Patent ID: 7891652

Claim:
A printing system comprising: a sheet media source adapted to selectively dispense sheet media; at least one printing engine in operative communication with said sheet media source for receiving sheet media therefrom, said at least one printing engine adapted to output marked sheet media; a finishing unit disposed in operative communication with said at least one printing engine for receiving marked sheet media therefrom such that the marked sheet media will have a direction of travel, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a longitudinal edge extending therebetween, said finishing unit including a collection tray and a variable-speed compiling system, said collection tray including a first registration surface disposed approximately transverse to said direction of travel, said collection tray adapted to receive the marked sheet media such that the leading edge thereof will be disposed toward said first registration surface, said variable-speed compiling system including a sheet-engaging element having an axis and a sheet-engaging surface operative to frictionally engage a sheet of marked sheet media, said variable-speed compiling system operative to displace said sheet-engaging surface about said axis at at least a first speed and a second speed that is less than said first speed; and, a control system in communication with said sheet media source, said at least one printing engine and said finishing unit, said control system operative to: determine arrival of a sheet of marked sheet media at said finishing unit; operate said variable-speed compiling system such that said sheet-engaging surface is displaced about said axis at said first speed prior to said sheet-engaging surface of said sheet-engaging element frictionally engaging the sheet of marked sheet media and after frictionally engaging the sheet of marked sheet media; operate said variable-speed compiling system such that said sheet-engaging surface is displaced about said axis at said second speed after frictionally engaging the sheet of marked sheet media and thereby decelerating the sheet of marked sheet media during movement in said direction of travel prior to the leading edge of the sheet of marked sheet media contacting said first registration surface; and, operate said variable-speed compiling system to at least approximately align the leading edge of the sheet of marked sheet media with said first registration surface.