U.S. patent application number 12/697349 was filed with the patent office on 2011-08-04 for sawtooth jog for multi-copy/multi-set output.
This patent application is currently assigned to XEROX CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Brian R. Pierson, Elton T. Ray.
Application Number | 20110187037 12/697349 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44340911 |
Filed Date | 2011-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110187037 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ray; Elton T. ; et
al. |
August 4, 2011 |
SAWTOOTH JOG FOR MULTI-COPY/MULTI-SET OUTPUT
Abstract
A method of positioning copy or subsets for the easy insertion
of tabs thereinto that includes creating a shingled boundary
between subsets, with the top sheets of all subsets in the same
position, but with the rest of each subset progressively offset so
that the last page of the upper subset is significantly offset from
the top sheet of the next subset in sawtooth fashion. As a result,
the subsets can then be separated from one side more easily and
tabs or other pages can be manually inserted with minimal
difficulty.
Inventors: |
Ray; Elton T.; (Lakeville,
NY) ; Pierson; Brian R.; (Victor, NY) |
Assignee: |
XEROX CORPORATION
Norwalk
CT
|
Family ID: |
44340911 |
Appl. No.: |
12/697349 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
270/58.31 ;
271/237 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 33/04 20130101;
B65H 9/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
270/58.31 ;
271/237 |
International
Class: |
B65H 33/04 20060101
B65H033/04; B65H 9/00 20060101 B65H009/00 |
Claims
1. A method for facilitating easy insertion of dividers between
imaged sheet subsets of a sheet stack, comprising: a) providing a
stack of imaged sheet subsets of a single print job; and b)
creating a shingled boundary between each sheet of a subset of said
imaged sheets such that the top sheets of all subsets are in the
same position and the remaining sheets in each subset progressively
offset so that a last page of an upper subset is offset from a top
page of a next subset.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said shingled boundary between
each subset of imaged sheets includes a protruding edge that is
reinforced by a graduated edge of each sheet beneath it so that
said protruding edge can not be easily wrinkled with handling.
3. The method of claim 2, including positioning said protruding
edge of each subset of imaged sheets on the same side of the sheet
stack.
4. The method of claim 3, including grasping said protruding edge
of a subset of the sheet stack and lifting said protruding edge and
placing a divider sheet between said protruding edge and a top
sheet of the next subset of imaged sheets.
5. The method of claim 1, including providing said shingled
boundary between each subset of imaged sheets in a sawtooth
configuration.
6. A method for enabling sawtooth offset for multiple set stacks,
comprising: a) providing at least one stack of sheet sets; and b)
creating a shingled boundary between each set of sheets such that
the top sheets of all sets are in the same position and the
remaining sheets in each set are progressively offset, and wherein
said progressive offset is continuous in order to add strength to
each subset so that no individual sheet is left flapping.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said shingled boundary between
each set of sheets includes a protruding edge.
8. The method of claim 7, including positioning said protruding
edge of each set of sheets on the same side of the sheet stack.
9. An improved method for removing individual subsets of sheets
from a stack of sheet subsets, comprising: a) providing a stack of
sheet subsets for a single predetermined job; and b) creating a
shingled boundary between each subset of sheets such that the top
sheets of all subsets are in the same position and the remaining
sheets in each subset progressively offset so that a bottom page of
an upper subset is offset from a top page of a next subset.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said shingled boundary between
each subset of imaged sheets includes a protruding edge.
11. The method of claim 10, including positioning said protruding
edge of each subset of sheets on the same side of the sheet
stack.
12. The method of claim 3, including grasping said protruding edge
of a subset of the sheet stack and lifting said protruding edge in
order to remove the subset from the sheet stack.
13. (canceled)
14. The method of claim 2, including lifting said protruding edge
of a sheet subset and inserting a divider between said protruding
edge and a top sheet of next sheet subset.
15. (canceled)
16. The method of claim 14, including inserting said divider
underneath said protruding edge of said sheet subset and the top
sheet in the next subset of sheets.
17. The method of claim 3, including lifting said protruding edge
of a sheet subset with a divider and inserting said divider between
said protruding edge the sheet subset and the top sheet in the next
sheet subset.
18. The method of claim 3, including lifting said protruding edge
of a sheet subset with a divider.
19. The method of claim 18, including inserting said divider
between said protruding edge of the sheet subset and the top sheet
in the next sheet subset.
20. The method of claim 9, including lifting said protruding edge
of a sheet subset and removing said sheet subset from the sheet
stack.
Description
[0001] The method disclosed herein relates manipulating
multi-copy/multi-set documents. In particular, the disclosed method
relates to ease of insertion of pages into multi-copy/multi-set
output.
[0002] Stacking apparatus for forming offset stacks of paper is
well known. Each stack comprises a plurality of equal sized sheets
stacked in registration one on top of the other. A conveyor belt
delivers sheets for stacking. After the apparatus forms one stack
of sheets against a paper stop, the paper stop is displaced and a
second paper stop is moved into position. The second paper stop is
offset from the first paper stop. A second stack of sheets forms
against the second paper stop. The second stack is offset from the
first stack. The back of each stack is defined as the portion of
each stack that is near the conveyor belt which delivers sheets
which form and comprise the stack. The front of each stack is
defined as a portion of each stack that is adjacent to the paper
stop or stops which halt the travel of each sheet in the stack
after the sheet is conveyed onto the stack.
[0003] An apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,625 to Henry T.
Kremers et al. which regulates offsetting stacks of sheets
reproduced from at least one original document. In one mode,
successive stacks of uncollated sheet are offset from one another,
and in another mode, offsetting of stacks of collated copy sheets
is inhibited. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,035 a self-contained offset
stacker tray assembly is operable in conjunction with the sheet
output of a host printer to receive sheets from the host printer
and deposit the sheets in offset sets. Similarly, an offsetting
paper stacking device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,008 that
automatically stacks sheets of paper into groups which are offset
from each other. The paper is stacked in one pile; however, within
that pile there are groups of sheets that are stacked at a sideways
offset to the group immediately above and below. Accordingly, every
other group of sheets of paper will be in line with each other and
each adjacent group will be offset from each other. A drawback to
sheet offset stackers of this type is that east insertion of pages
into the offset stacks is not facilitated.
[0004] Some printers allow easy manual separation of copies or
subsets in a job by alternating the position of the printed output
a few millimeters back and forth between each copy or subset. This
allows a person to grab the edge of a copy or subset with their
finger and separate it from the rest of a stack of printed output.
If one looks at the edge of a stack of printed copies or subsets
jogged in this fashion, a square wave pattern will be seen. This is
suitable for manually separating copies or subsets in a job, but if
one wanted to insert pages, it is more awkward. The boundary
between each copy or set is in a different position every time.
[0005] Accordingly, in answer to this problem and disclosed herein
is a method of positioning copy or subsets for the easy insertion
of pages thereinto that includes creating a shingled boundary
between sets, with the top sheets of all sets in the same position,
but with the rest of each set progressively offset so that the last
page of the upper set is significantly offset from the top sheet of
the next set in sawtooth fashion. Thus, the sets can then be
separated from one side more easily and pages can be manually
inserted with minimal difficulty.
[0006] Various of the above-mentioned and further features and
advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the
specific apparatus and its operation or methods described in the
example(s) below, and the claims. Thus, they will be better
understood from this description of these specific embodiment(s),
including the drawing figures (which are approximately to scale)
wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a typical offset sheet
stack;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a frontal view of a sawtooth jogged sheet
stack;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a frontal view of a typical offset sheet stack
showing the insertion of a tab into a subset of the stack; and
[0010] FIG. 4 is a frontal view of a sawtooth jogged sheet stack
showing the insertion of a tab into a subset of the stack.
[0011] With initial reference to FIG. 1, a prior art copy/subset
stack of sheets 10 is shown with a typical jog that alternates the
position of the output by a few millimeters for each copy/subset
and stacked first sheet face-down. In order to grab or manipulate
an individual copy or subset, one would have to grab the bottom
edge of the copy or subset on the side that it laps over. As seen
in FIG. 1, one cannot grab the top copy/subset with a fingertip on
this side since there is no edge to grasp. One would have to move
to the other side of the stack to find an edge that can be snagged.
However, in accordance with the present disclosure as shown in FIG.
2, a solution this problem includes providing a shingled boundary
layer between all sets within stack 20, with the top sheet of all
sets in the same position, but with the rest of each set
progressively offset so that the last page of the upper set is
significantly offset from the top sheet of the next set. This
creates a sawtooth jog to each copy or subset which leaves an edge
one can snag with a finger as shown for each copy or set on the
same side of the stack.
[0012] FIG. 3 shows a conventional offset stacking of copy or
subsets of sheets 10 and it can be seen that inserting a tab or
divider 30 manually into the stack in the direction of arrow 32 can
be very difficult. Only on every other copy/subset is there an edge
one can snag in order to place a tab page under the individual
subset. In FIG. 4, insertion of tabs or other stock 30 in the
direction of arrow 32 under a subset is made easier by creating a
sawtooth edge to each copy or subset with the top sheet of each
subset in the same position and the remainder of each subset being
progressively offset. As a result, the last page of the upper
subset is offset from the top sheet of the next subset and thereby
facilitating the separating of subsets from one side more easily
and pages can be manually inserted with ease.
[0013] It should now be known that a method which, for example,
could be incorporated in a print driver setting or at a
multi-function device user interface, has been disclosed that
enables a sawtooth shaped offset for multiple set stacks and
thereby provides an ease of insertion of tabs or other stock into
individual subsets of a stack of sheets. The sawtooth jog of each
subset of the stack positions the last page of the upper set
significantly offset from the first page or top sheet of the next
set making the upper set quite accessible to lifting by one for
placing a divider sheet between the last page of the upper and the
first page or top sheet of the next set. Additionally, the sawtooth
shaped offset of the subsets enhances one's ability to pick
individual subsets away from a stack of subsets.
[0014] The claims, as originally presented and as they may be
amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications,
improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the
embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that
are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example,
may arise from applicants/patentees and others. Unless specifically
recited in a claim, steps or components of claims should not be
implied or imported from the specification or any other claims as
to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle,
color, or material.
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