WO2004101404A1 - Inverseur en l de feuilles - Google Patents

Inverseur en l de feuilles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004101404A1
WO2004101404A1 PCT/IL2003/000402 IL0300402W WO2004101404A1 WO 2004101404 A1 WO2004101404 A1 WO 2004101404A1 IL 0300402 W IL0300402 W IL 0300402W WO 2004101404 A1 WO2004101404 A1 WO 2004101404A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
belt
sheets
path
inverter
conveying
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2003/000402
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Evgeny Korol
Alex Feygelman
Original Assignee
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
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
Application filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. filed Critical Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority to PCT/IL2003/000402 priority Critical patent/WO2004101404A1/fr
Priority to AU2003231339A priority patent/AU2003231339A1/en
Publication of WO2004101404A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004101404A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H23/00—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs
    • B65H23/04—Registering, tensioning, smoothing or guiding webs longitudinally
    • B65H23/32—Arrangements for turning or reversing webs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H15/00—Overturning articles
    • B65H15/004—Overturning articles employing rollers
    • 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
    • B65H2301/10—Selective handling processes
    • B65H2301/12—Selective handling processes of sheets or web
    • 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
    • B65H2301/34—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement
    • B65H2301/342—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement with change of plane of displacement
    • B65H2301/3423—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement with change of plane of displacement by travelling an angled curved path section for overturning and changing feeding direction

Definitions

  • the field of the invention is inverters for printers and copiers.
  • Paper is inverted, for example, between printing the first side and the second side of the paper, when two-sided printing is done, as well between copying the first side and the second side of a page in a copier with two-sided copying.
  • Printers can either print on separate sheets of paper drawn from a stack, or on a continuous roll of paper, known in the industry as a web. Generally, different methods are used for inverting sheets and for inverting a web. Sheets can be inverted individually, one after the other.
  • a web on the other hand, is inverted continuously.
  • each sheet is in contact with a roller or another mechanism which moves it.
  • it is sufficient to have a mechanism pulling the end of the web, and this will draw the rest of the web behind it. Because of these differences, existing printers generally print either sheets or a web, but the same printer cannot be used for both.
  • a mechanism commonly used for inverting a web is an L-inverter.
  • An L-inverter has a circular cylinder, oriented with its axis in the plane of the incoming paper, but oriented at a 45 degree angle to the direction of motion of the incoming paper.
  • the paper wraps half of a helical turn around the cylinder, and leaves the cylinder inverted from its original orientation, and travelling in a direction perpendicular to its incoming direction of motion.
  • a second L-inverter located above or below the first L-inverter, receives the web from the reversing cylinder, and changes its direction by 90 degrees so that it travels in the same direction, and optionally even in the same plane, as the paper coming into the first L- inverter, and inverted from its original orientation.
  • the cylinders of the two L-inverters have axes oriented in directions 90 degrees apart from each other (although the two axes are not in the same plane), making an X as seen from above, so this device is called an X-inverter.
  • some or all of the cylinders used in the L and X-inverters are stationary such that motion is provided by the tension on the web.
  • An aspect of some embodiments of the invention concerns adapting an inverter of the kind that is usually used for inverting a web, for example an L-inverter, so that it can be used for inverting separate sheets.
  • the same inverter can then be used for either webs or sheets.
  • Two features are present in a web inverter to allow it to be used for sheets. First, since each sheet is to be moved individually, one or more conveying elements are added along a path that the paper follows, so that each sheet is in contact with at least one conveying element as it travels along the path, keeping all the paper moving at the desired speed in the desired direction.
  • holding elements are added along the path, to keep each sheet of paper substantially confined to the path as the paper moves along the path.
  • keeping the web confined to the path is typically accomplished by having a solid surface against one side of the web at places where the web bends around, for example the cylinder in the case of an L- inverter, and applying tension to the web at the beginning and end of the path.
  • tension applied to one sheet of paper is not felt by the other sheets, so additional elements are used to confine the paper to the path.
  • pinch rollers situated on the periphery of one or more of the cylinders are used to move the paper and to hold it to the path.
  • each pair of rollers comprises a motor-driven drive roller which moves the paper, and an idler roller which holds the paper against the drive roller.
  • the nip between the pair of rollers is situated at or near the surface of the cylinder.
  • the reversing cylinder is optionally used as a drive roller.
  • pinch rollers oriented helically around the cylinders of the L-inverters, or around the single cylinder in the case of a single L-inverter.
  • a return path is provided for each belt to go back to the beginning of the path, or to the part of the path that the belt covers, hi some of these embodiments, the belts are used only in the places where the paper is bending around a curve, for example at the cylinder of the L-inverter. This simplifies the problem of returning the belt to the beginning.
  • Other means known to the art, are optionally used to move the paper, and to hold the paper against the path, in the straight sections of the path, and at the reversing roller in the case of an X-inverter.
  • some elements are used both for moving and holding the sheets.
  • the invention is not limited to L-inverters and X-inverters.
  • Other L-shaped inverters or X-shaped inverters, differing in their configuration from the L-inverters and the X-inverter shown in Fig. 1, are optionally used.
  • the direction of motion of the paper need not change by 90 degrees, but optionally changes by a different angle.
  • cylindrical or conical surfaces not necessarily circular cylinders and cones, but also cylinders and cones of other convex shapes, or even non-convex shapes, may be used to invert a web, or sheets of paper.
  • an inverter for taking separate sheets of printing media from a starting location in a printer or copier and conveying the sheets to an ending location in an inverted orientation
  • the inverter comprising: a) one or more conveying elements capable of simultaneously moving a plurality of the sheets along a continuous path in space, starting from the starting location and ending in the ending location while inverting the sheets; and b) one or more holders capable of confining the sheets substantially to the path the whole time that the sheets are moving; wherein the path is helical in at least one region.
  • the path does not turn to the left or right with respect to any plane tangent to the surface of the sheets.
  • the holders are arranged so as not to exert substantial tangential stresses on the sheets when said holders confine the sheets substantially to the path.
  • successive sheets follow substantially the same path, and are oriented in substantially a same orientation at a given location in the path.
  • the helical path is along a circular cylindrical surface in at least part of the at least one regions where the path is helical.
  • the circular cylindrical surface and the helical path along it comprise an L- shaped inverter.
  • the circular cylindrical surface and the helical path along it comprise an L- inverter.
  • At least two L-shaped inverters with axes oriented at different angles there are at least two L-shaped inverters with axes oriented at different angles.
  • two of the at least two L-shaped inverters with axes oriented at different angles comprise an X-inverter.
  • the conveying elements comprise at least one drive roller tangent to the surface of the sheets as they move along the path at a location in one of the at least one regions where the path is helical, and oriented at the pitch of the direction of motion of the sheets at said location.
  • the at least one drive roller comprises a plurality of drive rollers tangent to the surface of the sheets in one of the at least one regions where the path is helical, said drive rollers being spaced closely enough together so that each sheet is always in contact with at least one of the drive rollers as said sheet traverses said region.
  • the holding elements comprise at least one pinch roller, tangent to the surface of the sheets at a location where one of the at least one drive rollers is tangent to the surface of the sheets, but on the other side of the sheets from said drive roller, such that said pinch roller and said drive roller form a nip at said location, through which the sheets pass as they move along the path.
  • the at least one pinch roller is an idler roller, oriented in the same direction as the drive roller with which it forms a nip.
  • the holding elements comprise at least one pinch ball, tangent to the surface of the sheets at the location that one of the at least one drive rollers is tangent to the surface of the sheets, but on the other side of the sheets from said drive roller, such that said pinch ball and said drive roller form a nip at said location, through which the sheets pass as they move along the path.
  • the conveying elements comprise a conveyer belt, * having along its length a conveying portion, the outer surface of which coincides with the path over at least part of one of the at least one regions where the path is helical, and which conveying portion moves the sheets along said part of the path.
  • the holding elements comprise at least one pinch ball, tangent to the outer surface of the conveying portion of the conveyer belt, such that said pinch ball and said outer surface form a nip through which the sheets pass as they move along the path.
  • the holding elements comprise at least one phich roller, tangent to the outer surface of the conveying portion of the conveyer belt, and substantially aligned with the direction of motion of said conveying portion, such that said pinch roller and said outer surface form a nip through which the sheets pass as they move along the path.
  • the conveyer belt also has, along its length, a return portion, which does not coincide with the path, the conveyer belt thereby forming a closed loop.
  • conveyer belt tensioning elements which hold the conveyer belt taut.
  • the tensioning elements include a first cylindrical roller which the belt wraps around non-helically where the conveying portion of the belt becomes the return portion, and a second cylindrical roller which the belt wraps around non-helically where the return portion of the belt becomes the conveying portion.
  • the conveyer belt tensioning elements prevent the return portion of the conveyer belt from rubbing against the conveying portion of the conveyer belt.
  • the conveyer belt tensioning elements comprise at least one conveyer belt drive roller around which the conveyer belt wraps, and which causes the conveyer belt to move, whereby the conveying elements also comprise said conveyer belt drive roller.
  • the conveyer belt tensioning elements comprise at least one conveyer belt idler roller around which the conveyer belt wraps.
  • said part of the path follows a circular cylindrical surface
  • the tensioning elements comprise an inner cylindrical rod located inside said circular cylindrical surface, around which rod the return portion of the conveyer belt wraps helically.
  • the holding elements comprise a second belt, having along its length a conveying portion, the outer surface of which presses against the outer surface of the conveying portion of the conveyer belt, over an extended contact region of the said part of the path, thereby keeping the sheets pressed between the conveyer belt and the second belt as the sheets move along said part of the path.
  • the second belt moves at substantially the same speed and in the same direction as the conveyer belt in said contact region.
  • the second belt also has, along its length, a return portion, which does not coincide with the path, the second belt thereby forming a closed loop.
  • second belt tensioning elements which hold the second belt taut.
  • the second belt tensioning elements include a first outer cylindrical roller which the second belt wraps around non-helically where the conveying portion of the second belt becomes the return portion, and a second outer cylindrical roller which the second belt wraps around non-helically where the return portion of the second belt becomes the conveying portion.
  • the second belt tensioning elements prevent the return portion of the second belt from rubbing agamst the conveying portion of the second belt.
  • the second belt tensioning elements comprise at least one second belt drive roller around which the second belt wraps, and which causes the second belt • to move, whereby the conveying elements also comprise said second belt drive roller.
  • the second belt tensioning elements comprise at least one second belt idler roller around which the second belt wraps.
  • said part of the path follows a circular cylindrical surface
  • the tensioning elements comprise an outer rod located outside said circular cylindrical surface, around which outer rod the return portion of the second belt wraps helically.
  • the inverter is also adapted for conveying a web of printing media from the starting location to the ending location in an inverted orientation, and the drive rollers are capable of being decoupled from their drives, thereby becoming idler rollers, when the inverter is used for conveying the web.
  • the inverter is also used for conveying a web of printing media from the starting location to the ending location in an inverted orientation, wherein the conveying elements comprise a drive roller at the ending location, and other conveying elements, and the other conveying elements are capable of being inactivated when the inverter is used for conveying the web.
  • a method of inverting separate sheets of printing media in a printer or copier comprising: a) simultaneously moving a plurality of the sheets along a continuous path in space, starting from the starting location and ending in the ending location while inverting the sheets; and b) confining the sheets substantially to the path the whole time that the sheets of paper are moving; wherein the path is helical in at least one region.
  • a method of inverting either separate sheets of printing media or a web of printing media in a same inverter in a printer or copier comprising: a) driving at least one intermediate conveying element when using the inverter for separate sheets; b) using the at least one intermediate conveying elements to simultaneously move a plurality of the sheets along a continuous path in space, starting from a starting location and ending in an ending location while inverting the sheets; c) confining the sheets substantially to the path the whole time that the sheets of paper are moving; d) freeing the intermediate conveying elements when using the inverter for the web; e) using an end conveying element located at the end location to pull the web along the path; and f) keeping the web under tension while the end conveying element is pulling it.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a generic sheet X-inverter showing the path of the sheets, according to any of several different exemplary embodiments of the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a sheet L-inverter, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • Figs. 3 A, 3B and 3C are perspective views of a sheet L-inverter, according to exemplary embodiments of the invention different from that shown Fig. 2, each using a single belt with a different return path; and
  • Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet L-inverter, according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, using two belts.
  • FIG. 1 shows the path of the sheets of paper in an X-inverter, similar to the web path in prior art X-inverters used for inverting a continuous web of paper.
  • a feeder 102 feeds sheets of paper 104 onto an impression roller 106, where an image in printed on one side of each sheet by a known mechanism such as electrophotography, lithography, ink-jet, or any other printing mechanism.
  • Another roller 108 brings the paper down to the level of a first sheet L-inverter 110, to which it is transferred by a conventional mechanism (not shown).
  • the L-inverter comprises a cylinder whose axis is oriented at a 45 degree angle to the direction of motion of the paper, which inverts the paper and changes its direction of motion by 90 degrees, .sending the paper off to the left.
  • the paper is then inverted again by a cylinder 112, which sends the paper back in the direction it came from, but raises it up to the level of a second sheet L-inverter 114.
  • L-inverter 114 is also a cylinder, whose axis is oriented at an angle of 45 degrees to the path of the paper. It inverts the paper a third time, and sends it off to the left, in the same direction that the paper was moving when it entered first L-inverter 110.
  • L-inverters 110 and 114, and cylinder 112 The net result of L-inverters 110 and 114, and cylinder 112, is that the paper is travelling in the same direction as it was at the beginning, but it is inverted.
  • This combination of L-inverters and roller is called an X-inverter, since the two L- inverters, with axes oriented at right angles to each other, looks like an X when seen from above.
  • the paper is then taken up by a second impression roller 116, where it is printed on the other side (the side which was not printed by impression roller 106), and sent by roller 118 to a finisher 120. Transfer between, the cylinders and to and from the impression rollers is by any conventional means.
  • Fig. 1 is described with respect to a continuous flow of paper sheets or web, this is not a necessity.
  • multiple impressions may be made at each printing station, involving intermittent feeding of paper sheets (or stop-go action of the web), and/or multiple rotations of the impression roller, with transfer through the L or X-inverter taking place when one side of a sheet is ready for transfer to the next station.
  • roller 108 there is no roller 108, and the paper goes directly from first impression roller 106 to L-inverter 110.
  • roller 108 because of the configuration of the X- inverter, roller 108 is used so that the paper will end up at the same elevation when entering impression roller 116 as it had when leaving impression roller 106.
  • the configuration shown in Fig. 1 would not need any additional rollers in order to keep the paper confined to the path shown, and to keep the paper moving. It would be sufficient, for example, to keep the web under tension, along the path shown in Fig. 1 , and/or to have a motor driving one of the rollers.
  • the paper path is different from the paper path shown in Fig. 1.
  • the paper need not be travelling in the same direction when it leaves the inverter as it had when it entered the inverter.
  • one or more L-shaped inverters is oriented at an angle other than 45 degrees to the direction of motion of the paper, and the paper leaves the L-shaped inverter with its direction of motion changed by an angle other than 90 degrees.
  • no L- shaped inverter is oriented at an angle of 90 degrees to the direction of motion of the paper, or it would be an ordinary cylinder, not an L-shaped inverter, and ordinary drive and pinch rollers could be used to keep the paper moving around it.
  • Any number of such ordinary cylinders are, optionally, used in combination with L-shaped inverters, as is the case, for example, with cylinder 112 in Fig. 1, but there is at least one place where the path of the paper is helical for some distance, as it is at the L-inverters in Fig. 1.
  • the paper need not travel around such a helical path for half a turn, as it does at each of the L-inverters in Fig. 1.
  • the paper travels around an L-shaped inverter for less than half a turn, or more than half a turn.
  • the paper would then not be oriented in the same direction at input and output, and optionally the paper later goes less than half a turn, or more than half a turn, around additional L-shaped inverters, in order to bring its orientation back to substantially the starting orientation, but inverted.
  • one or more L-shaped inverters are conical rather than cylindrical.
  • the paper would also, in general, not be oriented in the same direction after going around such an L-shaped inverter, even if it went half a turn around, and optionally, some combination of one or more additional conical L-shaped inverters, or cylindrical L-shaped inverters oriented at an appropriate angle with the path taking an appropriate fraction of a turn, later brings the paper back to the starting orientation.
  • L-shaped inverters with surfaces that have zero geodesic curvature, such as cylindrical and conical surfaces has the potential advantage that the paper can be made to conform to the surface, by holding elements, without buckling, creasing, stretching, or tearing, h some embodiments of the invention, as described below for Fig.
  • the condition of "zero geodesic curvature" means simply that the holding elements are arranged so that the paper, as it travels along the path, is not subject to substantial tangential stresses, which would tend to stretch, tear, buckle or crease the paper, in an attempt to force the paper to conform to a real or virtual surface with non-zero geodesic curvature.
  • the L-shaped inverters do not have circular cross-sections, but cross-sections that are elliptical, or another shape.
  • the cross-sections do not have sharp corners, which could tear the paper, or crease or spindle it.
  • the cross-sectional shapes of the L-shaped inverters are convex, which has the potential advantage that it is easier to hold paper to the path.
  • the cross-sections are concave in at least some places.
  • Fig. 2 shows a close-up view of an L-inverter, for example, one of the L-inverters in Fig. 1, adapted to convey sheets.
  • a sheet of paper 104 enters the L-inverter from the bottom, and travels on a helical path around a cylindrical surface 202.
  • pairs of rollers are ananged along the paper path.
  • Rollers 204 and 206 are the first pair in the path shown in Fig. 2
  • rollers 208 and 210 are the next pair, then rollers 212 and 214, and then, rollers 216 and 218.
  • Each pair of rollers optionally includes a drive roller and a pinch roller.
  • some pairs of rollers do not include a drive roller, but at any given point in the path, the paper is in contact with at least one pair of rollers that does include a drive roller.
  • some of the pairs of rollers comprise two drive rollers. In each pair, one roller is inside the cylindrical surface, and one roller is outside.
  • rollers 204, 208, 212 and 216 are inside cylindrical surface 202, while rollers 206, 210, 214 and 218 are outside, such that the nip between the rollers is on cylindrical surface 202.
  • the rollers are preferably oriented so that, as the paper passes through each pair of rollers, the paper moves in the proper direction along the helical paper path without substantial slippage between the paper and the roller surfaces.
  • rollers arranged around the paper path on surface 202 there are more or fewer than four pairs of rollers arranged around the paper path on surface 202.
  • the rollers shown are all located near one edge of the paper, the edge that is initially on the right.
  • there are more than two rows of rollers for example a row of pairs of rollers near the right edge of the paper, a row near the left edge of the paper, and a row in the middle.
  • surface 202 is a solid surface, with openings to expose rollers 204, 208, 212 and 216, and any other rollers which are located inside the surface.
  • surface 202 is only a mathematical construct, to show where the rollers are located in space, and there is no material surface there, but there are several rows of rollers, spaced closely enough together to keep the paper confined to surface 202.
  • idler pinch rollers are replaced by idler pinch balls. This has the potential advantage that it makes no difference which way pinch balls are aligned, while pinch rollers are generally aligned with the desired helical path of the paper, if it is desired to avoid slippage of the paper relative to the rollers when the paper moves along the desired path.
  • the drive rollers decouple from the motors driving them when the system is being used for a web, so that all the pinch rollers act as idler rollers, and the web is driven by a single drive roller pulling it at the end.
  • This arrangement has the potential advantage that a single drive roller at the end may drive the web more uniformly than a set of independent drive rollers along the length of the web.
  • FIGs. 3 A shows an L-inverter using a different mechanism for keeping sheets of paper moving along and confined to the desired helical paper path.
  • a half-cylindrical shell 302 has a surface corresponding to the cylindrical surface that the paper travels on.
  • a belt 304, following the path of the paper, is wrapped around a roller 306, then follows the helical path of the paper around half-cylinder 302, then wraps around another roller 308, then one and a half times around a smaller cylinder 310, with radius equal to one third of the radius of half-cylinder 302, located concentric with and inside half-cylinder 302, and returns to roller 306.
  • Roller 306 or roller 308 optionally acts as a drive roller, moving belt 304, while the other of rollers 306 and 308 optionally is an idler roller. Rollers 306 and 308 are optionally crowned, to keep belt 304 centered. When paper 104 reaches the beginning of belt 304, below roller 306, the paper is caught in a nip between belt 304 and a pinch ball 312.
  • the paper is then carried around half- cylinder 302 by belt 304, and the paper is held to the belt by a series of pinch balls 314, arranged along belt 304, optionally at close enough intervals so that there is always at least one pinch ball holding the paper to belt 304, and at close enough intervals so that, when the paper is going around the curved part of the path, the paper stays close enough to the belt so that it can be taken up by each pinch ball.
  • the pinch balls are not spaced closely enough so that the paper is always held by at least one pinch ball, and gravity is used to hold the paper to the belt.
  • the belt wraps back around to return to the beginning of the paper path, and the paper leaves the belt.
  • cylinder 310 and half-cylinder 302 have low coefficients of friction with belt 304.
  • this is achieved by an air cushion between belt 304 and the surface of cylinder 310 and/or half-cylinder 302, produced by pushing air under pressure through small holes in the surface.
  • this is also done for other cases, described below, where a belt wraps helically around a cylindrical surface.
  • Fig. 3 A shows belt 304 situated along one edge of the paper, the edge that is on the right side at the beginning of the belt.
  • there is more than one belt in parallel for example there is also a belt, similar to belt 304, situated along the opposite edge of the paper, or there is only one belt but it is wider, covering more of the width of the paper, or all of the width of the paper, h the case of a wide belt, there are optionally two or more rows of pinch balls holding the paper to the belt.
  • one or more of the pinch balls are replaced by pinch wheels, each pinch wheel oriented hi the direction of motion of the paper.
  • the return part of belt 304 after wrapping around roller 308, wraps half a turn helically around cylinder 316, which sends the belt off to the side at an oblique angle.
  • the belt then wraps half a turn helically around cylinder 318, which is oriented with its axis parallel to cylinder 316.
  • the belt is now travelling in the same direction as it was when it came around roller 308, but displaced laterally. The lateral displacement is such that, when the belt wraps half a turn around cylinder 310, it ends up aligned with the conveying part of the belt.
  • the orientation of cylinders 316 and 318 need not be the same as the orientation of cylinder 310 and half-cylinder 302, and the diameters of cylinders 316 and 318 need not be the same as each other, or the same as the diameter of cylinder 310.
  • the radius of cylinder 310 need not be one third the radius of half-cylinder 302, as it is in Fig. 3A, but the lateral displacement that cylinders 316 and 318 give to the belt is related to the radius of cylinder 310 and the radius of half-cylinder 302.
  • Fig. 3C there is no small cylinder 310 concentric with half-cylinder 302, ' but there are two small cylinders 320 and 322, oriented at different angles, which the return part of belt 304 wraps around helically.
  • Cylinders 320 and 322 are located and oriented in such a way that the . return part of belt 304 is aligned with the conveying part of belt 304, both before and after the conveying part of belt 304 wraps helically around half-cylinder 302.
  • half-cylinder 302 is solid rather than a shell.
  • belt 304 is not wrapped half a turn around rollers 306 and 308, but less than half a turn around one or both of them, and the return part of belt 304 is not parallel to the conveying part of the belt, near one or both of rollers 306 and 308.
  • belt 304 can still go around the rollers without slipping, and we still describe the return part of belt 304 as "aligned" with the conveying part of belt 304, adjacent to the rollers.
  • the return part of belt 304 is aligned with the conveying part only at one end, for example only at the end which has a drive roller, and at the other end, the idler roller is replaced with a cylinder which the belt goes around helically.
  • Fig. 4 shows an L-inverter with a belt 304, as in Figs. 3 A, which is wrapped one and half times around cylinder 310 in its return path.
  • the return path shown in Figs. 3B or 3C, or one of many other possible return paths is used instead for belt 304 in Fig. 4.
  • pinch balls 314 in Fig. 3 A are replaced in Fig. 4 by an outer belt 402, and the paper is held between belt 304 and outer belt 402 as it goes around the L-inverter.
  • Outer belt 402 begins at roller 404, adjacent to roller 306, and follows the paper path around half-cylinder 302, pressing against belt 304 with enough force to hold the paper against belt 304.
  • outer belt 402 After going around half- cylinder 302, outer belt 402 leaves contact with belt 304, and wraps around another roller 406, and returns back along the paper path, but further away from half-cylinder 302. Outer belt 402 then makes half a helical half-turn around a cylinder 508, which is oriented parallel to half- cylinder 302 but with its axis generally not directly above the axis of half-cylinder 302, and wraps around rollers 510, 512, and 514, finally returning to roller 404.
  • outer belt 402 need not wrap one and a half times around cylinder 508, as belt 304 does around cylinder 310, in order to make the return part of outer belt 402 align with the conveying part of outer belt 402, at both ends.
  • cylinder 508 is the same diameter as cylinder 310 and located directly above cylinder 310, and outer belt 402 does wrap one and a half turns around cylinder 508.
  • Many other possible return paths for outer belt 402 will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and taking into account the remarks above about belt 304.
  • the half-cylinders need not be 180 degrees of a cylinder. They can be less than or greater than 180 degrees, depending partly on how much of the cylinder the paper path follows, and they need not be parts of circular cylinders, but optionally are surfaces of other shapes.
  • the return path of the belt or belts need not be held even approximately a uniform distance away from the part of the belt that is conveying the paper, but could take a variety of different paths. A potential advantage of not letting the return path get too far away from the paper conveying part of the belt is that the entire belt will not take up too much space.
  • a potential advantage of not letting the return path get too close to the paper conveying part is that the two parts of the belt will not rub against each other, possibly causing wear or damage.
  • a possible advantage of using a return path that allows the belt to be kept under tension is that the belt may be less likely to accidentally come off the rollers.
  • the speed of the belts is set by a motor driving only one of the belts, for example belt 304, and the other belt, in this case belt 402. is driven by a motor whose speed is variable and sensitive to the torque exerted on the motor by belt 402. This arrangement has the potential advantage that the belts will not slide against each other, possibly smudging the image on the paper, but will move at the same speed.
  • one of the belts is not driven by its rollers at all, but has only idler rollers which allow it to be pulled along by the other belt.
  • a single motor is connected to a drive roller for each belt, and the two belts. are kept moving at the same speed by means of gears, or sprockets, or any other means known to the art for synchronizing two drive rollers.
  • the inverters shown in Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 4 are potentially usable for either a web or individual sheets. If used for a web, optionally the web is driven by a drive roller pulling the web at its end, and the belt or belts have only idler rollers. Alternatively, the belt or belts have their own drive roller or drive rollers, but the belt drive rollers are driven by motors which have variable speed and are sensitive to torque, so that the belt or belts move at the same speed as the web is being pulled.
  • the drive roller at the end of the web which has variable speed and sensitivity to torque, so that it moves at whatever speed is needed to keep the web under a desired tension as the web is moved by the belt or belts.
  • the pinch balls in Figs. 3A-3C, or the outer belt in Fig. 4 is disengaged from belt 304 when a web is used, and, with nothing pressing the web against belt 304, the web slides along belt 304.
  • belt 304 at least, is moved to the side when a web is used, or belt 304 remains in the same position but the paper path is moved to the side, so that the web goes directly over cylinder 302 without touching belt 304.
  • helical or helical motion means a path along a surface that is not along the minimum local radius of curvature, and includes helical motion along a non-circularly cylindrical surface.
  • L-shaped inverter includes, but is not limited to, an L-inverter.
  • L-inverter is defined as an L-shaped inverter with a 90 degree change in path direction.
  • L-shaped inverter may also include inverters in which the change in direction is more or less than 90 degrees.
  • X-shaped inverter includes, but is not limited to, an X-inverter.
  • X-inverter is defined as an X-shaped inverter comprising two L-inverters, with their axes oriented 90 degrees apart.
  • the term X-shaped inverter may also include inverters which comprise two L-shaped inverters, not necessarily L-inverters, and inverters in which the axes of the two L-shaped inverters are oriented at angles that differ by more or less than 90 degrees.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)
  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un inverseur permettant de prélever des feuilles séparées de supports d'impression à partir d'un emplacement de départ dans une imprimante ou un photocopieur et de les acheminer jusqu'à un emplacement final dans une direction inverse. Ledit inverseur comprend a) au moins un élément d'acheminement capable de déplacer simultanément une pluralité de feuilles le long d'une voie continue dans l'espace, de l'emplacement de départ jusqu'à l'emplacement final tandis que les feuilles sont inversées et b) au moins un support capable de confiner les feuilles à la voie tant que les feuilles se déplacent, ladite voie étant hélicoïdale dans au moins une zone.
PCT/IL2003/000402 2003-05-15 2003-05-15 Inverseur en l de feuilles WO2004101404A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IL2003/000402 WO2004101404A1 (fr) 2003-05-15 2003-05-15 Inverseur en l de feuilles
AU2003231339A AU2003231339A1 (en) 2003-05-15 2003-05-15 Sheet l-inverter

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IL2003/000402 WO2004101404A1 (fr) 2003-05-15 2003-05-15 Inverseur en l de feuilles

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004101404A1 true WO2004101404A1 (fr) 2004-11-25

Family

ID=33446363

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IL2003/000402 WO2004101404A1 (fr) 2003-05-15 2003-05-15 Inverseur en l de feuilles

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2003231339A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2004101404A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005027712A1 (de) * 2005-06-15 2006-12-21 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Bearbeiten von blattförmigen Wertdokumenten
DE102006031823A1 (de) * 2006-07-07 2008-01-10 Eastman Kodak Co. Vorrichtung zur Wendung von bogenförmigem Material

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3548783A (en) * 1968-08-12 1970-12-22 Xerox Corp Paper transport-sheet turner
JPS59167446A (ja) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-20 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 用紙姿勢変更装置
JPS6071443A (ja) * 1983-09-26 1985-04-23 Canon Inc シ−トの表裏反転搬送装置
US5362039A (en) * 1991-07-04 1994-11-08 Bell & Howell Gmbh Device for turning a sheet with a simultaneous change in conveying direction
JP2000135851A (ja) * 1998-11-02 2000-05-16 Tohoku Ricoh Co Ltd 両面印刷用オプション装置、両面印刷方法及び反転再給紙装置
US6409008B1 (en) * 2001-02-15 2002-06-25 John R. Newsome Turnover conveyor

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3548783A (en) * 1968-08-12 1970-12-22 Xerox Corp Paper transport-sheet turner
JPS59167446A (ja) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-20 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 用紙姿勢変更装置
JPS6071443A (ja) * 1983-09-26 1985-04-23 Canon Inc シ−トの表裏反転搬送装置
US5362039A (en) * 1991-07-04 1994-11-08 Bell & Howell Gmbh Device for turning a sheet with a simultaneous change in conveying direction
JP2000135851A (ja) * 1998-11-02 2000-05-16 Tohoku Ricoh Co Ltd 両面印刷用オプション装置、両面印刷方法及び反転再給紙装置
US6409008B1 (en) * 2001-02-15 2002-06-25 John R. Newsome Turnover conveyor

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 009, no. 022 (M - 354) 30 January 1985 (1985-01-30) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 009, no. 213 (M - 408) 30 August 1985 (1985-08-30) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 08 6 October 2000 (2000-10-06) *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005027712A1 (de) * 2005-06-15 2006-12-21 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Bearbeiten von blattförmigen Wertdokumenten
WO2006133936A1 (fr) * 2005-06-15 2006-12-21 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Systeme pour traiter des documents de valeur en forme de feuille
DE102006031823A1 (de) * 2006-07-07 2008-01-10 Eastman Kodak Co. Vorrichtung zur Wendung von bogenförmigem Material

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