Very high speed duplicator with finishing function

• US 4,368,972 A
• Filed: 04/15/1981
• Issued: 01/18/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Naramore, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moses, R. L.
• Application Number:
  US06/254,343
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 355/3 SH, 355/14 SH, 355/23, 355/24, 271/294, 271/297, 271/292
• US Class Current: 399/403
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/11 in superposed carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6538 Devices for collating sheet copy material, e.g. sorters, control, copies in staples form
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00827 Stapler

Abstract

A collation system is disclosed for use with a very high speed, fully automated reproduction system having a document handling apparatus, copy sheet processor, and a finishing station. In this arrangement, a sorter bin array is arranged to collate the copy sheets into copy sets corresponding to a multiple page document, the array being held stationary for the collection of some of the copy sheets and is moved past a sheet-receiving station for receiving at least one of the copy sheets.

Claims

1. In a reproduction system having a processor for reproduction information to be copied on copy sheets in either simplex or duplex modes of operation and means for producing the information in the form of an individual light image for one or both sides of a copy sheet, each light image being produced a predetermined number of times in succession before a different succeeding light image is produced the same predetermined number of times, thereby effecting the production of copy sheets of the same predetermined number at any one time, the improvement including:

an array of sheet collecting bins arranged to receive copy sheets and to collate the same into sets of copies of different images,

means for transporting a plurality of the copy sheets from said predetermined number to said collecting bins at the rate of one sheet per bin while said array is held in a fixed position,

means for producing movement of said array of bins from said fixed position, and

means for transporting at least one of the copy sheets from said predetermined number to said collecting bins while said array has been moved from said fixed position.

2. The reproduction system of claim 1 including a set binding apparatus, and means for activating the same for binding collated sets when said array of bins is being indexed.

3. In a reproduction system having a document handling apparatus adapted to transport individual document sheets of a multiple page document from a supply stack to an exposure platen of a reproduction processor and effecting multiple exposure of at least one side of each of the document sheets before returning the sheet to the supply stack, wherein the processor produces copy sheets of the exposed document sheets, the combination of:

a sorter array having a plurality of bins,

means for transporting the copy sheets of a plurality of at least one side of each of the document sheets from the processor to each of said bins sequentially for collating said sheets into copy sets correspond to the document, while said array is held in a fixed position,

a finishing apparatus adapted to receive collated sets of copy sheets of a set of document sheets when activated and to bind the same, and

means for producing indexing movement of said array of bins simultaneously with the activation of said finishing apparatus.

4. In combination with a reproduction system having a processor adapted to produce a plurality of copy sheets of different informational areas thereon, the improvement including:

a sorter having a plurality of bins arranged to receive the copy sheet output from the processor and to collate the same into copy sets,

means for moving said sorter between a fixed position and a plurality of indexed positions, and

control means for directing a plurality of copy sheets into said bins when said sorter is in said fixed position and to direct at least one of the copy sheets in each of the sets when said sorter is moved to each of said index positions.

5. In a reproduction system having a processor for reproducing information to be copied on copy sheets and means for producing the information in the form of an individual light image for each copy sheet, each light image being produced a predetermined number of times in succession before a different succeeding light image is produced the same predetermined number of times, the improvement including:

an array of sheet collecting bins arranged to receive copy sheets and to collate the same into sets of copies of different images,

means for transporting some of the copy sheets output of the processor to said collecting bins at the rate of one sheet per bin while said array is held in a fixed position,

means for producing indexing movement of said array of bins from said fixed position,

means for transporting at least one of the copy sheets output of the processor to said collecting bins while said array is being moved, and

a set binding apparatus, and means for activating the same for binding collated sets when said array of bins is being indexed.

6. In a reproduction system having a processor for reproducing information to be copied on copy sheets as either simplex or duplex copies and means for producing the information in the form of an individual light image for a side of a copy sheet, each such light image being produced a predetermined number of times in succession before a different succeeding light image is produced the same predetermined number of times, the improvement including:

a sorter having a number of sheet collecting bins equal to said predetermined number arranged to receive copy sheets and to collate the same into sets of copies of different images,

means for transporting a plurality of the copy sheets produced from said predetermined number of times a light image is produced to said collecting bins at the rate of one sheet per bin while said sorter is held in a fixed position,

means for producing movement of said sorter from said fixed position, and

means for transporting at least one of the copy sheets produced from said predetermined number of light images produced to said collecting bins while said sorter is being moved.

7. In a reproduction system having a processor and control system therefor for producing in succession a predetermined number of copy sheets at a time of information to be copied before succeeding information to be copied is produced, the improvement including

an array of sheet collecting bins arranged to receive and collate the predetermined number of copy sheets of each succeeding information being copied,

drive means for producing movement of said array of bins, and

control means operatively connected to said drive means for holding said array in a fixed position while receiving a plurality of said predetermined number of copy sheets and for moving said array to a position other than said fixed position to receive at least one of the copy sheets of said predetermined number.

8. A sorting system for receiving and collating copy sheets comprising

an array of sheet collecting bins,

a sheet transport means for conveying sheets to said array and having a sheet receiving station at which sheets are conveyed to said array,

drive means for moving said array from a first position to a second position in indexing movement to index each bin adjacent said receiving station,

means for transporting a plurality of copy sheets to said array while the same is maintained in said first position, and

control means operatively connected to said drive means for effecting said indexing movement of said array from said first position to place one or more bins adjacent said receiving station for receiving at least one copy sheet.

9. In a method of producing copy sheets representative of pages of a document set to be copied and collecting the copy sheets into collated copy sets utilizing a copy sheet processor and control system therefor, the steps of:

1. producing in succession a plurality of copy sheets having a predetermined number each of the document pages, and

2. collating the copy sheets into an array of bins in the following manner,

(a) holding said array in a stationary position while collating said plurality of the copy sheets for each of the document pages,

(b) moving said array away from said stationary position and directing each bin adjacent a sheet receiving position,

(c) transporting at least one copy sheet of each copy set into a bin as the same is moved adjacent to said receiving position.

10. In a method of producing copy sheets representative of pages of a document set to be copied and fastening the copy sheets into collated copy sets utilizing a copy sheet processor and control system therefor, the steps ofproducing in succession a plurality of copy sheets having a predetermined number each of the document pages,collating the copy sheets into an array of bins in the following manner,

(a) holding said array in a stationary position while collating said plurality of the copy sheets for each of the document pages,

(b) moving said array away from said stationary position and directing each bin adjacent a sheet receiving position,

(c) transporting at least one copy sheet of each copy set into a bin as the same is moved adjacent to said receiving position, and

fastening each collated copy after said at least one copy sheet has been transported into a bin.