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EP1952995B1 - Druckschnittstellensystem für eine Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung - Google Patents

Druckschnittstellensystem für eine Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1952995B1
EP1952995B1 EP08001904.5A EP08001904A EP1952995B1 EP 1952995 B1 EP1952995 B1 EP 1952995B1 EP 08001904 A EP08001904 A EP 08001904A EP 1952995 B1 EP1952995 B1 EP 1952995B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
printer
diverter
interface system
sheet material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP08001904.5A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1952995A3 (de
EP1952995A2 (de
Inventor
Aaron D. Smith
Robert J. Allen
James A. Fairweather
Neil F. Baldino
Thomas M. Lyga
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pitney Bowes Inc
Original Assignee
Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US11/731,373 external-priority patent/US7887053B2/en
Application filed by Pitney Bowes Inc filed Critical Pitney Bowes Inc
Publication of EP1952995A2 publication Critical patent/EP1952995A2/de
Publication of EP1952995A3 publication Critical patent/EP1952995A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1952995B1 publication Critical patent/EP1952995B1/de
Ceased legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/60—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0095—Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/009—Diverting sheets at a section where at least two sheet conveying paths converge, e.g. by a movable switching guide that blocks access to one conveying path and guides the sheet to another path, e.g. when a sheet conveying direction is reversed after printing on the front of the sheet has been finished and the sheet is guided to a sheet turning path for printing on the back
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43M—BUREAU ACCESSORIES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B43M3/00—Devices for inserting documents into envelopes
    • B43M3/04—Devices for inserting documents into envelopes automatic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/58—Article switches or diverters
    • B65H29/60—Article switches or diverters diverting the stream into alternative paths
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H83/00—Combinations of piling and depiling operations, e.g. performed simultaneously, of interest apart from the single operation of piling or depiling as such
    • B65H83/02—Combinations of piling and depiling operations, e.g. performed simultaneously, of interest apart from the single operation of piling or depiling as such performed on the same pile or stack
    • B65H83/025—Combinations of piling and depiling operations, e.g. performed simultaneously, of interest apart from the single operation of piling or depiling as such performed on the same pile or stack onto and from the same side of the pile or stack
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H85/00—Recirculating articles, i.e. feeding each article to, and delivering it from, the same machine work-station more than once
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/33—Modifying, selecting, changing orientation
    • B65H2301/333—Inverting
    • B65H2301/3331—Involving forward reverse transporting means
    • B65H2301/33312—Involving forward reverse transporting means forward reverse rollers pairs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2402/00—Constructional details of the handling apparatus
    • B65H2402/10—Modular constructions, e.g. using preformed elements or profiles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/60—Other elements in face contact with handled material
    • B65H2404/63—Oscillating, pivoting around an axis parallel to face of material, e.g. diverting means
    • B65H2404/632—Wedge member
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/20—Location in space
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/30—Numbers, e.g. of windings or rotations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/50—Occurence
    • B65H2511/51—Presence
    • B65H2511/514—Particular portion of element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2513/00—Dynamic entities; Timing aspects
    • B65H2513/50—Timing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2601/00—Problem to be solved or advantage achieved
    • B65H2601/30—Facilitating or easing
    • B65H2601/32—Facilitating or easing entities relating to handling machine
    • B65H2601/324—Removability or inter-changeability of machine parts, e.g. for maintenance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2801/00—Application field
    • B65H2801/66—Envelope filling machines

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to systems for integrating a printer with accessory equipment, and, more particularly, to a system for integrating a printer with a sheet handling device, such as a mailpiece inserter and, still more particularly, a system and method for developing an integrated print interface to perform special print operations, such as duplex or dual-sided printing.
  • a mail insertion system or a "mailpiece inserter” is commonly employed for producing mailpieces intended for mass mail communications.
  • Such mailpiece inserters are typically used by organizations such as banks, insurance companies and utility companies for producing a large volume of specific mail communications where the contents of each mailpiece are directed to a particular addressee.
  • other organizations such as direct mailers, use mailpiece inserters for producing mass mailings where the contents of each mailpiece are substantially identical with respect to each addressee.
  • a typical inserter system resembles a manufacturing assembly line.
  • Sheets and other raw materials enter the inserter system as inputs.
  • Various modules or workstations in the inserter system work cooperatively to process the sheets until a finished mail piece is produced.
  • inserter systems prepare mail pieces by arranging preprinted sheets of material into a collation, i.e., the content material of the mail piece, on a transport deck.
  • the collation of preprinted sheets may continue to a chassis module where additional sheets or inserts may be added based upon predefined criteria, e.g., an insert being sent to addressees in a particular geographic region.
  • the collation may be folded and placed into envelopes. Once filled, the envelopes are closed, sealed, weighed, and sorted. A postage meter may then be used to apply postage indicia based upon the weight and/or size of the mail piece.
  • inserters typically require the use of "preprinted" sheets which are presented to the various downstream devices by a feed module for subsequent processing. That is, a mailpiece job run is printed to produce an "ordered" stack of mailpiece content material which may be fed to the mailpiece inserter. Scan codes disposed in the margin of the first or last sheet of each mailpiece document provide the instructions necessary to process the mailpiece, i.e., whether additional inserts will be added, how the content material is to be folded (C-fold, Z-fold, etc.) and/or what size envelop will the content material be contained. To facilitate communication of these instructions, a user computer and a printing device are typically network-connected to the mailpiece inserter such that scan codes can be easily printed and interpreted.
  • printers have been integrated with mailpiece inserters so that mailpiece content material may be supplied "on-demand", and/or "just-in-time".
  • inserters having integrated printers include the DI 900 and DI 950 mailpiece inserters manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc., located in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A. While such integration facilitates the flow and handling of mailpiece content material, it is often desirable, if not essential, that the printers used in such mailpiece inserters be repairable, replaceable or interchangeable with other printers.
  • DI 900 and DI 950 inserters employ HP 4350 B&W and HP 4700 color printers
  • OEMs Original Equipment Manufactures
  • duplex printing produces unique requirements inasmuch as a diverter mechanism, typically used in conjunction with printer accessories (such as a stapler or collator), must be controlled to divert sheet material to the mailpiece inserter. That is, while the diverter is typically controlled by the internal printer program code, i.e., when an accessory is added, the diverter must now be controlled in accordance with a different set of algorithms to cooperate with the inserter.
  • printer accessories such as a stapler or collator
  • the printer must be controlled to send sheet material to a stacking tray when being operated as a conventional printing apparatus and to a downstream module of the inserter (typically referred to as the buffer/accumulator or input module) when being used to generate mailpieces.
  • a downstream module of the inserter typically referred to as the buffer/accumulator or input module
  • Document JP-03174170 describes a duplex printer with a positionable diverter.
  • a print interface system including a printer integrated in combination with a sheet handling system such as a mail piece inserter.
  • the print interface system facilitates the handling of sheet material in various operating modes, including conventional printing, duplex printing, and mailpiece creation modes.
  • the system includes a printer having multiple feed paths for printing on opposing face surfaces of a sheet material. One of the feed paths directs sheet material to a staging tray and another feed path directs sheet material to a downstream module of the sheet handling system.
  • the system further includes a positionable diverter for directing sheet material to one of the feed paths and a sheet sensor for determining when a sheet of material has been directed along the feed path leading to the output tray.
  • a controller is operative to alternately repositioning the diverter from one of two positions.
  • a first position directs sheet material to the staging tray following a first print operation
  • a second position directs sheet material to the downstream module of the sheet handling system.
  • the controller furthermore, repositions the diverter following a threshold period of time X from receipt of the staging signal issued by the sheet sensor.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mailpiece inserter having a printer integrated upstream of the various mailpiece handling/processing modules, i.e., a mechanical page buffer/accumulator, folder, inserter, and sealer.
  • Fig. 3 is a broken-away side view of a print interface system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, including a diverter and control mechanism for directing the feed path of duplex-printed content material.
  • Fig. 4a is an enlarged view of the diverter in a first position for directing sheet material to an upper staging tray.
  • Fig. 4b is an enlarged view of the diverter in a second position for directing sheet material to the page buffer of the mailpiece inserter.
  • inventive print interface system and control algorithms therefor are described in the context of a mailpiece inserter system, though the inventive interface system may be used in combination with any sheet handling device which requires printing "on-demand” or "on request".
  • inventive interface system is described in the context of a DI 900 Model Mailpiece Inserter, i.e., a mailpiece creation system produced by Pitney Bowes Inc., located in Stamford, State of Connecticut, USA, though, the inventive subject matter may be employed in any mailpiece inserter and/or with any print manager software used in the printing/creation of mail pieces such as PBFirst ®.
  • PBFirst is a registered trademark of Pitney Bowes Inc. and is a software product for printing/producing mailpieces processed by a mailpiece inserter system.
  • the printers described herein include the HP 4350 BW and HP 4700 Color printers manufactured by Hewlett Packard Company, located in Palo Alto, State of California, U.S.A.
  • a dedicated printer 8 is integrated with the mailpiece inserter 10 and is disposed upstream of various inserter devices (also referred to as downstream devices relative to the printer 8) which handle and process the mailpiece content material 12.
  • inserter devices also referred to as downstream devices relative to the printer 8
  • the terms "mailpiece content material”, “printed material”, “sheets” and /or "sheet material” will used interchangeably.
  • an HP 4350 and HP 4700 model printer manufactured by Hewlett Packard (HP), is integrated with the mailpiece inserter 10.
  • the HP 4350 printer system is a black & white printer having an output rate of approximately fifty-five (55) pages per minute.
  • the HP 4700 is a color printer having an output rate of approximately thirty (30) pages per minute.
  • a mechanical buffer or page buffer 16 is disposed downstream of the printer 8 and, inter alia, functions to monitor/track the throughput of printed pages 12 being processed by the inserter 10. More specifically, the page buffer 16 receives printed pages 12 from the printer 8 and includes a plurality of sequential page stations 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e disposed along a serial feed path. Position sensing devices 20 are located at or along each of the page stations 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e and monitor the rate that printed pages enter or leave the page buffer 16.
  • the sensing devices 20 are operative to issue position signals 22 to a system controller 24 such that the inserter 10 may determine whether a page or sheet 12 is positioned at a particular one of the page stations 18a, 18b,18c, 18d, 18e.
  • the sensing devices 20 are photocells, though any position sensor 20 may be employed.
  • any downstream device may be adapted to issue a throughput signal indicative of the rate that content material 12 or mailpieces are processed by the inserter 10.
  • downstream devices may additionally, or alternatively, include an accumulator 25, a pre-fold accumulator 26, a folder 27, an envelop inserter 28, and/or a sealer 29.
  • the system controller 24 monitors the throughput data and issues command signals 30 indicative of the number of pages 12 to be printed by the integrated printer 8. More specifically, the command signals 30 are indicative of a specific page number to begin printing along with the number of pages 12 to follow. For example, the controller 24 may issue command signals 30 requesting the printer 8 to generate page number thirty (Page # 30) plus five (5) additional pages of data. Before this request is issued to the printer (in the more conventional sense), the controller 24 issues the command through a page-based language monitor 34. In the preferred embodiment, the system controller 24 generally issues a command signal 30 to print between three (3) to seven (7) pages with each request, though several command signals 30 may be generated within a very short period of time.
  • the mailpiece inserter 10 further includes a User Interface Module (UIM) 36 interposing the mechanical page buffer 16 and the system controller 24.
  • the UIM 36 is responsive to the position signals 22 of the mechanical page buffer 16 for determining when additional pages, sheets or content material 12 can be accepted by the page buffer 16.
  • the UIM 36 is operative to issue a request signal 38 to the system controller 24, which request signal 38 is indicative of the number of mailpiece content pages 12 to be printed.
  • conversion of the position signals 22 to a command signal 30 may be performed by either the system controller 24 or by the UIM 36, depending upon where the program logic/intelligence is located.
  • the controller 24 may have received a message that the print job, i.e., determined at the User PC 14, is complete. Consequently, in this instance, the controller 24 will not forward a command signal 30 to the language monitor 34 for issuance to the printer 8.
  • the page-based language monitor 34 receives print stream data from a page-based print processor 40 and is interposed between the system controller 24 and the dedicated printer 8.
  • the LM 34 is the gate-keeper of data communicated to the printer 8 from the controller 24. More specifically, the LM 34 retains material content data, including an object-data dictionary, for each page of material content and triggers the printer 8 to generate a particular page (i.e., page number) along with N number of additional pages. While this request to print is made by the controller 24, the LM 34 contains the active program code which intercepts the print stream data, i.e., the print control language (PCL), from the printer driver to throttle the rate at which content material 12 is generated by the printer 8.
  • PCL print control language
  • the page-based LM 34 is operative to vary the flow of print stream data to the printer 8 and vary the production rate of mailpiece content material.
  • the LM 34 includes a buffer file capable of storing 300 MB (300,000,000 bytes) of data and, accordingly, the buffer file is capable of storing multiple pages of data, including duplex pages.
  • a "page" of data includes all data which may be found on a one- or two-sided sheet of paper.
  • the language monitor 34 and print processor 40 issue a print command signal 44 to throttle/control the output of the printer in order to be consistent with or match the throughput of the mailpiece inserter 10.
  • a print command signal 44 to throttle/control the output of the printer in order to be consistent with or match the throughput of the mailpiece inserter 10.
  • additional or more frequent requests for additional printed pages can be made.
  • requests can be made for a fewer number of printed pages or at less frequent intervals to prevent an overload condition or too many sheets from being printed over a prescribed period of time.
  • printer throughput and/or operation should not be adversely impacted when performing specialized functions such as duplex printing.
  • some printers feed duplex-printed pages to an upper output tray rather than to an accessory feed path.
  • certain sheet handling equipment such as certain mailpiece inserters
  • various control and/or feed path modifications must be performed without impacting throughput or creating new/additional modes of failure.
  • high-output printers are costly pieces of capital equipment, it is oftentimes necessary that the printer be used in multiple modes to justify/amortize the original investment. Consequently, the printer may necessarily include a suitable interface to operate both independently and in conjunction with the sheet handling device.
  • printers such as the HP 4350 BW printer, feed duplex-printed pages to an output tray rather than to an accessory feed path. That is, these printers are preprogrammed by the OEM to feed duplex-printed pages to an upper output tray.
  • an inventive print interface system 50 is shown including various structural/control modifications to address the challenges associated with duplex printing. More specifically, the print interface system 50 is disposed between a printer 52 and a mailpiece inserter 10.
  • the printer 52 includes multiple feed paths FFP, SFP for feeding sheet material 12 to an upper output/staging tray 54 or to a page buffer 16 similar to that described in the preceding paragraphs.
  • a first feed path FFP manipulates sheet material 12 internally of the printer 52 such that, following a first operation (denoted by dashed lines in Fig. 3 ), the sheets 12 are passed or staged to the upper staging tray 54.
  • the first operation involves passing the sheet material 12 past a print head 55 for printing on a first face surface of the sheet material 12.
  • the sheet material 12 reverses direction and re-enters the printer 52 such that a second face of the sheet 12 may pass the print head 55 for printing on the reverse face of the sheet material 12 (i.e., an operation denoted by the dotted line in the Fig. 3 ),
  • a second face of the sheet 12 may pass the print head 55 for printing on the reverse face of the sheet material 12 (i.e., an operation denoted by the dotted line in the Fig. 3 )
  • Even during the first print operation other pages 12 are being handled/conveyed within the printer 52 such that several pages may pass the print head 55 to print on one face or an opposite face of the sheet 12. That is, to maximize throughput in the duplex printing mode, several sheets 12 may simultaneously be conveyed or handled internally of the printer 52.
  • two or more sheets may be printed on one face sheet before one of these same sheets is printed on its opposite face.
  • the print interface system 50 includes a controllable/positionable diverter 56 having at least two positions.
  • a first position shown in Fig. 4a sheets of material 12 are fed to the upper staging tray 54 in much the same manner as previously performed to reverse the direction of the sheets 12. That is, after printing on one face, the diverter 56 sends sheets 12, i.e., sheets which have now been printed on a single side, along the first feed path FFP to the upper staging tray 54. Following a second print operation associated with printing on the opposite face, the diverter 56 sends the sheets 12, i.e., sheets which have now been printed on both sides, along the second feed path SFP to the page buffer 16.
  • a first sheet sensor 60 is disposed proximal to a first printer opening 63, which outputs sheets 12 to the staging tray 54, and a second sheet sensor 60 is disposed immediately upstream of the diverter 56. More specifically, the first sheet sensor 60 optically detects the passage of the leading edge of a sheet 12 as it momentarily enters the staging tray 54 and subsequently reverses direction to re-enter the printer 52. The second sheet sensor 62 optically detects the passage of the trailing edge of a sheet 12 as it passes the diverter 56 into the page buffer 16 of the mailpiece inserter 10.
  • sheets of material 12 are printed on one side and are diverted to the upper staging tray 54.
  • the diverter 56 is spring-biased in a first direction, or to a position causing the sheets to follow the first feed path FFP, through the first printer opening 63 and past the first sensor 60.
  • a staging signal 60S is issued to a controller 66 and an internal timer or clock 68 therein is set/started.
  • many staging signals 64 may be issued, thereby setting several timers 68 within the controller 66.
  • the second print operation i.e., the operation which prints on the opposing face of the duplex-printed sheet, consumes a fixed period of time X (in seconds)
  • X in seconds
  • the controller 66 is responsive to the staging signal 60S issued by the first sensor to reposition the diverter 56 from a first position to a second position for directing sheets to the mailpiece inserter 10. Specifically, however, the controller 66 is operative to reposition the diverter 56 following a threshold period of time X from receipt of the staging signal.
  • the threshold period X is between 3.0 to 4.0 seconds, and, more precisely, between about 3.3 to about 3.7 seconds.
  • the second sensor 62 issues a position signal 62P to the controller 66. That is, when the trailing edge of a sheet 12 passes the optical beam 62B of the second sensor 62, the controller 66 is responsive to the position signal 62P to rapidly reposition the diverter 56 from the second position to its original or first position. Accordingly, the first and second sensors 60, 62 communicate with the controller 66 to ensure that a duplex-printed page 12 is ready to be diverted to the page buffer 16 and has safely past the mechanism of the diverter 56.
  • the mechanism 70 is adapted to overcome the spring bias force, thereby repositioning the diverter 56 to its second position, i.e., for directing sheet material 12 to the page buffer 16 of the mailpiece inserter 10.
  • the actuator 72 retracts linearly to pivot the bell crank 74 in a counterclockwise direction about a pivot point 74P.
  • a displacement device 74D e.g., a cylindrical pin, follows an arcuate path to engage a cam surface 76CS at a first end 76 E1 of the lever arm 76.
  • the downward displacement of the lever arm 76 is transferred to the plunger 78 by means of a slotted yoke/pin coupling 80 formed at the juncture of the second end 76 E2 of the lever arm 76 and the upper end of the plunger 78. Additionally, the downward motion of the plunger 78 is, in turn, transferred to an actuation pin 82 which engages the diverter 56. Finally, the actuation pin 82 engages a surface of the diverter 56 to effect a force couple or moment M about the pivot mount 56P of the diverter 56. The moment force M, therefore, alternately repositions the diverter 56 between its actuating or sheet diverting positions.
  • the bell crank 74 and lever arms 76 are not positively coupled (i.e., the coupling-free interface defined by the interaction of a pin 74D and a cam surface 76 cs ), these elements may be freely separated by the horizontal displacement of the printer 52 relative to the page buffer 16. That is, by separating the printer 52 and page buffer 16 horizontally, in the direction of arrows HL, HR, the print interface system 10 facilitates removal, replacement or repair of the printer 52 and/or printer components which may be accessible only by separating the components.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)

Claims (11)

  1. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) für eine Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung, umfassend:
    einen Drucker (52) mit mehreren Zuleitungspfaden (FFP, SFP) zum Drucken auf gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen eines Papiermaterials (12), wobei ein erster Zuleitungspfad (FFP) Papiermaterial (12) zu einer Ausrichtungsschale (54) leitet und ein zweiter Zuleitungspfad (SFP) Papiermaterial (12) zu einem stromabwärts liegenden Modul (10) der Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung leitet;
    eine positionierbare Ablenkvorrichtung (56) zum Leiten von Papiermaterial (12) zu einem der ersten und zweiten Zuleitungspfade (FFP, SFP),
    einen Papiersensor (60) zum Bestimmen, wann ein Papiermaterial (12) entlang dem ersten Zuleitungspfad (FFP) geleitet wurde, und zum Ausgeben eines darauf hinweisenden Ausrichtungssignals (60S); und
    eine Steuerung (66), die auf das Ausrichtungssignal (60S) reagiert, um die Ablenkvorrichtung (56) abwechselnd in eine von zwei Positionen neu zu positionieren, eine erste Position zum Leiten von Papiermaterial (12) zum ersten Zuleitungspfad (FFP) und eine zweite Position zum Leiten von Papiermaterial (12) zum zweiten Zuleitungspfad (SFP), wobei die Steuerung (66) ferner betätigbar ist, um die Ablenkvorrichtung (56) aus der ersten in die zweite Position nach einem Zeitperiodenschwellenwert ab dem Empfang des Ausrichtungssignals (60S) neu zu positionieren.
  2. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach Anspruch 1, ferner umfassend einen Zeitgeber (68), und wobei der Papiersensor (60) den Zeitgeber (68) nach Erfassen einer Vorderkante des Papiermaterials (12) startet und wobei die Steuerung (66) den Zeitperiodenschwellenwert basierend auf einer Eingabe aus dem Zeitgeber (68) bestimmt.
  3. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, ferner umfassend mehrere Zeitgeber (68), wobei jeder Zeitgeber mit einzelnen Papieren des Papiermaterials (12) verknüpft ist, welche im Inneren des Druckers (52) befördert werden.
  4. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, wobei der Zeitperiodenschwellenwert zwischen etwa 3,0 bis etwa 4,0 Sekunden liegt.
  5. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei der Zeitperiodenschwellenwert zwischen etwa 3,3 bis etwa 3,7 Sekunden liegt.
  6. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, wobei die zweite Zuleitung (SFP) eine stromabwärts liegende Position über die Ablenkvorrichtung (56) hinaus bestimmt und ferner umfasst:
    einen Sensor (62) zum Bestimmen, wann das Papiermaterial (12) die stromabwärts liegende Position passiert hat, und zum Auslösen eines darauf hinweisenden Positionssignals (62P); und
    wobei die Steuerung (66) auf das Positionssignal (62P) reagiert, um das Neupositionieren der Ablenkvorrichtung (56) in die erste Position zu verhindern, bis das Papiermaterial (12) die stromabwärts liegende Position passiert hat.
  7. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, wobei die Ausrichtungsschale (54) doppelt betätigbar ist, sowohl zum Ausrichten von Papiermaterial (12) zum Drucken an gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen wie auch als eine Ausgabeschale (54) zum Stapeln von Papiermaterial (12).
  8. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, wobei das stromabwärts liegende Modul ein Seitenzwischenspeicher (16) einer Postsendungseinsetzvorrichtung (10) ist.
  9. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, wobei der Papiersensor (60) optisch eine Vorderkante des Papiermaterials (12) erfasst, während jedes Papier vom Papiermaterial (12) den Drucker (52) von einer Ausgabeöffnung (63) zur Ausrichtungsschale (54) verlässt.
  10. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, ferner umfassend einen Mechanismus (70) zum Antreiben der Ablenkvorrichtung (56) und Definieren einer kopplungsfreien Schnittstelle, die dazu ausgebildet ist, eine Trennung des Druckers (52) in Bezug auf die Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung zu ermöglichen.
  11. Druckschnittstellensystem (50) nach einem vorangehenden Anspruch, wobei der Mechanismus (70) ein Stellglied (72), das mit dem stromabwärts liegenden Modul der Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung verknüpft ist, einen schwenkbaren Stellgliedhebel (76), der nahe der Ablenkvorrichtung (56) angeordnet ist, wobei der Stellgliedhebel eine Nockenfläche (76CS) an einem Ende aufweist und mit der Ablenkvorrichtung (56) am anderen Ende verbunden ist, und einen Abstandsstift (74D), der mit dem Stellglied (72) an einem Ende verbunden ist und mit der Nockenfläche am anderen Ende in Eingriff steht, enthält, wobei die Nockenfläche (76CS) und der Abstandsstift (74D) eine trennbare Schnittstelle definieren, um eine Trennung des Druckers (52) in Bezug auf die Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung zu erleichtern.
EP08001904.5A 2007-02-05 2008-02-01 Druckschnittstellensystem für eine Papierbehandlungsvorrichtung Ceased EP1952995B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US89959407P 2007-02-05 2007-02-05
US11/731,373 US7887053B2 (en) 2007-02-05 2007-03-30 Print interface system for a sheet handling device

Publications (3)

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EP1952995A2 EP1952995A2 (de) 2008-08-06
EP1952995A3 EP1952995A3 (de) 2012-12-26
EP1952995B1 true EP1952995B1 (de) 2014-07-16

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9134928B2 (en) 2011-01-28 2015-09-15 Ricoh Production Print Solutions LLC Print job processing in an automated document factory environment

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2825846B2 (ja) * 1988-08-18 1998-11-18 株式会社リコー 両面画像記録装置におけるシート搬送装置
JP3110432B2 (ja) * 1989-08-07 2000-11-20 株式会社リコー 両面装置
JPH04112061A (ja) * 1990-08-31 1992-04-14 Nec Corp プリンタ装置
US5813326A (en) * 1994-12-22 1998-09-29 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mailing machine utilizing ink jet printer
JP4598591B2 (ja) * 2005-04-28 2010-12-15 京セラミタ株式会社 用紙搬送分岐装置

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EP1952995A2 (de) 2008-08-06

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