U.S. patent number 3,851,872 [Application Number 05/341,448] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-03 for sorting apparatus for collating simplex and duplex copies.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Xerox Corporation. Invention is credited to Dennis P. Gerbasi.
United States Patent |
3,851,872 |
Gerbasi |
December 3, 1974 |
SORTING APPARATUS FOR COLLATING SIMPLEX AND DUPLEX COPIES
Abstract
Sorting apparatus for collating both simplex or side one up and
duplex or side two up copies from a copying machine. The sorting
apparatus includes tray assemblies arranged axially of a rotatable
member adapted to rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise
directions. A conveyor transports sheets toward a first or second
feed zone adjacent the path of the tray assemblies. The direction
of the tray assemblies and feed zone selected depend on the sorting
mode of operation desired by the machine operator. The copy sets
are unloaded at a gate into a tray member which is slideably
reciprocated on receiving alternate sets to stagger the sets into
separately identifiable stacks in the tray member.
Inventors: |
Gerbasi; Dennis P. (Webster,
NY) |
Assignee: |
Xerox Corporation (Stamford,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
23337620 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/341,448 |
Filed: |
March 15, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/291; 271/65;
271/295 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03G
15/6547 (20130101); B65H 29/60 (20130101); B65H
39/105 (20130101); G03G 2215/0089 (20130101); B65H
2405/351 (20130101); B65H 2404/6582 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
29/60 (20060101); B65H 39/10 (20060101); B65H
39/105 (20060101); G03G 15/00 (20060101); B65h
029/60 () |
Field of
Search: |
;271/173,64,65,66
;270/58,59,60 ;214/6N ;93/93DP,93K |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Simpson, G. I., Jr. "Duplex Copier Incorporating Sorter-Collator,"
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 14, No. 5, October 1971. p.
1453..
|
Primary Examiner: Blunk; Evon C.
Assistant Examiner: Stoner, Jr.; Bruce H.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a copier/duplicator machine which produces simplex and duplex
copy sheets to be sorted an improved sorting apparatus for sorting
in simplex and duplex modes of operation comprising:
a frame;
a rotatable member supported in said frame;
an array of tray members arranged axially of said rotatable
member;
drive means for rotating said rotatable member in one direction
when sorting simplex copies and the opposite direction when sorting
duplex copies;
conveyor means including a deflector member for directing copy
sheets towards one feed zone adjacent the path of said tray members
on one side and another feed zone adjacent the path of said tray
members on another side;
control means for supplying signals to said drive means and said
deflector member to rotate said tray member in a predetermined
direction and direct sheets to a selected feed zone depending on
whether simplex or duplex sorting mode of operation is desired;
gate means positioned adjacent to the path of said tray members
adapted to unload a collated set of sheets from each tray member
into a receiving tray;
wherein said receiving tray is slideable across the sheet discharge
path and means to slide the receiving tray in reciprocating fashion
upon receiving each copy set.
Description
This invention relates to apparatus for sorting copies advanced
from a high speed copier/duplicator into collated sets in both
simplex and duplex modes of operation.
In copier/duplicator systems sorters normally include bin modular
units with a multitude of trays as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
3,561,754, 3,356,362, 2,876,008, 2,951,697, and 3,076,647. These
sorters are suitable for sorting and collating copy sheets bearing
information on one side only, but are not entirely satisfactory for
sorting and collating copy sheets bearing information on either one
or both sides referred to as duplexing.
The present invention is, generally speaking, a sorter/collator
adapted for universal usage with the copier/duplicator of all types
including simplex and duplex modes of operation. More than this the
invention does not require an inverter device which is used to
invert sheets for different sorting modes of operations.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to improve
distribution of copy sheets.
It is another object of this invention to enable the distribution
of copy sheets in collated sets in simplex and duplex sorting modes
of operation.
It is still a further object of the invention to sort and collate
copy sheets in both simplex and duplex sorting modes of operation
without the need of an inverter device.
The above and added advantages of the present invention will be
more apparent after reading the following detailed description
which refers to accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematice view of a xerographic copier/duplicator
machine of the type used with the sorting apparatus according to
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of sorting apparatus according to the present
invention; and
FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating staggered and separately
identifiable collated sets in the receiving tray.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic of the copier/duplicator system generally
designated 2 including a copier machine 3, which is a high speed
copier/duplicator capable of producing simplex or duplex copies at
the option of a machine operator. The copier machine 3 has a platen
4 for receiving documents to be reproduced, and a control panel 5
(FIG. 2) which includes various control knobs, buttons, and
switches for selecting various modes of operation such as simplex
and duplex copies and the number of copies to be reproduced. In
accordance with the invention, the copier/duplicator system
includes a sorting apparatus 6 having tray assemblies 7 (FIG.
2).
The copier/duplicator system includes an automatic xerographic
apparatus which includes a photosensitive plate including a
photoconductive layer 10 that is placed over a conductive backing.
The plate is formed in the shape of a drum 11 and the drum mounted
upon a shaft 12 that is journaled for rotation in the in the
machine frame. Basically, the xerographic drum is rotated in the
direction indicated so as to pass sequentially through a series of
xerographic processing stations. The photosensitive drum and the
xerographic processing apparatus are driven at predetermined speeds
relative to each other from a drive system (not shown) and the
operation thereof coordinated in order to produce proper
cooperation of the various processing mechanisms.
The original, to be reproduced, is placed upon a transparant
horizontally supported platen 4 and the original scanned by means
of a moving optical scanning system and to produce a flowing light
image of the original. The scanning system includes an elongated
horizontal extended aperture lamp 15 and a moveable lens element
18.
The lamp and lens element moves in coordination across the object
supported upon the platen to focus successive incremental bans of
illumination reflected from the object onto the moving drum surface
at synchronous speeds therewith. The optical path is folded by
means of a pair of image mirrors 19 and 20 interposed between the
lens and the drum surface, the drum is first uniformly charged by
means of a corona generator 13 positioned on charging station A.
Under the influence of the flowing light image, the uniformly
charged photoconductive surface is selectively dissipated in the
non-image areas to form what is commonly known as a "latent
electrostatic image."
The latent electrostatic image is carried on the drum surface from
the exposure station into the developing station C. The developing
station primarily is comprised of a developer housing 22 adapted to
support a supply of two-component developer material 21 therein.
The developer material is transported by means of a bucket system
23 from the bottom of the developer housing to an elevated position
where the material is delivered into the active developement zone.
The developer material is caused to flow downwardly in contact with
the upwardly moving drum surface under closely controlled
conditions wherein charged toner particles are attracted from the
developer mix into the image areas on the plate surface thus making
the image visible.
The moving drum surface next transports the developed xerographic
image to a transfer station D. Cut sheets of final support material
are also moved into the transfer station, the backside of the copy
sheet is sprayed with an ion discharge from a transfer corotron 25
inducing on the sheet a charge having a polarity and magnitude
sufficient to attract the toner material from the drum surface to
the final support material. This induced charge also
electrostatically tacks the final support material to the drum
surface. In order to remove the copy sheet from the drum surface a
stripper finger 28 is positioned downstream from the transfer
corotron. The finger is arranged to move between the drum surface
and the copy sheet and lifts the sheet from the drum surface and
the copy sheet is directed along a predetermined path of travel
into contact with a stationary vacuum transport 29.
Although a preponderance of the toner material is transferred from
the drum surface to the copy sheet during the transfer process,
invariably some residual toner remains behind on the drum surface
after transfer. This residual toner is transported on the drum
surface into a cleaning station E where it is brought under the
influence of a cleaning corotron 30 adapted to neutralize the
electrostatic charge tending to hold the residual toner to the drum
surface. The neutralized toner is mechanically cleaned from the
drum surface by means of a blade or the like and the toner
collected within a housing 31. A conveyor moving in an endless loop
through tubes 32 transports the collected residual toner back to
the developer housing where it is deposited within the developer
mix so that it can be once agains re-used in the xerographic
developing process.
The copy sheet, which has been removed from the drum surface after
the transfer operation, is moved along stationary transport 29 into
fusing station F. The fuser 33 is basically made up of an upper
fuser roll 34 and a lower fuser roll 35 mounted in operative
relation to each other and arranged to coact so as to support a
sheet of material in pressure driving contact therebetween. The
lower roll is heated. As the heated roll is rotated in the
direction indicated the heated surface of the lower roll is pressed
into intimate contact with the image face of the support sheet.
Mechanical and heat energy transported from the roll surface to the
support sheet permanently bond the toner particles to the support
material.
Upon leaving the fuser, the fixed copy sheet is passed through a
curvalinear sheet guide system, generally referred to as 39, into
cooperating advancing rolls 43 and 44. At this point, depending on
whether simplex or duplex mode of operation is selected, the copy
sheet is either forwarded directly to the sorter or into the upper
supply tray 52 by means of a moveable sheet guide 45 before
entering the sorter, respectively.
It is believed that the foregoing description is sufficient for
purposes of the present application to show the general operation
of a xerographic reproducing machine. For a more detailed
explanation of the copier/duplicator xerographic components
reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,615 entitled Copying
Apparatus.
Sorting apparatus 6 comprises a transport assembly 101 which
includes a transport 105 and 107 for transporting simplex or side
one up and duplex side two up copy sheets from the xerographic
processing apparatus into different sheet feed zones 110 and 112,
respectively. A deflector gate member 115 serves to direct sheets
towards sheet discharge zone 110 when actuated in one position and
towards transport 107 and sheet discharge zone 112 when actuated in
another position. The actuation of gate member 115 is controlled by
any suitable device such as a solenoid which is energized when
selecting the desired sorting mode of operation on control panel
5.
Sheet discharge zones 110 and 112 are arranged to feed sheets into
tray assemblies 7 mounted axially on a rotatable member 130.
Rotatable member 130 is mounted on the frame to rotate in both
clockwise and counterclockwise directions depending on the sorting
mode of operation. It should be understood that the sorting could
be accomplished with the tray assemblies rotating in one direction
only, but this would require more time. Rotatable member 130 is
driven by a reversible motor (not shown) which drives member 130 is
a predetermined direction according to the mode of selection on the
control panel. The drive may be incremental or continuous as
desired. By this structure the sheets are collated and sorted for
both simplex and duplex modes of operation.
The tray assemblies have one or more bands or guides 135 for
retaining the collated sheets until they are in a position adjacent
an unloading tray 140 where a gate member 142 releases the collated
set of sheets, during the unloading cycle which follows the sorting
cycle, with signals supplied to a gate actuator 145. Unloading tray
140 is slideably mounted on guides and is adapted to move in
reciprocating fashion upon receiving each set of copy sheets from a
tray assembly. Any suitable drive can be used for this purpose as a
drive motor 150. By this structure a set separation of the copy
sets into staggered identifiable stacks is accomplished (FIG.
3).
In operation for simplex sorting the copy sheets are transported
with side one up by transport 105 and directed towards sheet
discharge zone 112 which feeds them into the tray assemblies 7
moving in a clockwise direction. In the case of duplex sorting the
sheets are directed with side 1 face down and side 2 face up
towards sheet discharge zone 110 which feeds them into the tray
assemblies moving in a clockwise direction.
While there have been shown and described and pointed out the
fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a
preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions
and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device
illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in
the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.
* * * * *