Trail edge buckling sheet buffering system
First Claim
1. For a reproduction apparatus feeding a sequential stream of printed copy sheets into a normal sheet path with a limited space and time therebetween, a sheet buffering system comprising:
- a non-slip downstream sheet feeding nip normally feeding copy sheets downstream towards a sheet output in said normal sheet path;
said downstream sheet feeding nip being selectably intermittently temporarily stopped with a lead edge of a first copy sheet therein;
a sheet buckle chamber upstream of said downstream sheet feeding nip extending away from said normal sheet path;
a non-slip upstream sheet feeding nip positioned sufficiently closely to said downstream nip along said normal sheet path to simultaneously feed said first sheet in said upstream nip while a lead edge of the same sheet is in said downstream nip to drive the trail end of said first copy sheet into said buckle chamber when said downstream nip is so temporarily stopped, and to then feed a second copy sheet with said upstream nip in said normal sheet path past said first copy sheet in said buckle chamber to said downstream nip;
buckle-inducing sheet baffling in said normal sheet path between said upstream and downstream feeding nips; and
said downstream nip then being automatically restarted upon said feeding of said second copy sheet thereto by said upstream nip to feed said first copy sheet from said buckle chamber in coordination with the feeding of said second copy sheet, so that both said first and second copy sheets are fed downstream by said downstream nip.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a copier or printer producing a sequential stream of sheets with limited time therebetween, and with compiling and finishing of those output sheets on-line while subsequent sheets are being printed, a non-slip sheet feeder normally feeding copy sheets downstream to the compiler is selectably intermittently temporarily stopped holding the lead edge area of the first copy sheet for the next set to be finished so that continued feeding of the trail end of the same sheet by a relatively closely spaced upstream feeder buckles that sheet into a buckle chamber assisted by a buckle inducing arcuate baffle extending from the other side of the sheet path. The next printed sheet is fed normally while the buckled first sheet is positively held out of its way. When the second sheet reaches the downstream feeder, it restarts to positively feed both sheets downstream to the compiler, together, but overlapped by a preset amount for registration stacking. A substantial increase is provided in the time for the preceding copy sheets to be operated on in the compiler. A plural sheet collection point may also be provided by this sheet buffering system.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. For a reproduction apparatus feeding a sequential stream of printed copy sheets into a normal sheet path with a limited space and time therebetween, a sheet buffering system comprising:
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a non-slip downstream sheet feeding nip normally feeding copy sheets downstream towards a sheet output in said normal sheet path; said downstream sheet feeding nip being selectably intermittently temporarily stopped with a lead edge of a first copy sheet therein; a sheet buckle chamber upstream of said downstream sheet feeding nip extending away from said normal sheet path; a non-slip upstream sheet feeding nip positioned sufficiently closely to said downstream nip along said normal sheet path to simultaneously feed said first sheet in said upstream nip while a lead edge of the same sheet is in said downstream nip to drive the trail end of said first copy sheet into said buckle chamber when said downstream nip is so temporarily stopped, and to then feed a second copy sheet with said upstream nip in said normal sheet path past said first copy sheet in said buckle chamber to said downstream nip; buckle-inducing sheet baffling in said normal sheet path between said upstream and downstream feeding nips; and said downstream nip then being automatically restarted upon said feeding of said second copy sheet thereto by said upstream nip to feed said first copy sheet from said buckle chamber in coordination with the feeding of said second copy sheet, so that both said first and second copy sheets are fed downstream by said downstream nip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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3. The sheet buffering system for a sequential stream of printed copy sheets of wherein said first sheet is lapping said second sheet as they are so fed to said compiler/finisher by said downstream sheet feeding nip, by leading said second sheet at the edges of said first and second sheets which are being edge registered in said compiler/finisher.
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4. The sheet buffering system for a sequential stream of printed copy sheets of wherein said normal sheet path is substantially planar and the trailing end of said first sheet is maintained substantially out of said planar normal sheet path in said buckle chamber as a subsequent sheet is fed downstream in said normal sheet path by said upstream nip.
Specification