A DEVICE FOR CONVEYING SHEETS

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for conveying sheets, in which two conveying paths (21,22) intersect. At the intersection a guide element (61) is provided which in a first position connects both parts (21a, 21b) of the first conveyor path (21) and disconnects both parts (22a, 22b) of the second conveyor path (22) and which in a second position has a reverse function. In the first position of the guide-element (61) a sheet can also be conveyed form one part of the second conveyor path to one part of the first conveyor path via a third conveyor path (21c) which does not run via the intersection. In the second position of the guide-element (61) a sheet can also be conveyed from one part of the first conveyor path to one part of the second conveyor path via the third conveyor path (21c).

Description: This invention relates to a device for conveying sheets, provided with a system of path-guides, in which a plurality of path-guides form a first and a second conveyor path, said conveyor paths intersect and each conveyor path comprises a feed section and a discharge section situated on either side of the intersection and provided with a guide member which can be set to two positions at the intersection and in one of the positions keeps open the entrance to the first discharge section and at the same time blocks the entrance to the second discharge section, and in the other position blocks the entrance to the first discharge section and keeps open the entrance to the second discharge section. Devices having intersecting conveyor paths are known and are used inter alia in copying machines in order to feed originals or copies to or from processing stations (see for example US Patent 3 331 276 and UK Patent 1 397 605). One disadvantage of these known devices which do not have any guide elements at the intersection, is that a sheet, particularly if limp or curled or damaged at the front edge, may stick in the intersection or take the wrong path and thus cause malfunctioning. It is also known to provide sheet guides with switches by means of which sheets can optionally be directed to one or other direction, and it is also known to combine a number of such features in order to form a system of intersecting conveyor paths (see for example West German Offenlegungsschrift 29 12 648 and 33 41 413). To obtain a reliably operating device in this way, however, a number of switches and other auxiliaries are required and also an extensive control and monitoring system so that the entire arrangement becomes complex and expensive and unattractive for practical use. Japanese Patent Application 58-202247 uses at the intersection of conveyor paths a cylindrical element having a slot of an arc of a circle extending over the width as a guide. By rotating the cylinder, the location of the arced slot is changed and thus the direction of the conveyor paths. Japanese Patent Application 60-52458 discloses a sheet inverter havig a guide element with a slot which guide element can be turned through 90° between a first and a second position. In the first position, a sheet can be guided by an outer side of the guide element from a feed section into a first inverter. By turning the element 90° to the second position, the sheet can be guided by said outer side from the first inverter to a discharge section while at the same time a second sheet can be guided by another outer side of the guide element from the feed section to a second inverter. In an intermediate position of 45°, a sheet can be guided through the slot directed from the feed section to the discharge section. The problem with guide elements having slots as shown in these Japanese Patent Applications is that they still may be blocked, especially if the sheet is limp, curled or damaged at the front edge. The object of the invention is to obviate the above disadvantages and, using a minimum of parts, provide a compact, cheap and reliably operating device of the kind in question. This object is attained in a device of the kind referred to in the preamble in that the guide element consists inter alia of a slidable element which extends over the working width of the device and which comprises at least two adjoining sides, the one side forming part of the guides of the first conveyor path and the second side forming part of the guides of the second conveyor path, and in the one position of the guide element the second side adjoining the associated path-guide to block the entrance to the second discharge section and in the other position of the guide element the first side adjoining the associated path-guide to block the entrance to the first discharge section. Since only a slidable guide element is provided, simple means, such as a combination of an electromagnet and a spring, can be used for moving it from one position to the other and back, thereby always guiding a sheet coming from a feed section to the associated discharge section of a conveyor path, whereby the blocking makes it impossible for the sheet to enter the discharge section of the other conveyor path. In another embodiment of a device according to the invention the guide element comprises a third side forming part of the guides of a third conveyor path which does not run via the intersection and which is connected to one part of each of the intersecting conveyor paths, in the one position of the guide element the entrance to the other part of the second conveyor path being blocked and in the other position of the guide element the entrance to the other part of the first conveyor path being blocked. The invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagram of a feed device for originals, combined with an inverter. Figs. 2 and 3 each represent an enlarged detail of the intersection of the conveyor paths from Fig. 1 the intersection being made in accordance with the prior art mentioned hereinbefore. Fig. 4a represents the one position and Fig. 4b the other position of embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a device 1, in which it is possible in simple manner to use in a copying machine originals which are printed on both one side and both sides. The device 1 comprises an exposure platen 2, a stock tray 3 with a separating mechanism 4, a conveyor device 6, consisting inter alia of an endless belt 7 trained about and driven by rollers 8, and a switch 9 which can be set to two positions, a receiving tray 11, and an inverter 12 with drive rollers 13. If the originals for copying are printed on only one side, they are placed in the stock tray 3 with the printed side down. The originals are taken one by one from beneath the pile 5 by a separating mechanism 4, which comprises a friction roller for example, and are fed via conveyor path 21 to conveyor device 6. The endless belt 7, which is always driven in one direction by the rollers 8, conveys the original taken from the pile to the exposure platen 2, upon which the original is stopped in order to be exposed the required number of times. Belt 7 then conveys the original on to the receiving tray 11, since switch 9 is in its first position, in which the originals go direct from the conveyor device 6 to the receiving tray 11. When it is required to copy originals which are printed on both sides, they are placed with the front side down in the stock tray 3. Separating mechanism 4 takes an original from beneath the pile 5 and feeds it to conveyor device 6 via conveyor path 21, endless belt 7 then taking over the conveyance and stopping the original for the required number of exposures on the exposure platen 2 with the front side downwards. Switch 9 is then set to the second position so that belt 7 feeds the original via a return path 10 and conveyor path 22 to inverter 12, which is situated beneath the stock tray 3. The conveyor path 22 thus intersects the conveyor path 21. Drive rollers 13 feed the original completely into the inverter. By reversing the direction of the drive of the drive rollers 13 the original is then discharged from the inverter 12, the back of the original now being situated downwards, and conveyed to conveyor device 6 via conveyor path 14. Endless belt 7 then takes over conveyance and stops the original on the exposure platen 2, where the back of the original is exposed the required number of times. Belt 7 then conveys the original on to the receiving tray 11, after switch 9 has been returned to the first position. The control for the device 1 is so constructed that two or more originals can be in progress simultaneously in the device 1. Fig. 2 diagrammatically represents an intersection 20 of conveyor paths 21 and 22 according to a known construction, which could be used in the device according to Fig. 1. The intersection divides the conveyor path 21 or 22 respectively into a feed section 21a or 22a respectively and a discharge section 21b or 22b respectively. To obviate any malfunction, the guides are bent back slightly at the corners 23,24,25 of the discharge sections 21b and 22b so that the sheets coming from the feed section can be received more satisfactorily. However such a step is not adequate. Sheets which are too limp or damaged at the front edge may stick in the intersection or enter the feed or discharge section of the other conveyor path. An embodiment of an intersection known from JP-58-202247 is represented diagrammatically in Fig. 3. It comprises a cylindrical element 31 rotatable about its axis and having a slot 32 disposed diametrically over the working width of the device. Malfunctions of the kind referred to with respect to Fig. 2 can be obviated by bending back the side walls 33 of the slot 32 which form the guides at the intersection 30 slightly at the side of the feed section 21a of the conveyor path 21 with respect to the guides of the conveyor path 21, so that the sheets are not obstructed at the transition from the guides of the feed section to the guides of the guide element. For the same reason, the side walls 33 are bent inwards slightly at the discharge section side. The cylindrical element 31 can be turned from this described position to the position in which the slot 32 forms the connection between the feed section 22a and the discharge section 22b of conveyor path 22, the same description applying to the construction, and can then be turned back into the first-described position. Figs. 4a and 4b represent an embodiment of an intersection according to the invention. It comprises an element 61 extending over the working width of the device, said element having at least two adjoining sides 62 and 63 and being slidable into each of two positions. The first side 62 forms part of the guides of the first conveyor path 21 and the second side 63 forms part of the guides of the second conveyor path 22. Fig. 4a represents the one position of the element 61. The second side 63 is adjoining the associated path-guide 73 to block the entrance to the second discharge section 22b. In consequence a guide has been provided in the first conveyor path at the intersection to guide sheets coming from the feed section 21a into the discharge section 21b. In the other position, represented in Fig. 4b, the first side 62 of the element 61 is adjoining the associated path-guide 72, thus blocking the entrance to the first discharge section 21b and providing a guide in the second conveyor path at the intersection. Each side 62,63 of the guide element may have a shape equal to the shape of the associated guide 72,73 as a result of which each side 62,63 can be contiguous to the associated path-guide 72,73. In a further embodiment, also represented in the Figs. 4a and 4b, the guide-element 61 comprises a third side 64 forming part of the guides of a third conveyor path 21c which does not run via the intersection. This third conveyor path 21c is connected to parts of both the conveyor paths 21 and 22 running via the intersection. The one part of the second conveyor path may comprise an inverter, in which the movement of sheets is reversed. A sheet can be conveyed to the inverter via conveyor path 22, when the guide-element 61 has been set into the other position (Fig. 4b). After that the guide-element 61 is set in the one position (Fig. 4a). As a result the other part of the second conveyor path 22 is blocked, so that the sheet can be conveyed unobstructedly to the one part of the first conveyor path 21 via the third conveyor path 21c. When the guide-element 61 has been set into the other position and consequently the entrance to the other part of the first conveyor path 21 is blocked, a sheet can be conveyed unobstructedly from the one part of the first conveyor path 21 to the one part of the second conveyor path 22 via the third conveyor part 21c.

Claims: A device for conveying sheets, provided with a system of path-guides, in which a plurality of path-guides form a first (21) and a second (22) conveyor path, said conveyor paths (21, 22) intersect and each conveyor path (21, 22) comprises a feed section (21a and 22a respectively) and a discharge section (21b and 22b respectively) situated on either side of the intersection, and provided with a guide member (61) which can be set to two positions at the intersection and in one of the positions keeps open the entrance to the first discharge section (21b) and at the same time blocks the entrance to the second discharge section (22b), and in the other position blocks the entrance to the first discharge section (21b) and keeps open the entrance to the second discharge section (22b), characterised in that the guide element (61) consists inter alia of a slidable element (61) which extends over the working width of the device and comprises at least two adjoining sides (62,63), the first side (62) forming part of the guides of the first conveyor path (21) and the second side (63) forming part of the guides of the second conveyor path (22), and in the one position of the guide-element the second side (63) being adjoined to an associated path-guide (73) and blocking the entrance to the second discharge section (22b) and in the other position of the guide-element the first side (62) being adjoined to an associated path-guide (72) and blocking the entrance to the first discharge section (21b). A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the sides (62,63) of the guide-element (61) are contiguous to the associated path-guides (72,73). A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the slidable element (61) comprises a third side (64) forming part of the guides of a third conveyor path (21c), which does not run via the intersection and which is connected to parts of both the intersecting conveyor paths (21,22), in the one position of the guide element (61) the entrance to the other part of the second conveyor path (22) being blocked and in the other position of the guide element the entrance to the other part of the first conveyor path (21) being blocked.

Inventors: CLABBERS, WILHELMUS GERTRUDIS MARIA, DINNISSEN, JOHANNES HUBERTUS ANTONIUS, NABUURS, JOHANNES HERMAN BONIFATIUS
Applicants: OCE-NEDERLAND B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65H29
IPC codes: G06K15, G03B27, B65H29, G03G15