include ball bearings144, for example, to assist in rotation). The rotating frame members140,142allow the anvil102and creasing wheel106to each swivel on its axis to maintain alignment between the groove108in the anvil102and the creasing wheel106as it moves in the process, cross process or diagonal direction during creasing.

FIGS. 5 and 6similarly show end-on and side views of a similar structure that includes a concave track wheel150in place of the grooved anvil102, discussed above. The shape of the concave track wheel150similarly provides a groove108and the shape of the concave track wheel150has a mirror image surface to the convex shape of the creasing wheel106, such that the concave and convex surfaces work together to form a crease in the print media104.

FIG. 7provides a simplified perspective-view schematic illustration of the groove108in the anvil (base)102and the creasing wheel106. The curved and linear arrows inFIG. 7demonstrate that the creasing wheel106and base102can rotate in unison and that the creasing wheel106can be moved toward and away from the groove108(as well as along the groove, as shown in the other drawings.

FIG. 8provides another simplified perspective-view schematic illustration of a structure that is similar to the structure shown inFIG. 7, except that the creasing wheel106is replaced with a creasing die (creasing bar)116that rotates in unison with the base102. The creasing die similarly has a convex shape that fits into the groove108to crease the print media104and moves toward and away from the groove to perform the creasing action.

FIG. 9provides another simplified perspective-view schematic illustration of a structure that is similar to the structure shown inFIG. 7, except that the creasing wheel106is replaced with a creasing pen (creasing pin)126that moves in unison with the base102as shown by arrow118and the curved arrows around the base102. The print media104is shown transparently inFIG. 9to illustrate that the creasing pen126moves in non-parallel directions (and potentially parallel directions) to the process direction in which the print media104is moved to form a crease. The processing direction is also shown by double-arrow124inFIG. 9. The crease that is formed in the print media104is shown as item122inFIG. 9.

The print media104is moved, for example, by driven rollers130,132, shown inFIG. 10. Additionally,FIG. 10illustrates actuators146and148that can be connected to the frame members140,142, discussed above. The actuators146,148move and rotate the creasing wheel106, the creasing bar116, the creasing pen126, the base102, and the track wheel150as shown by the various arrows in the drawings.

FIG. 11illustrates a computerized device204, which can be used with embodiments herein and can comprise, for example, a printer, copier, multi-function machine, multi-function device (MFD), a print server, a personal computer, a portable computing device, etc. The computerized device204includes a controller/processor224and a communications port (input/output)226operatively connected to the processor224and to the computerized network202external to the computerized device204. Also, the computerized device204can include at least one accessory functional component, such as a graphic user interface assembly206that also operate on the power supplied from the external power source228(through the power supply222).

The input/output device226is used for communications to and from the computerized device204. The processor224controls the various actions of the computerized device. A non-transitory computer storage medium device220(which can be optical, magnetic, capacitor based, etc.) is readable by the processor224and stores instructions that the processor224executes to allow the computerized device to perform its various functions, such as those described herein. Thus, as shown inFIG. 11, a body housing204has one or more functional components that operate on power supplied from the alternating current (AC)228by the power supply222. The power supply222can comprise a power storage element (e.g., a battery) and connects to an external alternating current power source228and converts the external power into the type of power needed by the various components.

The computerized device204can also include at least one marking device (printing engines)210operatively connected to the processor224, a media path216positioned to supply sheets of media from a sheet supply214to the marking device(s)210, etc. After receiving various markings from the printing engine(s), the sheets of media can optionally pass to a finisher (creasing unit)208which can crease, fold, staple, sort, etc., the various printed sheets. The finisher includes the structures shown in FIGS.1and3-10. Also, the printing device204can include at least one accessory functional component (such as a scanner/document handler212, etc.) that also operate on the power supplied from the external power source228(through the power supply222).

Thus, as shown above, an exemplary print media processing apparatus204herein includes a sheet path216, an elongated member106positioned on a first side of the sheet path, a base102positioned on a second side of the sheet path opposite the elongated member106, a first actuator146connected to the elongated member106, a second actuator148connected to the base102, and a processor224operatively connected to the sheet path216, the first actuator146, and the second actuator148.

The base102is positioned relative to the elongated member106so that the sheet of print media104passes along a processing plane between the elongated member106and the base102when traveling in a processing direction124along the media104path. The processing plane is parallel to flat sides of the sheet of print media104as the sheet of print media104passes between the elongated member106and the base102.

The elongated member106comprises, for example, an elongated cube (die or bar116), a creasing wheel106, a rod (pen or pin126) having a rounded end, etc. The base102comprises a surface positioned parallel to the processing plane. For example, the base102can comprise a flat, planar surface or a rounded, slightly curved surface. The surface of the base102has a recess108having a shape corresponding to (but a mirror image of) the elongated member106. Alternatively, the base can comprise a concave track wheel150.

Thus, the elongated member106,116,126comprises, in cross-section, a rectangular convex-shape structure having rounded exterior corners, and the recess108comprises, in cross-section, a matching rectangular concave-shape recess108having rounded interior corners. The shape of the recess108and elongated member106cause the elongated member106to delaminate interior layers of the sheet of media104at a location of the crease, without breaking outer layers of the sheet of print media104.

The processor224controls the first actuator146to move the elongated member106into the recess108and along the processing plane (in directions parallel and non-parallel to the processing direction) to form a crease in the sheet of print media104. The processor also controls the second actuator146to rotate the base102,150in a plane parallel to the processing direction of the sheet path. Thus, the processor coordinates movement of the elongated member106and the base102,150to position the recess108in the same path along which the elongated member106moves to form the crease. The elongated member106and the base102rotate with each other to create a crease in any direction within the flat sides of the sheet of print media104.

The terms printer or printing device as used herein encompasses any apparatus, such as a digital copier, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, multi-function machine, etc., which performs a print outputting function for any purpose. The details of printers, printing engines, etc., are well-known by those ordinarily skilled in the art and are discussed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,004, the complete disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference. The embodiments herein can encompass embodiments that print in color, monochrome, or handle color or monochrome image data. All foregoing embodiments are specifically applicable to electrostatographic and/or xerographic machines and/or processes.