Printer with distribution stations

Abstract: A printer (1) and portable stations (2,3) wherein paper is moved upward from the printer into a U-shaped guide (1a) by pinch rollers (6,7) and then moved laterally by pinch rollers (8,9) in the guide. Similar rollers are in further guides (1b,1c) to direct the paper to the selected station and then downward.

Description: This invention relates to printers having the capability of delivering printed output sheets to a variety of stations, for example to large stacks and to small individual trays. Typically, the output sheets from a printer are delivered out of a single portal, which might lead to individual trays for collation or a single, larger area to accumulate a stack of the sheets. The ability to deliver sheets to a variety of output stations which can be separated is not provided. This invention achieves a combination of a printer, at least two delivery stations which can be separated, and paper transporting mechanism to deliver the paper to any of the stations selected. The paper being transported is bowed around the inside of a duct. U.S. Patent No. 4,729,555 to Brocklehurst discloses the movement of sheets after severing. The sheets are moved laterally along a roller to one of several stacking stations where the sheets are loaded into stacks on a support surface. U.S. Patent No. 3,994,487 to Wicklund discloses a lateral sheet offsetting mechanism which moves a series of upwardly bowed sheets to a slight offset position before they are moved downward into a stack. U.S. Patent Nos. 3,160,413 to Faeber and 3,622,150 to Hayes discloses initial bowing and then flat stacking. U.S. Patent Nos. 3,907,274 to D'Amato et al and 4,494,748 to Miyashita et al disclose sheet conveying systems in which the sheets are separately conveyed over a series of stacking stations and then separately delivered to one of the several stacks. Aspects of the present invention are set out in the appended claims. In a preferred form, a printing system according to the invention initially conveys printed sheets upward to a duct in which the sheets are bowed. The duct extends laterally to at least two output stations. One of the stations might be a large receptacle for vertical stacking while the other might be a series of small trays stacked vertically. Powered pinch rollers directed along the duct drive the paper through the duct to a position over a selected one of the stations. Powered pinch rollers directed downward in the duct then drive the paper downward into the receiving station. The inside of the duct has serrated edges which prevent the paper from sticking to the side of the duct. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 illustrates the printing system as a whole; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the guide duct which receives paper from the printer; Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating the guide duct of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the guide duct above a receiving station; Fig. 5, is a side view from the right of Fig. 4 illustrating the duct of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is illustrative of the serrations in the guide ducts; and Fig. 7 is illustrative of alternative serrations in the guide ducts. Fig. 1 shows a printer 1 combined with a stacking receiving station 2 and a "mail box" receiving station 3. Output stations 2 and 3 are optional and may be installed independently or together to enlarge the overall function. To accomplish this additional function, the device transports the printed media sheets 4 such as ordinary paper or transparency sheets (Fig. 2 and arrows in Fig. 1) from the printer 1 to the stations 2 and 3. Arrows in the drawing represent the sheet 4 and point toward the direction of movement of sheet 4. Sheet 4 exits printer 1 vertically to be transported to the optional devices 2 and 3. Upon reaching the U-shaped duct la above printer 1, paper 4 is moved laterally in accordance with this invention. Sheet 4 enters U-shaped paper guide duct 1a and stops bowed into a U-shape. As shown by arrows in Figs. 2 and 3, guide 1a has outer surface 1b and inner surface 1c spaced apart sufficient to easily receive sheet 4 between those surfaces. Sheet 4 is driven into position and stopped by drive roller 6 and backup roller 7 on the back side of guide 1a. Backup roller 7 is then disengaged to release sheet 4 from being held vertically. Horizontal drive roller 8 and backup roller 9 are then engaged to drive sheet 4 horizontally into horizontal transporter guide 2a (Fig. 4 and Fig. 5). The arrows 4 show sheet transportation which is left to right since the Fig. 4 view is from the same side as the Fig. 1 view. Guide 2a has outer surface 2b and spaced inner surface 2c which form the same guide configuration as guide 1a. Horizontal drive rollers 11 and 13 and backup rollers 10 and 12 are engaged to drive the sheet 4 to the right as shown. Vertical drive roller 14 and backup roller 15 are disengaged to allow the horizontal transport of media 4 through guide 2a. If station 2 is selected, drive rollers 11 and 13 are disengaged to stop media 4 and then drive roller 14 and backup roller 15 are engaged to feed sheet 4 through guide 2a downward to be stacked in station 2. If the media is to be output at station 3, drive roller 13 continues to drive, while vertical rollers 14 and 15 are separated. Sheet 4 is then fed into guide 3a. Guide 3a is functionally and structurally the same as guide 2a for purposes of this invention and therefore is not illustrated separately in detail. Sheets 4 to be delivered to the individual trays of station 3 are driven downward. Overall control of the assembly is by microprocessor, as is now conventional, and therefore is not described in detail. Similarly, deflection of the downwardly moving sheets 4 into the trays of station 3 may be entirely conventional and therefore is not described in detail. To feed media in a vertical and horizontal direction a unique pattern of ribs or serrations is utilized within the guides 1a, 2a, and 3a. This configuration is shown in Fig. 6. Ribs 20 extend inwardly in the guides, such as guide 1a in Fig. 6. Ribs 20 have points which contact sheet 4 to allow sheet 4 to travel in the vertical (upward and downward in Fig. 6) direction by reducing friction and static build-up of electricity on sheet 4. The angular ramps 22 of ribs 20 are directed along the direction of lateral travel to allow sheet 4 to feed in a horizontal direction (rightward in Fig. 6). The contact of sheet 4 with the points of ribs 24 also reduces friction in the horizontal direction. Additionally, an offsetting location of ribs 20 on opposite side of guide 1a allow for a tight 2 mm gap in the guides 1a, 2a, and 3a without closing the paper path due to tolerance build-up. Fig. 7 shows triangular, symmetrical alternate ribs 24 also spaced apart 2 mm, which allow media to flow horizontally in left or right directions and is otherwise comparable in function to the rib pattern of Fig. 6. At least stations 2 and 3 are portable, being shown on wheels 30 in Fig. 1. When they are moved to be located side-by-side, guides 1a, 2a, and 3a are the same configuration where they meet and therefore form a continuous duct between printer 1 and stations 2 and 3. The stack of trays 32a through 32i of station 3 may be individual slots for users or may be trays for collating individual documents, as is conventional. Box receptacle 34 of station 2 is deep enough to receive a large stack of sheets 4.

Claims: Apparatus comprising a printer (1), a first station (2) comprising a large receptacle (34) for receiving sheets (4) from said printer, a second station (3) comprising at least two trays (32) for receiving sheets from said printer, and a sheet guide (1a,2a,3a) having a U-shaped outer surface (1b,2b,3b) and a U-shaped inner surface (1c,2c, 3c) about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the sheets which is arranged to bend said sheets between said outer surface and said inner surface into a U-shape for transfer within said guide in said U-shape, said guide being located above said printer and said stations and connecting said printer and said stations for receiving printed sheets transported in a vertical direction from said printer to bend said sheets and thereafter laterally direct said bent sheets along said guide to a selected one of said stations. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which at least said stations (2,3) are portable and in which portions of said guide (1a,2a,3a) are integral with each of said stations. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said U-shaped outer surface (1b,2b,3b) has inner serrations (20;24) and said U-shaped inner surface (1c,2c,3c) has inner serrations (20;24). Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which said serrations (20;24) are pointed in the vertical direction and slanted in the direction of sheet travel in the lateral direction. Apparatus for printing, comprising a guide (la,2a, 3a) for sheets (4) having a U-shaped outer surface (1b, 2b,3b) and a U-shaped inner surface (1c,2c,3c) spaced from said outer surface to form a sheet conveying path therebetween, at least three selectable first pinch rollers (6,7;14,15) directed to move sheets vertically between said outer surface and said inner surface to bring said sheets to a U-shape, and at least three selectable second pinch rollers (8,9;10-13) directed to move sheets in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement imparted on the sheets by said first pinch rollers along said guide, at least one of said first pinch rollers (6,7) and at least one of said second pinch rollers (8,9) being located over a printer (1) and positioned to receive sheets from said printer, at least one of said first pinch rollers (14,15) and at least one of said second pinch rollers (10-13) being located over a first sheet receiving station (2) to receive sheets transported along said guide and move sheets into said first station, with said at least one first pinch roller (14,15) located over said first sheet receiving station to move sheets in said perpendicular direction and said at least one second pinch roller (10-13) located over said first sheet receiving station, and at least one of said first pinch rollers (14,15) and at least one of said second pinch rollers (10-13) being located over a second sheet receiving station (3) to receive sheets transported along said guide and move sheets into said second station, with said at least one first pinch roller located over said second sheet receiving station to move sheets in said perpendicular direction and said at least one second pinch roller located over said second sheet receiving station. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the inside of said guide has serrations (20;24). Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which said serrations (20;24) are pointed in said vertical direction and slanted in said perpendicular direction of sheet travel.

Inventors: EDWARDS EARL GARLAND, FLORES ARMANDO VILLARREAL, GASSETT JOHN WAYNE, HARDEN JAMES PHILIP, HUBER DANIEL LEE, LEEMHUIS MICHAEL CRAIG, OLSON STEPHEN TODD, WILZBACH BERNARD LEE, EDWARDS, EARL GARLAND, FLORES, ARMANDO VILLARREAL, GASSETT, JOHN WAYNE, HARDEN, JAMES PHILIP, HUBER, DANIEL LEE, LEEMHUIS, MICHAEL CRAIG, OLSON, STEPHEN TODD, WILZBACH, BERNARD LEE
Applicants: LEXMARK INT INC, LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65H29
IPC codes: B65H29, B65H39, B65H31