Patent Publication Number: US-7217232-B2

Title: Automatic paper folder

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The technical field of this disclosure is the paper folders, particularly, the automatic paper folders having means for the automatic and manual paper feed. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Paper folders are used to fold a sheet of paper into sections in order to fit this sheet into an envelope. Typically, the paper folders use a series of rollers to grab and move the sheet of paper being folded through the folding process, and crease the material as it passes between sets of contacting rollers. 
   Contemporary paper folders could fold the sheet of paper into two sections in one fold, or into three or four sections in two folds. The four section fold is usually limited to the double parallel fold. The most common folds are: half-fold, letter fold, z-fold, double parallel fold, and brochure fold. 
   The variety of paper available on the market today causes difficulty with the automatic feed. Some paper is thin, other is thick. The automatic paper folder must be adaptable to virtually any paper available on the market. 
   Another important requirement for today&#39;s paper folder is the choice of automatic or manual feed. The user can feed the paper either sequentially sheet-by-sheet, or automatically by placing a stack of paper into a paper feed assembly. 
   Depositing the stack of paper permits a high-speed operation, while feeding the sheets sequentially is time-consuming. However, the automatic feeding of the stapled sets is not possible. 
   The U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,712 Masahiro Ishino discloses a paper folding apparatus having two inlets, one adapted for the automatic feeding, and another—for manual feeding. Having two inlets also requires in two paper paths with all the extra parts and increased size. 
   In a portable and inexpensive folder, it would be desirable to have a single inlet. A bypass is required in order to feed the stapled sets sequentially through the automatic paper feed inlet. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One object of this invention is an automatic folder with the consistent automatic feed. This invention provides the paper folder with the adjustable distance between a retarder and a feeding wheel assuring the consistency of the automatic feed for most types of paper. 
   Another object of this invention is a paper folder providing the user with the on-demand automatic or manual feed. The automatic folder of this invention provides a paper feed assembly that combines the functions of a retractable retarder and a retractable tension block, assuring the automatic feed of a stack of paper and a bypass for the manual feed of the stapled sets. 
   The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention, rather than limiting the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the versatile paper folder of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows a cross-section view of the versatile folder taken along lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the exploded view of a paper feed control assembly. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged detail  4  of the  FIG. 2  showing the cross-section view of the paper feed control assembly and partial cross-section view of a paper feed table assembly. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the automatic paper folder of the present invention. A paper feed assembly  1 , a first fold table assembly  2 , a second fold table assembly  3 , and an exit conveyor table assembly  4  are substantially sandwiched between a front frame panel  11  and a back frame panel  12 . The paper feed assembly  1  comprises a paper feed table assembly  5  and a paper feed control assembly  6 . 
   A microprocessor  13  and a means for the user input  14  are disposed on the outside of the front frame panel  11 . A front cover is not shown in order to show the microprocessor  13 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a cross-section view of the versatile folder taken along lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
   The paper feed control assembly  6  is adjustably disposed on the paper feed table assembly  5 . A roller assembly  7 , substantially sandwiched between the front frame panel  11 , and the back frame panel  12 , is positioned under the paper feed control assembly  6 , between the first fold table assembly  2 , and the second fold table assembly  3 . The roller assembly  7  employs a series of rollers to grab and move the paper being folded through the fold process, and creases the paper as it passes between sets of contacting rollers, and then expels the paper. A main motor  15  drives the rollers of the roller assembly  7 . 
     FIG. 3  shows the exploded view of the paper feed control assembly  6  comprised of: a front housing  21 , a pressure bar  22 , a pressure bar spring  23 , a leaf spring  24 , a spacer  25 , a retarder  26 , a carrier  27 , a carrier spring  28 , an adjustment screw  29 , a base  30 , and simple fasteners  31  &amp;  32 . Some components of the paper feed table assembly  5  are also shown on this view: a lever  33 , an extension spring  34 , and a simple fastener  35 . In the mid-section of the lever  33 , there is a slot-shaped opening  36 . 
     FIG. 4  is an enlarged detail  4  of the  FIG. 2  showing the cross-section view of the paper feed control assembly  6  as well as a few components of the paper feed table assembly  5 . 
   The pressure bar  22 , slidably disposed on the inside of the front housing  21 , is urged downward by the pressure bar spring  23 . In the process of the preparation for the automatic operation with the paper folder, the user slides the pressure bar  22  upward while placing a stack of paper (not shown) under the bar. The release of the pressure bar  22  results in the compression of the stack of paper under the bar. 
   A feed wheel  37  is pivotably disposed on a paper feed table assembly  5 . The leaf spring  24  is disposed on the bottom portion of the pressure bar  22  directly above, and contiguous to, the feed wheel  37 . The leaf spring  24  directs a sheet of paper (not shown) into a proper position between the retarder  26 , and the feed wheel  37 . The feed wheel  37  feeds a sheet of paper (not shown) into the roller assembly. 
   The retarder  26  is disposed on the base  30  directly above the feed wheel. The spacer  25  is sandwiched between the pressure bar  22  and the front housing  21  on one side, and the retarder  26  and the base  30  on another. The spacer provides a low-friction barrier between the pressure bar  22  and the pressure bar spring  23  on one side, and the retarder  26 . 
   The carrier  27 , adjustably disposed on the base  30 , is urged downward by the carrier spring  28 . The adjustment screw  29  is disposed on said base  30 . When turned, the adjustment screw  29  urges the carrier  27  upward. In-turn, the carrier  27  urges the retarder  26  into a position for the automatic operation. 
   The position of the retarder  26  for the automatic operation always provides a predetermined distance between the feed wheel  37  and the retarder, the distance which is always smaller than the thickness of the paper being processed. This provides for the automatic processing of nearly any kind of paper available in the market in such a manner that only one sheet of paper at the time is fed into the paper folder. 
   The paper feed control assembly  6  is held together by the simple fasteners  31  and  32 . The paper feed control assembly  6  is disposed on a back housing  38  which is the part of the paper feed table assembly  5 . 
   The lever  33  is pivotably disposed on the back housing  38 . The lever  33  is held to the back housing  38  by the simple fastener  35 . 
   The base  30  projects a boss  39  facing the back housing  38 . The boss  39  slidably engages the slot-shaped opening  36  of the lever  33 . When a bypass is required in order to feed the stapled sets through the automatic paper feed assembly sequentially, the paper feed control assembly  6  can be urged to slide upward by the user turning the lever  33  counterclockwise. The slot-shaped opening  36  of the lever  33 , engaging a boss  39  on the base  30 , performs as a cam urging the base together with the rest of the paper feed control assembly  6  to slide upward thus providing a space for the stapled set (not shown) between the retarder  26  and the feed wheel  37 . 
   The return of the paper feed control assembly  6  into the original position is provided by the extension spring  35  (shown on  FIG. 3 ) urging the lever  33  to move clockwise. The slot-shaped opening  36 , engaging a boss  39 , performs as a cam urging the base together with the rest of the paper feed control assembly  6  to slide down into the position for the automatic feeding.